Midweek 23 March 2022

Happy Budget Day – ( or whatever it is called now ) . Whatever the outcome not enough taxpayers’ borrowed money will be spent on this or that . .. shake that money tree ..

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490 Responses to Midweek 23 March 2022

  1. StewGreen says:

    Bloomberg : Putin’s personal adviser, & well respected climate minister, Anatoly Chubais, has resigned & left Russia.
    Chubias cited his opposition to Putin’s war in Ukraine, & is the highest-level official to break off from Moscow over the invasion.”
    ” according to two people familiar with the situation.
    Chubais, known as the architect of Russia’s 1990s privatizations, is the highest-level official to break with the Kremlin over the invasion. Chubais also gave Putin his first Kremlin job in the mid-1990s and initially welcomed his rise to power at the end of that decade. “

       8 likes

  2. digg says:

    Considering the opportunity they have to bite Boris’s legs over the Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe affair I am puzzled that the story seems to have vanished from the BBC home page today!

    This made me re-consider the sequence of events….

    1. I understand a Labour Government took a packet of money from Iran to pay them for supplying tanks and stuff.

    2. The EU told the UK not to deliver the goods as Iran = a bad regime.

    3. The UK were ordered by the EU NOT to pay the money back to Iran as it might be used for terrorism.

    4. The BBC had employed Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe as a “reporting tutor” in the Middle East.

    5. Iran arrested Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and accused her of acting against the Iran Government in the guise of a reporting teacher in the Country (understandable).

    6. The Conservative Government started to make efforts to get her released.

    7. Iran refused and demanded repayment of the money they had paid.

    8. Stalemate until the UK left the EU upon Brexit and no longer needed to follow their orders not to pay.

    9. The UK paid and Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was released.

    The outcome?

    10. Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe blasts the UK for her long detention. In my opinion she should be rejoicing that the UK left the EU and instead blasting the EU and the BBC for her situation.

    So, back to the silence from the BBC, could it be that their political interference in Iran via so-called “reporting teachers” has been rumbled and in usual BBC form they have decided to commit the whole thing to room 101 to distance themselves from blame?

       56 likes

    • MarkyMark says:

      Iran to demand the BBC send more reporters as they need more money.

      ….

      he British government considers that paying ransoms and releasing prisoners increases the risk of further hostage taking. The Terrorism Act (2000) also makes payments to terrorists illegal.
      https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/iran/terrorism

         12 likes

    • Fedup2 says:

      Interesting that the Iranian spy lady didn’t feature in PMQs – but I guess it’s only a swamp story – like the garden thing ..

         18 likes

    • micknotmike says:

      My gut feeling is that it’s simpler than that. Everybody jumped aboard the “naz-Rat bandwagon”, getting photos taken, smiles all round, hoping that they could bask in the reflected glory. It has very quickly been revealed that in fact she is a thoroughly nasty piece of work, and is best avoided. Liz truss won’t be going so visit her again, that much I know.

         32 likes

      • Guest Who says:

        BBC training at eleven, then.

        Certainly storing this brief encounter’s early tweets from the usual suspects for when they mount the next bubble powered bandwagon.

        From Beff to Surkeer….

           6 likes

  3. MarkyMark says:

    Roles and responsibilities
    June Sarpong is Director, Creative Diversity.
    £267,000
    M&C Saatchi Merlin
    Harper Collins
    Burberry
    Corporate work and speaking engagements – PAID
    Two publications – PAID
    Board meeting & events – PAID

    Click to access june-sarpong-dopi-2020.pdf

    Roles and responsibilities
    Tim Davie is the 17th Director-General of the BBC
    The Director-General is the Chief Executive Officer of the BBC, its Editor-in-Chief
    The DG is the editorial, operational and creative leader of the BBC, with responsibility for a global workforce running services across television, radio and online

    Annual remuneration (as at September 2021)
    £525,000

    Tim Davie Hotels Hotel 07/10/2021
    The Hoxton
    Amsterdam 240.04

    Click to access tim-davie-cbs-q2-2021-22.pdf

    Mr Timothy Other Convention
    Davie Other Expenditure 2011 05/11/2010 £512.30

    Other Expenditure ?
    Other Expenditure ?

    BBC Other Expenditure?

    “BBC is for the people funded by the people .. Other Expenditure”

    http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/aboutthebbc/insidethebbc/managementstructure/biographies/pdf/Q4_1011/tim_davie_e_expenses_q4_2010_11.pdf#zoom=100

       9 likes

  4. BigBrotherCorporation says:

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-60825768
    Uganda’s Batwa people: Evicted from forests to help save gorillas

    A moving story about an African tribal people who were evicted from their forest home, 30 years ago, to turn it into a nature reserve for Mountain Gorillas.

    I have some sympathy with their plight, and their plaintive cries about being pushed out of their ‘homeland’, not being allowed to live the way they used to, and how being forced to change and adapt to accommodate a way of life they don’t want is erasing their history and culture.

    Next up, how we’re all racist, Islamophobic, bigots who should be welcoming our dinghy propelled newcomers as friends and saviours. Surely we can all squeeze up just a little more to make room for them? Or, if you don’t like it, why don’t you just leave?!

    Are the BBC so self unaware that they can’t see ANY irony in this at all?

       27 likes

    • MarkyMark says:

      ‘It’s being built on our blood’: the true cost of Saudi Arabia’s $500bn megacity
      https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2020/may/04/its-being-built-on-our-blood-the-true-cost-of-saudi-arabia-5bn-mega-city-neom

      With an artificial moon and flying taxis, Neom has been billed as humanity’s next chapter. But beneath the glitzy veneer lies a story of threats, forced eviction and bloodshed

      Global development is supported by
      Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
      About this content
      Ruth Michaelson
      Mon 4 May 2020 07.00 BST
      “The future has a new home,” proclaims the website.

