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  • Ishmael_ZIshmael_Z Posts: 8,981

    Ishmael_Z said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    stodge said:

    HYUFD said:


    It is a symbol of 'futility' for diehard Remainers but a symbol of the restoration of British sovereignty and identity for Leavers

    Really ?

    I didn't vote LEAVE to get a different passport.
    Most voted to restore sovereignty and a distinct British passport is part of that
    How will it be distinctive? It'll be blue. It could have been blue anyway. It'll still have French all over it - required by ICAO. It'll still be the same size, the same number of pages, the same biometrics as required by the Americans.

    It'll be exactly the same bar not having the words "European Union" on it. And bar the lengthy queues that we're likely to enjoy at border crossings.
    So it will be a different colour to the EU passport and be clearly a British passport rather than a European Union passport, which is symbolism enough in itself
    What "EU Passport?" The people who decided to have the United Kingdom passport Burgundy is the United Kingdom. And distinctive how? Same size/format/bilingual/biometric as now - it'll look exactly the bloody same.

    It's symbolic alright- of how utterly irrelevant this passport issue is apart from to headbangers. That headbangers and CCHQ parrots such as your good self are so Proud of this Achievement is genuinely funny.
    The current passport is the same four in every EU nation and quite clearly has 'European Union' written in front of it, that will no longer be the case
    Oh wow! So the chief 'gain' of leaving the EU is that we don't have to have European Union written on our passports!

    As has been noted before, this is change to our passports has been achieved in large part by voters who never use a passport anyway. Marvellous!
    The snobbery in your final paragraph is so thick you could cut it with a knife, and outdated by about 50 years (which I thought was meant to be a UKIP thing) - you will find that even the poorest white trash these days tear themselves away from their benefits-sponsored 67" plasma tvs to roast themselves in Benidorm for a fortnight.
    It's nothing to do with "white trash"; it's an age thing. Statistically undeniable that the over 65s are much less likely to travel - and were much more likely to vote leave. Case proven.

    That you brought up the term "white trash" is particularly telling.
    Nice try, but no cigar. You are a snob.
  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 31,281
    Ishmael_Z said:

    calum said:
    Oh dear, that's going to annoy an awful lot of Tories.
    Starting with me, and everybody I know. And that's quite a lot of votes.

    I was out with the Beaufort on Wednesday, for a thoroughly enjoyable day of trail hunting.
    I am sorry for your loss. :lol:
  • RobDRobD Posts: 58,941

    RobD said:

    Ishmael_Z said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    stodge said:

    HYUFD said:


    It is a symbol of 'futility' for diehard Remainers but a symbol of the restoration of British sovereignty and identity for Leavers

    Really ?

    I didn't vote LEAVE to get a different passport.
    Most voted to restore sovereignty and a distinct British passport is part of that
    How will it be distinctive? It'll be blue. It could have been blue anyway. It'll still have French all over it - required by ICAO. It'll still be the same size, the same number of pages, the same biometrics as required by the Americans.

    It'll be exactly the same bar not having the words "European Union" on it. And bar the lengthy queues that we're likely to enjoy at border crossings.
    So it will be a different colour to the EU passport and be clearly a British passport rather than a European Union passport, which is symbolism enough in itself
    What "EU Passport?" The people who decided to have the United Kingdom passport Burgundy is the United Kingdom. And distinctive how? Same size/format/bilingual/biometric as now - it'll look exactly the bloody same.

    It's symbolic alright- of how utterly irrelevant this passport issue is apart from to headbangers. That headbangers and CCHQ parrots such as your good self are so Proud of this Achievement is genuinely funny.
    And you are going to clench your tiny hands into fists of rage and scream and scream and scream day after day after day until it is clear beyond any possible doubt how UTTERLY IRRELEVANT the issue is, by the sound of it.

    Your Random Capitalization looks a bit Odd, btw.
    It's a Passport. Who cares what bloody colour it is. Does a blue one or a burgundy one or a pink with polka dots one make it any different? Literally nothing will change with our Blue ones - apart from not having the words European Union on the front. Which I voted to leave btw, so unsure about your fists of rage point - I don't get why HYUFD et al are so buzzing about the colour.

    We wanted a blue one why didn't we make them blue? We could have done, so it's not about colour is it? Because colour is irrelevant
    If colour is irrelevant, why do the EU recommend one? The answer is in the picture in the header. ;)
    If colour is irrelevant, why do so many leavers want to change it in a retrograde step?

    I want to keep a burgundy passport; the proposed blue one looks absolutely naff. ;)
    I'm not the one arguing that it is irrelevant :p
  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 20,401
    So why do so many Tories gain pleasure from inflicting pain, terror and death?
  • alex.alex. Posts: 4,658
    Ishmael_Z said:

    calum said:
    Oh dear, that's going to annoy an awful lot of Tories.
    Starting with me, and everybody I know. And that's quite a lot of votes.

    I was out with the Beaufort on Wednesday, for a thoroughly enjoyable day of trail hunting.
    Whatever one thinks of hunting, I don’t think there are any grounds to ban trail hunting, any more than National Hunt horse racing.
  • RobDRobD Posts: 58,941

    So why do so many Tories gain pleasure from inflicting pain, terror and death?

    What else are you supposed to do with the poor?
  • Ishmael_ZIshmael_Z Posts: 8,981

    Ishmael_Z said:

    calum said:
    Oh dear, that's going to annoy an awful lot of Tories.
    Starting with me, and everybody I know. And that's quite a lot of votes.

    I was out with the Beaufort on Wednesday, for a thoroughly enjoyable day of trail hunting.
    I am sorry for your loss. :lol:
    Dim as well as snobbish, unless trail hunting is to be outlawed?
  • TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 113,969
    edited December 2017
    Ishmael_Z said:


    Nice try, but no cigar. You are a snob.

    What's wrong with being a snob?

    I enjoy being a snob, it gives me the contentment and drive to continually improve myself and it gives hope to the downtrodden they can get to where I am with a bit of hard work and effort.

    If a working class Northerner like me can do well out of life, so should anybody else in this country.
  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 31,281
    Ishmael_Z said:

    Ishmael_Z said:

    calum said:
    Oh dear, that's going to annoy an awful lot of Tories.
    Starting with me, and everybody I know. And that's quite a lot of votes.

    I was out with the Beaufort on Wednesday, for a thoroughly enjoyable day of trail hunting.
    I am sorry for your loss. :lol:
    Dim as well as snobbish, unless trail hunting is to be outlawed?
    In that case why are you annoyed by the Times article.??
  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 47,084

    calum said:
    Oh dear, that's going to annoy an awful lot of Tories.
    Another Labour policy adopted. Can't be that many left to pinch, surely?
    ''twas inevitable; June 2017 killed the hunting issue for good. Some candidates say they got more representations about this than anything else; it was a massive Tory own goal.

    Fox Hunting can now rest in peace along with hare coursing, bull baiting, cock fighting and the rest.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,712
    edited December 2017

    Ishmael_Z said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    stodge said:

    HYUFD said:


    It is a symbol of 'futility' for diehard Remainers but a symbol of the restoration of British sovereignty and identity for Leavers

    Really ?

    I didn't vote LEAVE to get a different passport.
    Most voted to restore sovereignty and a distinct British passport is part of that
    How will it be distinctive? It'll be blue. It could have been blue anyway. It'll still have French all over it - required by ICAO. It'll still be the same size, the same number of pages, the same biometrics as required by the Americans.

    It'll be exactly the same bar not having the words "European Union" on it. And bar the lengthy queues that we're likely to enjoy at border crossings.
    So it will be a different colour to the EU passport and be clearly a British passport rather than a European Union passport, which is symbolism enough in itself
    What "EU Passport?" The genuinely funny.
    The current passport is the same four in every EU nation and quite clearly has 'European Union' written in front of it, that will no longer be the case
    Oh wow! So the chief 'gain' of leaving the EU is that we don't have to have European Union written on our passports!

    As has been noted before, this is change to our passports has been achieved in large part by voters who never use a passport anyway. Marvellous!
    The snobbery in your final paragraph is so thick you could cut it with a knife, and outdated by about 50 years (which I thought was meant to be a UKIP thing) - you will find that even the poorest white trash these days tear themselves away from their benefits-sponsored 67" plasma tvs to roast themselves in Benidorm for a fortnight.
    It's nothing to do with "white trash"; it's an age thing. Statistically undeniable that the over 65s are much less likely to travel - and were much more likely to vote leave. Case proven.

    That you brought up the term "white trash" is particularly telling.
    Actually I would have thought more affluent over 65s were one of the groups most likely to travel as they have the time and money in retirement to do so. Over 65s voted Leave regardless of class on average
  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 47,084

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    stodge said:

    HYUFD said:


    It is a symbol of 'futility' for diehard Remainers but a symbol of the restoration of British sovereignty and identity for Leavers

    Really ?

