All of you who were so correctly triggered by Lady Victoria's gifted underwear and Starmer's free spectacles, why are you not triggered by Farage's personally donated buckshee £5m from a Thai based crypto-billionaire?
Er, I've mentioned it a few times on here in the last few days!
I am still seeing nothing more than PB tumbleweed. I suppose it's Nigel so it is fine ?
There are two investigations ongoing, AIUI. It's not a dead story by any means.
Polanski is a disaster. If they had someone like Lucas but younger and fresher they really could prosper. But not with this leader and deputy leader
When Polanski became leader the Greens were averaging 9% in the opinion polls, so, y'know, 10-12% wouldn't necessarily be a disaster.
I'm not impressed by Polanski's approach to this, but you are weirdly over-egging and under-egging the impact at the same time. Is it just number blindness?
No. It’s because he’s been revealed in the last few weeks, even days, as a nasty anti semite and a low IQ pillock at the same time
The Greens surged when he seemed new and untested and everyone could pin their hopes on him, and write on the blank slate. Now look at his polling. In free fall. Down 14 points in a week
The Green VI will follow. What’s worse, the deputy leader puts his wife in a burqa. The full death shroud. And refuses to commit to LGBT rights. The Greens are a self destruct bomb timed to go off really quite soon
I'm going with number blindness then. You just can't see it.
wtf are you wittering on about?
There's no point me repeating myself given that you weren't capable of understanding it the first time. It's taken me a remarkably long time, but I've finally learnt that you simply don't do numbers.
Here are the numbers
Greens were on 9%. They’re now often over 15% as Labour have imploded and they got fresh interesting leadership. The leadership has turned out to be dumb, inept and anti semitic, and the polling on Polanski shows this. As a result I believe they will now sink back to a level slightly above their previous average. Say 10-12%. Because some of the converts won’t mind these problems
Polanski is a disaster. If they had someone like Lucas but younger and fresher they really could prosper. But not with this leader and deputy leader
When Polanski became leader the Greens were averaging 9% in the opinion polls, so, y'know, 10-12% wouldn't necessarily be a disaster.
I'm not impressed by Polanski's approach to this, but you are weirdly over-egging and under-egging the impact at the same time. Is it just number blindness?
No. It’s because he’s been revealed in the last few weeks, even days, as a nasty anti semite and a low IQ pillock at the same time
The Greens surged when he seemed new and untested and everyone could pin their hopes on him, and write on the blank slate. Now look at his polling. In free fall. Down 14 points in a week
The Green VI will follow. What’s worse, the deputy leader puts his wife in a burqa. The full death shroud. And refuses to commit to LGBT rights. The Greens are a self destruct bomb timed to go off really quite soon
I'm going with number blindness then. You just can't see it.
wtf are you wittering on about?
There's no point me repeating myself given that you weren't capable of understanding it the first time. It's taken me a remarkably long time, but I've finally learnt that you simply don't do numbers.
Here are the numbers
Greens were on 9%. They’re now often over 15% as Labour have imploded and they got fresh interesting leadership. The leadership has turned out to be dumb, inept and anti semitic, and the polling on Polanski shows this. As a result I believe they will now sink back to a level slightly above their previous average. Say 10-12%. Because some of the converts won’t mind these problems
Polanski's rise was meteoric but I think he made a huge strategic blunder when he launched his Green leadership bid. He's a charismatic guy who'd have won by a landslide anyway, without courting the hard left cranks booted out of Labour for antisemitism. Now he's their prisoner.
I can’t see him getting past the NEC before Starmer announces he is quitting. Maybe not even then.
If Starmer quits, there won’t be time before a contest to get Burnham into Parliament.
Unless the whole thing is turned into a triumphal parade. And there are enough people who want the job to say no to that.
Put another way- the only way Burnham gets the job is if he can convince everyone that it already is a triumphal parade. From that point of view, the bonkers leaks to the Telegraph make perfect sense.
Nothing new in that- "Join the winning team" was a classic of Focus, In Touch and off-brand knockoffs in the 80s, probably before. There's a bit of it in the lastest Reform stunt; "we've already won, so are you with us or against us?" But that loops back to Burnham's problem; he's nothing new.
Polanski is a disaster. If they had someone like Lucas but younger and fresher they really could prosper. But not with this leader and deputy leader
When Polanski became leader the Greens were averaging 9% in the opinion polls, so, y'know, 10-12% wouldn't necessarily be a disaster.
I'm not impressed by Polanski's approach to this, but you are weirdly over-egging and under-egging the impact at the same time. Is it just number blindness?
No. It’s because he’s been revealed in the last few weeks, even days, as a nasty anti semite and a low IQ pillock at the same time
The Greens surged when he seemed new and untested and everyone could pin their hopes on him, and write on the blank slate. Now look at his polling. In free fall. Down 14 points in a week
The Green VI will follow. What’s worse, the deputy leader puts his wife in a burqa. The full death shroud. And refuses to commit to LGBT rights. The Greens are a self destruct bomb timed to go off really quite soon
I'm going with number blindness then. You just can't see it.
wtf are you wittering on about?
There's no point me repeating myself given that you weren't capable of understanding it the first time. It's taken me a remarkably long time, but I've finally learnt that you simply don't do numbers.
Here are the numbers
Greens were on 9%. They’re now often over 15% as Labour have imploded and they got fresh interesting leadership. The leadership has turned out to be dumb, inept and anti semitic, and the polling on Polanski shows this. As a result I believe they will now sink back to a level slightly above their previous average. Say 10-12%. Because some of the converts won’t mind these problems
How much of this loss of Polanski support is due to people now knowing who he is? I mean how has the approve/disapprove/ don't know ratio changed? If it is simply folk who'd never dream of voting Green actually now knowing who he is, then that has no electoral impact.
My self inflicted exile from PB is waning a little. To start with I didn't even lurk for a few weeks at a time. Now I am lurking regularly.
Occasionally I am stimulated to post in response to something and then realise I will get sucked into some nonsense and it will just waste my time, so I resist which has given me more time to drink beer, play table tennis, drive my cobra (which is sick currently), garden and plan my cycle trips (Normandy in June, Burgundy in September).
Might post a picture of a wisteria in my garden later. That is what a political forum needs; more garden pictures.
PS always up for a beer if you are even in the soft south.
I’ll have to make the effort to get darn sarf. That would be good. I’ve wanted to visit some Sweeney locations for a while !
All well up here. My apple tree and rhubarb is spouting and should be good later in the year.
How much of this loss of Polanski support is due to people now knowing who he is? I mean how has the approve/disapprove/ don't know ratio changed? If it is simply folk who'd never dream of voting Green actually now knowing who he is, then that has no electoral impact.
Apparently lots of young people moving from good job to neither good nor bad job
Sorry but twitter / x links are pointless now everything is behind their wall
Tldr: Rayner has given up vaping, as recounted by a Lab cabinet member to a leading politics presenter.
UK media has only 2 settings, inane shite or hyperbolic speculation.
Good to hear, I suppose vaping is better than smoking but in some ways seems more tragic as it lacks the Hollywood glamour of sucking on an actual smoke.
Trump-“Ukraine is better than any other NATO ally in fighting.”
There was a period where Ukraine courted NATO training assiduously. Then Ukraine mounted a counter-offensive using NATO doctrine intended to cut the occupied land in half. They suffered hideous losses (you may recall it). I think since then they have relied on their own doctrine and weapons, relying on NATO only for money, assistance and materiel (eg satellite) they can't do themselves.
Apart from being thoroughly nasty, isn't the Yusuf/Farage plan for detention centre in 'Green' constituencies somewhat flawed? Given that any seats won by the Greens are likely to be on c. 30-35% of the vote, those who voted Reform in that constituency would be 'punished' as well. See Gorton and Denton for example.
On reflection, I've no idea why I'm even giving such an unpleasant, unworkable and bizarre policy proposal the time of day.
I don’t remember this effeminate outrage over the last 25 years, as successive governments, of all stripes, have dumped “difficult” migrants in poor, white, working class areas
Weird
I’ve said many times on here that immigrants should be houses in cheap new builds on the most expensive streets in the country, rather than dumped on struggling coastal towns. This policy from Reform isn’t much different I suppose. People are shrieking about it, but it is Green policy to accept refugees without fuss, and plenty of lefties wore ‘Refugees Welcome’ t-shirts so why should they be upset by it?
How do you build cheap new builds on the most expensive streets in the country? To start with, the most expensive streets in the country tend to have a fair percentage of the street occupied already.
I don't have a fully costed manifesto, but you get the gist. House the migrants in posh areas and let the people who aren't struggling for jobs, doctors appointments, school places etc suffer the consequences, rather than those who are already in bother having an added burden
Please cost it - remembering that most builders can no longer afford to build in London because £500,000 a flat doesn't cover costs..
Big caravan sites in Richmond Park, the Cotswolds, Hyde Park, Regents Park, the posh squares in London, Hampstead Heath, Sidmouth, Bristol, etc
I dont see how "We are going to need massive detention camps in nice green suburban parts of England because we can't control the border" is a vote winner for Reform.
It would toughen the other parties up on the issue. The areas I mentioned becoming detention centres wouldn’t bother Reform supporters too much
The point is, mass immigration has fucked over the poor and the JAMs, while the rich profited financially and were immune to the social consequences. It’s time to redress the balance
There's this bit in the West Wing where Jed Bartlett says something like "I'm the President of all Americans, not just the ones who voted for me".
And for a long time, politics was like that.
But we saw that break down in the US in recent years: during the government shutdown, the Trump administration deliberately withheld funds from Blue States, even as it sent them to Red States.
No government should ever seek to govern only for those who voted it for it. There should never be 'punishment' for voting the wrong way.
Now, if Farage had framed it as "we think the costs should be shared around, and it's wrong that the most deprived areas bear the brunt of these costs", that would have been fine. But "vote Green, get detention centres" is the kind of thing that riles me beyond belief.
Worth repeating. A nasty and childish policy.
OK then - we can all agree that it is a silly, nasty, unlawful etc policy. But note how @rcs1000 complains about it.
First he says that for a long time politics was about being in power for all the people not just those who voted for you. This is frankly childish nonsense. Politics has never been like that - not in the US and not here either and not, frankly, anywhere. Politics has always been about choices, about trade offs, about shifting power and wealth, about priorities etc and to a greater or lesser extent all politicians have acted in favour of those they are for. Some are better at disguising this. Some are good at expanding this group. But to pretend that a PM or President acts in the interests of everyone all the time is for the fairies.
