On topic, please can we ban the word “coronated” and apply the usual Con Home sin bin sanction for anyone using it?
It's literally gotten too much.
But it's iconic!
Coronate has a very long history meaning "crowned" (ish), but not of Kings and coronations :
Here is a citation from 1707:
Here the verb “coronate” and the past participle “coronated” mean something more like topped or furnished with a corona, as in this 1707 citation from a work about the flora and fauna of Jamaica: “A round purplish knob … coronated by a long membrane.”
If Labour aren’t to have a female leader then they should think out of the box and go for Al Carns .
He could at least tell the plastic patriot Farage to go fxck himself .
If Ed Miliband ends up as leader then Labour deserve to become extinct .
Al Carns might be a really good Prime Minister for 2035 or so. Maybe. That he's being promoted now, and the response isn't hysterical laughter, is a sign of just how frivolous our politics has become.
That's not to say he shouldn't be on our screens attracting NF as much as he can. Same goes for Burnham and the rest of them. One reason for all of this is that we have all let No 10 become the source and focus of everything, and then wondered why it keeps collapsing.
I don’t think you needs years of experience as an MP to become PM .
If Labour want a fresh start then I see no reason why Carns shouldn’t become leader .
He would represent an enormous gamble, though. What evidence is there that he'd actually be any good at it ?
I don't know that it's even possible to be good at it any more. AI, social media, etc. are changing society way faster than our system of democratic governance and legislative regime can adapt.
If Labour aren’t to have a female leader then they should think out of the box and go for Al Carns .
He could at least tell the plastic patriot Farage to go fxck himself .
If Ed Miliband ends up as leader then Labour deserve to become extinct .
Al Carns might be a really good Prime Minister for 2035 or so. Maybe. That he's being promoted now, and the response isn't hysterical laughter, is a sign of just how frivolous our politics has become.
That's not to say he shouldn't be on our screens attracting NF as much as he can. Same goes for Burnham and the rest of them. One reason for all of this is that we have all let No 10 become the source and focus of everything, and then wondered why it keeps collapsing.
I don’t think you needs years of experience as an MP to become PM .
If Labour want a fresh start then I see no reason why Carns shouldn’t become leader .
He would represent an enormous gamble, though. What evidence is there that he'd actually be any good at it ?
I don't know that it's even possible to be good at it any more. AI, social media, etc. are changing society way faster than our system of democratic governance and legislative regime can adapt.
Top 20 all women; some older books; often romantasy.
All women. The beeb will be wetting themselves over that
Not only that, there is still a quite important prize for “women in fiction” (used to be the Orange prize). Like women need some kind of help in an industry dominated completely by women
It’s fucking nuts. Like having a special prize for “Jews in Hollywood” or “Oxford graduates with a PPE degree who do well in politics”
On topic, please can we ban the word “coronated” and apply the usual Con Home sin bin sanction for anyone using it?
I like the word coronated.
The language of Shakespeare evolves and needs no protection, apart from people misuse/incorrectly use/do not use apostrophes.
I too like “coronated”, it has a very specific meaning which fits here: to be awarded the title of ruler without the normal process. There is no other word in English which performs this task, coronated does. Case closed
However I am concerned by your use of “eunuch”. Generally a eunuch is a man with his testicles removed, so he cannot impregnate ladies. It is quite possible to be a eunuch and have a penis and still “get it up” - ergo a eunuch COULD be a porn star, just a slightly odd one. Maybe his lack of cullions would be his USP - “meat and no veg”, something like that
Interestingly there doesn’t seem to be an English word for a man who has had the “clean cut” - tho the Chinese have one - “huanguan”. Perhaps PB can devise the right and fitting term
No noun, but we do have a verb: emasculate.
So, for arguments sake, if I were to castrate TSE, I would merely lop his balls off.
But if were to emasculate TSE, I would chop the whole lot off.
If Labour aren’t to have a female leader then they should think out of the box and go for Al Carns .
He could at least tell the plastic patriot Farage to go fxck himself .
If Ed Miliband ends up as leader then Labour deserve to become extinct .
Al Carns might be a really good Prime Minister for 2035 or so. Maybe. That he's being promoted now, and the response isn't hysterical laughter, is a sign of just how frivolous our politics has become.
That's not to say he shouldn't be on our screens attracting NF as much as he can. Same goes for Burnham and the rest of them. One reason for all of this is that we have all let No 10 become the source and focus of everything, and then wondered why it keeps collapsing.
I don’t think you needs years of experience as an MP to become PM .
If Labour want a fresh start then I see no reason why Carns shouldn’t become leader .
He would represent an enormous gamble, though. What evidence is there that he'd actually be any good at it ?
I don't know that it's even possible to be good at it any more. AI, social media, etc. are changing society way faster than our system of democratic governance and legislative regime can adapt.
Maybe get AI Carns in then
Al Carns is Labour's Ben Wallace, a barely plausible figure from a military background. It is hard to see any route to Downing Street opening up in the next year or two.
On topic, please can we ban the word “coronated” and apply the usual Con Home sin bin sanction for anyone using it?
I like the word coronated.
The language of Shakespeare evolves and needs no protection, apart from people misuse/incorrectly use/do not use apostrophes.
I too like “coronated”, it has a very specific meaning which fits here: to be awarded the title of ruler without the normal process. There is no other word in English which performs this task, coronated does. Case closed
However I am concerned by your use of “eunuch”. Generally a eunuch is a man with his testicles removed, so he cannot impregnate ladies. It is quite possible to be a eunuch and have a penis and still “get it up” - ergo a eunuch COULD be a porn star, just a slightly odd one. Maybe his lack of cullions would be his USP - “meat and no veg”, something like that
Interestingly there doesn’t seem to be an English word for a man who has had the “clean cut” - tho the Chinese have one - “huanguan”. Perhaps PB can devise the right and fitting term
Top 20 all women; some older books; often romantasy.
All women. The beeb will be wetting themselves over that
Not only that, there is still a quite important prize for “women in fiction” (used to be the Orange prize). Like women need some kind of help in an industry dominated completely by women
It’s fucking nuts. Like having a special prize for “Jews in Hollywood” or “Oxford graduates with a PPE degree who do well in politics”
You misunderstand. From the story, these are based on actual sales of books recommended on TikTok, not a merit award for women.
On topic... it's hard to see Ed M developing into a coronating situation. Labour show no signs of halting their headlong pursuit of Fukker votes and Ed M, being the human embodiment of Net Zero, is Belphagor to the vaping class.
Labour have been going after the Fukker vote? I must have missed that, apart from the Mahmood stuff which I feel must be ineffective because they give the impression of doing it very reluctantly and with most of the membership hating her.
Well yes, that is why being Reform-lite is doing Labour no good in the polls.
It doesn't ring true.
It isn't performatively cruel enough.
And there is the real thing available.
I've not yet heard how Labour plan to make the country better. They had nothing during the ming vase election campaign beyond being 'not Tory'. I hoped there was a plan to grow the economy. I hoped there would be a plan for changing the model if healthcare to match our European neighbours who have better outcomes. I thought they might smash the gangs.*
*That's a lie - I never believed they would smash the gangs.
To be fair, boat crossings are way down this year so far. Not because of anything Skyr did, more the closure of routes into mainland Europe from Africa and Asia
But the damage is done and the perception is cemented. And the British people don’t just want the boats to stop, they want quite a lot of people already here to go away ASAFP
Top 20 all women; some older books; often romantasy.
All women. The beeb will be wetting themselves over that
Not only that, there is still a quite important prize for “women in fiction” (used to be the Orange prize). Like women need some kind of help in an industry dominated completely by women
It’s fucking nuts. Like having a special prize for “Jews in Hollywood” or “Oxford graduates with a PPE degree who do well in politics”
Those last two are "Genesis Prize" and "Prime Minister", respectively. The the first requires distinction, the second does not.
Top 20 all women; some older books; often romantasy.
All women. The beeb will be wetting themselves over that
Not only that, there is still a quite important prize for “women in fiction” (used to be the Orange prize). Like women need some kind of help in an industry dominated completely by women
It’s fucking nuts. Like having a special prize for “Jews in Hollywood” or “Oxford graduates with a PPE degree who do well in politics”
I believe the very bloke-heavy special prize for bad writing in sex is now defunct. *sad*
On topic, please can we ban the word “coronated” and apply the usual Con Home sin bin sanction for anyone using it?
I like the word coronated.
The language of Shakespeare evolves and needs no protection, apart from people misuse/incorrectly use/do not use apostrophes.
I too like “coronated”, it has a very specific meaning which fits here: to be awarded the title of ruler without the normal process. There is no other word in English which performs this task, coronated does. Case closed
However I am concerned by your use of “eunuch”. Generally a eunuch is a man with his testicles removed, so he cannot impregnate ladies. It is quite possible to be a eunuch and have a penis and still “get it up” - ergo a eunuch COULD be a porn star, just a slightly odd one. Maybe his lack of cullions would be his USP - “meat and no veg”, something like that
Interestingly there doesn’t seem to be an English word for a man who has had the “clean cut” - tho the Chinese have one - “huanguan”. Perhaps PB can devise the right and fitting term
Castrato possibly? Not sure the precise physical procedure they underwent
Same issue I think. They often just went for the gonads
As one of my sports teachers said at school, "you have the ball control of a eunuch".
