"Born abroad" is also a misleading statistic that some (e.g. Matt Goodwin) use to exaggerate apparent cultural change. With greater international travel, British people end up having children abroad who are raised in the UK. You then get the likes of Boris Johnson or Bradley Wiggins or Emma Watson*, who were born abroad and add to that number, but who do not represent any sort of cultural change!
* Or indeed Florence Nightingale.
Although binning off Cliff Richard would be a cultural change I reckon we could all get behind.
Cliff Richard is an interesting case. His parents were English, but had moved out to India. He was born in India, and then came to England with his family when he was 7 or 8. This was apparently something of a culture shock for him. He had an Indian accent and how he speaks now was a conscious affectation he took on to avoid being bullied at school.
I don't think that children of colonial administrators being born in the colony counts as "foreign born" exactly.
As far as I understand the UK statistics, Cliff Richard is classified as "born abroad". Ditto Joanna Lumley. My point is exactly that it's a misleading statistics in some ways.
The ONS website is not detailed on this, but says...
British nationals born abroad
Some individuals may be born abroad but are British nationals, either through entitlement or naturalisation. This means they will appear in migration datasets as non-UK-born despite being a British national.
Example:
Lucy and both their parents are British nationals. Lucy was born while their parents were working in the armed forces based overseas in Cyprus. They are therefore recorded as non-UK-born, so will appear in the migration data and statistics when looking at country of birth.
My lad was born in Germany to a German mother. But he's British because I'm British.
This month marks Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month.
Despite facing discrimination in many areas of life, our Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities have long contributed to life in our capital and today we celebrate that rich legacy.
Contribution on Saturday was starting a fight in front of my kids at the bouncy castle.
Do any of our Reformistas have a view on whether Ref UK will dissociate themselves from "Raise the Colours", given that one of the RTC founders has been charged with murder after punching a pub manager in Lichfield?
The Ref UK Chief Whip has previously firmly backed the organisation, but in contrast has distanced the party from Yaxley-Lennon.
The whole thing is so INCREDIBLY tacky and anyone saying it’s “about being proud of the country” is a liar and a fraudster. It is intimidating and designed to be.
It’s nothing more than a bunch of chavs doing vandalism. That’s it.
This month marks Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month.
Despite facing discrimination in many areas of life, our Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities have long contributed to life in our capital and today we celebrate that rich legacy.
I've seen the "rich legacy" they leave behind when they vacate a site they've been illegally occupying.
This month marks Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month.
Despite facing discrimination in many areas of life, our Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities have long contributed to life in our capital and today we celebrate that rich legacy.
Contribution on Saturday was starting a fight in front of my kids at the bouncy castle.
Charming.
They left an utter mess on the site next door to my London flat. Nobody has a good word to say about them.
It appears Olly Robbins has been exonerated in these papers and the question is why was he sacked ?
What shows that? None of the news reports I've seen post the release say much about Robbins. Guardian pre-release reported that there were no notes on mitigation of Mandelson's conflicts of interest.
Which leaves the situation as it was post Cat Smith's evidence.
1) Robbins was cleared to, but didn't, view the vetting report 2) Robbins had an un-minuted briefing on the vetting report 3) Un-minuted mitigations for the security concerns were discussed at the briefing 4) Based on the briefing Robbins decided Mandelson had passed vetting
So the reasons he was sacked would be,
1) lack of basic due diligence in not viewing the report himself 2) issuing a vetting clearance without due diligence 3) being uncooperative with the ensuing investigation 4) inadequate explanation as to why 1-3 above had occurred
Some people have decided that because they hate Keir Starmer, Olly Robbins must automatically be innocent. So they’ve gone into these papers with their conclusion already made and have worked backwards.
I find this particularly strange as many of the people now saying how brilliant Robbins was are the same sorts of people that said during Brexit that he was secretly trying to overturn the result and was called a traitor amongst other things.
It has nothing to do with some people and hate for Starmer, but Coates and Boulton on Sky revealing a specific email which in their opinion exonerated Robbins
You do have a habit of making hay with unverified opinion.
There is plenty of ordure covering Starmer and his Ministers. Unless you have details of the email or the direct response to it I suggest you simply reference material that can be verified.
You are accusing me of lying and I object to your comment
If a conversation by political commentators and both agreed their conclusion that I witnessed and you did not then you are questioning my integrity
You have form for posting an utterly misleading interpretation about what Sky News have said.
That is unfair and on something as serious as this I did not mislead anyone
I called you out on something similar a few months ago. You said Sky were reporting that Starmer was pressuring European leaders to follow Trump’s line on Ukraine, when in fact he was simply urging them not to react in haste. You have a bad habit of pumping out your interpretation of what Sky commentators say and often, being charitable, you’re mistaken.
(EDIT: sorry if it seems I’m piling on but I think TSE is right on this one)
Seems to be beat up Big G day today
BigG's initial post did say 'it appears' - the use of that qualifier seems to indicate that he was giving his interpretation of the commentary he had viewed. Not sure why everyone's got their knickers in a knot over it.
A police force is facing legal action for allowing men who identify as women to use female facilities. Gwent police in south Wales have been accused by the campaign group Women’s Rights Network (WRN) of breaching new guidance on single-sex spaces by allowing transgender women to use female toilets, changing rooms and showers"
So, the women who work there are fine with it, but a campaigning group isn't?
There is hope.when Reform repeal the Equalities act, legal protections for women only spaces will be one of the casualties, alongside protection from dismissal through pregnancy etc.
This month marks Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month.
Despite facing discrimination in many areas of life, our Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities have long contributed to life in our capital and today we celebrate that rich legacy.
"However, with Albanians now moving into the London drug trade, that legacy is threatened."
Things look pretty bad for Labour. If Andy B doesn't win it and win again it's difficult to see where they go from here. In the words of the Bard 'Their existence led by confusion boats, mutiny from stern to bow........,"
BREAK: Foreign Office staff advised Peter Mandelson to mislead vetting officers about his foreign connections in order to obtain the highest level of security.
New documents released by the Cabinet Office reveal extra scrutiny was placed on Mandelson’s connections to foreign nations by vetting officers.
In response to a request for a detailed list of his overseas connections during the process, the then-Head of US Global Issues and Canada Team at the Foreign Office advised Mandelson send a “handful of names” even though he didn’t consider them “close contacts”.
“That will reassure the vetting team that you’ve been comprehensive,” the Foreign Office official told Mandelson, “even if it’s all quite artificial”.
Big questions about how this process was managed under severe time (and political) pressures.
As I said at the time of Robbins' testimony, for all the Robbinsgasm about his performance and the condemnation of Starmer, the vetting was always a dreadful endightment of the Civil Service - they are simply unfit for purpose. The Foreign Office needs gutting and the building fumigated.
A police force is facing legal action for allowing men who identify as women to use female facilities. Gwent police in south Wales have been accused by the campaign group Women’s Rights Network (WRN) of breaching new guidance on single-sex spaces by allowing transgender women to use female toilets, changing rooms and showers"
If memory serves and the toilets are provided in their capacity as a service provider, then they are allowed to provide mixed-sex toilets *provided* they are "universal toilets" (door from floor to ceiling, including sink), and similarly for changing rooms(?) and showers. I don't know if they are allowed to label them as "female" but I doubt it.
If they are provided in their capacity as a workplace, then they must *also* provide single-biological-sex facilities that are I) single-biological-sex and ii) labelled "female".
This month marks Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month.
Despite facing discrimination in many areas of life, our Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities have long contributed to life in our capital and today we celebrate that rich legacy.
Contribution on Saturday was starting a fight in front of my kids at the bouncy castle.
Charming.
The contribution at one of the pubs in town was smashing the windows of the pub after being asked to leave for snorting coke.
In the morning they’d blocked the road into town to run up and down it on horses and traps.
This month marks Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month.
Despite facing discrimination in many areas of life, our Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities have long contributed to life in our capital and today we celebrate that rich legacy.
Contribution on Saturday was starting a fight in front of my kids at the bouncy castle.
Charming.
The contribution at one of the pubs in town was smashing the windows of the pub after being asked to leave for snorting coke.
In the morning they’d blocked the road into town to run up and down it on horses and traps.
👍
Just be thankful they didn't do anything serious like put up a flag.
Things look pretty bad for Labour. If Andy B doesn't win it and win again it's difficult to see where they go from here. In the words of the Bard 'Their existence led by confusion boats, mutiny from stern to bow........,"
Roger. A question for you. You put up a clip recently which showed an EU politician (Irish?) criticising the Israeli government over Gaza and recommending that the EU changes its economic trading relationship with Israel, I think.
My question is that I own shares in an Israeli owned company called Plus500. It makes its money by providing a platform where people can bet on whether a company’s share price will rise or fall, I think.
As you are an unequivocal critic of the Israeli government’s actions in Gaza and elsewhere, do you think it is wrong of me to own shares in an Israeli owned company. I would be interested in your opinion - and any other Pber. Thanks.
Lots of talk for a while now about the value of NHS/GP patient record data - and how US IT companies want to (or are already) getting hold of this for their own profit. Oracle (who fund Tony Blair Institute to millions of £/$) Palantir and others are often mentioned.
Could the UK government not somehow extract the financial value of this data on behalf of the UK patient population to help fund the NHS - rather than sell/give it away to US companies? Maybe the govt introduce a new NHS tax (1% of taxable income) but people are exempted from paying if they consent to use of their anonymised data?
There are two things going on here
Palantir are offering to “common up” all the NHS patient data into a single unified dataset
The sale of medical data to third parties for research is a somewhat different area. Though it has cross concerns with the Palantir work.