Then he says that it would have been OK to say ""we think the costs should be shared around, and it's wrong that the most deprived areas bear the brunt of these costs". So is the problem with the tone rather than the policy?
And if the policy of sharing the costs around is fine, how precisely is this going to be done, especially bearing in mind that the costs are not simply financial? How is the cost of dealing with illegal migration and asylum seekers while their claims are being considered going to be fairly shared and not simply dumped on poor areas because it is too expensive to do so in expensive areas which claim to welcome refugees?
I would not vote Reform in a month of Sundays but until their critics come up with some practical proposals all this bleating just comes across like NIMBYs complaining about not enough houses for the young while ferociously resisting any building in their precious Cotswold village.
I already gave an example of how to share the burden - community sponsorship. It's a rewarding activity in itself and a great way to meet good people too.
We must factor in the strong possibility of a late implosion from the Greens. Polanski is a Jezbollah-style disaster with extra titty-whispering
From the Telegraph
“Polanski liked post claiming Zionists control Government The Green Party leader endorses Bluesky message which claims Prime Minister is on the payroll of powerful Jews”
Whatever the result of the election I predict Polanski will be gone within months
Just looking over some data ahead of our elections webinar later and Zack Polanski’s net approval rating has fallen by a fairly chunky 14 points over the last week. Still far ahead of Starmer but also puts him now well below the top three of Badenoch, Davey and Farage.
All of you who were so correctly triggered by Lady Victoria's gifted underwear and Starmer's free spectacles, why are you not triggered by Farage's personally donated buckshee £5m from a Thai based crypto-billionaire?
Er, I've mentioned it a few times on here in the last few days!
I am still seeing nothing more than PB tumbleweed. I suppose it's Nigel so it is fine ?
There are two investigations ongoing, AIUI. It's not a dead story by any means.
Very much remaining a lesser story than Starmer's spectacles.
Allegedly £12m to the Party/ Company and £5m to the man. Drop in the ocean really.
Trump-“Ukraine is better than any other NATO ally in fighting.”
There was a period where Ukraine courted NATO training assiduously. Then Ukraine mounted a counter-offensive using NATO doctrine intended to cut the occupied land in half.
This is the exact opposite of what happened. See the very long NYT article that was linked on here last year.
Gen. Donahue told them to use their NATO trained forces in an offensive at one point on the Russian lines to split them in two. Instead, Zelensky, Zaluzhniy and Syrsky doled out the new formations to various warlords all along the front to buy political favour. This led to a diffuse and uncoordinated effort that achieved less than nothing. If they had listened and followed NATO's advice they might have been in a happier place.
Sorry but twitter / x links are pointless now everything is behind their wall
I've self exiled from twitter (too much of a time sink) but still like to read links posted here. if you change the "x.com" in a link to "nitter.poast.org" you can read that one tweet/thread. So click on the link then edit in the address bar of your browser.
Trump-“Ukraine is better than any other NATO ally in fighting.”
There was a period where Ukraine courted NATO training assiduously. Then Ukraine mounted a counter-offensive using NATO doctrine intended to cut the occupied land in half. They suffered hideous losses (you may recall it). I think since then they have relied on their own doctrine and weapons, relying on NATO only for money, assistance and materiel (eg satellite) they can't do themselves.
To be fair though, their prior counter-attack had liberated vast swathes of land as the Russian lines utterly collapsed around the North East of Ukraine allowing all that land to be liberated.
The next counter-attack suffered hideous losses due to the presence of large numbers of land mines which were not there previously, and which the Russians likely would never have laid had they been expecting solely to advance and not to lose land.
The irony is despite the supposed superiority in numbers Russia has, they occupy today far less of Ukraine than they did in the peak a few years ago.
We must factor in the strong possibility of a late implosion from the Greens. Polanski is a Jezbollah-style disaster with extra titty-whispering
From the Telegraph
“Polanski liked post claiming Zionists control Government The Green Party leader endorses Bluesky message which claims Prime Minister is on the payroll of powerful Jews”
Whatever the result of the election I predict Polanski will be gone within months
Just looking over some data ahead of our elections webinar later and Zack Polanski’s net approval rating has fallen by a fairly chunky 14 points over the last week. Still far ahead of Starmer but also puts him now well below the top three of Badenoch, Davey and Farage.
We must factor in the strong possibility of a late implosion from the Greens. Polanski is a Jezbollah-style disaster with extra titty-whispering
From the Telegraph
“Polanski liked post claiming Zionists control Government The Green Party leader endorses Bluesky message which claims Prime Minister is on the payroll of powerful Jews”
Whatever the result of the election I predict Polanski will be gone within months
Just looking over some data ahead of our elections webinar later and Zack Polanski’s net approval rating has fallen by a fairly chunky 14 points over the last week. Still far ahead of Starmer but also puts him now well below the top three of Badenoch, Davey and Farage.
Solid evidence of Polanski's decline: my daughter initially thought he walked on water and was sufficiently enthused not just to vote Green but to join the party.
Over a pint at the weekend, she mused, and I quote, "Polanski's a bit of a twat, isn't he dad?"
Solid evidence of Polanski's decline: my daughter initially thought he walked on water and was sufficiently enthused not just to vote Green but to join the party.
Over a pint at the weekend, she mused, and I quote, "Polanski's a bit of a twat, isn't he dad?"
It’s just Corbyn again. We know where this ends as we’ve already lived it.
Solid evidence of Polanski's decline: my daughter initially thought he walked on water and was sufficiently enthused not just to vote Green but to join the party.
Over a pint at the weekend, she mused, and I quote, "Polanski's a bit of a twat, isn't he dad?"
Like a friend of mine who has gone off Zarah Sultana.
Solid evidence of Polanski's decline: my daughter initially thought he walked on water and was sufficiently enthused not just to vote Green but to join the party.
Over a pint at the weekend, she mused, and I quote, "Polanski's a bit of a twat, isn't he dad?"
Like a friend of mine who has gone off Zarah Sultana.
Yes, same: daughter also flirted with Zarah before falling out with her, big time.
Anyone got any intel on the counting schedule for Thursday and Friday? I’m expecting it’s going to be a largely Friday count so I’m thinking its better to catch an early night on Thursday?
Only 46 councils counting overnight (mostly the ones that have annual elections), and even a few leaving it until Saturday. Friday morning’s news will be set by the handful of key London councils declaring in the small hours - giving clues as to how far Labour has imploded and who is picking up - then it mostly goes quiet until Friday afternoon when most of the English council results come through, along with the Welsh and some of the earlier Scottish ones. The latter will continue into the evening.
Solid evidence of Polanski's decline: my daughter initially thought he walked on water and was sufficiently enthused not just to vote Green but to join the party.
Over a pint at the weekend, she mused, and I quote, "Polanski's a bit of a twat, isn't he dad?"
Like a friend of mine who has gone off Zarah Sultana.
We must factor in the strong possibility of a late implosion from the Greens. Polanski is a Jezbollah-style disaster with extra titty-whispering
From the Telegraph
“Polanski liked post claiming Zionists control Government The Green Party leader endorses Bluesky message which claims Prime Minister is on the payroll of powerful Jews”
Whatever the result of the election I predict Polanski will be gone within months
Just looking over some data ahead of our elections webinar later and Zack Polanski’s net approval rating has fallen by a fairly chunky 14 points over the last week. Still far ahead of Starmer but also puts him now well below the top three of Badenoch, Davey and Farage.
10,000s joined the Greens just to vote for him. Mainly ex-Corbynites I guess. They'll keep him there I suspect.
I don’t understand the pearl clutching over Polanski calling out the Jews. Unless British Jews publicly condemn the murdering actions of Netanyahu’s regime in Gaza and Lebanon and their illegal occupation of the West Bank, they will have no sympathy from me. I don’t want anyone murdered, but fail to see why a Jewish life should be worth more than a Muslim life, or a Christian, Hindu, Sikh or Buddhist life, for that matter. It makes me think there may be something accurate in Polanski’s comments about Starmer and Labour.
We must factor in the strong possibility of a late implosion from the Greens. Polanski is a Jezbollah-style disaster with extra titty-whispering
From the Telegraph
“Polanski liked post claiming Zionists control Government The Green Party leader endorses Bluesky message which claims Prime Minister is on the payroll of powerful Jews”
Whatever the result of the election I predict Polanski will be gone within months
Just looking over some data ahead of our elections webinar later and Zack Polanski’s net approval rating has fallen by a fairly chunky 14 points over the last week. Still far ahead of Starmer but also puts him now well below the top three of Badenoch, Davey and Farage.
10,000s joined the Greens just to vote for him. Mainly ex-Corbynites I guess. They'll keep him there I suspect.
I don’t understand the pearl clutching over Polanski calling out the Jews. Unless British Jews publicly condemn the murdering actions of Netanyahu’s regime in Gaza and Lebanon and their illegal occupation of the West Bank, they will have no sympathy from me. I don’t want anyone murdered, but fail to see why a Jewish life should be worth more than a Muslim life, or a Christian, Hindu, Sikh or Buddhist life, for that matter. It makes me think there may be something accurate in Polanski’s comments about Starmer and Labour.
The Greens are just turning into Reform enablers .
Interestingly I received some Lib Dem campaign leaflets today and they highlighted the Green vote so perhaps some nervousness that they’re eating into the Lib Dem vote .
It’s normally a straight fight here between the Lib Dem’s and Tories and I think there were high hopes for them to gain control of East Sussex County Council .
That’s still possible if there’s a favourable split between Reform and the Tories .
Oh Kemi, defending Tommy Robinson is not a good look, there’s a reason why even Farage avoids him like the plague.
"There is something very specific happening to Jewish communities”
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch says she supports a moratorium on pro-Palestinian marches but not for the march led by far-right activist Tommy Robinson later this month
We must factor in the strong possibility of a late implosion from the Greens. Polanski is a Jezbollah-style disaster with extra titty-whispering
From the Telegraph
“Polanski liked post claiming Zionists control Government The Green Party leader endorses Bluesky message which claims Prime Minister is on the payroll of powerful Jews”
Whatever the result of the election I predict Polanski will be gone within months
Just looking over some data ahead of our elections webinar later and Zack Polanski’s net approval rating has fallen by a fairly chunky 14 points over the last week. Still far ahead of Starmer but also puts him now well below the top three of Badenoch, Davey and Farage.
10,000s joined the Greens just to vote for him. Mainly ex-Corbynites I guess. They'll keep him there I suspect.
