In todays news...

[JackyJoll]

God save us from empty suits in politics, such as Ed Davey.

I worry more about empty heads tbh.

"Those who are smart enough not to get involved in politics are punished by being ruled by people dumber than themselves."
Plato

“Good enough!”

Mediocrates.

[wheelnut]

God save us from empty suits in politics, such as Ed Davey.

I worry more about empty heads tbh.

"Those who are smart enough not to get involved in politics are punished by being ruled by people dumber than themselves."
Plato

‘The desire to become a politician should bar a person from ever becoming one’.

Can’t remember who said that but it always stuck.

[Horse]

Reinventing the English language along the way. I appreciate that the meaning of words can evolve, but ...

The PM's spokesman said she was aware of "how many vulnerable pensioners there are," and protecting the vulnerable was a "priority"

Liz Truss has abandoned a key election pledge to raise state pensions in line with surging inflation, as she asks ministers to look for spending cuts.

The PM said two weeks ago she was "committed" to the triple lock, so payments rise by whatever is higher: prices, average earnings or 2.5%.

It was a stupid promise to make in the first place. Yes, some pensioners need more cash, but promising that future PMs will honour your promise was downright stupid. A key feature of English 'democracy' is that no PM is bound by precedents. LT is doubly stupid, not for breaking the election pledge (they all do that), but for repeating the promise and THEN breaking it 2 weeks later.

I think she has just announced during PMQs that the triple lock is staying.

If so, cue Dazzle, I'm sure he has a weathervane gif ready.

[Count Steer]

I worry more about empty heads tbh.

"Those who are smart enough not to get involved in politics are punished by being ruled by people dumber than themselves."
Plato

‘The desire to become a politician should bar a person from ever becoming one’.

Can’t remember who said that but it always stuck.

A bit like 'the man in the shack' in HHGTTG. Perfectly suited to be the ruler of the universe as he had no interest in it.

[Pirahna]

Suella Braverman sacked!!

https://metro.co.uk/2022/10/19/suella-b ... -17597041/

[Count Steer]

Suella Braverman sacked!!

https://metro.co.uk/2022/10/19/suella-b ... -17597041/

Supposedly to be replaced by a fireplace salesman with several aliases ie Michael Green.

You couldn't make it up.

[Gregor]

Delicious isn’t it.

[Horse]

Suella Braverman sacked!!

https://metro.co.uk/2022/10/19/suella-b ... -17597041/

Resigned, and so well written. Almost as if she planned it ...

Earlier today, I sent an official document from my personal email to a trusted parliamentary colleague as part of policy engagement, and with the aim of garnering support for government policy on migration. This constitutes a technical infringement of the rules. As you know, the document was a draft Written Ministerial Statement about migration, due for publication imminently. Much of it had already been briefed to MPs. Nevertheless it is right for me to go.

As soon as I realised my mistake, I rapidly reported this on official channels, and informed the Cabinet Secretary. As Home Secretary I hold myself to the highest standards and my resignation is the right thing to do. The business of government relies upon people accepting responsibility for their mistakes. Pretending we haven't made mistakes, carrying on as if everyone can't see that we have made them, and hoping that things will magically come right is not serious polities. I have made a mistake; I accept responsibility: I resign.

[irie]

"Accident" prone or what.

[Cousin Jack]

Local news is that (a few days agi) Plymouth MP was sacked as Veterans Minister. So that is another one sharpening his dagger in the background.

[Horse]

Lady Bracknell might have had something appropriate to say.

[Lutin]

Looks like the entire government is falling apart at the seams.

Surely Truss has only hours left in post?

From the BBC -

Labour asks if government chief whip has resigned
A point of order has just been raised by Labour, asking if rumours that the government's Chief Whip Wendy Morton has resigned.

Deputy Speaker Eleanor Laing said it was not a matter for the chair - meaning her - to address.

Rumours are swirling on this and we're chasing it - we'll bring you the latest as we get it.

[Cousin Jack]

Something about losing 1 minister is unfortunate, losing a whole posse looks like carelessness?

[Lutin]

Apparently the Chief Whip's deputy has also resigned.

And confirmed by the BBC.



Not long to go now....

[Horse]

BBC live reporting:


There is chaos in the Commons during a vote on fracking, with allegations of MPs being manhandled to support the government

Tory MPs had been threatened with being expelled from the party if they voted against the government's wishes

[Count Steer]

Apparently the Chief Whip's deputy has also resigned.

Not long to go now....

The Whip's put their heads on the block when they idiotically made the fracking vote a confidence vote, meaning that if the bill fails she's either obliged to go or call an election. If it doesn't fail then any Tory voting against it loses the Whip. Just totally, utterly barking....or exactly what they had in mind?

It's like 'Noises Off'....only with pandemonium on stage and back stage.

[Horse]

In non-politics, but equally spectacular:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-63319814



The so-called "Pillars of Creation" are cool, dense clouds of hydrogen gas and dust in the Serpens constellation, some 6,500 light-years from Earth.

Every large telescope has imaged this scene, most famously the Hubble observatory in 1995 and 2014.

James Webb has given us yet another incredible perspective.

The pillars lie at the heart of what astronomers refer to as Messier 16 (M16), or the Eagle Nebula. This is an active star-forming region.

Webb, with its infrared detectors, is able to see past much of the light-scattering effects of the pillars' dust to examine the activity of the new-born suns.

[Count Steer]

It would be nice to have a scale on those images. You don't get the true sense of how hooooge the pillars are.

[JackyJoll]

It would be nice to have a scale on those images. You don't get the true sense of how hooooge the pillars are.

Yeah why don’t they set a banana beside it?

[Count Steer]

It would be nice to have a scale on those images. You don't get the true sense of how hooooge the pillars are.

Yeah why don’t they set a banana beside it?

I'll ask the greengrocer if he's got any 70 light year long bananas.