Brexit, for once some facts.

[vfr400]

Anybody been following the Trump impeachment saga? The IG report seems to have exposed the whole thing as a vicious hoax. Several people are going to get charged with criminal activities for falsifying and falsely representing evidence. It goes right to the top of the FBI. It's not looking good for the Dems, and it seems that the American people have been put off by the debacle and are starting to switch their allegiance to Trump. I wonder how much of that is going on in the UK?

 

[50Hertz]

Anybody been following the Trump impeachment saga? The IG report seems to have exposed the whole thing as a vicious hoax. Several people are going to get charged with criminal activities for falsifying and falsely representing evidence. It goes right to the top of the FBI. It's not looking good for the Dems, and it seems that the American people have been put off by the debacle and are starting to switch their allegiance to Trump. I wonder how much of that is going on in the UK?

I don't really have strong feelings one way or another regarding Trump, but the whole sour faced, spiteful loser tantrum from the Dems is appalling. It will work against them.

The best way to lose is to say nothing derogatory about the victor, congratulate them on their victory and then work tirelessly on your own weaknesses. The Dems have done totally the opposite, as have the Pro-Brexit camp to some extent. This will cost them both, people like to rub the face of a sore loser in the dirt, it's just the way things roll.

 

[Danidl]

Anybody been following the Trump impeachment saga? The IG report seems to have exposed the whole thing as a vicious hoax. Several people are going to get charged with criminal activities for falsifying and falsely representing evidence. It goes right to the top of the FBI. It's not looking good for the Dems, and it seems that the American people have been put off by the debacle and are starting to switch their allegiance to Trump. I wonder how much of that is going on in the UK?

Except you are wrong. The central plank of the Trump side was that it was a Hoax and there was no credible evidence of any sort .. But the report from the IG disagreed and said it was a valid investigation based on material predating the Steele Dossier.
The report did outline some shortcomings in the methodology ..

 

[Woosh]

No news but confirms what many of us think:

UK no longer makes running on world stage, says ex-No 10 adviser
John Casson blames absence of strategic thinking about UK role in world

Britain has not made the running on any foreign policy issue since at least 2013 and suffers from a fundamental absence of strategic thinking about its role in the world, the most senior foreign policy adviser to David Cameron has said.

John Casson – who worked in Number 10 from 2010 to 2014 before becoming UK ambassador to Cairo until last year – warned of a lack of confidence across Whitehall about Britain’s role in the world. “We see lots of actors smaller than us by most metrics making more of a difference because they have a clearer-eyed sense of their strategic intent and the power they hold,” he said.

Speaking at a debate on future British foreign policy at Chatham House, he also lamented that no British prime minister since either Tony Blair or Gordon Brown had thought it worthwhile to invest in personal relations with foreign leaders, adding this judgment had cost Britain dear.

Casson criticised Boris Johnson, describing the prime minister’s strategy as haphazard. He said: “Boris Johnson makes speeches about the cult of the strongman and wanting to stand up to human rights abusers in certain situations, but then in other situations pops up and making contradictory signals to that.”

Without naming him, he also delivered a scathing assessment of a recent foreign secretary’s ability to think strategically.

Casson recounted: “I once got stuck in traffic in the back of a car with one of the most recent foreign secretaries and I said: ‘Given all of us in the Foreign Office spend our time trying to make sure you don’t do anything different from what we normally do, what is it the thing that you think you are trying to get us to do to leave behind as your legacy?’

“This person thought about it for a bit and said: ‘Well, I really think we should be trying to save the African elephant and leading on the international wildlife trade, and it is really important that we bring girls into school worldwide and I suppose one of these conflicts in the world, we should be taking a lead on solving.” We then had a discussion about whether Palestine, Libya, Syria or Yemen was particularly ripe for British intervention.”

Johnson repeatedly as foreign secretary highlighted the future of elephants, using one speech at Chatham House to admit he was “obsessed with the tragic fate of the African elephant”. He also said more girls in education was the key to unlocking some of the world’s greatest problems.

Casson added: “I say this by way of saying there has been an absence of any depth of strategic thinking not just at political level but also confidence amongst officials not just in the Foreign Office but across Whitehall to think clearly about what is the nature of the power that we hold.

“The bald fact for me is British foreign policy – as I was brought up to recognise it – came to an end in September 2013, when David Cameron made a conscious decision to stop being an activist prime minister on foreign policy after he lost the Syrian vote in the Commons. Since then it is very difficult to name an issue on which Britain has made the running in the international space.”

He insisted this was not a lament for liberal interventionism, but instead a breakdown in a pro-active optimistic foreign policy drawing on Britain’s strengths.

As a former foreign affairs private secretary to Cameron, he added a prime minister “needs to be on the telephone a lot and travel a lot and see a big part of their job as having relationships with foreign leaders for the sake of relationships with foreign leaders. Since Tony Blair, and perhaps Gordon Brown, we have not really had a prime minister that has had the capacity and the appetite to see as a fundamental slice of their job investing in those political relationships. It has cost us in terms of foreign policy outcomes.”

