I am a staunch atheist but it does seem strange to me that the head of the Church of England should be happy to release messages for Eid and Ramadan but not for Easter.
Counterintuitively it's mainly non Christians, and I regret to say those interested in creating division and trouble, who are exercised by the lack of an Easter message from the King.
He released a bland message about Ramadan on his Instagram channel, which is surely appropriate for a major religion amongst his subjects. He talks quite a lot about his Christian faith on social media and there were several posts about the traditional royal activities for Maundy Thursday. He gives an address to the nation at Christmas.
I suspect his Christian faith is the main reason for him not traditionally giving an Easter message. Easter is the most solemn festival in the Christian calender, so he should let it speak for itself.
The entire purpose of the modern CoE is to prevent religion getting into the public discourse.
Vague niceness, steam trains and tea, instead.
My daughter brought marble cake to church for her birthday. A risk of taking things a bit far compared to custard cream biscuits?
Announcing his plans on Truth Social last year, Trump said was directing "the Bureau of Prisons, together with the Department of Justice, FBI, and Homeland Security, to reopen a substantially enlarged and rebuilt ALCATRAZ". The prison would "house America's most ruthless and violent offenders".
Yup, this is the dumbest idea ever, and also possibly the funniest thing he will ever do
I was thinking more, if we look at America's most ruthless criminals, well, all of them are bungling amateurs compared to him.
Is there a Polymarket entry for how many of his cabinet end up there?
Announcing his plans on Truth Social last year, Trump said was directing "the Bureau of Prisons, together with the Department of Justice, FBI, and Homeland Security, to reopen a substantially enlarged and rebuilt ALCATRAZ". The prison would "house America's most ruthless and violent offenders".
Sean Connery escaped it and swam ashore, in the middle of the deepest desert would probably be safer.
Announcing his plans on Truth Social last year, Trump said was directing "the Bureau of Prisons, together with the Department of Justice, FBI, and Homeland Security, to reopen a substantially enlarged and rebuilt ALCATRAZ". The prison would "house America's most ruthless and violent offenders".
Sean Connery escaped it and swam ashore, in the middle of the deepest desert woudl probably be safer.
According to South Park he can get through that.
'For his penis may be teeny-tiny, but his love for us is MASSIVE!'
I am looking forward to the Brussels Stasi hauling off Mrs Smith from the WI for selling jars labelled "Marmalade" at the village fete.
The rules are British rules (made to follow EU rules) and are enforced by UK authorities, who, generally speaking, are not jobsworths who have any interest in going after people selling homemade jars at fetes.
From the BBC article:
"In 2004, the EU agreed to relax the rule for producers selling fruity wares at farmers' markets in Austria and Germany."
So it has been a problem before...
I was talking about British officials enforcing British rules, so I’m not certain what events in Austria and Germany tell us.
Three weeks into the conflict—in mid-March—White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles forced a meeting of the president’s inner circle urging them to stop feeding him a rose-tinted interpretation of the conflict.
Announcing his plans on Truth Social last year, Trump said was directing "the Bureau of Prisons, together with the Department of Justice, FBI, and Homeland Security, to reopen a substantially enlarged and rebuilt ALCATRAZ". The prison would "house America's most ruthless and violent offenders".
Another example of policies to generate social media content, not policies to actually do anything practical.
Announcing his plans on Truth Social last year, Trump said was directing "the Bureau of Prisons, together with the Department of Justice, FBI, and Homeland Security, to reopen a substantially enlarged and rebuilt ALCATRAZ". The prison would "house America's most ruthless and violent offenders".
Another example of policies to generate social media content, not policies to actually do anything practical.
Announcing his plans on Truth Social last year, Trump said was directing "the Bureau of Prisons, together with the Department of Justice, FBI, and Homeland Security, to reopen a substantially enlarged and rebuilt ALCATRAZ". The prison would "house America's most ruthless and violent offenders".
Sean Connery escaped it and swam ashore, in the middle of the deepest desert would probably be safer.
Announcing his plans on Truth Social last year, Trump said was directing "the Bureau of Prisons, together with the Department of Justice, FBI, and Homeland Security, to reopen a substantially enlarged and rebuilt ALCATRAZ". The prison would "house America's most ruthless and violent offenders".
Sean Connery escaped it and swam ashore, in the middle of the deepest desert would probably be safer.
I am looking forward to the Brussels Stasi hauling off Mrs Smith from the WI for selling jars labelled "Marmalade" at the village fete.
The rules are British rules (made to follow EU rules) and are enforced by UK authorities, who, generally speaking, are not jobsworths who have any interest in going after people selling homemade jars at fetes.
Really?
This is the country where great angst was expressed about people rolling cheese down a hill.
I guarantee that a piss ant with a clipboard will appear to a village fete and try and enforce an entirely imaginary interpretation of these rules.
I work with a major national regulator. Their ethos is guidance rather than punishment. They’re not chasing prosecutions. Broadly speaking, the government is not interested in chasing such matters. Whether someone local with a clipboard misbehaves is another matter.
Absolutely.
Every time you hear one of the stupid “Elf & Safety” stories, it’s a moron with on IQ, no knowledge, no actual authority and an ego the size of Trumps.
They should be set on fire and left to wander round a building with exposed live electrical cables and empty elevator shafts.
So real people can have real health and safety, which saves lives and limbs. Every single day.
I'd love to.know what the odds were yesterday when Wigan were 10 24 up at St Helens with 9 mins to go and lost 34 24. Its one of THE great comebacks in R League history.
Why are we even considering this marmalade nonsense - I mean wtf?
And does Sir Bubblehead have any idea how this looks - we're not members, we haven't even signed his 'deal' and they're already telling us what to put on a twatting jar of marmalade? The PR for his deal could really not be much worse.
Starmer is doing it to limit Brexit damage. Leavers didn't vote for damage requiring limitation, obviously. That's the political quandary we are in.
* Actually neither Leavers nor Remainers voted for damage requiring limitation, which is the political quandary.
No he isn't. There is nothing 'damage limiting' about giving away 12 years of fishing rights for literally nothing. I wasn't a supporter of Sunak's Windsor Framework Agreement, but that could be argued to 'limit Brexit damage'. Starmer's actions aren't limiting any damage, they are pure politics.
The 12 years was given away in exchange for it being formally un-linked from other concerns so that, in 12 years, we can become an independent coastal state without endangering any other part of the agreement. Allegedly.
That was Boris Johnson who decided his "oven ready deal" was better than no deal after all and so conceded on fisheries, just as every other British government does. Starmer continued the terms, but the TCA made sure British asks had the same termination dates, so he didn't have much choice. A choice where the alternative is being smashed in the face isn't normally seen as a choice.
Three weeks into the conflict—in mid-March—White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles forced a meeting of the president’s inner circle urging them to stop feeding him a rose-tinted interpretation of the conflict.
You laugh but we had a British Prime Minister like that – Mrs Thatcher. We know because her press secretary lamented that John Major's government ran into trouble because Major insisted on reading the papers himself instead of a carefully-curated selection of favourable news.
