Friday 5 July: This election exposed cross-party complacency over Britain’s finances

Posted on by Geoff Graham

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912 thoughts on “Friday 5 July: This election exposed cross-party complacency over Britain’s finances”

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

    Vegan Die(t)

    Paul McCartney got the family round the table the day of Linda's death and announced to the family, "I've got good news and bad news."

    The family says, "What's the bad news?"

    Sir Paul replies, "Well, your Mother died this morning."

    "So, what's the good news, then, Father?" the family asks.

    To which Paul replies, "We're having steak for dinner tonight!"

    2. A fellow pupil lived and worked in the same business as his mother and step-father.
      Mother was a vegetarian long before it became a thing.
      Whenever she was out for the day, her son and husband would have a massive fry-up; followed by every window being opened.

  5. Glorious news fmto wake up to. Farage and 3 other Reform MPs have been elected, whilst many fake Conservatives including Mordant, have been crushed.

    The fightback against the leftie establishment begins now.

    also Labour received less percentage of the vote share than Corbyn did in 2017!

      1. Aye, Pandora's Box was opened last night. Lots of little commie gremlins scooting about now. Reform is that little ray of hope clambering out.

  6. Major clusterfcukup in North West Leicestershire.. Con, Reform & Andrew Bridgen fight it out and.. Labour wins.

      1. I suspect that Reform did not want him, they didn't want their party to be tainted by his vaccine injury views at this stage, not until they were in a position to do something about it. This might take a while, the majority of the country cannot yet get their head around this piece of treachery and betrayal by an incumbent government.

        1. That's a good point.
          Particularly as Reform is such a new party it had problems with some of their candidates being a trifle …. odd?

          1. Yes – the media would have been delighted if this had fallen into their collective lap. Reform will have to be careful as to what causes it takes on for the time being. The majority have been brainwashed to detest Putin and Russia by the media, although I should imagine that a campaign regarding no more money to Ukraine would meet with approval these days.

    3. I'm positive that I heard Reform were going to stand down in North West Leicestershire and asked Reform voters to vote for Bridgen as an Independent.

  7. Grant Shapps criticises Tories’ ‘endless political soap opera’ as he loses seat to Labour, 5 July 2024.

    In his concession speech he said: “It’s not so much that Labour won this election, but rather that the Conservatives have lost it.

    “Instead we’ve tried the patience of traditional Conservative voters with a propensity to create an endless political soap opera out of internal rivalries and divisions which have become increasingly indulgent and entrenched.”

    Unsurprisingly Shapps still does not understand why the voters hate the Tories and did not vote for them.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/07/05/grant-shapps-criticises-tories-endless-political-soap-opera/

      1. I belive he did very well as housing sec.
        Probably 'Made a few bob" from developers. I think Claiming his wife had come into some money.

    2. Now get on your E-scooter and ride off into the sunrise or, preferably, into an oncoming lorry.

    3. Well there's a surprise that he's suprised.
      The Conservatives have effectively wrecked our country and took absolutely no notice of public opinion.
      Now we're all going to suffer even further as the idiots in government set about taking their revenge.

    4. …but rather that the Conservatives have lost it.

      Smoothly handed the baton over on a silver platter, more like. Nothing but crocodile tears from Shapps.

      I have the impression that neither Johnson nor Sunak had the will to carry on with the globalist agenda. Is Smarmer the globalists' 'last man standing' in the UK at a time when Europe appears to be moving towards the political right?

      1. Morning Korky. The only bright spot on the political horizon is that Starmer will shortly be faced by a Europe that is hostile to his views.

        1. France rejecting Macron et al. for Marine Le Pen would be a great step and could have an impact across the EU. The unelected EU club members deserve a major shock. Doubling down, as they always do, may not be the correct decision in these turbulent times.

          Smarmer, despite a large majority may find tough resistance from the people that are ‘awake’ not to his liking. People haven’t voted for an iron fist and standing for ‘change’ without really defining what that entails – manifesto promises/pledges/assurances are worthless throw away lines, as we all know – makes me suspicious of Smarmer and his rabid acolytes.

    5. Wasn't Shapps part of the soap opera himself?
      Not so much insight, then.
      W*anker.

    6. On the brightside, now they have all that spare time on their hands, Shapps and Elwood of the Fighting 77th can head east and join the war they were so intent on supporting.

  10. What is the point of 70 slimy LibDem MPs, with such a big Labour majority.
    What will they oppose?
    They will just disappear for five years just like our EU MPs did

  11. 389314+ up ticks,

    Morning Each,

    Well what will shortly be considered to have been the good times standing up to your lower lip in shite under tory (ino) party governance, smoking very expensive King Eddies, and drinking very expensive Guinness is over.

    starmer the kneeling tool is in the driving seat about to blast the whistle to signal "back on your heads tea breaks over.

    https://x.com/LeilaniDowding/status/1809098560400458126

    2. 389314+ up ticks,

      O2O,
      Another giant step forward for the dark forces WEF/ NWO, out with the old political activist, job successfully done, in with the new, tis what the majority voter wants.

      The lab/lib/con coalition has expanded somewhat.

  17. In our area 18% voted Reform, and 3% voted Green.

    The other 79% voted for the Uniparty – Lib/Lab/Con

    ……….so 79% of voters are content with the functioning of the NHS, the Police, the state of the military and the potholes.

    I hope the satisfaction lasts for the next five years !

    1. 389314+ up ticks,

      Morning J jH,

      Where would we be without the majority voter these past four decades,

      1. Certainly in a far better position ogga1.
        But many voters wish for a Britain sliding into total obscurity.
        The next ten years will satisfy that wish.

  18. Morning all 🙂😊
    Today the weather fits the mood of the country.
    Dreary and outlook not good.
    What did they seriously expect ?
    How many times did they hear Stop the boats ?
    Now it will get ever worse.
    Politicians stink, every last one of them.

  19. Oh bugger – I see that our eco-freak limp dumb posing as a Tory managed to hold on to his seat. His 20,000 majority was reduced to 719 thanks to 8,859 REFORM voters.

    1. Morning Bill, commiserations to you. We got that Green in Waveney Valley. Never mind, I think we're going to see lots of lunacy soon.

    2. The Conservatives once had a 27,000+ majority in south Cambs when we moved here 43 years ago. Over the years this has slowly been whittled away to the extent that, for the first time, we now have a female Lib Dem in Parliament.

      1. North Shropshire was true blue for a century or more. In the by-election it went orange/yellow and she has increased her majority.

    3. Bugger x 100.
      That is exactly the sort of Conservative that is not wanted on voyage.
      Rhyming Slang also kept his seat.

  20. Sabotage and poison: How Ukrainians resist Russian occupation. 5 July 2024.

    To be a Ukrainian resistance fighter in occupied territory, there are fundamental rules you must live – and sometimes die – by.

    The most important of these is to go unnoticed. You need to blend into the crowd. Dress inconspicuously; prepare an alibi; be punctual – if someone is two minutes late to meet you, assume they’ve been captured.

    The standard of anti-Russian propaganda has declined to moronic levels. This would fit in the Beano admirably.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/07/04/ukrainian-partisans-fighting-back-in-russian-occupied/

  21. 389314+ up ticks,

    Was there any truth in special dispensation being given via the polling booths, that the daily incoming invaders will be given the courtesy of a welcoming vote.

  22. 389314+ up ticks,

    Morning SJ,
    That creation would confuse blair (miranda) if he met him in a public park toilet.

  23. Morning, all Y'all.
    Beautifully sunny day, planned for tiling.
    I see the Cons are out, as expected. Farage at least has an income now, lets see how much trouble he can cause.
    TINO MPs and ministers cannot understand why they were given the heave-ho. Hope Starmer takes the hint.

  24. Shirley, if Starmer is big on Islamophobia he will now authorise the Islamic Party?🤣

    1. Jess Phillips had her speech "hijacked" by Palestinian demo apparently so called for their removal. No love for Labour among them. I hope she wasn't being 'Islamophobic' calling for their ejection.

      1. I think Galloway lost his seat, James? After 5 months…not so gorgeous now perhaps…

        1. He lost his, but an Islamic independent won Leicester. I’d recommend people go figure. Gorgeous George was being used. Serves him right.

          1. I think I saw him in the House once, at PMQs -not called, there’s a surprise. Think the trilby might have had something to do with it, etiquette and all that. Or perhaps, just perhaps, his politics and the likelihood to drone.

    2. A political party based on one religion, especially that so-called religion, should NEVER be permitted.

  25. Has the UK "lurched" to the Left yet? The media always put it that way, such as Right cannot be other than "far" or "extreme" – you would have hoped that these journos, being wordsmiths, could at least be a bit more imaginative, or leave out the hyperbole all together.

    1. Agreed. But the UK hasn't lurched to the Left at all..
      for example Michael Fabricant lost by only 800 votes, however with Reform on 9,000+ votes in 3rd place.
      Repeat that across UK and it would seem the UK is gasping for a socialist utopia.

        1. Do you really think that will make the slightest difference to how they behave, I certainly don't.

          1. No, obviously not. We never actually get a say, remember.

            But it will make them very unpopular very quickly. Bliar's lot were singing and gurning "things can only get better" by this time of the day with a starry eyed, idiotic populace actually believing it. Incredible to believe that he had licence to do what he did. I don't think people think that this time around.

          2. Blair's involved, been advising Starmer and team, or so I read. Tony Blair Institute has a website, aiming to influence not only modern day politicos but also next generation. Piece on Unherd a while back.

          3. Sir Kneelalot is characterised by his posture. Not being advised, more like there’s a hand up his bottom controlling his every movement…

          4. Oooooh you are awful, Mr G….but I like you 😀 (we know who the hand belongs to, don’t we..)

        2. It didn't bother Blair or Brown that more voted against New Labour than for them. They still trashed the constitution and the country.

          1. Of course they did, but then Labour always do that. The difference back then was that so-called ‘Tories’ supported Labour with the intention of giving the party a bloody nose while earnestly imagining Bliar was an acceptable alternative. The fault lay with those who looked at the pink rose emblem and believed it wasn’t going to be so bad. They were still believing it right up to the Iraq war and beyond.

            Sensible people on the other hand took one look at Bliar and realised they had a combination of intellectual lightweight and power hungry buffoon in their midst. In fact I’d go as far as to say it’s the fault of those “Tories” back in the day that we are now saddled with a Wet lefty Conservative Party to this day. I think things are different this time around to a large extent.

          3. 1997 was the start of my voting for NOTA and spoiling my ballot (until I got a UKIP candidate to vote for).

          4. Absolutely so, mine too. The first time I voted in a GE was Liberal, (not Lib-Dem note since they didn't exist), but then I was voting back then for the candidate, not the party. He did win the seat too. Additionally I'd add that voting for a party back then probably meant more than today, because they used to express some sort of internal shame if they failed to enact their manifesto promises. That's long gone. After that it was Conservative for me every time.

            Same as you, NOTA on the ballot after that. I too voted UKIP that once, but I was returning to my rule about voting for the candidate once more, as well as the principles upon which the party stood to some extent. I knew personally the candidate in question. He would have made a good MP but it wasn't to be regrettably. I finally voted Conservative once more in 2019, just once, but I find I have to return to the theme of "shame" relating to manifesto commitments. A pity. Never mind, Reform this time and my private prediction of 5-seats did eventually come to pass, so I'll make do with that this time around.

      2. Lib Dems got 3.4 million votes and 71 seats

        Reform got 4.1 million votes and 4 seats.

          2. If I were them I would not say a thing about PR at this stage, but I would wherever possible keep dropping into replies to questions the word “proportion” of the vote Reform got compared to others. Talking PR makes you look like a sore loser, like Lib-Dems always did. Suggesting there’s a need for Reform, however, strikes a rather different tone.

          3. Indeed, kinder politics (basically presenting one thing as another to win..) I think Farage open to coalition talks with Conservatives, not sure the reverse is true.

      3. Agreed. Saw it reported Bridgen lost his seat, but can't find confirmation. He opined about PO scandal many years before others, and he's correct about vaccine. Hope he's still around.

          1. Thanks Fiscal. Doubt he’ll be missed by the House, regarded as a troublemaker. Perhaps he’ll appear in some journal or another, career in journalism.

          3. Quite right, anne. Ignored in the House by others and especially Speaker. He promised quite a lot to his prospective constituents, remains to be seen if he delivers, or even if he has the ability to. Bit of a Marmite figure…

    2. This is not a 'lurch' to the left if only 35% of the electorate voted Liebour and barely 50% voted – heard that on GB News while shaving. It's a Liebour landslide by mistake.

    3. This is not a 'lurch' to the left if only 35% of the electorate voted Liebour and barely 50% voted – heard that on GB News while shaving. It's a Liebour landslide by mistake.

    4. This is not a 'lurch' to the left if only 35% of the electorate voted Liebour and barely 50% voted – heard that on GB News while shaving. It's a Liebour landslide by mistake.

    5. Reported over here that the pound has strengthened as a result of the election.
      Not by much, though.

      1. Once liebour get going on further wrecking this country (economy, invasion, control policies etc), I expect the pound to fall quite sharply.

