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politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » In the absence of divine intervention defeated Alabama Republi

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    TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 114,444
    edited December 2017
    If you have SkyQ and an Ultra HD TV on iPlayer they have every episode of Blue Planet II in Ultra HD.

    Visually it is the finest experience in TV history,

    Download and watch it, you won't regret it.
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    rural_voterrural_voter Posts: 2,038
    RoyalBlue said:

    Yorkcity said:

    RobD said:

    Yorkcity said:

    RoyalBlue said:

    Mr Corbyn continued ...[text deleted]. He added: “We have had a referendum which came to a decision. The negotiations are still ongoing, albeit well behind schedule, and we’ve set out the kind of relationship we want to have with Europe in the future.”

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/12/28/jeremy-corbyn-fails-rule-second-eu-referendum-labour-gains-power/

    This is going to be like trident again isn't it. Eventually they will, but Jezza will say its the will of the party not him.

    I think this is just Jezza staying in the Brexit sweet spot of being all things to all men.

    I just don’t see how a second referendum gets through the Commons. The Tory rebels know it would tear their party apart, and I can’t see all the Labour MPs which voted 60%+ for Brexit supporting a rematch, not counting the Labour Leavers.
    I would not vote Lab in next GE if they force a 2nd referendum.
    My prediction is it will be the Conservatives that force a 2cnd Referendum .
    Hm, there aren't too many on the Tory benches who are agitating for one.
    True but the cabinet is split on the deal to be done. A referendum been held is nothing to do with people pressure, it only comes about when the governing cabinet is split. Also big business funds the conservatives , they eventually will get their preferred outcome.The conservatives will think it is the best way forward.
    The logistical effort required to leave the customs union will be another factor pushing towards that outcome:

    https://www.ft.com/content/b5ee770a-ced1-11e7-9dbb-291a884dd8c6

    I expect May to continue the same approach of giving the Brexiteers chance to propose their solutions to the intractable problems that Brexit presents, then punt them into the long grass. Then when the deal is agreed, she'll announce a second referendum to give people the final say, and will be hailed as a heroine of democracy on two counts: for honouring the result of the first referendum and concluding a concrete Brexit deal, and for giving people the opportunity to reject it and chose to remain in the EU. She could legitimately sit out the second referendum campaign and say that either outcome would be acceptable.
    I’m sorry, but this is delusional. If May tried to offer a second referendum, she wouldn’t last the day as Tory leader.
    She could be past caring by 2021-22. She's over 60 and type 1 diabetes tends to reduce life expectancy, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-30698031
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    Can Mr Meeks account for his movements on Christmas Day?

    https://order-order.com/2017/12/28/remain-scrooges-deface-christmas-tree-with-eu-flags/
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    malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 41,974

    Of course the easiest way to clarify the law would be to cull the excessive laws: Tsar Alexander I did so within a backward, society. Does England have to be reverted to such before we can address the mess that Europa has punished us for...?

    LOL, reverted, that ship sailed long ago for England
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    Guido is such a snowflake.

    Odd his site hasn't covered the abuse Heidi Allen has received.

    Can't imagine why.
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    rpjsrpjs Posts: 3,787
    On topic: CNN here in the U, S and A just reported that an Alabama circuit judge has denied Roy Moore's attempt to block certification of Doug Jones' win. CNN will be showing live coverage of the certification in a couple of minutes.
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    TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 114,444
    edited December 2017
    This is the most important news out of America today, our American cousins agree with us.

    Just 19 percent of Americans said that “Die Hard” is a Christmas movie in a YouGov poll; 56 percent think it is not a Christmas movie.

    https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-democrats-wave-could-turn-into-a-flood/
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    This is the most important news out of America today, our American cousins agree with us.

    Just 19 percent of Americans said that “Die Hard” is a Christmas movie in a YouGov poll; 56 percent think it is not a Christmas movie.

    https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-democrats-wave-could-turn-into-a-flood/

    Yeah but the Americans are wrong about everything....
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    MJWMJW Posts: 1,353

    RobD said:
    But the details of the Labour Party's twists and turns on its Brexit policy will have next to no impact.
    The Conservatives are the Government. The Government has chosen to follow the instructions of the voters - and leave the EU.

    A Government that chose to ignore that instruction would not be long for this world.

    How is this the Conservatives opting to own Brexit?
    The problem May's government created in 'owning' Brexit is in treating it as a political instruction rather than a technical one. The referendum result only specified that we leave the EU and by a narrow margin - May chose to interpret leave's win like a general election result where she had to attempt to implement much of the leave campaign's promises and rhetoric, even though it was often contradictory economical nonsensical (as even some of its architects admit). Worse, treating it as a winner takes all result was guaranteed to calcify the divisions created by the referendum. Remainers who initially were fairly accepting or phlegmatic about the result have hardened against Brexit as it's come to look more UKIP-fuelled and incompetent as they have more to lose - while Brexiteers have got angrier at the EU and those who, as we're all entitled to do, think it's going awfully and is a national disgrace. That's why she owns it - she chose that particular political path and tried to use it to win herself a landslide. She played divide and rule and lost.

    Now, she may be able to solve some of that with a deal - but it seems pretty unlikely given the divisions have now got worse and the EU haven't really budged on the important economic stuff. Whatever we get, it ain't going to be cake and eat it, and whichever way there'll be a price to pay politically.

    She'd have been far better off trying to bring the country together, excepting the loons, around a medium-term compromise - leaving the EU but remaining in the SM and CU that could then be revisited in a general election. That for now, the important thing was the leaving of the EU, and it would be done as quickly and as painlessly as possible for everyone - leaving future governments to decide to move further out to satisfy concerns about, say, immigration. Quick, technical Brexit - then have a more normal manifesto driven debate about where we go next.

    Her approach put all the toxicity of the referendum campaign into the process of Brexit, rather than drawing the poison by treating it as a technical matter because she lacked the strength to face down the crazies in her party. Now she owns it, and a culture war that could gift No. 10 to Corbyn is the price.
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    viewcodeviewcode Posts: 18,782
    edited December 2017

    BTW - "The Miniaturist" on BBC was superb.

    I loved the first twenty-thirty mins, but the explanation why the husband couldn't consummate the marriage pushed the show into Ken Loach social realism three centuries avant la lettre instead of what it should have been - a proper full-on gothic horror dripping with atmos. The sister should have been carrying the mutated child of her brother, there should have been something in the attic, throw in a hellmouth and a couple of deformities and you're laughing. Instead we got Eastenders 1650. Is it too much to ask for a time-warped dwarf pleading "kill me" thru a mangled jaw? Honestly BBC, what do I pay my licence fee for... :) ?
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    dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 27,970

    Guido is such a snowflake.

    Odd his site hasn't covered the abuse Heidi Allen has received.

    Can't imagine why.
    Indeed. A couple of flags = "deface". Interesting to see Rosindell blaming "Far Leftists".
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    dixiedean said:

    Guido is such a snowflake.

    Odd his site hasn't covered the abuse Heidi Allen has received.

    Can't imagine why.
    Indeed. A couple of flags = "deface". Interesting to see Rosindell blaming "Far Leftists".
    The comment by Rosindell is as sad as the person who had nothing better on Christmas day than hang EU flags.
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    ydoethurydoethur Posts: 67,242

    This is the most important news out of America today, our American cousins agree with us.

    Just 19 percent of Americans said that “Die Hard” is a Christmas movie in a YouGov poll; 56 percent think it is not a Christmas movie.

    https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-democrats-wave-could-turn-into-a-flood/

    Yeah but the Americans are wrong about everything....
    Indeed. Not only are they the people who invented the Hawaiian pizza but Disney thought Episode VIII was a good film.
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    rpjsrpjs Posts: 3,787
    The Alabama secretary of state et al appear to be praying before making their announcement...
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    FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,285
    edited December 2017
    Indeed. Not only are they the people who invented the Hawaiian pizza but Disney thought Episode VIII was a good film.

