Does anyone with more than two brain cells actually use Facebook any more? Or indeed believe anything they pick up from social media generally unless it is also from a trusted source?
Surely Facebook, X and the like are just for children and fuckwits.
I do use Facebook to keep in loose contact with old school and university people, my closer ones are on WhatsApp. I get a load of geeky archaeology and architecture and design posts on my feed, some quite funny political things - have been seeing videos of senate committees where a senator called Sheldon Washington rips apart Trump appointees which is always amusing.
I see the odd bit of local news which can be useful.
Maybe this confirms your theory!
I find it less and less usable
A few years ago,it was great for keeping up with old friends, seeing what’s on locally and getting an idea of live events and local news. It was invaluable
Now it’s virtually unusable. My feed is mainly ads and suggesting groups to join or follow. Very little is friends or local events now.
Actually it has a lot of useful local groups, and news items and is a good source of local info
It suggests there are large numbers of people who don’t think VAT is a mad tax dreamed up by drunks in Brussels to hurt poor people that we should have ditched first thing in January 2020.
So, we must be due an intervention from his two mates in the Whitehouse.
Maybe this posted just now by Trump
Donald Trump has threatened to impose a 100% import tariff on the UK over its digital services tax on American social media firms.
The US president also said it would supercede Britain's existing trade deal.
Mr Trump had previously raised the spectre of such a move unless Britain dropped the 2% levy on the revenues of several major US tech companies.
The tax targets companies whose worldwide revenues from digital activities exceed £500m, with more than £25m of the revenue from UK users.
Posting on his Truth Social social media platform, Mr Trump said "Numerous European Countries have been discussing the imminent implementation of a Digital Services Tax on American Companies. Some of these Countries are close to actually doing this.
Please let this statement serve to represent that any Country that imposes such a Tax will immediately be met with a 100% TARIFF on any and all Goods sent to the United States of America.
This TARIFF will supersede Trade Deals made with the Country, whether implemented, signed, or not. Additionally, the 100% TARIFF will be immediately imposed, if they proceed."
I thought the SC had already ruled that he could not do this. He is nothing short of ridiculous.
So, we must be due an intervention from his two mates in the Whitehouse.
Maybe this posted just now by Trump
Donald Trump has threatened to impose a 100% import tariff on the UK over its digital services tax on American social media firms.
The US president also said it would supercede Britain's existing trade deal.
Mr Trump had previously raised the spectre of such a move unless Britain dropped the 2% levy on the revenues of several major US tech companies.
The tax targets companies whose worldwide revenues from digital activities exceed £500m, with more than £25m of the revenue from UK users.
Posting on his Truth Social social media platform, Mr Trump said "Numerous European Countries have been discussing the imminent implementation of a Digital Services Tax on American Companies. Some of these Countries are close to actually doing this.
Please let this statement serve to represent that any Country that imposes such a Tax will immediately be met with a 100% TARIFF on any and all Goods sent to the United States of America.
This TARIFF will supersede Trade Deals made with the Country, whether implemented, signed, or not. Additionally, the 100% TARIFF will be immediately imposed, if they proceed."
Example of why buttering him up doesn't work No.2691 - the next time something happens he doesn't like, you get this.
So, we must be due an intervention from his two mates in the Whitehouse.
Maybe this posted just now by Trump
Donald Trump has threatened to impose a 100% import tariff on the UK over its digital services tax on American social media firms.
The US president also said it would supercede Britain's existing trade deal.
Mr Trump had previously raised the spectre of such a move unless Britain dropped the 2% levy on the revenues of several major US tech companies.
The tax targets companies whose worldwide revenues from digital activities exceed £500m, with more than £25m of the revenue from UK users.
Posting on his Truth Social social media platform, Mr Trump said "Numerous European Countries have been discussing the imminent implementation of a Digital Services Tax on American Companies. Some of these Countries are close to actually doing this.
Please let this statement serve to represent that any Country that imposes such a Tax will immediately be met with a 100% TARIFF on any and all Goods sent to the United States of America.
This TARIFF will supersede Trade Deals made with the Country, whether implemented, signed, or not. Additionally, the 100% TARIFF will be immediately imposed, if they proceed."
I thought the SC had already ruled that he could not do this. He is nothing short of ridiculous.
Well, the tariff situation seems complicated depending on which precise legal mechanism he might attempt to use (if it is not just bluster), but even if he directly ignored them, what would they do about it? They've told him he can do anything he liked already.
I expect a case which will revisit that level of immunity once he leaves office, entirely coincidentally.
So, we must be due an intervention from his two mates in the Whitehouse.
Maybe this posted just now by Trump
Donald Trump has threatened to impose a 100% import tariff on the UK over its digital services tax on American social media firms.
The US president also said it would supercede Britain's existing trade deal.
Mr Trump had previously raised the spectre of such a move unless Britain dropped the 2% levy on the revenues of several major US tech companies.
The tax targets companies whose worldwide revenues from digital activities exceed £500m, with more than £25m of the revenue from UK users.
Posting on his Truth Social social media platform, Mr Trump said "Numerous European Countries have been discussing the imminent implementation of a Digital Services Tax on American Companies. Some of these Countries are close to actually doing this.
Please let this statement serve to represent that any Country that imposes such a Tax will immediately be met with a 100% TARIFF on any and all Goods sent to the United States of America.
This TARIFF will supersede Trade Deals made with the Country, whether implemented, signed, or not. Additionally, the 100% TARIFF will be immediately imposed, if they proceed."
Just tell him to get to fuck. So sick of this mentally incapable dribbling arsewipe.
It suggests there are large numbers of people who don’t think VAT is a mad tax dreamed up by drunks in Brussels to hurt poor people that we should have ditched first thing in January 2020.
The US has a sales tax, we just do it sensibly..
If your definition of ‘sensibly’ is slapping 20% on the price of whichever random good has upset some fat old weirdo in London to be collected through a mechanism apparently designed by a monkey based on legislation written by Amanda Spielman …
…I would hate to see your definition of ‘stupidly.’
