Sir Keir is definitely safe. Dan Hodges has quietly abandoned the idea he’s going to be challenged or quit and instead he’s just resorted to saying the local elections will be bad. Groundbreaking stuff, Dan
But he was 'toast' and his exit was 'done deal'!
These people.
I honestly think this Labour Party does not talk to much of the media. That’s why many of their sources seem to be wrong all of the time.
Dan’s must be some of the worst.
He's terrible. Rentoul is little better. Per him Emily Thornbury was 'nailed on' for deputy leader after Rayner's demise.
Rentoul is good if you want to get a view of what the Blairites think.
The fact he’s not confident Starmer is going, Tom Baldwin is not confident at all and basically the new intake doesn’t talk to anyone suggests he’s very safe in my mind.
You'll all be delighted to know the morning thread will be about the alternative vote system, assuming Aberdeenshire hotelier doesn't nuke Iran overnight.
It's what we need.
It's the second AV thread of the week.
I know how to spoil PBers.
Is that the same AV that Dave Cameron criticised as "undemocratic, crazy and obscure"?
Trump has just promised that “all hell will rain down on Iran in 48 hours”
Is he gonna do it? Is he gonna nuke them?
He owes himself a full blown wrath of God Armageddon. One for the history books.
I mean, what's the point of having nukes if you can't actually use them?
Simple. To stop others from invading you or using their nukes against you.
If nukes stop being a deterrent and start being a weapon to be used 'tactically' then we're all fucked.
First thing I'd do is relocate out of London.
Have you not seen “Threads”? That nuclear apocalypse movie that begins with, er, trouble in Iran?
“Not being in London” is not going to save you from having your eyeballs melted and weird sores covering your face that look like Rice Krispies in tomato soup, and then you die, not if it really kicks off. Also then we all stop speaking English and just grunt
Probably not, but if I relocate to Cornwall or the Scottish Highlands I reckon I'd have a few more days before face melting commences relative to London.
Morocco. That came out top in my spreadsheet back in 2022. Around Fes/Meknes, or in the coastal plains East of Casablanca.
Though now Covid restrictions are gone Chile, Uruguay and Argentina come back into play.
All the tech bros have safe houses in New Zealand iirc.
Did they figure the apocalypse might coincide with no jet fuel?
As a low key Christian I agree it is very niche and speaks to a minority
Far more important issues
Pleased he is in his natural home of far right nonsense
Obviously you've not seen Kemi Badenoch's tweets this evening.
Britain is a Christian country.
The Conservative Party will always celebrate our Christian heritage with deeds, not just words.
This Easter, we want to ensure local churches are properly maintained and repaired so we’re announcing a plan to restore funding for the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme which the government has recently placed caps on.
Churches matter. They aren’t just important places of worship, in many towns and villages they are the centre of the community and the pride of local people, often steeped in hundreds of years of history. It is critical we maintain them properly, because when they’re gone, this history and heritage could be lost forever.
@Conservatives believe we have a responsibility to protect our churches and make sure they endure for future generations. What are we for if not to conserve the very best of our country and our society for those yet to come?
Conservatives will protect our heritage and build a stronger country.
As a low key Christian I agree it is very niche and speaks to a minority
Far more important issues
Pleased he is in his natural home of far right nonsense
Obviously you've not seen Kemi Badenoch's tweets this evening.
Britain is a Christian country.
The Conservative Party will always celebrate our Christian heritage with deeds, not just words.
This Easter, we want to ensure local churches are properly maintained and repaired so we’re announcing a plan to restore funding for the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme which the government has recently placed caps on.
Churches matter. They aren’t just important places of worship, in many towns and villages they are the centre of the community and the pride of local people, often steeped in hundreds of years of history. It is critical we maintain them properly, because when they’re gone, this history and heritage could be lost forever.
@Conservatives believe we have a responsibility to protect our churches and make sure they endure for future generations. What are we for if not to conserve the very best of our country and our society for those yet to come?
Conservatives will protect our heritage and build a stronger country.
I just hate this stuff and it turns me completely off them. They’re at their best when they start speaking to actual working people. Then they’ve got some traction with me.
Many working people also care about the preservation of our historic churches
Trump has just promised that “all hell will rain down on Iran in 48 hours”
Is he gonna do it? Is he gonna nuke them?
He owes himself a full blown wrath of God Armageddon. One for the history books.
I mean, what's the point of having nukes if you can't actually use them?
Simple. To stop others from invading you or using their nukes against you.
If nukes stop being a deterrent and start being a weapon to be used 'tactically' then we're all fucked.
First thing I'd do is relocate out of London.
Have you not seen “Threads”? That nuclear apocalypse movie that begins with, er, trouble in Iran?
“Not being in London” is not going to save you from having your eyeballs melted and weird sores covering your face that look like Rice Krispies in tomato soup, and then you die, not if it really kicks off. Also then we all stop speaking English and just grunt
Probably not, but if I relocate to Cornwall or the Scottish Highlands I reckon I'd have a few more days before face melting commences relative to London.
Morocco. That came out top in my spreadsheet back in 2022. Around Fes/Meknes, or in the coastal plains East of Casablanca.
Though now Covid restrictions are gone Chile, Uruguay and Argentina come back into play.
All the tech bros have safe houses in New Zealand iirc.
Did they figure the apocalypse might coincide with no jet fuel?
Presumably the escape plan involves having a private jet fuelled and on standby. Ideally they also know how to fly it themselves, so that they're not reliant on a pilot who might have worries of their own when the apocalypse comes.
As a low key Christian I agree it is very niche and speaks to a minority
Far more important issues
Pleased he is in his natural home of far right nonsense
Obviously you've not seen Kemi Badenoch's tweets this evening.
Britain is a Christian country.
The Conservative Party will always celebrate our Christian heritage with deeds, not just words.
This Easter, we want to ensure local churches are properly maintained and repaired so we’re announcing a plan to restore funding for the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme which the government has recently placed caps on.
Churches matter. They aren’t just important places of worship, in many towns and villages they are the centre of the community and the pride of local people, often steeped in hundreds of years of history. It is critical we maintain them properly, because when they’re gone, this history and heritage could be lost forever.
@Conservatives believe we have a responsibility to protect our churches and make sure they endure for future generations. What are we for if not to conserve the very best of our country and our society for those yet to come?
Conservatives will protect our heritage and build a stronger country.
I just hate this stuff and it turns me completely off them. They’re at their best when they start speaking to actual working people. Then they’ve got some traction with me.
Many working people also care about the preservation of our historic churches
They don’t though. They just don’t.
Let me tell you about Sir Tony’s list of political priorities.
Labour when they lose think working people care about slave reparations.
The Tories when they lose think working people care about churches.
It’s not that people don’t care about either. It’s that they don’t think it’s important and they actively ask why you’re going on about this when there is other stuff going on.
As a low key Christian I agree it is very niche and speaks to a minority
Far more important issues
Pleased he is in his natural home of far right nonsense
Obviously you've not seen Kemi Badenoch's tweets this evening.
Britain is a Christian country.
The Conservative Party will always celebrate our Christian heritage with deeds, not just words.
This Easter, we want to ensure local churches are properly maintained and repaired so we’re announcing a plan to restore funding for the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme which the government has recently placed caps on.
