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Boris Johnson!
 

Boris Johnson!

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Its owned by Reach which is a FTSE250 company once known as the Trinity Mirror group.

You know occasionally how there seems to be a glut of online "polls" by various regional newspapers asking if cyclists should pay road tax "like all other road users" or be licenced/insured etc? Often crop up on Facebook with reams of comments underneath. On the face of it it looks like the Cornwall Gazette has somehow popped into your timeline.

That's all done as coordinated clickbait by/from Reach.

Somehow, it also appears to be the main source of "news" that Microsoft Office harvests and bangs into your taskbar every morning. 🙁


 
Posted : 18/12/2021 9:39 am
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Trouble is, will they see it as a Brexit problem or that the govt negotiated a bad deal?

The farmer on the radio was blaming the governments bad deal


 
Posted : 18/12/2021 9:56 am
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Good summary here

Not sure how report can be back b4 xmas if everyone has to be re interviewed

https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/blog/downing-street-christmas-party-inquiry-needs-restore-trust

Also when was Geidt due to report his decision on Whatsapps?


 
Posted : 18/12/2021 10:39 am
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The farmer on the radio was blaming the governments bad deal

Yep,it’ll never be about the ‘precious’ it’s always going to be blamed on the deal and or the EU 🙂


 
Posted : 18/12/2021 11:05 am
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You would think that if Brexit had been a huge issue in North Shropshire on Thursday

It was.

the Rejoin EU candidate would have got more than 58 votes.

Why? The LibDem position is that we should rejoin the EU (via cooperating in the SM & CU first). I’m not suggesting in the slightest that all those LibDem votes were by people who want to rejoin, or even want to have a closer relationship with, the EU. That simply isn’t the case. But if you wanted to avoid a Conservative win, and you thought that Brexit was so counter productive for your area that you supported us rejoing the EU, voting LibDem seems the most likely way to go.


 
Posted : 18/12/2021 11:34 am
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It's also worth noting that both ukip & Refuk & reclaim are even harder brexit parties and disgruntled Tories did not flock to them to protest


 
Posted : 18/12/2021 11:41 am
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Rules just don't apply

https://twitter.com/domjoly/status/1471832008296968200?t=JU7Cr7_KYGHoGiAhY_Qc_w&s=19


 
Posted : 18/12/2021 11:52 am
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To be fair, they still serve food and drink on trains, so...

I'm more interested in the fact that even The Spectator has had enough of him.


 
Posted : 18/12/2021 12:28 pm
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Haha. I didn’t dare take my mask off this time last week on the Sheffield to Manchester train. Admittedly there was no food service but considering that we were crammed in like sardines and many people on the platform couldn’t get on I don’t expect a trolley service. But that was just a train between 2 northern cities serving a population of several million so why would I expect to get a seat eh?

And yes it is interesting that the spectator is going for him. Didn’t something bad happen to someone related to one of it’s editors or something recently?🙄 something to do with a party? I can’t quite remember?🤔


 
Posted : 18/12/2021 12:40 pm
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Ah yes, of course. That's the beauty of an incestuous circlejerk between a small number of politicians and influential journalists.


 
Posted : 18/12/2021 12:41 pm
 wbo
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Allegra Stratton, who resigned after being caught on video at said party, and cried a lot on her doorstep, is married to James Forsyth , editor of the Spectator. So he will likely be impressed with his wife being thrown to the wolves when expedient.

Lets hope nothing nasty happens like Russia invading Ukraine. At least Gavin Williamson still isn't defence minister. Britain really has sunk to banana republic government level, and you should remember that's what people voted for


 
Posted : 18/12/2021 1:38 pm
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Allegra Stratton, who resigned after being caught on video at said party, and cried a lot on her doorstep, is married to James Forsyth , editor of the Spectator. So he will likely be impressed with his wife being thrown to the wolves when expedient

...and Rishi Sunak was best man at their wedding. Whose name is among those mentioned as a Boris successor.


