Friday 12 July: Reasons to be optimistic that Labour means business on NHS reform

Posted on by Geoff Graham

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620 thoughts on “Friday 12 July: Reasons to be optimistic that Labour means business on NHS reform”

  3. Good morrow, Gentlefolk, today’s (recycled) story

    Complimentary Bar

    Just as his favourite bar opens for the day, a guy walks in and to his surprise hears a voice saying, "Those are really nice shoes you're wearing."
    He looks round but he's the first customer. No-one else is there but the bartender. Again, this voice is heard, "That suit you have on is really sharp, too!"
    The customer asks the bartender, "Say, Mike, did you hear that? Who said that?"
    Mike points to a bowl on the bar and replies, "It was the complimentary peanuts."

  4. Good morning, chums. Thanks to Geoff for today's NoTTLe page, and a very Happy Birthday to Stig. Only just made today's Wordle.

    Wordle 1,119 6/6

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  8. Biden calls Zelensky ‘Putin’ then refers to vice-president ‘Trump’. 12 July 2024.

    Joe Biden has referred to Volodymyr Zelensky as “President Putin” and Kamala Harris as “Vice President Trump”, in a pair of significant gaffes set to worsen the crisis engulfing his presidency.

    The US president, who is facing calls to stand down over concerns about his age, confused the Ukrainian president with the Russian leader on stage at an international summit.

    The King paraded in the altogether and all together they all applauded.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/politics/2024/07/12/joe-biden-gaffe-putin-zelensky-harris-trump-nato-summit/

      1. Only a day or so ago, they denied that any Parkinsons person had visited.

      2. Allegedly to check on military personnel at the White House.
        How many US military personnel are still serving when suffering from Parkinson's?

        1. As Commander-in-Chief is the POTUS considered military personnel? If so, then they’re not lying but using obfuscation on steroids.

          2. From Coffee House, the Spectator

            Joe Biden is in denial
            Comments Share 12 July 2024, 6:23am
            Donald Trump had good reason to gloat over Joe Biden’s press conference flub referring to ‘Vice President Trump’. It was preceded earlier in the day by Biden calling Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky ‘President Putin.’ Biden, in other words, was at it again.

            But Biden adeptly seized the opportunity to offer a little lesson in foreign affairs in his presser at the Nato summit in Washington, zooming from Ukraine to China to Israel. Along the way, he got to flash his bona fides, including the declaration that he has spent a grand total of 90 hours speaking with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Biden was a man on a mission. His campaign message could not be clearer: he is intent on proving not only that America is the indispensable nation, but he is its indispensable president, the only politician who can safeguard its alliances and prosperity.

            No one has reason to be happier with the outcome of the press conference than Trump
            Biden sought to demonstrate staying power, returning to the theme of the menace of Trump towards the end of his press conference. ‘Do you think our democracy’s under siege based on this court?’ he asked. ‘Do you think our democracy’s under siege based on Project 2025?… We’ve got to finish this job.’

            Whether Biden’s dexterous navigation of a welter of international issues will be enough to wipe the memory of his disastrous debate is an open question.

            No sooner had the press conference ended than Connecticut congressman Jim Himes urged Biden to exit the race. Himes, who is the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, declared on X that ‘we must put forth the strongest candidate possible to confront the threat posed by Trump’s promised MAGA authoritarianism. I no longer believer that is Joe Biden, and I hope that… he will continue to put our nation first and, as he promised, make way for a new generation of leaders.’

            Biden, however, seems to have no intention of indulging that wish. Quite the contrary. He vowed to ‘finish this job, because there’s so much at stake.’

            The press conference, which was billed as a test of his mental acuity, had an old-fashioned feel to it. It focused on policy, not glitz.

            But it is glitziness that more than a few Democrats are craving as they watch Trump dominate the spotlight with his trademark bluff and bombast. With his wispy voice and frequent coughs – I counted eight in total – Biden is unlikely to be close the sale with independent voters who polls suggest are flocking to Trump. Yet Biden scoffed at the polls which almost uniformly suggest that he is headed for a landslide defeat.

            Is Biden in denial or being denied the truth? Former Obama campaign strategist David Axelrod observed, ‘if what he said at the end of his presser is true, it sounds like Biden’s team has not been very candid with him about what the data is showing: the age issue is a huge and potentially insurmountable concern and his odds of victory are very, very slim.’

            No one has reason to be happier with the outcome of the press conference than Trump. An enfeebled Biden will remain in the race as the Democratic party lashes itself into a frenzy over whether he should or not remain its standard bearer. So far, Biden’s campaign has resembled the American Airlines Flight 590 out of Tampa, Florida, on Thursday which barely avoided a catastrophe after several tires exploded during takeoff. If Biden continues to pilot the Democratic party’s fortunes, it may never achieve liftoff and skid totally out of control.

            This article first appeared in The Spectator’s World edition.

  9. Reasons to be optimistic that Labour means business on NHS reform

    What with early release from Prison, Rubber stamping people arriving on small boats, a ban on new oil licences in the North sea and building over the countryside with wind and solar farms and housing, does anyone seriously hold out much hope for the NHS.

    It's has if all the major problems the last government promised to tackle but never did have suddenly ceased to be an issue.
    I don't think we have reached peak political insanity yet

      1. Stop the boats and send all of them back to where they came from.
        Deport all non British prisoners.
        Make people take out health insurance if they have just arrived or have not worked and paid their way for ten years.

    2. Don't forget the pressing need to ban trail hunting. That probably takes precedence over everything.

    1. Morning Johnny, dry here but I can see heavy rain across the other side of the loch – and coming this way

    2. Well, there's not billions to give away. We borrow that money. The problem the NHS has is not cash. It's how it is spent. Same for roads and schools.

      Reverting schools from state control to parent control would see them improve. Get the state out of education and healthcare and both will get better.

      Ditto for housing. Government has poured 30 million extra people into this country. At the same time it expanded welfare and hiked taxes when a sensible government would have halted gimmigration, reduced welfare and massively cut taxes, creating jobs, raising wages and reducing the attraction of welfare. But no. The did the exact opposite because it was 'nice' and people needed 'help' – which they needed because big government made their lives expensive through crippling energy taxes, high housing costs and high interest rates which caused inflation which triggered a cost of living crisis affecting food – all because government refuses to stop wasting our money and cannot run a budget.

  12. US and Germany ‘foil Russian plot to assassinate head of arms firm supplying weapons to Ukraine’. 12 July 2024.

    The United States and Germany have foiled an alleged Russian plot to assassinate the head of Rheinmetall, a major German weapons provider to Ukraine, US media reported on Thursday.

    Moscow had been plotting to kill Armin Papperger, the chief executive of the arms company, in what would have been a shockingly brazen escalation of the ongoing war, according to CNN.

    In response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Rheinmetall has been manufacturing tens of thousands of artillery shells to support Ukrainian forces under a €5 billion (£4.2 billion) contract.

    There is no proof given here other than the word of the CIA; hardly an impeccable source. Even if the plot were genuine what possible effect could it have on the production of munitions? Worse still if it had happened it would occasion a diplomatic furore that would far outweigh any possible gain. This is just more lies.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/07/11/us-and-germany-foil-alleged-russian-assassination-plot/

  13. 389680+ up ticks,

    Morning Each,

    Friday 12 July: Reasons to be optimistic that Labour means business on NHS reform

    Safety Alert,
    Never but never give the likes of the lab/lib/con mass uncontrolled /government controlled / paedophile umbrella coalition party the benefit of the doubt.

    Unless that is, we are willing to forget "Lest we forget" the actions of "miranda" and the lifting of the latch resulting in a
    tsunami of criminality inclusive of mass paedophilia, the "invasion baton then being passed on to the tory (ino) party who
    did not falter in actions regarding the continuation of the "replacement" WEF / NWO campaign.

    1. Ogga dear, could I ask you to use shorter sentences so your writings are easier to read?

      I don't believe Labour will do anything about the NHS because it's a bastion of unionisation. They won't confront the fundamental problem, they don't have the imagination to properly reform it and dismantle the monolith around it. They just don't know how to solve the problems it has because for them, it's fine – they don't use it. The necessary reforms would undermine the entire Left wing ethos of big government: to expand and protect state employees and get them more of other people's money.

      1. 389680+ up ticks,

        Morning Wibbles dearest, could I ask you, in the nicest possible manner to read a little faster, thereby making my sentences seem to you to be a tad shorter.

  14. Morning, all Y'all.
    Sunny.
    Interesting day, yesterday. For the first time, I felt old and useless – two mid-30s farming lads, two big tractors and a trailer, one old small combine harvester. They both obviously knew what they were doing as regards hauling the combine out of the copse and loading it onto the trailer, both lads strong as heck, so no place for me except to hold up the traffic and otherwise be in the way. Oh, yes, and contribute bailer twine from my pocket.
    Not long ago, I would have been in there, with some muscle and knowledge (hell, I used to be part of onshore & offshore lifting operations, so know a great deal about it) but no more. Wistful sigh.

      2. I'm afraid so, Tom. It's just this was rather a stark transformation from capable engineer to useless git in the way. It feels like all there is left to look forward to is urine-stained brown trousers (and I hate brown).

    2. What you're seeing as a weakness is really a strength. You've created two jobs for folk by having a need you alone cannot fulfil. You've provided direction, intelligence, training.

      Without your problem and awareness of what to do to unravel it your chaps would have stood there pointlessly.

    3. I see it that we have the wisdom and young ones will need that through guidance. Especially in this age of stupidity where young hard workers are taken advantage of by our government.

  15. Mentioned at the beginning of Toady this morning: population of Europe will fall by 21% by the end of the century. No mention of a certain continent where the reverse (at least) will probably be the case.

    1. No doubt they said it is essential that we import the surplus from that incontinent continent.

    2. This is a good thing. We need fewer people as our economies have changed. We don't need 30 million itinerant savages. Low populations means higher employment, it means a higher skill level, it means, best of all, far less government is needed. Far less state.

      I know Lefties are thick, but this is obvious. The problem for big fat state is that when less of it (easily 70% less) is needed it loses power and control.