I've missed out on this marmalade thing. Could someone (e) recap?
But I only like the cheapest most rubbishy stuff. Homemade is lost on me, rather not have any.
Different countries have a word like “marmalade”, but mean somewhat different things by it. To ensure free trade, the EU, when the UK was in it, agreed some standards around what the word “marmalade” on a label should mean. These standards aligned with the British usage of the word.
We then left the EU. Without having to accommodate us, the EU then changed its marmalade labelling rules to suit other countries’ usages.
The UK wants to continue trading with the EU, so we’ve signed up to a bunch of food trade rules, including this new marmalade one. That means that we now have to adjust our labelling to match the EU’s new rules. This will mean that what used to be labelled as “marmalade” in the UK will now have to be labelled “citrus marmalade” or similar.
This, some suggest, is emblematic of the problem of Brexit. In the EU, we got to influence the rules. Outside the EU, we still need to trade, but just have to accept the EU’s rules.
Fair enough. Otherwise it would be like expecting the EU to retain English as an official language when the UK isn't a member.
The EU has retained English as one of its 24 official languages, but then it is the main language of one member state (Ireland). In practice, most work in Brussels is still done in French or English.
Yes, but that was their decision. We did not have any way of influencing that decision nor should we have had.
Announcing his plans on Truth Social last year, Trump said was directing "the Bureau of Prisons, together with the Department of Justice, FBI, and Homeland Security, to reopen a substantially enlarged and rebuilt ALCATRAZ". The prison would "house America's most ruthless and violent offenders".
Sean Connery escaped it and swam ashore, in the middle of the deepest desert would probably be safer.
Why are we even considering this marmalade nonsense - I mean wtf?
And does Sir Bubblehead have any idea how this looks - we're not members, we haven't even signed his 'deal' and they're already telling us what to put on a twatting jar of marmalade? The PR for his deal could really not be much worse.
Starmer is doing it to limit Brexit damage. Leavers didn't vote for damage requiring limitation, obviously. That's the political quandary we are in.
* Actually neither Leavers nor Remainers voted for damage requiring limitation, which is the political quandary.
No he isn't. There is nothing 'damage limiting' about giving away 12 years of fishing rights for literally nothing. I wasn't a supporter of Sunak's Windsor Framework Agreement, but that could be argued to 'limit Brexit damage'. Starmer's actions aren't limiting any damage, they are pure politics.
The 12 years was given away in exchange for it being formally un-linked from other concerns so that, in 12 years, we can become an independent coastal state without endangering any other part of the agreement. Allegedly.
That was Boris Johnson who decided his "oven ready deal" was better than no deal after all and so conceded on fisheries, just as every other British government does. Starmer continued the terms, but the TCA made sure British asks had the same termination dates, so he didn't have much choice. A choice where the alternative is being smashed in the face isn't normally seen as a choice.
Johnson needed a deal - any deal - for his Get Brexit Done 2019 GE campaign. He knew that running on a 'No Deal if necessary' platform would spook a lot of people and jeopardise what was otherwise a slam dunk win. For him, to reverse a popular soundbite of the time, a bad deal was better than no deal.
The media in this country are just awful at understanding Labour politics.
Patrick Maguire and co were adamant Sir Keir was off post the local elections. They wrote articles for months saying this.
Many of us kept asking “why”.
They’ve all now changes their minds and he’s safe for as long as he wants the job. Either their sources are terrible or they are wishcasting.
I maintain strongly Sir Keir will NOT fight any future election. But he’ll stay as long as he wants to up until then. This seems incredibly obvious but apparently not to our journalists.
As I think I pointed out several times to the others, there is no mechanism by which Starmer can be removed as Labour Leader by the Labour Party, and there is currently no basis for believing that he will resign voluntarily other than hopecasting. Those things remain true even after the predicted May bloodbath. He may have a crisis of conscience but (again, as previously observed) I think that's unlikely.
The media in this country are just awful at understanding Labour politics.
Patrick Maguire and co were adamant Sir Keir was off post the local elections. They wrote articles for months saying this.
Many of us kept asking “why”.
They’ve all now changes their minds and he’s safe for as long as he wants the job. Either their sources are terrible or they are wishcasting.
I maintain strongly Sir Keir will NOT fight any future election. But he’ll stay as long as he wants to up until then. This seems incredibly obvious but apparently not to our journalists.
As I think I pointed out several times to the others, there is no mechanism by which Starmer can be removed as Labour Leader by the Labour Party, and there is currently no basis for believing that he will resign voluntarily other than hopecasting. Those things remain true even after the predicted May bloodbath. He may have a crisis of conscience but (again, as previously observed) I think that's unlikely.
There is a mechanism. 81 Labour MPs certifying they want a specific replacement (eg Angela Rayner) triggers a leadership contest.
Who forgets whether they have left behind their bag of guns?
And what is the point of suspending the coppers in question? Yeah, someone f'd up but they can probably work that out for themselves.
THE INDEPENDENT JUDGE-LED INVESTIGATION (2026-28) Terms of reference: wide ranging Duration: 18-24 months Costs: £50 million Witnesses: 135 KCs: 8 Verdict: somebody forgot to pick it up Person who gets fired: the lowest-level employee at the scene at the time.
Who forgets whether they have left behind their bag of guns?
And what is the point of suspending the coppers in question? Yeah, someone f'd up but they can probably work that out for themselves.
I think a suspension is necessary to go over procedures and retrainingg so that they are less likely to do that again. If I cocked up big time as a teacher I'd expect to be suspended pending.
Who forgets whether they have left behind their bag of guns?
And what is the point of suspending the coppers in question? Yeah, someone f'd up but they can probably work that out for themselves.
I think a suspension is necessary to go over procedures and retrainingg so that they are less likely to do that again. If I cocked up big time as a teacher I'd expect to be suspended pending.
Though I don't remember leaving a bag of guns in the science prep room by mistake.
What were the integrity standards the market violated? Genuine question. The essence of a prediction market is prediction, not morality, and they've had markets on events like the Ayatollah being deposed. So did they extend a specific reason?
The media in this country are just awful at understanding Labour politics.
Patrick Maguire and co were adamant Sir Keir was off post the local elections. They wrote articles for months saying this.
Many of us kept asking “why”.
They’ve all now changes their minds and he’s safe for as long as he wants the job. Either their sources are terrible or they are wishcasting.
I maintain strongly Sir Keir will NOT fight any future election. But he’ll stay as long as he wants to up until then. This seems incredibly obvious but apparently not to our journalists.
As I think I pointed out several times to the others, there is no mechanism by which Starmer can be removed as Labour Leader by the Labour Party, and there is currently no basis for believing that he will resign voluntarily other than hopecasting. Those things remain true even after the predicted May bloodbath. He may have a crisis of conscience but (again, as previously observed) I think that's unlikely.
There is a mechanism. 81 Labour MPs certifying they want a specific replacement (eg Angela Rayner) triggers a leadership contest.
The media in this country are just awful at understanding Labour politics.