  26. Nothing good about this morning, is there?

    Chucking it down here, wind in the West, 12℃. It may dry up this afternoon and rise to 17℃ before the hosepipe is turned on again this evening.

    The best I can think of saying is Lord, forgive them, for they know not what they've done. Pretty soon we're all going to find out.

    I suppose we'll have to rename the ConLabLib uniparty the LabConLib uniparty.

    1. SNP did really badly and Nikeliar’s face looks as though she’s chewing a wasp!

      1. Actually, that's the one really bright moment. The SNP virtual wipe-out. Alba too.

        1. Let's see if she continues to resist the prosecution of her husband for removing party funds.

          She's been successful so far.

          6. Surely the fate of William Wallace would be more fitting.
            They could identify with a fellow freedom fighter.

          7. “Surely the fate of William Wallace would be more fitting.”

            What? You mean being played on film by Mel Gibson with the stupidest Jock accent since … er … Mel Gibson?

          9. I suspect Old Bill (if that's the correct term in Scottishland) have the evidence on him, he's been charged, but they're either trying to pin her down or find a way to let her off the hook. Odd it's taking so long, maybe some movement now election over and we have the return of Dracula Blair.

        1. Even more spiteful today! Absolute joy for me and millions! I daren’t ‘phone my loony SNP-loving pal!

  27. Good morning, chums, and thanks to Geoff for today's NoTTLe site. Yesterday was gloriously sunny where I live (good weather for bringing Labour voters out to vote) whereas the next 10 days are forecast to have non-stop rain (good for keeping Labour voters at home). Strange how the weather seems to be conspiring against Rishi Sunak's choice of date for the General Election. Now to read Sir Jasper's joke of the day, and then catch up on the General Election results far and wide.

    Wordle 1,112 5/6

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

  28. Good morning all.
    A bright, sunny 9°C start with little breeze visible in the trees opposite.

    So, Sarah Dines is looking for a job and Derbyshire Dales is Labour.
    No more than she deserves.

  29. Salinity can be accurately measured (in parts-per-thousand of salt in water).
    Electrical current can be accurately measured (in Ampères).
    Hardness can be accurately measured (by the Mohs scale).
    Acidity can be accurately measured (by pH readings).
    Wind speed can be accurately measured (on the Beaufort scale).

    I think we seriously need a scientific measure of human stupidity. I suggest a 'Corbyn' scale of imbecility. Force 0 being 'forgetful' up to Force 12 being 'beyond help'.

    Corbyn Scale of Stupidity.

    Force 0: The Calm John Smith.
    Force 1: The Vacuum-Head Margaret Beckett.
    Force 2: The Dim Jim Callaghan.
    Force 3: The Articled Clement Attlee.
    Force 4: The Rancid Ramsay MacDonald.
    Force 5: The Harridan Harriet Harman.
    Force 6 : The Clueless Keir Starmer.
    Force 7: The Dead-Head Ed Miliband.
    Force 8: The Pillock Neil Kinnock.
    Force 9: The Marxist Michael Foot.
    Force 10: The Slimeball Tony Blair.
    Force 11: The Gormless Gordon Brown.
    Force 12: The Full Jeremy Corbyn.

    Last night's election result show that a vast majority of the country seem to be around Force 6 'Starmer-Dim'. Time will tell if this endemic plague of human stupidity needs to be reassessed.

    1. Braverman apologises, "I'm sorry – we didn't keep our promises."

      That's what I call dim. Not the apology itself, obviously. Nice of her to concede that the voters did actually exist during their term in office, I suppose.

      1. The alternative would have been to do as they said they would do, and get re-elected. But, the homework has been handed in a nd marked, and gets a D- fail. Who'd a thunk it?

        1. Isn't this where we get the speech that goes, we've let the country down, we've let our constituencies down but most of all we've let ourselves down?

        2. OB, the Tories couldn't "do as they said they would do," because they were beholden to outside influence. If they'd stood on the globalist agenda they wouldn't have been elected in the first place. They've been well and truly rumbled. Sadly, too many electors have fallen for Smarmer's patter and now another hard lesson has to be learned i.e. anyone who is a member of, or influenced by, a small elite band of rich control freaks is not going to be your elected servant. Full stop.

      2. Well, now we're Back To Blair, James and we'll see how we like that. (Good Morning, btw 🙂

          2. We don’t need that sort of talk over here. Go wash your mouth out!

            For my part I’m about to get in the car to go on holiday “up North”, and so will be dipping out for a good while.

            All the best.

      3. Same old and consistent story after an election.
        if only we had listened to public opinion. And now we have another 5 years of ignorance ahead of us.

        2. Some MPs likely did. The party command ignored them.

          The leaders ignored the demands for tax cuts, a small state, accountability, reward for work in favour of a high tax big state Left wing woke appeasing agenda.

    3. Hey Beatnik! Where's that Total Zero Ed Davey on this Road to Marxist Perdition, Dude? Hard to believe regular folks can scrawl an X for that loser, Hombre.

      1. Way to go, Dean. That particular neuron-free-zone seems to have excited a good number of fellow vacuum-heads before sun-down, yesterday, Dude. That chump ain't as bright as no Davy-Lamp, Bro.

        1. Hey Beatnik! That Davey Dude ain't smart enough to bale hay, Bro. He makes my jackass look like Einstein, Hombre.

          1. I heard he did a bunjee jump and ended up with his head up his ass. Business as usual then.

  31. The worst outcome might well be that a vote for Reform, and for that matter most other minority parties, will be regarded as a wasted vote, however I am glad I voted for them.

    I also fear that the Labour majority, permitted in part by voting for Reform, will allow the total destruction of the UK as we knew it.

    The only bright lights on the horizon are that such a destruction might take socialism with it forever, that the Conservative party will be reformed as a proper conservative party, and that we really can build back better in 5 years.

    I knew it was going to be bad, but this even worse than I feared, I feel thoroughly dismayed.

    1. There's always one bitter little Lefty desperate to tell others how to live.

      The Left didn't stop fighting when we defeated them in '45. They just changed tactics.

        1. Even if they're all wiped out, some spiteful worm decides he wants to have power over others.

      2. They hit the ground running whilst the rest of the country sat back on their laurels, heaved a huge sigh of relief and said 'Thank God that's over'.

    2. It's all right for you ! You are going to get a right wing government where you live.

      1. Don't bet on it.
        And even if we do the Left will make everyone's lives a misery

  32. 'Cross-party complacency', doesn't that really mean that our political classes and Whitehall have effed up everything that they
    have come into contact with ?
    More of it on the way, very soon.

  33. Just posted a VERY rare comment on the Derby Telegraph:-

    I take no satisfaction at seeing Sarah Dines lose Derbyshire Dales, but will say that it is no less than she and her party deserve.
    For far too long the Conservative Party has ignored the legitimate fears and concerns of the people of Britain. Labour did not win, the Conservatives (In Name Only) lost.
    https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/news/local-news/derbyshire-dales-general-election-results-9386015

    2. I'm quite sorry to see her go – not perfect but a good constituency MP.

  35. I believe Andrew Bridgen didn't hold his seat. Now that IS bad news. He was virtually the only truth-teller in the last Parliament and it really didn't matter on the day how good a constituency MP he had been. The mindless still sank him.

    1. Thanks Fiscal, been trying to get confirmation (I posted below). Completely agree, think he called the PO scandal earlier than others, and he's spot on with vaccine as many others are now starting to realise. Have read of a class action starting against AZ/Pfizer not sure if that's true, but even if it is and is won those companies are indemnified for any loss by government (i.e. taxpayers).

      1. Pfizer is being sued in the States. Can't remember the details of by whom and how many are doing it without looking them up but it seems the wheels are beginning to come off the pharma wagon.

        1. Is that where the action is, no surprise. US lawyers always ready to earn a bob/cent or more. I support any action to stop MRNA vaccines. RFKJr has quite a lot to say about vaccines generally. I’d probably vote for him if I had the right to, seems like a good man.

      1. Tice wouldn’t have him because of his stance and parliamentary campaign on vaccine injuries. Big mistake. Huge. One of the reasons I backed away from Reform until Farage took over.

    1. Well, Labour will jam the door open to the muslim invader. The future's going to be very, very bleak indeed.

  38. SIR — Tony Parrack (Letters, July 4), suggests SUV ownership is “selfish and irresponsible”. I wonder if he feels the same about large houses, eating meat, drinking alcohol and foreign travel – all of which could be considered unnecessary, with negative social and environmental consequences.
    Perhaps he should take a leaf out of our American cousins’ book and celebrate life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
    Phil Stewart
    London SW14

    You consider 'eating meat' to be 'unnecessary', Phyllis? This is because you measure a full Force 12 Corbyn on my scale of human stupidity. I would suggest that your propensity — as a natural carnivore — to eschew meat (instead of chewing it) and chomp down on variious weeds instead, might be the prime reason for this.

    Knob!

    1. I fear you may have misunderstood Mr Stewart's comments, Grizz. He is IN FAVOUR of eating meat etc!

      1. Have no fear, Billy. If my irony-meter is awry than I'll have to recalibrate it.

    2. Mr Parrack is clearly a berk of the highest order. It is this authoritarian arrogance that statists, so convinced of their self righteousness completely ignore that, just maybe they could be stark raving mental cases better suited to being sectioned.

    3. Necessary is a subjective word! It would be a colourless dull life if we could an only have what is necessary.

      As is often the case King Lear made the point very clearly:

      O, reason not the need! Our basest beggars
      Are in the poorest thing superfluous.
      Allow not nature more than nature needs,
      Man’s life’s as cheap as beast’s . . .

      and as he says to his fashionably dressed daughter Regan:

      Thou art a lady;
      If only to go warm were gorgeous,
      Why, nature needs not what thou gorgeous wear’st,
      Which scarcely keeps thee warm.

      This is still very true today when many tarty women seem to wear as little as they can without actually showing their nipples or genitalia in order to draw attention to themselves!

      1. Indeed. Necessary (and unnecessary) is a subjective word. William Henry Davies noted this in his timeless tenet, Leisure.

        What is this life if, full of care,
        We have no time to stand and stare.

        No time to stand beneath the boughs
        And stare as long as sheep or cows.

        No time to see, when woods we pass,
        Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.

        No time to see, in broad daylight,
        Streams full of stars, like skies at night.

        No time to turn at Beauty's glance,
        And watch her feet, how they can dance.

        No time to wait till her mouth can
        Enrich that smile her eyes began.

        A poor life this if, full of care,
        We have no time to stand and stare.

        The American golf professional, raconteur and wit, Walter Hagen, famously added to this mindset with this celebrated quotation:

        You're only here for a short visit. Don't hurry. Don't worry. And be sure to smell the flowers along the way.

        3. I learnt this by heart when I was at prep school and I still know it by heart!

    4. ….. "all of which could be considered unnecessary, with negative social and environmental consequences."
      I think Phil was stating the greeniac argument. There is nothing in the letter to suggest that he/she approves of the attitude. In fact, the final sentence suggests a NOTTLer mindset.

  39. Anyone have a clue about how many slammers got in as "independent" candidates?

    1. Hi Bill, can't call them that anymore, must show respect to our new elite.

    2. Just four – Perry Bar, Leicester South, Blackburn, Dewsbury & Batley

        1. Indeed. Ropers were second in a few others. Plenty of opportunity for trouble-making.

    2. I don't think the majority of conservatives didn't turn out , an older generation problem .

      South Dorset is now Labour , Richard Drax lost his seat , and West Dorset are now Lib dem , rural areas will now be prone to even worse saving the planet ideas .

      Labour won with a majority of 1,048, overturning a majority of around 17,000.

      Labour received 15,659, whilst Conservatives received 14,611 votes.

        1. Yes and those who voted for Reform took 8,000 votes to an anonymous Reform character .. Leaving us with a Camden flown in councillor / now MP in this part of beautiful Dorset , I bet he would rather stay in London than see constituents in this rural quiet part of Dorset .

          He will have no interest in the area , apart from running around with a few London imports !

        1. After a long night of watching that lot you deserve a good space out with a nice cup of tea. Your psyche must be bruised! 😊😊😊

  43. 389314+ up ticks,

    I believe we have just witnessed the biggest
    hooter ( nose) chopping, revenge taking on a political party, tory (ino) ever.

    This was the endgame result of four decades of support for the lab/lib/con mass uncontrolled immigration / paedophile proven umbrella, with much worse to come, all with the consent of fools.

    t

    1. The BBC are happy. They, as usual – think this a victory for the Left rather than anger from the Right.

      It's going to be horrible from here on.

      1. 389314+ up ticks,

        Morning W,
        The future has been consented too via the polling booth the best of the worst, party name, all have telling input.

        1. Funny that the remoaners are now demanding that Labour get their own way in everything whereas when it goes against them they fight relentlessly.

  45. I overheard some people bleating about the need to change the voting system.

    For all its many and evidence faults, FPTP suits me – and most voters.

    Anyway, with a majority of 170 the last thing the Leibour Lot will do is make it easier for them to have fewer MPs!

    1. Once Starmer has devolved all power to an unelected technocracy, we’ll be allowed a fairer voting system because it won’t matter anyway once parliament becomes a toothless talking shop after the style of the European Parliament.