Churches matter. They aren’t just important places of worship, in many towns and villages they are the centre of the community and the pride of local people, often steeped in hundreds of years of history. It is critical we maintain them properly, because when they’re gone, this history and heritage could be lost forever.
@Conservatives believe we have a responsibility to protect our churches and make sure they endure for future generations. What are we for if not to conserve the very best of our country and our society for those yet to come?
Conservatives will protect our heritage and build a stronger country.
As a low key Christian I agree it is very niche and speaks to a minority
Far more important issues
Pleased he is in his natural home of far right nonsense
Obviously you've not seen Kemi Badenoch's tweets this evening.
Britain is a Christian country.
The Conservative Party will always celebrate our Christian heritage with deeds, not just words.
This Easter, we want to ensure local churches are properly maintained and repaired so we’re announcing a plan to restore funding for the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme which the government has recently placed caps on.
Churches matter. They aren’t just important places of worship, in many towns and villages they are the centre of the community and the pride of local people, often steeped in hundreds of years of history. It is critical we maintain them properly, because when they’re gone, this history and heritage could be lost forever.
@Conservatives believe we have a responsibility to protect our churches and make sure they endure for future generations. What are we for if not to conserve the very best of our country and our society for those yet to come?
Conservatives will protect our heritage and build a stronger country.
I just hate this stuff and it turns me completely off them. They’re at their best when they start speaking to actual working people. Then they’ve got some traction with me.
Many working people also care about the preservation of our historic churches
@LindseyGrahamSC I just had a great conversation with @POTUS. I totally support his ultimatum to the Iranian regime to open up the Strait of Hormuz and to do a peace deal.
A massive military operation awaits Iran if they choose poorly.
This regime has been severely crippled through Operation Epic Fury. Their reign of terror against the region and the world needs to come to an end, hopefully through a peace deal.
After speaking with President Trump this morning, I am completely convinced that he will use overwhelming military force against the regime if they continue to impede the Strait of Hormuz and refuse a diplomatic solution to achieve our military objectives. If it’s not clear to Iran and others by now that President Trump means what he says then I don’t know when it will ever be.
The USA doesn’t HAVE overwhelming military force, not in terms of invading and conquering Iran and forcing regime change. America only achieved a bloody score draw in Iraq and Iran is much bigger, nastier and more powerful
Regimes tend to fall from within.
There wasn't any outside invasion required to remove the Assad regime in Syria or the Gaddafi regime in Libya.
Or the Ghani regime in Afghanistan.
All of which involved destroying the regime's power over increasing areas on the country.
As a low key Christian I agree it is very niche and speaks to a minority
Far more important issues
Pleased he is in his natural home of far right nonsense
Obviously you've not seen Kemi Badenoch's tweets this evening.
Britain is a Christian country.
The Conservative Party will always celebrate our Christian heritage with deeds, not just words.
This Easter, we want to ensure local churches are properly maintained and repaired so we’re announcing a plan to restore funding for the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme which the government has recently placed caps on.
Churches matter. They aren’t just important places of worship, in many towns and villages they are the centre of the community and the pride of local people, often steeped in hundreds of years of history. It is critical we maintain them properly, because when they’re gone, this history and heritage could be lost forever.
@Conservatives believe we have a responsibility to protect our churches and make sure they endure for future generations. What are we for if not to conserve the very best of our country and our society for those yet to come?
Conservatives will protect our heritage and build a stronger country.
As a low key Christian I agree it is very niche and speaks to a minority
Far more important issues
Pleased he is in his natural home of far right nonsense
Obviously you've not seen Kemi Badenoch's tweets this evening.
Britain is a Christian country.
The Conservative Party will always celebrate our Christian heritage with deeds, not just words.
This Easter, we want to ensure local churches are properly maintained and repaired so we’re announcing a plan to restore funding for the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme which the government has recently placed caps on.
Churches matter. They aren’t just important places of worship, in many towns and villages they are the centre of the community and the pride of local people, often steeped in hundreds of years of history. It is critical we maintain them properly, because when they’re gone, this history and heritage could be lost forever.
@Conservatives believe we have a responsibility to protect our churches and make sure they endure for future generations. What are we for if not to conserve the very best of our country and our society for those yet to come?
Conservatives will protect our heritage and build a stronger country.
I just hate this stuff and it turns me completely off them. They’re at their best when they start speaking to actual working people. Then they’ve got some traction with me.
Many working people also care about the preservation of our historic churches
They don’t though. They just don’t.
Let me tell you about Sir Tony’s list of political priorities.
Labour when they lose think working people care about slave reparations.
The Tories when they lose think working people care about churches.
It’s not that people don’t care about either. It’s that they don’t think it’s important and they actively ask why you’re going on about this when there is other stuff going on.
Rubbish, most people in the UK care about our Christian heritage and there is no point in conservatives winning unless we fight for our Christian heritage when doing so
Obviously this was a joke, but is it that different from Lucy Connolly? Sir Keir as DPP did all he could to get someone locked up for a joke about an airport bomb
I'm generally a peaceable man, but whoever came up with Making Tax Digital For Income Tax needs to die in a fire.
Looks like it's the Aberdeenshire hotel owner's monthly 24-48 hours completely out of view.
Has he appeared in public since his April Fool's Day address?
Just to focus things, here is his complete Truth Social post in which he threatens that "all Hell" will "reign" down [sic] on Iran if they don't do what he tells them:
"Remember when I gave Iran ten days to MAKE A DEAL or OPEN UP THE HORMUZ STRAIT. Time is running out - 48 hours before all Hell will reign down on them. Glory be to GOD!"
Looks like it's the Aberdeenshire hotel owner's monthly 24-48 hours completely out of view.
Has he appeared in public since his April Fool's Day address?
Just to focus things, here is his complete Truth Social post in which he threatens that "all Hell" will "reign" down [sic] on Iran if they don't do what he tells them:
"Remember when I gave Iran ten days to MAKE A DEAL or OPEN UP THE HORMUZ STRAIT. Time is running out - 48 hours before all Hell will reign down on them. Glory be to GOD!"
As a low key Christian I agree it is very niche and speaks to a minority
Far more important issues
Pleased he is in his natural home of far right nonsense
Obviously you've not seen Kemi Badenoch's tweets this evening.
Britain is a Christian country.
The Conservative Party will always celebrate our Christian heritage with deeds, not just words.
This Easter, we want to ensure local churches are properly maintained and repaired so we’re announcing a plan to restore funding for the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme which the government has recently placed caps on.
Churches matter. They aren’t just important places of worship, in many towns and villages they are the centre of the community and the pride of local people, often steeped in hundreds of years of history. It is critical we maintain them properly, because when they’re gone, this history and heritage could be lost forever.
@Conservatives believe we have a responsibility to protect our churches and make sure they endure for future generations. What are we for if not to conserve the very best of our country and our society for those yet to come?
Conservatives will protect our heritage and build a stronger country.
I just hate this stuff and it turns me completely off them. They’re at their best when they start speaking to actual working people. Then they’ve got some traction with me.
Many working people also care about the preservation of our historic churches
Not when the COE has billions to do it themselves
Having billions in mainly land assets, which includes churches and cathedrals, does not mean billions in income.