    I didn't vote LEAVE to get a different passport.
    Most voted to restore sovereignty and a distinct British passport is part of that
    How will it be distinctive? It'll be blue. It could have been blue anyway. It'll still have French all over it - required by ICAO. It'll still be the same size, the same number of pages, the same biometrics as required by the Americans.

    It'll be exactly the same bar not having the words "European Union" on it. And bar the lengthy queues that we're likely to enjoy at border crossings.
    So it will be a different colour to the EU passport and be clearly a British passport rather than a European Union passport, which is symbolism enough in itself
    What "EU Passport?" The people who decided to have the United Kingdom passport Burgundy is the United Kingdom. And distinctive how? Same size/format/bilingual/biometric as now - it'll look exactly the bloody same.

    It's symbolic alright- of how utterly irrelevant this passport issue is apart from to headbangers. That headbangers and CCHQ parrots such as your good self are so Proud of this Achievement is genuinely funny.
    The current passport is the same four in every EU nation and quite clearly has 'European Union' written in front of it, that will no longer be the case
    Oh wow! So the chief 'gain' of leaving the EU is that we don't have to have European Union written on our passports!

    As has been noted before, this is change to our passports has been achieved in large part by voters who never use a passport anyway. Marvellous!
    Perhaps if we hadn't been forced to have 'European Union' written across the front of our passports we wouldn't have voted Leave?

    I don't recall seeing 'NAFTA' written on the front of a Canadian passport.
    It saves the officials who staff the airport and port queues from having to memorise a long list of countries, I guess.
  • Ishmael_ZIshmael_Z Posts: 8,981

    Ishmael_Z said:

    calum said:
    Oh dear, that's going to annoy an awful lot of Tories.
    Starting with me, and everybody I know. And that's quite a lot of votes.

    I was out with the Beaufort on Wednesday, for a thoroughly enjoyable day of trail hunting.
    Politically it is the right thing to do.

    I know quite a few Tories who say they were harmed by Mrs May's intervention on fox hunting during the campaign, coupled with the ivory ban, it made the Tories look nasty.
    Yes, it is, and if she were starting from a clean sheet I would respect the decision. It's the moronic opportunism of throwing the election by pointlessly claiming to support it, and now flip-flopping because whoever is the heir to Beardie realises that that wasn't such a smart move, which is the problem.
  • JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 38,517

    Ishmael_Z said:


    Nice try, but no cigar. You are a snob.

    What's wrong with being a snob?

    I enjoy being a snob, it gives me the contentment and drive to continually improve myself and it gives hope to the downtrodden they can get to where I am with a bit of hard work and effort.

    If a working class Northerner like me can do well out of life, so should anybody else in this country.
    What definition of 'snob' are you using to make that conclusion?

    E.g.: "a person with an exaggerated respect for high social position or wealth who seeks to associate with social superiors and looks down on those regarded as socially inferior."

    Your sentence doesn't really match 'snob'. 'Success' might be a better fit.
  • Ishmael_ZIshmael_Z Posts: 8,981
    edited December 2017

    Ishmael_Z said:

    Ishmael_Z said:

    calum said:
    Oh dear, that's going to annoy an awful lot of Tories.
    Starting with me, and everybody I know. And that's quite a lot of votes.

    I was out with the Beaufort on Wednesday, for a thoroughly enjoyable day of trail hunting.
    I am sorry for your loss. :lol:
    Dim as well as snobbish, unless trail hunting is to be outlawed?
    In that case why are you annoyed by the Times article.??
    See above below.
  • TykejohnnoTykejohnno Posts: 7,362

    Ishmael_Z said:

    calum said:
    Oh dear, that's going to annoy an awful lot of Tories.
    Starting with me, and everybody I know. And that's quite a lot of votes.

    I was out with the Beaufort on Wednesday, for a thoroughly enjoyable day of trail hunting.
    Politically it is the right thing to do.

    I know quite a few Tories who say they were harmed by Mrs May's intervention on fox hunting during the campaign, coupled with the ivory ban, it made the Tories look nasty.
    I agree.
  • Ishmael_Z said:


    Nice try, but no cigar. You are a snob.

    What's wrong with being a snob?

    I enjoy being a snob, it gives me the contentment and drive to continually improve myself and it gives hope to the downtrodden they can get to where I am with a bit of hard work and effort.

    If a working class Northerner like me can do well out of life, so should anybody else in this country.
    What definition of 'snob' are you using to make that conclusion?

    E.g.: "a person with an exaggerated respect for high social position or wealth who seeks to associate with social superiors and looks down on those regarded as socially inferior."

    Your sentence doesn't really match 'snob'. 'Success' might be a better fit.
    Snob - A person who believes that their tastes in a particular area are superior to those of other people.
  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 20,401
    IanB2 said:

    calum said:
    Oh dear, that's going to annoy an awful lot of Tories.
    Another Labour policy adopted. Can't be that many left to pinch, surely?
    ''twas inevitable; June 2017 killed the hunting issue for good. Some candidates say they got more representations about this than anything else; it was a massive Tory own goal.

    Fox Hunting can now rest in peace along with hare coursing, bull baiting, cock fighting and the rest.
    It's OK Tory savages - you can still slaughter grouse for 'sport' every year.
  • Why is Mrs May such close friends and employs so many nasty people such as the gruesome twosome Nick Timothy & Fiona Hill and Damian Green?

    Kate Maltby, the Tory activist who made allegations of inappropriate behaviour against Damian Green, believes that his allies orchestrated a ferocious media onslaught in order to discredit her.

    The Observer understands that the Whitehall inquiry that led to the de facto deputy prime minister’s sacking last week was handed material, seen by Maltby, that suggested that Green’s supporters fuelled negative articles about her after she made her claims.

    Several sources familiar with the investigation said that the attacks on Maltby backfired and contributed to the first secretary of state’s forced departure. In her letter dismissing Green, Theresa May said that those affected by inappropriate behaviour should be able to “speak out if they need to”.

    Green and his closest aides deny any suggestion that they contributed in any way to the attacks on Maltby. But Maltby is adamant that collusion between his allies led to a hostile and personal article in the Daily Mail, headlined “One very pushy lady”.


    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/dec/23/damian-green-plotted-kate-maltby

    No doubt you were equally critical of some of Cameron's key appointments.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,712

    Ishmael_Z said:


    Nice try, but no cigar. You are a snob.

    What's wrong with being a snob?

    I enjoy being a snob, it gives me the contentment and drive to continually improve myself and it gives hope to the downtrodden they can get to where I am with a bit of hard work and effort.

    If a working class Northerner like me can do well out of life, so should anybody else in this country.
    What definition of 'snob' are you using to make that conclusion?

    E.g.: "a person with an exaggerated respect for high social position or wealth who seeks to associate with social superiors and looks down on those regarded as socially inferior."

    Your sentence doesn't really match 'snob'. 'Success' might be a better fit.
    Snob - A person who believes that their tastes in a particular area are superior to those of other people.
    Snob - Politically identifies as a LD Remainer
  • Why is Mrs May such close friends and employs so many nasty people such as the gruesome twosome Nick Timothy & Fiona Hill and Damian Green?

    Kate Maltby, the Tory activist who made allegations of inappropriate behaviour against Damian Green, believes that his allies orchestrated a ferocious media onslaught in order to discredit her.

    The Observer understands that the Whitehall inquiry that led to the de facto deputy prime minister’s sacking last week was handed material, seen by Maltby, that suggested that Green’s supporters fuelled negative articles about her after she made her claims.

    Several sources familiar with the investigation said that the attacks on Maltby backfired and contributed to the first secretary of state’s forced departure. In her letter dismissing Green, Theresa May said that those affected by inappropriate behaviour should be able to “speak out if they need to”.

    Green and his closest aides deny any suggestion that they contributed in any way to the attacks on Maltby. But Maltby is adamant that collusion between his allies led to a hostile and personal article in the Daily Mail, headlined “One very pushy lady”.


    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/dec/23/damian-green-plotted-kate-maltby

    No doubt you were equally critical of some of Cameron's key appointments.
    Yup.

    Said Steve Hilton was a bell end of the highest order.
  • AndyJSAndyJS Posts: 29,395
    "Two heterosexual men in Ireland have married to avoid paying €50,000 in inheritance tax.

