Westminstenders: Silly Season

[RedToothBrush]

It's that time of year again when politicians seem to completely lose their marbles in order to impress the faithful. And it is beginning to feel like conference season is increasingly an exercise in religious ferver to the party rather than considering what's in the best interests of the whole country.

Labour have got off to a good start before their conference opens, by almost starting complete melt down.

The Tories have promised to break from convention and try and over shadow the others, so that's something to look forward to.

And early this week we have the supreme Court ruling which could, regardless of which direction it swings, have massive ramifications for our democracy.

Big week ahead.

It's well worth it alright but in our case it took a lot of time and a lot of money. Thank God he wasn't a covered expat. Anyway it's all over now - we're tax compliant everywhere

Well if not paying your taxes qualifies you for US President then Bozo would be qualified. He had a massive tantrum about being asked to pay US taxes when he was Mayor. He didn’t sort it all out and pay up in order to renounce his citizenship until 2016. Funny that, if he were not such a modest ethical unambitious man you might think he was just clearing out one of the scandals lurking in his closet prior to some sort of game plan related to the referendum and becoming King of the World 🤔 . www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.forbes.com/sites/robertwood/2019/07/24/prime-minister-boris-johnson-tax-protester/amp/

I know a few American expats who have renounced citizenship but faced a real crisis of identity as a result.

@berlinbabylon - we pay as a family abit £120 a month and can see the GP as much as we need. We started seeing the private Gp out of desperation as my son's asthma care was so appalling.
But we are lucky to have that service ..... I know before it arrived/opened I had a serious sinus infection, was on my knees and my appointment at my nhs gp was completely stuffed up...... and I couldn't find a GP to see privately.

In terms of means testing being clumsy...... I get that - NZ has a population of 4.5m vs a population of 65m . But the NHS is crumbling under the strain, and it needs change to preserve it for the future for those that really need it.

(p.s. have you seen Niall Fergusons documentaries which were on CH4? l'etat, c'est moi rang a bell)

I haven't, but recall the phrase from ages ago, along with "Apres nous - le deluge" ..

cherin I'm not sure UK professional qualifications would be recognised after a No Deal Brexit

because I haven't seen where the EU has stated this

• is it somewhere in the EU's No Deal preparation notices ?

I know the WA specifies that current UK qualifications would be recognised
but I've noticed before that UK govt statements sometimes assume things that were only in the WA

berlinbaby too - have you seen where the EU states this for No Deal ?

Otherwise, I think after No Deal it is up to each member state to make the rules for Brits in their country

Otherwise, I think after No Deal it is up to each member state to make the rules for Brits in their country

Unless and until the UK makes a new deal with the EU.

Our Tranatlantic cousins have done us the honour of taking James Corden off our hands, so maybe they'll accept some more of our shit?

They sent Piers Morgan back though ...

I just came back on to wonder out loud why I dislike Thornbury so much.

I haven't followed her enough to make a real assessment of her personality but something about her really jars. I feel like she has a very smug, condescending and...I don't know...sort of thinly veiled aggressive way.

And it's not because she's assertive/opinionated. I'm pretty sure this isn't internalised misogyny.

I feel like she comes across as the person who would have been the school bully.

They sent Piers Morgan back though

Even the US have limits.

I wish we could round a few people off and send them packing to the US - Hatey Kockpins, Andrew Bridgen, Mark Francois and Priti Patel would make a good start. And surely they'd be so much happier over there with Trump? Win-win.

Is there something I am missing re the social care commitment from Labour?

My elderly mother had the higher level attendance allowance and this covered three short visits a day, which was all that was needed at the time. Anything above that was self funded.

So free care wouldhave helped to cover the shortfall of longer and more frequent visits but it's not that transformative to someone claiming higher level allowance unless they are suggesting the state would fund 24 hr care at home.

Devil in detail as ever.

She's now burning through her savings in a private care home. In my view there should be some sort of cap on that, but it won't happen.

Paul Waugh, politics editor for HuffPost

Hearing that there will be big, orchestrated walk-out during @tom_watson speech at Lab conf tmrw.

As much as it helps the LDs I hope what I've just posted doesn't occur - because really, the absolute state of it

Wheres Thornberry just reminds me of MIL when she was younger, always knows best, won’t listen to others opinions, demands her own way. Frankly quite irritating to be around.

Thankfully MIL has mellowed with age ET not so much.

Walk out on Tom Watson's speech would be cuntish behaviour. More own goals for Labour and there attempts "to be elected "

What's his name off Sky...

Feeling on the floor from some of the delegates is that Corbyn’s opponents have turned Composite 13 into a form of confidence vote on the Corbyn leadership, so lots of rallying around him/urging to vote it down. #Lab19

Lewis Goodall off Sky(!£

What a shit show 💩

I liked the bit of John McDonnell's speech earlier when he was talking about a citizens right to leisure facilities. I was surprised when I found out our local small town used to have a lido and a cinema. It has increased in size loads since then but has nothing now except a library.

Meanwhile all the 'fly 'em home' stuff is all very blitz-spirity isn't it.

Grinchly It may depend on local area / council policy ?

My late mum had the highest level care allowance which was then 65 quid per week

She needed 5 visits, only 3 of which were funded by the council - and I don't know if they still do this -
BUT they would not have funded at all if her income hadn't been so low

A couple of her friends, who had higher incomes, couldn't get any free visits, so they had none

On a bank holiday, the visits to my Mum were charged at 75 quid per hour, pro rata !

Thornberry comes over as snooty & sneering at ordinary people,
the worst possible combination in the current hysteria against the mc / rich elite

Her godawful stupid tweet in 2014 about that house with white van & St George flags would be raked up if she were even a leadership candidate, let alone leader
That will blight her career forever

Of course, if Tom Watson were ever to become Labour leader,
he would turn from persecuted hero to be demonised like every previous Labour leader of the past 40 years

Her godawful stupid tweet in 2014 about that house with white van & St George flags would be raked up if she were even a leadership candidate, let alone leader That will blight her career forever

I idly find myself wondering if that would be the same case were she a he ? Considering how much offensive shit we've had coming out of other politicians - some of whom are in government ?