Brexit and the waning days of the United Kingdom

[Valmy]

One solution to the problem is if current affairs follow the final chapters of my nascent airport pulp blockbuster; a terminally ill King Charles smuggles a small pistol in to Buck.Pal and during the state visit assassinates Trump on greeting him.   

If he could take out Elon Musk as well that would be great.

Anyway we are back to hoping the King will save our liberties just like the Olive Branch Petition.

[mongers]

One solution to the problem is if current affairs follow the final chapters of my nascent airport pulp blockbuster; a terminally ill King Charles smuggles a small pistol in to Buck.Pal and during the state visit assassinates Trump on greeting him.   

If he could take out Elon Musk as well that would be great.

Anyway we are back to hoping the King will save our liberties just like the Olive Branch Petition.

Did you see the SNL sketch of the oval office event?

Great guest appearance from someone as Musk.

[crazy canuck]

Someone?

[Grey Fox]

Can't really expect mongers to know 65 years old Mike Meyers on sight.

[Sheilbh]

I didn't recognise him in the picture Valmy posted

[mongers]

Can't really expect mongers to know 65 years old Mike Meyers on sight.

I didn't want to spoil the surprise. 

[Richard Hakluyt]

Apparently we are a random country that hasn't fought a war in 30 or 40 years.

I'm sure the families of the British service people killed in Iraq and Afghanistan will be delighted to hear these words from vice-fuckwit Vance.

[mongers]

Apparently we are a random country that hasn't fought a war in 30 or 40 years.

I'm sure the families of the British service people killed in Iraq and Afghanistan will be delighted to hear these words from vice-fuckwit Vance.

But, but ... he's the techbro in waiting, we'll be doffing our caps to him in a few years.   

[Valmy]

Apparently we are a random country that hasn't fought a war in 30 or 40 years.

I'm sure the families of the British service people killed in Iraq and Afghanistan will be delighted to hear these words from vice-fuckwit Vance.

Yeah well you don't matter because you are not strong. You cannot ingratiate yourself to these people. You are either somebody worthy of respect or a worm. There is no special relationship between a Trump America and the UK. We are your enemy until you make us not be by demonstrating you are worthy.

[Valmy]

But, but ... he's the techbro in waiting, we'll be doffing our caps to him in a few years.   

Only if you want to be shit on.

[Syt]

Apparently we are a random country that hasn't fought a war in 30 or 40 years.

I'm sure the families of the British service people killed in Iraq and Afghanistan will be delighted to hear these words from vice-fuckwit Vance.

He's walked it back, calling it "absurd" that he was supposedly referring to the "brave" French and Brits.

[Valmy]

Apparently we are a random country that hasn't fought a war in 30 or 40 years.

I'm sure the families of the British service people killed in Iraq and Afghanistan will be delighted to hear these words from vice-fuckwit Vance.

He's walked it back, calling it "absurd" that he was supposedly referring to the "brave" French and Brits.

Don't believe him. He already told you who he really is and what he really thinks.

[Syt]

Apparently we are a random country that hasn't fought a war in 30 or 40 years.

I'm sure the families of the British service people killed in Iraq and Afghanistan will be delighted to hear these words from vice-fuckwit Vance.

He's walked it back, calling it "absurd" that he was supposedly referring to the "brave" French and Brits.

Don't believe him. He already told you who he really is and what he really thinks.

Well of course. It's completely transparent attempts at gaslighting.

[Tamas]

Badenoch tried to balance between public support for Ukraine and the far right necessity to appease Trump. Her long statement failed to mention Russia as an actor with respnisibiity for making peace. It was all US having to keep supporting and Ukraine having to make peace. Pathetic.

[Sheilbh]

What statement do you mean?

I think I disagree with your take. This was her statement yesterday (from the Tory YouTube channel so this is how they're positioning it). I have no issue with any of it - I think it an opposition responsibly and constructively supporting the government:

At the weekend she wrote a column on an "axis of authoritarian states": "if we fail to respond robustly to their aggression, we will face a bitter reckoning sooner or later." In that piece she also supported the government increasing defence spending but pushed for a timeline to get to 3%. Yesterday she gave that statement mentioning "the fundamental principle that aggressors shouldn't win." Earlier today said Britain and Europe needs to rapidly re-arm "we must work to keep America in, and Russia out" (a re-working of Bevin's summary of Britain's goals immediately after the war: to keep the Americans in, the Germans down and the Russians out). And today she met the Finnish Foreign Minister "to discuss how we as NATO allies protect ourselves from Russian aggression".

It would be easy to take political advantage over Vance's comments. We've seen the Lib Dems do that and we've seen Nigel Farage do it too:

JD Vance is wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong. For 20 years in Afghanistan, pro-rata, our size against America's, we spent the same amount of money, we put the same number of men and women in, and we suffered the same losses.

We stood by America all through those 20 years, putting in exactly the same contribution. And alright, they may be six times bigger, but we did our bit. On this one, JD is wrong.

Some Tory MPs joined in and she's apparently told them to shut up - which is good. Because that sort of grandstanding is what irresponsible opposition parties do.

I think that's the right thing to do because that stuff and trying to get into a bidding war on outrage over Vance's comments (which are outrageous) would only make the government's job more difficult. I think Starmer's doing very well but it's a very, very difficult needle to thread - and I think Badenoch is right to be supporting the government in a fairly responsible, constructive fashion rather than trying to take advantage for a cheap political benefit from the privileged freedom of opposition.

I don't see any gap between her position and the government's - and I think that's right.