    Indeed...and Three Words - The Princess Bride
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    rpjs said:

    On topic: CNN here in the U, S and A just reported that an Alabama circuit judge has denied Roy Moore's attempt to block certification of Doug Jones' win. CNN will be showing live coverage of the certification in a couple of minutes.

    Ooh, nice. Does that mean we get paid now?
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    BarnesianBarnesian Posts: 7,989

    rpjs said:

    On topic: CNN here in the U, S and A just reported that an Alabama circuit judge has denied Roy Moore's attempt to block certification of Doug Jones' win. CNN will be showing live coverage of the certification in a couple of minutes.

    Ooh, nice. Does that mean we get paid now?
    His pen is poised.
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    dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 27,970
    edited December 2017

    dixiedean said:

    Guido is such a snowflake.

    Odd his site hasn't covered the abuse Heidi Allen has received.

    Can't imagine why.
    Indeed. A couple of flags = "deface". Interesting to see Rosindell blaming "Far Leftists".
    The comment by Rosindell is as sad as the person who had nothing better on Christmas day than hang EU flags.
    Indeed. Has he not considered that it might have been UKIP?
    A False Flag incident?

    :)
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    StereotomyStereotomy Posts: 4,092
    rpjs said:

    On topic: CNN here in the U, S and A just reported that an Alabama circuit judge has denied Roy Moore's attempt to block certification of Doug Jones' win. CNN will be showing live coverage of the certification in a couple of minutes.

    God better hurry up or His intervention will be too late
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    BarnesianBarnesian Posts: 7,989
    Barnesian said:

    rpjs said:

    On topic: CNN here in the U, S and A just reported that an Alabama circuit judge has denied Roy Moore's attempt to block certification of Doug Jones' win. CNN will be showing live coverage of the certification in a couple of minutes.

    Ooh, nice. Does that mean we get paid now?
    His pen is poised.
    He's signed. Where's my money?
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    Barnesian said:

    rpjs said:

    On topic: CNN here in the U, S and A just reported that an Alabama circuit judge has denied Roy Moore's attempt to block certification of Doug Jones' win. CNN will be showing live coverage of the certification in a couple of minutes.

    Ooh, nice. Does that mean we get paid now?
    His pen is poised.
    But for a space, Moore's MO summed up.
  • Options
    BarnesianBarnesian Posts: 7,989

    Barnesian said:

    rpjs said:

    On topic: CNN here in the U, S and A just reported that an Alabama circuit judge has denied Roy Moore's attempt to block certification of Doug Jones' win. CNN will be showing live coverage of the certification in a couple of minutes.

    Ooh, nice. Does that mean we get paid now?
    His pen is poised.
    But for a space, Moore's MO summed up.
    :)
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    ydoethur said:

    This is the most important news out of America today, our American cousins agree with us.

    Just 19 percent of Americans said that “Die Hard” is a Christmas movie in a YouGov poll; 56 percent think it is not a Christmas movie.

    https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-democrats-wave-could-turn-into-a-flood/

    Yeah but the Americans are wrong about everything....
    Indeed. Not only are they the people who invented the Hawaiian pizza but Disney thought Episode VIII was a good film.
    The Canadians invented the Hawaiian pizza.

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/06/10/canadian-inventor-hawaiian-pizza-dies-leaving-behind-fruity/
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    rpjsrpjs Posts: 3,787
    edited December 2017
    Barnesian said:

    Barnesian said:

    rpjs said:

    On topic: CNN here in the U, S and A just reported that an Alabama circuit judge has denied Roy Moore's attempt to block certification of Doug Jones' win. CNN will be showing live coverage of the certification in a couple of minutes.

    Ooh, nice. Does that mean we get paid now?
    His pen is poised.
    He's signed. Where's my money?
    CNN says the judge has dismissed Moore's complaint "with prejudice" which means it's going to be very difficult for Moore to re-open a legal challenge. Moore and his lawyers may even face sanctions for filing a frivolous suit. Apparently there was a claim about ballot box stuffing in a town that doesn't actually exist.
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    Yes, I was exercising what's left of my right to free movement in my swimming pool in Hungary.
  • Options
    bigjohnowlsbigjohnowls Posts: 21,860

    Barnesian said:

    rpjs said:

    On topic: CNN here in the U, S and A just reported that an Alabama circuit judge has denied Roy Moore's attempt to block certification of Doug Jones' win. CNN will be showing live coverage of the certification in a couple of minutes.

    Ooh, nice. Does that mean we get paid now?
    His pen is poised.
    But for a space, Moore's MO summed up.
    +1
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    FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,285
    edited December 2017

    Yes, I was exercising what's left of my right to free movement in my swimming pool in Hungary.
    The way Hungary is going, they might be out of the EU before we are.
  • Options
    ydoethurydoethur Posts: 67,242

    ydoethur said:

    This is the most important news out of America today, our American cousins agree with us.

    Just 19 percent of Americans said that “Die Hard” is a Christmas movie in a YouGov poll; 56 percent think it is not a Christmas movie.

    https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-democrats-wave-could-turn-into-a-flood/

    Yeah but the Americans are wrong about everything....
    Indeed. Not only are they the people who invented the Hawaiian pizza but Disney thought Episode VIII was a good film.
    The Canadians invented the Hawaiian pizza.

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/06/10/canadian-inventor-hawaiian-pizza-dies-leaving-behind-fruity/
    Canadians are technically Americans. Canada is in North America.

    If you hear I have been assassinated by my enraged cousin from Vancouver you will know this observation was not well received!
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    kle4kle4 Posts: 91,750
    edited December 2017

    Yes, I was exercising what's left of my right to free movement in my swimming pool in Hungary.
    The way Hungary and Poland are going, they might be out of the EU before we are.
    Surely there's no way the EU will actually seriously censure them, or them pushing it that far, even with all the tough talk so far?
    rpjs said:

    Barnesian said:

    Barnesian said:

    rpjs said:

    On topic: CNN here in the U, S and A just reported that an Alabama circuit judge has denied Roy Moore's attempt to block certification of Doug Jones' win. CNN will be showing live coverage of the certification in a couple of minutes.

    Ooh, nice. Does that mean we get paid now?
    His pen is poised.
    He's signed. Where's my money?
    CNN says the judge has dismissed Moore's complaint "with prejudice" which means it's going to be very difficult for Moore to re-open a legal challenge. Moore and his lawyers may even face sanctions for filing a frivolous suit. Apparently there was a claim about ballot box stuffing in a town that doesn't actually exist.
    That just shows how deep the conspiracy goes!

    What a moron though. I wonder what God thinks about being a liar.
    ydoethur said:

    This is the most important news out of America today, our American cousins agree with us.

    Just 19 percent of Americans said that “Die Hard” is a Christmas movie in a YouGov poll; 56 percent think it is not a Christmas movie.

    https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-democrats-wave-could-turn-into-a-flood/

    Yeah but the Americans are wrong about everything....
    Indeed. Not only are they the people who invented the Hawaiian pizza but Disney thought Episode VIII was a good film.
    Long live Disney, our benevolent, all knowing overseers.
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    BarnesianBarnesian Posts: 7,989
    Betfair have just suspended the Alabama market. Looking good.
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    Sean_FSean_F Posts: 35,850
    Charles said:

    RobD said:

    First.

    Has this been done?

    https://twitter.com/ireland_thinks/status/946279549779578880

    I'm still looking forward to a poll on whether the Irish want to rejoin Brexit UK.

    What's the deal with the question? Why not a simple 'how would you vote' question?
    It looks like an attempt to load the question - do you REALLY want a united Ireland even if it would cost loadsamoney? The answer seems to be a decisive yes, and a major shift, presumably due to uncertainty over the post-Brexit border.

