BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 03 Jan 23 - 05:41 PM

It's been my severe misfortune to have had quite a lot to do with the NHS in the last three months. I've had three attacks of cellulitis since September, a condition that can turn life-threatening if not treated promptly. Kudos to my severely overworked GP surgery, who have prescribed the strong antibiotics I need just on the strength of my phone calls. They shouldn't need to operate that way but they have to get us all sorted. They have even agreed to let me keep a stash of a week's antibiotics at home so that I can start taking them at the first hint of symptoms (which happened to me last Friday - without them I wouldn't have been able to get a prescription until today, leading to God knows what). I got a severe attack in September and had to go to A&E (we drove there). I had to wait for over six hours to be seen, even though I hadn't urinated for almost 24 hours, a massive red flag for sepsis. My kidneys were severely damaged, mercifully not irreversibly. Following that were five visits to the medical assessment unit, each one consisting of anything between three and six hours of waiting in a stuffy, cramped waiting room. The cellulitis was sorted out very well by intravenous antibiotics, but I picked up a vicious acute bronchitis infection that took me almost two months to shake off.

Not in even the slightest way can I criticise the doctors and nurses who did their level best to get me sorted. I was dealt with at every step with love and care of the highest order. But I'll tell you what I think I've worked out, after seeing all the reports about the crisis in hospitals, the ambulance queues and the strikes by nurses at the end of their tether: this Tory government wants us to blame the NHS, to hate the NHS. They want the NHS to collapse so that they can privatise the lot and install a two-tier system, maybe even a three-tier system, fast-track for the rich and sod the rest unless you pay big-time insurance premiums. Let's all open our eyes, even you Tories here, and see what's really going on here.

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: DMcG
Date: 03 Jan 23 - 06:22 PM

For a decade or so, my children and their friends have been telling me they do not expect there will be a state pension by the time they retire. They regret it, but there is an acceptance of it.

More and more, I am hearing the same about the end of the NHS from people of all ages. There is a growing fatalism I fear.

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 03 Jan 23 - 06:30 PM

Well we have to fight back. I'd like to think electing a Labour government would be a good first step. But liking to think it doesn't actually mean thinking it.

In the meantime, don't get ill this winter. I've had every bloody jab going but I'm scared stiff of getting a dose of cellulitis that I can't get on top of at home myself. I mean, how the hell has it come to this?

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: The Sandman
Date: 03 Jan 23 - 06:37 PM

i agree . today on the front page of the irish times people are advised to consider all opitions before going to hospitals

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: The Sandman
Date: 04 Jan 23 - 05:00 AM

yes i am sorry back woodsman, but if you google
Rail strikes: RMT chief accuses govt of lying as transport secretary denies blocking settlement with union, it comes up

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 05 Jan 23 - 07:05 AM

I'm worrying myself here. I'm a member of the Labour Party but I'm too bored to listen to Starmer's Big Speech. And wasn't Rachel Reeves a mess on the Today programme?

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: The Sandman
Date: 05 Jan 23 - 12:06 PM

i dont know what to make of the following article
https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/courtandcrime/arid-41041856.html

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: The Sandman
Date: 05 Jan 23 - 12:09 PM

A valid point that all people should not be homeless regardless of nationality, but is she doing it for a racist reason?

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: The Sandman
Date: 05 Jan 23 - 12:42 PM

further more there are hundreds of derelict buildings hundreds of empty but non derelict places just standing empty, some of them are disused churches [one right next to me] whatever happened to jesus and christianity.

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 05 Jan 23 - 01:58 PM

Thanks to the lazy striking postmen, we received a Christmas card today 5 January 2023, posted 30 miles away on 10 December 2022.

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 05 Jan 23 - 02:05 PM

Have I missed something - has the Republic of Ireland become a member of the UK?

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 05 Jan 23 - 06:30 PM

So here's part of a below-the-line comment in the Guardian, with which I concur:

"... Blair was radical. He promised change and he largely did good. He didn't bow to Tory narratives, he set the narrative. If Starmer wants to be a Blairite then act like a Blairite. Be bold. Face the Tories head on. Don't let them set the agenda. Stop being reactive and be proactive.

I'm willing to compromise despite my utter despair with Starmer. I thought his initial start at leadership was good. I'm happy to have Labour sing the national anthem, back the police and support business. What I am not happy is with them failing to support the unions, nationalise where appropriate, build stronger links with the EU and fail to challenge tory nonsense and right wing narratives, sit on the fence and run scared of papers like the sun and the mail which they can never appease.

Be more Blair and be more Corbyn at the same time. Give us hope."

I especially like that last line. Starmer has already nicked lots of Corbyn's policies, but, of course, he can't say so. I hate to say it, but I still don't think he's the man. And even if he does get in, it'll be a short first term.

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: The Sandman
Date: 06 Jan 23 - 02:13 AM

no backwoodsman , but there is nowhere to post on european topics, and in the past the usa based mods have assumed that

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 06 Jan 23 - 02:21 AM

”no backwoodsman , but there is nowhere to post on european topics, and in the past the usa based mods have assumed that”

Then why not start a ‘European Politics’ thread instead of cluttering up our one and only permitted UK Politics thread with off-topic stuff? Ireland is not a part of the UK.

