Kemi Badenoch doesn’t really need to speak in public more than once a month and she’ll do ok. In that respect, keeping her head down is proving very effective.

Sniping from the sidelines and criticising everyone clearly has merit. 🙃

3 minutes ago, Dimron said:

That is part of the problem isn't it? Where do we want to stand in the world, it's bloody expensive to head up coalitions of the willing and carry out peace keeping in the Middle East or wherever.

We still have illusions of grandeur with two big aircraft carriers with no battle groups and prone to breakdowns (Prince of Wales spluttered into dock last week).

I recall Mr Z telling Parliament "Give us your jets"... he didn't realise we don't have enough even for our Red Arrows display team

but apparently we have to keep tipping money into a war that will never end, in case Russia rumbles tanks across the channel and invades us.....apparently. At some point, we'll have to turn the tap off, and stop propping Ukraine up in a war that they cannot and will not win

3 minutes ago, Sweep said:

but apparently we have to keep tipping money into a war that will never end, in case Russia rumbles tanks across the channel and invades us.....apparently. At some point, we'll have to turn the tap off, and stop propping Ukraine up in a war that they cannot and will not win

Unfortunately it was always going to be a never ending attritional conflict, as you know I was slated for pointing this out originally but I read a lot of 20th Century history and the Russians have much larger resource and a brutal personality. We never seem to learn from history and I argued that supporting Ukraine prolonged the bloodshed and took the flak.

I personally don't think the threat to the UK from Russia and its allies will be in the form of tanks, it will be in cyberspace, warfare will eventually evolve into vast data centres fighting each other with ever evolving super AI programmes and we will become like ants on the outside fighting petty little battles using guns and tanks.

2 hours ago, Lt. Aldo Raine said:

Scrap the triple lock on pensions

As a pensioner I agree to a point, I am for replacing with a Smoothed Earnings Link as proposed by the Resolution Foundation, seems much fairer all round

26 minutes ago, Dimron said:

it was always going to be a never ending attritional conflict, as you know I was slated for pointing this out

Putin appeaser!

29 minutes ago, Dimron said:

Unfortunately it was always going to be a never ending attritional conflict, as you know I was slated for pointing this out originally but I read a lot of 20th Century history and the Russians have much larger resource and a brutal personality. We never seem to learn from history and I argued that supporting Ukraine prolonged the bloodshed and took the flak.

I personally don't think the threat to the UK from Russia and its allies will be in the form of tanks, it will be in cyberspace, warfare will eventually evolve into vast data centres fighting each other with ever evolving super AI programmes and we will become like ants on the outside fighting petty little battles using guns and tanks.

I personally don’t think we need to choose between supporting Ukraine or fully funding our own defence budget (I know you’re not suggesting this as such). We can (and should) do both.

We just need as a nation to take some decisions for once and get on with stuff. Not easy I know as not much loose change around, but I think most folk want a fully funded NHS, education system, policing/justice organisation and defence. What’s left to reduce spending on? The welfare system (including means testing more stuff). As others have said if it was explained properly (and ring fenced) then in addition 1-2p income tax rises would not be unpopular. Oh, and once and for all stop tax evasion by billionaires and big global companies.

Edited June 11Jun 11 by Bertie

42 minutes ago, Sweep said:

but apparently we have to keep tipping money into a war that will never end, in case Russia rumbles tanks across the channel and invades us.....apparently. At some point, we'll have to turn the tap off, and stop propping Ukraine up in a war that they cannot and will not win

To be fair, Ukraine has been making territorial gains for a few months now. The Russian economy is totally fucked and Ukraine has proven themselves to be very wily with the resources they have.

I don't think it is silly to help a European county defend itself against an aggressive neighbour for having the temerity to look west rather than east for it's future.

Putin is stark raving bonkers and has had to beg borrow and plead for kit from N Korea, Iran and China. The stuff from N Korea is utterly piss poor and China has only given them back decades old stuff they originally got from the Russians. Iran's drones have been useful but are now not as effective and they need them themselves.

30 minutes ago, Sweep said:

Putin appeaser!

pisss off 😁

2 hours ago, Sweep said:

what about stop sending money to Ukraine.........that'll help as well 😉

Ukraine is virtually on the doorstep. If it falls then it’s the turn of the Baltic States and Poland. After that? Ivan might be banging on your door mate.

