Saturday 21 August: We need to attend to the countries that have provided the Taliban with money and support

Posted on by Geoff Graham

An unofficial place to discuss the Telegraph letters, established when the DT website turned off its comments facility (now reinstated, but not as good as ours),
Intelligent, polite, good-humoured debate is welcome, whether on or off topic. Differing opinions are encouraged, but rudeness or personal attacks on other posters will not be tolerated. Posts which – in the opinion of the moderators – make this a less than cordial environment, are likely to be removed, without prior warning.  Persistent offenders will be banned.

Today’s letters (visible only to DT subscribers) are here:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/2021/08/20/letters-need-attend-countries-have-provided-taliban-money-support/

611 thoughts on “Saturday 21 August: We need to attend to the countries that have provided the Taliban with money and support”

  2. Biden’s withdrawal from Afghanistan calls for a renewed Atlantic alliance. 21 August 2021.

    Surely this century’s global experience of Islamism, including that of Afghanistan, provides multiple proof of threat. Fanatical hatred, with a worldwide web and mass migration to spread it, can overcome the lack of sophisticated armouries and conventional state actors. It can produce fear in well-established democratic societies and collapse in weaker ones.

    Morning everyone. The West’s defeat in Afghanistan will provide a powerful surge in morale to Militant Islam. They will be enormously emboldened. This is particularly serious to the UK which not only has a large pool of latent Jihadists but also the most Traitorous and Cowardly politicians that have ever sat in Westminster. When Push comes to Shove they will surrender faster than the Afghan Government!

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/08/20/bidens-withdrawal-afghanistan-calls-renewed-atlantic-alliance1/

      1. ‘Morning, Johnny.

        That’s getting off lightly; we have a forecast of heavy rain all afternoon.

  6. mng all. the DT letter strapline’s the right question which didn’t require DT letters given everyone knows it’s US and Saudi. The Islington Wine Cellar take the opportunity to “vent their spleen” to steer the perception narrative on topics of their interest. “Lord Spithead” penned some scribbble following more seafaring trials on the Serpentine, among others:

    SIR – After 20 years out of power in Afghanistan, the Taliban have shown themselves well enough equipped to wage a successful military campaign. Should not the rest of the world be concentrating on the sources of their funding and support?

    For instance, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, with a background in terror and violence, who is expected to be the next president, has been living in Qatar – the host of the World Cup next year.

    What is going on? Where is the money coming from, without which the Taliban could not have re-emerged and caused the horror we are witnessing now.

    Arthur Bayley
    Tyldesley, Lancashire

    SIR – Looking at the map it can be seen that Afghanistan is ringed by more powerful Islamic states. It is hardly surprising that its people have chosen not to stand as a beacon of democracy.

    Ramon Gardner
    Cambridge

    SIR – Wouldn’t it be the height of hypocrisy if the ultra-Islamic Taliban got into bed with China, which is persecuting and killing Muslims on its own territory?

    John Lovibond
    Banbury, Oxfordshire

    SIR – Nick Timothy (Comment, August 16) is undoubtedly right to claim that Pakistan’s military intelligence had a hand in creating the Mujahideen, some of whom became the precursors of the Taliban.

    In this endeavour, however, it was actively assisted by the West in the belief that fundamentalist Islamism would be an effective bulwark against the Marxist presence of the Soviet Union in Afghanistan.

    This proved to be true, but it has spawned not only the Taliban but also extremist Islamist movements all over the world. The biblical adage that if you sow the wind, you will reap the whirlwind has again been shown to be correct.

    Rt Rev Michael Nazir-Ali
    Oxford Centre for Training, Research, Advocacy & Dialogue
    London W1

    SIR – Britain’s initial invasion of Afghanistan was to neutralise the international terrorist threat that emanated from that country after the September 11 atrocity.

    As Commander in Chief, I addressed 3 Commando Brigade at Bagram just before its opening actions against al-Qaeda. I was amazed at the scale of terrorist training camps and indeed laboratories in Afghanistan trying to produce anthrax. We badly damaged al-Qaeda and drove the remnants into Pakistan in short order.

    We must be clear that the most important issue for Britain as we look to the future is that Afghanistan doesn’t again become a haven for international terrorism. In the debates in both Houses on Wednesday, the Government did not make clear how, in conjunction with our allies, we are planning to ensure this doesn’t happen.

    Admiral Lord West of Spithead
    London SW1

    SIR – Boris Johnson has said we are doubling our aid to Afghanistan to over £280 million this year. The Foreign Secretary previously explained that the highly corrupt Taliban would need to show reform before receiving our aid. Which is correct?

    Dr Janet Voke
    Monks Risborough, Buckinghamshire

    SIR – I’m nervous about anything that this Government calls “world-leading”. The response to the Afghan crisis, as defined by Priti Patel (Commentary, August 18), is no exception.

    Apparently, this Government is now showing Europe and America the moral way forward.

    Leaving aside the fact that the Prime Minister and his Foreign Secretary were both on holiday as the West’s policy in Afghanistan disintegrated into chaos, how can it possibly be, given many months of media talk over the need for safe passage for those 
who have helped Nato forces, that we are now reliant, according to Vice Admiral Sir Ben Key, on the Taliban giving their consent (report, August 18)? World-leading shambles, more like.

    Tim Coles
    Carlton, Bedfordshire

    SIR – Ben Farmer reports on the plight of Afghan Special Forces (August 19). Could we not adopt the Gurkha model and integrate these units as a separate force into the Special Forces Support Group?

    They are battle-hardened veterans used to operating in extreme conditions. Our interest in Afghanistan has not ended – we will continue to conduct covert operations in the region for years to come – so why not avail ourselves of this opportunity to recruit the best people available?

    Julian Roberts
    Westbury, Wiltshire

    SIR – Afghanistan is Joe Biden’s Rhineland, and it is to be feared that Taiwan will be his Czechoslovakia.

    Alan Duncalf
    Bampton, Devon

    SIR – August is invariably the month chosen for radicals to execute political change. Our governors and senior civil servants desert their desks for country pursuits or the beach in August. Yet chaotic events occurring in August abound when perpetrators presume no one is in charge. Chaotic consequences ensue – the First World War, coups in Russia, and now Afghanistan.

    Ministers and senior civil servants should be obliged to change habits, and guarantee that Whitehall is not left deserted in August.

    Elizabeth Marshall
    Edinburgh

    Harry Kane’s goal

    SIR – You report (Sport, August 18) that Harry Kane, the England and Tottenham Hotspur centre forward, is displeased that his club has not acceded to a transfer bid for him from Manchester City.

    He could close the gap in valuations by forgoing half of his prospective salary from City over the next four years. He would have to get by on only £10 million a year, but surely it would be worth it to achieve his goal.

    Perhaps, though, he has been influenced by the Telegraph’s player ratings after Tottenham – without him – yet again defeated City last Sunday.

    David Elstein
    London SW15

    Care-staff shortage

    SIR – As you reported (Business, August 18), in the pursuit of high-quality and sustainable growth, a lack of suitable staff is one of the most severe issues an economy can face.

    Sadly, it is also one with which those of us in the social-care sector are all too familiar. Our industry has a vacancy rate of nearly 10 per cent, meaning that for every 10 staff we need, we are short of one full-time carer. Due to increasing life expectancy, this shortage is only expected to worsen.

    Martin Jones
    Trustee of Age UK, CEO of Home Instead
    Warrington, Cheshire

    Cycle path perils

    SIR – Dorset council must be congratulated on building a cycle path that is usable (report, August 19).

    In the past few years of pedalling along Britain’s “cycle routes” I’ve been expected to ride through trees and fences; carry my bike over railway sleepers; squeeze into narrow cycle lanes next to car doors that might suddenly be flung open; and even 
been directed into oncoming traffic 
on the A4.

    Until cyclists can feel confident that routes won’t take them on an obstacle course, many will stick to the roads.

    Martin Gorst
    London W13

    Race and the royals

    SIR – When the Duke and Duchess of Sussex say they want the Queen to “own”the racist allegation (report, August 19)
    they really mean that they want her to “own up”. They are not
    interested in compromise, but only in the Royal family accepting their
    “truth” as the whole truth.

    David Hadden
    Ardingly, West Sussex

    SIR – Twenty years ago my daughter married a Brazilian of colour. When she was pregnant, the family openly speculated as to the likely skin colour of their children. This was natural curiosity, certainly never perceived to be racist, and no one took any offence. Both grandchildren, who are different shades, are equally loved.

    It is deeply unfortunate that the woke world latches on to racist allegations when none are intended.

    David Hutchinson
    Nutley, East Sussex

    Don’t blame Butterfly

    SIR – If Welsh National Opera and Professor Priyamvada Gopal wish to have a swipe at the British Empire (Letters, August 20), Madam Butterfly is the wrong choice. Better would be Lakmé by Delibes, depicting an affair between a British officer and a young Hindu woman, at the height of Empire.

    Michael Porter
    Birmingham, Warwickshire

    SIR – I must correct an error in my own letter (August 19). The Puccini opera performed with two endings in the 1980s was not Madam Butterfly but Turandot. My main point remains.

    Ann O’Brien
    Leeds, West Yorkshire

    Talking cat

    SIR – I share David Pilcher’s sense of bliss regarding his feline co-habitee (Letters, August 20). When I don’t hear my wife properly and ask “What was that?” she frequently replies: “I’m talking to the cat.”

    Tim Bradbury
    Northwich, Cheshire

    Why skateboarding beat squash to the Olympics

    SIR – Edward Tomlinson (Letters, August 17) wondered why squash is not an Olympic sport, and Graham Clifton (Letters, August 19) thought that it might be because television viewers would not see the ball.

    The technology to make the ball visible to a camera (Letters, August 20) has existed since 1996 and was used in ice hockey so viewers could follow the puck. As to why squash is not an Olympic sport: first, it is great to play but boring to watch – and even people who have played it for years don’t understand the rules.

    Secondly, the International Olympic Committee wants to boost spectators and revenue – hence the inclusion of speed climbing, surfing, skateboarding and, in Paris 2024, kiteboarding. To have a chance, squash would have to change.

