Britain - The Official Thread

[Liquid]

Bots are everywhere - there is a sudden burst of Twitter accounts lamenting the shame of the UK giving up its control over the Chagos Islands. Some accounts like "Friends of British Overseas Territories" are genuine accounts but spread the myth that Chagossians don't want this and feel betrayed when actually they have campaigned for decades for the UK to give them their land back. However there are also so many accounts that only joined last month that are suddenly obsessed with the Chagos Islands. The Dead Internet hypothesis is alive and well.

 

[UKMikey]

Now that Cleverly's been exposed as the author of the Chagos deal that he blamed Labour for following up on, he's done the honourable thing and blamed it all on Liz Truss.

Diego Garcia row: Truss and Cleverly blamed as Starmer ‘surrenders’ airbase islands

Blame game takes in James Cleverly and Liz Truss as UK announces decision to hand archipelago back to Mauritius in deal to secure secretive Diego Garcia base

www.independent.co.uk

 

[Fezzik]

Now that Cleverly's been exposed as the author of the Chagos deal he blamed Labour for following up on he's done the honourable thing and blamed it all on Liz Truss.

Diego Garcia row: Truss and Cleverly blamed as Starmer ‘surrenders’ airbase islands

Blame game takes in James Cleverly and Liz Truss as UK announces decision to hand archipelago back to Mauritius in deal to secure secretive Diego Garcia base

www.independent.co.uk

and the Lettuce passes the buck onto the blonde buffoon

Liz Truss blames Boris Johnson for Diego Garcia airbase island ‘surrender’

Exclusive: Labour said they had no choice but to sign the deal because of the legal mess left by the Tories

www.independent.co.uk

 

[UKMikey]

Can't believe his tweet is still up. Even the cat ratioed him.

 

[UKMikey]

Irregular migration into UK and large European countries is same as 2008, research shows

Despite hostile political discourse about migrants, the numbers are steady, at less than 1% of total population

www.theguardian.com

 

[HenrySwanson]

Bristol homophobic street attack sees man slashed with knife

Police release CCTV images of three people they want to identify.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[HenrySwanson]

UK's population increases by 1% in a year 'mainly due to net migration', ONS says

There were also more deaths than births in the 12 months to mid-2023, according to the figures. With the exception of 2020 during the COVID pandemic, officials said it was the first time there had been negative "natural change" in the population since 1976.

news.sky.com

==========

Current terror threat:

 

[MatskiMonk]

In better news, sounds like HS2 might go all the way to Euston after all. At least they wouldn't have knocked down the Bree Louise for nothing.

 

[Scaff]

So we are down to two in the Tory leadership race, and it's an even bigger turn to the hard-right regardless of which one gets it.

Cleverly knocked out of Tory leadership race as Jenrick and Badenoch to face final vote

Conservative MPs have voted to eliminate the shadow home secretary from the race.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Fezzik]

May as well just give the job to Nigel if they're going that Farage-lite. Jenrick is a corrupt phony (which applies to most MPs I know, but he is near the head of the pack) and Badenoch is so incredibly unlikeable most of her fellow Tory MPs hate her. They'll be partying in Downing Street again tonight.

 

[MatskiMonk]

Tough to find any positives even just in the continuing existence of the Conservative party, nevermind their leadership race, but I'm glad Cleverly is out. Of the three flavours of **** there was to choose from, he's the one who's wound me up the most in the past, just flat out, disingenuous gas lighting. I can't help but feel there might be an actual human somewhere inside Badenoch, despite being a Tory... and Jenrick is just scum, but at least he's not trying to hide it. Mel Stride was the only one that seemed to genuinely acknowledge at least some of the actual problems with the Conservatives at the moment.

 

[UKMikey]

Banks's Brewery in Wolverhampton set to close in its 150th year

A proposal to close the site, which employs 97, is announced as part of a company restructure.

www.bbc.co.uk

I've had Banks's and it was okay. Kind of John Smith's-ey.

 

[AEKara38]

I'm looking forward to this tonight. It will be on I Player if you miss it/don't get BBC 4.

 

[UKMikey]

I'm looking forward to this tonight. It will be on I Player if you miss it/don't get BBC 4.
View attachment 1395794

Not likely, mate. I still have nightmares about that mutant baby at the end. I remember my dad being sceptical that they'd nuke Sheffield instead of London.

 

[HenrySwanson]

‘They rob you visibly, with no repercussions’ – the unstoppable rise of phone theft

Snatch thefts of mobile phones soared by 150% in the last year, with victims left unable to work, use their bank, travel or use their diaries. Why are police finding it so hard to stop?

www.theguardian.com

2 people I know have had them nicked in London in the space of a few months.