On 09/06/2026 at 18:45, BobyBrno said:

I went to Kent

I see that Healey has fucked off. Rats deserting a sinking ship.

Maybe the slime bag will appoint Diane Abbott. No threat to him. No threat to any of our potential enemies.

How long can this dead man walking survive?

16 minutes ago, bolty58 said:

I see that Healey has fucked off. Rats deserting a sinking ship.

Maybe the slime bag will appoint Diane Abbott. No threat to him. No threat to any of our potential enemies.

How long can this dead man walking survive?

Slime bag

Treacherous slag

The next Thatcher

The next Churchill

You're not really good at giving politicians nicknames are you

25 minutes ago, DirtySanchez said:

Slime bag

Treacherous slag

The next Thatcher

The next Churchill

You're not really good at giving politicians nicknames are you

Thatcher would thrive in today's politics 🙂

2 minutes ago, Dimron said:

Thatcher would thrive in today's politics 🙂

She instigated it with the “no society” pitch

28 minutes ago, DirtySanchez said:

Slime bag

Treacherous slag

The next Thatcher

The next Churchill

You're not really good at giving politicians nicknames are you

You forgot Bliar.

Im surprised he's not treading the boards as a standup

45 minutes ago, bolty58 said:

I see that Healey has fucked off. Rats deserting a sinking ship.

Maybe the slime bag will appoint Diane Abbott. No threat to him. No threat to any of our potential enemies.

How long can this dead man walking survive?

If Burnham doesn't get Makerfield then we'll have a shiny estate agent look-a-like who quit his job with 3,000 people every day being treated in hospital corridors and children without dentists

Makerfield won't be close.

Al Carns also gone

5 minutes ago, Lt. Aldo Raine said:

Al Carns also gone

Who?

Dan Jarvis now the Defence Secretary. Seems like a decent bloke. So did Healey.

6 hours ago, Bertie said:

I personally don’t think we need to choose between supporting Ukraine or fully funding our own defence budget (I know you’re not suggesting this as such). We can (and should) do both.

We just need as a nation to take some decisions for once and get on with stuff. Not easy I know as not much loose change around, but I think most folk want a fully funded NHS, education system, policing/justice organisation and defence. What’s left to reduce spending on? The welfare system (including means testing more stuff). As others have said if it was explained properly (and ring fenced) then in addition 1-2p income tax rises would not be unpopular. Oh, and once and for all stop tax evasion by billionaires and big global companies.

Don't need to reduce spending in many areas.

Simply make them more efficient.

That includes within the MOD.

Getting better value for spending public money means more of it can be given to relevant departments as a need arises.

Another tax rise would be hugely unpopular.

They're very high now, and that value of spending isn't there.

Plus, keeping raising taxes doesn't necessarily yield more tax revenue, we all know that.

So what would any sane governing body see fit to keep doing it.

1 hour ago, BobyBrno said:

Dan Jarvis now the Defence Secretary. Seems like a decent bloke. So did Healey.

Defence secretaries for the most part do come across as decent.

13 minutes ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

Don't need to reduce spending in many areas.

Simply make them more efficient.

That includes within the MOD.

Getting better value for spending public money means more of it can be given to relevant departments as a need arises.

Another tax rise would be hugely unpopular.

They're very high now, and that value of spending isn't there.

Plus, keeping raising taxes doesn't necessarily yield more tax revenue, we all know that.

So what would any sane governing body see fit to keep doing it.

It's all so simple - just make everything more efficient. 😁

Just watched a good interview with Al Carns on BBC Breakfast. He didn’t deny that we would be interested in joining a leadership race. He has been mentioned before. Burnham and Starmer could have a rival. Just me speculating.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/feb/10/alistair-carns-labours-ex-marine-who-would-be-a-nightmare-for-the-tories

1 hour ago, BobyBrno said:

Just watched a good interview with Al Carns on BBC Breakfast. He didn’t deny that we would be interested in joining a leadership race. He has been mentioned before. Burnham and Starmer could have a rival. Just me speculating.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/feb/10/alistair-carns-labours-ex-marine-who-would-be-a-nightmare-for-the-tories

He came across very well, I wouldn’t expect anything less from a former Royal though 💅🏻