[Tubby Isaacs]

Sunak could easily be doing a Truss and going after wingnut welfare. Kemi seems to be doing that while still the actual LOTO which is novel.

[Bones McCoy]

I'm amazed to see that poll.
I simply assumed that any talk of deployment would go down like a lead balloon.

Maybe the public are so anti Putin that even an unpopular policy will be tolerated.

It also highlights that Reform are truly the party of Chamberlain.

[Youngian]

It also highlights that Reform are truly the party of Chamberlain

More like Corbyn speaking the language of peace and diplomacy while broadly sympathetic to whatever anti Western forces are on the other side. A slightly more subtle approach than George Galloway who just backs the other side.

[davidjay]

I would say they're more the party of Mosley.

[The Weeping Angel]

Austerity latest.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckgdwvw392wo

Museums, theatres and other cultural venues in England are to receive £270m funding to stay afloat and fix their crumbling buildings, the government has said.

The money will go to attractions "in urgent need of financial support to keep them up and running, carry out vital infrastructure work and improve long term financial resilience", according to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

It comes after warnings, external that museums in places such as Derby, Birmingham and Hampshire "face a perilous financial position" with the "imminent threat of sale of collections or closure".

Core funding for UK arts and cultural organisations fell by 18% between 2010 and 2023.

The money announced on Thursday includes a pot worth £120m, which will be available to 17 major institutions such as the British Museum, National Gallery and National Museums Liverpool, which all get their regular annual funding from the DCMS.

Those venues will also receive a 5% increase in their annual grants, worth more than £15m.

[Andy McDandy]

Wasting money on larks and parks while they could be cutting taxes.

Greedy bastards don't care about culture, especially if it's available to the masses.

[The Weeping Angel]

Scandal!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5y ... _P3i7nIjhQ

Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds is facing calls to resign after he was accused of falsely claiming to be a solicitor on his online CV.

Reynolds has previously said he worked as a solicitor at a law firm in Manchester before becoming an MP but he had quit his legal training to run for Parliament in 2010 and never qualified.

The Conservatives and Reform UK have both called for Reynolds to step down from his cabinet role.

The cabinet minister had been described as a solicitor on his LinkedIn profile but the BBC has been told this was an "administrative error" that has been corrected.

The updated profile says Reynolds was a "trainee solicitor" at the Manchester branch of the Addleshaw Goddard law firm between August 2009 and May 2010.

[Malcolm Armsteen]

George 'Ian Dunkin' Smith, anyone?

[Youngian]

Scandal!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5y ... _P3i7nIjhQ

Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds is facing calls to resign after he was accused of falsely claiming to be a solicitor on his online CV.

Reynolds has previously said he worked as a solicitor at a law firm in Manchester before becoming an MP but he had quit his legal training to run for Parliament in 2010 and never qualified.

The Conservatives and Reform UK have both called for Reynolds to step down from his cabinet role.

The cabinet minister had been described as a solicitor on his LinkedIn profile but the BBC has been told this was an "administrative error" that has been corrected.

The updated profile says Reynolds was a "trainee solicitor" at the Manchester branch of the Addleshaw Goddard law firm between August 2009 and May 2010.

[Crabcakes]

Fantastic news. I had hoped that the hiking out was for some sort of negotiation reason, and it seems it was. But this is the start of the slow move back and will lead to economic boosts as well. And a sign Starmer is aware that - for the forseeable future - the UK is best served getting closer to the EU.

[Abernathy]

I find the prospect that a combination of Trump 2.0 and the continuing damage suffered by the UK courtesy of the Brexit con job potentially resulting in the UK finally abandoning the chimera of the "special relationship" between the UK and the USA, and recognising at long last that our country's best interests are served by a close relationship with European partners, specifically the EU., to be an interesting/exciting one. I hope it may precipitate a reinstatement of the UK's EU membership.

The president of the USA is advocating for the megalomaniacal territorial ambitions of a Russian dictator that has sent assassins to the UK to murder UK citizens and Russian exiles, whose bot farms have actively interfered in a crucial UK referendum and continue to seek to interfere in UK elections. How can the UK continue to regard the USA as an ally ?

[Oboogie]

the UK finally abandoning the chimera of the "special relationship" between the UK and the USA,

What does that mean?
What specifically would you like Starmer to do or say to demonstrate the end of this relationship and what result are you anticipating?

[Youngian]

As Trump wants a transactional relationship how about MI6 starts charging for any info. they receive about terrorists attacks on America?
How about extending Russian asset seizures to Trump's golf courses and hotels? The man's made it plain where he now stands.

Did I hear Lammy going on about being a bridge between Europe and US, again? Pease stop with this self regarding twaddle it's painful listening.

[Oboogie]

As Trump wants a transactional relationship how about MI6 starts charging for any info. they receive about terrorists attacks on America?
How about extending Russian asset seizures to Trump's golf courses and hotels? The man's made it plain where he now stands.

How about USAF bases in the UK, should we slap them with eviction notices?
Surely we shouldn't be sharing intelligence with Putin's allies at any price?
What about trade, are tariffs enough or should there be embargoes?
And what about other US business assets in the UK should they be sanctioned/closed/expelled?
Whatever the moves, there's going to be an economic impact which will require careful planning on how to sell theses changes to the electorate.

[Abernathy]

the UK finally abandoning the chimera of the "special relationship" between the UK and the USA,

What does that mean?
What specifically would you like Starmer to do or say to demonstrate the end of this relationship and what result are you anticipating?

Simply recognition that “the special relationship”, if it ever existed, is a dead duck in the Trump era. Not expecting or wanting Starmer to do or say anything in particular other than handle matters with the tact and diplomacy that Trump so manifestly lacks. I can’t see how the UK can be the USA’s “bridge to Europe” with Trump slapping tariffs on us and siding overtly with a murderous Russian dictator. Ideally, as I said, a more immediate accelerstion towards the reversal of Brexit is devoutly to be desired.

[Oboogie]

Simply recognition that “the special relationship”, if it ever existed, is a dead duck in the Trump era.

I don't think it ever existed, which is why I was puzzled as to how one goes about abandoning something which doesn't exist. I agree there's no action required although whether the Tory media will agree is another matter.

Edited to add an omitted word.

[Abernathy]

I agree that the alleged “special relationship” has probably never existed, though you will find those prepared to argue that Thatcher/Reagan and Blair/GW Bush prove that it did.

[Tubby Isaacs]

"Say the special relationship is over" is like "say Brexit is a failure". What's the point, even politically? Ed Davey or whoever is always going to outbid you on it.

What's happening is a lot of work is being done on getting closer to Europe, and even the visit to Trump is now a joint visit with Macron.

[The Weeping Angel]

Scandal!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5y ... _P3i7nIjhQ

Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds is facing calls to resign after he was accused of falsely claiming to be a solicitor on his online CV.

Reynolds has previously said he worked as a solicitor at a law firm in Manchester before becoming an MP but he had quit his legal training to run for Parliament in 2010 and never qualified.

The Conservatives and Reform UK have both called for Reynolds to step down from his cabinet role.

The cabinet minister had been described as a solicitor on his LinkedIn profile but the BBC has been told this was an "administrative error" that has been corrected.

The updated profile says Reynolds was a "trainee solicitor" at the Manchester branch of the Addleshaw Goddard law firm between August 2009 and May 2010.

Guardian are saying they're reinvestigating this based on further information.

[Youngian]

US has about half a dozen special relationships like a gigilo keeping his clients sweet. The phrase has been attached to Canada, Mexico, Japan, Ireland, Germany and Italy. “Hey London, my favourite town.” “Hey Monterrey, my fav…”