    Rodney Symington
    Jomtien, Chonburi, Thailand

    Please hold the line, we’re trying to connect you

    SIR – It is not only the DVLA that are hiding behind “Covid cover” (Letters, August 20). I have so far logged six hours attempting to speak to someone at
    British Airways, despite having been assured on countless occasions that I’m being connected to a “live customer service expert”.

    Roy Hodgson
    Little Brington, Northamptonshire

    SIR – Over the past 18 months I have had difficulties with Transport for London (denied that I had an account), Lloyds Bank (bounceback loan), BT (claimed the account hadn’t been paid) and Lockton Insurance (ditto). The people I spoke to were all “working from home”.

    Peter J Robinson
    Lichfield, Staffordshire

    SIR – Having been assured they are exceptionally busy but that my call really matters to them, I cannot express how gratified I am to learn that they are doing everything they can to help me. I presume picking up the phone might be too simple a solution.

    Tim Baker
    Petersfield, Hampshire

  7. I was only thinking earlier about the difference in the politics of the past to the politics of today.
    In the past we were always promised ‘jam tomorrow’ at least that gave people some hope.
    Today’s politicians only promise us certain ‘doom and dystopia tomorrow’, they take away all hope.

      2. The President of the United States, Joe Biden, has announced that he is convening a virtual summit on December 9 and 10, 2021 to defend “Democracy”. Three main themes will be discussed: “defending against authoritarianism, fighting corruption and promoting respect for human rights”. During the meeting, the leaders present will commit themselves “to improving the lives of their own people and to addressing the greatest challenges facing the world”. This will be followed by a second summit in 2022, at which leaders will report on progress made relative to their commitments.

        Utter Bumf! If the West were remotely Democratic we would not be in the mess we are now!

      3. Just tried to post that on Tw@ter and it was rejected because the link is “Harmful”.

    2. As they ban things and take liberties away, they assure us that it’s for our own good because they have foreseen the even worserer things that are looming in the future. One suspects that, somehow or other, they will be alright, Jack.

      1. 337006+ up ticks,
        Morning C,
        When they can say in ALL honesty the peoples
        consent gives us leeway to operate then who can
        argue ?

          1. 337006+ up ticks,
            Morning AWK,
            It is acting as a salve for a bad conscience, tells me I am on target though.

    3. 337006+ up ticks,
      Morning B3,
      Some vows,promises,pledges were fulfilled though, besides HOPE is fickle look at the damage it has done to these Isles these last three decades alone via lab/lib/con supporter / voter HOPE addiction.
      Just about crippled the Country and they AIN’T finished yet.

  8. Could this be stephenroi’s long lost uncle?

    Falkirk, Scotland

    https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/aa0072542f928f4c23701405a4d72371cbe107a6/0_0_3500_2389/master/3500.jpg?width=720&quality=85&auto=format&fit=max&s=1a33e1ff2939448b47ea4ab87546ad3a
    Michael Stanley, known as Major Mick, with his homemade boat Tintanic II on the Falkirk Wheel boat lift. The 80-year-old retired army major plans to row 100 miles on rivers, canals and open water to raise money for Alzheimer’s Research UK

  9. 337006+ up ticks,

    Morning Each,

    Brother can you hum that tune again, in a covert manner the United Kingdom must be near top of the list.

    Even without the misguided political input the followers of terrorist fashion
    within the United Kingdom, building daily under the tories (ino), must add a tidy sum to the coffers.

    Sadly this is going to end in pikes or prayer mats and going on the past usage of the polling booth and halal fodder on the parliamentary menu,
    the prayer mats have it.

    Saturday 21 August: We need to attend to the countries that have provided the Taliban with money and support

  10. UK in race to evacuate Britons and Afghans as Biden sets rescue deadline. 21 August 2021.

    Boris Johnson said the UK would have to ‘manage the consequences’ of the US withdrawal.

    He and Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte agreed any recognition of a new Afghan government should not happen on a unilateral basis, according to a Downing Street readout of their phone call.

    Mr Johnson hinted that the UK could be willing to work with the Taliban “if necessary” to “find a solution” after 20 years of military engagement.

    The defeated do not set the terms of their surrender!

    https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/boris-johnson-joe-biden-prime-minister-afghanistan-president-b951703.html

    3. ‘Morning, Minty.

      I read that as ‘the defecated’. Really must get some new glasses.

        1. “There are more things in heaven and Earth, Horatio,
          Than are dreamt of in your philosophy “

    4. The defeated do not set the terms of their surrender!

      Nor do they write the history. However, being politicians they will spin like out of control tops to try to retain some credibility. The Taliban have a belief system, evil though it is, that is unshakeable even in the face of modern powerful nations. The politicians of the powerful nations do not have a belief system for the nation’s they represent, their sole purpose is self advancement and enrichment. Running Ruining their countries is a means to an end.

      1. 337006+ up ticks,
        Morning KtK,
        Sad to say they have continuing herd support,
        there lies the regular returning rub.

  11. SIR – Dorset council must be congratulated on building a cycle path that is usable (report, August 19).

    In the past few years of pedalling along Britain’s “cycle routes” I’ve been expected to ride through trees and fences; carry my bike over railway sleepers; squeeze into narrow cycle lanes next to car doors that might suddenly be flung open; and even 
been directed into oncoming traffic 
on the A4.

    Until cyclists can feel confident that routes won’t take them on an obstacle course, many will stick to the roads.

    Martin Gorst
    London W13

    BTL:

    Tom Archer 21 Aug 2021 1:31AM
    Martin Gorst

    Cyclists have three things in common:

    1) They pay no taxes for their use of the roads

    2) They constantly expect public funds to be spent for their exclusive benefit

    3) They never – ever – undertake fundraising exercises to improve cycling facilities

    Other road users are therefore disinclined to see you as saints – just selfish parasites..

    1. mng, supplementary to opening line: in reality “Martin Gorst” is actually on the Dorset Council and desperate for his ego to be rubbed whilst posing to mail a communication from a shed or bus stop in Acton

    2. I’m a casual cyclist and detest cyclists’ attitudes and behaviours as much as the next man. I’ll listen to them when they show to pedestrians and other road users the same respect they demand from others.

      However, in their defence, they do pay taxes in the form of VAT, unless bought through a company bike scheme, and they do negligible damage to roads. The £500+ VAT my neighbour recently paid on his bike will more than cover his share of cycle schemes.

      The real scandal is how poor the roads are because the government takes some £50bn in direct motoring taxes each year but spends only around £10bn on roads. After allowing for commercial vehicles, that’s over £1,000 per car that the government takes in direct motoring taxes to spend elsewhere. Add in VAT on cars, parts and accessories and that figure rises towards £1,500 each year.

      1. There is also VAT on vehicle insurance, IIRC, but all these motoring taxations go into the general tax melting pot; they are not ring-fenced.

      2. ….and why aren’t bells compulsory….?
        I hope you have one.
        I’m fed up with cyclists on paths, coming up behind walkers and overtaking them without any consideration.

    1. Morning Bob. Heavy rain expected! I’m going to make an early foray to the Supermarket in the hope of avoiding the worst!

  14. Alexei Navalny: UK sanctions for seven Russians over poisoning. 21 August 2021.

    The UK is imposing asset freezes and travel bans on seven Russian nationals linked to the poisoning of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny.

    As their world disintegrates around them the Elites seek to make ever more enemies! One is reminded that one of the last flights into Stalingrad was a load of prophylactics!

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-58284833

  15. 337006+ up ticks,

    Adhering to the same voting pattern WILL without doubt guarantee these proposals are in fact awaiting a starting date, the DOVER daily intake will
    guarantee it.

    Construction of the “Badlands” will commence.

    Dt,
    Chilterns and Cotswolds earmarked for national park status
    Government launches review on expanding and protecting Britain’s parklands, including proposals for so-called ‘national park cities’

    Read that as high rise with window boxes.

    1. and plan to shift surviving fake elites out of major conurbations and handing over existing city / town properties to those arrived / arriving c/o Mr Symonds’ 21 Century Operation Dynamo invasion

  16. The Biden machine has lost all grip on reality. 21 August 2021.

    Joe Biden is failing faster than any President in American history. His administration has lost its grip on reality, if it ever held it. The world’s most powerful military is exposed as impotent and incompetent. And we’re only eight months in.

    The chaos on the ground in Afghanistan, the casual betrayal of NATO allies, and the high-speed collapse of America’s global standing all stem from the same tainted source. This administration refuses to face the facts – including the fact of its own ineptitude. It is staffed by Ivy League wonks, think-tank smart-Alecs and unworldly snobs who know best. It is led by a Vice President who has vanished, and a part-time President whose utterances appear delusional.

    And that’s the good news! The truth is that the whole Biden administration is based on lies. A stolen election and a program of Cultural Marxism. Is it any wonder that it is falling apart?

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/08/20/biden-machine-has-lost-grip-reality/

    1. Yet as with here, people vote tribally. I imagine the effort now won’t be to accept responsibility and move forward in an organised fashion, but to frantically spin that this is Trump’s fault.

      1. 337006+ up ticks,
        Morning PA,
        Unless / until it reflects in an anti nation manner as with the pillow whisper & the United Kingdom.

        1. ‘Morning, O.
          I don’t think the Macrons’ domestic habits represent a threat to national security. But, OTOH, they might.

          1. 337006+ up ticks,
            PA,
            Same with the United Kingdom, when shortly those
            “domestic habits ” morph into compulsory burkas the herd will finally recognise what for years they have been supporting / building.

          2. In between bouts of copulation Nut Nuts and Boris Johnson talk to each other and she tells him what to do.

        2. ‘Morning, O.
          I don’t think the Macrons’ domestic habits represent a threat to national security. But, OTOH, they might.

  18. Not so long ago the JCVI had doubts about “vaccinating” children and adolescents, there then followed the removal of the doubter-in-chief and within two weeks all doubts evaporated and the young are to be jabbed. Who could possibly believe that the jellies on the JCVI will rebuff the political pressure from the government led by Johnson? The jabbing is politically inspired and little or nothing to do with health. Anyone in doubt should research Ivermectin and other powerful anti-virals that have been banned from use during the “pandemic”. Only the jab will save us is the politicians’ mantra: the only flaw in that argument is that the jab is not fulfilling that function and evidence is growing that it is having the opposite effect as predicted by independent doctors, scientists etc.

    https://twitter.com/hughosmond/status/1428640672341499904

    2. Well, here’s two old farts who won’t be taking any boosters.
      We’ve done our bit and our grandchildren are still not leading what would be considered a free life.

