Sephiroth

I agree with that The voters authorised strong austerity in 2010 and kept voting for it for 14 years - for that reason alone, given Labour have been in power for only months I can't find my else able to equate them as bad as each other. Yet. It may happen and given Labour's poor decision making and comms to date I wouldn't be surprised if they end up that way Problem is the voters say they want one thing (lower prices/better public services/things working) but then don't reward any government that tries to deliver - and they explicitly said they wanted higher prices with Brexit and lower public services by voting Cons in for 14 years - so they got what they wanted, they just don't like the reality Whoever is elected now has to find a way to address those years of underinvestment and diminished growth - there is no painless way out. But blaming immigration for everything (Reform speciality) is only making everything worse

erm, I did read, I referenced and I posted - what is your point?

if anyone believes Reform is a party they can trust then they really don't need to be insulted by me - they are doing all the damage themselves If people don't like the state the country is in they should question why Farage fought for Brexit and why it continues to damage the country so much. He and you will splutter it wasn't done properly but if you can't see the contradictions I can't help you

Who is disrespecting the term “Blighty” I see people questioning it’s common usage in 2025 i see people calling out organisations who use it to scam people but the term Blighty itself? Nope “we r” in front of anything does add context mind you

of course most people would avoid the "stupid" term - but I'm sticking with it fact is no other European would be so dumb, and even with the same information, the same media, the same everything, 2 of the countries within the UK saw ho stupid an idea it was - but only the English (who played a large part in the Welsh result) pushed ahead - there is something defiantly arrogant and stupid and it isn't just down to bad info and bad leadership But that was all 2016 - it's people in 2025 who claim it to be a good idea executed badly who are especially stupid Now - does calling people stupid help anyone? It's not especially politically gainful and just gets peoples' backs up - but it remains a truth and only when the country as a whole genuinely holds it's hands up and admits the stupidity (rather than downplaying it as a poor decision - no shade meant Mal - you are just nicer and politer than me) will it begin. to turn the tide Also worth mentioning that yes I am as intractable and blunt with friends and family who voted Leave as well - this isn't me hiding behind some online anonymous account. This is what I'm like

"That’s very insulting! You are basically calling 17 million people that voted to leave the EU ‘thick’. " I'm certainly calling them wrong. And many of those 17 million agree with me now and have expressed regret. Many others were indeed thick, and remain so. You can see them being interviewed all the time. As for insulting, the losing side in that referendum have being called every name under the sun "enemies of the people" etc etc - so spare me the tears about being insulted But for clarity. there is a certain type of individual who even now thinks Brexit was a good idea, tends to side with Trump and holds views about immigrants - and yes I am happy to calll those people thick. - and even worse Jazzer posts a long and sometimes correct post about the failings of modern parties. I myself think labour are woefully underperforming. But equally it has been less than a year after 14 years of mismanagement and despite some significant errors have largely steadied the ship. You only have to speak to other countries to recognise the improvement there. They have cut NHS waiting times, and the upside of things like NI increases is higher minimum wage - something hard-bitten voters should appreciate. They were accused of being too gloomy when they came in and yet simultaneously people are accusing them of promising the earth and failing to deliver - both of those can't be true at the same time Fact is, this country repeatedly, over 15 years, voted for austerity and self-damaging policies like Brexit despite all warnings - this newish govt now have to pick up the pieces and there are no easy solutions. Voters say "we just want honest politicians" - ok, we have some bad news about the economy and the next few years - "no no not that kind of honesty!!! - magic some solutions up now!" Anyone who considers voting for Reform because they don't represent existing parties and want "change" is being criminally negligent in ignoring their dog-whistles, their lack of diligence in vetting, their lack of attendance (in Westminster now and in eu parties is guises past) and basically making all of the same mistakes when they pushed for Brexit - basically, not serious people "cost of things in the shops and utility bills keep on rising, the direct opposite of what they promised." - can we see that promise? I don't recall it? Because whatever voters or govts want, the cost of things is not exactly entirely in their gift. People were warned prices would rise with Brexit and e were told "we don't care - it's a price worth paying!". Turns out that isn' really true now is it - people DO care about the cost of things (and of course there are other factors - covid, trump, tariffs, wars etc. What the country needs is a serious, mature electorate who take a high level view of priorities and get behind the hard work needed to achieve that. There is zero chance of that happening so we are doomed to repeat failures for years to come, complaining about everything and voting for policies which will make things worse here we have labour 2024 energy manifesto commitments - all of it necessary long term investment - calling for immediate price cuts with no money in the kitty seems unrealistic given all of the economic headwinds https://www.energy-uk.org.uk/general-election-2024-all-manifesto-energy-pledges/#Labour_Party

