HeadNun

Quite. But there has to be a sacrificial lamb if the PM wants any chance of survival. Sorry Rolflick, I'll keep it on topic from now on.

Harsh. Cry babies cry for no reason, she's crying cos she's clearly exhausted, she's massively ballsed things up and is being chronically briefed against by her own MPs in the press and she knows the PM - Morgan McSweeney - and his deputy - Keir Starmer - are about to hang her out to dry. I reckon she'll be gone by Friday.

Yeah, agreed, cos I really want to ask... has anyone seen the photo of Rachel Reeves in tears at PMQs just now?! She's toast.

Yes, true Sephiroth. And Moovart's right in that, whatever direction it's coming from, it disenfranchises the electorate and gives rise to populism. It certainly doesn't help achieve social justice, or bring about meaningful change. Mind you, nor does so-called pragmatism and idealogical neutrality, as we're seeing today. So who bloody knows what the answers are now.

I agree, Moovart. There's something very aggressive about language like that - it's not big and it's not clever. Some of the angry energy that comes from the far left is pretty self-defeating.

Either the car was on blues or it wasn't, maybe OP can clarify? But I still don't get why it would be a good thing that the cyclist escaped from two police vans - they would have either arrested or protected him, depending on the scenario.

Yeah, I'm confused now too.

In my experience working with police, esp Roads Policing, they don't drive erratically and dangerously. Most of them will be TPAC trained, or done advanced driving at the very least. Police in car chases live in fear of injuring or killing a member of the public, it genuinely is one of their worst nightmares. So I feel safe assuming that whatever the kid on a bike had done, the pursuit and tactics were justified. That's assuming the car was police... you suggest it was, but I'm not so sure. I don't understand "Thank God the cyclist got away before 2 police vans arrived to help". Help the car, or the cyclist?

It's a good time to be in the AC business. Soizic, may I ask how many units you had fitted and roughly how much it cost?

Well done for managing in this heat today!

I hate the idea of someone with a genuine disability losing money, it's heart-breaking. I thought the whole idea of these cuts was to get kids with mental health issues, which we used to call 'the human condition', off benefits and into a job. Before anyone says anything, I'm not talking about people with severe autism. If the tests are so astringent, Spartacus, how come healthy youngsters with anxiety are getting benefits? It's ludicrous. This from The Times: Then there is mental health. This is the fastest-growing category of claim; anxiety and depression is now the single biggest reason to claim PIPs, accounting for 16 per cent of spending. Including problems such as autism and ADHD, there are 1.4 million people claiming for “psychiatric disorders”, almost 40 per cent of the total. NHS figures on Thursday found that 23 per cent of people of working age now have a mental disorder, up from 18 per cent a decade ago, rising to 26 per cent in 16 to 24 year-olds. Young people are most likely to claim benefits for mental health problems and there is growing concern about a generation who may do so for decades. The number of children on disability living allowance, the precursor to PIPs, will reach a million by the end of the decade, double pre-Covid levels. Most of these are for behavioural problems such as ADHD or learning disabilities

Also, Mal, I’d not be surprised if Biibi reminded Trump that his pulling out of the 2018 deal is the reason Iran has got to where it has with its enrichment programme, and strong/-armed him into ‘finishing off’ the sites, (which he most likely hasn’t; they’ve moved their uranium for sure).

The NYT ( that right wing alarmist rag) has reported that Iran told Qatar so they could prepare. Iran and Q are on good terms so Q won’t retaliate, esp as Iran is only targeting US bases, which everyone knew to expect. If anything, it draws Qatar into the dialogue and Q will privately be urging Iran to back down.

It was inevitable, but I think it'll blow over. Iran co-ordinated the attack with the Qataris, so as not to offend their mates, so Qatar was prepared. I hope it's just symbolic bluster and I think they're only targeting US bases. Even if they target a UK base, I doubt it'll drag us into a conventional war with them.