That's quite Parish Pump Scotland from the National.
There's a list too long to repost, starting with Nigel Farage, Kemi Badenoch and Boris Johnson.
It is Alliance for Responsible Citizenship (ARC); I'd probably term them culture war and USA religious right, rather than fundamentally "hard-right". "Anti-woke" with a focus on "personal morality" probably gets the style, though with peeps from the Trump regime and AFD etc will be present.
Ben Houchen, Esther McVey and Sarah Pochin are also there.
The key organiser is aiui Baroness Stroud, who is a mover and shaker everywhere on the Right - not dissimilar to Danny Kruger in views imo.
The issue I have with Kate Forbes. She has always had this line that she has the simple sincere belief of people from the Highlands, I can do no other.
I'm doubtful that she does have a simple sincere belief but (a) I'm a tolerant and understanding person and (b) it's none of my business what she does believe. I would give her the benefit of any irrelevant doubt if only Forbes was equally tolerant and understanding of other people's different but sincere beliefs.
Then she goes and signs up with a bunch of nativist ideologues, many of them actual frauds, who wouldn't recognise a Judeo-Christian value if it bit them in the ass.
Must say I have not ever heard her say a bad thing about anyone. She is entitled to her views and seems to keep them to herself.
She's genuinely popular in the Highlands. But is certainly out-of-kilter with the ruling SNP worldview, as she's a social conservative and has an interest and expertise in economics - not something you could accuse Nicola et al of.
On assisted dying, she said: “One prominent campaigner railed against undeclared personal religious beliefs… in the debate and dismissed arguments from those who were guided by faith. But nobody demands that of anybody subscribing to the new faith, the new ideologies and the new philosophies of our day.
“Their moral framework, their basis of decision-making, is accepted without question, as though anybody who is free of the burden of an inner conscience grounded in historical truths is unbiased and unprejudiced.
“Those who hold to those truths – those truths that have birthed such great freedoms and liberties across the ages – are excluded by default.”
But religious faith is not "grounded in historical truths".
Not in the sense she means, but I do think some people have been a bit over the top in demanding people not use their religious convictions when deciding on the issue, since everyone will be using their own moral convictions even if not religiously based.
Exactly! Forbes doesn't accept that people who disagree with her on the points have their own moral convictions for the positions they adopt.
It is difficult if you have absolute beliefs because it means everyone with a different view is wrong by definition. I can cope with that. I have some very pious friends, but we respect each other. So don't expect special treatment because your moral priors are different from the norm. And also what's Forbes doing consorting with the likes of Farage and Houchen, who don't have a moral value between them?
So, we must be due an intervention from his two mates in the Whitehouse.
Maybe this posted just now by Trump
Donald Trump has threatened to impose a 100% import tariff on the UK over its digital services tax on American social media firms.
The US president also said it would supercede Britain's existing trade deal.
Mr Trump had previously raised the spectre of such a move unless Britain dropped the 2% levy on the revenues of several major US tech companies.
The tax targets companies whose worldwide revenues from digital activities exceed £500m, with more than £25m of the revenue from UK users.
Posting on his Truth Social social media platform, Mr Trump said "Numerous European Countries have been discussing the imminent implementation of a Digital Services Tax on American Companies. Some of these Countries are close to actually doing this.
Please let this statement serve to represent that any Country that imposes such a Tax will immediately be met with a 100% TARIFF on any and all Goods sent to the United States of America.
This TARIFF will supersede Trade Deals made with the Country, whether implemented, signed, or not. Additionally, the 100% TARIFF will be immediately imposed, if they proceed."
Just tell him to get to fuck. So sick of this mentally incapable dribbling arsewipe.
I don't think Andy will be sending for you to be US Ambassador.
Lovely and cool in the Toon after an afternoon thunderstorm.
Murderous heat still in the swamps of the Midlands.
Still 30 in garden in shade.
Same here and was 34 earlier this pm
It will be cooler outside than inside in an hour here, so the windows can be opened. Let's hope for a breeze.
Our lives have been reduced to waiting for the hour we can open the windows.
Not an issue here: MVHR (Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery or, when it's hotter outside, heat exclusion). Plus, underfloor heating which switches to underfloor cooling in the summer.
I know I sound smug but these things are not hard or particularly expensive relative to the cost of a house. Every new house should be built with them.
NEW: Labour MPs who still want a leadership contest will not back Al Carns
‘He is beginning to look a little bit silly’, says one MP
Only beginning?
Clearly lacks enough experience to be leader.
Hey now, he has 2 years of experience - Keir Starmer was floated as a leader 2 weeks after being elected as an MP, and I think we can all agree that was a sign of greatness.
I an getting stuff on Instagram about Burnham and his wife and a financial matter. No.idea if its true but the truth will out I'd really, really like it to be.
So, we must be due an intervention from his two mates in the Whitehouse.
Maybe this posted just now by Trump
Donald Trump has threatened to impose a 100% import tariff on the UK over its digital services tax on American social media firms.
The US president also said it would supercede Britain's existing trade deal.
Mr Trump had previously raised the spectre of such a move unless Britain dropped the 2% levy on the revenues of several major US tech companies.
The tax targets companies whose worldwide revenues from digital activities exceed £500m, with more than £25m of the revenue from UK users.
Posting on his Truth Social social media platform, Mr Trump said "Numerous European Countries have been discussing the imminent implementation of a Digital Services Tax on American Companies. Some of these Countries are close to actually doing this.
Please let this statement serve to represent that any Country that imposes such a Tax will immediately be met with a 100% TARIFF on any and all Goods sent to the United States of America.
This TARIFF will supersede Trade Deals made with the Country, whether implemented, signed, or not. Additionally, the 100% TARIFF will be immediately imposed, if they proceed."
Example of why buttering him up doesn't work No.2691 - the next time something happens he doesn't like, you get this.
The only sensible response is to triple the proposed social media tax.
That's quite Parish Pump Scotland from the National.