Patrick Maguire and co were adamant Sir Keir was off post the local elections. They wrote articles for months saying this.
Many of us kept asking “why”.
They’ve all now changes their minds and he’s safe for as long as he wants the job. Either their sources are terrible or they are wishcasting.
I maintain strongly Sir Keir will NOT fight any future election. But he’ll stay as long as he wants to up until then. This seems incredibly obvious but apparently not to our journalists.
As I think I pointed out several times to the others, there is no mechanism by which Starmer can be removed as Labour Leader by the Labour Party, and there is currently no basis for believing that he will resign voluntarily other than hopecasting. Those things remain true even after the predicted May bloodbath. He may have a crisis of conscience but (again, as previously observed) I think that's unlikely.
If he didn’t resign after Hartlepool I can’t see why he’d resign now.
I know people think he’d just a Starmer apologist but Tom Baldwin has been far more insightful into Starmer’s mental state than anyone else.
As I have said, no doubt Labour MPs are very annoyed and frustrated however they will have concluded that the evidence that changing the leader will make any tangible difference is thin.
I think things may be different if Burnham was in parliament but he’s not.
The media in this country are just awful at understanding Labour politics.
Patrick Maguire and co were adamant Sir Keir was off post the local elections. They wrote articles for months saying this.
Many of us kept asking “why”.
They’ve all now changes their minds and he’s safe for as long as he wants the job. Either their sources are terrible or they are wishcasting.
I maintain strongly Sir Keir will NOT fight any future election. But he’ll stay as long as he wants to up until then. This seems incredibly obvious but apparently not to our journalists.
As I think I pointed out several times to the others, there is no mechanism by which Starmer can be removed as Labour Leader by the Labour Party, and there is currently no basis for believing that he will resign voluntarily other than hopecasting. Those things remain true even after the predicted May bloodbath. He may have a crisis of conscience but (again, as previously observed) I think that's unlikely.
There is a mechanism. 81 Labour MPs certifying they want a specific replacement (eg Angela Rayner) triggers a leadership contest.
The media in this country are just awful at understanding Labour politics.
Patrick Maguire and co were adamant Sir Keir was off post the local elections. They wrote articles for months saying this.
Many of us kept asking “why”.
They’ve all now changes their minds and he’s safe for as long as he wants the job. Either their sources are terrible or they are wishcasting.
I maintain strongly Sir Keir will NOT fight any future election. But he’ll stay as long as he wants to up until then. This seems incredibly obvious but apparently not to our journalists.
As I think I pointed out several times to the others, there is no mechanism by which Starmer can be removed as Labour Leader by the Labour Party, and there is currently no basis for believing that he will resign voluntarily other than hopecasting. Those things remain true even after the predicted May bloodbath. He may have a crisis of conscience but (again, as previously observed) I think that's unlikely.
There is a mechanism. 81 Labour MPs certifying they want a specific replacement (eg Angela Rayner) triggers a leadership contest.
Yes but as I’ve tried to explain to people on X before, that doesn’t remove him. He’s automatically on the ballot.
What were the integrity standards the market violated? Genuine question. The essence of a prediction market is prediction, not morality, and they've had markets on events like the Ayatollah being deposed. So did they extend a specific reason?
Have you not read the MAGA new testament lately?
Betting on the bad guys demise is not just fun and edgy but your patriotic duty. USA!!! USA!!! USA!!!
Betting on our brave heroes lives is not just pure evil but also the kind of behaviour only associated with liberal, swamp dwellers. Go our new lord saviour, Trump, Trump, Trump!!!
Who forgets whether they have left behind their bag of guns?
And what is the point of suspending the coppers in question? Yeah, someone f'd up but they can probably work that out for themselves.
THE INDEPENDENT JUDGE-LED INVESTIGATION (2026-28) Terms of reference: wide ranging Duration: 18-24 months Costs: £50 million Witnesses: 135 KCs: 8 Verdict: somebody forgot to pick it up Person who gets fired: the lowest-level employee at the scene at the time.
Currently being appealed by the Good Law Project
Rubbish
You completely forgot the enquiry into the enquiry. And the enquiry into the enquiry about the enquiry into the enquiry.
The media in this country are just awful at understanding Labour politics.
Patrick Maguire and co were adamant Sir Keir was off post the local elections. They wrote articles for months saying this.
Many of us kept asking “why”.
They’ve all now changes their minds and he’s safe for as long as he wants the job. Either their sources are terrible or they are wishcasting.
I maintain strongly Sir Keir will NOT fight any future election. But he’ll stay as long as he wants to up until then. This seems incredibly obvious but apparently not to our journalists.
As I think I pointed out several times to the others, there is no mechanism by which Starmer can be removed as Labour Leader by the Labour Party, and there is currently no basis for believing that he will resign voluntarily other than hopecasting. Those things remain true even after the predicted May bloodbath. He may have a crisis of conscience but (again, as previously observed) I think that's unlikely.
There is a mechanism. 81 Labour MPs certifying they want a specific replacement (eg Angela Rayner) triggers a leadership contest.
Pause
I didn't know that! I now feel rather stupid.
Even the best can err occasionally.
Well I must be the best because I err an awful lot!
Who forgets whether they have left behind their bag of guns?
And what is the point of suspending the coppers in question? Yeah, someone f'd up but they can probably work that out for themselves.
I think a suspension is necessary to go over procedures and retrainingg so that they are less likely to do that again. If I cocked up big time as a teacher I'd expect to be suspended pending.
Though I don't remember leaving a bag of guns in the science prep room by mistake.
Well, obviously.
That’s because you forgot about forgetting the bag of guns in the science prep room.
Announcing his plans on Truth Social last year, Trump said was directing "the Bureau of Prisons, together with the Department of Justice, FBI, and Homeland Security, to reopen a substantially enlarged and rebuilt ALCATRAZ". The prison would "house America's most ruthless and violent offenders".
Yup, this is the dumbest idea ever, and also possibly the funniest thing he will ever do
He’s probably only suggesting it because he knows it will make Gavin Newsom go totally nuts.
The media in this country are just awful at understanding Labour politics.
Patrick Maguire and co were adamant Sir Keir was off post the local elections. They wrote articles for months saying this.
Many of us kept asking “why”.
They’ve all now changes their minds and he’s safe for as long as he wants the job. Either their sources are terrible or they are wishcasting.
I maintain strongly Sir Keir will NOT fight any future election. But he’ll stay as long as he wants to up until then. This seems incredibly obvious but apparently not to our journalists.
As I think I pointed out several times to the others, there is no mechanism by which Starmer can be removed as Labour Leader by the Labour Party, and there is currently no basis for believing that he will resign voluntarily other than hopecasting. Those things remain true even after the predicted May bloodbath. He may have a crisis of conscience but (again, as previously observed) I think that's unlikely.
There is a mechanism. 81 Labour MPs certifying they want a specific replacement (eg Angela Rayner) triggers a leadership contest.
Yes but as I’ve tried to explain to people on X before, that doesn’t remove him. He’s automatically on the ballot.
