O/T:- ⚠️Impressed with the leadership [The UK Party Politics Thread]

[Old_pie]

In view of the David Lammy " Mastermind" answer that Henry the Eighth was succeeded by Henry the Seventh , I suppose we should be grateful that the chancellorship went elsewhere.

More: https://www.justthetalk.co.uk/uknews...llectual-titan

He should watch Pointless instead of being pointless.

[Lullapie]

In the interests of balance, I have to say I'm NOT impressed with the leadership. Starmer & Co grabbing freebies with both hands is something I hoped wouldn't happen, so maybe those who said "they're all the same" are right after all. Why does Starmer need free tickets, free clothes and free glasses? I'm sure he could afford to pay himself. What's worse is that he initially tried to justify it before quite rightly being forced to backtrack. I still think he offers a better future than the Tories, but the gap between them isn't as wide as I hoped it would be.

Good post EP. It's difficult for anyone who is used to having money, lots of it, and not fearing where his next pay cheque is coming from to be on the same level as Joe Public - I am referring to Sir Keir Starmer, not you EP .

Countries around the world need strong leaders - even more now than before - because of the wastefulness of the Covid era. Difficult decisions need to be made. Many developed countries are moving away from the left leaning doctrine that they had during Covid. Even many countries that had right-wing governments had left leaning policies. Even so. the era saw a huge redistribution of wealth, making the rich richer and everybody else, very much poorer.

One of the final bastions of that era, Justin Trudeau is currently under huge pressure in Canada. I was one of those that said that in time, all politicians become the same. They also all look out for each other, irrespective of their political allegiances (although Biden has bucked the trend on this one).

Tony Blair aligned Labour to the Tories politically with his New Labour. He got into bed with George W Bush. He and his fellow advisers realised that Labour was unelectable before Blair. In case we ever forget that is the case, Jeremy Corbyn came along to remind us that fighting over the middle ground is where victory lies and being an extremist is political suicide.

In the end, there's no real difference, except that once a party has been in power for too long, the general public will elect the 'other' party to implement similar policies, under a different banner.

Some of us 'Won't Get Fooled Again'. Released in 1971 - so the belief has been out there for sometime.

[i961pie]

Yet another very bad day for 'the leadership', it's great to see the Tories get the severe kicking they deserved. Even their highlight of winning the Tees Valley mayoral vote was achieved by a candidate who completely distanced himself from Sunak! Good to see the Greens and LibDems make significant gains, we need to get away from two-party domination.

The funniest thing is 'honest' Lee Anderson predicting Reform UK will produce "a political earthquake", when they only managed a pathetic two council seats. The best comment I read was from someone who replied "Earthquake Lee???? More of a wet fart".

Actually reform did better than we all expected, they got 5 seats and a bigger share of the vote than the lib dems who got 71 seats. Not quite the political earthquake but it does show how many people are sick of the main parties.

[SmiffyPie]

It'll be alright now, Rachel Reeves says it is right they stop taking donations now they are in government. Bit of a green flag for all other non-government parties to do what they like then?

[DomdomPie]

It'll be alright now, Rachel Reeves says it is right they stop taking donations now they are in government. Bit of a green flag for all other non-government parties to do what they like then?

It should be illegal. Gifts are bribery by another name. Nobody gives anything for free. It's a rule not to accept them across many industries, including my own. I don't know many people who could accept lavish gifts in a work context without serious questions being asked.

I realise that in some jobs it's part of the culture, but surely government ministers need to be setting a higher standard - and not give any impression that they're just making decisions based on keeping a few sugar daddies happy.

[OP67]

It'll be alright now, Rachel Reeves says it is right they stop taking donations now they are in government. Bit of a green flag for all other non-government parties to do what they like then?

Now that they've been busted she means. They wouldn't have stopped otherwise!! It's a massive disgrace and £66k of tax payers money spent on a photographer to make Raynor look good. She should ask for her money back as it didn't work

[keldsyke]

Now that they've been busted she means. They wouldn't have stopped otherwise!! It's a massive disgrace and £66k of tax payers money spent on a photographer to make Raynor look good. She should ask for her money back as it didn't work

Bridget Phillipson coming under fire too for a paid 40th Birthday Party. Surely someone is going to be thrown under the bus? Although I thought Labour would be bad I never thought they would be this bad, beginning of the end already, not sure who’s going to be sacrificed to buy them a little time although none of them are fit to be in these positions.

[OP67]

Bridget Phillipson coming under fire too for a paid 40th Birthday Party. Surely someone is going to be thrown under the bus? Although I thought Labour would be bad I never thought they would be this bad, beginning of the end already, not sure who’s going to be sacrificed to buy them a little time although none of them are fit to be in these positions.

Her 40th party cost more than pensioners get for a year!! It's a disgrace. Rayner had a go at Bojo in 2021 for his photograper and then she does the same thing. What gets me is how they all seem to think we're stupid They have absolutely zero chance of delivering any of their election pledges!!

[magpie_mania]

Now that they've been busted she means. They wouldn't have stopped otherwise!! It's a massive disgrace and £66k of tax payers money spent on a photographer to make Raynor look good. She should ask for her money back as it didn't work

She's not the first though.

Even the Daily Mail reported this:

'Official Downing Street photographers are a relatively recent phenomenon. David Cameron, who was the first to appoint one, had his paid for by the Conservative Party.

More recently, they have been funded by the taxpayer.'

She had a good chance though to say that she was going to change the way things are done but she hasn't, although I would ask when are we going to find out what the Conservatives benefitted by when they were in power?

[magpie_mania]

Her 40th party cost more than pensioners get for a year!! It's a disgrace. Rayner had a go at Bojo in 2021 for his photograper and then she does the same thing. What gets me is how they all seem to think we're stupid They have absolutely zero chance of delivering any of their election pledges!!

Not sure what the second part of your post has to do with the first though.

BP's Birthday Party she claimed was for Journo's and party supporters, with none of her family there. I guess that some of the Journo's who benefitted are possibly now the ones spilling the beans!