    3. Why this fear of falling populations anyway? We are always being told that the world is over-crowded and that we must have Net Zero to control pollution from people? It's just any excuse to control us, isn't it?

    1. Vile creature's.
      And there are enough of them to fill a large transport aircraft that could easily dissappear off the face of the earth.
      "Oh wouldn't that be loverly" 🤗

    3. Now imagine a wonderful world where they're invited into the next room, and packed into a shipping container 200 miles off the coast on an artificial island along with all the criminal gimmigrants and forgotten about.

  19. According to the French, four people fell off their rubber boat in the Channel, and drowned.

      1. Their families will have access to hoomun riaghts lawyarz and sue our government. Over Elf and safe tea regs.

      2. I never thought the day would arrive when that would be my first thought.
        But it has.

        1. I'm ashamed of myself for thinking "Good!" as the first thought when I read it.

          1. Unless it was four Christians who drowned, but 50 unchristians were rescued. That's why I try to curse this govt and its pus-filled blob, not the migrants.

          2. If it weren't for this govt (and previous like-minded versions) we wouldn't have the illegal gimmegrants. The govt could sort it in a heartbeat, like the Ozzies, if they'd a mind.

      3. Of a boat load of 60 eritreans, Somalians and sundry other third world toilet sewage. This is intolerable, but the Left refuse to do anything about it. It is an invasion.

      1. I expect some one in government is in charge of returning the rubber boats. For reuse over and over again.
        Typical of our idiots in Wastemonster and Whitehall.

        1. No doubt a Mr Umbungo demanded the return as illegal theft of property – at our expense.

    3. Or, as the BBC puts it, "Four illegal migrants die in English Channel crossing attempt".

      My bold addition.

      1. Did al Beeb say they were illegal migrants? Crikey, times have changed! I think they were more disappointed that the dead were not brought here, but treated in France.

      2. Ah, I see.
        Now that Labour are in power the BBC changes tack from "Four desperate migrants die in English Channel crossing attempt".

  20. Morning all 🙂😊
    Horrible grey day, labour inspired weather.
    Despite any NHS reform the reason it is in such a mess is because there are hundreds of thousands of people using it who have never worked in the UK nor have ever paid a penny into the system. It's that simple if the government's of this country can't work that out it's because they are idiots.

      1. 30 years ago One of my niece's was a physiotherapist working in a London hospital.
        This man from Nigeria flew into Heathrow took a taxi turned up in A&E started rolling around on the floor screaming (just like a footballer does) they admitted him dealt with his long term stomach complaints.
        After three weeks in the hospital got out of bed, got dressed and walked out. Never seen or heard of since. And this sort of thing has never or will never be stopped.

    2. I think more a case that resolving the problem is more difficult than they can be bothered with. Far easier to just throw money at it.

    3. The new Labour ex Blair wonk who is being instrumental in this new approach claims that the NHS demands are the same but we are unnecessarily using 19% more resources. How can the demands be the same since we have waved through around 10 million since Blair? They just blithely ignore the ruin they have inflicted upon our country. The pressure on public services is unsustainable and those they have brought in are mostly takers who have no allegiance to anywhere.

      1. And many of those incomers from the 3rd world bring all sorts of costly medical issues with them. I bet they get immediate medical treatment, with no daily phone call lottery for an appointment and no hospital waiting lists. Free translators on tap as well. That's before they start bringing in their large families.

        1. Some years ago went to the local A&E for a bit of stitching that a smallish cut required, and waited and waited whilst those of different colour and their kids were ushered through first. I am of course male and white and at that time contributing towards the national coffers so was back of the queue.

          1. Unless they just wanted the undesirables out as quickly as possible….. on reflection, that is unlikely, as the staff may well have been their family members…..

        2. Some years ago went to the local A&E for a bit of stitching that a smallish cut required, and waited and waited whilst those of different colour and their kids were ushered through first. I am of course male and white and at that time contributing towards the national coffers so was back of the queue.

  21. Our opposite neighbours have taken a family break in Spain.
    But their wisteria has grown a little more in the 5 days so far they have been away.
    And during the windy night some of the leading branches have been setting off one of their security lights around every 30 seconds. All night long. We obviously have blinds and curtains but……..
    I have been in touch and have the keysafe number to go in and switch off the light.
    Much easier than taking a ladder across and secateurs. I might get carried away🤗✂️🪚🌿

    1. When our motion sensitive lights died at our previous house, we left them alone.
      Every time a fox or cat walked up the drive or tree branches waved in the wind, the darn things would light up.
      Dogs would then wake up … followed by us and our neighbours.

      1. We have one on the front but I've pointed it lower to ground level so it doesn't go off when a car passes.
        But foxes and cats set it off when they slide under our metal gate. The little boogers. 🦊🐱

      2. Our outside lights at the farm house didn't work, but one early morning after getting a paw in the face I pootled downstairs to see Mongo growling at 'something' in the garden. He doesn't growl. He's too nice, so this was an odd thing.

        I let him out and 'something' very big moved very quickly over the fence into the field followed swiftly (and he doesn't move quickly) by Mongo who let out one of his ear shattering barks. It took Junior to call him back properly. Whatever it was – triffid, Martian, teenage yobbo, no idea.

        Later in the week I did hear our nearest neighbour – a farmer – letting off his shotgun, so something nasty was out there.

    1. Oddly, as destructive, spiteful and stupid Biden's term has been I don't think it right to mock the man. He's ill. He should step down.

      Yes, he's a crook, bent, corrupt, has achieved nothing, has caused untold chaos but that's what Lefties do.

      1. Well, he must be an excellent lefty, he has accrued an absolute fortune during a life of public service. I read your first part of your comment as "Oddly, as destructive, spiteful and stupid Biden's team has been". More accurate I think.

      2. Sadly, if politicians put themselves up for the job, they have to take what comes with it.
        Biden has always been a political jobsworth. He and his family have used the system for their own enrichment.
        We are not talking about selfless public servants worthy of respect.

  24. Right, weather is dry and I've jobs to do in the van. Time to get dressed and get busy!
    Back later!

  25. Good Morning, a quiet start to the day, no rain, no wind, no sun, plenty of cloud.

  26. Good morning, all. Late on parade. Under the weather. I'll not be around much today.

    1. Better clam up if you're floundering. I fear that we have 5 years of gloom ahead.

    2. Oh, dear.
      If we actually had a summer, you might feel better.
      I had a couple of days of feeling "meh". (Technical term.)

      2. They're already into banning oil and gas, we'll need alcohol to keep us warm if nothing else. Who voted for these lunatics, and why?

        1. And log burners ha are being banned already.
          The trouble is they never really explain exactly what their intentions are, they slip too much in after the elections.

          1. I think that’s been tried some years ago, Eddy…the yummies in London had log burners so it got cobbed. Ours is a stove, emissions are monitored – so unless those change (and they might) we’re OK. Be uproar various country places if banned….

      3. Alcohol is already banned in public spaces. We have signs around here with a bottle and glass crossed out and "this is a designated public space" underneath. We have only recently been "enriched" and the signs predate that.

  28. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2024/07/12/labour-dale-vince-copyright-laws-censor-critics/

    Vince is rich because he's troughed on excessive windmill subsidy. Successive governments have poured money into his ventures at our expense. If government had not force funded windmills and simply said 'face the market' then Vince would be another no hope Lefty who no one would care about.

    Instead, the state gives them our money which they then use to silence those who point out their nonsense.

  29. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2024/07/12/labour-dale-vince-copyright-laws-censor-critics/

    Vince is rich because he's troughed on excessive windmill subsidy. Successive governments have poured money into his ventures at our expense. If government had not force funded windmills and simply said 'face the market' then Vince would be another no hope Lefty who no one would care about.

    Instead, the state gives them our money which they then use to silence those who point out their nonsense.

  30. Tricky one today, I'll call if a par five

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    1. Me too, compounded by a schoolboy error on tries 3 and 4.

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    2. Obviously I was thinking along the same lines as you for a while….

      Wordle 1,119 4/6

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  31. "David Coleman
    Emeritus professor of demography
    University of Oxford"

    He hits the nail (the elephant in the room) right on the head, and it's not just housing.

    1. "….the 2021 census shows that from 2011 to 2021, 79 per cent of additional households were headed by persons born outside the UK, up from 70 per cent between 2001 and 2011."

      Here is the letter in full from David Coleman in today's DT.:

      SIR – The new Government’s housebuilding policy (Letters, July 11) ignores the chief source of demand – and hence a key to solving the housing problem.

      Migration continues apace and the population grows ad infinitum. Unless that is addressed, the shortage, distress and deprivation, as well as the arguments and discord, will continue into the foreseeable future.

      Most additional households in Britain do not come from young local people needing a start in life. While there are several sources of demand for new construction – changes in household composition, shifts in population distribution, replacement of old dwellings – the 2021 census shows that from 2011 to 2021, 79 per cent of additional households were headed by persons born outside the UK, up from 70 per cent between 2001 and 2011.

      This proportion has been rising for decades and drives demand, as cities expand with migrants and former residents move to the new estates now encircling smaller cities and towns – strikingly evident on any car journey.

      Ignorance, evasion and embarrassment are preventing rational thought and effective action.

      David Coleman
      Emeritus professor of demography
      University of Oxford

      The worst thing about statistics is how horribly racist they can be!

      1. Facts are awkward and all that!

        Big government just saw massive inward gimmigration as a way to spin another form of fiddling the figures. The Left used it to poke the Right in the side and when the socialist Tories got in they carried on with the same policy.

        That we simply didn't need such vast numbers, especially of the non-working african and middle eastern variety.

        But the state does not care. Already they're ruining the energy market, imposing rent controls and chaining us to the EU. The exact opposite of what needs to be done. It's as if the crazy monkey with the wrench in the engine room has been given a huge bag of wrenches and is happily throwing those around with abandon, desperate to destroy the engine.

  32. Good morning, all. Overcast and breezy.

    This saga can only get worse as the deliberate cover-up of the real costs, in both financial and living standard terms become obvious. It has the potential to destroy Miliband minor and hopefully, bring down the Labour government.

