Summary: UKIP are outrageous value and it looks like a toss-up.
it initially reads as a UKIP press release, but the writer is fairly vigorous in his defence. He has got a lot of abuse by PM on the site. He says he is a labour canvasser. If he as a labour canvasser is getting UKIP majority tallying in certain wards, Labour are genuinely in trouble. Their majority was so high that they could still easily win it by a few thousand. But we have seen some truly staggering by election results from the likes of the SNP recently and lib dems in deep past.
Here's the By Election records page. There are two entries in it for UKIP, but both were won by the sitting MP (same man different party). They need to prove that they can get the sort of swings that are up for grabs in by elections without needing defectors. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom_by-election_records
.... We spend the fifth highest amount globally on the military...
I do get cross when people measure military capability by inputs. We may be the fifth highest spender (though I think that is open to debate, particularly after Osborne's recent accounting tricks), but we do not have the fifth largest or most capable forces. Japan for example spends, on paper, a bit less than us but maintains armed forces both larger and more capable than our own.
Soon we will have four large dick carriers and nothing else. We will attack terrorist with trident missiles. Watch out Bradford, Birmingham, London !
Four carriers? Are you sure? Oh, on another matter you do know that we have been bombing Isis (or whatever you want to call them) for some considerable time? I only ask because in a couple of your posts up-thread you seem to give the impression that you think bombing them would be something new.
Actually, on voting intention Alan Clark mentions in his diaries on 22nd November 1990 a Mori poll that showed John Major had drawn level with Michael Heseltine on voting intention if either were leading the Tory Party and in one case the Tories actually did slightly better under Major than Heseltine, so once Thatcher went the Tories did follow the polling and John Major did become PM!
Major won by being the compromise candidate between the wet and dry elements of the party. A compromise that broke down completely under his government nevertheless.
I could see Hammond in such a role. Most of the others are too divisive.
Hammond is the ultimate new-Major.
I don't want to become like HYUFD, but I've been tipping Hammond for about a year.
Once Osborne is knocked out of the MPs ballot, his support would swing behind Hammond as the continuity-of-sense candidate.
Met him last year - seemed a thoroughly decent chap, works well on the doorstep. Would be good on a soapbox, too. Not that it looks like 2020 will be anything like as tricky as '92.
If Osborne fell under a bus then Hammond would be the Major candidate to Boris' Heseltine agreed. Hammond also went to a comprehensive then Oxford (where he got a 1st) and had a successful career in business, that may contrast favourably with Osborne having gone to St Paul's then Oxford (where he got a 2.1) then becoming a SPAD
MG What are you going to do when they come tramping over the boggy wastelands of Ayrshire..looking for new heads to saw off..invite them in for a cuppa .. These monsters respect nothing..and see hesitation as weakness and fear that must be exploited..and exploit it they surely will...
Richard , if they are in this country then it is a different kettle of fish. As we see the majority of the perpetrators are home grown. They should be sorting it out here, anyone known to go to Syria without good reason should be barred from returning to the UK, any known halfwits booted out and no mercy on any that start trouble in the UK. Bombing Syria and creating more martyrs here is not the answer. Get tough in the UK, stop the liberal wishy washy stuff and get back to it being the UK , not some foreign melting pot where we cannot upset people who hate us. Anybody not happy with our laws , way of life , etc should be booted out pdq.
Malcolm joins Dair. How long will they support Nicola after independence ?
Can't say I have seen NPEXMP doing any twisting, in fact he said he voted for Corbyn because he wanted left wing policies to be promoted in a positive way !!! and that was what JC was doing.!!!! NP finally has the leader he dreamed of.
That's right. It's as simple as that. Obviously there are serious electoral difficulties, and I take the point about having an ear for when people want to hear doubts and nuances and when they want to be firmly reassured, but speaking for myself I'm entirely happy with Corbyn's stated policies and his lack of personal aggression. And I'm not sure that the current enthusiasm on most sides for plunging into the Syrian war will stand the test of time.
?
I think I generally agree with this but the Bayesian Game Theory isn't straightforward. There's an argument for the UK joining in bombing ISIS because France was attacked, and asked the UK to help respond.
Bayesian Game Theory be damned. Going to war when you don't know what the outcome you seek is and therefore how your are going to achieve it is just culpable stupidity. The good Dr Sox asks very sensible questions. Questions that I hope Cameron is asking of himself and his ministers and generals.
Hurst, it will be on the back of a fag packet, Cameron just wants to revisit to get over his anger at being stopped last time. The man is a policy vacuum
Morning, Mr. G., I stand second to no man in my contempt for Cameron and his nasty little sidekick Osborne (political reincarnates of Blair and Brown both), but on this morning's news that CAmeron is to announce a strategy for Syria on Thursday, I shall suspend judgement on that matter until then.
As an aside, might I suggest that in your criticism of the UK's performance in Afghanistan you split criticism of the politics and strategy from the actions of the people on the ground, or at least make it clear which you are criticising.
Hurst I am totally talking about our inept politicians who have made a pigs ear of our forces , send them in with poor preparation , stupid rules , etc and leave them no chance of succeeding. I should have been more explicit , in my post , it is the politician's and those leading the forces / MOD that are at fault. I am amazed that so many still want to join the forces given the ineptitude and way it is run.
PS: I shall endeavour to be more specific in future , sloppy posting I agree.
Actually, on voting intention Alan Clark mentions in his diaries on 22nd November 1990 a Mori poll that showed John Major had drawn level with Michael Heseltine on voting intention if either were leading the Tory Party and in one case the Tories actually did slightly better under Major than Heseltine, so once Thatcher went the Tories did follow the polling and John Major did become PM!
Major won by being the compromise candidate between the wet and dry elements of the party. A compromise that broke down completely under his government nevertheless.
I could see Hammond in such a role. Most of the others are too divisive.
Indeed but most of the wets are now gone, the battle is now more between Cameroon 'modernisers' and anti EU 'traditionalists'
The move is from an economic division to a social/EU based division, but the answer remains the same. The compromise candidate has to be acceptable to both sides. Hammond is my bet. Like Major he has risen in a similar way.
.... We spend the fifth highest amount globally on the military...
I do get cross when people measure military capability by inputs. We may be the fifth highest spender (though I think that is open to debate, particularly after Osborne's recent accounting tricks), but we do not have the fifth largest or most capable forces. Japan for example spends, on paper, a bit less than us but maintains armed forces both larger and more capable than our own.
Soon we will have four large dick carriers and nothing else. We will attack terrorist with trident missiles. Watch out Bradford, Birmingham, London !
Four carriers? Are you sure? Oh, on another matter you do know that we have been bombing Isis (or whatever you want to call them) for some considerable time? I only ask because in a couple of your posts up-thread you seem to give the impression that you think bombing them would be something new.
Dick carriers are submarines. They carry many dicks each.
Can't say I have seen NPEXMP doing any twisting, in fact he said he voted for Corbyn because he wanted left wing policies to be promoted in a positive way !!! and that was what JC was doing.!!!! NP finally has the leader he dreamed of.
That's right. It's as simple as that. Obviously there are serious electoral difficulties, and I take the point about having an ear for when people want to hear doubts and nuances and when they want to be firmly reassured, but speaking for myself I'm entirely happy with Corbyn's stated policies and his lack of personal aggression. And I'm not sure that the current enthusiasm on most sides for plunging into the Syrian war will stand the test of time.
Hhmmm :
Translation - A Nick Palmer speciality.
1. "serious electoral difficulties .." - Oldham is up for grabs. 2. "having an ear for when people have doubts .." - PLP slanging match. 3. "nuances .." - Defence policy shambles. 4. "speaking for myself .." - BroxtoweTories4NickP unconvinced. 5. "entirely happy with Corbyn's stated policies .." - We're absolutely f*cked. 6. "lack of personal aggression." - Send for enforcer Tom Watson. 7. "plunging into the Syrian war .." - See number 3
Obviously I don't agree with a word of it but it (really) made me laugh out loud!!
MG Having been at the hot end of artillery ,mortar and heavy calibre machine gun fire..mainly from our Syrian friends..I have no desire to put anyone else in that position...however..when the bad lads come kicking down ones door then one must retaliate or hide behind the effin couch clutching your new copy of the Koran..
The Daesh that we need to be careful of are not the ones in Syria, they are the ones here. The Paris bombers like the ones here were homegrown. That is where victory needs to be won. Let the Russians and French bomb Raqqa back to the stone age if they choose.
We need to win this war in schools, universities, mosques and madrassas. Much more difficult than the flyboys getting their pointy nosed jets out.
Fox, I agree totally , stop pussyfooting about here and for sure do not be fooled by politicians who want to take the easy option for photo opportunities.
I think that the Corbynites appeasement of radical Islamists is not the right approach either.
Actually, on voting intention Alan Clark mentions in his diaries on 22nd November 1990 a Mori poll that showed John Major had drawn level with Michael Heseltine on voting intention if either were leading the Tory Party and in one case the Tories actually did slightly better under Major than Heseltine, so once Thatcher went the Tories did follow the polling and John Major did become PM!
Major won by being the compromise candidate between the wet and dry elements of the party. A compromise that broke down completely under his government nevertheless.
I could see Hammond in such a role. Most of the others are too divisive.
Hammond is the ultimate new-Major.
I don't want to become like HYUFD, but I've been tipping Hammond for about a year.
Once Osborne is knocked out of the MPs ballot, his support would swing behind Hammond as the continuity-of-sense candidate.
Met him last year - seemed a thoroughly decent chap, works well on the doorstep. Would be good on a soapbox, too. Not that it looks like 2020 will be anything like as tricky as '92.
If Osborne fell under a bus then Hammond would be the Major candidate to Boris' Heseltine agreed. Hammond also went to a comprehensive then Oxford (where he got a 1st) and had a successful career in business, that may contrast favourably with Osborne having gone to St Paul's then Oxford (where he got a 2.1) then becoming a SPAD
Good points - it could be that Osborne's bus is losing the MPs ballot. Remember Tory MP's know seem to be more in touch with public opinion than their Labour colleagues at the mo.
I do take issue with your criticising Osborne based on his degree classification, though. The best people got an Attila in Modern History.
My own knowledge of it is limited to Gibbon and Norwich, but I may try expanding my reading a bit (currently on a Macedonian/Medieval kick, but I do like Byzantium too). I seem to have vague memories of the Sixth Crusade (or maybe Seventh...) targeting Alexandria, and surprising everyone by actually taking it.