Regardless of “Blighty” it’s the combination of “we” “R” and “Blighty” we means there is a them cancerian may or may not recognise a dog whistle. If he doesn’t, we are trying to point one out. If he does then they are trying to gaslight us into pretending they are just a lovely fundraising group with no agenda

That’s called sticking up for britain its people who think Brexit is a good thing - even now - that are anti-british and thick

I don’t think i ever wore a badge / not because I didn’t want people to know who I was (I think most people knew) but I hate badges and wearing them find badges a bit cringe tbh just ask someone there name - you’re already out socialising and drinking There wasn’t a lot to it. Pick a pub that’s likely to have space on the evening - ask the pub can we reserve the tables. Post date and time in here it did grow to some quite big evenings. But those early meet-ups were only 5 or 6 people. It grew from there if it’s a date I can be in London I might try and get along

He’s always playing a gig somewhere here and I thought I had read he lived here - I could be wrong on latter point tho

well I killed this thread stone dead - fine, I won't come! 😉

I get to see a LOT of Jon Otway down in lewes

hard agree with fishy there (oh god now someone is going to say "hard agree" is an annoying phrase)

There wasn’t a lot to it. Pick a pub that’s likely to have space on the evening - ask the pub can we reserve the tables. Post date and time in here it did grow to some quite big evenings. But those early meet-ups were only 5 or 6 people. It grew from there if it’s a date I can be in London I might try and get along

do NOT get me started on "grab bags" - as in the large size packet of crips at train stations and the like or relatedly "grab'n'go" - how about just chilling and eating something nice in a relaxed way

That editorial about EU and the Nick Clegg article can get in the sea tho - pure cakeism from 2015/2016

All fair and sensible points and yet OP. WHAT A ****

I think on that night everyone at the drinks was doing the karaoke as well The nights did vary from month to month - but more hits than misses I would say by far - and a chance to meet online "enemies" and find they were sound in the flesh

Grim and the U.K. govts past and present have no answers And even if they did the papers and enough of the population would rise up in protest and prevent far easier to complain and vote reform next time, watch everything get worse and complain some more https://www.theguardian.com/science/2025/apr/20/nhs-cancer-patients-denied-life-saving-drugs-due-to-brexit-costs-report-finds?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Well, if you ever find yourself visiting, let us know

Still remember the time shortly after I moved to Lewes and bumped into Jamie Hooper - turns out he had been living in Lewes the whole time he ran the pub in London

I mean... the name alone is a bit of a red flag

Well yes. But only up to a point eu countries have had to spend a LOT of money to accommodate English madness - and has had to deal with years of incoherent positioning. It has destabilised the EU as a group - or has at the very least distracted it and consumed bandwidth which is why Putin was so pro-Brexit. Which enabled other subsequent events - it’s hard to imagine the world as it is now without Brexit. A stronger EU. Uk not a mess and in its own after multiple elections and way more prime ministers than 9 years could possibly allow a stronger united front

Imagine a country voting for something that has a major financial hit to a country and having an electorate and different governments too proud/embarrased/dumb to reverse said decision After 9 years America and Trump might be on a different scale but England could do with a bit of reflection before judging other countries (at a national level. I know lots of you sane, wise posters are not culpable)

which is why I call places and people calling it a Brexit Win Putin appeasers Why would Trump want to drive a wedge between UK and EU? Because he is mates with Putin and that's what Putin wants