Commoning up the NHS patient data is where the previous project utterly fell apart.
But I still wouldn't be wanting Palantir anywhere near the final dataset.
Oh come come come, think of the synergies they would be able to find.
This month marks Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month.
Despite facing discrimination in many areas of life, our Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities have long contributed to life in our capital and today we celebrate that rich legacy.
Contribution on Saturday was starting a fight in front of my kids at the bouncy castle.
Charming.
The contribution at one of the pubs in town was smashing the windows of the pub after being asked to leave for snorting coke.
In the morning they’d blocked the road into town to run up and down it on horses and traps.
👍
Just be thankful they didn't do anything serious like put up a flag.
How is it any different to spray painting graffiti on a building
This month marks Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month.
Despite facing discrimination in many areas of life, our Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities have long contributed to life in our capital and today we celebrate that rich legacy.
Contribution on Saturday was starting a fight in front of my kids at the bouncy castle.
Charming.
The contribution at one of the pubs in town was smashing the windows of the pub after being asked to leave for snorting coke.
In the morning they’d blocked the road into town to run up and down it on horses and traps.
👍
Just be thankful they didn't do anything serious like put up a flag.
How is it any different to spray painting graffiti on a building
"‘Every meeting is about who to tax to pay benefits,’ minister told Mandelson Pat McFadden said Starmer was ‘asking the wrong questions’, huge tranche of newly released files show"
This month marks Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month.
Despite facing discrimination in many areas of life, our Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities have long contributed to life in our capital and today we celebrate that rich legacy.
Contribution on Saturday was starting a fight in front of my kids at the bouncy castle.
Charming.
The contribution at one of the pubs in town was smashing the windows of the pub after being asked to leave for snorting coke.
In the morning they’d blocked the road into town to run up and down it on horses and traps.
👍
Just be thankful they didn't do anything serious like put up a flag.
How is it any different to spray painting graffiti on a building
As I often say in interviews and in the Department, "we have to change the question the system asks from "what benefits are you entitled to" to "how do we help you change your life".
"Mouth-covering rules: Any player covering their mouth, either with a hand or shirt, while being aggressive towards another player will immediately receive a red card. Players using the method to communicate with their own teammates won't be penalised."
Not hard to see LD taking Labour out in parts of Devon and Cornwall and LD holding on to all Tory gains in the same area in 2029.
Tories won't be trusted south of Bristol and West of Dorchester for a generation, outside of Bristol no real Green surge, Reform are not really figuring in many parts.
A vote for LD I think will be seen as a Vote to keep Reform and Tories out and if Labour do offer PR vote, it's hard not to see a Lab / Coalition.
That runs the clock down on Farage and sees Tories extinct and possibly 5th biggest Party behind
Lab or Reform Ld Green SNP
On seats won in May the Tories were still well ahead of the Greens, Burnham would also likely squeeze the Greens further.
Even if the LDs held their gains it would need Reform to take most Tory seats for them to overtake the Tories on seats overall
This month marks Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month.
Despite facing discrimination in many areas of life, our Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities have long contributed to life in our capital and today we celebrate that rich legacy.
Contribution on Saturday was starting a fight in front of my kids at the bouncy castle.
Charming.
The contribution at one of the pubs in town was smashing the windows of the pub after being asked to leave for snorting coke.
In the morning they’d blocked the road into town to run up and down it on horses and traps.
👍
Just be thankful they didn't do anything serious like put up a flag.
How is it any different to spray painting graffiti on a building
Graffiti on buildings is permanent?
I'm not trying to be funny - genuine question - how many Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities are there in the capital?
It's not exactly an environment designed for nomadic lifestyle.
This month marks Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month.
Despite facing discrimination in many areas of life, our Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities have long contributed to life in our capital and today we celebrate that rich legacy.
Contribution on Saturday was starting a fight in front of my kids at the bouncy castle.
Charming.
The contribution at one of the pubs in town was smashing the windows of the pub after being asked to leave for snorting coke.
In the morning they’d blocked the road into town to run up and down it on horses and traps.
👍
Just be thankful they didn't do anything serious like put up a flag.
Or even worse painted the cross of St George on the boarded up windows, the boarding up gave the place that special ambience for a week or so.
This month marks Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month.
Despite facing discrimination in many areas of life, our Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities have long contributed to life in our capital and today we celebrate that rich legacy.
Contribution on Saturday was starting a fight in front of my kids at the bouncy castle.
Charming.
The contribution at one of the pubs in town was smashing the windows of the pub after being asked to leave for snorting coke.
In the morning they’d blocked the road into town to run up and down it on horses and traps.
👍
Just be thankful they didn't do anything serious like put up a flag.
How is it any different to spray painting graffiti on a building
Taking down flags is probably a bit easier than removing graffiti. But you do have working at height…
This month marks Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month.
Despite facing discrimination in many areas of life, our Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities have long contributed to life in our capital and today we celebrate that rich legacy.
Contribution on Saturday was starting a fight in front of my kids at the bouncy castle.
Charming.
The contribution at one of the pubs in town was smashing the windows of the pub after being asked to leave for snorting coke.
In the morning they’d blocked the road into town to run up and down it on horses and traps.
👍
Just be thankful they didn't do anything serious like put up a flag.
How is it any different to spray painting graffiti on a building
Taking down flags is probably a bit easier than removing graffiti. But you do have working at height…
When are they taking the flags down? Do you agree that they shouldn’t have been put up in the first place?
This month marks Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month.
Despite facing discrimination in many areas of life, our Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities have long contributed to life in our capital and today we celebrate that rich legacy.
Contribution on Saturday was starting a fight in front of my kids at the bouncy castle.
Charming.
The contribution at one of the pubs in town was smashing the windows of the pub after being asked to leave for snorting coke.
In the morning they’d blocked the road into town to run up and down it on horses and traps.
👍
Just be thankful they didn't do anything serious like put up a flag.
How is it any different to spray painting graffiti on a building
Graffiti on buildings is permanent?
So when are they planning to take the flags down?
A few decades before the graffiti that coats the railway lines into London ever gets cleaned up?
This month marks Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month.
Despite facing discrimination in many areas of life, our Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities have long contributed to life in our capital and today we celebrate that rich legacy.
Contribution on Saturday was starting a fight in front of my kids at the bouncy castle.
Charming.
The contribution at one of the pubs in town was smashing the windows of the pub after being asked to leave for snorting coke.
In the morning they’d blocked the road into town to run up and down it on horses and traps.
👍
Just be thankful they didn't do anything serious like put up a flag.
How is it any different to spray painting graffiti on a building
Graffiti on buildings is permanent?
I'm not trying to be funny - genuine question - how many Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities are there in the capital?
It's not exactly an environment designed for nomadic lifestyle.
This month marks Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month.
Despite facing discrimination in many areas of life, our Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities have long contributed to life in our capital and today we celebrate that rich legacy.
Contribution on Saturday was starting a fight in front of my kids at the bouncy castle.
Charming.
The contribution at one of the pubs in town was smashing the windows of the pub after being asked to leave for snorting coke.
In the morning they’d blocked the road into town to run up and down it on horses and traps.
👍
Just be thankful they didn't do anything serious like put up a flag.
How is it any different to spray painting graffiti on a building
Graffiti on buildings is permanent?
So when are they planning to take the flags down?
A few decades before the graffiti that coats the railway lines into London ever gets cleaned up?
When I used to work down there our depot, even one of the workers cars, was regularly ‘tagged’ by someone using the handle ‘Tox’
Seems both Starmer and Mandelson had time for Sir John Major
'[17/07/2024, 21:41] Peter Mandelson: Keir, hope you are well, you have got off to a flying start. I was at a dinner with John Major this evening and if you don’t know him I think good idea to invite him for a chat. As well as being a very nice person, he is interesting and thoughtful. Just a thought. No need to reply.
[25/07/2024, 13:25] Keir Starmer: Thanks Peter. Its so good to be getting on with the job of governing. A million times better than opposition - you know that! I’ll reach out to John M, he’s a very thoughtful man. See you soon I hope. '
BREAK: Foreign Office staff advised Peter Mandelson to mislead vetting officers about his foreign connections in order to obtain the highest level of security.
New documents released by the Cabinet Office reveal extra scrutiny was placed on Mandelson’s connections to foreign nations by vetting officers.
In response to a request for a detailed list of his overseas connections during the process, the then-Head of US Global Issues and Canada Team at the Foreign Office advised Mandelson send a “handful of names” even though he didn’t consider them “close contacts”.
“That will reassure the vetting team that you’ve been comprehensive,” the Foreign Office official told Mandelson, “even if it’s all quite artificial”.
Big questions about how this process was managed under severe time (and political) pressures.
As I said at the time of Robbins' testimony, for all the Robbinsgasm about his performance and the condemnation of Starmer, the vetting was always a dreadful endightment of the Civil Service - they are simply unfit for purpose. The Foreign Office needs gutting and the building fumigated.
Seems both Starmer and Mandelson had time for Sir John Major
'[17/07/2024, 21:41] Peter Mandelson: Keir, hope you are well, you have got off to a flying start. I was at a dinner with John Major this evening and if you don’t know him I think good idea to invite him for a chat. As well as being a very nice person, he is interesting and thoughtful. Just a thought. No need to reply.
[25/07/2024, 13:25] Keir Starmer: Thanks Peter. Its so good to be getting on with the job of governing. A million times better than opposition - you know that! I’ll reach out to John M, he’s a very thoughtful man. See you soon I hope. '
This month marks Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month.
Despite facing discrimination in many areas of life, our Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities have long contributed to life in our capital and today we celebrate that rich legacy.