Never done a proper counting, but it'd be interesting to know how many crusades were targeted against Christians compared to Muslims/the Holy Land. The Fourth and Cathar Crusades spring to mind, but I think there were some against north-eastern European pagans too.
AfD in Germany and Wilders in Holland seemingly off the boil though still well up on the last elections. Surprisingly little change in France either way. Ireland still a big swing to Sinn Fein and anti-austerity, but looks like Fine Gael+? for the next government:
Afd still on 7% and 9% in the latest 2 polls and with Infratest ahead of Die Linke, with INSA the Greens. Wilders' PVV still the largest party in the latest polls and no new French polls since last Friday's attacks
Ah, the fourth crusade - definitely deserves to be better known.
On crusades, I read recently that during the first crusade, as the prince's crusade made its way toward Jerusalem, some of the lands around there let them through without incident or even supplied them as the city itself was in Shia hands and they were Sunni. Pretty incredible that the Sunni-Shia divide is still going pretty strong.
Actually, on voting intention Alan Clark mentions in his diaries on 22nd November 1990 a Mori poll that showed John Major had drawn level with Michael Heseltine on voting intention if either were leading the Tory Party and in one case the Tories actually did slightly better under Major than Heseltine, so once Thatcher went the Tories did follow the polling and John Major did become PM!
Major won by being the compromise candidate between the wet and dry elements of the party. A compromise that broke down completely under his government nevertheless.
I could see Hammond in such a role. Most of the others are too divisive.
Hammond is the ultimate new-Major.
I don't want to become like HYUFD, but I've been tipping Hammond for about a year.
Once Osborne is knocked out of the MPs ballot, his support would swing behind Hammond as the continuity-of-sense candidate.
Met him last year - seemed a thoroughly decent chap, works well on the doorstep. Would be good on a soapbox, too. Not that it looks like 2020 will be anything like as tricky as '92.
The smart move by Hammond would be to say he wants Osborne to stay as Chancellor should Hammond become PM. It would be popular with the membership to go with Continuity Credibility on the economy.
.... We spend the fifth highest amount globally on the military...
I do get cross when people measure military capability by inputs. We may be the fifth highest spender (though I think that is open to debate, particularly after Osborne's recent accounting tricks), but we do not have the fifth largest or most capable forces. Japan for example spends, on paper, a bit less than us but maintains armed forces both larger and more capable than our own.
Soon we will have four large dick carriers and nothing else. We will attack terrorist with trident missiles. Watch out Bradford, Birmingham, London !
Four carriers, which ones are they?
For people not able to work out what he meant , TWO large dick carriers, FOUR large dick submarines , and little else
Actually, on voting intention Alan Clark mentions in his diaries on 22nd November 1990 a Mori poll that showed John Major had drawn level with Michael Heseltine on voting intention if either were leading the Tory Party and in one case the Tories actually did slightly better under Major than Heseltine, so once Thatcher went the Tories did follow the polling and John Major did become PM!
Major won by being the compromise candidate between the wet and dry elements of the party. A compromise that broke down completely under his government nevertheless.
I could see Hammond in such a role. Most of the others are too divisive.
Hammond is the ultimate new-Major.
I don't want to become like HYUFD, but I've been tipping Hammond for about a year.
Once Osborne is knocked out of the MPs ballot, his support would swing behind Hammond as the continuity-of-sense candidate.
Met him last year - seemed a thoroughly decent chap, works well on the doorstep. Would be good on a soapbox, too. Not that it looks like 2020 will be anything like as tricky as '92.
The smart move by Hammond would be to say he wants Osborne to stay as Chancellor should Hammond become PM. It would be popular with the membership to go with Continuity Credibility on the economy.
Not only a smart move, but could be a necessary one. I can't see any of the junior treasury/business ministers taking over as Chancellor except Javid. And I'd imagine GO would prefer Javid keep his powder dry - to take over as next leader but one.
Actually, on voting intention Alan Clark mentions in his diaries on 22nd November 1990 a Mori poll that showed John Major had drawn level with Michael Heseltine on voting intention if either were leading the Tory Party and in one case the Tories actually did slightly better under Major than Heseltine, so once Thatcher went the Tories did follow the polling and John Major did become PM!
Major won by being the compromise candidate between the wet and dry elements of the party. A compromise that broke down completely under his government nevertheless.
I could see Hammond in such a role. Most of the others are too divisive.
Hammond is the ultimate new-Major.
I don't want to become like HYUFD, but I've been tipping Hammond for about a year.
Once Osborne is knocked out of the MPs ballot, his support would swing behind Hammond as the continuity-of-sense candidate.
Met him last year - seemed a thoroughly decent chap, works well on the doorstep. Would be good on a soapbox, too. Not that it looks like 2020 will be anything like as tricky as '92.
The smart move by Hammond would be to say he wants Osborne to stay as Chancellor should Hammond become PM. It would be popular with the membership to go with Continuity Credibility on the economy.
If he continues to fail in his own (deferred) goal of eliminating the deficit, even if people don't mind the actual economic state then his competence will surely have taken a big hit and continuity may not be as credible.
There's a world of difference between carpet bombing and sharply targeted strikes like the one that took out Emwasi.
Also, remember the neutron bomb? It takes out people but leaves buildings unscathed – would have been just the thing when the nutjobs were busy in Palmyra. (But I don't think that technology was developed.)
Or the ones on hospitals and weddings etc etc , estimates are that more than 90% of people killed are innocent civilians. Accurate my arse.
The accuracy of the intelligence is the issue there.
Yes , hospital there for years and even when they phoned up they continued bombing , NO intelligence is the issue. Their supposed accurate bombing is anything but.
MG Stay behind the couch and keep reading..Ayrshire is more bleak than the Syrian desert so they will take their time getting there.. do agree that if some nutter goes to Syria to join ISIS then they should not be allowed back..let them have a go at being stateless..I personally think we are taking too many refugees .,even from the camps..Merkels insane project has reduced the safety of all European citizens..we have imported the cancer.. There is an old saying "Loan a friend some money and you lose a friend".. gratitude turns very quickly into resentment and we are already seeing that among the refugees who have made it into Europe.. Stay safe..
Mr. Surbiton, how can we provoke Daesh when Islamist terrorism pre-dates the Iraq War, and Daesh is already attacking us?
The risk of angering some people who already want to murder us ought not be a factor when considering action.
When did Daesh attack us ? I think you are confusing with AQ. But to you, they look the same anyway. Even Assad looks the same. Only wears an expensive Saville Row suit.
Coming where you come from, some Godforsakenshire, where even Daesh wouldn't be bothered to go into the sticks, it is the Londoners who will have to take it in the Underground and the buses. You lot will condemn their action with your words in blogs knowing full well you will be 100% safe.
I would like to see the geographical distribution of that poll. I bet 80% in Godforsakenshires want to bomb the hell out of Syria, not knowing what happens afterwards. Just vent their anger !
Of course, knowing they will be completely safe ! Brave people.
With a victory that defied political geography and near universal predictions from just months earlier, a previously little-known Democrat, State Representative John Bel Edwards, soundly defeated United States Senator David Vitter in a runoff election on Saturday to become the next governor of Louisiana.
Shock horror! Kevin Hurley, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey, is a guest on the London section of the Sunday Politics. This is the first time that I've ever seen anyone on the show from outside of Greater London, even though in theory they should be covering politics in places like Surrey.
I would love to know what explanation they have for this. Especially as one of the men arrested in known to police. Deeply worrying as all six are British.
Six Pakistani born British men were arrested in Belgium yesterday after being spotted in three 'old ambulances' at a petrol station used by a Paris terror suspect, it was reported.
Lord's Prayer cinema ad ban 'bewilders' Church of England
It's not bonkers, really. This advert may be fairly anodyne, but other religous adverts might not be, and a blanket "no religion or politics" avoids the really nasty arguments.
It's also not a ban - a private company has chosen not to accept a particular advert. So what?
Can't say I have seen NPEXMP doing any twisting, in fact he said he voted for Corbyn because he wanted left wing policies to be promoted in a positive way !!! and that was what JC was doing.!!!! NP finally has the leader he dreamed of.
That's right. It's as simple as that. Obviously there are serious electoral difficulties, and I take the point about having an ear for when people want to hear doubts and nuances and when they want to be firmly reassured, but speaking for myself I'm entirely happy with Corbyn's stated policies and his lack of personal aggression. And I'm not sure that the current enthusiasm on most sides for plunging into the Syrian war will stand the test of time.
Hhmmm :
Translation - A Nick Palmer speciality.
1. "serious electoral difficulties .." - Oldham is up for grabs. 2. "having an ear for when people have doubts .." - PLP slanging match. 3. "nuances .." - Defence policy shambles. 4. "speaking for myself .." - BroxtoweTories4NickP unconvinced. 5. "entirely happy with Corbyn's stated policies .." - We're absolutely f*cked. 6. "lack of personal aggression." - Send for enforcer Tom Watson. 7. "plunging into the Syrian war .." - See number 3
Obviously I don't agree with a word of it but it (really) made me laugh out loud!!
Jack W, 114 next month, has a way of saying it. Could he be Corbyn's Communications Director ?
MG What are you going to do when they come tramping over the boggy wastelands of Ayrshire..looking for new heads to saw off..invite them in for a cuppa .. These monsters respect nothing..and see hesitation as weakness and fear that must be exploited..and exploit it they surely will...
Richard , if they are in this country then it is a different kettle of fish. As we see the majority of the perpetrators are home grown. They should be sorting it out here, anyone known to go to Syria without good reason should be barred from returning to the UK, any known halfwits booted out and no mercy on any that start trouble in the UK. Bombing Syria and creating more martyrs here is not the answer. Get tough in the UK, stop the liberal wishy washy stuff and get back to it being the UK , not some foreign melting pot where we cannot upset people who hate us. Anybody not happy with our laws , way of life , etc should be booted out pdq.
Malcolm joins Dair. How long will they support Nicola after independence ?
Surbiton, I have never hidden the fact that I am to the right of centre but with a heart. I am for tough love and not pussyfooting about, help those needing help and make bad people pay for being bad. I have also stated I have never been connected to SNP, they are the only party interested in Scotland and as such will have my vote till there is a choice, I will then decide who is best. Labour tried too hard to be Tories and are reaping their just reward in Scotland.
Mr. Surbiton, 'us' collectively. France is a close ally.
Flinging accusations of racism is easier than engaging in debate, but less informative.
Mr. kle4, my thoughts exactly. The Fourth Crusade, and the Eastern Roman Empire, ought to be far better known than they are.