    These fanatical politicians cannot be unaware of the dangers of creating a hungry, cold and hence, vengeful population. It's clear that they do not care and that the globalist agenda comes before the well-being of the people.

    https://x.com/Con_Tomlinson/status/1811452718860403144

  33. Good morning , late start here , still half asleep, though awake at 0530am .
    Moh golfing, breezy, showery weather . 13c.

    Had a hectic day yesterday tidying garden , catching up on domestic things .. I have to book Moh's help and discuss the next day's plans the night before. He needs to know the plan!

    Golf and golf practise take precedence all the time .. so does feeding the lawn , killing ants and flattening mole hills .

    1. Good morning. Do you have any idea how controlling your husband sounds to us on here?

      1. I think Maggiebelle loves her husband very much and that he loves her too!

        As far as her husband is concerned maybe she's never happy but when she grumbling and even then she's not best pleased with him when he's off playing golf!

        It is possible that my lovely Caroline gets a bit pissed off by me from time to time! I can't understand why!

          2. Peter O'Toole did the same thing to Sian Philips. But they also still loved each other.

          3. You should have picked them up, stuffed them in a suitcase and said, "'Bye! Cook your own dinner." Then gone and stayed with a friend. In my experience, the only way to deal with a bully is to show them they can't get their own way.

          1. Believe it or not some chaps have only the vaguest on interest in sports. Whilst your OH is busy with the remote you could be out and about interviewing the non sports fans!!!!

    2. Given that much if not most of it eventually/possibly gets recycled back to the US (arms producers, arms dealers and of course the Bidens), I wonder who paid Starmer? US of course.

    3. Given that much if not most of it eventually/possibly gets recycled back to the US (arms producers, arms dealers and of course the Bidens), I wonder who paid Starmer? US of course.

    3. A long time ago my mother went for my cat. She was going to hit Claude with a wooden rolling pin. Standing in front of the cat I took mother's wrist and really thought 'I could quite happily beat this woman into the wall'.

      There but for the grace of God and all that.

      1. My mother was quick with the slaps. She had an accident while roller skating. Dad crashed into her and she fractured her wrist. She had forgotten about that the next time she went to slap me about. I couldn't help but laugh.

        1. No, no please don't remove it. It's just that it is rather nasty and I just wondered what message or information it was meant to give, and I couldn't really find one. It was a query and not meant to be a censorship!

          Edit: there is nothing wrong with posting things that aren't nice – and nothing wrong about querying the posts. Both are perfectly legit. IMO, so don't feel the need to remove, dear!.

          Looking forward to seeing you on 10th!

          1. Too late !

            Looking forward to seeing you both too. Anyone else asked for my address?

      1. How many guys were in Starmer's Audi that he travelled in whilst being asked to form a government?

      2. Jeez, that is scary. I was expecting it to be ropers slithering out of the car.
        I'm not surprised the police wouldn't do anything. Billy's character, Don Beech, would have delivered appropriate justice to them – there are times when 'old style' policing is justified.

    2. Starmer is a lawyer. This is what he does. Folk confuse law with justice. It goes to the basic problem I have with Starmer: he doesn't believe in anything because his attitude is as blinkered as the dry text of law. He's a robot.

      1. Yes but in which position is the lawyer Starmer – prosecutor or defence? As DPP he was a prosecutor – but he didn't prosecute, so he wasn't acting like a lawyer.

    3. It's About time he resigned then….
      Oh hang on I wonder who brought this subject up ? I would guess previous leaders of the Labour Party.

    6. I’m very happy to be told I’m wrong as I’d like to see Keir squirm but my understanding from reading articles has been that the Post Office prosecutions did not fall within the CPS’s remit as the Post Office is (maybe was) one of the few institutions to have their own powers of prosecution (like the RSPCA).
      Can anybody knowledgeable comment on this?

  37. Apparently president Bye Don introduced Zelenskyy as Putin to the nato conference.
    How long do the septics think they can get away with this.

      1. You'd think by now someone might have noticed. He's not particularly on the button is he ?
        But hang on…..this could be a set up, if he did press the button the 'They' rest of them would get away with it.

        1. Notwithstanding the fact I have spent five days this week cleaning a filthy house, I think I would welcome the end of the world. It certainly deserves it, with all this degeneracy ("Pride" perversion and "Trans" nonsense).

    2. Perhaps Zelensky is actually a Putin puppet hoovering up billions to be laundered into Russia and Hunter organised it all?

      1. More likely sos, the hoover sprays billions back (after the Biden gang's cut) to the US arms manufacturers and their politician puppets.

        1. It was a joke Tom, not a serious observation.
          I am aware of the links to US arms manufacturing.

      3. Ooohh Betty,……… i never thought of that 😄

        But I do remember General lord Richard Dannatt explaining On the BBC what had happened between Russia and Ukraine before the attacks occurred from both sides.
        I believe what he said was, that no country can join NATO if the they are in conflict with another on their borders.
        And then it seemed as might have been suggested, that the west, in the shape of the USA were in league with Ukraine in stirring up the trouble. Against Putin. For no particularly or obvious reason except they want Ukraine in NATO. A massive moment of misjudgement and it might never bee resolved. It seemed at the time the west wanted NATO into Ukraine to spy directly on Russia.

        1. The US has been trying by foul means to dislodge Putin and carve up Russia for decades. You have to cast back to the removal of Gorbachev and imposition of Yeltsin by the US. There followed the establishment of favoured oligarchs who collectively trousered billions by stealing state assets.

          Putin put a stop to that scam and has been stealthily reestablishing an ordered and stable society ever since with some success. The utilisation of Ukraine principally by the US but also by the UK and EU in order to attack Russian society in the Donbass and Crimea is well recorded. The US would seek to deny Russian naval access to the Black Sea just as the British sought to do in the days of Lord Palmerston.

          None of these US inspired notions can succeed as Ukraine itself is being systematically dismantled by an attritional war that anyone with a few active brain cells could have predicted.

          There are no Diplomats in the US, UK or EU. Without diplomacy peace cannot be achieved and it was ever thus.

        2. The US has been trying by foul means to dislodge Putin and carve up Russia for decades. You have to cast back to the removal of Gorbachev and imposition of Yeltsin by the US. There followed the establishment of favoured oligarchs who collectively trousered billions by stealing state assets.

          Putin put a stop to that scam and has been stealthily reestablishing an ordered and stable society ever since with some success. The utilisation of Ukraine principally by the US but also by the UK and EU in order to attack Russian society in the Donbass and Crimea is well recorded. The US would seek to deny Russian naval access to the Black Sea just as the British sought to do in the days of Lord Palmerston.

          None of these US inspired notions can succeed as Ukraine itself is being systematically dismantled by an attritional war that anyone with a few active brain cells could have predicted.

          There are no Diplomats in the US, UK or EU. Without diplomacy peace cannot be achieved and it was ever thus.

    3. But Biden's been gaga for years, so why the sudden outpouring of concern? The last few years have taught me to be cynical of everything coming from government and the MSM. I look for hidden meanings behind everything now. Just a thought, possibly true but also possibly not, could it be that they are planning a war, and have realised that not many would rally round if brain-dead Biden is the commander in chief?

      1. Here's a newish one for you, Tom.
        Firstborn was calculating CO2 loadings for Norway last night. Based on the mature tree count (available from the web) and the average CO2 uptake per tree, Norway emits (including oil & gas) only about 20% of the total uptake per year – so, a nett +80% capture, tonnage-wise.
        So, how come we have to be in a panic & not drive our cars? Firstborn's farm alone would allow him to drive his truck about 5 million km a year without adding to the CO2 in the atmosphere…
        So, why all the climate hysteria? I wonder…

        1. It's all a scam to enrich the already rich. Dreamed up in 1972 by the Club of Rome.

          1. And get the habit of people doing what government tells them to. Because they're scared.

        2. First class point. And hysteria it is. It seems to be a feature of government now.

    6. I don’t think it really matter if Biden is senile or not. His strings are being pulled by others.
      The problem is that his dementia may discourage supporters from voting for him. Hence the alarm.
      If only they can cover up his confusion they may get away with it.

      1. Biden’s sponsors are reportedly witholding backing to the DNC.

        The late appearance of George Clooney has ignited the mainstream media into suddenly reversing their pro Biden stance of the last four years. Now the media itself is gunning for Biden claiming falsely that it had been misled whereas it has hitherto gone along with the obvious fraud.

        The proof that Biden has deteriorated has been obvious to everyone. That Keir Starmer saw fit to protect Biden is shameful. We no
        longer have statesmen of stature but we do have small men holding no moral or political values.

        The sight of Starmer resurrecting the walking dead into his government I find quite sickening. One such, Jacqui Smith, whose antics back in 2009 during the Expenses Scandal was to claim a room in her sister’s house to be her main residence, claimed for her husband’s subscriptions to porn channels and contemptuously even claimed for a bath plug (80p).

        Expect more utter nonsense from Starmer. He will not last more than a few months. The ludicrous support for the Ukraine War will be Labour’s undoing.

    9. Happy birthday, Stig. Hopefully you're on a beer checking holiday on the south coast.

      1. :-). MB noticed that the mother is spending more time away from the nest!
        Your observation may give us a clue.

        2. I expect mum is out hunting to build her strength back up and to supplement dad's efforts.

    3. They're looking good aren't they! Preening their feathers now. Our swifty chicks all look good too. We have 10 chicks in five nests.

    4. The one standing up looks very inquisitive. Seems to have a twitch! What a huge wing span, the east must be enormous.

  40. This is sad, but inevitable. When muslim are approaching women with children asking for the child and trying to take them there is a poison in this country that wasn't here 20 years ago.

  41. Plenty of people have noticed Biden is mentally incompetent but for some reason won't let him stand down. I assume that's because Harris is a complete oaf.

    It's campaign season. To remove their man now would cause huge disruption and chaos. The Democrats are more interested in the political fight than the health of an individual increasingly humiliated globally.

  43. Anybody interested in English literature and how it is taught in our schools? Free Speech's Paul Sutton explains. Pop over for a read and a browse. Also new is a book review on the sinking of the Titanic. Leave a comment.

