Tuesday 10th December 2019

Post by **refitman** » Tue 10 Dec, 2019 6:36 am

Morning all.

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Tue 10 Dec, 2019 6:54 am

https://amp.theguardian.com/society/201 ... ter_impres" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; CV

tinybgoat · Post by **tinybgoat** » Tue 10 Dec, 2019 6:57 am

Why do I have to break an embargo in order to expose press lies about Labour? (George Monbiot)

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfr ... _clipboard" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Tue 10 Dec, 2019 7:01 am

https://www.theguardian.com/business/20 ... n-year-low" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Post by **PaulfromYorkshire** » Tue 10 Dec, 2019 8:46 am

tinybgoat wrote:Why do I have to break an embargo in order to expose press lies about Labour? (George Monbiot)

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfr ... _clipboard" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thanks - important stuff.

I hadn't realised where the "Labour will steal my home" thing came from.

Post by **PaulfromYorkshire** » Tue 10 Dec, 2019 8:57 am

Allison Pearson getting a complete battering on social media. Rightly so.

She believed some obviously fake accounts of the four year old on the floor being a set-up and made a big thing of it. Basically saying that the boy's mum was a liar.

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Tue 10 Dec, 2019 9:06 am

And the nursing sister at "Leeds Hospital" seems to have a lot of friends...

" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

tinybgoat · Post by **tinybgoat** » Tue 10 Dec, 2019 10:23 am

"The Sun deleted its latest Jeremy Corbyn smear after being caught using neo-Nazi sources"
https://www.thecanary.co/opinion/2019/1 ... byn-smear-" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
after-being-caught-using-neo-nazi-sources/

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Tue 10 Dec, 2019 10:53 am

PaulfromYorkshire wrote:Allison Pearson getting a complete battering on social media. Rightly so.

She believed some obviously fake accounts of the four year old on the floor being a set-up and made a big thing of it. Basically saying that the boy's mum was a liar.

Her sister convert to alt-rightism JHB is running with it on Talk Radio.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Tue 10 Dec, 2019 11:31 am

Good morning, everyone.

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Tue 10 Dec, 2019 11:47 am

Morning all.

UK economy flatlines in run-up to general election

https://www.theguardian.com/business/20 ... es-october

Britain’s economy stalled in the three months to October following steep falls in the manufacturing and construction industries, according to the last official economic data before voters head to the polls on Thursday.

The Office for National Statistics said its monthly assessment found that a broad swathe of the UK’s industrial sectors struggled in the autumn months to leave GDP growth at zero.

Only the services sector showed signs of growth and the ONS emphasised that the areas where activity was still modestly higher were in estate agencies, the health sector and professional, scientific and technical activities.

Highlighting the weakness of the economy, year-on-year growth in GDP slowed to 0.7% in October, which was the lowest rate of growth since March 2012.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Tue 10 Dec, 2019 12:03 pm

Boris Johnson’s lawyers are pursuing three low-paid workers and their union for at least £8,000 in court costs despite the prime minister breaking his promise on extending the Brexit deadline.

...[T]he Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) and its members...began high court proceedings earlier in the autumn to challenge Johnson’s repeated threat to crash out of the European Union with a no-deal Brexit on 31 October. The union dropped the case after it became clear Johnson would reluctantly seek an extension to the deadline as mandated by the European Union (Withdrawal) Act (No 2) 2019... .

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... rexit-case" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Do read the entire article if you've time and inclination; it's not long.
I think Johnson's repeated threats of crashing the UK out of the EU was a bullying show for a few Brexiters but causing general anxiety was likely his biggest thrill.

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Tue 10 Dec, 2019 12:12 pm

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2019/ ... spital-boy" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Tue 10 Dec, 2019 12:29 pm

Jon Ashworth, you silly boy you.

Post by **adam** » Tue 10 Dec, 2019 12:31 pm

Spoken in confidence to a tory friend. Indeed. At least the government had such a bad day yesterday that they've had to run with this today rather than tomorrow.

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Tue 10 Dec, 2019 12:52 pm

And he has come forward to "explain" it rather than hiding away.

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Tue 10 Dec, 2019 1:11 pm

AnatolyKasparov wrote:And he has come forward to "explain" it rather than hiding away.

A "reverse Johnson", so to speak.

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Tue 10 Dec, 2019 1:12 pm

Oh - good morfternoon.

Willow904 · Post by **Willow904** » Tue 10 Dec, 2019 1:23 pm

Despite Jon Ashworth's confidence, I'm wondering how likely it is a sitting government can win a majority against the backdrop of a shrinking economy. Osborne chose to ease off the austerity brakes in time to deliver a modest economic recovery prior to the 2015 GE for a reason.

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Tue 10 Dec, 2019 1:31 pm

Yes, today's figures are not good.