There's a list too long to repost, starting with Nigel Farage, Kemi Badenoch and Boris Johnson.
It is Alliance for Responsible Citizenship (ARC); I'd probably term them culture war and USA religious right, rather than fundamentally "hard-right". "Anti-woke" with a focus on "personal morality" probably gets the style, though with peeps from the Trump regime and AFD etc will be present.
Ben Houchen, Esther McVey and Sarah Pochin are also there.
The key organiser is aiui Baroness Stroud, who is a mover and shaker everywhere on the Right - not dissimilar to Danny Kruger in views imo.
The issue I have with Kate Forbes. She has always had this line that she has the simple sincere belief of people from the Highlands, I can do no other.
I'm doubtful that she does have a simple sincere belief but (a) I'm a tolerant and understanding person and (b) it's none of my business what she does believe. I would give her the benefit of any irrelevant doubt if only Forbes was equally tolerant and understanding of other people's different but sincere beliefs.
Then she goes and signs up with a bunch of nativist ideologues, many of them actual frauds, who wouldn't recognise a Judeo-Christian value if it bit them in the ass.
Must say I have not ever heard her say a bad thing about anyone. She is entitled to her views and seems to keep them to herself.
She's genuinely popular in the Highlands. But is certainly out-of-kilter with the ruling SNP worldview, as she's a social conservative and has an interest and expertise in economics - not something you could accuse Nicola et al of.
well Nicola and economics seemed to be difficult, counting not her forte
Lovely and cool in the Toon after an afternoon thunderstorm.
Murderous heat still in the swamps of the Midlands.
Still 30 in garden in shade.
Same here and was 34 earlier this pm
It will be cooler outside than inside in an hour here, so the windows can be opened. Let's hope for a breeze.
Our lives have been reduced to waiting for the hour we can open the windows.
Not an issue here: MVHR (Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery or, when it's hotter outside, heat exclusion). Plus, underfloor heating which switches to underfloor cooling in the summer.
I know I sound smug but these things are not hard or particularly expensive relative to the cost of a house. Every new house should be built with them.
The housebuilders federation will take out a contract on you, they were upset enough about a single brick
I an getting stuff on Instagram about Burnham and his wife and a financial matter. No.idea if its true but the truth will out I'd really, really like it to be.
It suggests there are large numbers of people who don’t think VAT is a mad tax dreamed up by drunks in Brussels to hurt poor people that we should have ditched first thing in January 2020.
cut income tax , hike up VAT and make the spongers pay for their benefits
So, we must be due an intervention from his two mates in the Whitehouse.
Maybe this posted just now by Trump
Donald Trump has threatened to impose a 100% import tariff on the UK over its digital services tax on American social media firms.
The US president also said it would supercede Britain's existing trade deal.
Mr Trump had previously raised the spectre of such a move unless Britain dropped the 2% levy on the revenues of several major US tech companies.
The tax targets companies whose worldwide revenues from digital activities exceed £500m, with more than £25m of the revenue from UK users.
Posting on his Truth Social social media platform, Mr Trump said "Numerous European Countries have been discussing the imminent implementation of a Digital Services Tax on American Companies. Some of these Countries are close to actually doing this.
Please let this statement serve to represent that any Country that imposes such a Tax will immediately be met with a 100% TARIFF on any and all Goods sent to the United States of America.
This TARIFF will supersede Trade Deals made with the Country, whether implemented, signed, or not. Additionally, the 100% TARIFF will be immediately imposed, if they proceed."
He should be told to F*** right off and ban import of all American goods and chuck out all their military personnel
NEW: Labour MPs who still want a leadership contest will not back Al Carns
‘He is beginning to look a little bit silly’, says one MP
Only beginning?
Clearly lacks enough experience to be leader.
Hey now, he has 2 years of experience - Keir Starmer was floated as a leader 2 weeks after being elected as an MP, and I think we can all agree that was a sign of greatness.
Regarding the header, I don't really see this as misinformation. I see that aspects of the story are exaggerated or erroneous, but the central thrust of the story, that Burnham may have influenced a process in order to benefit his wife, is a matter of personal belief. Yes, he declared an interest and recused himself from the process, but that does not mean that if he had set his mind to getting that company hired, he could not have found the means to do it.
My sympathy was very much on the side of the Burnhams until I read about the wife being taken on by the company at a later date, and yes, that gave me pause. I don't dislike Burnham, so I consider myself neutral. If I mistrusted and disliked him, I'd probably believe he influenced the process; if I really liked him, I'd probably think it was an outrageous calumny.
The police have tried to accuse people of misinformation recently when it quickly became clear that they were the ones misinforming people. The term misinformation is inflationary. It is becoming debased through overuse.
So, we must be due an intervention from his two mates in the Whitehouse.
Maybe this posted just now by Trump
Donald Trump has threatened to impose a 100% import tariff on the UK over its digital services tax on American social media firms.
The US president also said it would supercede Britain's existing trade deal.
Mr Trump had previously raised the spectre of such a move unless Britain dropped the 2% levy on the revenues of several major US tech companies.
The tax targets companies whose worldwide revenues from digital activities exceed £500m, with more than £25m of the revenue from UK users.
Posting on his Truth Social social media platform, Mr Trump said "Numerous European Countries have been discussing the imminent implementation of a Digital Services Tax on American Companies. Some of these Countries are close to actually doing this.
Please let this statement serve to represent that any Country that imposes such a Tax will immediately be met with a 100% TARIFF on any and all Goods sent to the United States of America.
This TARIFF will supersede Trade Deals made with the Country, whether implemented, signed, or not. Additionally, the 100% TARIFF will be immediately imposed, if they proceed."
I thought the SC had already ruled that he could not do this. He is nothing short of ridiculous.
Does anyone with more than two brain cells actually use Facebook any more? Or indeed believe anything they pick up from social media generally unless it is also from a trusted source?
Surely Facebook, X and the like are just for children and fuckwits.