    2. FPTP was fine when there was no well supported third party and no new parties on the scene to form a credible opposition.

      I lost faith in FPTP when it became blaringly undemocratic in 2015 when UKIP won several million votes and more that the Lib/Dems and the SNP combined and won just one seat when the Lib/Dems and SNP together won 64 seats.

      At the moment our system is no longer democratic – if that is what people want then why not abandon voting altogether?

    3. It is rotten and past its due by date when it no longer represents the people. A minority government gets in, detested by the people before it has even began to govern because the majority are disgusted with the other major party. When people have become so alienated from the system that they will not vote and large sections vote for other parties but end up with crumps with the vain hoper of change, we are not dealing with a democracy but a tyranny. It is a joke to pretend that this system is democratic or represents the will of the people. It is a disgrace.

        1. But it is still a better system. Are there any others that produce a fair outcome?

      2. Lord Hailsham's (borrowed) "elective dictatorship" – and that was the '70s!

    1. Carl Benfield, Green Party – 2,831
      Andrew Bridgen – Independent – 1,568
      Alice Delemare – Liberal Democrats – 1,629
      Siobhan Dillon – Independent – 136
      Amanda Hack – Labour – 16,871
      Noel Matthews – Reform UK – 9,678
      Craig Smith – Conservative – 15,859

      Sadly.

      1. That’s a great pity. Andrew Bridgen is, was, the only MP to bring excess deaths to Parliament’s notice. It will all be forgotten now.

        1. Or does he now has more freedom to highlight such matters than when he was an MP?

          1. Quite possibly but not in an arena that has so much more clout and publicity. Anyway I hope he continues to point it all out.

      2. 389314+ up ticks,

        Morning GG,

        Seems like Andrew Bridgen suffered a large dose of
        “we want to forget” no matter of family members passed over.

  47. Can someone explain to me please how it took 3-4 days to count the very low turnout London Mayor/Assembly votes yet the General Election count can be completed overnight? Was it Joseph Stalin who said it isn’t the number of votes that count, it’s who counts the votes?

    1. Doesn't London have some very complicated Alternative Voting system? So that all the ballots are counted dozens of times? Or something. (Goes for a lie down).

  49. Harry Bloke
    8 HRS AGO
    If the Tories were Tory I’d have voted for them. But they aren’t. So I didn’t.

    Perfect summary of the entire farce.

  50. It's going to be a while before the full analysis is available but what is absolutely clear already is that the country does not love either Starmer or his god-awful party yet they will be able to do what they will. The shocker is that Reform, with nearly one million votes more than the Limp Dumbs, have just 4 seats so far and could have maybe a dozen in the end while the LD's will have over 70.

    This Parliament does not represent the British people and, that being the case, I put it to the commentariat here that the British people are therefore perfectly entitled to rebel, smash the crockery, break windows, withhold taxes or do whatever other form of protest takes their fancy.

    1. Third most voted party, 15 percent of the vote. Four seats.
      That’s the system defended for generations.

    3. A general tax strike is a good idea. The state should be held hostage – they deny us the service we pay for for political reasons, we simply deny them pay for as long as we want.

      1. So much tax is taken before we even see our money.
        Income tax and VAT for starters.
        I suppose a boycott of chocolate biscuits would be start.

  51. Martin Daubney 🇬🇧
    @MartinDaubney
    ·
    41m
    REFORM: 4,070,501 votes = 4 seats
    LIB DEMS: 3,486,266 votes = 71 seats

    How can this happen? Data, legacy, targeted campaigning. Lib Dems used a sniper rifle approach. They fought a series of joined-up by-elections

    1. I agree.
      A second stage vote between the two top scorers in the first round.

  53. It pretty much already is. Vast amounts has been given away to quangos, committees, fake charities and assorted unaccountable dross.

    The problem is that the departments have only got bigger despite having nothing to do.

  54. 389314+ up ticks,

    Now we have sealed the countries fate could we at least not let a high% of the politico's fade into the fabric of society as they surely must have a date with the CPS, less we forget.

    1. Ogga, let's say it for loyal and faithful ladies:

      Gillian Reagan has managed to keep her husband out of court over the Horizon affair.

      Nicola Sturgeon has managed to keep her husband out of court over missing SNP funds.

      Good work ladies!

  55. Well, I can't sit about here all day – when there is ladder work to be done. Back later (I hope!)

  56. Hang on , but if Reform and all the other fiddly parties didn't exist , would Labour have really won?

    REFORM: 4,070,501 votes = 4 seats
    LIB DEMS: 3,486,266 votes = 71 seats

      2. I wonder what will happen to the grand initiatives creating a smoke-free Blighty (even horse-face Jacinta had to rein back on that one) and compulsory maffs to 18?

    2. Daily greetings Belle,
      (Today, nobody in their right mind can say good morning)
      That is absolutely shocking. But it strengthens the case for some sort of PR.

    3. Daily greetings Belle,
      (Today, nobody in their right mind can say good morning)
      That is absolutely shocking. But it strengthens the case for some sort of PR.

    4. Alternatively had the Conservatives not existed, would Labour have won?

      1. Alternatively James – if Conservatives had talked with Farage (as he offered) wouldn't there now be a Conservative/Reform government….whaddyamean it wouldn't have lasted….:-D

  57. Hang on , but if Reform and all the other fiddly parties didn't exist , would Labour have really won?

    REFORM: 4,070,501 votes = 4 seats
    LIB DEMS: 3,486,266 votes = 71 seats

  58. Labour won with a majority of 1,048, overturning a majority of around 17,000.

    Labour received 15,659, whilst Conservatives received 14,611 votes.

    1. I know the feeling. Scaffolders, electricians, plumbers all bellowing, drilling, banging, crashing, slamming doors – the worst blasted part – and leaving mess everywhere.

      We move rooms, they seem to follow us.

      2. Been there, done that, twice. Never again, third time definitely not the charm 🙁 …good luck…

      1. Still cloudy but has just stopped raining. We needed the rain for the gardens. 17C

  60. Well Farage is in. So he should liven things up a bit. The Cons have had what they deserve, very sorry Hunt held on to his seat. Sit back and watch the mess Labour will make.

    Roll up, Roll u,p and enjoy the labour Roller Coaster ride.

    1. Hunt kept blithering on about taxes but the sad reality is he had hiked them more than any other chancellor except Brown.

    2. Hear you, Johnny. If it's anything like Gorgeous George in the House/PMQs he could well be ignored by the Speaker. But they won't find him as easy to ignore.

    3. Sorry about Hunt.
      Genuinely sorry about Rees Mogg. But I suspect, like Arnie, he will be back.

  61. Well Farage is in. So he should liven things up a bit. The Cons have had what they deserve, very sorry Hunt held on to his seat. Sit back and watch the mess Labour will make.

    Roll up, Roll u,p and enjoy the labour Roller Coaster ride.

    1. You possibly saw my recent post, LewisD, outlining our recent marriage after many decades, in order to avoid IHT. Would recommend anyone to check their own potential tax liability, worth paying a solicitor for advice.

      1. I wondered whether I should marry my heir (we are not an item nor are we related).

  63. Ah well, I had bet on Reform getting 5-seats, but still very happy they managed four at least. I left it all at 1.30 a.m. so didn't miss much.

    I shall bid everyone good day, since I am going on a week's hols up north. A lot of driving to come and a refuge from the hysteria of the day.

    be seeing you!

    2. Good for you, James…enjoy your time with us ooooop north, watch those country roads, cows being moved around pasture to pasture here at the moment…the joy ..:-DD

    4. Watch out for distraught Scots Nazis chucking themselves under your wheels.

      1. I did see that earlier and yes, that’s the seat I was puzzled hadn’t gone to Reform. The others were obvious really. Seems it was very close.

    1. They didn't care, they wanted to pass the baton to Labour rather than than be Conservatives

    2. 'Morning, poppiesmum…not too sure about David Frost, he seemed to support Brexit but only to go quiet when elevated to HoL. Perhaps I'm mistaken. I'd like to see him have a more public role, even if it means getting shot down occasionally, rather than give us his hindsight view. What d'you reckon:-)

  67. I just overheard someone in the office say, "I couldn't bring myself to vote for Labour".

    1. Nor could I – though our previous Labour MP was a good local man. We now have a local GP who will probably be an OK constituency MP. I've never in my life been tempted to vote Labour.

  68. Not bad. Better than the Tory and Reform parties.
    Wordle 1,112 4/6

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

    3. It's an essential part of politics, habitual and pathological lying.
      It keeps their researcher's very busy.

    1. As was the intention. The agenda has to be speeded up to meet with the 2030 deadline. We must become ungovernable. Do not comply.

  71. Not having a local person to be one's representative in parliament should be made illegal. Many affronts are caused by local issues.

  74. Did you try to use bold?
    If so…write the word you want then highlight. Then press the B icon. Then move forward one space and press B icon again to return to normal font.

    1. Socialists know a great deal about toilets, it's their natural habitat.

  77. Morning all. Raining here which suits my mood, Reform only 4 seats, I am not happy. The boundaries of this constituency changed so we are still Conservative, now Arundel South Downs. But my former MP Gillian Keegan another pseudo Conservative got chucked out for a LibDem, I'm astonished. Would have happily bet £1000.00 that Chichester remain Conservative. Thank God I don't gamble! The voting system really needs to change.

      1. I noticed that in 96 Constituencies Reform came in second place. And the party garnered 30% of the vote overall. For that a miserable 4 seats. Our voting system really has to change it is undemocratic especially when Labour gets into power and very few people actually want them. In fact they do not have a mandate to govern at all, they have 33.9% of the vote. Compare 30% with 30% and the injustice is obvious.

    2. Quite frankly, GK deserved to be booted out.
      A silly, simpering Education Secretary who was claimed she was unaware of the full facts around sex changes.
      Obviously it came as surprise to her that hacking off boys' nadgers and girls' tits was not a universally approved practice.

      1. I had and have nothing good to say about GK she was another fraud pretending to be a Conservative. What gets me is that, I think, people understand very well what Conservativism is even if they have difficulty defining it. Like pornography you know it when you see it. Really, all the Conservatives had to do was be Conservative, not that difficult a task. Instead these disgusting creatures have brought low the oldest political party in the West by their fraudulent abusive behaviour. They really are a bunch of people that disgust me.

  82. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/3535c7efcc2609ee25e72c4bfacdcef0f058bac284ebfcf283916d822363aec0.png Reform UK: 4,,080,467 votes (to date). 14·3% of votes cast. 4 Members of Parliament.

    Liberal Democrat: 3,493,370 votes (to date). 12·2% of votes cast. 71 Members of Parliament.

    This means that a party that garnered much less support among the electorate has 67 more members in the Palace of Westminster doing their bidding. I wonder if I need to go out restudy basic arithmetic.

    1. In Colchester, the LibDem candidate came in fourth; behind the Reform candidate.
      Now the LDs have always made a great virtue of their local roots; it's their preferred line of attack against all other candidates. Their candidate is a local councillor whose father was also a Colchester LD councillor.
      The Reform candidate is an unknown chap from Braintree.
      I wonder what excuse they'll come up with this time?

      2. Labour led with "Vote for Change" but what does that mean in the bright light of day? The Tories, Labour and LibDums are as close to a Uni-Party as makes little difference to the eventual outcome i.e. the destruction of the UK. In this context 'Change' is meaningless.

        Reform actually offered 'Change' and made a break-in, now Farage & Co need to expand the break-in into a breakthrough and exploitation. Farage has been talking about 2029 as his main target. IMO if Smarmer is true to globalist type then it's likely 2026 – 27 when the people finally come to their senses and actually demand real 'Change'.

          2. The people may not have to “force” an election if the Labour government, with only around 20% of the registered electorate voting for them, performs as many people believe it will. Creating a crisis or a series of crises e.g. bringing Net Zero forward, expanding immigration numbers, financial incontinence, attacks of free speech etc. could suffice to make the Country ungovernable. If that happens then Labour would likely have to go to the Country for a mandate to continue. And lose.
            On the other hand the people could take to the streets and then literally “force” the government out. There’s a march scheduled for London on July 27th led by Tommy Robinson: the previous one was peaceful and the marchers left the area litter free unlike the Glastonbury shower at their venue It will be interesting to see how the new government reacts to this protest.

      1. Indeed. I don't know what the answer is.

        With the current first-past-the-post system the status quo will proliferate. PR seems fairer; however, they price you pay is that you never get a party with an outright majority and all the parties then have to go begging, cap-in-hand with each other, to get enough others onside to form an administration. That is what we have, here in Sweden, where no party has won an outright majority in decades.

        The Frogs will probably have some form of similar horse-trading going on next week in a desperate attempt to stop Marion Anne Perrine le Pen from forming a government.

    3. So, cons and reform would beat Liebour. Cons need to be wiped out so we can have a genuine Conservative Party.

  83. Good Moaning.
    If you like even more nannying and hectoring from the Blob.

    Politics for Dummies.

    Rule 1. Don't piss off your natural supporters.
    Rule 2. Don't piss off your natural supporters.
    Rule 3. Don't piss off your natural supporters.
    Rule 4. Don't piss off yo …………………………….