True. More likely others would join and he'd be squeezed out - but, yes, it's strictly speaking a mechanism to challenge not oust.
Who forgets whether they have left behind their bag of guns?
And what is the point of suspending the coppers in question? Yeah, someone f'd up but they can probably work that out for themselves.
I think a suspension is necessary to go over procedures and retrainingg so that they are less likely to do that again. If I cocked up big time as a teacher I'd expect to be suspended pending.
It is obviously better to not suspend them and make them buy icecream for the entire Met armed police unit for a month.
This will boost morale, hurt the idiots in their pockets and the ribbing about it will carry on for decades. Ensuring that more attention is paid to the location of bags of guns.
The media in this country are just awful at understanding Labour politics.
Patrick Maguire and co were adamant Sir Keir was off post the local elections. They wrote articles for months saying this.
Many of us kept asking “why”.
They’ve all now changes their minds and he’s safe for as long as he wants the job. Either their sources are terrible or they are wishcasting.
I maintain strongly Sir Keir will NOT fight any future election. But he’ll stay as long as he wants to up until then. This seems incredibly obvious but apparently not to our journalists.
As I think I pointed out several times to the others, there is no mechanism by which Starmer can be removed as Labour Leader by the Labour Party, and there is currently no basis for believing that he will resign voluntarily other than hopecasting. Those things remain true even after the predicted May bloodbath. He may have a crisis of conscience but (again, as previously observed) I think that's unlikely.
There is a mechanism. 81 Labour MPs certifying they want a specific replacement (eg Angela Rayner) triggers a leadership contest.
Yes but as I’ve tried to explain to people on X before, that doesn’t remove him. He’s automatically on the ballot.
True. More likely others would join and he'd be squeezed out - but, yes, it's strictly speaking a mechanism to challenge not oust.
It seems more likely nobody else joins, it becomes a one on one and Starmer wins.
Or Starmer resigns before,
I just cannot see it. Starmer will know he can’t win another election, so he’ll resign beforehand and somebody else will run.
I’d be staggered if he hasn’t already said all this to people,
Who forgets whether they have left behind their bag of guns?
And what is the point of suspending the coppers in question? Yeah, someone f'd up but they can probably work that out for themselves.
To be fair, while a lot of police investigation of their own miscreants is indeed a waste of time, one might expect that the loss of a number of firearms is treated as a pretty serious offence.
I’d give them six months of policing a desk in the lost property office, and then back on the beat as a regular Constable, not in the VIP protection unit!
Who forgets whether they have left behind their bag of guns?
And what is the point of suspending the coppers in question? Yeah, someone f'd up but they can probably work that out for themselves.
I think a suspension is necessary to go over procedures and retrainingg so that they are less likely to do that again. If I cocked up big time as a teacher I'd expect to be suspended pending.
Never leave your bag of guns unattended. Particularly around Year 9. Basic teaching.
Who forgets whether they have left behind their bag of guns?
And what is the point of suspending the coppers in question? Yeah, someone f'd up but they can probably work that out for themselves.
I think a suspension is necessary to go over procedures and retrainingg so that they are less likely to do that again. If I cocked up big time as a teacher I'd expect to be suspended pending.
Never leave your bag of guns unattended. Particularly around Year 9. Basic teaching.
Who forgets whether they have left behind their bag of guns?
And what is the point of suspending the coppers in question? Yeah, someone f'd up but they can probably work that out for themselves.
I think a suspension is necessary to go over procedures and retrainingg so that they are less likely to do that again. If I cocked up big time as a teacher I'd expect to be suspended pending.
Never leave your bag of guns unattended. Particularly around Year 9. Basic teaching.
Come on, it's like no one believes in a three strikes and you're out approach anymore.
The media in this country are just awful at understanding Labour politics.
Patrick Maguire and co were adamant Sir Keir was off post the local elections. They wrote articles for months saying this.
Many of us kept asking “why”.
They’ve all now changes their minds and he’s safe for as long as he wants the job. Either their sources are terrible or they are wishcasting.
I maintain strongly Sir Keir will NOT fight any future election. But he’ll stay as long as he wants to up until then. This seems incredibly obvious but apparently not to our journalists.
As I think I pointed out several times to the others, there is no mechanism by which Starmer can be removed as Labour Leader by the Labour Party, and there is currently no basis for believing that he will resign voluntarily other than hopecasting. Those things remain true even after the predicted May bloodbath. He may have a crisis of conscience but (again, as previously observed) I think that's unlikely.
There is a mechanism. 81 Labour MPs certifying they want a specific replacement (eg Angela Rayner) triggers a leadership contest.
Yes but as I’ve tried to explain to people on X before, that doesn’t remove him. He’s automatically on the ballot.
True. More likely others would join and he'd be squeezed out - but, yes, it's strictly speaking a mechanism to challenge not oust.
It seems more likely nobody else joins, it becomes a one on one and Starmer wins.
Or Starmer resigns before,
I just cannot see it. Starmer will know he can’t win another election, so he’ll resign beforehand and somebody else will run.
I’d be staggered if he hasn’t already said all this to people,
I think if there is a challenge by somebody this summer others will enter the fray and he'll go rather than exercise his right to be on the ballot.
But I don't think there will be a challenge. I think he'll carry on and step down voluntarily next year or in 2028 (depending on polling).
The media in this country are just awful at understanding Labour politics.
Patrick Maguire and co were adamant Sir Keir was off post the local elections. They wrote articles for months saying this.
Many of us kept asking “why”.
They’ve all now changes their minds and he’s safe for as long as he wants the job. Either their sources are terrible or they are wishcasting.
I maintain strongly Sir Keir will NOT fight any future election. But he’ll stay as long as he wants to up until then. This seems incredibly obvious but apparently not to our journalists.
As I think I pointed out several times to the others, there is no mechanism by which Starmer can be removed as Labour Leader by the Labour Party, and there is currently no basis for believing that he will resign voluntarily other than hopecasting. Those things remain true even after the predicted May bloodbath. He may have a crisis of conscience but (again, as previously observed) I think that's unlikely.
There is a mechanism. 81 Labour MPs certifying they want a specific replacement (eg Angela Rayner) triggers a leadership contest.
Yes but as I’ve tried to explain to people on X before, that doesn’t remove him. He’s automatically on the ballot.
True. More likely others would join and he'd be squeezed out - but, yes, it's strictly speaking a mechanism to challenge not oust.
It seems more likely nobody else joins, it becomes a one on one and Starmer wins.
Or Starmer resigns before,
I just cannot see it. Starmer will know he can’t win another election, so he’ll resign beforehand and somebody else will run.
I’d be staggered if he hasn’t already said all this to people,
I think if there is a challenge by somebody this summer others will enter the fray and he'll go rather than exercise his right to be on the ballot.
But I don't think there will be a challenge. I think he'll carry on and step down voluntarily next year or in 2028 (depending on polling).
Certainly hope so since that is my book.
2027 or 2028 is a good bet IMHO.