He said from his own experience at Number 10 that it is “a bloody battle” to get the prime minister to focus on foreign leaders since “the building is full of people who think it is a waste of time because it does not win you elections”.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/dec/12/uk-no-longer-makes-running-on-world-stage-says-ex-no-10-adviser

he likes big beasts and girls.

 

[Woosh]

I don't really have strong feelings one way or another regarding Trump, but the whole sour faced, spiteful loser tantrum from the Dems is appalling. It will work against them.

The best way to lose is to say nothing derogatory about the victor, congratulate them on their victory and then work tirelessly on your own weaknesses. The Dems have done totally the opposite, as have the Pro-Brexit camp to some extent. This will cost them both, people like to rub the face of a sore loser in the dirt, it's just the way things roll.

Nobody expects DT to vacate the White House before next year's potus election.
I think the Democrats want to stop Trump trying another stunt like this one until then. DT is not particularly popular among Republican voters as potus, he is not a career politician and it shows.

 

[Wicky]

 

[50Hertz]

I think the weather will help the Tory Party. I'm afraid that unless Labour arrange for taxis to take voters to the polling station and then have someone there to move the pencil for them, oh and then give them something for nothing, then not many of their core voters are going to turn out today.

 

[Wicky]

Tilson - Is your opinion derived from Express/Mail/Telegraph?

2019 general election: the demographics dividing Britain | YouGov

With a Christmas election confirmed, YouGov has run a mega-poll to reveal how the public intends to vote, broken down by age, gender and educational background

yougov.co.uk

IMHO the 52-48 split will still be devisive in this election.

 

[Woosh]

that chart suggests that Labour (and LibDems) is the party for the elite and conservatives for the poor.

 

[50Hertz]

Tilson - Is your opinion derived from Express/Mail/Telegraph?

2019 general election: the demographics dividing Britain | YouGov

With a Christmas election confirmed, YouGov has run a mega-poll to reveal how the public intends to vote, broken down by age, gender and educational background

yougov.co.uk

IMHO the 52-48 split will still be devisive in this election.

Just sayin. I hope the Torys don’t benefit too much from the weather, but I think it’s going to work in their favour for the reasons that I have already stated above.

 

[Zlatan]

I cant see either party getting a working majority. They are reporting high turnout, I live accross road from a polling station. Never been more than 2 in all day. I went over and only myself and clerk in place, then voted for worst candidate I have ever voted for.
Isnt there supposed to be a candidate and party /leader you actually want in power. I couldnt find one.
Its been reported Diane Abott is so anti tory she refuses to wear a right shoe. Spotted today with two left shoes and from two different pairs of shoes. ie... They didnt match. WTF??? If its true she must be ill, if it isnt the "reporter" (lying bstard journo?) should be arrested.

 

[50Hertz]

Tilson - Is your opinion derived from Express/Mail/Telegraph?

2019 general election: the demographics dividing Britain | YouGov

With a Christmas election confirmed, YouGov has run a mega-poll to reveal how the public intends to vote, broken down by age, gender and educational background

yougov.co.uk

IMHO the 52-48 split will still be devisive in this election.

That chart suggests that people learn the hard way and as they get older. They come to realise that the “disadvantaged“ myth is mainly BS and the help doesn’t reach those that genuinely need it.

 

[50Hertz]

I cant see either party getting a working majority.

We can hope.

 

[Zlatan]

Oh dear.

 

[flecc]

that chart suggests that Labour (and LibDems) is the party for the elite and conservatives for the poor.

Could have some truth, educational establishments have long been accused of being hot beds of left wing activism.
.

 

[flecc]

Oh dear.

Very poor dress sense often accompanies genius and ability.
.

 

[50Hertz]

Very poor dress sense often accompanies genius and ability.
.

That’s that particular myth busted then.

 

[Zlatan]

Very poor dress sense often accompanies genius and ability.
.

In Einsten yes, Michael Foot probably, Steptoe and Diane Abott... Afraid not.
Besides, if true, it goes beyond dress sense. This woman is destined for deputy PM or perhaps Chancellor of Exchequer.??? And I voted for her..!!!!??? WTF

 

[vfr400]

Except you are wrong. The central plank of the Trump side was that it was a Hoax and there was no credible evidence of any sort .. But the report from the IG disagreed and said it was a valid investigation based on material predating the Steele Dossier.
The report did outline some shortcomings in the methodology ..

John Durham has opened a formal criminal investigation into irregularities that were exposed in the IG's report. Results are expected round about June. Do you want to stand by your beliefs and take a bet with me whether anybody will get prosecuted?

 

[50Hertz]

And I voted for her..!!!!??? WTF

Jesus Christ.