Thursday 19 January: How Britain’s police forces let vetting and recruitment standards slide

Posted on by Geoff Graham

An unofficial place to discuss the Telegraph letters, established when the DT website turned off its comments facility (now reinstated, but we prefer ours),
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Today’s letters (visible only to DT subscribers) are here.

573 thoughts on “Thursday 19 January: How Britain’s police forces let vetting and recruitment standards slide”

  2. Good Morrow, Gentlefolk. Here is today’s story:

    Two Old guys comparing notes…

    One said to the other: “My 77th birthday yesterday. Wife gave me an SUV”.

    Other guy: “Wow, that’s amazing! Imagine, an SUV! What a great gift!”

    First guy: “Yup. Socks, Underwear and Viagra!”

  3. SIR – Brian Watson (Letters, January 18) makes a compelling case for an overhaul of police management with his suggestion that a former Army officer should be installed as commissioner of the Met. In fact, a very successful precedent was set a century ago.

    In 1923, Chesterfield Borough Police installed Percy Sillitoe as chief constable. He transformed the force to such an extent that he was soon recruited into similar positions in Sheffield and Glasgow, where he smashed the razor gangs. His methods were uncompromising but successful, and he was later knighted.

    His policy was to recruit worldly wise officers of common sense and robust standing. It was when his approach was abandoned, and clueless graduates were instead recruited to fill the top ranks of the police, that the rot began to set in.

    The moment has come, I think, to revert to old-fashioned, time-honoured policing standards and methods.

    Alan G Barstow
    Onslunda, Skåne County, Sweden

    5. Agreed.
      As soon as I saw the reference to Percy Sillitoe I looked for the writer and had my suspicion confirmed.

    6. Even a BTL mention…

      Michael Geddes
      1 HR AGO
      ALAN G BARSTOW
      Yes, Mr. Barstow, Percy Sillitoe was a shining example of a man with a mission and the determination to work toward its end. In Glasgow, we have much to thank him for. Such folk are now thin on the ground indeed.
      During my lifetime I have witnessed a marked erosion and deterioration of responsibility, obligation, motivation and pride. The decline has been led, even managed, by successive governments and examples of decline are apparent today in the NHS, the police, the civil service, the teaching profession and local government. These organisations are almost bereft of authoritative leadership figures and people who can “get the job done.” Where are the goals, the targets and the subsequent achievements. A creeping culture of sloth and complacency has been evident across the nation for a decade, perhaps two, reaching its zenith with lockdowns, the perfect gift for those lacking motivation. We have now come to accept that burglaries are not investigated, that children may miss school on a whim, that face to face meetings with GPs and massive waiting lists for surgery are the norm. We now accept mass immigration in continuity, that violent criminals are freed, that small but vociferous pressure groups progress rapidly due to appeasement. Our culture and heritage are constantly under threat, without the merest whisper of objection. Quite the reverse. Our “leaders” rush to placate the tantrums of the sulking minorities.
      Sport provides countless examples of individual and collective responsibility, coupled to a fierce motivation and resolution to reach goals, whatever obstacles are strewn in the path.
      We should all have that pride, to some degree. Is it too much to expect leaders to grasp the nettle and confront the major issues?

      1. Thanks, Hugh, and to all those commenting below. I have saved Mr Geddes’ excellent reply.

      2. I would say that education abounds in “Aims and Targets” (they were being introduced before I retired). It’s just that they weren’t the right ones. Lots of us do not “accept mass immigration in continuity”, either. It’s just very difficult to do anything about it.

    7. The DT letters’ editor abridged my description of Sillitoe. I called him, properly, “Captain Sir Percy Sillitoe KBE”. Not publishing his army rank diminishes the message, somewhat, in the context of the thread.

    8. The problem now is, that looking at some recent “senior leaders” in the Armed Forces there surely isn’t anyone of the calibre of Sillitoe?

    1. ‘Morning, BB2,

      The sooner Schwab pops his clogs the better, and the WEF leadership can then squabble among themselves, to the detriment and ultimate collapse of this mendacious outfit.

      1. If he could see his way to encouraging Soros to join him in a suicide pact, that would be helpful.

    2. IIRR, Larry Elliot, the author of this piece, was against joining the euro, despite working for the Grauniad.

    3. Oh dear. How sad. Never mind.
      I didn’t realise the evil old bu88er had founded the thing so long ago.

    4. The link directly below the headline prompted a wry grin from myself:-

      UN chief accuses big oil of peddling big lie on climate change

      especially when the opposite appears to be the truth.

    5. The arrogance of the attendees at these “summits” is a wonder to behold, but for a totally unelected group of Davos WEF employees to think they should be telling the world the direction it should be moving in is hubris almost beyond measure. I hope the whole damned enterprise meets Nemesis soon.

      1. I see Ardern has resigned as PM in New Zealand. Just in time to get off the subs bench for a slot in the WEF team. Olga Krankie will be miffed, I think she was hoping for a free transfer from the Shortbread Senate just as her spinning plates are being to seriously wobble.

  8. Ukraine can’t rule out human error or sabotage in nursery helicopter crash. 19 January 2023.

    President’s words sum up painful day as Kyiv investigates possible foul play after Denys Monastyrsky is among 14 killed

    TOP COMMENT BELOW THE LINE.

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/58d27bec0d41c3a9a0d4b9d063eed547db7fd6c98a70f355267cf08a068eabdf.png

    My personal view is that the helicopter was shot down by a Ukrainian Missile in a friendly fire incident, but that’s too embarrassing, politically, militarily and historically for the Ukies so they are searching for a viable alternative. Bearing in mind their rather tenuous relationship with the truth it will probably turn out to be a Russian Plot.

    The writer of the Top Comment appears to have a different view.

    Reconstructing it is pretty difficult but judging by the replies he seems to have suggested that it was internal sabotage and that it was done on Zelensky’s orders to prevent a coup. I’m not sufficiently au fait with the internal workings of Ukrainian politics to make a judgement about that, but this response to it is quite extraordinary. They’ve not only deleted his post but also his replies to critics of it. It makes one wonder if he’s onto something here

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2023/01/18/ukrainian-minister-among-deaths-nursery-helicopter-crash-kyiv/

        1. I’d suggest ideas that present a different view from the narrative. Doesn’t even have to be true, just different.

    1. 3.5 degrees Centigrade? It is still below freezing in my neck of the woods, BoB. (Good morning, btw.)

      1. In that case, BoB, I withdraw the comments made in my original reply to your original post.

    1. They want digital currency to ensure absolute control over money so they can take what they want, when they want it. Of course, they won’t use blockchain, the thing that keeps such currencies in place.

      The solution’s simple: move to bitcoin and prevent the state from having any control over money at all. That’s what they’re really terrified of.

      1. So Wibbles, how many of us know how to obtain and use Bitcoin?

        I don’t and only Philip (Phizzee) seems able to use it, among other loadsa wonga.

    1. We’ve had a fair amount (I’m south of Manchester – fomerly known as Ringway). It’s melting now, but it’s going to be nasty tomorrow when it freezes overnight.

  12. My BTL comment on the letter’s page:

    Off topic but I’m getting bored:
    The Telegraph Editors and Sub-editors appear to be a lazy lot.
    The side panel stories have been the same for weeks now and are even more boring:

    Boris Johnson vows to publish Sue Gray ‘partygate’ report in full
    Vladimir Putin is about to make a fatal mistake
    Work from home tax loophole to be closed after it cost Treasury £500 million
    Boris Johnson tells allies there was no ‘ambush with cake’ at No 10 lockdown birthday party
    Neil Young never stood a chance against Joe Rogan
    Man who accosted Sir Chris Whitty shouts ‘I’m West Ham till I die’ as he is jailed for eight weeks

    Please give us a change.

    2. The assault on Whitty was disgusting. It was utterly idiotic. Yes, Whitty was wrong in his every action. He got carried away with the hype and the power. But so did the entire state machine. Mugging the bloke just humiliated him.

      Far more effective to have them humiliated by democracy and being voted out.

      AS for taxes ‘costing’ the government money it’s not theirs in the bloomin’ first place!

    1. Training in the sim in uk for a pilot who has a medical event happens regularly, indeed, its one of the reasons that there are 2 pilots there. However, I have heard of the increase in heart conditions and all pilots were required to be vaxxed.

        1. They are, I suppose you could operate an airliner as a remote control vehicle and a pilot would become a manager and emergency backstop.

  14. Here are the other ‘police’ letters.  I’m still waiting to hear any criticism of the previous Commissioner regarding the fact that around a thousand met police officers are under investigation.  Furthermore, it beggars belief that reports of misconduct, sexual or otherwise, do not seem to register with senior officers…or is it perhaps a case of ‘I see no ships’??

    SIR – It is apparent that the vetting of applicants to the police service throughout Britain has not been fit for purpose (Letters, January 18). Reform is now promised.

    Before even being considered for interview when I applied to join the police as a cadet in 1961, I was vetted – as was my whole family. In addition, I subsequently discovered that the local constable had been approached to check me and my acquaintances out. The vetting process was successful and I was interviewed by an assistant chief constable.

    Six years later, while a serving officer, I had to apply to the chief constable for permission to get married. I was required to supply to the Force not only my future wife’s particulars but also those of her extended family. Only when the Force was satisfied that there were no skeletons in the closet were we allowed to marry.

    Sadly, police forces have only themselves to blame for the current situation, as vetting and interview procedures have been diluted to such an extent that, for many years, they have not been fit for purpose.