I do use Facebook to keep in loose contact with old school and university people, my closer ones are on WhatsApp. I get a load of geeky archaeology and architecture and design posts on my feed, some quite funny political things - have been seeing videos of senate committees where a senator called Sheldon Washington rips apart Trump appointees which is always amusing.
I see the odd bit of local news which can be useful.
Maybe this confirms your theory!
I find it less and less usable
A few years ago,it was great for keeping up with old friends, seeing what’s on locally and getting an idea of live events and local news. It was invaluable
Now it’s virtually unusable. My feed is mainly ads and suggesting groups to join or follow. Very little is friends or local events now.
There's a happy medium for dinosaurs like me. I can use Facebook to find out the time of the village hall coffee morning but being a dinosaur I don't know what a 'feed' is or how I would know if anyone was trying to feed me. X is the same for me.
It suggests there are large numbers of people who don’t think VAT is a mad tax dreamed up by drunks in Brussels to hurt poor people that we should have ditched first thing in January 2020.
cut income tax , hike up VAT and make the spongers pay for their benefits
If we had no VAT exemptions, it would be harder to lobby for them. Because we have some, we will get more.
It suggests there are large numbers of people who don’t think VAT is a mad tax dreamed up by drunks in Brussels to hurt poor people that we should have ditched first thing in January 2020.
So, we must be due an intervention from his two mates in the Whitehouse.
Maybe this posted just now by Trump
Donald Trump has threatened to impose a 100% import tariff on the UK over its digital services tax on American social media firms.
The US president also said it would supercede Britain's existing trade deal.
Mr Trump had previously raised the spectre of such a move unless Britain dropped the 2% levy on the revenues of several major US tech companies.
The tax targets companies whose worldwide revenues from digital activities exceed £500m, with more than £25m of the revenue from UK users.
Posting on his Truth Social social media platform, Mr Trump said "Numerous European Countries have been discussing the imminent implementation of a Digital Services Tax on American Companies. Some of these Countries are close to actually doing this.
Please let this statement serve to represent that any Country that imposes such a Tax will immediately be met with a 100% TARIFF on any and all Goods sent to the United States of America.
This TARIFF will supersede Trade Deals made with the Country, whether implemented, signed, or not. Additionally, the 100% TARIFF will be immediately imposed, if they proceed."
Example of why buttering him up doesn't work No.2691 - the next time something happens he doesn't like, you get this.
The only sensible response is to triple the proposed social media tax.
We could also sue him in federal court as I don't believe Congress has granted him the power to do that.
NEW: Labour MPs who still want a leadership contest will not back Al Carns
‘He is beginning to look a little bit silly’, says one MP
Perhaps he'll 'fudge off and join the Tories'.
Only if he believes it will further his career.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Carns ..Carns left the Royal Marines in 2024 so that he could stand as a candidate in the general election.[14] He had previously voted for the Conservative Party, and surprised his colleagues when he intended to stand as a Labour Party candidate..
https://x.com/BulwarkOnline/status/2070553867897491674 Mike Johnson: "If we were to lose the midterms, heaven forbid, these Democrats…will turn every committee of Congress into an investigative body and they will go after the president's family, the cabinet, his donors, and friends. Half of you in this room will be targeted. I run the protection program. I'll take care of you."
I an getting stuff on Instagram about Burnham and his wife and a financial matter. No.idea if its true but the truth will out.
An excellent real life illustration of the thread header on the thread itself. That doesn't happen too often.
It's like rain on your wedding day It's a free ride when you've already paid It's the good advice that you just didn't take And who would've thought? It figures
Volkswagen aims to axe up to 100,000 jobs in a “profound” strategic shift to counter trade tariffs, stagnating markets and, above all, fierce competition from China. It will cut one in six of its 660,000 jobs worldwide and production at four German factories — the largest restructure in automotive industry history.
NEW: Labour MPs who still want a leadership contest will not back Al Carns
‘He is beginning to look a little bit silly’, says one MP
'He is beginning to look a bit silly'
The labour party are ludicrous, what with this and Mike Tapp's nonsense and mps jostling for the places in the Burnham government
To the labour party
You have country to govern, get on with it, get Burnham in no 10 and let him appoint his cabinet
But simply not with Ed Miliband as COE
The same article though says this:
"Jones had been regarded by many MPs as the only figure capable of mounting a credible challenge to Burnham."
You have gotta be having a laugh? Only credible challenger is Darren Jones?
I swear I will retire to Bedlam.
Not that crazy- though "nearest to a credible contender" would have been more accurate. It's why Starmer got the job in 2010, Badenoch got the leadership of her party in 2014, and our PM-in-waiting has only just returned to the Commons.
The doom loop (people getting to the top too soon, flailing out and needing to be replaced before anyone else is really ready) has some turns to go yet.
So, we must be due an intervention from his two mates in the Whitehouse.
Maybe this posted just now by Trump
Donald Trump has threatened to impose a 100% import tariff on the UK over its digital services tax on American social media firms.
The US president also said it would supercede Britain's existing trade deal.
Mr Trump had previously raised the spectre of such a move unless Britain dropped the 2% levy on the revenues of several major US tech companies.
The tax targets companies whose worldwide revenues from digital activities exceed £500m, with more than £25m of the revenue from UK users.
Posting on his Truth Social social media platform, Mr Trump said "Numerous European Countries have been discussing the imminent implementation of a Digital Services Tax on American Companies. Some of these Countries are close to actually doing this.
Please let this statement serve to represent that any Country that imposes such a Tax will immediately be met with a 100% TARIFF on any and all Goods sent to the United States of America.
This TARIFF will supersede Trade Deals made with the Country, whether implemented, signed, or not. Additionally, the 100% TARIFF will be immediately imposed, if they proceed."
I thought the SC had already ruled that he could not do this. He is nothing short of ridiculous.
The good news is that's become a (not social) Truth known by anybody paying the slightest attention. 'Just ignore' is now not just feasible but pretty much a no-brainer.
Does anyone with more than two brain cells actually use Facebook any more? Or indeed believe anything they pick up from social media generally unless it is also from a trusted source?