Mal, why is it that, when EA said let's not make this political, your only response is a puerile insult about someone being right wing? On what basis is The Times (in which the late Andrew Norfolk risked everything to expose the story), alarmist? And all the other mainstream newspapers? This isn't some conspiracy story lurking in a dark corner of the web. Perhaps I know a little about it because my google and AI profiles offer up balanced reportage from respected journalists across the spectrum. I'm curious to know why you dismiss anyone who supports the investigation of police and local authorities who, not only failed to protect vulnerable young women, but actually criminalised them. You seem uncomfortable with the idea of accepting the reality - is because your beloved councils will come under greater scrutiny? An article worth reading by the alarmist and raging right wing journalist Pippa Crerar https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/jun/16/grooming-gangs-in-uk-thrived-in-culture-of-ignorance-casey-report-says

Listen to the victims or the journalists who have and still do report on it, and they will all tell you it's still happening. It's not hard to find copious newspaper articles online - maybe work on your google search skills. https://www.thetimes.com/uk/crime/article/grooming-gangs-bradford-3cljk5dzw

I was wondering the same until I found these few paras from Louise Casey’s report: Five months ago, I told the House our most important task was to stop perpetrators and put them behind bars. I can report that that work is accelerating. Arrests and investigations are increasing. After I asked police forces in January to identify cases involving grooming and child sexual exploitation allegations that had been closed with no further action, more than 800 cases have now been identified for formal review. And I expect that figure to rise above 1,000 in the coming weeks. I guess the inquiry won’t just be historic, like the post office, for eg. Grooming gangs are still at large. So the inquiry is alongside accelerated action to bring historical and current perps to justice, as well as the people and institutions failing to expose them.

Yep, agreed, EA .The whole thing has been shameful.

I'd eat my hat if she voted against, so no doubt she's been missed off

It was no doubt whipped pretty hard, so always best to take voting records with a pinch of salt. At least there's going to be a new inquiry, at last. It's still happening.

Hey Huggers, please can you share the fabulous chiropodist's details? Huggers, I think podiatrists are the same as chiropodists, pretty much. Also, why aren't you sticking with the chiropractor, out of interest, if they seem to think the problem is more posture-related, rather than solely (sorry) down to the feet?

I don't know everyone else's foot problems are, but I have classic and apparently quite bad deformity - bunions, pain etc. I went to the Woodware Rd practice a few years ago and got orthotics for the not inconsiderable price of £600. The team there seems very nice but, now that I am experiencing a new type of foot pain, I'm wondering if I've been doing it all wrong these years with supportive trainers and insoles. I'm beginning to realise (seems obvious now) that, if I want to cure my foot pain, maybe I need to change the way I walk, and my posture etc. And also, maybe I need to try barefoot shoes, to build muscle where there's been no need prior, because shoes have been doing all the supporting. I've been educating myself with Helen Hall and Lawrence van Lingen and addressing my gait seems like a more organic way to solve the problem. Podiatrists will convince you that orthotics and / or surgery are the only way to go, but look up reddit forums and you'll find countless people saying they 'cured' their bunions with barefoot walking / shoes / and exercises.

Devon Rhooms - best instructor ever. Intelligent, patient and reasonable. 07903 236 122

I think it's tough for the Uber drivers. I've met many drivers over the years who are highly educated immigrants, uber driving as a second job to support their families, as their main job doesn't pay enough. They clearly wouldn't be doing this if they could get higher skilled, better paid jobs. It's bad enough the damage that Uber did to black cab drivers, now uber drivers will become obsolete as well. I can't see myself using driverless taxis, but who knows what the future will bring. As for AI, we're already going through a change and I know a few, highly skilled, talented people who are now redundant because of it. They aren't getting higher paid jobs, they're taking steps down and doing menial work they can get to survive.

I have no advice for you, but I'm sorry you're going through this. It's highly distressing and I just can't fathom why some people are so horrible.