Brexit and the waning days of the United Kingdom

[Gups]

No chance of an election before October.  Sunak won't resign. Garage, I'm not sure. I think he wants to move into the Tory party but who knowss

[PJL]

What political space is Farrage trying to occupy now that Brexit is done?

That's the point, Brexit isn't done, or least the in the way Farrage / Reform are arguing it should be done. They would fix it better than the Tories. And I kind of get their point, Brexit was about taking back control and prioritising the home market for many, not surrendering all our advantages in trade deals to countries like Australia, just for the sake of 'Global Britain'. Of course the best way to solve it would be to create a fairer system to alleviate the feeling of wanting to 'keep up with the Joneses'.

[Sheilbh]

No chance of an election before October.  Sunak won't resign. Garage, I'm not sure. I think he wants to move into the Tory party but who knowss

I know it's mad - but I genuinely wonder how much is just ego. If he gets to October Sunak can at least say he served as PM for two years.

Alternatively I reckon he'll resign as PM/Tory leader after the local elections, but only if he feels that there is a consensus for a caretaker PM to lead the final 6 months or so to at least steady the ship and least recover something from the inevitable defeat. My money is Gove being that caretaker PM, Nobody likes him, but he fits the bill as being somewhat competent and a safe pair of hands to lead the party. Furthermore he didn't contest the last leadership election and hence has no permanent ambition to be PM, and also he has a safe seat.

*CANADA 93 INTENSIFIES*

[Sheilbh]

What political space is Farrage trying to occupy now that Brexit is done?

Good question. Every few months teasing that he would be willing, if drafted, to join the Tories and become their leader - or that he'll get involved with Reform. I suspect that it is to keep his own relevance up as much as anything else.

As you say there's no big campaign point for him to rally around. And he spent 20 years in small fourth/fifth party politics to achieve his goal. I'm not convinced he's particularly interested in doing it again - as opposed to being asked if he'd like to do it again and getting headlines/right-wing Tories excited.

On the other hand - arguably there's no better chance to replace the Tories. Once Labour are in office, there will be a need for an opposition and people will start drifting to the Tories again. While at the minute they're haemorrhaging Red Wall voters to Labour, disappointed by the wild failure of leveling up, they're vulnerable to the Lib Dems in their heartlands, exhausted by culture war politics - and the culture warriors are deeply dissatisfied with what they perceive as a squishy, pointless, flailing government (and all three points of view are kind of true). If you wanted to replace the right or re-define it or try to become PM - this might be the best shot. Edit:

And I think with Johnson, Truss, Sunak (and, to an extent, Starmer) we're in an incredibly "vibes politics"/affect politics time. Johnson won an election on the most centrist, big state, interventionist Tory manifesto this side of Rab Butler - but parts of the right are convinced he's one of theirs and they love him, but he couldn't deliver. With Sunak I think we have our most genuinely right-wing PM since Thatcher but his affect is "liberal elite" - as Janan Ganesh put it, he's British Asian, sounds like Tony Blair, is richer than God and comfortable abroad. He is not "one of us" for many on the Tory right.

Edit: And Farage is a very vibes politician.

Weirdly I think Sunak is, unlike Johnson or Truss, fundamentally competent and could possibly be capable of doing things. But while they actually have (if sometimes wrong and sometimes mad) ideas, Sunak gives the impression of someone overawed by the ambition of the Cones Hotline. As far as I can tell what he is really passionate about is improving the teaching maths and geeking out about AI - which is fine for a junior minister, but underwhelming in a PM. And makes it difficult to win over naysayers - it all just feels very "we've tried nothing and we're all out of ideas".

[Jacob]

What political space is Farrage trying to occupy now that Brexit is done?

Some combination of "politicians suck" and "do you like reactionary populism" distilled into pitch for votes.

[Sheilbh]

Some combination of "politicians suck" and "do you like reactionary populism" distilled into pitch for votes.

Yes - red trousers, pints and saloon bar bigotry. Bold decision to get photoed in front of a green screen

[Tamas]

How I fucking hate this guy.

[Sheilbh]

(Although he's right on the Easter egg thing )

[Tamas]

(Although he's right on the Easter egg thing )

What he has done with Easter eggs is ruining them forever.

[Josquius]

"Luvvies"
That word has really been warped.
Got to love the "you can't tell me to be healthy for my own good!"