It seems to me that if you’re wanting to take over you are willing him to succeed. As otherwise you’ll inherit a dire situation.
I am a staunch atheist but it does seem strange to me that the head of the Church of England should be happy to release messages for Eid and Ramadan but not for Easter.
She is as Woke as they come.
The clergy of the CofE are best imagined as Corbynites or members of the Green Party.
I am a staunch atheist but it does seem strange to me that the head of the Church of England should be happy to release messages for Eid and Ramadan but not for Easter.
She is as Woke as they come.
The clergy of the CofE are best imagined as Corbynites or members of the Green Party.
I’m confirmed in the CofE and am neither. But generalise all you like.
I am a staunch atheist but it does seem strange to me that the head of the Church of England should be happy to release messages for Eid and Ramadan but not for Easter.
Corbynites or members of the Green Party.
A lot of overlap there thesedays. Corbyn is very 2017.
I've missed out on this marmalade thing. Could someone (e) recap?
But I only like the cheapest most rubbishy stuff. Homemade is lost on me, rather not have any.
Different countries have a word like “marmalade”, but mean somewhat different things by it. To ensure free trade, the EU, when the UK was in it, agreed some standards around what the word “marmalade” on a label should mean. These standards aligned with the British usage of the word.
We then left the EU. Without having to accommodate us, the EU then changed its marmalade labelling rules to suit other countries’ usages.
The UK wants to continue trading with the EU, so we’ve signed up to a bunch of food trade rules, including this new marmalade one. That means that we now have to adjust our labelling to match the EU’s new rules. This will mean that what used to be labelled as “marmalade” in the UK will now have to be labelled “citrus marmalade” or similar.
This, some suggest, is emblematic of the problem of Brexit. In the EU, we got to influence the rules. Outside the EU, we still need to trade, but just have to accept the EU’s rules.
Fair enough. Otherwise it would be like expecting the EU to retain English as an official language when the UK isn't a member.
The EU has retained English as one of its 24 official languages, but then it is the main language of one member state (Ireland). In practice, most work in Brussels is still done in French or English.
I've missed out on this marmalade thing. Could someone (e) recap?
But I only like the cheapest most rubbishy stuff. Homemade is lost on me, rather not have any.
Different countries have a word like “marmalade”, but mean somewhat different things by it. To ensure free trade, the EU, when the UK was in it, agreed some standards around what the word “marmalade” on a label should mean. These standards aligned with the British usage of the word.
We then left the EU. Without having to accommodate us, the EU then changed its marmalade labelling rules to suit other countries’ usages.
The UK wants to continue trading with the EU, so we’ve signed up to a bunch of food trade rules, including this new marmalade one. That means that we now have to adjust our labelling to match the EU’s new rules. This will mean that what used to be labelled as “marmalade” in the UK will now have to be labelled “citrus marmalade” or similar.
This, some suggest, is emblematic of the problem of Brexit. In the EU, we got to influence the rules. Outside the EU, we still need to trade, but just have to accept the EU’s rules.
Fair enough. Otherwise it would be like expecting the EU to retain English as an official language when the UK isn't a member.
The EU has retained English as one of its 24 official languages, but then it is the main language of one member state (Ireland). In practice, most work in Brussels is still done in French or English.
And Malta. The Uk being a member allowed Ireland to nominate Gaelic and Malta to nominate Maltese as official EU languages.
Why are we even considering this marmalade nonsense - I mean wtf?
And does Sir Bubblehead have any idea how this looks - we're not members, we haven't even signed his 'deal' and they're already telling us what to put on a twatting jar of marmalade? The PR for his deal could really not be much worse.
Starmer is doing it to limit Brexit damage. Leavers didn't vote for damage requiring limitation, obviously. That's the political quandary we are in.
* Actually neither Leavers nor Remainers voted for damage requiring limitation, which is the political quandary.
No he isn't. There is nothing 'damage limiting' about giving away 12 years of fishing rights for literally nothing. I wasn't a supporter of Sunak's Windsor Framework Agreement, but that could be argued to 'limit Brexit damage'. Starmer's actions aren't limiting any damage, they are pure politics.
Starmer will get everything away.
He will get nothing in return, except the merest tokens. This will all be explained away by "we hold all the cards" sarcasm stuff.
Oxford has won only once in ten years and then that was only because the Cambridge boat sunk. Cambridge should have this; Oxford should stick to producing inept politicians.
The media in this country are just awful at understanding Labour politics.
Patrick Maguire and co were adamant Sir Keir was off post the local elections. They wrote articles for months saying this.
Many of us kept asking “why”.
They’ve all now changes their minds and he’s safe for as long as he wants the job. Either their sources are terrible or they are wishcasting.
I maintain strongly Sir Keir will NOT fight any future election. But he’ll stay as long as he wants to up until then. This seems incredibly obvious but apparently not to our journalists.
I also think he'll survive this year but the market still doesn't. His exit price has drifted but remains odds on at 1.66.
I am a staunch atheist but it does seem strange to me that the head of the Church of England should be happy to release messages for Eid and Ramadan but not for Easter.
She is as Woke as they come.
The clergy of the CofE are best imagined as Corbynites or members of the Green Party.
We're discussing Charles, aren't we?
I'm sure that Archbishop Sarah will have something to say tomorrow.
Who forgets whether they have left behind their bag of guns?
And what is the point of suspending the coppers in question? Yeah, someone f'd up but they can probably work that out for themselves.
I think a suspension is necessary to go over procedures and retrainingg so that they are less likely to do that again. If I cocked up big time as a teacher I'd expect to be suspended pending.
Never leave your bag of guns unattended. Particularly around Year 9. Basic teaching.
Some people might have got the impression from my previous comments that I think antisemitism is a specifically Muslim problem. Zoe Strimpel has exposed the most appalling 'art' on display at an exhibition in oh so English Margate. Perhaps the most shocking image being a naked, bony and tattooed (spelling Greater Israel) Netanyahu, complete with erect circumcised penis, clearly making an illusion to Auschwitz.
Why reference the holocaust? Ultimately it suggests to me that the left realise that Jews are historic victims but ones who nonetheless have adopted bourgeois values and betrayed the proletariat. What could be worse than people who respond to unfairness not by trying to overthrow the system but by making it work for them? Their success entirely pulls the rug from under the feet of the left's ideology that you have to slant the playing field in favour of minorities. Didn't the IRA reserve a special place in hell for catholic police officers? The left might hate chinless wonders but perhaps there's a grudging respect for them only doing what you'd expect in propping up the establishment they were born in to.
As JG Ballard joked in the early 2000s the middle classes are the new proletariat. Particularly I might add those with arts degrees worth about as much in the marketplace as a distinction in origami. If not they, then certainly their children have been forced out of the plusher parts of London by rapidly rising property prices. Jewish people however remain successful in professions like the law and finance. Too often we pit the rich and the poor as enemies. But it seems to me that those most hostile to the elite are those just below them who've either tried and failed to enter their environs or were born into it and been downwardly mobile.
