Looks like the defecting CUK M0s are staying on as independents rather than defecting to the LDs, though I think there is a chance Chuka Umunna could head a future broad Remain/pro single market Alliance
Chuka couldn’t head up a travel agency.
Say what you think but Chuka is the only one of the senior Remainers I can see becoming PM, kind of a cross between Obama and Macron
He looks the part and thinks because he’s a progressive centrist, and can string a sentence together, that’s enough.
It isn’t.
Obama and Macron knock him into the park on political and campaigning skills, particularly the former.
Until he fights a general election as leader you cannot know that and of course both Obama and Macron had problems in their early years in power.
However none of that changes the fact I cannot see any other figure in the 'Remain Alliance' as it were becoming PM bar Umunna, he is the best they have got whether he is in Obama and Macron's league or not
You cannot see it because you are incapable of taking on board a point of view at odds with your own.
OK clever cloggs, who is this Remainer Messiah other than Umunna then?
I never said I thought there was one.
But, if there were, Jess Philips, Jo Swinson, Emily Thornberry, and Dominic Grieve are all people I’d rate ahead of him.
Jess Phillips looks like Kathy Burke, little chance of her. Jo Swinson could just about present the One Show that is it, Thornberry is a loudmouth and would have to get rid of the Corbynistas first and Grieve has no charisma
Not in the Leavers' worst nightmares would the first tangible consequence of Brexit be about selling the NHS to Donald Trump in return for the privilege of importing chlorinated chicken. But that's what's happened.
No it really isn't. Its another burgeoning Remainer scare story. In the end there is no appetite either in Parliament or in the country for such a deal so it won't happen.
Good propaganda of course but no foundation in reality.
Leavers dont want a deal with America?
Only way they get one is to agree to put Chlorinated chicken on the table with the NHS according to Trump
Serious question for anyone more knowledgeable than me.
And I say this fully believing that healthcare should be free at the point of source, paid for through taxes.
In what way would Trump be demanding we open up the NHS? Surely the situation as it stands is, we have the NHS paid for through taxes, but there is also competition in the form of private healthcare. So what does Trump want to change?
I have private healthcare but I don't feel as if it competes with the NHS. I still pay taxes and the NHS still gets funded.
How would he actually destroy the NHS? How could a trade deal negotiated with a foreign country change how our NHS is funded? Am I missing something? Surely the market is already open to private providers - it's just competing against a state owned service?
My daughter works in the health care sectors, she’s a well qualified mental health therapist, she had worked for the NHS for quite a few years but woke up to find she had been outsourced. As it happens the group who won the contract were a non for profit team and she is comfortable. The alternatives were virgin health and others, I’m afraid the privatization of the NHS is happening without people even realizing it.
That makes sense. So it's basically forcing the NHS to put parts of itself out for tender? How on earth does Trump get away with that?
And certainly not for the no deal Tory nutjobs . If there’s one issue that unites the public it’s the NHS.
A no deal Brexit puts the UK in a weak position desperate for a deal . Brexit puts the UK at the mercy of the USA.
As Speaker Pelosi has said Congress will not approve a US-UK FTA without the backstop anyway so in reality there will be no US FTA if the Withdrawal Agreement does not pass anytime soon
I suspect the days of Irish border issues having significant sway in congress are long gone. Democratic party has changed - the Joe Crowleys are gone. Speaker Pelosi won't want to give Trump a win on anything, be it UK FTA, China deal, new NAFTA any of it. The backstop is just a rationale. If the backstop stays, then they'll make it about abortion rights in NI.
Looks like the defecting CUK M0s are staying on as independents rather than defecting to the LDs, though I think there is a chance Chuka Umunna could head a future broad Remain/pro single market Alliance
I think Allen & Wollaston, and perhaps Chuka, will find their way to the LDs. Berger, Shuker and Smith probably won't.
It’s possible George Osborne might still fulfil his wish and become PM one day too.
Not in the Leavers' worst nightmares would the first tangible consequence of Brexit be about selling the NHS to Donald Trump in return for the privilege of importing chlorinated chicken. But that's what's happened.
No it really isn't. Its another burgeoning Remainer scare story. In the end there is no appetite either in Parliament or in the country for such a deal so it won't happen.
Good propaganda of course but no foundation in reality.
Leavers dont want a deal with America?
Only way they get one is to agree to put Chlorinated chicken on the table with the NHS according to Trump
Serious question for anyone more knowledgeable than me.
And I say this fully believing that healthcare should be free at the point of source, paid for through taxes.
In what way would Trump be demanding we open up the NHS? Surely the situation as it stands is, we have the NHS paid for through taxes, but there is also competition in the form of private healthcare. So what does Trump want to change?
I have private healthcare but I don't feel as if it competes with the NHS. I still pay taxes and the NHS still gets funded.
How would he actually destroy the NHS? How could a trade deal negotiated with a foreign country change how our NHS is funded? Am I missing something? Surely the market is already open to private providers - it's just competing against a state owned service?
My daughter works in the health care sectors, she’s a well qualified mental health therapist, she had worked for the NHS for quite a few years but woke up to find she had been outsourced. As it happens the group who won the contract were a non for profit team and she is comfortable. The alternatives were virgin health and others, I’m afraid the privatization of the NHS is happening without people even realizing it.
That makes sense. So it's basically forcing the NHS to put parts of itself out for tender? How on earth does Trump get away with that?
Surely the correct response is "sod off?"
Not if we don't have any trading arrangement with any of our other major partners, and we're desperate.
In those circumstances, the correct response is "how high, Mr President?"
