Gloucester Saint

She’s a bit alternative in her lifestyle and doesn’t scream front bench but she isn’t heavily tarnished like Braverman, Jenrick, Philip, Rayner et al with horrific corruption and mistakes in her profile either https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Layla_Moran

Ashdown’s affair wouldn’t have mattered so much now despite the classic Sun headline of the time. Charles Kennedy would have decent as well if he’d kept off the sauce.

Leader yes, Sir Ed is too limited, but I’d like to see a bit more of their front bench before judging as an overall party. Our local MP is excellent, ex-military police and gets things done. He could certainly translate those skills into office.

On loan for AFC Sholing, yes. Give Damion plenty of space in the car park though.

Lib Dem-Con centrist/centre right coalition. Won’t happen after we got stuffed by it in 2015 but it’d sort the country out.

Eating reasonably well but had a chest infection which won’t shift in the cold/very damp weather and damaged my intercostal muscle during a coughing fit. Coughing hurting every time 😢

Yet more 🌮 but this time people were murdered as a result.

Loads of bits of tree on the roads. Have contented myself with Notts Co v Swindon as a substitute, not a bad game at all. County dominated but Swindon scored a worldie in the first half. 1-1. Holloway getting involved with the home crowd - some things never change. EDIT 2-1 County, sub scores straight away from Jatta assist. They deserve that.

Torrential rain and strong winds last night and this morning. So much so that Cheltenham v Gillingham, is off.

With the Conservative right wing membership and those who left that party as they felt it wasn’t right wing enough, certainly. And he’s miles better than Braverman or any of the other defectors, or indeed Farage or Tice. But he’s as ambitious and ruthless as Boris was in a party one man likes to call his castle, however much Farage realises he needs to build a front bench and plenty disliked him in the Tory party, including some on the right as well who saw an opportunist right winger compared to Braverman, Patel and others who they viewed as instinctive. It’ll be a bumpy ride and his intention is clear - bring the parties together with him as leader which plenty on both sides don’t want. Outside of the Tory right, he struggles with centrist voters and his southern gazumping estate agent image allied to the stench of planning related corruption allegations will deter ex-Labour potential Reform switchers in the Midlands and North. Boris could unlock those voters, Farage could unlock some, but I don’t think Bob has the same pulling power. But he could win them seats in the SE, East and SW.

If it was say Sajid Javid defecting, a long-standing and fairly solid Minister and Conservative, I’d have said that was a coup. That’s like Koeman signing Pelle or VVD. Let alone a Jeremy Hunt, very effective across several of the main Whitehall Depts. But Braverman? That’s signing Ravel Morrison. Badenoch was bit out of the order with the jibe, but clearly she reckons Suella is a liability and even Truss couldn’t wait to get rid of Leaky Sue. Sunak did so as soon as he thought she’d skewered herself. Her record as Home Secretary was appalling, worst ever, leaving record AS case backlogs. Jenryck didn’t help with all of the dodgy hotel deals as Immigration Minister. He didn’t hold any of the really high offices. Ambition and track record are divergent. Sleaze on toast as well https://www.lettingagenttoday.co.uk/breaking-news/2024/07/controversial-ex-housing-secretary-to-run-for-conservative-leader/ Kruger is a fundamentalist loon, Dorries is a piss artist, and Sarah Pochin really doesn’t like those black and brown faces.

I don’t disagree with much of what Rutte has said there. Europe has needed to build up with Russia becoming more a direct threat this decade, and Trump had a point about spending per GDP. That doesn’t meant that Trump wasn’t an utter cunt about the Afghan troop remarks and make murder of his own citizens abhorrent. Those two perspective confidently co-exist.

Although Jones (Bree) and Martin (Downes, Manning, Fraser and Wood) must have had a say in those signings.

The only surprise this time was that she took so long, given the constant rumours in autumn 2024. Trying to claim Suella as a coup is a bit like Wolves unveiling Mario Lemina and praising his PL experience and great professionalism and attitude shown at Saints…. That said, Badenoch screwed up with the mental health jibe in the original PR. Had to from her as well going by rumours of their first shadow cabinet in opposition.