    A similar poll in the North with the premise that the alternative was a hard border produced an almos even split. But that's loaded too, and the outcome is likely to be less dramatic. Nonetheless, the idea of Ireland uniting has moved slightly from the "will never happen" to "we might consider it if..." stage.
    It's a funny old world isn't it. I don't imagine the Venn diagram of people supporting Brexit and people supporting a united Ireland would have a very big area of overlap. The only person I can think of would be pre-Labour leadership Jeremy Corbyn. It's a bit of a shame he's not in a position to enjoy either outcome very much if they actually happen.
    I'd expect there to be a meaningful overlap among those who believe in self determination
    Until quite recently, Sinn Fein favoured leaving the EU, when the British government was in favour of membership.
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    ydoethurydoethur Posts: 67,242
    kle4 said:

    Yes, I was exercising what's left of my right to free movement in my swimming pool in Hungary.
    The way Hungary and Poland are going, they might be out of the EU before we are.
    Surely there's no way the EU will actually seriously censure them, or them pushing it that far, even with all the tough talk so far?
    They never do. They can't even be bothered to enforce widespread flouting of their own rules on free trade when people break them (cf the French over BSE, despite them having more BSE than the rest of the world put together).

    Moreover, the EC itself ignores the rules when it suits them - the appointment of Barnier springs to mind.
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    RobDRobD Posts: 58,967
    ydoethur said:

    kle4 said:

    Yes, I was exercising what's left of my right to free movement in my swimming pool in Hungary.
    The way Hungary and Poland are going, they might be out of the EU before we are.
    Surely there's no way the EU will actually seriously censure them, or them pushing it that far, even with all the tough talk so far?
    They never do. They can't even be bothered to enforce widespread flouting of their own rules on free trade when people break them (cf the French over BSE, despite them having more BSE than the rest of the world put together).

    Moreover, the EC itself ignores the rules when it suits them - the appointment of Barnier springs to mind.
    Which rule did they break by appointing Barnier?
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    Sean_FSean_F Posts: 35,850
    kle4 said:

    Yes, I was exercising what's left of my right to free movement in my swimming pool in Hungary.
    The way Hungary and Poland are going, they might be out of the EU before we are.
    Surely there's no way the EU will actually seriously censure them, or them pushing it that far, even with all the tough talk so far?
    rpjs said:

    Barnesian said:

    Barnesian said:

    rpjs said:

    On topic: CNN here in the U, S and A just reported that an Alabama circuit judge has denied Roy Moore's attempt to block certification of Doug Jones' win. CNN will be showing live coverage of the certification in a couple of minutes.

    Ooh, nice. Does that mean we get paid now?
    His pen is poised.
    He's signed. Where's my money?
    CNN says the judge has dismissed Moore's complaint "with prejudice" which means it's going to be very difficult for Moore to re-open a legal challenge. Moore and his lawyers may even face sanctions for filing a frivolous suit. Apparently there was a claim about ballot box stuffing in a town that doesn't actually exist.
    That just shows how deep the conspiracy goes!

    What a moron though. I wonder what God thinks about being a liar.
    ydoethur said:

    This is the most important news out of America today, our American cousins agree with us.

    Just 19 percent of Americans said that “Die Hard” is a Christmas movie in a YouGov poll; 56 percent think it is not a Christmas movie.

    https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-democrats-wave-could-turn-into-a-flood/

    Yeah but the Americans are wrong about everything....
    Indeed. Not only are they the people who invented the Hawaiian pizza but Disney thought Episode VIII was a good film.
    Long live Disney, our benevolent, all knowing overseers.
    If Hollywood wanted to create a caricature Republican, it would be Roy Moore, a stupid, bigoted, corrupt, hypocritical religious fundamentalist.
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    ydoethur said:

    kle4 said:

    Yes, I was exercising what's left of my right to free movement in my swimming pool in Hungary.
    The way Hungary and Poland are going, they might be out of the EU before we are.
    Surely there's no way the EU will actually seriously censure them, or them pushing it that far, even with all the tough talk so far?
    They never do. They can't even be bothered to enforce widespread flouting of their own rules on free trade when people break them (cf the French over BSE, despite them having more BSE than the rest of the world put together).

    Moreover, the EC itself ignores the rules when it suits them - the appointment of Barnier springs to mind.
    I think more of a concern is that Hungary and neighbours are increasingly ganging up, and their views on some issues are a million miles from the wishes of the old guard.
  • Options
    ydoethurydoethur Posts: 67,242
    edited December 2017
    RobD said:

    ydoethur said:

    kle4 said:

    Yes, I was exercising what's left of my right to free movement in my swimming pool in Hungary.
    The way Hungary and Poland are going, they might be out of the EU before we are.
    Surely there's no way the EU will actually seriously censure them, or them pushing it that far, even with all the tough talk so far?
    They never do. They can't even be bothered to enforce widespread flouting of their own rules on free trade when people break them (cf the French over BSE, despite them having more BSE than the rest of the world put together).

    Moreover, the EC itself ignores the rules when it suits them - the appointment of Barnier springs to mind.
    Which rule did they break by appointing Barnier?
    Juncker appointed him the day after the referendum.

    But according to their own rules, it should have been done by the Heads of Government.

    Instead of telling him to do one and giving both of them the sack, as they should have done, they confirmed the appointment. It was craven and it was stupid.
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    RobDRobD Posts: 58,967
    ydoethur said:

    RobD said:

    ydoethur said:

    kle4 said:

    Yes, I was exercising what's left of my right to free movement in my swimming pool in Hungary.
    The way Hungary and Poland are going, they might be out of the EU before we are.
    Surely there's no way the EU will actually seriously censure them, or them pushing it that far, even with all the tough talk so far?
    They never do. They can't even be bothered to enforce widespread flouting of their own rules on free trade when people break them (cf the French over BSE, despite them having more BSE than the rest of the world put together).

    Moreover, the EC itself ignores the rules when it suits them - the appointment of Barnier springs to mind.
    Which rule did they break by appointing Barnier?
    Juncker appointed him the day after the referendum.

    But according to their own rules, it should have been done by the Heads of Government.

    Instead of telling him to do one and giving both of them the sack, as they should have done, they confirmed the appointment. It was craven and it was stupid.
    Ah, thanks. I must have missed that!
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    kle4kle4 Posts: 91,750
    Sean_F said:

    kle4 said:

    Yes, I was exercising what's left of my right to free movement in my swimming pool in Hungary.
    The way Hungary and Poland are going, they might be out of the EU before we are.
    Surely there's no way the EU will actually seriously censure them, or them pushing it that far, even with all the tough talk so far?
    rpjs said:

    Barnesian said:

    Barnesian said:

    rpjs said:

    On topic: CNN here in the U, S and A just reported that an Alabama circuit judge has denied Roy Moore's attempt to block certification of Doug Jones' win. CNN will be showing live coverage of the certification in a couple of minutes.

    Ooh, nice. Does that mean we get paid now?
    His pen is poised.
    He's signed. Where's my money?
    CNN says the judge has dismissed Moore's complaint "with prejudice" which means it's going to be very difficult for Moore to re-open a legal challenge. Moore and his lawyers may even face sanctions for filing a frivolous suit. Apparently there was a claim about ballot box stuffing in a town that doesn't actually exist.
    That just shows how deep the conspiracy goes!

    What a moron though. I wonder what God thinks about being a liar.
    ydoethur said:

    This is the most important news out of America today, our American cousins agree with us.