    Best friends Matt Murphy, 83, and 58-year-old Michael O'Sullivan tied the knot in a small ceremony that featured a harp player and was followed by a small dinner earlier this week.
    Mr Murphy hoped to leave his house to Mr O'Sullivan in his will but was shocked at the inheritance tax bill that would be due on the property.
    When a friend jokingly suggested that matrimony would allow them to dodge it, they realised it could be a smart way to avoid the payment."

    https://news.sky.com/story/two-heterosexual-men-marry-to-avoid-tax-bill-11183445
  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 31,281
    edited December 2017
    HYUFD said:

    Ishmael_Z said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    stodge said:

    HYUFD said:


    Really ?

    I didn't vote LEAVE to get a different passport.
    Most voted to restore sovereignty and a distinct British passport is part of that
    How will it be distinctive? It'll be blue. It could have been blue anyway. It'll still have French all over it - required by ICAO. It'll still be the same size, the same number of pages, the same biometrics as required by the Americans.

    It'll be exactly the same bar not having the words "European Union" on it. And bar the lengthy queues that we're likely to enjoy at border crossings.
    So it will be a different colour to the EU passport and be clearly a British passport rather than a European Union passport, which is symbolism enough in itself
    What "EU Passport?" The genuinely funny.
    The current passport is the same four in every EU nation and quite clearly has 'European Union' written in front of it, that will no longer be the case
    Oh wow! So the chief 'gain' of leaving the EU is that we don't have to have European Union written on our passports!

    As has been noted before, this is change to our passports has been achieved in large part by voters who never use a passport anyway. Marvellous!
    The snobbery in your final paragraph is so thick you could cut it with a knife, and outdated by about 50 years (which I thought was meant to be a UKIP thing) - you will find that even the poorest white trash these days tear themselves away from their benefits-sponsored 67" plasma tvs to roast themselves in Benidorm for a fortnight.
    It's nothing to do with "white trash"; it's an age thing. Statistically undeniable that the over 65s are much less likely to travel - and were much more likely to vote leave. Case proven.

    That you brought up the term "white trash" is particularly telling.
    Actually I would have thought more affluent over 65s were one of the groups most likely to travel as they have the time and money in retirement to do so. Over 65s voted Leave regardless of class on average
    Not surprisingly, over-65s travel less according to the ONS, overseas visits in 2015:

    Age 0-15 3.866m
    Age 16-24 7.111m
    Age 25-34 15.127m
    Age 35-44 13.787m
    Age 45-54 13.673m
    Age 55-64 9.621m
    Age 65 plus 7.545m

    https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/leisureandtourism/datasets/ukresidentsvisitsabroad
  • Why is Mrs May such close friends and employs so many nasty people such as the gruesome twosome Nick Timothy & Fiona Hill and Damian Green?

    Kate Maltby, the Tory activist who made allegations of inappropriate behaviour against Damian Green, believes that his allies orchestrated a ferocious media onslaught in order to discredit her.

    The Observer understands that the Whitehall inquiry that led to the de facto deputy prime minister’s sacking last week was handed material, seen by Maltby, that suggested that Green’s supporters fuelled negative articles about her after she made her claims.

    Several sources familiar with the investigation said that the attacks on Maltby backfired and contributed to the first secretary of state’s forced departure. In her letter dismissing Green, Theresa May said that those affected by inappropriate behaviour should be able to “speak out if they need to”.

    Green and his closest aides deny any suggestion that they contributed in any way to the attacks on Maltby. But Maltby is adamant that collusion between his allies led to a hostile and personal article in the Daily Mail, headlined “One very pushy lady”.


    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/dec/23/damian-green-plotted-kate-maltby

    No doubt you were equally critical of some of Cameron's key appointments.
    Yup.

    Said Steve Hilton was a bell end of the highest order.
    I'll take your word for that. However, you may have a low opinion of how nice some of the PM's advisers are but as far as I'm aware none of them have done time. Forgotten someone?
  • RecidivistRecidivist Posts: 4,679
    HYUFD said:

    IanB2 said:

    HYUFD said:

    IanB2 said:

    The Tories are never going to head the end of this blue passport business. For younger people particularly, it will become a symbol of the foolishness of the elder generation.

    The Tories are not going to lose any young people over blue passports, those annoyed by the change will almost all have voted for Corbyn or the LDs anyway. It is about shoring up the base after the compromises made to get through Phase 1 of the tells with the EU, nothing more
    It's not about 'annoying' people with the change, but is a potential symbol for the futility of the whole project. Never underestimate the importance of symbols in politics.
    It is a symbol of 'futility' for diehard Remainers but a symbol of the restoration of British sovereignty and identity for Leavers
    It's also a trap leavers are going to have to avoid falling into. "So it was all about blue passports then." How do you answer that one?
  • Ishmael_ZIshmael_Z Posts: 8,981

    IanB2 said:

    calum said:
    Oh dear, that's going to annoy an awful lot of Tories.
    Another Labour policy adopted. Can't be that many left to pinch, surely?
    ''twas inevitable; June 2017 killed the hunting issue for good. Some candidates say they got more representations about this than anything else; it was a massive Tory own goal.

    Fox Hunting can now rest in peace along with hare coursing, bull baiting, cock fighting and the rest.
    It's OK Tory savages - you can still slaughter grouse for 'sport' every year.
    The grouse season is very short - Aug to Dec - and it's so expensive that virtually no UK voters can afford it anyway, it's all Middle East oil money and American film stars. Helpful suggestion, though.
  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 47,084

    HYUFD said:

    IanB2 said:

    HYUFD said:

    IanB2 said:

    The Tories are never going to head the end of this blue passport business. For younger people particularly, it will become a symbol of the foolishness of the elder generation.

    The Tories are not going to lose any young people over blue passports, those annoyed by the change will almost all have voted for Corbyn or the LDs anyway. It is about shoring up the base after the compromises made to get through Phase 1 of the tells with the EU, nothing more
    It's not about 'annoying' people with the change, but is a potential symbol for the futility of the whole project. Never underestimate the importance of symbols in politics.
    It is a symbol of 'futility' for diehard Remainers but a symbol of the restoration of British sovereignty and identity for Leavers
    It's also a trap leavers are going to have to avoid falling into. "So it was all about blue passports then." How do you answer that one?
    Hard to do that when you are already lying on your back at the bottom of the pit looking at the sky?
  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 47,084
    edited December 2017

    HYUFD said:

    Ishmael_Z said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    stodge said:

    HYUFD said:


    Really ?

    I didn't vote LEAVE to get a different passport.
    Most voted to restore sovereignty and a distinct British passport is part of that
    How will it be
    It'll be exactly the same bar not having the words "European Union" on it. And bar the lengthy queues that we're likely to enjoy at border crossings.
    So it will be a different colour to the EU passport and be clearly a British passport rather than a European Union passport, which is symbolism enough in itself
    What "EU Passport?" The genuinely funny.
    The current passport is the same four in every EU nation and quite clearly has 'European Union' written in front of it, that will no longer be the case

    As has been noted before, this is change to our passports has been achieved in large part by voters who never use a passport anyway. Marvellous!
    The snobbery in your final paragraph is so thick you could cut it with a knife, and outdated by about 50 years (which I thought was meant to be a UKIP thing) - you will find that even the poorest white trash these days tear themselves away from their benefits-sponsored 67" plasma tvs to roast themselves in Benidorm for a fortnight.
    It's nothing to do with "white trash"; it's an age thing. Statistically undeniable that the over 65s are much less likely to travel - and were much more likely to vote leave. Case proven.

    That you brought up the term "white trash" is particularly telling.
    Actually I would have thought more affluent over 65s were one of the groups most likely to travel as they have the time and money in retirement to do so. Over 65s voted Leave regardless of class on average
    Not surprisingly, over-65s travel less according to the ONS, overseas visits in 2015:

    Age 0-15 3.866m
    Age 16-24 7.111m
    Age 25-34 15.127m
    Age 35-44 13.787m
    Age 45-54 13.673m
    Age 55-64 9.621m
    Age 65 plus 7.545m

    https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/leisureandtourism/datasets/ukresidentsvisitsabroad
    And I bet there is a minitory within that elderly group who are doing most of the travelling, those with a holiday let in Europe and the cruise brigade, etc.

    Data also needs normalising by population - isn't the age 65+ group the most numerous of those?
  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 20,401
    AndyJS said:

    "Two heterosexual men in Ireland have married to avoid paying €50,000 in inheritance tax.

    Best friends Matt Murphy, 83, and 58-year-old Michael O'Sullivan tied the knot in a small ceremony that featured a harp player and was followed by a small dinner earlier this week.
    Mr Murphy hoped to leave his house to Mr O'Sullivan in his will but was shocked at the inheritance tax bill that would be due on the property.
    When a friend jokingly suggested that matrimony would allow them to dodge it, they realised it could be a smart way to avoid the payment."

    https://news.sky.com/story/two-heterosexual-men-marry-to-avoid-tax-bill-11183445

    They thought that the tax bill was eye-watering, and then it was their wedding night...
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,712
    edited December 2017

    HYUFD said:

    Ishmael_Z said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    stodge said:

    HYUFD said:


    Really ?