  44. Grattis på födelsedagen, Mr Stevenage. Hope you're still around and enjoying your day. 😊🍺👍🏻🎂 Skål!

        1. Exactly so, but I think I'll be edited….try Absolute Boy/******* (also a 'b' word…)

    2. I cannot decide whether Minibrain looks madder and more deranged in this cartoon or in real life! A close run thing!

      2. With a little bit of luck, Millipede's Megalomania will bring down the labour government this side of Christmas, Richard!

        1. And how will that happen?
          They have a stonking majority and they will use it.

          1. Megalomaniacal Millepede will, very likely, continue to disobey and/or exceed Starmer's orders thereby causing internal combustion . . .

    4. Notice that these idiots who spray our roads, create demo's, glue them selves down and cause traffic hold ups. Never protests in the most obvious places because they are too pathetic and rather gutless. As most of the worlds oil comes from the middle east. Where countries there use oil for 24/7/365 just for air-conditioning. They have many huge buildings to air-condition and many thousands of private properties. There is no obvious sign of solar energy being used and they desalinate sea water which in its self would use thousands of gallons of oil in the process. And the salt waste will be dumped back into the sea causing problems of it's own.

      And Miliband is just one of the hypocrites on the front line

    5. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?

      (St Matthew Chapter VII, Verse 9)

    1. Its just a flu type virus nothing more.Just more fear tactics to keep quiet

      1. I would never have had any if it hadn't been for family pressure, novel virus/novel vaccine both Pfizer products – what could possibly go wrong. Now have the latest thing…Long Covid Vaccine, GP said so in a phone call so there we are. Can Labour really do so much worse than Johnson/Sunak/Cameron…we'll see…

        1. I was lucky – my two AZ jabs had no effects at all – but this whole thing has put me off having any more for anything. I've had loads for travel but they will have to last me now till the end.

          1. I think there are others, Ndovu, but I get the impression gov’t ‘that was then this is now’…so we may never know how many affected. I hope you still get to travel, if you want to 🙂

          2. I'm going to Brazil in September…….to the Pantanal, hopefully to see jaguars and giant river otters.

          3. Oooh!! I ache to see jaguars in the wild! I do hope you get to do so. Looking forward to your photos!! 🙂

        2. So sorry. Out of interest (asking for a friend), have you tried any of the matural supplements / protocols out there? I'm wondering if anything helps.)

          1. Yes I do…Better Half takes all that kind of thing (he’s a Type2 who’s managed to cut right back on the 13 medications he was on) he gave some to me, not much difference sorry to say. I’ve taken multi-vit/iron for years was ok for me previously..recently started to take one marketed to over 70’s which seems OK so far. Starting yoga again, been good for me in the past. I’m not certain anything different would help more. Thank you so much for posting, asheshandust, I appreciate it, Kate x

          2. Thanks for the reply. I hope the yoga helps (always does for me, even if only indirectly).

            Katy x

          3. How nice we have the same (or similar) name 🙂 Yes, helps with sciatica a lot – I use Dr Charlie Johnson’s exercises, just been doing them. I still have the pain in the butt every day (ha) but one time couldn’t walk/put my heel down due to pain.

          4. Pain in the butt and you’re on Nottl? Masochist! 🤣🤣😉

            Srsly, good that the exercises help.

          5. It’s a very good place compared to many others 😀 Tried many different things, special cushions etc..none of it worked until I found Dr Charlie. Feel very very sorry for anyone in constant pain:-(

    3. 389680+ up ticks,

      Morning TB,

      Time served twats & twatesses should read, serving time for politcal treachery.

    1. What about her thoughts going to all the people affected by this influx of unknown, unwanted dross?

  49. We are being far too soft on incompetent teachers – and the militant unions that indulge them
    For all the evidence of the damage wrought by lockdown on children, their needs are still deprioritised in favour of spoiled adults
    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/07/12/we-are-being-far-too-soft-on-incompetent-teachers/

    To be frank I don't think I would have survived as a teacher for very long in some state schools.

    I loved my teaching – especially my Eng. Lit. classes in the Sixth Form.

    I did my PGCE at Southampton University in order to gain the necessary qualification to teach in a state school – I did not do a course in zoo keeping and animal control.

    BTL

    And many of the best schools are private schools many of which offer generous bursaries.

    When 20% VAT is imposed on school fees this Education Tax will lead to many schools closing down (putting more pressure on state school places) and those that do survive will not be able to afford to offer bursaries to children from poorer families.

    Labour is against intelligent children from poorer backgrounds being helped on their way by private schools. And we must not forget that one of the very first things Tony Blair did in 1997 was to remove the assisted places scheme which allowed intelligent children in state schools to be sent to private schools when their local school did not provide good enough facilities.

    The last thing a Labour government wants is a well-educated population – it make their politicians feel very nervous!

    1. It's a perfect example of the socialist levelling-down agenda – no-one is allowed to excell; we must all be equal by being equally deprived.
      (Except the socialist leaders, of course.)

        1. No, but I can remember being confused, when a child, to discover that the 'sports' of: three-legged race, egg-and-spoon race, obstacle race and sack race are not included in the Olympic athletics programme.😉

    2. The assisted places scheme was a curate’s egg. The criterion for obtaining one was not being intellectually gifted but just being a child who could benefit particularly from the education at that school. It was commonly abused eg by middle class families who decided to pursue ‘the Good life’ living off their small holding, (bought by the Trust Fund,) so they had very little declared income while their 4 children had their school fees and travel paid for by the tax-payer. The clergy were massive benefificiaries but so were people running small businesses that didn’t make a profit in the years when their children were at school. I do know of a couple of really worthy cases – one an exceptionally bright lad from a deeply troubled background (parents in long stay mental health establishments, brother in a Young Offenders Institution) but, overall, it was no kind of substitute for the Direct Grant system.

      1. Of course Blair said that more would be done for talented children in state schools. Nothing was done.

        My younger son's fiancée has just been awarded her Ph.D. in Maths. She is a very intelligent young woman.

        When she was at her comprehensive school she was keen to learn French but in her first year she had 6 or 7 different French teachers, was unable to learn anything and so she dropped the subject.

        How many children's enthusiasms and interests are squashed by inadequate teachers in inadequate schools?

        1. In my second year at Grammar School we had 8 different maths teachers (a different one every lesson!). I am mathematically challenged anyway, but that didn't help.

    3. The way the politicians manipulated the people to say they wanted an end to Grammer schools (the best way for ordinary people to get on.)We neeeded more grammer schools not less.

  50. Did you never see him eating a bacon sandwich, Rastus…bet he's vegan now. Or try the banana one…

      1. It was Tommy Steele singing The Rain it Raineth Every Day in the 1970 televised production of Twelfth Night in which Alec Guinness played Malvolio, Ralph Richardson played Toby Belch, Joan Plowright played Viola and Tommy Steele played Feste.

        https://www.google.com/search?q=Tommy+Steele+The+Rain+It+Raineth+Every+Day&oq=Tommy+Steele+The+Rain+It+Raineth+Every+Day&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIHCAEQIRigATIHCAIQIRigAdIBCTE3NDA1ajBqN6gCALACAA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:6dd82621,vid:42FTiZzIvpU,st:0

    2. There is an irony there that the song "Singing the Blues" is not, itself, a Blues song.

  53. Strange, Starmers away, so milipede makes a very far reaching decision. Wonder if his boss knew?

    1. I haven't managed to post any photos here since I got this laptop at Christmas……. but i think I can do it from my phone.

      1. Whoa..how cool is that…just look at the power in that lioness…where were you, to take this?

  55. Could be, sos…what’s that saying about two cheeks of the same something or other…

  56. Three weeks ago I was a fit and healthy bloke playing bowls to a good standard and my wife was doing well recovering from a heart attack under certain restrictions.
    Today I am a cripple in constant pain and barely able to hobble with a stick. I can't do anything, even the washing up. My dear wife has to do everything. My bowls season is over so I can't defend my singles title although I won in the first round.
    Why? I have a trapped sciatic nerve. My GP referred me to a physio who gave some exercises to carry out. The first time I did them I was left screaming in pain. I have signed up for a three month course of chiropractic.
    Over the counter pain killers have been useless so I asked my GP for something stronger and she prescribed naproxem – equally useless. I will ask for something much stronger as the pain is dragging me down.
    We have employed a cleaner and a gardener and that is making the bank account squeal with pain.
    Nevertheless I will KBO!
    –

    1. My God, Delboy! That's awful! Hope you are well as soon as.
      Hope Mrs Delboy is not overloaded.

    2. That is a very painful problem. MH has suffered from that in the past, it completely incapacitated him.
      I hope you chiropractic sessions soon start helping.

    3. Very sorry for you. Try a Tens Machine for the pain. I use a Tens Premier Plus which is programmable. It worked on the trapped nerve in my neck.

      1. Many thanks, Phil. I have ordered the machine you recommend but unfortunately, after I had paid I was informed that it would be delivered on the 23rd July. I was expecting the usual 48hr delivery.

        2. You can still cancel/return that. See if you can get quicker delivery elsewhere. Amazon or Ebay maybe.

    4. I know it's absolute agony. My pain was only relieved by an operation, a double discectomy, and decompression of the sciatic nerve. Most pain control is not very effective and only oral morphine was of any use to me.

      1. That sounds … uncomfortable, Cobra. And how long did you have to wait for the op?

        1. In those far off days, about three months from scan to operation. The relief is indescribable!!

      2. I had intravenous morphine. I still remember its cool blue slide along my veins and the half hour of blessed relief.

        Unfortunately it then induced hours of vomiting. Not ideal when you've buggered up.a cervical disc…

        1. This is why I'm always sceptical about morphine being withheld because "it's addictive". The side effects are NOT addictive!

          1. Ha! You can say that again!! I learned the German for “Please may I have some more kidney bowls; I have thrown up in all the others” pdq…

            Mind you, that half an hour of relief was utterly heavenly. I can see how it would be addictive to those who dodge the side effects.

    5. What a strong spirit you have, Delboy. You'll get through and be the stronger for it, though that's not much help now. We're all behind you – KBO! xxx

      1. Thanks Lass. Apart from the current problem I am very fit and well. I will get through this , however long it takes.

    6. What a strong spirit you have, Delboy. You'll get through and be the stronger for it, though that's not much help now. We're all behind you – KBO! xxx

    7. I hope your chiropractor has come with strong recommendations, they can sometimes create other problems.
      Did the physio give any electronic treatment to reduce pain levels and did they initially supervise your exercises?