Is anyone else finding the Tory leadership contest intensely dull? Who cares which of the assortment of clowns, bigots, dullards and bag-carriers wins?
I quite like Rory, and the question of who wins (won't be him) has a bearing on the precise kind of shitstorm we find ourselves in in October. Otherwise agree.
Casino Royale made an excellent post this morning given Johnson, Corbyn or Farage the the lib dems become the safe option, slow change around voting system, increased education spending but overall safe.
Thanks.
Provided they don’t get high on their beards and sandals and push for the Euro (they’ll lose support again) or sex education for toddlers they’ve got a good strategic position.
Do they still support legalising weed? That could be a popular policy. In fact, down here it’s effectively legal so might as well be taxed.
It's effectively legal everywhere now. Anyone with a sense of smell surely realises that.
Looks like the defecting CUK M0s are staying on as independents rather than defecting to the LDs, though I think there is a chance Chuka Umunna could head a future broad Remain/pro single market Alliance
I think Allen & Wollaston, and perhaps Chuka, will find their way to the LDs. Berger, Shuker and Smith probably won't.
It’s possible George Osborne might still fulfil his wish and become PM one day too.
As leader of the (new) Lib Dems.
They should rebrand as The Democrats.
The interesting thing about the Lib Dems is that they still have, at least in various places locally, a more leftish activist base than how they are represented at Westminster. That's why they could never have Osborne as leader, I think, and yet at the same time could attract a lot of both Tory and Labour votes, as somehow representing both the left-of-centre and some older, more consensus conservatism. They're very established as a "mixed" brand in that way, which makes them very dangerous to both Labour and the Tories when people think they can actually win - and Remain has given them just such an opportunity.
I wonder if Boris might just agree with the EU to pay all our fees indefinitely, as long as we keep the exact same benefits and they agree to say we are not in the EU (by November 1). I.e nothing changes whatsoever but he meets his pledge in name only.
Not in the Leavers' worst nightmares would the first tangible consequence of Brexit be about selling the NHS to Donald Trump in return for the privilege of importing chlorinated chicken. But that's what's happened.
No it really isn't. Its another burgeoning Remainer scare story. In the end there is no appetite either in Parliament or in the country for such a deal so it won't happen.
Good propaganda of course but no foundation in reality.
Leavers dont want a deal with America?
Only way they get one is to agree to put Chlorinated chicken on the table with the NHS according to Trump
Serious question for anyone more knowledgeable than me.
And I say this fully believing that healthcare should be free at the point of source, paid for through taxes.
In what way would Trump be demanding we open up the NHS? Surely the situation as it stands is, we have the NHS paid for through taxes, but there is also competition in the form of private healthcare. So what does Trump want to change?
I have private healthcare but I don't feel as if it competes with the NHS. I still pay taxes and the NHS still gets funded.
How would he actually destroy the NHS? How could a trade deal negotiated with a foreign country change how our NHS is funded? Am I missing something? Surely the market is already open to private providers - it's just competing against a state owned service?
My daughter works in the health care sectors, she’s a well qualified mental health therapist, she had worked for the NHS for quite a few years but woke up to find she had been outsourced. As it happens the group who won the contract were a non for profit team and she is comfortable. The alternatives were virgin health and others, I’m afraid the privatization of the NHS is happening without people even realizing it.
My own experience of privatisation of the NHS was an MRI scan. I had a 7.30am appointment and turned up to find a mobile trailer MRI scanner unit on the NHS car park, this was a Sunday. The staff were super efficient, I commented, "Am I the first?", no ,they had started at 7.00am, and were doing a 12 hour shift, and a new team would come in for the night shift. Meanwhile the hospital had their own MRI unit, I wonder if it was being staffed, or just saved for emergency use. I had excellent service under the NHS banner, so no complaints, but I do wonder if the NHS assets are being maximised, they should run 24/7, and patients should turn out whenever. Mrs Jayfdee worked in the NHS, and sometimes when offering appointment dates the recipient would reply " No ,I have my hair done on Wednesdays".
And certainly not for the no deal Tory nutjobs . If there’s one issue that unites the public it’s the NHS.
A no deal Brexit puts the UK in a weak position desperate for a deal . Brexit puts the UK at the mercy of the USA.
As Speaker Pelosi has said Congress will not approve a US-UK FTA without the backstop anyway so in reality there will be no US FTA if the Withdrawal Agreement does not pass anytime soon
I suspect the days of Irish border issues having significant sway in congress are long gone. Democratic party has changed - the Joe Crowleys are gone. Speaker Pelosi won't want to give Trump a win on anything, be it UK FTA, China deal, new NAFTA any of it. The backstop is just a rationale. If the backstop stays, then they'll make it about abortion rights in NI.
Which would just reinforce the point that the NHS issue is irrelevant as while the Democrats control the House there will be no US UK FTA in all likelihood
Casino Royale made an excellent post this morning given Johnson, Corbyn or Farage the the lib dems become the safe option, slow change around voting system, increased education spending but overall safe.
The safe option LDs want to give up Trident and nuclear weapons in general.
Whats safe about that? Lab policy is to retain a nuclear deterrent Tories to upgrade it LDs scrap it
Wrong not lib dem policy
That's right. "The Liberal Democrats would "maintain a credible nuclear deterrent" if they won power, leader Tim Farron says. "Our nuclear deterrent keeps us at the top table in this post-Brexit world," he said."
Is anyone else finding the Tory leadership contest intensely dull? Who cares which of the assortment of clowns, bigots, dullards and bag-carriers wins?