    I didn't vote LEAVE to get a different passport.
    Most voted to restore sovereignty and a distinct British passport is part of that
    How will it be distinctive? It'll be blue. It could have been blue anyway. It'll still have French all over it - required by ICAO. It'll still be the same size, the same number of pages, the same biometrics as required by the Americans.

    It'll be exactly the same bar not having the words "European Union" on it. And bar the lengthy queues that we're likely to enjoy at border crossings.
    So it will be a different colour to the EU passport and be clearly a British passport rather than a European Union passport, which is symbolism enough in itself
    What "EU Passport?" The genuinely funny.
    The current passport is the same four in every EU nation and quite clearly has 'European Union' written in front of it, that will no longer be the case
    Oh wow! So the chief 'gain' of leaving the EU is that we don't have to have European Union written on our passports!

    As has been noted before, this is change to our passports has been achieved in large part by voters who never use a passport anyway. Marvellous!
    The snobbery in your final paragraph is so thick you could cut it with a knife, and or a fortnight.
    It's nothing to do with "white trash"; it's an age thing. Statistically undeniable that the over 65s are much less likely to travel - and were much more likely to vote leave. Case proven.

    That you brought up the term "white trash" is particularly telling.
    Actually I would have thought more affluent over 65s were one of the groups most likely to travel as they have the time and money in retirement to do so. Over 65s voted Leave regardless of class on average
    Not surprisingly, over-65s travel less according to the ONS, overseas visits in 2015:

    Age 0-15 3.866m
    Age 16-24 7.111m
    Age 25-34 15.127m
    Age 35-44 13.787m
    Age 45-54 13.673m
    Age 55-64 9.621m
    Age 65 plus 7.545m

    https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/leisureandtourism/datasets/ukresidentsvisitsabroad
    I said affluent over 65s not all over 65s, affluent over 65s are always on cruises or city breaks in my experience and if you discount business trips of the middle aged that would be even more the case
  • Why is Mrs May such close friends and employs so many nasty people such as the gruesome twosome Nick Timothy & Fiona Hill and Damian Green?

    Kate Maltby, the Tory activist who made allegations of inappropriate behaviour against Damian Green, believes that his allies orchestrated a ferocious media onslaught in order to discredit her.

    The Observer understands that the Whitehall inquiry that led to the de facto deputy prime minister’s sacking last week was handed material, seen by Maltby, that suggested that Green’s supporters fuelled negative articles about her after she made her claims.

    Several sources familiar with the investigation said that the attacks on Maltby backfired and contributed to the first secretary of state’s forced departure. In her letter dismissing Green, Theresa May said that those affected by inappropriate behaviour should be able to “speak out if they need to”.

    Green and his closest aides deny any suggestion that they contributed in any way to the attacks on Maltby. But Maltby is adamant that collusion between his allies led to a hostile and personal article in the Daily Mail, headlined “One very pushy lady”.


    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/dec/23/damian-green-plotted-kate-maltby

    No doubt you were equally critical of some of Cameron's key appointments.
    Yup.

    Said Steve Hilton was a bell end of the highest order.
    I'll take your word for that. However, you may have a low opinion of how nice some of the PM's advisers are but as far as I'm aware none of them have done time. Forgotten someone?
    Not forgotten him, Andy Coulson was never abusive to staff in the way the gruesome twosome were.
  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 31,281
    Ishmael_Z said:

    Ishmael_Z said:

    Ishmael_Z said:

    calum said:
    Oh dear, that's going to annoy an awful lot of Tories.
    Starting with me, and everybody I know. And that's quite a lot of votes.

    I was out with the Beaufort on Wednesday, for a thoroughly enjoyable day of trail hunting.
    I am sorry for your loss. :lol:
    Dim as well as snobbish, unless trail hunting is to be outlawed?
    In that case why are you annoyed by the Times article.??
    See above below.
    I'm still sorry for your loss :lol:
  • Ishmael_ZIshmael_Z Posts: 8,981



    Not surprisingly, over-65s travel less according to the ONS, overseas visits in 2015:

    Age 0-15 3.866m
    Age 16-24 7.111m
    Age 25-34 15.127m
    Age 35-44 13.787m
    Age 45-54 13.673m
    Age 55-64 9.621m
    Age 65 plus 7.545m

    https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/leisureandtourism/datasets/ukresidentsvisitsabroad

    So that's 7.5m unique visits, by the look of it. Let's take a wild guess and say that if you go abroad at all you probably go twice a year, so only half the sample never uses a passport at all, so 3.7m non-passport-users, not all of whom voted "leave", but let's say two thirds of them did, so 2.4m votes out of 17m. So your "in large part" claim doesn't really stack up, does it?
  • Ishmael_Z said:


    Nice try, but no cigar. You are a snob.

    What's wrong with being a snob?

    I enjoy being a snob, it gives me the contentment and drive to continually improve myself and it gives hope to the downtrodden they can get to where I am with a bit of hard work and effort.

    If a working class Northerner like me can do well out of life, so should anybody else in this country.
    Son of a doctor who went to public school is "working class"?
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,712
    edited December 2017

    HYUFD said:

    IanB2 said:

    HYUFD said:

    IanB2 said:

    The Tories are never going to head the end of this blue passport business. For younger people particularly, it will become a symbol of the foolishness of the elder generation.

    The Tories are not going to lose any young people over blue passports, those annoyed by the change will almost all have voted for Corbyn or the LDs anyway. It is about shoring up the base after the compromises made to get through Phase 1 of the tells with the EU, nothing more
    It's not about 'annoying' people with the change, but is a potential symbol for the futility of the whole project. Never underestimate the importance of symbols in politics.
    It is a symbol of 'futility' for diehard Remainers but a symbol of the restoration of British sovereignty and identity for Leavers
    It's also a trap leavers are going to have to avoid falling into. "So it was all about blue passports then." How do you answer that one?
    It was about sovereignty, which includes changing the passports back and reducing ECJ jurisdiction and ending free movement, which will all be completed once the transition period has ended
  • IanB2 said:

    calum said:
    Oh dear, that's going to annoy an awful lot of Tories.
    Another Labour policy adopted. Can't be that many left to pinch, surely?
    ''twas inevitable; June 2017 killed the hunting issue for good. Some candidates say they got more representations about this than anything else; it was a massive Tory own goal.

    Fox Hunting can now rest in peace along with hare coursing, bull baiting, cock fighting and the rest.
    It's OK Tory savages - you can still slaughter grouse for 'sport' every year.
    Um, some vegetarian grouse-substitute for me please!
  • RobDRobD Posts: 58,941
    IanB2 said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    stodge said:

    HYUFD said:


    It is a symbol of 'futility' for diehard Remainers but a symbol of the restoration of British sovereignty and identity for Leavers

    Really ?

    I didn't vote LEAVE to get a different passport.
    Most voted to restore sovereignty and a distinct British passport is part of that
    How will it be distinctive? It'll be blue. It could have been blue anyway. It'll still have French all over it - required by ICAO. It'll still be the same size, the same number of pages, the same biometrics as required by the Americans.

    It'll be exactly the same bar not having the words "European Union" on it. And bar the lengthy queues that we're likely to enjoy at border crossings.
    So it will be a different colour to the EU passport and be clearly a British passport rather than a European Union passport, which is symbolism enough in itself
    What "EU Passport?" The people who decided to have the United Kingdom passport Burgundy is the United Kingdom. And distinctive how? Same size/format/bilingual/biometric as now - it'll look exactly the bloody same.

    It's symbolic alright- of how utterly irrelevant this passport issue is apart from to headbangers. That headbangers and CCHQ parrots such as your good self are so Proud of this Achievement is genuinely funny.
    The current passport is the same four in every EU nation and quite clearly has 'European Union' written in front of it, that will no longer be the case
    Oh wow! So the chief 'gain' of leaving the EU is that we don't have to have European Union written on our passports!

    As has been noted before, this is change to our passports has been achieved in large part by voters who never use a passport anyway. Marvellous!
    Perhaps if we hadn't been forced to have 'European Union' written across the front of our passports we wouldn't have voted Leave?

    I don't recall seeing 'NAFTA' written on the front of a Canadian passport.
    It saves the officials who staff the airport and port queues from having to memorise a long list of countries, I guess.
    I don't think all EU passports are treated equally.
  • Ishmael_ZIshmael_Z Posts: 8,981

    HYUFD said:

    IanB2 said:

    HYUFD said:

    IanB2 said:

    The Tories are never going to head the end of this blue passport business. For younger people particularly, it will become a symbol of the foolishness of the elder generation.

