 | Forum
Reply | Terror plot thwarted
at 18:20 4 May 2025
Interesting they made these arrests very public and highlighted the Iranian aspect. Suggests that they wanted this in the media for political reasons.
There were nearly 250 arrests under the terrorism act last year, very few of those made the news. |
| Forum
Reply | One positive next season
at 18:13 4 May 2025
You could always ignore those posts if they cause you irrational upset? |
| Forum
Reply | Enciso.. any chance?
at 08:46 4 May 2025
About as much as Delap staying. It’s a World Cup next year, anyone with international hopes will be putting themselves front and centre this season. |
| Forum
Reply | Why? - Trump posts AI pic of him as Pope
at 08:42 4 May 2025
Obviously not, but was posted from his acct and retweeted by the Whitehouse acct, so would have been supported by him.
It’s not the creation of it but the fact Trump seems to think sharing it is appropriate. |
| Forum
Reply | for all the people who suggest we shouldn't criticise reform or their voters
at 07:32 3 May 2025
Personally this whole “promise” crap in politics is ridiculous and is weaponised by all parties.
How can you run a country based on promises made weeks, months or even years in the past in a modern world where things change unpredictably and can completely undermine your plans.
Outline plans, detail dependencies for those plans, highlight when dependencies change and how that impacts the plans and what is changing. It’s how the better companies function.
Promises are made by kids in playgrounds. |
| Forum
Reply | Reform
at 11:51 2 May 2025
If Reform has based their public campaigns around sensible conversations relating to managing immigration then fair enough - but they are constantly muddying the water over legal migration, asylum seekers and illegal migrants *just* to get the nationalist votes.
In 2024 legal migration accounts for ~1.2M people, down by 20% on prior year - the vast majority are needed to run essential services. Lose them and the country struggles as we do not have the skills or the people to plug that gap short term. Asylum seekers adds another ~100K people, of which an estimated 28K come over on the small boats. Reform makes a huge song and dance about that 28K, which is 2% of the total - the whole "stop the boats" nonsense.
Let's look at some other claims by Reform / Farage which are simply not true and unworkable, but aimed to whip up people to vote for them:
Claim: More migrants arrived in Britain in two years than in the previous 944 years.
Reform UK leader Richard Tice claimed that more migrants arrived in the UK during 2022 and 2023 than between the years 1066 and 2010, this was not true. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported approximately 2.5 million long-term immigrants during 2022 and 2023. In contrast, between 1855 and 2010, an estimated 32.5 million long-term immigrants arrived in the UK. There is no reliable data on migration figures dating back to 1066, making the comparison baseless.
Claim: The UK can return all migrants crossing the Channel in small boats directly to France.
Another gem but legally unfeasible. Reform UK advocates for intercepting and returning all small boat arrivals to France. However, legal experts have noted that such actions would violate international law including the 1951 Refugee Convention, unless France agrees to accept the returnees, which it currently does not.
Claim: The UK can achieve zero net migration by freezing “non-essential” legal immigration.
Bonkers and highly impractical. Reform UK’s proposal to halt “non-essential” legal immigration seems to forget how the UK relies on foreign workers in critical sectors like healthcare, agriculture, and hospitality. Would most likely lead to labour shortages and economic disruptions.
Claim: Raising employer National Insurance contributions to 20% for foreign workers will incentivize hiring British workers.
This is both discriminatory and economically harmful. Unless Reform go down the route of changing discrimination laws then a policy like this would be seen as discriminatory and illegal. Additionally, it would likely deter businesses from hiring necessary foreign talent again leading to skill shortages and negatively impacting the UK economy.
Claim: The UK can save £150 billion annually by cutting bureaucracy and foreign aid without affecting frontline services.
Reform UK continue to claim that significant savings can be made without impacting essential services. However, the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has challenged this stating that such savings would likely require substantial cuts to public services, affecting their quantity and/or quality.
I don't believe that all reform voters are racist, I think there are a number of concerned and angry people who are voting for them as they are desperate for change and feel disenfranchised by the other parties.
My concern arises from the fact Reform are trying to get themselves elected on policies which are completely non feasible, knowing that the target audience believe their propaganda and not question the underlying practicality of what is being promised. |
| Forum
Reply | Paul Merson
at 17:36 29 Apr 2025
Ha ha ha - many years ago (~30) I used to work with his brother at a French Bank/Trading House in the city. It was just as Rioch left and Wenger came in to change how the club was run.
Before Wenger came in, the likes of Paul Merson, Tony Adams, Ray Parlour etc used to join us for a kickaround over in Limehouse, and some beers afterwards. That stopped very very quickly . . . |
| Forum
Reply | Time to break out the champers and celebrate relegation!
at 08:07 29 Apr 2025
Love the way the media always manage to highlight the booze related thing to these findings. I would argue that stress, exhaustion, poor health etc have a significant impact on your life, and increases that chances of heart attacks etc.
I’m going to throw it out there that the majority of people drink champagne as part of a celebration or party therefore thechampagne could be linked more with the positive attitude and mood rather than be a direct link to the reduction in sudden cardiac arrest. |
| Forum
Reply | Yeah, largely our defending....
at 19:03 26 Apr 2025
Cracks showed last year and opened up this year but was not an issue in League 1, we had the best defence in 22-23, and even with it being leakier last year the 7th best defence when we went up. |
| Forum
Reply | What a rubbish season
at 18:54 26 Apr 2025
Interesting take on the season, easy to reach that conclusion based on MotD highlights and newspaper talk I guess. Cheer up. |
| Forum
Reply | My usual town pub
at 18:11 26 Apr 2025
Simple, they have huge purchasing power to buy in bulk at lower prices than independent pubs or smaller chains and their subsequent ability to then sell at a lower margin but at a higher volume. Basic economics. |
| Forum
Reply | Something rotten in the state of the EPL
at 18:01 26 Apr 2025
There have always been more top flight title winners in the EFL than the PL, so it’s not surprising that a large number of PL sides have never won anything. I guess the pinnacle for a lot of clubs these days is not being relegated from the PL. |
| Forum
Reply | I'd be worrying about myself quite frankly......
at 09:29 26 Apr 2025
I do remember the heady days though that Holt was being chased by a host of PL sides to bolster their European squads for the following season, only to be pipped by those giants of Wigan Athletic for £2m. |
| Forum
Reply | Big polling news today
at 15:29 25 Apr 2025
Agreed - swearing is both big and clever when used appropriately and semi sparingly, else it loses any form of humour or effectiveness.
Oh, and I spent the best part of 20 years working on trading floors, not much different than the language on building sites, just the orators had suits on (at least they used to). |
| Forum
Reply | Is the death sentence appropriate here, and if so - why ?
at 15:25 25 Apr 2025
I struggle with the death penalty - as in I find it very hard to hold a single position on it.
My view is that the DP can be used for the very worst of societies individuals, the darkest of lives where there is no redemption or moral compass. Those who torture, rpae and kill for fun - for crimes so heinous that the death penalty is the only appropriate response
I don't see that here - you just make him a martyr . . . |
| | bsw72
|
Site Scores| Forum Votes: | 1473 | | Comment Votes: | 8 | | Prediction League: | 4 | | TOTAL: | 1485 |
|
By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions.