I quite like Rory, and the question of who wins (won't be him) has a bearing on the precise kind of shitstorm we find ourselves in in October. Otherwise agree.
Yes, Rory seems reasonable, sensible, open, collegiate and intelligent. Hence he stands no chance, as you say.
Serious question for anyone more knowledgeable than me.
And I say this fully believing that healthcare should be free at the point of source, paid for through taxes.
In what way would Trump be demanding we open up the NHS? Surely the situation as it stands is, we have the NHS paid for through taxes, but there is also competition in the form of private healthcare. So what does Trump want to change?
I have private healthcare but I don't feel as if it competes with the NHS. I still pay taxes and the NHS still gets funded.
How would he actually destroy the NHS? How could a trade deal negotiated with a foreign country change how our NHS is funded? Am I missing something? Surely the market is already open to private providers - it's just competing against a state owned service?
You are completely correct. Allowing US firms to bid for NHS contracts (not that they're forbidden right now) would mean zero, nil and nada change.
The issue people have is the idea that the running of a hospital could be outsourced to a private American company, that would be making decisions about life or death, based on profitability rather than humanity.
Personally, I care only about the quality of healthcare provided, and have no strong opinions on the best way to provide it. In the words of Chairman Mao, "let a thousand flowers bloom."
Is anyone else finding the Tory leadership contest intensely dull? Who cares which of the assortment of clowns, bigots, dullards and bag-carriers wins?
I quite like Rory, and the question of who wins (won't be him) has a bearing on the precise kind of shitstorm we find ourselves in in October. Otherwise agree.
Yes, Rory seems reasonable, sensible, open, collegiate and intelligent. Hence he stands no chance, as you say.
Maybe he's positioning himself for when the No Deal leader fails spectacularly.
Casino Royale made an excellent post this morning given Johnson, Corbyn or Farage the the lib dems become the safe option, slow change around voting system, increased education spending but overall safe.
The safe option LDs want to give up Trident and nuclear weapons in general.
Whats safe about that? Lab policy is to retain a nuclear deterrent Tories to upgrade it LDs scrap it
Absolutely right. Look at those dumb, poor Norwegians without nuclear weapons to protect them
Not in the Leavers' worst nightmares would the first tangible consequence of Brexit be about selling the NHS to Donald Trump in return for the privilege of importing chlorinated chicken. But that's what's happened.
No it really isn't. Its another burgeoning Remainer scare story. In the end there is no appetite either in Parliament or in the country for such a deal so it won't happen.
Good propaganda of course but no foundation in reality.
Leavers dont want a deal with America?
Only way they get one is to agree to put Chlorinated chicken on the table with the NHS according to Trump
Serious question for anyone more knowledgeable than me.
And I say this fully believing that healthcare should be free at the point of source, paid for through taxes.
In what way would Trump be demanding we open up the NHS? Surely the situation as it stands is, we have the NHS paid for through taxes, but there is also competition in the form of private healthcare. So what does Trump want to change?
I have private healthcare but I don't feel as if it competes with the NHS. I still pay taxes and the NHS still gets funded.
How would he actually destroy the NHS? How could a trade deal negotiated with a foreign country change how our NHS is funded? Am I missing something? Surely the market is already open to private providers - it's just competing against a state owned service?
My daughter works in the health care sectors, she’s a well qualified mental health therapist, she had worked for the NHS for quite a few years but woke up to find she had been outsourced. As it happens the group who won the contract were a non for profit team and she is comfortable. The alternatives were virgin health and others, I’m afraid the privatization of the NHS is happening without people even realizing it.
That makes sense. So it's basically forcing the NHS to put parts of itself out for tender? How on earth does Trump get away with that?
Surely the correct response is "sod off?"
The NHS had always worked like that, hasn't it? I have just had a new hip just round the corner from the big NHS hospital, off an outfit 90% of whose work is contracted from the NHS. And I have never known a NHS hospital bod from surgeons to theatre nurses who didn't game the system by switching from NHS employee to NHS contract to private.
Serious question for anyone more knowledgeable than me.
And I say this fully believing that healthcare should be free at the point of source, paid for through taxes.
In what way would Trump be demanding we open up the NHS? Surely the situation as it stands is, we have the NHS paid for through taxes, but there is also competition in the form of private healthcare. So what does Trump want to change?
I have private healthcare but I don't feel as if it competes with the NHS. I still pay taxes and the NHS still gets funded.
How would he actually destroy the NHS? How could a trade deal negotiated with a foreign country change how our NHS is funded? Am I missing something? Surely the market is already open to private providers - it's just competing against a state owned service?
You are completely correct. Allowing US firms to bid for NHS contracts (not that they're forbidden right now) would mean zero, nil and nada change.
The issue people have is the idea that the running of a hospital could be outsourced to a private American company, that would be making decisions about life or death, based on profitability rather than humanity.
Personally, I care only about the quality of healthcare provided, and have no strong opinions on the best way to provide it. In the words of Chairman Mao, "let a thousand flowers bloom."
Yes, it is well recognised that KP and other US HMOs want to bid for NHS contracts, and for much wider tendering and privatisation of the profitable bits. They are much less interested in the more humdrum and expensive bits.
Casino Royale made an excellent post this morning given Johnson, Corbyn or Farage the the lib dems become the safe option, slow change around voting system, increased education spending but overall safe.
The safe option LDs want to give up Trident and nuclear weapons in general.
