Thread 21 Starmer - Casting Nasturtiums

[DuncinToffee]

Previous thread https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/5298316-thread-20-starmer-spring-statement?page=40&reply=143217222

Respectful and supportive discussion of things political and beyond

Cat, dog, flowers, haberdashery tax most welcome

Thanks for new thread, cat and chicken tax paid, my Bengal cross seems to think he needs a good vantage point to watch out for any intruders.

They are lovely, I have a “cheese lover” one I’m rather fond of weepy Keith.
another who fears Trump will continue as long as he is alive, the seeds are being sown.

Bengals love being up high above all things!

Did someone say there's a new thread?

Ed Davey has launched the Lib Dem local election campaign, targeting certain Tory held councils.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cdxn6x39qyxo

I heard him being interviewed on Radio 5 Live. He sounded pretty upbeat!

I think this might be the first time his party has had such an open goal to aim for.

Probably excited at the prospect of more bungee jumping / paddle boarding / whatever other fun activities the LD publicity folk have dreamt up.

https://bylinetimes.com/2025/04/01/farage-celebrates-securing-clacton-free-port-coup-as-part-of-us-uk-trade-deal/

Farage Celebrates Securing Clacton ‘Free Port’ Coup as Part of US-UK Trade Deal

True purpose of the Reform Leader’s visits to Washington revealed as Trump-backed plans to transform the Essex coastline into the ’51st State’ are unveile

(Mind you, don’t let Trump see that)

Ben Houchen would be taking notes 😂

If it means we get rid of Farage it might be worth losing Clacton🤣

🤣

I sent it to DH. Laughing emoji with the link. He asked whether it was parody or genuinely naive. Bless.

I've heard less plausible reasons for him being in the States so much 🤣🤣
’Putting Clacton on the world stage’ for example….

Argh, ya got me. 😝

IvorMaditup at La Fir Polo - big clue there.

"The Essex coastline between Harwich and Jaywick sits in a prime geopolitical and stratgetic hotspot known as the ' candyfloss rim' one aide told The Quatsch, “and since the time of Henry VIII, it’s been said that ‘they who control Walton-on-the-Naze, control the North Sea’. So, it makes strategic as well as economic sense for America to take out a lease on the region.”

Marvellous.

I didn't spot La Fir Polo at first.

Badenoch gave a speech today, (no, Isa Yoke didn't write it), she was castigating what she calls the “economic vandalism” of Labour and the NI rise - but she’s still not explicitly said that the Conservatives would reverse it.

https://bsky.app/profile/peterwalker99.bsky.social/post/3llqnvz2z2s2m

She probably is just complaining they haven't gone far enough!

Great comms on local labour SM pages.

picture of a plane saying they’ve returned 24,000 not entities to be in U.K. with the blurb with the picture saying how they’ve actually done more than Braverman did as Home Secretary as she just basically said stuff!

BBC factcheck reckons that a lot of those people returned themselves.

Very very few measures that any opposition ever get reversed when they attain power.

In fact, the rule is nothing gets reversed unless (like Rwanda) it is explicitly promised in the manifesto.

My guess is this is an unwritten rule - probably heavily enforced by the civil service - that ensures generally the UK remains as stable as possible.

So in return a good rule of thumb is to ignore any and all bellyaching from oppositions that do not provide their solution to the "problems" they highlight.

Apparently that's unfair though.