Great night for Green and Reform expected, but the Green estimate range from brilliant to mind-numbingly brilliant.
The Tories might have a somewhat better than abject night but any kind of negative number, which is surely inevitable, will be seen as massively poor even if technically it could be worse.
International oil prices approached $100 a barrel this afternoon after Vice President JD Vance’s trip to Pakistan was put on hold. The price has soared since the U.S.-Israelli strikes on Iran began in late February, only to come back down when the United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire that is now set to expire soon.
I expect quite a lot of Independents too, of the Gaza variety.
Gonna be a hell of a lot of Green paper candidate winners if that is accurate.
And quite a few nasty Green fruit loops, like the Green candidate in Lambeth saying that it is perfectly fine to "ram" synagogues, this after a week in which there were 5 attacks on synagogues and Jewish places of business in London and this afternoon the police have arrested more people planning, allegedly, more such attacks. Doubtless the 1300 or so Jews living in the Borough of Lambeth will be cool with having such a person in power.
Let's hope none of the Green activists on a WhatsApp group saying that "Jews are an abomination on the planet" are elected, either, or any of the other Green candidates with some pretty vile hateful posts about a minority group which is under attack at the moment.
Because this might lead some people to wonder whether (a) Green vetting of candidates is quite why it should be; (b) quite what it is about the Greens which attracts such people; and (c) whether these really are the sort of people with fresh ideas who will make Britain a nicer fairer place.
The normalisation of anti-Jewish hatred in this country among organisations and people usually considered respectable in recent years is one of the most worrying developments. It is a sign of a sick society. The stock answer from politicians - "there is no place in Britain for ... yadda yadda" is nonsense. Because there clearly is a place for it, it is well-embedded, it is spreading and it is resulting in actual murders, attempted murders, assaults, arson, other attempted criminal damage and incitement to violence against Jews, our fellow citizens. And the authorities are simply not taking it as seriously as they should.
Agreed, it is all over the place and we are quite complacent about it.
International oil prices approached $100 a barrel this afternoon after Vice President JD Vance’s trip to Pakistan was put on hold. The price has soared since the U.S.-Israelli strikes on Iran began in late February, only to come back down when the United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire that is now set to expire soon.
International oil prices approached $100 a barrel this afternoon after Vice President JD Vance’s trip to Pakistan was put on hold. The price has soared since the U.S.-Israelli strikes on Iran began in late February, only to come back down when the United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire that is now set to expire soon.
International oil prices approached $100 a barrel this afternoon after Vice President JD Vance’s trip to Pakistan was put on hold. The price has soared since the U.S.-Israelli strikes on Iran began in late February, only to come back down when the United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire that is now set to expire soon.
NY Times blog
On Twitter it’s saying he’s going tomorrow now.
Delaying by a day against market expectations allows the Trump Crime Family a great chance to make another few tens of millions in trading. TDS me all you like, but that is what is happening.
"Just as the NHS is a prime reason for pride in Britain"
Polly Toynbee - today's Guardian
"During his evidence on Tuesday, April 21, Dr Malik was asked if he had ever felt pressure to not admit a [acute mental health crisis] patient or to discharge them early because of a lack of the availability of beds.
He said he had not personally made such a decision but was aware of “15, 18, 20 people” waiting for a bed for “days and weeks”.
This included patients who had been sectioned under the Mental Health Act, he said.
“People go on the bed list and, if there is no bed, then if they are in an acute hospital they remain there which is not ideal, and if they are in the care home or even in the community they will remain there.
Dr Malik said there have been times where patients have been sent to places as far away as Scotland but “sometimes there is no bed”. "
Dr Malik giving evidence to the public inquiry on Calocane killings in Nottingham
I just don't understand the NHS being the prime reason for pride - I like to have it, but it doesn't seem to be particularly excellent as far as Western health systems go? If others have better outcomes what is the best way to copy that?
Totally agree. It's as if people don't have healthcare in say France or Germany.
Don’t PMs have their own mind and Starmer could have simply said no , not happening .
He could have made a political appointment from a choice of quite a few candidates who weren’t didn’t have the baggage of Mandelson .
I’m not a fan of Osborne but he certainly wouldn’t have shamed the country .
Karen Pierce seemed fine unless, and I suspect this is reality, Starmer and McSweeney thought a friend of Epstein would be just the ticket to manage Trump. That being the case that is a more compelling argument in favour of Mandelson that showering everyone else with shit when it blew up.
Making a comment that ages as badly as this should henceforth be known as ‘making a complete Dunt of yourself’
Power suits Starmer, as expected. Looks comfortable, relaxed, in charge. Doesn't have that hint of frustration and anxiety he had as opposition leader.
Don’t PMs have their own mind and Starmer could have simply said no , not happening .
He could have made a political appointment from a choice of quite a few candidates who weren’t didn’t have the baggage of Mandelson .
I’m not a fan of Osborne but he certainly wouldn’t have shamed the country .
Karen Pierce seemed fine unless, and I suspect this is reality, Starmer and McSweeney thought a friend of Epstein would be just the ticket to manage Trump. That being the case that is a more compelling argument in favour of Mandelson that showering everyone else with shit when it blew up.
Of course Starmer can’t publicly say that but we all know that’s the reason .
Trump apparently wanted Pierce to stay on so clearly got on well with her . So why the rush to get rid of her ?
Making a comment that ages as badly as this should henceforth be known as ‘making a complete Dunt of yourself’
Power suits Starmer, as expected. Looks comfortable, relaxed, in charge. Doesn't have that hint of frustration and anxiety he had as opposition leader.
"Just as the NHS is a prime reason for pride in Britain"
Polly Toynbee - today's Guardian
"During his evidence on Tuesday, April 21, Dr Malik was asked if he had ever felt pressure to not admit a [acute mental health crisis] patient or to discharge them early because of a lack of the availability of beds.
He said he had not personally made such a decision but was aware of “15, 18, 20 people” waiting for a bed for “days and weeks”.
This included patients who had been sectioned under the Mental Health Act, he said.
“People go on the bed list and, if there is no bed, then if they are in an acute hospital they remain there which is not ideal, and if they are in the care home or even in the community they will remain there.
Dr Malik said there have been times where patients have been sent to places as far away as Scotland but “sometimes there is no bed”. "
Dr Malik giving evidence to the public inquiry on Calocane killings in Nottingham
I just don't understand the NHS being the prime reason for pride - I like to have it, but it doesn't seem to be particularly excellent as far as Western health systems go? If others have better outcomes what is the best way to copy that?