Whats safe about that? Lab policy is to retain a nuclear deterrent Tories to upgrade it LDs scrap it
It's a good point. Such a drastic move would render us vulnerable to our enemies, makes too many assumptions about our friends and reduces our chances to defend ourselves in a hostile world. It's obviously a bad idea.
Still, that's enough about Brexit. Now, about that nuclear deterrent...
Yes, it is well recognised that KP and other US HMOs want to bid for NHS contracts, and for much wider tendering and privatisation of the profitable bits. They are much less interested in the more humdrum and expensive bits.
In other words, the NHS's internal pricing is wrong, leading to misallocation of resources and stifling efficiency.
Casino Royale made an excellent post this morning given Johnson, Corbyn or Farage the the lib dems become the safe option, slow change around voting system, increased education spending but overall safe.
The safe option LDs want to give up Trident and nuclear weapons in general.
Whats safe about that? Lab policy is to retain a nuclear deterrent Tories to upgrade it LDs scrap it
Absolutely right. Look at those dumb, poor Norwegians without nuclear weapons to protect them
Scrapping Trident is not LibDem policy*. Perhaps BJO has us confused with Corbyn.
Looks like the defecting CUK M0s are staying on as independents rather than defecting to the LDs, though I think there is a chance Chuka Umunna could head a future broad Remain/pro single market Alliance
I think Allen & Wollaston, and perhaps Chuka, will find their way to the LDs. Berger, Shuker and Smith probably won't.
It’s possible George Osborne might still fulfil his wish and become PM one day too.
As leader of the (new) Lib Dems.
They should rebrand as The Democrats.
The Six ex CUK MPs are the Democrats apart from allowing their own voters a say on their future via a By Election of course.
Looks like the defecting CUK M0s are staying on as independents rather than defecting to the LDs, though I think there is a chance Chuka Umunna could head a future broad Remain/pro single market Alliance
I think Allen & Wollaston, and perhaps Chuka, will find their way to the LDs. Berger, Shuker and Smith probably won't.
It’s possible George Osborne might still fulfil his wish and become PM one day too.
Yes, it is well recognised that KP and other US HMOs want to bid for NHS contracts, and for much wider tendering and privatisation of the profitable bits. They are much less interested in the more humdrum and expensive bits.
In other words, the NHS's internal pricing is wrong, leading to misallocation of resources and stifling efficiency.
This wouldn't be the analysis of patients faced with the external results.
Serious question for anyone more knowledgeable than me.
And I say this fully believing that healthcare should be free at the point of source, paid for through taxes.
In what way would Trump be demanding we open up the NHS? Surely the situation as it stands is, we have the NHS paid for through taxes, but there is also competition in the form of private healthcare. So what does Trump want to change?
I have private healthcare but I don't feel as if it competes with the NHS. I still pay taxes and the NHS still gets funded.
How would he actually destroy the NHS? How could a trade deal negotiated with a foreign country change how our NHS is funded? Am I missing something? Surely the market is already open to private providers - it's just competing against a state owned service?
You are completely correct. Allowing US firms to bid for NHS contracts (not that they're forbidden right now) would mean zero, nil and nada change.
The issue people have is the idea that the running of a hospital could be outsourced to a private American company, that would be making decisions about life or death, based on profitability rather than humanity.
Personally, I care only about the quality of healthcare provided, and have no strong opinions on the best way to provide it. In the words of Chairman Mao, "let a thousand flowers bloom."
Wouldn't the trade deal be more about how drugs are purchased from American big pharma ? I know it was a big sticking point in recent TPP negotiation prior to the American withdrawal
Casino Royale made an excellent post this morning given Johnson, Corbyn or Farage the the lib dems become the safe option, slow change around voting system, increased education spending but overall safe.
The safe option LDs want to give up Trident and nuclear weapons in general.
Whats safe about that? Lab policy is to retain a nuclear deterrent Tories to upgrade it LDs scrap it
Labour will retain a nuclear deterrent? Are you even aware of who your candidate for PM is?
Yes. He's agreed, against his personal preference. Do keep up!
Yes, it is well recognised that KP and other US HMOs want to bid for NHS contracts, and for much wider tendering and privatisation of the profitable bits. They are much less interested in the more humdrum and expensive bits.
In other words, the NHS's internal pricing is wrong, leading to misallocation of resources and stifling efficiency.
Yes the internal market tarriffs are set centrally and are not negotiable locally. This means that elective surgery are profitable for private companies, but that NHS Trusts are obliged* to keep doing the unprofitable and expensive work regardless. Hence large deficits, and bed closures to balance the books sending even more work to the private companies. It is avicious cycle engineered by New Labour and the Conservatives to essentially privatise elective work. The purpose is to reduce waiting lists at the expense of cinderella services like gerontology and mental health.
*Interestingly the recent legislative changes mean that "Accountable Care Organisations" are no longer obliged to provide comprehensive care. Maybe no one will look after demented granny in the future. This legislative changed is seen as a trojan horse to get US HMOs interested without expensive liabilities to provide universal and comprehensive care
Is anyone else finding the Tory leadership contest intensely dull? Who cares which of the assortment of clowns, bigots, dullards and bag-carriers wins?
I quite like Rory, and the question of who wins (won't be him) has a bearing on the precise kind of shitstorm we find ourselves in in October. Otherwise agree.
Yes, Rory seems reasonable, sensible, open, collegiate and intelligent. Hence he stands no chance, as you say.
Maybe he's positioning himself for when the No Deal leader fails spectacularly.
If he wanted to do that, he'd be better to join a different party, I think.
Serious question for anyone more knowledgeable than me.
And I say this fully believing that healthcare should be free at the point of source, paid for through taxes.