      “It’s a virgin area that has a lot of beauty,” says the voice over a string section soundtrack as the promotional video tracks colour-tinted panoramic shots of picturesque desert expanses, and deep azure lagoons.

      “Better humans, better society,” it boasts extravagantly.

      The brainchild of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the new city state of Neom, named from a combination of the Greek word for “new” and the Arabic term for “future”, is intended to cover an area the size of Belgium at the far north of Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coastline.

         2 likes

      • BigBrotherCorporation says:

        Looks like a real life Dystopian megapolis in the making, if that’s the ‘future’ I want to get off now please.

        “Better humans, better society” – sounds familiar, but can’t quite put my finger on where I’ve heard it before…

           9 likes

  5. StewGreen says:

    The tweet that apparently got Tammy Pax “the Islington Labour MP”
    taken off Twitter
    Lot of lefty accounts took it seriously and said it was disinformation.
    .. Whilst it is probably true that firm travel advice again visiting Iran didn’t come in until after Nazanin was detained
    .. the complainers should have looked the name.

    https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FOcY8iZXwAcS5ED?format=jpg&name=900×900

       6 likes

  6. Zephir says:

    “Kate given the cold shoulder! Fans cringe over ’embarrassing’ moment Duchess is shunned by Jamaican beauty queen-turned-politician whose party is in favour of removing the Queen as head of state

    Kate appeared to be given the cold shoulder by a Jamaican politician yesterday
    She was seated next to Lisa Hanna, a politician with the People’s National Party
    Party is in favour of divorcing the monarchy and lobbying Britain for reparations”

    Lets fix this, give all that want reparations a single ticket back to Africa and an Argos voucher for a cow or two goats or something and a Tribal Warfare and Genocide for Dummies book.

    There you go, like it never happened, job done.

       41 likes

    • Fedup2 says:

      She can use the Argos voucher to buy a deep fat fryer for her off the shoulder ‘chip (s)…

         20 likes

    • MarkyMark says:

      How do we start to decolonize science? @0:10

      “Through the black magic, witchcraft you are able to send a lightning bolt to strike someone, Can you explain that scientifically … ” @0:50 – one of the speakers
      “It’s not true” – audience member
      “I need to address you directly (audience member who says witchcraft does not work). When we started this we agreed on certain house rules. By you doing that (arguing) you are disrespecting that sacredness of this space. I would like you please first to apologise …” – another speaker

      https://biasedbbc.org/blog/2017/10/18/mid-week-open-thread-129/comment-page-4/#comment-874895

         5 likes

    • BRISSLES says:

      Yep, give’em all Independance, then lets see how they get on financially, with no hand outs from the UK. No trips to the Cenotaph for wreath laying, no Commonwealth balls, cocktail parties, gala events to attend. They couldn’t wait to get their arses over here when it suited after the war, and now they’re grandkids are rebelling, well, let this BLM generation see what living in a country with no ties to Gt Britain is really like. Will the US help them out ? ha !

         40 likes

  7. Eddy Booth says:

    15:44 Zelensky calls on French companies to quit Russia
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-europe-60830013

    “Ukraine’s President Volodomyr Zelensky, addressing France’s parliament via videolink..”

    He’s like Greta Thunberg, on a world tour begging and berating every parliament going, in his case, to start WW3.
    BBC lapping it up on every stop.

       23 likes

    • MarkyMark says:

      Nato to bomb Nord Stream #1 to stop Germans paying Russia to invade Ukraine. China laughs as it will win either way.

         4 likes

    • Thoughtful says:

      Not surprised, the frogs are behaving as we would expect the frogs to behave, or as Dubya called them”Cheese eating surrender monkeys”!

         10 likes

  8. MarkyMark says:

    NEOM complies with all applicable laws regarding the treatment of our employees and other
    stakeholders. Suppliers that do business with NEOM are prohibited from using slave or
    involuntary labor, of any kind including prison labor, debt bondage or forced labor by
    governments. Suppliers must not engage in human trafficking and must not use physical or
    psychological abuse, threats of violence, or other forms of violence, or other forms of physical
    or mental coercion

    https://www.neom.com/en-us/invest-in-neom

    ‘It’s being built on our blood’: the true cost of Saudi Arabia’s $500bn megacity
    https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2020/may/04/its-being-built-on-our-blood-the-true-cost-of-saudi-arabia-5bn-mega-city-neom

       2 likes

  9. MarkyMark says:

    NEOM SUPPLIER CODE O F CONDUCT
    The Acknowledgement to NEOM’s Supplier Code of Conduct must be signed by an authorized representative
    of the Supplier or individuals acting as an attorney on behalf of the Supplier via an appropriate power of attorney
    that is consistent with the legal requirements of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
    ….
    https://www.neom.com/en-us/invest-in-neom

    ….

    Saudi Arabia: Mass execution of 81 men shows urgent need to abolish the death penalty
    The mass execution of 81 individuals, Saudi and non-Saudi citizens, on Saturday signals an appalling escalation in Saudi Arabia’s use of the death penalty, Amnesty International said today, bringing the country’s tally of executions to 92 so far in 2022 alone.

    https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2022/03/saudi-arabia-mass-execution-of-81-men-shows-urgent-need-to-abolish-the-death-penalty/

       1 likes

    • Thoughtful says:

      What amnesty doesn’t go into is the method the Saudi’s use to execute people, which is particularly brutal. The most used method is simply a sword blow to the neck in an attempt to decapitate the victim. As we know this is not always sucessful at killing people with a single blow, and to make things worse it is often done in a public arena with only Muslim men present.

