Martin Fookes

Maccabi Tel Aviv have been in UEFA competitions for decades (because their neighbours in the Asian confederation don't want to play Israeli teams). Only now, in the midst of a horrendous Middle East conflict, are their supporters deemed to be racist hooligans.

Imagine the small boats crisis was fixed today (unlikely, I know) ... but what else would Farage have to offer the voters ? Nothing. He's a one-man party constantly in search of a divisive issue, prepared to rebrand to suit the political weather. There HAS to be someone more deserving of your vote.

For whatever reason, Trump wants to end the war in Ukraine by helping Russia to win it. This is why Putin knows he can take outrageous liberties with complete impunity. Europe and NATO must wake up to this reality NOW. Bizarrely, the "leader of the free world" sides with Russia.

I think Trump long ago accepted Putin's view that the quickest way to end the war in Ukraine is to help Russia win it. Hence Trump has no intention of applying effective trade sanctions and certainly not taking military action against Russia. He'll claim it's Europe's turn to pay to defend freedom.

So Mandelson's relationship with Epstein gets him the sack, while Trump's association (and remember the US president is a convicted sex offender) gets him a second State visit to the UK to dine with our PM and the King. It's the very definition of hypocrisy.

Peter Mandelson has been sacked, even though he was apparently very effective as our US ambassador. Guilty by association, we're told. Everything that has followed is just tiresome political point-scoring that really doesn't impress the voters.

So amused by those who talk about a "failure to tax the wealthy." Some wealthy individuals pay enough tax annually to build an NHS hospital, while their critics often pay little or no tax at all. Who was it said : "Those who advocate robbing Peter to pay Paul, are guaranteed the support of Paul" ?

I'm amused by the idea there's something virtuous about being "working class." My credentials are every bit as good as Angela's but I've never sought the distinction, or used it to forgive my many shortcomings. I thought real "working people" didn't own property, much less use a trust to sell it.

You know it's a slow news day when Nigel Farage's woolly ideas to bring about zero immigration in the UK are leading the TV news bulletins.

Trump not only wants to shoot the messenger, but anyone who publishes the message. You can see why he loves Putin. It won't be long before HIS political opponents start falling out of windows, doing time at Guantanamo or find themselves poisoned by Novichuk.

Little wonder that Trump so admires Putin. He too would like to eradicate all opposition, usually by firing them or having them investigated for some Trumped-up charges. Is it only a matter of time before people start falling out of windows for no reason, as happens in Moscow ?

Talk of security guarantees for Ukraine to back any peace deal, is just hogwash. Russia doesn't want a deal because Putin reckons he can achieve all he wants on the battlefield. It will take time, cost lives, but he doesn't care. He won't even meet Zelensky. Worse, I don’t think Trump cares either.

There'll be no ceasefire because Putin doesn't want one.
There'll be no peace deal. Putin will set impossible conditions.
There were no press questions because Putin doesn't answer to anyone.
And Putin spoke first because HE insisted on it.
Trump ? A waste of space, a simpleton swayed by flattery.

Equally, I heard on the radio that finding ways to avoid inheritance tax has always been the most popular middle-class sport in the UK. Generally speaking, folk favour those taxes they don't have to pay. So if you've been out of work all your life, income tax works perfectly for you.

Arresting Putin would be the right thing to do. But Trump's never taken his role as leader of the free world seriously. Who else would have the arrogance to convene talks on Ukraine's future with the guy who chose to invade the country ....with no Ukrainian present ?? It's beyond parody.

Great ! We can all gather round our toasters to keep warm in the winter.

It's a rhetorical question. It doesn't mean the BBC agrees with it.

I'm perplexed by all such penalties. Who pays if not Anglian Water customers ?

Those of us who thought a dictator like Hitler could never have survived in a modern democratic world, look and listen to Trump and realise how wrong we were. He seeks to control everyone and everything that should be able to limit his power... the law, the media etc. There is only one truth. His.

If that's the result of one survey, it's no more a fact than Kuennsberg's assertion. And if it's a survey, I'd like to hear the question please. Otherwise, it will take another referendum to change the 2016 vote.

Just like Labour, the Lib Dems and Reform benefitted hugely last year from public anger with the Tory government. But whereas Reform got more votes than Davey's lot, Ed was able to increase his MPs to 72 ... just by performing some hilarious aquatic stunts pre election. Easy come ... easy go, eh?

If you change the franchise there needs to be a good reason for it. I don't see one here. Otherwise, you're at the mercy of politicians with dubious motives. You can be sure Starmer wouldn't be pushing this if he thought it favoured the Tories or Reform.

The age limit has to be set somewhere. I think it was previously set at the right level. I also don't believe there's any great clamour among 16 and 17 year olds to vote. Surveys suggests the vast majority of 18 and 19 year olds have not exercised this right.

Sure.... IF you work and pay taxes. Most 16 and 17 year olds don't do either.

There'll be no fascist takeover in 2029, but there'll be no Labour govt either. Not now that millions of voters appreciate what a tax and spend govt is like. Four years is a long time in politics. Talk of extremism is both premature and hypocritical when it comes from those of an opposite extreme.

You'll find that lowering the voting age is a device used by governing parties, be it in Scotland, Wales or anywhere else, who see an electoral advantage in so doing.

The voters will be the judge of that, Barbara. That's how democracy works. Sadly, the electorate will now include a bigger proportion of schoolchildren because the Labour Party sees some electoral advantage in reducing the voting age.

The bizarre thing about this voting change is that I detect no great enthusiasm for it, not even among 16 and 17-year-olds. Most enthusiasm comes from the Labour Party, which sees an electoral advantage. Be very interested to know what proportion of eligible teenagers actually voted in the last GE.

The bizarre thing about this voting change is that I detect no great enthusiasm for it, not even among 16 and 17-year-olds. Most enthusiasm comes from the Labour Party, which sees an electoral advantage. Be very interested to know what proportion of eligible teenagers actually voted in the last GE.

Does anyone understand why properties like ours in Berkshire are served by South East Water (HQ in the Medway area of Kent) while there are thousands of others, to our south in Surrey, served by the ailing Thames Water ? Clearly, geography plays little part in it.