    Dr Malcolm Richards
    Cheltenham, Gloucestershire

    SIR – Dick Kirby (Letters, January 18) is correct that vetting procedures in the Metropolitan Police have failed and a Royal Commission is needed.

    I retired from the Met in 2012 as a sergeant of 27 years, with 32 years’ service. The change in the quality of supervision was stark. When I left there were far too many sergeants who were no more than PCs wearing chevrons. There were inspectors who wanted to be everyone’s friend, and senior leadership was weak.

    It was the exact opposite of this when I joined in 1980. The police promotion and training systems are broken and reform is long overdue.

    Clifford Baxter
    Wareham, Dorset

    1. My 91-yr-old ex-police friend can’t believe that nobody gets interviewed by the Chief Constable now. He said that his every move and every promotion involved the CC.

  15. SIR – Rishi Sunak is right to turn his back on the World Economic Forum’s Davos schmoozefest (report, January 18). The transparent hypocrisy of the eager participants in Klaus Schwab’s annual event, mostly at their shareholders’ or taxpayers’ expense, is obvious to all except themselves. This year’s meaningless theme is “co-operation in a fragmented world”.

    A while back they were all over blockchain, a financial chimera that unleashed some of the biggest frauds ever seen. Doubtless there are more to come. Then they prostrated themselves like naughty children at the feet of a Swedish schoolgirl, who lectured them on their responsibility for the so-called climate emergency, before taking their leave in their luxury limousines to return to their private jets.

    Doubtless they will have paused to condemn the mendacity and disregard for human life of Qatar and Fifa, although this won’t have stopped them enjoying the World Cup sporting spectacle to the full. What will it be next? Tulips? The South Seas? Their hypocrisy has no limits, save one: don’t upset China, irrespective of President Xi’s tyranny and thuggish bullying. And don’t mention its role in the Covid pandemic, however strong the evidence.

    These Davos Men exist in a miasma of hypocrisy and denial, yet still they thrive. One asks oneself how the World Economic Forum can continue to defy these realities.

    Sir Andrew Cook
    Castagnola, Ticino, Switzerland

    I never thought I’d say this, but full marks to Sunak for not attending, and also taking on Mrs Murrell over her shocking ‘trannie bill’. Is there finally a smidgen of hope that he is listening to despondent and frustrated conservative voters – those that are left, of course?

    1. Although initially saying he wouldn’t attend COP 27 – he back-tracked and went.

      Will this refusal to attend Davos end up the same?

    2. I think we have to take into consideration that he’s only really a caretaker. The public haven’t cast a single vote in his favour. Only the known crooks have put him in to his current position.

    3. Sir Beer is going along today to receive his orders as future PM. No need for Sunak to be there.

  16. SIR – I read with interest your report (January 16) on air-source heat pumps and the lack of companies capable of installing and maintaining them.

    My heat pump was commissioned in 2016. It worked well for two years before a weld failed and it lost its gas charge. A replacement part was swiftly acquired and fitted, and the unit recharged and commissioned.

    During Storm Arwen in 2021 I lost power for 94 hours and the unit shut down. I was unable to reprogramme the control unit, despite having a comprehensive information pack. I tried to contact my installer, only to find that it had gone out of business. I then contacted Stiebel Eltron, the manufacturer, for a recommendation of an alternative maintenance company and was given several names within 50 miles of my home, the closest being 20 miles away. I phoned all of them, only to be told that as they had not installed the equipment they would not maintain it or to help fix it.

    A local company with no experience with the equipment finally agreed to look at it, and after two days of reading the manual and fiddling with the control unit managed to get it working.

    Just before Christmas last year the unit froze internally due to the outside temperature falling to -7C, and I had to switch it off at the mains. Having defrosted it I was again unable to reprogramme the control unit, which showed an error message, “Err: High Press”, which is not in the manual.

    Given the huge demand for repairs to frozen gas boilers in our area, I have not yet managed to get it fixed. When it works it is very efficient, supplying under-floor heating and domestic hot water to my 800-litre storage tank.

    Jeff Ratcliffe
    Ormskirk, Lancashire

    And who knows what will happen when the cowboys clamber on the latest bandwagon to fit these devices?  I note also that he hasn’t commented on its power consumption in relation to its output, or the cost of sorting out it’s various failures…

    1. 2016? Seven years old at most, and already out of warranty and going wrong.

      My Halstead LPG combi was installed in 1994. It is temperamental and needs resetting quite often, and I had to give the system thorough flushing and also put some Milliput where the pipework was beginning to corrode, but it still staggers on regardless, and without any intervention from the professionals who refuse to co-operate until I get a new one with an industry-approved six-year replacement cycle.

      1. Mother’s oil-fired boiler was installed before she moved in, in 1977. Apart from a new igniter and fuel pump, it worked all the way up to the time we sold the house.

  17. Russia posts record current account surplus of $227 bln in 2022. 19 January 2023.

    Jan 17 (Reuters) – Russia’s current account surplus hit a record high in 2022, the central bank said on Tuesday, as a fall in imports and robust oil and gas exports kept foreign money flowing in despite Western efforts to isolate the Russian economy.

    Russia’s current account – a measure of the difference between all money coming into a country through trade, investment and transfers, and what flows back out – came in at $227.4 billion, up 86% from 2021.

    Nice to see that as the Cost of Living inexorably rises and I sit here with a hat on worrying about my gas bill!

    https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russias-current-account-surplus-almost-doubled-2022-central-bank-2023-01-17/

    1. Minty, we have a government that refuses to cut taxes yet says it wants to reduce inflation. Those fools are saying ‘I want to lift myself out of the bucket by the handles’ and believing they can. We are governed by fools.

  19. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/5ed77290177428174581d7835080c4591e5a92ba16f6612452748ed1d9bbf9c4.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/c49d8d952087af85a65f1578a8c7a7f3db15a4579c110dfcb57c0dd7f790b68d.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/13e287c4379b4e3dee25b50d20808e4a025be54c286dd5c5f659950f99f547fe.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/36abeeab4e272391f7834d10ff4a397d783b3331519d63fbf0312e21bc388192.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/47d6a0c2311b2d446ddfc7ed78ebf3c386bde8c647e3d9c1688915bb2f7b3674.jpg Good morning, the good news is Jabcinda Ardern is quitting as PM NZ, the bad news is she is reportedly heading for a WEF type job to make the world a worse place.

  20. Good morning, all. A frosty start but not as heavy a one as yesterday.

    I see horse-woman in NZ is packing it in. Presumably ordered to do so by her puppeteers.

    1. The big question is, “Who have the WEF got lined up to replace her”?
      No doubt the NZ electoral system is already primed up and ready to go.

        1. She got a trip in a Lightning when she visited our squadron – I had the ‘pleasure’ of strapping her in

    1. It becomes immediately apparent that the organisation is obsessed with race. Or, more accurately, with having a police force which ‘reflects the community it serves’. This is one of the mantras of the modern police; it’s never questioned and is uttered as a universal truth. Why? Why does the ethnicity, gender or religion of an officer have to be same as a victim of crime?

      If that really was the case, regarding the victims, the force would be predominantly white women, the younger the better, and young black men and drug addicts, supplied by county lines.

    2. Any bets that she won’t replace Schwab as head of the WEF?
      She’s sufficiently destructive to fit its purpose.

        1. As would I.

          As far as the world itself is concerned there really is a grave and genuine danger. Blair or Obama might take over at the top.

        1. I would have thought she would be a disaster at the next election. I see that another conservative MP is jumping ship.

          1. I was once chucked out of a bar in Auck(ward)land for wearing a tee shirt. I wonder if they are still as militant.

      2. She was pushed. Our relatives in NZ say that she is loathed by the vast majority of sensible adults.

          1. The answer is rather confused, but we understand that many Kiwis were taken in by her rhetoric and promises.

            Interestingly, the same as Blair who was voted in by a majority of Brits yet turned out to be one of the most evil politicians Britain has seen.

          3. Most Kiwis are delightful people, but haven’t experienced many deceitful politicians so can be fooled easily.

          5. It took three elections before we really understood Blair.

            By that time he had appointed many of his followers in influential positions… and we’re still suffering from it.

          6. Indeed. Those who were slow on the uptake allowed him to cement his position by infiltrating the institutions.

    5. I vaguely remember some real corruption in her party whereby if you resigned, you couldn’t be charged, whereas if you were deselected/lost an election you could be?

    6. Obviously made enough money from the lockdown scams and wants to get out before anyone investigates – bit like Halfcock and [allegedly!] his dodgy contracts?

  23. Putin is ‘not going to use nuclear weapons’ insists Johnson. 19 January 2023.

    Mr Johnson said the focus must totally be on helping Ukraine and not trying to second guess Russia’s next move.

    He said: “We should not get into this whole business of presenting the war as a nuclear standoff between NATO and Russia.”

    He described this narrative as “nonsense”, adding: “He’s not going to use nuclear weapons.”

    Lifting a line from the Pickwick Papers, Mr Johnson said: “He wants to make our flesh creep. He wants us to think about it. He’s never going to do it.”

    That’s it! We’re doomed!

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2023/01/19/ftse-100-markets-live-news-strikes-oil-gas-inflation-davos/#1674112887654

    1. But, but, shirley Boris has such a long history of getting things right, so we should be listening? /sarc

  25. Good morning Nottlers, another clear, calm day on the Costa Clyde and the sun has just cracked the horizon.

  26. Morning all 😉 😊
    Brighter start but of course very cold.
    Not that I’ve been outside.
    Doc’s appointment today. I’m going to type out my concerns and try to emphasise my built up feelings of absolute desperation in a few paragraphs. My bet is that he still won’t have seen the letters from cardiology I dropped into the surgery three weeks ago.
    I’ll let you know later.

