[Tubby Isaacs]

Shambles.

Sunak knows lots of his MPs hate the smoking ban and has identified a good issue for Reform. That's his prerogative, but you don't then stick it on the list of things you've done.

[Tubby Isaacs]

And "fully funded increase of defence budget" is utter bollocks.

[satnav]

Apparently when Sunak visited a company in Derby he was questioned by a bloke wearing an Hi Viz jacket pretending to be an employee, the bloke is actually a Tory councillor from Leicestershire who lists his occupation as dentist.

[Malcolm Armsteen]

Apparently when Sunak visited a company in Derby he was questioned by a bloke wearing an Hi Viz jacket pretending to be an employee, the bloke is actually a Tory councillor from Leicestershire who lists his occupation as dentist.

Two of them, according to Byline Times.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Yep, on Channel 4 News now.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Sunak just lying his arse off about "illegal migration" (asylum), Labour's "amnesty" (ie process people we can't get rid of). "deterrent" (it isn't) and other European countries doing what we're doing (they aren't).

[kreuzberger]

I reckon that this is going to be the underlying news story of the election; not how much sly, deceitful, and fraudulent activity the tories engage in. Rather, whether mainstream outlets actually report it.

I got my silver swimming sastificite, so I know that holding your breath for six weeks is quite a challenge.

[The Weeping Angel]

[Tubby Isaacs]

I reckon that this is going to be the underlying news story of the election; not how much sly, deceitful, and fraudulent activity the tories engage in. Rather, whether mainstream outlets actually report it.

I got my silver swimming sastificite, so I know that holding your breath for six weeks is quite a challenge.

Yeah. If they can get away with that with Gary Gibbon, what's it going to be like with Laura K?

Gibbon had a couple of points about political strategy he was trying to nail Sunak on and took his eye off the ball.

[mattomac]

Victoria Derbyshire seems to so far be enjoying herself to be fair.

[davidjay]

Victoria Derbyshire seems to so far be enjoying herself to be fair.

To be even more fair, so am I so far.

[Bones McCoy]

Victoria Derbyshire seems to so far be enjoying herself to be fair.

This is her time.

Classy fact checking journo* in an election with a governing party of dissemblers.

* Damn few remain.

She could emerge as the star turn of the campaign, provided she isn't grounded a la Myska.

[Youngian]

Victoria Derbyshire seems to so far be enjoying herself to be fair.

Indeed
https://x.com/carolvorders/status/17937 ... Dkr8MiQKBg

[Tubby Isaacs]

Master strategiist. But hey, he caught Labour on the hop, or something.

[satnav]

It is interesting that Rishi broke his promise on that piece of legislation but the House of Lords spent hours passing the Media Bill which greatly helps the media barons.

Media Bill passed protecting public service broadcasters and repealing Section 40
Passing of the Media Bill means threat of Government-backed press regulation has now lifted.

https://pressgazette.co.uk/publishers/b ... ll-passed/

[Spoonman]

It is interesting that Rishi broke his promise on that piece of legislation but the House of Lords spent hours passing the Media Bill which greatly helps the media barons.

Media Bill passed protecting public service broadcasters and repealing Section 40
Passing of the Media Bill means threat of Government-backed press regulation has now lifted.

https://pressgazette.co.uk/publishers/b ... ll-passed/

One interesting tidbit with the Media bill is that it massively blows open the ability of foreign radio stations to operate in the UK. While it's expected to allow the likes of RTÉ to get access to UK DAB capacity to serve parts of NI & Irish immigrant communities in parts of GB, if you turned the clock back say three years ago you could also have been looking at Sputnik Radio looking to get on the airwaves here. Worth noting this bill was generally supported by Labour as well, so had cross-party support.

[Spoonman]

Meanwhile in Belfast...

[Bones McCoy]

Meanwhile in Belfast...

It's all a bit "Four Seasons" innit!

[Spoonman]

Meanwhile in Belfast...

It's all a bit "Four Seasons" innit!

First thing that struck me.

[Yug]

Putting election fever to one side, about this country we're supposed to be sending vulnerable people to, the one wor Ricky insists is safe...

The Rwandan government has barred a senior human rights researcher from entering the country, prompting accusations that officials are seeking to dodge independent scrutiny just weeks before the UK government is due to send asylum seekers there for the first time.

Rwandan immigration authorities denied entry to Clementine de Montjoye, a senior researcher in Human Rights Watch’s Africa division, when she arrived at Kigali International Airport on 13 May.

The east African government has defended its actions by accusing Human Rights Watch (HRW), which works in more than 90 countries, of fabricating its research...

https://amp.theguardian.com/world/artic ... researcher

What are they trying to hide?