      1. I know three, one who still suffers from fatigue post jabs, another who has suffered two strokes post jabs and the latter’s wife.

        All those who believed the “vaccine” will set you free stories surely will not fall for the same old line a second time. We’ve had lying politicians forever but this cabal have taken it to another elevated level.

        1. I still have a question mark in my mind over MB’s myocardial infarction – a fortnight after his jab.
          We are convinced he had the C19 a year earlier in Jan. 2020, so was the clot already circulating? Did the jab cause an extra large clot or merely give wings to a complication that was the result of the infection?

  19. Blindingly Obvious
    A blind man interviews for a job as a quality controller at the local wood mill. The manager calls the blind man into his office and asks him how he expected to do this job since he was blind. The blind man replied he would do it by smell. The manager decides to test him and places a piece of wood in front of him.

    The manager asks, “What is it without touching it?”

    The blind man replies, “That’s a good piece of fir.”

    “Correct,” says the manager, “now try this one.”

    “That’s a bad piece of willow,” says the blind man.

    “Correct,” answers the manager. With that, the manager decides to play a trick on the blind man. He got his secretary to lift up her dress and put her crotch in the blind man’s face.

    “I’m confused,” says the blind man, “Can you turn it around?” The secretary turns around and puts her arse in his face.

    The blind man says, “Oh, you’re trying to fool me! But I know exactly what kind of wood that is. It’s the shit house door off a tuna boat!“

  20. No great surprise….BTL on Charles Moore’s article

    Francis Forbes
    21 Aug 2021 8:24AM
    ONE FOR HISTORY BUFFS THAT I BET YOU DID NOT KNOW

    In 1975, President Ford was left to manage the difficult ending of the Vietnam War. President Ford went to Congress for a relief package to allow American personnel and our allies to evacuate. However, there was ONE US SENATOR who opposed any such support. The result was the embarrassing and hurried evacuation from the roof of the American embassy in Saigon

    This senator reveled in the embarrassment and did everything he could to leverage it politically against Ford. Despite the efforts of this U.S. Senator–President Ford managed to rescue 1,500 South Vietnamese allies prior to the country’s fall. Had President Ford not acted quickly, these people would have been targeted and slaughtered for their support for America . When they arrived in America , President Ford asked Congress for a package to assist these refugees to integrate into American society.

    That SAME troublesome SENATOR TORPEDOED ANY SUPPORT for these shell shocked, anti-communist, Americans and our helpers, the refugees.

    Instead, President Ford had to recruit Christian organizations to offer assistance on a voluntary basis. As he did so, the Senator belittled those efforts. What kind of person would oppose President Ford’s tireless work to do the right and humanitarian thing? Who would want to play politics with the well-being of innocent people who stood by America in the tragic Vietnam War?

    THAT SENATOR WAS JOE BIDEN

    1. Little wonder that the pruriently putrid senile idiot is keen to draw everyone’s attention away from Saigon. He had blood on his hands then and now has set about assisting his friends in the Taliban with their Macbethian project of incarnadining the multitudinous seas making the green one red.

    3. Ye Gods! What a vile apology for a human being. He didn’t have dementia as an excuse then either. Although I had not heard about it before, I soon guessed the obstructive senator would be Dementia Joe. Shocking too that just one person could stop the then president’s plan to action a humanitarian evacuation.

  21. https://www.bbc.com/news/health-58270098
    Is catching Covid now better than more vaccine?
    There are marked differences in your immune system after a natural infection with coronavirus and after vaccination.

    Which is better?

    Even asking the question bordered on heresy a year ago, when catching Covid for the first time could be deadly, especially for the elderly or people already in poor health.

    Now, we’re no longer starting with zero immunity as the overwhelming majority of people have either been vaccinated or have already caught the virus.

    It is now a serious question that has implications for whether children should ever be vaccinated. And whether we use the virus or booster shots to top up immunity in adults. Both have become contentious issues.

    “We could be digging ourselves into a hole, for a very long time, where we think we can only keep Covid away by boosting every year,” Prof Eleanor Riley, an immunologist from the University of Edinburgh, told me.

    Prof Adam Finn, a government vaccine adviser, said over-vaccinating people, when other parts of the world had none, was “a bit insane, it’s not just inequitable, it’s stupid”.

    The anatomy of immunity
    We need to understand a little bit about the key building blocks of both our immune system and the virus it is attacking.

    The power-couple of the immune system that clears the body of infection are antibodies and T-cells. Antibodies stick to the surface of the virus and mark it for destruction. T-cells can spot which of our own cells have been hijacked by the virus and destroy them.

    For all the trouble the virus has caused, it is spectacularly simple. It has the famous spike protein, which is the key it uses to unlock the doorway into our body’s cells. And 28 other proteins that it needs to hijack our cells and make thousands of copies of itself. (For comparison it takes about 20,000 proteins to run the human body).

    There are four key areas to compare vaccine and natural infection with the virus.

    Breadth
    How much of the virus the immune system learns to attack

    You get a broader immune response after being infected with the virus than vaccination.

    Whether you’ve had Moderna or Pfizer or Oxford-AstraZeneca, your body is learning to spot just one thing – the spike protein.

    This is the critical part of the virus to make antibodies to, and the results – by keeping most out of hospital – have been spectacular.

    But having the other 28 proteins to target too, would give T-cells far more to go at.

    “That means if you had a real humdinger of an infection, you may have better immunity to any new variants that pop up as you have immunity to more than just spike,” said Prof Riley.

    Strength
    How well it stops infection or prevents severe disease

    We know there have been cases of people catching the virus twice (re-infection) and of being vaccinated and catching Covid (known as breakthrough infection).

    “Neither gives you complete protection versus infection, but the immunity you get from either seems to protect you pretty well from serious illness,” said Prof Finn, from the University of Bristol.

    Antibody levels are, on average, higher about a month after vaccination than infection. However, there is a huge gulf in antibodies between those who are asymptomatic (who don’t make very much) and those who get a severe bout of Covid.

    The biggest immune response comes from people who caught Covid and were then vaccinated. We’re still waiting for data on what happens the other way round.

    Duration
    How long does protection last?

    Antibody levels have been shown to decline over time, although this may not be important for preventing severe disease.

    The immune system remembers viruses and vaccines so it can respond rapidly when an infection is encountered.

    There are “memory T-cells” that linger in the body, and B-cells remain primed to produce a new flood of antibodies on demand. There is evidence of immune responses more than a year after infection and vaccine trials have also showed lasting benefit.

    “In terms of durability, we’re still waiting to see,” said Prof Peter Openshaw, from Imperial College London.

    Location
    Where in the body is the immunity?

    This matters. There is a whole different suite of antibodies (known as immunoglobulin As) in the nose and lungs, compared with those (immunoglobulin Gs) that we measure in the blood.

    The former is more important as a barrier to infection. Natural infection, because it is in the nose rather than a jab in the arm, may be a better route to those antibodies, and nasal vaccines are being investigated too.

    Prof Paul Klenerman, who researches T-cells at the University of Oxford, said: “The location of an infection makes a difference even if it’s the same virus, so we would expect important differences between natural infection and vaccines.”
    Where does this leave the balance between more vaccine and virus?
    There is clear evidence that adults who have not had any vaccine dose will have stronger immune defences if they do, even if they have caught Covid before.

    But there are two big questions:

    do vaccinated adults need to be boosted, or is exposure to the virus enough?
    do children need vaccinating at all, or does a lifetime of encountering build a good immune defence?
    The idea of regularly topping up immunity throughout life is not radical in other infections, such as RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) or the four other coronaviruses that infect people and cause common cold symptoms.

    Each time you’re exposed, the immune system gets a little bit stronger, and this continues until old age, when the immune system starts to fail and the infections become a problem again.

    “This isn’t proven, but it could be a lot cheaper and simpler to let that happen than spend the whole time immunising people,” said Prof Finn, who warns we could end up “locked into a cycle of boosting” without seeing if it was necessary.

    However, he said the argument in children had “already been won” as “40-50% have already been infected and most weren’t ill or particularly ill”. There are counter-arguments. Prof Riley points to long-Covid in children, and Prof Openshaw to nervousness around the long-term effects of a virus that can affect many of the body’s organs.

    But Prof Riley said there was potential in using vaccines to “take the edge off” Covid, followed by infection, to broaden the immune response.

    She said: “We really need to consider, are we just frightening people rather than giving them the confidence to get on with their lives? We’re close to just worrying people now.”

    Of course, with cases continuing to rumble on, there may not be much choice.

    “I’m wondering whether it’s inevitable,” said Prof Klenerman, as if the virus continues to spread then “there will be this ongoing boosting effect”.

    1. Frightening people? Isn’t that what the Beeb has been doing for the last 18 months? Why stop now?

      1. dWell here’s a conspiracy theory – with the Americans showing how abysmally weak they are, our government realises that being shunted back into the EU-pharmaglobalism by what would be the losing side in a war with a traffic island is not in their best interest (- they never gave a damn about ours).
        They realise that China and Russia will need a trading partner and representative over in Europe and have decided to kick in with the perfidious-Albion-go-get-the world mentality that gave us the British Empire and that this covid terror ain’t what will produce the spondoolies.

        I know I’m fantasising but, you know, give me a break.

    2. 337006+ up ticks
      O,
      Just to be clear you DO NOT jab kids
      using them first & foremost as experimental type units,
      period.

    3. Last summer there was no vaccine against Covid 19

      Last summer we ran five weeks of courses.

      This year we have the vaccine.

      This year we have had no students with us at all.

      What a wonderful thing the vaccine is because: not only does it destroy small businesses but it also does not stop you getting Covid but it also does not stop you passing the virus on to others.

      Ain’t life grand!

      1. Reading articles and watching presentations from truly independent experts they are clear in their assertion that the “vaccine” compromises the body’s innate immune system. Now why would anybody design a “vaccine” that would do that?

        Note: all the current “vaccines” being used in the UK deliver the spike protein, the system of delivery differs but the result is getting the spike protein into the body.

    4. Babies and children nowadays are treated like pin cushions.
      I do wonder if the upsurge in allergies and general snivelly conditions is the result of over-vaccination.
      How much artificially introduced ‘immunity’ can immature immune systems really take?

