OT. The futures Bright, the Futures Brexit!!!

[roger_ramjet]

On the other hand it might be the time for the emergence of a centrist, common sense, compassionate party (CCCP).

Such a party might well be usurped by a slightly differently inclined United Sensible Socialist Republicans though (USSR)

[ramAnag]

I'm in Europe at the moment.. They still love us..
Official..

That's just because you're so soft and lovable Angry.

You're right about Matthew Paris Swale...with the 'for a Tory' proviso. Talked some good sense after Brexit too.

Agree about the possibility of the right (and possibly centre) of the Labour Party joining up with 'like minded' Libs too. Hope it's more successful than previous examples.

[AngryRam]

That's just because you're so soft and lovable Angry.

That's what the wife says.. Bit worried about the soft bit.. Age?
Anyone got any blue pills.

[swaledale]

That's just because you're so soft and lovable Angry.

You're right about Matthew Paris Swale...with the 'for a Tory' proviso. Talked some good sense after Brexit too.

Agree about the possibility of the right (and possibly centre) of the Labour Party joining up with 'like minded' Libs too. Hope it's more successful than previous examples.

Thou must live not too far from me then if your in the same consitutency, I knew there were sentient beings around, just hadn't met many.

[swaledale]

Bugger it make it 425 why not eh?

[ramAnag]

Thou must live not too far from me then if your in the same consitutency, I knew there were sentient beings around, just hadn't met many.

It's a big constituency Swale. Not far from Ashbourne. Lovely area. Know what you mean though...and taking us back on topic...lots of Brexiteers.

[ramAnag]

Looks pie in the sky - trendy crowd funding based party? I cant see the great British public putting their hands in their pockets to pay for it. Especially a centrist party - the extremes tend to attract the lion's share of the money - which is why the Liberals were in the doldrums for so long.

Don't think it's a 'party' Rog...more a cross party movement that subscribes to the independent scrutinisation of political campaigns and pledges. Probably, almost by definition, going to appeal more to centrists but would certainly have been useful and relevant during the recent Referendum campaign. Can only be a good thing imo.

[Andy_Faber]

Regarding Ashdown's idea, strikes me that there should be a publicly funded body in place for that, basically the 'Office for prevention of lies and deception', a bit like the current Office Of Budgetary Responsibility. The '£350m a week to the EU' thing is a great case in point - that number, although technically true, was clearly a deception, but all it caused was a pantomime of oh yes it is oh no it isn't, when what would have actually been useful to the public was to understand how the £350m gross number became a smaller, but still substantial actual number. The BBC did their best on this but were too PC to actually call either side out as liars

[ramAnag]

Regarding Ashdown's idea, strikes me that there should be a publicly funded body in place for that, basically the 'Office for prevention of lies and deception', a bit like the current Office Of Budgetary Responsibility. The '£350m a week to the EU' thing is a great case in point - that number, although technically true, was clearly a deception, but all it caused was a pantomime of oh yes it is oh no it isn't, when what would have actually been useful to the public was to understand how the £350m gross number became a smaller, but still substantial actual number. The BBC did their best on this but were too PC to actually call either side out as liars

Fair point Andy...alternatively the 'Office for prevention of lies and deception' could be replaced by the purchase of industrial quantities of gaffer tape and enforced application to the mouths of the majority of MP's starting with Boris Johnson who, when he isn't lying, appears to already be suffering from 'foot in mouth' syndrome.

[Andy_Faber]

Fair point Andy...alternatively the 'Office for prevention of lies and deception' could be replaced by the purchase of industrial quantities of gaffer tape and enforced application to the mouths of the majority of MP's starting with Boris Johnson who, when he isn't lying, appears to already be suffering from 'foot in mouth' syndrome.

Hmmm, I was a bit disturbed by the fact that Boris couldn't even stand at the lecturn next to John Kerry without having a bit of a giggle. I went through a stage like that myself where I just couldn't help ending even the most serious of statements with a witty (I thought)/ throwaway line at the end, BUT a) I grew out of it my early 20's and b) I wasn't foreign secretary at the time. I think we'll get some LOLs out of Boris but I'm not sure its LOLs we are after. On a sort-of-related subject, there has been a lot of bad press for Jeremy Corbyn for his appearance, notably his clothes, but I think Boris trumped him (no pun intended) at the Kerry press conference, he really looked like he'd just turned up from an all-night jolly up. Interesting times.