    I think NOTTLers may have got the message.

    Oh. And nuke CCHQ. (See Vlad for further details.)

  85. HMS Ganilly (T 367).
    M/S trawler (Isles).

    Complement:
    39 (39 dead – no survivors).

    At 08.21 hours on 5th July 1944, HMS Ganilly (T 367) (T/Lt R. Beattie, RNVR) was torpedoed and sunk by U-390 (Heinz Geissler) while escorting convoy EBC-30 about 12 miles east-southeast of Cap Barfleur. The commander, two officers and 36 ratings were lost. The U-boat was located and sunk by HMS Tavy (K 272) (T/A/LtCdr F. Ardern, RNR) and HMS Wanderer (D 74) (LtCdr R.F. Whinney, DSC and Bar, RN) a few hours after this attack.

    Type VIIC U-Boat U-390 was sunk at 1500hrs on 5th July 1944 in the English Channel, Seine Bay by depth charges from the British destroyer HMS Wanderer and the British frigate HMS Tavy. 48 dead and 1 survivor. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/5a0e7f7067cc997b261378b6e468ccd9258c1c60515b5bd315b5d317cb01e4c0.jpg

    2. One of my fathers brothers was aboard a troop carrier coming back to the UK after being injured in El Alamein and the ship was bombed and sunk in the Channel. I have tried many times to find reference but can never seem to get anywhere with it.
      Any ideas GQ ?

  86. The Liberal Democrats have won in 71 constituencies with 12.3 per cent of the overall vote, while Reform UK has 14.3 per cent of the vote, translating to success in four seats.

    12.3 % = 71 seats. 14.3% = 4 seats. Something wrong with the system?

      1. No. Loads of second places, which count for nothing where the winner takes all.

        The other anomaly is 33.8% of the vote = 412 seats, 40.0% = 262 seats (2017). Same party.

        While we on 2017, we also have 42.3% = 317 seats, 42.4% = 397 seats (1983). Same party.

        And lest we forget 2015, 12.6% = 1 seat, 8.6% = 56 seats.

        There are two more results to come in pending recounts – S.Basildon & E.Thurrock and Inverness, Skye and W.Ross-shire.

        When they are done, I can do a fresh proportional party weighting according to the formula I wrote about a few days ago.

        1. I can understand the Scottish result taking longer; but Basildon and Thurrock?
          Is that the constituency that had a Conservative princeling imposed on it?

          1. I don’t think so – they’ve just elected a Reform MP.

            Latest from the Highlands – they’ve given the count staff the night off to get sober, and they start again Saturday morning.

      2. Let's hope Reform learnt to target their efforts.
        Focus, not a scattergun effect.
        Study the results and concentrate on the possible constituencies.

        1. They were runner up in quite lot of places. Those should be the ones to target.

          3. I stopped watching the debates years ago. Nigel will make it worth watching again. If they ever let him speak.

    2. But if you change to a PR system you will probably end up with never ending left wing coalitions. Be careful what you wish for.

      2. "…you will probably end up with never ending left wing coalitions.

        Not necessarily so!

  87. I suppose Starmer won’t bother going to Buck House to be installed as PM by the King he’ll go straight to Davis to receive further instructions.

      1. A different version of the game now, the ball worth 7 points is now worth 7,000.

          1. They like to promote their new ideas to the people who might be more likely to support them.

    3. And Later he'll be putting his other famous knee on the ground probably thanking the usual participants in the building for his postal success.

  88. 389314+ up ticks,

    A moment of revenge satisfaction = five years of dangerous torment, a spokesman for the village idiot assoc. commented, even we, tried always and could not find a common sense reason for the actions taken.

  91. Peter J Newton of Derby tells us that RN sailors were issued with a Pattern Housewife Sewing Kit and that Sat afternoons were 'make and mend'. The RAF issued the same kits – I still have mine and I can sew buttons on and darn socks as I'm sure most ex-service personnel can.

    1. I used to work with a Persian guy who I saw one day sewing a button on his jacket while sitting at his desk. I asked where he learnt to sew and he said it was when he did his national service in Iran.

  92. Moaning all, and plenty of it. What a disaster. Strange, isn’t it, that Europe is turning right and we are turning to communism, having leaned left for the last 14 years.

    Went to vote yesterday on the way back from shopping. Entered car park. Halted by some man who asked are you here to vote? (Church hall). Yes. Proceeded to tell us where to park. Told him we had a disabled badge so we knew where to go. Then ‘have you got ID?’ Yes, thank you. I found it very irritating. Thought to myself bugger off I know what I have to do. Bl..dy nanny state. Had no idea who he was. Do people really need reminding? Maybe I’m just a grumpy old woman. I sure feel it sometimes!

    1. I was directed to Table 1 so pointed out that my polling card stated Table 2, just as it always does. Strange to tell, I can read. Apart from that, they were a cheery bunch.

  93. There was a chap in our hall whose job was to ask if you had id, a pointless expense. I see the officials also had a tablet this year as opposed to a printed list. No expense spared in the cost of living crisis…

    1. Reminds me. The clerk issuing the polling card ‘has to say’, so he said, please put only one cross against a name.

      1. I don't think they told me that yesterday, though maybe I just wasn't listening.

      2. Much of this extra hassle is down to Britain no longer being a country with a common culture evolved over the centuries.
        The incomers, by and large, do not share the beliefs that were accepted when the universal franchise was established.
        So, sadly, all this bureaucratic control has been introduced to alleviate the damage caused by the very people soliciting our support. (And yes, my choice of the word 'soliciting' is deliberate.)

        1. The same as the "money laundering" hoops we have to jump through to justify where every penny we have comes from, and the stop and search we get when getting onto an aeroplane nowadays.

    2. We had a printed list. My friend said that the woman in front, who was a neighbour of the person behind the desk, wasn't asked for ID. One rule …

  94. Just arrived by email.

    Dear Minty,

    Thanks to your support, we made history yesterday. You’ve joined the people’s revolt. Now I am asking you to help us build on our electoral breakthrough.

    In four remarkable weeks, we have won millions of votes from people who want real change and got Reform UK MPs into Parliament for the first time. And this is just the beginning.

    Of course, the UK’s broken electoral system means that we have far fewer MPs than our votes deserve. But we are committed to being the real opposition in parliament, holding Keir Starmer’s Labour government to account over its plans to open Britain’s borders to even more immigration, and its plot to betray Brexit by taking the knee to the EU.

    Outside the Westminster bubble, I am serious about building a mass popular movement for real change over the next few years. Millions like you have shown that they believe in Reform UK, because we believe in Britain. Now we need your support to help us take the next big step and get this party ready for government in 2029.

    Together we can change Britain for good. Please donate to Reform UK today.

    Thank you, Nige.

    1. I got one too. Still it's better that they get the funds they need from members and individual supporters rather than rich business people making large donations to which there will always be strings attached.

  95. Since becoming a member of Reform all they've done is email me asking for donations so I have now unsubscribed from their emails

  96. Will all the remainers who complained the referendum result did not give a proper mandate to leave be complaining about Labour's super majority from a much smaller vote, both in absolute numbers and share?

    No!

    Thought not.

  97. Labour's 412 is in reality all but 500 given that there are 71 LibDems and a few other fringe players. Even if its policies are catastrophic, it's unlikely to be shifted before 2029. However, the Ropery might cause it some bother. There are four Muslim independents and a few Labour seats where Muslims were close – Wes Streeting won by only 528. How many Muslim MPs does it have?

    I'm surprised Plaid Cymru won any seats at all given Labour's performance in the siop siarad. The near wipe-out of the Mad Jocks is the only small consolation to be had.

    I thought Reform would win more seats. Ben Habib failed badly here in Wellingborough, possibly because he's not a local. How many seats would the Tories have won if all the Reform votes were added to theirs?

    1. My constituency (Chatham and Aylesford):-
      Labour 13,689
      Conservative 11,691
      Reform 9,989

      2019 election – Conservative majority 18,540
      2024 election – Labour majority 1,998

      This is not a vote for Labour – it's a vote against the Conservatives.

    2. My constituency (Chatham and Aylesford):-
      Labour 13,689
      Conservative 11,691
      Reform 9,989

      2019 election – Conservative majority 18,540
      2024 election – Labour majority 1,998

      This is not a vote for Labour – it's a vote against the Conservatives.

    3. Good morning, bleary eyed for me…
      Matt Goodwin (excellent commentary via Substack) says Reform cost the Tories 180 seats.
      And Reform came second in 98 seats.

      PS sad about Ben Habib, an excellent & intelligent man.

      1. Indeed, but still interested.

        Total votes (two results o/s):
        L – 9,686,379
        C+R – 10,916,759 (+1,230,430)

    5. How many seats would Reform have won if all the Tory votes were added to theirs?

  98. I had the misfortune to see Fishi's valedictory remarks. Apart from endless apologies (wanquer – never apologise, never defend) he proceeded to list his great achievements in the last 20 months (seems longer…). Summed up, he said we have done brilliantly in every aspect of life in Britain – so fantastically well that, when you were given the chance to vote – you elected Labour with a huge majority.

    He really doesn't get politics. Though he is remaining as "leader" of the Rump Tories, he'll be gone as soon as his successor is appointed. What's the betting that it is Jeremy Rhyming? That'll be Peking's reference…..

    1. It is a staggering level of hubris that he thinks he has done a good job. That he has made Britain better. That a cost of living problem, massive debt, wasteful public sector, atrocious democratic accountability, hordes of alien criminals pouring in are a success for him.

      1. Massive debt. Hmmm. We are broke. And taxing people even more is going to be counter productive. The wealthy will simply up sticks and move elsewhere. The Labour government will find that increasing the tax take from the top 1% of earners will be to no purpose and the next 5% will have the same effect. Our dil had already dropped to working 4 days a week because of the state taking so much tax. Doubtless others have done or will do the same. We’re on a steep downward slope.

        1. I remember the seventies and the Brain Drain. Was talking about that this evening. The youngish woman on our table asked if there were any good things – I said no; I'd been saving up for a deposit on a house and by the time rampant inflation had been at it, it wouldn't even buy me a decent second hand car.

    2. Listing his achievements can't have taken long – about net zero seconds?

      1. Nah – he went on and on. Rather like a party political broadcast – but a day too late!

    3. They need a proper Conservative = Suella Braverman. She then needs to route the tino's.

      2. Normally, I'd agree with you re SB, but I wasn't so impressed when I saw her on GBN with Chrystys after they'd wandered round Cambridge together, and a 'student' was in the studio to debate with her – turned out to be a very confident activist who accused SB at least twice of being a liar. Took SB a while to find her feet with her. She might have to toughen up if she wants to lead the CP. I quite like Badenoch, quick on her feet with Tennant.

  100. I wrote an ironic song impersonating Tony Blair in 1997 the last two lines of which were:

    I'll seem so fair and reasonable on me you'll bet your shirts
    And with New Labour, endlessly, you'll get your just deserts.

    These lines should now be amended – Starmer might say:

    I won't be fair and reasonable – I'll tax until it hurts
    And with Old Labour, endlessly, you'll get your just deserts.

  102. Guess I'd better to get back to tiling in the honey room we're building.
    I know it'll be a success, as I carefully slashed my hand with a stanley knife and have therefore added a bucket of blood to the grout mix… I'm sure that will appease the gods!
    :-((

      1. Yes, although they aren't as active as we'd hope, due to chilly weather & rain.

        1. Do lots of planting. This might help.

          The 7 best flowers to plant for bees

          Bee balm (Monarda spp.) …
          White wild indigo (Baptisia alba) …
          Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) …
          Black-eyed susan (Rudbeckia hirta) …
          Joe-pye weed (Eutrochium purpureum) …
          Marsh blazing star (Liatris spicata) …
          Wrinkleleaf goldenrod (Solidago rugosa)

          1. I've read that Borage is good for attracting bees, particularly because the flowers are very fast at replacing the nectar taken by the bees.

          1. I’ll have to ask SWMBO, and get back to you. I’m not good with flower recognition, but we find them on the rspberries, blackberries, buttercups…

          2. She’ll put you right, I’m sure :-)) we have all those, but no bees – a few wasps, hoverflies, that’s about it.

          3. Right, report from SWMBO: Our bees like especially Rosebay willowherb, raspberries, Golden Rod, scabious.

    5. I stabbed my hand the day-before-yesterday taking the umbilical cord off a plastic bottle top.

      I am growing more rebellious and anarchic by the minute.

    1. Obama desperately attempting to get his 'partner' Michael into the driving seat. POTUS by Proxy.

    3. Actually it isn't all that shocking a theory because Bidens policies follow policies that Obama would be implementing if he were in power.

      1. You mean he's not the puppet master, johnathan…crikey, pretty sure I saw the strings…

      2. Except it can all be blamed on Biden's dementia should the day of reckoning arrive, therein lies the difference – with Obama laughing safely tucked away in the wings.