      1. Children getting dirty produces more natural immunity from disease that all the vaccines in a Wuhan lab. But, now a days, children getting dirty is a no no. No doubt if some eagle eyed authority was to track you down for having dirty children they would be taken into “care”.

    5. Well listened to the usual schpeel from the two ‘experts’ on BBC breakfast TV, I have already decided that I will not have a ‘booster’ jab as by my estimation they are admitting that the ‘vaccine’ is ineffective. One expert stated that because every one is different in make up the vaccine might have different effects, strangely enough the vaccines given to us a youngsters many years ago had an effect as in Polio and ECG and others.
      If as the expert claimed every one is different what is the point of a booster and how can a person catch covid
      if they have been already been vaccinated ?
      It looks as if the alleged 3000 people it was supposedly tested on, were all different as well and it didn’t work effectively. Because it’s not a vaccine and it was a bit of a rush job in a panic situation. So the booster is not the same as the original, but what exactly is in that ?
      After my proven health (certified by the cardiologist) disturbances after the two jabs, i’m certainly not have another one.

  23. Why everyone should resign. Spiked 21 August 2021.

    Then there’s the small matter of the 20-year war in Afghanistan itself – this project of nation-building, cooked up by politicians, military men and think-tankers in DC, which came to a humiliating and bloody end this week. The new state they built fell over in a matter of days. Meanwhile, the venture cost tens of thousands of civilian lives, failed to put a stop to al-Qaeda and Islamist militancy, and cost the United States more money than it spent rebuilding Europe after the Second World War. Raab and his equally bungling counterparts only presided over the inevitable crack-up of this hubristic, damned project.

    Whether or not a more hands-on Raab could have saved a few more lives is an important question. But it is one that is almost impossible to answer. The government has a point when it says that at the time when Raab should have been calling up Kabul the Afghan state was already disintegrating. He certainly wasn’t the only one caught napping over Afghanistan. What we have seen in the past few days is the collapse of a doomed project of the Western expert class and political elites made even worse by the rank incompetence of those people.

    Raab probably should resign. But so should everybody else responsible for this human catastrophe.

    It’s worth pointing out that these same people have brought the UK to the brink of destruction!

    https://www.spiked-online.com/2021/08/20/why-everyone-should-resign/

    1. Mornng Minty

      What I want to know is why do so many Afghans hold Britsh passports .. They are waving them around in the crowds , hundreds of them, how do we know the passports are not cloned..

      Another thing is , if these so called interpreters are on our side, how do we know they weren’t leeching info to the Taliban , and how very strange that the Taliban arrived and took over so quickly.. I bet they were just lurking in the shadows , and with one phone call they just pounced .. The opportunists have always been there in the background .

      WE should trust no one .. That is how Britain coped during WW2.

      2. Last thing I read, some time ago, was that there were around 400 interpreters. If families are included that might be around 3000 in total.
        These translators were traitors to their country. They were paid by Western governments occupying their country by force.
        There may be an argument by the softies of the left that we should allow them to come to the UK to avoid the inevitable punishment by an incoming government. But that should not include citizenship. Nothing more than leave to abode that cannot be inherited.
        No one else should be allowed to come here. There is no possible justification for it.

    2. 337006+ up ticks,

      Morning AS,

      May I add The politico’s / parties the lab/lib/con coalition did NOT lack support, again,again,& again.

      This under the nasal gripping / best of the worst brigade
      voting mode.

      NO attempt to change, NO recognition of the so bloody obvious fact that lab/lib/con were in name only.

    3. Amazing how the PTB can pick up a naughty quoting of a real dog’s name (RIP Ni88er 1943) but cannot find out what Islamic insurgents are doing within our borders or those of hostile states.

      1. Indeed so. We routinely see photos of muslim gangsters, rapist and terrorists in our news they are, of course, working alone. They and their plans and their deeds are unknown to their mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, friends and relations. So there is no need for the police and security services to question their mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, friends and relations in respect of their knowledge, support, involvement and protection of these vile criminals, is there, Mr Assistant Commissioner Basu*? (What exactly do you do?)

        *Other anti-terrorist chiefs are available, e.g. https://www.gov.uk/government/people/mike-smith

    4. Poor Raab. Apparently having a few days break from the utter madhouse that is the UK Government. Why should he have phoned his “counterpart” in the Afghan government? To let a phone ring unanswered in an empty office in a deserted building? Not doing so suggests a level of understanding and self-confidence that the rest of the Cabinet would do well to try to emulate.
      By the way, who exactly do his critics think was his “counterpart” in Afghanistan. It is highly likely that whoever, such as Abdullah Abdullah, would be in a different country, such as Qatar, let alone sitting in an office in Kabul waiting for the phone to ring.

      1. The idea that Raab could have made a difference with a telephone call is absurd.

        It is the Left wing media wanting someone to blame, rather than to acknowledge the real, fundamental problem.

    5. I’m not disputing the debacle but I think this statement needs to be qualified, “and cost the United States more money than it spent rebuilding Europe after the Second World War”.

      I mean, I can buy a loaf of bread and it will have cost more than my grand mother spent on bread in a week after the second world war.

      1. Yet everything is more expensive these days. We keep ahead of it by mass production, but in reality, life is more expensive. Why? Taxation. Inflation (which is down to tax) has soared in recent years due to regulation and policy. Much is down to fuel and energy taxes and rationing, a lot down to an explosion in population and more mouths to feed and a sharp rise in the cost of housing – again, caused by the state making property scarce, then fixing the price. The remainder is business taxes which are passed directly on to the customer.

        My father raised 3 of us on his income. The same salary these days would lead to a struggle. The fault is government policy. The state is deliberately making us poorer.

    6. The entiretty of Afghanistan, from the outset was a disaster. With the MoD desperate for FRES, a vehicle designed for the cold war, with no mine protection, heavy armour and a small escape hatch – a vehicle that wasn’t even ready and needed to be designed, let alone built had our soldiers in sodding landrovers. Landrovers. That’s like going in to battle in a blasted tutu.

      The only thing I’ll give Brown is that he bought the Foxhound chassis using emergency funds. Finally our IED casualty count started falling and kids stopped bloody dying.

      Then we had helicopters that couldn’t fly – because the MoD is fwording incompetent. It didn’t think, didn’t prepare, had no concept of parts, mechanics or operational environment. A bunch fo pen pushers followed their procurement guidelines to the letter and no one with a brain stopped them – likely no one with a brain was involved in the buying decision.

      The evacuation was probably ordered by Biden, but because that waste of a brain had torn up so much of Trump’s policies – out of spite, desperate to get his own way – he ignored that the majority of it was good. Then his generals invented a plan on the spot, ignored the other international forces fighting there and as a consequence, we got chaos.

      Afghanistan is a prime example of the problem of big, stupid, fat government: incompetence, laziness, apathy, absolute detatchment from the purpose of it’s work, adherence to process and procedure over good practice, conntinually making the same mistakes over and over, obscenely long communications lines which when necessarily circumvented cause problems. Masses of money all spent on the wrong thing simply because it’s there to spend, not because it’s needed.

  24. In the Telegraph letter the individual picks on Qatar but, apart from money, they are not important. The real supporters of the Taliban are Pakistan and China. It will be interesting to see if the West wakes up and tackles either of those countries. We could, at least, back India in its fight against the Pakistani’s, that would be very useful. For a start, the Pakistanis have no right to be in Kashmir. At partition a deal was made about the Princely States and how their rulers would be free to chose either Pakistan or India. Kashmir picked India. Neutralizing Pakistan also neutralizes China’s threat in that part of the world. And, at the same time, we should be backing India new policy which now officially recognizes Tibet as a sovereign country under Chinese occupation. It would not take that much to encourage the Tibetans, I know that as a matter of fact. And, as fighters, they are certainly superior to the Chinese. As I pointed out a little while ago. When the Chinese attacked Indian troops in Ladakh, June of this year, it was Tibetans in exile who are now Indian nationals who took revenge and thoroughly thrashed the Chinese, killing 100 of the ‘little emperors’. Those of us who really study the matter know that China for all its bellicose rhetoric is really a paper tiger.

    1. I’m interested to see how China’s feely touchy approach to Mohammedanism goes down in AfGaff.

      1. Yuan, $$$$, ££££, not getting involved in other States’ internal affairs, religion. John’s post zeroes in on failing Western “capitalism” model. Pakistan as nuclear power are supported by US and a priority, not Afghanistan

      2. The Taliban are obviously not stupid. I’m sure they are happy to take Chinas money with one eye on what they are doing in Chinese Turkistan. Pure pragmatism on the Taliban’s part with an understanding that they are dealing with the enemies of Islam.

          2. What about the opium fields? While we are used to the use of opium derivatives for leisure purposes they are also useful for medical treatments.

          4. Well… yes. Why else do you think we bothered?

            The problem? The state is so obsessed with green that it needs those materials to continue it’s demented ideology. If it chose to go with that pointless, ineffiicient, unnecessary waste of material then it wouldn’t have bothered invading.

          5. I think they might find that harder than they expect because Russia is stirring the pot. Subtle digs at China. Recognizing Taiwan as separate from the mainland and using their flag when reporting Taiwanese victories at the Olympics recently.

          7. So do I despite the anti-Russian propaganda. But then I am an Orthodox Christian because my stepfather was a White Russian so don’t buy into a lot of the anti-Russian propaganda.

          10. They bled Zimbabwe dry Obs. still importing billions of tonne’s of coal from Oz though.

    2. I look forward to the consequences in these islands of a UK government taking a hostile attitude towards Pakistan over Afghanistan and Kashmir, in the the latter case implicitly supporting India.

      1. So are you suggesting our foreign policy should be guided by the intimidation of the hostiles in our country?

        2. You’re taking the exact opposite view rather than considering the nuance, yet in your original post presented precisely that nuance.

          A very weird retort, jonathan.

    3. It is, when one of it’s designs is thwarted in a small scale. The Tibetians also had no ties with China. You’re also ignoring the supply lines and cheapness of life. If the Chinese wanted that land they’d throw anything at it. They probably will.

      We owe them trillions. We can’t dictate to them. Were we running a budget surplus then yes, we’d be able to.