Church of England annual income is just over £1 billion but most of that comes from Parish giving and to fund priests and Parish work with the rest from commissioners investments. This is only restoring the VAT exemption for churches anyway
As a low key Christian I agree it is very niche and speaks to a minority
Far more important issues
Pleased he is in his natural home of far right nonsense
Obviously you've not seen Kemi Badenoch's tweets this evening.
Britain is a Christian country.
The Conservative Party will always celebrate our Christian heritage with deeds, not just words.
This Easter, we want to ensure local churches are properly maintained and repaired so we’re announcing a plan to restore funding for the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme which the government has recently placed caps on.
Churches matter. They aren’t just important places of worship, in many towns and villages they are the centre of the community and the pride of local people, often steeped in hundreds of years of history. It is critical we maintain them properly, because when they’re gone, this history and heritage could be lost forever.
@Conservatives believe we have a responsibility to protect our churches and make sure they endure for future generations. What are we for if not to conserve the very best of our country and our society for those yet to come?
Conservatives will protect our heritage and build a stronger country.
I just hate this stuff and it turns me completely off them. They’re at their best when they start speaking to actual working people. Then they’ve got some traction with me.
Many working people also care about the preservation of our historic churches
Not when the COE has billions to do it themselves
The CoE is both moderately well off, and quite poor. They have a lot of assets (both land and investments), but not a lot of cash flow, and they have some very expensive buildings to maintain.
Let’s be hopeful and presume even Trump isn’t mad enough to drop nukes on Qom. What then is he threatening to do to Iran with his “overwhelming force”. How is he going to take them “back to the Stone Age” and “rain terror”?
He’s got about 10,000 marines there hasn’t he? What can they do? Seize Kharg island maybe? Then what?
This is hardly going to terrify the Iranians back to the Neolithic. So what is he up to?
I'm off this now. I find detailed military stuff an eyeglazer. But just one interjection, I'm not keen on your "mad" here. It would be an act of unmitigated evil. The madness of it is relevant but secondary. So, revised framing, let's presume Donald Trump isn't EVIL enough to nuke Iran. Then, yes fine, as we were, how is he going to etc etc ... ??
I’ve just spent 50 minutes reading military experts on X so you don’t have to. They all believe Trump is going to do “something big” - he’s gone too far to chicken out this time. And he’s put his pieces in place
The two good but unlikely options are
1. They’re wrong. He’s bluffing again 2. Iran blinks and surrenders
More likely are these options
3. A ground assault that goes surprisingly well, America seizes key sites with minor losses and Iran surrenders 4. A ground assault that goes predictably badly, America is sucked into a new Vietnam/iraq and the world spirals into a terrifying energy shortage, and much else
And finally
5. Nukes
I very much doubt Mr Trump bluffs, as it's commonly understood. Seems to me he just says what sounds good at the time and, two minutes/hours/days later, what he thinks sounds good is just different.
So should a Sikh also remove their dress or what about a Jewish person?
A reasonable requirement should be that everyone, no matter what their religion, has to show their face in court. I wouldn't think headdress should be an issue.
As a low key Christian I agree it is very niche and speaks to a minority
Far more important issues
Pleased he is in his natural home of far right nonsense
Obviously you've not seen Kemi Badenoch's tweets this evening.
Britain is a Christian country.
The Conservative Party will always celebrate our Christian heritage with deeds, not just words.
This Easter, we want to ensure local churches are properly maintained and repaired so we’re announcing a plan to restore funding for the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme which the government has recently placed caps on.
Churches matter. They aren’t just important places of worship, in many towns and villages they are the centre of the community and the pride of local people, often steeped in hundreds of years of history. It is critical we maintain them properly, because when they’re gone, this history and heritage could be lost forever.
@Conservatives believe we have a responsibility to protect our churches and make sure they endure for future generations. What are we for if not to conserve the very best of our country and our society for those yet to come?
Conservatives will protect our heritage and build a stronger country.
I just hate this stuff and it turns me completely off them. They’re at their best when they start speaking to actual working people. Then they’ve got some traction with me.
Many working people also care about the preservation of our historic churches
Not when the COE has billions to do it themselves
Having billions in mainly land assets, which includes churches and cathedrals, does not mean billions in income.
Church of England annual income is just over £1 billion but most of that comes from Parish giving and to fund priests and Parish work with the rest from commissioners investments. This is only restoring the VAT exemption for churches anyway
So you're proposing socialism and giving benefits to the rich.
They should sell some assets to pay for the maintenance.
As a low key Christian I agree it is very niche and speaks to a minority
Far more important issues
Pleased he is in his natural home of far right nonsense
Obviously you've not seen Kemi Badenoch's tweets this evening.
Britain is a Christian country.
The Conservative Party will always celebrate our Christian heritage with deeds, not just words.
This Easter, we want to ensure local churches are properly maintained and repaired so we’re announcing a plan to restore funding for the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme which the government has recently placed caps on.
Churches matter. They aren’t just important places of worship, in many towns and villages they are the centre of the community and the pride of local people, often steeped in hundreds of years of history. It is critical we maintain them properly, because when they’re gone, this history and heritage could be lost forever.
@Conservatives believe we have a responsibility to protect our churches and make sure they endure for future generations. What are we for if not to conserve the very best of our country and our society for those yet to come?
Conservatives will protect our heritage and build a stronger country.
I just hate this stuff and it turns me completely off them. They’re at their best when they start speaking to actual working people. Then they’ve got some traction with me.
Many working people also care about the preservation of our historic churches
They don’t though. They just don’t.
Let me tell you about Sir Tony’s list of political priorities.
Labour when they lose think working people care about slave reparations.
The Tories when they lose think working people care about churches.
It’s not that people don’t care about either. It’s that they don’t think it’s important and they actively ask why you’re going on about this when there is other stuff going on.
Most voters aren't paying attention to Badenoch's tweets, but the small number who care about the repair of churches now have a policy for them. Tick. Job done. On to the next niche interest.
So should a Sikh also remove their dress or what about a Jewish person?
A reasonable requirement should be that everyone, no matter what their religion, has to show their face in court. I wouldn't think headdress should be an issue.
I think it's very simple:
Would it be acceptable to wear a motorcycle helmet in this situation?
Let’s be hopeful and presume even Trump isn’t mad enough to drop nukes on Qom. What then is he threatening to do to Iran with his “overwhelming force”. How is he going to take them “back to the Stone Age” and “rain terror”?
He’s got about 10,000 marines there hasn’t he? What can they do? Seize Kharg island maybe? Then what?
This is hardly going to terrify the Iranians back to the Neolithic. So what is he up to?
I'm off this now. I find detailed military stuff an eyeglazer. But just one interjection, I'm not keen on your "mad" here. It would be an act of unmitigated evil. The madness of it is relevant but secondary. So, revised framing, let's presume Donald Trump isn't EVIL enough to nuke Iran. Then, yes fine, as we were, how is he going to etc etc ... ??