Would almost certainly be dismissed for that if said nowadays.
I am with Melon on "coronated" - it sounds stupid. See also obligated. Learn the language.
You have completely retardataire views on matters linguistic
If Labour aren’t to have a female leader then they should think out of the box and go for Al Carns .
He could at least tell the plastic patriot Farage to go fxck himself .
If Ed Miliband ends up as leader then Labour deserve to become extinct .
Al Carns might be a really good Prime Minister for 2035 or so. Maybe. That he's being promoted now, and the response isn't hysterical laughter, is a sign of just how frivolous our politics has become.
That's not to say he shouldn't be on our screens attracting NF as much as he can. Same goes for Burnham and the rest of them. One reason for all of this is that we have all let No 10 become the source and focus of everything, and then wondered why it keeps collapsing.
I don’t think you needs years of experience as an MP to become PM .
If Labour want a fresh start then I see no reason why Carns shouldn’t become leader .
He would represent an enormous gamble, though. What evidence is there that he'd actually be any good at it ?
I don't know that it's even possible to be good at it any more. AI, social media, etc. are changing society way faster than our system of democratic governance and legislative regime can adapt.
Maybe get AI Carns in then
Al Carns is Labour's Ben Wallace, a barely plausible figure from a military background. It is hard to see any route to Downing Street opening up in the next year or two.
The new Dan Jarvis. Everybody likes a soldier. It's something to do with the shoulders, the set of the head, the steady gaze and voice. It reassures. It says, "it's ok you're safe now".
On topic, please can we ban the word “coronated” and apply the usual Con Home sin bin sanction for anyone using it?
I like the word coronated.
The language of Shakespeare evolves and needs no protection, apart from people misuse/incorrectly use/do not use apostrophes.
I too like “coronated”, it has a very specific meaning which fits here: to be awarded the title of ruler without the normal process. There is no other word in English which performs this task, coronated does. Case closed
However I am concerned by your use of “eunuch”. Generally a eunuch is a man with his testicles removed, so he cannot impregnate ladies. It is quite possible to be a eunuch and have a penis and still “get it up” - ergo a eunuch COULD be a porn star, just a slightly odd one. Maybe his lack of cullions would be his USP - “meat and no veg”, something like that
Interestingly there doesn’t seem to be an English word for a man who has had the “clean cut” - tho the Chinese have one - “huanguan”. Perhaps PB can devise the right and fitting term
Am absolutely sick of political parties foisting leaders on us. Labour did it with Brown and he was bloody useless. Then the Tories turned it into their hobby with May, Johnson (first time), Truss and Sunak. And now Milliband apparently. Well he's been rejected once by the voters. So he can piss off. As can Burnham and all the other wannabes.
They should stick by the leader they've got. Tell him to implement the manifesto instead of a load of stuff they never mentioned (jury abolition, digital ID etc.,) and concentrate on (a) housing (b) helping the young - student loans, for one thing and (c) trying to be vaguely competent and honest.
I think it is fine to remove leaders on occasion. I mean stuff happens. We elect a Parliament not a Prime minister. MPs should remain loyal to the platform they were elected on though.
Given parties are either elected on delivering pie in the sky or simply not being the last lot who tried and failed to deliver said pie, I am not convinced being wedded to manifestos is a useful strategy for anyone.
I haven't bet on it, but I just don't think Sir Keir is the type to give in. He won't go unless dragged kicking and screaming
That effectively means a General Election doesn't it?
It would be a characteristically knobbish way to go. Labour would be destroyed. Farage and Kemi aren't really ready. The people also aren't really ready for the hard stuff, because the economy is bad, but it hasn't resulted in a catastrophe. So cuts to welfare etc. would be portrayed as ideologically motivated. The result would be messy. It's a Sunak.
If Labour aren’t to have a female leader then they should think out of the box and go for Al Carns .
He could at least tell the plastic patriot Farage to go fxck himself .
If Ed Miliband ends up as leader then Labour deserve to become extinct .
Al Carns might be a really good Prime Minister for 2035 or so. Maybe. That he's being promoted now, and the response isn't hysterical laughter, is a sign of just how frivolous our politics has become.
That's not to say he shouldn't be on our screens attracting NF as much as he can. Same goes for Burnham and the rest of them. One reason for all of this is that we have all let No 10 become the source and focus of everything, and then wondered why it keeps collapsing.
I don’t think you needs years of experience as an MP to become PM .
If Labour want a fresh start then I see no reason why Carns shouldn’t become leader .
He would represent an enormous gamble, though. What evidence is there that he'd actually be any good at it ?
I don't know that it's even possible to be good at it any more. AI, social media, etc. are changing society way faster than our system of democratic governance and legislative regime can adapt.
Maybe get AI Carns in then
Al Carns is Labour's Ben Wallace, a barely plausible figure from a military background. It is hard to see any route to Downing Street opening up in the next year or two.
The new Dan Jarvis. Everybody likes a soldier. It's something to do with the shoulders, the set of the head, the steady gaze and voice. It reassures. It says, "it's ok you're safe now".
Heath was our last PM who served in the Army.
I am not convinced that our voters really like ex military politicians, and military command is very different to the skills needed for parliamentary politics.
If Labour aren’t to have a female leader then they should think out of the box and go for Al Carns .
He could at least tell the plastic patriot Farage to go fxck himself .
If Ed Miliband ends up as leader then Labour deserve to become extinct .
Al Carns might be a really good Prime Minister for 2035 or so. Maybe. That he's being promoted now, and the response isn't hysterical laughter, is a sign of just how frivolous our politics has become.
That's not to say he shouldn't be on our screens attracting NF as much as he can. Same goes for Burnham and the rest of them. One reason for all of this is that we have all let No 10 become the source and focus of everything, and then wondered why it keeps collapsing.
I don’t think you needs years of experience as an MP to become PM .
If Labour want a fresh start then I see no reason why Carns shouldn’t become leader .
He would represent an enormous gamble, though. What evidence is there that he'd actually be any good at it ?
I don't know that it's even possible to be good at it any more. AI, social media, etc. are changing society way faster than our system of democratic governance and legislative regime can adapt.
Maybe get AI Carns in then
Al Carns is Labour's Ben Wallace, a barely plausible figure from a military background. It is hard to see any route to Downing Street opening up in the next year or two.
That was a joke, that had very little chance of landing, on the "AI" in AI Carns standing for "Artificial Intelligence"
I haven't bet on it, but I just don't think Sir Keir is the type to give in. He won't go unless dragged kicking and screaming
That effectively means a General Election doesn't it?
It would be a characteristically knobbish way to go. Labour would be destroyed. Farage and Kemi aren't really ready. The people also aren't really ready for the hard stuff, because the economy is bad, but it hasn't resulted in a catastrophe. So cuts to welfare etc. would be portrayed as ideologically motivated. The result would be messy. It's a Sunak.
Just ride it out until the next one. I can't stand him, but I don't really see that he has done much wrong, unless he lied to parliament I suppose.
I always thought he was a lying, devious twister, so I suppose he hasn't gone down in my estimation as much as in those who feted him as Mr Integrity
Looks like al-Qaeda has just taken over Mali. Cool.
That's a blow. Some great music out of Mali.
It was the Taliban that banned music, not Al Qaeda. ISIS too. No wonder Cameron did not know which of them to fight for.
Seems that the problem was replacing French support with Russian mercenaries. You would have thought the powers that be in Mali would have checked out the Ukrainian and Syrian episodes before they signed them up.
“Which Reform tribe are you? Take this quick quiz!
Q1: the English language: A. Is ever-evolving and open-source B. Has correct and incorrect usage
Q2: what do you hate most? A. Immigrants B. Wind turbines
Q3: Liz Truss was: A. Into kink B. On the right track, economically”
Etc”
I don't really hate wind turbines - how can you hate an object? Though I do believe that people regarding them as beautiful just stems from a misguided associating with 'cheap, clean energy' - we regard belching smoke stacks as ugly because of their association with planetary destruction. But perhaps there is a beauty in a belching smoke stack. It means prosperity - energy turning into things. People in gainful work. Plants and trees growing with greater vigour. I wonder if people did find them beautiful in the early days of industrialisation (though obviously whole sooty cities of them wasn't very nice).
If Labour aren’t to have a female leader then they should think out of the box and go for Al Carns .
He could at least tell the plastic patriot Farage to go fxck himself .
If Ed Miliband ends up as leader then Labour deserve to become extinct .
Al Carns might be a really good Prime Minister for 2035 or so. Maybe. That he's being promoted now, and the response isn't hysterical laughter, is a sign of just how frivolous our politics has become.