Surely Facebook, X and the like are just for children and fuckwits.
I do use Facebook to keep in loose contact with old school and university people, my closer ones are on WhatsApp. I get a load of geeky archaeology and architecture and design posts on my feed, some quite funny political things - have been seeing videos of senate committees where a senator called Sheldon Washington rips apart Trump appointees which is always amusing.
I see the odd bit of local news which can be useful.
Maybe this confirms your theory!
I find it less and less usable
A few years ago,it was great for keeping up with old friends, seeing what’s on locally and getting an idea of live events and local news. It was invaluable
Now it’s virtually unusable. My feed is mainly ads and suggesting groups to join or follow. Very little is friends or local events now.
There's a happy medium for dinosaurs like me. I can use Facebook to find out the time of the village hall coffee morning but being a dinosaur I don't know what a 'feed' is or how I would know if anyone was trying to feed me. X is the same for me.
I agree. Feeds and reels and stories and gods knows what. I'm just not interested in learning what they are. I switch off.
https://x.com/BulwarkOnline/status/2070553867897491674 Mike Johnson: "If we were to lose the midterms, heaven forbid, these Democrats…will turn every committee of Congress into an investigative body and they will go after the president's family, the cabinet, his donors, and friends. Half of you in this room will be targeted. I run the protection program. I'll take care of you."
I think we can guess in which context.
As good an advert to vote Democrat as any they will come up with.
Regarding the header, I don't really see this as misinformation. I see that aspects of the story are exaggerated or erroneous, but the central thrust of the story, that Burnham may have influenced a process in order to benefit his wife, is a matter of personal belief. Yes, he declared an interest and recused himself from the process, but that does not mean that if he had set his mind to getting that company hired, he could not have found the means to do it.
My sympathy was very much on the side of the Burnhams until I read about the wife being taken on by the company at a later date, and yes, that gave me pause. I don't dislike Burnham, so I consider myself neutral. If I mistrusted and disliked him, I'd probably believe he influenced the process; if I really liked him, I'd probably think it was an outrageous calumny.
The police have tried to accuse people of misinformation recently when it quickly became clear that they were the ones misinforming people. The term misinformation is inflationary. It is becoming debased through overuse.
I'm going to disagree with you here: accuracy matters.
Most importantly, one needs context.
If the wife works for a marketing company with half a dozen staff and100s of clients, and one of them has a contract with the City of Manchester, then it's highly unlikely anything improper was going on. And that kind of 'conflict' is going to happen all the time, if you are in a support services business. (If a Minister's wife worked for PWC, for example, then are we saying there is the whiff of corruption of one of PWC's audit clients got a contract from the government?)
If, on the other hand, the wife is a one person marketing business, and basically only has one customer, and said customer got a big contract from the city, and it was a decision that Burnham was personally involved in. Well, in that situation, it would stink to high heaven.
Without the context, however, one cannot make any sensible judgement.
So, we must be due an intervention from his two mates in the Whitehouse.
Maybe this posted just now by Trump
Donald Trump has threatened to impose a 100% import tariff on the UK over its digital services tax on American social media firms.
The US president also said it would supercede Britain's existing trade deal.
Mr Trump had previously raised the spectre of such a move unless Britain dropped the 2% levy on the revenues of several major US tech companies.
The tax targets companies whose worldwide revenues from digital activities exceed £500m, with more than £25m of the revenue from UK users.
Posting on his Truth Social social media platform, Mr Trump said "Numerous European Countries have been discussing the imminent implementation of a Digital Services Tax on American Companies. Some of these Countries are close to actually doing this.
Please let this statement serve to represent that any Country that imposes such a Tax will immediately be met with a 100% TARIFF on any and all Goods sent to the United States of America.
This TARIFF will supersede Trade Deals made with the Country, whether implemented, signed, or not. Additionally, the 100% TARIFF will be immediately imposed, if they proceed."
I thought the SC had already ruled that he could not do this. He is nothing short of ridiculous.
The good news is that's become a (not social) Truth known by anybody paying the slightest attention. 'Just ignore' is now not just feasible but pretty much a no-brainer.
It's quite refreshing. Since, I think, the Iran fiasco and the success of Canada in giving him the bird, there's a refreshing sense of "fuck off" afoot.
But not the sort of back foot, defiant, Thorpe and Hussain Vs the Aussies in 1990s Ashes sort of fuck off. Not even an angry, you-wanna-fight-you-gotta-fight sort of fuck off. A more dismissive, yeah whatever sort of fuck off.
https://x.com/BulwarkOnline/status/2070553867897491674 Mike Johnson: "If we were to lose the midterms, heaven forbid, these Democrats…will turn every committee of Congress into an investigative body and they will go after the president's family, the cabinet, his donors, and friends. Half of you in this room will be targeted. I run the protection program. I'll take care of you."
Aside from the social media aspect, it's remarkable how many very senior people don't understand how declarations of interest work. When I worked in corporate governance I'd get endless panicked calls from Committee members agonising about whether to declare something in response to an agenda item. I'd always tell them to just declare it as it isn't an admission of guilt or that you can't take part in the discussion (in most cases). It just means there's transparency around your contribution should there be any questions down the line. They were never satisfied with that answer and wanted me to hand down a judgement about their particular interest.
https://x.com/BulwarkOnline/status/2070553867897491674 Mike Johnson: "If we were to lose the midterms, heaven forbid, these Democrats…will turn every committee of Congress into an investigative body and they will go after the president's family, the cabinet, his donors, and friends. Half of you in this room will be targeted. I run the protection program. I'll take care of you."
I think we can guess in which context.
One could hardly wish for a better example of the 'turn your own crimes into an attack line' technique than that. Gaslighting par excellence.
So, we must be due an intervention from his two mates in the Whitehouse.
Maybe this posted just now by Trump
Donald Trump has threatened to impose a 100% import tariff on the UK over its digital services tax on American social media firms.
The US president also said it would supercede Britain's existing trade deal.
