Thread 33 Starmer - Gerst Monath

[DuncinToffee]

Pull up a chair for some friendly chit chat about politics and beyond

Taxes optional but greatly appreciated.

Previous thread

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/5405579-thread-32-starmer-corn-moon?page=40&reply=147167011

Any Forteans around ?

We haven't had a Bogus Social Worker scare revived yet, with immigrants.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phantom_social_workers

Remember: you read it here first 😀

Its a different grips but I was shocked when they cancelled hard talk. Its such a good programme. And an example of what the BBC can do well compared to the alternatives. There are already loads of "chatty" interview style podcasts. Hardtalk was such a good example of laser focused, well researched "difficult" interviews we need more of and they binned it.🙁

You reckon Manny did it? He's a good boy.

Or just modelling himself of the orange one!

I wonder now if there’s come kind of strange bet to see who can get the most people to believe the shite they spout.

I don’t believe they believe what they say either. And if they do how the bloody hell did they manage to get educated enough to become businessmen?!

Oh my - Manny is a rather gorgeous dog 😊

The funny thing about the swan claim is that these people have clearly never been near swans or certainly a pack of them. They are vicious when they feel threatened. We walk around the lake here a lot and the swans hiss at you if you walk down the designated path and they are on it (and have the best fear of god glare!). It’s not even if you go near their lake or nest - it’s honestly walking down the path that’s there for you to walk down 😂

I live in a gloriously flag free area. One of my neighbours has just erected an enormous flag pole with a huge England flag.

The funny thing about the swan claim is that these people have clearly never been near swans or certainly a pack of them.

It's almost as it they are a bit thick.

Look a swan

https://bylinetimes.com/2025/09/24/farages-trillion-pound-black-hole-the-real-cost-of-reform-uks-mass-deportation-plan/

Exclusive: Reform’s plan, which it claims would net huge savings over the coming decades, would actually cost the UK about £70-90bn over the next ten years alone, new analysis of official statistics and forecasts suggests

Still a snip, compared to Brexit.

An England flag and a Union flag have appeared this week outside the house next to the village shop. The village shop that was set to close before an Indian chap took it in and upgraded it.

Sounds about right.

A long relationship drew to a close this morning. We went to collect the dogs from the kennels we’ve used and been happy with for more than a decade to find it festooned with red and white England bunting. We’re in complete agreement that’s it, they’ve seen the last of our money, we’ve already researched an alternative. I don’t imagine we’re alone.

Saving money/the economy is the argument.
But it’s not the point.

The point is to outflank other far right groups.
Reassure voters that might have been listening to Lowe & Habib etc.

If money/the economy was ever the point Brexit wouldn’t have happened. Or at the very least it would have sunk Farage.

So if the policy is assessed as likely to damage the economy Reform voters still won’t listen.

And for those that it does matter to, he’ll promise to vanquish IHT, p/s VAT etc and they’ll calculate they’ll be ok.

Simon Harris on Facebook:
^Now I’m not an expert in ornithology, but I have doubts over Nigel Farage’s claim that migrants are eating swans in London’s royal parks.

If I was a migrant in London and really bloody hungry and desperate, I would most probably run into Greggs or similar, grab whatever and then leg it (I’m not saying that’s OK either by the way).

What I proabably wouldn’t do is go after one of the most insanely violent, arm-breaky wild animals you can find in the United Kingdom. Even if I did emerge victorious, how on earth would I get what is clearly a massive b***d swan past loads of fellow city folk and back to a place of safety without arousing suspicion? Perhaps tell people I’m preparing for a new Rod Hull tribute act and it was the closest match? And then even if I did somehow get my prize back to a kitchen, I would then have to prepare it in an oven the size of a Ford Transit while a friend frantically scans a Romanian translation of ‘Delia’s How To Cook’ for anything remotely similar to a swan.

Sorry Nigel. I’m calling bt on this one, and that’s before the response from The Royal Parks that there haven’t been any reports of knife and fork-wielding cygnisticidal maniacs on the loose recently.^

So if the policy is assessed as likely to damage the economy Reform voters still won’t listen.

They are supporting an idea, not a collection of policies.

For some reason I have just remembered Che Guevara 🤔

This is good, asylum seekers arrived safely without having to risk their lives.

The first people have now arrived in the UK under the new route allowing asylum seekers to apply for transfer from France

A family of three, including a small child, have arrived, while four people have been removed under the UK-France treaty, which aims to reduce demand for small boat crossings

Rather pisses on the "how come theyz all menz" narrative that MNetters have learned the words to.

Badenoch calling out Farage

No mention of where the paracetamol rubbish stems from. But I guess linking Farage to Trump is a bit awkward for them.

At least she has spoken out this time, not a peep about Musk.

A man who lives a few doors away from me put up a flag.
It lasted a week until he took it down.
I think he thought the whole street would follow suit...
We didn't.
I'm very sad to see so many England flags locally...it's not about so called patriotism (I agree with EM Forster on that btw..)
It's a flag that has been used by the likes of UKIP, EDF and BNP to intimidate immigrants and "others".
I was horrified to see a group (all wearing flags as capes (?) Outside a hotel at the weekend.
There are no immigrants there but good old FB told people there was.
They were mostly older people, a few kids which was very depressing to see.
I saw 2 police vans and counted 6 officers...great use of police resources.
My county is 97% white British ffs.
Who are these people so scared of? And why is the national narrative pandering to it?

That is good news.

and I’m pleased a families got to come. No one risking their life nor having to decide if 1 of the family risks it or all of them and having to separate because it’s dangerous.

Let’s hope they have a nice settlement into the uk and a positive future free from fear and persecution.

Jenkyns and Tice are both saying Trump might be right about paracetamol.

At least it's in his garden I suppose. Do you think he will be diligent in taking it down properly every night and putting it up first thing in the morning as you are supposed to.

Personally, I would rather give the people flying flag bunting/flags outside their own houses the benefit of the doubt. It's possible they are motivated more by the "I want to celebrate my country" aspect than to start an argument/claim territory. And if their intention was the latter then not responding in the expected fashion is a better course. As the saying goes

"Smile, either you will make someone's day or piss them off. Either way you win"

I like the idea of reclaiming the flag for things like pride marches next year.