      1. Chiropractor was recommended and is excellent, sos. The physio was rather offhand, gave me the exercises and sent me on my way.
        I have come across ageism before. I am extremely fit for my age. When I was 83 I reported to my GP with a hernia and he told me I could live with it. I insisted that I wanted it repaired and I was referred to a surgeon in Southampton.
        He confirmed the hernia and said I could live with it. I pointed out that I was the Green Manager lifting builders' sacks of wet grass etc. I had the repair.
        I'm well beyond that age now and I expect to live into my nineties. there is an attitude in the NHS that it not worth spending time and money on someone of my age unless it is absolutely necessary.

        1. Not just at your age. I'm 60 and they won't operate on my squished disc or my Diverticular or my blood clot. And it seems i'm not entited to any help or money.
          I should change my name to Mohammed.

          1. I think Streeting has some idea about using Private Healthcare? Hope you get 2nd/3rd opinions, Phizzee. I've been in pain with sciatica, filled my every moment.

          2. I'm doing pain management which is all they advise. I could possibly go private with all three but it would wipe out my savings. And i need that money to maintain my debauched lifestyle :@)

            I found yoga helped with my neck and shoulder pain as well as using the Tens. Hope it works for you too.

          3. Good that works for you 🙂 A number of different types of yoga, some too energetic for my liking. Started out with Barbara Curry when I was younger, now Maiya Fiennes, bit more relaxing. We’re in a scheme with General & Medical, might be worth investigating at some point. Husband had quite a few private treatments – hip, prostate, eyes (he’s a Type 2). Very pleased to read you continue to have a debauched lifestyle 🙂

        2. Re: NHS very true, as I found with grandparents/parents, and expect to do so myself. I didn't bang any pots and pans, either:-) Very happy to read you made a full recovery.

    8. Delboy ,

      You are in a bit of a pickle , in fact you are in a terrible place at the moment .

      If your pain is severe and treatments from a GP have not helped, they may refer you to a hospital specialist for:
      painkilling injections
      A procedure to seal off some of the nerves in your back so they stop sending pain signals.

      https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/sciatica/

    9. Oh, Delboy – my heartfelt sympathies. Nerve pain is unspeakably awful. I was lucky enough to be operated on immediately when a disc collapsed (German healthcare at its best), but that short time was hell.

      I hope you get pain relief sorted pdq, and that they can operate. (The relief, for me, was so intense; the pain of the incision was nothing compared to the nerve pain – and they cut my throat to get at the disc in question!).

      2. Good grief, Katie…hadn't realised your experience, I am so sorry you had to go through that pain, much worse than mine. Hope you are fully recovered x

        1. Thank you! 100% (as far as that particular bit is concerned, anyway… 🤣).

    10. My full sympathies are with you, Del.

      I had terrible sciatic pain in during early 30s, brought on by a heavy fall on a pavement due to ice. The result was that I suffered a spondylolisthesis (a displacement of the vertebrae at L5/S1) which trapped my sciatic nerve and gave me years of intermittent pain. [I was also, at the time, misdiagnosed with having ankylosing spondylitis (this was eventually ruled out twenty years later, but that is by-the-by).]

      I received the best advice and treatment for my condition by asking my GP for a referral to the physiotherapy department at my local hospital. I was given some easy exercises that entailed me getting down on my hands and knees and flexing my back into an arch before relaxing it again. For me this treatment worked and I have seldom had any discomfort or pain from my sciatic nerve since.

      I understand that the referral system with GPs in the UK is not what it used to be but this is certainly an avenue I would explore if you are able to. Best wishes for a swift recovery.

      1. Many thanks, Grizz. I have received a lot of helpful advice from my chums on here.

        1. I do hope you're not going to be in pain for too long, Delboy – hassle your doctor till you get some action and relief.

    11. I have the same thing, fortunately chiro was 8 month waiting list so I did my own research online. Bob n Brad exercises made pain much worse (couldn't put my heel down for pain, great difficulty walking), but then I found Dr Charlie Johnson – at that time new to YouTube and foc now charging as he's become popular. It really depends on the cause of your sciatica, most of the exercises are for loosening the muscle/nerve which only makes the pain worse. The exercise I found on his site was for a weak muscle/to strengthen it. If you find the exercises you're given either don't work/make the pain worse, I can recommend doing your own research. Good luck, Delboy. PS try not to take too many pain killers as I did, not good for digestion….

        1. More than welcome. We lean on each other 🙂 Mind me asking what’s the stomach protection pill, please ?

          2. I am prescribed Lanzoprazole for hiatus hernia/stomach acid reflux symptoms. It cuts down the amount of gastric acid you produce, but I understand it can also prevent limit absorption of some vitamins and minerals etc. It might be worth asking whether you should take some kind of supplements.

          3. Hi lass. I take Omega 3, Vitamins B12, D and Calcium. Also Lutein 10mg for an eye problem. I rattle at times.

          4. Hallooo Del (where are my manners?!)

            As long as the Lanzoprazole doesn't lead to depletion of other more common vitamins, etc. Del. Do you think you might be able to pop in at Pip's party in August – I'm not sure where you live?

          7. I would be delighted to pop in and say hello to everyone depending on my mobility.

          9. The email I've got for you doesn't seem to be receiving – have you changed it? I should be grateful if you would kindly just confirm on private email what your current contact is, please.

          10. Hallooo Del (where are my manners?!)

            As long as the Lanzoprazole doesn't lead to depletion of other more common vitamins, etc. Del. Do you think you might be able to pop in at Pip's party in August – I'm not sure where you live?

          11. I am prescribed Lanzoprazole for hiatus hernia/stomach acid reflux symptoms. It cuts down the amount of gastric acid you produce, but I understand it can also prevent limit absorption of some vitamins and minerals etc. It might be worth asking whether you should take some kind of supplements.

    13. When my son was about 2, i went to draw the curtains in his nursery and ended up with a trapped sciatic nerve. I’m afraid it took a very long time for the spasm to go down. I do hope it doesn’t take so long for you; i know how debilitating and painful it is.

    1. The 'origins' of the attacker, are surely his father's scrotum and his mother's uterus.😉

    1. I may have got the wrong end of the stick here but are you suggesting that as a reward for his promotion he gets to 'up Mr Campbell'?

      1. I urgently need some mind bleach, St King. I can't imagine even the most perverted of our resident perverts wishing to perform this feat, except as a War Crime, which i suppose would be Karma.

    2. DM also reporting Pelosi supporting Biden removal, obviously made her next pick, he'll be gone before he knows it….

    3. How many times did Mandelson have to "step down" from his official posts? Talk about unflushable turds – how many more will Starmer return to the pan?

      1. Mandelson's face has always reminded me of a Noh mask. The eyes are empty, black. cold as interstellar space. The man is, in my opinion, a Machiavellian embodiment of unadulterated evil. Yet another contender for the position of AntiChrist.

  59. When it cannot get any worse –
    The revered Mark Carney (yes that one, ex BofE governor, UN climate guru) is rumored to be in line to replace the totally ineffective Christia Freeland as Canadian Finance Minister.

  60. Just passing through. Feeling really poorly. It's all the sunshine….

    Shock yesterday. Called into Lidl to stock up on their 74% dark chocolate. A year ago they were 59p a bar. Yesterday = £1.09…..

    World shortage or bloody labour government?

  61. Little Mary was not the best student in Sunday School. Usually she slept through the class. One day the teacher called on her while she was napping, ”Tell me, Mary, who created the universe?”
    When Mary didn’t stir, little Johnny, an altruistic boy seated in the chair behind her, took a pin and jabbed her in the rear. ”God Almighty !” shouted Mary and the teacher said, ”Very good” and Mary fell back to sleep.
    A while later the teacher asked Mary, ”Who is our Lord and Savior?” But Mary didn’t even stir from her slumber. Once again, Johnny came to the rescue and stuck her again. ”Jesus Christ!” shouted Mary and the teacher said, ”Very good,” and Mary fell back to sleep.
    Then the teacher asked Mary a third question, ”What did Eve say to Adam after she had her twenty-third child?” And again, Johnny jabbed her with the pin. This time Mary jumped up and shouted, ”If you stick that damn thing in me one more time, I’ll break it in half!”

    1. As one who lived just across the boundaries of both Croydon & Lewisham I've said for years that they are war zones. Nice to have it confirmed – even nicer to have moved away!!!

      2. Don’t count you chickens. One of my in-laws lives in east Sussex. Near her house there is a recent development of very small houses, squashed next to each other with barely room to erect a rotating clothes dryer in the back garden. These houses have, maybe unsurprisingly, failed to attract buyers. The upshot is that Croydon will be taking them over as social housing.

      1. He believes his own lies. His kind are taught to lie, and no doubt forget what truth actually is.

        1. He is just so loathesome. How can people vote for him? He also appears to be constantly stoned out of his brain.

          1. Because, sadly, many people are either terminally thick or terminally brainwashed by a stone-age set of beliefs.

      1. 2nd Place Lewisham:

        British (White English, Welsh, Scottish, or Northern Irish), compared to 41.5% in Lewisham as a whole, 44.9% in London, and 79.8% in England. Among those not White British, the three most common ethnicities are White Other (15.5%), Black African (9.8%), and Black Caribbean (7.7%).

        Ist Place Croydon:

        The largest ethnic group in Croydon is people who identify as White* (48.4per cent), followed by people who identify as Black (22.6per cent), Asian (17.5per cent) and 7.6per cent of people who identify as from mixed or multiple ethnic groups.12 Jan 2023

        * I suspect that includes a significant proportion of 'White Other'

        In my lifetime Lewisham has gone from I would say 95+% British White to the present 41.5%

  66. Biden’s gaffe has ruined months of our hard work, say European officials. 12 July 2024.

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/912f10abf1d10eec4e56caf25553c1ffe66d508158c21ac5f21f0dd5c61312e1.png
    When they realised what he had just said!

