The Westminster Arms

Sounds about right to me Saucery

Politicians are fair game. Crossing the line when we talk about each other is not on @Saucery . And MNHQ ultimately decides where the line is. This being their gaff.

Not back bench but I think we can pretty much guarantee it's not Long-Bailey

Realise I may be in a minority of one but I like RLB. Doesn't take herself too seriously and stands by her convictions even if I don't agree with lots of them. She also seems prepared to listen to other points of view but that may be more perception than reality. In contrast Lisa Nandy can be guilty of paying lipservice so eg supporting Brexit as long as it could be engineered such that it wasn't actually Brexit.

Now you've all contrasted Sir Keir with John Major I'm wondering who his backbench paramour is?

Well, Jo Swinson was known as Head Girl Jo on the Brexit Arms threads because of her bossy lecturing manner, Saucery, and no one got deleted for it...

Are there any guidelines against saying RLB looks (and sounds) like the girl at secondary school whose self esteem was so low she had to be an absolute bully to everyone around her, particularly those who were more intelligent (and that was the majority).
Which is a niche and personal reason to dislike her, I know

Lord above, Silvery, the number of times I've wished for a one-minute edit feature for my posts...

I had never ever heard of this type of Cointreau! No way am I telling Mr Lily. He'd hunt it down for his collection of spirits and liqueurs. It already needs its own postcode.

Picture:

Agree Saucery

Picture for AutumnRose:

This is shocking news hospitality I shall have to cook my own but since I'm the fussiest eater in the world, that's probably a good thing. I don't want to upset Lily by turning my nose up at her offerings. I haven't watched the Lineker debacle, figured once seen it would be impossible to unsee.

Point taken Lily I did think about that just after I pressed Post. We need an edit function on here, even if for 1 minute after posting. Your dinner on 31 sounds fab.

If I'd known Dom was going to be round later to install the new coffee machine, I'd have worn something a bit smarter than this old thing.

There's no dress code specified for this do, Hospitality, but the venue is smart and so is the menu. Xing would be pleased; big emphasis on foods sourced from the West Country. I don't really like dressing up so I've got two good dresses - one summery, one wintery - and they are suitable for weddings, funerals, posh dos, the lot. Xing would be less impressed with that but I call them my Princess Anne dresses because she recycles old favourites and doesn't care.

31 January is important to me for many reasons but a significant one is that it stops the argument once and for all and allows us to just move on. This country is facing many challenges and has some running sores that affect people's daily lives but they were crowded out on the political bandwidth because of Brexit. It also means we have to face up to serious questions about what kind of a country we want to be and how we intend to get there. It won't be all sunny uplands but it won't be Armageddon either. What it will be is a UK finding UK-centred solutions to UK-specific problems while developing its own position and relationship with the wider world. And it will all take time.

Hi Autumn, Saucery, Limer and Howabout - glad you found us!

Silvery, RLB's stance on TWAW is a fair point for a pub like this based on non-partisan political discussion but could I just point out that FWR topics like this have special MN Talk Guidelines and even seasoned contributors like LangCleg find navigating those guidelines tricky. I'd be tempted to look for a separate thread about that. I've no doubt there's one already running. Just trying to help
*
Snippy*

Yes monthly might be possible. Putin does it once a year but for 4 hours.

When you come back to a thread via the last post and realise you need to scroll back a bit

Just watched last night's Andrew Neil with Emily T. She comes over as an old-fashioned hectoring schoolmistress - no way will she win the leadership.

I'm genuinely worried about the new virus - will be doing plenty of hand washing, I read it's the best way to minimise contamination by viruses.

Dinner's off Silvery. Lily can't be arsed decided it wasn't worthwhile. I blame Gary Lineker and his on-pitch debacle.

Hello lovelies!

I have not been on the politics world at all last couple of days so will catch up.

Also never heard of blood orange Cointreau!

But will buy for whoever wants!

On an individual level I didn’t like her and still don’t, so her saying TWAW doesn’t make any difference apart from reinforcing the impression that the Labour Party Line is that ‘TWAW So Shut Up Natal Women’.

Afternoon everyone. Drags crate of blood orange Cointreau under my chair for after dinner.

The People's PMQs is a good idea and agree that monthly is more tenable and that Ministers could take questions on their Departments.

It has worked out rather well for Boris. Although I was never a fan and didn't vote for him in the leadership election, I think he's doing well. Of course, Theresa May was rather hamstrung by the lack of a majority and it made her job infinitely more difficult.

Just looking at the BBC news website - apparently Long-Bailey has said that trans women are women - how is that going to impact on her support, if at all, do you think?

Hi all. Finally found you and caught up.

Still laughing at Ian on his bucket. I was over the Tay and the Forth Bridge yesterday but after googlemaps recommended an hour of hell on the M8 it will be some time before I recover sufficiently to go out towards the Skye Bridge in search of Oor Ian. Almost had my heid in a bucket to recover for most of the evening yesterday.

Just backtracking a bit on language and Sanpro in schools and Unis. Both my teenage DDs have friends who need Sanpro with either male or non-specific preferred pronouns. Any use of language which gives late teens the space to ask for Sanpro without embarrassment and without feeling the need to stand on their principles is better imo.

Loved Boris and Dylan accepting their Speccy Award.

Oh, Ommm, thanks for that. Yes monthly might be possible. Putin does it once a year but for 4 hours.

Afternoon folks! I’ve had a hectic couple of weeks working, but that will now see me through until about Easter so I’m once again a temporary lady of leisure

Podcasts – I’m a frequent user of BBC Sounds, I subscribe to various programmes and then listen when convenient.

Mrs Trellis – I went to the new ISIHAC live show last week, it was fantastic!

31st Jan – we're definitely celebrating, but quietly at home! I have a family member’s birthday that day, he’s a remainer

And hello, nice new gaff, btw, everybody

ommmmward I’ve always thought that! The whole Brexit thing needed to play out, with people getting out of their system all the protests and legal challenges etc.
Any PM in that period was going to get chewed up and spat out and Johnson never wanted to be that PM.

omm I think many of us have an over-developed level of cynicism due to all the political chicanery the last few years.

I think the people's pmqs is monthly. I certainly came across it in the autumn. Weekly definitely wouldn't sustain; monthly might.

Posted too soon.

Wait for chaos to descend, then ride in (preferably like cowboys, shooting at the saloon bar doors and wearing lots of well worn leather) to save the day (or "save the day", depending on one's point of view)

You're right, bear, we shouldn't derail. (Mea culpa!) I wanted to give you my take on that question, just in case it was helpful to you.

There's a part of me - I don't know whether it's cynical, or filled with classicdmitri expectations or what - that wonders whether Johnson and Gove conspired at that take-boris-out moment. Leave the glass cliff vacancy to be filled by Leadsom or May. Wait for things to shake down, while planning like crazy for the take over.