Mr Trump had previously raised the spectre of such a move unless Britain dropped the 2% levy on the revenues of several major US tech companies.
The tax targets companies whose worldwide revenues from digital activities exceed £500m, with more than £25m of the revenue from UK users.
Posting on his Truth Social social media platform, Mr Trump said "Numerous European Countries have been discussing the imminent implementation of a Digital Services Tax on American Companies. Some of these Countries are close to actually doing this.
Please let this statement serve to represent that any Country that imposes such a Tax will immediately be met with a 100% TARIFF on any and all Goods sent to the United States of America.
This TARIFF will supersede Trade Deals made with the Country, whether implemented, signed, or not. Additionally, the 100% TARIFF will be immediately imposed, if they proceed."
I thought the SC had already ruled that he could not do this. He is nothing short of ridiculous.
The good news is that's become a (not social) Truth known by anybody paying the slightest attention. 'Just ignore' is now not just feasible but pretty much a no-brainer.
It's quite refreshing. Since, I think, the Iran fiasco and the success of Canada in giving him the bird, there's a refreshing sense of "fuck off" afoot.
But not the sort of back foot, defiant, Thorpe and Hussain Vs the Aussies in 1990s Ashes sort of fuck off. Not even an angry, you-wanna-fight-you-gotta-fight sit of fuck off. A more dismissive, yeah whatever sort of fuck off.
Regarding the header, I don't really see this as misinformation. I see that aspects of the story are exaggerated or erroneous, but the central thrust of the story, that Burnham may have influenced a process in order to benefit his wife, is a matter of personal belief. Yes, he declared an interest and recused himself from the process, but that does not mean that if he had set his mind to getting that company hired, he could not have found the means to do it.
My sympathy was very much on the side of the Burnhams until I read about the wife being taken on by the company at a later date, and yes, that gave me pause. I don't dislike Burnham, so I consider myself neutral. If I mistrusted and disliked him, I'd probably believe he influenced the process; if I really liked him, I'd probably think it was an outrageous calumny.
The police have tried to accuse people of misinformation recently when it quickly became clear that they were the ones misinforming people. The term misinformation is inflationary. It is becoming debased through overuse.
The problem Burnham faces is that no matter what he does some people will believe he did something wrong and facts won’t save him from that.
The second is influencing without influencing!
I can’t remember the details but there was a housing issue in John Majors constituency where a decision was made or reversed in a way he favoured. He didn’t interfere or use his influence but the very fact that the local MP was the Prime Minister at the time was felt to have influenced how people made the decision.
An aspect of the corrupting influence of power is how it can corrupt around those with it without them wanting it to or even knowing it.
When first a Councillor at a housing meeting with Officers someone brought up in one case a letter from Charles Kennedy asking to give someone extra points. I asked if a) People were happy they had made the correct decision and b) Had the letter raised any new issues they weren’t aware of.
They thought they’d got it right and there was nothing new so I said…Bin I! to gasps around the room. One person a housing officer Then said ; “But he’s the MP!”
Now I did actually mean put it in the Bin but I saw no reason to move someone up the list and push others down. Just because an MP I liked sent a letter.
What struck me from it being raised and the reaction was just how easily it is for power or the impression of it to sway people.
Could the very fact that Burnham was Mayor have an effect; Yes, is that corruption or Burnham’s fault or could he stop it happening: No.
Regarding the header, I don't really see this as misinformation. I see that aspects of the story are exaggerated or erroneous, but the central thrust of the story, that Burnham may have influenced a process in order to benefit his wife, is a matter of personal belief. Yes, he declared an interest and recused himself from the process, but that does not mean that if he had set his mind to getting that company hired, he could not have found the means to do it.
My sympathy was very much on the side of the Burnhams until I read about the wife being taken on by the company at a later date, and yes, that gave me pause. I don't dislike Burnham, so I consider myself neutral. If I mistrusted and disliked him, I'd probably believe he influenced the process; if I really liked him, I'd probably think it was an outrageous calumny.
The police have tried to accuse people of misinformation recently when it quickly became clear that they were the ones misinforming people. The term misinformation is inflationary. It is becoming debased through overuse.
"I consider myself neutral" O wad some Power the giftie gie us, To see oursels as ithers see us
Everything is fine folks. No need to worry at all.
Some years ago we went on a Norwegian cruise to the Northern tip of Norway and on to Svalbard Islands
As we crossed the artic circle it was 27 degrees - very surreal and unexpected
What month was this though?
We are in June. Summer just got going.
Similar - late June early July
Warmest most settled weather in the far North is May-June. Gets crap and wet from July onwards.
24 hour daylight helps as well. We have twice been in Tromso in late June when the temperature was in the mid to high 20s.
The BBC forecast during my visit to Tromso last year….
Talking of which, despite liking France as I do, I guess we have to cheer for our Viking friends in the match tonight. Even though they’re one down already.
Looks like the French are on a Norwegian duck shoot
Decided to watch the Senegal v Iraq match once I saw Norway were resting ten of theor first 11. At least SvI has something riding on it for third place.
Perhaps Burnham is not entirely lacking in the odd positive attribute ?
This piece from Professor John Mullan, who taught Burnham English literature at Cambridge, is terrific
He taught Burnham at Fitzwilliam College, read all his end-of-term reports, and perhaps most importantly gave him his shot after he was turned down by St Catherine's College
It's a great read - how Burnham nearly missed out, his love of Shakespeare, his lack of any particular political ambition at the time and how he 'scooped the pools' when Marie-France van Heel - now his wife - became his girlfriend. According to Mullan she was the 'coolest girl in school'
Mullan writes with genuine affection and no little delight that Burnham is poised to become the first prime minister with a degree in English literature
Here's his recollection of interview in Burnham with his colleague Ruth Morse:
'Do I remember his entrance interview? I think that I do. Smart clothes, a northwest (was it Liverpool?) accent, considerable verbal confidence.