    Just 19 percent of Americans said that “Die Hard” is a Christmas movie in a YouGov poll; 56 percent think it is not a Christmas movie.

    https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-democrats-wave-could-turn-into-a-flood/

    Yeah but the Americans are wrong about everything....
    Indeed. Not only are they the people who invented the Hawaiian pizza but Disney thought Episode VIII was a good film.
    Long live Disney, our benevolent, all knowing overseers.
    If Hollywood wanted to create a caricature Republican, it would be Roy Moore, a stupid, bigoted, corrupt, hypocritical religious fundamentalist.
    Too one dimensional even for a parody movie it sounds like.
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    bigjohnowlsbigjohnowls Posts: 21,860
    On Topic. Roy Moore hasn't conceded in the 2006 or 2010 Republican Governor Primaries either.
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    SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,897
    ydoethur said:

    RobD said:

    ydoethur said:

    kle4 said:

    Yes, I was exercising what's left of my right to free movement in my swimming pool in Hungary.
    The way Hungary and Poland are going, they might be out of the EU before we are.
    Surely there's no way the EU will actually seriously censure them, or them pushing it that far, even with all the tough talk so far?
    They never do. They can't even be bothered to enforce widespread flouting of their own rules on free trade when people break them (cf the French over BSE, despite them having more BSE than the rest of the world put together).

    Moreover, the EC itself ignores the rules when it suits them - the appointment of Barnier springs to mind.
    Which rule did they break by appointing Barnier?
    Juncker appointed him the day after the referendum.

    But according to their own rules, it should have been done by the Heads of Government.

    Instead of telling him to do one and giving both of them the sack, as they should have done, they confirmed the appointment. It was craven and it was stupid.
    It tells you a lot about the EU that Junker didn’t resign after the referendum and no-one can force him out.
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    FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,285
    edited December 2017

    On Topic. Roy Moore hasn't conceded in the 2006 or 2010 Republican Governor Primaries either.

    So he always calls for Decision Democratic Review System (DRS) ?

    image
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    bigjohnowlsbigjohnowls Posts: 21,860

    On Topic. Roy Moore hasn't conceded in the 2006 or 2010 Republican Governor Primaries either.

    So he always calls for Decision Democratic Review System (DRS) ?

    image
    Even when all 3 stumps are flattened.
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    On Topic. Roy Moore hasn't conceded in the 2006 or 2010 Republican Governor Primaries either.

    So he always calls for Decision Democratic Review System (DRS) ?

    image
    Even when all 3 stumps are flattened.
    Could have been a no-ball !
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    On Topic. Roy Moore hasn't conceded in the 2006 or 2010 Republican Governor Primaries either.

    So he always calls for Decision Democratic Review System (DRS) ?

    image
    Roy Moore would have a chance if his opponents were James Vince and Dawid Malan.
  • Options
    williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 48,067
    Sandpit said:

    ydoethur said:

    RobD said:

    ydoethur said:

    kle4 said:

    Yes, I was exercising what's left of my right to free movement in my swimming pool in Hungary.
    The way Hungary and Poland are going, they might be out of the EU before we are.
    Surely there's no way the EU will actually seriously censure them, or them pushing it that far, even with all the tough talk so far?
    They never do. They can't even be bothered to enforce widespread flouting of their own rules on free trade when people break them (cf the French over BSE, despite them having more BSE than the rest of the world put together).

    Moreover, the EC itself ignores the rules when it suits them - the appointment of Barnier springs to mind.
    Which rule did they break by appointing Barnier?
    Juncker appointed him the day after the referendum.

    But according to their own rules, it should have been done by the Heads of Government.

    Instead of telling him to do one and giving both of them the sack, as they should have done, they confirmed the appointment. It was craven and it was stupid.
    It tells you a lot about the EU that Junker didn’t resign after the referendum and no-one can force him out.
    Yes they can and why should he have resigned?
  • Options
    FishingFishing Posts: 4,561
    ydoethur said:



    Moreover, the EC itself ignores the rules when it suits them - the appointment of Barnier springs to mind.

    I have a friend who works in Brussels. He tells me that in the runup to the referendum, the EU were baffled that the British government wasn't using the loopholes in the freedom of movement rules creatively to defuse the immigration issue. In other words, that a government might play by the rules rather than rigging them in its favour stunned them ...
  • Options
    RobDRobD Posts: 58,967

    Sandpit said:

    ydoethur said:

    RobD said:

    ydoethur said:

    kle4 said:

    Yes, I was exercising what's left of my right to free movement in my swimming pool in Hungary.
    The way Hungary and Poland are going, they might be out of the EU before we are.
    Surely there's no way the EU will actually seriously censure them, or them pushing it that far, even with all the tough talk so far?
    They never do. They can't even be bothered to enforce widespread flouting of their own rules on free trade when people break them (cf the French over BSE, despite them having more BSE than the rest of the world put together).

    Moreover, the EC itself ignores the rules when it suits them - the appointment of Barnier springs to mind.
    Which rule did they break by appointing Barnier?
    Juncker appointed him the day after the referendum.

    But according to their own rules, it should have been done by the Heads of Government.

    Instead of telling him to do one and giving both of them the sack, as they should have done, they confirmed the appointment. It was craven and it was stupid.
    It tells you a lot about the EU that Junker didn’t resign after the referendum and no-one can force him out.
    Yes they can and why should he have resigned?
    Oh, I dunno. Presiding over the loss of one of their biggest members, perhaps?
  • Options
    AlistairAlistair Posts: 23,670
    Imagine if you had tipped Moore. What a maroon you would feel now.
  • Options
    SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,897

    Sandpit said:

    ydoethur said:

    RobD said:

    ydoethur said:

    kle4 said:

    Yes, I was exercising what's left of my right to free movement in my swimming pool in Hungary.
    The way Hungary and Poland are going, they might be out of the EU before we are.
    Surely there's no way the EU will actually seriously censure them, or them pushing it that far, even with all the tough talk so far?
    They never do. They can't even be bothered to enforce widespread flouting of their own rules on free trade when people break them (cf the French over BSE, despite them having more BSE than the rest of the world put together).

    Moreover, the EC itself ignores the rules when it suits them - the appointment of Barnier springs to mind.
    Which rule did they break by appointing Barnier?
    Juncker appointed him the day after the referendum.

    But according to their own rules, it should have been done by the Heads of Government.

    Instead of telling him to do one and giving both of them the sack, as they should have done, they confirmed the appointment. It was craven and it was stupid.
    It tells you a lot about the EU that Junker didn’t resign after the referendum and no-one can force him out.
    Yes they can and why should he have resigned?
    For the same reason David Cameron resigned, as the EU lost it’s second largest member on his watch. Remind me who can sack him again?
  • Options
    TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 114,444
    edited December 2017
    Alistair said:

    Imagine if you had tipped Moore. What a maroon you would feel now.

    Fortunately I backed Jones when that Fox News poll came out and he was over 3.

    It was a profitable election, I tipped Moore at 4/7 and his price went to 1/7 at one point.

    The biggest maroon must be the fella that tipped Sir Michael Fallon as Theresa May's successor.
  • Options
    rkrkrkrkrkrk Posts: 7,908
    Fishing said:

    ydoethur said:



    Moreover, the EC itself ignores the rules when it suits them - the appointment of Barnier springs to mind.

    I have a friend who works in Brussels. He tells me that in the runup to the referendum, the EU were baffled that the British government wasn't using the loopholes in the freedom of movement rules creatively to defuse the immigration issue. In other words, that a government might play by the rules rather than rigging them in its favour stunned them ...
    When people say the EU thinks this... do they mean the Commission? Other member states collectively? I always wonder...
  • Options
    bigjohnowlsbigjohnowls Posts: 21,860

    On Topic. Roy Moore hasn't conceded in the 2006 or 2010 Republican Governor Primaries either.

    So he always calls for Decision Democratic Review System (DRS) ?

    image
    Even when all 3 stumps are flattened.
    Could have been a no-ball !
    Is that what he calls his young "friends"?
  • Options
    BarnesianBarnesian Posts: 7,989
    Barnesian said:

    Betfair have just suspended the Alabama market. Looking good.