The First Crusade had some dodgy aspects but its timing was flawless, turning up as the Muslim rule in that part of the world was at its weakest for some time. It also helped the Alexius Comnenus wanted assistance reclaiming some land (although that didn't endear the Eastern and Western Churches to one another).
.... We spend the fifth highest amount globally on the military...
I do get cross when people measure military capability by inputs. We may be the fifth highest spender (though I think that is open to debate, particularly after Osborne's recent accounting tricks), but we do not have the fifth largest or most capable forces. Japan for example spends, on paper, a bit less than us but maintains armed forces both larger and more capable than our own.
Soon we will have four large dick carriers and nothing else. We will attack terrorist with trident missiles. Watch out Bradford, Birmingham, London !
Four carriers, which ones are they?
For people not able to work out what he meant , TWO large dick carriers, FOUR large dick submarines , and little else
So "Soon we will have four large dick carriers and nothing else." meant 2 carriers?
My Yes / Destiny badge has arrived , did you miss that one Scott, something else to get you all bitter and twisted about. I can hardly wait for all that pressure on Sturgeon you promised yesterday. I can wave my badge at your pal rodent and laugh my socks off.
You can laugh, we can remember 18/9/14. So much for destiny.
Actually, on voting intention Alan Clark mentions in his diaries on 22nd November 1990 a Mori poll that showed John Major had drawn level with Michael Heseltine on voting intention if either were leading the Tory Party and in one case the Tories actually did slightly better under Major than Heseltine, so once Thatcher went the Tories did follow the polling and John Major did become PM!
Major won by being the compromise candidate between the wet and dry elements of the party. A compromise that broke down completely under his government nevertheless.
I could see Hammond in such a role. Most of the others are too divisive.
Hammond is the ultimate new-Major.
I don't want to become like HYUFD, but I've been tipping Hammond for about a year.
Once Osborne is knocked out of the MPs ballot, his support would swing behind Hammond as the continuity-of-sense candidate.
Met him last year - seemed a thoroughly decent chap, works well on the doorstep. Would be good on a soapbox, too. Not that it looks like 2020 will be anything like as tricky as '92.
The smart move by Hammond would be to say he wants Osborne to stay as Chancellor should Hammond become PM. It would be popular with the membership to go with Continuity Credibility on the economy.
If he continues to fail in his own (deferred) goal of eliminating the deficit, even if people don't mind the actual economic state then his competence will surely have taken a big hit and continuity may not be as credible.
Nick P, what you are saying is what Corbyn should have said or think, from a multilateral, non pacifist position. But he has never actually said that. He obfuscates when given the chance to say it ie. are there any circumstances where you would approve of military force against is? Yes, where we have a framework peace deal with the other parties and a un force. But he has repeatedly not done so because (I think) he does not want to be held responsible by stwc and fellow travellers should such circumstances arise. He therefore always simply opposes all western foreign policy and wishes an end without means. That to me is moral cowardice.
MG Stay behind the couch and keep reading..Ayrshire is more bleak than the Syrian desert so they will take their time getting there.. do agree that if some nutter goes to Syria to join ISIS then they should not be allowed back..let them have a go at being stateless..I personally think we are taking too many refugees .,even from the camps..Merkels insane project has reduced the safety of all European citizens..we have imported the cancer.. There is an old saying "Loan a friend some money and you lose a friend".. gratitude turns very quickly into resentment and we are already seeing that among the refugees who have made it into Europe.. Stay safe..
You have obviously never been to Ayrshire then , a land of green and plenty.
I would love to know what explanation they have for this. Especially as one of the men arrested in known to police. Deeply worrying as all six are British.
Six Pakistani born British men were arrested in Belgium yesterday after being spotted in three 'old ambulances' at a petrol station used by a Paris terror suspect, it was reported.
With a victory that defied political geography and near universal predictions from just months earlier, a previously little-known Democrat, State Representative John Bel Edwards, soundly defeated United States Senator David Vitter in a runoff election on Saturday to become the next governor of Louisiana.
Actually, on voting intention Alan Clark mentions in his diaries on 22nd November 1990 a Mori poll that showed John Major had drawn level with Michael Heseltine on voting intention if either were leading the Tory Party and in one case the Tories actually did slightly better under Major than Heseltine, so once Thatcher went the Tories did follow the polling and John Major did become PM!
Major won by being the compromise candidate between the wet and dry elements of the party. A compromise that broke down completely under his government nevertheless.
I could see Hammond in such a role. Most of the others are too divisive.
Hammond is the ultimate new-Major.
I don't want to become like HYUFD, but I've been tipping Hammond for about a year.
Once Osborne is knocked out of the MPs ballot, his support would swing behind Hammond as the continuity-of-sense candidate.
Met him last year - seemed a thoroughly decent chap, works well on the doorstep. Would be good on a soapbox, too. Not that it looks like 2020 will be anything like as tricky as '92.
If Osborne fell under a bus then Hammond would be the Major candidate to Boris' Heseltine agreed. Hammond also went to a comprehensive then Oxford (where he got a 1st) and had a successful career in business, that may contrast favourably with Osborne having gone to St Paul's then Oxford (where he got a 2.1) then becoming a SPAD
What has Hammond actually done in his present office? The EC strategy and negotiations are led by Osborne. The Syria strategy was for months non-existent. Hammond is a RHINO.
Mr. Surbiton, 'us' collectively. France is a close ally.
Flinging accusations of racism is easier than engaging in debate, but less informative.
Mr. kle4, my thoughts exactly. The Fourth Crusade, and the Eastern Roman Empire, ought to be far better known than they are.
The First Crusade had some dodgy aspects but its timing was flawless, turning up as the Muslim rule in that part of the world was at its weakest for some time. It also helped the Alexius Comnenus wanted assistance reclaiming some land (although that didn't endear the Eastern and Western Churches to one another).
When do you think it will be aesthetically a suitable time for you to start calling them frogs again. Not now, of course, since you are heartily singing La marseillaise
Nick P, what you are saying is what Corbyn should have said or think, from a multilateral, non pacifist position. But he has never actually said that. He obfuscates when given the chance to say it ie. are there any circumstances where you would approve of military force against is? Yes, where we have a framework peace deal with the other parties and a un force. But he has repeatedly not done so because (I think) he does not want to be held responsible by stwc and fellow travellers should such circumstances arise. He therefore always simply opposes all western foreign policy and wishes an end without means. That to me is moral cowardice.
He certainly needs to brush up on getting his points of view across, though hard given the bias against him. Media do not like the fact that he is not a snake oil salesman like Cameron.
My Yes / Destiny badge has arrived , did you miss that one Scott, something else to get you all bitter and twisted about. I can hardly wait for all that pressure on Sturgeon you promised yesterday. I can wave my badge at your pal rodent and laugh my socks off.
You can laugh, we can remember 18/9/14. So much for destiny.
It is not over yet you silly boy, we have been waiting 300 years for the wrong to be righted , a few more does not matter
MG Having been at the hot end of artillery ,mortar and heavy calibre machine gun fire..mainly from our Syrian friends..I have no desire to put anyone else in that position...however..when the bad lads come kicking down ones door then one must retaliate or hide behind the effin couch clutching your new copy of the Koran..
The Daesh that we need to be careful of are not the ones in Syria, they are the ones here. The Paris bombers like the ones here were homegrown. That is where victory needs to be won. Let the Russians and French bomb Raqqa back to the stone age if they choose.
We need to win this war in schools, universities, mosques and madrassas. Much more difficult than the flyboys getting their pointy nosed jets out.
Don't be so unusually stupid. All the evidence shows that many of the Paris bombers and shooters, despite being "homegrown", had been to Syria to fight with ISIS, having been radicalised by ISIS online; a couple posed as Syrian refugees to get back in to Europe, FFS; and the ringleader was an ISIS poster boy, who trained jihadis in Raqqa
This is just one reason to bomb and destroy ISIS, to prevent them importing and training new terrorists, and exporting them to Europe, with shiny new weapons, so they can kill us. And to degrade and demolish their online media operation.
What will be the endgame once we've sufficiently fucked up ISIS that it collapses? Dunno. I imagine most of Syria will become a killing ground between Assad and the remaining rebel fighters (with the Kurds and Iraq army retaking Mosul etc).
Syria will remain awful. Nasty Muslim rebels will still slaughter Christians. Terrorists will still bomb western cities. But we will have significantly reduced the threat to us, from the nastiest and most dangerous group of all, ISIS.
As I've said before, there is one logical position to take if you oppose bombing ISIS: that others will do it anyway (France, Russia, USA) so why risk our own men and treasure? It's a selfish, spineless position, but it is coherent.
Opposing bombing ISIS in the hope they will just go away if we ignore them is dangerously wrong and laughably dim, at best.
The solution, surely, is to get Daesh, Assad and his people and various assorted rebels onto one big battlefield to sort it out once and for all.
.... We spend the fifth highest amount globally on the military...
I do get cross when people measure military capability by inputs. We may be the fifth highest spender (though I think that is open to debate, particularly after Osborne's recent accounting tricks), but we do not have the fifth largest or most capable forces. Japan for example spends, on paper, a bit less than us but maintains armed forces both larger and more capable than our own.
Soon we will have four large dick carriers and nothing else. We will attack terrorist with trident missiles. Watch out Bradford, Birmingham, London !
Four carriers, which ones are they?
For people not able to work out what he meant , TWO large dick carriers, FOUR large dick submarines , and little else
So "Soon we will have four large dick carriers and nothing else." meant 2 carriers?
NO , he meant 4 submarine , Dick carriers , he could have also included the 2 carrier Dick carriers if he wished as well. It is all we have apart from a few platoons of infantry and thousands of Generals and Admirals.
To SeanT at midday.... Correct. Dr Fox is merely taking a version of the Corbyn position. A pretty disappointing one too. On that basis there seems little chance that the spineless useless pointless LDs will support bombing ISIS in Syria.
Logic has gone out of the window by taking that stance. We are a!ready bombing Isis in the Iraq side of the border. The nuances of refusing to do it on the Syrian side is beyond me.
Mr. Surbiton, 'us' collectively. France is a close ally.
Flinging accusations of racism is easier than engaging in debate, but less informative.
Mr. kle4, my thoughts exactly. The Fourth Crusade, and the Eastern Roman Empire, ought to be far better known than they are.
The First Crusade had some dodgy aspects but its timing was flawless, turning up as the Muslim rule in that part of the world was at its weakest for some time. It also helped the Alexius Comnenus wanted assistance reclaiming some land (although that didn't endear the Eastern and Western Churches to one another).