Totally agree. It's as if people don't have healthcare in say France or Germany.
Remember, most people in the UK only travel abroad for holidays. They don't interact will foreign health services much and seemed surprised that they exist, when they do use them.
Front pages are going to be a blood bath for Starmer tonight.
Good and well deserved.
The Guardian article would appear to have been factually inaccurate but No 10 made it a million times worse than it needed to be. No 10 communications are shockingly chaotic, probably because No 10 is operated under chaotic conditions.
Making a comment that ages as badly as this should henceforth be known as ‘making a complete Dunt of yourself’
Power suits Starmer, as expected. Looks comfortable, relaxed, in charge. Doesn't have that hint of frustration and anxiety he had as opposition leader.
Don’t PMs have their own mind and Starmer could have simply said no , not happening .
He could have made a political appointment from a choice of quite a few candidates who weren’t didn’t have the baggage of Mandelson .
I’m not a fan of Osborne but he certainly wouldn’t have shamed the country .
Karen Pierce seemed fine unless, and I suspect this is reality, Starmer and McSweeney thought a friend of Epstein would be just the ticket to manage Trump. That being the case that is a more compelling argument in favour of Mandelson that showering everyone else with shit when it blew up.
It’s amazing how Starmer will pontificate about how we must think of the victims of Epstein whilst they were happy to cynically use a friend of Epstein for their base political advantage.
Thanks all for the kind words. I feel as if I shouldn't be feeling this bad about it - I couldn't really claim to know him personally - it just feels so bloody unfair. But pb is generous in its sympathies - many thanks.
On a side issue, where does this leave Lee Anderson?
He called SKS a liar in the Commons, and it turns out that the details were withheld by Robbins.
As did Zarah Sultana. They deserve each other.
Her intervention last night was about as ugly as it gets. Hopefully it will get replayed ad infinitum and she will become a footnote of someone who thought they were going to become somebody
Great night for Green and Reform expected, but the Green estimate range from brilliant to mind-numbingly brilliant.
The Tories might have a somewhat better than abject night but any kind of negative number, which is surely inevitable, will be seen as massively poor even if technically it could be worse.
The key for Kemi and Starmer is they both need to see their partoes win more seats than the other. Reform will likely win most seats, the Greens will make gains but still probably battle the LDs for fourth on seats so whichever of Labour or the Conservatives come third on seats will likely see their leader gone by the summer
Don’t PMs have their own mind and Starmer could have simply said no , not happening .
He could have made a political appointment from a choice of quite a few candidates who weren’t didn’t have the baggage of Mandelson .
I’m not a fan of Osborne but he certainly wouldn’t have shamed the country .
Karen Pierce seemed fine unless, and I suspect this is reality, Starmer and McSweeney thought a friend of Epstein would be just the ticket to manage Trump. That being the case that is a more compelling argument in favour of Mandelson that showering everyone else with shit when it blew up.
Of course Starmer can’t publicly say that but we all know that’s the reason .
Trump apparently wanted Pierce to stay on so clearly got on well with her . So why the rush to get rid of her ?
Mandelson wasn't appointed to get on well with Trump but to manage him, especially on trade. The UK did get better deals than most of the rest of the world last year.
Great night for Green and Reform expected, but the Green estimate range from brilliant to mind-numbingly brilliant.
The Tories might have a somewhat better than abject night but any kind of negative number, which is surely inevitable, will be seen as massively poor even if technically it could be worse.
The key for Kemi and Starmer is they both need to see their partoes win more seats than the other. Reform will likely win most seats, the Greens will make gains but still probably battle the LDs for fourth on seats so whichever of Labour or the Conservatives come third on seats will likely see their leader gone by the summer
No 10 denies putting pressure on the FCDO. But admits to repeatedly asking for updates. Which if you have ever worked in the civil service you would understand means pressure.
(Hell, in the private sector, if the CEO's office kept asking you for updates on a project you were working on, you would regard that as pressure, if not a direct threat)
Civil servants are supposed to speak truth to power. Good ones stand up to pressure. Apparently Philip Barton did this to insist on vetting.
Insisting on vetting was silly, all parties knew Mandelson couldn't pass unless vetting was either incompetent or dodgy itself. So if its that important just insist Mandelson can't be appointed or you will resign and make it an issue.
Perhaps the correct thing would have been for the FO to simply publicly confirm the appointment was political, owned fully by Starmer and not subject to vetting.
Well exactly. You get it in writing that you recommended x and no. 10/Lammy overruled. Thats standard procedure.
What you dont do is overrule the advice without reading it and then fail to inform ministers that you have done so.
Don’t PMs have their own mind and Starmer could have simply said no , not happening .
He could have made a political appointment from a choice of quite a few candidates who weren’t didn’t have the baggage of Mandelson .
I’m not a fan of Osborne but he certainly wouldn’t have shamed the country .
Karen Pierce seemed fine unless, and I suspect this is reality, Starmer and McSweeney thought a friend of Epstein would be just the ticket to manage Trump. That being the case that is a more compelling argument in favour of Mandelson that showering everyone else with shit when it blew up.
It’s amazing how Starmer will pontificate about how we must think of the victims of Epstein whilst they were happy to cynically use a friend of Epstein for their base political advantage.
Starmer doesn't give a flying f*** about the victims of Epstein and *****, who does? His apology to them yesterday was therefore cynical. If he cared he wouldn't have organised the second state visit. His sole interest was and is UK-US trade.
There is an argument that suggests Starmer really should do an Amber Rudd and resign on principle.
Starmer cocked up, Starmer should resign. I think I am more enraged by the knee -jerk sacking of Robbins than by the original appointment of Mandelson.
Me too. I think everyone is. What he's done is unforgivable. He's a wretched little man
NEW: Morgan McSweeney has told POLITICO he did not call former Foreign Office chief Philip Barton directly, or swear at him, over the appointment of Peter Mandelson
It comes after Emily Thornberry asked Olly Robbins if McSweeney had rung Barton to say "just fucking approve it"
That just means he asked someone to put him through and he swore at him in general.
Blame it on Ukraine/NATO to justify a full mobilisation?
That has to be a worry.
Except reports are it was a train derailment and everything is back to normal
Did social media get carried away over nothing?
Sounds like a few Moscovites thought it was the end of the World.
Moscovites are very much on edge. They are waiting on the big Ukrainian drone barrage on their hospitals, schools, markets, tower blocks.
And Ukraine aren’t attacking civilians while there are still economic interests to destroy because Ukraine wants to retain the moral high ground.