  27. A journalist has been busy uncovering the history of Klaus Schwab the man who nurtures the worst politicians the world has to offer:

    https://twitter.com/JohnnyVedmore/status/1501965542697095171

    Of late, the WEF has been memory-holing many of its policy initiatives- like banning fertilisers and other success stories. Quite frankly, anyone with close contacts with this man and organisation needs to be shunned- sadly, our current monarch thought that Schwab was good for his profile- should have stuck to talking to plants rather than this odious vegetable,

    1. Tasteless and put in a spoiler. But does anyone think that our new king has any brains at all?

      King Charles put the poop into nincompoop just as surely as Clarkson put it in the the bucket for Migraine!

      1. Richard, he wanted to be “relevant” to young people so he cuddled up to this old fraud and did his bidding.

  28. From the Daily Wail.
    “Tired old boilers waste £500 a year: How to give yours a money-saving makeover – and cut your energy bills – WITHOUT buying a brand new one”
    I do hope MB thinks I’m worth it.

    1. I certainly would be loth to describe any of my female relatives as ‘tired old boilers’!

    2. The Warqueen wastes that on a pair of shoes! Getting the visa bill and checking them all off and finding it was close to the £2000 limit and that the biggest cost was a pair of ‘bits of string glued to some thin leather’ caused me genuine consternation.

      1. We have our own bank accounts and credit cards – joint bank accounts aren’t allowed in Norway, it makes the taxing of your capital assets too difficult.
        We used to share a credit card account with our own cards until a few years ago, but reconciling who owed what got too difficult when she didn’t pay off all her expenditures, and there was interest, and… the payments in were not logged against the individual card, although the expenditures were. When I started to use quite a bit of time in sorting it out, we got her a new separate account.

        1. We have a sort of ‘house account’ where money goes for the house – food, bills, the various health and dentist things, then some goes into Mongo and Ozzie’s bank accounts but when we married she was in a far worse state than I, even though she is better at earning money.

          As it is, that card is paid from one account. It was just odd to see it emptied over Christmas. I’d never say no, but it was a fair wodge.

      3. I buy my shoes in the sales. I buy the best quality I can for the lowest price. That way they last, don’t go out of fashion and in most cases can be re-soled and re-heeled (leather soles).

  29. The Tories’ latest betrayal shows why the party is facing extinction
    Extremist trans ideology doesn’t care for minority rights: it’s about curtailing parental freedom
    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/01/18/tories-latest-betrayal-shows-why-party-facing-extinction/

    BTL

    Why doesn’t the Tory Party self-destruct from within and do it decisively and not with a constant drip, drip, drip?

    Surely there are enough proper Conservatives in the party to resign en masse and form either a new true Conservative Party or join Reform and put the electorate and themselves out of their misery?

    Or is the situation so dire that there are not any proper Conservatives in the party any more?

    1. I don’t know why trans people should have particular ‘rights’. They are not different, legally than anyone else. What they really mean is they want special treatment under the law to behave in a way that others may find difficult, but have legal force behind it.

      When a trans man starts using the ladies loo, and leaves wee everywhere (as we had complaints in our building) and the women are silenced legally, that’s damned unfair.

    1. When the goblin is drinking sewage water, with no heat, light, fuel or food and realises that’s it, it’s not getting any better then she can ask herself if her pathetic crusade against humanity is worth it.

      Then she can suffer a slow, painful death from dysentery.

      1. When I visited Communist Poland in 1979, working with archaeologists during a cultural exchange, when I arrived at camp, I found them indeed drinking sewage water from a well immediately alongside the latrine.

        I did not mount a campaign, nor was I prepared to die from dysentery or expect anyone else to. I travelled over by motorcycle (when the others in my party flew over), and therefore had transport available. I asked where the nearest safe drinking water was, and the hosts said there was a standpipe three miles away. I said – fine -wash out that drum that had contained detergent, strap it to my bike, and every time it runs out, I will take it to the standpipe for a fill-up.

        My father had this stock phrase each time I moaned about something or the state of the world “well, what are you going to do about it then?”. As you say, protesting or crusading does not make the world a better place nearly as effectively as initiative and sound stewardship, and where better to start than the lady herself?

    3. This 20-year-old burnt out two years ago, and seems now to be milking her celebrity status that is getting less and less as her hair gets ever shortened and uglier, and she resembles more and more Charlotte Church, whose main claim to fame was that she had a mature voice when she was 12. The rot set in when she made ugly faces at the camera “You are spoiling my dreams”. It was undignified.

      I heard it said that youthful beauty and passion is fleeting, but intelligence actually improves with age.

      I had hoped that she could have gone to school when the novelty of a girl saving the world, her beautiful waist-length hair representing a better world without despoilment (which was after all her message), wore off. A few years intensive study in applied ecology, and back she’d come, capable this time of backing her argument with real wisdom, sound science and matching the best minds DAVOS and the corporate lobbyists could throw at her, rather than descending into Dave Spart simplemindedness and coarse expletives. I will scream if I hear again from the Left the cliché “What do we want?” “When do we want it?”. Surely they can come up with a better argument than that? Or maybe not?

      We need better saviours.

      3. I think intelligence stays the same – if we consider it an ability to process information like a CPU clock speed. What differs is the range and availability of information to make more informed, rational, effective decisions. Wisdom being the result of making the wrong decision.

        Thunberg will never make rational decisions because she doesn’t want to accept that the word is not the black and white she wants it to be.

    4. 370197+ up ticks,

      Morning N,

      She should now be considered to be an old pro
      a noted world wide authority on urine extraction.

  31. The police have three duties: protect the innocent, uphold the law, serve the public. Nothing else. Yes, I pinched those from Robocop.

    The politicians have desperately tried to meddle with the role of plod for far too long, letting off criminals to avoid the growing problems the state has caused them thanks to massive uncontrolled criminal invasion, welfare abundance and general waste.

    At every point, government creates the problem and then tries to hide it by fiddling with the systems responsible for managing that problem. The obvious solution, surely, is to get rid of government.

    1. Since 1829 the remit of the police (in England and Wales) has been:

      The protection of life and property.
      The preservation of order.
      The prosecution of offenders against the peace.

      Moreover, the definition of a Constable* is:

      A citizen, locally-appointed, who derives his authority under the Crown.

      Why should that not still be the case as it has served us well for coming up to 200 years?

      [*’Constable’ is the office, originating in ancient times, that applies to all ranks]

  32. I posted this after midnight last night but I have seen little reaction in the MSM to this story.

    Deaths in England and Wales 30 per cent higher than expected in first week of year
    Data from Institute and Faculty of Actuaries reveal there were more than 7,000 excess deaths between Dec 17 and Jan 6
    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/01/18/deaths-england-wales-30-per-cent-higher-expected-first-week/

    I wonder why no BTL comments are allowed under this article?

      1. Great letter dear Grizzly .

        You have commented and been published many many times on the same theme .

        Does no one listen to you, they should ..

        You and a couple of other worthies could sort out the police force in weeks.

        1. Thank you, dear Maggie.

          I comment on the same topic ad infinitum in the vague hope that one day someone will listen (and then I woke up).
          I’m a bit of a one-trick-pony aren’t I? I don’t comment on general politics because they bore me and, in any case, others on here are much more well-versed in that subject matter.

  35. EPHRAIM HARDCASTLE: Prince Andrew wants his HRH title back ‘and will start using it in a low-key way to test the water’ if Charles agrees, source reveals.
    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11651511/EPHRAIM-HARDCASTLE-Prince-Andrew-wants-HRH-title-back.html#newcomment

    BTL

    It is clear that his accuser is a complete liar. Prince Andrew has never been found guilty of any crime and denies having committed a crime. True he seems to lack good judgement (the same lack of judgement runs in the male members of his family!) but he should be treated as innocent until proven guilty. And, if you look at the fact that the only two people implicated in the Epstein scandal are British and many prominent US politicians and businessmen who made regular trips on the Lolita Express have been scrupulously unmentioned you can understand why Prince Andrew does not wish to appear in a biased und unjust American court.

    1. (the same lack of judgement runs in the male members of his family). Interesting that the male members of the Royal Family have not achieved anything of merit with their lives but the Princess Royal and her daughter won international and Olympic medals.

    2. I really do not care about whether the gormless prince slept with the American slapper or not.

      What I am more concerned about is the lack of ‘noblesse oblige’ amid the sense of entitlement to US-style riches and A-list lifestyle coming out of the Duke of York, which he shares with both his nephew Harry and his great-uncle Edward VIII.

      King Charles may well be considerably richer than most of us, but he doesn’t crow about it. He has inherited from his mother a sense of duty to the nation as the price he must pay for this inherited wealth, and I must say he does it admirably, and considerably better than most people of similar status.

      If Andrew wishes to be reinstated to the Firm (and I would like him to be), he needs to understand what service to the nation means, and appreciate the burden this must put on him. It is not something easy, and many royals prefer the freedom to live their own lives.

  36. Yo All

    I have just had to de-ice the Disco.
    A faily easy job was made difficult as the very bright, low Sun was blinding me all the time

    1. Good morning OLT
      Land Rover jokes .
      They say 90% of all Land Rovers manufactured are still on the road.
      The other 10% have reached their destination.

      Land Rover dealers have a special promotion this month…
      Buy one, and you get a dog for free!!
      Then you don’t have to walk home alone!

      Q: What do you do if your Landy gets surrounded by a swarm of killer bees?
      A: Stop pushing and take refuge inside the vehicle.

