Westministenders: BAH HUMBUG said Mr Rees-Mogg

[RedToothBrush]

"At this festive season of the year, Mr Scrooge Rees-Mogg, ... it is more than usually desirable that we should make some slight provision for the poor and destitute, who suffer greatly at the present time. Many thousands are in want of common necessaries; hundreds of thousands are in want of common comforts, sir."

"Are there no prisons hostels?"

"Plenty of prisons hostels..."

"And the Union workhouses foodbanks." demanded Scrooge Jacob. "Are they still in operation?"

"Both very busy, sir..."

"Those who are badly off must go there."

"Many can't go there; and many would rather die."

"If they would rather die," said Scrooge ^Rees-Mogg, "they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population."

He continued "Besides I do not believe that anyone would die without them. I think Theresa is right, there are many complex reasons why nurses go to food banks. The real reason for the rise in numbers is that people know that they are there and Labour deliberately didn't tell them. To have charitable support given by people voluntarily to support their fellow citizens I think is rather uplifting and shows what a good, compassionate country we are"

------------------------

This thread is dedicated to Mrs8 and anyone else who is working to make life just a little better in the difficult circumstances that ALL politicians are currently doing their best to ignore (despite what they profess).

No Deal = even more poverty and destitution.

MERRY CHRISTMAS & HERES HOPING FOR A HAPPIER NEW YEAR
especially to those of you, who might be having a tough time or facing real uncertainity.

If you think we are sneering, try reading foreign media, not just in the EU, but the US, India too
(Maybe no coincidence that LeClerc & I live abroad, so are immersed 24/7 in those public attitudes)

The UK has become an international laughing stock, but doesn't realise it

There was total disbelief that the UK really had no plan for its biggest, most complex undertaking since WW2,
then many cartoons on May's Mishaps
and finally exasperation, among western countries anyway, at the mess this is causing and will cause, for many of them.

Many other countries have problems but why the UK is uniquely dim:

Brexit is completely self-inflicted
and
it is being handled by tantrumming toddlers on glue

{In the 60s the only place I could buy yoghurt as a teenager was the Health Food Shop and said yoghurt}
I sort of remember yoghurt 'arriving'. It was unsweetened and as such quite a shock to the system. Then they put loads of sugar then sweeteners and all manner of stuff in to make 'Brits' eat it.

I don't know if 8MayYourBrexitbeMerryandBright8 has been my much earlier posts but I was a 'Remainer' and voted as such. IF the situation in the UK was the same as say July 2016 then I would say it should remain. However, the last 2 1/2 years of vicious catcalling, disrespect and downright disgusting and inappropriate actions and language used by the UK government and too much of the UK press has soured any possible relationship beyond what is needed as a good neighbour, so the UK should be out.
Of course this is a tragedy, as I have always said, for the millions of UK/EU people and businesses that work so well together whose lives have been trashed by the UK government of both major parties. I am just one of those who has had my life chances badly messed up because of the ridiculous referendum. The fact that 2 1/2 years on the government still don't have the common decency to speak truthfully and end the uncertainty that is blighting the lives of most citizens of the whole of Europe at one level or another as nothing can be put into decisive action until Mrs May makes her mind up and signs something in Brussels.

The US can get away with crazy Trump,
because

they are the world's superpower, especially militarily
who can force their way on almost anyone (except the EU, why Trump hates it)

and they are far more self-sufficient than the UK, especially in food & essentials

Sneering ? Here's sneering ...

And that's the US "liberal elite" view. Gawd only knows what the US as a whole thinks.

BigChoc
Trump is limited to two terms.
No matter how bad it gets he can be in power for 8 years tops
AND after the mid terms he'll be hamstrung from January
and the GOP is on the verge of imploding
and the Democrats are finally drying their tears and picking candidates

Brexit on the other hand
is for ever

Pretty sure yoghurt supplies are secure post Brexit given the UK dairy industry. I hate the stuff but am on a high calcium diet atm so overindulging in ice cream and cheese instead. Being in the West of Scotland artisan ice cream is in plentiful supply.

idigarchaeology.co.uk/a-social-history-of-yoghurt/

Trump is limited to two terms.

Unless he wangles a change in the constitution. Or just ignores it ?

Pretty sure yoghurt supplies are secure post Brexit given the UK dairy industry. I hate the stuff

I luffs yoghurt. But calories

Milk products in France are a triumph of marketing over common decency. If you can put milk in it, they will. Fortunately I like milk and cheese so I am happy.

Or maybe he'll behave like the Clintons and get Melania to run.