I don't think that's the only reason. It's also more effective to hit the economic (and military) targets.
If you have the ability to hit precision targets, then randomly slapping cities is an expensive waste of ammunition.
Ironically, the ludicrous inaccuracy of bombing at the start of WWII prevented the exploitation of precision weapons later. Oboe equipped Mosquitos were achieving smart bomb accuracies on Germany in late 1944. They were taking out individual blast furnaces from 30,000 feet. If the same technology had been pushed against oil production and transport, en masse, it would have brought Germany to a halt months earlier.
No 10 denies putting pressure on the FCDO. But admits to repeatedly asking for updates. Which if you have ever worked in the civil service you would understand means pressure.
(Hell, in the private sector, if the CEO's office kept asking you for updates on a project you were working on, you would regard that as pressure, if not a direct threat)
Civil servants are supposed to speak truth to power. Good ones stand up to pressure. Apparently Philip Barton did this to insist on vetting.
Insisting on vetting was silly, all parties knew Mandelson couldn't pass unless vetting was either incompetent or dodgy itself. So if its that important just insist Mandelson can't be appointed or you will resign and make it an issue.
Perhaps the correct thing would have been for the FO to simply publicly confirm the appointment was political, owned fully by Starmer and not subject to vetting.
Well exactly. You get it in writing that you recommended x and no. 10/Lammy overruled. Thats standard procedure.
What you dont do is overrule the advice without reading it and then fail to inform ministers that you have done so.
That is the way you rise through the ranks with the protection of a big pay off and job in the private sector if it goes wrong - do the dirty work for the big boss without making them accountable and hiding behind process to protect yourself just enough to get the payout.
"Just as the NHS is a prime reason for pride in Britain"
Polly Toynbee - today's Guardian
"During his evidence on Tuesday, April 21, Dr Malik was asked if he had ever felt pressure to not admit a [acute mental health crisis] patient or to discharge them early because of a lack of the availability of beds.
He said he had not personally made such a decision but was aware of “15, 18, 20 people” waiting for a bed for “days and weeks”.
This included patients who had been sectioned under the Mental Health Act, he said.
“People go on the bed list and, if there is no bed, then if they are in an acute hospital they remain there which is not ideal, and if they are in the care home or even in the community they will remain there.
Dr Malik said there have been times where patients have been sent to places as far away as Scotland but “sometimes there is no bed”. "
Dr Malik giving evidence to the public inquiry on Calocane killings in Nottingham
I just don't understand the NHS being the prime reason for pride - I like to have it, but it doesn't seem to be particularly excellent as far as Western health systems go? If others have better outcomes what is the best way to copy that?
Totally agree. It's as if people don't have healthcare in say France or Germany.
Remember, most people in the UK only travel abroad for holidays. They don't interact will foreign health services much and seemed surprised that they exist, when they do use them.
The best way to achieve the standards of better European health systems would be spend as much per capita as they do. Though we'd probably need to spend more to start with to catch up.
Making a comment that ages as badly as this should henceforth be known as ‘making a complete Dunt of yourself’
Power suits Starmer, as expected. Looks comfortable, relaxed, in charge. Doesn't have that hint of frustration and anxiety he had as opposition leader.
I wonder whether the advent of the "Chief of Staff" position has complicated matters somewhat. I saw this in the latter days of my local Government career where every Head of Dervice had a Chief of Staff who was part rottweiler, part gatekeeperand the main contact with the rest of the Service leaving the Head to schmooze with the Cabinet Member.
There's the additional layer of relationship the Chief of Staff beings - if you want to have access to the Head of Service, you have to be well in with the Chief of Staff and if you have a poor relationship with the Chief of Staff, your influence is much reduced.
Hello pb. Today I am feeling sad and angry because the headteacher of my daughter's school - an excellent, approachable head, who knew and liked and valued my daughter, who runs a very happy, very effective school, who seems universally liked, who has dedicated, I think, over a decade of his life to turning his school into the sort of school he'd always dreamed of - but who, a few years off retirement was not resting on his laurels, and always looking for new improvements to make, so that when my youngest starts there next September it will be even better - after diligently staying late putting in prep for approaching GCSEs - was knocked off his bike and killed on his way home to his wife and family by a car which then failed to stop for police (though arrests were subsequently made). I am sad and angry for him and his family that a good man has had his life taken from him, and sad and angry for the kids at that school - including, selfishly, my own - that they have had a truly great headmaster taken from them. No doubt he also had other aspects to his life which are now suddenly poorer without him.
This isn't an issue relevant to the wider world but I have a lot of offloading to do. Thanks for being a listening ear.
Shocking. My sympathies to you and all at the school.
Sincere condolences to all affected and it is a relevant issue to the wider world, at times we are all vulnerable road users, if not cyclists then pedestrians
Even if cyclists and motorcyclists are significantly more likely to be killed or injured on roads than those in cars it is still obviously sad when fatalities occur. Including the headteacher at Cookie's daughter's school. Certainly no excuse for drivers doing a hit and run who should be prosecuted with the full force of the law
There is an argument that suggests Starmer really should do an Amber Rudd and resign on principle.
Starmer cocked up, Starmer should resign. I think I am more enraged by the knee -jerk sacking of Robbins than by the original appointment of Mandelson.
Me too. I think everyone is. What he's done is unforgivable. He's a wretched little man
Agree. There is a littleness about the combination of actions from the appointment of PeterM to yesterday which is troubling, with the defenestration of Robbins and yesterday's essay in process and blame transferring a final set of nails.
Yet I think he might survive. Nothing can be known until after 7th May. Then the issue will be a further combination of events. How does the media/politics circus play out over the PeterM affair and how dire is 7th May obviously. But the third factor is that Starmer is probably the best available Labour candidate for PM as of today. That Burnham is being cried up as the new messiah tells it all. Not an MP, a Labour luminary much more than a nationally significant statesman and, I suggest, a vote loser outside the north.
I'm afraid like all the other "predictions" I've seen, More in Common haven't really picked up on the local undercurrents and have tried to use national or regional sub sample Westminster VI polling mixed with local by-elections to paint a picture.
They don't mention the Newham Independentrs and claim the Greens will make big gains in Newham -here's a clue, they won't. I' dbe susprised if the seat number changes were as large as stated above.
Can anyone explain to me the momentum behind Angela Rayner. I haven't seen any polling to suggest the public rate her. Am I wrong?