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: The Sandman
Date: 06 Jan 23 - 02:32 AM

furthermore part of the island of ireland is in the uk. and this situation appears to happen all over the island of ireland
part of the island of ireland is in the uk, it is hardly off topic , ukrqinian refugees are coming to all parts of the uk including part of ireland and homelessness for people of any nationailty in these countries is not being properly adressed.
there is a part of the island of ireland that is in the uk .

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: The Sandman
Date: 06 Jan 23 - 02:36 AM

Northern Ireland is heading into a "homelessness disaster" this Christmas, a charity has warned.

The chief executive of the Simon Community, Jim Dennison, has said that the cost-of-living crisis is making many people unable to afford payments on their homes.
There are at least 1,842 Ukrainian refugees in Northern Ireland who have arrived under the Homes for Ukraine scheme and the Family Scheme Northern Ireland is part of the uk Backwoodsman

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: The Sandman
Date: 06 Jan 23 - 02:50 AM

Blair radical,no
RADICAL | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary
https://dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › radical
believing or expressing the belief that there should be great or extreme social or political change:

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 06 Jan 23 - 03:34 AM

But your original post wasn’t about NI, it was about the RoI. You quoted, from an RoI newspaper, an article concerning the RoI, and you referred to ‘where I live’ which, IIRC, is Ballydehob? I’ve just checked the map and Ballydehob is in the RoI.

You can wriggle all you like, but the RoI is not a part of the UK. If you wish to discuss RoI politics, I would respectfully suggest that the one and only permitted UK politics thread is not the appropriate place for it, and you should start a separate ‘RoI Politics’ thread.

Wriggle away….

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: The Sandman
Date: 06 Jan 23 - 04:31 AM

it is an issue [homelessness] which occurs in northern ireland and the uk.
you do not run this forum.

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 06 Jan 23 - 07:36 AM

”you do not run this forum.”

{{Sigh}} and neither do you.

I’ve made a perfectly reasonable request to keep RoI political issues out of this UK Politics thread and, if you really do want to discuss RoI Politics (and why not, that’s where your gaff is so it’s perfectly understandable that you would want to discuss issues which affect you directly), that you start a ‘RoI Politics’ thread.

It really isn’t a difficult concept. Or are you just looking for yet another public brawl? If so, you’ll have to find another victim.

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 06 Jan 23 - 07:44 AM

Fact checks on -

Richie's speech

and

Keith's speech

Both seem to be lacking

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 06 Jan 23 - 08:16 AM

It’s a big problem that we’re living in an age of Dogwhistle-Politics, where the effect of the message is more important to the politicians than its accuracy - the Brexiteers’ campaign being a perfect example.

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: MaJoC the Filk
Date: 06 Jan 23 - 03:31 PM

> It’s a big problem that we’re living in an age of Dogwhistle-Politics

Hear hear, BwM, but it goes further back than the Brexiteers: I've just today been reminded of the "Labour isn't working" poster perpetrated by Snatchii and Snatchii in the late 1970s on the biggest billboards in the country. The alleged dole queue in the picture turned out iirc to be a photo of Young Conservatives.

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 06 Jan 23 - 03:43 PM

Yes, I get that it’s been going on a long time. I merely gave the Brexit ‘Leave’ campaign as a recent, perfect example.

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 06 Jan 23 - 03:48 PM

Best way to shorten the dole queues is to make them stand closer together!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 07 Jan 23 - 04:12 AM

Very drole Bonzo. Bit like a joke but without the funny bit at the end.

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 07 Jan 23 - 04:48 AM

Excellent win for Conservatives at last night's Great Dunmow South and Barnston (Uttlesford) council by-election result:

CON: 46.0% (+14.1)
RES: 29.2% (-27.3)
LAB: 14.1% (+2.4)
LDEM: 10.8% (+10.8)

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 07 Jan 23 - 05:23 AM

Yes, an excellent result - on a 16.4% turnout. You forgot to tell us that bit!

I must remember to shout it from the rooftops next time there's an excellent majority vote for a strike on a 16.4% turnout of union members...

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 07 Jan 23 - 05:27 AM

Turnout is irelevant

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 07 Jan 23 - 05:48 AM

A convenient attitude!

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 07 Jan 23 - 06:19 AM

Funny that, lefties also have convenient attitudes!!

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 07 Jan 23 - 09:43 AM

Rather good article in The Economist Reflecting what I have been thinking for a while now

You may need to create an account but it is worthwhile and you do not need to subscribe.

Little snippets -

"Anyone can jump off a cliff. Climbing one is far harder"

"For Brexiteers, that means recognising the damage that Brexit has done"

"For Remainers, realism means putting aside ideas of rejoining the bloc"

and many more

Enjoy :-)

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: The Sandman
Date: 07 Jan 23 - 01:33 PM

turnout is irrelevant. that is the correct spelling.

