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#1

Off the Record / Re: Brexit and the waning days...

Last post by Sheilbh - Today at 06:30:55 AM

Director of communications at 10 Downing Street now seems like the most risky job in the world, making Sean Dyche breathe a sigh of relief as a Greek loony sharpens the gyro spit at the City Ground.

Looking forward to Starmer reaching, inevitably, for Sam Allardyce

This is what labour now needs:

Yes. There's been a bit of a revisionism and revival in Wilson's reputation which I think is very welcome.

Interestingly it was something that in one of the earlier stages of Starmer's project, that he was interested in. So Nick Thomas Symonds who was one of his earliest, strongest backers wrote a biography of Wilson. Starmer cited Wilson as his model and most admired Labour leader.

This was undone after the Hartlepool by-election when Starmer started reaching for Mandelson, McSweeney and the Labour right to help guide his project. They then used the power to implement the most brutally factional regime in a British political party I have ever seen. Existing MPs were de-selected, people were kicked out of the party, whips were withdrawn over things the government has since u-turned on, the central party HQ imposed candidates on constituencies and rigged selections to get favoured candidates safe seats. Which is the literal opposite of Harold Wilson's greatest political skill which was his party management. He came from the left, but ran a really broad church government that included all of the factions - in his cabinet, he had people from Michael Foot and Barbara Castle () to Roy Jenkins. A Wilsonian version of Starmer would have had a shadow cabinet and cabinet with John McDonnell and Wes Streeting in it - but that requires a lot of political skill and party management and Starmer basically holds politics in contempt.

And FWIW I think that will sort of happen now because from the Tribune and Rayner statements (and others) it is clear that the soft left appreciate the power they hold over Starmer and will extract concessions (and seats in the cabinet and in Number 10) - until they administer the coup de grace.

Having said that I slightly wonder if that style of very broad church politics - which is what FPTP is designed to produce - can exist any more. Could you have the equivalent of Michael Foot or Barbara Castle wo were Eurosceptic, unilateral nuclear disarming, democratic socialists who believed in a planned economy share a party, far less sitting around the same cabinet table, with someone like Roy Jenkins who was a committed European federalist, believer in NATO and defence (include nuclear deterrent) and backed European style mixed social market economics?

I'm not sure and I think you see the same on the right - and there's probably a chicken-and-egg question around what's causing it and if it's possible (or desirable) to change. I mean even Thatcher in her final cabinet still had some "wets" left. Blair didn't have him in the cabinet but had a Labour Party in which he could co-exist with Jeremy Corbyn. I'm not sure if it's parties or politics or party leaderships just seem a lot more intolerant of differing views.

#2

Off the Record / Re: Refractory Gauls, or the F...

Last post by Sheilbh - Today at 05:22:58 AM

It is interesting a little bit of overlap with the Mandelson affair as he was also very much a champagne socialist ("intensely relaxed about the filthy rich - as long as they pay their taxes"). He was less successful than Lang but even had a stint as culture adjacent minister when he was basically the minister in charge of millenium celebrations/projects.

Again no sexual allegations around Mandelson, but Lord Glassman was on the media this weekend. He's the guru of "Blue Labour" which overlaps a lot with the Old Labour Right and he was mde some extraordinary remarks on that possible similar point of moral corruption. He said Labour needed to "repent", it needed to reject New Labour as "an alien body that took over the party and this is where it leads: perversion and paedophilia".

#3

Off the Record / Re: The Miscellaneous Sports T...

Last post by Syt - Today at 04:45:28 AM

I have to admit I have yet to watch anything but highlights from Olympics.

The Norwegian athletes generally do well in skiing, and we pretend the world cares. Personally, I am thinking back to 1994 when the winter Olympics were held here where I live. It is more than 30 years ago, and that makes me:   

Some commentator on speedskating was mentioning Johann Olav Koss during a Norwegian's race and that it was in Lillehammer (me: "those were good games") 32 years ago. (me: "I don't need this personal attack!")

#4

Off the Record / Re: What does a TRUMP presiden...

Last post by Norgy - Today at 04:24:45 AM

Noldova seems a good place to visit. Right next to Gondor and Redania.

#5

Off the Record / Re: The Miscellaneous Sports T...

Last post by Norgy - Today at 04:23:20 AM

I have to admit I have yet to watch anything but highlights from Olympics.

The Norwegian athletes generally do well in skiing, and we pretend the world cares. Personally, I am thinking back to 1994 when the winter Olympics were held here where I live. It is more than 30 years ago, and that makes me:   

#6

Off the Record / Re: Brexit and the waning days...

Last post by Norgy - Today at 04:17:57 AM

Director of communications at 10 Downing Street now seems like the most risky job in the world, making Sean Dyche breathe a sigh of relief as a Greek loony sharpens the gyro spit at the City Ground.

#7

Off the Record / Re: What does a TRUMP presiden...

Last post by celedhring - Today at 03:03:51 AM

From the people I talked to while in Kosovo last year, they are not necessarily pro-Trump, but they are still very much pro-USA.

Yeah, for the same reason I'm surprised by the Ukraine result. Not that they would like him, given his dubious stewardship of US support, just not 49 points underwater.

#8

Off the Record / Re: What does a TRUMP presiden...

Last post by Maladict - Today at 02:47:03 AM

From the people I talked to while in Kosovo last year, they are not necessarily pro-Trump, but they are still very much pro-USA.

#9

Off the Record / Re: What does a TRUMP presiden...

Last post by Valmy - Today at 02:45:20 AM

It is funny since Kosovo was one of the countries Trump inexplicably banned from being able to immigrate to the United States.

#10

Off the Record / Re: The Miscellaneous Sports T...

Last post by Syt - Today at 02:12:51 AM

Btw, I think luge is still one of the more insane sports. Squeezed into tight onesie, shoes three sizes too small, no neck support on the sled, going down a narrow ice canal at well over 100 kph with a couple of g squashing you in every turn. I'm mostly shocked there's so few accidents.

AMA with an athlete that came up while googling for the G forces: https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/6zvo0w/i_go_90_mph_and_pull_5_gforces_while_wearing_a/