Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Thread 41 Starmer : "Alban Arthan" the returning of the light

997 replies

DuncinToffee · 11/01/2026 19:49

Previous thread https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/5461238-thread-40-starmer-prettig-kerstfeest-nollaig-shona-hyvaa-joulua-nadolig-llawen-god-jul-feliz-navidad-bouan-noue-nollaig-chridheil?page=40

Welcome to 2026 for political discussion, general chat and taxes in kind.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
89
SerendipityJane · 18/01/2026 20:30

The US House and Senate now have the VOTES to pass the NATO Unity Protection Act, BLOCKING President Trump from using force to seize Greenland. Introduced by Sens. Shaheen (D) and Murkowski (R), the bill prohibits DoD and State Department funds for any blockade, occupation, or ANNEXATION of NATO

https://bsky.app/profile/laneranger.bsky.social/post/3mcpxl47ork2e

Lane Ranger (@laneranger.bsky.social)

The US House and Senate now have the VOTES to pass the NATO Unity Protection Act, BLOCKING President Trump from using force to seize Greenland. Introduced by Sens. Shaheen (D) and Murkowski (R), the bill prohibits DoD and State Department funds for any...

https://bsky.app/profile/laneranger.bsky.social/post/3mcpxl47ork2e

DuncinToffee · 18/01/2026 20:31

She should be happy with who is leaving.

Will there be anyone Reform won't welcome?

OP posts:
DuncinToffee · 18/01/2026 20:33

Tories down to 117 MP's now

OP posts:
PandoraSocks · 18/01/2026 20:36

RafaistheKingofClay · 18/01/2026 20:30

I can’t imagine that getting rid of rosindell is a bad thing even for Badenoch.

True. As with Jenrick, he is Reform's problem now.

SerendipityJane · 18/01/2026 20:41

In the most shocking geopolitical twist of the century, Denmark—a founding member of NATO—has announced a provisional defense pact with China. Copenhagen has stated it will purchase advanced Chinese J-20 stealth fighters and J-10C jets if NATO fails to guarantee Greenland's security against American aggression.

This ultimatum marks the potential end of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization as it has existed since 1949. Faced with a U.S. President threatening to seize their territory and impose crushing tariffs, and a NATO leadership paralyzed by Washington's dominance, the Danes have played the ultimate "wildcard." By inviting the Chinese military-industrial complex into the Arctic, Denmark is effectively telling the White House: "If you act like an enemy, we will ally with yours".

This move completes the "Arctic Encirclement" of the United States. With Canada already partnering with China economically, and Russia backing Denmark diplomatically, the U.S. now faces a scenario where its closest northern allies are pivoting to Beijing for survival. The "J-20s over Greenland" scenario would mean Chinese stealth technology operating within striking distance of the North American mainland, protected by the sovereign rights of a (former) U.S. ally.

Thread 41 Starmer :  "Alban Arthan"  the returning of the light
LlynTegid · 18/01/2026 20:47

PandoraSocks · 18/01/2026 20:36

True. As with Jenrick, he is Reform's problem now.

Apparently loves flags, though no view perhaps expressed about those on roundabouts.

Deafnotdumb · 18/01/2026 20:58

{mention:SerendipityJane}@SerendipityJane, have you got a link announcement for this defence pact? The only place I can find it is on a Facebook post.

AFAIK, Denmark has put a trip wire in place with soldiers from other European nations taking part in Greenland training exercises.

placemats · 18/01/2026 21:06

Spandauer · 18/01/2026 18:51

The Labour MP Rubbing Shoulders With the Far-Right
Labour under fire for failing to discipline Graham Stringer.

https://www.desmog.com/2025/10/30/labour-mp-graham-stringer-rubbing-shoulders-with-the-far-right/

Who he? No one is worried and no one cares.

In local news in my area, there's two independent councillors who are definitely leaving their Conservative roots and going to Reform.

BIossomtoes · 18/01/2026 22:21

Badenoch has thanked Farage for doing her spring cleaning for her. It seems that these defections are doing wonders for her image. I have to (very reluctantly) say she’s gone up in my estimation.

DuncinToffee · 18/01/2026 22:26

But she hasn't really done anything.

OP posts:
BIossomtoes · 18/01/2026 22:41

DuncinToffee · 18/01/2026 22:26

But she hasn't really done anything.

Sacking Jenrick before he could do his carefully choreographed resignation did her no end of good but it’s not so much what she’s done as her “fuck off and good riddance” reaction to the defections.