Thomas Sowell once remarked that the best things Jews could do to reduce antisemitism was try being less successful. I think he was joking but being seen to do well at a time of general economic malaise doesn't sit easily with everyone.
The media in this country are just awful at understanding Labour politics.
Patrick Maguire and co were adamant Sir Keir was off post the local elections. They wrote articles for months saying this.
Many of us kept asking “why”.
They’ve all now changes their minds and he’s safe for as long as he wants the job. Either their sources are terrible or they are wishcasting.
I maintain strongly Sir Keir will NOT fight any future election. But he’ll stay as long as he wants to up until then. This seems incredibly obvious but apparently not to our journalists.
As I think I pointed out several times to the others, there is no mechanism by which Starmer can be removed as Labour Leader by the Labour Party, and there is currently no basis for believing that he will resign voluntarily other than hopecasting. Those things remain true even after the predicted May bloodbath. He may have a crisis of conscience but (again, as previously observed) I think that's unlikely.
There is a mechanism. 81 Labour MPs certifying they want a specific replacement (eg Angela Rayner) triggers a leadership contest.
Yes but as I’ve tried to explain to people on X before, that doesn’t remove him. He’s automatically on the ballot.
True. More likely others would join and he'd be squeezed out - but, yes, it's strictly speaking a mechanism to challenge not oust.
It seems more likely nobody else joins, it becomes a one on one and Starmer wins.
Or Starmer resigns before,
I just cannot see it. Starmer will know he can’t win another election, so he’ll resign beforehand and somebody else will run.
I’d be staggered if he hasn’t already said all this to people,
I think if there is a challenge by somebody this summer others will enter the fray and he'll go rather than exercise his right to be on the ballot.
But I don't think there will be a challenge. I think he'll carry on and step down voluntarily next year or in 2028 (depending on polling).
Certainly hope so since that is my book.
2027 or 2028 is a good bet IMHO.
It seems to me that if you’re wanting to take over you are willing him to succeed. As otherwise you’ll inherit a dire situation.
I am a staunch atheist but it does seem strange to me that the head of the Church of England should be happy to release messages for Eid and Ramadan but not for Easter.
She is as Woke as they come.
The clergy of the CofE are best imagined as Corbynites or members of the Green Party.
We're discussing Charles, aren't we?
I'm sure that Archbishop Sarah will have something to say tomorrow.
Ah yes, and that is deeply odd.
I don't know what his thinking is there - maybe he's been stung by something - but it will be read as him siding in the culture wars, and is a mistake.
The media in this country are just awful at understanding Labour politics.
Patrick Maguire and co were adamant Sir Keir was off post the local elections. They wrote articles for months saying this.
Many of us kept asking “why”.
They’ve all now changes their minds and he’s safe for as long as he wants the job. Either their sources are terrible or they are wishcasting.
I maintain strongly Sir Keir will NOT fight any future election. But he’ll stay as long as he wants to up until then. This seems incredibly obvious but apparently not to our journalists.
As I think I pointed out several times to the others, there is no mechanism by which Starmer can be removed as Labour Leader by the Labour Party, and there is currently no basis for believing that he will resign voluntarily other than hopecasting. Those things remain true even after the predicted May bloodbath. He may have a crisis of conscience but (again, as previously observed) I think that's unlikely.
There is a mechanism. 81 Labour MPs certifying they want a specific replacement (eg Angela Rayner) triggers a leadership contest.
The Labour Party's rulebook is available online and written in reasonably clear English.
European leaders are facing considerable pressure from Washington to open the strait of Hormuz militarily-NYT
Everything should be done in co-operation with the Gulf countries. The trouble is you can't be sure if Trump isn't just engaging in needless Europe bashing.
Announcing his plans on Truth Social last year, Trump said was directing "the Bureau of Prisons, together with the Department of Justice, FBI, and Homeland Security, to reopen a substantially enlarged and rebuilt ALCATRAZ". The prison would "house America's most ruthless and violent offenders".
Another example of policies to generate social media content, not policies to actually do anything practical.
That sounds about the right size for some of the crooks from the Trump regime.
It used to hold 336.
Trump wants a return to the 1930s or 1950s. Give him one.
I am a staunch atheist but it does seem strange to me that the head of the Church of England should be happy to release messages for Eid and Ramadan but not for Easter.
She is as Woke as they come.
The clergy of the CofE are best imagined as Corbynites or members of the Green Party.
We're discussing Charles, aren't we?
I'm sure that Archbishop Sarah will have something to say tomorrow.
Ah yes, and that is deeply odd.
I don't know what his thinking is there - maybe he's been stung by something - but it will be read as him siding in the culture wars, and is a mistake.
It’s apparently not a tradition for the Monarch to make a formal statement at Easter.
But there’s a sharp contrast with HM wishing Eid Mubarak only a fortnight ago.
I am a staunch atheist but it does seem strange to me that the head of the Church of England should be happy to release messages for Eid and Ramadan but not for Easter.
She is as Woke as they come.
The clergy of the CofE are best imagined as Corbynites or members of the Green Party.
We're discussing Charles, aren't we?
I'm sure that Archbishop Sarah will have something to say tomorrow.
Ah yes, and that is deeply odd.
I don't know what his thinking is there - maybe he's been stung by something - but it will be read as him siding in the culture wars, and is a mistake.
It’s apparently not a tradition for the Monarch to make a formal statement at Easter.
But there’s a sharp contrast with HM wishing Eid Mubarak only a fortnight ago.
Who forgets whether they have left behind their bag of guns?
And what is the point of suspending the coppers in question? Yeah, someone f'd up but they can probably work that out for themselves.
THE INDEPENDENT JUDGE-LED INVESTIGATION (2026-28) Terms of reference: wide ranging Duration: 18-24 months Costs: £50 million Witnesses: 135 KCs: 8 Verdict: somebody forgot to pick it up Person who gets fired: the lowest-level employee at the scene at the time.
Currently being appealed by the Good Law Project
Rubbish
You completely forgot the enquiry into the enquiry. And the enquiry into the enquiry about the enquiry into the enquiry.
Inquiry (not sure why; maybe Susie Dent said so on Countdown; maybe it's like the judgment without an e thing).
European leaders are facing considerable pressure from Washington to open the strait of Hormuz militarily-NYT
Everything should be done in co-operation with the Gulf countries. The trouble is you can't be sure if Trump isn't just engaging in needless Europe bashing.
A couple of posts that I think illustrate the American thinking on this.
Key quote: “If Trump rapidly crushed Iran’s remaining coastal capabilities, swept the mines and escorted tankers back through the Strait, Europe and the UK would heave a sigh of relief and return to business as usual: underfunded militaries, maximalist green posturing and performative disdain for US power, all underwritten by that same power. The contradiction between their dependence and their posture would remain latent.”
Trump’s been pretty consistent since 2016 that the US military alone supports much of the Western economy, and he wants to move away from that state of affairs. I think he misses the huge soft power that this gives to the US in return though.
