Rayvin

This makes sense - but still, I think you can be right wing to the point of looking after your own matters, and not be right wing *enough* to vote Brexit and other similarly bizarre actions. How does Brexit help old people's pensions? I would have thought it jeopardises them.

@@Renton - Yes but the longer that goes on (and they've been doing it for ten years now) the less likely people are to vote for them again. The worst thing for the Tories in the long run, IMO, is power. If Labour doesn't come in periodically to 'destroy' the economy, they lack anyone to point the finger at - they lack someone to claim they are more credible than. They are, at some point, going to get the hell kicked out of them in a GE, and the longer they have power, the bigger that kicking is going to be. What we need, really, is for that kicking to bring about useful political change, rather than just a power swing. It's a high stakes gamble but if the Tories are chucked out by a party with truly revolutionary ideas and commitments to better representation in democracy in this country, then they've lost in the long run. And I genuinely believe that the longer they stay in power, the more disillusioned people will become, and therefore the more likely they are to vote for anything that looks like hope.

It'll apply to all companies though. We'll have to do it at our business, and I'm can't imagine it's going to make people who have lived and worked here all their working lives, who have paid into the system far more than many people who voted for this, feel particularly welcome in our country.

Aye, I think that's sinking in now across much of our generation. Their was a considerable anti old people backlash following the referendum. Honestly, the only way to have any decent standard of life appears to be to join the fuckers at the top. As for the Tories on Gloom's earlier post, I still think them occupying the centreground is better than what we had before. Aren't they effectively occupying the same space (give or take) as New Labour? The only real downside you could suggest for this is your point that they'll just revert to type after the next election, but if Labour remains where it is, they won't be able to. As such, is it not just tribalism at this point that would prefer New Labour in the same position with virtually the same policies?

CT, surely you must be able to say that this isn't quite what you had in mind? The Tories have taken this vote and are about to create and isolationist, protectionist hellhole.

I was raised Catholic dammit, if we aren't taking responsibility for every negative thing that's happening around us, we're going to hell.

Wtf... Seriously? We have good people in important roles in the company I work for, who happen to be 'foreign'. FFS this is going to be chaos isn't it...

You know, I considered rephrasing that as I wrote it and just though "nah fuck it, they're not pedantic enough to pick that up" It's like I don't know you guys at all.

No one gives a fuck, as far as I can tell. I wonder how many people over there can claim to have died trying to board a train. I bet it's not insubstantial.

I'm guessing he didn't see it coming like. But I'm kind of glad he's in the wars on this one, it's well deserved.

That show was years ahead of its time. Alternatively it just covers universal truths about Western politics. Either way it's superb.

Fucking hell, if J69 didn't immediately regret posting that site link, I'll bet he does now...

That's from a while back isn't it? Fucking bizarre though.

But fair enough on the overall thrust of the comment.

Weed can't remain illegal for much longer tbf. I genuinely think the issue there is that the old people in this country consider weed as the gateway drug to the widespread collapse of society. The balance will shift eventually.

My optimistic view also, but there's something determinedly blockheaded about May. She might be sufficiently disinterested in the good of the country to make a call in favour of short termist politics.

Parky will be one, IMO. Not for the same reasons as CT though. Parky just wants to watch the world burn

Essembee comprehensively annihilated there.

Financial crash caused by the wealthy elite -> Overthrow of left wing government and introduction of right wing government -> Austerity justified as politically necessary but is in fact ideologically driven -> vast swathes of the country left behind -> urban elites (and I include myself in this) don't see the damage this is causing in local communities -> opportunity for the masses to lash out at establishment comes along and is taken. All unnecessary, but all representing an entirely logical outcome after the fact. In truth, I've blamed austerity in the past, and I think that was the largest single contributing factor - but it does go back further than that. The Tories were given the opportunity to fuck the country up and took it. It's not like we didn't know what they were like. The failure was in controlling the narrative after the first action. We could have avoided all of this then if Murdoch had been imprisoned then, IMO.

He'd get in under those circumstances though!

Great piece. In particular the sections relating to the heavily watered down influence of the Treasury. That says it all. The thing is though, it's not like May is going to be able to turn around when we're struggling even more than ever to pay for luxuries and even basics and say 'well you voted for this'. She'll be held responsible for the outcome of people's living standards decreasing. Surely she would know this? If not, and if this comes to pass, then I think Corbyn has a shout...

Fuck me, even China wasn't that bad... Why not have multiple platforms and concurrent trains? Clearly that one platform isn't fit for purpose. Scary stuff.

Why would we though? I understand your economic argument about the EU protecting jobs, but politically they'd have to be prepared to watch the whole project crumble around them if they gave us immigration controls alongside single market access wouldn't they? The whole project crumbling would do far more harm to their economies than Britain not trading with them. That said, you may be right about May. It is possible that this is all bluster to set out a firm stance ahead of the EU negotiations. I'm not sure they're going to buy it, but it is where you would look to start in a negotiation.

I don't really follow boxing, but is he as good as he thinks he is?