MD when did that happen , until last week , the right wingers on here did nothing but disparage and insult France on a daily basis.
.... We spend the fifth highest amount globally on the military...
I do get cross when people measure military capability by inputs. We may be the fifth highest spender (though I think that is open to debate, particularly after Osborne's recent accounting tricks), but we do not have the fifth largest or most capable forces. Japan for example spends, on paper, a bit less than us but maintains armed forces both larger and more capable than our own.
That's a very big are IMO. If the Japanese armed forces are so much bigger and more capable which can't be seen by inputs let's see it by outputs. In which conflicts and arenas across the globe have they demonstrated this superiority?
We are active on outputs as well as inputs. Inputs is an easy metric to measure. If you are to base it on outputs I'd put our military fourth (ahead of Saudi).
A bit more detail is emerging about the terrorist threat which led the Belgian authorities to effectively impose a curfrew in Brussels and shut the city down.
According to Le Soir the police are hunting for at least two terrorists and that other terror cells are poised to act. One of the men who is being hunted by the police could be a suicide bomber, the paper reports.
Wow! The Belgian Interior Minister wants Molenbeek to be searched house to house!
This has killed Schengen. When the very heart of the EU is on lock down, streets cleared and borders closed it really is all over. It will take a very brave politician or leader to go back to how it once was without being monstered for putting its citizens at risk. Given Schengen is one of the corner stones then we really are on a sea change that potentially may make our referendum irrelevant after all. Never underestimate the EU unelected's stupidity though not to make the attempt.
Cameron's negotiations may never take place
I was wondering last week whether any EU leader or Brussels Eurocrat is going to find any time to turn their attention to the UK renegotiation after Friday 13th: Paris. Seems to me odds on that Cameron's vote doesn't happen before 2017. By which time, the stresses around control of borders may make the EU a very different beast. And perhaps one much more acceptable to a large swathe of those in the UK who are currently minded to LEAVE.
Mr. G, see my response below, to Mr. Surbiton. It's entirely possible to like something and also to take the piss out of it. cf the English rugby team.
.... We spend the fifth highest amount globally on the military...
I do get cross when people measure military capability by inputs. We may be the fifth highest spender (though I think that is open to debate, particularly after Osborne's recent accounting tricks), but we do not have the fifth largest or most capable forces. Japan for example spends, on paper, a bit less than us but maintains armed forces both larger and more capable than our own.
That's a very big are IMO. If the Japanese armed forces are so much bigger and more capable which can't be seen by inputs let's see it by outputs. In which conflicts and arenas across the globe have they demonstrated this superiority?
We are active on outputs as well as inputs. Inputs is an easy metric to measure. If you are to base it on outputs I'd put our military fourth (ahead of Saudi).
They are sensible and don't get involved in empire building any more. Can you advise any conflict or arena we have shown any superiority since WWII, and don't use Falklands as a good example.
.... We spend the fifth highest amount globally on the military...
I do get cross when people measure military capability by inputs. We may be the fifth highest spender (though I think that is open to debate, particularly after Osborne's recent accounting tricks), but we do not have the fifth largest or most capable forces. Japan for example spends, on paper, a bit less than us but maintains armed forces both larger and more capable than our own.
Soon we will have four large dick carriers and nothing else. We will attack terrorist with trident missiles. Watch out Bradford, Birmingham, London !
Four carriers, which ones are they?
For people not able to work out what he meant , TWO large dick carriers, FOUR large dick submarines , and little else
So "Soon we will have four large dick carriers and nothing else." meant 2 carriers?
No he meant four. The large dicks are the Trident missiles and the four large dick carriers are the four submarines that carry them.
As if in the last 12 months the need for a nuclear deterrence hasn't been reinforced by Russia invading a nation and annexing a part of it that unilaterally gave up its own nuclear deterrence.
Actually, on voting intention Alan Clark mentions in his diaries on 22nd November 1990 a Mori poll that showed John Major had drawn level with Michael Heseltine on voting intention if either were leading the Tory Party and in one case the Tories actually did slightly better under Major than Heseltine, so once Thatcher went the Tories did follow the polling and John Major did become PM!
Major won by being the compromise candidate between the wet and dry elements of the party. A compromise that broke down completely under his government nevertheless.
I could see Hammond in such a role. Most of the others are too divisive.
Hammond is the ultimate new-Major.
I don't want to become like HYUFD, but I've been tipping Hammond for about a year.
Once Osborne is knocked out of the MPs ballot, his support would swing behind Hammond as the continuity-of-sense candidate.
Met him last year - seemed a thoroughly decent chap, works well on the doorstep. Would be good on a soapbox, too. Not that it looks like 2020 will be anything like as tricky as '92.
If Osborne fell under a bus then Hammond would be the Major candidate to Boris' Heseltine agreed. Hammond also went to a comprehensive then Oxford (where he got a 1st) and had a successful career in business, that may contrast favourably with Osborne having gone to St Paul's then Oxford (where he got a 2.1) then becoming a SPAD
What has Hammond actually done in his present office? The EC strategy and negotiations are led by Osborne. The Syria strategy was for months non-existent. Hammond is a RHINO.
History suggests either the Chancellor or Foreign Secretary becomes leader when the Tories are in power
Now there are no Labour supporters on here you're all going mad and talking to yourselves. Even Southam Observer just pops in three times a day to say the same thing.
There are not many Corbyn labour supporters, it is true. Even with the government's crap performance recently, sensible tories will need to defend against predictions of a thousand year Tory government, as Labour infighting week makes people fear the worst/hope for the best.
MG What are you going to do when they come tramping over the boggy wastelands of Ayrshire..looking for new heads to saw off..invite them in for a cuppa .. These monsters respect nothing..and see hesitation as weakness and fear that must be exploited..and exploit it they surely will...
Richard , if they are in this country then it is a different kettle of fish. As we see the majority of the perpetrators are home grown. They should be sorting it out here, anyone known to go to Syria without good reason should be barred from returning to the UK, any known halfwits booted out and no mercy on any that start trouble in the UK. Bombing Syria and creating more martyrs here is not the answer. Get tough in the UK, stop the liberal wishy washy stuff and get back to it being the UK , not some foreign melting pot where we cannot upset people who hate us. Anybody not happy with our laws , way of life , etc should be booted out pdq.
Malcolm joins Dair. How long will they support Nicola after independence ?
Surbiton, I have never hidden the fact that I am to the right of centre but with a heart. I am for tough love and not pussyfooting about, help those needing help and make bad people pay for being bad. I have also stated I have never been connected to SNP, they are the only party interested in Scotland and as such will have my vote till there is a choice, I will then decide who is best. Labour tried too hard to be Tories and are reaping their just reward in Scotland.
Of course they are not the only party interested in Scotland. You are the original Mr Turniphead. The SNP are the only party not interested in the rest of the country.
I would love to know what explanation they have for this. Especially as one of the men arrested in known to police. Deeply worrying as all six are British.
Six Pakistani born British men were arrested in Belgium yesterday after being spotted in three 'old ambulances' at a petrol station used by a Paris terror suspect, it was reported.
.... We spend the fifth highest amount globally on the military...
I do get cross when people measure military capability by inputs. We may be the fifth highest spender (though I think that is open to debate, particularly after Osborne's recent accounting tricks), but we do not have the fifth largest or most capable forces. Japan for example spends, on paper, a bit less than us but maintains armed forces both larger and more capable than our own.
That's a very big are IMO. If the Japanese armed forces are so much bigger and more capable which can't be seen by inputs let's see it by outputs. In which conflicts and arenas across the globe have they demonstrated this superiority?
We are active on outputs as well as inputs. Inputs is an easy metric to measure. If you are to base it on outputs I'd put our military fourth (ahead of Saudi).
They are sensible and don't get involved in empire building any more. Can you advise any conflict or arena we have shown any superiority since WWII, and don't use Falklands as a good example.
Afghanistan, Iraq, Kenya, Sierra Leone, Kosovo ...
With a victory that defied political geography and near universal predictions from just months earlier, a previously little-known Democrat, State Representative John Bel Edwards, soundly defeated United States Senator David Vitter in a runoff election on Saturday to become the next governor of Louisiana.
So a Democrat beats a Republican in Louisiana, that is a rare piece of good news in gubernatorial elections for the Democrats. Of course Bill Clinton won Louisiana twice, but Obama lost it in 2008 and 2012, a glimmer of hope for Hillary perhaps although I would expect even Trump to win it
@PaulFlynnMP: BBC repeated Tory distortion of Corbyn's shoot to kill comment, turned it into an abusrdity & attacked their own creation. Bias multiplied
@DPJHodges: .@PaulFlynnMP Agreed. It's a disgrace the way the BBC keep filming Jeremy Corbyn and putting his comments on air for people to see.
right that Corbyn is a total muppet.
Sadly, I carefully re-read Corbyn's actual statement and also listened to a few clips. In fact, it was not that far away or indeed exactly what the current law states.
It is how and when he says it.
Clearly Britain has a self-esteem problem.
Do you think Merkel gives a shit that she does not have these toys ? Britain still hankers after being a world power 70 years after giving up the Empire and not realising that it is a small island on the edge of Europe.
From that it seems that it's not Britain who has a self-esteem problem: it's you.
Er,,,why ? I don't want to bomb anyone unless I am actually attacked. To say that Daesh is an existential threat is a lie. It simply demeans all the sacrifices our men and women suffered when hundreds of thousands died. Those were an existential fight. In fact, the cold war was an existential fight even though not single missile was fired in anger.
Will us bombing them first stop them ? You don't need to look too far. Hollande wanted to act like Bonaparte to increase his poll ratings. He has been at them for more than a year. What has it stopped ?
Well said Surbiton, it is stupid warmongers like JJ and others on here who have inferiority complexes, desperate to bomb innocent people or have someone else go and get killed to make them fell that Britain is still a world power. You would think after recent drubbings they would see reality, but sounds good from the armchair.
I am not a warmonger, nor am I stupid. It's just that ISIS is a threat not just to us, but to the region and the globe.
If you agree with that, then the question is what can be done about it. I've expressed doubts about the bombing over the last few days: ISIS is a nebulous target, and will crop up elsewhere (e.g. Yemen). Bombing on its own will not work: there needs to be other acts, some secret, both at home and abroad.
I don't care if Britain is a world power or not. I want us (and that includes you lovely people in Scotland) to be a successful and safe country. I guess we may differ what the 'country' is, and what would quantify as success.
.... We spend the fifth highest amount globally on the military...