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Tue 10 Dec, 2019 1:33 pm

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000by8m" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

tinybgoat · Post by **tinybgoat** » Tue 10 Dec, 2019 1:50 pm

Craig Murray interesting with reasons to doubt polls
https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives ... s/#respond" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
"The Invisible Tories"

https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives ... -election/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
"The Truth About this Election"

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Tue 10 Dec, 2019 2:25 pm

Laura Kuenssberg
‏
Verified account

@bbclaurak
Follow Follow @bbclaurak
More
Ashworth private conversation with Tory friend who leaked it says he was 'joshing' when he said, 'it's the combination of Corbyn and Brexit ..outside the city seats..it's abysmal'

11:44 AM - 10 Dec 2019

So the moral of the story appears to be "Never make friends with a Tory since they clearly can't be trusted"

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Tue 10 Dec, 2019 2:35 pm

tinybgoat wrote:Craig Murray interesting with reasons to doubt polls
https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives ... s/#respond" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
"The Invisible Tories"

https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives ... -election/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
"The Truth About this Election"

Austin was a Labour Parliamentary Private Secretary, the most junior of all ministerial ranks, for just eight months. When he urged people to vote Tory, it was the first headline on every BBC News broadcast all day. Austin had 15 minutes unchallenged on the Today programme to spill out bile against the Labour Party, before going on to eight minutes unchallenged on BBC Breakfast TV, and a similar appearance on Good Morning Britain, all of which from the timings and travel must have been pre-organised, especially as he left from there to a pre-prepared giant poster launch, carried by all the print media.

...John Major, seven year Tory Prime Minister, former Chancellor of the Exchequer and Foreign Secretary, urged people not to give the dangerous Johnson a Tory majority. He was backed up by former Tory Deputy PM Michael Heseltine and former Tory Chancellor of the Exchequer Kenneth Clarke. Yet unlike Austin, Major was not the lead story on any major news channel. He did not get 10% of the total broadcast time devoted to Austin. Because the narrative of moderate Tories not voting for Johnson is comparatively suppressed; to the extent that the only possible explanation is the active connivance of broadcasters in securing a Tory government.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Tue 10 Dec, 2019 2:38 pm

John Major's intervention was huge and Tory leadership know it.

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Tue 10 Dec, 2019 3:36 pm

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Post by **adam** » Tue 10 Dec, 2019 3:39 pm

: Screen Shot 2019-12-10 at 15.37.20.png (43.37 KiB) Viewed 11967 times

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Tue 10 Dec, 2019 3:41 pm

A JCB factory?

Heather Stewart
I’m in Staffordshire today on the campaign trail with Boris Johnson, where the Tories are really wheeling out the visual metaphors as the campaign comes to an end.

We’re at a JCB factory - the company chaired by Conservative donor Sir Anthony Bamford.

A few minutes ago we were ushered downstairs onto a vast factory floor. After a short wait, the prime minister smashed noisily through a wall of polystyrene bricks with “GRIDLOCK” written on it, at the wheel of a digger.

He was then ushered away, as were we: we’re awaiting a Q&A session in a few minutes

Ah, of course...no normal company would think this was in any way a good idea.

Post by **adam** » Tue 10 Dec, 2019 3:42 pm

[youtube]5YSUUB_rCyg[/youtube]

Post by **adam** » Tue 10 Dec, 2019 3:47 pm

What You Need to be Warm by Neil Gaiman

A baked potato of a winter’s night to wrap your hands around or burn your mouth.
A blanket knitted by your mother’s cunning fingers. Or your grandmother’s.
A smile, a touch, trust, as you walk in from the snow
or return to it, the tips of your ears pricked pink and frozen.

The tink tink tink of iron radiators waking in an old house.
To surface from dreams in a bed, burrowed beneath blankets and comforters,
the change of state from cold to warm is all that matters, and you think
just one more minute snuggled here before you face the chill. Just one.

Places we slept as children: they warm us in the memory.
We travel to an inside from the outside. To the orange flames of the fireplace
or the wood burning in the stove. Breath-ice on the inside of windows,
to be scratched off with a fingernail, melted with a whole hand.

Frost on the ground that stays in the shadows, waiting for us.
Wear a scarf. Wear a coat. Wear a sweater. Wear socks. Wear thick gloves.
An infant as she sleeps between us. A tumble of dogs,
a kindle of cats and kittens. Come inside. You’re safe now.

A kettle boiling at the stove. Your family or friends are there. They smile.
Cocoa or chocolate, tea or coffee, soup or toddy, what you know you need.
A heat exchange, they give it to you, you take the mug
and start to thaw. While outside, for some of us, the journey began

as we walked away from our grandparents’ houses
away from the places we knew as children: changes of state and state and state,
to stumble across a stony desert, or to brave the deep waters,
while food and friends, home, a bed, even a blanket become just memories.

Sometimes it only takes a stranger, in a dark place,
to hold out a badly knitted scarf, to offer a kind word, to say
we have the right to be here, to make us warm in the coldest season.

