Thread 44 Starmer - Knolraap en lof, schorseneren en prei.

[DuncinToffee]

Welcome to our long running thread for political discussion, general chit chat, a friendly hug and taxes in kind

Previous thread

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/5486790-thread-43-starmer-il-ritorno-della-luce-e-la-semina-del-lathyrus-odoratus?page=40&reply=150629477

It's a no brainer.

Leo all the way 😅

Hi all. Ds finally got to a ward just before 10 and so I’m not long home.
he has an infection “somewhere” (not chest or urine and head CT clear) so they’ve admitted him for antibiotics and monitoring as the have no idea why his BP plummeted but they suspected urinary sepsis (which it isn’t 🤷‍♀️)

Will catch up on the thread when I can but I watched the news today (a lot 🤣 as there’s not much else to do in an and e).

But god bless our NHS and its wonderful diverse workforce that have cared so greatly for ds today.

You must be exhausted @itsgettingweird . I hope you manage to get some rest and that they figure out what exactly what is going on with your DS x

That's a long and exhausting day, @itsgettingweird -hopefully you can get some sleep knowing he is being taken care of 💐

Sleep well @itsgettingweird. What a long, worrying day it’s been for you.

Hope today is a better day for you and your DS @itsgettingweird 💐

How is your DS today @itsgettingweird ?

There is a runour swirling on SM that Pochin is going to defect to Restore Britain. I doubt it's true, but it would be very funny if she did.

More green shoots

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c93w4egd3gzo
UK government finances better than expected in January

Thank you for the new thread Duncin & all contributors as ever flowers from me.
@itsgettingweird really hope you’ve managed to get some rest & that Ds is comfortable & improving.
Everyday is indeed a school day I learn so much from these threads, todays lesson salsify & Dr.P root vegetables.

Everyday is indeed a school day I learn so much from these threads, todays lesson salsify & Dr.P root vegetables.

Am I alone in hearing "salsa" in "salsify" ?

Nope in my head that’s how it sounds.
Pochin defection to Restore would make my year so far, horrible horrible creature.

Labour was defending three council by-elections yesterday. Lost all of them.

BUT Reform failed to take any of them and didn't do well at all. Best result was a distant second to PC. Greens won one seat with Reform in 6th place. Lib Dems another with Reform third.

Salsify and schorseneren certainly are grand names for a simple root vegetable

They were three ultra safe Labour seats as well, and they convincingly lost all of them.

Having said that, it was a bad night for Reform as well. In one of the seats they got less than 3% - definitely feels like the bubble has burst.

But are Labour now facing an existential crisis?

I think it would go quite well with some salsa. I like salsify, but it's such a faff to prepare.

I really fancy a winter vegetable soup now. It is grey and chilly here.

I am thinking about making old fashioned Dutch split pea soup also known as 'snert'. Has to be thick enough for a spoon to stand up in.

I’m not a soup fan. I like the idea of it and make some tasty ones but it doesn’t ‘work’ for me. However much protein I put in and however much I have and however much bread and butter I have with it I’m hungry again about 10 mins after finishing. No idea why.

Sounds nice, I like thick soups. Watery soups are a bowl of sadness IMHO.

I’m not a soup fan at all. It’s a kind of liquid/solid hybrid, I prefer one thing or the other.

It looks like in one of the council elections - the one in Cleveland - the Reform candidate actually withdrew from the race but his name still went on the ballot.

(Despite this he still came third, and nearly came ahead of Labour)

In case anyone wants to see the figures for the by-elections. Turn out was awful in all three:

Zetland Ward by-election

Alison Barnes, Liberal Democrats 446 votes.
Igraine Gray, The Conservative Party - 62 votes.
Michael Manning, Reform UK - 119 votes.
Mitchell Rynn, Labour Party - 191 votes.
Brian Marc Teasdale, Green Party - 65 votes.

Turnout was 26.78%

Van ward

Jeff Grenfell, Plaid Cymru – 374 votes (43% of total valid votes cast)
Russell Larke, Reform UK – 246 votes (28%)
Matthew Ferris, Welsh Labour – 231 votes (26%)
Tony Potts, Welsh Liberal Democrats – 12 votes (1%)

The turnout at the by-election was 25.87% and one ballot paper was rejected.

Stoneygate

Green Party: 1,195 (30.4%, +22.9)
Labour: 1,089 (27.7%, –12.8)
One Leicester: 638 (16.2%, new)
Independent (Noor): 453 (11.5%, new)
Conservative: 327 (8.3%, –15.3)
Reform UK: 106 (2.7%, new)
Liberal Democrats (Asit Sodha): 62 (1.6%, –5.9)
Independent (Barker): 61 (1.6%, new)

Turnout: 27.75%

What Thise three sets of results show is that the left of centre vote continues to be way, way higher than the right of centre vote. We really need PR.

In summer no, they really give sustenance on a very hot day Vichyssoise being a good example. Adore french onion soup with croutons. So good on a chilly day.

I make very good red pepper and tomato soup abd butternut squash with lots of turmeric...its been good whilst I've had thos awful mega cold 😷