 
Posted : 18/12/2021 1:53 pm
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Forsyth is political editor not the full editor.
Cummings also still has ties to the spectator via his wife who is deputy editor.
Its all rather incestous and yet they still whine on and one about the metropolitian elites.


 
Posted : 18/12/2021 2:01 pm
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There can't be many people left who like him.


 
Posted : 18/12/2021 2:06 pm
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Just for the record I never did. I think I even thought he was a **** on HIGNFY (where it all began??? 😬)


 
Posted : 18/12/2021 2:17 pm
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There can’t be many people left who like him.

On another forum I occasionally look at to try and get a more right wing view of things his supporters do seem somewhat busy with other things currently than speaking in his defence. Even the "best of a bad bunch" seems to be disappearing as a when all else fails reply.


 
Posted : 18/12/2021 2:47 pm
 dazh
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Daz – it was responding on the “boring” subject only. The idea you need to be a gobby personality to stand up to people.

When I say we don't need boring politicians, I'm not talking about having gobby celebrities or rabble rousers, I mean we need politicians who have the courage of their convictions who are prepared to speak for normal people and defend their interests, rather than the meek and cowardly politicians who seem to spend their entire careers trying to lower people's expectations rather than raising them.

They don't have to be loud, gobby, or whatever else, they just have to be prepared to listen to the people, be open to new ideas, and say no to the civil servants, businessmen, billionaires, media barons and others who tell them that tackling climate change, poverty, inequality, injustice and social decay isn't possible or affordable. It is possible, it is affordable, and it is acceptable to the vast majority of normal people who will benefit from it, but currently there are very few politicians willing to stick their heads above the parapet to say these things.


 
Posted : 18/12/2021 2:58 pm
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Why? The LibDem position is that we should rejoin the EU

Because by-elections, when the government has a huge majority, provide people with the opportunity to protest.

Voting LibDem does not send a clear message that brexit was a huge mistake, whatever the LibDem policy on the matter is, voting Rejoin EU indisputably does.

If brexit was an important issue in North Shropshire it is fair imo to assume that Rejoin EU would have managed more than 58 votes.

Besides, if you are going to use the argument that all the anti-brexit vote went to the LibDems then it simply suggests that the majority of the voters in North Shropshire backed brexit.


 
Posted : 18/12/2021 4:22 pm
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If brexit was an important issue in North Shropshire it is fair imo to assume that Rejoin EU would have managed more than 58 votes.

Not really. I doubt I would vote for a party like that in a seat which looked like it might be competitive unless they had some really compelling other ideas and plans whilst we are waiting and even then it would be a hard sell to avoid wasting my vote.
I would agree it says sod all about brexit though since its a byelection and hence people can take safe(ish) gambles.


 
Posted : 18/12/2021 5:05 pm
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Really Ernie - your contortions to justify a pro bexit [ositi9o get more and more tenuous.  Its obvious the majority of the UK now understand its a stupid idea and would vote against and the lib dem vote shows this


 
Posted : 18/12/2021 5:07 pm
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I think I even thought he was a **** on HIGNFY (where it all began??? 😬)

20 years ago he was an MP for Henley when I lived nearby. He'd regularly pop up on the local news. He was a tool back then and easy to dislike, but more in a "look at this buffoon, how on earth is he an MP" kind of way.


 
Posted : 18/12/2021 5:14 pm
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Voting LibDem does not send a clear message that brexit was a huge mistake, whatever the LibDem policy on the matter is, voting Rejoin EU indisputably does.

I think most, if not all remainers understand that rejoining the EU now we are 'out-out' (as Micky flannigan would say) is not a simple matter of buttering up some EU diplomats over a round of golf and a nice meal, That ship has well and truly sailed, it would be a long term endevour, of re-re-alligning ourselves with EU standards.
Therefore voting for a single issue remain party or independent is indeed a wasted vote.

LD's have the only pragmatic apporach to rejoining that I've seen. If they could say tehy would rejoin tomorrow they would, but it's not possible.