That's not to say he shouldn't be on our screens attracting NF as much as he can. Same goes for Burnham and the rest of them. One reason for all of this is that we have all let No 10 become the source and focus of everything, and then wondered why it keeps collapsing.
I don’t think you needs years of experience as an MP to become PM .
If Labour want a fresh start then I see no reason why Carns shouldn’t become leader .
He would represent an enormous gamble, though. What evidence is there that he'd actually be any good at it ?
I don't know that it's even possible to be good at it any more. AI, social media, etc. are changing society way faster than our system of democratic governance and legislative regime can adapt.
Maybe get AI Carns in then
Al Carns is Labour's Ben Wallace, a barely plausible figure from a military background. It is hard to see any route to Downing Street opening up in the next year or two.
The new Dan Jarvis. Everybody likes a soldier. It's something to do with the shoulders, the set of the head, the steady gaze and voice. It reassures. It says, "it's ok you're safe now".
Heath was our last PM who served in the Army.
I am not convinced that our voters really like ex military politicians, and military command is very different to the skills needed for parliamentary politics.
Is it? Mix of bullying, shouting, adhering to pointless plans if ordered and staying loyal to the tribe seems a reasonable cross over.
If Labour aren’t to have a female leader then they should think out of the box and go for Al Carns .
He could at least tell the plastic patriot Farage to go fxck himself .
If Ed Miliband ends up as leader then Labour deserve to become extinct .
Al Carns might be a really good Prime Minister for 2035 or so. Maybe. That he's being promoted now, and the response isn't hysterical laughter, is a sign of just how frivolous our politics has become.
That's not to say he shouldn't be on our screens attracting NF as much as he can. Same goes for Burnham and the rest of them. One reason for all of this is that we have all let No 10 become the source and focus of everything, and then wondered why it keeps collapsing.
I don’t think you needs years of experience as an MP to become PM .
If Labour want a fresh start then I see no reason why Carns shouldn’t become leader .
He would represent an enormous gamble, though. What evidence is there that he'd actually be any good at it ?
I don't know that it's even possible to be good at it any more. AI, social media, etc. are changing society way faster than our system of democratic governance and legislative regime can adapt.
Maybe get AI Carns in then
Al Carns is Labour's Ben Wallace, a barely plausible figure from a military background. It is hard to see any route to Downing Street opening up in the next year or two.
The new Dan Jarvis. Everybody likes a soldier. It's something to do with the shoulders, the set of the head, the steady gaze and voice. It reassures. It says, "it's ok you're safe now".
If Labour aren’t to have a female leader then they should think out of the box and go for Al Carns .
He could at least tell the plastic patriot Farage to go fxck himself .
If Ed Miliband ends up as leader then Labour deserve to become extinct .
Al Carns might be a really good Prime Minister for 2035 or so. Maybe. That he's being promoted now, and the response isn't hysterical laughter, is a sign of just how frivolous our politics has become.
That's not to say he shouldn't be on our screens attracting NF as much as he can. Same goes for Burnham and the rest of them. One reason for all of this is that we have all let No 10 become the source and focus of everything, and then wondered why it keeps collapsing.
I don’t think you needs years of experience as an MP to become PM .
If Labour want a fresh start then I see no reason why Carns shouldn’t become leader .
He would represent an enormous gamble, though. What evidence is there that he'd actually be any good at it ?
I don't know that it's even possible to be good at it any more. AI, social media, etc. are changing society way faster than our system of democratic governance and legislative regime can adapt.
Maybe get AI Carns in then
Al Carns is Labour's Ben Wallace, a barely plausible figure from a military background. It is hard to see any route to Downing Street opening up in the next year or two.
The new Dan Jarvis. Everybody likes a soldier. It's something to do with the shoulders, the set of the head, the steady gaze and voice. It reassures. It says, "it's ok you're safe now".
Hegseth was a soldier.
Wasn't he employed in some sort of secretarial role while serving in Iraq?
Am absolutely sick of political parties foisting leaders on us. Labour did it with Brown and he was bloody useless. Then the Tories turned it into their hobby with May, Johnson (first time), Truss and Sunak. And now Milliband apparently. Well he's been rejected once by the voters. So he can piss off. As can Burnham and all the other wannabes.
They should stick by the leader they've got. Tell him to implement the manifesto instead of a load of stuff they never mentioned (jury abolition, digital ID etc.,) and concentrate on (a) housing (b) helping the young - student loans, for one thing and (c) trying to be vaguely competent and honest.
I don't have a problem with parties shifting leaders, as a principle. Nor for someone who lost once coming back, in fact I think that is to be encouraged, in theory. Not having a second chance is one reason we seem to require untested non-entities rise quickly, before they face any serious challenges to learn from.
But they need to show a little more steel or no leader will be able to survive in the 24 hour news, social media fury age - we've not had a PM last more than just over 3 years for awhile, and whilst many deserved that, some of it seems to be down to how things just spiral and pressure never lets up in a way that was easier pre-internet.
Good morning one and all. Back after a somewhat emotional funeral yesterday; wife's best friend. Moving, non-religious ceremony.
On topic, why should losing an election once mean that a party leader can never lead their party into another election. Looking back, in my youth it was the norm. Churchill fought the 1950 election having comprehensively lost in 1945, and having lost again, tried a third time and won. Wilson won, lost, but won again.
Heath won only one of his 4 General Elections.
The idea that a leader should quit immediately and permenantly after losing a GE is a relatively new innovation.
Also, changing a PM mid term is very much a demonstration of democracy rather than a repudiation of it. Parties only dump sitting PMs if they are becoming an electoral liability.
Truss, Johnson, May, Cameron, Blair and Thatcher all got dumped when they became electoral poison. It is also clear from that list that it is a risky gambit. It only worked for dumping May and Thatcher in terms of winning the next election, though arguably limited losses for the others.
“Which Reform tribe are you? Take this quick quiz!
Q1: the English language: A. Is ever-evolving and open-source B. Has correct and incorrect usage
Q2: what do you hate most? A. Immigrants B. Wind turbines
Q3: Liz Truss was: A. Into kink B. On the right track, economically”
Etc”
I don't really hate wind turbines - how can you hate an object? Though I do believe that people regarding them as beautiful just stems from a misguided associating with 'cheap, clean energy' - we regard belching smoke stacks as ugly because of their association with planetary destruction. But perhaps there is a beauty in a belching smoke stack. It means prosperity - energy turning into things. People in gainful work. Plants and trees growing with greater vigour. I wonder if people did find them beautiful in the early days of industrialisation (though obviously whole sooty cities of them wasn't very nice).
You would have been the first person to complain about Government regulations on soot
If Labour aren’t to have a female leader then they should think out of the box and go for Al Carns .
He could at least tell the plastic patriot Farage to go fxck himself .
If Ed Miliband ends up as leader then Labour deserve to become extinct .
Al Carns might be a really good Prime Minister for 2035 or so. Maybe. That he's being promoted now, and the response isn't hysterical laughter, is a sign of just how frivolous our politics has become.
That's not to say he shouldn't be on our screens attracting NF as much as he can. Same goes for Burnham and the rest of them. One reason for all of this is that we have all let No 10 become the source and focus of everything, and then wondered why it keeps collapsing.
I don’t think you needs years of experience as an MP to become PM .
If Labour want a fresh start then I see no reason why Carns shouldn’t become leader .
He would represent an enormous gamble, though. What evidence is there that he'd actually be any good at it ?
I don't know that it's even possible to be good at it any more. AI, social media, etc. are changing society way faster than our system of democratic governance and legislative regime can adapt.
Maybe get AI Carns in then
Al Carns is Labour's Ben Wallace, a barely plausible figure from a military background. It is hard to see any route to Downing Street opening up in the next year or two.
The new Dan Jarvis. Everybody likes a soldier. It's something to do with the shoulders, the set of the head, the steady gaze and voice. It reassures. It says, "it's ok you're safe now".
Hegseth was a soldier.
Wasn't he employed in some sort of secretarial role while serving in Iraq?
If Labour aren’t to have a female leader then they should think out of the box and go for Al Carns .
He could at least tell the plastic patriot Farage to go fxck himself .
If Ed Miliband ends up as leader then Labour deserve to become extinct .
Al Carns might be a really good Prime Minister for 2035 or so. Maybe. That he's being promoted now, and the response isn't hysterical laughter, is a sign of just how frivolous our politics has become.
That's not to say he shouldn't be on our screens attracting NF as much as he can. Same goes for Burnham and the rest of them. One reason for all of this is that we have all let No 10 become the source and focus of everything, and then wondered why it keeps collapsing.
I don’t think you needs years of experience as an MP to become PM .
If Labour want a fresh start then I see no reason why Carns shouldn’t become leader .
He would represent an enormous gamble, though. What evidence is there that he'd actually be any good at it ?
I don't know that it's even possible to be good at it any more. AI, social media, etc. are changing society way faster than our system of democratic governance and legislative regime can adapt.