    Chink! The money has arrived.
  • Options
    williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 48,067
    Sandpit said:

    Sandpit said:

    ydoethur said:

    RobD said:

    ydoethur said:

    kle4 said:

    Yes, I was exercising what's left of my right to free movement in my swimming pool in Hungary.
    The way Hungary and Poland are going, they might be out of the EU before we are.
    Surely there's no way the EU will actually seriously censure them, or them pushing it that far, even with all the tough talk so far?
    They never do. They can't even be bothered to enforce widespread flouting of their own rules on free trade when people break them (cf the French over BSE, despite them having more BSE than the rest of the world put together).

    Moreover, the EC itself ignores the rules when it suits them - the appointment of Barnier springs to mind.
    Which rule did they break by appointing Barnier?
    Juncker appointed him the day after the referendum.

    But according to their own rules, it should have been done by the Heads of Government.

    Instead of telling him to do one and giving both of them the sack, as they should have done, they confirmed the appointment. It was craven and it was stupid.
    It tells you a lot about the EU that Junker didn’t resign after the referendum and no-one can force him out.
    Yes they can and why should he have resigned?
    For the same reason David Cameron resigned, as the EU lost it’s second largest member on his watch. Remind me who can sack him again?
    The European parliament can sack him.

    The EU hasn't lost anything yet and Juncker's approach to dealing with the UK will probably be vindicated in the long term.
  • Options
    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 117,007

    RobD said:

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/12/28/jeremy-corbyn-fails-rule-second-eu-referendum-labour-gains-power/

    Labour’s policy on Brexit is so ill-defined that Labour Remain voters are as convinced that the party is “completely against Brexit” as Labour Leave voters are convinced the party is “completely in favour of Brexit”, according to a YouGov survey.

    The thing is though it doesn't matter.

    The Conservatives, wisely or foolishly, have opted to own Brexit. And now they have to deliver it. They'll be judged not on how well it has worked out against the range of possible Brexits they could have gone for, or even how it would have gone with Labour in charge.

    There is no yardstick for a successful Brexit that they can use to justify what they've done. The only result that matters will be what the country looks like and how people feel about it at the next election. They could get Barnier to agree that the EU will give the UK a €60bn leaving present with a card signed by the entire Commission. It won't directly gain the Tories a single vote.

    If people decide that the NHS is in a mess and wages are going down, the Conservatives will get the blame and will be turfed out even if those problems are the direct result of the Brexit vote. It isn't fair. That's politics.

    I admire the diligence of the likes of HYFUD in going through the polls and trying to come up with a winning combination of policies. But there is no formula. If the economy does okay, public services look like they are getting better and there aren't too many immigration stories in the news the Conservatives might just squeeze back in. If not, Labour will win. But the details of the Labour Party's twists and turns on its Brexit policy will have next to no impact.
    Labour has neutralised Brexit effectively by being all things to Remainers and Leavers equally
  • Options
    FishingFishing Posts: 4,561
    rkrkrk said:



    When people say the EU thinks this... do they mean the Commission? Other member states collectively? I always wonder...

    From the context, he meant Juncker's officials.
  • Options
    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 117,007

    John_M said:

    Charles said:

    RobD said:

    First.

    Has this been done?

    https://twitter.com/ireland_thinks/status/946279549779578880

    I'm still looking forward to a poll on whether the Irish want to rejoin Brexit UK.

    What's the deal with the question? Why not a simple 'how would you vote' question?
    It looks like an attempt to load the question - do you REALLY want a united Ireland even if it would cost loadsamoney? The answer seems to be a decisive yes, and a major shift, presumably due to uncertainty over the post-Brexit border.

    A similar poll in the North with the premise that the alternative was a hard border produced an almos even split. But that's loaded too, and the outcome is likely to be less dramatic. Nonetheless, the idea of Ireland uniting has moved slightly from the "will never happen" to "we might consider it if..." stage.
    It's a funny old world isn't it. I don't imagine the Venn diagram of people supporting Brexit and people supporting a united Ireland would have a very big area of overlap. The only person I can think of would be pre-Labour leadership Jeremy Corbyn. It's a bit of a shame he's not in a position to enjoy either outcome very much if they actually happen.
    I'd expect there to be a meaningful overlap among those who believe in self determination
    I think a united Ireland is quite an attractive proposition - as is an independent Scotland. Nothing lasts forever, not even the United Kingdom.
    Once the English get our nation state back, we may find it easier to reconcile our national identity with pride in being part of a European political union.
    An independent England would have voted 55% to 45% to Leave the EU so that would make it even more likely we stay outside the EU. The UK is also older than both Italy and Germany as Federal states and Wales has been formally united with England since the 16th century and informally under one monarch since the 13th century. Indeed if you go back that far England also owned much of France
  • Options
    SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,897

    Sandpit said:

    Sandpit said:

    ydoethur said:

    RobD said:

    ydoethur said:

    kle4 said:

    Yes, I was exercising what's left of my right to free movement in my swimming pool in Hungary.
    The way Hungary and Poland are going, they might be out of the EU before we are.
    Surely there's no way the EU will actually seriously censure them, or them pushing it that far, even with all the tough talk so far?
    They never do. They can't even be bothered to enforce widespread flouting of their own rules on free trade when people break them (cf the French over BSE, despite them having more BSE than the rest of the world put together).

    Moreover, the EC itself ignores the rules when it suits them - the appointment of Barnier springs to mind.
    Which rule did they break by appointing Barnier?
    Juncker appointed him the day after the referendum.

    But according to their own rules, it should have been done by the Heads of Government.

    Instead of telling him to do one and giving both of them the sack, as they should have done, they confirmed the appointment. It was craven and it was stupid.
    It tells you a lot about the EU that Junker didn’t resign after the referendum and no-one can force him out.
    Yes they can and why should he have resigned?
    For the same reason David Cameron resigned, as the EU lost it’s second largest member on his watch. Remind me who can sack him again?
    The European parliament can sack him.

    The EU hasn't lost anything yet and Juncker's approach to dealing with the UK will probably be vindicated in the long term.
    The Commission as a whole is theoretically accountable to the Parliament, but he can’t be sacked individually.
  • Options
    williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 48,067
    edited December 2017
    Sandpit said:

    Sandpit said:

    Sandpit said:

    ydoethur said:

    RobD said:

    ydoethur said:

    kle4 said:

    Yes, I was exercising what's left of my right to free movement in my swimming pool in Hungary.
    The way Hungary and Poland are going, they might be out of the EU before we are.
    Surely there's no way the EU will actually seriously censure them, or them pushing it that far, even with all the tough talk so far?
    They never do. They can't even be bothered to enforce widespread flouting of their own rules on free trade when people break them (cf the French over BSE, despite them having more BSE than the rest of the world put together).

    Moreover, the EC itself ignores the rules when it suits them - the appointment of Barnier springs to mind.
    Which rule did they break by appointing Barnier?
    Juncker appointed him the day after the referendum.

    But according to their own rules, it should have been done by the Heads of Government.

    Instead of telling him to do one and giving both of them the sack, as they should have done, they confirmed the appointment. It was craven and it was stupid.
    It tells you a lot about the EU that Junker didn’t resign after the referendum and no-one can force him out.
    Yes they can and why should he have resigned?
    For the same reason David Cameron resigned, as the EU lost it’s second largest member on his watch. Remind me who can sack him again?
    The European parliament can sack him.

    The EU hasn't lost anything yet and Juncker's approach to dealing with the UK will probably be vindicated in the long term.
    The Commission as a whole is theoretically accountable to the Parliament, but he can’t be sacked individually.
    Only in the same sense that the UK parliament can't sack Theresa May individually. Also the accountability is more than theoretical. The Santer Commission was forced to resign by the parliament in the past.
  • Options
    nielhnielh Posts: 1,307
    Hi all. Thinking about the end of the year.

