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

[DuncinToffee]

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

❤️‍🔥Tory sources confirm that Nadhim Zahawi made approaches to senior members of Kemi Badenoch's team about getting a peerage just weeks before defecting to Reform UK - but was turned down.

Zahawi has at least reminded me that I haven't yet started on my tax return.

So it’s a fit of pique.

So transparent. He'll fit right in.

Ha. Grifter's gonna grift.

Yes. From the Guardian. Two hours ago. 13.06 GMT

"Labour says Zahawi defection shows Reform UK 'has no shame'
Labour has issued a response to Nadhim Zahawi joining Reform UK from Anna Turley, the Labour party chair. She says:

This confirms what we already knew: Reform UK has no shame. Nadhim Zahawi is a discredited and disgraced politician who will be forever tied to the Tories’ shameful record of failure in government.

Zahawi himself has previously repeatedly lambasted his new boss over his divisive and extreme rhetoric - and Farage has said that Zahawi has no principles and is only interested in climbing the greasy pole. This shameless scurry of yet another failed Tory over to Reform will tell people everything they need to know about both of them."

It is a cruel trick of the English language that requires a degree of education to realise the grammatical difference between defect and defector. And - more crucially - which one should be attached to "Nadhim Zahawi" since both are factually correct.

Now I don't believe in God. But I do believe you should listen to the universe

Seen today at 16:22

Thanks for the thread Duncan, flower tax as per.
Still very happy with my PM , Sir Keir Starmer.

UK to bring into force law this week to tackle Grok AI deepfakes

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cq845glnvl1o

And Julia Lopez shadow technology minister is criticising it

'new version of an old problem' she says

Video here
https://bsky.app/profile/bestforbritain.org/post/3mcalagsvgc26

Conservatives will kneel to keep Musk onside. 💰🤑

Well if you think about the practicalities, it's more comfortable to kneel.

"CSA images are ok as long only adults view them"

I am just listening to news about Iran. It is horrific.

I really wouldn't want to be the person who has to make a decision on whether or not to intervene.

And in London is a failing city news...

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/jan/12/london-homicide-rate-drops-to-lowest-in-more-than-a-decade

Oh, that's probably because no-one bothers reporting murder to the police any longer...

It's very complicated, isn't it. Those protestors are very brave.

They are brave beyond imagining, facing torture and execution.

WTF? How bloody dim.
There’s no problem with Adults directing & viewing non consensual sexual images of women & children then?

🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑

I guarantee that if I set up Wank Fest AI - ‘strip any woman or child you want’! Politicians of all ilks would line up to condemn me.

The difference for Badenoch isnt connected to ethics - it’s Musk’s money, Musk’s control of X, & Trump being led by the last person dangling car keys.

Sorry it’s the Telegraph.

Zahawi almost pulled off a PR coup... but unfortunately for him, there’s Google
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/gift/51fdb94b8faad5ad

I could be wrong but I suspect part of Musk intransigence on this (other than him being an arrogant knob) is because the ginormous money making potential of AI isn't working out. Same with the other AIs as well. Its not that AI won't have very important uses. But they have spent billions and billions and billions on data centres and systems with the idea that massive cost.savings/profits are just around the corner. It's quite hard to monetise unless you go for porn because that's a reliable earner. (And probably military/surveillance as well). But those are the only 2 ways he can even look like he's making money from it at the moment.
So he needs to sell the ability to generate images of women and children basically. Like some sort of cyber pimp.

I suspect that you are right. Maybe it’s no accident that the ‘service’ was widely publicised and then moved to a subscription model.
Look what you get when you’re willing to pay. 🤢