      The UN has called upon Saudi Arabia to stop stoning children to death, aloing with amputations, and floggings as well to little avail:

      https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/saudi-arabia-stoning-un-children-united-nations-a7349861.html

         6 likes

    • tarien says:

      Frankly we need Capital Punishment brought back into the UK, some parts of our society are completly out of control and the deterent used presently is not suffiecient to stop the criminal mind set.

         5 likes

  10. Flotsam says:

    When it comes to Scottish Politicians profligacy what about the cost of the Scottish Parliaments Building. Originally budgeted at £10m it ended up costing a ludicrous £440m. You can tell they weren’t spending their own money

       25 likes

    • MarkyMark says:

      2007 ….

      A White Paper published shortly after Labour’s 1997 general election victory initially put the construction cost of a Scottish Parliament building at between £10m and £40m.

      £414m bill for Holyrood building
      Scottish Parliament building. Pic courtesy of Scottish Parliament
      The Scottish Parliament is declared officially completed
      The final cost of the Scottish Parliament building at Holyrood has been put at £414.4m.
      MSPs were given a final report on the “Holyrood Project” which showed that the price tag was some £16m cheaper than expected.
      http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/6382177.stm

         7 likes

  11. Guest Who says:

    BBC sets them up for Labour to take another swing.

    Nuclear.

       10 likes

    • MarkyMark says:

      Save 800 jobs …. In August 2014 the Jay report concluded that an estimated 1,400 children, had been sexually abused in Rotherham between 1997 and 2013 by predominantly British-Pakistani men. British Asian girls in Rotherham also suffered abuse, but a fear of shame and dishonour made them reluctant to report the abuse to authorities.

         19 likes

    • digg says:

      Save 800 jobs!

      The nutters don’t realise that when a Company is bleeding money like P&O has been it is headed out of business and the “jobs” are self eliminating. Its called redundancy!

      Just like all the miners, steel workers and car workers when their industries went down the swannee.

      Unless of course Mr Starmer and Ms Rayner would like to have a whip round at the Labour Party Conference to contribute to their wages? I’m sure P&O would be delighted.

      Thick as P*g Sh*t!

         13 likes

      • Northern Voter says:

        All this crap about slave wages on P&O is just that, crap. I wish I had a job where I was given three square a day, a roof over my head and duty free fags and booze as well. Not forgetting seafarers tax allowance. 14 days on 14 days off for Brits, 3 month contracts for foreigners.

           12 likes

  12. Flotsam says:

    Scottish Politicians are good at managing money, managing to spend other people’s money that is.

       14 likes

  13. Guest Who says:

    There’s nuts.

    And then there is Sopes.

       6 likes

    • vlad says:

      Given the magnitude of what is happening in America right now concerning the Laptop from Hell, which the BBC continues to ignore, here’s what it focuses on instead:

      “Florida governor rejects trans swimmer’s victory”

      https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/swimming/60842863

      9k=

         30 likes

    • MarkyMark says:

      Minor incursion …..

      YOUR COMPLAINT:

      President Trump’s 100 Days President Biden’s 0 Day 

      Dear Winston Smith in the Records Department of the Ministry of Truth,

      You covered President Trump’s 100 Days and then produced a Beyond 100 Days to hold power to account.

      Why have you not done the same for President Biden to hold power to account?

      ‘Omission is the greatest form of lie.’ 

      ———-

      Thank you again for contacting us,

      BBC Complaints Team
      http://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints

         11 likes

    • digg says:

      My impression of creepy Sopel put into words would be unacceptable on this site, so to save the moderator pain, imagine the 10 worst descriptive blasphemous words you could apply to anything!

         7 likes

    • Fedup2 says:

      Jon jon you just got to let it go . The hate will kill you ..

         2 likes

  14. Guest Who says:

    She really is special.

    In a BS/Naga sense.

       3 likes

    • Guest Who says:

      Then there is the ultimate bbc combo.

         7 likes

      • tarien says:

        And it has to show a black woman. With the prolific entry of coloured people into every avenue of daily lives,wether via the TV, Films, radio, entertainment, or promotional advertising, we are swamped with them, almost to the degree that I wonder if I am still in a country of where white people have lived for centuries. Multiculturalism is to blame if anything.

           9 likes

    • Fedup2 says:

      Buy shares in loan sharks and bailiffs …and futures in repossession companies ….and …sadly undertakers ….

      ….the sheer ineptness of the Tory economic policy is breath taking – but Mrs nut nut will be happy …

         7 likes

  15. Guest Who says:

    Anyone know where Timmeh! and indeed the top floor of W1A have buggered off to?

    https://isthebbcbiased.blogspot.com/2022/03/friends-reunited.html

       5 likes

  16. LastChanceSaloon says:

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/swimming/60842863

    “Lia Thomas: Florida governor Ron DeSantis refuses to recognise Thomas win”

    Girls, do not take this nonsense from queer lovers like Al Beeb.
    Refuse to attend the “official” medal awards ceremony.
    Have your own ceremony, with the first three real women attending.
    Not just swimming , all sports, all events.
    Include some more agressive tactics ladies, swimming in lanes is one thing.
    How is the lone male cheat in a womens cycling road race going to finish without an “accidental” collision that breaks some bones?

       21 likes

    • Fedup2 says:

      Last
      I have to disagree – he/she won it fair and square – okay he upset the girls flashing his/ her todger in the ladies/mens changing room but that’s all life experience ….

      If these people want equality – chaps swimming as gals is all part of the development of man/woman kind – so it lands up screwing itself into extinction …

      So basically – if one is born with a todger one will always be a bloke – no Willy at birth means one is a girlie – always .

