Election Year or Fear!

[Geoff Parkstone]

Not sure about this ?who?s fit to vote? thing. Sounds very 19th century to me

Hurrah, your question marks are back. rA will be happier now.

[MadAmster]

Doe this photo enlarge interest in Epsteingate?

[SithHappens]

Trump suing Murdoch for 10 billion for reporting that Trump sent Epstein a letter back in the day. It's hardly beyond the realms of possibility, they clearly were friendly and well acquainted.

I am dismayed we are giving this man a state visit in September.

This is a man found guilty of ***ually abusing someone and we are going to roll out the red carpet.

[MadAmster]

This is a man found guilty of ***ually abusing someone and we are going to roll out the red carpet.

Does this indicate the "specialness" of the US/UK relationship?

Will he be renewing his acquaintance with his old buddy Andy?

[Andy_Faber]

Will he be renewing his acquaintance with his old buddy Andy?

Never met im

[ramAnag]

I am dismayed we are giving this man a state visit in September.

This is a man found guilty of ***ually abusing someone and we are going to roll out the red carpet.

Unfortunately it’s a case of pragmatism over idealism, Sith. We are a small European country made more important via our ‘special relationship’ with the U.S. and, like it or not, the POTUS is someone we currently cannot afford to alienate.
Just as Blair had to ‘befriend’ Bush we are not in a position to go it alone.

My opinion of Trump is probably the same as yours…that he is a disreputable, dishonest, deluded and immoral narcissist who isn’t fit to hold office, but the fact is that he, somehow, is the democratically elected leader of the most powerful nation on earth and the most significant of our allies.

I’m sure his state visit will see a great many demonstrations and the reincarnation of the ‘baby Trump’ blimp, but I honestly believe that political expediency demands that our political leaders do invite and flatter him while secretly hoping that his alleged wrong doings are exposed back in the USA and that he pays the price sooner rather than later.

[swaledale]

Unfortunately it’s a case of pragmatism over idealism, Sith. We are a small European country made more important via our ‘special relationship’ with the U.S. and, like it or not, the POTUS is someone we currently cannot afford to alienate.
Just as Blair had to ‘befriend’ Bush we are not in a position to go it alone.

My opinion of Trump is probably the same as yours…that he is a disreputable, dishonest, deluded and immoral narcissist who isn’t fit to hold office, but the fact is that he, somehow, is the democratically elected leader of the most powerful nation on earth and the most significant of our allies.

I’m sure his state visit will see a great many demonstrations and the reincarnation of the ‘baby Trump’ blimp, but I honestly believe that political expediency demands that our political leaders do invite and flatter him while secretly hoping that his alleged wrong doings are exposed back in the USA and that he pays the price sooner rather than later.

Absolutely agree RA, pragmatism is required and on this issue I'd say Starmer has done well, though of course time will tell, but there is nothing to be gained by being belligerent and insulting.

Unfortunately in life, one has to deal with all sorts, whether thats International relations, business or politics. Unless one can afford to upset or denigrate those one deals with, its a case of tight lips and forced smiles, whilst attempting to avoid being compromised, bullied or ****ed over. Starmer has to put the interests of the country first.

I would draw the line on serious abuses of human rights, but even then its not a simple matter, the phrase the enemies of your enemies are "friends" is often true by force of circumstance.

[Geoff Parkstone]

Words I never thought I'd ever hear out of someone's mouth, #1 in a series: Swaledale - ".....there is nothing to be gained by being belligerent and insulting."

[swaledale]

Words I never thought I'd ever hear out of someone's mouth, #1 in a series: Swaledale - ".....there is nothing to be gained by being belligerent and insulting."

As always context is everything! In the event that my business, career or the fate of a nation and its citizens aren't under threat, there is often quite a lot to be gained by being belligerent and insulting, if nothing else it eases the tension that arises from communicating with people who seem unable to accept that the world has moved on, base their views on the "loons" who spread misinformation and lies via the media and internet, seem to lack the capability of understanding that "their world" is not necessarily a true reflection of the wider world, who don't realise that most reasonable people have moved on from thinking "jokes" that "punch down" on others due their being different and in particular references to ***uality, race etc are acceptable.

Anyway when people resort to petty point scoring and pedantic posts the battle has been won. So its armistice time and may the peace prevail.

[SithHappens]

Does this indicate the "specialness" of the US/UK relationship?

Will he be renewing his acquaintance with his old buddy Andy?

Donald, Andy and Nigel get together for a pint?

Andy says 'I ****ed dozens of women in the 80s and 90s', Donald says 'That's nothing I ****ed hundreds in the 80s, 90s and 2000s'. Nigel proudly sits back and says 'Is that the best you've got?. I ****ed a whole country in one day in 2016'