I’ve just spent 50 minutes reading military experts on X so you don’t have to. They all believe Trump is going to do “something big” - he’s gone too far to chicken out this time. And he’s put his pieces in place
The two good but unlikely options are
1. They’re wrong. He’s bluffing again 2. Iran blinks and surrenders
More likely are these options
3. A ground assault that goes surprisingly well, America seizes key sites with minor losses and Iran surrenders 4. A ground assault that goes predictably badly, America is sucked into a new Vietnam/iraq and the world spirals into a terrifying energy shortage, and much else
And finally
5. Nukes
The obvious thing would be to embargo Iranian exports through Hormuz. Is he co-ordinating with the other Persian Gulf countries? One senses that he prefers dropping bombs to make a point.
You'll all be delighted to know the morning thread will be about the alternative vote system, assuming Aberdeenshire hotelier doesn't nuke Iran overnight.
Even if it happens, it'd be equal top billing, right?
You'll all be delighted to know the morning thread will be about the alternative vote system, assuming Aberdeenshire hotelier doesn't nuke Iran overnight.
Should we all order in pineapple pizza in anticipation?
As a low key Christian I agree it is very niche and speaks to a minority
Far more important issues
Pleased he is in his natural home of far right nonsense
Obviously you've not seen Kemi Badenoch's tweets this evening.
Britain is a Christian country.
The Conservative Party will always celebrate our Christian heritage with deeds, not just words.
This Easter, we want to ensure local churches are properly maintained and repaired so we’re announcing a plan to restore funding for the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme which the government has recently placed caps on.
Churches matter. They aren’t just important places of worship, in many towns and villages they are the centre of the community and the pride of local people, often steeped in hundreds of years of history. It is critical we maintain them properly, because when they’re gone, this history and heritage could be lost forever.
@Conservatives believe we have a responsibility to protect our churches and make sure they endure for future generations. What are we for if not to conserve the very best of our country and our society for those yet to come?
Conservatives will protect our heritage and build a stronger country.
I just hate this stuff and it turns me completely off them. They’re at their best when they start speaking to actual working people. Then they’ve got some traction with me.
Many working people also care about the preservation of our historic churches
Not when the COE has billions to do it themselves
Having billions in mainly land assets, which includes churches and cathedrals, does not mean billions in income.
Church of England annual income is just over £1 billion but most of that comes from Parish giving and to fund priests and Parish work with the rest from commissioners investments. This is only restoring the VAT exemption for churches anyway
So you're proposing socialism and giving benefits to the rich.
They should sell some assets to pay for the maintenance.
No, like Kemi and Jenrick and even the LDs keeping the VAT exemption for our historic Christian churches, there is no state funding just reducing costs and tax burden on churches, ie even Thatcherite unlike this awful socialist Labour government who removed the VAT exemption.
The buildings belong to the nation's church and the C of E has enough to do funding its own clergy and Parish work
As a low key Christian I agree it is very niche and speaks to a minority
Far more important issues
Pleased he is in his natural home of far right nonsense
Obviously you've not seen Kemi Badenoch's tweets this evening.
Britain is a Christian country.
The Conservative Party will always celebrate our Christian heritage with deeds, not just words.
This Easter, we want to ensure local churches are properly maintained and repaired so we’re announcing a plan to restore funding for the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme which the government has recently placed caps on.
Churches matter. They aren’t just important places of worship, in many towns and villages they are the centre of the community and the pride of local people, often steeped in hundreds of years of history. It is critical we maintain them properly, because when they’re gone, this history and heritage could be lost forever.
@Conservatives believe we have a responsibility to protect our churches and make sure they endure for future generations. What are we for if not to conserve the very best of our country and our society for those yet to come?
Conservatives will protect our heritage and build a stronger country.
No I hadnt and I do not agree the taxpayer should fund the wealthy COE estate
It is a VAT exemption which should have been retained to preserve our historic Christian churches, what a pathetic philistine remark from you!
All this dates back to George Osborne's omnishambles budget. Which tells us two things, one of which is that Rachel Reeves is just working her way through an old Treasury wishlist.
You'll all be delighted to know the morning thread will be about the alternative vote system, assuming Aberdeenshire hotelier doesn't nuke Iran overnight.
Even if it happens, it'd be equal top billing, right?
"If the USA had AV this would never have happened"
Would be kinda funny if a billionaire made a dash for their NZ bunker and then it was a false alarm.
Wouldn't it be nice if instead of billionaires building bunkers for themselves and their henchmen to hide in that they constructed a more equal world, thereby making armagedon less likely?
Obviously this was a joke, but is it that different from Lucy Connolly? Sir Keir as DPP did all he could to get someone locked up for a joke about an airport bomb
I'm generally a peaceable man, but whoever came up with Making Tax Digital For Income Tax needs to die in a fire.
As a low key Christian I agree it is very niche and speaks to a minority
Far more important issues
Pleased he is in his natural home of far right nonsense
Obviously you've not seen Kemi Badenoch's tweets this evening.
Britain is a Christian country.
The Conservative Party will always celebrate our Christian heritage with deeds, not just words.
This Easter, we want to ensure local churches are properly maintained and repaired so we’re announcing a plan to restore funding for the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme which the government has recently placed caps on.
Churches matter. They aren’t just important places of worship, in many towns and villages they are the centre of the community and the pride of local people, often steeped in hundreds of years of history. It is critical we maintain them properly, because when they’re gone, this history and heritage could be lost forever.
@Conservatives believe we have a responsibility to protect our churches and make sure they endure for future generations. What are we for if not to conserve the very best of our country and our society for those yet to come?
Conservatives will protect our heritage and build a stronger country.
No I hadnt and I do not agree the taxpayer should fund the wealthy COE estate
It is a VAT exemption which should have been retained to preserve our historic Christian churches, what a pathetic philistine remark from you!
All this dates back to George Osborne's omnishambles budget. Which tells us two things, one of which is that Rachel Reeves is just working her way through an old Treasury wishlist.
Osborne at least ultimately expanded the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme
As a low key Christian I agree it is very niche and speaks to a minority
Far more important issues
Pleased he is in his natural home of far right nonsense
Obviously you've not seen Kemi Badenoch's tweets this evening.
Britain is a Christian country.
The Conservative Party will always celebrate our Christian heritage with deeds, not just words.
This Easter, we want to ensure local churches are properly maintained and repaired so we’re announcing a plan to restore funding for the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme which the government has recently placed caps on.
Churches matter. They aren’t just important places of worship, in many towns and villages they are the centre of the community and the pride of local people, often steeped in hundreds of years of history. It is critical we maintain them properly, because when they’re gone, this history and heritage could be lost forever.
@Conservatives believe we have a responsibility to protect our churches and make sure they endure for future generations. What are we for if not to conserve the very best of our country and our society for those yet to come?
Conservatives will protect our heritage and build a stronger country.
No I hadnt and I do not agree the taxpayer should fund the wealthy COE estate
It is a VAT exemption which should have been retained to preserve our historic Christian churches, what a pathetic philistine remark from you!
All this dates back to George Osborne's omnishambles budget. Which tells us two things, one of which is that Rachel Reeves is just working her way through an old Treasury wishlist.
A VAT exemption on repairs to all listed buildings would be more consistent. Or perhaps to Grade 1 listed buildings.
As a low key Christian I agree it is very niche and speaks to a minority
Far more important issues
Pleased he is in his natural home of far right nonsense
Obviously you've not seen Kemi Badenoch's tweets this evening.