European leaders are facing considerable pressure from Washington to open the strait of Hormuz militarily-NYT
Everything should be done in co-operation with the Gulf countries. The trouble is you can't be sure if Trump isn't just engaging in needless Europe bashing.
A couple of posts that I think illustrate the American thinking on this.
Key quote: “If Trump rapidly crushed Iran’s remaining coastal capabilities, swept the mines and escorted tankers back through the Strait, Europe and the UK would heave a sigh of relief and return to business as usual: underfunded militaries, maximalist green posturing and performative disdain for US power, all underwritten by that same power. The contradiction between their dependence and their posture would remain latent.”
Trump’s been pretty consistent since 2016 that the US military alone supports much of the Western economy, and he wants to move away from that state of affairs. I think he misses the huge soft power that this gives to the US in return though.
It shows the intellectual level that Trump is operating on that people explain his actions as both geopolitical Keynesianism and geopolitical Hegelianism.
European leaders are facing considerable pressure from Washington to open the strait of Hormuz militarily-NYT
Everything should be done in co-operation with the Gulf countries. The trouble is you can't be sure if Trump isn't just engaging in needless Europe bashing.
A couple of posts that I think illustrate the American thinking on this.
Key quote: “If Trump rapidly crushed Iran’s remaining coastal capabilities, swept the mines and escorted tankers back through the Strait, Europe and the UK would heave a sigh of relief and return to business as usual: underfunded militaries, maximalist green posturing and performative disdain for US power, all underwritten by that same power. The contradiction between their dependence and their posture would remain latent.”
Trump’s been pretty consistent since 2016 that the US military alone supports much of the Western economy, and he wants to move away from that state of affairs. I think he misses the huge soft power that this gives to the US in return though.
It shows the intellectual level that Trump is operating on that people explain his actions as both geopolitical Keynesianism and geopolitical Hegelianism.
Is there a stronger term than 'master strategist'? Because that doesn't quite do him justice.
European leaders are facing considerable pressure from Washington to open the strait of Hormuz militarily-NYT
Everything should be done in co-operation with the Gulf countries. The trouble is you can't be sure if Trump isn't just engaging in needless Europe bashing.
A couple of posts that I think illustrate the American thinking on this.
Key quote: “If Trump rapidly crushed Iran’s remaining coastal capabilities, swept the mines and escorted tankers back through the Strait, Europe and the UK would heave a sigh of relief and return to business as usual: underfunded militaries, maximalist green posturing and performative disdain for US power, all underwritten by that same power. The contradiction between their dependence and their posture would remain latent.”
Trump’s been pretty consistent since 2016 that the US military alone supports much of the Western economy, and he wants to move away from that state of affairs. I think he misses the huge soft power that this gives to the US in return though.
He's had an effect already, his aggressive disdain for Europe is just counterproductive, since demanding people do things whilst attacking them is less effective than 'asking' them to do things whilst criticising them.
He's not dumb enough to not know that, which is why it seems pretty clear he's more interested in ending the old relationships than getting the most out of them, even if that means short term difficulty now.
European leaders are facing considerable pressure from Washington to open the strait of Hormuz militarily-NYT
Not going to happen .
European leaders aren’t going to clean up Trumps mess .
Even when the alternative is $200 oil, if they can get any at all?
Anyone would think American politics is totally immune from oil prices.
We’re forever browbeaten about how we must understand the US point of view. It’s the same tiring shit we got from the Russian propagandists over Ukraine. Russia’s very real concerns. It’s the predator’s charter: we must bend over and “understand” why the tyrant is tyrannical. FRITLF.
European leaders are facing considerable pressure from Washington to open the strait of Hormuz militarily-NYT
Everything should be done in co-operation with the Gulf countries. The trouble is you can't be sure if Trump isn't just engaging in needless Europe bashing.
A couple of posts that I think illustrate the American thinking on this.
Key quote: “If Trump rapidly crushed Iran’s remaining coastal capabilities, swept the mines and escorted tankers back through the Strait, Europe and the UK would heave a sigh of relief and return to business as usual: underfunded militaries, maximalist green posturing and performative disdain for US power, all underwritten by that same power. The contradiction between their dependence and their posture would remain latent.”
Trump’s been pretty consistent since 2016 that the US military alone supports much of the Western economy, and he wants to move away from that state of affairs. I think he misses the huge soft power that this gives to the US in return though.
It shows the intellectual level that Trump is operating on that people explain his actions as both geopolitical Keynesianism and geopolitical Hegelianism.
Is there a stronger term than 'master strategist'? Because that doesn't quite do him justice.
Trumpian will be an adjective for a long time, for those who use it as positive or negative.
European leaders are facing considerable pressure from Washington to open the strait of Hormuz militarily-NYT
Everything should be done in co-operation with the Gulf countries. The trouble is you can't be sure if Trump isn't just engaging in needless Europe bashing.
A couple of posts that I think illustrate the American thinking on this.
Key quote: “If Trump rapidly crushed Iran’s remaining coastal capabilities, swept the mines and escorted tankers back through the Strait, Europe and the UK would heave a sigh of relief and return to business as usual: underfunded militaries, maximalist green posturing and performative disdain for US power, all underwritten by that same power. The contradiction between their dependence and their posture would remain latent.”
Trump’s been pretty consistent since 2016 that the US military alone supports much of the Western economy, and he wants to move away from that state of affairs. I think he misses the huge soft power that this gives to the US in return though.
It shows the intellectual level that Trump is operating on that people explain his actions as both geopolitical Keynesianism and geopolitical Hegelianism.
Is there a stronger term than 'master strategist'? Because that doesn't quite do him justice.
European leaders are facing considerable pressure from Washington to open the strait of Hormuz militarily-NYT
Not going to happen .
European leaders aren’t going to clean up Trumps mess .
That is not the reason. The issue is there is no purely military way to open the Strait of Hormuz. That is why the Americans haven't done it.
That would take a ceasefire or peace agreement between Iran, Israel and the USA, which Britain or Europe cannot impose.
Where Keir Starmer could but China will earn some brownie points is in reminding Iran it is not in its own interest to cut off trade, so Iran should guarantee safe passage but charge for it. China could also take a swipe at Lloyds of London and American insurers by offering tanker owners cheap insurance.
European leaders are facing considerable pressure from Washington to open the strait of Hormuz militarily-NYT
Not going to happen .
European leaders aren’t going to clean up Trumps mess .
Even when the alternative is $200 oil, if they can get any at all?
Given how shit all of Europe including us apparently are I'd have thought the US would insist they need to take the lead even if it is also in our itnerests for the strait for be reopened, so I don't really follow from an American First perspective why they think Europe should do more than token efforts.
Announcing his plans on Truth Social last year, Trump said was directing "the Bureau of Prisons, together with the Department of Justice, FBI, and Homeland Security, to reopen a substantially enlarged and rebuilt ALCATRAZ". The prison would "house America's most ruthless and violent offenders".
Yup, this is the dumbest idea ever, and also possibly the funniest thing he will ever do
Rumours are he's asked if anyone can locate Patrick McGoohan, to offer him the job as warden.