    The Tories are not going to lose any young people over blue passports, those annoyed by the change will almost all have voted for Corbyn or the LDs anyway. It is about shoring up the base after the compromises made to get through Phase 1 of the tells with the EU, nothing more
    It's not about 'annoying' people with the change, but is a potential symbol for the futility of the whole project. Never underestimate the importance of symbols in politics.
    It is a symbol of 'futility' for diehard Remainers but a symbol of the restoration of British sovereignty and identity for Leavers
    It's also a trap leavers are going to have to avoid falling into. "So it was all about blue passports then." How do you answer that one?
    By saying "No, it wasn't", perhaps? Did IQs fall sharply while I was away?
  • RobDRobD Posts: 58,941
    AndyJS said:

    "Two heterosexual men in Ireland have married to avoid paying €50,000 in inheritance tax.

    Best friends Matt Murphy, 83, and 58-year-old Michael O'Sullivan tied the knot in a small ceremony that featured a harp player and was followed by a small dinner earlier this week.
    Mr Murphy hoped to leave his house to Mr O'Sullivan in his will but was shocked at the inheritance tax bill that would be due on the property.
    When a friend jokingly suggested that matrimony would allow them to dodge it, they realised it could be a smart way to avoid the payment."

    https://news.sky.com/story/two-heterosexual-men-marry-to-avoid-tax-bill-11183445

    They frown on marrying for immigration purposes, so I doubt they'll look too kindly on this.
  • Ishmael_Z said:


    Nice try, but no cigar. You are a snob.

    What's wrong with being a snob?

    I enjoy being a snob, it gives me the contentment and drive to continually improve myself and it gives hope to the downtrodden they can get to where I am with a bit of hard work and effort.

    If a working class Northerner like me can do well out of life, so should anybody else in this country.
    Son of a doctor who went to public school is "working class"?
    Of course it is. If you have to get out of bed in a morning to pay your bills you are working class. If other people get out of their beds to pay your bills, you aren't working class
  • Splendid thread to pop into on a Saturday evening. Die hard Remainers on here really ought to chill, it's Christmas. All this frothing about a blue passport, goodness me.

    GB is 5th or 6th biggest economy in the world, member of the G7, permanent member of the UN Security Council, one of only 2 Western European powers with Nukes, we've a functioning government (unlike Germany), and the great Harry Maguire has ruined Jose's Christmas. And yet there's all this doom and gloom.

    Get out there and celebrate a great British Christmas guys.
  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 31,281
    edited December 2017

    Ishmael_Z said:


    Nice try, but no cigar. You are a snob.

    What's wrong with being a snob?

    I enjoy being a snob, it gives me the contentment and drive to continually improve myself and it gives hope to the downtrodden they can get to where I am with a bit of hard work and effort.

    If a working class Northerner like me can do well out of life, so should anybody else in this country.
    What definition of 'snob' are you using to make that conclusion?

    E.g.: "a person with an exaggerated respect for high social position or wealth who seeks to associate with social superiors and looks down on those regarded as socially inferior."

    Your sentence doesn't really match 'snob'. 'Success' might be a better fit.
    Snob - A person who believes that their tastes in a particular area are superior to those of other people.
    You missed the first definition that will have come up in in your google search:

    "A person with an exaggerated respect for high social position or wealth who seeks to associate with social superiors and looks down on those regarded as socially inferior."

    Ishmael called me a snob for pointing out that a group (the over 65s) least likely to need a foreign passport voted overwhelmingling to influence the colour of passports. I'm struggling to see how that makes me a snob by any definition, but tbh it's the sort of name-calling that seems to be increasingly resotred to by arch-Leavers as they see their dream ever more diluted by large doses of common sense.

  • Ishmael_ZIshmael_Z Posts: 8,981

    Ishmael_Z said:


    Nice try, but no cigar. You are a snob.

    What's wrong with being a snob?

    I enjoy being a snob, it gives me the contentment and drive to continually improve myself and it gives hope to the downtrodden they can get to where I am with a bit of hard work and effort.

    If a working class Northerner like me can do well out of life, so should anybody else in this country.
    Son of a doctor who went to public school is "working class"?
    Of course it is. If you have to get out of bed in a morning to pay your bills you are working class. If other people get out of their beds to pay your bills, you aren't working class
    Which is why I like owning whole world tracker funds: there isn't a minute of the day in which thousands of people are not beavering diligently away on my behalf. Bless 'em.
  • TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 113,969
    edited December 2017

    You missed the first definition that will have come up in in your google search:

    "A person with an exaggerated respect for high social position or wealth who seeks to associate with social superiors and looks down on those regarded as socially inferior."

    Ishmael called me a snob for pointing out that a group (the over 65s) least likely to need a foreign passport voted overwhelmingling to influence the colour of passports. I'm struggling to see how that makes me a snob by any definition, but tbh it's the sort of name-calling that seems to be increasingly resotred to by arch-Leavers as they see their dream ever more diluted by large doses of common sense.

    It wasn't a google search it was from the OED app on my phone.

    Googling is so plebeian.
  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 31,281

    You missed the first definition that will have come up in in your google search:

    "A person with an exaggerated respect for high social position or wealth who seeks to associate with social superiors and looks down on those regarded as socially inferior."

    Ishmael called me a snob for pointing out that a group (the over 65s) least likely to need a foreign passport voted overwhelmingling to influence the colour of passports. I'm struggling to see how that makes me a snob by any definition, but tbh it's the sort of name-calling that seems to be increasingly resotred to by arch-Leavers as they see their dream ever more diluted by large doses of common sense.

    It wasn't a google search it was from the OED app on my phone.

    Googling is so plebeian.
    You snob sir!
  • JonathanJonathan Posts: 20,901
    Die Hard done. Let Christmas begin.
  • foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548
    Jonathan said:

    Die Hard done. Let Christmas begin.

    Bring on the pineapple pizza!
  • RecidivistRecidivist Posts: 4,679
    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    IanB2 said:

    HYUFD said:

    IanB2 said:

    The Tories are never going to head the end of this blue passport business. For younger people particularly, it will become a symbol of the foolishness of the elder generation.

    The Tories are not going to lose any young people over blue passports, those annoyed by the change will almost all have voted for Corbyn or the LDs anyway. It is about shoring up the base after the compromises made to get through Phase 1 of the tells with the EU, nothing more
    It's not about 'annoying' people with the change, but is a potential symbol for the futility of the whole project. Never underestimate the importance of symbols in politics.
    It is a symbol of 'futility' for diehard Remainers but a symbol of the restoration of British sovereignty and identity for Leavers
    It's also a trap leavers are going to have to avoid falling into. "So it was all about blue passports then." How do you answer that one?
    It was about sovereignty, which includes changing the passports back and reducing ECJ jurisdiction and ending free movement, which will all be completed once the transition period has ended
    And you've fallen into the trap. Changing the passport back is just the kind of phrase that makes you sound nostalgic.
  • NickPalmerNickPalmer Posts: 21,263

    Why is Mrs May such close friends and employs so many nasty people such as the gruesome twosome Nick Timothy & Fiona Hill and Damian Green?

    Kate Maltby, the Tory activist who made allegations of inappropriate behaviour against Damian Green, believes that his allies orchestrated a ferocious media onslaught in order to discredit her.

    The Observer understands that the Whitehall inquiry that led to the de facto deputy prime minister’s sacking last week was handed material, seen by Maltby, that suggested that Green’s supporters fuelled negative articles about her after she made her claims.

    Several sources familiar with the investigation said that the attacks on Maltby backfired and contributed to the first secretary of state’s forced departure. In her letter dismissing Green, Theresa May said that those affected by inappropriate behaviour should be able to “speak out if they need to”.

    Green and his closest aides deny any suggestion that they contributed in any way to the attacks on Maltby. But Maltby is adamant that collusion between his allies led to a hostile and personal article in the Daily Mail, headlined “One very pushy lady”.


    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/dec/23/damian-green-plotted-kate-maltby

    Shades of Damian McBride?
  • Why is Mrs May such close friends and employs so many nasty people such as the gruesome twosome Nick Timothy & Fiona Hill and Damian Green?

    Kate Maltby, the Tory activist who made allegations of inappropriate behaviour against Damian Green, believes that his allies orchestrated a ferocious media onslaught in order to discredit her.

    The Observer understands that the Whitehall inquiry that led to the de facto deputy prime minister’s sacking last week was handed material, seen by Maltby, that suggested that Green’s supporters fuelled negative articles about her after she made her claims.

    Several sources familiar with the investigation said that the attacks on Maltby backfired and contributed to the first secretary of state’s forced departure. In her letter dismissing Green, Theresa May said that those affected by inappropriate behaviour should be able to “speak out if they need to”.

