Thread 38 Starmer: Tax your Hamster

[DuncinToffee]

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https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/5440759-thread-37-starmer-pinko-commie-slimeball?page=1

Political and general discussion with bonus recipes

Taxes optional but greatly appreciated

Well, I can console myself with the fact that I had the best of our EU membership. I can't see things getting anywhere near that good before I shuffle off this mortal coil.

Never met him and that definitely isn’t me in that photo with him.

Yes what you get is a judiciary who when there is riot (see 2024) apply the full extent of their powers. Juries inhibit this power significantly. Removing either way offences in particular classes of crime is a dream for government. From a public order perspective it’s perfect.

People in this country don’t know what they had. A well funded justice system that wouldn’t tyrannise them. It’s as important as the NHS. It stops criminal justice being the preserve of property driven interests.

Look at all those idiots arrested for public order offences during the riots. People who were genuinely clueless. Now imagine that without jury protections. Or your petty teenage thief. Or your stupid racist housewife with a Twitter account.

Juries go back to Henry II ? Where are the flagshaggers ?

Schools in my home country were shut for maybe 6 weeks. They went back in full in June 2020 with a minor 2-3 week closure in Jan 2021. Doing that involved doing a number of things that I’m not sure people who think schools should have stayed open would have been prepared to do either.

It’s a difficult one. I’m almost certain that prioritising eat out to help out and pubs etc over schools was a mistake.

We have a media determined to vilify all members of the legal system.
Telegraph here - clearly in receipt of a forcefully worded letter - having to back peddle like mad.
£5 billion pounds please.

And some of it is irreversible - the court in a local town was converted into flats a few years ago

When DH did jury duty he said anyone tempted to crime should do jury duty because being judged by such a bunch of prejudiced knob heads would terrify most people.

Random but not entirely unrelated question relating to Boris. Whatever happened to the Downing Street wine audit/annual report that never got released for 2020/21. Did it eventually get released? Did we discover how much wine was actually missing.

Seem to remember that consumption fell dramatically. But its stored in Lancaster House - I doubt its all that accessible without good reason (eg hosting dignitaries). Strongly suspect the local Tescos saw a roaring trade though.

Yes the quality of the booze involved seemed thoroughly déclassé

The Government Wine Buyer. Now that’s a job I want

Sorry I haven’t been active on the thread lately—I’ve had an incredibly busy time and even tried to take a bit of a “news-free” week for my own sanity. I’m just catching up now.

I’m so sorry to hear about what everyone went through during COVID. It was such a difficult time, and honestly, I think I’ve pushed a lot of it out of my mind—it feels like a different world now. I think we suffer from collective amnesia, similar to after the Spanish Flu. I do remember being in a meeting back in February 2020, before everything changed—thinking it wouldn’t be so bad, but hearing one of the doctors on the board say, “It’s coming, and it’s going to be bad.” It gave me chills.

I had a cancer scare at the beginning of the pandemic and remember going to London Bridge when it was completely empty—it was so surreal. My sister was a key worker and had to live separately from our elderly parents, which was really tough for her and them. My aunt also sadly passed away from COVID later on in the pandemic.

Johnson should be held accountable, his Prime Ministerial privileges removed and he should be charged with gross misconduct. But he wont be of course.

On a different note - Just catching up on the latest “shock news” that Farage is a racist. Who knew? Honestly, I’d heard all this before (I'd read Michael Crick’s book). I don’t think the article will have much impact—racists gonna racist. Hopefully, he’ll get some kickback from the Gill verdict. (I don’t know him guv!) What a traitorous piece of shit that guy is.

Here's some belated tax, Power to the Hamsters. ✊

The current holdings. Too much Bordeaux, not enough Pol Roger. An agreeable amount of English sparkling wine, and a really world leading amount of port!

Could do better on the Burgundy

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65a0083b3308d2000d1fbe80/wine_cellar_stock_list_Annex_B_.csv

Wasn’t the suitcase used to transport the wine from Tescos? There’s one on the Parliament side just before Westminster Bridge.

Yes. All the terrible Pinot Grigio and cheap Chardonnay you could want. It went in a roller case.

I will happily help bring the port supply down. I love it.

Have you tried white port? That is good in the summer with soda, ice and a slice of orange.

I think the large port store is clearly a very British tradition of extended dining…hic

Port is something my nan drank

As well as gin, or in Dutch 'jeneverbesje'

Adds white port to shopping list.

Adds white port to my list of things that are thoroughly delicious then regretted for days on end.

I think some of the covid enquiry findings can be summed up as this is what happens when men who have probably never had to plan and do a big shop or or their own laundry are put in charge of the country.

Port and blue cheese is the best thing. I have loved port since my dad introduced me to it at age 20!

Eta: will get some white port for Christmas.

I had some genever once (which very much not like London Dry Gin).

So strong. Like antifreeze for the brain. Couldn’t feel my legs for a while.

I'll stick to blue cheese and some red wine

And in "oh no, surely not" news...

https://newsukraine.rbc.ua/news/odd-phrases-in-us-peace-plan-suggest-russian-1763742479.html

That is good too!