Contribution on Saturday was starting a fight in front of my kids at the bouncy castle.
Charming.
The contribution at one of the pubs in town was smashing the windows of the pub after being asked to leave for snorting coke.
In the morning they’d blocked the road into town to run up and down it on horses and traps.
👍
Just be thankful they didn't do anything serious like put up a flag.
How is it any different to spray painting graffiti on a building
Graffiti on buildings is permanent?
So when are they planning to take the flags down?
A few decades before the graffiti that coats the railway lines into London ever gets cleaned up?
This month marks Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month.
Despite facing discrimination in many areas of life, our Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities have long contributed to life in our capital and today we celebrate that rich legacy.
Contribution on Saturday was starting a fight in front of my kids at the bouncy castle.
Charming.
The contribution at one of the pubs in town was smashing the windows of the pub after being asked to leave for snorting coke.
In the morning they’d blocked the road into town to run up and down it on horses and traps.
👍
Just be thankful they didn't do anything serious like put up a flag.
How is it any different to spray painting graffiti on a building
Taking down flags is probably a bit easier than removing graffiti. But you do have working at height…
When are they taking the flags down? Do you agree that they shouldn’t have been put up in the first place?
Putting things on other people’s property without asking is rude.
This month marks Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month.
Despite facing discrimination in many areas of life, our Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities have long contributed to life in our capital and today we celebrate that rich legacy.
Contribution on Saturday was starting a fight in front of my kids at the bouncy castle.
Charming.
The contribution at one of the pubs in town was smashing the windows of the pub after being asked to leave for snorting coke.
In the morning they’d blocked the road into town to run up and down it on horses and traps.
👍
Just be thankful they didn't do anything serious like put up a flag.
How is it any different to spray painting graffiti on a building
Graffiti on buildings is permanent?
So when are they planning to take the flags down?
A few decades before the graffiti that coats the railway lines into London ever gets cleaned up?
The flags will fall down before they get taken down. No flag of whatever material was designed to be out in all weathers for a year or more and many of the ones near us, in fact most, now look faded and bedraggled. The knuckle draggers didn’t think that one through before putting them up.
Seems both Starmer and Mandelson had time for Sir John Major
'[17/07/2024, 21:41] Peter Mandelson: Keir, hope you are well, you have got off to a flying start. I was at a dinner with John Major this evening and if you don’t know him I think good idea to invite him for a chat. As well as being a very nice person, he is interesting and thoughtful. Just a thought. No need to reply.
[25/07/2024, 13:25] Keir Starmer: Thanks Peter. Its so good to be getting on with the job of governing. A million times better than opposition - you know that! I’ll reach out to John M, he’s a very thoughtful man. See you soon I hope. '
There's something a bit annoying about the phrase "reach out" when used in this way.
Seems quite appropriate in Starmer's case.
..When you feel lost and about to give up 'Cause your best just ain't good enough And you feel the world has grown cold And you're drifting out all on your own..
BREAK: Foreign Office staff advised Peter Mandelson to mislead vetting officers about his foreign connections in order to obtain the highest level of security.
New documents released by the Cabinet Office reveal extra scrutiny was placed on Mandelson’s connections to foreign nations by vetting officers.
In response to a request for a detailed list of his overseas connections during the process, the then-Head of US Global Issues and Canada Team at the Foreign Office advised Mandelson send a “handful of names” even though he didn’t consider them “close contacts”.
“That will reassure the vetting team that you’ve been comprehensive,” the Foreign Office official told Mandelson, “even if it’s all quite artificial”.
Big questions about how this process was managed under severe time (and political) pressures.
As I said at the time of Robbins' testimony, for all the Robbinsgasm about his performance and the condemnation of Starmer, the vetting was always a dreadful endightment of the Civil Service - they are simply unfit for purpose. The Foreign Office needs gutting and the building fumigated.
Indictment.
Thanks, well corrected. The point still stands though.
This month marks Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month.
Despite facing discrimination in many areas of life, our Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities have long contributed to life in our capital and today we celebrate that rich legacy.
Contribution on Saturday was starting a fight in front of my kids at the bouncy castle.
Charming.
The contribution at one of the pubs in town was smashing the windows of the pub after being asked to leave for snorting coke.
In the morning they’d blocked the road into town to run up and down it on horses and traps.
👍
Just be thankful they didn't do anything serious like put up a flag.
How is it any different to spray painting graffiti on a building
Taking down flags is probably a bit easier than removing graffiti. But you do have working at height…
It gets people significantly more riled up. In the US they have a flag code mandating when the flag should be raised and lowered every day. Here it appears once a flag goes up it must remain sacrosanct despite rain, wind, sun, and hail fading and tearing it to shreds.
Seems both Starmer and Mandelson had time for Sir John Major
'[17/07/2024, 21:41] Peter Mandelson: Keir, hope you are well, you have got off to a flying start. I was at a dinner with John Major this evening and if you don’t know him I think good idea to invite him for a chat. As well as being a very nice person, he is interesting and thoughtful. Just a thought. No need to reply.
[25/07/2024, 13:25] Keir Starmer: Thanks Peter. Its so good to be getting on with the job of governing. A million times better than opposition - you know that! I’ll reach out to John M, he’s a very thoughtful man. See you soon I hope. '
This month marks Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month.
Despite facing discrimination in many areas of life, our Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities have long contributed to life in our capital and today we celebrate that rich legacy.
Contribution on Saturday was starting a fight in front of my kids at the bouncy castle.
Charming.
The contribution at one of the pubs in town was smashing the windows of the pub after being asked to leave for snorting coke.
In the morning they’d blocked the road into town to run up and down it on horses and traps.
👍
Just be thankful they didn't do anything serious like put up a flag.
How is it any different to spray painting graffiti on a building
It's difficult to make informed judgements on the PM other than personality stuff. I've tended to think he's probably fairly bright and knows what he's doing but these last few days and weeks it's all fallen apart.
.....To the extent that if Andy doesn't take over or loses the seat keir will be replaced within days anyway. Leaders have a certain something and reluctantly it looks like. Keir isn't one of them
Things look pretty bad for Labour. If Andy B doesn't win it and win again it's difficult to see where they go from here. In the words of the Bard 'Their existence led by confusion boats, mutiny from stern to bow........,"
Roger. A question for you. You put up a clip recently which showed an EU politician (Irish?) criticising the Israeli government over Gaza and recommending that the EU changes its economic trading relationship with Israel, I think.
My question is that I own shares in an Israeli owned company called Plus500. It makes its money by providing a platform where people can bet on whether a company’s share price will rise or fall, I think.
As you are an unequivocal critic of the Israeli government’s actions in Gaza and elsewhere, do you think it is wrong of me to own shares in an Israeli owned company. I would be interested in your opinion - and any other Pber. Thanks.
Hi StJohn. Good to hear from you again. It's a difficult one to answer. I know your motives would be honourable so for you I'd say it's OK. I wouldn't but then I wouldn't buy a Jaffa Orange if I was dying of thirst. I believe them to be the most immoral country in the world and I loathe everything about them. Half my sister's family live there and though I'm very fond of her I struggle to get past my prejudices and actually go and visit even though I feel I should
This month marks Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month.
Despite facing discrimination in many areas of life, our Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities have long contributed to life in our capital and today we celebrate that rich legacy.
Contribution on Saturday was starting a fight in front of my kids at the bouncy castle.
Charming.
The contribution at one of the pubs in town was smashing the windows of the pub after being asked to leave for snorting coke.
In the morning they’d blocked the road into town to run up and down it on horses and traps.
👍
Just be thankful they didn't do anything serious like put up a flag.
How is it any different to spray painting graffiti on a building
Graffiti on buildings is permanent?
So when are they planning to take the flags down?
A few decades before the graffiti that coats the railway lines into London ever gets cleaned up?
The flags will fall down before they get taken down. No flag of whatever material was designed to be out in all weathers for a year or more and many of the ones near us, in fact most, now look faded and bedraggled. The knuckle draggers didn’t think that one through before putting them up.
Yes, deeply allegoric of the dirty, faded and tatty plastic patriots that put them there.
This month marks Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month.
Despite facing discrimination in many areas of life, our Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities have long contributed to life in our capital and today we celebrate that rich legacy.
Contribution on Saturday was starting a fight in front of my kids at the bouncy castle.
Charming.
The contribution at one of the pubs in town was smashing the windows of the pub after being asked to leave for snorting coke.
In the morning they’d blocked the road into town to run up and down it on horses and traps.
👍
Just be thankful they didn't do anything serious like put up a flag.
How is it any different to spray painting graffiti on a building
Graffiti on buildings is permanent?
So when are they planning to take the flags down?
A few decades before the graffiti that coats the railway lines into London ever gets cleaned up?
The flags will fall down before they get taken down. No flag of whatever material was designed to be out in all weathers for a year or more and many of the ones near us, in fact most, now look faded and bedraggled. The knuckle draggers didn’t think that one through before putting them up.
I think you'll find that flags in the 1950s stayed pristine in all weathers without anyone having to take any care whatsoever. I've watched a video from the 1950s and the flags look fine. This is 100% of proof.
It's difficult to make informed judgements on the PM other than personality stuff. I've tended to think he's probably fairly bright and knows what he's doing but these last few days and weeks it's all fallen apart.
.....To the extent that if Andy doesn't take over or loses the seat keir will be replaced within days anyway. Leaders have a certain something and reluctantly it looks like. Keir isn't one of them
Things look pretty bad for Labour. If Andy B doesn't win it and win again it's difficult to see where they go from here. In the words of the Bard 'Their existence led by confusion boats, mutiny from stern to bow........,"
Roger. A question for you. You put up a clip recently which showed an EU politician (Irish?) criticising the Israeli government over Gaza and recommending that the EU changes its economic trading relationship with Israel, I think.
