That's exactly our problem PTID

‘Speech lessons’ for Starmer on Xmas eve during Covid….is a speech coach a vital worker, I think not.
Mind you if this is him after coaching what was he like before..Stanley Unwin on Biffo gas…?

I made no such "statement". If you are going to criticize, it is wise to base your criticism on facts. Just to be clear: to espouse socialist principals but then boast about one's exotic life style is hypocritical. The essence of socialism is as Marx wrote: "From each according to his abilty, to each according to his need". If I spent my time criticizing the Tories and praising Starmer and the Labour party I would feel moderately embarrassed to flout my wealth. I would probably enjoy my wealth but not bang on about it. I hope this helps.

Seriously..?
Shows me a ‘Socialist’ who lives on the breadline, …they have no problem enjoying the best life can offer. A true socialist would be hard to find in the Labour Party, more middle class Liberals in reality.
Show me a Socialist Councillor who lives in the ward they represent…….?

It is an absolutely ridiculous statement, I couldn't agree more but you're the one making it, no one else has said that should happen. The questions socialists have to consider is, have they got the change they were promised, have they got the socialist government they thought they voted for, is Starmer the ideal socialist model etc etc. I am still to meet one who believes they have. Was removing the winter fuel allowance a socialist act or the decision meted out to the waspi women, especially after the false outrage they manufactured when in opposition over both subjects.

I suspect this is another of Jamie’s user names. Only comes out to play at times when certain people are on the board.

Starmer isn't a Socialist and Labour aren't a Socialist party, they are a party of neo-liberals, who over the last 30 years and certainly since Starmer became leader, have moved heaven and earth to rid the party of the last vestiges of Socialism within it.

Regardless, the problems we face now, are global problems, not national problems.

For the USA read the UK, after all we the 51st state of America and experiencing the same problems. Hardly surprising when we copy everything they do and pathetically follow them around like dogs.

See below. Listen and take it in.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVAQoLZKSRw

Has he banged on about it? If he worked all his life for it, why shouldn't he have a holiday home abroad? If you've paid your taxes and NI, then you have done your bit to support your fellow countrymen, and are equally allowed to have left of centre views. Not on here enough to know if he's a rabid marxist or not, but haven't seen anything to suggest that is the case. If it's just he supports Labour, then as has been said, they are no more Socialist than the Tories.

Totally agree…in fact on reflection it must be the 70’s since there was anything that resembled the real Labour Party..in a fashion.
Anyone with real socialist leanings were culled by Blair and the job finished off by Starmer.
I always found the token working class high profile MP brought out a bit patronising ….in Blair’s case it was Prescott and in Starmer's case Rayner…the rest are worker ants waiting to be told what they think…the culmination of a slow motion fall from relevance over several decades…dunno what me nana would think if she was alive

Maybe that’s the ‘foreign correspondent’s’ trouble, is kidding himself that the two main Party's are different …..when they aren’t.
But if you’ve moved halfway across the world how can you possibly experience the effect of this government when as he likes to point out he’s sat on the beach drinking ice cold beer in 30 degrees of sunshine…while defending the fools who took away pensioners winter fuel allowance …sounds either insensitive or a piss take.

Hear Hear

I dunno, there are self confessed Trumpies on here have never lived in the States.

On that note, I told PTID that isolationism doesn't work (he's now acting like he knew it would be a bluff all along) and lo and behold Trump agrees. He played a game of chicken with it and it has worked a treat. China might be a different story.

On another note, it shows the immense economic strength a federation of states can have. We went and messed that one up though.

Trump signs new executive orders..Best part of news night atm..

Helps if the confederation of states have a common aim….as opposed to a load of cats in a bag fighting over a fish head.

Trump isn't being isolationist though is he? And I never said he would be either. If he was he'd be withdrawing from UN, NATO, pretty much all trading partnerships. He is being protectionist and using threats of tariffs (which is not in itself isolationist) as a negotiating tactic, and on the surface it's working in his favour.
We didn't mess up the federation of states, the EU did. They're 27 countries how the he'll are the rest managing outwith the EU. Norway seem to be struggling massively don't they?

No he's not, because like I said (and you dismissed) it doesn't work. He made loads of isolationist noises to win over the gullible but it turns out he knew better... it seems so far anyway.

For European nations, the answer is to circle wagons and make the most out of strength in numbers. Going off on our own now seems such a bad idea. Or we could join Canada and Greenland and become another star on the stars and stripes.

How can anyone take Trump seriously he now wants to level the Gaza Strip and make it into holiday resort and also saying if Iran were involved in assassinating him he wants Iran obliterated.
On top of that taking Greenland over, control of a canal not even in the States and saying Canada should become a state of America.

