Thread 35 Starmer: Old and smelling of roses

[DuncinToffee]

Pull up a chair for some friendly chit chat about politics, cats, dogs and much more

Taxes optional but greatly appreciated.

Previous thread
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/5418471-thread-34-starmer-conference-swanwiches-and-a-deputy-leader-contest?page=40

https://www.thepoke.com/2025/10/15/this-guy-on-the-street-was-asked-about-the-problem-of-immigration-in-the-uk-and-his-reply-should-be-made-available-on-prescription-to-reform-uk-voters-everywhere/

(Is it just me hearing Ahir Shah - the pimp king - 's voice ?)

It's all a bit Andrea Jenkyns

https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2025/10/15/reform-uk-mayor-pulled-up-for-hypocritical-attack-on-solar-farms/

Which bit of what i said made you think i didnt? Was it the not wanting to waste billions of gallons of water on data centres when we are going through extended periods of drought eg this summer? Because yes that reads like I don't care about weather extremes or the environment.....
It's the lack of joined up thinking that's utterly madness.

Ah of course back to Reform. They do live rent free in your head don't they. Oh well nice chat

Reform likes empty soundbites, which you seem to echo.

Yet Milliband is selling off prime farmland in Lincs for solar farm.

It's only "prime farmland" if what it produces is affordable for the average citizen. Otherwise it's just (yet) another excuse for a subsidy.

There is reason the UK hasn't been remotely self sufficient in food for the better part of two centuries,. And it's not a lack of land. It's because it's more expensive to produce food here than it is to produce it abroad and ship it here.

Meanwhile (the theory goes) it's better for the UK population to make widgets (or insurance for widgets, or shipping for widgets, or trading widgets for wodgets) and use the profit from that to buy the cheaper food.

And we could have all the "prime farmland" in the world, it's worth fuck all without people to till it. So we'd have to import the labour to do that. Which is unlikely to be appreciated in Lincolnshire.

E2A: readability

Most left leaning people are worried about the rise of Reform, the party of division and hate, so it is no wonder we talk about them a lot on here. We aren't worried about the Tories as they are irrelevant rn.

Oh dear, I see I inadvertently summoned a visitor. That Andrea Jenkyns link is hysterical Duncin. Well found.

Well an increasing number from this side have been commenting on our thread so it's only right to return the favour.
You only had to give an accurate account of what I said.

It would be nice if these visitors could engage without resorting to insults

Actually it was only me who visited your thread and that was mainly because of the endless personal insults that you lot post about us. I should have resisted the urge. No-one else from here has posted over there AFAIK. I did post again today on your thread in the spirit of helpfulness.

But we are all free to post where we wish, so welcome!

And I haven't insulted anyone or called anyone names have I?
There have been some who name changed.

Yes you gave a helpful suggestion and I did thank you 😊

Don't worry though I won't hang around, it was only because I had been talked about out of context.

Nobody mentioned you.

The first 5:30 mins. I didn’t watch the guy after that.

Eleanor Lyon’s the UK Anti-Slavery Commissioner, is worth listening to.

Labour are likely to be supporting the slave trade in China, by buying the solar panels from the people who use slave Labour. Other countries (EU and US) can’t use such slave Labour-based suppliers.

Twisty visited before because she got pm'd about something you said Pandora iirc

I told the Nuthatch she was welcome to engage in our discussions but she declined and said I was insincere.

It is good that you are no longer relying on pot-stirring third parties to feed you info via PMs. It is always better to see for yourself and comment, I think.

if we want to have a functional right and left debate then really, good manners both ways, and an acceptance I think on both sides that it the solutions where we disagree, not personalities which frankly, I don’t think anyone in either thread is properly in a position to address. Give people space. Do not snipe. I do not think anyone would do this in the real world, incidentally.

Insults diminish the giver as much as the receiver.

https://sustainabilitymag.com/articles/gb-energy-blocks-use-of-solar-panels-linked-to-forced-labour

Oh that's right. I mentioned the conspiracy-type rumours about Bridget Phillipson's dad.

Those rumours seem to have died a death except in the more unhinged corners of X.

Miliband signed it off, it was the farmer who sold it. We need energy security and renewable energy is the best way to do it as an island.

Regarding food security - that boat sailed when Brexit happened. Thanks to Boris Johnson and Nigel Farage.

It is a terrible and wide ranging problem.
Even firms like Apple and VW are tainted by slave labour.

publications.parliament.uk/pa/jt5901/jtselect/jtrights/633/report.html

Who are these increasing number of people exactly?

David Allen Green on the China spy case

https://davidallengreen.com/2025/10/what-the-chinese-spying-case-witness-statements-reveal/

tldr - the third witness statement shows the government was providing relevant evidence and was not seeking to spike the prosecution.

The CPS decision to drop the prosecution seems perverse.

This gvt has gone with Canadian Solar in a joint venture. CS are alleged to use slave Labour in their supply chain. Lyons is not imagining an issue.

OT and apologies for Reach link but thought this was worth sharing as it's good to see some pushback.

North East Migrant Myth Busters campaign launched to tackle misinformation

www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/northumbria-police-migration-myths-busted-32682791#ICID=Android_ChronicleNewsApp_AppShare