My question is that I own shares in an Israeli owned company called Plus500. It makes its money by providing a platform where people can bet on whether a company’s share price will rise or fall, I think.
As you are an unequivocal critic of the Israeli government’s actions in Gaza and elsewhere, do you think it is wrong of me to own shares in an Israeli owned company. I would be interested in your opinion - and any other Pber. Thanks.
Hi StJohn. Good to hear from you again. It's a difficult one to answer. I know your motives would be honourable so for you I'd say it's OK. I wouldn't but then I wouldn't buy a Jaffa Orange if I was dying of thirst. I believe them to be the most immoral country in the world and I loathe everything about them. Half my sister's family live there and though I'm very fond of her I struggle to get past my prejudices and actually go and visit even though I feel I should
Hi Roger. Thanks. Nice to connect with you again too. Interesting and revealing answer.
This month marks Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month.
Despite facing discrimination in many areas of life, our Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities have long contributed to life in our capital and today we celebrate that rich legacy.
This is a cheap shot, but I don't really understand how it is decided which things, or groups, get a 'month', and why it needs to be a month rather than, say, two weeks.
Gypsies do still face a lot of discrimination though, however the problems some in the community cause cannot be entirely dismissed because there is discrimination as well.
This month marks Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month.
Despite facing discrimination in many areas of life, our Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities have long contributed to life in our capital and today we celebrate that rich legacy.
Contribution on Saturday was starting a fight in front of my kids at the bouncy castle.
Charming.
The contribution at one of the pubs in town was smashing the windows of the pub after being asked to leave for snorting coke.
In the morning they’d blocked the road into town to run up and down it on horses and traps.
👍
Just be thankful they didn't do anything serious like put up a flag.
How is it any different to spray painting graffiti on a building
Graffiti on buildings is permanent?
So when are they planning to take the flags down?
A few decades before the graffiti that coats the railway lines into London ever gets cleaned up?
The flags will fall down before they get taken down. No flag of whatever material was designed to be out in all weathers for a year or more and many of the ones near us, in fact most, now look faded and bedraggled. The knuckle draggers didn’t think that one through before putting them up.
I think you'll find that flags in the 1950s stayed pristine in all weathers without anyone having to take any care whatsoever. I've watched a video from the 1950s and the flags look fine. This is 100% of proof.
Life took place in black and white until the 60s, so the flags found it easier to keep in good condition too.
Lots of talk for a while now about the value of NHS/GP patient record data - and how US IT companies want to (or are already) getting hold of this for their own profit. Oracle (who fund Tony Blair Institute to millions of £/$) Palantir and others are often mentioned.
Could the UK government not somehow extract the financial value of this data on behalf of the UK patient population to help fund the NHS - rather than sell/give it away to US companies? Maybe the govt introduce a new NHS tax (1% of taxable income) but people are exempted from paying if they consent to use of their anonymised data?
There are two things going on here
Palantir are offering to “common up” all the NHS patient data into a single unified dataset
The sale of medical data to third parties for research is a somewhat different area. Though it has cross concerns with the Palantir work.
Commoning up the NHS patient data is where the previous project utterly fell apart.
But I still wouldn't be wanting Palantir anywhere near the final dataset.
As most of you know, both myself and my wife have had recent health issues requiring the intervention of hospital consultants and the fact we have to take our GP summary to the consultants so they can extract the information they want including the prescribed medication is bizarre in that they are not permitted access to our GP records
It frankly beggars belief and the sooner the data is made available across the health service the better for those in health care and the patients
I can already access GP records for patients whose care I am involved in.
As far ascI am aware not here in North Wales under Wales NHS
Certainly in our experience when being triaged there is no access to our gp records
I tried to create a "Myaccount" (Scotland's equiv.) a few weeks ago. I foolishly didn't have the documentation they wanted (drivers license - I don't drive, current passport - mine has expired). So had to go through the alternate process where they ask you lots of seemingly random questions about bank loans, mortgages etc. Filled them all out dutifully.
Then it just said 'Nah - computer says no'. So now I can't access anything and there's no other avenue to make an account, no contact details, no... anything. Strangely, I can however still seem to pay national and local taxes without any problem at all.
This month marks Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month.
Despite facing discrimination in many areas of life, our Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities have long contributed to life in our capital and today we celebrate that rich legacy.
Contribution on Saturday was starting a fight in front of my kids at the bouncy castle.
Charming.
The contribution at one of the pubs in town was smashing the windows of the pub after being asked to leave for snorting coke.
In the morning they’d blocked the road into town to run up and down it on horses and traps.
👍
Just be thankful they didn't do anything serious like put up a flag.
How is it any different to spray painting graffiti on a building
Graffiti on buildings is permanent?
So when are they planning to take the flags down?
A few decades before the graffiti that coats the railway lines into London ever gets cleaned up?
The flags will fall down before they get taken down. No flag of whatever material was designed to be out in all weathers for a year or more and many of the ones near us, in fact most, now look faded and bedraggled. The knuckle draggers didn’t think that one through before putting them up.
I think you'll find that flags in the 1950s stayed pristine in all weathers without anyone having to take any care whatsoever. I've watched a video from the 1950s and the flags look fine. This is 100% of proof.
Life took place in black and white until the 60s, so the flags found it easier to keep in good condition too.
I seem to remember reading once that we dream in black and white and our brains only fill in the colour later when we remember the dream afterwards, but that must be BS, right?
This month marks Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month.
Despite facing discrimination in many areas of life, our Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities have long contributed to life in our capital and today we celebrate that rich legacy.
Contribution on Saturday was starting a fight in front of my kids at the bouncy castle.
Charming.
The contribution at one of the pubs in town was smashing the windows of the pub after being asked to leave for snorting coke.
In the morning they’d blocked the road into town to run up and down it on horses and traps.
👍
Just be thankful they didn't do anything serious like put up a flag.
How is it any different to spray painting graffiti on a building
Graffiti on buildings is permanent?
So when are they planning to take the flags down?
A few decades before the graffiti that coats the railway lines into London ever gets cleaned up?
The flags will fall down before they get taken down. No flag of whatever material was designed to be out in all weathers for a year or more and many of the ones near us, in fact most, now look faded and bedraggled. The knuckle draggers didn’t think that one through before putting them up.
I think you'll find that flags in the 1950s stayed pristine in all weathers without anyone having to take any care whatsoever. I've watched a video from the 1950s and the flags look fine. This is 100% of proof.
Life took place in black and white until the 60s, so the flags found it easier to keep in good condition too.
I seem to remember reading once that we dream in black and white and our brains only fill in the colour later when we remember the dream afterwards, but that must be BS, right?
I'm not sure how that could even be established. I so rarely remember dreams at all (I did for the first time in about a year 2 months ago) that it wouldn't be an issue.
This month marks Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month.
Despite facing discrimination in many areas of life, our Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities have long contributed to life in our capital and today we celebrate that rich legacy.
Contribution on Saturday was starting a fight in front of my kids at the bouncy castle.
Charming.
The contribution at one of the pubs in town was smashing the windows of the pub after being asked to leave for snorting coke.
In the morning they’d blocked the road into town to run up and down it on horses and traps.
👍
Just be thankful they didn't do anything serious like put up a flag.
How is it any different to spray painting graffiti on a building
Graffiti on buildings is permanent?
So when are they planning to take the flags down?
A few decades before the graffiti that coats the railway lines into London ever gets cleaned up?
The flags will fall down before they get taken down. No flag of whatever material was designed to be out in all weathers for a year or more and many of the ones near us, in fact most, now look faded and bedraggled. The knuckle draggers didn’t think that one through before putting them up.
I think you'll find that flags in the 1950s stayed pristine in all weathers without anyone having to take any care whatsoever. I've watched a video from the 1950s and the flags look fine. This is 100% of proof.
Life took place in black and white until the 60s, so the flags found it easier to keep in good condition too.
I seem to remember reading once that we dream in black and white and our brains only fill in the colour later when we remember the dream afterwards, but that must be BS, right?
This month marks Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month.
Despite facing discrimination in many areas of life, our Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities have long contributed to life in our capital and today we celebrate that rich legacy.
This is a cheap shot, but I don't really understand how it is decided which things, or groups, get a 'month', and why it needs to be a month rather than, say, two weeks.
Gypsies do still face a lot of discrimination though, however the problems some in the community cause cannot be entirely dismissed because there is discrimination as well.
This month marks Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month.
Despite facing discrimination in many areas of life, our Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities have long contributed to life in our capital and today we celebrate that rich legacy.
Contribution on Saturday was starting a fight in front of my kids at the bouncy castle.
Charming.
The contribution at one of the pubs in town was smashing the windows of the pub after being asked to leave for snorting coke.
In the morning they’d blocked the road into town to run up and down it on horses and traps.
👍
Just be thankful they didn't do anything serious like put up a flag.
How is it any different to spray painting graffiti on a building
Graffiti on buildings is permanent?
So when are they planning to take the flags down?
A few decades before the graffiti that coats the railway lines into London ever gets cleaned up?
The flags will fall down before they get taken down. No flag of whatever material was designed to be out in all weathers for a year or more and many of the ones near us, in fact most, now look faded and bedraggled. The knuckle draggers didn’t think that one through before putting them up.
I think you'll find that flags in the 1950s stayed pristine in all weathers without anyone having to take any care whatsoever. I've watched a video from the 1950s and the flags look fine. This is 100% of proof.