Britain is a Christian country.
The Conservative Party will always celebrate our Christian heritage with deeds, not just words.
This Easter, we want to ensure local churches are properly maintained and repaired so we’re announcing a plan to restore funding for the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme which the government has recently placed caps on.
Churches matter. They aren’t just important places of worship, in many towns and villages they are the centre of the community and the pride of local people, often steeped in hundreds of years of history. It is critical we maintain them properly, because when they’re gone, this history and heritage could be lost forever.
@Conservatives believe we have a responsibility to protect our churches and make sure they endure for future generations. What are we for if not to conserve the very best of our country and our society for those yet to come?
Conservatives will protect our heritage and build a stronger country.
As a low key Christian I agree it is very niche and speaks to a minority
Far more important issues
Pleased he is in his natural home of far right nonsense
It is not 'far right nonsense' to preserve our ancient Christian churches, it is what conservatives should be doing!
Of course it is nonsense
The conservative party has to be a broad church not pandering to a pew. !!!
The COE has vast wealth and must not receive taxpayers subsidies
If you have no interest fighting to preserve our Christian heritage in the culture wars BigG then really you shouldn't be in the Conservative Party at all, indeed you shouldn't even be in the LDs given they also back restoring the VAT exemption for places of worship as do Reform.
You should probably just go off and join Starmer Labour or even the Greens!
As a low key Christian I agree it is very niche and speaks to a minority
Far more important issues
Pleased he is in his natural home of far right nonsense
It is not 'far right nonsense' to preserve our ancient Christian churches, it is what conservatives should be doing!
Of course it is nonsense
The conservative party has to be a broad church not pandering to a pew. !!!
The COE has vast wealth and must not receive taxpayers subsidies
If you have no interest fighting to preserve our Christian heritage in the culture wars BigG then really you shouldn't be in the Conservative Party at all, indeed you shouldn't even be in the LDs given they also back restoring the VAT exemption for places of worship as do Reform.
You should probably just go off and join Starmer Labour or even the Greens!
You'll all be delighted to know the morning thread will be about the alternative vote system, assuming Aberdeenshire hotelier doesn't nuke Iran overnight.
Even if it happens, it'd be equal top billing, right?
"If the USA had AV this would never have happened"
😄
Only if a Condorcet method was used for the count, letting a compromise candidate sneak through the middle. (Then again, maybe their politics wouldn't have got quite so polarised in the first place.)
Obviously this was a joke, but is it that different from Lucy Connolly? Sir Keir as DPP did all he could to get someone locked up for a joke about an airport bomb
I'm generally a peaceable man, but whoever came up with Making Tax Digital For Income Tax needs to die in a fire.
As a low key Christian I agree it is very niche and speaks to a minority
Far more important issues
Pleased he is in his natural home of far right nonsense
Obviously you've not seen Kemi Badenoch's tweets this evening.
Britain is a Christian country.
The Conservative Party will always celebrate our Christian heritage with deeds, not just words.
This Easter, we want to ensure local churches are properly maintained and repaired so we’re announcing a plan to restore funding for the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme which the government has recently placed caps on.
Churches matter. They aren’t just important places of worship, in many towns and villages they are the centre of the community and the pride of local people, often steeped in hundreds of years of history. It is critical we maintain them properly, because when they’re gone, this history and heritage could be lost forever.
@Conservatives believe we have a responsibility to protect our churches and make sure they endure for future generations. What are we for if not to conserve the very best of our country and our society for those yet to come?
Conservatives will protect our heritage and build a stronger country.
I just hate this stuff and it turns me completely off them. They’re at their best when they start speaking to actual working people. Then they’ve got some traction with me.
Many working people also care about the preservation of our historic churches
Not when the COE has billions to do it themselves
Having billions in mainly land assets, which includes churches and cathedrals, does not mean billions in income.
Church of England annual income is just over £1 billion but most of that comes from Parish giving and to fund priests and Parish work with the rest from commissioners investments. This is only restoring the VAT exemption for churches anyway
So you're proposing socialism and giving benefits to the rich.
They should sell some assets to pay for the maintenance.
No, like Kemi and Jenrick and even the LDs keeping the VAT exemption for our historic Christian churches, there is no state funding just reducing costs and tax burden on churches, ie even Thatcherite unlike this awful socialist Labour government who removed the VAT exemption.
The buildings belong to the nation's church and the C of E has enough to do funding its own clergy and Parish work
Surely Jesus would be far happier to see the incredibly wealthy C of E's funds spent on worthy poor people rather than to repair a church roof.
Trump has just promised that “all hell will rain down on Iran in 48 hours”
Is he gonna do it? Is he gonna nuke them?
He owes himself a full blown wrath of God Armageddon. One for the history books.
For maximum Hollywood Lolz, if we are going to have Armageddon then it has to happen when the astronauts are on the far side of the moon.
Earthrise. Cut to credits.
"You maniacs! You blew it up! Ah, damn you! God damn you all to hell!".
When the astronauts get back from their trip around the moon they should get all the crew who pick them up done up by Hollywood prosthetic people done up to look like characters in Planet of the Apes.
Just have Trump meet them on his own. Then you don't need to bother with the makeup.
Obviously this was a joke, but is it that different from Lucy Connolly? Sir Keir as DPP did all he could to get someone locked up for a joke about an airport bomb
I'm generally a peaceable man, but whoever came up with Making Tax Digital For Income Tax needs to die in a fire.
As a low key Christian I agree it is very niche and speaks to a minority
Far more important issues
Pleased he is in his natural home of far right nonsense
Obviously you've not seen Kemi Badenoch's tweets this evening.
Britain is a Christian country.
The Conservative Party will always celebrate our Christian heritage with deeds, not just words.
This Easter, we want to ensure local churches are properly maintained and repaired so we’re announcing a plan to restore funding for the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme which the government has recently placed caps on.
Churches matter. They aren’t just important places of worship, in many towns and villages they are the centre of the community and the pride of local people, often steeped in hundreds of years of history. It is critical we maintain them properly, because when they’re gone, this history and heritage could be lost forever.
@Conservatives believe we have a responsibility to protect our churches and make sure they endure for future generations. What are we for if not to conserve the very best of our country and our society for those yet to come?
Conservatives will protect our heritage and build a stronger country.
I just hate this stuff and it turns me completely off them. They’re at their best when they start speaking to actual working people. Then they’ve got some traction with me.
Many working people also care about the preservation of our historic churches
Not when the COE has billions to do it themselves
The CoE is both moderately well off, and quite poor. They have a lot of assets (both land and investments), but not a lot of cash flow, and they have some very expensive buildings to maintain.
Hmmm. Lots of real estate an d no revenue. Monetise. Monetise.
IDEA!
Bitcoin mining. Churches are notoriously cold. So rent space to bitcoin miners to runs their servers - the waste heat heats the church.
'Reform UK has vowed to reinstate tax breaks on church repairs to save historic places of worship.
Robert Jenrick, Reform UK’s Treasury spokesman, accused Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor, of “cultural vandalism” after the Government scrapped VAT exemptions for churches to pay for repairs this week..Mr Jenrick also pledged that a Reform government would make the National Lottery restore its support for churches. National Lottery allocation decisions have resulted in funding for churches and chapels falling from £46m in 2017-18 to £11m in 2022-23.'