I don’t understand the pearl clutching over Polanski calling out the Jews. Unless British Jews publicly condemn the murdering actions of Netanyahu’s regime in Gaza and Lebanon and their illegal occupation of the West Bank, they will have no sympathy from me. I don’t want anyone murdered, but fail to see why a Jewish life should be worth more than a Muslim life, or a Christian, Hindu, Sikh or Buddhist life, for that matter. It makes me think there may be something accurate in Polanski’s comments about Starmer and Labour.
I don't understand the pearl clutching over Tommy Robinson calling out Muslims.
Unless British Muslims condemn the murdering actions of the Ayatollah's regime in Iran, Al'Qaeda, Hamas, Hezbollah, ISIL etc, they will have no sympathy from me. I don't want anyone murdered, but fail to see why a Muslim life should be worth more than a Jewish life, or a Christian, Hindu, Sikh or Buddhist life, for that matter. It makes me think there must be something accurate in Robinson's comments . . .
Anyone got any intel on the counting schedule for Thursday and Friday? I’m expecting it’s going to be a largely Friday count so I’m thinking its better to catch an early night on Thursday?
Only 46 councils counting overnight (mostly the ones that have annual elections), and even a few leaving it until Saturday. Friday morning’s news will be set by the handful of key London councils declaring in the small hours - giving clues as to how far Labour has imploded and who is picking up - then it mostly goes quiet until Friday afternoon when most of the English council results come through, along with the Welsh and some of the earlier Scottish ones. The latter will continue into the evening.
Newham has two elections -the Mayoral which will count on Thursday evening and the Council which counts on Friday.
I suspect we'll get a good idea of the outcome of the latter from the former.
Oh Kemi, defending Tommy Robinson is not a good look, there’s a reason why even Farage avoids him like the plague.
"There is something very specific happening to Jewish communities”
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch says she supports a moratorium on pro-Palestinian marches but not for the march led by far-right activist Tommy Robinson later this month
We must factor in the strong possibility of a late implosion from the Greens. Polanski is a Jezbollah-style disaster with extra titty-whispering
From the Telegraph
“Polanski liked post claiming Zionists control Government The Green Party leader endorses Bluesky message which claims Prime Minister is on the payroll of powerful Jews”
Whatever the result of the election I predict Polanski will be gone within months
I think you are grossly underestimating the invulnerability to embarrassment of the modern politician. In any serious country Farage would already be free to spend a lot more time with his £5m and would be off the stage.
Farage being a fairly shameless grifter is factored in. Polanski being an outright anti-Semite is not. His party is already in trouble on this issue, activists have been arrested, the deputy leader is suspicious, and now the leader seems to be tainted. And also an idiot
Most of the nation has reeled back in horror at the violent anti-Semitic attacks these last weeks. The scales have dropped and a pushback is beginning
Sure, a nasty chunk of British society is now anti-Semitic, partly home grown nutters, partly imported Muslim values. But it’s a small chunk, I think. Nothing like the 20%+ the Greens need to make a real breakthrough
See the plunge in Polanski’s polling this week. Expect them to underperform on Thursday. Expect Polanski to go in months
What you mean by "factored in" is that a significant part of the electorate are willing to just ignore it. Many will be utterly appalled by Polanski's antisemitism but I fear many of those voting Green will have the same response and some of their more recent supporters might even like it.
Frankly both the Greens and Reform are for now beyond the pale.
I am, for the first time in my life, considering voting Labour, as my council area is now a a Reform/Labour marginal.
Grim, isn't it?
I suspect I'm going to wake up with Reform councillors on Friday; not so much because of their popuarity or brilliant campaign, but because they will get all their ducks in the same pond, whereas the anti-Refom vote will be split between Conservatives (who do seem to have withdrawn to their last redouts), Labour (who are trying, bless them, but are still Labour) and the Residents Association (who haven't done that brilliant a job of running the council). Oh, and the Greens, I suppose. And the solitary Lib Dem candidate in a 3 member ward, who we've understandably heard nothing from.
After some head-scratching I decided to plump for the RA as in my ward the Tories seem to have given up - after an initial leaflet drop I haven't heard or seen them. They seem to be concentrating on St Alban's next door. I used to be in your ward and I would probably also have voted Labour there as the RAs have never featured much in Romford.
I fully expect the result to be something like Reform 40 RA 10 C 5 come Friday evening.
We must factor in the strong possibility of a late implosion from the Greens. Polanski is a Jezbollah-style disaster with extra titty-whispering
From the Telegraph
“Polanski liked post claiming Zionists control Government The Green Party leader endorses Bluesky message which claims Prime Minister is on the payroll of powerful Jews”
Whatever the result of the election I predict Polanski will be gone within months
Just looking over some data ahead of our elections webinar later and Zack Polanski’s net approval rating has fallen by a fairly chunky 14 points over the last week. Still far ahead of Starmer but also puts him now well below the top three of Badenoch, Davey and Farage.
10,000s joined the Greens just to vote for him. Mainly ex-Corbynites I guess. They'll keep him there I suspect.
I don’t understand the pearl clutching over Polanski calling out the Jews. Unless British Jews publicly condemn the murdering actions of Netanyahu’s regime in Gaza and Lebanon and their illegal occupation of the West Bank, they will have no sympathy from me. I don’t want anyone murdered, but fail to see why a Jewish life should be worth more than a Muslim life, or a Christian, Hindu, Sikh or Buddhist life, for that matter. It makes me think there may be something accurate in Polanski’s comments about Starmer and Labour.
Can you apply this to Muslims re Oct 7th (and any of the other Muslim inspired terrorist attacks) too?
Oh Kemi, defending Tommy Robinson is not a good look, there’s a reason why even Farage avoids him like the plague.
"There is something very specific happening to Jewish communities”
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch says she supports a moratorium on pro-Palestinian marches but not for the march led by far-right activist Tommy Robinson later this month
Oh Kemi, defending Tommy Robinson is not a good look, there’s a reason why even Farage avoids him like the plague.
"There is something very specific happening to Jewish communities”
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch says she supports a moratorium on pro-Palestinian marches but not for the march led by far-right activist Tommy Robinson later this month
If you’re going to ban one then you ban the other aswell .
I don't want pro-Palestine marches banned. I want illegal acts punished. Inciting racial hatred by chanting 'Death, death, death to the IDF' for instance. Or driving round London shouting about raping and murdering jews.
Most people think that the majority of Palestinians living in Gaza are victims. Victims of their own 'rulers', Hamas, and the over the top reaction of the Israeli government. They should be able to protest that if they want. But if elements cross the line then the law needs to be applied.
We must factor in the strong possibility of a late implosion from the Greens. Polanski is a Jezbollah-style disaster with extra titty-whispering
From the Telegraph
“Polanski liked post claiming Zionists control Government The Green Party leader endorses Bluesky message which claims Prime Minister is on the payroll of powerful Jews”
Whatever the result of the election I predict Polanski will be gone within months
Just looking over some data ahead of our elections webinar later and Zack Polanski’s net approval rating has fallen by a fairly chunky 14 points over the last week. Still far ahead of Starmer but also puts him now well below the top three of Badenoch, Davey and Farage.
10,000s joined the Greens just to vote for him. Mainly ex-Corbynites I guess. They'll keep him there I suspect.
I don’t understand the pearl clutching over Polanski calling out the Jews. Unless British Jews publicly condemn the murdering actions of Netanyahu’s regime in Gaza and Lebanon and their illegal occupation of the West Bank, they will have no sympathy from me. I don’t want anyone murdered, but fail to see why a Jewish life should be worth more than a Muslim life, or a Christian, Hindu, Sikh or Buddhist life, for that matter. It makes me think there may be something accurate in Polanski’s comments about Starmer and Labour.
Sorry, but that's just as racist towards Jews as the crap Leon spouts about Muslims.
I’m not sure why Streeting isn’t second favourite.
It's odd isn't it. He's the obvious "sane" choice that's not going to panic the bond markets, and he's got the massive advantage of actually being an MP and government minister, and not waiting for the outcome of an HMRC investigation. He's managed to come out of quite a sticky Mandelson spot fairly undiminished by virtue of publishing all his WhatsApp long enough ago that everyone has forgotten about them. Even his government department is perceived as going fairly well, all things considered.
The longer he leaves it, the more chance one of his rivals has of extracting themselves from the mire and making it to pole position.
Surely he wants to be moving as fast as possible, if he intends to try for the top job at-all? Probably this Saturday, when the reality of the horror show that is the local electiond is starting to sink in. After that the longer he leaves it, the more unlikely he is to get it, imho.
Edit, I think Burnham knows this too, hence all the way he's been spinning like a wind turbine for in a gale all weekend - if he's got any chance, he's got to stop MPs backing Wes and triggering a contest straight after the locals.
Oh Kemi, defending Tommy Robinson is not a good look, there’s a reason why even Farage avoids him like the plague.
"There is something very specific happening to Jewish communities”
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch says she supports a moratorium on pro-Palestinian marches but not for the march led by far-right activist Tommy Robinson later this month
We’ve had a couple of deeply worrying developments - the prospect of government-approved protest, and the personal and public statement by the Chief of the Met about a specific politician.
The former is already the case in practice - consider the attitude towards farmers and hauliers blocking streets off versus JSO. The Rowley statement was disgraceful and I cannot believe we now live in a country where unelected senior public officials attack politicians for perfectly legal (but very stupid) speech.
The far-right marches scared the crap out of some of my colleagues. I don’t understand why they should be allowed if Palestine marches are banned on the same basis.
Oh Kemi, defending Tommy Robinson is not a good look, there’s a reason why even Farage avoids him like the plague.
"There is something very specific happening to Jewish communities”
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch says she supports a moratorium on pro-Palestinian marches but not for the march led by far-right activist Tommy Robinson later this month
We must factor in the strong possibility of a late implosion from the Greens. Polanski is a Jezbollah-style disaster with extra titty-whispering
From the Telegraph
“Polanski liked post claiming Zionists control Government The Green Party leader endorses Bluesky message which claims Prime Minister is on the payroll of powerful Jews”
Whatever the result of the election I predict Polanski will be gone within months
Just looking over some data ahead of our elections webinar later and Zack Polanski’s net approval rating has fallen by a fairly chunky 14 points over the last week. Still far ahead of Starmer but also puts him now well below the top three of Badenoch, Davey and Farage.
10,000s joined the Greens just to vote for him. Mainly ex-Corbynites I guess. They'll keep him there I suspect.