Life took place in black and white until the 60s, so the flags found it easier to keep in good condition too.
I seem to remember reading once that we dream in black and white and our brains only fill in the colour later when we remember the dream afterwards, but that must be BS, right?
You may be a dog dreaming he is a man.
It would certainly explain my irrational reactions to cats, postmen and squeaky toys.
This month marks Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month.
Despite facing discrimination in many areas of life, our Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities have long contributed to life in our capital and today we celebrate that rich legacy.
Contribution on Saturday was starting a fight in front of my kids at the bouncy castle.
Charming.
The contribution at one of the pubs in town was smashing the windows of the pub after being asked to leave for snorting coke.
In the morning they’d blocked the road into town to run up and down it on horses and traps.
👍
Just be thankful they didn't do anything serious like put up a flag.
How is it any different to spray painting graffiti on a building
Graffiti on buildings is permanent?
So when are they planning to take the flags down?
A few decades before the graffiti that coats the railway lines into London ever gets cleaned up?
When I used to work down there our depot, even one of the workers cars, was regularly ‘tagged’ by someone using the handle ‘Tox’
A few years ago graffiti was popping up all over my town stating 'help others', which is a nice sentiment at least. More recently, though less frequently, the message 'Be kind' has been put up in a few places.
This month marks Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month.
Despite facing discrimination in many areas of life, our Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities have long contributed to life in our capital and today we celebrate that rich legacy.
Contribution on Saturday was starting a fight in front of my kids at the bouncy castle.
Charming.
The contribution at one of the pubs in town was smashing the windows of the pub after being asked to leave for snorting coke.
In the morning they’d blocked the road into town to run up and down it on horses and traps.
👍
Just be thankful they didn't do anything serious like put up a flag.
How is it any different to spray painting graffiti on a building
Graffiti on buildings is permanent?
So when are they planning to take the flags down?
A few decades before the graffiti that coats the railway lines into London ever gets cleaned up?
The flags will fall down before they get taken down. No flag of whatever material was designed to be out in all weathers for a year or more and many of the ones near us, in fact most, now look faded and bedraggled. The knuckle draggers didn’t think that one through before putting them up.
I think you'll find that flags in the 1950s stayed pristine in all weathers without anyone having to take any care whatsoever. I've watched a video from the 1950s and the flags look fine. This is 100% of proof.
Life took place in black and white until the 60s, so the flags found it easier to keep in good condition too.
I seem to remember reading once that we dream in black and white and our brains only fill in the colour later when we remember the dream afterwards, but that must be BS, right?
The latest theory is that the purpose of dreams is to keep the bit of the brain that processes visual images busy, because the brain is remarkably quick at starting to reallocate unused neural connections to other activities, and otherwise our visual acuity wouldn’t remain tip top . Whether B&W images suffice for this purpose I do not know.
This month marks Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month.
Despite facing discrimination in many areas of life, our Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities have long contributed to life in our capital and today we celebrate that rich legacy.
Contribution on Saturday was starting a fight in front of my kids at the bouncy castle.
Charming.
The contribution at one of the pubs in town was smashing the windows of the pub after being asked to leave for snorting coke.
In the morning they’d blocked the road into town to run up and down it on horses and traps.
👍
Just be thankful they didn't do anything serious like put up a flag.
How is it any different to spray painting graffiti on a building
Graffiti on buildings is permanent?
So when are they planning to take the flags down?
A few decades before the graffiti that coats the railway lines into London ever gets cleaned up?
The flags will fall down before they get taken down. No flag of whatever material was designed to be out in all weathers for a year or more and many of the ones near us, in fact most, now look faded and bedraggled. The knuckle draggers didn’t think that one through before putting them up.
I think you'll find that flags in the 1950s stayed pristine in all weathers without anyone having to take any care whatsoever. I've watched a video from the 1950s and the flags look fine. This is 100% of proof.
Life took place in black and white until the 60s, so the flags found it easier to keep in good condition too.
I seem to remember reading once that we dream in black and white and our brains only fill in the colour later when we remember the dream afterwards, but that must be BS, right?
The latest theory is that the purpose of dreams is to keep the bit of the brain that processes visual images busy, because the brain is remarkably quick at starting to reallocate unused neural connections to other activities, and otherwise our visual acuity wouldn’t remain tip top . Whether B&W images suffice for this purpose I do not know.
So it is basically because our brains will shut off some things completely if not using it for 8 hours, like video game publishers forcing people to be always online? Poor design.
He did warn him right from the start at least. Not sure if Orban changed things to make it a national assembly appointed position or if that was already the case though. Hungary's new prime minister has said the government will amend the constitution to remove President Tamás Sulyok after he refused to stand down.
Péter Magyar pledged to remove Sulyok and other key figures appointed by his predecessor Viktor Orbán after his landslide election win in April.
Magyar has accused the president of serving Orbán's interests and has repeatedly called on him to quit, most recently setting a deadline of 31 May.
Sulyok, who was installed in February 2024 by Orbán's party without a direct election, has refused to resign, saying he intends to serve out his five-year term.
This month marks Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month.
Despite facing discrimination in many areas of life, our Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities have long contributed to life in our capital and today we celebrate that rich legacy.
Contribution on Saturday was starting a fight in front of my kids at the bouncy castle.
Charming.
The contribution at one of the pubs in town was smashing the windows of the pub after being asked to leave for snorting coke.
In the morning they’d blocked the road into town to run up and down it on horses and traps.
👍
Just be thankful they didn't do anything serious like put up a flag.
How is it any different to spray painting graffiti on a building
Graffiti on buildings is permanent?
So when are they planning to take the flags down?
A few decades before the graffiti that coats the railway lines into London ever gets cleaned up?
The flags will fall down before they get taken down. No flag of whatever material was designed to be out in all weathers for a year or more and many of the ones near us, in fact most, now look faded and bedraggled. The knuckle draggers didn’t think that one through before putting them up.
I think you'll find that flags in the 1950s stayed pristine in all weathers without anyone having to take any care whatsoever. I've watched a video from the 1950s and the flags look fine. This is 100% of proof.
Life took place in black and white until the 60s, so the flags found it easier to keep in good condition too.
I seem to remember reading once that we dream in black and white and our brains only fill in the colour later when we remember the dream afterwards, but that must be BS, right?
You may be a dog dreaming he is a man.
Mu dog seems to mostly dream of chasing things, my own dreams seem a bit more chilled.
This month marks Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month.
Despite facing discrimination in many areas of life, our Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities have long contributed to life in our capital and today we celebrate that rich legacy.
Contribution on Saturday was starting a fight in front of my kids at the bouncy castle.
Charming.
The contribution at one of the pubs in town was smashing the windows of the pub after being asked to leave for snorting coke.
In the morning they’d blocked the road into town to run up and down it on horses and traps.
👍
Just be thankful they didn't do anything serious like put up a flag.
How is it any different to spray painting graffiti on a building
Graffiti on buildings is permanent?
So when are they planning to take the flags down?
A few decades before the graffiti that coats the railway lines into London ever gets cleaned up?
The flags will fall down before they get taken down. No flag of whatever material was designed to be out in all weathers for a year or more and many of the ones near us, in fact most, now look faded and bedraggled. The knuckle draggers didn’t think that one through before putting them up.
I think you'll find that flags in the 1950s stayed pristine in all weathers without anyone having to take any care whatsoever. I've watched a video from the 1950s and the flags look fine. This is 100% of proof.
Life took place in black and white until the 60s, so the flags found it easier to keep in good condition too.
I seem to remember reading once that we dream in black and white and our brains only fill in the colour later when we remember the dream afterwards, but that must be BS, right?
You may be a dog dreaming he is a man.
They have no need of such dreams. As a common meme puts it, being a dog is awesome as your best friend is a giant omnipotent ape who can make food appear from nowhere.
This month marks Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month.
Despite facing discrimination in many areas of life, our Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities have long contributed to life in our capital and today we celebrate that rich legacy.
Contribution on Saturday was starting a fight in front of my kids at the bouncy castle.
Charming.
The contribution at one of the pubs in town was smashing the windows of the pub after being asked to leave for snorting coke.
In the morning they’d blocked the road into town to run up and down it on horses and traps.
👍
Just be thankful they didn't do anything serious like put up a flag.
How is it any different to spray painting graffiti on a building
Graffiti on buildings is permanent?
So when are they planning to take the flags down?
A few decades before the graffiti that coats the railway lines into London ever gets cleaned up?
The flags will fall down before they get taken down. No flag of whatever material was designed to be out in all weathers for a year or more and many of the ones near us, in fact most, now look faded and bedraggled. The knuckle draggers didn’t think that one through before putting them up.
I think you'll find that flags in the 1950s stayed pristine in all weathers without anyone having to take any care whatsoever. I've watched a video from the 1950s and the flags look fine. This is 100% of proof.
Life took place in black and white until the 60s, so the flags found it easier to keep in good condition too.
I seem to remember reading once that we dream in black and white and our brains only fill in the colour later when we remember the dream afterwards, but that must be BS, right?
You may be a dog dreaming he is a man.
They have no need of such dreams. As a common meme puts it, being a dog is awesome as your best friend is a giant omnipotent ape who can make food appear from nowhere.
A world in which the second greatest thing of all time is a stick.
This month marks Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month.
Despite facing discrimination in many areas of life, our Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities have long contributed to life in our capital and today we celebrate that rich legacy.
Contribution on Saturday was starting a fight in front of my kids at the bouncy castle.
Charming.