Saucery · 19/01/2026 06:41

I can’t really fathom the dismissive attitude to a regional MP. Of course no one can know of all MPs everywhere, but one of the points of these threads is to follow regional trends, surely? It’s part of a wider pattern and important to us because of possible votes following the individual.
I’m not arguing that Stringer is more important than Jenrick etc but every single defection to Reform does matter in the grand scheme of things and for some MPs it’s a mirror of concerns their constituents have. I’ve always said we need to listen to those concerns and counteract them when they are wrong. MPs who have worked for their communities for a long time are likely to take a significant proportion of voters with them. So it does matter and we should care if we’re talking politics, even if said politician is up in —the wilds of the North— Manchester.

BIossomtoes · 19/01/2026 07:28

Do you think that would be the case with Stringer @Saucery? As someone said earlier he appears to be a better fit with Reform. Are his constituents voting for him, because he reflects their concerns or holding their noses because he’s the Labour candidate? If he defected would he get reelected? Of recent defections I think Jenrick and Rosindell probably will be reelected in their new incarnation, I think Kruger might be in trouble.

LlynTegid · 19/01/2026 08:07

Notable when Robert Jenrick was being interviewed on the BBC this morning, how often the word 'rally' was being used. Made me think of the National Rally (as the French party led by Marine Le Pen are now called) or one in Nuremberg in 1937.

DuncinToffee · 19/01/2026 08:40

I think a defection should automatically trigger a by-election.

OP posts:
dontcallmelen · 19/01/2026 08:55

DuncinToffee · 19/01/2026 08:40

I think a defection should automatically trigger a by-election.

Totally agree makes me so cross it’s undemocratic & morally wrong.

PandoraSocks · 19/01/2026 08:59

Saucery · 19/01/2026 06:41

I can’t really fathom the dismissive attitude to a regional MP. Of course no one can know of all MPs everywhere, but one of the points of these threads is to follow regional trends, surely? It’s part of a wider pattern and important to us because of possible votes following the individual.
I’m not arguing that Stringer is more important than Jenrick etc but every single defection to Reform does matter in the grand scheme of things and for some MPs it’s a mirror of concerns their constituents have. I’ve always said we need to listen to those concerns and counteract them when they are wrong. MPs who have worked for their communities for a long time are likely to take a significant proportion of voters with them. So it does matter and we should care if we’re talking politics, even if said politician is up in —the wilds of the North— Manchester.

I am not sure it is actually Stringer. Farage described the defector as a well known Labour person/figure, rather than an MP.

Alexandra2001 · 19/01/2026 09:03

BIossomtoes · 18/01/2026 22:21

Badenoch has thanked Farage for doing her spring cleaning for her. It seems that these defections are doing wonders for her image. I have to (very reluctantly) say she’s gone up in my estimation.

Badenoch had no choice, what other course of action could she have done?

She backed Truss's mini budget, hardcore anti EU and ironically, now wants to deport 150,000 migrants....using a new body, called Removals Force (ICE in other words) she may like to pretend she is a new broom but she was in the last Govt for 5 years... & has far in common with Reform than any previous Con leader.

Awful person, makes Le Pen or Meloni look like moderates.

Again, they'll be no defection, at least not a well known figure.

DuncinToffee · 19/01/2026 09:05

Starmer i giving a speech at 9.15

For those who have missed the orange mad king's latest

https://bsky.app/profile/trumpton.bsky.social/post/3mcr6y6jyx22q

Trumpton (@trumpton.bsky.social)

The man-baby is just an embarrassment

https://bsky.app/profile/trumpton.bsky.social/post/3mcr6y6jyx22q

OP posts:
PandoraSocks · 19/01/2026 09:07

Is that real? 😲

DuncinToffee · 19/01/2026 09:08

It is very real.

OP posts:
Notonthestairs · 19/01/2026 09:17

Trump (with Miller in his ear) was always going to be a disaster for world politics. Lunacy.

Evenstar · 19/01/2026 09:17

He obviously doesn’t understand that the Nobel Committee is not awarding prizes on the say so of the Norwegian government 🤯

notimagain · 19/01/2026 09:24

Deafnotdumb · 18/01/2026 20:58

{mention:SerendipityJane}@SerendipityJane, have you got a link announcement for this defence pact? The only place I can find it is on a Facebook post.

AFAIK, Denmark has put a trip wire in place with soldiers from other European nations taking part in Greenland training exercises.

Agreed..I've done some digging around this AM and everything leads back to Facebook...TBH there's some real stirring going on in SM and it's not helpful in the current climate.

I guess you have say never say never but last I heard the Danes were in the final stages of replacing their F-16s with F-35s.(mind you thats a whole other potential problem).

Alexandra2001 · 19/01/2026 09:25

Even if the Norwegian Govt did give out the prize, his letter shows a rather demented personality.

Is he, cognitively, all there? i don't think so, just look at how he signs off the letter....

Someone in the US is going to have to step in, he is no longer able to govern.

Swipe left for the next trending thread