      The rest is just woke crap

         21 likes

      • BRISSLES says:

        Cant wait for the time that one wants to play as a woman at Wimbledon ! great fun. Although when I first saw the Williams girls play ……………..

           19 likes

  17. Guest Who says:

    Radio 4

    On her Desert Island Discs, Deborah Meaden talks inspiringly about the thrill of investing in new ideas 💡 💡 💡

    The minger with a caravan park who whinges about Brexit?

    Inspiring.

       26 likes

  18. Zephir says:

    I remember Dragons Den. When a “guest” arrives in a quirky manner they generally sneer or look unimpressed, until of course, the black Levi Roots (him of the reggae sauce) arrived playing a guitar and singing.

    This time they all clapped.

    Sickening.

       29 likes

    • harry142857 says:

      Levi, real name Keith!

      Fits the stereotype.

      1. Father buggered off, tick.
      2. Never bothered with education, tick.
      3. Knocked out eight kids with seven different gullible women, tick
      4. Restaurant 1, bankrupt within a couple of years.
      5. Restaurant 2, bust, as before.
      6. Criminal record, drug dealer, tick.

         29 likes

  19. StewGreen says:

    ITV local news PRasNes for the Aquarium in Hull
    Their PR woman “..20 years ago we were not doing stories about Ocean Acidification, and Ocean Plastics”

    …. “stories” is the operative word there.

       17 likes

  20. Zephir says:

       16 likes

  21. Fedup2 says:

    Enemy of president trump dies aged 84 – Madeline Albright . No comment …

       7 likes

    • theisland says:

      Blair loved her – of course.

         1 likes

  22. digg says:

    The homepage of The Guardian today is almost a carbon copy of the home page of the communist Morning Star….

    https://www.theguardian.com/uk

    https://morningstaronline.co.uk

    The Morning Star must be the first port of call for Guardian reporters looking for an angle I guess!

    Incidentally The Morning Star carries a fairy tale article explaining how communism led to better working conditions in the capitalist West by scaring all the nasty capitalists to pay better wages.

    https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/f/how-communism-improved-the-lot-of-workers-in-the-west-and-saved-capitalism.

    I particularly chortled at the authors comments…..

    “First, while it is of course preferable, political parties or movements don’t necessarily have to win power to successfully push for significant positive change.

    Second, those who oppose, or are indifferent to, communism, socialism and trade union power nevertheless benefit from all of the left-wing activism that has been carried out over decades and centuries to improve the lives of working people.

    And third, the evidence presented seems to confirm Noam Chomsky’s oft-repeated dictum that a government’s primary enemy is its own population.”

    I wonder if he ever considers the millions of ordinary Russians slaughtered by the Marxists to bring about Communism? Maybe thats what he refers to in his last paragraph?

    Heads I win, tails you lose I guess!

       23 likes

  23. Foscari says:

    Get your money on ” Lia Thomas” to be international
    sports personality of the year on the BBC ‘S
    yearly woke sports extravaganza . Other than being
    ethnic , he , she, or it depending on what is the most
    inclusive pronoun to use , ticks every box so far as
    the BBC is concerned in their diversity, inclusiveness,,
    positive discrimination the BBC “educates ” us every
    minute of the day.
    Get this champion “women” swimmer on the One Show.
    Get ” it” to present the One Show . Yes I know I am
    getting carried away. But those of you living outside of
    London, don’t know the local garbage we indigenous
    Londoners have to put with four times a day. Yes I
    know one doesn’t have to watch it. But with a bottle of rum
    a picture on the wall of palm trees and some reggae
    playing in the background. I feel like I am watching a
    programme in Kingston Jamaica and not Kingston upon
    Thames!

       26 likes

  24. Jeff says:

    Things are looking a tad uncomfortable for William and Kate in Jamaica…

    Some quite hostile activists, given plenty of coverage by our friends at the BBC, want nothing more to do with Blighty…other than an apology for colonialism and the inevitable “reparations”…ahem…

    Looking on the bright side…could this possibly mean we might be able to ask those that emanate from this troublesome island to go home?

    Problems with drug gangs would certainly be eased, so would knife crime and our prison population would be greatly reduced.

    I’m beginning to like the sound of this…

       46 likes

    • Fedup2 says:

      Cut the taxpayer giveaway give away to the independent country of jamaica – smacks of the imperial ism they despise.

      And encourage jamaican passport holders to go home …

         26 likes

      • BRISSLES says:

        One image showed Katy attempting conversation with some woman of the Jamaican Rum Society (or something) sat next to her, and she promptly did a Miss Piggy snub ! Now tell me they’re civilised.

           27 likes

  25. Guest Who says:

    Thrilling.

       10 likes

  26. Docmarooned says:

    Where is Brussles?

       15 likes

  27. Eddy Booth says:

    Mariupol escape routes ‘blocked’

    As Russia blocks a humanitarian corridor out of Mariupol, we hear from one woman who managed to escape three days ago.
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w172xv5nm3sgrmm

    Bbc always blaming Russia for not letting civilians leave Mariupol.
    This video claims it’s some of the Ukrainians..

    [video src="https://files.catbox.moe/5f3dkz.mp4" /]

       10 likes

  28. pugnazious says:

    ‘‘Basic facts of biology’: Boris Johnson enters the transgender debate

    This is the PM’s first significant intervention on whether men and women are self-identified genders or immutable biological categories’

    A significant statement on trans issues by Boris….and….the BBC seems to have totally ignored it….quite possibly because it doesn’t fit in with their pro-trans agenda….which is basically child abuse and grooming by trans lobbyists of very young and vulnerable children….it is ‘conversion therapy’ of children too young to know their own thoughts.

