Thread 37 Starmer: pinko commie slimeball

[DuncinToffee]

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Political discussion and friendly chit chat.

Taxes most welcome

Previous thread
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/5435616-thread-36-starmer-triggered-by-ads-and-da-iawn-caerffili?page=40

Absolutely. In the Welsh Valleys the miners themselves funded reading rooms and education classes. It’s interesting with The Choral that while the society is for working people there is a hierarchy, with some not welcome until men start to leave for the front. The British class system is more than upper/middle/working! Subtle gradations are present.
the removal of chances in the arts for working class children in recent years are heartbreaking and scandalous. Choral music, orchestral music, opera - all only elitist if we let them be. And to a large extent we are, currently.

Sympathies for earache @Notonthestairs - touch wood not something I know about.

Squeezed 4 meals out of my cookup so rather pleased with myself. In days gone by I would have done more, but whilst I applaud the greeness of the concept, I hate working with Sainsburys new non-flowing mince.

It does seem like the Trump world is beginning to fray. Which will hopefully make a lot of people this side of the pond look as stupid as they are.

The unwinding of trariffs, along with him blaming John Sauer for it would be a clue. Looks like SCOTUS may blow him up after all.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/nov/16/when-reality-bites-the-rapid-rise-and-chaotic-fall-of-reform-uk-in-cornwall

As has been previously predicted.

Ardo Ab Choa. You can never get order out of chaos. Could this prompt another reset for the longest standing UK politician Nigel?

Highlighting how the Reform all-thing-to-all-men* approach can't work.

“But the position I found myself in as deputy leader and also as a Reform UK councillor, was that the national agenda right was being emphasised.”

O’Connor said the two key propositions from Reform UK on a national level were challenging immigration and net zero. “The direct impact of immigration in Cornwall is negligible,” he said. On net zero, Reform councillors sitting on planning committees – like all councillors – are required to be apolitical in their decision-making, he added

*Yes: Men. Not people.

I couldn't agree more.
I feel hugely disappointed by the disappearance of traditional church choirs. Music for me started with this route - It was still a classless activity in the 1960s and 70s and it was an opportunity for children (particularly boys) to take part in real music, to learn how to behave, but best of all to be part of a group where the child"s contribution was recognised as being just as important as that of the adults in the same choir.
If there's one bit of 'British Culture' that I feel we have largely lost it"s that tradition of quality music making. The continued reductions in state school music just underlines what a nation of Philistines we have become.

Perhaps all will not be lost when it comes to music @cardibach and @Grumpyoldpersonwithcats .
I am not sure how many people know that our PM played Flute, Piano and Violin at school winning a scholarship to the Junior Guildhall School of Music and Drama and has said in the past how how much he enjoys classical music.

I am feeling quite chipper today with the news from USA and Reform's fading star so we can only hope that the Arts funding can improve along with everything else in due course.

I was at the Wigmore Hall the other day… it was like visiting a strata of society I’d forgotten about. Radio 3 listeners - a lot of tweed and sensible shoes - glasses of sparkling wine.

I freely admit this is my tribe but I felt like a dinosaur. I saw about 8 people under 40 - everyone listened to Bach’s English and then Chopin.

In theory anyone could go. But they don’t

Starmer has made some noises about reviving the arts in schools @Karistyleaftea. Fingers crossed.
The loss of church choirs is terrible @Grumpyoldpersonwithcats. One thing we are fantastic at as a nation is ecclesiastical music. Would be awful to relinquish that. I’ve sung at a couple of London cathedrals in the last couple of years (Southwark and Westminster Abbey) and have been heartened by how young their organists are.

Apologies in advance for the stealth boast.🤣
Last time I was at the Wigmore Hall (2024) DS1's GF was singing in the finals of the Kathleen Ferrier awards with DS1 accompanying her.
(They didn't win though 🙄).
Watching a whole concert of the next generation of professional singers and repetiteurs was wonderful.

Picture of dinner, for everyone who would have liked some, I wish I could have given you all some ❤️

I am eating almond cake with pine nuts and an orange/honey drizzle (as baked by me). It's going into the family Cake Repertoire Folder.

That sounds delicious @pointythings I am gluten free, that sounds as though it would work well as it has a drizzle to add moisture

This recipe isn't gluten free but very earily could be by substituting GF flour and using a bit of xanthan gum.

I do a lot of GF baking as my DS went through a period where he was severely gluten intolerant. It went away (and we have no idea why!) but it has left me with a useful legacy of GF baking skills.

I have a killer GF ginger cake recipe if you're interested. It's beautifully moist without the need for any drizzles.

Ooh yes please @pointythings I bake a lot for church events as well and a few of us are gluten free

Your dinner looks lovely @evenstar I like your plates, too.

No worries, I'll ping it to you tomorrow when I can take a good photograph of it and let you know the spicing adjustments that need to be made (it's an American recipe, the texture of it is perfect but it's a bit low on the actual spices).

WTF, Labour?

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/nov/17/refugees-jewellery-asylum-home-office

Eta: I think the Guardian is a wee bit misleading with its headline. Even so. The minister goes on about e-bikes and cars, but how many asylum seekers bring either of those things with them? It is bonkers.

The policy seems a mess but that headline originated from the S*n....

There is a thread about it, which is where I saw the Guardian link. Not bothering with that one any further as I can guess how it will end up.

It was a part of the original Danish policy.

As usual Labour's comms are dreadful with MPs not knowing their brief so it's better to wait for the full details.

I am busy today so no time to bother with those threads

I think it’s designed to bite on failed asylum seekers who have these assets, by nefarious means.

I mean these policies are all in the execution; historically the UK has not managed its border resource very well, so who is going to do all this extra work and will it be done? The policy might be tougher, but that means nothing unless it’s executed properly.

Pandora this is what I was trying to say

Labour is going to introduce safe routes for those claiming refugee status while everybody here is talking about ‘jewellery theft’ proposals. I strongly suspect the latter was meant to divert Sun readers’ attention from clocking the former while you are meant to be welcoming the former. 🫤

https://bsky.app/profile/polprofsteve2024.bsky.social/post/3m5svi6wlqs25

historically the UK has not managed its border resource very well,

We do have the longest border in Europe though.

Lots of Labour MPs speaking out now about the plans. Common theme is that nasty tactics on asylum seekers didn't work for the Tories and they aren't going to work for Labour. Why the fuck are they going down this road? I know the jewellery thing has been misrepresented somewhat, but the rest of it is just as bad.

I am pretty disgusted. Mahmood is a member of Blue Labour, which perhaps explains a lot.

Here endeth the rant.