If only Jenrick had been in power to stop that in 2022-23, eh?
C***
It was this Labour government who removed the VAT exemption for churches, not the last Tory government, indeed the Conservatives rightly also oppose its removal as do the LDs
Osborne tried to get rid of it in the omnishambles budget. And there were efforts to remove it every year after that before rather shamefaced u-turns.
He's really popular among his supporters so it's understandable they are trying to capitalise on that, notwithstanding their general disdain for capitalisim.
'Reform UK has vowed to reinstate tax breaks on church repairs to save historic places of worship.
Robert Jenrick, Reform UK’s Treasury spokesman, accused Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor, of “cultural vandalism” after the Government scrapped VAT exemptions for churches to pay for repairs this week..Mr Jenrick also pledged that a Reform government would make the National Lottery restore its support for churches. National Lottery allocation decisions have resulted in funding for churches and chapels falling from £46m in 2017-18 to £11m in 2022-23.'
If only Jenrick had been in power to stop that in 2022-23, eh?
C***
It was this Labour government who removed the VAT exemption for churches, not the last Tory government, indeed the Conservatives rightly also oppose its removal as do the LDs
I can't remember the detailed history. Has a VAT exemption ever existed?
There have been fudges around a grant scheme to compensate for VAT payments, but is Jenrick's account of the history correct?
As a low key Christian I agree it is very niche and speaks to a minority
Far more important issues
Pleased he is in his natural home of far right nonsense
Obviously you've not seen Kemi Badenoch's tweets this evening.
Britain is a Christian country.
The Conservative Party will always celebrate our Christian heritage with deeds, not just words.
This Easter, we want to ensure local churches are properly maintained and repaired so we’re announcing a plan to restore funding for the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme which the government has recently placed caps on.
Churches matter. They aren’t just important places of worship, in many towns and villages they are the centre of the community and the pride of local people, often steeped in hundreds of years of history. It is critical we maintain them properly, because when they’re gone, this history and heritage could be lost forever.
@Conservatives believe we have a responsibility to protect our churches and make sure they endure for future generations. What are we for if not to conserve the very best of our country and our society for those yet to come?
Conservatives will protect our heritage and build a stronger country.
I just hate this stuff and it turns me completely off them. They’re at their best when they start speaking to actual working people. Then they’ve got some traction with me.
Many working people also care about the preservation of our historic churches
Not when the COE has billions to do it themselves
The CoE is both moderately well off, and quite poor. They have a lot of assets (both land and investments), but not a lot of cash flow, and they have some very expensive buildings to maintain.
So ... pensioners? I'm surprised the church roof fund isn't triple locked to inflation, earnings or the price of scaffolding.
Obviously this was a joke, but is it that different from Lucy Connolly? Sir Keir as DPP did all he could to get someone locked up for a joke about an airport bomb
I'm generally a peaceable man, but whoever came up with Making Tax Digital For Income Tax needs to die in a fire.
Let’s be hopeful and presume even Trump isn’t mad enough to drop nukes on Qom. What then is he threatening to do to Iran with his “overwhelming force”. How is he going to take them “back to the Stone Age” and “rain terror”?
He’s got about 10,000 marines there hasn’t he? What can they do? Seize Kharg island maybe? Then what?
This is hardly going to terrify the Iranians back to the Neolithic. So what is he up to?
I'm off this now. I find detailed military stuff an eyeglazer. But just one interjection, I'm not keen on your "mad" here. It would be an act of unmitigated evil. The madness of it is relevant but secondary. So, revised framing, let's presume Donald Trump isn't EVIL enough to nuke Iran. Then, yes fine, as we were, how is he going to etc etc ... ??
I’ve just spent 50 minutes reading military experts on X so you don’t have to. They all believe Trump is going to do “something big” - he’s gone too far to chicken out this time. And he’s put his pieces in place
The two good but unlikely options are
1. They’re wrong. He’s bluffing again 2. Iran blinks and surrenders
More likely are these options
3. A ground assault that goes surprisingly well, America seizes key sites with minor losses and Iran surrenders 4. A ground assault that goes predictably badly, America is sucked into a new Vietnam/iraq and the world spirals into a terrifying energy shortage, and much else
And finally
5. Nukes
The obvious thing would be to embargo Iranian exports through Hormuz. Is he co-ordinating with the other Persian Gulf countries? One senses that he prefers dropping bombs to make a point.
The order of ease would be:
1) Stop Iran's oil exports 2) Open Hormuz to allow Arab oil exports ... big gap ... 3) Invade Iran
Inevitably Leon turns the volume up to 11 and thinks the hardest option is the only one available.
Obviously this was a joke, but is it that different from Lucy Connolly? Sir Keir as DPP did all he could to get someone locked up for a joke about an airport bomb
I'm generally a peaceable man, but whoever came up with Making Tax Digital For Income Tax needs to die in a fire.
As a low key Christian I agree it is very niche and speaks to a minority
Far more important issues
Pleased he is in his natural home of far right nonsense
Obviously you've not seen Kemi Badenoch's tweets this evening.
Britain is a Christian country.
The Conservative Party will always celebrate our Christian heritage with deeds, not just words.
This Easter, we want to ensure local churches are properly maintained and repaired so we’re announcing a plan to restore funding for the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme which the government has recently placed caps on.
Churches matter. They aren’t just important places of worship, in many towns and villages they are the centre of the community and the pride of local people, often steeped in hundreds of years of history. It is critical we maintain them properly, because when they’re gone, this history and heritage could be lost forever.
@Conservatives believe we have a responsibility to protect our churches and make sure they endure for future generations. What are we for if not to conserve the very best of our country and our society for those yet to come?
Conservatives will protect our heritage and build a stronger country.
I just hate this stuff and it turns me completely off them. They’re at their best when they start speaking to actual working people. Then they’ve got some traction with me.
Many working people also care about the preservation of our historic churches
Not when the COE has billions to do it themselves
Having billions in mainly land assets, which includes churches and cathedrals, does not mean billions in income.
Church of England annual income is just over £1 billion but most of that comes from Parish giving and to fund priests and Parish work with the rest from commissioners investments. This is only restoring the VAT exemption for churches anyway
So you're proposing socialism and giving benefits to the rich.
They should sell some assets to pay for the maintenance.
No, like Kemi and Jenrick and even the LDs keeping the VAT exemption for our historic Christian churches, there is no state funding just reducing costs and tax burden on churches, ie even Thatcherite unlike this awful socialist Labour government who removed the VAT exemption.
The buildings belong to the nation's church and the C of E has enough to do funding its own clergy and Parish work
Surely Jesus would be far happier to see the incredibly wealthy C of E's funds spent on worthy poor people rather than to repair a church roof.
It does that too, plenty of foodbanks supported by the C of E, restoring the VAT exemption would mean it could do more of that and not have to spend more on repairing church roofs than it has to by adding VAT costs on too
He's really popular among his supporters so it's understandable they are trying to capitalise on that, notwithstanding their general disdain for capitalisim.
As a former Corbyn guy I can see exactly where this ends.
So should a Sikh also remove their dress or what about a Jewish person?
