Thread 40 Starmer: Prettig Kerstfeest, Nollaig Shona, Hyvää Joulua, Nadolig Llawen ,圣诞快乐, God Jul, Feliz Navidad, Bouan Noué, Nollaig Chridheil.

[DuncinToffee]

Merry Christmas 🎄🎅🎶

Previous thread
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/5451789-thread-39-starmer-chwechsaith-dechreuodd-y-plant-ei?page=40&reply=149236698

I do not do not like the trend developing from certain quarters of calling Polanski David Paulden. It makes me so uncomfortable.

Just thought I'd come for a rant.

North Wales, yes. Half way up a mountain and facing out to sea. I can see down at the coast even they've had some snow over the last day or 2. Looks like the storm predicted for later this week is going to dump more snow on us. I think we'll be needing that shovel.

I don’t like it either. I like even less the implication that he’s somehow being duplicitous by using the original, non anglicised version of his name.

I have a simple rule. I address people as they introduce themselves to me. Anything else is disrespectful from the get go.

But it is an interesting tell for people who "aren't racist but ...."

I havent seen that trend Piggy. I am not a supporter of Polanski but as I understand he's using his name to reflect his Jewish heritage (his family surname having been changed to avoid antisemitism) and that he has done so since he was 18. Therefore referring to him as David Paulden is at best an odd Gotcha which reflects on the person using it, rather than him.

Its not like he was operating businesses & using pseudonyms (Schapps) or hiding a criminal past (Yaxley Lennon/Robinson).

Can’t stand the man, but all credit for him reclaiming his family name at 18. Also, if he hadn’t, there would be much glee made about the fact that he had kept an anglicised surname. Openly antisemitic glee, no doubt.

JFC this shit has to be stopped. I don’t care that it’s Cabinet ministers. It’s every woman.

https://metro.co.uk/2026/01/06/two-cabinet-ministers-stripped-a-bikini-grok-ai-26105597/

Could this be the moment the ruling classes realise how shit the law is ?

(Spolier alert: I'm not holding my breath).

https://www.ft.com/content/ad94db4c-95a0-4c65-bd8d-3b43e1251091?accessToken=zwAGR7kzep9gkdOtlNtMlaBMZdO9jTtD4SUQkQ.MEYCIQCdZajuC9uga-d9b5Z1t0HI2BIcnkVoq98loextLRpCTgIhAPL3rW72aTHBNL_lS7s1ONpM2vBgNlBNHDBeGbHkPkZj&sharetype=gift&token=a7473827-0799-4064-9008-bf22b3c99711

What an erection !

I had to chip this stuff off the car this morning in Swansea! Like tiny polystyrene balls. Photo was taken yesterday but we had another cm or so overnight.

Raining how thankfully. It was very pretty but inconvenient.

foxes and snow - should be the perfect antidote to Musk’s grotty creations.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn0y8rreq2do

Adorable.

Just rain here 🙁

Meanwhile, is the US preparing to give us King Nigel I ?

https://www.forcesnews.com/technology/aircraft/ghostriders-arrive-uk-and-online-chatter-suggests-something-big-going-down

We're going to get rain on top of the snow that is still there, with temperatures barely above zero. Going to be icefest tomorrow morning - but I'm WFH all week.

Took DD back to uni today so that's my driving done for a bit

I have seen some on a thread on here wish they would do just this. Unbelievable they think it would be good to have someone/country have our democratically elected party’s leader kidnapped/taken/whatever it’s called.
I despair - and couldn’t be bothered to comment.

I’ve also seen Europe’s statement on Greenland today - 6 impossible things before breakfast now are just a regular part of daily life.

BBC news today was pointless. Fuck all news but we do have snow.
I will go have s look for that statement now, thank you.
There was also apparently a briefing last night st capitol Hill on Venezuela, I'd love to know what came of that.

When you have to hunt for world news because the main provider isn't reporting on it, there is a problem.

Did anyone listen to Badenoch on BBCR4 earlier.

Her desperate ego shone through!

We had about 2 minutes of snow at about 10.30am. Nothing drastic or worth it but we rarely see it so exciting nonetheless!

I saw the European leaders’ statement earlier on Twitter (or X) I think very briefly as work short break - thought I was late to mention it but if it’s not particularly important news to news outlets ?! then no wonder I’m not!
I was interested Meloni was one of the leaders signing up to it, as I believe Trump likes her - though whether for her views or her looks might be debatable I suppose.
I’m not really clear yet on views of Kemi or Frog but struggling to motivate myself to keep abreast of it all at minute.
I think I saw something about last night somewhere - but seems not many official channels/media care enough to keep right on top of all the important bits of this gobsmacking story (as in breaching international law/how NY can try Madura/what is happening in Venezuela etc etc)
Still there is snow - perhaps as I’ve only seen ducks on ice (without phone for duck tax sadly) and no white stuff yet I failed to grasp the importance of this today as per bbc 🙈🤣

UK and France sign formal declaration of intent to put boots on ground in Ukraine in event of peace deal with Russia.

They would "operate on Ukrainian soil, securing Ukraine’s skies and seas and building an armed forces fit for the future".

Will that set off the scaremongering conscription threads that appeared last time Starmer mentioned boots on the ground in relation to peacekeeping?