I don’t understand the pearl clutching over Polanski calling out the Jews. Unless British Jews publicly condemn the murdering actions of Netanyahu’s regime in Gaza and Lebanon and their illegal occupation of the West Bank, they will have no sympathy from me. I don’t want anyone murdered, but fail to see why a Jewish life should be worth more than a Muslim life, or a Christian, Hindu, Sikh or Buddhist life, for that matter. It makes me think there may be something accurate in Polanski’s comments about Starmer and Labour.
Can you apply this to Muslims re Oct 7th (and any of the other Muslim inspired terrorist attacks) too?
Oh Kemi, defending Tommy Robinson is not a good look, there’s a reason why even Farage avoids him like the plague.
"There is something very specific happening to Jewish communities”
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch says she supports a moratorium on pro-Palestinian marches but not for the march led by far-right activist Tommy Robinson later this month
If you’re going to ban one then you ban the other aswell .
I don't want pro-Palestine marches banned. I want illegal acts punished. Inciting racial hatred by chanting 'Death, death, death to the IDF' for instance. Or driving round London shouting about raping and murdering jews.
Most people think that the majority of Palestinians living in Gaza are victims. Victims of their own 'rulers', Hamas, and the over the top reaction of the Israeli government. They should be able to protest that if they want. But if elements cross the line then the law needs to be applied.
And that goes for the far-right too.
Agree - though I think the IDF chants are a bit of a grey area. It’s a force broadly considered to have implemented a genocide. It certainly wouldn’t be controversial in regard to the IRGC as an entity.
Oh Kemi, defending Tommy Robinson is not a good look, there’s a reason why even Farage avoids him like the plague.
"There is something very specific happening to Jewish communities”
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch says she supports a moratorium on pro-Palestinian marches but not for the march led by far-right activist Tommy Robinson later this month
If you’re going to ban one then you ban the other aswell .
What's Robinson done that's actually illegal, other than the contempt of court stuff? I grant you he's good at dog-whistling to thugs, but I think he's fairly careful not to do anything that would get him nicked for incitement.
The issue with the pro-Palestinian marches is that there's been a lot of stuff which crosses that line, and the plod don't seem very interested in doing anything about it.
We must factor in the strong possibility of a late implosion from the Greens. Polanski is a Jezbollah-style disaster with extra titty-whispering
From the Telegraph
“Polanski liked post claiming Zionists control Government The Green Party leader endorses Bluesky message which claims Prime Minister is on the payroll of powerful Jews”
Whatever the result of the election I predict Polanski will be gone within months
Just looking over some data ahead of our elections webinar later and Zack Polanski’s net approval rating has fallen by a fairly chunky 14 points over the last week. Still far ahead of Starmer but also puts him now well below the top three of Badenoch, Davey and Farage.
10,000s joined the Greens just to vote for him. Mainly ex-Corbynites I guess. They'll keep him there I suspect.
I don’t understand the pearl clutching over Polanski calling out the Jews. Unless British Jews publicly condemn the murdering actions of Netanyahu’s regime in Gaza and Lebanon and their illegal occupation of the West Bank, they will have no sympathy from me. I don’t want anyone murdered, but fail to see why a Jewish life should be worth more than a Muslim life, or a Christian, Hindu, Sikh or Buddhist life, for that matter. It makes me think there may be something accurate in Polanski’s comments about Starmer and Labour.
Can you apply this to Muslims re Oct 7th (and any of the other Muslim inspired terrorist attacks) too?
My self inflicted exile from PB is waning a little. To start with I didn't even lurk for a few weeks at a time. Now I am lurking regularly.
Occasionally I am stimulated to post in response to something and then realise I will get sucked into some nonsense and it will just waste my time, so I resist which has given me more time to drink beer, play table tennis, drive my cobra (which is sick currently), garden and plan my cycle trips (Normandy in June, Burgundy in September).
Might post a picture of a wisteria in my garden later. That is what a political forum needs; more garden pictures.
PS always up for a beer if you are even in the soft south.
I’ll have to make the effort to get darn sarf. That would be good. I’ve wanted to visit some Sweeney locations for a while !
All well up here. My apple tree and rhubarb is spouting and should be good later in the year.
It must be nippy up there; I am about to make my 4th harvest of Rhubarb.
Need rain desperately. I have 4 water butts and all were empty before April was over and I only water the greenhouse and newly planted peas and beans.
We must factor in the strong possibility of a late implosion from the Greens. Polanski is a Jezbollah-style disaster with extra titty-whispering
From the Telegraph
“Polanski liked post claiming Zionists control Government The Green Party leader endorses Bluesky message which claims Prime Minister is on the payroll of powerful Jews”
Whatever the result of the election I predict Polanski will be gone within months
Just looking over some data ahead of our elections webinar later and Zack Polanski’s net approval rating has fallen by a fairly chunky 14 points over the last week. Still far ahead of Starmer but also puts him now well below the top three of Badenoch, Davey and Farage.
10,000s joined the Greens just to vote for him. Mainly ex-Corbynites I guess. They'll keep him there I suspect.
I don’t understand the pearl clutching over Polanski calling out the Jews. Unless British Jews publicly condemn the murdering actions of Netanyahu’s regime in Gaza and Lebanon and their illegal occupation of the West Bank, they will have no sympathy from me. I don’t want anyone murdered, but fail to see why a Jewish life should be worth more than a Muslim life, or a Christian, Hindu, Sikh or Buddhist life, for that matter. It makes me think there may be something accurate in Polanski’s comments about Starmer and Labour.
Can you apply this to Muslims re Oct 7th (and any of the other Muslim inspired terrorist attacks) too?
Yes. I am happy to apply is equally.
This is just crazy. Would require the whole population to wear t-shirts with a disclaimer about condemning what their particular religion or ethnicity has got up to.
I, being of Scottish origin and Scottish Episcopal affiliation, hereby unconditionally condemn everything my ancestors may or may not have done, including but not limited to: the Clearances, the Darien scheme, enthusiastic participation in the British Empire, various clan massacres carried out upon other clans, the deeply questionable role of Scottish landlords in the suffering of their tenants across several centuries, and the Scottish Episcopal Church's historical tendency to align itself with whichever political position subsequently proved most embarrassing. I accept no personal responsibility but feel appropriately haunted by it nonetheless.
We must factor in the strong possibility of a late implosion from the Greens. Polanski is a Jezbollah-style disaster with extra titty-whispering
From the Telegraph
“Polanski liked post claiming Zionists control Government The Green Party leader endorses Bluesky message which claims Prime Minister is on the payroll of powerful Jews”
Whatever the result of the election I predict Polanski will be gone within months
Just looking over some data ahead of our elections webinar later and Zack Polanski’s net approval rating has fallen by a fairly chunky 14 points over the last week. Still far ahead of Starmer but also puts him now well below the top three of Badenoch, Davey and Farage.
10,000s joined the Greens just to vote for him. Mainly ex-Corbynites I guess. They'll keep him there I suspect.
I don’t understand the pearl clutching over Polanski calling out the Jews. Unless British Jews publicly condemn the murdering actions of Netanyahu’s regime in Gaza and Lebanon and their illegal occupation of the West Bank, they will have no sympathy from me. I don’t want anyone murdered, but fail to see why a Jewish life should be worth more than a Muslim life, or a Christian, Hindu, Sikh or Buddhist life, for that matter. It makes me think there may be something accurate in Polanski’s comments about Starmer and Labour.
Can you apply this to Muslims re Oct 7th (and any of the other Muslim inspired terrorist attacks) too?
Yes. I am happy to apply it equally.
So, to be clear you think that unless British Jews stand up and condemn the genocide of Israel they are fair game? As are Muslims who glorify the terrorist attack of 7th October? Maybe Chinese who don't condemn the genocide of the Uyghurs? Perhaps Sikhs who don't condemn terrorism in the Punjab? Where, exactly, does this stop?
Or, maybe, just maybe, we should recognise that we set the laws for the UK and everyone who lives here is entitled to the protection they afford, whether their country of origin offends us or not? I seriously think you need to rethink this.
Solid evidence of Polanski's decline: my daughter initially thought he walked on water and was sufficiently enthused not just to vote Green but to join the party.
Over a pint at the weekend, she mused, and I quote, "Polanski's a bit of a twat, isn't he dad?"
Like a friend of mine who has gone off Zarah Sultana.
We must factor in the strong possibility of a late implosion from the Greens. Polanski is a Jezbollah-style disaster with extra titty-whispering
From the Telegraph
“Polanski liked post claiming Zionists control Government The Green Party leader endorses Bluesky message which claims Prime Minister is on the payroll of powerful Jews”
Whatever the result of the election I predict Polanski will be gone within months
Just looking over some data ahead of our elections webinar later and Zack Polanski’s net approval rating has fallen by a fairly chunky 14 points over the last week. Still far ahead of Starmer but also puts him now well below the top three of Badenoch, Davey and Farage.
10,000s joined the Greens just to vote for him. Mainly ex-Corbynites I guess. They'll keep him there I suspect.
I don’t understand the pearl clutching over Polanski calling out the Jews. Unless British Jews publicly condemn the murdering actions of Netanyahu’s regime in Gaza and Lebanon and their illegal occupation of the West Bank, they will have no sympathy from me. I don’t want anyone murdered, but fail to see why a Jewish life should be worth more than a Muslim life, or a Christian, Hindu, Sikh or Buddhist life, for that matter. It makes me think there may be something accurate in Polanski’s comments about Starmer and Labour.
Can you apply this to Muslims re Oct 7th (and any of the other Muslim inspired terrorist attacks) too?
I suggested that we need Loyalty Oaths, the other day.
All the minorities need to line up and publicly sign statements abjuring various things.
In return they get an official badge to wear, proving the are a Good Mimority, and can have civil rights.
Last night Ukraine hit one of the largest oil refineries in Russia - Kirishi, near St Petersburg - and also a factory that makes guidance components for missiles and drones.
High-resolution satellite imagery of the Tuapse refinery and oil terminal suggests that 28 fuel tanks have been destroyed, 5 damaged and 64 remain intact (approx. two-thirds of the total). Tuapse has been hit repeatedly in recent weeks, and been on fire for days and days and days, so this underlines just how much effort it will take to completely destroy such infrastructure.
I’m not sure why Streeting isn’t second favourite.
It's odd isn't it. He's the obvious "sane" choice that's not going to panic the bond markets, and he's got the massive advantage of actually being an MP and government minister, and not waiting for the outcome of an HMRC investigation. He's managed to come out of quite a sticky Mandelson spot fairly undiminished by virtue of publishing all his WhatsApp long enough ago that everyone has forgotten about them. Even his government department is perceived as going fairly well, all things considered.
The longer he leaves it, the more chance one of his rivals has of extracting themselves from the mire and making it to pole position.