A reasonable requirement should be that everyone, no matter what their religion, has to show their face in court. I wouldn't think headdress should be an issue.
I think it's very simple:
Would it be acceptable to wear a motorcycle helmet in this situation?
As a low key Christian I agree it is very niche and speaks to a minority
Far more important issues
Pleased he is in his natural home of far right nonsense
Obviously you've not seen Kemi Badenoch's tweets this evening.
Britain is a Christian country.
The Conservative Party will always celebrate our Christian heritage with deeds, not just words.
This Easter, we want to ensure local churches are properly maintained and repaired so we’re announcing a plan to restore funding for the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme which the government has recently placed caps on.
Churches matter. They aren’t just important places of worship, in many towns and villages they are the centre of the community and the pride of local people, often steeped in hundreds of years of history. It is critical we maintain them properly, because when they’re gone, this history and heritage could be lost forever.
@Conservatives believe we have a responsibility to protect our churches and make sure they endure for future generations. What are we for if not to conserve the very best of our country and our society for those yet to come?
Conservatives will protect our heritage and build a stronger country.
I just hate this stuff and it turns me completely off them. They’re at their best when they start speaking to actual working people. Then they’ve got some traction with me.
Many working people also care about the preservation of our historic churches
Not when the COE has billions to do it themselves
The CoE is both moderately well off, and quite poor. They have a lot of assets (both land and investments), but not a lot of cash flow, and they have some very expensive buildings to maintain.
They have huge assets they can sell and it is not the taxpayers responsility to fund them
As a low key Christian I agree it is very niche and speaks to a minority
Far more important issues
Pleased he is in his natural home of far right nonsense
It is not 'far right nonsense' to preserve our ancient Christian churches, it is what conservatives should be doing!
Of course it is nonsense
The conservative party has to be a broad church not pandering to a pew. !!!
The COE has vast wealth and must not receive taxpayers subsidies
If you have no interest fighting to preserve our Christian heritage in the culture wars BigG then really you shouldn't be in the Conservative Party at all, indeed you shouldn't even be in the LDs given they also back restoring the VAT exemption for places of worship as do Reform.
You should probably just go off and join Starmer Labour or even the Greens!
Tax breaks and Lottery handouts for Mosques.
An interesting Reform policy.
Mainly for historic churches and cathedrals but Listed Mosques and Synagogues and Temples could also apply
He's really popular among his supporters so it's understandable they are trying to capitalise on that, notwithstanding their general disdain for capitalisim.
As a former Corbyn guy I can see exactly where this ends.
He seems like he’s popular now but it won’t last.
It doesn't need to last in politics, just last 'long enough'. He needs it to be 3 years.
It also helps that the barrier for success for Zack is similar to that of Farage in 2024 - he didn't need to win that many MPs to have a major impact, so if he were to get the Greens to, say, 15 MPs, but it cost Labour another 150, job well done as far as he'd be concerned.
As a low key Christian I agree it is very niche and speaks to a minority
Far more important issues
Pleased he is in his natural home of far right nonsense
It is not 'far right nonsense' to preserve our ancient Christian churches, it is what conservatives should be doing!
Of course it is nonsense
The conservative party has to be a broad church not pandering to a pew. !!!
The COE has vast wealth and must not receive taxpayers subsidies
Not all churches are C of E.
That's true. Some have been sold off for mosques or posh flats.
Are you aware of any CofE churches sold of for mosques? Because if so you should report it. By law, when sold, they may be sold to other Christian groups or converted to secular purposes but must not be used as a place of worship by a non-Christian religion.
As a low key Christian I agree it is very niche and speaks to a minority
Far more important issues
Pleased he is in his natural home of far right nonsense
Obviously you've not seen Kemi Badenoch's tweets this evening.
Britain is a Christian country.
The Conservative Party will always celebrate our Christian heritage with deeds, not just words.
This Easter, we want to ensure local churches are properly maintained and repaired so we’re announcing a plan to restore funding for the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme which the government has recently placed caps on.
Churches matter. They aren’t just important places of worship, in many towns and villages they are the centre of the community and the pride of local people, often steeped in hundreds of years of history. It is critical we maintain them properly, because when they’re gone, this history and heritage could be lost forever.
@Conservatives believe we have a responsibility to protect our churches and make sure they endure for future generations. What are we for if not to conserve the very best of our country and our society for those yet to come?
Conservatives will protect our heritage and build a stronger country.
As a low key Christian I agree it is very niche and speaks to a minority
Far more important issues
Pleased he is in his natural home of far right nonsense
Obviously you've not seen Kemi Badenoch's tweets this evening.
Britain is a Christian country.
The Conservative Party will always celebrate our Christian heritage with deeds, not just words.
This Easter, we want to ensure local churches are properly maintained and repaired so we’re announcing a plan to restore funding for the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme which the government has recently placed caps on.
Churches matter. They aren’t just important places of worship, in many towns and villages they are the centre of the community and the pride of local people, often steeped in hundreds of years of history. It is critical we maintain them properly, because when they’re gone, this history and heritage could be lost forever.
@Conservatives believe we have a responsibility to protect our churches and make sure they endure for future generations. What are we for if not to conserve the very best of our country and our society for those yet to come?
Conservatives will protect our heritage and build a stronger country.
As a low key Christian I agree it is very niche and speaks to a minority
Far more important issues
Pleased he is in his natural home of far right nonsense
Obviously you've not seen Kemi Badenoch's tweets this evening.
Britain is a Christian country.
The Conservative Party will always celebrate our Christian heritage with deeds, not just words.
This Easter, we want to ensure local churches are properly maintained and repaired so we’re announcing a plan to restore funding for the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme which the government has recently placed caps on.
Churches matter. They aren’t just important places of worship, in many towns and villages they are the centre of the community and the pride of local people, often steeped in hundreds of years of history. It is critical we maintain them properly, because when they’re gone, this history and heritage could be lost forever.
@Conservatives believe we have a responsibility to protect our churches and make sure they endure for future generations. What are we for if not to conserve the very best of our country and our society for those yet to come?
Conservatives will protect our heritage and build a stronger country.
I just hate this stuff and it turns me completely off them. They’re at their best when they start speaking to actual working people. Then they’ve got some traction with me.
Many working people also care about the preservation of our historic churches
Not when the COE has billions to do it themselves
Having billions in mainly land assets, which includes churches and cathedrals, does not mean billions in income.
Church of England annual income is just over £1 billion but most of that comes from Parish giving and to fund priests and Parish work with the rest from commissioners investments. This is only restoring the VAT exemption for churches anyway
So you're proposing socialism and giving benefits to the rich.
They should sell some assets to pay for the maintenance.
No, like Kemi and Jenrick and even the LDs keeping the VAT exemption for our historic Christian churches, there is no state funding just reducing costs and tax burden on churches, ie even Thatcherite unlike this awful socialist Labour government who removed the VAT exemption.
The buildings belong to the nation's church and the C of E has enough to do funding its own clergy and Parish work
Surely Jesus would be far happier to see the incredibly wealthy C of E's funds spent on worthy poor people rather than to repair a church roof.
It does that too, plenty of foodbanks supported by the C of E, restoring the VAT exemption would mean it could do more of that and not have to spend more on repairing church roofs than it has to by adding VAT costs on too
There is or are some imaginative ideas about to make local churches even better for the community. Our local Church is used frequently by groups and hosts Hindu weddings and clubs.