    Naturally whenever Starmer says anything on the issue he gets plenty of BBC coverage…as he claims ‘ “trans women are women”’….which they patently are not.

       26 likes

  29. Zephir says:

    Gelato shop worker unable to reach forward to scoop ice cream because she was pregnant wins £40,000 in discrimination case after her boss asked ‘what am I paying you for?’

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10644273/Gelato-shop-worker-wins-40-000-discrimination-case-boss-asked-paying-for.html

       11 likes

  30. Zephir says:

    Americas is also feeling enriched:

    Shocking moment screaming bus passenger refuses to move for three-time combat veteran, 96, who was trying get past in his wheelchair, before attacking another passenger

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10645705/Shocking-moment-screaming-female-bus-passenger-refuses-combat-veteran-97.html

       7 likes

  31. Zephir says:

    Remind me, how much are we paying these people again ?

    Angela Rayner ridiculed over Russia nuclear weapons claim

    ANGELA Rayner faced ridicule on social media after erroneously suggesting Russia had deployed “nuclear weapons” in the UK as she defended Labour’s response to the Salisbury attack.

    https://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/1584860/Angela-Rayner-news-Jeremy-Corbyn-nuclear-weapons-Russia-military-intervention-vn

       13 likes

    • Guest Who says:

      To be fair, in the engage mouth before brain stakes, she is over qualified in the former whilst lacking the latter.

      What is interesting is how politely the interviewer let it pass. Unusually for a profession keen on such things.

      Must be the training.

         13 likes

  32. Flotsam says:

    Ah! Angela Rayner the token Labour Corbynista woman.

       13 likes

    • Guest Who says:

      Then there is the Labour cubicle gardener.

         13 likes

      • Guest Who says:

        And the media core base…

           5 likes

        • Guest Who says:

          Cake boy is slathering on the whipped cream.

             3 likes

        • tarien says:

          Can we not ask as to why she is a single mother-did her husband/partnet die? As it takes two, why Is not the father of her children involved in helping the family he is in part responsible for? In todays world if this woman was not married, why did she become pregnant, when the controls to pregnancy are spread in abundance before all women. Perhaps and dare I say a little abstinance, self-restraint and less self indulgence should be exercised-too much to ask? Maybe it is in this self indulgent society.

             6 likes

      • MarkyMark says:

        Tulip Siddiq’s selective attacks on foreign leaders
        16 November 2021, 4:44pm
        https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/tulip-siddiq-s-selective-attacks-on-foreign-leaders

        In Bangladesh – under the rule of Siddiq’s aunt, Sheikh Hasina – hundreds of people have gone missing. The country has an appalling record when it comes to defending human rights: families who have tried to report their loved ones as missing have been told by police not to bother.

           5 likes

  33. Fedup2 says:

    Today watch
    The future king of Englandistan has blacked up again and taken the knee to say sorry about dead coloured folk being slaves .
    He also told the Jamaicans that they don’t need to live in englandistan and that windrush ship will take them back to Jamaica to be ‘independent ‘….

    The theme for the day is ‘not enough rishi ‘…. Every thing must be subsidised rishi – fuel must be free – together with food and housing . Amazon should be free and there should be a minimum wage for everyone whether they work or not ….

    I think the BBC is really worried about losing licence fees bigly …

    I caught some pundit on GBNews saying that too many people have become even more State Dependent because of the Lockdown – expecting The State to provide and tell them what to do – this -in my view – is added too by the likes of the BBC …

    In a good world – the less we hear of ( any )government or the BBC – the better …

       27 likes

    • Guest Who says:

         25 likes

    • tarien says:

      Those Jamacians should look back at their owm history of Slavery-far far worse than anything shown by those countries involved at that time, included Spain, Portugal, Italy, Holland and of course those Muslim countires all along North Africa. The Black tribes in Africa many hundreds of years ago often sold their own people into slavery to the Arab slave traders, this history needs to be learnt. In all the thousands of years the African did nothing to imporve their standard of living, invented or developed nothing worthwhile for their society’s, laziness and corruption being their way-only what they enjoy today is from the white man-they have through us become educated and from that many coloured/black people have succeeded. Good luck to them but stop using the slavery tog for the poor governance of the country you are now living in.

         5 likes

  34. Guest Who says:

    Either people don’t know, or the Indy has asked the wrong question .

    Maybe their enviro guy can pull an Amol too to achieve editorial glory?

       4 likes

  35. Zephir says:

    Gingrich slams Kamala Harris’ ‘rambling’ speeches in Louisiana, abroad: ‘Total humiliation’
    Gingrich advised Harris to never leave the Naval Observatory

    “The significance of the passage of time. So when you think about it, there is great significance to the passage of time in terms of what we need to do to lay these wires, what we need to do to create these jobs,” Harris said. “And there is such great significance to the passage of time when we think about a day in the life of our children.”

    a tenth staffer for the vice president left their job on Monday.

    Gingrich replied that Harris is one “strong reason” to pray for President Biden’s health.

    “You are reminded again today that that reason is the vice president. She’s not only totally incoherent — You know, he may or may not have cognitive decline problems at his age, but at her age, she’s just dumb,” he remarked.

    https://www.foxnews.com/media/gingrich-slams-kamala-harris-rambling-speech-louisiana-total-humiliation

       16 likes

    • Fedup2 says:

      Today watch

      Out of a sense of duty – I have listened to ‘today ‘ since 0600…at the time of writing there has been not a single word in favour of the budget statement yesterday .

      Don’t get me wrong – I think the red tories are well out of touch with reality – they are detached from ordinary people – you know – the ones she can’t claim expenses ….