  27. ‘Morning All

    Hmm

    https://twitter.com/Holbornlolz/status/1428794864989261825
    All these people waving “British” passports who are back in AfGaf on holiday fled such terrible persecution (and told such brilliant sob stories) that we gave them citizenship.
    It’s the same story with any given third world hell-hole once residency (and benefits) are locked up it’s off on holiday back to the homeland
    These people take us (very successfully) for idiots

    1. Has Assange not read 1984? It’s the guidebook for the utter dross frantic to control our country.

  29. Bizzaro World

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/6a6e0a46140758aab647d512d70b74a2a265b2c7932683e621ab3cb89718e77d.jpg

    http://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/25d19f722bb2eb280b919df3e4d7a65df662d58e1a39b4fd9014b44342ba31bf.jpg

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/574f911380223e9406c118780f86c5328c15c62cca5702ed55e135a4a7186956.jpg

    https://media.gab.com/system/media_attachments/files/082/615/487/original/ce5ad57178e73e22.jpeg

    http://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/4d1f0fc01ff16051a6dd952b76efe8c0dce1b797ee7284e17fc0c70ec0a07289.jpg

    1. Just back from the market where there was an anti-compulsory jab, anti vaccine passport march.

      It’s the biggest public protest we’ve seen in our small market town since we’ve been here.

      We were asked for our “passports” on an open terrace, when ordering a coffee. No passport no coffee and it’s becoming the same everywhere.
      It’s getting/got out of hand.

      3. If everyone stopped ordering anything from there – they’d shut – but what do French sheep sound like?

    2. The solution to people not social distancing is to corral them together and make them social distance even less . . . .

    3. And the police response is send in more police.

      The way to defeat the state isn’t through the usual Lefty rush, it is persistent mass walking through police lines, regardless of the weapons they’ll use. We must control them calmly, peacefully as anger they can defeat. Rationality and expectation of obedience they cannot.

  32. Morning all, as the plot against recognised compassion and the ‘re balance’ of humanity is realised as factual, we might be for given if we begin to panic a bit.
    If not for our children and those younger others we will leave in our wake.
    I wonder if all those who have displaced themselves from their countries of origin will abide by our laws, long established social structure and it’s past cultural benefits, or just carry on as they were before their lives. Dramatically change into some sort of freedom which in fact comes at a very uncomfortable and also an enormous cost and lasting impediment to the established cultures. Possibly the Scots have the disguised ‘right idea’ as they move closer towards independence which would make border crossings difficult. Seeing what is happening now in the UK I know what I would vote for if I lived there.

    1. The Scot-Nats idea of independence is to re-join the EU where their border would be opened compulsorily and the rUK’s northern border would become like US/Mexico as people swarmed in.

          2. Independent to make the choice as to Scotland’s destiny.
            As long as it allows two fingers to be given to England, that is all that matters.

          3. Pity nobody has reminded her that it was a Scottish king (James VI) who ascended the English throne as James I. He brought with him various Scottish nobles who were then granted English lands.

      2. The other thing to bare in mind is Calais/Dover or anywhere else in the EU is along way from the Scottish coast. ⛴

        1. Wouldn’t matter because as members of the EU the Scots would have their own ferries. They already have one, it goes from Rosyth to Bruges in Belgium.

          1. But they have a choice of who they welcome on board. Rubber boats however are an entirely different matter.

          2. Well that still isn’t a problem because it only takes a few hours to get to Scotland from Dover. If we English hurried them along. Nice Buses with all mod cons. I’m sure the Scots would cheer them in at specially designated welcome points at the border, where their benefit packages and a free address courtesy of the Scottish public, would be all ready for them.

          3. As soon as the buses stopped in England – they’d be away. Running for the hills. Some immigrants were put way up North years ago – put in house etc. Few days later the same family turned up in London, wanting housing. When questioned why they left the other house – “We wanted nicer house, nicer houses here in London” – cost to the taxpayer – irrelevant. They stayed.

        2. Once Scotland joined the EU I very much doubt they would be permitted to opt out of Schengen, particularly as it would be yet another excellent way to punish the British (English) thus there would be free movement irrespective of whether the gimmegrant was legally in the EU, just hop on a plane.

          1. You mean the EU mafia would be piling them into Scotland and Olga would have the door wide open.
            I remember some one telling me about a family from Nigeria who went to the republic of Ireland who want ted to get rid of them and were given EU passports so they flew straight to England to collect the benefits and ‘to set up home’. All free and easy.

      3. If the Government had a responsible attitude they would start building a Greek wall between England and Scotland.

        You know it will make sense.

        1. If Scotland got independence it would be more of a Berlin wall.
          Educated Scots would want out as fast as possible

      1. Your absolutely correct. And it’s a completely and pointless waste of time.
        The one and only reason I voted at all and Conservative in the last GE Plum, was because they promised to stop the invasion now they have increased it.

        1. I voted for Doris to keep Corbyn out…hardly a democratic vote.

          Next time… X – none of the above.
          (Sorry dad).

          3. And mine, the problem with our system is that it’s not selective enough, in a full turn out we usually end up with and ‘elected’ dictatorship, as most voters have voted against the incoming government.

          4. The trouble is that we will get same old, same old, but with even fewer votes. If a party got in overall with 2 extra votes they would crow that they were the majority…

    4. The difficulty with becoming independent right now is that we would have Mrs Murrell heading up a corrupt, incompetent, deceitful one-party fascist State.
      Moreover, our borders would be flung open to uneducated unChristian savages from the entire planet.

    5. As said many times before – those coming do NOT want “a better life” – they want their life, their laws, their rules, their culture etc – in a better country – that has been worked for, paid taxes and built, by someone else – US. They live just the same, AFTER they get here as before – and destroy us.
      Months ago I used the same lines to someone else, there was also another man there listening intently to what I’d said. Afterwards he looked at me ( and I thought oh oh – plain clothes cop – get ready ) – but no – he looked straight at me and said “THAT was THE best description I have ever heard of what is happening – it is exactly THAT”.. – – – relieved intake of breath.

      1. Our PM should get the UK Islam leaders into a compulsory meeting to discuss their situation in the UK.
        He should tell them that Sharia must not be practised in the UK. UK law is supreme.
        The instructions in the Quran which some of the Jihadis follow to the letter such as lying to and/or killing infidels will be treated by the full force of UK law if Jihadists practice it in the UK.
        The PM must tell the Islam leaders that Halal slaughter will be made unlawful as the Halal meat is being widely sold to non Muslims and that breaks the law as it stands. The Islam religion apparently does not require Halal slaughter.

        1. I actually got to “will be treated by the full force of UK law ” then laughed – – they have NO intention of obeying our laws. The Police programs show that – blatantly making threats to the officers about their chidren – ON VIDEO – and nothing is done. NOTHING.

          1. I suspect you are correct walter but if nothing is done soon the UK will eventually come under Sharia. I doubt any other Western country would come to our aid. As you say in your reply, elements in the Islam community are already frightening our politicians, people and police into submission. We need to stand up to them and bring them into line.

          4. Yes – but they continue to wave in thousands more. Every month. Only one inevitable ending.

  33. Greece completes 25-mile border fence with Turkey to deter Afghan migrants. 21 August 2021.

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/c446da39a69a77bd99230742ffa234176571fc932648bdffabfa6a32739e5a80.jpg

    Greece said on Friday it had completed a 40-km fence on its border with Turkey and a new surveillance system was in place to stop possible asylum seekers from trying to reach Europe following the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan..

    Greece already pursues an anti-immigrant policy though it does not advertise or publicise the fact for fear of the EU meddling. The Lithuanians are also engaged in creating a barrier. With any luck these will be the beginnings of a series of fortifications that will eventually prevent access to the UK though the time factor is against it making any meaningful impact. .

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2021/08/21/greece-completes-border-wall-extension-deter-potential-afghan/

    1. Nothing will happen to stop the flows until Europe turns them back at sea, by force if necessary, and immediately deports any who do get in.
      Applications for asylum elsewhere should be submitted from the FIRST safe country they arrive in. ie, if they want to apply for the UK/Germany?USA or wherever, all well and good, but unless that application arrives/is processed in the first safe country it should be rejected.

        1. If he did, it isn’t working.
          When supposedly safe countries like Turkey, Pakistan, Mexico, can just push them through it isn’t working.
          Those countries should also be able to send back the gimmegrant economic migrants.

          The problem is that the UN believes that everyone should be able to go anywhere with the new hosts not being given the choice over who they can and cannot reject.

          2. ” the UN believes that everyone should be able to go anywhere with the new hosts not being given the choice over who they can and cannot reject. “” – – on that basis the new arrival should be able to walk into the luxury houses the UN people undoubtedly live in – and stay there.

    2. The world’s population is over 5 times what it was 100 years ago. If you think the pressure of immigrants is bad now, just wait a few years.

      1. I have said this before, but our ridiculous bloody government keep batting on about climate change and carbon emissions. Letting these people travel to northern Europe increases not on their own individual carbon emissions but also massively the part of Europe where the end up. It’s absolutely stupid.

        1. Don’t expect Johnson to be interested in controlling the world’s population, or even the UK’s. He’s expecting his 8th child . . . .

          1. It is do as I say, not do as I do with Johnson. See his article in the DT Oct 2007 on population/depopulation.

          1. It’s classic double think: immigration good, climate change good. That the former directly impacts the latter is beyond them.

            We’re governed by morons.

      1. I didn’t know Greece had the capacity for such massive manufacturing. Or that’s a lot of shed roofs.

          1. Merkel never wanted the million she said she would take. They were destined to be shoved straight here, after a “Remain” vote. If she actually wanted them why didn’t she fly them in – instead of making them walk?

          2. Merkel is a bloody criminal. She should be tried at the International Court at the Hague.

      1. If we had a government that had the guts to force back boats that they intercepted it would soon stop.

        1. The govt isn’t paying for them – nor will be living anywhere near them – we are now all called Jack.

      2. But no wall. We could build one too across the channel ports, with just a few controlled access points…

    7. While this is obviously a good thing for the mainland of Greece, what about the islands that are being overrun?

    8. It looks a lot like the Trumpian wall, did they buy it?

      That Biden is keeping the US Canada border crossings closed for another month but you can fly there, no problem. Obviously a better class of visitor fly.