In what way would Trump be demanding we open up the NHS? Surely the situation as it stands is, we have the NHS paid for through taxes, but there is also competition in the form of private healthcare. So what does Trump want to change?
I have private healthcare but I don't feel as if it competes with the NHS. I still pay taxes and the NHS still gets funded.
How would he actually destroy the NHS? How could a trade deal negotiated with a foreign country change how our NHS is funded? Am I missing something? Surely the market is already open to private providers - it's just competing against a state owned service?
You are completely correct. Allowing US firms to bid for NHS contracts (not that they're forbidden right now) would mean zero, nil and nada change.
The issue people have is the idea that the running of a hospital could be outsourced to a private American company, that would be making decisions about life or death, based on profitability rather than humanity.
Personally, I care only about the quality of healthcare provided, and have no strong opinions on the best way to provide it. In the words of Chairman Mao, "let a thousand flowers bloom."
Wouldn't the trade deal be more about how drugs are purchased from American big pharma ? I know it was a big sticking point in recent TPP negotiation prior to the American withdrawal
Yup. Part, although geo-politically obviously not all, of Trump's big interest in Brexit is his closeness to Big Pharma since trying to roll-back the Obama healthcare reforms, which he's come to by way of the insurance companies.
Casino Royale made an excellent post this morning given Johnson, Corbyn or Farage the the lib dems become the safe option, slow change around voting system, increased education spending but overall safe.
The safe option LDs want to give up Trident and nuclear weapons in general.
Whats safe about that? Lab policy is to retain a nuclear deterrent Tories to upgrade it LDs scrap it
Absolutely right. Look at those dumb, poor Norwegians without nuclear weapons to protect them
Scrapping Trident is not LibDem policy*. Perhaps BJO has us confused with Corbyn.
*Though I would be happy if it was!
46 pages and non the wiser tbf "stepping down the Nuclear ladder"
Has Trumpton pissed off home yet? How much longer do we have to put up this moron?
He is going to Southsea tomorrow with the Queen for D Day commemorations (in which my sister will be marching with the Female Auxiliary Nurses) then he goes to France on Thursday for the D Day 75th anniversary itself with Macron
Has Trumpton pissed off home yet? How much longer do we have to put up this moron?
He is going to Southsea tomorrow with the Queen for D Day commemorations (in which my sister will be marching with the Female Auxiliary Nurses) then he goes to France on Thursday for the D Day 75th anniversary itself with Macron
On the other hand Electoral Calculus' latest model for the next election has TBP winning 249 seats...and Peterborough isn't one of them.
So if TBP win Peterborough then most MPs might be wetting the bed on Friday, certainly in Leave seats
They should. I know some on here want to ramp their chances (either to diminish the achievement if they win or gloat when they fail) but for TBP to win here will require them to branch out from the UKIP voter demographic. It's just not big enough and is vote-weary, Matthew Goodwin has Peterbrough as only their #203 target seat. Labour has a strong tribal voting block that, at least according to anecdotal reports, is holding up (as evidenced in the Euros). TBP winning here off their own back puts huge numbers of MPs in the firing line.
Is anyone else finding the Tory leadership contest intensely dull? Who cares which of the assortment of clowns, bigots, dullards and bag-carriers wins?
It matters insomuch as how quickly things then collapse completely, as their claims to be able to completely renegotiate the WA, or go for no deal no problem, brush up against obstacles.
Casino Royale made an excellent post this morning given Johnson, Corbyn or Farage the the lib dems become the safe option, slow change around voting system, increased education spending but overall safe.
Thanks.
Provided they don’t get high on their beards and sandals and push for the Euro (they’ll lose support again) or sex education for toddlers they’ve got a good strategic position.
Do they still support legalising weed? That could be a popular policy. In fact, down here it’s effectively legal so might as well be taxed.
It's effectively legal everywhere now. Anyone with a sense of smell surely realises that.
Police probably don't see it as a priority in these times.
It's pure American culture wars, but complicated by the even greater bizarreness of the english upper-class posing against the elites than more neophyte, american establishment east-coast wasps like George Bush Jr.
In one sense, Trump and his ideas have already won here, but in another, the house looks flimsy.
Publicly not yet, but it is of no matter - even failing to do so would not diminish him, he was already a minor figure only recently promoted. He can probably grab a few more.
Has Trumpton pissed off home yet? How much longer do we have to put up this moron?
He is going to Southsea tomorrow with the Queen for D Day commemorations (in which my sister will be marching with the Female Auxiliary Nurses) then he goes to France on Thursday for the D Day 75th anniversary itself with Macron
It's pure American culture wars, but complicated by the even greater bizarreness of the english upper-class posing against the elites than establishment east-coast wasps like George Bush Jr.
There is a Hannah Arendt quote I think about the mob and the elite being in alignment for different reasons.
For those anxious to sue politicians who have told lies (e.g., Boris, Tony, Nick), another candidate for legal action has presented himself today.
Mark Drakeford -- the superlatively mediocre leader of Welsh Labour -- broke Labour's manifesto pledge to build the M4 relief road around Newport.
Asked by BBC Wales if he was comfortable with breaking a manifesto pledge, he said: "I'm comfortable that the circumstances that the promise was made in have altered."
The Labour victor of the Newport West by-election, Ruth Jones MP, strongly supported the M4 relief road. How convenient that Drakeford announced his change of heart after the pesky by-election!
Has Trumpton pissed off home yet? How much longer do we have to put up this moron?