Maybe get AI Carns in then
Al Carns is Labour's Ben Wallace, a barely plausible figure from a military background. It is hard to see any route to Downing Street opening up in the next year or two.
The new Dan Jarvis. Everybody likes a soldier. It's something to do with the shoulders, the set of the head, the steady gaze and voice. It reassures. It says, "it's ok you're safe now".
Heath was our last PM who served in the Army.
I am not convinced that our voters really like ex military politicians, and military command is very different to the skills needed for parliamentary politics.
He was also the last PM whose political personality was completely forged by WW2. That idealistic vision of Western Europe moving beyond antagonism and nation states.
If Labour aren’t to have a female leader then they should think out of the box and go for Al Carns .
He could at least tell the plastic patriot Farage to go fxck himself .
If Ed Miliband ends up as leader then Labour deserve to become extinct .
Al Carns might be a really good Prime Minister for 2035 or so. Maybe. That he's being promoted now, and the response isn't hysterical laughter, is a sign of just how frivolous our politics has become.
That's not to say he shouldn't be on our screens attracting NF as much as he can. Same goes for Burnham and the rest of them. One reason for all of this is that we have all let No 10 become the source and focus of everything, and then wondered why it keeps collapsing.
I don’t think you needs years of experience as an MP to become PM .
If Labour want a fresh start then I see no reason why Carns shouldn’t become leader .
He would represent an enormous gamble, though. What evidence is there that he'd actually be any good at it ?
I don't know that it's even possible to be good at it any more. AI, social media, etc. are changing society way faster than our system of democratic governance and legislative regime can adapt.
Maybe get AI Carns in then
Al Carns is Labour's Ben Wallace, a barely plausible figure from a military background. It is hard to see any route to Downing Street opening up in the next year or two.
The new Dan Jarvis. Everybody likes a soldier. It's something to do with the shoulders, the set of the head, the steady gaze and voice. It reassures. It says, "it's ok you're safe now".
Given the current state of the world then “ it’s ok you’re safe now “ shouldn’t be sniffed at .
I think we’re over complicating what’s needed to be PM.
On topic... it's hard to see Ed M developing into a coronating situation. Labour show no signs of halting their headlong pursuit of Fukker votes and Ed M, being the human embodiment of Net Zero, is Belphagor to the vaping class.
Labour have been going after the Fukker vote? I must have missed that, apart from the Mahmood stuff which I feel must be ineffective because they give the impression of doing it very reluctantly and with most of the membership hating her.
And Our Ange is said to be keen on reversing the Mahmood changes, and kicking out the Home Sec
Basically Labour are doing everything they possibly can to deliver a Reform government
In other news the FT has a new Saturday “lunch with” article today (where they lunch with a notable person and chat about the food and the notable person and their views: an oddly excellent format)
This weekend it’s Lord Chagos Hermer, the controversial Attorney General. The comments below the line are brutal and contemptuous of Hermer, so much so that one FT journalist tried to wade in and complain about the rage and hatred and change the tone, but he failed, and so they’ve closed comments completely. Before noon on the day of publication
And this is the FT! Not the Telegraph. The anger and disgust now directed at Labour is, I think, unprecedented
Hermer is an absolute disgrace. The actions against British soldiers on, being polite, unreliable evidence, and the Chagos deal. The fact Starmer would have such a man as AG tells you far more about him than he would like you to know.
“Which Reform tribe are you? Take this quick quiz!
Q1: the English language: A. Is ever-evolving and open-source B. Has correct and incorrect usage
Q2: what do you hate most? A. Immigrants B. Wind turbines
Q3: Liz Truss was: A. Into kink B. On the right track, economically”
Etc”
I don't really hate wind turbines - how can you hate an object? Though I do believe that people regarding them as beautiful just stems from a misguided associating with 'cheap, clean energy' - we regard belching smoke stacks as ugly because of their association with planetary destruction. But perhaps there is a beauty in a belching smoke stack. It means prosperity - energy turning into things. People in gainful work. Plants and trees growing with greater vigour. I wonder if people did find them beautiful in the early days of industrialisation (though obviously whole sooty cities of them wasn't very nice).
You would have been the first person to complain about Government regulations on soot
I would like to think I would have wanted to improve the condition of the working poor. It was the Tory side of politics in those days (Dickens, Carlyle) that was concerned about that. The Liberal side really had nothing to offer them except tell them to be thriftier.
“Which Reform tribe are you? Take this quick quiz!
Q1: the English language: A. Is ever-evolving and open-source B. Has correct and incorrect usage
Q2: what do you hate most? A. Immigrants B. Wind turbines
Q3: Liz Truss was: A. Into kink B. On the right track, economically”
Etc”
I don't really hate wind turbines - how can you hate an object? Though I do believe that people regarding them as beautiful just stems from a misguided associating with 'cheap, clean energy' - we regard belching smoke stacks as ugly because of their association with planetary destruction. But perhaps there is a beauty in a belching smoke stack. It means prosperity - energy turning into things. People in gainful work. Plants and trees growing with greater vigour. I wonder if people did find them beautiful in the early days of industrialisation (though obviously whole sooty cities of them wasn't very nice).
Am absolutely sick of political parties foisting leaders on us. Labour did it with Brown and he was bloody useless. Then the Tories turned it into their hobby with May, Johnson (first time), Truss and Sunak. And now Milliband apparently. Well he's been rejected once by the voters. So he can piss off. As can Burnham and all the other wannabes.
They should stick by the leader they've got. Tell him to implement the manifesto instead of a load of stuff they never mentioned (jury abolition, digital ID etc.,) and concentrate on (a) housing (b) helping the young - student loans, for one thing and (c) trying to be vaguely competent and honest.
I think it is fine to remove leaders on occasion. I mean stuff happens. We elect a Parliament not a Prime minister. MPs should remain loyal to the platform they were elected on though.
Given parties are either elected on delivering pie in the sky or simply not being the last lot who tried and failed to deliver said pie, I am not convinced being wedded to manifestos is a useful strategy for anyone.
Well it certainly damaged the Lib Dems.
The point however is the principle. As soon as governments openly disregard what got them elected they're in trouble.
If Labour aren’t to have a female leader then they should think out of the box and go for Al Carns .
He could at least tell the plastic patriot Farage to go fxck himself .
If Ed Miliband ends up as leader then Labour deserve to become extinct .
Al Carns might be a really good Prime Minister for 2035 or so. Maybe. That he's being promoted now, and the response isn't hysterical laughter, is a sign of just how frivolous our politics has become.
That's not to say he shouldn't be on our screens attracting NF as much as he can. Same goes for Burnham and the rest of them. One reason for all of this is that we have all let No 10 become the source and focus of everything, and then wondered why it keeps collapsing.
I don’t think you needs years of experience as an MP to become PM .
If Labour want a fresh start then I see no reason why Carns shouldn’t become leader .
He would represent an enormous gamble, though. What evidence is there that he'd actually be any good at it ?
I don't know that it's even possible to be good at it any more. AI, social media, etc. are changing society way faster than our system of democratic governance and legislative regime can adapt.
Maybe get AI Carns in then
Al Carns is Labour's Ben Wallace, a barely plausible figure from a military background. It is hard to see any route to Downing Street opening up in the next year or two.
The new Dan Jarvis. Everybody likes a soldier. It's something to do with the shoulders, the set of the head, the steady gaze and voice. It reassures. It says, "it's ok you're safe now".
Heath was our last PM who served in the Army.
I am not convinced that our voters really like ex military politicians, and military command is very different to the skills needed for parliamentary politics.
Jim Callaghan served in the Royal Navy, of course.
Am absolutely sick of political parties foisting leaders on us. Labour did it with Brown and he was bloody useless. Then the Tories turned it into their hobby with May, Johnson (first time), Truss and Sunak. And now Milliband apparently. Well he's been rejected once by the voters. So he can piss off. As can Burnham and all the other wannabes.
They should stick by the leader they've got. Tell him to implement the manifesto instead of a load of stuff they never mentioned (jury abolition, digital ID etc.,) and concentrate on (a) housing (b) helping the young - student loans, for one thing and (c) trying to be vaguely competent and honest.
I don't have a problem with parties shifting leaders, as a principle. Nor for someone who lost once coming back, in fact I think that is to be encouraged, in theory. Not having a second chance is one reason we seem to require untested non-entities rise quickly, before they face any serious challenges to learn from.
But they need to show a little more steel or no leader will be able to survive in the 24 hour news, social media fury age - we've not had a PM last more than just over 3 years for awhile, and whilst many deserved that, some of it seems to be down to how things just spiral and pressure never lets up in a way that was easier pre-internet.
It is rather striking to reflect that of all the major party leaders elected in the last thirty years, only two have made it past the five year mark - Cameron and Starmer.
Even if we include the Liberal Democrats, we can add Kennedy, Clegg and Davey.
And the SNP adds Sturgeon (not counting Salmond as he was first elected before the cutoff).
If Labour aren’t to have a female leader then they should think out of the box and go for Al Carns .