      But somewhere there must be someone who supports what the tories are doing – and having an appreciation of both the effects of the Chinese virus and the world war ….

      But no – as I predicted the BBC is running an onslaught of unbalanced bias ….

      The off switch is coming …. I’m waiting for an item on increased mental health issues – if the normal person listens to the BBC long enough – say 90 minutes – mental health issues might well arise ….

         19 likes

      • Deborah says:

        Fedup, I am amazed you could manage so much of Today. Mind you, I watched the 6pm BBC1 news last night and there was 20 minutes attack on the budget/Conservatives. Constant going on about costs going up and living standards going down. They highlighted a family having to share a car to get their daughter to dance class, oh dear! People cannot expect standards to continuously climb or for other taxpayers to pay for them to be maintained. Perhaps someone needs to explain that to Faisal H.

           13 likes

  36. andyjsnape says:

    bBC does a “report” on the cost of living in Russia, suggesting this is due to Ukraine invasion
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-60856873

    auntie get out your bubble, the UK is facing rising costs, as are most countries

       10 likes

    • Guest Who says:

      Their political wonk has something about a cat.

      Sky has cash strapped trainers at Next for the fly footballer’s WAG.

      For those less blessed in the partner stakes, a typical media voter…

         5 likes

      • MarkyMark says:

        Barry Gardiner has an extra £500K he can loan you…..

        Name of donor: Christine Lee & Co
        Address of donor: 86 Holloway Head, Birmingham B1 1NB

        Amount of donation or nature and value if donation in kind: the services of a Parliamentary Researcher for 5 days per week from 12 March 2019 to 31 December 2019, value £32,625

        Date received: 12 March 2019 to 31 December 2019
        https://www.theyworkforyou.com/regmem/?p=10220

           5 likes

      • tarien says:

        Is there a father to those children, if there is then what is he doing to help his family? Back in the 1970’s my wife and I had to struggle with three children, but we were married and worked together to ensure we could manage our everyday costs-yes it did need my wife to work even though part time the bills nevertheless were met. I just cannot understand why there should be so many, often young single mothers? It takes two so the other half should be made to cough up and take responsibility, and with the availability of contraception items, there really should be no excuse, however naive that may sound it needs to be adressed at school, in the home and by the wider society. Maybe not an issue considered by we have a world over populated, we have a country the UK with already 80 million people, also becomming unsustainable very quickly.

           10 likes

  37. Up2snuff says:

    TOADY Watch #1 – I have switched off in disgust but may listen at 8.10 a.m.

    The BBC are doing the Labour Party thing this morning by choosing to represent yesterday’s Spring Treasury Statement (wish we could go back to a proper Budget in February) as being favourable for middle and high earners and the wealthy. You deceivers, BBC! You deceive us, BBC!!

    The media, especially the BBC, have been campaigning against the NI increase for months. Why?

    Because anyone earning over £50,000 pays the most. Those on Minimum Wage pay much less from 1 April when the increase to NI is applied.

    The BBC are representing the Fuel Duty cut as being on petrol and benefitting the private motorist. Why? Because that is a Labour Party myth that only the wealthy drive cars. The Fuel Duty cut also applies to diesel and as anyone with a brain knows, the price of diesel affects bus and train fares and the price of everything in the shops.

    You know you cannot trust the BBC.

       23 likes

    • theisland says:

      I assume they are just parroting Blair.

         3 likes

      • Up2snuff says:

        ti, plus shades of corbyn. I wish a ‘full tax to the hilt Labour Government’ on the BBC just to give them a flavour of the second half of the 1960s. Trouble is, we know that would lead to even greater inflation whereupon the ‘tax to the hilt Labour Government’ would be blackmailed by the BBC into giving the BBC massive increases in the Licence Fee a.k.a. TellyTax just so the BBC could pay BBC Executives, Editors and presenters even more eye-watering salaries than at present.

        Hopefully, as people on low incomes look long and hard at their household budgets they will cut an unnecessary £159 from their expenditure. At current rates, next month I will see the anniversary of my saving £2,703 of non-essential spending on the TellyTax.

           3 likes

  38. MarkyMark says:

    650 MPS to go on minimum wage to show it is possible. Jacob Rees Mogg says bring it on. David Lammy gets out his £650 bike paid on expenses. Corbyn says he is proud to get paid something for doing nothing.

       9 likes

  39. Zephir says:

    Diss Kamala heah,

    Der CIA or somfink tol’ me peeple on heah sayin’ I iss fick.

    Ah juss tell you all how you fink I get dis possishun yeah ?

    An’ donchu dare say is wass lying on my back wif my legs in the air.

    Cos today I iss handin’ out lollips and ass woppings and I iss fresh out of lollipops. yo catchin’ ma drift ?

    I come over dere on big white bird an’ punch you in der mouf. Dass tellin’ you.

    Now I gotta go, dat goddam Presiden’ shit his pants again.

       9 likes

  40. MarkyMark says:

    Burn your Bras to end the patriarchy and keep warm this winter.

       2 likes

  41. AsISeeIt says:

    In those rare moments of candour, when BBC journalists admit to having a certain left-leaning political slant, they will tend to justify their privileged tax-funded media position as a necessary counter-balance to the notion of a supposed monolithic institution they term The Tory Press.

    Let’s see if that exists with reference to this morning’s national daily frontpages. Arranged, in the order that the BBC’s very own online news press round up presents them.

    We’ll take the budget headline responses and attempt to discern what message lies behind them.

    We kick off with the Financial Times. One might expect cold-hearted market analysis from the paper where only the pages would be expected to be pinko.

