Phil Porter

Or any party these days

Being the Bear Grylls on a list definitely needs to become a thing

Oh this is splendid. Reminds me of a famous incident from when I was at university when the union events organiser was told to order £500 of smoked salmon for a party. Instead he ordered 500lbs. It had to be delivered in a truck. Everyone ate salmon for weeks

Social care too.

I wonder if people have just accepted the premise that wide ranging taxes can’t go up, and if you accept that then it is really tough to improve things (as Starmer/Reeves are finding out)

Wait, it doesn’t?

Oh. Oh no.

Me too with the cycling. I’ve no idea how I’ll watch it this season.

Surely Cameron too

Point taken, but the nature of the role of PM has changed so much I wonder how meaningful comparisons prior to (say) Thatcher are.

Blair did get 3 years as LOTO …

My theory has long been that it helps a PM to have spent a long time as LOTO, allowing them to learn leadership and make their mistakes in a less pressured atmosphere.

They can then also take time to develop policy, sort out (and refine) their team.

Starmer proves you have to do that hard work tho

We certainly don’t need cuts to social care. But we need to find a long term funding model and expand provision, which will be difficult and expensive. However you do it many people will pay more.

There seems no appetite to improve that anywhere in the party that I’m aware of.

It seems to me that it is harder to get the backbenchers to vote for unpopular decisions than it is for the leadership to propose them (albeit it in a cack-handed way).

Could any serious reforms to disability benefit, social care, SEN etc etc get through this parliament?

I’ll take “surprising questions” for £100

It is a good article, and is one I agree with.

Indeed if I were capable of writing interesting prose it is an argument I’d have put on my substack by now. Alas.

Nevertheless, when I imagine a (near?) future w/ large numbers of idle young people, they wouldn’t need money. They’d need work/purpose

Last time I went to the pub I had a piss between arriving and buying the first round.

A new low in many ways.

Amongst the absolute worst companies for spamming your email inbox are - surprisingly - people who organise bike rides for amateurs.

This lot have started with 4 checkboxes, with an alternating polarity. Doesn’t bode well.

Raisin and walnut pizza

Yes. I’ll hold. But the situation is deteriorating

Hello, police?

My overt racism? Sorry, what?

Have you seen his approval ratings? I think I’m right in saying he’s the least popular PM ever. Also, his party are polling in the high teens.

I’m in Tenerife. Away from uk and world politics for a bit.

Today I cycled up Mount Teide. The biggest climb I’ve ever done. Over 7000 feet.

On the way up I saw a road sign with a message scratched into it.

“Starmer is a c***”

It even gets here. I can’t see how he comes back.

We really fucking don’t.

And I’d be saying that if #itfc were on the other end of mistakes from refs

I don’t think anyone cares.

As far as I can tell Farage is working out how on earth he will govern … and getting smart people in who can help/advice/do it will help him a lot.

Zahawi has weaknesses, but he is pretty astute

This image has haunted me since you posted it. If you could go back in time and not post it I’d appreciate it. Thx.

Is it spring yet?

The highlight of the football today might have been the sunset. Not that the match was terrible or anything. #itfc

Still D.R.E. (1950s Snoop Dogg) by The Speakeasy Rappers & AI.SLAPS on Apple Music Song · 2024 · Duration 2:27

music.apple.com/gb/album/sti...

It is AI, but is disappointingly catchy. The “speakeasy rappers” are quite a entertaining

I have questions

Mrs P, watching the darts:

“I see they got the cheerleaders from temu”

Harsh