      They are wonderful wagons 🤣

      1. My old 1974 LWB was doing okay in Oz until I went to collect my wife and newly born son from hospital at the Flinders medical centre Adelaide. I had a bit of trouble with the gear box. But made it the 15 miles back to Christies Beach were we lived.
        I found out the cluster lay shaft had gone pear shape. The gear box was the size of Mini engine/ But i stripped it all down and fixed it. I worked with an Italian old Guy in Gladstone Queensland his old SWB 1962 lob had over 250 thousand miles on the clock.
        I knew a chap from Coventry who worked a Jaguar as an upholsterer and he re fitted all the the upholstery in ours. Better than getting in and burning yer legs on the heat of the plastic seats. We also fitted the back out for our little son to travel in sheep skin comfort behind the driver and passenger seats.

    1. OMG. This is beyond criminal. I’ve just looked at a snippet at the WEF where T Bliar gives a “speech” that’s so rambling it’s unbelievable that people sit there and listen to it. A complete load of rubbish. He’s on about the stupidity of people against wearing masks and yet here in your two links we have people calling for prosecution of those pushing the plan/scamdemic and experimental jabs. You can’t have two more opposite opinions.

    2. Will this crowd of criminals ever be indicted? About as much chance as Blair being indicted for his War crimes.

    1. Every time you see a particularly ugly looking horse show some compassion, it’s not its fault that it looks like Jacinda Ardern

      1. She’s rushing to Davos, apparantly they are looking for night mares for after hours entertainment..

      1. Subaltern interview by commanding officer on joining his regiment:
        “Do you ride?”
        “No Sir”
        “Do you eat hay?”
        “No Sir”
        “Do you shag women?”
        “No Sir”
        “Well you are no good to man nor beast so you may not join my Regiment, good bye.”

  40. Canada appears to have gone even more batshit crazy………..

    “Two drinks a week is enough, Canadians told just weeks before heroin is legalised.

    Trudeau’s government has introduced some of the strictest guidelines on
    alcohol consumption in the West, just weeks before Canada will legalise
    heroin and crack cocaine in parts of the country.”
    What could possibly go wrong………….

    2. We buy our wine in 4 litre boxes, two of those are good for a week or beyond. Going by the amount of drinking at the curling club last night, The booze limit is being ignored by adults.

      As for drugs, it would explain some of the hare brained policies those political types come up wiypth.

      1. Hopefully Turdeau is next for the chop.

        And whoever the Australian one is, he of similar ilk but easily forgettable.

        1. There are rumblings of discontent in the liberal hierarchy but nothing public. Pretty boy has jerked the party so far left that the grandees do not recognize what is there now.
          You would think that a few MPs would show dissent but it seems that they remain silent until they are out of government.

  41. I have been giving my daughter driving lessons ready for her test next month. I was due to take her out today (the roads are quite snowy) but she just rang to say she’s backed out … CRUNCH.

  42. I have been giving my daughter driving lessons ready for her test next month. I was due to take her out today (the roads are quite snowy) but she just rang to say she’s backed out … CRUNCH.

  44. Strikes today in France. So far, we have:

    42.35% of primary school teachers on strike and 34.66% of secondary school teachers on strike according to the Ministry of Education. The unions are coming up with numbers upwards of 65%.

    Between 200 and 250 officially declared demonstrations are planned throughout France today. The police is out in force as violence is expected.

    In Paris, the Eiffel Tower and the Versailles palace are closed, a number of museums have closed parts of their exhibitions and Disneyland has reprogrammed its evening shows so that visitors can catch the last train home.

    Between 70% and 100% of workers in the various TotalEnergies refineries are on strike. (We filled up the car this morning!)

    1 in 5 flights out of Orly have been cancelled.

    Of the TGVs (high-speed intercity trains), 1 in 3 are running from Paris to the South East; 1 in 4 from Paris to the East; and only 1 in 5 from Paris towards the Atlantic. Regional trains are worse, with only 1 in 10 trains running.

    There is chaos in Paris, with a number of metro lines not open at all or partly closed, and a number of metro stations closed even though the trains are running.

    These strikes are technically about pension reform but there the turnout shows that there is a huge current of general discontent. The British politicians would do well to keep an eye on how things pan out in France, what with all the strikes planned in the UK.

    1. Are these strikes protest against the government, or an excuse for suggestions of uprising, followed by repression of the population?

      1. 1 Yer French love an opportunity to cause mayhem in public.
        2 The are violently opposed to the age of retirement being raised to …wait for it…64
        3 They loathe Toy Boy – so striking shows how much.

        Er – that’s it.

      1. Indeed. I was initially surprised by the lack of coverage but then it occurred to me that there is likely to be some juicy violence to report at the end of the day, which will sell more papers.

        1. “Striking demonstrators infiltrated by violent, far-right thugs…. Many police injured.”

          Sort of thing…..

    4. My overnight parcel fron Scotland arrived on time and in perfect condition. Despite all the weather scaremongering

    1. I wouldn’t get too carried away. There are plenty more like the horse woman crawling out of the woodwork.

      1. I wouldn’t get too carried away. She is no longer inside the tent, pissing out. She may well find herself a sinecure outside the tent, pissing in.

        [With apologies to Lyndon B Johnson’s attitude towards J Edgar Hoover when he appointed him director-for-life of the FBI]

      2. Perhaps not a case of ‘better the devil you know’ rather it is ‘proceed with extreme caution – wear hard hat.’

    2. Some weeks ago there were a considerable number of photos of Jacinda with Professor Schwab in the Press.

      Perhaps she was really there for the job interview?

      Keep in mind that she has made a number of speeches in NZ pointing out “that she is too big for this small country”.

      She is certainly a competent and determined organiser….just like Stalin.

    1. Not sure how long it takes to train a nurse but it’s not going to fix anything for about five years

      1. That’s just the beginning. If you want to really increase the number of training places, you need to expand the whole infrastructure – new instructors and new hospitals for them to teach in.

        So forget five years, it take at least ten years to set up a new program, recruit the faculty and then train the first nurses.

        Well beyond the timelines of a politician looking for re election.

      2. That’s just the beginning. If you want to really increase the number of training places, you need to expand the whole infrastructure – new instructors and new hospitals for them to teach in.

        So forget five years, it take at least ten years to set up a new program, recruit the faculty and then train the first nurses.

        Well beyond the timelines of a politician looking for re election.

      3. When i was in hospital just before Christmas most of the nurses were from other countries. So we didn’t have to train them.
        Just wondering if they came here because the pay and working conditions are better. Shirley Nott.

        1. When I was in hospital a few years ago, I asked the Polish nurse why he came here. “The money,” was his reply.

      4. Get rid of the graduate nurse scheme – it just puts them in debt – and bring back Sister Tutor and all the on-the-job training.

        Breeds a better nurse I believe – one who cares about patients rather than advancement.

      1. It continually avoids the reality: radical change is needed to allow the country to continue and that means the sate must spend less money. If we’re forced to limp on then eventually the injuries will become so severe we simply won’t survive.

    4. When all those non doms decide “to Hell with the UK” and leave, taking the considerable tax they actually do pay in the UK with them, what then?
      And when all their business interests go with them, how are you proposing to replace those businesses and the tax those businesses pay and the jobs that those businesses provide and the tax that the employees of those businesses pay?
      Because, you socialist buffoons, those non doms can certainly live almost anywhere and can also set up their businesses almost anywhere.
      Talk about biting a hand that feeds you.

    5. Cripes Labour are thick. End non dom tax status. She doesn’t even know what this means. Neither do most people. It’s just a buzz word used to spew nonsense that even thicker people don’t understand.

      As it is, end that status and the money won’t even be earned here. It’ll move away from them. The solution to raising money is to cut spending, not to take ever more that isn’t theirs.

      1. They just have no idea what they are talking about. Every Labour government left office with the country in a worse condition than how they found it.

        1. True. I think they do know what they’re talking about, but they know more hat this is what their voters want to hear. They play on ignorance to get the power, then go ‘oh, oh woe! The money isn’t anywhere nearly enough and those evil non doms have hidden it from us! How dare they!’

        3. True, but this time they might not.

          The Conservatives have done such a thorough job of wrecking almost everything they are responsible for handling it will be difficult, even for a Starmer Government.

          For Labour to leave it even worse will take wrecking of the highest and most vindictive quality.

          1. Tony Blair did some pretty high and vindictive wrecking of our country. However bad it is now, it can get worse.

          2. Blair’s governments’ efforts were structural and deliberate, the Conservative’s have been sheer incompetence.

          4. I agree, Sos – Capt Sir Kneel Hindsight-Korma has got some real competition now when it comes to economy-wrecking!

          5. I agree, Sos – Capt Sir Kneel Hindsight-Kormer has got some real competition now when it comes to economy-wrecking!

          7. The worrying thing is that Cur Kneel is over in Davos. Why does he feel the need to be in with that shower? How many of these oh-so-ardent Labour people know what is really going on? The same goes for the Tories: so wrapped up in Party before Country they do not have the wit to ask questions. Bridgen goes out on a limb and has the Whip removed. These elected 🤡🤡 are beyond useless.

          8. As the anointed to continue the destruction of all things British he’s getting the instruction manual:
            BLM
            Tannybqtetc
            unlimited gimmegration
            Compulsory medications
            Euthanasia for useless eaters
            … … …

    6. As part of the NHS crisis is caused by excess demand owing to an excess of population increase started by Blair, just HOW is Labour going to sort it out? The NHS was designed in the late forties for a relatively stable population who had contributed to it. It’s been a long time since those conditions existed and Labour is unlikely to agree to any meaningful reforms. I can hear the screams now: “Privatising the NHS!”