The contribution at one of the pubs in town was smashing the windows of the pub after being asked to leave for snorting coke.
In the morning they’d blocked the road into town to run up and down it on horses and traps.
👍
Just be thankful they didn't do anything serious like put up a flag.
How is it any different to spray painting graffiti on a building
Graffiti on buildings is permanent?
So when are they planning to take the flags down?
A few decades before the graffiti that coats the railway lines into London ever gets cleaned up?
The flags will fall down before they get taken down. No flag of whatever material was designed to be out in all weathers for a year or more and many of the ones near us, in fact most, now look faded and bedraggled. The knuckle draggers didn’t think that one through before putting them up.
I think you'll find that flags in the 1950s stayed pristine in all weathers without anyone having to take any care whatsoever. I've watched a video from the 1950s and the flags look fine. This is 100% of proof.
Life took place in black and white until the 60s, so the flags found it easier to keep in good condition too.
I seem to remember reading once that we dream in black and white and our brains only fill in the colour later when we remember the dream afterwards, but that must be BS, right?
The latest theory is that the purpose of dreams is to keep the bit of the brain that processes visual images busy, because the brain is remarkably quick at starting to reallocate unused neural connections to other activities, and otherwise our visual acuity wouldn’t remain tip top . Whether B&W images suffice for this purpose I do not know.
Not sure if the specific examples necessarily work, but I'd be confident the point that most of us don't want to be principled on the issue is probably correct.
The truth about the Uyghur and Piker bans today is the Left and Right need to choose a consistent position on the freedom to voice racial hatred or support for terror.
Either you want to be American, where there is one rule for rate hating neo-Nazis, Islamist preachers and Podcaster Leftists who call Jews “inbred” and say they support Hamas — they have a right to free speech and to visit. That is a principled view and you can manage those politics.
Or you want to be European — where free speech is a qualified right, limited by stirring up racial hatred, support for terror groups and so on. And that again is a principled view and you can manage those politics.
But you have to be consistent in your view.
You want American-style rules? Sure but that means the Right has to be willing to accept the Islamist hate preacher in order to have the Remigration activist flying in and the Left the neo-Nazi provocateur on stage in order to have the pro-Hamas Podcaster at the festival. And the truth is I don’t think most on either side genuinely do want to be principled on this. https://nitter.poast.org/b_judah/status/2061414801209766000#m
Not sure if the specific examples necessarily work, but I'd be confident the point that most of us don't want to be principled on the issue is probably correct.
The truth about the Uyghur and Piker bans today is the Left and Right need to choose a consistent position on the freedom to voice racial hatred or support for terror.
Either you want to be American, where there is one rule for rate hating neo-Nazis, Islamist preachers and Podcaster Leftists who call Jews “inbred” and say they support Hamas — they have a right to free speech and to visit. That is a principled view and you can manage those politics.
Or you want to be European — where free speech is a qualified right, limited by stirring up racial hatred, support for terror groups and so on. And that again is a principled view and you can manage those politics.
But you have to be consistent in your view.
You want American-style rules? Sure but that means the Right has to be willing to accept the Islamist hate preacher in order to have the Remigration activist flying in and the Left the neo-Nazi provocateur on stage in order to have the pro-Hamas Podcaster at the festival. And the truth is I don’t think most on either side genuinely do want to be principled on this. https://nitter.poast.org/b_judah/status/2061414801209766000#m
Do any of our Reformistas have a view on whether Ref UK will dissociate themselves from "Raise the Colours", given that one of the RTC founders has been charged with murder after punching a pub manager in Lichfield?
The Ref UK Chief Whip has previously firmly backed the organisation, but in contrast has distanced the party from Yaxley-Lennon.
Henry Nowak’s murderer will be out of prison in just over 20 years.
Why did he not get longer? Because the judge ruled that - as a Sikh - he had a “good legal reason” to carry a 21cm “Shastar” knife on the streets of Southampton.
This month marks Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month.
Despite facing discrimination in many areas of life, our Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities have long contributed to life in our capital and today we celebrate that rich legacy.
Contribution on Saturday was starting a fight in front of my kids at the bouncy castle.
Charming.
The contribution at one of the pubs in town was smashing the windows of the pub after being asked to leave for snorting coke.
In the morning they’d blocked the road into town to run up and down it on horses and traps.
👍
Just be thankful they didn't do anything serious like put up a flag.
How is it any different to spray painting graffiti on a building
Graffiti on buildings is permanent?
So when are they planning to take the flags down?
A few decades before the graffiti that coats the railway lines into London ever gets cleaned up?
The flags will fall down before they get taken down. No flag of whatever material was designed to be out in all weathers for a year or more and many of the ones near us, in fact most, now look faded and bedraggled. The knuckle draggers didn’t think that one through before putting them up.
I think you'll find that flags in the 1950s stayed pristine in all weathers without anyone having to take any care whatsoever. I've watched a video from the 1950s and the flags look fine. This is 100% of proof.
Life took place in black and white until the 60s, so the flags found it easier to keep in good condition too.
I seem to remember reading once that we dream in black and white and our brains only fill in the colour later when we remember the dream afterwards, but that must be BS, right?
You may be a dog dreaming he is a man.
They have no need of such dreams. As a common meme puts it, being a dog is awesome as your best friend is a giant omnipotent ape who can make food appear from nowhere.
A world in which the second greatest thing of all time is a stick.
And the greatest is having the ability to lick your own bollocks.
Bodycam footage of the arrest of Henry Nowak has been released. It's extremely harrowing to watch.
I don't intend to.
I know it's difficult to assess what's happened in minutes in the aftermath of a fight or assault but when someone is injured, your priority should always be to assist the injured person.
Compare with the assailant in Golders Green who stabbed two people. After the police disarmed him he was treated by the Shomrin volunteers. They had a better understanding of their obligations than professional policemen.
Even if Henry had been the culprit (he wasn't) as an injured boy repeatedly saying he was severely injured, he should have been given medical help. Not be dragged, handcuffed with his hands behind his back which would have caused him further pain if he couldn't breathe and read his rights as he died. It is horrific that those were his last moments.
Any responsible adult, faced with one person who said ‘I’ve been stabbed’ and one who said ‘he was abusive’, should be quickly verifying the stabbing claim first. At a minimum calling an ambulance or doing first aid.
This month marks Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month.
Despite facing discrimination in many areas of life, our Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities have long contributed to life in our capital and today we celebrate that rich legacy.
Contribution on Saturday was starting a fight in front of my kids at the bouncy castle.
Charming.
The contribution at one of the pubs in town was smashing the windows of the pub after being asked to leave for snorting coke.
In the morning they’d blocked the road into town to run up and down it on horses and traps.
👍
Just be thankful they didn't do anything serious like put up a flag.
How is it any different to spray painting graffiti on a building
Graffiti on buildings is permanent?
So when are they planning to take the flags down?
A few decades before the graffiti that coats the railway lines into London ever gets cleaned up?
The flags will fall down before they get taken down. No flag of whatever material was designed to be out in all weathers for a year or more and many of the ones near us, in fact most, now look faded and bedraggled. The knuckle draggers didn’t think that one through before putting them up.
I think you'll find that flags in the 1950s stayed pristine in all weathers without anyone having to take any care whatsoever. I've watched a video from the 1950s and the flags look fine. This is 100% of proof.
Life took place in black and white until the 60s, so the flags found it easier to keep in good condition too.
I seem to remember reading once that we dream in black and white and our brains only fill in the colour later when we remember the dream afterwards, but that must be BS, right?
You may be a dog dreaming he is a man.
They have no need of such dreams. As a common meme puts it, being a dog is awesome as your best friend is a giant omnipotent ape who can make food appear from nowhere.
A world in which the second greatest thing of all time is a stick.
And the greatest is having the ability to lick your own bollocks.
Hansel: "I guess you can dere-lick my balls cap-i-tan."
Derek Zoolander: "I can dere-lick my own balls, thank you very much!"
Bodycam footage of the arrest of Henry Nowak has been released. It's extremely harrowing to watch.
I don't intend to.
I know it's difficult to assess what's happened in minutes in the aftermath of a fight or assault but when someone is injured, your priority should always be to assist the injured person.
Compare with the assailant in Golders Green who stabbed two people. After the police disarmed him he was treated by the Shomrin volunteers. They had a better understanding of their obligations than professional policemen.
Even if Henry had been the culprit (he wasn't) as an injured boy repeatedly saying he was severely injured, he should have been given medical help. Not be dragged, handcuffed with his hands behind his back which would have caused him further pain if he couldn't breathe and read his rights as he died. It is horrific that those were his last moments.
Any responsible adult, faced with one person who said ‘I’ve been stabbed’ and one who said ‘he was abusive’, should be quickly verifying the stabbing claim first. At a minimum calling an ambulance or doing first aid.
Even if you think he's having it on you check just to cover yourself. Inexplicable officer response.
Bodycam footage of the arrest of Henry Nowak has been released. It's extremely harrowing to watch.
I don't intend to.
I know it's difficult to assess what's happened in minutes in the aftermath of a fight or assault but when someone is injured, your priority should always be to assist the injured person.
Compare with the assailant in Golders Green who stabbed two people.
Bodycam footage of the arrest of Henry Nowak has been released. It's extremely harrowing to watch.
I don't intend to.
I know it's difficult to assess what's happened in minutes in the aftermath of a fight or assault but when someone is injured, your priority should always be to assist the injured person.
Compare with the assailant in Golders Green who stabbed two people.
He actually stabbed three people.
I know but he stabbed 2 people in Golders Green where he was caught and treated and treated for his injuries by Jewish ambulance volunteers. That is why I mentioned Golders Green.
