Search found 1630 matches

by Spinners
4 Jan 2020, 10:53am
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: The next Labour Leader
Replies: 445
Views: 15555

Re: The next Labour Leader

PDQ Mobile wrote:
Spinners wrote:
I'd certainly rank her above Rebecca Long-Bailey. As for Sir Keir Starmer, I honestly thought he was a Tory until a few months ago (which I acknowledge is a failing on my part).


You are clearly an astute political commentator then!
I must take more interest in astute political views.


Thanks for that very cheap shot. I'll not participate any further.
by Spinners
4 Jan 2020, 10:49am
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: Has Trump just started WW3?
Replies: 121
Views: 4075

Re: Has Trump just started WW3?

Iran has been in the USA's crosshairs for at least a decade now. I can remember a radio documentary from about 10 years where they played an audio clip of a red-neck mob singing, "Bomb, Bomb, Bomb, Bomb Iran" (to the tune of The Beach Boys 'Barbara Ann). Pretty chilling then...
by Spinners
4 Jan 2020, 10:43am
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: The next Labour Leader
Replies: 445
Views: 15555

Re: The next Labour Leader

pwa wrote:
Spinners wrote:
pwa wrote:As I have said before, mostly what was wrong with Labour's list of policies was its length. Too many of them. Ten times too many. So many that it was funny. Free this, free that, and all very nice, individually. But collectively, ridiculous.

We need a Leader, preferably based outside the London bubble, who has their feet on the ground.


Could that be Jess Phillips?


For me, probably yes. But I doubt the membership is pragmatic enough to go for her.


I'd certainly rank her above Rebecca Long-Bailey. As for Sir Keir Starmer, I honestly thought he was a Tory until a few months ago (which I acknowledge is a failing on my part).
by Spinners
4 Jan 2020, 10:18am
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: The next Labour Leader
Replies: 445
Views: 15555

Re: The next Labour Leader

pwa wrote:
PH wrote:
al_yrpal wrote:There are many good choices for a new Labour leader. Problem is they aint going to get elected by the massive hard left wing rump that now controls the Party unless something radically changes
Al

I don't know if it's simple political agitation or ignorance, but your much repeated catchphrases lack any sort of analysis. Rather than the name calling, why not discuss policy? You choose, any policy you want, lets see how radically left wing it is.
Did you hear Keir Starmer unofficially launch his leadership campaign at a community centre a day or so ago? Sorry I can't find the vid, he listed one after the other the things there'd be no going back on, so many of them I wondered why we were changing leader. He's also repeated several times that he's no Corbynite but he is a socialist, I find him a bit wet, what do you think of him? Which policies do you think you'll approve/disapprove of? let's have some discussion rather than the drip, drip. drip of meaningless sound bites.
Militant, one of your favourites, do you know what it was? It defined Kinnock’s leadership years and you're still chuntering on about it, do you want to go find out how many militants the witch hunts found and expelled? Or even have a guess at it?

As I have said before, mostly what was wrong with Labour's list of policies was its length. Too many of them. Ten times too many. So many that it was funny. Free this, free that, and all very nice, individually. But collectively, ridiculous.

We need a Leader, preferably based outside the London bubble, who has their feet on the ground.


Could that be Jess Phillips?
by Spinners
3 Jan 2020, 12:22pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: Anyone else affected by Photobucket's continued 'outage'
Replies: 1
Views: 247

Anyone else affected by Photobucket's continued 'outage'

About one week before Christmas, Photobucket went down worldwide. Despite them posting that most areas are now back up and running my pictures posted to forums like this, back as far as 2008 and easily in excess of 10,000 pictures, are still not visible and I cannot log in.

Anyone else having problems with them?
by Spinners
2 Jan 2020, 1:43pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: The next Labour Leader
Replies: 445
Views: 15555

Re: The next Labour Leader

horizon wrote:
Spinners wrote:Do we think that a Labour leadership contender TV debate would be interesting and entertaining? I'd certainly watch it.


Given what I wrote above, I would rather not be infantilised by the process. Entertainment it might be, of value, very little.


I'll take that as a maybe then.
by Spinners
2 Jan 2020, 12:37pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: The next Labour Leader
Replies: 445
Views: 15555

Re: The next Labour Leader

Do we think that a Labour leadership contender TV debate would be interesting and entertaining? I'd certainly watch it.
by Spinners
1 Jan 2020, 5:07pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: Funniest clean joke I've heard recently
Replies: 1446
Views: 124867

Re: Funniest clean joke I've heard recently

RickH wrote:What is the commonest type of owl?