  104. Morning all,
    Not far from us, the Peterborough/NW Cambridgeshire constituency has returned a very close result between the blue and red rosette socialist/WEF candidates. I seem to recall some controversy over vote rigging there a few years ago – there is a significant muzrat population; draw your own conclusions?
    Should such a close call warrant a recount? Or is that only when liebour almost win?
    The result in North West Cambridgeshire was:

    Sam Carling (Labour): 14,785
    James Sidlow (Reform UK):8,741
    Bridget Smith (Liberal Democrat): 3,192
    Elliot Tong (Green): 2,690
    Shailesh Vara (Conservative): 14,746
    The 2019 result was Con 62.5%, Lab 22.2%, Lib Dem 10.66%, Green 4.68% and the seat had been held by Shailesh Vara since 2005.

    1. He is in terminal decline. He is being abused by his family and team. They should be ashamed of themselves. It will only serve to quicken his death.
      He should be at home on the ranch sniffing his grandchildren.

        1. He hasn't the faintest idea that he is regarded as an idiotic simpleton. He is too far gone.

    2. Not even a farthing, a halfpenny, a penny, a twelve-side threepenny bit let alone a tanner or a shilling.

      Indeed in real money he is completely worthless.

  107. It's in the numbers.

    28,704,284 people voted across the United Kingdom of GB & NI.
    18,992,273 did not vote for the Labour Party.
    The electorate is 49,421,428.
    20,717,144 did not bother to vote.
    The Starmer government has the support of 33.83% of those who bothered to vote, 19.65% of the electorate.

    I think rebellion should be on the cards.

    1. So each Reform seat took 1,000,000 votes
      Labour seats only took 24,000 votes
      At that rate Reform should have 166

        2. As I posted earlier, i suspect that is a significant issue in the Peterborough/ NW Cambs constituency. Peterborough has a significant moslum population.
          The result in North West Cambridgeshire was:
          Sam Carling (Labour):           14,785
          James Sidlow (Reform UK): 8,741
          Bridget Smith (Liberal Democrat): 3,192
          Elliot Tong (Green): 2,690
          Shailesh Vara (Conservative):           14,746
          The 2019 result was           Con 62.5%, Lab 22.2%, Lib Dem 10.66%, Green 4.68% and the seat had been held by Shailesh Vara since 2005.

    2. Totally agree i'm up for it, this was part of the discussion the other day on Nottlers we have never had a democracy.

  108. Exactly that. See my comment below. It has actually been quite clear from the start for anyone who bothered to look. Apart from anything else, bar Woodrow Wilson who was too ill to move, Obama is the only President in the history of the US who has not followed convention and left Washington at the end of his tenure. He remained in situ throughout Trump's term too.

  109. Exactly that. See my comment below. It has actually been quite clear from the start for anyone who bothered to look. Apart from anything else, bar Woodrow Wilson who was too ill to move, Obama is the only President in the history of the US who has not followed convention and left Washington at the end of his tenure. He remained in situ throughout Trump's term too.

    1. Yes, wasn't he keen on Schwab, the WEF, Net Zero and building back better?

    2. This sort of crap really annoys me. It is symptomatic of the decay in education, it betrays an ignorance of how our Constitution works that makes this puerile remark possible.

  112. A word of warning to Farage: don't be negative. When things go bad, don't tell the people: "This is what you voted for". Simply analyse the problems, offer solutions, be positive and cheerful. Anger and a strident tone will not help the conservative cause. Let Labour make mistakes, as it most certainly will.

    Humour is required – and ridicule the Lib Dems by all means. Don't rise to any bait. When a back-bench Labour dunce shouts insults (the 'F'-word will undoubtedly be used), simply humour the fool by asking "Why are you four hundred scared of the four of us?"

  113. A word of warning to Farage: don't be negative. When things go bad, don't tell the people: "This is what you voted for". Simply analyse the problems, offer solutions, be positive and cheerful. Anger and a strident tone will not help the conservative cause. Let Labour make mistakes, as it most certainly will.

    Humour is required – and ridicule the Lib Dems by all means. Don't rise to any bait. When a back-bench Labour dunce shouts insults (the 'F'-word will undoubtedly be used), simply humour the fool by asking "Why are you four hundred scared of the four of us?"

  114. I just had my groceries delivered from Safeway. Fell into conversation with the kind individual doing it and he told me that his wife, 67 years old, has had to go back to work full time. His son and wife have four children, he and his wife are working full time but can no longer afford the mortgage. So grandma is now working full time. It's either that or his son and family would become homeless. Grandfather also works full time. He doesn't expect any help from Labour.

    1. Still grinds my gears workers like your Safeway driver, and many thousands of others, who carried on working during various Boris lockdowns, have had neither recognition nor reward. Compare to those who both carried on working and claimed from the Sunak Treasury, apparently a good wodge there that there's been no attempt to reclaim and nor will there be. Another issue for taxpayers to cover.

      1. A small detail. It was Sainsbury's not Safeway. Constantly get the two mixed up!

        1. I did wonder :-)…I used to have Sainsbury deliveries, produce is the best quality I think, but best people at Morrisons, salt of the earth 🙂

          1. An odd phenomenon that I'm sure others who have lived for long periods abroad share with me. That is constantly mixing up, in my case, American things with British things it seems to go on for years, I still go for the drivers side when getting into a car when I mean to be the passenger. And first floor v. ground, enough to send you off the deep end! Does Safeway even exist in the UK?

          2. Not any more, far as I know…taken over by Morrisons couple decades ago…remember to drive on the left….:-D

        2. I don't grocery shop at Sainsbury's – far too lefty for me. Tesco or Morrisons are my choices.

        3. I was told by my local Sainsburys manager that they move stores every three months, he wasn’t really interested in anything I had to say when I had a complaint. Neither was Head Office. Not been back since.

          1. It is still a major supermarket in California although I used to shop at Andronico’s which resembles a very large Marks and Sparks Food Hall. It was a veritable cave of food wonders and delights. It brought specialized foods from small businesses that big businesses could’t be bothered with because there wasn’t enough of a profit margin. So specialized foods and desserts, even hand made sour dough baguettes. Pip would have thought he had died and gone to heaven in there.

  115. His limited brain power is well-known. The only sensible thing I can recall him ever saying was when he described a new, ugly building as a carbuncle.

    1. He probably thought a monstrous carbuncle was something beautiful like the Tahj Mahal or the Vishvanatha Temple. He really is thick.

    2. He probably thought a monstrous carbuncle was something beautiful like the Tahj Mahal or the Vishvanatha Temple. He really is thick.

  116. The BBC is ecstatic with the result. The studios are awash with people crying with delight, their champagne glasses overflowing with the deluge of hot tears and discarded wet knickers. Not everyone is so happy though. North of the border they are in mourning for the loss of so many SNP seats and have declared a month, nay six months, of grieving and lamentation. There are always two sides to a lefty victory.

    1. But, but, but ….. isn't the BBC impartial and never politically biased…..

  117. Latest Breaking News –

    After listening to Starmer's Speech
    Millions of people are marching down to their health centres
    Demanding their covid jab now!

  118. Silly question and a real puzzle ..

    Why did Sunak want an election ..

    Did he assume that the Labour party were not prepared , and did he go into shock when he was told that Farage would be entering the fray?

    1. He thought that Farage & Co wouldn't be prepared as they were expecting an autumn or winter election.

    2. He thought that Farage & Co wouldn't be prepared as they were expecting an autumn or winter election.

      1. The baton holds a note from the Treasury which Sir Kier had to pick up today during his journey in the Audi to No 10.
        My experience when visiting an Audi showroom left me dumbfounded at the number of extras you had to buy to achieve a car like the model on display.

    5. Uncle Klaus: You've laid the groundwork, Rishi but progress is too slow. We've been rumbled and 2030 is our deadline.
      Rishi: Going as fast as I can, Herr Fuhrer. I'm getting push-back from the backbenchers.
      Uncle Klaus: Hand over to Sir Keir, Rishi. Labour backbenchers are stupid. They'll be much more compliant.

  119. I have just received a letter from Ruth Davidson, former Scottish Conservatives leader, urging me to vote Conservative to keep the SNP out. Bit late, Ruth, bit late. As it happens, the Tory did win, but neither had my support.

    1. I mentioned earlier (Spectator, from sad old memory)…why doesn't she get involved again….

  120. I have just received a letter from Ruth Davidson, former Scottish Conservatives leader, urging me to vote Conservative to keep the SNP out. Bit late, Ruth, bit late. As it happens, the Tory did win, but neither had my support.

  121. During lunch, the MR told me an interesting thing. A useless, incompetent Limp Dumb county councillor stood for Parliament. He was elected.

    Now, last October, when there was serious flooding in the road outside my house, I asked this wazzock to help. He was on the Highways Committee. October. In March, he e-mailed me to say that he had received my e-mail and that if I would remind him of the issue, he'd look in to it.

    I replied the same day – sending my original e-mail.

    Never heard another word.

    If he treats constituents like that, he'll soon have a contingent of unhappy people….
    Off to the funeral now. Back later.

  122. Back in the day, I took MiL to hear Farage speak at Boston. He was very forthright, sincere and an excellent orator, no notes needed, and he answered every question without batting an eyelid and with so many facts and figures.

    1. I've heard Nigel speak many times. He's definitely an orator par excellence.

  124. Only in their book. In our book it is still lying and should be treated as such – just hard to prove.

    1. No it's easy to prove. You start from the position of calling the slammer a lier, the ask said lier to prove their case .
      Works for Douglas Murray….

      1. Douglas Murray is not talking about the Oath. Douglas can , and does, refer to facts rebutting what the slammers say. In this case it is requiring the oath-taker to prove a negative – that they were not lying. The only way I think it could be one it by pointing to part of the Qu’ran that says that you must not swear any oath of allegiance to anything other than their god unless you are lying,or something like that.

    1. Cats have a way of getting their own back with owners they don't care for…usually involves standing in a corner with their tail lifted…..

  128. But he isn't sure whether the buncle is the front or rear of the car. His chauffer will know though.

  129. Hello all. Despair, gloom and despondency might be the natural reaction to this Tory-induced disaster, but in my opinion it's the wrong one. It should be renewed determination to fight back, for the sake of your family, you country and your future. We can't give up now. We on the right need to back Reform and join Farage in being a bloody nuisance. Free Speech Backlash will do its bit, and I have a few incipient ideas set out in the initial reaction. Please spare a few minutes to read it and join the debate. https://www.freespeechbacklash.com/.

    Have a slug of something strong and read Paul Sutton's disturbing essay of the origins of gender theory and its influence in our schools, and take it as symbolic of what Labour will do in power.

    Sorry for the lofty rhetoric, but harness your inner Churchill and never surrender.

      1. As good an analogy as Churchill. Do you have a quote from her I can use?

    2. After an 18 month hiatus, I have rejoined the Conservative party. For just the one year on the basic membership fee.
      I had been a member and an activist for 40+ years when I threw in the towel. Without wishing to boast, I had put in a lot of hours, money and energy into supporting the party; I had also with the help of a good team, raised a lot of money for an association that is not one of the richest.
      For me, the Conservative party is on notice. During this year, I will be watching and commenting like billy-o.
      I will be attending meetings where the future shape of the party is under discussion. Not just under discussion, I expect a respectful hearing, not the CCHQ haut-en-bas attitude introduced under Hague and perpetuated by his successors.
      If, after this drubbing, they still refuse to listen to us, then that £39.00 will be the very last money they will ever get from me. Choosing wets like Tugendhat or Hunt or twerps like Cleverly as leader would mean an early exit for me.
      On the plus side, a great deal of dross has been cleared. The minus is losing people like JRM, Andrew Bridgen and Miriam Cates, but I suspect they will be back. Possibly freed from the Westminster incubus, they may be more effective.

  130. The Moggster on who should be the next Tory leader: "Mark Francois as he's the only conservative in the House of Commons."

    1. He is a good speaker but lack the action to back it up. I judge people on what they do, not what they say. but I do like him.

  131. The good news is of course that Reform is the third largest party in Britain.
    Not bad for a first atempt after 5 weeks notice.

    2. LESS/ fewer: a common misuse by people who should know better – MPs, journalists and newsreaders – every day, Sue!

    1. "Well, Starmer, aren't you going to go down on one knee? Surely I'm more important than BLM?"

    3. I only kneel to royalty Charlie, BLM hiding behind the commode?

    4. Two portly men just met up at WeightWatchers…see their progress as the weeks go by…

    5. Two clueless short a*ses meet to discuss the destruction of Britain and its culture.

  137. I see the thicko Cleverly (if ever there was a man unsuitably named) got back. Sees himself as Tory leader…narf, narf.

      1. Sorry, lost me there. I think they are still waiting for the GPO to collect them.

  140. “Maybe it was wrong not to go after Reform straight away'

    That's in an interview with Andrea Leadsom. She thinks the party losing was because they did not wrecking ball Reform in the earliest days. No Andrea, you lost because of immigration levels and other major issues. Just shows though, how if more voters had supported Conservatives out of fear, the reward would have been the instant smashing of Reform. We would have seen far more missiles thrown, smears, lies and sabotage. Even now, Reform will be in for a rough ride and need our support when more smears come. Of course, Labour will get in on the act.