    Green and his closest aides deny any suggestion that they contributed in any way to the attacks on Maltby. But Maltby is adamant that collusion between his allies led to a hostile and personal article in the Daily Mail, headlined “One very pushy lady”.


    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/dec/23/damian-green-plotted-kate-maltby

    Shades of Damian McBride?
    Very much so.
  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 31,281
    edited December 2017
    Ishmael_Z said:



    Not surprisingly, over-65s travel less according to the ONS, overseas visits in 2015:

    Age 0-15 3.866m
    Age 16-24 7.111m
    Age 25-34 15.127m
    Age 35-44 13.787m
    Age 45-54 13.673m
    Age 55-64 9.621m
    Age 65 plus 7.545m

    https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/leisureandtourism/datasets/ukresidentsvisitsabroad

    So that's 7.5m unique visits, by the look of it. Let's take a wild guess and say that if you go abroad at all you probably go twice a year, so only half the sample never uses a passport at all, so 3.7m non-passport-users, not all of whom voted "leave", but let's say two thirds of them did, so 2.4m votes out of 17m. So your "in large part" claim doesn't really stack up, does it?
    Not sure of your logic there Ishmael old boy. Taking your assumption that if you go abroad you probably go twice a year on average (seems a reasonable assumption to me) that means 3.7m over 65s used a passport. But there are 11.8m over 65s in the UK according to the ONS. So only 31% of over 65s use a passport; a 'large part' of over 65s (69%) probably don't.
  • Why is Mrs May such close friends and employs so many nasty people such as the gruesome twosome Nick Timothy & Fiona Hill and Damian Green?

    Kate Maltby, the Tory activist who made allegations of inappropriate behaviour against Damian Green, believes that his allies orchestrated a ferocious media onslaught in order to discredit her.

    The Observer understands that the Whitehall inquiry that led to the de facto deputy prime minister’s sacking last week was handed material, seen by Maltby, that suggested that Green’s supporters fuelled negative articles about her after she made her claims.

    Several sources familiar with the investigation said that the attacks on Maltby backfired and contributed to the first secretary of state’s forced departure. In her letter dismissing Green, Theresa May said that those affected by inappropriate behaviour should be able to “speak out if they need to”.

    Green and his closest aides deny any suggestion that they contributed in any way to the attacks on Maltby. But Maltby is adamant that collusion between his allies led to a hostile and personal article in the Daily Mail, headlined “One very pushy lady”.


    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/dec/23/damian-green-plotted-kate-maltby

    Shades of Damian McBride?
    Very much so.
    Can you really see equivalence between Timothy and Hill on the one hand and McBride on the other? Seriously?
  • FloaterFloater Posts: 14,195

    Why is Mrs May such close friends and employs so many nasty people such as the gruesome twosome Nick Timothy & Fiona Hill and Damian Green?

    Kate Maltby, the Tory activist who made allegations of inappropriate behaviour against Damian Green, believes that his allies orchestrated a ferocious media onslaught in order to discredit her.

    The Observer understands that the Whitehall inquiry that led to the de facto deputy prime minister’s sacking last week was handed material, seen by Maltby, that suggested that Green’s supporters fuelled negative articles about her after she made her claims.

    Several sources familiar with the investigation said that the attacks on Maltby backfired and contributed to the first secretary of state’s forced departure. In her letter dismissing Green, Theresa May said that those affected by inappropriate behaviour should be able to “speak out if they need to”.

    Green and his closest aides deny any suggestion that they contributed in any way to the attacks on Maltby. But Maltby is adamant that collusion between his allies led to a hostile and personal article in the Daily Mail, headlined “One very pushy lady”.


    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/dec/23/damian-green-plotted-kate-maltby

    Shades of Damian McBride?
    Very much so.
    really? how so?

  • Sean_FSean_F Posts: 35,765
    IanB2 said:

    calum said:
    Oh dear, that's going to annoy an awful lot of Tories.
    Another Labour policy adopted. Can't be that many left to pinch, surely?
    ''twas inevitable; June 2017 killed the hunting issue for good. Some candidates say they got more representations about this than anything else; it was a massive Tory own goal.

    Fox Hunting can now rest in peace along with hare coursing, bull baiting, cock fighting and the rest.
    Bull-baiting has disappeared, as far as I know. Fox hunting, hare coursing, and cock fighting still have considerable followings.
  • FloaterFloater Posts: 14,195

    Ishmael_Z said:


    Nice try, but no cigar. You are a snob.

    What's wrong with being a snob?

    I enjoy being a snob, it gives me the contentment and drive to continually improve myself and it gives hope to the downtrodden they can get to where I am with a bit of hard work and effort.

    If a working class Northerner like me can do well out of life, so should anybody else in this country.
    Son of a doctor who went to public school is "working class"?
    And who doesn't think today's kids should get the chances offered by Grammar schools

    Funny old world.
  • Why is Mrs May such close friends and employs so many nasty people such as the gruesome twosome Nick Timothy & Fiona Hill and Damian Green?

    Kate Maltby, the Tory activist who made allegations of inappropriate behaviour against Damian Green, believes that his allies orchestrated a ferocious media onslaught in order to discredit her.

    The Observer understands that the Whitehall inquiry that led to the de facto deputy prime minister’s sacking last week was handed material, seen by Maltby, that suggested that Green’s supporters fuelled negative articles about her after she made her claims.

    Several sources familiar with the investigation said that the attacks on Maltby backfired and contributed to the first secretary of state’s forced departure. In her letter dismissing Green, Theresa May said that those affected by inappropriate behaviour should be able to “speak out if they need to”.

    Green and his closest aides deny any suggestion that they contributed in any way to the attacks on Maltby. But Maltby is adamant that collusion between his allies led to a hostile and personal article in the Daily Mail, headlined “One very pushy lady”.


    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/dec/23/damian-green-plotted-kate-maltby

    Shades of Damian McBride?
    Very much so.
    Can you really see equivalence between Timothy and Hill on the one hand and McBride on the other? Seriously?
    Yes, all of them were bullies and humiliated people that worked for their boss.

    It's why I gave Mrs May the nickname the pound shop Gordon Brown.

    Nick Timothy tried to get a civil servant reprimanded for being not impartial.

    You know that civil servant's crime?

    Posting a tweet thanking Ed Balls for being on Strictly Come Dancing.
  • Floater said:

    really? how so?

    Organising smears against opponents.
  • FloaterFloater Posts: 14,195
    RobD said:

    So why do so many Tories gain pleasure from inflicting pain, terror and death?

    What else are you supposed to do with the poor?
    Take them for granted, let them die in piss poor hospitals and harvest their votes like Labour do?
  • FloaterFloater Posts: 14,195

    So why do so many Tories gain pleasure from inflicting pain, terror and death?

    Don't know, why are so many Labourites openly anti Semitic now Jezza and the hard left run the roost?

  • Why is Mrs May such close friends and employs so many nasty people such as the gruesome twosome Nick Timothy & Fiona Hill and Damian Green?

    Kate Maltby, the Tory activist who made allegations of inappropriate behaviour against Damian Green, believes that his allies orchestrated a ferocious media onslaught in order to discredit her.

    The Observer understands that the Whitehall inquiry that led to the de facto deputy prime minister’s sacking last week was handed material, seen by Maltby, that suggested that Green’s supporters fuelled negative articles about her after she made her claims.

    Several sources familiar with the investigation said that the attacks on Maltby backfired and contributed to the first secretary of state’s forced departure. In her letter dismissing Green, Theresa May said that those affected by inappropriate behaviour should be able to “speak out if they need to”.

    Green and his closest aides deny any suggestion that they contributed in any way to the attacks on Maltby. But Maltby is adamant that collusion between his allies led to a hostile and personal article in the Daily Mail, headlined “One very pushy lady”.


    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/dec/23/damian-green-plotted-kate-maltby

    Shades of Damian McBride?
    Very much so.
    Can you really see equivalence between Timothy and Hill on the one hand and McBride on the other? Seriously?
    Yes, all of them were bullies and humiliated people that worked for their boss.

    It's why I gave Mrs May the nickname the pound shop Gordon Brown.

    Nick Timothy tried to get a civil servant reprimanded for being not impartial.

    You know that civil servant's crime?

    Posting a tweet thanking Ed Balls for being on Strictly Come Dancing.
    Ok, how about their actions towards their political opponents, and by opponents I mean the other side. See any equivalence there?

    You just hate May, and you've totally lost the ability to be objective about her.

  • Ok, how about their actions towards their political opponents, and by opponents I mean the other side. See any equivalence there?

    You just hate May, and you've totally lost the ability to be objective about her.