  50. The Sanctions on Russia Are Working. 19 January 2023.

    There is a widespread belief that Western sanctions on Russia have fallen flat. Proponents of this theory point to macroeconomic indicators suggesting that the Russian economy has proved resilient. Critics also highlight how sanctions haven’t had their desired effect: after all, Russian President Vladimir Putin has not moved to end his disastrous war against Ukraine.

    They are certainly working on the UK!

    https://www.foreignaffairs.com/russian-federation/sanctions-russia-are-working

  51. Hit good form again today. Birdie three, but my first two words gave no correct letters at all.

    Wordle 579 3/6

    ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜
    ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜
    🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

    1. Par 4 here

      Wordle 579 4/6

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

      1. Same here.

        Wordle 579 4/6

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

        2. Par for me too.
          Wordle 579 4/6

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

  52. Phew!
    That’s 4h clearing up after dropping that elm yesterday done and I think I’ve done enough up the “garden” for the day and need to turn my attention to this evening’s meal for when the DT & S@H get back from work.

    A couple of packs of chicken pieces, stir-fry veggies and a cook in teriyaki sauce.

    1. It annoys me when people say they don’t know how to cook. Your recipe is a one pan wonder. Nigel Slater would be proud of you. And if you were on a budget adding some cooked rice to it would bulk it out.

        1. Try batch cooking a meal like Bob’s. You only have to do it once and you have several meals waiting in the freezer.

          2. I just emptied/ran down one of the 3 under counter freezers. To make room for an extra wine fridge. :@)

      1. The caption says it is a giant Maine Coon. It does look lynx like though. Perhaps some interbreeding.

        1. I think Lottie once had a Maine Coon, when she lived in Connecticut, have to ask her about it.

          1. I did indeed and Basil looked big- not as big as that fellow- but it was all fur. He was grey stripey with a tail like a raccoon. He was called Basil because he shared certain personality traits with one Mr. Fawlty. He was an amusing boy and made us laugh.

  54. Afternoon, all. Don’t faint! I’m here early because with the snowfall we’ve had, I decided this morning that I wasn’t driving anywhere (I usually visit a housebound friend on Thursdays, but as the road almost certainly won’t have been gritted I’ve put it off). I have slithered into town on foot with the dogs and had lunch in a dog-friendly cafe, which saved me the bother of preparing anything. There’s nothing on TV, so I’m here to bore you all 🙂

    4. Have you had more snow? Or this yesterday’s snow lingering? You did have more than we did here – ours has pretty much gone.

      2. There was a heavy frost and ice this morning.
        Home after a 7 hour day and currently having a much needed glass of plonk. Will provide an update when I’ve recovered a bit.

  55. Sarifa Patel, 63, waited six months for financial help when she was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer in 2010. This is terrible and shouldn’t happen to anybody.

    The lady in question lived with her husband and her son, for whom she was a carer.

    But, am I being awful in thinking that if there were fewer non-indigenous here, there would not be the queues for benefit? This person must already have been getting carer’s allowance (or whatever) and she had a husband who would presumably have been working? There are people here in the same position, if not worse (eg. veterans on the street), whose family and whose ancestors have paid for, and fought for this country. Why are we getting stories about the Patels?

    https://www.express.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/1721800/PIP-claim-dwp-delays-cancer-patients-waiting-six-months?utm_source=express_newsletter&utm_campaign=money_newsletter2&utm_medium=email&pure360.trackingid=2ee9f558-38a2-4a7d-8d5d-1cc446bd1603

    1. I had a long telephone interview this morning, Lass, with a view to getting ‘Carer’s allowance’ and the current version of ‘Housing Benefit’ and Council Tax reduction.

      I’m just a poor old (white) pensioner, whose outgoings currently exceed income.

      We’ll see what happens.

      2. Check if you qualify for pension credit Nanners,if you do Council Tax will be zero and housing benefit will be fine

        https://www.gov.uk/pension-credit/eligibility
        Sadly i’m about £10 a week over the limit but I still get a council tax reduction of about 2/3rds and houising benefit slightly reduced by my income/saving

        1. I’m going to have to wait for the results may. The interviewer was making sure that the answers recorded, were what the PTB want to hear. He was very good.

      3. It should be Attendance Allowance – if you’re a pensioner, needing care. Carer’s Allowance is for those providing care.

        1. I think you’re right, Jules.

          Maybe ‘carer’s allowance’ is a lazy all-encompassing term.

          Certainly I’ve heard both terms, meaning the same.

          1. Attendance Allowance gives you the wherewithal to pay for help – like a cleaner, for instance, or other help. For Carer’s Allowance you have to actually be providing care to someone for 35 hours per week.

          2. As I’ve said, Jules, there seems to be a fuzzy difference in the eyes of those who grant these allowances.

            It says a lot about those employed by councils, who are the final arbiters.

          3. It may be different in Scotland, but AA & CA are dealt with by the DWP, not councils – but councils issue Blue Badges for disabled drivers.

          4. All my contact have been through various parts of Dumfries & Galloway Council.

            As yet no input from DfWP.

            Yes, I also have a Blue Badge – much required and used, as any distance more than 70m requires use of the car.

          5. Maybe they are advisers to help with the applications – but the DWP make the decision to pay or not.

          6. And, in Mother’s case, take a lifetime (of which there isn’t much left in her case) to fail to make a decision.

        2. I think Carer’s Allowance is means tested. I got Attendance Allowance for MOH because we were over the limits.

    2. I would like a bit more background information, but at first sight it’s an odd case to highlight; the BTL comments are not very supportive.

      1. Yes, but the report – 2010, for goodness sake – is typical of the woke sloppy press. I can’t get BTL on the Express because my ad-sifter takes them out.

    3. If this was in 2010, it’s hardly relevant now. She either survived or she didn’t.
      Edit – I meant 2010.

      1. Precisely. Why are we having a story about a Patel in2010? Even if it was in 2020 why the Patels?

  56. Instagram and facebook ‘free the nipple’.

    Pictures of breasts set to be reinstated after social media giant (Meta) told to tear up its ‘poorly defined policy’.

    What’s the next step? Free the testicle?

    1. 362 salaries , say £250 a day including light, heat, pensions…. a cool 90,000 on absolutely nothing. The answer was simple – stop giving them money at all. Not a penny. If they want funding, they can get it from the public, not the tax payer by force.

  58. Has anyone heard from True_Belle today, I think her youngest dog was due for a scan, hope all is well.

    1. National digital infrastructure.

      Is that so they can trace who has had what and why they are dying and what killed them?

      And then obfuscate the results in a blizzard of conflicting data.

      1. Dearest leader is refusing to increase healthcare payments to provinces unless they agree to provide the feds with electronic health records – a national digital infrastructure by another name.

        Just like you are saying but obviously there is not a conspiracy in sight.

      2. … and prevent your accessing parts of the country, shops, restaurant, services, and so on unless you have had the appropriate number of the approriate jabz.
        It worked with an app a couple years ago.

          4. No, Stephen he is not a C U Next Tuesday, they are very useful and can be delightful in the right way.

            Blair is just an ahole, designed to remove sh1t from the system.

          5. A man who tries to do to the entire world what the Romans did to Carthage.
            For the very few Nottlers who might not know:
            The Third Punic War (149-146 BC) was a siege of the city of Carthage. The Romans eventually took the city, killed the men of Carthage and enslaved the women and children. The city was burnt to the ground, and, it was written, that the Romans sewed salt into the fields so nothing could grow there again.

  60. Update on the French strikes:

    The unions claim 1.5 million people demonstrating in France today, with 400,000 in Paris. No official figure yet.

    Quite a number of “vigorous arrests” as aggression overflowed, but no major incidents (yet? It’s getting dark here so hopefully everyone will start going home).

    The real nasty has come from the French electricity distribution network, Enedis, where militant workers simply cut off the electricity for a couple of hours in Massy (a Paris suburb) and Chaumont (about halfway between Paris and Dijon) on business estates. Both these towns are represented by politicians who support the contested pension reforms. The CGT union has claimed responsibility for these power cuts, saying, rather threateningly: “It was just to send a message, to show that we are the ones in control of the network”.

    1. 370197+ up ticks,

      Evening Rik,

      When asked some time back i did say
      brexit / reform / tory (ino) Mk2
      = repress / replace/RESET.

      If the opportunity arises then I will support Lawrence Fox / Reclaim.

  62. This morning I was inducted into the hallowed halls of my local Bridge Club. At just under three score and ten I appeared to be the youngest player there. My tutor and partner for the day is a close neighbour. As I didn’t disgrace myself completely he is keen to give me a second chance! Onwards and upwards to 7NT!

    1. Grand slam beckons, Stephen! 🙂 I used to play bridge, but apathy got in the way. It’s good mental exercise.

      1. Proper bridge. With an electronic scoring system to show which pairs are leading after each round. I’m told today was a ‘gentle’ gathering next Tuesday is apparently more formidable!

  63. Hi all. Alf and I are looking to go on holiday, the first since November 2019, and the only country with no restrictions/conditions for entry is Cyprus. Anyone been there? We’re thinking of going in April. Any info or tips would be gratefully received.

    1. My ex-policeman friend used to go there regularly every year – he spent three months there for the improved climate during the worst of the winter here. He loved it (in fact, he only just got back before the first lockdown!). Because he was a regular, he got to know the restaurateurs and they knew him by name.