You're asking the wrong question. The question is do Labour MPs rate her because they are the ones that get the important votes in this process. And the answer seems to be yes. She is happy to swear at Tories and they like that. She is better at pretending to care. She indulges their fantasies a little better.
Personally, she strikes me as being very much in the Liz Truss class of PM, so far out of her depth that the shore is out of sight, but no one cares what I think. Its what the 400 MPs think that matters at this stage.
"Just as the NHS is a prime reason for pride in Britain"
Polly Toynbee - today's Guardian
"During his evidence on Tuesday, April 21, Dr Malik was asked if he had ever felt pressure to not admit a [acute mental health crisis] patient or to discharge them early because of a lack of the availability of beds.
He said he had not personally made such a decision but was aware of “15, 18, 20 people” waiting for a bed for “days and weeks”.
This included patients who had been sectioned under the Mental Health Act, he said.
“People go on the bed list and, if there is no bed, then if they are in an acute hospital they remain there which is not ideal, and if they are in the care home or even in the community they will remain there.
Dr Malik said there have been times where patients have been sent to places as far away as Scotland but “sometimes there is no bed”. "
Dr Malik giving evidence to the public inquiry on Calocane killings in Nottingham
I just don't understand the NHS being the prime reason for pride - I like to have it, but it doesn't seem to be particularly excellent as far as Western health systems go? If others have better outcomes what is the best way to copy that?
Totally agree. It's as if people don't have healthcare in say France or Germany.
Remember, most people in the UK only travel abroad for holidays. They don't interact will foreign health services much and seemed surprised that they exist, when they do use them.
The best way to achieve the standards of better European health systems would be spend as much per capita as they do. Though we'd probably need to spend more to start with to catch up.
Making a comment that ages as badly as this should henceforth be known as ‘making a complete Dunt of yourself’
Power suits Starmer, as expected. Looks comfortable, relaxed, in charge. Doesn't have that hint of frustration and anxiety he had as opposition leader.
Making a comment that ages as badly as this should henceforth be known as ‘making a complete Dunt of yourself’
Power suits Starmer, as expected. Looks comfortable, relaxed, in charge. Doesn't have that hint of frustration and anxiety he had as opposition leader.
I wonder whether the advent of the "Chief of Staff" position has complicated matters somewhat. I saw this in the latter days of my local Government career where every Head of Dervice had a Chief of Staff who was part rottweiler, part gatekeeperand the main contact with the rest of the Service leaving the Head to schmooze with the Cabinet Member.
There's the additional layer of relationship the Chief of Staff beings - if you want to have access to the Head of Service, you have to be well in with the Chief of Staff and if you have a poor relationship with the Chief of Staff, your influence is much reduced.
Also, CofS does seem to be a honeypot for the kind of people who really shouldn't have that sort of role.
Hello pb. Today I am feeling sad and angry because the headteacher of my daughter's school - an excellent, approachable head, who knew and liked and valued my daughter, who runs a very happy, very effective school, who seems universally liked, who has dedicated, I think, over a decade of his life to turning his school into the sort of school he'd always dreamed of - but who, a few years off retirement was not resting on his laurels, and always looking for new improvements to make, so that when my youngest starts there next September it will be even better - after diligently staying late putting in prep for approaching GCSEs - was knocked off his bike and killed on his way home to his wife and family by a car which then failed to stop for police (though arrests were subsequently made). I am sad and angry for him and his family that a good man has had his life taken from him, and sad and angry for the kids at that school - including, selfishly, my own - that they have had a truly great headmaster taken from them. No doubt he also had other aspects to his life which are now suddenly poorer without him.
This isn't an issue relevant to the wider world but I have a lot of offloading to do. Thanks for being a listening ear.
Shocking. My sympathies to you and all at the school.
Sincere condolences to all affected and it is a relevant issue to the wider world, at times we are all vulnerable road users, if not cyclists then pedestrians
Even if cyclists and motorcyclists are significantly more likely to be killed or injured on roads than those in cars it is still obviously sad when fatalities occur. Including the headteacher at Cookie's daughter's school. Certainly no excuse for drivers doing a hit and run who should be prosecuted with the full force of the law
International oil prices approached $100 a barrel this afternoon after Vice President JD Vance’s trip to Pakistan was put on hold. The price has soared since the U.S.-Israelli strikes on Iran began in late February, only to come back down when the United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire that is now set to expire soon.
NY Times blog
Playing the spot markets might be a nice little tickle for Trump and his family.
"Just as the NHS is a prime reason for pride in Britain"
Polly Toynbee - today's Guardian
"During his evidence on Tuesday, April 21, Dr Malik was asked if he had ever felt pressure to not admit a [acute mental health crisis] patient or to discharge them early because of a lack of the availability of beds.
He said he had not personally made such a decision but was aware of “15, 18, 20 people” waiting for a bed for “days and weeks”.
This included patients who had been sectioned under the Mental Health Act, he said.
“People go on the bed list and, if there is no bed, then if they are in an acute hospital they remain there which is not ideal, and if they are in the care home or even in the community they will remain there.
Dr Malik said there have been times where patients have been sent to places as far away as Scotland but “sometimes there is no bed”. "
Dr Malik giving evidence to the public inquiry on Calocane killings in Nottingham
I just don't understand the NHS being the prime reason for pride - I like to have it, but it doesn't seem to be particularly excellent as far as Western health systems go? If others have better outcomes what is the best way to copy that?
Totally agree. It's as if people don't have healthcare in say France or Germany.
Remember, most people in the UK only travel abroad for holidays. They don't interact will foreign health services much and seemed surprised that they exist, when they do use them.
The best way to achieve the standards of better European health systems would be spend as much per capita as they do. Though we'd probably need to spend more to start with to catch up.
Is it?
How do you think we could achieve the standards of better European health systems without spending as much per capita as they do?
Whoever comes next will have a humongous majority and, unlike Major or Brown, pretty much a blank slate, except for their internal election campaign.
A shiny sixpence says that those who oppose Labour from the right, or from a Eurosceptic direction, aren't going to like it much.
(One of the consequences of all those Conservative leadership elections, since 1997 really, has been a rightward drift as wannabes try to.ticklevthe tummy of the membership.)
No 10 denies putting pressure on the FCDO. But admits to repeatedly asking for updates. Which if you have ever worked in the civil service you would understand means pressure.
(Hell, in the private sector, if the CEO's office kept asking you for updates on a project you were working on, you would regard that as pressure, if not a direct threat)
Whoever comes next will have a humongous majority and, unlike Major or Brown, pretty much a blank slate, except for their internal election campaign.