    9. It’s too late for us. Once the muslets of the current influx have themselves bred more of the same we are looking at a very large number…

  34. 337006+ up ticks,

    breitbart,

    The United Kingdom electorate
    have certainly topped past sh!te political selections
    in regards to creating a super sh!te tory ( ino) party & installing it once again in number 10.

    Could this laser job manipulate voting numbers say by,tripping out pace makers in the polling booth of any of their coalition allies ?

    Great Reset: World Economic Forum Says Lasers Will Track People ‘By Heartbeat’

      1. 337006+ up ticks,
        Afternoon SE,
        By the kiss X, when the pen is a 1/2 a mil, from what is considered to be an opponent then the laser will trigger
        a semi fatal clutcher.

  35. Firstborn and SWMBO have just had a tasting of their second-ever home-made cheese – a Caerphilly. It’s excellent! Good flavour, slightly crumbly, a bit acid. Made with milk bought from a farmer neighbour, so straight from the cow via a cooler to Firstborn’s container, it’s lovely!
    :-D)

  36. Why are the Taliban co-operating over keeping Kabul airport open? Surely it’s in their leaders’ interests to embarrass foreigners and take westerners hostage? What am I missing?

    1. Big difference between starting a revolutionary movement and running a proper country (sorry Grizzly, city states are not comparable); The Taleban will have to evolve into a privileged intellectual centre and a violent militia who act as enforcers. ‘Twas ever thus: islam is a system of military feudalism; islamic rulers have to balance the different needs of town and country along with recognition of tribal areas.

    2. 337006+ up ticks,
      Morning D,
      A show of strength showing a can of goodies but denying the opener.

    3. The numbers getting out / escaping are very low.

      It shows the general population that the West is impotent and that they are the ones in control. Thus there is actually little point trying that route for the vast majority.

      The doors will be slammed shut soon enough.

      1. If they let everyone out – they’d have no-one to be afraid of them. Bullies/thugs need victims, without them they are nothing.

        1. They would follow and carry on wherever they went. It’s the nature and the culture of the beast.

    5. The airport is the bait. They are fishing for collaborators who’s only way out is the airport. It has nothing to do with ‘co-operating’

    1. George Bush was right when he said: “The French don’t have a word for entrepreneur” because France has the highest social security costs for employers in the world and this makes it prohibitively expensive to employ anybody.

      For example when we first moved to France we employed a femme de ménage for few hours each week. Of course we had to factor holiday pay, sickness leave, maternity leave and the cost of redundancy into the cost and we very quickly saw that we could not afford it but even so the amount we paid directly in social charges each week was the same as the money our femme de ménage received meaning that for every ten euros she received we had to give ten euros to the state.

      Added to this we were conned by the state because they said that you could set the cost of employing a femme de ménage against your taxable earning but they then reneged on this and still charged people in full.

      (I am getting my excuse in first – if anyone ever comes to visit us they might find our house a bit dusty!)

        2. Most people do but few admit it in public – so they tell me!

          We actually now use an agency to clean our student house between courses and there are tax advantages in so doing and very much less hassle.

  39. Biden is being criticised for not knowing how many American citizens are in Afghanistan.
    I have some sympathy.

    I very, very much doubt Boris Johnson has any idea whatsoever about the number of British citizens there are either.
    Workers, holiday makers, Jihadists and Allah only knows who else, as well as Government and services people.

  40. Isn’t it maevelous how despite hating us, our culture and everything else about us – all the migrants want to come to Whitey World? western Europe, N America, Canada, Australia..

    1. “We come in peace!”
      “…and if Allah is willing we shall leave in pieces!”

      1. If I may

        “We come in peace!”
        “…and if Allah is willing we shall leave you in pieces!”

        1. “Allah must be willing because that is what we will do anyway – we know what he really wants”.

    2. It’s easy to be generic about things like this and say “all” in fact the vast majority like and admire us, even those in Muslim countries. The two men that worked for my father in Libya were murdered when Gaddafi took power. Two ordinary decent people, both kind hearted, one of whom actually cried when we left. I cried too because he was like a second father to me, I wish both of them had been able to come with us. To this day there is a hole in my being because I know that the two men completely apolitical, were murdered for nothing more than being houseboys to an English family. You are talking about human beings, not abstractions. And frankly, I didn’t and don’t give a damn about their religion or the colour of their skin.

      1. And frankly, I didn’t and don’t give a damn about their religion or the colour of their skin.

        The way the world is going today, you might soon find you have to care very much about these things.

        1. You, I think, know what I mean. Do you enquire about a persons religion or fret over their colour as soon as you meet them?

          1. And I think you know perfectly well what I meant.

            Do you parade your self-righteousness so readily in real life?

          2. No because I think you do know what I meant and now you are being difficult because I called you on it. It had nothing to do with self-righteousness. If anyone is being self righteous it is you for being disingenuous. At least that is how I perceive your question.

          3. “…because I called you on it…”
            Good God, the language of the 20-somethings.

            “If anyone is being self righteous it is you for being disingenuous.
            What does this mean? Do you even understand the meanings of the words?

            Wouldn’t it be lovely if everyone in the world all got on together? Unfortunately, the history of the species says otherwise.

            Some of us are just realists.

          4. You were being supercilious and disingenuous. And I think you know it. But then, perhaps I’m attributing to you a depth of self awareness that you lack.

          5. Lack of self-awareness? Any forum members who haven’t moved on from this exchange will smile wryly at your accusation.

      2. The “vast majority like and admire us”? – Is that why so many come wanting “Abetter life” – then form grooming gangs, drug gangs, benefit fraud etc etc. They know that committing murder or rape ensures they can plead they’ll be persecuted if sent back – result – given the right to stay – then plead Right to Family life ( can’t go back – result – THEY come here), WELL rewarded for ruining or ending – someones life . Housed, NHS, etc etc..

        1. So many is not the “vast majority” You ignore, like most people, all the people who live her and get on with life making a decent living. Such as the Dr. yesterday who helped me and is saving me with her expertise in Cancer. All those ordinary people making a living out of corner stores and so on. Most Muslims have no choice in being Muslims and, I can assure you, that most Muslims in this country are not interested in being Muslims anymore than you are in being a Christian. And if you really want a conflict then, to be blunt, people like you with your choice to besmirch the majority with the actions of a minority that the MSM deliberately play up in order to get their bloody (literally) ratings are going about it the right way. And yes I know all about the rapists etc. But count them within the context of 2 and a half Muslims, then it becomes drop in the bucket. And don’t think I’m defending that sort of behaviour. I’m pointing out the obvious misleading emphasis on a few hundred as compared with a couple of million. Make the effort to get to know some of these people and you will find they are like anyone else. A fact that I know to be true from very long experience, almost, at this point, 60 plus years. Prejudice is an ugly thing because it make you ugly and it poisons the well for everyone, even those with good will. And you can se how easily that is done by taking Black Lives Matter as an example. Which in its malicious and false view of the world has set race relations back 50 years. It is easy to destroy because it is easy to be lazy. It take a lot of effort and work to be constructive because that requires of us that we learn. I far prefer that to laziness. It enriches your life while laziness impoverishes it.

          2. I have seen it but I would not go along with the idea that the majority are irrelevant. Tell me, since men rape are all men rapists and therefore is the peaceful majority irrelevant? Because that is the same logic put forward in this video. It is the sort of logic used by feminists to degrade men and you should be outraged by it not go along with it simply on the grounds you don’t like Muslims. But then I would also ask you how much do you know about Muslims in this country, what they are and who they are. Because as I say below, much of the blame is to be put at the feet of our government and its incompetence in letting them in in the first place.

          3. Sorry, but all men do not subscribe to a belief system whose aim is to take over the world. And who will be killed (even by their own family) if they leave it. There are very few “not in our name” marches by muslims. How often are muslim murderers/apists denounced by people who know them, as opposed to intimidating witnesses for the prosecution, outside the courts?

            By the way, why criticise our government for letting them in in the first place (which criticism I totally agree with) if you are saying that the people let in are a largely (and therefore relevant) peaceful majority?

          4. Sorry, but all men do not subscribe to a belief system whose aim is to take over the world. And who will be killed (even by their own family) if they leave it. There are very few “not in our name” marches by muslims. How often are muslim murderers/apists denounced by people who know them, as opposed to intimidating witnesses for the prosecution, outside the courts?

            By the way, why criticise our government for letting them in in the first place (which criticism I totally agree with) if you are saying that the people let in are a largely (and therefore relevant) peaceful majority?

          5. I remember 2 members of the NHS? up Scotland, who tried to blow up a 4×4 in a Scottish hospital – The 4×4 was packed with gas bottles if I remember correctly. Personally I wouldn’t trust any of them. I’ll agree to disagree with you on this point.

          6. You are making my point aren’t you? 2 out of how many thousands that work in the NHS and in how many years? You are actually committing a logical fallacy which is you are going from the particular to the general. A type of thinking that is regarded as invalid by all sensible and educated people.

    3. 337006+ up ticks ,
      Afternoon W,
      What I find marvelous is a majority of indigenous voters
      vote for more of the same, again.

    4. With 52 Muslim countries in this world one would think that devout Muslims would want to go there rather than the West.

      2. Two reasons for that:

        1. They do not get on with each other (too many disparate factions).
        2. They have a missionary zeal (Crusade?) to spread Islam everywhere.

        The non-Muslim population of the world have an implied duty to resist them, and put them in their place, using as much force as is necessary.

  41. I was watching BBC TV news this morning and I’m sure Biden said:
    ” I stand by my decision that there was never a good time to leave Afghanistan”.

    Was I hearing things?
    On the other hand perhaps it does make sense!

    1. Its the manner rather than the fact of leaving that is in question.
      There can be orderly retreat or blind panic and chaos. Uncle Joe has been decisive in his choice.

  42. What turns people to committing evil deeds in such a short time? Perhaps these people always harboured evil thoughts and intentions and when the lead from the government to be irrational and evil appeared, the very worst in some people emerged.
    I wonder if the people advocating this evil will not accept kidneys etc from non-vaccinated donors and likewise will the “vaccinated” patients, anxiously waiting for the operation, reject an ‘unclean’ organ from a non-vaccinated donor? I’m certain that with ‘political’ decisions of this kind, clear unadulterated hypocrisy will come into play.

    https://twitter.com/BernieSpofforth/status/1428721331726598153

  45. Good afternoon, Nottlers!

    GARLANDS

    To those who were worried, Garlands is fine. I have spoken to her – she is just not getting messages sometimes that are left on the phone, and I think some emails might not be getting through. She is having IT difficulties with getting onto NoTTL too, so her disappearance is due to those.