    2. You could come over here to Norway. No restrictions. Warm in the summer, sunny in the spring.
      Could even drop by our place and receive a warm welcome…

    3. Been to Paphos many time in the noughties; recommend the Louis King Jason Hotel – easy walking distance to the centre. Pleasant waterfront and harbour.

      The cafe at the west end of the waterfront (Café 13?) does a great English breakfast.

      Attractive, paved walkway for 2 miles north of the harbour/ Paphos Castle.

      There has been an increasing influx of Russians – ruthless businessmen – who are expert at shutting down and replacing local businesses – including my erstwhile favourite pub – The King George as I recall.

      The mountain top monastery is worth a visit – and the restaurant!

    4. It has an interesting mix of people being where it is geographically. There is a leaning towards Britain through historic links although a lot of Russians moved in there over the last few decades. Its essentially a sun and sand destination but it does have historic sites. Access to North Cyprus is done via Turkey, Larnica and Paphos are the normal airports from the UK . Its quite a long flight, about 4:15 out and up to 5 hrs back. Malta is an interesting dest (Phiz is a regular), a smaller island but only about 3:20 hrs each way. Im not sure of restrictions. Im off to Morocco in a few weeks for winter sun, no Covid requirements, fine if you dont mind slammers.

        1. I think it was a minority of Germans who were the awful ones but the ideology captured a nation. Unfortunately, slammers all sing from the same hymn sheet, as it is the unchangeable word of god, even though they might deny that fact.

    5. It has an interesting mix of people being where it is geographically. There is a leaning towards Britain through historic links although a lot of Russians moved in there over the last few decades. Its essentially a sun and sand destination but it does have historic sites. Access to North Cyprus is done via Turkey, Larnica and Paphos are the normal airports from the UK . Its quite a long flight, about 4:15 out and up to 5 hrs back. Malta is an interesting dest (Phiz is a regular), a smaller island but only about 3:20 hrs each way. Im not sure of restrictions. Im off to Morocco in a few weeks for winter sun, no Covid requirements, fine if you dont mind slammers.

    6. Can any NoTTLers on here please advise me? It’s all very well some countries not having any restrictions or conditions for entry, but you can’t drive to those countries because Great Britain is an island. Are there any airlines or boats which do not require to see your proof of Covid-jabs (after 3 I will not take any more) or insist you do a Covid-test by sticking things up your nose (not reliable and I do not wish to start down that road.).

    7. Can any NoTTLers on here please advise me? It’s all very well some countries not having any restrictions or conditions for entry, but you can’t drive to those countries because Great Britain is an island. Are there any airlines or boats which do not require to see your proof of Covid-jabs (after 3 I will not take any more) or insist you do a Covid-test by sticking things up your nose (not reliable and I do not wish to start down that road.).

    2. Disgusting, depressing, and that’s just that there are two people filming the foul bullying and beatings without doing anything about it.

    1. Public good would be better served by abandoning the Net Zero scam and stopping printing money to give to landowners.

  67. Dyson calls UK approach to economy ‘stupid’

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-64328977

    Other public figures might have been afforded the courtesy of a first-name headline but this is the BBC and a supporter of Brexit.

    He is correct, of course. Tax cuts for businesses are required but there’s no chance of that with a WEF shill at the Treasury.

  68. Forgive me once again for downloading on Y’all but it helps to get it off my chest.
    Left here at 9.20 and home at 4.20. Been up since 5 too.
    The good news is that his kidneys and his liver are doing well; the doctor said the shock of the fall and the surgery- seems he lost a bit of blood, had an effect but they are really improving.
    His leg is still very painful but, again, the doc said it’s healing well. My husband was not convinced.
    He goes onto nil by mouth at midnight and will go for an endoscopy at noon tomorrow and won’t be back on the ward until 5 o’clock probably.
    His appetite isn’t good and when he does eat, he gets heartburn which he’s never had before.
    I shall give visiting tomorrow a miss as there’s no point hanging around while he’s away from the ward and then recovering from the sedation. Will go on Saturday.
    He is very fed up and longing to get home and I certainly want him home.
    Pickets outside the hospital and I will tell you something- I am not impressed with the staff on this ward at all. They ignore you- I was waiting to ask if they had any bicarb for his heartburn. To a person they carried on with their private conversations. There was a male nurse nearby- seems to be the only one doing anything and I said, in my carrying teacher voice, “Seeing as all of those people cannot be bothered to stop their chitchat, I will ask you.” I hope they all bloody heard.
    Thanks for listening again.

    1. If he’s not eating, then there’s no food to soak up the stomach acid. Maybe he can sit up – it helps.
      I’m sure he’ll be back to normal once he’s getting his good diet at home, and sleeping in his own bed…

      1. I too him some rolls today and he’s going to try and eat a couple of those before midnight. Trouble is the hospital food is so awful. Looks and smells dreadful.

        1. Poor lad. I don’t envy him that muck – as written befor, even cockroaches won’t eat it.

        1. Indeed. Nothing quite like a snoring sandbag beside you in bed – and one that farts… 🙁

          2. As well as both the aforementioned, poppiesdad twitches as well, I think its called ‘periodic limb movement disorder’ – sometimes it is every 20 – 30 seconds. No wonder I have insomnia.

    2. Sounds like improvement generally.

      We can only hope that improvements are generally coming.

      Good luck to you both.

    3. A word to the wise:
      However tempted you may be to use your voice projection, don’t.

      From your description of what is happening I am sure that the type of non caring staff there will go out of their way to ignore him if he calls out. You are not doing him any favours.

      1. I was cross and frustrated. The health assistants are good and the doctor’s are quite good.

        2. As was once said in an episode of Starsky and Hutch: “don’t antagonise the people you need.”

    4. Heartburn could be caused by all sorts of things; GORD (kept in check by Esomeprazole) or bacterial infection (treatable by medication), even stress (and Lord knows, it’s been stressful enough for him). All the signs are positive, so take heart from that.

    6. Hopefully after the endoscopy they will know what’s causing the heartburn, and maybe he will be well enough to go home at the weekend. Sounds as though the leg is healing anyway, which is good.

      Keep your chin up and he’ll be home soon.

    7. No apologies necessary, Lottie, sound off as much as you like. It’s been a long day for you so go and enjoy your Kanga juice and listen to some Vivaldi!

    9. Drawback of an endoscopy is that they blow air (smoke?) up your arse to loosen things up a bit, then the endoscopy, then the appalling flatulence… just try Youtube. People playing a trumpet with that end… hope he finds farting funny, ‘cos there’s no escape.

      1. I think, Paul that an endoscopy is quite different from a colonoscopy – in fact it goes in the other end, hence nil by mouth.

        1. Yes, I think so. Endoscopy is down the throat and the other one goes up ;-)) My son had one once and Paul is right about the farting!

    10. Next time try thumping on the counter in the midst of their chitchat and declaring, loudly “Listen up, you’re supposed to be the staff. Now do your job, as I have a concern.”

      The bang on the counter generally gets their attention and the words should cow them. Be forceful – we know you can be. Ann.

    11. Next time try thumping on the counter in the midst of their chitchat and declaring, loudly “Listen up, you’re supposed to be the staff. Now do your job, as I have a concern.”

      The bang on the counter generally gets their attention and the words should cow them. Be forceful – we know you can be. Ann.

    12. Oh dear.
      Could I tactfully and poliely suggest that IMHO the nursing staff may be a bit grand, but the auxiliaries are more likely to be helpful and friendly. A modest gift of a nice packet of biscuits and/or a jar of coffee for the staff room sometimes works wonders. Cake also hits the spot, and these days individually wrapped biscuits might be perceived as being more hygenic.

      1. Some of the female nurses look as though, in Richard Littlejohn’s words, “that they are not strangers to the Hobnob tin.” There are packets and tubs of Quality Street behind the desk.
        I am always polite and say thank you when it is warranted but carrying on a chat about what they were going to have for dinner!! Not acceptable.

    13. …… and the nursing staff are striking for more pay. They should ask the public if they deserve it. And, a pay rise for large bodies of people (I am thinking of teachers and nhs staff here) ultimately leads to rising prices, as prices rise to mop up the extra money sloshing around in the economy. This ensures the take home pay of the rest of us holds less value. And our (and their) taxes rise to pay for it. It is a dog-eat-dog situation. In the final analysis they will be scarcely better off.

      It sounds as though your man has turned the corner, Lotl. Parts of him are healing at different rates, like gangly teenagers growing. Have faith in nature, she knows what she’s doing. She’s using her energies first of all on healing those aspects that are vital for his survival, his kidneys and his liver. Take some time out for yourself now, he’s going to be ok, although it will take time.

      1. Thanks for that- I am more hopeful but just wish it was over and he was home so I can spoil him.

  69. When a woman puts on a leather dress…
    a man’s palms get sweaty,
    His hear races,
    His throat gets dry
    His knees go weak
    and he thinks irrationally.
    Ever wonder why)
    It’s because she smells like the inside of a new car!

  70. That’s me for today – just a tiny bit less freezing than yesterday. AND sunny. But still chilly. There is – apparently – an end in sight. I DO hope so!
    We are running out of pullovers…..

    Just basking in an unexpected call from beloved grand-daughter. Half an hour on the phone. I know I have bored you all before, but DOESN’T a bright, interested, lively 16 year old buck you up?

    Have a jolly evening. Am thinking of LotL – as I know you all are.

    A demain.

  71. I don’t usually comment on the weather in Dordogneshire, except to gloat about how warm and sunny it usually is, but we have already had two inches of snow and it’s rising quickly. The power is turning on and off and it’s a right royal PITA.