'We discussed a Shakespeare sonnet that he had been given a few minutes before the interview. Perhaps it was Ruth’s favourite: “What is your substance, whereof are you made…?” What does “tend” mean in line 2? Or “foison” in line 9? No googling possible, of course. He must have been good at working the poetry out. Ruth thought he was terrific, I do remember that.
'Maybe Shakespeare is his thing. He has claimed to have read every single one of Shakespeare’s plays, which is some kind of testimony to the virtues of the Cambridge BA course that he followed'.. https://x.com/Steven_Swinford/status/2070453656814604643
Burnham should get on well with the King then, also a Shakespeare lover. I don't agree with him on much but would be good to have a PM who values the arts and literature and plays and not just another PPE or Law clone in No 10
On policy, one "surprise" could be Oyster Card going national. It would be good retail politics, due to the ubiquitous visibility.
That might complement fit with work which was (I think) done on rail timetables etc, and Burnham's style of doing "integrated transport". Done properly it would cover things like cycle hire and e-scooters in due course.
Oyster card isn't really needed as you can tap on and off on buses, and many places now cap your cost at a day rate.
Introducing integrated regional train/bus daily (and longer) passes would be good though
I haven't used an Oyster Card ever since I got a contactless bank card over 10 years ago.
Something quite popular among the older age group would be to reduce the age for a bus pass to 60 in England, as it is in the other home nations, London and I think Liverpool. There would obviously be a cost but the other countries seem to afford it. Apparently devolved authorities can do it, but they get screwed over for money by the Government. I see on Manchester it is still state pension age, but you can pay £10 a year to add local trams and trains to it.
I think a truly all-encompassing option is important covering the whole UK.
The important one are buses, trains, light rail and trams, and hire bikes / scooters would make much sense.
The Swiss one would a good model - they have a "get a simple card" and a "pay a fixed fee and get half price off normal fare" version, a family card, an under-16 card, and a couple of other things. Plus things like the coordinated national timetable which is required for real integrated transport - it makes it work like a national heartbeat and circulation. They are entitlement cards which do not carry money themselves (one difference to Oyster, if they still carry money).
Every village over 300 people in Switzerland has a coordinated bus service every hour, 7 days a week. The average Swiss takes 200 public transport journeys per annum.
The "Hope Valley Mini-Switzerland" presentation (by a former Director at Chiltern Rail and Strategy Director at TFL who came up with the idea) I posted a few weeks ago had an explanation how it works in Switzerland. It is an excellent, illuminating presentation:
One other possibility as a "Andy has arrived" policy would be to restore the £2 bus fare cap, but that would be quite expensive, and only a spot benefit, rather than part of a transformation.
There's a lot of groundwork waiting to be implemented that Burnham can pick up if he so chooses, and a lot of it could be very cheap, such as updating the law on mobility aids - that is still vintage 1972 with some changes in 1988.
So, we must be due an intervention from his two mates in the Whitehouse.
Maybe this posted just now by Trump
Donald Trump has threatened to impose a 100% import tariff on the UK over its digital services tax on American social media firms.
The US president also said it would supercede Britain's existing trade deal.
Mr Trump had previously raised the spectre of such a move unless Britain dropped the 2% levy on the revenues of several major US tech companies.
The tax targets companies whose worldwide revenues from digital activities exceed £500m, with more than £25m of the revenue from UK users.
Posting on his Truth Social social media platform, Mr Trump said "Numerous European Countries have been discussing the imminent implementation of a Digital Services Tax on American Companies. Some of these Countries are close to actually doing this.
Please let this statement serve to represent that any Country that imposes such a Tax will immediately be met with a 100% TARIFF on any and all Goods sent to the United States of America.
This TARIFF will supersede Trade Deals made with the Country, whether implemented, signed, or not. Additionally, the 100% TARIFF will be immediately imposed, if they proceed."
I could write my response but the mods might intervene.
A coordinated response with the EU may be required?
Comments
Anything else I ignore
I was just hearing the updates when they came on the radio in the van at work. I kept thinking “a man called Willow?!?”
I’m going to blame the lack of air conditioning in the van
Enough bodies in a non air conditioned room and it can still be cooler outside than inside, even on a day like today.
Plus the fresh air was nice.
I expect a case which will revisit that level of immunity once he leaves office, entirely coincidentally.
…I would hate to see your definition of ‘stupidly.’
‘Sensible’ would be a 5% sales tax on everything.
And sober.
It is difficult if you have absolute beliefs because it means everyone with a different view is wrong by definition. I can cope with that. I have some very pious friends, but we respect each other. So don't expect special treatment because your moral priors are different from the norm. And also what's Forbes doing consorting with the likes of Farage and Houchen, who don't have a moral value between them?
Summary of the speech: https://www.christianpost.com/news/kate-forbes-the-west-must-protect-its-judeo-christian-heritage.html
https://x.com/miketapptweets/status/2070561272966316143
Earlier today I wrote a poorly judged tweet referencing previous experiences in my professional life.
I realised very quickly that it could be misinterpreted and so I deleted it immediately.
I apologise wholeheartedly for any offence I may have caused.
I have a lot of respect for the Home Secretary and will continue working hard for our country.
I know I sound smug but these things are not hard or particularly expensive relative to the cost of a house. Every new house should be built with them.
NEW: Labour MPs who still want a leadership contest will not back Al Carns
‘He is beginning to look a little bit silly’, says one MP
Clearly lacks enough experience to be leader.
No doubt not crossed Starmer's desk
https://www.theguardian.com/law/2015/may/17/keir-starmer-rules-himself-out-labour-leadership-contest
No.idea if its true but the truth will out.
No windows open works for homes, not necessarily as good advice for workplaces with both solar gain and body heat.
https://x.com/i/status/2070562444980670552
Seems ok now
The labour party are ludicrous, what with this and Mike Tapp's nonsense and mps jostling for the places in the Burnham government
To the labour party
You have country to govern, get on with it, get Burnham in no 10 and let him appoint his cabinet
But simply not with Ed Miliband as COE
And lifelong has 2 lapses when I voted for Blair
Sad thing about that article is that Corbyn is not even mentioned. If only it had stayed that way.