A shiny sixpence says that those who oppose Labour from the right, or from a Eurosceptic direction, aren't going to like it much.
(One of the consequences of all those Conservative leadership elections, since 1997 really, has been a rightward drift as wannabes try to.ticklevthe tummy of the membership.)
My instinct tells me that if Labour drift away from the platform they were elected on they will be signing their own death warrant.
Anecdotally, I was out walking in the Cotswolds near Uley this morning.
Hell of a lot of traffic in and out of Fairford. Hard to imagine that the Yanks would be working their air transport that hard if Mango Mussolini wasn't planning to do more distraction from the CSA allegations against him bombing of Iran to stop them having a nuclear weapon that they don't have and have offered to not try and develop.
Reform UK - 29% (+2) Plaid Cymru - 29% (-4) Labour - 13% (=) Green - 10% (-2) Conservatives - 8% (+1) Lib Dems - 6% (+1) Other - 4% (-1)
There are parts of Wales where the only gay in the village out numbers the Tory and Lib Dem voters.
I am a bit suspicious of this late Reform surge with Yougov. My questions are: 1. Is it echoed by any other polling? 2. Has Yougov made another change to their methodology? 3. If the answer to one and two is "No" and "Yes", it looks to me like Yougov know that they have been under-scoring Reform, but the strategy has run out of road, and they now need to come back into line with other polling firms to avoid looking bad after the elections.
Whoever comes next will have a humongous majority and, unlike Major or Brown, pretty much a blank slate, except for their internal election campaign.
A shiny sixpence says that those who oppose Labour from the right, or from a Eurosceptic direction, aren't going to like it much.
(One of the consequences of all those Conservative leadership elections, since 1997 really, has been a rightward drift as wannabes try to.ticklevthe tummy of the membership.)
My instinct tells me that if Labour drift away from the platform they were elected on they will be signing their own death warrant.
Where did anyone get the idea that he’s “a nice man”??!
He really really isn’t. He is utterly selfish and happy to lie to save his arse, or to sack his friends and aides to do the same
It’s really quite depressing that such a weird and unpleasant prick has become PM. At least Boris was genuinely funny
There are two reasons why he became Prime Minister - Jeremy Corbyn and the Conservatives.
Starmer is the anti-Corbyn but instead of doing what Labour leaders are supposed to and spend their lives in Opposition staring at the Conservatives on the Govenrment benches, he had the temerity to win an election albeit aided and abetted by one of the biggest groups of incompetents and halfwits ever to grace the political universe, led by titans like Johnson, Truss and Sunak who presided over the near-destruction of one of the most successful political parties in the Western world.
The only thing you can therefore argue Starmer had in spades up to July 2024 was luck.
"Just as the NHS is a prime reason for pride in Britain"
Polly Toynbee - today's Guardian
"During his evidence on Tuesday, April 21, Dr Malik was asked if he had ever felt pressure to not admit a [acute mental health crisis] patient or to discharge them early because of a lack of the availability of beds.
He said he had not personally made such a decision but was aware of “15, 18, 20 people” waiting for a bed for “days and weeks”.
This included patients who had been sectioned under the Mental Health Act, he said.
“People go on the bed list and, if there is no bed, then if they are in an acute hospital they remain there which is not ideal, and if they are in the care home or even in the community they will remain there.
Dr Malik said there have been times where patients have been sent to places as far away as Scotland but “sometimes there is no bed”. "
Dr Malik giving evidence to the public inquiry on Calocane killings in Nottingham
I just don't understand the NHS being the prime reason for pride - I like to have it, but it doesn't seem to be particularly excellent as far as Western health systems go? If others have better outcomes what is the best way to copy that?
Totally agree. It's as if people don't have healthcare in say France or Germany.
Remember, most people in the UK only travel abroad for holidays. They don't interact will foreign health services much and seemed surprised that they exist, when they do use them.
The best way to achieve the standards of better European health systems would be spend as much per capita as they do. Though we'd probably need to spend more to start with to catch up.
Is it?
How do you think we could achieve the standards of better European health systems without spending as much per capita as they do?
Oooh, I know this one! Efficiency savings. And cut DEI spending.
On a side issue, where does this leave Lee Anderson?
He called SKS a liar in the Commons, and it turns out that the details were withheld by Robbins.
You’d be hard pressed to realize that from today’s media coverage. It’s been all about the so called pressure on the foreign office. The original charge against Starmer has been forgotten because Robbins gave an answer the media didn’t like .
FFS. Don't you get it. Starmer didn't want to be told anything that stopped Mandelson . No way he'd have reversed the appointment. Time the stop pretending he's anything but a dud.
Whoever comes next will have a humongous majority and, unlike Major or Brown, pretty much a blank slate, except for their internal election campaign.
A shiny sixpence says that those who oppose Labour from the right, or from a Eurosceptic direction, aren't going to like it much.
(One of the consequences of all those Conservative leadership elections, since 1997 really, has been a rightward drift as wannabes try to.ticklevthe tummy of the membership.)
My instinct tells me that if Labour drift away from the platform they were elected on they will be signing their own death warrant.
They were elected on not being the Tories......
so you're saying, they've signed it already with the PIP/WFA farragos?
Whoever comes next will have a humongous majority and, unlike Major or Brown, pretty much a blank slate, except for their internal election campaign.
A shiny sixpence says that those who oppose Labour from the right, or from a Eurosceptic direction, aren't going to like it much.
(One of the consequences of all those Conservative leadership elections, since 1997 really, has been a rightward drift as wannabes try to.ticklevthe tummy of the membership.)
My instinct tells me that if Labour drift away from the platform they were elected on they will be signing their own death warrant.
They were elected on not being the Tories......
so you're saying, they've signed it already with the PIP/WFA farragos?
They need to add in some public in fighting and scandals of course......
Anecdotally, I was out walking in the Cotswolds near Uley this morning.
Hell of a lot of traffic in and out of Fairford. Hard to imagine that the Yanks would be working their air transport that hard if Mango Mussolini wasn't planning to do more distraction from the CSA allegations against him bombing of Iran to stop them having a nuclear weapon that they don't have and have offered to not try and develop.
Apparently he's now keen on using the nuclear codes.
Only Presidents wearing big boy diapers use nuclear codes.
Whoever comes next will have a humongous majority and, unlike Major or Brown, pretty much a blank slate, except for their internal election campaign.
A shiny sixpence says that those who oppose Labour from the right, or from a Eurosceptic direction, aren't going to like it much.
