Rayvin

From a tactical perspective though, we'd be unlikely to get an actual referendum in place without winning power. And if we actually managed to get a coalition government into power, I'm tempted to say we shouldn't bother with the referendum and just make it law. Boris Johnson style.

Luke Edwards has no fucking idea whatsoever. He's not insightful enough to have any clue what that statement might or might not mean - at this point he's no different to some random bloke offering an opinion down at the pub. Added to that, his original comment somewhat contradicts his previous views on this, does it not? I thought he had said that the takeover was already dead and had been for a year now. His comments suggests that he's now decided that it wasn't in fact dead, but it now is. I know we know this, but it's worth repeating - he knows the square root of fuck all about this takeover.

There's not a lot of margin for error on that though - 54% means you'd need basically everyone to vote for an agreed party in their local area. It would be an enormous achievement for political strategists, and frankly, if it's going to happen, they should start building up for it now. Not just hamfistedly pull it together later on.

54% sounds about the size of the overall progressive majority that this country has. We are crying out for PR as a nation - at that point all the stupid petty divisive nonsense between the left, the left of centre and the centre can transform into robust and useful debate without offering landslides to the far fucking right.

The people who orchestrated it, even the ones in charge who understood all of this but went through with it anyway (we'll call them the Tory party for simplicity) don't care about the long term standing of the nation or its finances, IMO. They'll be dead by the time we really have to confront what we've lost - i.e. 15-20 years on from now.

I reckon no with respect of the takeover. I mean it depends a bit on the nature of the takeover, but if it was the Saudi one then I think we could probably find alternatives who might better fit the direction we wanted to go (although he'd still be a steady pair of hands in a transitional sense). If it was a run of the mill takeover (i.e. a sideways step financially but ideally with some more long term ambition) then I would have had him back though. I thought he was great for the team and the club in many senses. I appreciate that's not your view like, but I was really impressed with him.

I mean, fair enough but the processing time for my partner was 6 weeks. And all EU citizens have had 5 years. It sounds as though a lot of people have literally started applying within the past couple of months - and I mean fair enough to an extent, they're still ahead of the deadline, but I do think there does actually have to be a deadline. As much as I disagree with every single reason about why we're doing this.

Yeah but I'm normally one of those people and yet I managed to get this sorted out back in October. Struggling to believe there are 300k people who procrastinate more than I do

I'm struggling a bit with that mind - my partner had to apply for pre-settled status or whatever it was called and did so last year. Process was confusing as fuck for sure, but it didn't actually take that long. Why have so many left it this late?

That latter group being the ones who will vote for Galloway, I suppose. I mean I can understand the thinking from group 1 tbh, it's not like Labour will be in power any time soon, this result won't change anything in terms of the overall make up of the country, so why not throw it to the Tories and gain the extra funding - can always vote them out next time when it might actually matter. It's entirely logical, sadly.

Why though, what sort of priorities does the community have?

Labour reported to be feeling less than confident of holding Batley and Spen, with some suggestions that it could trigger a backbench revolt and potentially even a leadership challenge. Not sure on the demographics of this seat personally but it sounds as though George Galloway is running as an independent on a strong workers/left wing ticket, and Labour actually believe he might be a deciding factor in their potential loss to the Tories.

They shouldn't but that's not always how the world works. British music is popular in Europe, I'm just saying I can see them having more success here than elsewhere.

So we're going for soft power now. In fairness to them, music is one of the few areas where we probably have some of that. Not convinced it's going to make a big difference but you never know I suppose.

And fwiw, I'm absolutely one of the people who is excited about it.

The unfortunate truth here, IMO (and doubtless an unpopular one tbh) is something I was thinking in the prematch build up. Germany are to England, what Newcastle are to Sunderland. If we go out in the next round 7-0 it won't matter because we beat Germany. I daresay more people are excited about that fact alone, than the idea of progressing in the tournament.

I don't fucking believe it Never thought I'd see the day .

Struggling to think of one. Makes England look like the mackems of international football.

This right here is a serious concern for me in supporting England. If by some bloody miracle we won the damn thing, we would never, ever hear the end of it from the leavers. It would instantly become the defining representation of how England can go it alone. "Plucky little England", "British bulldog spirit" etc etc Although the team itself doesn't really personify that. They're professional but I'm not sure there's a lot of spirit there...

Yep. I think we should have worked on attaching a sense of national identity/pride to being in the EU frankly, how we were leaders within it, shaping a destiny for all of Europe. Or better yet, we could have not had the bloody referendum at a time when the government and 'elites' were pissing on the average man in the street with austerity.

Bloody arrogant Germans... this is exactly why we left the EU

Christ If we weren't going to lose to Germany before, we sure as fuck will now.

True. I think the bitter pill to swallow in all of this, in the end, will be that 'Joe Public' will have to accept that educated subject matter experts do know more about the technical specifics of certain issues than he does, and that he would be wise to allow himself to be informed by their opinions. But as you say, the magnitude of it is masked - hopefully in time it will be apparent.

I see. I mean it's just fucking tedious, all of this. Anyone with half a brain could have negotiated a better Brexit than the one we got.

I mean of course Presumably because that would somehow make us look needy.