  46. Wry Laff

    An Afghan refugee got a place in Reading FC, in his first match he scored a
    hat-trick. After the match he excitedly tried to get through on the
    phone to tell his mother his news.
    On hearing his news his mother
    said “that’s wonderful son, but let me tell you about my day. I sent
    your sister to the market to try & find some food & your brother
    went with her for protection. Just after they left the house, Islamic
    Terrorists caught them, they gang raped your sister & broke your
    brother’s leg & stole all our money.”

    “I’m so sorry mum” the young footballer said.

    “You’re sorry?”, his mum replied.
    “It’s your fault we moved to Reading in the first place!”

  47. It is now the official fashion and fad Humanitarian Cause of the Year. Yes, it’s “Adopt a Million Afghans! Week”. (Next week it will be “Adopt Another Million Afghans and Bring Them Here! Week”.)
    Those who say anything against this will be vilified and will be cancelled.

      1. ‘Tami, who describes herself as a passionate community organiser and climate activist’.

        This, I suspect, is not how many of us would describe her!

  49. Where’s this ‘torrential rain’? Just been out to the car & the rain is going pit-a-pat.

    1. We had gentle rain this morning then it fizzled out by 11am .. Son was changing the fuel tank on his Royal Enfield in the dry driveway .

      No strong wind, no thunderstorms as forecast, nothing , warm sunshine and the sunflowers are looking golden and happy.

    1. The video of the boy that was pepper-sprayed makes me very angry.
      If people think that couldn’t happen here, they should think again.

  52. Silly question here, okay , bear with me .

    So now , what nationalities have been coming ashore in Kent and Sussex courtesy of the Border force and RNLI and the semi rigid speedboats.

    Why has there been a clampdown on information about them.. Does everyone say they have no identity ?

    The people with out passports and identity are who? how do we know the clean shaven freshly cleaned up men we see scuttling ashore in a hurry are not what we think they are , but an advance party of Taliban types who want to get even with the Translators who assisted our armed forces ..

    I just think the government has a very cavalier attitude to security , and if I were a newly arrived translator with my family from Kabul, I would feel very insecure and worried .

    There is so much going on , that this light weight government prefers to be on holiday , messing around than taking this crisis seriously .

    Boris outside Downing street in a pair of floral shorts with his tousle haired toddler on his shoulders , does not fill me full of confidence .

    He should keep his blinking complicated personal life private.. We know all about his loose zip, don’t we !

    1. Why a silly question? BJ/PP has lied from the start about stopping them. They arrive certainly looking NOTHING like they have been living rough in Calais for months.The invasion is deliberate and blatantly clear. How many are sent back? NONE. Where do those who run off go to? Could you just arrive on a foreign beach and know where to go? We are being made to pay for our own extermination. I hope the govt who agree with it suffer for all eternity.

      1. We are all being cowed down by fear , Walter, least the race police and all the others who monitor outspoken words seize us and crush our spirit .

        The news we are hearing and view is similar to one of those very early films , you know , when everything was in black and white and very fast , and sometimes disasterous .. The daily events being played out is Pandoras box .. and all the negatives and horrors unleashed..

        Remember how quickly the Balkan conflict took off, remember Bosnia ..

        We are being subdued and trodden on by government .. and NO ONE has considered the future of Britain with so many tribal differences in our major cities .

        1. Belle, the Taleban already exist everywhere, but generally they go by different names.
          My father & grandfather used to say that if the Germans had invaded UK in 1940, they would have found plenty of volunteers to do their dirty work.

    3. Would save us a fortune in welfare payments, free up tens of thousands of council taxes and get rid of terrorist threats.

      Never have a more ungrateful, useless bunch of wasters been so feather bedded by those they purport to hate, yet take so much from.

      Just get rid of them.

    1. And replacing it by what? Here, it’s an addition to income tax, so whether you watch or not, you are obliged to pay.
      Pay-per-view would be better.

      1. No BBC sounds even better. It should be replaced by a pro English Broadcaster – if you could ever find one.

      1. I’d make a one-off payment if it would be guaranteed to go towards dismantling the BBC!

  56. Shortage of your Christmas Fayre….no turkeys or pigs in blankets….
    BBC News.
    Must be Covid or Brexit….maybe Afghanistan!

    4. I remember the President of the British Sandwichers (or some such absurdly made-up association) telling us we would run out of sandwiches in case of Brexit.
      PErsonally I would like the Turkeites to continue with their devotion to this dull bird so that they do not interfere with my own preference for duck and capon.
      Edit: There: https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/no-deal-brexit-could-lead-to-sandwich-shortages-claims-industry_uk_5b602579e4b0fd5c73d2ea74
      I knew I wasn’t making it up.

    5. I remember the President of the British Sandwichers (or some such absurdly made-up association) telling us we would run out of sandwiches in case of Brexit.
      PErsonally I would like the Turkeites to continue with their devotion to this dull bird so that they do not interfere with my own preference for duck and capon.

  59. Okay we might be worried about the Taliban in Afghanistan but we have our own versions in the UK, we have the Climate Taliban and we have the Covid Taliban, they are all equally as extreme and dangerous.

  60. For anyone who may be registering a death in the near future. The ‘One stop notification service may not include the Electoral Roll folk. My wife acting as Executor collected mail from the deceased’s house yesterday and found a letter from The Electoral Registration department addressed to the (deceased). The form had to be completed – on line was acceptable.
    “Are you still living at the property? … No.
    “Where are you living now?”
    At this point I suggested ‘C/o Heaven’ address via the postcode of the local crematorium……

  63. There are two men that are doing the wave because of this moron, Jimmy Carter and Bath House Barry now they aren’t officially the worst presidents in history.

          1. As far as I know he used the name Barry instead of Barack & the romance with a Homosexual professor I can’t confirm as all reference to it appears to have disappeared off the web, but I recall reading about it twice on 2 different websites

  64. Larkin is being cancelled for his private letters – can’t we separate the art from the artist?
    As we approach Larkin’s centenary, his awful private comments should not prevent us from celebrating the genius of his poetry
    Simon Heffer in the DT https://www.telegraph.co.uk/books/what-to-read/larkin-cancelled-private-letters-cant-separate-art-artist/

    This be the Worse

    They muck you up your racist friends
    They mock the wokes and all that crew
    Their humour ‘s fascist but it tends
    To make a racist of you too.

    But they were told when in their youth
    That being British was no sin
    But now they find that the grim truth
    Is ‘honky’s not allowed to win.’

    Man hands on misery to man.
    It deepens like a coastal shelf.
    Get out as early as you can,
    And don’t write parodies yourself.

      1. Especially when they mention “frightening people” as if the Beeb hasn’t been doing just that for the last 18 months.

  66. “Police hunt two suspects after man in his 30s is RAPED on Clapham Common ”
    In woodland
    At midnight

    Yes,you may think that,I couldn’t possibly comment

    2. Not only do we see the police and BF officials welcoming the passengers, why is there never any footage of the boat drivers being arrested for piloting an overloaded unsafe craft?

      1. When I was a child, BF was an insult hurled by father at any act of stupidity, either adult or child.

        I found it it stood for Bloody Fool and it seems very apt for those who give BF the rules.

    4. Tucked up in a nice taxpayer funded hotel by now, care of PPs policy of doing NOTHING. Logged onto the wifi for a video celebration call back home. “Get the cases packed – you and the other wives and kids will be here soon. – from kere on its Life on the UK taxpayer.”

        1. I’m very jealous, Mr. Grizz! They look fabulous! And the accompaniments….yum yum!

        1. Ah. There you are!
          … and before you decide that I am completely mad I got someone to check the ingredients and the firm.

          Nothing is guaranteed but I have been on it intermittently for two months now. The first effect is that my sense of smell returned, though it is come and go depending on what I eat, strangely enough.

          3. It is useful in lower doses as well – I have been following Bret Weinstein on this but have also checked the doctors he references – he is an evoltionary biologist.
            His wife is also very interesting

          6. Are you talking of a drug that is now illegal due to the wisdom of the medical/political establishment in this country? And Bret Weinstein and his wife, well worth listening to. More people should tune into his discussions. Have you listened to his conversations with Lex Fridman? Lex regards Weinstein as his Guru!

          7. Ivm is not illegal as far as I can tell as it is a recognised dewormer.
            But they have made it harder to get for humans.
            It is also very effective for headlice on that it makes us poisonous.
            HCQ was also readily available as an antimalarial and very useful in early treatment but it is now also impossible to get hold of. Trade name was plaquenil

          8. Ivm is not illegal as far as I can tell as it is a recognised dewormer.
            But they have made it harder to get for humans.
            It is also very effective for headlice on that it makes us poisonous.
            HCQ was also readily available as an antimalarial and very useful in early treatment but it is now also impossible to get hold of. Trade name was plaquenil

      2. No. These are the bog-standard native crayfish. I’m not sure if any American signal crawfish have invaded here yet.

          1. It’s comfort food…

            https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=healthy+hygge+food&sxsrf=ALeKk00fIDEYza45-fyy8W6ix7RNc78BHg%3A1629152043574&source
            =hp&ei=KMaYcrqIMmaa5OCs7gL&iflsig=AINFCbYAAAAAYRrxO2gdiP7wje92hOdB4m7P4nCNLZGg&oq=hygge+food&gs_lcp=Cgdnd3Mtd
            2l6EAEYBzIFCAAQgAQyCwguEIAEEMcBEK8BMgUIABCABDIGCAAQFhAeMgYIABAWEB4yBggAEBYQHjIGCAAQFhAeMgYIABAWEB4yBgg
            AEBYQHjIGCAAQFhAeOgQIIxAnOgUIABCRAjoLCAAQgAQQsQMQgwE6DgguEIAEELEDEMcBEKMCOggIABCABBCxAzoICC4QgAQQsQM6
            DgguEIAEELEDEMcBENEDOg0IABCABBCHAhCxAxAUOgoIABCABBCHAhAUOggIABCABBDJAzoFCAAQkgM6BQguEIAEOgcIIxCxAhAn
            OgcIABCxAxAKOgQIABAKOgoILhDHARCvARAKOgQILhAKUJGKY1ixh2Rg3ZNlaAFwAHgAgAGtBYgBxA-SAQc4LjEuNS0ymAEAoAEB&sclient=gws-wiz

    4. Hmm, I never got on with them, too much fiddling for so little meat – as for Beske Dropper!

      1. I made my own snaps, Tom, from 60% alcohol and caraway seeds. It’s much better than the commercial muck.

    1. They reportedly killed a women because she cooked their food badly, set her on fire.

        1. The Taliban, like the Deobandi whom are government allowed into Britain en masse are all thugs quite atypical of Islam in general. The “evil” emanates both from the Deobandi and from the Wahabi. It is telling that both sects began with people who’s concept of Islam was pig ignorant, ill educated, the religion of country yokels. With regard to the UK, you have to point the finger just as much at successive British governments that imported these people knowing, I assume, what their ideologies were. But then, that goes back to something I was saying a couple of days ago. That in my day, when there were still experts that spoke the languages of these sort of people and were thoroughly conversant with their ways, these sort of mistakes would not have been made. In my opinion, one of the stupidest things we did when we broke up the Empire was putting these sort of people, the real Arabists, the real Orientalists, out to grass never to be made use of again. With them went unparalleled knowledge and that has been a huge loss to us in the modern world where their expertise would be more valuable today than it was then.