Surely he wants to be moving as fast as possible, if he intends to try for the top job at-all? Probably this Saturday, when the reality of the horror show that is the local electiond is starting to sink in. After that the longer he leaves it, the more unlikely he is to get it, imho.
Edit, I think Burnham knows this too, hence all the way he's been spinning like a wind turbine for in a gale all weekend - if he's got any chance, he's got to stop MPs backing Wes and triggering a contest straight after the locals.
Streeting's problem is that hardly anyone who knows him seems to like him.
But yes, Wes needs this to kick off ASAP, Andy and Ange want it soon but not too soon, because the shortlist will look rather different in May 2027.
Which is why the difference between Starmer not making it to the next election and Starmer going by the weekend matters.
Solid evidence of Polanski's decline: my daughter initially thought he walked on water and was sufficiently enthused not just to vote Green but to join the party.
Over a pint at the weekend, she mused, and I quote, "Polanski's a bit of a twat, isn't he dad?"
It’s just Corbyn again. We know where this ends as we’ve already lived it.
Labour votes 2017 general election (Corbyn): 12 and a bit million 2019 general election (Corbyn): 10 and a bit million 2024 general election (Starmer): 9 and a bit million
We must factor in the strong possibility of a late implosion from the Greens. Polanski is a Jezbollah-style disaster with extra titty-whispering
From the Telegraph
“Polanski liked post claiming Zionists control Government The Green Party leader endorses Bluesky message which claims Prime Minister is on the payroll of powerful Jews”
Whatever the result of the election I predict Polanski will be gone within months
Just looking over some data ahead of our elections webinar later and Zack Polanski’s net approval rating has fallen by a fairly chunky 14 points over the last week. Still far ahead of Starmer but also puts him now well below the top three of Badenoch, Davey and Farage.
10,000s joined the Greens just to vote for him. Mainly ex-Corbynites I guess. They'll keep him there I suspect.
I don’t understand the pearl clutching over Polanski calling out the Jews. Unless British Jews publicly condemn the murdering actions of Netanyahu’s regime in Gaza and Lebanon and their illegal occupation of the West Bank, they will have no sympathy from me. I don’t want anyone murdered, but fail to see why a Jewish life should be worth more than a Muslim life, or a Christian, Hindu, Sikh or Buddhist life, for that matter. It makes me think there may be something accurate in Polanski’s comments about Starmer and Labour.
Can you apply this to Muslims re Oct 7th (and any of the other Muslim inspired terrorist attacks) too?
Yes. I am happy to apply is equally.
This is just crazy. Would require the whole population to wear t-shirts with a disclaimer about condemning what their particular religion or ethnicity has got up to.
I, being of Scottish origin and Scottish Episcopal affiliation, hereby unconditionally condemn everything my ancestors may or may not have done, including but not limited to: the Clearances, the Darien scheme, enthusiastic participation in the British Empire, various clan massacres carried out upon other clans, the deeply questionable role of Scottish landlords in the suffering of their tenants across several centuries, and the Scottish Episcopal Church's historical tendency to align itself with whichever political position subsequently proved most embarrassing. I accept no personal responsibility but feel appropriately haunted by it nonetheless.
As the founder of the Loyalty Oath Crusade, I formally pronounce you Good Scotch.
Please collect your Thistle Badge from reception along with the scroll formally restoring your civil rights (right not to be randomly stabbed in the street)
Solid evidence of Polanski's decline: my daughter initially thought he walked on water and was sufficiently enthused not just to vote Green but to join the party.
Over a pint at the weekend, she mused, and I quote, "Polanski's a bit of a twat, isn't he dad?"
Like a friend of mine who has gone off Zarah Sultana.
We must factor in the strong possibility of a late implosion from the Greens. Polanski is a Jezbollah-style disaster with extra titty-whispering
From the Telegraph
“Polanski liked post claiming Zionists control Government The Green Party leader endorses Bluesky message which claims Prime Minister is on the payroll of powerful Jews”
Whatever the result of the election I predict Polanski will be gone within months
Just looking over some data ahead of our elections webinar later and Zack Polanski’s net approval rating has fallen by a fairly chunky 14 points over the last week. Still far ahead of Starmer but also puts him now well below the top three of Badenoch, Davey and Farage.
10,000s joined the Greens just to vote for him. Mainly ex-Corbynites I guess. They'll keep him there I suspect.
I don’t understand the pearl clutching over Polanski calling out the Jews. Unless British Jews publicly condemn the murdering actions of Netanyahu’s regime in Gaza and Lebanon and their illegal occupation of the West Bank, they will have no sympathy from me. I don’t want anyone murdered, but fail to see why a Jewish life should be worth more than a Muslim life, or a Christian, Hindu, Sikh or Buddhist life, for that matter. It makes me think there may be something accurate in Polanski’s comments about Starmer and Labour.
Can you apply this to Muslims re Oct 7th (and any of the other Muslim inspired terrorist attacks) too?
Yes. I am happy to apply is equally.
This is just crazy. Would require the whole population to wear t-shirts with a disclaimer about condemning what their particular religion or ethnicity has got up to.
I, being of Scottish origin and Scottish Episcopal affiliation, hereby unconditionally condemn everything my ancestors may or may not have done, including but not limited to: the Clearances, the Darien scheme, enthusiastic participation in the British Empire, various clan massacres carried out upon other clans, the deeply questionable role of Scottish landlords in the suffering of their tenants across several centuries, and the Scottish Episcopal Church's historical tendency to align itself with whichever political position subsequently proved most embarrassing. I accept no personal responsibility but feel appropriately haunted by it nonetheless.
As the founder of the Loyalty Oath Crusade, I formally pronounce you Good Scotch.
Please collect your Thistle Badge from reception along with the scroll formally restoring your civil rights (right not to be randomly stabbed in the street)
It’s just occurred to me that, while that was historically my family’s church, we haven’t actually been in two decades (Church of Scotland for Christmas), and I’m officially “No religion”.
Which puts me in with Mao and Stalin. I also need to condemn everything the Scottish and UK governments do as well. This disclaimer is going to be long.
A referendum was held to name the new leisure centre in Millom.
The winning name was, wait for it, Millom Leisure Centre.
Makes you proud to be British.
I've just looked this up on the BBC.
If I may be forgiven for reading far too much into a story - this illustrates a fundamental chasm in British society. The tone of the story is very much "ha ha, look at the thickies from the regions who called their leisure centre a leisure centre" - but I would suggest that the vast majority of the country, in Millom and elsewhere, prefer their leisure centres called things like "Millom Leisure Centre". As the vote shows. We are, however, governed by the sorts of earnest people who do not agree.
OK then - we can all agree that it is a silly, nasty, unlawful etc policy. But note how @rcs1000 complains about it.
First he says that for a long time politics was about being in power for all the people not just those who voted for you. This is frankly childish nonsense. Politics has never been like that - not in the US and not here either and not, frankly, anywhere. Politics has always been about choices, about trade offs, about shifting power and wealth, about priorities etc and to a greater or lesser extent all politicians have acted in favour of those they are for. Some are better at disguising this. Some are good at expanding this group. But to pretend that a PM or President acts in the interests of everyone all the time is for the fairies.
Then he says that it would have been OK to say ""we think the costs should be shared around, and it's wrong that the most deprived areas bear the brunt of these costs". So is the problem with the tone rather than the policy?
And if the policy of sharing the costs around is fine, how precisely is this going to be done, especially bearing in mind that the costs are not simply financial? How is the cost of dealing with illegal migration and asylum seekers while their claims re being considered going to be fairly shared and not simply dumped on poor areas because it is too expensive to do so in expensive areas which claim to welcome refugees?
I would not vote Reform in a month of Sundays but until their critics come up with some practical proposals all this bleating just comes across like NIMBYs complaining about not enough houses for the young while ferociously resisting any building in their precious Cotswold village.
What "practical proposals" ? Reform are proposing to deport people in numbers that no one else is considering. They're effectively promising a UK version of ICE, with similar lack of care for the consequences.
What's offending rcs, quite rightly, is the promise to target policy at constituencies specifically and exclusively on the basis of how that constituency voted. That's not a "trade-off".
I was asking @rcs1000 what his practical proposals for, in his words, "the costs should be shared around and it's wrong that the most deprived areas bear the brunt of those costs" were. Reform have proposed something which is impractical as well as nasty. What practical alternatives are those criticising them proposing?
That is a legitimate question to ask political parties.
We must factor in the strong possibility of a late implosion from the Greens. Polanski is a Jezbollah-style disaster with extra titty-whispering
From the Telegraph
“Polanski liked post claiming Zionists control Government The Green Party leader endorses Bluesky message which claims Prime Minister is on the payroll of powerful Jews”
Whatever the result of the election I predict Polanski will be gone within months
Just looking over some data ahead of our elections webinar later and Zack Polanski’s net approval rating has fallen by a fairly chunky 14 points over the last week. Still far ahead of Starmer but also puts him now well below the top three of Badenoch, Davey and Farage.
10,000s joined the Greens just to vote for him. Mainly ex-Corbynites I guess. They'll keep him there I suspect.
I don’t understand the pearl clutching over Polanski calling out the Jews. Unless British Jews publicly condemn the murdering actions of Netanyahu’s regime in Gaza and Lebanon and their illegal occupation of the West Bank, they will have no sympathy from me. I don’t want anyone murdered, but fail to see why a Jewish life should be worth more than a Muslim life, or a Christian, Hindu, Sikh or Buddhist life, for that matter. It makes me think there may be something accurate in Polanski’s comments about Starmer and Labour.
Can you apply this to Muslims re Oct 7th (and any of the other Muslim inspired terrorist attacks) too?
Yes. I am happy to apply is equally.
This is just crazy. Would require the whole population to wear t-shirts with a disclaimer about condemning what their particular religion or ethnicity has got up to.
I, being of Scottish origin and Scottish Episcopal affiliation, hereby unconditionally condemn everything my ancestors may or may not have done, including but not limited to: the Clearances, the Darien scheme, enthusiastic participation in the British Empire, various clan massacres carried out upon other clans, the deeply questionable role of Scottish landlords in the suffering of their tenants across several centuries, and the Scottish Episcopal Church's historical tendency to align itself with whichever political position subsequently proved most embarrassing. I accept no personal responsibility but feel appropriately haunted by it nonetheless.
As the founder of the Loyalty Oath Crusade, I formally pronounce you Good Scotch.