    The consensus amongst diplomats and officials who spoke to The Telegraph, and were granted anonymity to speak more freely, was that it took less than a minute to change the narrative of an entire summit.

    The sources realised they would be forced to read about the gaffe on tomorrow’s front pages instead of stories of their successes.

    These people are our enemies.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/07/12/joe-biden-gaffe-europe-nato-putin-zelensky-trump/

        1. That’s a bit of a tall story but I shall remain conservative and not labour the point by becoming a reformed animal. However, I’ve been so liberal with my diet recently that I’ve consumed all the greens

      3. Looks like a cross between a camel and a leopard.

        Ah yes, of course, its a camelopard.

      1. Nothing would surprise us would it Bob3…internet has a nasty habit of ferreting info out though…

    2. MOD can say what it likes, as far as Zelensky is concerned permission has now been given by a higher authority.

      1. I suspect that the rebuke is from Civil Servants rather than military personnel in the MoD, in which case the Prime Minister should tell them that they are subject to the decisions of the elected government. Irrespective of the political persuasion of the government, it was elected by the people, and Civil Servants should do as they are told and not what they think they should do. Whether or not in the EU or in the UK, unelected Civil Servants have far too much power, often against the interests of the government or the population.

        1. This is true but if Zelensky (good Russian name, that) decides to use British weapons to strike Russia, whose address should we give Vlad for the retaliation?

          2. Berlin, Paris, Washington DC?? Seriously though, there are few militaries in the world that use only weapons that they have produced indigenously and Stormshadows are a small part only of the Ukraine armoury. Russia has big enough problems as it is without going to war with another enemy.

        2. Whilst I agree in principle, doesn’t there come a point where the civil servants have a duty to put the interests of the country before those of grandstanding politicians, where the politician is ignoring what has already been agreed?

          Provoking direct conflict with the Russians does not strike me as being in the best interests of the country.

          1. Stuff duty – doctors have a duty to do no harm. Our politicians, snivel serpents and many of our medics are just despicable tw@s.

          2. Duty seems to be a passé concept.
            I still like to believe there are people who put duty first when necessary.

          6. The answer is “No, there does not come such a point”, otherwise it becomes carte blanche for Civil Servants to justify whatever it is they want do. If Civil Servants feel so strongly about a government decision, they should resign and take the same sort of actions that we all have in a democracy – write to their MP, lobby the media, seek others of a similar view and, in the final analysis, engage in civil protest. Personally, I do not think that providing Stormshadows to Ukraine and allowing them to be used against Russia is against the interests of the UK but I accept that others view the situation differently. This forum is awash with complaints that Civil Servants worked to oppose the previous government on issues such as Brexit and immigration but I bet that they would all say that they were all doing in the interests of the country.

          7. EDIT The civil servant should have the obligation to point out the fact the politician is acting inappropriately.

            Resignation is the appropriate action if nothing is changed.

            However, are you really suggesting that civil servants should not point out to politicians that what they are doing is illegal or contrary to what was signed in a mutually negotiated agreement?

            By that token you are suggesting that elected politicians can do whatever they please, irrespective of the law.

          8. Of course a Civil Servant should offer advice to politicians but this was reported as being a public rebuke. No, elected politicians are not above the law but I am not aware of this mutually negotiated agreement that you cite.

    1. Thanks ogga. Getting the cut of Labour's jib with each and every day. Dixon the Disgraceful.

    2. Labour have already shown their commitment to this. Circular slammer tells us he is intending to release more prisoners.
      And I think we already know what that means.

      1. Scrub round imprisoning Law Breakers, gaol their victims.

        Crimes will not then be reported by the MSM.

        Before long, their will only be 'crims' remaining on the streets and the innocents will be in a 'safe haven' ie prison

        1. I’ve long had the impression that most pensioners would be better off in prison.

          1. Mother is in prison. She's free to leave, just incapable. And it's very comfortable, kind staff, good food… but still waiting for God, in a nice prison.

          2. My father in law Durham Light Infantry, was captured in Belgium and kept as a POW for 5 years in Poland. He suffered early dementia and was shoved into an old mental hospital near St Albans.
            Later some sort of ‘care’ home.
            In his more lucid moments he would ask what have I done to deserve this
            I felt so sorry for him.

          3. I’m sorry about your Father-in-Law, Eddy. That’s hard. “Old mental hospital” sounds bleak and for containment, rather than comfort. A friends Father is now so demented he attacks his wife, and bit her quite savagely recently. That’s also hard, that. The dementia, the assault.
            Mother is away with the fairies most of the time. When I call, she doesn’t recognise me, and is always waiting for her Father to take her to her Aunt’s place for tea. Occasionally, it’s my Father she’s waiting for, and wants to terminate the conversation quickly so as not to delay him (Father died in 1997).
            It’s a nice, clean, kind home, with kind staff, and stonking great bills. MOther needs looked after, so what can we do? Can’t bring her to Norway, don’t have the facility or the time to care ourselves, and so choices are limited.

  71. Please be reminded that all day-to-day business must cease by 6pm today and Shabbat lasts until sunset on Saturday.
    Sir Kneel of Rotherham with his family need to make a dash to the synagogue for services.. and rather you didn't mention it to the splinter groups within Labour.. namely; Gaza terrorists, Islamists, Trade Union leaders and the Corbynistas.

    Shavua Tov.. שבוע טוב

    1. Friday Night Dinner should begin at sunset, which will be about 9.15 tonight. Which Nottler is hosting?

    2. A lonely blind snake and a lonely blind rabbit accidentally bump into each other in the desert, and get talking.
      The snake explains how, having no friends and being blind, he has no idea what he is. The rabbit agrees and says this is also his problem. "I know!" says the snake, "let's feel around each other and see if we can at least tell each other what we are".
      Rabbit agrees, saying "You go first".
      The snake slithers all over the rabbit saying "Hmm, you're very furry, long ears, cute little scut of a tail – I know, you're a rabbit!".

      Pleased. the rabbit says "Me next! and starts patting the snake with it's little paws.
      "Hmm. Well, you're cold and slimy, erm, slithery, forked tongue, don't seem to have a backbone – I've got it, you're French!!

      1. A downer on snakes. They're not slimy and have very long backbones, the French on the other hand…

        1. Sorry, mola, forgot that the Fish Community might object to the cultural appropriation

        1. Whitegate Farm in Suffolk make delicious cheeses: Suffolk Brie, Suffolk Blue-Brie, Suffolk Blue Cheese and Suffolk Gold.

          1. Thank you for that. My redline is on how much the postage costs so i shop around. Not the sort of thing you buy in bulk!

          2. Farm shops in and around Suffolk and North Essex sell these cheeses but their stocks do not last very long. There is one last traditional grocer in Colchester, Guntons, in Culver St West who has stocked Gold and the Brie. They're expensive but make a nice treat once in a while.

          4. We buy Tunworth and other English soft cheese from The Pantry at Baythorne Hall at Baythorne End near Wixoe.

            We also buy English cheese from the Willow Tree Farm Shop at Glemsford (situated on the main road between Cavendish and Long Melford).

          5. We buy Tunworth and other English soft cheese from The Pantry at Baythorne Hall at Baythorne End near Wixoe.

            We also buy English cheese from the Willow Tree Farm Shop at Glemsford (situated on the main road between Cavendish and Long Melford).

  74. "Human remains found in two suitcases near the Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol are believed to be those of two adult men, the Metropolitan Police has said.

    The force said its officers had taken over the manhunt for the suspect after it was discovered he had travelled from London to Bristol earlier the same day.

    A crime scene is now in place at a location in Shepherd’s Bush, west London, the Met said."

    What's wrong with the River Thames? Why travel 100 miles to achieve the same result?

    1. A photo of the suspect has, astonishingly, appeared on the MSM. I say astonishingly, because guess what colour he is? (Clue: his life matters)

          1. Lewis only looks like a chimp. That's a gorilla. Oh hush my racist mouth……………..

      3. Yes but he is black. If they thought he was a muslim as well they wouldn't have published the pic.

    2. Presumably the victims were either Bristolians or else lived there. The Metropolitan Police probably identified the black man from the published CCTV images. Just guessing.

  75. Turkish gang boss linked to shooting of Hackney girl is assassinated. 12 July 2024.

    She was having dinner with her family at Evin’s restaurant in Hackney when shots were fired from a motorbike.

    One of the intended targets is believed to be a member of the Hackney Bombers who had previously been shot in the neck by a possible Tottenham Turks member.

    Ahhhh. The wonders of Diversity.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/07/12/turkish-gang-boss-assassinated-moldova-shooting-girl-london/

        1. A relative Kray lived on the estate where we lived, by Milwall Dock. You could leave your car unlocked. nobody stole anything – except once, some cassettes were nicked from my old Mini. They were returned later that day, with an apology – the lads were "just practising", apparently.
          In the flat above us, there were some niggahs who playe very loud reggae all night. We were offered to have the stereo taken out with a shotgun… the niggahs soon left when they understood the way the wind was blowing.

          1. One of my memories of living in New Cross (also a war zone) in the seventies was ubiquitous MILLWALL graffiti. Opposite our art student squat it said MILLWALL, then it said
            BRICKWALL
            I honestly had no idea whatsoever what the Millwall bit meant and thought it also to be the work of nascent surrealist wags

          2. I wasn’t far from there myself though the other side of the river. Baltic Quay, No1 Sweden Gate. The building even featured in an advert for Ford. Vans i think.

            Full of single mothers and junkies now.

            The Kray’s fixer Frankie someone i think always visited the same restaurant. They always had a table for him of course and it was said he was polite and kind to the staff.
            If you were in competition with them you got the rough stuff.
            Ordinary mugs were quite safe.
            I remember watching a prog about Peter Cook and the Establishment Club. He said he had a visit from the Kray’s asking if he required extra security.
            He pointed out to them there was a police station just a few doors down and it wouldn’t really be needed. They left peaceably.

            Compare then to now and that slimeball Khan says London is safe.
            I won’t be going again even though some of my favourite restaurants are there.

          3. As I recall, it was “Mad” Frankie. Violence personified but well controlled.
            And yes, if you didn’t mess with them, they were quite pleasant. Bugger them about, or try to compete, well…

          4. I was going to say that at the time the police were corrupt and were paid off. Erm…Typically in certain pubs not only gang members went for a pint but so did journalists and Coppers.