You have the right to be here.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Tue 10 Dec, 2019 4:55 pm

'You have the right to be here.'

Yep.

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Tue 10 Dec, 2019 5:28 pm

At the JCB plant -

Johnson says he could talk about his plans for childcare . . . (Politics Live, Guardian)

No comment.

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Tue 10 Dec, 2019 6:10 pm

@PaulfromYorkshire

I was about to say, "Go on, then, if you really want to," but your request has been summarily withdrawn.

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Tue 10 Dec, 2019 7:05 pm

adam wrote:
Screen Shot 2019-12-10 at 15.37.20.png

Well indeed, its not hard to imagine what a few Tories have been saying "off the record" about Johnson.

AFinch · Post by **AFinch** » Tue 10 Dec, 2019 7:08 pm

Good evening.

If only everyone in the country had seen/could see this:

https://youtu.be/yX_wug7B7AM

Peter Oborne, Journalist.

frog222 · Post by **frog222** » Tue 10 Dec, 2019 7:25 pm

This is a good one .

This is Nothing new, as we all know of the increasing strain , and more and more often the goddam Nightmare for those working at the frontline in the NHS .

" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfr ... hs-patient" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The UK, consisting of an 'Engerland' dragging behind it an unwilling Scotland and NI plus a perhaps NOW also an unwillling Wales, is now risking its future on a politician who supported the cutting of funds to the NHS, and ideologically very definitely NOW wants more and more of its cashflow heading towards his friends in the USA .

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Tue 10 Dec, 2019 7:35 pm

The Guardian view on general election 2019 A fleeting chance to stop Boris Johnson in his tracks
The mood may be one of despair, but this election is critical to the country’s future. The best hope lies with Labour, despite its flaws

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfr ... his-tracks" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Post by **PaulfromYorkshire** » Tue 10 Dec, 2019 7:40 pm

PorFavor wrote:@PaulfromYorkshire

I was about to say, "Go on, then, if you really want to," but your request has been summarily withdrawn.

It's called doing a HindleA

Post by **PaulfromYorkshire** » Tue 10 Dec, 2019 7:42 pm

Anyway, changing the subject, what a bloody awful weather day

There was some kind of weird squall around Leeds Station whereby it was momentarily raining inside the Station!

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Tue 10 Dec, 2019 7:44 pm

PaulfromYorkshire wrote:Anyway, changing the subject, what a bloody awful weather day

There was some kind of weird squall around Leeds Station whereby it was momentarily raining inside the Station!

Wet and windy all day (and is still) here! It's not raining indoors, though (touch wood).

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Tue 10 Dec, 2019 7:45 pm

And you don't want to be picking up any of HindleA's habits . . .

gilsey · Post by **gilsey** » Tue 10 Dec, 2019 8:24 pm

Minister hints Tories could crack down on tactical voting campaigns
Tory Justice Secretary Robert Buckland claims he's seen 'sinister' leaflets urging the public to vote tactically to defeat Conservative candidates

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Tue 10 Dec, 2019 8:34 pm

gilsey wrote:Minister hints Tories could crack down on tactical voting campaigns
Tory Justice Secretary Robert Buckland claims he's seen 'sinister' leaflets urging the public to vote tactically to defeat Conservative candidates

I've received sinister leaflets, too. They do bear an imprint, though. A Conservative Party imprint.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Tue 10 Dec, 2019 8:39 pm

PaulfromYorkshire wrote:Anyway, changing the subject, what a bloody awful weather day

There was some kind of weird squall around Leeds Station whereby it was momentarily raining inside the Station!

It was like being in a cabin on a ship. The water kept splashing against the windows.

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Tue 10 Dec, 2019 8:44 pm

[youtube]XYXczDB8VrY[/youtube]

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Tue 10 Dec, 2019 8:53 pm

Just to explain the above outburst -

Roxette singer Marie Fredriksson dies aged 61 (Guardian)

gilsey · Post by **gilsey** » Tue 10 Dec, 2019 9:29 pm

Chris Cook
@xtophercook
who do i vote for to have this country nuked.

gilsey · Post by **gilsey** » Tue 10 Dec, 2019 9:52 pm

I saw this table about postal votes and wondered why the proportion would be higher in the North East than elsewhere? Mysterious.

https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/ ... l-election" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

gilsey · Post by **gilsey** » Tue 10 Dec, 2019 10:23 pm

Steven Swinford
@Steven_Swinford
BREAKING

@Yougov
MRP analysis finds Tory lead has *more than halved*

Con majority has fallen from 68 to 28 since Nov:

Con 339 (-20)
Lab 231 (+20)
Lib Dem 15 (+2)
SNP 41 (-2)
Plaid 4 (0)
Green 1 (0)
Other 1 (0)

Labour shoring up the Red Wall...

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Tue 10 Dec, 2019 10:31 pm

Goodnight, everyone.
love,
cJA