diable rouge

Thanks maxxi, I'm in...

Only 2 weeks before the new predictor season kicks off. Here are the details of the mini-league and pin number to join. As ever, newbies are welcome to join in by following this link and registering your details, simply use your EDF screen name if you don't want to use your real name... https://www.predictaddict.co.uk/Register

Final points... Final table... Congratulations RC, a comfortable winner and nearly an overall winner too, just 2 points short. Predictor game returns on Friday 16th August, will post details of EDF Min-League soon...

The Final... Sunday 14th July Spain v England (20:00)

Semi-Final fixtures... Tuesday 9th July Spain v France (20:00) Wednesday 10th July Netherlands v England (20:00)

Quarter-Finals points... Quarter-Finals table... RC still in contention for overall winner, only 1pt behind leader, c'mon RC you can do it!..

Quarter-Final fixtures... Friday 5th July Spain v Germany (17.00) Portugal v France (20:00) Saturday 6th July England v Switzerland (17.00) Netherlands v Turkey (20:00)

Round of 16 points... Round of 16 table...

Round of 16 fixtures... Saturday 29th June Switzerland v Italy (17:00) Germany v Denmark (20:00) Sunday 30th June England v Slovakia (17:00) Spain v Georgia (20:00) Monday 1st July France v Belgium (17:00) Portugal v Slovenia (20:00) Tuesday 2nd July Romania v Netherlands (17:00) Austria v Turkey (20:00)

RC still top by 2 ! Round 3 points... Round 3 table... Round of 16 starts on Saturday...

Round 3 fixtures... Sunday 23rd June Group A Switzerland v Germany (20:00) Scotland v Hungary (20:00) Monday 24th June Group B Croatia v Italy (20:00) Albania v Spain (20:00) Tuesday 25th June Group C England v Slovenia (20:00) Denmark v Serbia (20:00) Group D Netherlands v Austria (17:00) France v Poland (17:00) Wednesday 26th June Group E Ukraine v Belgium (17:00) Slovakia v Romania (17:00) Group F Czech Republic v Turkey (20:00) Georgia v Portugal (20:00)

Round 2 points... Round 2 table...

Don't want to put any pressure on, but, way to go RC!...

Round 1 points and Leaderboard... Top score is 17 points...

You're doing ok Meds. Round 2 fixtures commence tomorrow... Wednesday 19th June Group A Germany v Hungary (17.00) Scotland v Switzerland (20:00) Group B Croatia v Albania (14:00) Thursday 20th June Group B Spain v Italy (20:00) Group C Slovenia v Serbia (14:00) Denmark v England (17:00) Friday 21st June Group D Poland v Austria (17:00) Netherlands v France (20:00) Group E Slovakia v Ukraine (14:00) Saturday 22nd June Group E Belgium v Romania (20:00) Group F Georgia v Czech Republic (14:00) Turkey v Portugal (17:00)

Some Rejoiner's obviously not happy with Labour ignoring all things Brexit/EU in their manifesto (apparently the word Brexit was only mentioned once!), but worth noting that hidden away in the manifesto is a convenient catch-all caveat that applies to all their proposals, that states, and I paraphrase, ''plans could change if events change''. What I'm guessing (hoping!) is that Labour have calculated that they have to be seen by the country *as a whole*, at the very least trying to 'make Brexit work' before they can even begin to change tack and pivot towards something like SM membership. That hopefully would come to a head when the TCA is up for renewal in 2026. Agree that one thing a big Labour win might throw up is rebellious groups of backbenchers, knowing that they can create mischief without upsetting Labour's ability to pass Bills etc in Parliament. So, for instance, you might see a very vocal pro-EU grouping emerge, think ERG but with brains. I'm actually quite hopeful that should Starmer become PM, he will get things done, albeit in his pragmatic, careful, lawyerly kinda way. Give me boring any day, I think we've all had enough of 'personality politics', although the media seem to be hooked on it judging by their coverage of Farage. Starmer would be the first PM I can think of that has actual experience of heading up a large public organisation i.e. the CPS. So unlike Johnson, Truss, and Sunak, he understands what public duty/service entails and is good at it...

Here we go. Group Matches - Round 1 Friday 14th June Group A Germany v Scotland (20.00) Saturday 15th June Group A Hungary v Switzerland (14.00) Group B Spain v Croatia (17.00) Italy v Albania (20.00) Sunday 16th June Group C Slovenia v Denmark (17.00) Serbia v England (20.00) Group D Poland v Netherlands (14.00) Monday 17th June Group D Austria v France (20.00) Group E Romania v Ukraine (14.00) Belgium v Slovakia (17.00) Tuesday 18th June Group F Turkey v Georgia (17.00) Portugal v Czech Republic (20.00)

It's surprising though that they (France in particular) don't seem to have been paying attention to this side of the Channel and seen how a right wing populist Gov has trashed the UK. That if you vote for 'simple solutions to complex problems' like what Brexit promised, you end up with simpletons in charge. Who then proceed to drive out what remains of any competence/experience to create an, ecosystem of incompetency for no other reason than they 'believe', promoting the likes of Lee Anderson to party Chair and Truss and Sunak to PM. I mean, what could possibly go wrong?!..

One week to go...

''Would you go private to save a loved one's life'' is a typical journalistic gotcha type question. Instead, the question should be, why has the NHS been run down to such an extent that people are put in that predicament in the first place?...

I think this encapsulates well what you're saying about acknowledging the issue, and also what I'm saying that it will only happen when in power. IMO that will be the time to press Labour over the issue, what with the fear of losing power being greater than the hope of gaining power...

EDF Euros 2024 Mini League log-in details.. As ever, newbies welcome, simply set-up an account using this link and then join the Mini League... https://www.predictaddict.co.uk/ First match Friday 14th June, just over 3 weeks away!...

Thanks everyone, it was a high scoring season in general, I only finished 15th overall, I'm sure Parky finished in the top 10 with less points. The overall leader won by 19 points and I was 38 points behind them. You can see the top of the table if you click on the square tab with the double left pointing arrows at the bottom of the score page on the left hand side. Euros start on 14th June so keep an eye out for log-in details. Week 36 points... Week 36 table...

I think WRT Labour, they don't want to open up what would become another devisive Brexit debate this side of an election. Personally I'm ok with this as I want to see the Tories absolutely shellacked at the GE as a consequence for what they've brought on the country. I doubt that Labour will address Brexit much in a first term either, instead concentrating on the big domestic issues e.g. NHS, transport, education. I realise that these these are all interconnected with Brexit, but the lead-up to Brexit itself took up so much bandwidth that nothing else got done, so I can see Labour swerving the Brexit issue fir as long as they can. Eventually though, you can only ignore the economic gravitational pull of the single largest trading bloc right on your doorstep for so long, and at some point Labour will have to address it, so for me it's more a question of when not if...

Final week of matches, always throws up some surprise results. Week 36 fixtures... Sunday 19th May Arsenal v Everton Brentford v Newcastle United Brighton & Hove Albion v Manchester United Burnley v Nottingham Forest Chelsea v AFC Bournemouth Crystal Palace v Aston Villa Liverpool v Wolverhampton Wanderers Luton Town v Fulham Manchester City v West Ham United Sheffield United v Tottenham Hotspur