    On the plus side I might get the toboggan out tomorrow for only the second time in 12 years and enjoy sliding down the garden, I can make a track of about 150 yards before I get into the trees where the lack of snow acts as a natural brake.!

          1. Said to fighter pilots (WW1 and 2) – break your neck and leg – in other words, Good Luck!

      2. A nice solid tree certainly works for skiers, tobogganing might experience better stopping power since they will be closer to the thick end of the trunk.

      1. As soon as I posted we had a power cut, 5 1/2 hours.
        Serves me right.
        Branches down everywhere this morning and it’s slippery as Hell as it’s frozen hard overnight.

    3. Yesterday I came across a group of young people (late teens/early twenties I would say) who were pulling tobbogans. They’d been sliding down the slope on the local playing field. When I went past, there were others doing the same (and lots of dogs running around, enjoying the snow). Brrr! I am getting old, alas; gone are the days when I’d slide down a snowy slope on an empty feed bag 🙁

      1. You made me laugh because I can relate to that….. I went skiing for the first time in my late fifties, cross-country skiing on the Austrian-Italian border. I spent more time falling over (or falling backwards). Poppiesdad said he had better things to do than mess about in the snow so I went by myself. I came to the conclusion that I was just too old and that falling over was not a good thing to do at my age. That boat had sailed several decades earlier.

        1. Glad it made you laugh. Age takes its toll; there are lots of things I did in my (mad) youth that I enjoyed, but realise that now my body can’t cope any more 🙂

    4. I remember digging out my childhood toboggan when I was an adult.
      It made good tracks, but directly downwards into the snow.

    1. Oftwats – Sounds like the perfect Quango for pouring scorn and derision on mere mortal politicians who believe themselves to be Gods!

    3. No inspiration to me and don’t put your narcissistic self up to speak for all of us, you nasty little jackal.

        1. Hello Conway,

          Everything went so so , thankyou for asking . I was up and out of the house with Pip for a 9am appt, nil by mouth etc, for his ultrasound scan ..

          I had a phone call at 12.30 from my vet saying it was good news , no signs of cancer / tumours etc, but there were signs off inflammation in his liver and bile duct , so there is something going on . Pip has to have a light protein diet , bland , etc and if poss special Hepatic type foods , which cost a fortune , he is on 2 types of tablet for his liver and will require more blood tests in a month . More expense , in addition to the other spaniel’s medications .

          One of the tablets is lozenge sized and blue and after 3 attempts to dose him , my fingers were stained blue , and still are , so heavens knows what is happening in his tummy. Pip is a slender small racing snake of a Working cocker , fox coloured and clever as anything , as I said to the vet , Pip knows words , lots of them !

          Vet thinks he has had a liver problem or a while , the dog has had all his jabs , has a decent diet , no sweet tooth , neither dogs have sweet treats , but they do dog things , sniff this that and the other , and will eat rabbit poo, and sometimes cow poo.. yuk and roll in fox muck and that sort of thing .

          Jack spaniel was very ill after being bitten by an adder on his mouth 10 years ago.. he was treated with anti venom , too many snakes in this area .. and of course everyone fears the warm weather off early spring , when the adders come out and sunbathe

          3. One of my Goldens loved wrapping paper at Xmas. Unfortunately he ate the ribbon too. It didn’t do him any harm as it all passed but it did mean we had gift wrapped whoopsies when the snow melted 😉 It was Fred.

          4. My late terrierist, Charlie, snaffled the string off the turkey before I could throw it in the Rayburn to get rid of it. After a couple of days, it emerged – relief all round!

          7. I feel so sad for Jack spaniel, as he epitomes me in the last throes of life.

            Like me, he wants to hang on but you, his mistress, know better and hate to see him suffer.

            Maybe I need someone to have me put down!

          8. Bad move, Tom.
            Where would we get the funny jokes to start the day on a light note? It’s all a bit heavy getting goint without your joke!

          9. Whilst I appreciate that y’all appreciate the funnies, but some days one just cannot be arsed to get out of bed, the future looks gloomy and one is, in a way, glad that one is of that age where the future only matters for one’s children and beyond

          11. No , Tom , don’t say that please , you know Jack will 15 years old a couple of days after my birthday in March .. He still has life and reason to exist , he is eating , alert and still loves a small walk.

            You have done so much mileage in your 3 score years and 10 plus , as have we all. So buck up and think positive .

            Are you badly lonely and broke?

            Is your leg improving.. Once Spring arrives you will feel better, seasonal depression is quite common , you have had to make some huge life adjustments , some huge brave move up to Scotland . Too many tipples can make you feel maudlin , so be careful.

            We all think alot of you x

          12. Thank you for all that, Maggie and despite having lived in different parts of Scotland in my past. I find it very difficult to feel ‘at home’ here today.

            I want my rural East Anglia where I was born and brought up.

            All those country roads my brother and I roamed on bicycle or by thumb (hitch-hiking) the length and breadth of the counties.

            Alas, it can be no more, my brother has gone beyond (as have all 8 of my siblings) and I just feel alone, bereft and not in my natural setting. ‘Tis not the tipples that make me maudlin, rather ’tis life.

          13. I understand how you feel, Tom. I don’t have real health problems, I’m not on any medication, but ‘covid’ – the scam – has finished me off in some way I can’t explain. I have seen so much change in my lifetime, like everyone else on here, social, cultural, technological and I don’t want to see any more. I’ve had enough and I don’t mind now should I be called. Discovering that we are told a pack of lies about everything (you have no idea) has pulled the rug from beneath my feet as a magician pulls the tablecloth from the table. I suggested to poppiesdad that when it is Poppie’s time to go perhaps the vet could do all three of us, as a job lot.

          14. Good to hear that Pip is cancer free! That must be a relief! Can you try wafer thin chicken to wrap his pills in? I use it for Hector as he has Gabapentin and Previcox, which are big tablets, and it’s fairly easy to dose him. He also has coedine 3 times a day, which are tiny, but he can spit them out so easily!
            Glad Jack is still wanting to be busy.

          15. Poppie has a half diuretic tablet daily, it is tiny-tiny and yet she can still find it and spit it out! Sometimes these things stick to her whiskers. We have found (trial and many errors) that wafer thin ham for tiny tablets does the trick, She has Cushing’s disease, she has had this for four years, for which she has daily treatment, and now a leaky mitral heart valve and a lymphoma. Some might say the poor thing should be put down, and yet she lollops alongside us quite happily when we are out, she will take a flying leap onto the sofa and off it, she is delighted to give us a very happy good morning when she leaps off the bed, and a retired vet lecturer in the village has said she has a very good quality of life at the moment. We are aware that this can change any day, such is the nature of the heart problem. But for the time being, all is as well as it can be.

          16. It’s hilarious, isn’t it! Sometimes it takes about 30 seconds for him to tumble it round his mouth, remove it from the food and pluff it out sideways! Sometimes he stands on it as well!
            You will know if Poppie doesn’t want to be with you any more, and no one but you can make that decision.

          17. My setter used to be fed his tablets in a bread and butter sandwich. He’d wolf down the bits without the pill, but when he came to the “doctored” bit, he chewed the sandwich and spat out the pill! I ended up having to wrestle it down his throat.

    2. For some bizarre reason, the “West” appears to be provoking the Russians to launch a full scale war against NATO.

      I”ll be dead soon, so I don;t care. But I fear for my grandchildren.

      1. #MeToo, Bill, we’re both in similar circumstances.

        It ain’t about us but all about our children’s children and beyond.

        I fear for them and I won’t be here to stand up for them.

        That’s my fear.

      2. Very nice of us to donate 600 expensive missiles, was there a vote somewhere, thought not. I believe Vlad will attack the supply lines at some stage, the result is not going to be pretty. The Yanks are not too bothered, being a very long way away.

        1. Canada just donated about twenty light armored cars. Not what they want or asked for but what the hell, the publicity is good

    3. Certainly is. Zelensky asking for arms to allow him to further subjugate his own people will taking on the role of The Mouse That Roared.

    4. A spring offensive? I see that Germany is holding back on supporting one. We, on the other hand want to poke the bear.

      (I know Germany’s reasons are self centred, but so should ours be.)

  75. Dug out of the archive (last September)….

    “Tyranny has had a makeover. It’s no longer a boot stamping on a human face forever. It isn’t a cop dragging you into a cell for expressing a ‘dangerous’ idea. It isn’t a priest strapping you to a breaking wheel. No, authoritarianism is well-dressed now. It’s polite. It has a broad smile and speaks in a soft voice. It is delivered not via a soldier’s boot to the head but with a caring liberal head-tilt. Its name is Jacinda Ardern.”

    https://www.spiked-online.com/2022/09/29/jacinda-ardern-and-the-woke-war-on-free-speech/

    Brendan O’Neill responding to Ardern’s address to the UN in which called she freedom of speech ‘hateful and dangerous rhetoric and ideology’, ‘misinformation used as a weapon to disrupt and to cause chaos’. It was delivered in that peculiar manner, earnest yet pleading. Did she adopt the head-wobble from our stick insect or was it the other way around?

    Don’t forget that this is the woman who said during the pandemic “We [the government] are your only source of truth.”

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CamSGA9hWSs

    1. Adern is one of those nasty little shits on the left who, firstly, need a good beating and then death.

      1. Her last diktat was the potential banning of natural remedies, treatments and supplements. Can’t have the population doing their own thing, they might get too healthy, and health leads to rebellion.