Please collect your Thistle Badge from reception along with the scroll formally restoring your civil rights (right not to be randomly stabbed in the street)
It’s just occurred to me that, while that was historically my family’s church, we haven’t actually been in two decades (Church of Scotland for Christmas), and I’m officially “No religion”.
Which puts me in with Mao and Stalin. I also need to condemn everything the Scottish and UK governments do as well. This disclaimer is going to be long.
Yield on UK 30-year gilt at highest level since 1998... (just below 5.8%)
If Starmer does announce his intention to stand down on Friday or over the weekend this could rise to 6 at which point emergency cuts in spending to reduce borrowing may become unavoidable.
There is a brilliant line (one of so many) in the Dune novels which describes Paul's father as someone who has walked on the edge of the cliff for so long he failed to notice when he had fallen over it. UK finances are getting a bit like that.
A referendum was held to name the new leisure centre in Millom.
The winning name was, wait for it, Millom Leisure Centre.
Makes you proud to be British.
I've just looked this up on the BBC.
If I may be forgiven for reading far too much into a story - this illustrates a fundamental chasm in British society. The tone of the story is very much "ha ha, look at the thickies from the regions who called their leisure centre a leisure centre" - but I would suggest that the vast majority of the country, in Millom and elsewhere, prefer their leisure centres called things like "Millom Leisure Centre". As the vote shows. We are, however, governed by the sorts of earnest people who do not agree.
Everyone knows what Millom Leisure Centre is, what it does and where it is. What else do you need from a name? One of the losing alternatives was "The Salthouse Centre" - what good is that as a name to anyone?
A referendum was held to name the new leisure centre in Millom.
The winning name was, wait for it, Millom Leisure Centre.
Makes you proud to be British.
I've just looked this up on the BBC.
If I may be forgiven for reading far too much into a story - this illustrates a fundamental chasm in British society. The tone of the story is very much "ha ha, look at the thickies from the regions who called their leisure centre a leisure centre" - but I would suggest that the vast majority of the country, in Millom and elsewhere, prefer their leisure centres called things like "Millom Leisure Centre". As the vote shows. We are, however, governed by the sorts of earnest people who do not agree.
Everyone knows what Millom Leisure Centre is, what it does and where it is. What else do you need from a name? One of the losing alternatives was "The Salthouse Centre" - what good is that as a name to anyone?
We do, of course, have a poster here who was probably geographically eligible to take part in this referendum. I wonder how @Cyclefree voted?
OK then - we can all agree that it is a silly, nasty, unlawful etc policy. But note how @rcs1000 complains about it.
First he says that for a long time politics was about being in power for all the people not just those who voted for you. This is frankly childish nonsense. Politics has never been like that - not in the US and not here either and not, frankly, anywhere. Politics has always been about choices, about trade offs, about shifting power and wealth, about priorities etc and to a greater or lesser extent all politicians have acted in favour of those they are for. Some are better at disguising this. Some are good at expanding this group. But to pretend that a PM or President acts in the interests of everyone all the time is for the fairies.
Then he says that it would have been OK to say ""we think the costs should be shared around, and it's wrong that the most deprived areas bear the brunt of these costs". So is the problem with the tone rather than the policy?
And if the policy of sharing the costs around is fine, how precisely is this going to be done, especially bearing in mind that the costs are not simply financial? How is the cost of dealing with illegal migration and asylum seekers while their claims re being considered going to be fairly shared and not simply dumped on poor areas because it is too expensive to do so in expensive areas which claim to welcome refugees?
I would not vote Reform in a month of Sundays but until their critics come up with some practical proposals all this bleating just comes across like NIMBYs complaining about not enough houses for the young while ferociously resisting any building in their precious Cotswold village.
What "practical proposals" ? Reform are proposing to deport people in numbers that no one else is considering. They're effectively promising a UK version of ICE, with similar lack of care for the consequences.
What's offending rcs, quite rightly, is the promise to target policy at constituencies specifically and exclusively on the basis of how that constituency voted. That's not a "trade-off".
I was asking @rcs1000 what his practical proposals for, in his words, "the costs should be shared around and it's wrong that the most deprived areas bear the brunt of those costs" were. Reform have proposed something which is impractical as well as nasty. What practical alternatives are those criticising them proposing?
That is a legitimate question to ask political parties.
What would happen in a theoretical situation where no constituencies returned a Green MP?
OK then - we can all agree that it is a silly, nasty, unlawful etc policy. But note how @rcs1000 complains about it.
First he says that for a long time politics was about being in power for all the people not just those who voted for you. This is frankly childish nonsense. Politics has never been like that - not in the US and not here either and not, frankly, anywhere. Politics has always been about choices, about trade offs, about shifting power and wealth, about priorities etc and to a greater or lesser extent all politicians have acted in favour of those they are for. Some are better at disguising this. Some are good at expanding this group. But to pretend that a PM or President acts in the interests of everyone all the time is for the fairies.
Then he says that it would have been OK to say ""we think the costs should be shared around, and it's wrong that the most deprived areas bear the brunt of these costs". So is the problem with the tone rather than the policy?
And if the policy of sharing the costs around is fine, how precisely is this going to be done, especially bearing in mind that the costs are not simply financial? How is the cost of dealing with illegal migration and asylum seekers while their claims re being considered going to be fairly shared and not simply dumped on poor areas because it is too expensive to do so in expensive areas which claim to welcome refugees?
I would not vote Reform in a month of Sundays but until their critics come up with some practical proposals all this bleating just comes across like NIMBYs complaining about not enough houses for the young while ferociously resisting any building in their precious Cotswold village.
What "practical proposals" ? Reform are proposing to deport people in numbers that no one else is considering. They're effectively promising a UK version of ICE, with similar lack of care for the consequences.
What's offending rcs, quite rightly, is the promise to target policy at constituencies specifically and exclusively on the basis of how that constituency voted. That's not a "trade-off".
I was asking @rcs1000 what his practical proposals for, in his words, "the costs should be shared around and it's wrong that the most deprived areas bear the brunt of those costs" were. Reform have proposed something which is impractical as well as nasty. What practical alternatives are those criticising them proposing?
That is a legitimate question to ask political parties.
Process claims as quickly as possible, to minimise the number of people being held in limbo.
Accept that retrospectively telling people they must leave when they have previously been told they can stay isn't British, even if we don't like the consequences of that.
Choose locations for processing and removal facilities for operational effectiveness, rather than political game-playing.
Fund improvements in public services through broad-based tax rises.
We must factor in the strong possibility of a late implosion from the Greens. Polanski is a Jezbollah-style disaster with extra titty-whispering
From the Telegraph
“Polanski liked post claiming Zionists control Government The Green Party leader endorses Bluesky message which claims Prime Minister is on the payroll of powerful Jews”
Whatever the result of the election I predict Polanski will be gone within months
Just looking over some data ahead of our elections webinar later and Zack Polanski’s net approval rating has fallen by a fairly chunky 14 points over the last week. Still far ahead of Starmer but also puts him now well below the top three of Badenoch, Davey and Farage.
10,000s joined the Greens just to vote for him. Mainly ex-Corbynites I guess. They'll keep him there I suspect.
I don’t understand the pearl clutching over Polanski calling out the Jews. Unless British Jews publicly condemn the murdering actions of Netanyahu’s regime in Gaza and Lebanon and their illegal occupation of the West Bank, they will have no sympathy from me. I don’t want anyone murdered, but fail to see why a Jewish life should be worth more than a Muslim life, or a Christian, Hindu, Sikh or Buddhist life, for that matter. It makes me think there may be something accurate in Polanski’s comments about Starmer and Labour.
Dear God!
British citizens must endure the risk of being murdered, attacked, arson etc unless they publicly condemn a foreign government.
You forgot to mention what sort of identifying mark should be put on those citizens so that others can know who to attack or not.
Or we could do it with every single citizen - give them a list of all the governments, terror organisations etc they must condemn before they can feel safe from attack - and leave the identifying marks for the three people left in the country.
Really, this forum needs to deal with this kind of disgusting filth. X is available if you want comments from those without a moral compass.
OK then - we can all agree that it is a silly, nasty, unlawful etc policy. But note how @rcs1000 complains about it.
First he says that for a long time politics was about being in power for all the people not just those who voted for you. This is frankly childish nonsense. Politics has never been like that - not in the US and not here either and not, frankly, anywhere. Politics has always been about choices, about trade offs, about shifting power and wealth, about priorities etc and to a greater or lesser extent all politicians have acted in favour of those they are for. Some are better at disguising this. Some are good at expanding this group. But to pretend that a PM or President acts in the interests of everyone all the time is for the fairies.
Then he says that it would have been OK to say ""we think the costs should be shared around, and it's wrong that the most deprived areas bear the brunt of these costs". So is the problem with the tone rather than the policy?
And if the policy of sharing the costs around is fine, how precisely is this going to be done, especially bearing in mind that the costs are not simply financial? How is the cost of dealing with illegal migration and asylum seekers while their claims re being considered going to be fairly shared and not simply dumped on poor areas because it is too expensive to do so in expensive areas which claim to welcome refugees?
I would not vote Reform in a month of Sundays but until their critics come up with some practical proposals all this bleating just comes across like NIMBYs complaining about not enough houses for the young while ferociously resisting any building in their precious Cotswold village.
What "practical proposals" ? Reform are proposing to deport people in numbers that no one else is considering. They're effectively promising a UK version of ICE, with similar lack of care for the consequences.
What's offending rcs, quite rightly, is the promise to target policy at constituencies specifically and exclusively on the basis of how that constituency voted. That's not a "trade-off".
I was asking @rcs1000 what his practical proposals for, in his words, "the costs should be shared around and it's wrong that the most deprived areas bear the brunt of those costs" were. Reform have proposed something which is impractical as well as nasty. What practical alternatives are those criticising them proposing?
That is a legitimate question to ask political parties.
Process claims as quickly as possible, to minimise the number of people being held in limbo.
Accept that retrospectively telling people they must leave when they have previously been told they can stay isn't British, even if we don't like the consequences of that.
Choose locations for processing and removal facilities for operational effectiveness, rather than political game-playing.
Fund improvements in public services through broad-based tax rises.
Yeah, I know.
I’ve proposed wiping out the er… black economy in a way that targets the abusers of immigrants.
A referendum was held to name the new leisure centre in Millom.
The winning name was, wait for it, Millom Leisure Centre.
Makes you proud to be British.
I suppose we should be grateful it wasn't Swimmy McSwimface. I have to say I am somewhat confused by this story - first, why is it odd that they called it Millom Leisure Centre? Seems an entirely sensible choice. Secondly, where the hell is Millom? Should I feel bad that I have never heard of this place with its prosaic naming conventions?