My sympathy was very much on the side of the Burnhams until I read about the wife being taken on by the company at a later date, and yes, that gave me pause. I don't dislike Burnham, so I consider myself neutral. If I mistrusted and disliked him, I'd probably believe he influenced the process; if I really liked him, I'd probably think it was an outrageous calumny.
The police have tried to accuse people of misinformation recently when it quickly became clear that they were the ones misinforming people. The term misinformation is inflationary. It is becoming debased through overuse.
Denmark has virtually no exemptions, for example.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sales_taxes_in_the_United_States
Everything is fine folks. No need to worry at all.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Carns
..Carns left the Royal Marines in 2024 so that he could stand as a candidate in the general election.[14] He had previously voted for the Conservative Party, and surprised his colleagues when he intended to stand as a Labour Party candidate..
A man hears what he wants to hear
And disregards the rest
used to be a sad reflection on the human condition. For modern Social Media businesses, it's a corporate vision statement.
https://x.com/BulwarkOnline/status/2070553867897491674
Mike Johnson: "If we were to lose the midterms, heaven forbid, these Democrats…will turn every committee of Congress into an investigative body and they will go after the president's family, the cabinet, his donors, and friends. Half of you in this room will be targeted. I run the protection program. I'll take care of you."
I think we can guess in which context.
As we crossed the artic circle it was 27 degrees - very surreal and unexpected
We are in June. Summer just got going.
"Jones had been regarded by many MPs as the only figure capable of mounting a credible challenge to Burnham."
You have gotta be having a laugh? Only credible challenger is Darren Jones?
I swear I will retire to Bedlam.
It's a free ride when you've already paid
It's the good advice that you just didn't take
And who would've thought? It figures
Andrew Neil
@afneil
Volkswagen aims to axe up to 100,000 jobs in a “profound” strategic shift to counter trade tariffs, stagnating markets and, above all, fierce competition from China. It will cut one in six of its 660,000 jobs worldwide and production at four German factories — the largest restructure in automotive industry history.
I can’t believe that, with an understrength side, they beat T20 World Champions India
The doom loop (people getting to the top too soon, flailing out and needing to be replaced before anyone else is really ready) has some turns to go yet.
I'm just not interested in learning what they are.
I switch off.
Most importantly, one needs context.
If the wife works for a marketing company with half a dozen staff and100s of clients, and one of them has a contract with the City of Manchester, then it's highly unlikely anything improper was going on. And that kind of 'conflict' is going to happen all the time, if you are in a support services business. (If a Minister's wife worked for PWC, for example, then are we saying there is the whiff of corruption of one of PWC's audit clients got a contract from the government?)
If, on the other hand, the wife is a one person marketing business, and basically only has one customer, and said customer got a big contract from the city, and it was a decision that Burnham was personally involved in. Well, in that situation, it would stink to high heaven.
Without the context, however, one cannot make any sensible judgement.
But not the sort of back foot, defiant, Thorpe and Hussain Vs the Aussies in 1990s Ashes sort of fuck off. Not even an angry, you-wanna-fight-you-gotta-fight sort of fuck off. A more dismissive, yeah whatever sort of fuck off.
...for the forthcoming referendum...
...on the Bingley Neighbourhood Plan.
There's some good stuff in it, but nothing like enough on protecting the environment.
Two spoilt ballots are anticipated.
The second is influencing without influencing!
I can’t remember the details but there was a housing issue in John Majors constituency where a decision was made or reversed in a way he favoured. He didn’t interfere or use his influence but the very fact that the local MP was the Prime Minister at the time was felt to have influenced how people made the decision.
An aspect of the corrupting influence of power is how it can corrupt around those with it without them wanting it to or even knowing it.
When first a Councillor at a housing meeting with Officers someone brought up in one case a letter from Charles Kennedy asking to give someone extra points. I asked if a) People were happy they had made the correct decision and b) Had the letter raised any new issues they weren’t aware of.
They thought they’d got it right and there was nothing new so I said…Bin I! to gasps around the room. One person a housing officer Then said ; “But he’s the MP!”
Now I did actually mean put it in the Bin but I saw no reason to move someone up the list and push others down. Just because an MP I liked sent a letter.
What struck me from it being raised and the reaction was just how easily it is for power or the impression of it to sway people.
Could the very fact that Burnham was Mayor have an effect; Yes, is that corruption or Burnham’s fault or could he stop it happening: No.
Peter.
O wad some Power the giftie gie us,
To see oursels as ithers see us
Talking of which, despite liking France as I do, I guess we have to cheer for our Viking friends in the match tonight. Even though they’re one down already.
https://x.com/thesundaysport/status/2070516165651095670?s=61
The important one are buses, trains, light rail and trams, and hire bikes / scooters would make much sense.
The Swiss one would a good model - they have a "get a simple card" and a "pay a fixed fee and get half price off normal fare" version, a family card, an under-16 card, and a couple of other things. Plus things like the coordinated national timetable which is required for real integrated transport - it makes it work like a national heartbeat and circulation. They are entitlement cards which do not carry money themselves (one difference to Oyster, if they still carry money).
Every village over 300 people in Switzerland has a coordinated bus service every hour, 7 days a week. The average Swiss takes 200 public transport journeys per annum.
The "Hope Valley Mini-Switzerland" presentation (by a former Director at Chiltern Rail and Strategy Director at TFL who came up with the idea) I posted a few weeks ago had an explanation how it works in Switzerland. It is an excellent, illuminating presentation:
https://youtu.be/L7CisqbxSjY?t=667 (link to start of presentation)
One other possibility as a "Andy has arrived" policy would be to restore the £2 bus fare cap, but that would be quite expensive, and only a spot benefit, rather than part of a transformation.
There's a lot of groundwork waiting to be implemented that Burnham can pick up if he so chooses, and a lot of it could be very cheap, such as updating the law on mobility aids - that is still vintage 1972 with some changes in 1988.