(One of the consequences of all those Conservative leadership elections, since 1997 really, has been a rightward drift as wannabes try to.ticklevthe tummy of the membership.)
No centrist/Blairite/realist Labour will want to run on those banners for sure, and given there is no money that doesn't leave much apart from being a rejoin candidate. So final two may be a Blairite type hiding under the EU flag vs a magic money tree leftie.
Whoever comes next will have a humongous majority and, unlike Major or Brown, pretty much a blank slate, except for their internal election campaign.
A shiny sixpence says that those who oppose Labour from the right, or from a Eurosceptic direction, aren't going to like it much.
(One of the consequences of all those Conservative leadership elections, since 1997 really, has been a rightward drift as wannabes try to.ticklevthe tummy of the membership.)
My instinct tells me that if Labour drift away from the platform they were elected on they will be signing their own death warrant.
Can anyone explain to me the momentum behind Angela Rayner. I haven't seen any polling to suggest the public rate her. Am I wrong?
You're asking the wrong question. The question is do Labour MPs rate her because they are the ones that get the important votes in this process. And the answer seems to be yes. She is happy to swear at Tories and they like that. She is better at pretending to care. She indulges their fantasies a little better.
Personally, she strikes me as being very much in the Liz Truss class of PM, so far out of her depth that the shore is out of sight, but no one cares what I think. Its what the 400 MPs think that matters at this stage.
It really depends on whether she can delegate effectively. Or have a right-hand man or woman (like Osbourne to Cameron or Brown to Blair) who drives policy direction.
What is undoubtable at this point is she's better at politics than Starmer. Not necessarily governing or policy, though it's a low bar.
I was of the view Labour should wait until 2028 and give Raynor a short run at the next election. Increasingly I think Starmer needs to go sooner and have an alternative period of actually governing under new leadership.
Making a comment that ages as badly as this should henceforth be known as ‘making a complete Dunt of yourself’
Power suits Starmer, as expected. Looks comfortable, relaxed, in charge. Doesn't have that hint of frustration and anxiety he had as opposition leader.
Whoever comes next will have a humongous majority and, unlike Major or Brown, pretty much a blank slate, except for their internal election campaign.
A shiny sixpence says that those who oppose Labour from the right, or from a Eurosceptic direction, aren't going to like it much.
(One of the consequences of all those Conservative leadership elections, since 1997 really, has been a rightward drift as wannabes try to.ticklevthe tummy of the membership.)
My instinct tells me that if Labour drift away from the platform they were elected on they will be signing their own death warrant.
They were elected on not being the Tories......
Even though they were to anyone with any nouse
Hard to win a UK election without being what you'd consider Tories.
Anecdotally, I was out walking in the Cotswolds near Uley this morning.
Hell of a lot of traffic in and out of Fairford. Hard to imagine that the Yanks would be working their air transport that hard if Mango Mussolini wasn't planning to do more distraction from the CSA allegations against him bombing of Iran to stop them having a nuclear weapon that they don't have and have offered to not try and develop.
Apparently he's now keen on using the nuclear codes.
Only Presidents wearing big boy diapers use nuclear codes.
Apparently Mushroom Shaped has also been saying the Pope wants Iran to have nuclear weapons.
I know he's not very bright, and I know he's got dementia, and I know he has the same relationship to the truth as the average solicitor acting for the Post Office, but what does he actually think he's going to gain by saying such utter nonsense?
Hello pb. Today I am feeling sad and angry because the headteacher of my daughter's school - an excellent, approachable head, who knew and liked and valued my daughter, who runs a very happy, very effective school, who seems universally liked, who has dedicated, I think, over a decade of his life to turning his school into the sort of school he'd always dreamed of - but who, a few years off retirement was not resting on his laurels, and always looking for new improvements to make, so that when my youngest starts there next September it will be even better - after diligently staying late putting in prep for approaching GCSEs - was knocked off his bike and killed on his way home to his wife and family by a car which then failed to stop for police (though arrests were subsequently made). I am sad and angry for him and his family that a good man has had his life taken from him, and sad and angry for the kids at that school - including, selfishly, my own - that they have had a truly great headmaster taken from them. No doubt he also had other aspects to his life which are now suddenly poorer without him.
This isn't an issue relevant to the wider world but I have a lot of offloading to do. Thanks for being a listening ear.
Apparently Mushroom Shaped has also been saying the Pope wants Iran to have nuclear weapons.
I know he's not very bright, and I know he's got dementia, and I know he has the same relationship to the truth as the average solicitor acting for the Post Office, but what does he actually think he's going to gain by saying such utter nonsense?
Thanks all for the kind words. I feel as if I shouldn't be feeling this bad about it - I couldn't really claim to know him personally - it just feels so bloody unfair. But pb is generous in its sympathies - many thanks.
Sorry to hear about your child's headteacher, @Cookie
Can anyone explain to me the momentum behind Angela Rayner. I haven't seen any polling to suggest the public rate her. Am I wrong?
You're asking the wrong question. The question is do Labour MPs rate her because they are the ones that get the important votes in this process. And the answer seems to be yes. She is happy to swear at Tories and they like that. She is better at pretending to care. She indulges their fantasies a little better.
Personally, she strikes me as being very much in the Liz Truss class of PM, so far out of her depth that the shore is out of sight, but no one cares what I think. Its what the 400 MPs think that matters at this stage.
It really depends on whether she can delegate effectively. Or have a right-hand man or woman (like Osbourne to Cameron or Brown to Blair) who drives policy direction.
What is undoubtable at this point is she's better at politics than Starmer. Not necessarily governing or policy, though it's a low bar.
I was of the view Labour should wait until 2028 and give Raynor a short run at the next election. Increasingly I think Starmer needs to go sooner and have an alternative period of actually governing under new leadership.
Labour hasn't delivered any reason to vote for them in the past 2 years. So they need to remove SKS AND deliver a reason for people to vote for them (and not Reform) before the mid to late 2028....
Whoever comes next will have a humongous majority and, unlike Major or Brown, pretty much a blank slate, except for their internal election campaign.
A shiny sixpence says that those who oppose Labour from the right, or from a Eurosceptic direction, aren't going to like it much.
(One of the consequences of all those Conservative leadership elections, since 1997 really, has been a rightward drift as wannabes try to.ticklevthe tummy of the membership.)
My instinct tells me that if Labour drift away from the platform they were elected on they will be signing their own death warrant.
They were elected on not being the Tories......