      2. We had prawns to start with, followed by sea bass with potatoes freshly dug from the garden and some beans. No pud but some dark chocolate while we watched telly.

        1. I went right off sea bass for quite a long time, but a month ago I had an excellent s.b. fillet at Côte (nothing else on the menu appealed), so now it’s back in favour. I find that these days I’m eating less & less meat & more & more fish.

      1. 337006+ up ticks,
        Evening NtN,

        “Might”
        The electorate have seen their kids raped & abused, mass murder, mass knifing, mass acid tossing a daily mounting of mass odious issues, now the DOVER campaign sh!te piled upon sh!te and not even an attempt to change the voting pattern.

        The real plague is lab/lib/con voting addiction.

    2. I wonder what weapon was in the hand of the Muslim attacker? a metal rod rolled up in a newspaper? a sock filled with marbles, sand or pebbles?
      When I was a child in South London the Black thugs would beat up & mug people in Brixton using these sort of weapons .

    2. Multiply by 10 for the families arriving shortly – probably flown in. and PP says and does nothing. The govts contempt for us is blatantly clear.

    3. “At least 600 migrants land in Kent in record day for crossings …”

      – With the ‘compliance’ of The Home Secretary and the Prime Minister.

      It’s about time they were called to account in the House – and before the 1922 Committee.

      1. 600 a day is 219,000 a year. That’s in the order of 1 million extra people every 4 years.
        The UK was full many years ago. There’s no space or resources for 1 million every four years.

        1. You forget – multiple wives with multiple kids each.

          dont forget the Syrians

          dont forget Camerons No Limit to Indians

          dont forget Hong Kong.

          dont forget the Afghans which will be WELL over 20k.

      2. what about the SBS going on training runs to Calais. Get some of those triple engined speedboats the S American drug dealers use.

    1. That’s a turn-up for the books. Clearly he had a pressing engagement….

      PS I don’t expect you to crease up with laughter although I dare say there will be a rich seam of puns to follow.

    3. An Irishman went to the Doctor with 1st degree burns on his legs , the Doctor took one look & said to him ” next time take your trousers off first before you press them ! “

    2. Surprised to see some women in that photo – all crammed together – so there rules of no contact with men they don’t know CAN go out of the window.

        1. Seen him – i left click on the image, then it opens in a new window, the pointer then has a + sign in a circle – left click again – it gets closer

        2. …and very bushy eyebrows, or a couple of caterpillars crawling across his forehead.

  77. Bloody Clarkson. His TV show, Clarkson’s farm has the warqueen looking for a blasted small holding. Neither of us know anything about animals, farming or anything useful. The only animals we know of are her co-workers.

    1. Just point out she doesn’t have the backing of Amazon Prime’s production team to fund all the props such as the Farm Shop and the irrigation system….etc

    2. You will never be able to get the smell of manure out of your nostrils .. mud , mud mud , the cost of feed and hay , and the worry about the security of your animals , plus the constant testing is really a headache …

      Say no.

    3. Tell her, that to eat, she needs to wield the axe. Then use her knives to dismember the beasts. And then use her husband to prepare what’s there, ready for for her to smoke, cure, boil and salt.
      Then she needs to deal with the offal…
      You get the drift.

  78. After nearly 70 years on this Earth I have a right to be cynical. From the beeb – an innocent caring move or an attempt to persuade hundreds of thousands of school children that CO2 is evil?

    “Around 300,000 carbon dioxide monitors are to be made available to schools in England next term to help improve ventilation and lessen Covid outbreaks.
    The Department for Education said the portable monitors could be used to identify areas where more air-flow is needed.
    Teaching unions have been calling for urgent extra ventilation measures.”

    PS WTF!!

    But a statement on Friday made clear that this £25m batch of CO2 monitors has yet to be fully procured, less than two weeks before many schools return.

    1. If the teachers stuck the monitors up their back passages, the information provided would tell us more than we could possibly wish to know…

      1. I think that it is drowned out by the need to raise awareness of ‘rising sea levels’. Everyone who contributes to Geoff’s site will be dismayed by the guff being indoctrinated in schools to our young folk

    1. Perhaps Joe Biden should be referred to – or indited by – The International Court of Justice in The Hague, the principal judicial organ of the United Nations.

      1. I wish you luck in getting any Yank extradited anywhere, not just to The Hague; especially a serving President.

    2. Good evening Belle. I was just reading that 800 similar undesirables arrived on our south coast today. 800! Mostly young males, all are potential threats, and chances are there will be many extremists amongst the daily invasion. Add in the 20,000 Afghani ‘refugees’ that we are supposedly taking – where will it end. I despair. Meanwhile, when (if?) we are eventually able to travel freely again, I will still have to go through the ridiculous ‘security’ farce at the airport , get a frisk if the swarthy ‘guards’ feel like it, and spend ages in a passport queue when I return. Guess I’d better go to sleep before my blood pressure rockets! Goodnight.

      1. Dear M

        Yes , I feel equally shocked and distressed hearing the news about the illegals coming ashore in their hundreds , and I really feel scared .

        This government is allowing an army of people who have issues with the British Government to flock to the UK as economic migrants . This government is imperilling our safety .

        Not only that we have been told that this country’s security level has been raised .

        We cannot stop wars and quarrels in other countries , The Taliban look and sound like the Devil wearing Prada .. they are dressed in white , armed and faceless and terrifying .. threatening and hurting the citizens of Afghan .. I am certain we can all smell fear now , fear here, and I am not forgetting the poor British servicemen who had a terrible time in Afganistan and elswhere , and the many who are suffering from PTSD .
        Have these bods who come ashore got contacts here and street maps , and how do they know where to scuttle off to .

        Were the Taliban incognito and reacted so quickly when they recieved a phonecall.. and gathered , just like that ..

        Swarthy bods seem to have been distributed through out the UK, they are everywhere where they haven’t been before .

        This government stinks , they are hypocrites , and do not possess an altruistic streak amongst any of them .

        They care not a jot for us .. and bollocks to the Covid thing , how come people like that are immune ?

    1. Councils are preparing to rent private homes and buy or even build additional properties due to a shortage of large houses needed to accommodate Afghan refugees, The Telegraph can disclose.

      Whitehall and local council sources said that the average size of families arriving in Britain as part of the country’s resettlement scheme was almost seven people, often including young children.

      One family that arrived in the last week is understood to have as many as 12 members.

      “To resettle them appropriately we need to find relatively large numbers of three, four, or even five bedroom houses, and those houses are in short supply for councils, or even in the private rented sector,” said a Whitehall source.

      Ministers and council leaders are now holding talks about a range of options to accommodate Afghan families, including local authorities renting private homes, purchasing additional properties, or even constructing buildings that could accommodate families in the longer term.

      Those arriving in Britain are immediately transferred to temporary accommodation such as quarantine hotels and military-owned properties designed to house the families of British personnel.

      Another option for housing Afghan migrants on a long-term basis includes retaining military accommodation that had been due to be sold off.

      The disclosure comes after Boris Johnson separately recognised the need to “boost capacity and overall housing supply” in Britain in a report on housing in which he said he wanted to see “a plan for a major scaling up of self-commissioned new homes – across all tenures”.

      According to the Government, some 2,000 people have already been “resettled” in the UK under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP), which was launched on April 1 to offer refuge to Afghan interpreters and other staff who have worked with the UK in Afghanistan.

      “We urgently need more offers of support to welcome Afghan families”
      Ministers have also set out plans for a new Afghanistan Citizens’ Resettlement Scheme which will resettle 5,000 Afghan nationals in its first year – with priority given to vulnerable people such as women and girls – rising to 20,000 in the long-term.

      Urgent discussions over how to house those coming to Britain are being held between the Local Government Association and the Ministry of Housing. Local authorities are being urged to come forward with offers of larger council-owned family homes or to help find private accommodation.

      One source involved in the talks said the Government wanted to avoid families spending “protracted periods in hotels”, and to ensure those being evacuated are “treated with dignity and respect”.

      On Friday, as the Government announced an extra £5 million for local councils to house Afghan refugees, Robert Jenrick, the Local Government Secretary, said: “There is already an enormous effort underway to support those arriving from Afghanistan with close to a third of councils already stepping up to support new arrivals.

      “However, we urgently need more offers of support to welcome Afghan families who have stood shoulder to shoulder with the UK, serving our troops and our country so bravely in recent years.

      “With this extra support in place, I’m calling on all councils who have not yet come forward, to contact us with a firm offer of support to help our Afghan friends and their families as they build a new life in safety here.”

      Those arriving in the country from Afghanistan are being offered Covid-19 vaccinations and health checks at quarantine hotels.

      On Saturday, the Home Office was accused of putting Afghan child refugees’ lives at risk by housing them in a hotel previously criticised as a danger to children and a fire risk.

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