    I just wonder if 2016 was a populist high water mark.

    2016 saw Brexit, then Trump.

    In 2017, we've had a few terrorist attacks, but no populist breakthroughs. Le Pen was beaten in France. The AfD had no serious effect in Germany. Nothing happened in Austria that we haven't seen before. There is certainly instability, particularly in Spain, but they seemed to have muddled through.

    Back in the UK, UKIP are a non entity. Both of the main parties support some sort of sensible Brexit. Aaron Banks and Nigel Farage are howling in the wind as they did for years. The SNP are in retreat.

    Is the genie back in the bottle?

  • Options
    AlistairAlistair Posts: 23,670
    Barnesian said:

    Barnesian said:

    Betfair have just suspended the Alabama market. Looking good.

    Chink! The money has arrived.
    Alas five time less than it would have been if only I had held my nerve.
  • Options
    Unlike TSE, some people know the darts is more than just a pub game....

    https://twitter.com/OfficialPDC/status/946474573956026369
  • Options
    rkrkrkrkrkrk Posts: 7,908
    Fishing said:

    rkrkrk said:



    When people say the EU thinks this... do they mean the Commission? Other member states collectively? I always wonder...

    From the context, he meant Juncker's officials.
    More in general than specific to you... it feels to me that political discussion often talks about the EU as if it is something separate and other to all the member states... as if the Commission are In charge of everything...
  • Options
    kle4kle4 Posts: 91,750
    rkrkrk said:

    Fishing said:

    rkrkrk said:



    When people say the EU thinks this... do they mean the Commission? Other member states collectively? I always wonder...

    From the context, he meant Juncker's officials.
    More in general than specific to you... it feels to me that political discussion often talks about the EU as if it is something separate and other to all the member states... as if the Commission are In charge of everything...
    In fairness, when it suits, supporters and detractors act as though it is a monolithic bloc.
  • Options
    rkrkrkrkrkrk Posts: 7,908
    kle4 said:

    rkrkrk said:

    Fishing said:

    rkrkrk said:



    When people say the EU thinks this... do they mean the Commission? Other member states collectively? I always wonder...

    From the context, he meant Juncker's officials.
    More in general than specific to you... it feels to me that political discussion often talks about the EU as if it is something separate and other to all the member states... as if the Commission are In charge of everything...
    In fairness, when it suits, supporters and detractors act as though it is a monolithic bloc.
    Absolutely. The news media too.
  • Options
    maaarshmaaarsh Posts: 3,391

    Sandpit said:

    Sandpit said:

    ydoethur said:

    RobD said:

    ydoethur said:

    kle4 said:

    Yes, I was exercising what's left of my right to free movement in my swimming pool in Hungary.
    The way Hungary and Poland are going, they might be out of the EU before we are.
    Surely there's no way the EU will actually seriously censure them, or them pushing it that far, even with all the tough talk so far?
    They never do. They can't even be bothered to enforce widespread flouting of their own rules on free trade when people break them (cf the French over BSE, despite them having more BSE than the rest of the world put together).

    Moreover, the EC itself ignores the rules when it suits them - the appointment of Barnier springs to mind.
    Which rule did they break by appointing Barnier?
    Juncker appointed him the day after the referendum.

    But according to their own rules, it should have been done by the Heads of Government.

    Instead of telling him to do one and giving both of them the sack, as they should have done, they confirmed the appointment. It was craven and it was stupid.
    It tells you a lot about the EU that Junker didn’t resign after the referendum and no-one can force him out.
    Yes they can and why should he have resigned?
    For the same reason David Cameron resigned, as the EU lost it’s second largest member on his watch. Remind me who can sack him again?
    The European parliament can sack him.

    The EU hasn't lost anything yet and Juncker's approach to dealing with the UK will probably be vindicated in the long term.
    Nice to see the playing field has moved on from pretending to be sceptical of the project, but sensibly mindful of the overall benefit, to just defending anything with an EU flag (my country, right or wrong, it seems).
  • Options
    Alabama was the biggest betting event since GE2017 - nice to see the winnings being paid out
  • Options
    viewcodeviewcode Posts: 18,782
    Fishing said:

    ydoethur said:



    Moreover, the EC itself ignores the rules when it suits them - the appointment of Barnier springs to mind.

    I have a friend who works in Brussels. He tells me that in the runup to the referendum, the EU were baffled that the British government wasn't using the loopholes in the freedom of movement rules creatively to defuse the immigration issue. In other words, that a government might play by the rules rather than rigging them in its favour stunned them ...
    Using loopholes is playing by the rules. See also the difference between tax avoidance and tax evasion.
  • Options

    Alabama was the biggest betting event since GE2017 - nice to see the winnings being paid out

    Great, that's paid for my shopping trip today.

    On the subject of which I would say the shops are quieter than in previous years but that people are spending plenty of money on eating out.
  • Options
    viewcodeviewcode Posts: 18,782
    Sandpit said:

    The Commission as a whole is theoretically accountable to the Parliament, but he [Junker] can’t be sacked individually.

    Two points:

    * That's actually accountable, not just theoretically accountable.
    * A Commissioner can't be individually sacked, except for the Commission President. It's a bit like saying the UK Parliament can't sack a Cabinet member, and normally that's true, except for the Prime Minister, who is also a Cabinet member.
  • Options
    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 117,007
    edited December 2017
    nielh said:

    Hi all. Thinking about the end of the year.

    I just wonder if 2016 was a populist high water mark.

    2016 saw Brexit, then Trump.

    In 2017, we've had a few terrorist attacks, but no populist breakthroughs. Le Pen was beaten in France. The AfD had no serious effect in Germany. Nothing happened in Austria that we haven't seen before. There is certainly instability, particularly in Spain, but they seemed to have muddled through.

    Back in the UK, UKIP are a non entity. Both of the main parties support some sort of sensible Brexit. Aaron Banks and Nigel Farage are howling in the wind as they did for years. The SNP are in retreat.

    Is the genie back in the bottle?

    I expect populism to be back in May where Five Star currently lead Italian polls. Though they are more liberal than most of the anti EU far right and are more VoteLeave to Le Pen' s Leave.EU (Though of course officially they want Italy to stay in the EU they are just willing to consider Italy leaving an unreformed Eurozone).

    The other big global elections next year are the November mid terms where if Alabama is any guide the Democrats should gain the House and maybe even the Senate too putting a lid back on the excesses of Trumpite populism.

    The SNP may be in retreat in Scotland but in Catalonia nationalist parties are still very much alive
  • Options
    viewcodeviewcode Posts: 18,782
    rkrkrk said:

    Fishing said:

    rkrkrk said:



    When people say the EU thinks this... do they mean the Commission? Other member states collectively? I always wonder...

    From the context, he meant Juncker's officials.
    More in general than specific to you... it feels to me that political discussion often talks about the EU as if it is something separate and other to all the member states... as if the Commission are In charge of everything...
    It's not a bad point, but there is a sense in which they are separate. A group of sheep is one thing, but a flock is another. Four fingers and a thumb are one thing, but a fist is another. Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Black Widow and archer bloke are one thing, but The Avengers is another. The terms "at European level" and "at member state level" come in handy here.
  • Options
    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 117,007
    edited December 2017


    'I expect populism to be back in May where Five Star currently lead Italian polls. Though they are more liberal than most of the anti EU far right and are more VoteLeave to Le Pen' s Leave.EU (Though of course officially they want Italy to stay in the EU they are just willing to consider Italy leaving an unreformed Eurozone).