Even though they were to anyone with any nouse
Hard to win a UK election without being what you'd consider Tories.
Apparently Mushroom Shaped has also been saying the Pope wants Iran to have nuclear weapons.
I know he's not very bright, and I know he's got dementia, and I know he has the same relationship to the truth as the average solicitor acting for the Post Office, but what does he actually think he's going to gain by saying such utter nonsense?
All he's doing is pissing off the Catholics.
He doesn't think of gain in such moments, he just lashes out.
It's gotten him this far in life, but even he will run out of road eventually.
Not soon enough to matter to him, but hopefully to matter to those who ride his coattails.
Apparently Mushroom Shaped has also been saying the Pope wants Iran to have nuclear weapons.
I know he's not very bright, and I know he's got dementia, and I know he has the same relationship to the truth as the average solicitor acting for the Post Office, but what does he actually think he's going to gain by saying such utter nonsense?
All he's doing is pissing off the Catholics.
If the Pope wants to intervene in earthly politics then he should expect some pushback.
"Just as the NHS is a prime reason for pride in Britain"
Polly Toynbee - today's Guardian
"During his evidence on Tuesday, April 21, Dr Malik was asked if he had ever felt pressure to not admit a [acute mental health crisis] patient or to discharge them early because of a lack of the availability of beds.
He said he had not personally made such a decision but was aware of “15, 18, 20 people” waiting for a bed for “days and weeks”.
This included patients who had been sectioned under the Mental Health Act, he said.
“People go on the bed list and, if there is no bed, then if they are in an acute hospital they remain there which is not ideal, and if they are in the care home or even in the community they will remain there.
Dr Malik said there have been times where patients have been sent to places as far away as Scotland but “sometimes there is no bed”. "
Dr Malik giving evidence to the public inquiry on Calocane killings in Nottingham
I just don't understand the NHS being the prime reason for pride - I like to have it, but it doesn't seem to be particularly excellent as far as Western health systems go? If others have better outcomes what is the best way to copy that?
Well they they need a creation of the Attlee government and BR and the NCB are no longer around.
And other things associated with Britain - castles, royals, countryside, wars, colonies, sports, writers - don't tend to be things they approve of.
Hello pb. Today I am feeling sad and angry because the headteacher of my daughter's school - an excellent, approachable head, who knew and liked and valued my daughter, who runs a very happy, very effective school, who seems universally liked, who has dedicated, I think, over a decade of his life to turning his school into the sort of school he'd always dreamed of - but who, a few years off retirement was not resting on his laurels, and always looking for new improvements to make, so that when my youngest starts there next September it will be even better - after diligently staying late putting in prep for approaching GCSEs - was knocked off his bike and killed on his way home to his wife and family by a car which then failed to stop for police (though arrests were subsequently made). I am sad and angry for him and his family that a good man has had his life taken from him, and sad and angry for the kids at that school - including, selfishly, my own - that they have had a truly great headmaster taken from them. No doubt he also had other aspects to his life which are now suddenly poorer without him.
This isn't an issue relevant to the wider world but I have a lot of offloading to do. Thanks for being a listening ear.
Shocking. My sympathies to you and all at the school.
Sincere condolences to all affected and it is a relevant issue to the wider world, at times we are all vulnerable road users, if not cyclists then pedestrians
Even if cyclists and motorcyclists are significantly more likely to be killed or injured on roads than those in cars it is still obviously sad when fatalities occur. Including the headteacher at Cookie's daughter's school. Certainly no excuse for drivers doing a hit and run who should be prosecuted with the full force of the law
"Even if..." ?
What on earth are you trying to say?
Motorcyclists are roughly 52 times more likely to be killed in a road traffic accident than car occupants, per mile ridden. Cyclists are 23 times more likely to be killed or seriously injured on roads than car users
Anecdotally, I was out walking in the Cotswolds near Uley this morning.
Hell of a lot of traffic in and out of Fairford. Hard to imagine that the Yanks would be working their air transport that hard if Mango Mussolini wasn't planning to do more distraction from the CSA allegations against him bombing of Iran to stop them having a nuclear weapon that they don't have and have offered to not try and develop.
Comparing Trump with Mussolini is an outrageous slur.
Hello pb. Today I am feeling sad and angry because the headteacher of my daughter's school - an excellent, approachable head, who knew and liked and valued my daughter, who runs a very happy, very effective school, who seems universally liked, who has dedicated, I think, over a decade of his life to turning his school into the sort of school he'd always dreamed of - but who, a few years off retirement was not resting on his laurels, and always looking for new improvements to make, so that when my youngest starts there next September it will be even better - after diligently staying late putting in prep for approaching GCSEs - was knocked off his bike and killed on his way home to his wife and family by a car which then failed to stop for police (though arrests were subsequently made). I am sad and angry for him and his family that a good man has had his life taken from him, and sad and angry for the kids at that school - including, selfishly, my own - that they have had a truly great headmaster taken from them. No doubt he also had other aspects to his life which are now suddenly poorer without him.
This isn't an issue relevant to the wider world but I have a lot of offloading to do. Thanks for being a listening ear.
My condolences. This has hit the news widely and quickly, and the Head sounds like a hero, who significantly turned the school around over 17 years and stayed for the long run.
I'll drop you a PM with a local Community Interest Company in the Trafford area who work in the safe travel to schools arena as a suggestion should anyone be looking for a suitable "in memoriam" suggestion in addition to the school itself; I am on their Discord and they are one of the best in the country promoting walking-wheeling-cycling provision.
Anecdotally, I was out walking in the Cotswolds near Uley this morning.
Hell of a lot of traffic in and out of Fairford. Hard to imagine that the Yanks would be working their air transport that hard if Mango Mussolini wasn't planning to do more distraction from the CSA allegations against him bombing of Iran to stop them having a nuclear weapon that they don't have and have offered to not try and develop.
Comparing Trump with Mussolini is an outrageous slur.
Reform UK - 29% (+2) Plaid Cymru - 29% (-4) Labour - 13% (=) Green - 10% (-2) Conservatives - 8% (+1) Lib Dems - 6% (+1) Other - 4% (-1)
There are parts of Wales where the only gay in the village out numbers the Tory and Lib Dem voters.
I am a bit suspicious of this late Reform surge with Yougov. My questions are: 1. Is it echoed by any other polling? 2. Has Yougov made another change to their methodology? 3. If the answer to one and two is "No" and "Yes", it looks to me like Yougov know that they have been under-scoring Reform, but the strategy has run out of road, and they now need to come back into line with other polling firms to avoid looking bad after the elections.