Actually if Gaza’s people got rid of their loony masters, who maintain power by violence ….and were allowed to make their own way in life the idea of developing the strip into a holiday destination isn’t that far fetched…Lebanon until the 80’s was the Switzerland of the Middle East (as a result of their French colonial legacy) before the religious zealots forced their way in .
Iranians don’t even want their leadership.

You always get confused when you’ve had to clear the ablutions out of your winter residence…..dig a bigger hole

The Panama Canal was a US territory until 1977, the Canal was operated by the US from its opening until 1999. So it's hardly outrageous that he wants to take back control or that it would in fact be such a bad thing.
What he wants and what he gets regarding Greenland and Canada will probably not be realised. He's not going to use force to gain control of either so any settlement will need to be negotiated.
There's not a politician in history that hasn't overstated what they're going to do is there - how's your mate doing with "Smashing the gangs" for example? Trump is playing to his audience and should be judged on actions not speeches.

actually know a few in my area that do plus a mp who lives in their constituancy and not bussed in from miles away. its not where they live thats the problem but the time and effort they put in defending starmer and the westminster government rather than concentraing on local issues. labour has always been the party of envy where many change sides if they come into money. just like the union man who gains promotion who forgets his past overnight to become a right bastard.

Dig a bigger hole for what Snowy I am only quoting what’s in the news, I didn’t make it up, oh forgot it’s before sunrise probably still dark when you have the grumpy head on.
Try living in a winter residence before criticising it and anyobe who does Snowy, you might like it, it might make you less grumpy in the morning. We have real toilets and running water hot and cold you know.

Yeah, whatever………………

Disagree about Councillors not living in the ward they represent…if you live in some top of the range gaffe in the leafy suburbs, how can you possibly understand life on the Shit Shoveller Estate of the desperate…?
Same with top ministers representing towns they wouldn’t even fly over if they weren’t the MP.
It’s like the Rotten Botoughs back in the day…those places a porky pig could put up for election providing it had the appropriate rosette colours on.

or like barnsley now and hartlepool itself at one time.

In December 2023. The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant in November 2024 for Netanyahu, he is in the States why hasn’t he been arrested ?

Poolie Imp you claimed that Trump was advocating isolationism when he talked about tariffs during the election campaign. Now you're saying his tariff strategy wasn't isolationism because it doesn't work, so you've finally got there, well done.
And by the way his threats of tariffs (not isolationism) seem to have worked a treat. He's got increased border security commitments from both Canada and Mexico, and he's also got agreement for Colombian illegal immigrants to be returned.

Mr Flick
How much of what you pay out, Can you claim back.

Jamie
You know as well as the rest of us, Just how Strategic both Gazza and Greenland are.
And of course Panama.

Why haven’t you…

That was exactly what he was advocating. The tariffs were one small part of a whole cloud of hot air, you should know, you were cheering it enough.

What he was doing was playing up to gullible voters who fall hook line and sinker for that kind of thing believing it actually works (as do equally witless onlookers across the pond it seems). Trump, like myself and anyone else in their right mind, knowsi in reality it doesn't work . Now you're cock-a-hoop over the bluff he called as if you knew it all along (which is of course bollocks). Have you any more gems like this Captain Hindsight?

I've a feeling you might have worked out the difference between ISOLATED and ISOLATIONIST now. Well done for getting there.

Nah mate I've said all along his threats were bluster and he doesn't always do what he says. I also said threats of tariffs alone is not isolationism which you disputed.
Trump is not working on his own, he takes advice from people far cleverer than us in terms of business and politics. He's also a huge fan of himself and wants to leave a glowing legacy of financial growth for the USA and global peace, hence the Israel Gaza ceasefire and it won't be long before Putin and the Ukraine call a halt to their war. Rumours abound that Trump wants a Nobel Peace Prize and he'll be in the running if he makes it happen.

Why haven’t I what, your like a politician Snowy answer a question with a question.

A sensible person doesn’t ask a question to which they already have a definite opinion on then acts the innocent bystander.
A sensible person doesn’t wonder and pose a question to the crowd, they research and investigate, anything else is rabble rousing for nefarious outcomes.

Of course I knew Trump was bluffing, didn't everyone? If people really believed that he go through with everything he said you must believe in Santa and the tooth fairy!!
He's been a massive bluffer throughout his political career.

I am even more confused, what does nefarious mean or is it predicative text playing up again ?

Try using a ..Dick ..shun …..hurray……..all will be revealed.
You shouldn’t have left school after the second year infant class.
I don’t use ‘predictive ‘ text, I can spell.