    I was proven right about Mrs May being crap, so your final sentence is full of bollocks.
  • TOPPINGTOPPING Posts: 40,950
    Ishmael_Z said:

    calum said:
    Oh dear, that's going to annoy an awful lot of Tories.
    Starting with me, and everybody I know. And that's quite a lot of votes.

    I was out with the Beaufort on Wednesday, for a thoroughly enjoyable day of trail hunting.
    Naughty.
  • Ok, how about their actions towards their political opponents, and by opponents I mean the other side. See any equivalence there?

    You just hate May, and you've totally lost the ability to be objective about her.

    I was proven right about Mrs May being crap, so your final sentence is full of bollocks.
    The quality of that offering really proves my point, don't you think?
  • TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 113,969
    edited December 2017

    Ok, how about their actions towards their political opponents, and by opponents I mean the other side. See any equivalence there?

    You just hate May, and you've totally lost the ability to be objective about her.

    I was proven right about Mrs May being crap, so your final sentence is full of bollocks.
    The quality of that offering really proves my point, don't you think?
    No.

    You are such a snowflake if you get outraged by a bit of Northern working class vernacular.

    As not to offend you, I'll rephrase it.

    I was right about Mrs May being rubbish when the likes of you were praising her to high heaven.
  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 31,281

    Ok, how about their actions towards their political opponents, and by opponents I mean the other side. See any equivalence there?

    You just hate May, and you've totally lost the ability to be objective about her.

    I was proven right about Mrs May being crap, so your final sentence is full of bollocks.
    She's still there though, and IMO likely to e still there in 2022.
  • Ok, how about their actions towards their political opponents, and by opponents I mean the other side. See any equivalence there?

    You just hate May, and you've totally lost the ability to be objective about her.

    I was proven right about Mrs May being crap, so your final sentence is full of bollocks.
    The quality of that offering really proves my point, don't you think?
    No.

    You are such a snowflake if you get outraged by a bit of Northern working class vernacular.

    As not to offend you, I'll rephrase it.

    I was right about Mrs May being rubbish when the likes of you were praising her to high heaven.
    Son of a doctor who went to public school is "working class"?
  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 31,281
    edited December 2017

    Ok, how about their actions towards their political opponents, and by opponents I mean the other side. See any equivalence there?

    You just hate May, and you've totally lost the ability to be objective about her.

    I was proven right about Mrs May being crap, so your final sentence is full of bollocks.
    The quality of that offering really proves my point, don't you think?
    No.

    You are such a snowflake if you get outraged by a bit of Northern working class vernacular.

    As not to offend you, I'll rephrase it.

    I was right about Mrs May being rubbish when the likes of you were praising her to high heaven.
    "Northern" maybe; "working class" my arse!

    PS Use of the term 'snowflake'?! - come on, you're better than that TSE!
  • HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    IanB2 said:

    HYUFD said:

    IanB2 said:

    The Tories are never going to head the end of this blue passport business. For younger people particularly, it will become a symbol of the foolishness of the elder generation.

    The Tories are not going to lose any young people over blue passports, those annoyed by the change will almost all have voted for Corbyn or the LDs anyway. It is about shoring up the base after the compromises made to get through Phase 1 of the tells with the EU, nothing more
    It's not about 'annoying' people with the change, but is a potential symbol for the futility of the whole project. Never underestimate the importance of symbols in politics.
    It is a symbol of 'futility' for diehard Remainers but a symbol of the restoration of British sovereignty and identity for Leavers
    It's also a trap leavers are going to have to avoid falling into. "So it was all about blue passports then." How do you answer that one?
    It was about sovereignty, which includes changing the passports back and reducing ECJ jurisdiction and ending free movement, which will all be completed once the transition period has ended
    And you've fallen into the trap. Changing the passport back is just the kind of phrase that makes you sound nostalgic.
    The EU had its origins in the 1951 Treaty of Paris. Nice bit of 1950s nostalgia for you nostalgic Europhiles :lol:
  • Sean_FSean_F Posts: 35,765
    edited December 2017

    Ok, how about their actions towards their political opponents, and by opponents I mean the other side. See any equivalence there?

    You just hate May, and you've totally lost the ability to be objective about her.

    I was proven right about Mrs May being crap, so your final sentence is full of bollocks.
    She's still there though, and IMO likely to e still there in 2022.
    Maybe 2027. She could be like Angela Merkel. Never doing particularly well, in electoral terms, but doing well enough that no one else can form a government.
  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 31,281
    Sean_F said:

    Ok, how about their actions towards their political opponents, and by opponents I mean the other side. See any equivalence there?

    You just hate May, and you've totally lost the ability to be objective about her.

    I was proven right about Mrs May being crap, so your final sentence is full of bollocks.
    She's still there though, and IMO likely to e still there in 2022.
    Maybe 2027.
    Perhaps - especially if she keeps adopting one additional Labour policy every month! :lol:
  • Jonathan said:

    Die Hard done. Let Christmas begin.

    "Now I have a Blue Passport! HO! HO! HO!"

    :)
  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 31,281

    Jonathan said:

    Die Hard done. Let Christmas begin.

    "Now I have a Blue Passport! HO! HO! HO!"

    :)
    Not yet Sunil - you've got to wait 2 more years. Anything could happen!
  • Jonathan said:

    Die Hard done. Let Christmas begin.

    "Now I have a Blue Passport! HO! HO! HO!"

    :)
    Not yet Sunil - you've got to wait 2 more years. Anything could happen!
    But I am old enough to have had a blue passport, back in the early 80s, albeit as a kid!
  • Sean_FSean_F Posts: 35,765

    Sean_F said:

    Ok, how about their actions towards their political opponents, and by opponents I mean the other side. See any equivalence there?

    You just hate May, and you've totally lost the ability to be objective about her.

    I was proven right about Mrs May being crap, so your final sentence is full of bollocks.
    She's still there though, and IMO likely to e still there in 2022.
    Maybe 2027.
    Perhaps - especially if she keeps adopting one additional Labour policy every month! :lol:
    That would be like Merkel, too.
  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 31,281
    Right. I am signing off until after Christmas - have a great holiday weekend everyone, whether Leaver or Remainer; Conservative, Labour, LD, Nat or whatever.

    I have enjoyed arguing, and sometimes agreeing, with you through the 2nd half of 2017. No one has changed their opinions one iota as far as I can tell, but who gives a shit - the debate is the thing!
  • Ok, how about their actions towards their political opponents, and by opponents I mean the other side. See any equivalence there?

    You just hate May, and you've totally lost the ability to be objective about her.

    I was proven right about Mrs May being crap, so your final sentence is full of bollocks.
    The quality of that offering really proves my point, don't you think?
    No.

    You are such a snowflake if you get outraged by a bit of Northern working class vernacular.

    As not to offend you, I'll rephrase it.

    I was right about Mrs May being rubbish when the likes of you were praising her to high heaven.
    Umm. Never been called a snowflake before. Not many of those I suspect amongst the Leaver community.

    I'm also not bothered about Northern vernacular as I grew up on a council estate near Hull and now I live in Leeds. I've heard it all before.

    I'm much more interested in the quality of the debate. You describing the PM as crap, and my post as bollocks, did not, in my view add much to that. The PM has had a very difficult year, but her immense resilience given her workload and diabetes deserve more respect than being dismissed as "crap". Furthermore, achievements are being recorded. The first phase Brexit deal and the Budget have generally been well received and she's ending the year looking more stable than beforehand.

    Merry Christmas.


  • VerulamiusVerulamius Posts: 1,429
    I see that some people are getting cross at the IHT rules. A gift to a charity is free from IHT as is a gift to a qualifying political party. But a gift to an organisation is a chargeable lifetime transfer taxable at 20% if the donor has already utilised their nil rate band.

    This is not new, as I remember a question about these IHT rules in my tax exams around a quarter of a century ago.
  • MortimerMortimer Posts: 13,921

    Right. I am signing off until after Christmas - have a great holiday weekend everyone, whether Leaver or Remainer; Conservative, Labour, LD, Nat or whatever.

    I have enjoyed arguing, and sometimes agreeing, with you through the 2nd half of 2017. No one has changed their opinions one iota as far as I can tell, but who gives a shit - the debate is the thing!

    Merry Christmas Ben!
  • viewcodeviewcode Posts: 18,233


    What's wrong with being a snob?

    I enjoy being a snob, it gives me the contentment and drive to continually improve myself and it gives hope to the downtrodden they can get to where I am with a bit of hard work and effort.

    If a working class Northerner like me can do well out of life, so should anybody else in this country.