He could at least tell the plastic patriot Farage to go fxck himself .
If Ed Miliband ends up as leader then Labour deserve to become extinct .
Al Carns might be a really good Prime Minister for 2035 or so. Maybe. That he's being promoted now, and the response isn't hysterical laughter, is a sign of just how frivolous our politics has become.
That's not to say he shouldn't be on our screens attracting NF as much as he can. Same goes for Burnham and the rest of them. One reason for all of this is that we have all let No 10 become the source and focus of everything, and then wondered why it keeps collapsing.
I don’t think you needs years of experience as an MP to become PM .
If Labour want a fresh start then I see no reason why Carns shouldn’t become leader .
He would represent an enormous gamble, though. What evidence is there that he'd actually be any good at it ?
I don't know that it's even possible to be good at it any more. AI, social media, etc. are changing society way faster than our system of democratic governance and legislative regime can adapt.
Maybe get AI Carns in then
Al Carns is Labour's Ben Wallace, a barely plausible figure from a military background. It is hard to see any route to Downing Street opening up in the next year or two.
The new Dan Jarvis. Everybody likes a soldier. It's something to do with the shoulders, the set of the head, the steady gaze and voice. It reassures. It says, "it's ok you're safe now".
Hegseth was a soldier.
He's the dead opposite of the famous Killers lyric.
Am absolutely sick of political parties foisting leaders on us. Labour did it with Brown and he was bloody useless. Then the Tories turned it into their hobby with May, Johnson (first time), Truss and Sunak. And now Milliband apparently. Well he's been rejected once by the voters. So he can piss off. As can Burnham and all the other wannabes.
They should stick by the leader they've got. Tell him to implement the manifesto instead of a load of stuff they never mentioned (jury abolition, digital ID etc.,) and concentrate on (a) housing (b) helping the young - student loans, for one thing and (c) trying to be vaguely competent and honest.
I don't have a problem with parties shifting leaders, as a principle. Nor for someone who lost once coming back, in fact I think that is to be encouraged, in theory. Not having a second chance is one reason we seem to require untested non-entities rise quickly, before they face any serious challenges to learn from.
But they need to show a little more steel or no leader will be able to survive in the 24 hour news, social media fury age - we've not had a PM last more than just over 3 years for awhile, and whilst many deserved that, some of it seems to be down to how things just spiral and pressure never lets up in a way that was easier pre-internet.
Good morning one and all. Back after a somewhat emotional funeral yesterday; wife's best friend. Moving, non-religious ceremony.
On topic, why should losing an election once mean that a party leader can never lead their party into another election. Looking back, in my youth it was the norm. Churchill fought the 1950 election having comprehensively lost in 1945, and having lost again, tried a third time and won. Wilson won, lost, but won again.
It shouldn't, Attlee, Churchill, Heath, Nixon, Chirac, Mitterrand, John Howard all lost their first general elections as party leader and came back from opposition. They won from opposition though, were not imposed as head of government by the governing party as Ed Miliband would be
Am absolutely sick of political parties foisting leaders on us. Labour did it with Brown and he was bloody useless. Then the Tories turned it into their hobby with May, Johnson (first time), Truss and Sunak. And now Milliband apparently. Well he's been rejected once by the voters. So he can piss off. As can Burnham and all the other wannabes.
They should stick by the leader they've got. Tell him to implement the manifesto instead of a load of stuff they never mentioned (jury abolition, digital ID etc.,) and concentrate on (a) housing (b) helping the young - student loans, for one thing and (c) trying to be vaguely competent and honest.
I don't have a problem with parties shifting leaders, as a principle. Nor for someone who lost once coming back, in fact I think that is to be encouraged, in theory. Not having a second chance is one reason we seem to require untested non-entities rise quickly, before they face any serious challenges to learn from.
But they need to show a little more steel or no leader will be able to survive in the 24 hour news, social media fury age - we've not had a PM last more than just over 3 years for awhile, and whilst many deserved that, some of it seems to be down to how things just spiral and pressure never lets up in a way that was easier pre-internet.
Good morning one and all. Back after a somewhat emotional funeral yesterday; wife's best friend. Moving, non-religious ceremony.
On topic, why should losing an election once mean that a party leader can never lead their party into another election. Looking back, in my youth it was the norm. Churchill fought the 1950 election having comprehensively lost in 1945, and having lost again, tried a third time and won. Wilson won, lost, but won again.
It should not, provided that they learn from their mistakes and use the experience they have gained since to good effect. Miliband is I think being underestimated as a political operator. He has certainly been one of the more effective Cabinet ministers in this government, fending off Starmer's attempts to dilute his agenda and sideline him. He was unfortunate in having to take on the wily duo of Cameron and Osborne and deal with a resurgent SNP following the 2014 referendum.
If Labour aren’t to have a female leader then they should think out of the box and go for Al Carns .
He could at least tell the plastic patriot Farage to go fxck himself .
If Ed Miliband ends up as leader then Labour deserve to become extinct .
Al Carns might be a really good Prime Minister for 2035 or so. Maybe. That he's being promoted now, and the response isn't hysterical laughter, is a sign of just how frivolous our politics has become.
That's not to say he shouldn't be on our screens attracting NF as much as he can. Same goes for Burnham and the rest of them. One reason for all of this is that we have all let No 10 become the source and focus of everything, and then wondered why it keeps collapsing.
I don’t think you needs years of experience as an MP to become PM .
If Labour want a fresh start then I see no reason why Carns shouldn’t become leader .
He would represent an enormous gamble, though. What evidence is there that he'd actually be any good at it ?
I don't know that it's even possible to be good at it any more. AI, social media, etc. are changing society way faster than our system of democratic governance and legislative regime can adapt.
Maybe get AI Carns in then
Al Carns is Labour's Ben Wallace, a barely plausible figure from a military background. It is hard to see any route to Downing Street opening up in the next year or two.
The new Dan Jarvis. Everybody likes a soldier. It's something to do with the shoulders, the set of the head, the steady gaze and voice. It reassures. It says, "it's ok you're safe now".
Heath was our last PM who served in the Army.
I am not convinced that our voters really like ex military politicians, and military command is very different to the skills needed for parliamentary politics.
He was also the last PM whose political personality was completely forged by WW2. That idealistic vision of Western Europe moving beyond antagonism and nation states.
Yes, and it is quite interesting how public memory of WW2 has evolved over the years. From building a land fit for heroes, to establishing post-nationalist international organisations in the cause of peace to mawkish sentimentality and cable tying flags to lamposts.
Not you! I somehow doubt squareroot will be placated by either of those.....probably more apoplectic.
Some of the possibles (esp Ange or Ed) would send the TeleMail into an absolute frenzy of fear and loathing. I'll have to make sure that superficially very appealing prospect doesn't sway me too much when it comes to the members ballot.
If Labour aren’t to have a female leader then they should think out of the box and go for Al Carns .
He could at least tell the plastic patriot Farage to go fxck himself .
If Ed Miliband ends up as leader then Labour deserve to become extinct .
Al Carns might be a really good Prime Minister for 2035 or so. Maybe. That he's being promoted now, and the response isn't hysterical laughter, is a sign of just how frivolous our politics has become.
That's not to say he shouldn't be on our screens attracting NF as much as he can. Same goes for Burnham and the rest of them. One reason for all of this is that we have all let No 10 become the source and focus of everything, and then wondered why it keeps collapsing.
I don’t think you needs years of experience as an MP to become PM .
If Labour want a fresh start then I see no reason why Carns shouldn’t become leader .
He would represent an enormous gamble, though. What evidence is there that he'd actually be any good at it ?
I don't know that it's even possible to be good at it any more. AI, social media, etc. are changing society way faster than our system of democratic governance and legislative regime can adapt.
Maybe get AI Carns in then
Al Carns is Labour's Ben Wallace, a barely plausible figure from a military background. It is hard to see any route to Downing Street opening up in the next year or two.
He needs a lot more time in the oven. Every interview he does, every question he answers involves when I was in the military, in the military we did x....he can also get quite grump with interviewers when challenged. I have no doubt he was excellent in the military, it seems like he was special forces, but it son of a toolmaker turned up to 11 stuff.
We have seen this with other MPs who were long time military people. No doubt they are decent people, incredibly brave, hard working, but can struggle with the world of politics, Sir Humphreys etc. That was the big hope with the Starmerbot 9000 is that he has lived that world for years so might do better organising it.
Al Carns has as much chance of replacing Starmer as I have. Precisely zero.
Though I do get a vibe off him that he believes he has a PM’s Montblanc in his knapsack. No shortage of self regard there.
The last two chaps who thought they'd be good as PM were, if memory serves, Cameron and Johnson.
Neither were.
Call me Dave and call me, Boris. Eton, Oxford and the Bullingdon, like a throwback to a golden age.
Does @ydoethur have a list of other prime ministers who were at school together, perhaps in the 19th Century?
Although come to think of it, if EICIPM then he went to the same primary school as Boris.