We must factor in the strong possibility of a late implosion from the Greens. Polanski is a Jezbollah-style disaster with extra titty-whispering
From the Telegraph
“Polanski liked post claiming Zionists control Government The Green Party leader endorses Bluesky message which claims Prime Minister is on the payroll of powerful Jews”
Whatever the result of the election I predict Polanski will be gone within months
Just looking over some data ahead of our elections webinar later and Zack Polanski’s net approval rating has fallen by a fairly chunky 14 points over the last week. Still far ahead of Starmer but also puts him now well below the top three of Badenoch, Davey and Farage.
10,000s joined the Greens just to vote for him. Mainly ex-Corbynites I guess. They'll keep him there I suspect.
I don’t understand the pearl clutching over Polanski calling out the Jews. Unless British Jews publicly condemn the murdering actions of Netanyahu’s regime in Gaza and Lebanon and their illegal occupation of the West Bank, they will have no sympathy from me. I don’t want anyone murdered, but fail to see why a Jewish life should be worth more than a Muslim life, or a Christian, Hindu, Sikh or Buddhist life, for that matter. It makes me think there may be something accurate in Polanski’s comments about Starmer and Labour.
Can you apply this to Muslims re Oct 7th (and any of the other Muslim inspired terrorist attacks) too?
Yes. I am happy to apply is equally.
This is just crazy. Would require the whole population to wear t-shirts with a disclaimer about condemning what their particular religion or ethnicity has got up to.
I, being of Scottish origin and Scottish Episcopal affiliation, hereby unconditionally condemn everything my ancestors may or may not have done, including but not limited to: the Clearances, the Darien scheme, enthusiastic participation in the British Empire, various clan massacres carried out upon other clans, the deeply questionable role of Scottish landlords in the suffering of their tenants across several centuries, and the Scottish Episcopal Church's historical tendency to align itself with whichever political position subsequently proved most embarrassing. I accept no personal responsibility but feel appropriately haunted by it nonetheless.
As the founder of the Loyalty Oath Crusade, I formally pronounce you Good Scotch.
Please collect your Thistle Badge from reception along with the scroll formally restoring your civil rights (right not to be randomly stabbed in the street)
It’s just occurred to me that, while that was historically my family’s church, we haven’t actually been in two decades (Church of Scotland for Christmas), and I’m officially “No religion”.
Which puts me in with Mao and Stalin. I also need to condemn everything the Scottish and UK governments do as well. This disclaimer is going to be long.
We must factor in the strong possibility of a late implosion from the Greens. Polanski is a Jezbollah-style disaster with extra titty-whispering
From the Telegraph
“Polanski liked post claiming Zionists control Government The Green Party leader endorses Bluesky message which claims Prime Minister is on the payroll of powerful Jews”
Whatever the result of the election I predict Polanski will be gone within months
Just looking over some data ahead of our elections webinar later and Zack Polanski’s net approval rating has fallen by a fairly chunky 14 points over the last week. Still far ahead of Starmer but also puts him now well below the top three of Badenoch, Davey and Farage.
10,000s joined the Greens just to vote for him. Mainly ex-Corbynites I guess. They'll keep him there I suspect.
I don’t understand the pearl clutching over Polanski calling out the Jews. Unless British Jews publicly condemn the murdering actions of Netanyahu’s regime in Gaza and Lebanon and their illegal occupation of the West Bank, they will have no sympathy from me. I don’t want anyone murdered, but fail to see why a Jewish life should be worth more than a Muslim life, or a Christian, Hindu, Sikh or Buddhist life, for that matter. It makes me think there may be something accurate in Polanski’s comments about Starmer and Labour.
Dear God!
British citizens must endure the risk of being murdered, attacked, arson etc unless they publicly condemn a foreign government.
You forgot to mention what sort of identifying mark should be put on those citizens so that others can know who to attack or not.
Or we could do it with every single citizen - give them a list of all the governments, terror organisations etc they must condemn before they can feel safe from attack - and leave the identifying marks for the three people left in the country.
Really, this forum needs to deal with this kind of disgusting filth. X is available if you want comments from those without a moral compass.
The problem British Jews have is that the Israeli government continually calls out any attack on itself as antisemitic.
Which means the Israeli government is very happy for British Jews to take the blame for the action of the Israeli Government.
If i was Jewish I would be calling them out as people taking an extreme view on how best to protect Israel
We must factor in the strong possibility of a late implosion from the Greens. Polanski is a Jezbollah-style disaster with extra titty-whispering
From the Telegraph
“Polanski liked post claiming Zionists control Government The Green Party leader endorses Bluesky message which claims Prime Minister is on the payroll of powerful Jews”
Whatever the result of the election I predict Polanski will be gone within months
Just looking over some data ahead of our elections webinar later and Zack Polanski’s net approval rating has fallen by a fairly chunky 14 points over the last week. Still far ahead of Starmer but also puts him now well below the top three of Badenoch, Davey and Farage.
10,000s joined the Greens just to vote for him. Mainly ex-Corbynites I guess. They'll keep him there I suspect.
I don’t understand the pearl clutching over Polanski calling out the Jews. Unless British Jews publicly condemn the murdering actions of Netanyahu’s regime in Gaza and Lebanon and their illegal occupation of the West Bank, they will have no sympathy from me. I don’t want anyone murdered, but fail to see why a Jewish life should be worth more than a Muslim life, or a Christian, Hindu, Sikh or Buddhist life, for that matter. It makes me think there may be something accurate in Polanski’s comments about Starmer and Labour.
Dear God!
British citizens must endure the risk of being murdered, attacked, arson etc unless they publicly condemn a foreign government.
You forgot to mention what sort of identifying mark should be put on those citizens so that others can know who to attack or not.
Or we could do it with every single citizen - give them a list of all the governments, terror organisations etc they must condemn before they can feel safe from attack - and leave the identifying marks for the three people left in the country.
Really, this forum needs to deal with this kind of disgusting filth. X is available if you want comments from those without a moral compass.
The Loyalty Oath Crusade is working in reverse alphabetical order.
So Zoroastrians, Welsh and Scots are first up to publicly abjure their sins. And receive back their rights
We must factor in the strong possibility of a late implosion from the Greens. Polanski is a Jezbollah-style disaster with extra titty-whispering
From the Telegraph
“Polanski liked post claiming Zionists control Government The Green Party leader endorses Bluesky message which claims Prime Minister is on the payroll of powerful Jews”
Whatever the result of the election I predict Polanski will be gone within months
Just looking over some data ahead of our elections webinar later and Zack Polanski’s net approval rating has fallen by a fairly chunky 14 points over the last week. Still far ahead of Starmer but also puts him now well below the top three of Badenoch, Davey and Farage.
10,000s joined the Greens just to vote for him. Mainly ex-Corbynites I guess. They'll keep him there I suspect.
I don’t understand the pearl clutching over Polanski calling out the Jews. Unless British Jews publicly condemn the murdering actions of Netanyahu’s regime in Gaza and Lebanon and their illegal occupation of the West Bank, they will have no sympathy from me. I don’t want anyone murdered, but fail to see why a Jewish life should be worth more than a Muslim life, or a Christian, Hindu, Sikh or Buddhist life, for that matter. It makes me think there may be something accurate in Polanski’s comments about Starmer and Labour.
Dear God!
British citizens must endure the risk of being murdered, attacked, arson etc unless they publicly condemn a foreign government.
You forgot to mention what sort of identifying mark should be put on those citizens so that others can know who to attack or not.
Or we could do it with every single citizen - give them a list of all the governments, terror organisations etc they must condemn before they can feel safe from attack - and leave the identifying marks for the three people left in the country.
Really, this forum needs to deal with this kind of disgusting filth. X is available if you want comments from those without a moral compass.
The problem British Jews have is that the Israeli government continually calls out any attack on itself as antisemitic.
Which means the Israeli government is very happy for British Jews to take the blame for the action of the Israeli Government.
If i was Jewish I would be calling them out as people taking an extreme view on how best to protect Israel
Hmmm... So I had better need to call out Indian policy in Kashmir, even though I have never held Indian citizenship?
Yield on UK 30-year gilt at highest level since 1998... (just below 5.8%)
I want to know how is sterling holding up so well with our sky high gilt yields ?
The Euro area rate is 3.511%, we're even 0.8% over the US on the same timeframe.
Higher gilt rates, up to a certain point, should increase the value of Sterling not diminish it because assets held in Sterling are likely to give a higher return. Of course if we get to a crash point all bets are off and Sterling would collapse.
OK then - we can all agree that it is a silly, nasty, unlawful etc policy. But note how @rcs1000 complains about it.
First he says that for a long time politics was about being in power for all the people not just those who voted for you. This is frankly childish nonsense. Politics has never been like that - not in the US and not here either and not, frankly, anywhere. Politics has always been about choices, about trade offs, about shifting power and wealth, about priorities etc and to a greater or lesser extent all politicians have acted in favour of those they are for. Some are better at disguising this. Some are good at expanding this group. But to pretend that a PM or President acts in the interests of everyone all the time is for the fairies.
Then he says that it would have been OK to say ""we think the costs should be shared around, and it's wrong that the most deprived areas bear the brunt of these costs". So is the problem with the tone rather than the policy?
And if the policy of sharing the costs around is fine, how precisely is this going to be done, especially bearing in mind that the costs are not simply financial? How is the cost of dealing with illegal migration and asylum seekers while their claims re being considered going to be fairly shared and not simply dumped on poor areas because it is too expensive to do so in expensive areas which claim to welcome refugees?
I would not vote Reform in a month of Sundays but until their critics come up with some practical proposals all this bleating just comes across like NIMBYs complaining about not enough houses for the young while ferociously resisting any building in their precious Cotswold village.
What "practical proposals" ? Reform are proposing to deport people in numbers that no one else is considering. They're effectively promising a UK version of ICE, with similar lack of care for the consequences.
What's offending rcs, quite rightly, is the promise to target policy at constituencies specifically and exclusively on the basis of how that constituency voted. That's not a "trade-off".
I was asking @rcs1000 what his practical proposals for, in his words, "the costs should be shared around and it's wrong that the most deprived areas bear the brunt of those costs" were. Reform have proposed something which is impractical as well as nasty. What practical alternatives are those criticising them proposing?
That is a legitimate question to ask political parties.
Process claims as quickly as possible, to minimise the number of people being held in limbo.
Accept that retrospectively telling people they must leave when they have previously been told they can stay isn't British, even if we don't like the consequences of that.