Comments
Armed police officers guarding London mayor Sadiq Khan left a bag of guns outside his home, it has emerged.
Five people have now been temporarily suspended from frontline duties while an investigation takes place.
A Heckler & Koch submachine gun, a Glock pistol, a Taser and ammunition were reportedly inside the bag.
https://news.sky.com/story/armed-police-officers-left-bag-of-guns-outside-sadiq-khans-home-13527800?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-gb
Who forgets whether they have left behind their bag of guns?
'For his penis may be teeny-tiny, but his love for us is MASSIVE!'
Out of sight, out of mind.
Be careful though, the Moon may not be safe
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Sky
Literally the FIRST reply is asking what ethnicity he is.
Every time you hear one of the stupid “Elf & Safety” stories, it’s a moron with on IQ, no knowledge, no actual authority and an ego the size of Trumps.
They should be set on fire and left to wander round a building with exposed live electrical cables and empty elevator shafts.
So real people can have real health and safety, which saves lives and limbs. Every single day.
For The Greater Good.
(Sorry in response to @Luckyguy1983's post)
Does remind me a bit of this famous incident:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/gloucestershire/7692881.stm
Terms of reference: wide ranging
Duration: 18-24 months
Costs: £50 million
Witnesses: 135
KCs: 8
Verdict: somebody forgot to pick it up
Person who gets fired: the lowest-level employee at the scene at the time.
Currently being appealed by the Good Law Project
What were the integrity standards the market violated? Genuine question. The essence of a prediction market is prediction, not morality, and they've had markets on events like the Ayatollah being deposed. So did they extend a specific reason?
I didn't know that! I now feel rather stupid.
I know people think he’d just a Starmer apologist but Tom Baldwin has been far more insightful into Starmer’s mental state than anyone else.
As I have said, no doubt Labour MPs are very annoyed and frustrated however they will have concluded that the evidence that changing the leader will make any tangible difference is thin.
I think things may be different if Burnham was in parliament but he’s not.
Betting on the bad guys demise is not just fun and edgy but your patriotic duty. USA!!! USA!!! USA!!!
Betting on our brave heroes lives is not just pure evil but also the kind of behaviour only associated with liberal, swamp dwellers. Go our new lord saviour, Trump, Trump, Trump!!!
You completely forgot the enquiry into the enquiry. And the enquiry into the enquiry about the enquiry into the enquiry.
Um, hold on a minute...
That’s because you forgot about forgetting the bag of guns in the science prep room.
This will boost morale, hurt the idiots in their pockets and the ribbing about it will carry on for decades. Ensuring that more attention is paid to the location of bags of guns.
#ForTheGreaterGood
Or Starmer resigns before,
I just cannot see it. Starmer will know he can’t win another election, so he’ll resign beforehand and somebody else will run.
I’d be staggered if he hasn’t already said all this to people,
I’d give them six months of policing a desk in the lost property office, and then back on the beat as a regular Constable, not in the VIP protection unit!
https://diehard.fandom.com/wiki/Weapons_of_Die_Hard_2
Particularly around Year 9.
Basic teaching.
And the Boyes anti-tank rifle, covered in dust.
“Please, sir”
But I don't think there will be a challenge. I think he'll carry on and step down voluntarily next year or in 2028 (depending on polling).
Certainly hope so since that is my book.
It seems to me that if you’re wanting to take over you are willing him to succeed. As otherwise you’ll inherit a dire situation.
The clergy of the CofE are best imagined as Corbynites or members of the Green Party.
He will get nothing in return, except the merest tokens. This will all be explained away by "we hold all the cards" sarcasm stuff.
The EU aren't stupid.
We do.
I'm sure that Archbishop Sarah will have something to say tomorrow.
Why reference the holocaust? Ultimately it suggests to me that the left realise that Jews are historic victims but ones who nonetheless have adopted bourgeois values and betrayed the proletariat. What could be worse than people who respond to unfairness not by trying to overthrow the system but by making it work for them? Their success entirely pulls the rug from under the feet of the left's ideology that you have to slant the playing field in favour of minorities. Didn't the IRA reserve a special place in hell for catholic police officers? The left might hate chinless wonders but perhaps there's a grudging respect for them only doing what you'd expect in propping up the establishment they were born in to.
As JG Ballard joked in the early 2000s the middle classes are the new proletariat. Particularly I might add those with arts degrees worth about as much in the marketplace as a distinction in origami. If not they, then certainly their children have been forced out of the plusher parts of London by rapidly rising property prices. Jewish people however remain successful in professions like the law and finance. Too often we pit the rich and the poor as enemies. But it seems to me that those most hostile to the elite are those just below them who've either tried and failed to enter their environs or were born into it and been downwardly mobile.
Thomas Sowell once remarked that the best things Jews could do to reduce antisemitism was try being less successful. I think he was joking but being seen to do well at a time of general economic malaise doesn't sit easily with everyone.
I don't know what his thinking is there - maybe he's been stung by something - but it will be read as him siding in the culture wars, and is a mistake.
https://x.com/WarMonitor3/status/2040411608833282226
European leaders are facing considerable pressure from Washington to open the strait of Hormuz militarily-NYT
Blue sky stats
https://x.com/benryanwriter/status/2040193508170985504?s=46&t=d8CnRhyZJ-m4vy0k55W8XQ
It used to hold 336.
Trump wants a return to the 1930s or 1950s. Give him one.
But there’s a sharp contrast with HM wishing Eid Mubarak only a fortnight ago.
Commiserations to Oxford University's women's rowing team for finishing second from last.
https://x.com/drjstrategy/status/2040029898295632377
And a reply
https://x.com/mdc12345678/status/2040099101547630597
Key quote: “If Trump rapidly crushed Iran’s remaining coastal capabilities, swept the mines and escorted tankers back through the Strait, Europe and the UK would heave a sigh of relief and return to business as usual: underfunded militaries, maximalist green posturing and performative disdain for US power, all underwritten by that same power. The contradiction between their dependence and their posture would remain latent.”
Trump’s been pretty consistent since 2016 that the US military alone supports much of the Western economy, and he wants to move away from that state of affairs. I think he misses the huge soft power that this gives to the US in return though.
European leaders aren’t going to clean up Trumps mess .
He's not dumb enough to not know that, which is why it seems pretty clear he's more interested in ending the old relationships than getting the most out of them, even if that means short term difficulty now.
We’re forever browbeaten about how we must understand the US point of view. It’s the same tiring shit we got from the Russian propagandists over Ukraine. Russia’s very real concerns. It’s the predator’s charter: we must bend over and “understand” why the tyrant is tyrannical. FRITLF.
That would take a ceasefire or peace agreement between Iran, Israel and the USA, which Britain or Europe cannot impose.
Where Keir Starmer could but China will earn some brownie points is in reminding Iran it is not in its own interest to cut off trade, so Iran should guarantee safe passage but charge for it. China could also take a swipe at Lloyds of London and American insurers by offering tanker owners cheap insurance.