If @Roger won't even eat a Jaffa orange because it comes from Israel what is he even doing posting on here, given that Israeli expertise and knowhow is behind most of the tools he uses to be online?
Perhaps he could send us his apercus, such as they are, by post. And maybe even explain why countries like Iran, Russia, North Korea, Afghanistan or even Pakistan, which committed a genocide in its war with Bangladesh, are less immoral than Israel.
I wonder if government is regretting ever having changed to using electronic intermal communication methods instead of handwritten memos.
Old physical records are probably going to be easier to access in decades to come than a lot of electronic ones. Yes, there are ways to do it, but for historians they'll no longer have access to things like personal letters and notes for most people, and our social media and email history is unlikely to be memorialized.
Some Data Protection people are obsessed with cleansing anything that doesn't need to be kept.
What? So there is a sub-group who are given special legal dispensation to carry offensive weapons because of the god they happen to believe in? Is that really true?
The other part - that the police's first, and, sometimes, only instinct is to respond to the shout of 'racist' is sadly more believable.
Not sure if the specific examples necessarily work, but I'd be confident the point that most of us don't want to be principled on the issue is probably correct.
The truth about the Uyghur and Piker bans today is the Left and Right need to choose a consistent position on the freedom to voice racial hatred or support for terror.
Either you want to be American, where there is one rule for rate hating neo-Nazis, Islamist preachers and Podcaster Leftists who call Jews “inbred” and say they support Hamas — they have a right to free speech and to visit. That is a principled view and you can manage those politics.
Or you want to be European — where free speech is a qualified right, limited by stirring up racial hatred, support for terror groups and so on. And that again is a principled view and you can manage those politics.
But you have to be consistent in your view.
You want American-style rules? Sure but that means the Right has to be willing to accept the Islamist hate preacher in order to have the Remigration activist flying in and the Left the neo-Nazi provocateur on stage in order to have the pro-Hamas Podcaster at the festival. And the truth is I don’t think most on either side genuinely do want to be principled on this. https://nitter.poast.org/b_judah/status/2061414801209766000#m
Almost nobody in the UK (inc me) is in favour of a legal right to say literally whatever the hell you want. They might make noises implying they are - "I believe in free speech!" - but on probing it will transpire that this belief is qualified, often significantly.
As you say this non-belief in absolute free speech is perfectly principled so long as the restrictions are clearly defined and consistent. And not excessive - the bar for judging speech to be criminal should be high. Of the two extremes of total free speech and no free speech you should be much closer to the first.
I'm ok with how we have it, pretty much. I don't make some massive fundamental distinction between actions and words. Saying or writing something is an action. You move your lips or press a keyboard. For me there's no compelling reason why those actions should uniquely fall outside the law when all others do not.
Bodycam footage of the arrest of Henry Nowak has been released. It's extremely harrowing to watch.
I don't intend to.
I know it's difficult to assess what's happened in minutes in the aftermath of a fight or assault but when someone is injured, your priority should always be to assist the injured person.
Compare with the assailant in Golders Green who stabbed two people. After the police disarmed him he was treated by the Shomrin volunteers. They had a better understanding of their obligations than professional policemen.
Even if Henry had been the culprit (he wasn't) as an injured boy repeatedly saying he was severely injured, he should have been given medical help. Not be dragged, handcuffed with his hands behind his back which would have caused him further pain if he couldn't breathe and read his rights as he died. It is horrific that those were his last moments.
Any responsible adult, faced with one person who said ‘I’ve been stabbed’ and one who said ‘he was abusive’, should be quickly verifying the stabbing claim first. At a minimum calling an ambulance or doing first aid.
I'm not going to watch it either. But do we get the 999 call? I feel it's both or neither, surely?
Bodycam footage of the arrest of Henry Nowak has been released. It's extremely harrowing to watch.
I don't intend to.
I know it's difficult to assess what's happened in minutes in the aftermath of a fight or assault but when someone is injured, your priority should always be to assist the injured person.
Compare with the assailant in Golders Green who stabbed two people. After the police disarmed him he was treated by the Shomrin volunteers. They had a better understanding of their obligations than professional policemen.
Even if Henry had been the culprit (he wasn't) as an injured boy repeatedly saying he was severely injured, he should have been given medical help. Not be dragged, handcuffed with his hands behind his back which would have caused him further pain if he couldn't breathe and read his rights as he died. It is horrific that those were his last moments.
Any responsible adult, faced with one person who said ‘I’ve been stabbed’ and one who said ‘he was abusive’, should be quickly verifying the stabbing claim first. At a minimum calling an ambulance or doing first aid.
All I would say is that the police have a very difficult job to do. They obviously deal with all kinds of incidents involving claim and counter claim every day. I suppose we will find out what they were told prior to the incident in the fullness of time. Was it inexperienced officers/brainwashing by DEI etc.
The other thing this highlights is the religious exemption for carrying a dangerous weapon. Fraser Nelson has made the point about defending religious liberty, which as a committed Christian presumably means privileges for people like him. With the focus on knife crime, stop and search, is it really feasible to allow a complete exemption for knives held for religious reasons? I'm not sure that will hold in the court of public opinion. Most people's idea of religious liberty is about stopping persecution, forced conversion or discrimination not being able to carry a dangerous weapon about your person.
If Sikh leaders are wise they will be looking at trying to find some kind of compromise that avoids a complete ban.
Bodycam footage of the arrest of Henry Nowak has been released. It's extremely harrowing to watch.
I don't intend to.
I know it's difficult to assess what's happened in minutes in the aftermath of a fight or assault but when someone is injured, your priority should always be to assist the injured person.
Compare with the assailant in Golders Green who stabbed two people. After the police disarmed him he was treated by the Shomrin volunteers. They had a better understanding of their obligations than professional policemen.
Even if Henry had been the culprit (he wasn't) as an injured boy repeatedly saying he was severely injured, he should have been given medical help. Not be dragged, handcuffed with his hands behind his back which would have caused him further pain if he couldn't breathe and read his rights as he died. It is horrific that those were his last moments.
Any responsible adult, faced with one person who said ‘I’ve been stabbed’ and one who said ‘he was abusive’, should be quickly verifying the stabbing claim first. At a minimum calling an ambulance or doing first aid.
All I would say is that the police have a very difficult job to do. They obviously deal with all kinds of incidents involving claim and counter claim every day. I suppose we will find out what they were told prior to the incident in the fullness of time. Was it inexperienced officers/brainwashing by DEI etc.
The other thing this highlights is the religious exemption for carrying a dangerous weapon. Fraser Nelson has made the point about defending religious liberty, which as a committed Christian presumably means privileges for people like him. With the focus on knife crime, stop and search, is it really feasible to allow a complete exemption for knives held for religious reasons? I'm not sure that will hold in the court of public opinion. Most people's idea of religious liberty is about stopping persecution, forced conversion or discrimination not being able to carry a dangerous weapon about your person.
If Sikh leaders are wise they will be looking at trying to find some kind of compromise that avoids a complete ban.
According to the evidence at trial, those calling 999 told the police that Henry had been stabbed, as did Henry himself. The police should have checked.
Bodycam footage of the arrest of Henry Nowak has been released. It's extremely harrowing to watch.
I don't intend to.
I know it's difficult to assess what's happened in minutes in the aftermath of a fight or assault but when someone is injured, your priority should always be to assist the injured person.
Compare with the assailant in Golders Green who stabbed two people. After the police disarmed him he was treated by the Shomrin volunteers. They had a better understanding of their obligations than professional policemen.
Even if Henry had been the culprit (he wasn't) as an injured boy repeatedly saying he was severely injured, he should have been given medical help. Not be dragged, handcuffed with his hands behind his back which would have caused him further pain if he couldn't breathe and read his rights as he died. It is horrific that those were his last moments.
Any responsible adult, faced with one person who said ‘I’ve been stabbed’ and one who said ‘he was abusive’, should be quickly verifying the stabbing claim first. At a minimum calling an ambulance or doing first aid.
All I would say is that the police have a very difficult job to do. They obviously deal with all kinds of incidents involving claim and counter claim every day. I suppose we will find out what they were told prior to the incident in the fullness of time. Was it inexperienced officers/brainwashing by DEI etc.
The other thing this highlights is the religious exemption for carrying a dangerous weapon. Fraser Nelson has made the point about defending religious liberty, which as a committed Christian presumably means privileges for people like him. With the focus on knife crime, stop and search, is it really feasible to allow a complete exemption for knives held for religious reasons? I'm not sure that will hold in the court of public opinion. Most people's idea of religious liberty is about stopping persecution, forced conversion or discrimination not being able to carry a dangerous weapon about your person.
If Sikh leaders are wise they will be looking at trying to find some kind of compromise that avoids a complete ban.
I see no good reason why people should be allowed to carry offensive weapons.
In any case, this poor boy was stabbed with a sword not the religiously mandated knife.
Bodycam footage of the arrest of Henry Nowak has been released. It's extremely harrowing to watch.
I don't intend to.
I know it's difficult to assess what's happened in minutes in the aftermath of a fight or assault but when someone is injured, your priority should always be to assist the injured person.
Compare with the assailant in Golders Green who stabbed two people. After the police disarmed him he was treated by the Shomrin volunteers. They had a better understanding of their obligations than professional policemen.
Even if Henry had been the culprit (he wasn't) as an injured boy repeatedly saying he was severely injured, he should have been given medical help. Not be dragged, handcuffed with his hands behind his back which would have caused him further pain if he couldn't breathe and read his rights as he died. It is horrific that those were his last moments.