I do get cross when people measure military capability by inputs. We may be the fifth highest spender (though I think that is open to debate, particularly after Osborne's recent accounting tricks), but we do not have the fifth largest or most capable forces. Japan for example spends, on paper, a bit less than us but maintains armed forces both larger and more capable than our own.
That's a very big are IMO. If the Japanese armed forces are so much bigger and more capable which can't be seen by inputs let's see it by outputs. In which conflicts and arenas across the globe have they demonstrated this superiority?
We are active on outputs as well as inputs. Inputs is an easy metric to measure. If you are to base it on outputs I'd put our military fourth (ahead of Saudi).
They are sensible and don't get involved in empire building any more. Can you advise any conflict or arena we have shown any superiority since WWII, and don't use Falklands as a good example.
japan had the small problem of being constitutionally forbidden c/o McArthur and co.
Can't say I have seen NPEXMP doing any twisting, in fact he said he voted for Corbyn because he wanted left wing policies to be promoted in a positive way !!! and that was what JC was doing.!!!! NP finally has the leader he dreamed of.
That's right. It's as simple as that. Obviously there are serious electoral difficulties, and I take the point about having an ear for when people want to hear doubts and nuances and when they want to be firmly reassured, but speaking for myself I'm entirely happy with Corbyn's stated policies and his lack of personal aggression. And I'm not sure that the current enthusiasm on most sides for plunging into the Syrian war will stand the test of time.
Hhmmm :
Translation - A Nick Palmer speciality.
1. "serious electoral difficulties .." - Oldham is up for grabs. 2. "having an ear for when people have doubts .." - PLP slanging match. 3. "nuances .." - Defence policy shambles. 4. "speaking for myself .." - BroxtoweTories4NickP unconvinced. 5. "entirely happy with Corbyn's stated policies .." - We're absolutely f*cked. 6. "lack of personal aggression." - Send for enforcer Tom Watson. 7. "plunging into the Syrian war .." - See number 3
Obviously I don't agree with a word of it but it (really) made me laugh out loud!!
Not even an teeny weeny single word of it .... go on you know you want to really ....
.... We spend the fifth highest amount globally on the military...
I do get cross when people measure military capability by inputs. We may be the fifth highest spender (though I think that is open to debate, particularly after Osborne's recent accounting tricks), but we do not have the fifth largest or most capable forces. Japan for example spends, on paper, a bit less than us but maintains armed forces both larger and more capable than our own.
That's a very big are IMO. If the Japanese armed forces are so much bigger and more capable which can't be seen by inputs let's see it by outputs. In which conflicts and arenas across the globe have they demonstrated this superiority?
We are active on outputs as well as inputs. Inputs is an easy metric to measure. If you are to base it on outputs I'd put our military fourth (ahead of Saudi).
They are sensible and don't get involved in empire building any more. Can you advise any conflict or arena we have shown any superiority since WWII, and don't use Falklands as a good example.
Sierra Leone.
Arguably we were TOO successful in Sierra Leone, as it encouraged Blair to believe he could do the same in the Middle East. Oops.
Sean, that is equivalent of you beating up a 10 year old girl and claiming you are a world class boxer
And to degrade and demolish their online media operation.
What makes you think this can be accomplished by bombing Syria?
Because they have a de facto state with all its trimmings that we need to remove. Same as fascism wasn't eliminated by removing fascist control of Germany but it sure helped. IS is de facto if not de jure a state and we need to change that.
.... We spend the fifth highest amount globally on the military...
I do get cross when people measure military capability by inputs. We may be the fifth highest spender (though I think that is open to debate, particularly after Osborne's recent accounting tricks), but we do not have the fifth largest or most capable forces. Japan for example spends, on paper, a bit less than us but maintains armed forces both larger and more capable than our own.
That's a very big are IMO. If the Japanese armed forces are so much bigger and more capable which can't be seen by inputs let's see it by outputs. In which conflicts and arenas across the globe have they demonstrated this superiority?
We are active on outputs as well as inputs. Inputs is an easy metric to measure. If you are to base it on outputs I'd put our military fourth (ahead of Saudi).
They are sensible and don't get involved in empire building any more. Can you advise any conflict or arena we have shown any superiority since WWII, and don't use Falklands as a good example.
japan had the small problem of being constitutionally forbidden c/o McArthur and co.
Pity we did not have the same, may have meant less follies and maybe a lot of money spent wisely at home to better the country rather than wrecking other countries and killing people.
Actually, on voting intention Alan Clark mentions in his diaries on 22nd November 1990 a Mori poll that showed John Major had drawn level with Michael Heseltine on voting intention if either were leading the Tory Party and in one case the Tories actually did slightly better under Major than Heseltine, so once Thatcher went the Tories did follow the polling and John Major did become PM!
Major won by being the compromise candidate between the wet and dry elements of the party. A compromise that broke down completely under his government nevertheless.
I could see Hammond in such a role. Most of the others are too divisive.
Hammond is the ultimate new-Major.
I don't want to become like HYUFD, but I've been tipping Hammond for about a year.
Once Osborne is knocked out of the MPs ballot, his support would swing behind Hammond as the continuity-of-sense candidate.
Met him last year - seemed a thoroughly decent chap, works well on the doorstep. Would be good on a soapbox, too. Not that it looks like 2020 will be anything like as tricky as '92.
The smart move by Hammond would be to say he wants Osborne to stay as Chancellor should Hammond become PM. It would be popular with the membership to go with Continuity Credibility on the economy.
If he continues to fail in his own (deferred) goal of eliminating the deficit, even if people don't mind the actual economic state then his competence will surely have taken a big hit and continuity may not be as credible.
The fundamental problem the Left has is that it loves to say Osborne has failed. But they have no coherent response when you ask "How?" If it is a failure to eliminate the deficit, it is only in terms of Osborne's timelines. There is no acceptance by the Left that the deficit needed to come down at that rate any way. So if you point out that "this failure must be to your liking then?" they look at their shoes. And Osborne's "failure" needs to be set against the background of near full employment. If you want to see a really epic economic failure, look at those on the Left who confidently predicted his stewardship of the economy would lead to five million unemployed.
The Left has very little ammunition to fire at Osborne. And such small calibre stuff as they have ain't going to penetrate the hundreds of feet of reinforced steel and concrete he sleeps easily beneath.
@PaulFlynnMP: BBC repeated Tory distortion of Corbyn's shoot to kill comment, turned it into an abusrdity & attacked their own creation. Bias multiplied
@DPJHodges: .@PaulFlynnMP Agreed. It's a disgrace the way the BBC keep filming Jeremy Corbyn and putting his comments on air for people to see.
right that Corbyn is a total muppet.
Sadly, I carefully re-read Corbyn's actual statement and also listened to a few clips. In fact, it was not that far away or indeed exactly what the current law states.
It is how and when he says it.
Clearly Britain has a self-esteem problem.
Do you think Merkel gives a shit that she does not have these toys ? Britain still hankers after being a world power 70 years after giving up the Empire and not realising that it is a small island on the edge of Europe.
From that it seems that it's not Britain who has a self-esteem problem: it's you.
Er,,,why ? I don't want to bomb anyone unless I am actually attacked. To say that Daesh is an existential threat is a lie. It simply demeans all the sacrifices our men and women suffered when hundreds of thousands died. Those were an existential fight. In fact, the cold war was an existential fight even though not single missile was fired in anger.
more than a year. What has it stopped ?
I am not a warmonger, nor am I stupid. It's just that ISIS is a threat not just to us, but to the region and the globe.
If you agree with that, then the question is what can be done about it. I've expressed doubts about the bombing over the last few days: ISIS is a nebulous target, and will crop up elsewhere (e.g. Yemen). Bombing on its own will not work: there needs to be other acts, some secret, both at home and abroad.
I don't care if Britain is a world power or not. I want us (and that includes you lovely people in Scotland) to be a successful and safe country. I guess we may differ what the 'country' is, and what would quantify as success.
JJ, I agree with your last part , but just cannot see how it will be achieved with the first suggestion , that way only leads to more trouble and no gains. You only need look at France and see the results , it leads to more trouble. Much better if they focused on fixing problems in their home countries.
And to degrade and demolish their online media operation.
What makes you think this can be accomplished by bombing Syria?
Because they have a de facto state with all its trimmings that we need to remove. Same as fascism wasn't eliminated by removing fascist control of Germany but it sure helped. IS is de facto if not de jure a state and we need to change that.
That doesn't even remotely begin to describe a mechanism by which bombing Syria would degrade and demolish their online media operation. What trimmings of a de-facto state do you need to post stuff on the internet?
.... We spend the fifth highest amount globally on the military...
I do get cross when people measure military capability by inputs. We may be the fifth highest spender (though I think that is open to debate, particularly after Osborne's recent accounting tricks), but we do not have the fifth largest or most capable forces. Japan for example spends, on paper, a bit less than us but maintains armed forces both larger and more capable than our own.
That's a very big are IMO. If the Japanese armed forces are so much bigger and more capable which can't be seen by inputs let's see it by outputs. In which conflicts and arenas across the globe have they demonstrated this superiority?
We are active on outputs as well as inputs. Inputs is an easy metric to measure. If you are to base it on outputs I'd put our military fourth (ahead of Saudi).
They are sensible and don't get involved in empire building any more. Can you advise any conflict or arena we have shown any superiority since WWII, and don't use Falklands as a good example.
Afghanistan, Iraq, Kenya, Sierra Leone, Kosovo ...
The Labour membership has ensured that it does not matter who the Tories choose as their next leader. He/she will be PM for as long as the Tories wish it.
Who knows... Things change rapidly and profoundly these days. Most can't predict tomorrow, let alone 5 years hence.
.... We spend the fifth highest amount globally on the military...
I do get cross when people measure military capability by inputs. We may be the fifth highest spender (though I think that is open to debate, particularly after Osborne's recent accounting tricks), but we do not have the fifth largest or most capable forces. Japan for example spends, on paper, a bit less than us but maintains armed forces both larger and more capable than our own.
That's a very big are IMO. If the Japanese armed forces are so much bigger and more capable which can't be seen by inputs let's see it by outputs. In which conflicts and arenas across the globe have they demonstrated this superiority?
We are active on outputs as well as inputs. Inputs is an easy metric to measure. If you are to base it on outputs I'd put our military fourth (ahead of Saudi).
They are sensible and don't get involved in empire building any more. Can you advise any conflict or arena we have shown any superiority since WWII, and don't use Falklands as a good example.
Sierra Leone.