            The only way to know what was going on.

            There was never any type of disorderly behaviour in the Father Redcap.

          5. I once has some of the same people next door. In theory they were educated, husband in computing and wife a nurse at Harefield. Very loud music so that the floors vibrated. Why are they so loud and so inconsiderate?

          6. They want you to experience them without the bother of chatting, cooking and entertaining. Selfish basically.

      2. Have you watched the film starringTom Hardy, I think some panned it, but not me 🙂

          1. W….e…ll….probably depends on how much you like T Hardy, but I did enjoy it, the other characters are well-acted I thought. Hardy plays both twins. Likely on Netflix or similar.

  76. We are being far too soft on incompetent teachers – and the militant unions that indulge them
    For all the evidence of the damage wrought by lockdown on children, their needs are still deprioritised in favour of spoiled adults
     https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/07/12/we-are-being-far-too-soft-on-incompetent-teachers/

    The worse the teachers are the happier the Labour politicians will be!

    The majority of teachers are well to the left of centre except in the despised independent schools where the more successful they are the more despicable they are!

    BTL

    Labour Party politicians want people to fail – and especially they want intelligent middle-class people to fail.

      1. Yes, I posted on this article but made a different point – that I was not sure how long I would have wanted to stay teaching in a rough school.

        My point here is more cynical and prompted by the BTL. Do Labour politicians want to employ incompetent teachers because they want children to fail no matter the backgrounds from which they come!

    2. The Labour Party wants people educated sufficiently to know where to put the X but not sufficiently to challenge the dogma.

  77. Orban says Trump’s ‘going to solve it!’ during Ukraine ‘peace mission’. 12 July 2024.

    BELOW THE LINE.

    Kenny Andrew, THIS COMMENT HAS BEEN REMOVED.

    Memphis Raines.
    Reply to Kenny Andrew.

    Debate hasn't been shut down, it’s just been comprehensively lost by those who try to argue that Ukraine somehow provoked current events. The arguments are so preposterous and demonstrably false that nobody reasonable buys them.

    Lol. Kenny had just said there was no point in advocating any argument since it would be censored. It was. I myself limit my comments to a couple of lines. If you try to go beyond that and it looks like you are making sense and it contravenes the Globalist Narrative the “Moderator” will axe you

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/07/12/hungary-viktor-orban-donald-trump-ukraine-peace-russia/

  78. Orban says Trump’s ‘going to solve it!’ during Ukraine ‘peace mission’. 12 July 2024.

    BELOW THE LINE.

    Kenny Andrew, THIS COMMENT HAS BEEN REMOVED.

    Memphis Raines.
    Reply to Kenny Andrew.

    Debate hasn't been shut down, it’s just been comprehensively lost by those who try to argue that Ukraine somehow provoked current events. The arguments are so preposterous and demonstrably false that nobody reasonable buys them.

    Lol. Kenny had just said there was no point in advocating any argument since it would be censored. It was. I myself limit my comments to a couple of lines. If you try to go beyond that and it looks like you are making sense and it contravenes the Globalist Narrative the “Moderator” will axe you

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/07/12/hungary-viktor-orban-donald-trump-ukraine-peace-russia/

  81. This one is Truffled. Not sure yet. I bought two. My neighbours both have birthdays in July so one of those and a 35 day aged 450gm Sirloin. That will kill two birds with one stone.

    1. Brie with stuffed with a creamy summer truffle is excellent as is brie stuffed with creamed apricot and rosemary.

      1. Harry Kobeans lived in Truffle country. Couldn’t wangle any out of him though even though i was prepared to pay ! I suppose he thought it would be like taking coals to Newcastle. Though they could probably do with them now !

        1. He visited us and brought some summer truffles.
          Absolutely delicious.

          The only Nottler I have met.

          As far as I am aware.

        2. The south of the county (Shropshire) has a truffle farm, Pip. They do mail order.

  82. A quintessentially English momental Bogey Six!

    Wordle 1,119 6/6
    ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜
    ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜
    ⬜🟩⬜⬜🟩
    ⬜🟩⬜⬜🟩
    🟨🟩⬜⬜🟩
    🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

    1. A very dodgy word and I also made a few silly errors.

      Wordle 1,119 5/6

      ⬜⬜🟨⬜⬜
      🟨🟩⬜⬜⬜
      ⬜🟩⬜⬜🟩
      ⬜🟩⬜⬜🟩
      🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

      1. Wordle 1,119 5/6

        ⬜⬜🟨⬜⬜
        ⬜⬜⬜🟨⬜
        ⬜🟩⬜⬜⬜
        ⬜🟩⬜⬜🟩
        🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

    2. Little better.

      Wordle 1,119 5/6

      ⬜⬜🟨⬜⬜
      ⬜⬜⬜🟨⬜
      🟨🟩⬜⬜⬜
      ⬜🟩🟩⬜🟩
      🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

    3. It was a long trip to today's answer.

      Wordle 1,119 6/6

      ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜
      ⬜⬜⬜🟨⬜
      ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜
      ⬜🟩⬜⬜⬜
      ⬜🟩⬜⬜🟩
      🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

      Basically I only had a few letters left to chose from.

    4. A real toughie, I expect a lot of casualties on this – amazed to skank a 5!!

      Edit; Looking around – did anyone do better than a 5 on this one??

      Wordle 1,119 5/6

      ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜
      ⬜⬜🟨⬜⬜
      ⬜🟨⬜⬜⬜
      ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜
      🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

      1. Close.

        Wordle 1,119 6/6

        ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜
        ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜
        ⬜🟩⬜⬜🟩
        ⬜🟩⬜⬜🟩
        ⬜🟩🟩🟩🟩
        🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

  83. $90 million Biden donations frozen.
    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/07/12/joe-biden-us-politics-live-obama-trump-election-2024/
    Donors are withholding $90 million in funding to the Democrat party unless Joe Biden pulls out of the race. The money is on hold at the biggest pro-Biden political action committee, Future Forward, sources told the New York Times. It comes as Axios reported that there was a “donor strike” building, in which key donors are diverting funding into congressional races and away from Mr Biden.

    Plans are underway by critics of Mr Biden to push him out of office amid renewed calls for him to step aside after a Nato press conference in which he referred to Kamala Harris as Vice President Trump. Some of Mr Biden’s closest allies from his long career, including Barack Obama, are also said to be concerned about him staring in the race. But Mr Biden’s team gave a robust defence of the president overnight and appear to be digging in to keep his campaign alive.

      1. It is civil war with the Conservatives and look what is happening.At least the response in France is robust !

    2. The puppeteers are in danger of revealing themselves. Not that we don't already know.

    3. That's a lot of moolah…add to others who may be thinking of doing the same will put pressure on Biden. We'll see.

          3. Who just self-identified as both a woman and black 😂 We can do nothing other than open the popcorn, sit back and enjoy the end-of-times show – we're all doooomed anyway 🤣

          4. All this is eclipsing his recent announcement that he is the "first black woman to be President of the United States".

  85. Off topic
    Someone was commenting on the thread about heights and mentioned the James Bond film with the Golden Gate scene.
    By coincidence the film is on this evening on ITV 4 at 8pm UK time.

    2. So sorry you are a bit off colour. Have you considered multivitamins daily. Particularly the entire B group.

    5. 1 Timothy 5:23 King James Version (KJV)

      "Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities."

      Or a wee brandy, Bill!

  87. 389680+ up ticks,

    They interviewed a top ranker prisoner governor and said we have 10,000 foreign prisoners why can we not deport them to serve their time in home country and free up prison places, he replied that then other countries would do the same to us.

    I could never believe that we have ever had 10000 Brits in any
    foreign civilian jails at any one time, that interview was at 5 PM radio four.

    Why the reluctance to kick them out to me, means they have some use for them here.

    1. The Turkish gang boss of Hackney chose to serve his sentence in Turkey.. out within months.. back to Blighty to ply his trade.

    1. It’s pure dogma over common sense.
      I know that common sense isn’t very common but millipede is a danger to the human race.

    2. Huge Ego, Megalomania and Low Intelligence: Miliband is a dangerous politician.

      1. Spending your entire life in politics should automatically disbar anyone from standing as MP.

    2. I thought for a second that someone had photoshopped one of Trudeau's blackface moments.

      2. Nope, Trudeau is in sulking after his telling off by the nato bigwigs.

        what is more, after his last two trips to places south, the village idiot wouldn't show his face there.

          1. There’s a difference between an arse and what comes out of one.
            He’s the latter.

        1. Sorry, Stephen. Best we can hope for is he stays behind the curtain. If his Institute is anything to go by, he intends to have influence for a very long time. Checkout the website, have the sickbag to hand….

  90. Dear Diary.
    12th. July, 2024.
    When walking Spartie, I had to wear a lightweight jacket. And keep walking; no hanging around while every blade of grass is checked out.
    We now have the heating on.

    1. Nice here. Lovely sunny evening, about 22C.
      Creaky as a bastard: too much bending whilst grouting tiles. Hopefully fixed in the morning…

        1. Me. How is it, when one has short legs, the ground is so far away?
          I'm built for sitting, not kneeling or bending.

          3. When you start getting old, your body starts making noises.. "Oooff! as you kneel down; Aargh as you stand up..". (c) Billy Connolly.

      2. Won't there be the tiles clean-up tomorrow, Ober…or have you roped someone else in to do that….

        1. Nope – we fix everything.
          That's why I'm so creaky, not used to this stuff.

    2. Oi, woman!
      Toughen up.

      50 years ago you'd have been going out to the pub, not sitting at home with the heating on!

      };-))

    3. How old is Spartie, anne? I have a 14 year old dog and a 12 year old dog…they both sniff the whole time we're out..getting their d-mail….

  91. There's been a lot of "press" about the wedding of some wealthy Indians
    Why do they invite slebs, politrats, and other scumsters?
    Are the expecting backhanders, influence, big presents?