Any responsible adult, faced with one person who said ‘I’ve been stabbed’ and one who said ‘he was abusive’, should be quickly verifying the stabbing claim first. At a minimum calling an ambulance or doing first aid.
All I would say is that the police have a very difficult job to do. They obviously deal with all kinds of incidents involving claim and counter claim every day. I suppose we will find out what they were told prior to the incident in the fullness of time. Was it inexperienced officers/brainwashing by DEI etc.
The other thing this highlights is the religious exemption for carrying a dangerous weapon. Fraser Nelson has made the point about defending religious liberty, which as a committed Christian presumably means privileges for people like him. With the focus on knife crime, stop and search, is it really feasible to allow a complete exemption for knives held for religious reasons? I'm not sure that will hold in the court of public opinion. Most people's idea of religious liberty is about stopping persecution, forced conversion or discrimination not being able to carry a dangerous weapon about your person.
If Sikh leaders are wise they will be looking at trying to find some kind of compromise that avoids a complete ban.
According to the evidence at trial, those calling 999 told the police that Henry had been stabbed, as did Henry himself. The police should have checked.
Comments
Charming.
The whole thing is so INCREDIBLY tacky and anyone saying it’s “about being proud of the country” is a liar and a fraudster. It is intimidating and designed to be.
It’s nothing more than a bunch of chavs doing vandalism. That’s it.
Welcome to deregulated Britain.
Wonderful people the Lebanese........
...............
Things look pretty bad for Labour. If Andy B doesn't win it and win again it's difficult to see where they go from here. In the words of the Bard 'Their existence led by confusion boats, mutiny from stern to bow........,"
If they are provided in their capacity as a workplace, then they must *also* provide single-biological-sex facilities that are I) single-biological-sex and ii) labelled "female".
In the morning they’d blocked the road into town to run up and down it on horses and traps.
👍
My question is that I own shares in an Israeli owned company called Plus500. It makes its money by providing a platform where people can bet on whether a company’s share price will rise or fall, I think.
As you are an unequivocal critic of the Israeli government’s actions in Gaza and elsewhere, do you think it is wrong of me to own shares in an Israeli owned company. I would be interested in your opinion - and any other Pber. Thanks.
Pat McFadden
@patmcfaddenmp
As I often say in interviews and in the Department, "we have to change the question the system asks from "what benefits are you entitled to" to "how do we help you change your life".
From BBC PM programme...last Thursday (28 May).
https://x.com/patmcfaddenmp/status/2061485555163029649
* unless he becomes dark horse winner of being PM in which case thanks to Betfair I will be dining out every night for a month!!!
"Mouth-covering rules: Any player covering their mouth, either with a hand or shirt, while being aggressive towards another player will immediately receive a red card. Players using the method to communicate with their own teammates won't be penalised."
https://www.itv.com/news/2026-06-01/how-will-new-var-rules-affect-england-in-the-2026-world-cup
Even if the LDs held their gains it would need Reform to take most Tory seats for them to overtake the Tories on seats overall
It's not exactly an environment designed for nomadic lifestyle.
It is also a flat roof pub.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cd6xjqxv811o
'[17/07/2024, 21:41] Peter Mandelson: Keir, hope you are well, you have got off to a flying start. I was at a dinner with John Major this evening and if you don’t know him I think good idea to invite him for a chat. As well as being a very nice person, he is interesting and thoughtful. Just a thought. No need to reply.
[25/07/2024, 13:25] Keir Starmer: Thanks Peter. Its so good to be getting on with the job of governing. A million times better than opposition - you know that! I’ll reach out to John M, he’s a very thoughtful man. See you soon I hope. '
https://x.com/PolitlcsUK/status/2061444923275055163?s=20
..When you feel lost and about to give up
'Cause your best just ain't good enough
And you feel the world has grown cold
And you're drifting out all on your own..
Reach out, reach out for me
I'll be there.."
Interesting.
The Norstat Data Tables from their poll a couple of days ago (which showed SNP in a commanding lead (UP 5 POINTS) and YES on 52%)
also show that;
34% of LibDem Voters will vote YES in another Indyref, as will 33% of Labour Voters and 18% of Reform Voters.
Nice.
https://x.com/beith123/status/2061498348532543894?s=61&t=LYVEHh2mqFy1oUJAdCfe-Q
.....To the extent that if Andy doesn't take over or loses the seat keir will be replaced within days anyway. Leaders have a certain something and reluctantly it looks like. Keir isn't one of them Hi StJohn. Good to hear from you again. It's a difficult one to answer. I know your motives would be honourable so for you I'd say it's OK. I wouldn't but then I wouldn't buy a Jaffa Orange if I was dying of thirst. I believe them to be the most immoral country in the world and I loathe everything about them. Half my sister's family live there and though I'm very fond of her I struggle to get past my prejudices and actually go and visit even though I feel I should
Gypsies do still face a lot of discrimination though, however the problems some in the community cause cannot be entirely dismissed because there is discrimination as well.
Then it just said 'Nah - computer says no'. So now I can't access anything and there's no other avenue to make an account, no contact details, no... anything. Strangely, I can however still seem to pay national and local taxes without any problem at all.
Hungary's new prime minister has said the government will amend the constitution to remove President Tamás Sulyok after he refused to stand down.
Péter Magyar pledged to remove Sulyok and other key figures appointed by his predecessor Viktor Orbán after his landslide election win in April.
Magyar has accused the president of serving Orbán's interests and has repeatedly called on him to quit, most recently setting a deadline of 31 May.
Sulyok, who was installed in February 2024 by Orbán's party without a direct election, has refused to resign, saying he intends to serve out his five-year term.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3w2vdd6jj3o
The truth about the Uyghur and Piker bans today is the Left and Right need to choose a consistent position on the freedom to voice racial hatred or support for terror.
Either you want to be American, where there is one rule for rate hating neo-Nazis, Islamist preachers and Podcaster Leftists who call Jews “inbred” and say they support Hamas — they have a right to free speech and to visit. That is a principled view and you can manage those politics.
Or you want to be European — where free speech is a qualified right, limited by stirring up racial hatred, support for terror groups and so on. And that again is a principled view and you can manage those politics.
But you have to be consistent in your view.
You want American-style rules? Sure but that means the Right has to be willing to accept the Islamist hate preacher in order to have the Remigration activist flying in and the Left the neo-Nazi provocateur on stage in order to have the pro-Hamas Podcaster at the festival. And the truth is I don’t think most on either side genuinely do want to be principled on this.
https://nitter.poast.org/b_judah/status/2061414801209766000#m
Why did he not get longer? Because the judge ruled that - as a Sikh - he had a “good legal reason” to carry a 21cm “Shastar” knife on the streets of Southampton.
This sentence is a joke. Two-tier justice at its worst. I will not let this lie.
https://x.com/RobertJenrick/status/2061481550353666250
NO he won’t be “out in just over 20 years” - that’s the minimum term before he can apply for parole
N0 he didn’t get a lighter sentence because of the knife - he (Jenrick) has deliberately cut out the bit that says he got a LONGER sentence
If he was still a solicitor he’d get struck off
https://x.com/nazirafzal/status/2061518261099860457
Double SNP hold.
But they won't win it this time.
I know it's difficult to assess what's happened in minutes in the aftermath of a fight or assault but when someone is injured, your priority should always be to assist the injured person.
Compare with the assailant in Golders Green who stabbed two people. After the police disarmed him he was treated by the Shomrin volunteers. They had a better understanding of their obligations than professional policemen.
Even if Henry had been the culprit (he wasn't) as an injured boy repeatedly saying he was severely injured, he should have been given medical help. Not be dragged, handcuffed with his hands behind his back which would have caused him further pain if he couldn't breathe and read his rights as he died. It is horrific that those were his last moments.
Any responsible adult, faced with one person who said ‘I’ve been stabbed’ and one who said ‘he was abusive’, should be quickly verifying the stabbing claim first. At a minimum calling an ambulance or doing first aid.
Derek Zoolander: "I can dere-lick my own balls, thank you very much!"
https://x.com/WisemanCap/status/2061551262269952377
Perhaps he could send us his apercus, such as they are, by post. And maybe even explain why countries like Iran, Russia, North Korea, Afghanistan or even Pakistan, which committed a genocide in its war with Bangladesh, are less immoral than Israel.
Some Data Protection people are obsessed with cleansing anything that doesn't need to be kept.
The other part - that the police's first, and, sometimes, only instinct is to respond to the shout of 'racist' is sadly more believable.
As you say this non-belief in absolute free speech is perfectly principled so long as the restrictions are clearly defined and consistent. And not excessive - the bar for judging speech to be criminal should be high. Of the two extremes of total free speech and no free speech you should be much closer to the first.
I'm ok with how we have it, pretty much. I don't make some massive fundamental distinction between actions and words. Saying or writing something is an action. You move your lips or press a keyboard. For me there's no compelling reason why those actions should uniquely fall outside the law when all others do not.
The other thing this highlights is the religious exemption for carrying a dangerous weapon. Fraser Nelson has made the point about defending religious liberty, which as a committed Christian presumably means privileges for people like him. With the focus on knife crime, stop and search, is it really feasible to allow a complete exemption for knives held for religious reasons? I'm not sure that will hold in the court of public opinion. Most people's idea of religious liberty is about stopping persecution, forced conversion or discrimination not being able to carry a dangerous weapon about your person.
If Sikh leaders are wise they will be looking at trying to find some kind of compromise that avoids a complete ban.
In any case, this poor boy was stabbed with a sword not the religiously mandated knife.