Arguably we were TOO successful in Sierra Leone, as it encouraged Blair to believe he could do the same in the Middle East. Oops.
Sean, that is equivalent of you beating up a 10 year old girl and claiming you are a world class boxer
You're being pathetic. Of course our enemies are in scenarios like Sierra Leone because that is who are enemies are that we need to fight. You can demean it all you like but that's no argument against going against ISIS. Or ten years from now a future Malcolmg can ask where we've been successful a future Sean could say Syria and a future malcolmg would say oh that doesn't count again.
The heavyweights of the world we won't directly fight because of ... Trident. Our large dick as you called it.
I would love to know what explanation they have for this. Especially as one of the men arrested in known to police. Deeply worrying as all six are British.
Six Pakistani born British men were arrested in Belgium yesterday after being spotted in three 'old ambulances' at a petrol station used by a Paris terror suspect, it was reported.
Actually, on voting intention Alan Clark mentions in his diaries on 22nd November 1990 a Mori poll that showed John Major had drawn level with Michael Heseltine on voting intention if either were leading the Tory Party and in one case the Tories actually did slightly better under Major than Heseltine, so once Thatcher went the Tories did follow the polling and John Major did become PM!
Major won by being the compromise candidate between the wet and dry elements of the party. A compromise that broke down completely under his government nevertheless.
I could see Hammond in such a role. Most of the others are too divisive.
Hammond is the ultimate new-Major.
I don't want to become like HYUFD, but I've been tipping Hammond for about a year.
Once Osborne is knocked out of the MPs ballot, his support would swing behind Hammond as the continuity-of-sense candidate.
Met him last year - seemed a thoroughly decent chap, works well on the doorstep. Would be good on a soapbox, too. Not that it looks like 2020 will be anything like as tricky as '92.
If Osborne fell under a bus then Hammond would be the Major candidate to Boris' Heseltine agreed. Hammond also went to a comprehensive then Oxford (where he got a 1st) and had a successful career in business, that may contrast favourably with Osborne having gone to St Paul's then Oxford (where he got a 2.1) then becoming a SPAD
Good points - it could be that Osborne's bus is losing the MPs ballot. Remember Tory MP's know seem to be more in touch with public opinion than their Labour colleagues at the mo.
I do take issue with your criticising Osborne based on his degree classification, though. The best people got an Attila in Modern History.
Major did not go to university. Was Reagan some academic genius? Yet he led the free world very successfully for 8 years. Such arguments are facile. As is the regular canard where people moan about PPE degrees and never having a proper job. What is important is the clarity with which people see the world and their ability to set our course within it. It's pointless talking about Osborne Hammond and May and Boris etc, since the issue will only arise in 4 years time, October 2019. That's a long long way off, but even so its surprising to see people have learned nothing from the last 5 years of Tory led govt. Corbyn by any metric is dim and is reliant on labour members remaining even dimmer than he is.
Can't say I have seen NPEXMP doing any twisting, in fact he said he voted for Corbyn because he wanted left wing policies to be promoted in a positive way !!! and that was what JC was doing.!!!! NP finally has the leader he dreamed of.
That's right. It's as simple as that. Obviously there are serious electoral difficulties, and I take the point about having an ear for when people want to hear doubts and nuances and when they want to be firmly reassured, but speaking for myself I'm entirely happy with Corbyn's stated policies and his lack of personal aggression. And I'm not sure that the current enthusiasm on most sides for plunging into the Syrian war will stand the test of time.
Hhmmm :
Translation - A Nick Palmer speciality.
1. "serious electoral difficulties .." - Oldham is up for grabs. 2. "having an ear for when people have doubts .." - PLP slanging match. 3. "nuances .." - Defence policy shambles. 4. "speaking for myself .." - BroxtoweTories4NickP unconvinced. 5. "entirely happy with Corbyn's stated policies .." - We're absolutely f*cked. 6. "lack of personal aggression." - Send for enforcer Tom Watson. 7. "plunging into the Syrian war .." - See number 3
Obviously I don't agree with a word of it but it (really) made me laugh out loud!!
Jack W, 114 next month, has a way of saying it. Could he be Corbyn's Communications Director ?
PMQ's -
Mrs JackW of Auchentennach e-mails me from Paris and asks the question :
"She doesn't think the Jacobite army on the streets is the answer .... but will David Cameron end austerity and ensure impoverished spouses of the Scottish nobility are able to do their duty and send a crushing retail therapy message to ISIS?"
And to degrade and demolish their online media operation.
What makes you think this can be accomplished by bombing Syria?
Because they have a de facto state with all its trimmings that we need to remove. Same as fascism wasn't eliminated by removing fascist control of Germany but it sure helped. IS is de facto if not de jure a state and we need to change that.
That doesn't even remotely begin to describe a mechanism by which bombing Syria would degrade and demolish their online media operation. What trimmings of a de-facto state do you need to post stuff on the internet?
The stuff they post on the Internet includes a lot of material about their state and what they are "accomolishing" there. Remove the state and you remove the ability to credibly post that. Of course there can always be bizarre rantings on the Web just as if you look you can easily find fascist material on the Web. You have to look a lot harder though to find a Fascist state and lots of people being killed in its name.
Can't say I have seen NPEXMP doing any twisting, in fact he said he voted for Corbyn because he wanted left wing policies to be promoted in a positive way !!! and that was what JC was doing.!!!! NP finally has the leader he dreamed of.
That's right. It's as simple as that. Obviously there are serious electoral difficulties, and I take the point about having an ear for when people want to hear doubts and nuances and when they want to be firmly reassured, but speaking for myself I'm entirely happy with Corbyn's stated policies and his lack of personal aggression. And I'm not sure that the current enthusiasm on most sides for plunging into the Syrian war will stand the test of time.
Hhmmm :
Translation - A Nick Palmer speciality.
1. "serious electoral difficulties .." - Oldham is up for grabs. 2. "having an ear for when people have doubts .." - PLP slanging match. 3. "nuances .." - Defence policy shambles. 4. "speaking for myself .." - BroxtoweTories4NickP unconvinced. 5. "entirely happy with Corbyn's stated policies .." - We're absolutely f*cked. 6. "lack of personal aggression." - Send for enforcer Tom Watson. 7. "plunging into the Syrian war .." - See number 3
.... We spend the fifth highest amount globally on the military...
I do get cross when people measure military capability by inputs. We may be the fifth highest spender (though I think that is open to debate, particularly after Osborne's recent accounting tricks), but we do not have the fifth largest or most capable forces. Japan for example spends, on paper, a bit less than us but maintains armed forces both larger and more capable than our own.
That's a very big are IMO. If the Japanese armed forces are so much bigger and more capable which can't be seen by inputs let's see it by outputs. In which conflicts and arenas across the globe have they demonstrated this superiority?
We are active on outputs as well as inputs. Inputs is an easy metric to measure. If you are to base it on outputs I'd put our military fourth (ahead of Saudi).
They are sensible and don't get involved in empire building any more. Can you advise any conflict or arena we have shown any superiority since WWII, and don't use Falklands as a good example.
Afghanistan, Iraq, Kenya, Sierra Leone, Kosovo ...
I am trying not to laugh out loud.
Join the club. It's how I feel about your rantings too.
Actually, on voting intention Alan Clark mentions in his diaries on 22nd November 1990 a Mori poll that showed John Major had drawn level with Michael Heseltine on voting intention if either were leading the Tory Party and in one case the Tories actually did slightly better under Major than Heseltine, so once Thatcher went the Tories did follow the polling and John Major did become PM!
Major won by being the compromise candidate between the wet and dry elements of the party. A compromise that broke down completely under his government nevertheless.
I could see Hammond in such a role. Most of the others are too divisive.
Hammond is the ultimate new-Major.
I don't want to become like HYUFD, but I've been tipping Hammond for about a year.
Once Osborne is knocked out of the MPs ballot, his support would swing behind Hammond as the continuity-of-sense candidate.
Met him last year - seemed a thoroughly decent chap, works well on the doorstep. Would be good on a soapbox, too. Not that it looks like 2020 will be anything like as tricky as '92.
If Osborne fell under a bus then Hammond would be the Major candidate to Boris' Heseltine agreed. Hammond also went to a comprehensive then Oxford (where he got a 1st) and had a successful career in business, that may contrast favourably with Osborne having gone to St Paul's then Oxford (where he got a 2.1) then becoming a SPAD
What has Hammond actually done in his present office? The EC strategy and negotiations are led by Osborne. The Syria strategy was for months non-existent. Hammond is a RHINO.
History suggests either the Chancellor or Foreign Secretary becomes leader when the Tories are in power
Doesn't that rest on a single datum since members got the vote? John Major, who'd held both jobs; Labour adds Jim Callaghan and Gordon Brown. Whether this tells us anything other than that the great offices of state are held by big beasts, I'm not sure.
.... We spend the fifth highest amount globally on the military...
I do get cross when people measure military capability by inputs. We may be the fifth highest spender (though I think that is open to debate, particularly after Osborne's recent accounting tricks), but we do not have the fifth largest or most capable forces. Japan for example spends, on paper, a bit less than us but maintains armed forces both larger and more capable than our own.
That's a very big are IMO. If the Japanese armed forces are so much bigger and more capable which can't be seen by inputs let's see it by outputs. In which conflicts and arenas across the globe have they demonstrated this superiority?
We are active on outputs as well as inputs. Inputs is an easy metric to measure. If you are to base it on outputs I'd put our military fourth (ahead of Saudi).
They are sensible and don't get involved in empire building any more. Can you advise any conflict or arena we have shown any superiority since WWII, and don't use Falklands as a good example.
Sierra Leone.
Arguably we were TOO successful in Sierra Leone, as it encouraged Blair to believe he could do the same in the Middle East. Oops.
Sean, that is equivalent of you beating up a 10 year old girl and claiming you are a world class boxer
You're being pathetic. Of course our enemies are in scenarios like Sierra Leone because that is who are enemies are that we need to fight. You can demean it all you like but that's no argument against going against ISIS. Or ten years from now a future Malcolmg can ask where we've been successful a future Sean could say Syria and a future malcolmg would say oh that doesn't count again.
The heavyweights of the world we won't directly fight because of ... Trident. Our large dick as you called it.