[Syt]

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/03/28/soldiers-beards-allowed-100-year-ban-overturned/

Army allows beards as it ends 100-year ban
New policy will come into effect on Friday so that those on Easter leave have time to grow facial hair

Soldiers will be allowed to grow beards after the Army overturned a 100-year ban on facial hair, The Telegraph can reveal.

The King, who is Commander in Chief, signed off on the decision on Thursday to allow both officers and soldiers to wear beards.

The new policy will come into effect on Friday so that soldiers on Easter leave have time to grow a beard while away from work, The Telegraph understands.

Following a review of the Army's policy on appearances and beards, General Sir Patrick Sanders, the head of the Army, took the decision that "the appearance policy will change" after a survey of both serving and reservist troops.

The findings showed an "overwhelming majority" felt the Army needed to change its policy and allow soldiers to wear beards.

It comes after Grant Shapps, the Defence Secretary, said the beard ban was "ludicrous" when discussing the Army's recruitment crisis.

The move will bring the Army into line with the RAF and Royal Navy who already permit full beards.

However, troops have been told that conditions mean beards have to be "neat" as standards within the Army must not drop.

It was also stressed to personnel that the decision was not to be seen as a "free for all" and that any beards grown will be reviewed to ensure they are in line with regulations.

It is thought the original beard ban was introduced to ensure uniformity in appearance.

However, as the Army has struggled with recruitment, it has looked into ways to promote inclusivity and encourage men with beards to sign up.

Senior defence sources told The Telegraph there would be "dinosaurs" who will not agree with the decision.

They added: "Someone will say gas masks won't fit, but if there's a chemical threat then people will shave."

In a video released to personnel confirming the decision, Paul Carney, the Army Sergeant Major, said: "Our standards can't drop. The Army has a reputation for professionalism and a smart turnout, with our allies and with the British public.

"We must maintain and protect that reputation by continuing to look our best."

Huzzah!

[Sheilbh]

Always find this stuff kind of weird/interesting - something of institutional culture (and obviously there's always been exceptions for religious and cultural reasons). The Navy has basically always allowed beards but I think, for example, the US Navy doesn't (in fact I think growing a beard on a long voyage is a rite of passage in the RN). Could be wrong but I think only the French Foreign Legion are allowed beards - it has a sort of regimental association.

Similarly I think US military broadly frowns on tattoos, while UK forces would have no recruits without tattoos and the only restriction is no face tattoos. Again I think it's often a rite of passage to get tattooed on deployment.

And militaries always seem like uniquely condensed stores of tradition and institutional identity/culture, which I think makes it/them interesting in this respect of what they say about where they come from or the society they reflect. For example interesting the ban came in 100 years ago in WW1 with the military transitioning from basically just an imperial police force, to a large conscript army close to home - so they possibly needed to help create a single unified culture quickly?

[Zanza]

100 years ago would be six years after WW1. In WW1, I would understand a ban on beards: gas masks don't work as well with beards.

[Sheilbh]

100 years ago would be six years after WW1. In WW1, I would understand a ban on beards: gas masks don't work as well with beards.

I think 100 years is just figurative. Looked it up and it was 1916.

Although that is a problem with time I keep having. I'm still regularly surprised that the sixties are more than 40 years ago Ageing gracefully, as you can well imagine.

[Syt]

Always find this stuff kind of weird/interesting - something of institutional culture (and obviously there's always been exceptions for religious and cultural reasons). The Navy has basically always allowed beards but I think, for example, the US Navy doesn't (in fact I think growing a beard on a long voyage is a rite of passage in the RN). Could be wrong but I think only the French Foreign Legion are allowed beards - it has a sort of regimental association.

Similarly I think US military broadly frowns on tattoos, while UK forces would have no recruits without tattoos and the only restriction is no face tattoos. Again I think it's often a rite of passage to get tattooed on deployment.

And militaries always seem like uniquely condensed stores of tradition and institutional identity/culture, which I think makes it/them interesting in this respect of what they say about where they come from or the society they reflect. For example interesting the ban came in 100 years ago in WW1 with the military transitioning from basically just an imperial police force, to a large conscript army close to home - so they possibly needed to help create a single unified culture quickly?

When I was in Bundeswehr in the 90s, groomed mustaches and beards were allowed, otherwise you had to be clean shaven. Which meant you couldn't grow it out while on duty and would have to do it on vacation. We had a few NCOs with mustaches/beards.