Oboogie wrote: ↑Fri May 22, 2026 4:25 pm I binged Radio 4's history of the Weimar Republic last night, some of it felt frighteningly contemporary.Ta for that, @Oboogie - get_iplayer has obliged me and that will be on a USB stick to listen to in the car next time I commute to work.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002w5pm
kreuzberger wrote: ↑Fri May 22, 2026 7:54 pm Katja Hoyer strikes me a fine person, on so many levels.Really enjoyed her two previous books.
Is Birmingham's Royal Marine a dark horse for PM?
Not many MPs have a back story that's a classified military secret.
But the exploits of Birmingham Selly Oak MP Al Carns as a Royal Marine Commando in Afghanistan are what some say make him perfect to turn around Labour's fortunes.
While all eyes are on whether Andy Burnham can return to Parliament and end Sir Keir Starmer's time in Number 10, an action man from the Midlands is a dark horse to rival the so-called "King of the North".
The name Carns was first being whispered in some Labour circles a few months ago, but those whispers have turned into excited chatter now a leadership contest is all but under way. But what is he like? On Sunday's BBC Politics Midlands programme, a friend has been building up a picture of the man...
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5y7rdz7zjzo
The name Carns was first being whispered in some Labour circles a few months ago, but those whispers have turned into excited chatter now a leadership contest is all but under way.
Abernathy wrote: ↑Sun May 24, 2026 1:28 pm Superficially, the notion of an all-action hero with an unimpeachable military record as Labour leader may indeed be attractive- or even electorally beneficial, but that seems to be the beginning and the end of Mr. Carns' qualities. As Ian points out, he's really only been in politics less than 2 years, and I've seen very little evidence of political skill, strategy or know-how (I guess we can take his leadership skills as read). It's something of a mystery to me as to why he is being talked up in this regard.Because there's not many options whose character hasn't been assassinated.
Should the Welsh first minister get an official home?https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cewpzn4k54yo
The job of first minister in Wales does not come with an official residence
Following his election victory, First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth reportedly spent the night in a Premier Inn after forgetting the keys to his personal flat in Cardiff.
While the episode prompted amusement on social media, it also reignited discussion about whether the leader of the Welsh government should have an official home in the capital.
People don't like their politicians to be comfortable. They don't like you having expenses. They don't like you being paid. They'd rather you lived in a fucking cave.
Oboogie wrote: ↑Fri May 22, 2026 4:25 pm I binged Radio 4's history of the Weimar Republic last night, some of it felt frighteningly contemporary.I've been listening to it in the car on my lengthy commute - and yes, it is frightening how the parallels are with us now.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002w5pm
Littlewood, from Bridgend, first started working for Nuffield Health in 2015.
In an interview with BBC Wales following the conclusion of an employment tribunal, she said there were "multiple grievances throughout my career about pay-related issues".
Early problems were more easily resolved internally, but she later felt she had no choice but to escalate her case.
In July last year, an employment tribunal found Littlewood's complaints were all "well-founded".
These included concerns about unauthorised deductions from her wages and holiday pay and her unfair dismissal.
The published judgement, external detailed how, from June 2022, parts of Littlewood's pay were withheld.
She submitted a grievance, which was not upheld and what followed, she said, was a series of bullying incidents, including changing rotas without clear communication, inconsistency in dealing with holiday requests, no praise for successful PT sales and a lack of promotion opportunities.
In January 2023, she was told she would face disciplinary proceedings, with the firm claiming she had been submitting hours worked under an incorrect pay level, among other things.
But the tribunal found this was not the case, with the judge adding: "The incidents were in the main caused by poor communication and of a trivial nature to the degree that we have concluded a reasonable employer would have dealt with as management issues.
"They should never have been escalated to the degree they were. Common sense was wholly departed from."
Over the summer of 2023, she made continued attempts to speak to managers about returning to work, but they did not engage with her.Link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clyp0qz0d14o
The "last straw" occurred when Littlewood travelled to Brandenburg, Germany, to compete in the European Canoe Polo Championships in September 2023.
She had submitted an annual leave request to cover her time away on 7 June and been open with her managers about her plans.
She flagged that the leave had not yet been approved on 8 August but did not receive a reply until 7 September, while she was in Germany, when she was told by one of her managers, James Cheadle, that she did not have approved leave - either annual leave or a valid sick note - and must attend in person for a meeting on 12 September.
"The claimant, very conscious she was on a final written warning, drove back through the night from Germany to make sure that she was at the meeting," the report stated.
But, when she arrived in Bridgend after travelling 800 miles, she was told Cheadle was not there and was away on training.
- By Andy McDandy
https://smry.ai/www.dailymail.com/columnists/artic[…]
- By mattomac
None of them feel the need to correct or apologise[…]