    Sunak banks windfall for pre-election tax cut as cost of living crisis hits home‘ – there’s a certain amount of political cynicism on the part of the Tories being called out here – but one might say the report is factual. By the way, a true conservative is supposed to believe tax cutting to be the route to general prosperity – not some pre-election sweetener granted by big government.

    The prominent FT opinion piece, headlined just below the mast head, socks it to the Tories good and strong as though this were the bleeding-heart Guardian: ‘Help was targeted at potential Tory voters while the poorest were largely neglected‘ – so says Robert Shrimsley.

    We have to scan down through the FT’s big frontpage to a second bullet point in a list of bullet points on the Spring statement to read a comment expressesing business opinion – which one would have imagined was the FT’s main brief: ‘Promises of tax cuts and R&D credits reform did not impress business which attacked a “jam tomorrow” package‘ – one might diagnose this rather complacent private sector response as due to the present huge extent of corporate collaboration in crony contracts with big government.

    To the Express where we expect a strong culture of lower-middle class patriotic conservatism: ‘William takes firm stance on slavery‘ – rather an approving tone for the culturally cringing Royal virtue signal there; and on the budget: ‘The forgotten millions say: what about us?

    The Daily Express there channelling Michael Jackson’s Earth Song:

    Did you ever stop to notice
    All the children dead from war?
    Did you ever stop to notice
    This crying Earth, these weeping shores?

    What about animals?
    (What about it?)
    We’ve turned kingdoms to dust
    (What about us?)
    What about elephants?
    (What about us?)
    Have we lost their trust
    ” – excuse me a moment, while I concentrate on not regurgitating my corn flakes….

    The Guardian, obvious media bubble-dwellers beside their mates at the Beeb: ‘At the food bank. “It’s as if the government live in a bubble” The main headline is explicit: ‘Cost of living squeeze: and Sunak squeezes poorest‘ – it isn’t clearly explained quite how Rishi bashed the poor specifically, other than we deduce the economic fall out of Lockdowns and Sanctions – which by the way the Gruan has cheered on – crashed the economy and now the Chancellor is expected somehow to reverse the adverse economic tide out of the self-inflicted nose dive?

    To the Labour-supporting Daily Mirror – “The Heart of Britain“: ‘William on the evil of slavery‘; ‘Sunak’s sickner‘; ‘Thanks for nothing‘ – no further comment required.

    To the culturally leftist ‘i’ newspaper with pretentions of neutrality: ‘Biggest hit to living standards since age of rationing‘; ‘The male contraceptive pill. Human trials begin this year‘ – that ought to help reduce certain superfluous populations. One tries to steer clear of conspiracy theories – although perhaps today’s conspiracy nuts are just ahead of the curve – ref – The Chinese lab leak, the Hunter Biden laptop; the anti-Trump trumped up Russian dossier, etc, etc.

    Of course there isn’t some sinister technocratic globalist elite clique planning to wipe most of us out while they live forever: ‘Happy birthday, 150 years young. Living much longer may be within our grasp‘ (‘i’)

    The formerly patriotic, intermittently Tory Times shows us a pic of a grumpy-looking, perhaps rather constipated, Boris (what’s Carrie feeding him?) beside Rishi on the front bench, with a very down beat headline: ‘Biggest fall in living standards since 1950s‘ – the Times has basically the same take as the ‘i’.

    The Daily Mail at least takes up the cause of supposed conservative economic strategy – apparently forgotten by big government Rishi: ‘Now slash taxes even further‘ – culturally the Mail is Femail flavoured: ‘My wife divorced me for leaving dirty dishes in the sink – and she was RIGHT!… Author Matthew Fray’s new book This Is How Your Marriage Ends is out on April 7‘ – oddly enough, this is old news: ‘She Divorced Me Because I Left Dishes By The Sink‘ (Huff Post, January 2016 By Matthew Fray, Contributor)

    One notes the transatlantic shift in prepositions from “by the sink” to “in the sink” – interesting.

    The givaway freebie Metro instictively expected freebie giveaways from the budget: ‘No heat to eat

    The Telegraph acts as a form of paper of record: ‘“The biggest fall in living standards on record”‘ – not sure why the scare quotes are there. Can we just remind ourselves of the Lockdowns?

    The comicly-minded Daily Star goes with the snappy caption: ‘The up yours mini budget‘ and the pic of Rishi gets one of those comic glints of sunlight on his teeth – but we do like this: ‘How cost of living crisis is NOT the fault of absolutely anybody AT ALL in government‘ – Lockdowns, Sanctions.

    The Sun obsesses about football: ‘Putin the boot in. Mad Vlad challenges us for Euros‘ – perhaps football will be coming home – again – although one worries that UEFA/FIFA would dearly love to take the bribe on offer for a Moscow-based tournament.

    So tell me where’s this legendary Tory Press?

       14 likes

    • Thoughtful says:

      Well I could ask where is the historical Tory party of Margaret Thatcher, but it has become Blue Labour with Tax rates now as high as they were under the post war Labour government.

      Immigration at enormous levels, out of control government spending Woke stupidity everywhere you look.

      This is not a conservative government and its no surprise the press has turned on them.

         11 likes

      • Up2snuff says:

        Thoughtful, actually I think tax rates – or rather the overall tax burden – was as high in the mid-1980s. I recall it was just over 50% for a while and Margaret Thatcher had been in power for six years and was really starting to get exercised about it. The PM and her then Chancellor, Nigel Lawson, struggled to get the overall tax burden down and did succeed for a while until Maggie sabotaged one of the Budgets towards the end of her time in office by insisting more money (which wasn’t available) went to the NHS. Thus we were plunged into an unnecessary stagnation that John Major managed to turn into a full recession. The total tax burden in the UK has always been high since the 1930s when Income Tax was introduced for ‘ordinary people’. Previously it had only been paid by higher earners and the ‘landed gentry’.