 
Posted : 18/12/2021 5:26 pm
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Source: https://www.libdems.org.uk

As party members will hopefully will be aware, we are currently consulting all members about the future direction of our policy on Europe (an email was sent to all members last week). Conference has made the decision for us to support a long-term aim of being a member of the EU again, and a policy group chaired by Duncan Brack is developing proposals on a rolling basis in support of this. Conference this autumn approved plans for immediately improving cultural and educational ties, and the group is currently working on plans for our future trading relationship, to bring to Conference next year. Please do contribute to the consultation.


 
Posted : 18/12/2021 5:38 pm
 wbo
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No, but voting LibDem is a more effective way of giving the government a kick up the backside, as well as indicating that Brexit is no longer a get out of jail card.

I doubt many people really expect to rejoin the EU soon. But they might want to indicate that they're not happy with the current state of affairs, including picking fights with the EU whenever anything tricky happens domestically


 
Posted : 18/12/2021 6:03 pm
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Voting LibDem does not send a clear message that brexit was a huge mistake, whatever the LibDem policy on the matter is, voting Rejoin EU indisputably does.

Magical thinking. A vote for a made up party is a wasted vote. The labour vote went down dramatically cos of tactical voting.

Mind you, need some pro level mental gymnastics to think brexit benefits exist at all, let alone outweigh the considerable downsides.


 
Posted : 18/12/2021 6:06 pm
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Really Ernie – your contortions to justify a pro bexit

I haven't said anything to "justify" a pro-brexit position. Read my post again TJ :

Because by-elections, when the government has a huge majority, provide people with the opportunity to protest.

Voting LibDem does not send a clear message that brexit was a huge mistake, whatever the LibDem policy on the matter is, voting Rejoin EU indisputably does.

If brexit was an important issue in North Shropshire it is fair imo to assume that Rejoin EU would have managed more than 58 votes.

Besides, if you are going to use the argument that all the anti-brexit vote went to the LibDems then it simply suggests that the majority of the voters in North Shropshire backed brexit.

I am clearly saying that brexit doesn't appear to have been an important issue in the by-election. I am being told that it was and that everyone, bar 58 individuals, voted tactically correct.

Which I think is a fairly unconvincing argument, unless you really want to believe it. The electorate simply aren't so disciplined that only a few dozen would vote incorrectly.

I am sure that Rejoin UK have reasons to believe that it is important for them to exist even if you don't agree with them. Which immediately suggests a lack of discipline among EU supporters.

And I have absolutely zero interest in "justifying" my opposition to the EU on stw TJ. The referendum was over 5 years ago, if I wanted to endlessly debate the subject l would do that on the brexit thread.

Its obvious the majority of the UK now understand its a stupid idea and would vote against

It must be reassuring for you believe that TJ. After the next general election when a pro-eu government is elected we can have a debate about the issue.


 
Posted : 18/12/2021 6:19 pm
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Ernie - its well known and proven in multiple polls.  We have cowards for politicians tho and there will not be a pro EU major party in England

I am afraid your pro brexit position really blinds you here.

I don't really care any more what happens in England tho - they can go and be an irrelevant pariah state.  Scotland will be rejoining the EU

Oh - and I have a pro rejoin government = one with a popularity no English party can get close to.


 
Posted : 18/12/2021 6:21 pm
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The labour vote went down dramatically cos of tactical voting.

Speaking of cowards, the labour party was so scared of losing votes over brexit that they refused to take a stance, or they were so divided internally with in-fighting on the matter they were too frozen to decide what thier policy on the mater was... One way or the other, that is what ultimatley cost them votes.


 
Posted : 18/12/2021 6:28 pm
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I am sure that Rejoin UK have reasons to believe that it is important for them to exist even if you don’t agree with them. Which immediately suggests a lack of discipline among EU supporters.

Interesting opinion.

You say "rejoin UK have reasons to believe that it is important for them to exist".
I'm sure they do, anyone can campaign on any issue or issues they want to.