A teet owl!


Love it!
by Spinners
1 Jan 2020, 12:43pm
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: Argos road bikes ( i.e. Argos the utility shop )
Replies: 44
Views: 6133

Re: Argos road bikes ( i.e. Argos the utility shop )

Greystoke wrote:Thanks Spinners. Will mudguards not fit with the 25 tyres fitted?
I need mudguards for my commute


I did squeeze them in but it was tight when compared to the lovely clearances on the B'Twin Triban 100 I now use as my commuter/winter bike.
by Spinners
1 Jan 2020, 10:09am
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: Argos road bikes ( i.e. Argos the utility shop )
Replies: 44
Views: 6133

Re: Argos road bikes ( i.e. Argos the utility shop )

Greystoke wrote:I rode my mid 80's 531c forked bike a few days ago....magic ride but don't want to use it for my commute.
Anyone riden these bikes?
Will the mid priced steel fork bike ride nice?


As mentioned, I've had one and they do ride nice. Apart from the weight, there's doubt wrong with the steel fork. One point regarding mudguards, I think you might need to use 23mm tyres.
by Spinners
31 Dec 2019, 11:36pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: Celtic Hootenanny! Happy New year to all!
Replies: 6
Views: 323

Re: Celtic Hootenanny! Happy New year to all!

What have BBC Scotland done with Jackie Bird? Hogmanay Live just isn't the same without her :(

Happy New Year :D
by Spinners
31 Dec 2019, 6:41pm
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: How was Cycling 2019 for you?
Replies: 59
Views: 3250

Re: How was Cycling 2019 for you?

Spinners wrote:For the first nine months of 2019 I was retired and really didn't make the most of it. For the last three months I've been part-time and have really enjoyed commuting the 10-miles each way. Overall though, not the greatest year for mileage and I'll only just get to 5000km.

Desperate for a drier 2020!


Image
by Spinners
31 Dec 2019, 6:31pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: Is Labour finished?
Replies: 56
Views: 2014

Re: Is Labour finished?

windmiller wrote:Labour is finished as a credible opposition for as long as it holds the working class in contempt.



Something that a couple of people on here are guilty of as well.
by Spinners
31 Dec 2019, 6:29pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: Is Labour finished?
Replies: 56
Views: 2014

Re: Is Labour finished?

Oldjohnw wrote:
Spinners wrote:
pete75 wrote:
Even in the 2019 "Conservative landslide" most people didn't vote for the Tories. Their vote share was was 43.6%. Mrs Thatchers share of the vote was always under 44% too. What is your point?


My point is that most people never vote for the GE winner!!


All of which means that a little humility on the part of the 'winners' is needed. Until the 2016 referendum that was there to an extent. Now we have "you lost, get over it."


Go back to your opening post.

You could have started with the valid open question is Labour finished unless it learns to (a) rid itself of the dead hand of the unions and (b) be prepared to yield a little ground? But no, you started with a falsehood about Labour's vote share increasing followed by a fact that most people did not vote for a Tory Government which, whilst true, actually applies to all GE winners but was presented to create the illusion that the Conservative Government does not have a mandate to govern the UK. They clearly do!

This thread will go the exact same way as the thread about the next Labour leader, i.e. instead of looking at the issue (most) people here just continue the Tory bashing.

Back on topic, I sincerely hope that Labour can re-boot and come back strongly. We don't often talk politics in the cafe but our ride today took us past Amazon in Swansea and today we discussed the appalling zero hours contracts and the such-like after a family relative was bluntly given the DCM (don't come Monday). No disrespect to the smaller political parties but only Labour can fight that and similar battles and, even in opposition, a strong Labour party can help.
by Spinners
31 Dec 2019, 4:46pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: Is Labour finished?
Replies: 56
Views: 2014

Re: Is Labour finished?

pete75 wrote:
Spinners wrote:
Oldjohnw wrote:and despite the fact that most people did not vote for a Tory Government...



Even in the 1997 'Labour landslide' most people didn't vote for Labour (the Labour vote share was 43.2%).


Even in the 2019 "Conservative landslide" most people didn't vote for the Tories. Their vote share was was 43.6%. Mrs Thatchers share of the vote was always under 44% too. What is your point?


My point is that most people never vote for the GE winner!!