Choose locations for processing and removal facilities for operational effectiveness, rather than political game-playing.
Fund improvements in public services through broad-based tax rises.
Yeah, I know.
I’ve proposed wiping out the er… black economy in a way that targets the abusers of immigrants.
Might even pay for itself.
I'm sure you've explained before- but how do you get round the megacorp.com "we don't employ these people, we just put independent contractors in touch with potential clients, and besides all the profits from megacorp.co.uk are rapidly moved offshore" loophole?
A referendum was held to name the new leisure centre in Millom.
The winning name was, wait for it, Millom Leisure Centre.
Makes you proud to be British.
I've just looked this up on the BBC.
If I may be forgiven for reading far too much into a story - this illustrates a fundamental chasm in British society. The tone of the story is very much "ha ha, look at the thickies from the regions who called their leisure centre a leisure centre" - but I would suggest that the vast majority of the country, in Millom and elsewhere, prefer their leisure centres called things like "Millom Leisure Centre". As the vote shows. We are, however, governed by the sorts of earnest people who do not agree.
This is Millom's third claim to modest fame. The first is that it is the least accessible of all English towns, which means that no-one (except perhaps Cyclefree) ever goes there. The second is that it is the birthplace of Norman Nicholson, a poet famous in Cumberland and would be widely famous if he were not a lifelong provincial. His masterpiece (IMO) is 'The Pot geranium' which I link here. Don't miss it. There is a plaque on the house where he was born lived and died. I went on pilgrimage to it not long ago.
Comments
Greens were on 9%. They’re now often over 15% as Labour have imploded and they got fresh interesting leadership. The leadership has turned out to be dumb, inept and anti semitic, and the polling on Polanski shows this. As a result I believe they will now sink back to a level slightly above their previous average. Say 10-12%. Because some of the converts won’t mind these problems
Those are the numbers
Darren Johnson
@DarrenJohnson66
Polanski's rise was meteoric but I think he made a huge strategic blunder when he launched his Green leadership bid. He's a charismatic guy who'd have won by a landslide anyway, without courting the hard left cranks booted out of Labour for antisemitism. Now he's their prisoner.
https://x.com/DarrenJohnson66/status/2051613791855485325
Nothing new in that- "Join the winning team" was a classic of Focus, In Touch and off-brand knockoffs in the 80s, probably before. There's a bit of it in the lastest Reform stunt; "we've already won, so are you with us or against us?" But that loops back to Burnham's problem; he's nothing new.
I mean how has the approve/disapprove/ don't know ratio changed?
If it is simply folk who'd never dream of voting Green actually now knowing who he is, then that has no electoral impact.
Trump-“Ukraine is better than any other NATO ally in fighting.”
https://x.com/luketryl/status/2051558719679304067?s=46&t=CW4pL-mMpTqsJXCdjW0Z6Q
Allegedly £12m to the Party/ Company and £5m to the man. Drop in the ocean really.
Gen. Donahue told them to use their NATO trained forces in an offensive at one point on the Russian lines to split them in two. Instead, Zelensky, Zaluzhniy and Syrsky doled out the new formations to various warlords all along the front to buy political favour. This led to a diffuse and uncoordinated effort that achieved less than nothing. If they had listened and followed NATO's advice they might have been in a happier place.
So click on the link then edit in the address bar of your browser.
The next counter-attack suffered hideous losses due to the presence of large numbers of land mines which were not there previously, and which the Russians likely would never have laid had they been expecting solely to advance and not to lose land.
The irony is despite the supposed superiority in numbers Russia has, they occupy today far less of Ukraine than they did in the peak a few years ago.
10,000s joined the Greens just to vote for him. Mainly ex-Corbynites I guess. They'll keep him there I suspect.
Yes others despise it, but those aren't his voters.
Over a pint at the weekend, she mused, and I quote, "Polanski's a bit of a twat, isn't he dad?"
I think I will leave it there.
Interestingly I received some Lib Dem campaign leaflets today and they highlighted the Green vote so perhaps some nervousness that they’re eating into the Lib Dem vote .
It’s normally a straight fight here between the Lib Dem’s and Tories and I think there were high hopes for them to gain control of East Sussex County Council .
That’s still possible if there’s a favourable split between Reform and the Tories .
"There is something very specific happening to Jewish communities”
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch says she supports a moratorium on pro-Palestinian marches but not for the march led by far-right activist Tommy Robinson later this month
https://x.com/bbcpolitics/status/2050890953246834762?s=46
Unless British Muslims condemn the murdering actions of the Ayatollah's regime in Iran, Al'Qaeda, Hamas, Hezbollah, ISIL etc, they will have no sympathy from me. I don't want anyone murdered, but fail to see why a Muslim life should be worth more than a Jewish life, or a Christian, Hindu, Sikh or Buddhist life, for that matter. It makes me think there must be something accurate in Robinson's comments . . .
Do you see the racist fallacy you have made?
I suspect we'll get a good idea of the outcome of the latter from the former.
I fully expect the result to be something like Reform 40 RA 10 C 5 come Friday evening.
Romanian government collapses after losing no confidence vote
Most people think that the majority of Palestinians living in Gaza are victims. Victims of their own 'rulers', Hamas, and the over the top reaction of the Israeli government. They should be able to protest that if they want. But if elements cross the line then the law needs to be applied.
And that goes for the far-right too.
He's managed to come out of quite a sticky Mandelson spot fairly undiminished by virtue of publishing all his WhatsApp long enough ago that everyone has forgotten about them. Even his government department is perceived as going fairly well, all things considered.
The longer he leaves it, the more chance one of his rivals has of extracting themselves from the mire and making it to pole position.
Surely he wants to be moving as fast as possible, if he intends to try for the top job at-all? Probably this Saturday, when the reality of the horror show that is the local electiond is starting to sink in. After that the longer he leaves it, the more unlikely he is to get it, imho.
Edit, I think Burnham knows this too, hence all the way he's been spinning like a wind turbine for in a gale all weekend - if he's got any chance, he's got to stop MPs backing Wes and triggering a contest straight after the locals.
The former is already the case in practice - consider the attitude towards farmers and hauliers blocking streets off versus JSO. The Rowley statement was disgraceful and I cannot believe we now live in a country where unelected senior public officials attack politicians for perfectly legal (but very stupid) speech.
The far-right marches scared the crap out of some of my colleagues. I don’t understand why they should be allowed if Palestine marches are banned on the same basis.
The winning name was, wait for it, Millom Leisure Centre.
Makes you proud to be British.
The issue with the pro-Palestinian marches is that there's been a lot of stuff which crosses that line, and the plod don't seem very interested in doing anything about it.
Need rain desperately. I have 4 water butts and all were empty before April was over and I only water the greenhouse and newly planted peas and beans.
I, being of Scottish origin and Scottish Episcopal affiliation, hereby unconditionally condemn everything my ancestors may or may not have done, including but not limited to: the Clearances, the Darien scheme, enthusiastic participation in the British Empire, various clan massacres carried out upon other clans, the deeply questionable role of Scottish landlords in the suffering of their tenants across several centuries, and the Scottish Episcopal Church's historical tendency to align itself with whichever political position subsequently proved most embarrassing. I accept no personal responsibility but feel appropriately haunted by it nonetheless.
Or, maybe, just maybe, we should recognise that we set the laws for the UK and everyone who lives here is entitled to the protection they afford, whether their country of origin offends us or not? I seriously think you need to rethink this.
All the minorities need to line up and publicly sign statements abjuring various things.
In return they get an official badge to wear, proving the are a Good Mimority, and can have civil rights.
The others will be @Fair(liered) game.
High-resolution satellite imagery of the Tuapse refinery and oil terminal suggests that 28 fuel tanks have been destroyed, 5 damaged and 64 remain intact (approx. two-thirds of the total). Tuapse has been hit repeatedly in recent weeks, and been on fire for days and days and days, so this underlines just how much effort it will take to completely destroy such infrastructure.
But yes, Wes needs this to kick off ASAP, Andy and Ange want it soon but not too soon, because the shortlist will look rather different in May 2027.
Which is why the difference between Starmer not making it to the next election and Starmer going by the weekend matters.
2017 general election (Corbyn): 12 and a bit million
2019 general election (Corbyn): 10 and a bit million
2024 general election (Starmer): 9 and a bit million
Yield on UK 30-year gilt at highest level since 1998... (just below 5.8%)
Please collect your Thistle Badge from reception along with the scroll formally restoring your civil rights (right not to be randomly stabbed in the street)
Which puts me in with Mao and Stalin. I also need to condemn everything the Scottish and UK governments do as well. This disclaimer is going to be long.
If I may be forgiven for reading far too much into a story - this illustrates a fundamental chasm in British society. The tone of the story is very much "ha ha, look at the thickies from the regions who called their leisure centre a leisure centre" - but I would suggest that the vast majority of the country, in Millom and elsewhere, prefer their leisure centres called things like "Millom Leisure Centre". As the vote shows. We are, however, governed by the sorts of earnest people who do not agree.
That is a legitimate question to ask political parties.
The Euro area rate is 3.511%, we're even 0.8% over the US on the same timeframe.
There is a brilliant line (one of so many) in the Dune novels which describes Paul's father as someone who has walked on the edge of the cliff for so long he failed to notice when he had fallen over it. UK finances are getting a bit like that.
Accept that retrospectively telling people they must leave when they have previously been told they can stay isn't British, even if we don't like the consequences of that.
Choose locations for processing and removal facilities for operational effectiveness, rather than political game-playing.
Fund improvements in public services through broad-based tax rises.
Yeah, I know.
British citizens must endure the risk of being murdered, attacked, arson etc unless they publicly condemn a foreign government.
You forgot to mention what sort of identifying mark should be put on those citizens so that others can know who to attack or not.
Or we could do it with every single citizen - give them a list of all the governments, terror organisations etc they must condemn before they can feel safe from attack - and leave the identifying marks for the three people left in the country.
Really, this forum needs to deal with this kind of disgusting filth. X is available if you want comments from those without a moral compass.
Might even pay for itself.
https://x.com/gerashchenko_en/status/2051624666536562874
Someone’s a little worried about drones raining on their parade on 9th…
"Would you like to know more?"
Which means the Israeli government is very happy for British Jews to take the blame for the action of the Israeli Government.
If i was Jewish I would be calling them out as people taking an extreme view on how best to protect Israel
So Zoroastrians, Welsh and Scots are first up to publicly abjure their sins. And receive back their rights
https://kathleenjonesauthor.blogspot.com/2014/04/the-tuesday-poem-norman-nicholson-pot.html