  141. I don't whether thrown out Tories are thick, or having a larf, or are just smug and arrogant. By their comments shall ye judge them.

    1. Which/whose comments have you seen, Bill? Ah, reference to Leadsome, very next comment 🙂

  143. The only consolation is four Reform seats and Nigel Farage in one of them. It was a long night. So many votes and so few seats brings back memories of 2015 with Ukip. Our SE Cornwall candidate received more than 9,000 votes and in doing so unseated Sheryll Murray, which pleased him.
    Off to the pub for 5 o'clock club in a bit.

    1. It was a long night, I still haven't been asleep yet , had a shower earlier , did a pile of washing , filled the bird feeders , put canes alongside the dozen or so sunflowers growing nr shed , Moh attacked the molehills that my friend the mole keeps pushing up earth in all sorts of areas of the garden , mother blackbird helps herself to the spare worms .

      Moh managed to snooze during the night , but I was transfixed and amazed by the exit polls .. incredible predictions .. how does Proff thingy do that ?

      1. When I haven't slept, or barely slept, I simply cannot function the next day. You must be built of stronger stuff than me.
        Is your garden big enough to fall in starmer's plans for extra taxes on houses with 'large' gardens?

        1. Gawd , where did you see that ?

          Just a medium ordinary wrap around garden , with a surrounding hedge .

          No swimming pool , no ponds , nothing like that ..

          1. I can't remember where, but I saw it referred to more than once.
            It wouldn't surprise me if such a tax were to become real. After all, it fits in with liebour's policies of spite, greed and envy. 'You've got it, we want it.' Our garden, which is admittedly becoming a bit much for me, is probably large enough to squeeze another small house into, especially one of the 3-story cardboard houses which seem to be abundant on all new shanty estates, and that would make a good HMO to house multiple illegals that will soon be dispersed into every settlement, however small.

          2. You could fit a shoebox house onto the end of my garden, too. I have an orchard and veg and soft fruit plots. Maybe I can claim to be a smallholding (not that that would stave off Labour's grab).

        3. I always find it's the day after the day after a sleepless night that does for me.
          Maybe adrenaline keeps me going for 24+ hours.

        4. Mine is and I live in the country so he'll do whatever he can to make my life a misery.

    2. Slightly disappointed with just 4 seats, particularly as the exit poll said 13. I read that Reform came second in 98 seats!!
      Something has to change now, surely……

      1. They were 2nd to the cons in our constituency and a neighbouring one. Both have decent constituency MPs whose views seem more suited to Reform.

      2. Farage intends to build on this albeit small success. Foot in the door as it were. It's how muslims do it. Let's hope he can catch up before it's too late.

  144. If there's any consolation for Jeremy Hunt at least from the 5th of July he doesn't have to live next door to a fucking Paki. © Channel 4.

      1. Lol. I know Rishi is a Hindu and i really don't mind them. It's the other lot that are the problem which will now get much worse.

  145. Oh dear. Marcus is trying to get to York for General Synod. He did make a comment yesterday evening in church to the effect that the CofE bishops are the last people one would want to be with to discuss an inevitable Labour victory…but hey ho!
    https://x.com/WalkerMarcus/…

    2. Our vicar has gone off to York for General Synod. I don't know if she's been held up or managed to get there okay since she won't have to go via London.

  147. Agree. By and large, the Hindus and Sikhs just get on with life without the need for threatening behaviour or worse.

    1. The Sikhs did threaten violent retribution when a film they didn't care for was to be screen in west London some years back. It was – of course – NOT screened.

      1. We know who the badduns are. Those smaller communities of hindu and sikh are being provoked. The streets are running wild in those areas and the police are nowhere to be seen until it hits the media.

  148. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/03776137dc711151a2f0aa9d6c832f9ea91c6d7e004f65739111b31e5b347b9b.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/bc94f38ecb7e8933e89cf0c1a452425ebbaeb35cf468422f6fe9993b04cb3699.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/cb0b13f577e6021dbb22d7077f83bed145594893daaf97b8ec2d645b5490e1ca.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/e51e2c5bd18109e7b0958e59b12d292e58ce2459747a2e16209926b4bc3342a3.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/9261fe18a7a5f0135150d28539d135acdf73011d07f6405c0fb52f63238f3c50.jpg

    1. I like the first one – spot on. Except the destination building is further alight.

        2. No he isn't. He's still brown though, with half a million in big pharma shares of a drug he and his team pushed.

  149. Reeves: 'There's not a huge amount of money'

    Rachel Reeves has issued a damning assessment of the state of the UK's finances. The new chancellor of the exchequer said she was inheriting a depleted economy from the Conservatives that would create a "challenge" for the new Labour government.

    "There's not a huge amount of money there," Ms Reeves told the BBC. "I know the scale of the challenge I inherit."

    Ms Reeves said she would lean on the private sector to cover the shortfall.

    "Private-sector investment is the lifeblood of a successful economy. We need to unlock private-sector investment," she said.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cldyeykzp33o

    'Lean on' means tax rises, not cuts…

    2. No doubt the journalists will be grilling her about how Labour contributed to the dire financial situation by demanding longer, more stringent locking down of the economy and permanently calling for increased spending.
      Thought not.

  152. Farage heckled several times at chaotic Reform speech. 5 July 2024.

    Nigel Farage was heckled several times at a Reform UK press conference in London, with seven protesters accusing him of racism and bringing “division” to politics.

    Four men and three women rose one after another to disrupt the Reform leader’s speech, the first shouting: “Nigel, you’re a racist, you’re a liar”.

    Obviously organised but by whom? The racist accusation against Farage is transparently false. There is no record of him saying anything of such a nature and he has had several liaisons with ladies of ethnic origin. The original charge was invented by Alan Sked a disappointed former UKIP leader with the famous Ni**er quotes in the Daily Mail. This article can no longer be accessed on line and Sked himself has been careful not to repeat it after Farage instituted legal proceedings. It has however proved to be a useful tool for the Mainstream parties.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk…

    1. I saw some footage of that, Minty (hope OK to call you that)…looked poorly attended, bit surprised…Kate

  153. Farage heckled several times at chaotic Reform speech. 5 July 2024.

    Nigel Farage was heckled several times at a Reform UK press conference in London, with seven protesters accusing him of racism and bringing “division” to politics.

    Four men and three women rose one after another to disrupt the Reform leader’s speech, the first shouting: “Nigel, you’re a racist, you’re a liar”.

    Obviously organised but by whom? The racist accusation against Farage is transparently false. There is no record of him saying anything of such a nature and he has had several liaisons with ladies of ethnic origin. The original charge was invented by Alan Sked a disappointed former UKIP leader with the famous Ni**er quotes in the Daily Mail. This article can no longer be accessed on line and Sked himself has been careful not to repeat it after Farage instituted legal proceedings. It has however proved to be a useful tool for the Mainstream parties.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk…

  155. To those of you who commented (below), it was three weeks ago today, and it's still pretty grim, but life must go on. Family gathering tomorrow night for (slightly) belated 4th of July fireworks over the river. Just family this year, as there will doubtless be a lot of reminiscing – and tears.

          2. Recognise that, Sir Jasper, from when my grandmother and then my mum. Give yourself a hug from me '-/

    3. We miss Jill here – but as nothing to the gap she's left in your life and family. Enjoy the gathering and treasure the memories.

  157. As the predicted appointments of the dim, thick and inexperienced roll out – just rememberone thing.

    The last 14 years have seen some simply appalling people (dim, thick, inexperienced AND arrogant and corrupt) in various cabinet posts.

    There is very little to choose between the two main parties.

  158. "Let me have the best solution worked out. Don’t argue the matter. The difficulties will argue for themselves."

    Read this the other day in the Arromanches D-Day Museum.

    Oh for some people of vision and determination these days….

  159. An easily-vanquished Birdie Three?

    Wordle 1,112 3/6
    ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜
    ⬜⬜🟩⬜⬜
    🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

    1. Par but it was luck. Once I'd figured out the last three letters, there were at least four good options.

      Wordle 1,112 4/6

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

      1. My standard second word paid off today.
        Wordle 1,112 3/6

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

    2. Easy to some

      Wordle 1,112 4/6

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

    3. Nice one Rene! Bogey Boy managed a par today – Hallelujah!

      Wordle 1,112 4/6

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

    4. Well done. Back from the pub but wordled earlier.

      Wordle 1,112 3/6

      ⬜🟩⬜🟩⬜
      🟩🟩🟩🟩⬜
      🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

  160. Well well well. A new old new old new Labour government. It's only a matter of time before they declare war on some sorry country. Ministers and MP's will adorn themselves in be-medalled uniforms with slash peak caps.
    They will all need to conform of course. Even the ginger growler will be expected in this post modern Trans fuckwit nonsense world to grow a Hitler moustache.

      1. Shock horror ! You don't mean her collar and cuffs don't match ! Which bit is the ginger biscuit?

        DON'T ANSWER !

        1. Someone from the front bench sitting near Johnson able to say, and likely Johnson himself if anything he said could be believed.

  161. Keir Starmer has appointed his main Grave-Diggers; I wonder who will do the same for the endangered species – 'dispersa bona'?

  162. You could say that we have been warned of what we are going to get.

    In 2010, 2015 and 2019 we naïfly thought the Conservative Party might keep some of its promises.

    Madness is doing the same thing – i.e. voting in a Conservative government – over and over again and hoping for a different result.

    We have not voted in a Conservative government this time but we can't say we didn't know what was coming: we are about to get our just deserts!

  163. CONFIRMED: Angela Rayner — deputy prime minister and levelling-up, housing and communities secretary
    Rayner’s rise from a troubled background — a council house her parents often couldn’t afford to heat, giving birth at 16, job as a home help at 18 — is one of the most dramatic in recent political history and she is one of the party’s most authentic personalities.

    CONFIRMED: Rachel Reeves — chancellor

    CONFIRMED: Pat McFadden — Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

    CONFIRMED: David Lammy — foreign secretary

    CONFIRMED: Yvette Cooper — home secretary

    CONFIRMED: John Healey — defence secretary

    CONFIRMED: Shabana Mahmood — justice secretary

    CONFIRMED: Wes Streeting — health secretary

    CONFIRMED: Bridget Phillipson — education secretary

    CONFIRMED: Ed Miliband — energy and net-zero secretary

    CONFIRMED: Liz Kendall — work and pensions secretary

    CONFIRMED: Jonathan Reynolds — business secretary

    EXPECTED: Peter Kyle — science secretary

    EXPECTED: Steve Reed — environment secretary

    EXPECTED: Louise Haigh — transport secretary

    EXPECTED: Anneliese Dodds — women and equalities secretary

    EXPECTED: Darren Jones — chief secretary to the Treasury

    EXPECTED: Lisa Nandy — international development minister

    EXPECTED: Ian Murray — Scottish secretary

    EXPECTED: Hilary Benn — Northern Ireland secretary

    EXPECTED: Jo Stevens — Welsh secretary

    EXPECTED: Baroness Smith — leader of the Lords

    EXPECTED: Lucy Powell — leader of the Commons

    EXPECTED: Sir Alan Campbell — chief whip

    https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/labour-new-cabinet-ministers-mps-keir-starmer-k2vr0pkts

    2. Only one slammer and one black. Tut, tut Cur Ikea…..you'll have the diversity brigade after you.

          3. Not acceptable. Not our culture. We don't stone. We hang, draw and quarter and we do it to them, not they to us.

          5. Wiki has it as ending in 1782 but Britannica states…

            In 1803 Edward Marcus Despard and his six accomplices were drawn, hanged, and quartered for conspiring to assassinate George III. The sentence was last passed (though not carried out) upon two Irish Fenians in 1867, and it was officially abolished in 1870.

          6. Happy to see, Sue that you got drawn, hanged and quartered in the correct order. Well done, you!

    5. Good grief. Lawd help us from the looming nightmare. We may have thought the CINO were bad, but this lot will make the CINO look like a walk in the park.

      1. It's going that way but it's Europeans who have the Neanderthal dna not the backward third worlders.

      2. Many anthropologists and archæologists firmly believe that Homo neanderthalis was a far more advanced species than H. habilis, H. erectus and, latterly, H. sapiens. The latter succeeded due to its more robust physiology.

        I foresee a near future whereby H. imbecilus will soon supplant H. sapiens before self-combusting as a result of its rapidly increasing stupidity. The signs are clear and obvious given recent events.

        1. Perhaps Z will read the runes and come to the conclusion he needs to start thinking about the end-game.

          1. There were two lovely ladies called Anne and Edith in one of the tour parties I was on holiday with in Italy. They were old friends with a great sense of humour and sparked off one another. One of the guys in the party suggested they go on the comedy circuit as A&E.

        1. Perhaps He's sitting in judgment on us for allowing Sodom and Gomorrah to happen here.

          1. In which case the judgment is being given on the wrong people – I don’t think many of us “allowed” it to happen – the people were lied to and deceived by politicians. Many of those politicians are getting off – having made a nice little nest egg over the last 14 years or so.

            As for the brain-dead who have voted Labour – well they might deserve what’s coming, but the rest of us don’t.