 

[Sprite]

‘They rob you visibly, with no repercussions’ – the unstoppable rise of phone theft

Snatch thefts of mobile phones soared by 150% in the last year, with victims left unable to work, use their bank, travel or use their diaries. Why are police finding it so hard to stop?

www.theguardian.com

2 people I know have had them nicked in London in the space of a few months.

To be fair, I hate people who walk around with their head in the phone. They pay no attention to surroundings and what’s going on, the amount I see walk out into roads with traffic is crazy.

So the lads on bikes knocking phones out of their hands is an opportunity made too easy.

 

[Tired Tyres]

One Nation Tory group refuses to back Badenoch or Jenrick in party leadership race – UK politics live

TRG says both candidates have ‘used rhetoric and focused on issues which are far and away from … the values we cherish and uphold’

www.theguardian.com

Just as the racist members of the Middle England Conservative party voted for Liz lettuce cos her opponent was not white, I've got a pretty good idea who they will vote for this time.

 

[Liquid]

You'd think that after a few years of funding the NHS to the tune of £350 million a week, NHS England could afford a few spare wheelchairs.

 

[FPV MIC]

You'd think that after a few years of funding the NHS to the tune of £350 million a week, NHS England could afford a few spare wheelchairs.

If it's anything like here in Adelaide they run out of wheelchairs because people keep steeling them. When they take their sick family member back to their vehicle they just put the chair in the back of the car and simply drive off. It happens with pillows and blankets too.

I've even had nurses and patients ask to borrow my personal wheelchair... Yeah right, borrow my custom made 28k AUD wheelchair and leave me helpless? That ain't happening!

 

[HenrySwanson]

You'd think that after a few years of funding the NHS to the tune of £350 million a week, NHS England could afford a few spare wheelchairs.

They've got better ways to spend money. Like on ANPs who misdiagnose severe appendicitis and give....heartburn pills:

'I needed surgery for appendicitis, but got heartburn pills' - BBC News

A Bridlington man was told his appendix had "exploded", a day after his GP surgery sent him home.

www.bbc.co.uk

The advice I give my friends and family? Ask for a doctor.

 

[AEKara38]

You'd think that after a few years of funding the NHS to the tune of £350 million a week, NHS England could afford a few spare wheelchairs.

I work at Leeds Teaching Hospitals and I'm sure we would never allow this but as Trusts have to make up the financial deficits Boris and his mates have left us with maybe King's College have no choice. Especially if their stock is being stolen or not returned.

 

[HenrySwanson]

I work at Leeds Teaching Hospitals and I'm sure we would never allow this but as Trusts have to make up the financial deficits Boris and his mates have left us with maybe King's College have no choice. Especially if their stock is being stolen or not returned.

Is a thing like this common:

I did a clinical fellow job after F2. When I applied it was advertised at 80%. Once I got the job they came to me and asked me if I'd be prepared to actually take it at 60% and work the other 20% as locum shifts...paid at locum rates...Because the substantive staff budget was overspent for the department but the locum budget was underspent.I literally outright said to them "So...you are going to pay me more money to do the same job for the same number of hours?""Yes".

Needs more money - but Streeting and Starmer are right, it drastically needs reform.

 

[UKMikey]

Gloucester community brick project vandalised with graffiti

The mural, painted by members of the community, is defaced with graffiti promoting Reform UK.

www.bbc.com

 

[UKMikey]

A grisly murder case seems to be topping the headlines (or maybe it's just my feed). It may already have been news in July but I was on my hols that month:

Woman jailed for murdering her parents - after living at family home in Essex with their hidden bodies for years

Virginia McCullough, 36, poisoned her father John, 70, with prescription medication, before stabbing her mother Lois, 71, at their home in Chelmsford.

news.sky.com

 

[Touring Mars]

Former Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond dies

The former MP and MSP, who led the country between 2007 and 2014 during the independence referendum, took ill while in North Macedonia.

www.bbc.co.uk

Wow, that's a shock piece of news. I was never a supporter of the SNP, but Alex Salmond was an influential politician, and I had a grudging admiration for his passion for Scottish independence and his debating skills.

 

[Liquid]

I had a grudging admiration for his passion for Scottish independence and his debating skills.

"Scotland is a country, not a county."

I believe this was in his final statement as First Minister.

 

[MatskiMonk]

 

[UKMikey]

It's okay, everyone - there isn't a far-right presence in the UK. Not according to this big brain, anyway:

Foreign posts may have convinced our rioters to chuck bricks and try to burn down a Travelodge with people inside, but they still did it.

 

[Touring Mars]

 

[TheCracker]

I mean, neither of them are offering anything new to the contemporary conservative party are they? - so why try to pretend they are anything different?