He is going to Southsea tomorrow with the Queen for D Day commemorations (in which my sister will be marching with the Female Auxiliary Nurses) then he goes to France on Thursday for the D Day 75th anniversary itself with Macron
I thought he was going to Ireland.
Doubt he is too good on the geography of these islands.
Jess Phillips looks like Kathy Burke, little chance of her. Jo Swinson could just about present the One Show that is it, Thornberry is a loudmouth and would have to get rid of the Corbynistas first and Grieve has no charisma
Jess looks like Kathy Burke?
A bit, I suppose, but surely who she most resembles is Nick Berry in a skirt.
It occurs to me that if you are looking for US foreign policy initiatives which can be ascribed to the all powerful American Jewish lobby machinating for the foundation and preservation of the State of israel, US involvement in D Day is a pretty good candidate.
Publicly not yet, but it is of no matter - even failing to do so would not diminish him, he was already a minor figure only recently promoted. He can probably grab a few more.
I like Rory, he is saying what needs to be discussed, sadly he will be blown away by the Boris fans, his time will come.
Publicly not yet, but it is of no matter - even failing to do so would not diminish him, he was already a minor figure only recently promoted. He can probably grab a few more.
I like Rory, he is saying what needs to be discussed, sadly he will be blown away by the Boris fans, his time will come.
If he is not a future Foreign Sec then there is no sense in this world frankly.
Safe seat. Even from BXP. So he just has to wait for the world to stop imploding.
It's pure American culture wars, but complicated by the even greater bizarreness of the english upper-class posing against the elites than establishment east-coast wasps like George Bush Jr.
There is a Hannah Arendt quote I think about the mob and the elite being in alignment for different reasons.
I will look it up if I get time.
Sometimes I wonder if Brexit is a proxy war for the old elites (the landed gentry, the old school tie, the family crest) vs the new elites (metropolitan, middle class, internationalist, moneyed)
Re a US trade deal, I think it's naive to think that we won't have to open up the NHS to American suppliers. Doesn't bother me particularly, I don't share the general great affection for the NHS, but there is no doubt that, politically, this would be a tough sell to the public.
Casino Royale made an excellent post this morning given Johnson, Corbyn or Farage the the lib dems become the safe option, slow change around voting system, increased education spending but overall safe.
The safe option LDs want to give up Trident and nuclear weapons in general.
Whats safe about that? Lab policy is to retain a nuclear deterrent Tories to upgrade it LDs scrap it
Not right at the top of the weird times in which we're living, but a Corbynista trying to sell Labour as the safer, Trident-hugging option is pretty much top 20.
It's pure American culture wars, but complicated by the even greater bizarreness of the english upper-class posing against the elites than establishment east-coast wasps like George Bush Jr.
There is a Hannah Arendt quote I think about the mob and the elite being in alignment for different reasons.
I will look it up if I get time.
Sometimes I wonder if Brexit is a proxy war for the old elites (the landed gentry, the old school tie, the family crest) vs the new elites (metropolitan, middle class, internationalist, moneyed)
Re a US trade deal, I think it's naive to think that we won't have to open up the NHS to American suppliers. Doesn't bother me particularly, I don't share the general great affection for the NHS, but there is no doubt that, politically, this would be a tough sell to the public.
The NHS Is already open to US suppliers. And the world has not collapsed
For those anxious to sue politicians who have told lies (e.g., Boris, Tony, Nick), another candidate for legal action has presented himself today.
Mark Drakeford -- the superlatively mediocre leader of Welsh Labour -- broke Labour's manifesto pledge to build the M4 relief road around Newport.
Asked by BBC Wales if he was comfortable with breaking a manifesto pledge, he said: "I'm comfortable that the circumstances that the promise was made in have altered."
The Labour victor of the Newport West by-election, Ruth Jones MP, strongly supported the M4 relief road. How convenient that Drakeford announced his change of heart after the pesky by-election!
European Constitution ( sorry conveniently renamed Lisbon Treaty) referendum, tuition fees, “ less than 100k” immigration, hundreds of MP’s standing in 2017 and getting elected on honouring the referendum, and this latest monstrosity from Welsh Labour.
Why do we bother? Really, what’s the bleeding point? They promised to build a relief road (note “a” they even gave themselves wiggle room to follow an alternative route) if elected. They got elected, there’s way more than enough Tories and UKIP/Brexit to trump any stray backbench AM’s), but no the executive has pulled the plug because “circumstances have changed”. What an all purpose cop out.
If you want to get serious about climate change Mr Drakeford how about not moaning every time Port Talbot is threatened, because I believe that’s about 20% of all Wales CO2 emissions? However, pigs will be supersonic never mind flying before any First Minister suggests that one I guess? Some emissions are more equal than others I guess too?
It's pure American culture wars, but complicated by the even greater bizarreness of the english upper-class posing against the elites than establishment east-coast wasps like George Bush Jr.
There is a Hannah Arendt quote I think about the mob and the elite being in alignment for different reasons.
I will look it up if I get time.
Sometimes I wonder if Brexit is a proxy war for the old elites (the landed gentry, the old school tie, the family crest) vs the new elites (metropolitan, middle class, internationalist, moneyed)
Not really plenty of old money families backed Remain e.g. Soames and Grieve plenty of new money families backed and funded Leave e.g. Banks.
However the city v rural and industrial town and graduate v working class divide was real
Has Trumpton pissed off home yet? How much longer do we have to put up this moron?
He is going to Southsea tomorrow with the Queen for D Day commemorations (in which my sister will be marching with the Female Auxiliary Nurses) then he goes to France on Thursday for the D Day 75th anniversary itself with Macron
I thought he was going to Ireland.