           4 likes

    • tarien says:

      Understand that the Chancellor is controlled by the World Monetary Fund and the Federal Reserve-he has to get their approval before he can make any inroads into tax reductions. It is all smoke and mirrors as far as Westminster is involved-very big financial institutions control the world and its going forward or its going backwards, but the main business is of control and in the last 2/3 years we have seen plenty of it,

         6 likes

  42. MarkyMark says:

    Prince William to say sorry for letting 1400+ loyal subjects being raped over 16 years in 1 town and doing nothing to stop or report it.

    295152?crop=16_9&width=660&relax=1&signature=Ir24Nstaxm3nw-M_oMjwFm360hQ=

       11 likes

    • Guest Who says:

      These media puppets appear to be getting into balmier and balmier water the more they allow their every move and utterance to be governed by juvenile staff hired because they know juvenile journalists.

      Weirdly, from the Future Kink to Heels Up, their expressions reveal they are aware of it.

         3 likes

    • tarien says:

      What town is he talking about?

         2 likes

  43. MarkyMark says:

    For Mr. Qasim Rashid Islam is the cure, not the problem … “How the teachings of Islam could help us prevent more sexual abuse scandals” {independent 15oct2017}
    https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/harvey-weinstein-islam-sexual-assault-rape-womens-rights-a8001521.html

    The United Nations has called on Saudi Arabia to repeal laws that allow stoning, amputation, flogging and execution of children.

    Children over 15 years are tried as adults and can be executed, “after trials falling short of guarantees of due process and a fair trial”, according to the report by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child.
    https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/saudi-arabia-stoning-un-children-united-nations-a7349861.html

       2 likes

  44. MarkyMark says:

    Prince Andrew to buy new house … “Jeffrey Epstein’s private islands put up for sale
    Published4 hours ago”
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-60856925

       0 likes

  45. digg says:

    BBC, Guardian and Independent all gnashing their teeth that Prince William said Sorrow instead of Sorry to the Jamaicans for slavery.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-60856763

    Dymond at the BBC picks over the words forensically to wring the last vestiges of blame he can lay on William and the West.

    Sickening pantomime.

    Should whip up a bit more black fury I guess so job done.

    I wonder who exactly should say sorry to who over the millions of white folks butchered in Europe between 1914 and 1918 and 1939 and 1945?

       12 likes

  46. MarkyMark says:

    We are all in it together …

    Heavily subsidised bar prices in the House of Commons left people pining for a career in politics today after the drinks list went viral on social media.

    With a pint of Stella costing just £3.60 and a John Smith’s coming in at £2.60 it is easily the cheapest place to drink in central London, with many local Westminster establishments charging double that price.

    Elsewhere MPs can also tuck into a British leek and potato soup for a pound and a penny in the Terrace Cafeteria and enjoy a three course meal of soup, steak and cheese for just over £15 in the Members’ Dining Room.
    https://www.thelondoneconomic.com/politics/people-cant-believe-how-cheap-the-house-of-commons-bar-is-203604/
    1e3c3a21-img-20200929-wa0000-1.jpg

       4 likes

  47. MarkyMark says:

    We are ALL EQUAL, some more equal (cheaper) than others …

    Subsidies
    According to the latest stats taxpayers stumped up £57,000 a week to subsidise food and drink for politicians across both houses.

    In the House of Commons the public had to find £1.7 million to fund MPs, their staff and guests in bars, canteens and restaurants.

    The Terrace Cafeteria received a £646,000 subsidy, while the Peers’ Dining Room in the House of Lords was propped up by some £779,257 – leading to Liberal Democrat peer Lord Tyler to describe it as the “best day care centre for the elderly in London”.

    10pm curfew
    The government was forced into another embarrassing U-turn yesterday after it was revealed Houses of Parliament bars were exempt from the new 10pm curfew.

    https://www.thelondoneconomic.com/politics/people-cant-believe-how-cheap-the-house-of-commons-bar-is-203604/

       1 likes

  48. MarkyMark says:

    Samantha Cameron …. “Mrs Cameron said she was striving for diversity in Cefinn’s workforce “and not just ethnic diversity – we have one man so I would quite like more men.”

    She has continued to work on her collections while in lockdown at the family’s home in Oxfordshire, and said that she had been “incredibly lucky” to have a husband who took charge of mealtimes.

    “I haven’t had to think about cooking or shopping for food. But I have done a lot of washing up,” she said.”
    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/06/26/samantha-cameron-chinese-factories-can-better-british-sweat/

       2 likes

  49. Thoughtful says:

    A video posted not so much for its content, which is of course interesting, but more for its general tone of the way the West is going and how people are now preparing to simply leave.

       5 likes

  50. BRISSLES says:

    Here we go again. Another Budget, and another round of armchair Chancellors and Accountants. Listening to the likes of Beff, she imagines by her reports that she could do his job ! “he hasn’t done this, he should have done that”.

    One assumes there are highly qualified accountants in the Chancellors office who fine tooth comb all that’s possible and impossible – regardless of who is in power, and the Chancellor signs it off. Anyone with half a brain should realise that billions were spent on paying furloughs during the pandemic, so this has to be repaid. Yet all the channels are concentrating on the ‘poor’ of the community – yes we all have to suck up the fact that energy prices have rocketed – my bill has just arrived and from the December to March its increased by about £130 ! but I don’t expect “the Government” to help pay for it because its us – the taxpayer – who pays, not ‘the Government’ !

       13 likes