    The other big global elections next year are the November mid terms where if Alabama is any guide the Democrats should gain the House and maybe even the Senate too putting a lid back on the excesses of Trumpite populism.

    The SNP may be in retreat in Scotland but in Catalonia nationalist parties are still very much alive'

    Sweden will also be worth watching in September as some polls have the anti immigration Swedish Democrats second ahead of the centre right moderates
  • Options
    viewcodeviewcode Posts: 18,782

    Alabama was the biggest betting event since GE2017 - nice to see the winnings being paid out

    Great, that's paid for my shopping trip today.
    Excellent! How much, or is it rude to ask?

  • Options
    MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 37,607
    nielh said:

    Hi all. Thinking about the end of the year.

    I just wonder if 2016 was a populist high water mark.

    2016 saw Brexit, then Trump.

    In 2017, we've had a few terrorist attacks, but no populist breakthroughs. Le Pen was beaten in France. The AfD had no serious effect in Germany. Nothing happened in Austria that we haven't seen before. There is certainly instability, particularly in Spain, but they seemed to have muddled through.

    Back in the UK, UKIP are a non entity. Both of the main parties support some sort of sensible Brexit. Aaron Banks and Nigel Farage are howling in the wind as they did for years. The SNP are in retreat.

    Is the genie back in the bottle?

    AfD had no effect?
  • Options
    viewcode said:

    Alabama was the biggest betting event since GE2017 - nice to see the winnings being paid out

    Great, that's paid for my shopping trip today.
    Excellent! How much, or is it rude to ask?

    Over £50 but under £100.
  • Options
    viewcodeviewcode Posts: 18,782

    viewcode said:

    Alabama was the biggest betting event since GE2017 - nice to see the winnings being paid out

    Great, that's paid for my shopping trip today.
    Excellent! How much, or is it rude to ask?

    Over £50 but under £100.
    Cool!
  • Options
    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 117,007
    MaxPB said:

    nielh said:

    Hi all. Thinking about the end of the year.

    I just wonder if 2016 was a populist high water mark.

    2016 saw Brexit, then Trump.

    In 2017, we've had a few terrorist attacks, but no populist breakthroughs. Le Pen was beaten in France. The AfD had no serious effect in Germany. Nothing happened in Austria that we haven't seen before. There is certainly instability, particularly in Spain, but they seemed to have muddled through.

    Back in the UK, UKIP are a non entity. Both of the main parties support some sort of sensible Brexit. Aaron Banks and Nigel Farage are howling in the wind as they did for years. The SNP are in retreat.

    Is the genie back in the bottle?

    AfD had no effect?
    If it does indeed end up another CDU and SPD Grand Coalition, the AfD will be the official opposition party in the Bundestag
  • Options
    nielh said:

    Hi all. Thinking about the end of the year.

    I just wonder if 2016 was a populist high water mark.

    2016 saw Brexit, then Trump.

    In 2017, we've had a few terrorist attacks, but no populist breakthroughs. Le Pen was beaten in France. The AfD had no serious effect in Germany. Nothing happened in Austria that we haven't seen before. There is certainly instability, particularly in Spain, but they seemed to have muddled through.

    Back in the UK, UKIP are a non entity. Both of the main parties support some sort of sensible Brexit. Aaron Banks and Nigel Farage are howling in the wind as they did for years. The SNP are in retreat.

    Is the genie back in the bottle?

    UKIP are only a non entity because they won. Once they had achieved their aim of a successful vote to leave the EU they became pointless in the eyes of the vast majority of the population including most of their former voters.

    I am afraid that if you think populism (the dirty word anti-democrats use to describe any vote they don't agree with) has gone away you are sadly mistaken.
  • Options
    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 117,007
    edited December 2017

    nielh said:

    Hi all. Thinking about the end of the year.

    I just wonder if 2016 was a populist high water mark.

    2016 saw Brexit, then Trump.

    In 2017, we've had a few terrorist attacks, but no populist breakthroughs. Le Pen was beaten in France. The AfD had no serious effect in Germany. Nothing happened in Austria that we haven't seen before. There is certainly instability, particularly in Spain, but they seemed to have muddled through.

    Back in the UK, UKIP are a non entity. Both of the main parties support some sort of sensible Brexit. Aaron Banks and Nigel Farage are howling in the wind as they did for years. The SNP are in retreat.

    Is the genie back in the bottle?

    UKIP are only a non entity because they won. Once they had achieved their aim of a successful vote to leave the EU they became pointless in the eyes of the vast majority of the population including most of their former voters.

    I am afraid that if you think populism (the dirty word anti-democrats use to describe any vote they don't agree with) has gone away you are sadly mistaken.
    Indeed if the next UK general election is Boris/JRM v Corbyn and the next US presidential election Trump v Sanders/Warren, either way a populist will win
  • Options
    SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,897
    viewcode said:

    Sandpit said:

    The Commission as a whole is theoretically accountable to the Parliament, but he [Junker] can’t be sacked individually.

    Two points:

    * That's actually accountable, not just theoretically accountable.
    * A Commissioner can't be individually sacked, except for the Commission President. It's a bit like saying the UK Parliament can't sack a Cabinet member, and normally that's true, except for the Prime Minister, who is also a Cabinet member.
    It’s theoretical because it’s never happened, although one Commission under the previous incarnation resigned when it looked as if it might. The Parliament can only sack the Commission as a whole AIUI.
  • Options
    viewcode said:

    viewcode said:

    Alabama was the biggest betting event since GE2017 - nice to see the winnings being paid out

    Great, that's paid for my shopping trip today.
    Excellent! How much, or is it rude to ask?

    Over £50 but under £100.
    Cool!
    Its a nice, if not enormous, amount.

    There will be PBers who will have made many multiples of that in this election.

    PB is good for little tips like that which should bring in a few hundred pounds each year even without the big elections.

    Laying the draw in the cricket is something I learnt to do on PB as an example.
  • Options

    nielh said:

    Hi all. Thinking about the end of the year.

    I just wonder if 2016 was a populist high water mark.

    2016 saw Brexit, then Trump.

    In 2017, we've had a few terrorist attacks, but no populist breakthroughs. Le Pen was beaten in France. The AfD had no serious effect in Germany. Nothing happened in Austria that we haven't seen before. There is certainly instability, particularly in Spain, but they seemed to have muddled through.

    Back in the UK, UKIP are a non entity. Both of the main parties support some sort of sensible Brexit. Aaron Banks and Nigel Farage are howling in the wind as they did for years. The SNP are in retreat.

    Is the genie back in the bottle?

    UKIP are only a non entity because they won. Once they had achieved their aim of a successful vote to leave the EU they became pointless in the eyes of the vast majority of the population including most of their former voters.

    I am afraid that if you think populism (the dirty word anti-democrats use to describe any vote they don't agree with) has gone away you are sadly mistaken.
    Indeed.

    People who decry 'populism' tend to mean things which are popular with other people but not with themselves.

    While fully supporting things which are popular and which they also approve of.
  • Options
    AndyJSAndyJS Posts: 29,395
    "Woman walking alone attacked with acid in London's Canary Wharf

    The 36-year-old victim has suffered life-changing burns to her leg and face after she was sprayed with a "noxious substance"."

    https://news.sky.com/story/woman-walking-alone-attacked-with-acid-in-londons-canary-wharf-11187610
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    BarnesianBarnesian Posts: 7,989
    edited December 2017
    viewcode said:

    viewcode said:

    Alabama was the biggest betting event since GE2017 - nice to see the winnings being paid out

    Great, that's paid for my shopping trip today.
    Excellent! How much, or is it rude to ask?

    Over £50 but under £100.
    Cool!
    Mine was over £100 but under £200.

    EDIT: My betting is an interesting hobby rather than a source of income.