Briefly on Wednesday late afternoon and evening to play golf at one of his resorts and meet Varadkar before going to France on Thursday
The last Danish polls are to hand with Voxmeter still showing a big win for the centre-left bloc with 108 seats for the coalition led by the Social Democrats and just 67 for the Venstre-led parties.
YouGov shows a much tighter race with the centre-left leading 53%-47% in vote share so a much smaller majority.
The key seems to be whether some of the smaller centre-right parties are going to clear the 2% threshold to have seats in the Folketing. Parties like the Christian Democrats, the New Right and the anti-Islamic Hard Line are all trading around 2% below which they would have no seats.
At this stage you'd still think Mette Fredricksen will emerge as the new Prime Minister- I'll be looking to see if the Social Democrats can clear 50 seats which would be their best result since 2001. Venstre are on course to equal their dreadful 2015 performance of 34 seats. The big losers will be the Dansk Folkeparti who could lose half their seats and fall from 37 to 19.
If the Social Democrat tally exceeds the combined Venstre-Dansk Folkeparti numbers it will be all over for the centre right with the Socialistisk Folkeparti and Radikale Ventre both set to double their seat tallies bringing in another 16 for the centre-left bloc.
"There is no doubt that the elite was pleased whenever the underworld frightened respectable society into accepting it on an equal footing. The members of the elite did not object at all to paying a price, the destruction of civilisation, for the fun of seeing how those who had been excluded unjustly in the past forced their way into it….
The temporary alliance between the elite and the mob rested largely on this genuine delight with which the former watched the latter destroy respectability…"
It's pure American culture wars, but complicated by the even greater bizarreness of the english upper-class posing against the elites than establishment east-coast wasps like George Bush Jr.
There is a Hannah Arendt quote I think about the mob and the elite being in alignment for different reasons.
I will look it up if I get time.
Sometimes I wonder if Brexit is a proxy war for the old elites (the landed gentry, the old school tie, the family crest) vs the new elites (metropolitan, middle class, internationalist, moneyed)
Not really plenty of old money families backed Remain e.g. Soames and Grieve plenty of new money families backed and funded Leave e.g. Banks.
However the city v rural and industrial town and graduate v working class divide was real
To a certain extent yes. A big chunk of the rural, countyish upper-class were sympathetic to Leave, and a good chunk of the London big-hitters were for Remain.
A big problem for those trying to transplant US-style culture wars here is that Boris or Annuziata against the "elite" stretches credulity much more than east-coast establishment figures like the Bushes against the elite in America, because of our longer history.
Yep - that's the problem - we need to leave by October 31st and the only option on the table is the one so trashed no one will touch it.
Whoever wins this has to negotiate an identical document that the ERG will vote for otherwise the party is doomed.
Boris is quite happy for us to leave without a WA. He will zipwire down The Mall, wrap herself in the Union Jack and blame the "perfidious Europeans" and ride a tidal wave of patriotic euphoria to a GE landslide.
He is both right and wrong. Yes they need to leave by October. But no, there is no way Boris can do so.
Yep - that's the problem - we need to leave by October 31st and the only option on the table is the one so trashed no one will touch it.
Whoever wins this has to negotiate an identical document that the ERG will vote for otherwise the party is doomed.
If the EU and the Tories had any sense (I know that is a strange concept these days) they would agree to a complete renegotiation whilst having already agreed that the resulting agreement would be exactly the same. Give whoever is leading he Tory party the fig leaf of a triumphant renegotiation but the EU gets the deal it wants and gets rid of the UK before the next crisis comes along.
He is both right and wrong. Yes they need to leave by October. But no, there is no way Boris can do so.
Indeed. 'We must do it' is just sad as a statement. May wanted to just do it to avoid just this situation and the party despises her for it, and Boris spent most of the last year telling people to take action which they were told might prevent Brexit happening. And those people were right.
Just the faintest nod to the concept of putting country before party would be nice.
You have this belief that the function of the Conservative Party is to advance the interests of the United Kingdom and its people. It's a charming idea and it speaks well of you, but I'm not sure it's true...
He is both right and wrong. Yes they need to leave by October. But no, there is no way Boris can do so.
Yep - that's the problem - we need to leave by October 31st and the only option on the table is the one so trashed no one will touch it.
Whoever wins this has to negotiate an identical document that the ERG will vote for otherwise the party is doomed.
If the EU and the Tories had any sense (I know that is a strange concept these days) they would agree to a complete renegotiation whilst having already agreed that the resulting agreement would be exactly the same. Give whoever is leading he Tory party the fig leaf of a triumphant renegotiation but the EU gets the deal it wants and gets rid of the UK before the next crisis comes along.
The real problem is that the ERG will still trash any deal 30 seconds after it's been announced without reading it.
Comments
😁
Surely the correct response is "sod off?"
They should rebrand as The Democrats.
In those circumstances, the correct response is "how high, Mr President?"
Mine too. Still got an outstanding slip at massive odds. Never say never!!
Meanwhile the hospital had their own MRI unit, I wonder if it was being staffed, or just saved for emergency use.
I had excellent service under the NHS banner, so no complaints, but I do wonder if the NHS assets are being maximised, they should run 24/7, and patients should turn out whenever.
Mrs Jayfdee worked in the NHS, and sometimes when offering appointment dates the recipient would reply " No ,I have my hair done on Wednesdays".
"The Liberal Democrats would "maintain a credible nuclear deterrent" if they won power, leader Tim Farron says.