How you've managed to translate that into "a lack of discipline among EU supporters" is a mystery though, the LD landslide would suggest the polar opposite, hahah!


 
Posted : 18/12/2021 6:46 pm
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Just to add, I checked thier website out of idle curiosity, https://rejoin.london/ - they are a one issue party with no policy other than to rejoin the EU, thats not really how most intelligent people vote.


 
Posted : 18/12/2021 6:51 pm
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Ernie – its well known and proven in multiple polls. We have cowards for politicians tho and there will not be a pro EU major party in England

I had to Google "cowards" in case it could be used in a context which I was unfamiliar with.

So they are contemptibly lacking in the courage to support a position which the majority of the population supports, what are they scared of? Why in contrast are the LibDems so brave? And why won't people vote for these brave politicians that agree with them?


 
Posted : 18/12/2021 6:54 pm
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hahah!

Knockout blow! 🙂


 
Posted : 18/12/2021 6:56 pm
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Why in contrast are the LibDems so brave?

Because they had, and have a clear policy on the matter, and would/will happily reitterate said policy to anyone who would listen.

Who knows what Labours stance on rejoining is, I don't really know what thier policy on anything is really, other than "tory bad, lib dem bad, vote us in".


 
Posted : 18/12/2021 7:11 pm
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How on earth is he going to get more restrictions past his loony brexiter backbenchers?

https://twitter.com/BrexitBin/status/1472206066037530629?t=RMCQVbCQWkmqCW2ZsCmX5g&s=19


 
Posted : 18/12/2021 7:34 pm
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Labour are cowards afraid to lead and afraid of the right wing media.  Starmer should be shouting from the rooftops about the disaster5 that brexit is


 
Posted : 18/12/2021 7:40 pm
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Because they had, and have a clear policy on the matter,

they really have not and Swinson grandstading cost the chance to block brexit


 
Posted : 18/12/2021 7:42 pm
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Oh – and I have a pro rejoin government = one with a popularity no English party can get close to.

Lucky bugger


 
Posted : 18/12/2021 8:04 pm
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they really have not and Swinson grandstading cost the chance to block brexit

Swinson didn't help matters in some respects, she came across as gobby and condescending but labour repeatedly refused to cooperate with the LDs on marginals, as they just won't get off the damn fence and belive they should be in power no matter what. Almost like labour are tories in that repect.

..and then look what happened, the red wall turned into the blue wall.


 
Posted : 18/12/2021 8:12 pm
 piha
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Yet another delicious blow to Bozza…..

https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uk-brexit-supremo-frost-resigns-blow-johnson-mail-sunday-2021-12-18/


 
Posted : 18/12/2021 9:29 pm
 kilo
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Frosty what a horrible piece of unelected work, good riddance.


 
Posted : 18/12/2021 9:33 pm
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Oh now that is such a shame. Can we not make him ambassador to some god forsaken hole in the ground so the arsehole never comes back


 
Posted : 18/12/2021 9:38 pm
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Taking the opportunity to walk away from a disaster that he was pivotal in creating? Surely if he was so passionate about the project he'd want to see it through? Nah mate.


 
Posted : 18/12/2021 9:41 pm
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As reported by the Mail?
I'll wait for some verification but - if true, the unravelling continues.
Can't be long before johnson starts quoting Kenneth Williams yet...infamy, infamy; they've all got in for me.


 
Posted : 18/12/2021 9:41 pm
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Interesting about Frost.  He knows how stupid brexit is but has been doing his masters bidding to deliberately inflame things.  However a day or two ago signaled a major U turn on the renegotiation that was never going to happen.  I suspect it might be do do with this.  Either he is fed up of taking Johnsons flak or he is refusing to bash his head against the wall any more


 
Posted : 18/12/2021 9:49 pm
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Saw an open door and ran like ****

Doubt its more complicated than that.


 
Posted : 18/12/2021 9:58 pm
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