I think Wellington and Grey would just have overlapped at Eton, although I doubt if they would have spoken. Wellington went there early in 1781 and Grey left that summer.
On topic... it's hard to see Ed M developing into a coronating situation. Labour show no signs of halting their headlong pursuit of Fukker votes and Ed M, being the human embodiment of Net Zero, is Belphagor to the vaping class.
Labour have been going after the Fukker vote? I must have missed that, apart from the Mahmood stuff which I feel must be ineffective because they give the impression of doing it very reluctantly and with most of the membership hating her.
And Our Ange is said to be keen on reversing the Mahmood changes, and kicking out the Home Sec
Basically Labour are doing everything they possibly can to deliver a Reform government
In other news the FT has a new Saturday “lunch with” article today (where they lunch with a notable person and chat about the food and the notable person and their views: an oddly excellent format)
This weekend it’s Lord Chagos Hermer, the controversial Attorney General. The comments below the line are brutal and contemptuous of Hermer, so much so that one FT journalist tried to wade in and complain about the rage and hatred and change the tone, but he failed, and so they’ve closed comments completely. Before noon on the day of publication
And this is the FT! Not the Telegraph. The anger and disgust now directed at Labour is, I think, unprecedented
Hermer is an absolute disgrace. The actions against British soldiers on, being polite, unreliable evidence, and the Chagos deal. The fact Starmer would have such a man as AG tells you far more about him than he would like you to know.
Trouble is Labour activists probably hold Hermer in higher regard than Shabana Mahmood.
Top 20 all women; some older books; often romantasy.
All women. The beeb will be wetting themselves over that
Not only that, there is still a quite important prize for “women in fiction” (used to be the Orange prize). Like women need some kind of help in an industry dominated completely by women
It’s fucking nuts. Like having a special prize for “Jews in Hollywood” or “Oxford graduates with a PPE degree who do well in politics”
I believe the very bloke-heavy special prize for bad writing in sex is now defunct. *sad*
That's a shame, because some of those romantasy authors could definitely be in the running.
If Labour aren’t to have a female leader then they should think out of the box and go for Al Carns .
He could at least tell the plastic patriot Farage to go fxck himself .
If Ed Miliband ends up as leader then Labour deserve to become extinct .
Al Carns might be a really good Prime Minister for 2035 or so. Maybe. That he's being promoted now, and the response isn't hysterical laughter, is a sign of just how frivolous our politics has become.
That's not to say he shouldn't be on our screens attracting NF as much as he can. Same goes for Burnham and the rest of them. One reason for all of this is that we have all let No 10 become the source and focus of everything, and then wondered why it keeps collapsing.
I don’t think you needs years of experience as an MP to become PM .
If Labour want a fresh start then I see no reason why Carns shouldn’t become leader .
He would represent an enormous gamble, though. What evidence is there that he'd actually be any good at it ?
I don't know that it's even possible to be good at it any more. AI, social media, etc. are changing society way faster than our system of democratic governance and legislative regime can adapt.
Maybe get AI Carns in then
Al Carns is Labour's Ben Wallace, a barely plausible figure from a military background. It is hard to see any route to Downing Street opening up in the next year or two.
The new Dan Jarvis. Everybody likes a soldier. It's something to do with the shoulders, the set of the head, the steady gaze and voice. It reassures. It says, "it's ok you're safe now".
Given the current state of the world then “ it’s ok you’re safe now “ shouldn’t be sniffed at .
I think we’re over complicating what’s needed to be PM.
Starmer was pushed up the political ladder far too quickly on the back of factional alliances, and lo when tested his lack of political experience when PM has been all too apparent.
The last thing Labour need is a repeat with the similarly inexperienced (and indeed virtually unknown) Carns, who is basically being touted only because the Labour right fear that Streeting is too compromised to be their standard bearer.
Am absolutely sick of political parties foisting leaders on us. Labour did it with Brown and he was bloody useless. Then the Tories turned it into their hobby with May, Johnson (first time), Truss and Sunak. And now Milliband apparently. Well he's been rejected once by the voters. So he can piss off. As can Burnham and all the other wannabes.
They should stick by the leader they've got. Tell him to implement the manifesto instead of a load of stuff they never mentioned (jury abolition, digital ID etc.,) and concentrate on (a) housing (b) helping the young - student loans, for one thing and (c) trying to be vaguely competent and honest.
I don't have a problem with parties shifting leaders, as a principle. Nor for someone who lost once coming back, in fact I think that is to be encouraged, in theory. Not having a second chance is one reason we seem to require untested non-entities rise quickly, before they face any serious challenges to learn from.
But they need to show a little more steel or no leader will be able to survive in the 24 hour news, social media fury age - we've not had a PM last more than just over 3 years for awhile, and whilst many deserved that, some of it seems to be down to how things just spiral and pressure never lets up in a way that was easier pre-internet.
Good morning one and all. Back after a somewhat emotional funeral yesterday; wife's best friend. Moving, non-religious ceremony.
On topic, why should losing an election once mean that a party leader can never lead their party into another election. Looking back, in my youth it was the norm. Churchill fought the 1950 election having comprehensively lost in 1945, and having lost again, tried a third time and won. Wilson won, lost, but won again.
It should not, provided that they learn from their mistakes and use the experience they have gained since to good effect. Miliband is I think being underestimated as a political operator. He has certainly been one of the more effective Cabinet ministers in this government, fending off Starmer's attempts to dilute his agenda and sideline him. He was unfortunate in having to take on the wily duo of Cameron and Osborne and deal with a resurgent SNP following the 2014 referendum.
It was the SNP wot got Ed Miliband in 2015. He gained seats in England, though the Conservatives gained more.
It was always sleight of hand so Starmer can stand there and say promise made, promise delivered on hotels, see terms and contions, please read small print, consult a lawyer if in doubt.... As I said at the time some of these hotels aren't even really hotels, they are former hotels nowadays and so change of usage of HMOs. It will be like vetting all over again, its not technically a hotel as the public can't stay there, just ignore the big sign out front. I seemed to remember the Bell that was the epicentre of this hadn't been a functioning hotel for ages.
If Labour aren’t to have a female leader then they should think out of the box and go for Al Carns .
He could at least tell the plastic patriot Farage to go fxck himself .
If Ed Miliband ends up as leader then Labour deserve to become extinct .
Al Carns might be a really good Prime Minister for 2035 or so. Maybe. That he's being promoted now, and the response isn't hysterical laughter, is a sign of just how frivolous our politics has become.
That's not to say he shouldn't be on our screens attracting NF as much as he can. Same goes for Burnham and the rest of them. One reason for all of this is that we have all let No 10 become the source and focus of everything, and then wondered why it keeps collapsing.
I don’t think you needs years of experience as an MP to become PM .
If Labour want a fresh start then I see no reason why Carns shouldn’t become leader .
He would represent an enormous gamble, though. What evidence is there that he'd actually be any good at it ?
I don't know that it's even possible to be good at it any more. AI, social media, etc. are changing society way faster than our system of democratic governance and legislative regime can adapt.
Maybe get AI Carns in then
Al Carns is Labour's Ben Wallace, a barely plausible figure from a military background. It is hard to see any route to Downing Street opening up in the next year or two.
The new Dan Jarvis. Everybody likes a soldier. It's something to do with the shoulders, the set of the head, the steady gaze and voice. It reassures. It says, "it's ok you're safe now".
Heath was our last PM who served in the Army.
I am not convinced that our voters really like ex military politicians, and military command is very different to the skills needed for parliamentary politics.
He was also the last PM whose political personality was completely forged by WW2. That idealistic vision of Western Europe moving beyond antagonism and nation states.
Yes, and it is quite interesting how public memory of WW2 has evolved over the years. From building a land fit for heroes, to establishing post-nationalist international organisations in the cause of peace to mawkish sentimentality and cable tying flags to lamposts.
"We stood alone once, we can do it again"
I remember that (and variations) in vox pops during the Brexit negotiations in support of the hardline No Deal position.
Those people will all be voting Reform now, I'd imagine.
If Labour aren’t to have a female leader then they should think out of the box and go for Al Carns .
He could at least tell the plastic patriot Farage to go fxck himself .
If Ed Miliband ends up as leader then Labour deserve to become extinct .
Al Carns might be a really good Prime Minister for 2035 or so. Maybe. That he's being promoted now, and the response isn't hysterical laughter, is a sign of just how frivolous our politics has become.
That's not to say he shouldn't be on our screens attracting NF as much as he can. Same goes for Burnham and the rest of them. One reason for all of this is that we have all let No 10 become the source and focus of everything, and then wondered why it keeps collapsing.
I don’t think you needs years of experience as an MP to become PM .
If Labour want a fresh start then I see no reason why Carns shouldn’t become leader .
He would represent an enormous gamble, though. What evidence is there that he'd actually be any good at it ?
I don't know that it's even possible to be good at it any more. AI, social media, etc. are changing society way faster than our system of democratic governance and legislative regime can adapt.