We have been here many times and made a mess of it , forgive me being cynical of self aggrandising politicians who need a ratings boost. ISIS are not a country , they are an ideology , and even flattening Raqqa will make no difference, you may kill a few and make thousands more hate the west. You right wing warmongers have no intelligent ideas other than using your large dicks which you think make you powerful. The penny may drop some day and in 10 years some Philip Thompson may say , "look how stupid those rightwing nutjobs were in the past , they thought dropping tons of bombs and killing civilians would finish off ISIS what a bunch of Richard Heads. "
Actually, on voting intention Alan Clark mentions in his diaries on 22nd November 1990 a Mori poll that showed John Major had drawn level with Michael Heseltine on voting intention if either were leading the Tory Party and in one case the Tories actually did slightly better under Major than Heseltine, so once Thatcher went the Tories did follow the polling and John Major did become PM!
Major won by being the compromise candidate between the wet and dry elements of the party. A compromise that broke down completely under his government nevertheless.
I could see Hammond in such a role. Most of the others are too divisive.
Hammond is the ultimate new-Major.
I don't want to become like HYUFD, but I've been tipping Hammond for about a year.
Once Osborne is knocked out of the MPs ballot, his support would swing behind Hammond as the continuity-of-sense candidate.
Met him last year - seemed a thoroughly decent chap, works well on the doorstep. Would be good on a soapbox, too. Not that it looks like 2020 will be anything like as tricky as '92.
If Osborne fell under a bus then Hammond would be the Major candidate to Boris' Heseltine agreed. Hammond also went to a comprehensive then Oxford (where he got a 1st) and had a successful career in business, that may contrast favourably with Osborne having gone to St Paul's then Oxford (where he got a 2.1) then becoming a SPAD
Good points - it could be that Osborne's bus is losing the MPs ballot. Remember Tory MP's know seem to be more in touch with public opinion than their Labour colleagues at the mo.
I do take issue with your criticising Osborne based on his degree classification, though. The best people got an Attila in Modern History.
Agreed though Hammond also made his millions from a successful business career, not through inheritance like Osborne (speaking as someone who also got a 2.1 in History!)
Just been watching a PBS America docu on Jesse James and his mates - I was immediately struck by how similar their tactics were to the sort who join ISIS. The brutality, cutting throats/off noses/ears, propaganda press releases/representing themselves as winners but oppressed to recruit sympathy... I'm sure there are dozens of other examples of young ego-driven men who love the notoriety.
Although PBS America has quite a noticeable liberal leaning - it does some great history docus. I watch it on FreeSat.
MG What are you going to do when they come tramping over the boggy wastelands of Ayrshire..looking for new heads to saw off..invite them in for a cuppa .. These monsters respect nothing..and see hesitation as weakness and fear that must be exploited..and exploit it they surely will...
And to degrade and demolish their online media operation.
What makes you think this can be accomplished by bombing Syria?
Derrr. Read the various reports yesterday, linked by myself and others, about ISIS's very sophisticated media operation. Their staged beheadings, enhanced atrocity porn, and feature length movies about happy life in the Caliphate - all crucial to their branding and the importation of new fighters - requires serious infrastructure: media offices, film units, editing suites, and of course battlefields and cities where they can parade victoriously, then kill everyone.
Turn their state into a Neolithic wasteland of incinerated trash and they won't be able to do any of this, there won't be any space for them to move, let alone make docu-dramas.
Indeed we might not even have to go that far. Proper air power focussed on helping Kurds and Iraqis, shrinking the Islamic state so its supposed invincibility is disproved, and their narrative collapses, will end the flood of new fighters. Proper annihilation of their oil production will destroy their main source of income, which buys all the expensive media kit, and pays for TV producers.
Civilians will suffer and die, but that's not a new phenomenon in contemporary Syria.
Surely they can do that from anywhere in the world, it will not all be coming from a server in a basement in Raqqa.
Forgive me if I have something better to do, which I do: ordering absurdly expensive olive oil.
Yesterday's Financial Times included its Christmas gift guide. The absurdly expensive olive oil is about the only thing I can afford in its 140 glossy pages.
.... We spend the fifth highest amount globally on the military...
I do get cross when people measure military capability by inputs. We may be the fifth highest spender (though I think that is open to debate, particularly after Osborne's recent accounting tricks), but we do not have the fifth largest or most capable forces. Japan for example spends, on paper, a bit less than us but maintains armed forces both larger and more capable than our own.
That's a very big are IMO. If the Japanese armed forces are so much bigger and more capable which can't be seen by inputs let's see it by outputs. In which conflicts and arenas across the globe have they demonstrated this superiority?
We are active on outputs as well as inputs. Inputs is an easy metric to measure. If you are to base it on outputs I'd put our military fourth (ahead of Saudi).
They are sensible and don't get involved in empire building any more. Can you advise any conflict or arena we have shown any superiority since WWII, and don't use Falklands as a good example.
Afghanistan, Iraq, Kenya, Sierra Leone, Kosovo ...
I am trying not to laugh out loud.
Join the club. It's how I feel about your rantings too.
Philip , it is a free country, debate is stimulating , hearing others opinions and views broadens your horizons.
Actually, on voting intention Alan Clark mentions in his diaries on 22nd November 1990 a Mori poll that showed John Major had drawn level with Michael Heseltine on voting intention if either were leading the Tory Party and in one case the Tories actually did slightly better under Major than Heseltine, so once Thatcher went the Tories did follow the polling and John Major did become PM!
Major won by being the compromise candidate between the wet and dry elements of the party. A compromise that broke down completely under his government nevertheless.
I could see Hammond in such a role. Most of the others are too divisive.
Hammond is the ultimate new-Major.
I don't want to become like HYUFD, but I've been tipping Hammond for about a year.
Once Osborne is knocked out of the MPs ballot, his support would swing behind Hammond as the continuity-of-sense candidate.
Met him last year - seemed a thoroughly decent chap, works well on the doorstep. Would be good on a soapbox, too. Not that it looks like 2020 will be anything like as tricky as '92.
The smaedibility on the economy.
If he continuble.
The fundamental problem the Left has is that it loves to say Osborne has failed. But they have no coherent response when you ask "How?" If it is a failure to eliminate the deficit, it is only in terms of Osborne's timelines. There is no acceptance by the Left that the deficit needed to come down at that rate any way. So if you point out that "this failure must be to your liking then?" they look at their shoes. And Osborne's "failure" needs to be set against the background of near full employment. If you want to see a really epic economic failure, look at those on the Left who confidently predicted his stewardship of the economy would lead to five million unemployed.
The Left has very little ammunition to fire at Osborne. And such small calibre stuff as they have ain't going to penetrate the hundreds of feet of reinforced steel and concrete he sleeps easily beneath.
I accept that Labour were not and probably are still not in a position to criticise him for failing in his own targets, given they did not want him to cut anything (or at least that's how the messaging came across), but consistently being a failure to his own targets on the deficit has to hit him eventually whatever the opposition, surely. Granted the jobs situation is a lot better than the left claimed it would be.
Actually, on voting intention Alan Clark mentions in his diaries on 22nd November 1990 a Mori poll that showed John Major had drawn level with Michael Heseltine on voting intention if either were leading the Tory Party and in one case the Tories actually did slightly better under Major than Heseltine, so once Thatcher went the Tories did follow the polling and John Major did become PM!
Major won by being the compromise candidate between the wet and dry elements of the party. A compromise that broke down completely under his government nevertheless.
I could see Hammond in such a role. Most of the others are too divisive.
Hammond is the ultimate new-Major.
I don't want to become like HYUFD, but I've been tipping Hammond for about a year.
Once Osborne is knocked out of the MPs ballot, his support would swing behind Hammond as the continuity-of-sense candidate.
Met him last year - seemed a thoroughly decent chap, works well on the doorstep. Would be good on a soapbox, too. Not that it looks like 2020 will be anything like as tricky as '92.
If Osborne fell under a bus then Hammond would be the Major candidate to Boris' Heseltine agreed. Hammond also went to a comprehensive then Oxford (where he got a 1st) and had a successful career in business, that may contrast favourably with Osborne having gone to St Paul's then Oxford (where he got a 2.1) then becoming a SPAD
Good points - it could be that Osborne's bus is losing the MPs ballot. Remember Tory MP's know seem to be more in touch with public opinion than their Labour colleagues at the mo.
I do take issue with your criticising Osborne based on his degree classification, though. The best people got an Attila in Modern History.
Major did not go to university. Was Reagan some academic genius? Yet he led the free world very successfully for 8 years. Such arguments are facile. As is the regular canard where people moan about PPE degrees and never having a proper job. What is important is the clarity with which people see the world and their ability to set our course within it. It's pointless talking about Osborne Hammond and May and Boris etc, since the issue will only arise in 4 years time, October 2019. That's a long long way off, but even so its surprising to see people have learned nothing from the last 5 years of Tory led govt. Corbyn by any metric is dim and is reliant on labour members remaining even dimmer than he is.
Neither Major nor Reagan were SPADs, Major worked in banking, Reagan was a Hollywood actor then governor of California
Actually, on voting intention Alan Clark mentions in his diaries on 22nd November 1990 a Mori poll that showed John Major had drawn level with Michael Heseltine on voting intention if either were leading the Tory Party and in one case the Tories actually did slightly better under Major than Heseltine, so once Thatcher went the Tories did follow the polling and John Major did become PM!
Major won by being the compromise candidate between the wet and dry elements of the party. A compromise that broke down completely under his government nevertheless.
I could see Hammond in such a role. Most of the others are too divisive.
Hammond is the ultimate new-Major.
I don't want to become like HYUFD, but I've been tipping Hammond for about a year.
Once Osborne is knocked out of the MPs ballot, his support would swing behind Hammond as the continuity-of-sense candidate.
Met him last year - seemed a thoroughly decent chap, works well on the doorstep. Would be good on a soapbox, too. Not that it looks like 2020 will be anything like as tricky as '92.
If Osborne fell under a bus then Hammond would be the Major candidate to Boris' Heseltine agreed. Hammond also went to a comprehensive then Oxford (where he got a 1st) and had a successful career in business, that may contrast favourably with Osborne having gone to St Paul's then Oxford (where he got a 2.1) then becoming a SPAD
What has Hammond actually done in his present office? The EC strategy and negotiations are led by Osborne. The Syria strategy was for months non-existent. Hammond is a RHINO.
History suggests either the Chancellor or Foreign Secretary becomes leader when the Tories are in power
Doesn't that rest on a single datum since members got the vote? John Major, who'd held both jobs; Labour adds Jim Callaghan and Gordon Brown. Whether this tells us anything other than that the great offices of state are held by big beasts, I'm not sure.
On the Tory side there has been no members vote when the party were in power but still Osborne or Hammond would both be strong contendors
And to degrade and demolish their online media operation.