    My total winnings this year, just transferred from various accounts is a four figure sum. It would really need to be a five figure sum to count as an income but I'd have to hide it from my wife.
  • Options

    Alabama was the biggest betting event since GE2017 - nice to see the winnings being paid out

    Thanks for your recommendation. Very sound advice to back the outsider when it is very close.
  • Options
    AndyJS said:

    "Woman walking alone attacked with acid in London's Canary Wharf

    The 36-year-old victim has suffered life-changing burns to her leg and face after she was sprayed with a "noxious substance"."

    https://news.sky.com/story/woman-walking-alone-attacked-with-acid-in-londons-canary-wharf-11187610

    Those responsible are Absolute filth.
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    MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 50,125

    This is the most important news out of America today, our American cousins agree with us.

    Just 19 percent of Americans said that “Die Hard” is a Christmas movie in a YouGov poll; 56 percent think it is not a Christmas movie.

    https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-democrats-wave-could-turn-into-a-flood/

    Proof that Trump's America has lost its mind......
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    viewcodeviewcode Posts: 18,782
    On a more cheerful note, may I recommend again the "Turning Points - Unscripted Reflections by Steve Richards" from the BBC. They're no heartbreaking works of staggering genius, but they are reasonable insights simply put, and I'll take that as a win. You can find them at the links below;

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/b09l5687
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09l5687
  • Options
    kle4kle4 Posts: 91,750
    Pah, it'll take more than that to convince me. (Besides, if no one even notices a cameo, it doesn't even count). But they're on thin ice.
  • Options
    kle4 said:

    Pah, it'll take more than that to convince me. (Besides, if no one even notices a cameo, it doesn't even count). But they're on thin ice.
    To be fair, it could have been worse....Robbie Williams getting the gig!
  • Options
    viewcodeviewcode Posts: 18,782

    viewcode said:

    viewcode said:

    Alabama was the biggest betting event since GE2017 - nice to see the winnings being paid out

    Great, that's paid for my shopping trip today.
    Excellent! How much, or is it rude to ask?

    Over £50 but under £100.
    Cool!
    Its a nice, if not enormous, amount.

    There will be PBers who will have made many multiples of that in this election.

    PB is good for little tips like that which should bring in a few hundred pounds each year even without the big elections.

    Laying the draw in the cricket is something I learnt to do on PB as an example.
    I think other similar rules of thumb are "lay the favourite for Conservative leader" and "lay the favorite in a Republican primary"
  • Options
    viewcodeviewcode Posts: 18,782
    Barnesian said:

    viewcode said:

    viewcode said:

    Alabama was the biggest betting event since GE2017 - nice to see the winnings being paid out

    Great, that's paid for my shopping trip today.
    Excellent! How much, or is it rude to ask?

    Over £50 but under £100.
    Cool!
    Mine was over £100 but under £200.

    EDIT: My betting is an interesting hobby rather than a source of income.

    My total winnings this year, just transferred from various accounts is a four figure sum. It would really need to be a five figure sum to count as an income but I'd have to hide it from my wife.
    Mine this year is three figures. I need to examine how to do it more professionally (so to speak)
  • Options
    viewcode said:

    viewcode said:

    viewcode said:

    Alabama was the biggest betting event since GE2017 - nice to see the winnings being paid out

    Great, that's paid for my shopping trip today.
    Excellent! How much, or is it rude to ask?

    Over £50 but under £100.
    Cool!
    Its a nice, if not enormous, amount.

    There will be PBers who will have made many multiples of that in this election.

    PB is good for little tips like that which should bring in a few hundred pounds each year even without the big elections.

    Laying the draw in the cricket is something I learnt to do on PB as an example.
    I think other similar rules of thumb are "lay the favourite for Conservative leader" and "lay the favorite in a Republican primary"
    The latter would have gotten you badly burnt in 2016 though.
  • Options
    AlistairAlistair Posts: 23,670

    viewcode said:

    viewcode said:

    viewcode said:

    Alabama was the biggest betting event since GE2017 - nice to see the winnings being paid out

    Great, that's paid for my shopping trip today.
    Excellent! How much, or is it rude to ask?

    Over £50 but under £100.
    Cool!
    Its a nice, if not enormous, amount.

    There will be PBers who will have made many multiples of that in this election.

    PB is good for little tips like that which should bring in a few hundred pounds each year even without the big elections.

    Laying the draw in the cricket is something I learnt to do on PB as an example.
    I think other similar rules of thumb are "lay the favourite for Conservative leader" and "lay the favorite in a Republican primary"
    The latter would have gotten you badly burnt in 2016 though.
    Marco Rubio odds on.

    After coming third in Iowa.

    Odds, fucking, on.
  • Options
    viewcodeviewcode Posts: 18,782

    viewcode said:

    viewcode said:

    viewcode said:

    Alabama was the biggest betting event since GE2017 - nice to see the winnings being paid out

    Great, that's paid for my shopping trip today.
    Excellent! How much, or is it rude to ask?

    Over £50 but under £100.
    Cool!
    Its a nice, if not enormous, amount.

    There will be PBers who will have made many multiples of that in this election.

    PB is good for little tips like that which should bring in a few hundred pounds each year even without the big elections.

    Laying the draw in the cricket is something I learnt to do on PB as an example.
    I think other similar rules of thumb are "lay the favourite for Conservative leader" and "lay the favorite in a Republican primary"
    The latter would have gotten you badly burnt in 2016 though.
    True. The trick is to know when to stop.
  • Options
    Telegraph...

    The Conservatives were denied an outright majority at the last general election because of a voting system which is slanted in favour of the Labour party, new analysis has shown.

    The new figures reveal that the Tories would have been left with a clear majority of 14 if the boundary reforms - which have been frustrated by Labour and the Liberal Democrats - had been in place.
  • Options
    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 117,007
    viewcode said:

    viewcode said:

    viewcode said:

    Alabama was the biggest betting event since GE2017 - nice to see the winnings being paid out

    Great, that's paid for my shopping trip today.
    Excellent! How much, or is it rude to ask?

    Over £50 but under £100.
    Cool!
    Its a nice, if not enormous, amount.

    There will be PBers who will have made many multiples of that in this election.

    PB is good for little tips like that which should bring in a few hundred pounds each year even without the big elections.

    Laying the draw in the cricket is something I learnt to do on PB as an example.
    I think other similar rules of thumb are "lay the favourite for Conservative leader" and "lay the favorite in a Republican primary"
    Certainly not the Republican primary, Reagan, Bush Snr, Dole, W Bush and Romney were all favourite and all ended up nominee. Trump also led polls from summer 2015 even if Rubio was favourite.

    Even the last Tory leadership race saw the favourite, May, ultimately win.
  • Options
    QuincelQuincel Posts: 3,949
    HYUFD said:

    viewcode said:

    viewcode said:

    viewcode said:

    Alabama was the biggest betting event since GE2017 - nice to see the winnings being paid out

    Great, that's paid for my shopping trip today.
    Excellent! How much, or is it rude to ask?

    Over £50 but under £100.
    Cool!
    Its a nice, if not enormous, amount.

    There will be PBers who will have made many multiples of that in this election.

    PB is good for little tips like that which should bring in a few hundred pounds each year even without the big elections.

    Laying the draw in the cricket is something I learnt to do on PB as an example.
    I think other similar rules of thumb are "lay the favourite for Conservative leader" and "lay the favorite in a Republican primary"
    Certainly not the Republican primary, Reagan, Bush Snr, Dole, W Bush and Romney were all favourite and all ended up nominee. Trump also led polls from summer 2015 even if Rubio was favourite.

    Even the last Tory leadership race saw the favourite, May, ultimately win.
    The Tory leadership race holds up if you lay the favourite repeatedly until the race actually starts though. So you lay Moggmentum, lay Davis when he becomes favourite etc. Boris was favourite last year right up until he pulled out.
This discussion has been closed.