    2. We can only hope that Trudeau will run away with her. Where we don’t care, just run away and dissappear.

  76. There is a tattooo parlour in our nearest small town .. it always seems to be busy when one walks past it .

    Do any of you have an idea how much a tattoo costs .. and how many people now have tattoos.. they seem to be contagious , and very common amongst the chav type community ..

    People cannot aford to feed their children , they visit foodbanks but they can afford tattoos , here is a little article about tattoos. https://www.barberdts.com/uk/advice-hub/tattoo-prices-in-the-uk/

      1. Dear Lottie

        Younger dog had scan on his liver , no tumours or cancer , but inflammation in liver and bile duct .. see my long reply to Conway below.

        I do hope your dear husband is coping , and the investigations are on going , and that you are not too exhausted travelling bacwards and forwards .

        1. Yes, I have just read below. As I said, fingers crossed.
          I have a long comment below also.
          Yes, I am pretty knackered tonight.

      2. Lottie
        Is your husband being treated in Bournemouth?

        I suspect they are giving him a bland diet , so as not to irritate his tummy problems .

    2. You’ve been missed today, Maggie. One or two getting worried if elderly cocker had to visit the vet.

      I take it all is well – not being nosey, just a tad concerned.

    3. One small tattoo can be quite effective but covering your arm, leg, back etc is the worst fad, along with trousers round yer bum. I pity the poor people who will still have these awful disfigurations when they’re seventy.

  77. Does anyone else find that opening Disgust replies/upvote notifications slows the system down, as well as the adverts, I’m also receiving dodgy emails after exiting it, as well as things locking up on trying to exit.
    I’ve had no scam emails today but have not opened notifications. I’m going to open it now and see what happens.

    1. ‘Twas a glorious, carefree time in our history and by God, I miss it today.

      This is not the world I grew up in, in fact it is so far removed, one wonders, “Is this my country?”

    3. I grew up in Monkstown village, County Dublin, in the ”Forties and ‘Fifties, Maggie; your image is very close to my happy childhood memories!

    4. I grew up in Monkstown village, County Dublin, in the ”Forties and ‘Fifties, Maggie; your image is very close to my happy childhood memories!

    5. Could have been the village where I was born; Constable Bosworth keeping an eye on everybody (although he usually walked, rather than rode a bicycle). Butchers, bakers (x2), Co-op, Chemist, a Community Centre and several pubs. A place where you could leave your door unlocked and not be burgled. where everybody knew each other and helped each other and the few bad ‘uns were kept an eye on so they didn’t cause any bother. The past is a foreign country; they did things differently there.

    6. That looks like rural north Yorkshire, Thirsk comes to mind. I would wind back in a heartbeat.

      Now I know why the tv series was called ‘Heartbeat’. It never occurred to me before.

      1. I was last in Thirsk just over four years ago. It is one of my favourite small market towns.

  79. I’m off to bed.
    It seems the only bright spot on the political front is Arden’s resignation.
    Problem is, where will she end up?

    3. It is a start. If the word on the grapevine is correct, there will be more resignations.

      Perhaps she heading for The Bunker?

  80. I too must say, Goodnight and God bless, Gentlefolk.

    Done the shopping I needed to, and just waiting for printer cartridges and further medication (all delivered, I hope) so until the morning’s light, God bless.

          1. Written by Marjorie Magorian, it is really a young adult book but I read it and thoroughly enjoyed it. The film is good too.

  81. BEANO LEGEND DEAD David Sutherland dead – Beano illustrator dies as heartfelt tributes to ‘genuine legend’ pour in

    THE artist behind the Beano’s iconic comic strip the Bash Street Kids David Sutherland has died aged 89.

    David spent more than 60 years with the kids’ comic and started illustrating the Bash Street Kids in 1962.

    https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/21103465/beano-illustrator-david-sutherland-dead-tributes/?utm_medium=browser_notifications&utm_source=pushly

    He was described as the “single most important illustrator in Beano history” by the editor of the long-running comic.

    David was given and OBE for services to illustration in the New Year Honours’ List.

    He joined the Beano having entered a DC Thomson art competition and was also responsible for drawing Biffo the Bear and Dennis the Menace, over his extensive career.

    DC Thomson first published the comic in 1938.

    1. R.I.P. David Sutherland. One of our NoTTLer fans of the Bash Street Kids will be saddened by this news.

  82. Here’s a nice little tale about how nice some people can be.
    I was hobbling along with a heavy bag with stuff for my husband, including his dressing gown. As I went into the visitors’ car park, a young man said hello and he was the guy who had replaced our thermostat and checked the furnace a week or so ago. (He was supposed to be fixing a small thing on furnace today but I put him off for obvious reasons.)
    He asked after us and I briefly filled him in and he was shocked. Now get this, it was icy and I had my heavy bag and stick. I asked if he would mind helping me over the road to the bus stop as I was worried about falling.
    He said of course, grabbed the bag and gave me his arm and helped me to the bus stop, asked if I would be OK and then he went back. As the bus approached, he waved to me.
    So often we forget that there are many decent, kind and caring people around. He was so very kind.

    1. We used to be like that, open to the people surrounding us in our cohesive society, but I have become defensive to the world around me, everyone seems so irritable these days. I remember reading years ago that the people of communist Yugoslavia were suspicious of all around and would not make eye contact with strangers. Perhaps that is what happens in a communist state and we are nearly there. But there are kind people even so.

      1. We have noticed the same and put it down to the effects of divisive government dictats.

        We watch the daily figures of ungodly people being escorted across the channel to set up shop in our land. We know these imports to be undesirables, an assortment of criminals and drug pushers. I suggest none are coming from countries threatening their lives. Proof is that the lot of them have travelled through and across safe countries, where they might have otherwise claimed asylum.

        We have but one conclusion: that the illegal immigrants are being funnelled here deliberately with the complicity of our very own government. Traitors all.

      2. We have noticed the same and put it down to the effects of divisive government dictats.

        We watch the daily figures of ungodly people being escorted across the channel to set up shop in our land. We know these imports to be undesirables, an assortment of criminals and drug pushers. I suggest none are coming from countries threatening their lives. Proof is that the lot of them have travelled through and across safe countries, where they might have otherwise claimed asylum.

        We have but one conclusion: that the illegal immigrants are being funnelled here deliberately with the complicity of our very own government. Traitors all.

    2. We find lots of good souls in our lives. My dear wife and I believe that good people outnumber evil people by a very large margin.

      Our government have sought to divide us, to render us nervous and hesitant and to set us against each other, whether by racial differences, religious beliefs or more mundane aspects such as the vaccination programmes.

      We were frank about our desire to remain unvaccinated and showed tolerance to those who were taken in and allowed themselves to be jabbed. A few would cross the road to distance themselves from us but most just carried on, some needed to travel to visit relatives in places like America, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, are aged and needs must.

      Never lose faith in the intrinsic goodness in people. I am hoping that this year everyone will see the light. It is about time in coming but stay positive.

  85. Having just read the high-quality letters from Dr Malcolm Richards, Clifford Baxter, Alan G Barstow and Sir Andrew Cook, I’m struggling to think of a day with a better selection!

      1. Thanks, but this is really only a single visit to congratulate Grizzo et al. In the same way that another elderly gentleman here took a couple of years out after losing his son before returning, I’m not through yet with dealing with my loss or helping my family dealing with their loss. See you in a year or so 🙁

        1. Dear Steve,

          These things take as long as they take. There’s no rush, just take all the time you need and know that whenever you feel able to return there will be many, many NoTTLers who will be glad to welcome you back.

  87. Ghislaine Maxwell’s unofficial biographer has suggested that Meghan Markle may have met Prince Andrew via Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein years before she met Prince Harry.

    UK’s The Steeple Times in 2020 reported that a renowned journalist tipped them off to inquire whether the now-Duchess of Sussex meet Prince Andrew as a friend of the convicted paedophile Epstein before she met Harry.

    This question was revisited by Sommers, the author of Ghislaine Maxwell: An Unauthorized Biography, in a new podcast shared on YouTube in which she explored the connections between Markle, her close friend Markus Anderson, Epstein, Maxwell, and Prince Andrew.

    Suggesting that Markle’s friend Anderson may have been a ‘connector’ to Epstein as far back as 2001, Sommers shared that the media may find a ‘photo of Markle on a yacht in Phuket, Thailand cavorting with Prince Andrew’ through Maxwell.

    Sommers also claimed that Markle had been invited to the ‘Yacht Week 2016’, an event later described at ‘Sodom and Gomorrah at sea’ by GQ, although it remains unclear whether the Duchess of Sussex attended the event.

    The author further said on Twitter: “The Duchess of Sussex is controlled by the same forces that controlled Jeffrey Epstein.”

    https://www.geo.tv/latest/430981-did-meghan-markle-meet-prince-andrew-before-harry-via-ghislaine-maxwell

    1. Migraine has stated clearly that she thinks it unfair that if a man can talk about his sexual adventures and be thought of as ‘a bit of a lad’ then a woman should be afforded the same indulgent attitude and considered ‘a bit of a lass’.

      Will the Migraine book when it comes out be as explicit about her sexual history as her husband’s has been and if not, why not?

    3. The timing of the release of this information suggests that it’s part of the RF’s strike back. True? Who knows; it’s certainly possible.

    1. Blair is the Devil incarnate, the Devil in human form (sort of).

      The balls on this goon to put himself in the public eye having been a warmonger and responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of his fellow human beings has to be witnessed to be believed.

      The nonce is a war criminal and should be held to account and his life extinguished. Yet he seeks to inflict more damage on the unfortunate inhabitants of this world viz. us.

      Nuremberg II cannot come fast enough.

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