Maybe get AI Carns in then
Al Carns is Labour's Ben Wallace, a barely plausible figure from a military background. It is hard to see any route to Downing Street opening up in the next year or two.
The new Dan Jarvis. Everybody likes a soldier. It's something to do with the shoulders, the set of the head, the steady gaze and voice. It reassures. It says, "it's ok you're safe now".
Heath was our last PM who served in the Army.
I am not convinced that our voters really like ex military politicians, and military command is very different to the skills needed for parliamentary politics.
He was also the last PM whose political personality was completely forged by WW2. That idealistic vision of Western Europe moving beyond antagonism and nation states.
Yes, and it is quite interesting how public memory of WW2 has evolved over the years. From building a land fit for heroes, to establishing post-nationalist international organisations in the cause of peace to mawkish sentimentality and cable tying flags to lamposts.
"We stood alone once, we can do it again"
I remember that (and variations) in vox pops during the Brexit negotiations in support of the hardline No Deal position.
Those people will all be voting Reform now, I'd imagine.
“Which Reform tribe are you? Take this quick quiz!
Q1: the English language: A. Is ever-evolving and open-source B. Has correct and incorrect usage
Q2: what do you hate most? A. Immigrants B. Wind turbines
Q3: Liz Truss was: A. Into kink B. On the right track, economically”
Etc”
I don't really hate wind turbines - how can you hate an object? Though I do believe that people regarding them as beautiful just stems from a misguided associating with 'cheap, clean energy' - we regard belching smoke stacks as ugly because of their association with planetary destruction. But perhaps there is a beauty in a belching smoke stack. It means prosperity - energy turning into things. People in gainful work. Plants and trees growing with greater vigour. I wonder if people did find them beautiful in the early days of industrialisation (though obviously whole sooty cities of them wasn't very nice).
Dark satanic mills?
They gained that reputation yes. Perhaps we have always regarded industry as ugly from the beginning. I haven't really read around it.
If Labour aren’t to have a female leader then they should think out of the box and go for Al Carns .
He could at least tell the plastic patriot Farage to go fxck himself .
If Ed Miliband ends up as leader then Labour deserve to become extinct .
Al Carns might be a really good Prime Minister for 2035 or so. Maybe. That he's being promoted now, and the response isn't hysterical laughter, is a sign of just how frivolous our politics has become.
That's not to say he shouldn't be on our screens attracting NF as much as he can. Same goes for Burnham and the rest of them. One reason for all of this is that we have all let No 10 become the source and focus of everything, and then wondered why it keeps collapsing.
I don’t think you needs years of experience as an MP to become PM .
If Labour want a fresh start then I see no reason why Carns shouldn’t become leader .
He would represent an enormous gamble, though. What evidence is there that he'd actually be any good at it ?
I don't know that it's even possible to be good at it any more. AI, social media, etc. are changing society way faster than our system of democratic governance and legislative regime can adapt.
Maybe get AI Carns in then
Al Carns is Labour's Ben Wallace, a barely plausible figure from a military background. It is hard to see any route to Downing Street opening up in the next year or two.
The new Dan Jarvis. Everybody likes a soldier. It's something to do with the shoulders, the set of the head, the steady gaze and voice. It reassures. It says, "it's ok you're safe now".
Heath was our last PM who served in the Army.
I am not convinced that our voters really like ex military politicians, and military command is very different to the skills needed for parliamentary politics.
He was also the last PM whose political personality was completely forged by WW2. That idealistic vision of Western Europe moving beyond antagonism and nation states.
Yes, and it is quite interesting how public memory of WW2 has evolved over the years. From building a land fit for heroes, to establishing post-nationalist international organisations in the cause of peace to mawkish sentimentality and cable tying flags to lamposts.
"We stood alone once, we can do it again"
I remember that (and variations) in vox pops during the Brexit negotiations in support of the hardline No Deal position.
Those people will all be voting Reform now, I'd imagine.
Alone, apart from our large multicultural, multiethnic empire...and a lot of refugees of fighting age...
Yes but a lot of people *were* particularly exercised by the idea of recent arrivals being put up in 'hotels', which to them meant luxury. Hence all of that frothing '5 star' commentary. The boil of resentment (of those people) will be lanced somewhat if they can picture asylum seekers in cramped grotty HMOs.
I know I keep banging on about this, but it's pointless changing Starmer until Labour picks an ideology (if that's the right word) - what are the problems facing the UK and how do we fix them. Miliband has an ideology - do lots of Green stuff, that'll fix things. Mahmood has an ideology - deport everybody who isn't Christian or Hindu, and how dare somebody call her a racist for saying that you dirty white liberal you. Streeting has an ideology - privatise things, that'll fix things!
Miliband - Green Labour Mahmood - Blue Labour Streeting - New Labour
To be honest, I'm not convinced by any of them, but in terms of the marketplace of ideas, that's what's on the table.
I feel this illustrates a problem. The word 'ideology' is hard. The examples here are hardly ideology, they are the alleged one word solutions to what look like single issues of of the manifold.
I suggest ideology is a pyramid. What sort of concepts you put at the top both tells you what to expect, and also declares how serious you are about the universe and everything.
For example, Reform have at least two competing concepts at or towards the top of the pyramid. Two are: nationalist post WWII social democrat and the other, entirely inconsistent, is some sort of nationalist free market buccaneering libertarianism. Both accompanied by a sneaking regard for autocracy. The first belongs to the voters of Clacton etc, the second to Nigel Farage in his natural evolved habitat.
I can just about do this about Reform. As to Labour, not a clue. And if I read him rightly even the great Nick Palmer doesn't know either. Tories? Don't ask. Greens? The mirror of Reform - two competing and incompatible systems fighting. Not being looked at closely because unlike Reform they are not (yet) taken seriously.
On topic... it's hard to see Ed M developing into a coronating situation. Labour show no signs of halting their headlong pursuit of Fukker votes and Ed M, being the human embodiment of Net Zero, is Belphagor to the vaping class.
Labour have been going after the Fukker vote? I must have missed that, apart from the Mahmood stuff which I feel must be ineffective because they give the impression of doing it very reluctantly and with most of the membership hating her.
And Our Ange is said to be keen on reversing the Mahmood changes, and kicking out the Home Sec
Basically Labour are doing everything they possibly can to deliver a Reform government
In other news the FT has a new Saturday “lunch with” article today (where they lunch with a notable person and chat about the food and the notable person and their views: an oddly excellent format)
This weekend it’s Lord Chagos Hermer, the controversial Attorney General. The comments below the line are brutal and contemptuous of Hermer, so much so that one FT journalist tried to wade in and complain about the rage and hatred and change the tone, but he failed, and so they’ve closed comments completely. Before noon on the day of publication
And this is the FT! Not the Telegraph. The anger and disgust now directed at Labour is, I think, unprecedented
Hermer is an absolute disgrace. The actions against British soldiers on, being polite, unreliable evidence, and the Chagos deal. The fact Starmer would have such a man as AG tells you far more about him than he would like you to know.
Trouble is Labour activists probably hold Hermer in higher regard than Shabana Mahmood.
Which is why, of course, they have Starmer and don't know what the hell to do next.
I know I keep banging on about this, but it's pointless changing Starmer until Labour picks an ideology (if that's the right word) - what are the problems facing the UK and how do we fix them. Miliband has an ideology - do lots of Green stuff, that'll fix things. Mahmood has an ideology - deport everybody who isn't Christian or Hindu, and how dare somebody call her a racist for saying that you dirty white liberal you. Streeting has an ideology - privatise things, that'll fix things!
Miliband - Green Labour Mahmood - Blue Labour Streeting - New Labour
To be honest, I'm not convinced by any of them, but in terms of the marketplace of ideas, that's what's on the table.
I feel this illustrates a problem. The word 'ideology' is hard. The examples here are hardly ideology, they are the alleged one word solutions to what look like single issues of of the manifold.
I suggest ideology is a pyramid. What sort of concepts you put at the top both tells you what to expect, and also declares how serious you are about the universe and everything.
For example, Reform have at least two competing concepts at or towards the top of the pyramid. Two are: nationalist post WWII social democrat and the other, entirely inconsistent, is some sort of nationalist free market buccaneering libertarianism. Both accompanied by a sneaking regard for autocracy. The first belongs to the voters of Clacton etc, the second to Nigel Farage in his natural evolved habitat.
I can just about do this about Reform. As to Labour, not a clue. And if I read him rightly even the great Nick Palmer doesn't know either. Tories? Don't ask. Greens? The mirror of Reform - two competing and incompatible systems fighting. Not being looked at closely because unlike Reform they are not (yet) taken seriously.
Ideology is messy and inconsistent, but you do need a thread of it to provide at least some cohesiveness to your direction.
If Labour aren’t to have a female leader then they should think out of the box and go for Al Carns .
He could at least tell the plastic patriot Farage to go fxck himself .
If Ed Miliband ends up as leader then Labour deserve to become extinct .