1 Hard to tell, as it is 3-4 days ahead of any other recent poll so could be a genuine shift in opinion
2 Last week they started prompting for Restore Britain, but if anything that would reduce Reform respondents
Comments
The Tories might have a somewhat better than abject night but any kind of negative number, which is surely inevitable, will be seen as massively poor even if technically it could be worse.
I'm still musing about how to hold to accounts Lords who lie in the House, which comes down to "challenge the individual".
NY Times blog
Markets: Phew, what a relief.
Unfortunately, all of us have both of them.
Power suits Starmer, as expected. Looks comfortable, relaxed, in charge. Doesn't have that hint of frustration and anxiety he had as opposition leader.
https://x.com/iandunt/status/1809559503865512332?s=46&t=CW4pL-mMpTqsJXCdjW0Z6Q
Trump apparently wanted Pierce to stay on so clearly got on well with her . So why the rush to get rid of her ?
But pb is generous in its sympathies - many thanks.
Where did anyone get the idea that he’s “a nice man”??!
He really really isn’t. He is utterly selfish and happy to lie to save his arse, or to sack his friends and aides to do the same
It’s really quite depressing that such a weird and unpleasant prick has become PM. At least Boris was genuinely funny
What you dont do is overrule the advice without reading it and then fail to inform ministers that you have done so.
https://x.com/citrinowicz/status/2046652729947197863
Ironically, the ludicrous inaccuracy of bombing at the start of WWII prevented the exploitation of precision weapons later. Oboe equipped Mosquitos were achieving smart bomb accuracies on Germany in late 1944. They were taking out individual blast furnaces from 30,000 feet. If the same technology had been pushed against oil production and transport, en masse, it would have brought Germany to a halt months earlier.
Good first three paragraphs A++. Final sentence of the last paragraph is utter rubbish, an F I am afraid.
I wonder whether the advent of the "Chief of Staff" position has complicated matters somewhat. I saw this in the latter days of my local Government career where every Head of Dervice had a Chief of Staff who was part rottweiler, part gatekeeperand the main contact with the rest of the Service leaving the Head to schmooze with the Cabinet Member.
There's the additional layer of relationship the Chief of Staff beings - if you want to have access to the Head of Service, you have to be well in with the Chief of Staff and if you have a poor relationship with the Chief of Staff, your influence is much reduced.
https://labourlist.org/2026/02/keir-starmer-wes-streeting-leadership-survation-poll/
Yet I think he might survive. Nothing can be known until after 7th May. Then the issue will be a further combination of events. How does the media/politics circus play out over the PeterM affair and how dire is 7th May obviously. But the third factor is that Starmer is probably the best available Labour candidate for PM as of today. That Burnham is being cried up as the new messiah tells it all. Not an MP, a Labour luminary much more than a nationally significant statesman and, I suggest, a vote loser outside the north.
They don't mention the Newham Independentrs and claim the Greens will make big gains in Newham -here's a clue, they won't. I' dbe susprised if the seat number changes were as large as stated above.
Personally, she strikes me as being very much in the Liz Truss class of PM, so far out of her depth that the shore is out of sight, but no one cares what I think. Its what the 400 MPs think that matters at this stage.
The man has demonstrated a particularly Johnsonian venality by sacking Robbins to save his own skin. I for one am disgusted.
The suits don't compare.
Too much power, not enough responsibility.
What on earth are you trying to say?
Whoever comes next will have a humongous majority and, unlike Major or Brown, pretty much a blank slate, except for their internal election campaign.
A shiny sixpence says that those who oppose Labour from the right, or from a Eurosceptic direction, aren't going to like it much.
(One of the consequences of all those Conservative leadership elections, since 1997 really, has been a rightward drift as wannabes try to.ticklevthe tummy of the membership.)
Enjoy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0m2x0KqKWO0
‘Gossip has it, he had other candidates in mind…’
Labour's Emily Thornberry explains why laying the Mandelson scandal at the feet of Keir Starmer ‘doesn’t actually make sense.’
Hell of a lot of traffic in and out of Fairford. Hard to imagine that the Yanks would be working their air transport that hard if Mango Mussolini wasn't planning to do more
distraction from the CSA allegations against himbombing of Iran to stop them having a nuclear weapon that they don't have and have offered to not try and develop.1. Is it echoed by any other polling?
2. Has Yougov made another change to their methodology?
3. If the answer to one and two is "No" and "Yes", it looks to me like Yougov know that they have been under-scoring Reform, but the strategy has run out of road, and they now need to come back into line with other polling firms to avoid looking bad after the elections.
Starmer is the anti-Corbyn but instead of doing what Labour leaders are supposed to and spend their lives in Opposition staring at the Conservatives on the Govenrment benches, he had the temerity to win an election albeit aided and abetted by one of the biggest groups of incompetents and halfwits ever to grace the political universe, led by titans like Johnson, Truss and Sunak who presided over the near-destruction of one of the most successful political parties in the Western world.
The only thing you can therefore argue Starmer had in spades up to July 2024 was luck.
Only Presidents wearing big boy diapers use nuclear codes.
What is undoubtable at this point is she's better at politics than Starmer. Not necessarily governing or policy, though it's a low bar.
I was of the view Labour should wait until 2028 and give Raynor a short run at the next election. Increasingly I think Starmer needs to go sooner and have an alternative period of actually governing under new leadership.
I know he's not very bright, and I know he's got dementia, and I know he has the same relationship to the truth as the average solicitor acting for the Post Office, but what does he actually think he's going to gain by saying such utter nonsense?
All he's doing is pissing off the Catholics.
I'm so sorry @Cookie
It's gotten him this far in life, but even he will run out of road eventually.
Not soon enough to matter to him, but hopefully to matter to those who ride his coattails.
And other things associated with Britain - castles, royals, countryside, wars, colonies, sports, writers - don't tend to be things they approve of.
https://www.think.gov.uk/themes/motorcycling/
https://www.stickybottle.com/latest-news/cyclists-are-23-times-more-likely-to-be-killed-or-seriously-injured-on-roads-than-car-users-31813
I mean, Mussolini was pretty awful but...
I'll drop you a PM with a local Community Interest Company in the Trafford area who work in the safe travel to schools arena as a suggestion should anyone be looking for a suitable "in memoriam" suggestion in addition to the school itself; I am on their Discord and they are one of the best in the country promoting walking-wheeling-cycling provision.
2 Last week they started prompting for Restore Britain, but if anything that would reduce Reform respondents