    1. It is the norm in India to believe one's own bullshit. Very sweet, but not conducive to realism.

    2. Its all about back scratching. It is they way business is done in most parts of the world.

    3. Think that would be Hindu (likely arranged) marriage, sos? Quite a number are very wealthy, so ..yes…

      2. Definitely arranged. There's no way that lovely young woman would willingly marry that fat, oily slob otherwise. Daddy is the richest man in India – apparently. The guests, ghastly Blairs included, all look as though they are going to an Indian-themed fancy dress party. And to think we laughed at Trudeau and his family dressing up as Indians for an official visit all those years ago – while his hosts wore western suits 😂

        1. I think a good number are still arranged, especially if wealth involved. I didn’t see any photos, will take your word for it:-) No wonder Blair is there, follow the money – never talks, it swears. Hopefully Trudeau shuffling off at the election and replaced by Poilievre. Dismal political scene UK right now, Labour in government with the idiot Milliband and his green nonsense. Dark days (and nights) ahead – amount of available leccy reduced/maybe even rationed. Can only hope not as bad as I fear. How are things with you, news a bit quieter last couple of days…ready for th’Olympics?!

          1. Last week very hot, I’m always quiet when it’s hot :D! Today much cooler though. The Johnsons are also at “that” wedding” btw. Yes, things generally not looking great are they? Especially the green nonsense. Can you make any sense of buying in oil and gas when the UK has plenty of her own? I can’t!

          3. Pretty cool here, so much so I actually did some gardening today, of a fashion, planted a couple of jasmine in tubs. M-i-l visited recently, bought me a lovely cream rose, a climber so tied that up too. And sweet peas forging ahead but no buds as yet. I did not see it reported Boris & Mrs attended too but they’re basically cut from the same cloth so no surprise. It’s crazy, surely even the one we refer to as ‘Millibollox’ must see it, how could he not…raises suspicions of what’s really going on. UK politics in a dire state, don’t know anyone on or off-line who still has faith in any party.

          4. I remember you told me M-i-L was visiting from AUS for about a month. Hope it all went well?
            Yup, they are all on the gravy-train aren’t they? Hopefully it is heading at great speed for the buffers 😆 Lots of talk about how tasteless this four-day £400+million pound wedding is in a country where the gap between rich and poor has never been wider.
            French politics in an even more dire state than UK if that can be imagined! Spending a lot of time on my French news-feed which is fascinating. Even the normally supine publications are getting nervous, especially about the Olympics….

          5. Was great we spent a lot of time together, a lot in common. I got her to laugh a lot too and I miss her now. She has asthma and only just getting over flight. Hope I’m half as good at 90! The gravy train been choochooing a long time …even if this one crashed likely another come along. Seen a few photos of Macron recently, might have been selective but looks a bit anxious – possibly about his upcoming swim in the Seine?🤢 enjoy your feed/s..let me know anything good? ‘Night PJ hope to see you soon if not tmrw (gang all here..noise level high 🤯)

          6. Yes, I’ve seen the gang all in action 😆 Night KJ. Hopefully see you tmrw 🙂

          9. Me2, they have time to be more structured, more members, more support. They actually have a sizeable under 30s vote and I hope they build on that, they need to. Hope you slept as well as possible, SirJ 🙂

          10. Agreed with your sentiments, Kate. Another night of full-on wakefulness but I hope to catch up today.

          11. Thanks Sir J. Are you saying you sleep daytime? My husband does that, then still awake very late into night so doesn’t get the solid 8 recommended by ‘experts’…

          13. Yet Thames Water have a desalination plant, built at considerable expense, which they refuse to use because the cost of doing so would far exceed what OFWAT would allow them to charge.

  92. I've baked 6 medium size loaves this afternoon.
    two white, two wholemeal two granary. I can't wait for my weekly bacon and egg sandwich in the morning. Nice crusty white Bloomer slices.
    England ladies playing football tonight Against Ireland. They seem to have so much more commitment than the males.
    I'll bid you all goodnight.

  94. Evening, all. Not long back from my Hunt's puppy show. I am pleased to say that I picked out the winners before they were announced. Got me a lot of kudos with my friends 🙂 I noticed the attendees were all "hideously white" and smart. Men in suits and panamas (the hunt servants were in bowlers, of course, and the kennel huntsmen in immaculate white coats). A lot of ladies braved the cold to don summer dresses. Rural England at its best in my view. We were all, understandably, concerned about Starmer and his hangers on with their spiteful ignorant agenda.

    My guess is Starmer and his wrecking crew won't do anything useful, but they'll throw a lot of taxpayers' money at the NHS problem (then wonder why there is no improvement).

  96. King to set up ‘hidden’ solar farm at Sandringham
    Monarch given planning permission to install 2,000 panels to help power royal home, with portion supplied to National Grid
    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/royal-family/2024/07/12/king-solar-farm-sandringham/

    I gave up referring to our current monarch as The Idiot King when his illness was announced.

    But I am sorely tempted to resume using the old sobriquet.

    I know he has lost his marbles but can't somebody tell him that the world needs carbon dioxide without which trees will die and he will have nobody to talk to or to hug.

    Somebody ought also remind him that Net Zero is a complete scam which may enrich his friends at the WEF and Gates and Soros but it will ruin the lives of everybody else.

    1. King Charles III puts me in mind of Joe Biden. Every decision he makes is plainly wrong, every opinion he holds is perverse to the point of absurdity and his entire life has been of privilege and mega grifting whilst his humble ‘servants’ suffer.

      If Royalty cannot get their act together and align with the views and aspirations of the people it would be better if they just removed to another country for all the good they have done and the harms they have promoted.

      The constant acceptance of rewarding political and corporate scoundrels with MBE, OBE, CBE and myriad other honorific gongs for doing sod all but making our lives a misery, stealing from us and profiting at every turn is now simply too much.

      Our late Queen Elizabeth II at least denied the Satanist Blair creature from gaining an elevated knighthood in her lifetime. Her death allowed her idiot eldest son (the rest of them-bar Anne are also idiots) free reign to backtrack and reward every crony recommended by the corrupt state and politicians.

        1. In a similar vein I watched the racing at Newmarket today. I was aggravated to see Dido Harding, she of the Talk Talk fiasco of personal customer information leaks, the idiotic Covid App and countless other errors in her ‘public service’ being interviewed on ITV 1.

          Apparently this useless charlatan has now secured the chairmanship of one of Horse Racings most prestigious bodies.

          My wife says she is obviously a woman Freemason as such eminence and reward for abject failure is reserved for just a few as is the case in the Courts and the Judiciary generally and in local and District Council hierarchies and of course the Police.

          Before anyone comments I am aware that Dido Harding was at one time a jockey.

  97. also, I am ashamed for missing “BoyntyBoyntyBoynty Sixteen hundred and noyntee” day yesterday.

    In happy remembrance of my Manchester days.

    1. Carol and I took a trip to Frinton on our Wedding Anniversary yesterday. I confess I was not keen since the last time I visited Brightlingsea and places such as Great Yarmouth I witnessed tardiness, neglect and decay. Sure enough we stopped off at Walton on the Naze.

      The pier at Walton extends a distance into the sea, the sheds sitting above the pier, which is the only way in which I can describe them, have corrugated asbestos roofs and exhibit deep neglect and deterioration despite a few coloured lights at the otherwise uninviting entrance. At same entrance is a lone designated parking space occupied by a black Maserati top of the range vehicle which I presume is that of the pier owner or operator.

      I have rarely been so depressed at the utter degradation of my country as I witnessed yesterday. Of course the roads on our journey to the coast were in a dire state with multiple potholes and surface degradation.

      My question is how we can have voted for a government proposing to send £3 billion pounds per year to Ukraine in perpetuity yet justify this offensive allocation of our resources (much of it presumably borrowed from the money markets) whilst its citizens, born here and having paid taxes all of our working lives, have to endure this shit.

      The final insult was when we purchased two small bottles of mineral water from a seafront kiosk. Each small bottle cost £1.50.

      1. I always remember Walton as having a better (i e sandy) beach than Frinton. I haven't been for decades. I left Essex in 1985 and haven't been back since.

        1. Yes Walton has a great sandy beach. Frinton is a little better in that the beach houses are less dilapidated and more easily accessible than those at Walton.

          The tide was in on our visit yesterday afternoon. Some were bathing but I would never enter such putrid waters with so much debris as we saw.

          A few years ago we had access for a day to a Frinton beach hut. We enjoyed the occasion and ate simple food (frankfurters in bread rolls with mustard and green salad).

    2. My reply to the initial post, Maggie:

      "…and I've lived it since 1944 until Labour started to muck it up in 1997 and are now completing the job. Hands off my Britain."

  100. And that's me off to bed.
    Camping gear loaded into the van so will be leaving to head down to see daughter in Basingstoke Sunday, stopping overnight en route, possibly in Adderbury, and spending a couple of days seeing people in Hampshire.

    Goodnight all.

  102. Good Night, chums. Sleep well, and I hope to see you all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed early in the morning.

  104. Wes Streeting is showing more disturbing signs of normality. He intends implementing the Cass Review recommendation on puberty blockers by making the permanent the Tories' temporary ban.

    Labour moves to ban puberty blockers permanently

    Wes Streeting to agree with Tory ruling on powerful drugs for under-18s as party toughens stance on trans issues

    Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary, intends to stop powerful hormone blockers being given to children via any means, subject to the outcome of a legal hearing.

    Laws to ban the blockers being supplied to children by private or off-shore clinics were passed by Victoria Atkins, his predecessor, in emergency legislation ahead of the general election.

    But these are due to expire on Sept 3 and the new Government had to decide whether to pass a law to make it permanent. It is understood Labour will now seek to renew the ban with a view to making it permanent.

    But the decision to ban the drugs is being challenged in the High Court by the Good Law Project and TransActual, an activist group, with a hearing beginning at the High Court on Friday morning.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/07/12/labour-ban-puberty-blockers-permanently-trans-stance

    Yes, that's the Good Law Project of one Jolyon Maugham, the kimono-wearing, fox-murdering Remainer of Olde London Towne.

  106. Another day is done so, I wish you a goodnight and may God bless all you Gentlefolk. If we are spared! Bis morgen früh.

    1. 'Morning, Geoff and thank you for all the work and effort you have put in to keep us all going. Well done!

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