Al Carns might be a really good Prime Minister for 2035 or so. Maybe. That he's being promoted now, and the response isn't hysterical laughter, is a sign of just how frivolous our politics has become.
That's not to say he shouldn't be on our screens attracting NF as much as he can. Same goes for Burnham and the rest of them. One reason for all of this is that we have all let No 10 become the source and focus of everything, and then wondered why it keeps collapsing.
I don’t think you needs years of experience as an MP to become PM .
If Labour want a fresh start then I see no reason why Carns shouldn’t become leader .
He would represent an enormous gamble, though. What evidence is there that he'd actually be any good at it ?
I don't know that it's even possible to be good at it any more. AI, social media, etc. are changing society way faster than our system of democratic governance and legislative regime can adapt.
Maybe get AI Carns in then
Al Carns is Labour's Ben Wallace, a barely plausible figure from a military background. It is hard to see any route to Downing Street opening up in the next year or two.
The new Dan Jarvis. Everybody likes a soldier. It's something to do with the shoulders, the set of the head, the steady gaze and voice. It reassures. It says, "it's ok you're safe now".
Heath was our last PM who served in the Army.
I am not convinced that our voters really like ex military politicians, and military command is very different to the skills needed for parliamentary politics.
He was also the last PM whose political personality was completely forged by WW2. That idealistic vision of Western Europe moving beyond antagonism and nation states.
Yes, and it is quite interesting how public memory of WW2 has evolved over the years. From building a land fit for heroes, to establishing post-nationalist international organisations in the cause of peace to mawkish sentimentality and cable tying flags to lamposts.
"We stood alone once, we can do it again"
I remember that (and variations) in vox pops during the Brexit negotiations in support of the hardline No Deal position.
Those people will all be voting Reform now, I'd imagine.
Alone, apart from our large multicultural, multiethnic empire...and a lot of refugees of fighting age...
And US loans. Standing alone almost bankrupted us, and that was when the country was wealthy by global standards.
The enemies of one flailing Prime Minister were characterised as "happy to wound, afraid to kill". It might have been the ones listed in John Major's Bastards Book From Ryman's, but it might have been Gordon Brown's. Or it might be a standard trope going back centuries.
It still feels like that- and as long as supporters of Buggins don't want to risk Fuggins getting in, and vice versa, Muggins stays in place.
It was noted that nearly all the many wounds inflicted on Caesar, by his assassins, were performative.
Was that, though, not intended to display participation and responsibility, rather than avoid it ?
I know I keep banging on about this, but it's pointless changing Starmer until Labour picks an ideology (if that's the right word) - what are the problems facing the UK and how do we fix them. Miliband has an ideology - do lots of Green stuff, that'll fix things. Mahmood has an ideology - deport everybody who isn't Christian or Hindu, and how dare somebody call her a racist for saying that you dirty white liberal you. Streeting has an ideology - privatise things, that'll fix things!
Miliband - Green Labour Mahmood - Blue Labour Streeting - New Labour
To be honest, I'm not convinced by any of them, but in terms of the marketplace of ideas, that's what's on the table.
I feel this illustrates a problem. The word 'ideology' is hard. The examples here are hardly ideology, they are the alleged one word solutions to what look like single issues of of the manifold.
I suggest ideology is a pyramid. What sort of concepts you put at the top both tells you what to expect, and also declares how serious you are about the universe and everything.
For example, Reform have at least two competing concepts at or towards the top of the pyramid. Two are: nationalist post WWII social democrat and the other, entirely inconsistent, is some sort of nationalist free market buccaneering libertarianism. Both accompanied by a sneaking regard for autocracy. The first belongs to the voters of Clacton etc, the second to Nigel Farage in his natural evolved habitat.
I can just about do this about Reform. As to Labour, not a clue. And if I read him rightly even the great Nick Palmer doesn't know either. Tories? Don't ask. Greens? The mirror of Reform - two competing and incompatible systems fighting. Not being looked at closely because unlike Reform they are not (yet) taken seriously.
Ideology is messy and inconsistent, but you do need a thread of it to provide at least some cohesiveness to your direction.
Can I suggest another approach. No-one expects politics to be anything other than messy. But the great thing about ideology - as opposed to today's policy crisis mishmash, is that it is intended to be a map of the world of ideas, and the choices made within it, bringing conceptual (hardly real of course) clarity to a fluid and messy reality.
Comments
He might well hang in, though. You're right.
It’s fucking nuts. Like having a special prize for “Jews in Hollywood” or “Oxford graduates with a PPE degree who do well in politics”
So, for arguments sake, if I were to castrate TSE, I would merely lop his balls off.
But if were to emasculate TSE, I would chop the whole lot off.
Disclaimer: Just kidding, TSE!
Or, as I said on the reel that's just gone live, I blame the government...
https://youtu.be/9R4Rsdy1Fv8
Precisely zero.
*sad*
People in Wales are so fortunate.
Hopefully where Wales leads, the rest of the UK follows.
Meanwhile we have the nonsense of "first three past the post", where a party with 30% of the vote cleans up with all three seats.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Gascoyne-Cecil,_5th_Marquess_of_Salisbury
It would be a characteristically knobbish way to go. Labour would be destroyed. Farage and Kemi aren't really ready. The people also aren't really ready for the hard stuff, because the economy is bad, but it hasn't resulted in a catastrophe. So cuts to welfare etc. would be portrayed as ideologically motivated. The result would be messy. It's a Sunak.
Q1: the English language:
A. Is ever-evolving and open-source
B. Has correct and incorrect usage
Q2: what do you hate most?
A. Immigrants
B. Wind turbines
Q3: Liz Truss was:
A. Into kink
B. On the right track, economically”
Etc”
Neither were.
I am not convinced that our voters really like ex military politicians, and military command is very different to the skills needed for parliamentary politics.
I always thought he was a lying, devious twister, so I suppose he hasn't gone down in my estimation as much as in those who feted him as Mr Integrity
The idea that a leader should quit immediately and permenantly after losing a GE is a relatively new innovation.
Also, changing a PM mid term is very much a demonstration of democracy rather than a repudiation of it. Parties only dump sitting PMs if they are becoming an electoral liability.
Truss, Johnson, May, Cameron, Blair and Thatcher all got dumped when they became electoral poison. It is also clear from that list that it is a risky gambit. It only worked for dumping May and Thatcher in terms of winning the next election, though arguably limited losses for the others.
Does @ydoethur have a list of other prime ministers who were at school together, perhaps in the 19th Century?
Although come to think of it, if EICIPM then he went to the same primary school as Boris.
I think we’re over complicating what’s needed to be PM.
The point however is the principle. As soon as governments openly disregard what got them elected they're in trouble.
Even if we include the Liberal Democrats, we can add Kennedy, Clegg and Davey.
And the SNP adds Sturgeon (not counting Salmond as he was first elected before the cutoff).
That's a bit worrying.
We have seen this with other MPs who were long time military people. No doubt they are decent people, incredibly brave, hard working, but can struggle with the world of politics, Sir Humphreys etc. That was the big hope with the Starmerbot 9000 is that he has lived that world for years so might do better organising it.
The last thing Labour need is a repeat with the similarly inexperienced (and indeed virtually unknown) Carns, who is basically being touted only because the Labour right fear that Streeting is too compromised to be their standard bearer.
Hopefully they can be like the Syria chap and be smart enough to switch robes for suits as part of a pivoting strategy.
Labour thought the main problem with people had with asylum hotels was the type of building in which illegal migrants were housed.
https://x.com/alexmaccaroon/status/2047922702053151042?s=46&t=CW4pL-mMpTqsJXCdjW0Z6Q
A. Woke libtards
B. Ok when it is our side doing it
I remember that (and variations) in vox pops during the Brexit negotiations in support of the hardline No Deal position.
Those people will all be voting Reform now, I'd imagine.
Surely that must be close to a record?
https://x.com/gbnews/status/2048001353016893702?s=46&t=CW4pL-mMpTqsJXCdjW0Z6Q
Reeves was in there three times
Rayner three times
Lammy once
Ed M once
Cooper once
Streeting once
Sarwar once
Worth remembering he was seen as a strength. Not even Farage was in the Reform manifesto that much.
I suggest ideology is a pyramid. What sort of concepts you put at the top both tells you what to expect, and also declares how serious you are about the universe and everything.
For example, Reform have at least two competing concepts at or towards the top of the pyramid. Two are: nationalist post WWII social democrat and the other, entirely inconsistent, is some sort of nationalist free market buccaneering libertarianism. Both accompanied by a sneaking regard for autocracy. The first belongs to the voters of Clacton etc, the second to Nigel Farage in his natural evolved habitat.
I can just about do this about Reform. As to Labour, not a clue. And if I read him rightly even the great Nick Palmer doesn't know either. Tories? Don't ask. Greens? The mirror of Reform - two competing and incompatible systems fighting. Not being looked at closely because unlike Reform they are not (yet) taken seriously.
Standing alone almost bankrupted us, and that was when the country was wealthy by global standards.