    When I am all growd up and made Supreme Commander For Life, I will make "working class" a protected designation. And in between issuing orders like "ramming speed! and "set a course for the heart of the sun!", I will write the first commandment of that designation thus: "ANYBODY WHOSE MUM BOUGHT THEM A HOUSE IN CENTRAL LONDON IS NOT WORKING CLASS. AND YES THAT MEANS YOU TSE"

  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 49,959

    calum said:
    Oh dear, that's going to annoy an awful lot of Tories.
    Not this one....
  • AndyJSAndyJS Posts: 29,395

    So why do so many Tories gain pleasure from inflicting pain, terror and death?

    But it's okay to holiday in France where hunting is legal.
  • AndyJS said:

    So why do so many Tories gain pleasure from inflicting pain, terror and death?

    But it's okay to holiday in France where hunting is legal.
    Well that’s a brilliant justification for banning fox hunting.

    The savage French hunt foxes, do you really want to be like the French?
  • calum said:
    Oh dear, that's going to annoy an awful lot of Tories.
    Not this one....
    Nor this one.
  • RogerRoger Posts: 18,891
    HYUFD said:

    IanB2 said:

    The Tories are never going to head the end of this blue passport business. For younger people particularly, it will become a symbol of the foolishness of the elder generation.

    The Tories are not going to lose any young people over blue passports, those annoyed by the change will almost all have voted for Corbyn or the LDs anyway. It is about shoring up the base after the compromises made to get through Phase 1 of the tells with the EU, nothing more
    If changing the colour of passports from red to blue 'shores up the base' then time to find a new base because the one you've got is bonkers. Stark raving bonkers!!!!!
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 91,408
    edited December 2017
    I regret I let someone's virulently bitter sanctimony get to me earlier, and erase even the thin respect I still held for them, but more that it was exactly the sort of thing they hope to provoke to avoid recognising their own illogical and sour nature on a specific issue by making themselves a victim of attack. More I regret it punctured the civility that should be the norm. Apologies to those who witnessed it, except to its target who will have welcomed it and so requires no apology. And a hopefully merry season to everyone else.
  • initforthemoneyinitforthemoney Posts: 736
    edited December 2017
    Ishmael_Z said:


    The snobbery in your final paragraph is so thick you could cut it with a knife, and outdated by about 50 years (which I thought was meant to be a UKIP thing) - you will find that even the poorest white trash these days tear themselves away from their benefits-sponsored 67" plasma tvs to roast themselves in Benidorm for a fortnight.

    I voted for Brexit and I haven't left the country for almost a decade. Given I don't drive, I still need a passport for financial and other ID purposes.

    That said, I'm all for my vote offending snobs.
  • brendan16brendan16 Posts: 2,315
    edited December 2017

    I see that some people are getting cross at the IHT rules. A gift to a charity is free from IHT as is a gift to a qualifying political party. But a gift to an organisation is a chargeable lifetime transfer taxable at 20% if the donor has already utilised their nil rate band.

    This is not new, as I remember a question about these IHT rules in my tax exams around a quarter of a century ago.

    The marrying straight couple though live in the Irish Republic. They don't have inheritance tax - tax on an estate - they have capital acquisitions tax which is a tax on the beneficiary with three life time tax free thresholds depending on whether the gift is from a parent, a close relative or anyone else.

    For this couple the carer would have had to pay 33 per cent CAT on everything he was gifted by his elderly friend above 15000 euro. And if he has inherited or been gifted 15000 euro from a non relative before he pays 33 percent on the lot.

    It really is a harsh tax - and really discriminates against the childless who effectively see their beneficiaries such as a sister or nephew or niece or brother pay 33 per cent Tax on almost the entire sum they leave them as the tax free lifetime (yes lifetime) amount for any inheritance from a close relative bar a parent is a woeful 31000 euro.

    Of course no CAT applies on transfers between married couples. So it's a very sensible move tax wise. And boo sucks to the Irish government for having such a nasty tax which treats the childless like second class citizens!

  • What's wrong with being a snob?

    I enjoy being a snob, it gives me the contentment and drive to continually improve myself and it gives hope to the downtrodden they can get to where I am with a bit of hard work and effort.

    If a working class Northerner like me can do well out of life, so should anybody else in this country.

    What's wrong is the implicit failure to realise that others can do well in life on their own terms without being so blinkered that they have to judge everyone according to their own tastes and desires.
  • kle4 said:

    I regret I let someone's virulently bitter sanctimony get to me earlier, and erase even the thin respect I still held for them, but more that it was exactly the sort of thing they hope to provoke to avoid recognising their own illogical and sour nature on a specific issue by making themselves a victim of attack. More I regret it punctured the civility that should be the norm. Apologies to those who witnessed it, except to its target who will have welcomed it and so requires no apology. And a hopefully merry season to everyone else.

    You said what I was thinking, but you were one of the last posters I would have expected to say it!
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 49,959
    SeanT said:

    Remoaners have managed to turn a mildly wanky story for Leavers - silly over-excitement about a passport change - into a massive own goal where Remainers look simultaneously petty, juvenile, idiotic, snobbish, hysterical and virulently bitter.

    And they wonder why they lost.
    It has taken a blue passport for them to FINALLY realise they lost. 18 months of Gina Miller-general election-House of Lords-just fucking SOMETHING.....but they have run out of road.

    It's happening.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,274
    edited December 2017
    SeanT said:

    Remoaners have managed to turn a mildly wanky story for Leavers - silly over-excitement about a passport change - into a massive own goal where Remainers look simultaneously petty, juvenile, idiotic, snobbish, hysterical and virulently bitter.

    And they wonder why they lost.
    It reminds me of post 2010, when the government outlined spending reductions. Every announcement of a potential cut, certain media outlets / opposition politicians absolutely lost their shit....end of the world, back to Wigan Pier etc etc etc.

    The thing is, it is like the boy who cried wolf. Even when they might have had a point, lots of the public just sighed and went heard this shit all before and were told within a year we would all be in the poor house.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,712
    Roger said:

    HYUFD said:

    IanB2 said:

    The Tories are never going to head the end of this blue passport business. For younger people particularly, it will become a symbol of the foolishness of the elder generation.

    The Tories are not going to lose any young people over blue passports, those annoyed by the change will almost all have voted for Corbyn or the LDs anyway. It is about shoring up the base after the compromises made to get through Phase 1 of the tells with the EU, nothing more
    If changing the colour of passports from red to blue 'shores up the base' then time to find a new base because the one you've got is bonkers. Stark raving bonkers!!!!!
    Nigel Farage has called the return of the blue passports the first 'tangible victory' since the Brexit vote
    https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/895794/Brexit-news-EU-blue-passports-European-Union-UK-Nigel-Farage-UK
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,274
    edited December 2017
    "Be the Second Best"....I could have saved them £2 million....

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5209215/Army-ditch-Best-slogan-say-elitist.html
  • TheJezziahTheJezziah Posts: 3,840
    I feel I should comment on the burning issue of the last week....

    Voted remain, young enough to have never had a dark blue one myself, probably come under the reluctant leaver category in a split of leaver, reluctant leaver and remainer.

    As stupid as it sounds I can feel a little bit sad at this change, the triumphalism around probably just adds insult to injury. Although I'm logical enough to accept in as a trade off for something real and meaningful, whether that trade is within the Brexit talks is another matter.

    The one potential benefit I can see as someone who doesn't like the Tories is the potential resentment towards them for this, in the short term probably not a great difference although it could change minds in some small ways I imagine those not voting Tory or voting against the Tories due to Brexit already were. In the longer term though the generation most pleased by this is a static or shrinking group, the generation displeased, even if mostly only a little is growing in electoral power and will be a decisive factor as the baby boomers thin out.

    This and other things are just little things and many, even those annoyed will find themselves coming around to the Tories anyway as I imagine the Tories will shift to a viewpoint suited to them but in the same way I feel the baby boomer generation had something of a natural leaning towards the Conservatives and the opposition had to work harder to prove themselves that could be the opposite in my generation.

    Obviously generalisations throughout the post, younger voters voted leave and older voters voted remain, even many young remainers will not really care but the effects of this and many other little things that the Conservatives are getting connected to could add up in the minds of younger voters.
  • CharlesCharles Posts: 35,758

    Ishmael_Z said:


    Nice try, but no cigar. You are a snob.

    What's wrong with being a snob?

    I enjoy being a snob, it gives me the contentment and drive to continually improve myself and it gives hope to the downtrodden they can get to where I am with a bit of hard work and effort.

    If a working class Northerner like me can do well out of life, so should anybody else in this country.
    Son of a doctor who went to public school is "working class"?
    Of course it is. If you have to get out of bed in a morning to pay your bills you are working class. If other people get out of their beds to pay your bills, you aren't working class
    Don't think I've ever been called working class before :smiley:
This discussion has been closed.