UK General Discussion

[Cassius]

Bob Crow on Thatcher's death: "I won't shed a single tear. As far as I am concerned she can rot in hell."

Still, RIP.

RIP and all, but what did/do the transport workers have against Thatcher (I'm probably missing something, so if neccessary enlightenment will be need)?

[Hifly]

RIP FF

You probably didn't even know who he was. Leave.

[Cassius]

RIP FF

You probably didn't even know who he was. Leave.

Buh he led t' train drivers in t'er fight fuh freedum agenst neolibrul govment

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I didn't particularly like him (old fashioned Commie that he was), but he did a decent job for his members, so RIP and all that.

Anyway, the wave of insincere tributes from public figures/the media has been amusing.

[Cassius]

Former Plaid Cymru President Dafydd Elis-Thomas has been sacked by party fuhrer leader Leanne Wood for criticising her recent speech about UKIP (sorry for the Godwinning, but I just thought I'd throw that in there).

[Filuwaúrdjan]

The word you're looking for is 'pretext'. Dafydd El has been semi-detached for years.

Still, the vitriol Plaid have directed at UKIP is probably not unrelated to the possibility of the party losing their MEP in the Euro Elections (which would be a huge blow to Plaid for various reasons).

[Simfan34]

I didn't particularly like him (old fashioned Commie that he was), but he did a decent job for his members, so RIP and all that.

Anyway, the wave of insincere tributes from public figures/the media has been amusing.

I'm mildly baffled by this myself.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Sir Peter Tapsell, the Father of the House, has announced that he will retire at next year's General Election. He was first elected in 1959, gaining Nottingham West in one of the biggest upsets of the election. He was (predictably) defeated in 1964, but returned to the Commons for the safe Conservative seat of Horncastle in 1966 and has represented the general area (through various boundary and name changes) ever since. He has never held ministerial office.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

The next Father of the House (assuming that he runs for re-election, doesn't die, etc) will be Sir Gerald Kaufman, who was first elected in 1970 and was the first to be sworn in of the remaining cohort of that year. The others (in order) are Ken Clarke, Michael Meacher, and Dennis Skinner. David Winnick was first elected as long ago as 1966, but he lost his seat in 1970 and didn't return until 1979.

[afleitch]

An interesting narrative has came out about the nature of the relationship between Roy Jenkins and Tony Crosland.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Stephen Kinnock has been selected as the Labour candidate in Aberavon.

[politicus]

Stephen Kinnock has been selected as the Labour candidate in Aberavon.

Is that a solid Labour seat? It would be great if we could export HTS to Wales (not that I have anything against the Welsh in particular, but still: Better them than us.)

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Good piece on Tony Benn, his influences and career - and how the one influenced the other - here. I.e. there's a reason why he sometimes came across as a latter day Old Testament Prophet.

It also features the following magnificent photo:

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Stephen Kinnock has been selected as the Labour candidate in Aberavon.

Is that a solid Labour seat? It would be great if we could export HTS to Wales (not that I have anything against the Welsh in particular, but still: Better them than us.)

Extremely safe: main town is Port Talbot (home to one of the biggest steelworks in Europe) and the rest of the constituency is mostly old mining towns. Labour since 1922 with a majority of 35.7% in 2010.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

It's being reported that he won selection by a single vote. Bet he's glad he had the Community endorsement.

[You kip if you want to...]

So, are we assuming he's on the frontbench not long after the election?

[afleitch]

So, are we assuming he's on the frontbench not long after the election?

If he curries favour with the new leader, who knows?

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

So, are we assuming he's on the frontbench not long after the election?

If he curries favour with the new leader, who knows?

Well, Ed Milliband was definitely helped by Neil Kinnock's support during the leadership race. I think it's quite likely that Ed would reward the Kinnocks with a cushy frontbench job.

[afleitch]

So, are we assuming he's on the frontbench not long after the election?

If he curries favour with the new leader, who knows?

Well, Ed Milliband was definitely helped by Neil Kinnock's support during the leadership race. I think it's quite likely that Ed would reward the Kinnocks with a cushy frontbench job.

I mean Labour's next leader. After the election

[You kip if you want to...]

Dave's got his bingo bounce at the Tories are tying Labour.

Close, but still no cigar for him though.

[MaxQue]

So, are we assuming he's on the frontbench not long after the election?

If he curries favour with the new leader, who knows?

Well, Ed Milliband was definitely helped by Neil Kinnock's support during the leadership race. I think it's quite likely that Ed would reward the Kinnocks with a cushy frontbench job.

I mean Labour's next leader. After the election

Why you care about foreign politics? Don't you want an independant Scotland after the referendum?

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

So, are we assuming he's on the frontbench not long after the election?

If he curries favour with the new leader, who knows?

Well, Ed Milliband was definitely helped by Neil Kinnock's support during the leadership race. I think it's quite likely that Ed would reward the Kinnocks with a cushy frontbench job.

I mean Labour's next leader. After the election

Oh Snap.

[Silent Hunter]

Well, he is already married to a Prime Minister.

[Silent Hunter]

Tory PPS quits over newspaper allegations

The alleged actions involve a Brazilian male escort.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

UK Coal is going to the wall, it seems. This likely means the end of the Kellingley and Thoresby collieries. All things considered this would be about two thousand jobs (probably slightly less) gone. Government has indicated that it won't help: if it were a bloody bank they'd probably be playing a different tune.

This will leave just Hatfield colliery, the many opencast pits, and the various driftmines.

Britain will, of course, continue to burn coal in its power stations. Imported coal. Which is insane from pretty much all perspectives. If you must burn coal, it makes sense (both economically and environmentally) to make it yours.