    9. Authentic personality? IMO, she is a psychopath – look at her eyes – very weird.

      1. I don't know how they define "authentic". Ill-educated, lacking in morals and a leftie.

    10. I will sleep soundly tonight knowing our great Nation is in capable hands……

      I'll probably still wake up screaming tomorrow…..

  164. Just watching an episode featuring Anthony Bourdain as the presenter. He is in LA. Tells the story of Rodney King. Fast forward to George Floyd who was a druggy criminal scumbag and they lock up the Cop.

    Those in charge are afraid.

  165. Next Tory leader needs to win over Right and shift party to the centre, says George Osborne
    Former chancellor’s suggestions come after ‘true blue’ seats such as Kensington and Chelsea fell to Labour in general election
    https://www.telegraph.co.uk…


    Does this mean he thinks the party is too far right and should move left towards the centre or that he thinks it is too far left and should move right towards the centre?

    Whatever he thinks he is one of the most odious and blinkered politicians we have seen in recent years who, in his time as chancellor, did irreparable damage to the country.

    2. Of all the people to offer advice to the Tory leadership, Osborne is about the worst.

    3. Imo both he and Cameron should do one. Fatal mistake by Sunak to bring Cameron back. Either Sunak's been given bad advice he took note of or good advice he didn't. No political antennae.

      1. Everything Sunak did was guaranteed either to promote Agenda 2030 or to make it certain that he would be let off the hook as soon as possible.
        Kudos to the voters in the little runt's constituency who returned him to Westminster, hopefully prolonging the torture and preventing him from hopping on the private jet to California for a while.

          3. But will he be faster than Lord Greenswill who, despite his "I will stay and make your decision happen" promise, was off like a young gazelle!?

          4. How long before Starmer is replaced by some extreme Lefty, as per the GLC back in the 1970s, with Ken Livingstone?

          6. So was I, but time is passing me by faster than you, it seems.
            I lived on Bow, in a 1920s block under the flyover.

          8. Starmer is an extreme Lefty. He's doing their version of taqiya. The end justifies the means, however lying or brutal or wicked the means.

          11. Ah The Whistler? Mistake to bring him back, Bleau. Sunak seems politically naive, if so – played…

          12. But will he be faster than Lord Greenswill who, despite his "I will stay and make your decision happen" promise, was off like a young gazelle!?

          14. Very possible. I was just going through Ig reels, actually quite a number supporting him, regret he’s not still PM, and really don’t like Starmer or what he could do.

    4. Personally I would be quite happy with an Ellwood or a Mordaunt as leader (yes I know they both lost their seats…) so that the Tories won't split the right wing vote next time round.

      1. AAARRGGGHHH. Petty Oficer Moron who can't define a woman? Ellwood – the man who praised the Taliban on its stance on women's rights?

        You must still be on them drugs.

        1. Bill, I don’t WANT the Tories to get elected again! The Tory Left deserves far worse than five years in laughable opposition to the party they agree with before they are allowed in government again! They need to be given something real to cry about!

      2. I've had personal experience of Ellwood. I am delighted that he lost his seat.

  166. That's me done for today. Two hours ladder work this morning – knackering but rewarding. I won't have to do any again until the end of September.
    In the course of the vast cutting back, I discovered that two of the down pipes were blocked – and managed to clear them – before the rainy season ends!! Rain all day tomorrow…..will hope to do some greenhouse work.

    I'll leave you with one upbeat thought. All these new, untried, unknown etc "Ministers" will discover in a VERY short time that most of the things they wish to achieve can't be done – or will take ten years – and they'll get depressed and miserable and wish they had stuck to being dinner ladies (or male equivalent). So there is tiny glimmer at the end of a long tunnel.

    A demain.

    1. The other cheering piece of news is that the SNP got stuffed.

      Edit: I forgot – Cameron is out in the wilderness. But Lammy(!!!) is the new Foreign Secretary.

  167. Change and decay in all around I see….

    Good evening. Have we drowned our sorrows yet or is the drowning still in full flood?
    I thought the Labour gloating was most unbecoming seeing as 66% of the country hates them. They are crowing over the fallen Tories, seemingly oblivious that most of us hate both Tories and Labour. (counting all the people who held their noses and voted for one or other party).

    I saw a rather witty post on Twitt that said Starmer is the new Turing test – can you tell if it's AI or Starmer speaking?

    1. The truth is that Labour are losing voter numbers and Reform under Farage has made a brilliant breakthrough. Expect Reform to now build its party organisation whereas the Conservative Party are lost with little chance of a revival any time soon.

      The significance is the breakthrough by a nascent party, the whooping and hollering, the self congratulation of Starmer and the ludicrous Ed Davey will be seen to be misplaced.

  168. Lord Deben (John Selwyn Gummer), ex Conservative Party Chairman, just guested on Radio 4. First thing he did was congratulate Kier Starmer. Part of BBC's continuing campaign to stir up trouble between disgruntled Tory losers and Nigel Farage/Reform. They never give up.

        1. I always remember the joke that Gummer would rather run off and be Archbishop of Canterbury but with his luck it would be the day the Agnus Dei got mad sheep disease.

  170. Reform take South Basildon and East Thurrock after a recount to make 5 MPs.

    2. I reckoned Reform would get 3-4 seats. Hopefully more as the inevitable by-elections take place throughout the next five years.

  171. I was talking to my Turkish colleague today, and he says that in Turkey, about a third of all towns and cities have a very large % of the population hailing from Syria, Afghanistan, Pakistan etc
    This makes the Turks very uneasy. As he said, "we don't know these people, we don't know where they come from or what they will do"
    He said it, not me, "Turkey is so unstable now that it would only take a match tossed into the powder keg to start conflict."
    Sounds familiar?

    2. Sounds red zone to me, Turks can be just as volatile as anyone else – if not more so…

  172. The Tottenham turnip, thick racist wannabee Mugabe, Lammy has been made Foreign Secretary . I hope the new government collapses as soon as possible

    2. The trouble is that they will have collapsed the country before they collapse.

  173. The oleaginous Cameron will pop up somewhere else, head of the UN or something like that. Yuk!

      1. I suppose that the hole in the middle represents the money diverted to political retirement funds.

      2. WTF? So over half the money is siphoned off to crony companies milking the climate scam? What a sick joke!

        1. Quite. And they really are blatant cronies. See Vaughan Gethin's shennanigans with a crooked greenie.

      3. Climate Change…what a killer…I have neighbours who actually still believe in Thunberg.

        1. Just about everything I get through for the parish council mentions climate change. Deluded, the lot of them (but there's a lot of money in it).

          1. I think that’s possibly the source, Conway – this is the church congregation, all decent and good people, they completely believe it. Whatever I suggest, different publications/websites/journalists etc…makes no difference. I say ‘open your eyes, look around at the greenery, I talk about higher crops, less use of certain fertilisers in other countries, cold kills more oldies than warmth’..etc etc…nope, no budging…I actually think someone’s/organisation is brain-washing them.

          2. I blame it on "environmental science" in schools, rather than proper chemistry, physics and biology. Most of the greenie "climate apocalypse" people have never heard of photosynthesis, let alone know the formula for it.

        1. Why bother? They've got the English to defend them (and provide their NHS and funding).

  175. Disgusting but funny comment on the election result from Twitt:

    Parker Bats.
    @Parkerbats
    It’s like changing the bottom sheet when you’ve shit the bed but leaving the duvet in place.

        1. Dover didn't vote in a Reform candidate, so the majority are obviously not worried.

    2. The version I saw was changing your t-shirt when you shit your pants. (Sorry, can’t do the hidey thing on my phone!)

  177. So would I be right in saying that we have a minority government over represented with seats in Parliament but without the majority support of the people?
    There may be trouble ahead

    1. That trouble is the fact that Labour has a huge majority and thus they can do whatever they like.

    2. It is almost ALWAYS like this. And, no, the great unwashed will NOT rebel.

    5. Would any party have majority support of the people? Maybe a coalition labour/lib dem or conservative/reform could claim to be supported by a majority but nations seem to be solidly divided between left and right.

      1. It's true that we never have a govt with over 50% support, but this one is particularly low. Only 1 in 5 people are estimated to have voted Labour. 4/5 of people hate them. Yet they're carrying on as though they've been swept in on a popular wave.

  178. He has already spoken to Zelensky (another, rather more successful, clown) and told him he must stop fighting in Gaza.

  181. T'was the night after the election,
    And all through number ten,
    Nothing was stirring,
    Not even a pen,

    For it was after six,
    And all was still,
    But Starmer was looking at,
    his electricity bill.

    It can't be that much,
    we have a smart meter,
    Little did he know
    Rishi had an immersion heater.

    It was set to full power
    With a note pinned in jest,
    When the wind isn't blowing,
    There's no leccy left

  182. King Charles may have a wicked sense of humour.

    Greeting the politician, the King said: 'You must be utterly exhausted. And on your knees. '

    1. Charlie was a Goon Show fan. He does have a sense of humour. Dear old Spike got away with teasing him.

      1. "Your Majesty, very amusing. Almost as funny as Rachel's policy of extending inheritance tax to everyone."

          1. Pretty soon people are going to say to themselves "I think I'll take one of the bastards with me"

      3. I never found the Goons funny in the slightest. The "humour" seems to be restricted to someone repeating "Aw, 'es fallen in the waw'er"! in a silly voice. Not funny.
        SWMBOs family can barely stop pissing themselves with laughter, whilst I'm there doing Easter Island statue impressions.

          2. There's a difference between clever and funny, isn't there, I agree. Peter Cook, though was very, very funny when riffing (see, if you can find it, his take on Vortex lavatory cleaner)

  183. Here's one for you.
    I recently received communication from a nice lady that works in South Glamorgan council. She has just carried out an assessment of Mother, for the purposes of a Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards. She was informing me of her conclusions, and asking if I agree.
    The issue is, because of her dementia, Mother is not allowed off her floor in her care home, and not outside unsupervised. I'm grateful that someone actually goes round to check that Mother isn't imprisoned and has good conditions, and I agreed with the conclusion: Mother hasn't the mental capacity any longer to go out alone. She'd not find her way back, and get lost. Hell, she barely recognises me on bad days, and reckons her Father will be round soon to take her for tea at her Aunt's place. Nope. All are deceased.
    Something useful from the Council.

    1. DoLS officers are from the Office of the Public Guardian/ Court of Protection and are both supportive and useful

      2. Not in England.My son’s DoLs are authorised by the local authority adult protection team on the basis of a best interest assessment by a social worker and a mental capacity assessment by a psychiatrist, both of whom have to visit his care home. This has to repeated every year and, as there is little/no prospect of his mental capacity improving significantly, it does seem a bit OTT.

        1. I'm in Wales, Lola, so maybe its different, but I think from what you have said that we are in a broadly similar position re the plight of our sons.

          They (the DoLS people) do seem to have the nous and the compassion to act against the local authorities here and I think they are from the CoP rather than the LA although who knows? There are so many all-powerful and mysterious acronyms involved. I'm not bothered by the yearly assessment (ours is presently 3 monthly as son's placement is threatened) and I hope and pray that the same rigour is used for those that have no-one like us to bat for them, of whom there are far too many.

          I guess that, as usual, it rests with the integrity of the individual "practitioner".

        2. I'm in Wales, Lola, so maybe its different, but I think from what you have said that we are in a broadly similar position re the plight of our sons.

          They (the DoLS people) do seem to have the nous and the compassion to act against the local authorities here and I think they are from the CoP rather than the LA although who knows? There are so many all-powerful and mysterious acronyms involved. I'm not bothered by the yearly assessment (ours is presently 3 monthly as son's placement is threatened) and I hope and pray that the same rigour is used for those that have no-one like us to bat for them, of whom there are far too many.

          I guess that, as usual, it rests with the integrity of the individual "practitioner".

    2. My dad had dementia, died in his care home 2 years three months after going to live there. This was UK, I was really lucky he'd already taken out a Power of Attorney I knew nothing about until I saw his solicitor re: his will. His assets had to be checked every few months in case I'd transferred/sold/bought anything on his behalf (I never did). I think the procedure may have changed now. Solicitor told me a story about an elderly lady who was a client taking out PoA naming a friend of hers – Teddy (no surname), when quizzed further turned out to be her favourite Teddy Bear. Don't leave it too late…..

        1. Thanks, Conway. I can understand why some don’t want to think of their parent’s (and their own) demise, but it’s a good idea to plan ahead whilst still possible.

  185. Well done Spain 🇪🇸 my original choice to win the trophy. But my family sweep stake but in the draw I got Germany. I think our 8 year old grandson has Spain 🇪🇸 24 quid for first prize.
    Good luck Harry. I might have to remind him I put his two pounds in the pot.

  188. Jeeze watching that pile of rotting management manuer walk into Number 10 today was painful.

      1. Many more than those two clowns.
        Is there a minister for continuous invasion ?

  189. Fantasy film time. Outline your plot for the unexpected collapse of a government with a 170 seat majority.

    It's the only fun we'll have for a while…

    1. There's a murder at number ten. Rachael Reeves is found dead in the urinal having been discovered to be a bloke.

      Her new treasury papers are present but there is significant confusion as they breaks the campaign promises. The new papers are leaked and present a hard Left agenda, straight from Das Kapital.

