An attempt to revive Johnsonās exceptionalist ācake and eat itā policy? Trying to play the prodigal son card? Or just cloth-eared desperation?
cloth eared yes. Desperate? - well heās not called Dan. But the hubrisā¦
From the article āEU officialsinstead suggested a customs union or economic alignment through the European Economic Areaā¦ ideas ā¦ impossible under Starmerās red lines. He said in 2024 the UK would not rejoin the EU, the single market or customs union in his lifetime.ā
I donāt want to think ill of the future dead, though, Starmer can you now get a move on topping yourself?
Edit - for the nation, obviously. Iām sure you will be even more honoured for your sacrifice than already.
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I canāt see us rejoining within the next 20 years, unfortunately. And I think there would need to be quite a significant change in how British politics is done.
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Stupid thing for an otherwise intelligent man to have said. Making himself an uneccessary hostage to fortune.
Interesting how arriviste Reform and its various predecessors have induced panic in long established and far more experienced political parties, who rather than trying to counter them, by offering to address whatās really driving the discontent, instead offer watered-down versions of partiesā key policies
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Itās all tragic. Like her or loathe or her, Thatcher got a good deal for the UK. All squandered now, by self serving idiots like Farage, Johnson, Gove et al. If Farage is rewarded for his part in this debacle by becoming PM, well the mind boggles. Starmer hasnāt the courage to brutally confront Farage with the damage he has done, it needs a sustained and highly visible programme of denunciation, social media, press, television, whatever it takes. Letās hope Burham has the cojones.
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And the first - Cameron?
Despite The Sunās many headlines about Thatcher, Brussels and that handbag, she was essentially pro-European in a way that is too āradicalā/āchallengingā/'politically inconvenient 'for many current Labour politicians, le t along the rest of Westminsterās current crop.
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Pathetic, and reveals they really have zero integrity. āThose are my principles, and if you donāt like themā¦ well, I have others.ā Groucho Marx.
Now Burham id doing the same to pander to the Brexiteers in godforsaken Makerfield 
Iād like to be hopeful for Burnham, writing as a long exiled Mancunian, he seems to have battled for the northern provinces and done a good job in Manchester. Heās also a local born lad in the bye-election, so if he loses against Reform, then thereās very big problems ahead for Labour and the UK.
Absolutely, Iām no fan of hers, especially on the privatisation front*, but she knew the UK being in the tent and taking a lead role was better than being a has-been outside it.
*At the time i did believe in privatisation. I think private companies are better managed and more effective. However, I naively assumed sufficient regulatory oversight, with sufficient teeth, would be put in place. More fool me.
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Indeed - itās especially ironic that she was one of the architects of the Single Market, which her political successors (and devotees) have vilified and dragged the UK away from.
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Burnham was a proud member of New Labour, and was (is?) a member of Labour Friends of Israel. I have no idea why people were so easily won over by him but I have absolutely no doubt heād be Starmer Mk 2.
Heās said heād ārewardā Josh Simons with a central role for stepping aside in Makerfield for him if he got the leadership. This is the same Josh Simons who was head of Labour Together, the exact organisation that has caused this entire mess. The same Blue Labour think tank that worked to destroy Corbyn Labour (not a pro Corbyn comment, but one which highlights that they have no loyalty to the party or anything other than their own agenda), install Starmer, the same Labour Together whose leading architects were Morgan McSweeney and his mate Peter Mandleson. The same Labour Together that failed to declare Ā£730k in donations, and the same one that received fines for over 20 breaches of the law. And of course the same Josh Simons had to resign from his role as Parliamentary Secretary in the Cabinet Office after if was discovered Labour Together targeted journalists looking into the undeclared donations and and created dossiers claiming falsely that they were on the payroll of Putin to discredit them. THIS the is the guy Burnham wants to bring back into the centre on Number 10 if he wins? Guyās a charlatan. Still better than snivelling lickspittle Wes Streeting, but not much.
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Me too, I never liked Starmer, and his stance on the Gaza genocide has only increased my dislike. The problem I have with Burnham is that he seems to be reneging on sensible positions to improve his chances in Makerfield. Iām not the sure the voters in Makerfield are a valid reflection of the will of the Country, yet heās aligning with them.
I can understand that argument - my stepfather was a director of companies in four different countries, but he was āold schoolā, knew how the companies worked and cared absolutely about things being done well and correctly. albeit in very differing cultures. OTOH, thereās also the public sector trope of the very competent, professional and civically minded public servant, SFās own @JaneJones being a prime local example (truth, not flattery!)
In retrospect, suspect few would disagree that the privatisation of UK public utilities was, and continues to be a societal disaster. And one thatās interesting to contrast with Norwayās use of its North Sea āenergy bonanzaā.
Personally, Iām more inclined to trust an ethical public sector management (thoā some might see that as a presentday oxymoron).
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I wasnāt aware of his background, and I have nothing but contempt any current member of the friends of Israel https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3TgN6dmFr-Y
I guess Burnham is another case of grasping at straws, as was the ālandslideā for Starmer, Reeves, et al. So, given the alternatives, I guess itās fair to say you think the UK is stuffed?
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On this one I completely agree.
Dismal, isnāt it Billy? Because there is no future for the UK, apart from being an irrelevant backwater, albeit nurturing bankers and billionaires. I guess Brexit mission accomplished 
Having had the privilege of working for the vast majority of my career for Company that valued its employees (and the shareholders and the community) these shitty people and companies that only think personal gain or shareholder value disgust me. Case in point this bastardā¦
I wonder if he would like his children described as ālower-value human capitalā? Heās issued a worthless and mealymouthed apology on LinkedIn. Which is great, because I can personally message him and tell him I think heās a total shit 
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Ahā¦ but AI will parse your comment on receipt, spot the words ātotal $hitā and it will never be received.
Question: Is Standard Chartered a bank?
Answer: Yes.
Case closed. First up against the wall when the Revolution comes, along with all other $ankers. 