There's a Church in Earlsfield which does a weekly community meal for those on their own.
Bringing the community into the Church is an integral part of bringing the Church into the community.
He's really popular among his supporters so it's understandable they are trying to capitalise on that, notwithstanding their general disdain for capitalisim.
As a former Corbyn guy I can see exactly where this ends.
He seems like he’s popular now but it won’t last.
It doesn't need to last in politics, just last 'long enough'. He needs it to be 3 years.
It also helps that the barrier for success for Zack is similar to that of Farage in 2024 - he didn't need to win that many MPs to have a major impact, so if he were to get the Greens to, say, 15 MPs, but it cost Labour another 150, job well done as far as he'd be concerned.
Can’t see it lasting that long. He’s heading to Corbyn 2019 policies not the more restrained 2017 offering.
Their opposition to nuclear power will always be puzzling.
As a low key Christian I agree it is very niche and speaks to a minority
Far more important issues
Pleased he is in his natural home of far right nonsense
It is not 'far right nonsense' to preserve our ancient Christian churches, it is what conservatives should be doing!
Of course it is nonsense
The conservative party has to be a broad church not pandering to a pew. !!!
The COE has vast wealth and must not receive taxpayers subsidies
Not all churches are C of E.
That's true. Some have been sold off for mosques or posh flats.
Are you aware of any CofE churches sold of for mosques? Because if so you should report it. By law, when sold, they may be sold to other Christian groups or converted to secular purposes but must not be used as a place of worship by a non-Christian religion.
Really? Not sure why that would be necessary. Not that I know of it happening, but can they convert to secular pupose and then turn into a mosque?
I think I remember stories of a methodist church becoming a mosque in Wiltshire but that might have been a rumour.
Obviously this was a joke, but is it that different from Lucy Connolly? Sir Keir as DPP did all he could to get someone locked up for a joke about an airport bomb
I'm generally a peaceable man, but whoever came up with Making Tax Digital For Income Tax needs to die in a fire.
Just a question, if a Muslim had done what this lady did but had said it about Jews would you support them being arrested or not?
I will answer, but what difference does putting "Just a question" make there?
So what is the answer?
Why did you preface your question with "Just a question"? What else would it be?
So the answer is, if it was a Muslim you’d call for their arrest. I thought so.
I can't speak for isam but what I'd say is that we need consistency. Genuine incitement to violence is the obvious red line. Should hate speech be prosecuted? Maybe in some form. Trouble is the term hate has been trivialised.
Comments
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haredi_burqa_sect
The fact he’s not confident Starmer is going, Tom Baldwin is not confident at all and basically the new intake doesn’t talk to anyone suggests he’s very safe in my mind.
The trial is from 2018 - As you can see, there are photos of the women.
https://x.com/h_a_treesong/status/2040476751013302585?s=20
And no to
The conservative party has to be a broad church not pandering to a pew. !!!
The COE has vast wealth and must not receive taxpayers subsidies
Let me tell you about Sir Tony’s list of political priorities.
Labour when they lose think working people care about slave reparations.
The Tories when they lose think working people care about churches.
It’s not that people don’t care about either. It’s that they don’t think it’s important and they actively ask why you’re going on about this when there is other stuff going on.
Well 30th of April until the 5th of May.
There wasn't any outside invasion required to remove the Assad regime in Syria or the Gaddafi regime in Libya.
Or the Ghani regime in Afghanistan.
All of which involved destroying the regime's power over increasing areas on the country.
I'm generally a peaceable man, but whoever came up with Making Tax Digital For Income Tax needs to die in a fire.
https://x.com/rcolvile/status/2040130001283039568?s=46&t=CW4pL-mMpTqsJXCdjW0Z6Q
Just to focus things, here is his complete Truth Social post in which he threatens that "all Hell" will "reign" down [sic] on Iran if they don't do what he tells them:
"Remember when I gave Iran ten days to MAKE A DEAL or OPEN UP THE HORMUZ STRAIT. Time is running out - 48 hours before all Hell will reign down on them. Glory be to GOD!"
@WarMonitor3
·
24m
US has informed Israel negotiations with Iran have completely broken down.
Hell may well reign down on them as well.
Church of England annual income is just over £1 billion but most of that comes from Parish giving and to fund priests and Parish work with the rest from commissioners investments. This is only restoring the VAT exemption for churches anyway
They should sell some assets to pay for the maintenance.
Would it be acceptable to wear a motorcycle helmet in this situation?
The buildings belong to the nation's church and the C of E has enough to do funding its own clergy and Parish work
He has the best pension you can imagine. The pay, given his Cambridge University background was not great, but Pension gold standard.
COE has rotting Church Estate.
It also owns huge tranches of land and property.
Politics and Religion don't sit as happy bedfelloes imho
The COE was the Tory Party at prayer, that's not been the case for 30 years.
Any other Tory Leader and I'd think this was an attempt to shore up old Tory vote.
With her, I suspect more a Tory Tea Party extreme right fundamental evangelism.
When Trump says jump, Badenoch and Farage desperately trying to jump highest
Tommy R is already sat in the balcony.
Darren Johnson
@DarrenJohnson66
This is all getting a bit cult-like now. Surely he'll be having his own chant at Glastonbury next summer.
https://greenparty-shop.co.uk/product/zacktivist-t-shirt
For the many, not the pew.
2 It must be a different Kemi Badenoch who belittled the Liberal Democrats as "someone who's good at fixing their church roof".
You should probably just go off and join Starmer Labour or even the Greens!
An interesting Reform policy.
Only if a Condorcet method was used for the count, letting a compromise candidate sneak through the middle. (Then again, maybe their politics wouldn't have got quite so polarised in the first place.)
https://www.churchofengland.org/resources/churchcare/advice-and-guidance-church-buildings/understanding-vat-zero-rating-church-works
A lot of works are still zero-rated but clearly not all.
IDEA!
Bitcoin mining. Churches are notoriously cold. So rent space to bitcoin miners to runs their servers - the waste heat heats the church.
The Lord Helps Those Who Help Themselves.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/04/breakfast-reset-will-marmalade-really-be-renamed-in-post-brexit-food-deal
"Keir Starmalade, anyone? Will marmalade really have to be rebranded in UK?"
There have been fudges around a grant scheme to compensate for VAT payments, but is Jenrick's account of the history correct?
1) Stop Iran's oil exports
2) Open Hormuz to allow Arab oil exports
...
big gap
...
3) Invade Iran
Inevitably Leon turns the volume up to 11 and thinks the hardest option is the only one available.
He seems like he’s popular now but it won’t last.
It also helps that the barrier for success for Zack is similar to that of Farage in 2024 - he didn't need to win that many MPs to have a major impact, so if he were to get the Greens to, say, 15 MPs, but it cost Labour another 150, job well done as far as he'd be concerned.
There's a Church in Earlsfield which does a weekly community meal for those on their own.
Bringing the community into the Church is an integral part of bringing the Church into the community.
Their opposition to nuclear power will always be puzzling.
I think I remember stories of a methodist church becoming a mosque in Wiltshire but that might have been a rumour.