"Our nuclear deterrent keeps us at the top table in this post-Brexit world," he said."
Why?
To talk about Climate Change denial?
The issue people have is the idea that the running of a hospital could be outsourced to a private American company, that would be making decisions about life or death, based on profitability rather than humanity.
Personally, I care only about the quality of healthcare provided, and have no strong opinions on the best way to provide it. In the words of Chairman Mao, "let a thousand flowers bloom."
The great irony is that this brings another vote against Brexit to parliament.
Still, that's enough about Brexit. Now, about that nuclear deterrent...
*Though I would be happy if it was!
Maybe the selective memorycrats
*Interestingly the recent legislative changes mean that "Accountable Care Organisations" are no longer obliged to provide comprehensive care. Maybe no one will look after demented granny in the future. This legislative changed is seen as a trojan horse to get US HMOs interested without expensive liabilities to provide universal and comprehensive care
Yup. Part, although geo-politically obviously not all, of Trump's big interest in Brexit is his closeness to Big Pharma since trying to roll-back the Obama healthcare reforms, which he's come to by way of the insurance companies.
https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/libdems/pages/1811/attachments/original/1515517281/127_-_Towards_a_World_Free_of_Nuclear_Weapons.pdf?1515517281
Has he got the 6 needed?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESIJ_C9mUBI
https://twitter.com/lewis_goodall/status/1135977300477038592
What a total shambles.
https://twitter.com/johnmcternan/status/1135817021785026561
In one sense, Trump and his ideas have already won here, but in another, the house looks flimsy.
Of those who are - and forgetting about the odds and probabilities - which of them would you LIKE to win and become our next PM?
No doubt there are several but what I mean is which one is your absolute fave?
I'm guessing Hancock?
I will look it up if I get time.
For those anxious to sue politicians who have told lies (e.g., Boris, Tony, Nick), another candidate for legal action has presented himself today.
Mark Drakeford -- the superlatively mediocre leader of Welsh Labour -- broke Labour's manifesto pledge to build the M4 relief road around Newport.
Asked by BBC Wales if he was comfortable with breaking a manifesto pledge, he said: "I'm comfortable that the circumstances that the promise was made in have altered."
The Labour victor of the Newport West by-election, Ruth Jones MP, strongly supported the M4 relief road. How convenient that Drakeford announced his change of heart after the pesky by-election!
A bit, I suppose, but surely who she most resembles is Nick Berry in a skirt.
It occurs to me that if you are looking for US foreign policy initiatives which can be ascribed to the all powerful American Jewish lobby machinating for the foundation and preservation of the State of israel, US involvement in D Day is a pretty good candidate.
Kit 'I know Boris has bodies' Malthouse seems to my addled memory to have declared yesterday lunchtime and resigned from the race this afternoon.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/06/04/labour-has-shown-wants-nothing-less-abolition-private-property/
Safe seat. Even from BXP. So he just has to wait for the world to stop imploding.
Not right at the top of the weird times in which we're living, but a Corbynista trying to sell Labour as the safer, Trident-hugging option is pretty much top 20.
https://twitter.com/BethRigby/status/1135984644216807425
Why do we bother? Really, what’s the bleeding point? They promised to build a relief road (note “a” they even gave themselves wiggle room to follow an alternative route) if elected. They got elected, there’s way more than enough Tories and UKIP/Brexit to trump any stray backbench AM’s), but no the executive has pulled the plug because “circumstances have changed”. What an all purpose cop out.
If you want to get serious about climate change Mr Drakeford how about not moaning every time Port Talbot is threatened, because I believe that’s about 20% of all Wales CO2 emissions? However, pigs will be supersonic never mind flying before any First Minister suggests that one I guess? Some emissions are more equal than others I guess too?
However the city v rural and industrial town and graduate v working class divide was real
The last Danish polls are to hand with Voxmeter still showing a big win for the centre-left bloc with 108 seats for the coalition led by the Social Democrats and just 67 for the Venstre-led parties.
YouGov shows a much tighter race with the centre-left leading 53%-47% in vote share so a much smaller majority.
The key seems to be whether some of the smaller centre-right parties are going to clear the 2% threshold to have seats in the Folketing. Parties like the Christian Democrats, the New Right and the anti-Islamic Hard Line are all trading around 2% below which they would have no seats.
At this stage you'd still think Mette Fredricksen will emerge as the new Prime Minister- I'll be looking to see if the Social Democrats can clear 50 seats which would be their best result since 2001. Venstre are on course to equal their dreadful 2015 performance of 34 seats. The big losers will be the Dansk Folkeparti who could lose half their seats and fall from 37 to 19.
If the Social Democrat tally exceeds the combined Venstre-Dansk Folkeparti numbers it will be all over for the centre right with the Socialistisk Folkeparti and Radikale Ventre both set to double their seat tallies bringing in another 16 for the centre-left bloc.
https://twitter.com/PaulBrandITV/status/1135987779127693313
"There is no doubt that the elite was pleased whenever the underworld frightened respectable society into accepting it on an equal footing. The members of the elite did not object at all to paying a price, the destruction of civilisation, for the fun of seeing how those who had been excluded unjustly in the past forced their way into it….
The temporary alliance between the elite and the mob rested largely on this genuine delight with which the former watched the latter destroy respectability…"
A big problem for those trying to transplant US-style culture wars here is that Boris or Annuziata against the "elite" stretches credulity much more than east-coast establishment figures like the Bushes against the elite in America, because of our longer history.
Whoever wins this has to negotiate an identical document that the ERG will vote for otherwise the party is doomed.