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 07 Jan 23 - 02:12 PM

Fuck of sandman

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 07 Jan 23 - 02:56 PM

I think you mean ‘off’, Bonz. Maybe, as well as extra Maths, Fishy Rishi should be pushing additional English tuition for his brainwashed, fore-lock tugging followers?

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: The Sandman
Date: 07 Jan 23 - 03:16 PM

preposition
preposition: of

    1.
    expressing the relationship between a part and a whole. Who are you telling me to conjugate with? not Truss, I hope,

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 08 Jan 23 - 08:05 AM

"I Truss not" would have worked :-D

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: SPB-Cooperator
Date: 08 Jan 23 - 02:31 PM

I see that the foul mouthed proverbial is taxing the limits of his intelligence again.

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: The Sandman
Date: 09 Jan 23 - 03:19 AM

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001gwx4
Hop growers are warning that unless something changes many won’t be able to continue. They say the cost of producing hops is up by 25% on last year - but that's not being reflected in what they’re being paid.
All week we're looking at machinery, great and small. Technology is often held up as the answer to many of the challenges agriculture faces, from improving efficiency, to reducing costs and fertiliser use, and solving labour shortages.
And a low tech solution to a prickly problem: Highland Cattle are being asked to start work on the windswept Spurn peninsula in East Yorkshire.

Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 11 Jan 23 - 04:33 AM

Folks planning to sell a second property should:
1 Transfer half to spouse if not already done so
2 Make sure completion takes place before 31/03/23

Then 2 x £12,300 tax free allowances are available compared with 2 x £6,000 for sales after 01/04/23, or just £12,300 (pre 31/03/23) and £6,000 (post 01/04/23) if owned 100%!!!

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 11 Jan 23 - 04:43 AM

I mean, where would we be without you? Hail the right-wing Martin Lewis equivalent!

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: The Sandman
Date: 11 Jan 23 - 05:42 AM

where would we be? Dogging it in Barking?

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 11 Jan 23 - 06:54 AM

Nah. Catting it in Catford. Cowing it in Cowley. Lambing it in Lambton. Pigging it in Sowton. Shitting it in Shitlington. Fishing it in Fishbourne. Getting laid in Henley. Even worse in Chicklade...

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 11 Jan 23 - 11:31 AM

What could we do in Penistone or Scunthorpe?

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 11 Jan 23 - 11:47 AM

"Penistone" sounds like a special brand of cream for a particular topical application...a firming agent maybe...

And if Typhoo put the t in Britain, who put the (....) in Scunthorpe?

Amusingly, when Jeremy over at TheSession decided to auto-substitute profanities with more euphemistic words, you couldn't type "Scunthorpe" any more. It came out every time as "Seejithorpe..."

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: MaJoC the Filk
Date: 12 Jan 23 - 07:31 AM

> "Seejithorpe..."

I heard once (I know not where) that earlier attempts at this sort of thing included "Sconthorpe", which simply transliterated the embedded Naughty Word from English to French.

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 12 Jan 23 - 08:08 AM

"Sconthorpe",
That might not get rid of the pronunciation, as many people pronounce Monmouth as 'munmuth' and Coventry as 'cuventry'.
Of course the middle of Scunthorpe is not pronounced as a crudity because it ends in 'th', not 't'.

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: DMcG
Date: 12 Jan 23 - 08:47 AM

Rather, it does not end in a 't', as I would pronounce it.

Scun - thorpe, rather than Scunth - orpe.

The 'th' is quite stressed, as I would say it, rather than unstressed as 'Sunth' would suggest.

Accents, are accents, though, and vary throughout the country. Mine is complicated, but has a Yorkshire foundation.


I am not sure this is a political topic, though!

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: MaJoC the Filk
Date: 12 Jan 23 - 09:04 AM

> I am not sure this is a political topic, though

Let's put it down to political correctness, and move on hastily.

Subject: RE: BS: Brexit & other UK political topics - 2
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 12 Jan 23 - 11:10 AM

”Rather, it does not end in a 't', as I would pronounce it.

Scun - thorpe, rather than Scunth - orpe.

The 'th' is quite stressed, as I would say it, rather than unstressed as 'Sunth' would suggest.

Accents, are accents, though, and vary throughout the country. Mine is complicated, but has a Yorkshire foundation.


I am not sure this is a political topic, though!”

Correct, DMcG, but it’s not necessarily an accent issue, it’s a matter of etymology. ‘Thorpe’ derives from the old Middle English ‘thorp’, meaning ‘small village’, and that’s precisely what Scunthorpe used to be (my grandmother, a Briggensian, could remember it when it was a village and she was sent there to holiday with relatives as a child).

So it’s not ‘Scunth-orpe’ or even ‘Scunt-horpe’, it’s ‘Scun-thorpe’.

Just thought I’d mention it for Nigel’s benefit, knowing his deep and abiding interest in ensuring the accuracy of all details, no matter how insignificant they might seem. ;-)