Term limits for the PM would be an excellent rule, TiP
which I would add to the new written constitution the UK needs

He also has more checks & balances, such as a Congress that has more powers than the HoC,
Sadly, he and the GOP have really nobbled - and disgraced - the Supreme Court

However, maybe I'm paranoid, but he seems to be trying to set up a dynasty, like the Bushes, only even thicker
So his 8 years would be followed by 8 years of a Trumplet

Or, with your US connections, do you think Trump's failures - and Mueller - have rescued the world from that ?

They cause ordinary Leave - and Remain - voters to share the same illusions

Alexander Clarkson on Twitter (@APHClarkson, east European specialist and genuinely one of the most interesting accounts to follow on Twitter) has made the point that leavers and remainers both made important "category errors" over brexit:

• leavers think the EU is weak
• remainers think the EU is nice

Even talented and successful leaders usually run out of energy and ideas -and success - after 8 years or so
Especially with the pace of life at the top now
a continual procession of crises, domestic & foreign.

Their ego grows, after years of being at the top with too many crawlers around
They lose touch with the concerns and views of ordinary people, after being shut away from them for so long
Their judgement fails
They look exhausted
They tend to make their worst mistakes in the twilight years of their reign

- remainers think the EU is nice

One of the recurring themes - to the point of internal screaming at times - of Brexit discussions is the constant and ceaseless rejection of Remainers that the EU is somehow perfect or good. It's neither. And it would certainly benefit from some radical changes.

With all of that being said most Remainers have adjudged that it's better of being in and working on that, than out.

Yup, Misti
Maybe modify:

They think the EU is as nice to non-members

both Leavers & Remainers completely over-estimate how flexible they can be,
needing 27 countries to agree

• that pesky democracy again.

Both were expecting a negotiation on everything, blue sky, blank sheet of paper
whereas
Barnier showed all the available templates on offer, each with different benefits vs red lines

The UK had to pick one existing EU template, then negotiate extensively to customise it for UK needs^

The UK is still not agreed on which template it wants - there isn't a cake one

Nope. Don't think it's nice but I would always rather piss outside from the inside rather than ... whatever pissing nightmare No Deal is.
No Schengen. No Euro. Free access to a massive market. Right to study work and live anywhere in trading bloc. Right to be the awkward squad but still have a voice.
All going on March 29 2019. Best we can hope for us the Withdrawal Agreement goes through because No Deal would be a national catastrophe.

BBC
Gatwick flights suspended again after suspected drone sighting

I wonder if there's the most tenuous of links with Galileo ?

Bigchoc
Or, with your US connections, do you think Trump's failures - and Mueller - have rescued the world from that ?
I am absolutely certain that the two term limit will stay in place.
The GOP is sore to the core by what Trump has done
and knows that demographics are against it.
The members of the Trump family from whom I pick up gossip look forward to going back out of the limelight / scrutiny.
It will be interesting to see how the Donald copes with opposition.

What DOES need changing is term limits of say 15 years for the Supreme Court not my idea, the Economist says it

MayYourBrexitbeMerryandBrigh

I’ve never seen any sneering in these threads tbh.
Sarcasm for some posters.
And a very different outlook from others because, well, as soon as you start living somewhere else, things that look normal to you don’t anymore and ou are getting much more critical, of your own country. Plus of course you get a different look at things, the une that other countries have rather than the one from within.

The reality is that the U.K. has no other choice than to reform. Reform NOW and a change A LOT of things.
Starting imo with RESPECTING people. All people. The ones who are disabled. The ones who are poor. The ones who live ‘up North’. The ones who live ‘down south’. The ones that are Scottish. The ones who are from another country. Etc etc

I think most Remainers do love this country. Just hate what this government is doing to it.

Yes, terms limits there too, TiP,
because the Supreme Court is now just a partisan, party politican court, Consevative (hard righ) vs Liberal (less right)

I can remember 40+ years ago when it was much more impartial, more crossover of conservative judges supporting some liberal positions.
Far greater intellect and ability too.

The parties now go all out to pack the Supreme Court with youngish judges, to stay 40 years,
so they can decide on key election disputes, more powers for businesses to influence politics, tax & healthcare disputes

It seems almost the main reason to win the White House now, is to be able to get their choices onto the Supreme Court.

I haven’t seen sneering, particularly from the named posters.

Making fun of ignorance and foolish behaviour, observed daily among those supposed to represent and govern us, is not sneering.
I see it occasionally from “visitors”, however.

Late to the party again! Thanks Red and all wise women on this thread

Thanks to all who are helping others, and best wishes to anyone suffering as a result of this mess