What makes you think this can be accomplished by bombing Syria?
Derrr. Read the various reports yesterday, linked by myself and others, about ISIS's very sophisticated media operation. Their staged beheadings, enhanced atrocity porn, and feature length movies about happy life in the Caliphate - all crucial to their branding and the importation of new fighters - requires serious infrastructure: media offices, film units, editing suites, and of course battlefields and cities where they can parade victoriously, then kill everyone.
Turn their state into a Neolithic wasteland of incinerated trash and they won't be able to do any of this, there won't be any space for them to move, let alone make docu-dramas.
Indeed we might not even have to go that far. Proper air power focussed on helping Kurds and Iraqis, shrinking the Islamic state so its supposed invincibility is disproved, and their narrative collapses, will end the flood of new fighters. Proper annihilation of their oil production will destroy their main source of income, which buys all the expensive media kit, and pays for TV producers.
Civilians will suffer and die, but that's not a new phenomenon in contemporary Syria.
Surely they can do that from anywhere in the world, it will not all be coming from a server in a basement in Raqqa.
it's quite difficult to triumphantly parade through the Arches of Palmyra with three hundred Assyrian slaves, gloating in triumph at the cameras, if you are, in fact, living in Penge.
I will give you that, though if they had an isolated farm , some old film sets and a few volunteers, picked a sunny day...........hmmmm
Far better solution than wasting money bombing Syria would be to curtail the money laundering and funding through London. Unfortunately that would be against chums etc so unlikely to happen , Tories will opt for the bombs and photo opportunities.
Far better solution than wasting money bombing Syria would be to curtail the money laundering and funding through London. Unfortunately that would be against chums etc so unlikely to happen , Tories will opt for the bombs and photo opportunities.
Typical stupid bigoted and ignorant comment that allows you to continue to live in your dream world.
The transport network in Brussels has virtually ground to a halt a mind the fears of a major terror attack.
Buses were meant to run yesterday despite the Metro being cancelled, but it is reported that bus drivers in the city refused to work due to the threat.
Far better solution than wasting money bombing Syria would be to curtail the money laundering and funding through London. Unfortunately that would be against chums etc so unlikely to happen , Tories will opt for the bombs and photo opportunities.
Typical stupid bigoted and ignorant comment that allows you to continue to live in your dream world.
Intelligent input from you as ever, if only you were able to dream.
Comments
"A must-read on Oldham West (via @JohnRentoul)":
If Labour do lose Oldham you might as well have it as a double with Corbyn being out by Xmas
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom_by-election_records
PS: I shall endeavour to be more specific in future , sloppy posting I agree.
I do take issue with your criticising Osborne based on his degree classification, though. The best people got an Attila in Modern History.
My own knowledge of it is limited to Gibbon and Norwich, but I may try expanding my reading a bit (currently on a Macedonian/Medieval kick, but I do like Byzantium too). I seem to have vague memories of the Sixth Crusade (or maybe Seventh...) targeting Alexandria, and surprising everyone by actually taking it.
Never done a proper counting, but it'd be interesting to know how many crusades were targeted against Christians compared to Muslims/the Holy Land. The Fourth and Cathar Crusades spring to mind, but I think there were some against north-eastern European pagans too.
On crusades, I read recently that during the first crusade, as the prince's crusade made its way toward Jerusalem, some of the lands around there let them through without incident or even supplied them as the city itself was in Shia hands and they were Sunni. Pretty incredible that the Sunni-Shia divide is still going pretty strong.
do agree that if some nutter goes to Syria to join ISIS then they should not be allowed back..let them have a go at being stateless..I personally think we are taking too many refugees .,even from the camps..Merkels insane project has reduced the safety of all European citizens..we have imported the cancer..
There is an old saying "Loan a friend some money and you lose a friend".. gratitude turns very quickly into resentment and we are already seeing that among the refugees who have made it into Europe..
Stay safe..
Coming where you come from, some Godforsakenshire, where even Daesh wouldn't be bothered to go into the sticks, it is the Londoners who will have to take it in the Underground and the buses. You lot will condemn their action with your words in blogs knowing full well you will be 100% safe.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3324579/We-bomb-Syria-say-60-Britons-Mail-poll-reveals-country-s-reaction-Paris-carnage-half-voters-support-sending-ground-troops-53-want-bar-EU-citizens-moving-UK-permanently.html
I would like to see the geographical distribution of that poll. I bet 80% in Godforsakenshires want to bomb the hell out of Syria, not knowing what happens afterwards. Just vent their anger !
Of course, knowing they will be completely safe ! Brave people.
With a victory that defied political geography and near universal predictions from just months earlier, a previously little-known Democrat, State Representative John Bel Edwards, soundly defeated United States Senator David Vitter in a runoff election on Saturday to become the next governor of Louisiana.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/22/us/democrat-john-edwards-david-vitter-louisiana.html?_r=0
I'm sure they are just on an innocent back packing holiday, off to meet friends and family.
I have also stated I have never been connected to SNP, they are the only party interested in Scotland and as such will have my vote till there is a choice, I will then decide who is best. Labour tried too hard to be Tories and are reaping their just reward in Scotland.
Flinging accusations of racism is easier than engaging in debate, but less informative.
Mr. kle4, my thoughts exactly. The Fourth Crusade, and the Eastern Roman Empire, ought to be far better known than they are.
The First Crusade had some dodgy aspects but its timing was flawless, turning up as the Muslim rule in that part of the world was at its weakest for some time. It also helped the Alexius Comnenus wanted assistance reclaiming some land (although that didn't endear the Eastern and Western Churches to one another).
Perhaps combined with some humanitarian work.
And then nuke it.
Frog is just a term of friendly mockery, the same way the frogs call us rosbif.
Now, if you don't stop being so naughty you'll be sent up the wooden hill to Bedfordshire. Without supper.
Logic has gone out of the window by taking that stance. We are a!ready bombing Isis in the Iraq side of the border. The nuances of refusing to do it on the Syrian side is beyond me.
We are active on outputs as well as inputs. Inputs is an easy metric to measure. If you are to base it on outputs I'd put our military fourth (ahead of Saudi).
That said, some MPs do appear very keen, having been wrong about Iraq in 2003, to be right about Iraq in 2015.
I was wondering last week whether any EU leader or Brussels Eurocrat is going to find any time to turn their attention to the UK renegotiation after Friday 13th: Paris. Seems to me odds on that Cameron's vote doesn't happen before 2017. By which time, the stresses around control of borders may make the EU a very different beast. And perhaps one much more acceptable to a large swathe of those in the UK who are currently minded to LEAVE.
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/president-xi-jinping-says-china-will-fight-isis-after-hostage-executed-three-nationals-die-mali-1529884
Got to go now.
As if in the last 12 months the need for a nuclear deterrence hasn't been reinforced by Russia invading a nation and annexing a part of it that unilaterally gave up its own nuclear deterrence.
Just walked the dog. It's so cold out there I even saw a Tory with his hands in his own pockets.
Perhaps the others are busy in their local CLPs? Or not.
TBH, I find some Labourites blaming £3 Tories4Corbyn for the mess they're in very amusing. There were about 3k T4C, and 250 000 Labourites.
You link to the Mail which in turn credits (and has lifted the story from) the People/Mirror.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/terror-police-arrest-six-brits-6877013
Whether the arrested men were on their way to Syria or were trying to buy weapons in Belgium for use in Britain is not yet clear.
If you agree with that, then the question is what can be done about it. I've expressed doubts about the bombing over the last few days: ISIS is a nebulous target, and will crop up elsewhere (e.g. Yemen). Bombing on its own will not work: there needs to be other acts, some secret, both at home and abroad.
I don't care if Britain is a world power or not. I want us (and that includes you lovely people in Scotland) to be a successful and safe country. I guess we may differ what the 'country' is, and what would quantify as success.
Trump 32 (32)
Carson 22 (22)
Rubio 11 (10)
Cruz 8 (6)
Jeb! 6 (7)
Fiorina 4 (5)
Huckabee 3 (3)
Paul 3 (2)
Kasich 3 (2)
Christie 2 (3)
Who do you trust most to handle the threat of terrorism?
Trump 42%
Bush 18%
Rubio 13%
Carson 10%
Cruz 9%
Immigration issues?
Trump 45%
Rubio 18%
Bush 13%
Carson 10%
Cruz 9%
Economy?
Trump 47%
Carson 15%
Bush 12%
Rubio 11%
Cruz 9%
Who would do the most to bring needed change to Washington?
Trump 47%
Carson 22%
Rubio 11%
Cruz 9%
Bush 7%
Democrats
Hillary 60%
Sanders 34%
http://www.langerresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/1173a22016Election.pdf
The Left has very little ammunition to fire at Osborne. And such small calibre stuff as they have ain't going to penetrate the hundreds of feet of reinforced steel and concrete he sleeps easily beneath.
The heavyweights of the world we won't directly fight because of ... Trident. Our large dick as you called it.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/terror-police-arrest-six-brits-6877013
Whether the arrested men were on their way to Syria or were trying to buy weapons in Belgium for use in Britain is not yet clear.
Or perhaps they were off to the Christmas markets gift shopping. They were hardly being subtle given their vehicles.
What is important is the clarity with which people see the world and their ability to set our course within it. It's pointless talking about Osborne Hammond and May and Boris etc, since the issue will only arise in 4 years time, October 2019. That's a long long way off, but even so its surprising to see people have learned nothing from the last 5 years of Tory led govt.
Corbyn by any metric is dim and is reliant on labour members remaining even dimmer than he is.
Mrs JackW of Auchentennach e-mails me from Paris and asks the question :
"She doesn't think the Jacobite army on the streets is the answer .... but will David Cameron end austerity and ensure impoverished spouses of the Scottish nobility are able to do their duty and send a crushing retail therapy message to ISIS?"
You forgot
- 8. We're all friends.
https://twitter.com/IBTimesUK/status/668398556768669696
https://twitter.com/montie/status/668405146926391296
ISIS are not a country , they are an ideology , and even flattening Raqqa will make no difference, you may kill a few and make thousands more hate the west.
You right wing warmongers have no intelligent ideas other than using your large dicks which you think make you powerful. The penny may drop some day and in 10 years some Philip Thompson may say , "look how stupid those rightwing nutjobs were in the past , they thought dropping tons of bombs and killing civilians would finish off ISIS what a bunch of Richard Heads. "
Although PBS America has quite a noticeable liberal leaning - it does some great history docus. I watch it on FreeSat.
https://twitter.com/britainelects/status/668069213345611776
and