      In her diary is a meeting with Jeremy Corbyn and Angela Raynor, but in her private diary a lunch appointment with Nigel Farage and the IFS and Adam Smith institute.

      Was Reeves going to present a budget for real growth and was done in by the Left, or was the real budget stolen by the Left and replaced with the fake one which Reeves took to the Right minded folk who did for her?

      The only thing we know for sure if plod will investigate the hate crime – not the murder, they're not interested in that.

      2. Very good.

        I suspect that finance might well make life very difficult for them. I look forward to the younger members protesting about swingeing taxes on the property and pensions of their parents and grandparents. There'll be some drama there.

        1. Not really their voters are bred from the thick as pigs dribble and have lived
          off benefits all their worthless lives, therefore have no expectations. The so called middle, upper classes that support Labour will haves the ways and means of protecting their dosh (the Benn family for example). It will be the honest citizens who will get stuffed again. For once dear readers I hope you will forgive me one naughty word…………bollocks to labour.

          2. Sorry for the misunderstanding William, but I think my reply is fitting to all of that ilk. I did a quick edit, I always think what would mum think.

    2. Russia defeats Ukraine. Le Pen is not thwarted by Macron and the sell out of minority parties in France. Biden drops dead having choked on an ice cream cornet.

  190. 21:15… beautiful, sunny evening. Just right for a glass or several of red.
    Sigh!

        1. I was due to slurp it yesterday after I'd finished cutting the lawns. Alas I had barely put the mower away when it started raining. Hence a belated slurp tonight (the rain has held off, thankfully).

  191. Chucking it down with rain in Mid Herts right now.
    I think I'll turn in soon.
    Half time.
    Portugal v France now. Come on you Porrors.

  193. Watching Judge John Deed. You can tell it's severely dated as a knife crime was not only investigated by plod but the courts prosecuted the murderer.

    In addition, not all the villains are white, male and work in industry. He is also not gay or trans.

    1. Reminded me of a line from (Bob) Dylan's Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Spades, wibbling…'went to get the hangin' judge but the hangin' judge was drunk'…pretty sure not the case with Judge John Deed…:-)

        1. Absolutely correct, Lola…brain/fingers not in unison and not for the first time 😀 thanks for pointing it out!

          2. Thanks, Sue…think I have it somewhere or other, probably a few versions…always a big favourite 🙂

  196. 'Night All
    Nicked
    Starmer decides what drink his for first tipple as PM.

    “ No .. no ..champagne. Too easy for the red tops. Champagne socialist and so forth. No..no beer… Beer Starmer..Beergate..no.
    Don’t think vodka either. Too Russian. No gin either. Pinko gin..not a headline I’d like to read.

    Wine ? ..yes..yes..that could work..but wait! Red, or white?
    Red for strong, labour socialism..white for middle class, morning run, mums of year 8 boys…but..wine! Whine! Labour’s Whiner?! That’s not a good read either.

    Water? What about water? Still or sparkling?

    You know what. I’ll just wait for the focus group results to come back. No one drink anything until Monday. And not until I’ve had a chance to speak with Sue Grey about types of glasses to hold.”

    1. "Keir, Keir, Keir, how many times do I have to tell you? It's red wine in a champagne flute, drunk through a Jack Straw."

  197. Evening, all. Meanwhile, here in the sticks, life goes on much as before. I've not long got back from a church fete held in the church hall and its grounds. Maypole dancing by the local junior school, plant stall, bric a brac, cake stall, tombola and a cup of coffee and a substantial home made cake for a donation. It's life in the fast lane round here! 🙂

    1. Slow lane is very often better, nothing better than a home made cake and Maypole dancing. Pouring with rain here, so I hope you enjoyed your good luck.

      1. I did, thank you. I met up with people from church (not the one I worship in, but the one in whose parish I reside) and had a good chat. I also bought a rather nice heuchera from the plant stall for the exorbitant sum of £1.

    2. I was lucky to get the washing dry before the rain came down – useful rain which should replenish the water butts a bit. No need to water the pots tonight.

    1. I saw someone mention it further down, Johnny, but it doesn't seem easy to find the fact that the Reform UK party has increased its number of seats by 25%!

  199. Just a thought, but as the NHS needs reforming, the present government has the mandate and the political backing to do the job. They will always be the party of 'our NHS' and so can do no wrong. Migration can not get any worse and the socialist attitude towards war tends towards peace. There have been a lot of dark clouds over pensions and IHT taxation, and I'm sure they are on the radar, but the commentators are putting the worst case. Optimistic!? Maybe, but with a beer in hand, the sky hasn't fallen in yet; my pension and savings are not going to spend themselves, so I had better get going! Anyone joining me! Hic…

    1. There was someone on the DT wondering whether Rayner knew what to do with a red box. I would have thought she was well qualified. Its been a rough day…..

    2. Well, I won't reach for a razor and a warm bowl of water just yet, another glass of red please Kay.

      1. You are welcome! If yr ever passing South Wales, I shall pour you one personally. As I am to be taken to Asia for any long term care I need in the future, the politics of the country has little effect on me. I have resigned myself to having to pay for decent health treatment here.

          1. Well, Asia will push me up the pub until I become incapable, after that she intends to take me 'home'.

    3. What they'll do is throw money at salaries. That'll stop the Doctors whining but it will do absolutely nothing for productivity.

      Labour don't care. It's not their money.

      Immigration can, and will get worse. There are hundreds of thousands of dangerous criminals being paid for by you and I who arrived here criminally. Starmer will just let them in and give them free housing – out of spite, no doubt in Tory seats.

  200. I am back now on a different laptop. The Win10 machine (spit!) suddenly decided it wasn't going to let the cursor do anything and the mouse mat went dead. It's done that before, but I can usually fix it by putting a USB mouse in and using that to get to the control panel and restore it, but tonight that was to no avail.

    1. The same thing happened to my laptop with Windows 7. I tried everything but was unable to get cursor movement, even with a USB mouse. In the end, I installed Windows 10 and the cursor now works. You could try re-installing Windows 10; it’s fairly easy but it does delete everything at the same time. If you have a backup, you can recover any data, of course.

        1. I agree with you. My old Dell laptop has Windows XP and, in my view, it is still by far the best Windows version. It doesn’t have all the features of later versions but is simple, straightforward and reliable. Additionally, it doesn’t continually pester you to upgrade or use other Microsoft tools such as Onedrive or Office 365. You will recall the old adage “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”; well XP wasn’t broke.

  201. 98:votes and it’s shown on the results banner on the front page of the DT.

  202. Basket time for me and thank you all for much enlightenment and entertainment. But!_

  206. 389314+ up ticks,

    Pillow ponder,

    Of course it is,now they know the strength of the public
    it will be as regular as clockwork, masks already being brought into play and new dance steps to be rehearsed.

    https://x.com/FreeWomanLeah…

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

  208. It's Lammy as Foreign Secretary that gives us hope…

    How undiplomatic diplomat David Lammy has criticised world leaders

    Now the new Foreign Secretary must work with those he has attacked

    5 July 2024 • 7:51pm

    Lord Carrington, Margaret Thatcher's first foreign secretary, once offered a canny word of advice to future incumbents of his office.

    The problem, he explained to Tony Blair's former chief of staff Jonathan Powell, was that people form the opinion that "you shouldn't really have much to do with foreigners, foreigners are thoroughly unreliable, and if you do get on with them, you're selling out to them. It doesn't seem to have occurred to them that surely it is better to get on with people than to quarrel with them".

    Where then, does that leave Sir Keir Starmer's new Foreign Secretary David Lammy, who has never been backwards in coming forwards when it comes to lambasting the global leaders he might now be compelled to work alongside now the election is over? Here are just a few of his choice remarks:

    On Donald Trump

    Donald Trump could return to the White House as US president, and Mr Lammy has held meetings with his team. However, he has been scathing in his criticism of Trump.

    2018: "Trump is not only a woman-hating, neo-Nazi-sympathising sociopath, he is also a profound threat to the international order that has been the foundation of Western progress for so long… I will be one of tens of thousands on the streets, protesting against our government's capitulation to this tyrant in a toupée."

    2021: "Donald Trump is an enemy of democracy. Every British politician who failed to condemn his actions after the presidential election should issue an apology tonight."

    2021: "Donald Trump's entire presidency has been a reign of recklessness, narcissism and delusion."

    2021: "If any president in the history of the United States of America deserved to be impeached twice, it is Donald Trump."

    On Marine Le Pen

    The first round of voting in the French elections suggested Marine Le Pen's National Rally party could soon seize power in the French parliament, meaning Mr Lammy could have to work with the populist Right-wing party. However, he has not been complimentary about her in the past.

    2017: "We don't want the xenophobia of Farage and Le Pen in our country. We must stand up to them and their toxic views. First America, now Le Pen. This virus is contagious, just as it was in the 1930s … But some of us don't forget our history and will stand up and fight this s– until our last breath."

    2018: "Malevolent figures like [US presidential aide] Steve Bannon, Donald Trump, Nigel Farage and Marine Le Pen want to drag us into the gutter."

    On Viktor Orbán

    Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán is another international politician that Mr Lammy could find himself having to work with, despite criticising him in the past. Even more awkwardly, Hungary currently holds the presidency of the Council of the European Union.

    2019: "Farage meeting Bannon. Trump retweeting Hopkins. Orbán puppeting Putin. Fascism rests on an international network of disinformation, propaganda and coordination. The biggest irony is their dependence on the very globalisation they chastise."

    2020: "We have already seen Boris Johnson attack the courts and other democratic norms in the UK. For his aide, Tim Montgomerie, to lavish praise on Viktor Orbán, who is dismantling democracy in Hungary, shows how dangerous this government could be. We must do all we can to resist."·

    2021: "Rolling out the red carpet for Viktor Orbán shows [Boris Johnson's] twisted priorities. Two illiberal nationalists hoarding power by taking away power from the courts. All they are missing is Donald Trump."

    On Benjamin Netanyahu

    As Foreign Secretary, Mr Lammy's job will include dealing with Israel and the Palestinians over the continuing conflict in Gaza. However, he made clear which side he was on when he said that "international law must be upheld" after the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court called for a warrant to be issued for the arrest of Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's prime minister, for alleged war crimes.

    2024: "Of course, the Palestinian people deserve a state and if they don't, the consequence of that is either one state in which Benjamin Netanyahu would have to explain how Palestinians and Israelis live side-by-side with equal rights, or no state, in which what he's really saying is occupation and siege continues."

    2024: (on Netanyahu's arrest warrant) "Arrest warrants are not a conviction or a determination of guilt, but they reflect the evidence and judgment of the prosecutor about the grounds for individual criminal responsibility."

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2024/07/05/david-lammy-foreign-secretary-donald-trump-benjamin-netanya/

    1. That's what happens when you let someone who is intellectually challenged and bigoted spout off.

    3. That's ok, whenever Westminster's village idiot pronounces on the US president or their policy after November, Donald will only phone Nigel and I'm sure the record will be set perfectly straight.

    4. I don't understand what you're getting at? Are you suggesting a bigoted, spolied, incompetent, stupid black man is a moronic brat who has been promoted above his ablity?

      Although what Lammy would be good at is beyond me. The man is a witless fool. He'll embarrass this country.

  210. Well, chums, that's another day over for me, so I will wish you all a Good Night, a good night's sleep, and I'll see you all tomorrow morning.

  211. BREAKING NEWS: Larry the Downing Street Cat collapsed this evening on news that he was about to get his SIXTH new owner in less than 8 years! He was heard to say "Each one has been more F***K** useless than the last" before passing out.
    A police officer scooped him off the road and has taken him to Dunkin Donuts on his lunch break in the hope of reviving him.
    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/c06fb7e3181b2d0e4fc2bf020488fff2a870f9a0f71c9fd1181faf15b81f432d.jpg

    1. New owner? More likely that Larry is getting a new staff member. Only problem is, being socialists and fools they'll forget to feed him.

    2. Help! My Dektop PC refuses to recognise the printer it has been using for many years. In "settings" it says "printer unavailable".

      Any tips?

      1. With the printer turned on, pull out the power cable from the back of the printer.
        Unplug the power cable from the wall outlet.
        Wait 15 seconds.
        Plug the power cable into the back of the printer.
        Plug the printer back into the wall outlet.
        Turn the printer back on.
        Run a test print.

        1. Done all that. The message is that the "Driver is unavailable". Nothing prints.

      2. Go to settings on your PC, devices, printers and scanners, click on your printer and select remove device. With the printer powered on restart your PC. Windows should see the printer and reload the driver. Make sure it is then your default printer.
        The last option I can think of is to reload your printer driver from the installation disk it came with or download the driver from the internet. Good luck!

        1. There was no disk – it just loaded itself hen first plugged in…!

          But thanks.

          1. The only suggestion left from me is to go on the printer manufacture’s web site and look for a driver of your model from them. Usually found under the support heading.

      3. Good morning sir. My name is Tim and I'm from Microsoft support. How are you today? Please install a piece of software on your computer which will allow me to help you. Then give me your name and address, bank details and passwords and I will fix your problem.

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

Comments are closed.