[Tubby Isaacs]

Assault doesn’t have to involve violence. If you make someone reasonably fear violence, that can count.

[Malcolm Armsteen]

I'd rather lamp the bastard. Worth an ASBO.

[Malcolm Armsteen]

Looks like a man exercising his right to free speech to me...

And the 'assault' - "don't touch me..."

[Yug]

One thing we've had underlined by this Okeshitt WhatsApp message thing is just how bad the man's judgement really is. Only a terrible PM would consider someone that awful as fit for high office.

[Crabcakes]

Meanwhile on Netflix is a Hancock even more ridiculous than Matt. Graham Hancock writes Erich Von Daniken type hooey about the existence of a race of technologically advanced giants on Atlantis who escaped its apocalypse and taught the savages of the world how to build pyramids (the Altantans were of course white). This is now a four part Netflix doc (his son is a commissioning editor) in which Hancock explains his theories are suppressed by ‘mainstream archaeologists’ fearing his paradigm shift.
He has a growing following among the usual suspects who implore us sheeples to do some research and open our eyes. My research discovered a grifting hack whose ‘theories’ sprung from a Donovan song.

He’s been peddling that horse shit for decades - a mate of mine who did archaeology at Uni did a paper on his misinterpretation of Egyptian artefacts.

[Malcolm Armsteen]

...a sub-Partridge skidmark on the gusset of a Tory government...

[MisterMuncher]

Meanwhile on Netflix is a Hancock even more ridiculous than Matt. Graham Hancock writes Erich Von Daniken type hooey about the existence of a race of technologically advanced giants on Atlantis who escaped its apocalypse and taught the savages of the world how to build pyramids (the Altantans were of course white). This is now a four part Netflix doc (his son is a commissioning editor) in which Hancock explains his theories are suppressed by ‘mainstream archaeologists’ fearing his paradigm shift.
He has a growing following among the usual suspects who implore us sheeples to do some research and open our eyes. My research discovered a grifting hack whose ‘theories’ sprung from a Donovan song.

He’s been peddling that horse shit for decades - a mate of mine who did archaeology at Uni did a paper on his misinterpretation of Egyptian artefacts.

Well, it's either that or accept African people did it, and that's just impossible.

[Spoonman]

From this week's Popbitch...

After getting ratfucked by Isabel Oakeshott, then hoodwinked by Led By Donkeys all within the space of a month, you'd think Matt Hancock would be keen to keep a bit of a low profile at the moment – but apparently not.

Hancock was spotted striding up to security at KOKO Camden on Tuesday night before a Benny Sings gig, hoping to be ushered in ahead of the rest of the queue.

They directed him around the back of the building, so that he could enter the same way as everyone else.

The problem is that it's almost impossible to shame the shameless.

[Youngian]

Benny Sings appears to be a Dutch Gilbert O’Sullivan and can easily imagine Hancock listening to him in the car

[MisterMuncher]

I thought it was a mistyping of Billy Strings

[Youngian]

Three horses died at Aintree and the racing industry is on the back foot over it this week. Time for Matt to earn his consultancy fees by showing some contrition and put forward some crisis management safety recommendations. Instead he reminds everyone of what a shitty human being he is.

[Yug]

Can't stop the Grand National. The gods of obscene wealth demand a sacrifice at least once a year.

[Bones McCoy]

Another sighting of the

At least they died doing what they loved

Defence in the wild.

[Bones McCoy]

Or indeed:

OK Matt, you have a go.

On foot.
We'll release the leopards after a couple of minutes.

[Youngian]

If it wasn’t for racing these thoroughbreds wouldn’t exist and die out like shire horses, was one view. That’s because you don’t need horses to pull ploughs anymore. And you don’t need them for track betting, cars or caterpillars would do, it’s just fun with maths.
It’s not as sordid as the greyhound industry which thankfully is dying a natural death.

[Spoonman]

I've mixed feelings about the horse racing industry. In my experience the majority of owners & breeders do have some actual affection for their racehorses, but the minority that see them as utterly dispensible are just cunts in general, along with a very brash snobbishness that prevails in the industry even amongst the best of them. The big problem IMO is the Grand National race itself being a massive pack endurance race whereby a race which doesn't end up with at least one equine fatility is less common than one that does. Either tone the jumps down, reduce the field or simply get rid of it altogether. Other than the Isle of Man TT, if such an event had regular human fatalities or serious injuries, it would either be banned or at least heavily regulated.

In contrast, I visited a local stable to take some pics for a photography project yesterday. The horses & ponies there are either for showjumping, the riding school or for pony/horse trekking around the local park & forest. There's a different kind of snobbishness associated with showjumping (although I know the owner of the stable myself - her mother was a hairdresser and her father was a driving instructor, so hardly grew up in an upper middle class environment) but in my experience they tend to treat their horses a lot better than the racehorse industry - it's certainly less brutal about the "dead weight" of injured horses.

As for greyhounds, I used to go to a semi-local track at least once a year growing up, but it closed several years ago and the last greyhound meeting I was at was as part of a Stag group over a decade ago. In terms of betting (the little that I might do), I would actually prefer it to horse racing - but given that I've been more wise to the general treatment of such dogs in its industry, I can't say I'm sad to see it fade away like it has been for a good while. Pretty much anyone still visiting the few tracks that are open are at least in their 50's from what I gather, young & middle aged adults don't want to know or be seen there.

[Bones McCoy]

If it wasn’t for racing these thoroughbreds wouldn’t exist and die out like shire horses, was one view. That’s because you don’t need horses to pull ploughs anymore. And you don’t need them for track betting, cars or caterpillars would do, it’s just fun with maths.
It’s not as sordid as the greyhound industry which thankfully is dying a natural death.

Horse racing is a continuation of a sport which assessed light cavalry mounts.
Back in the day when they were the "eyes of the army" intended to locate the enemy, prevent the enemy doing same, and were the third fastest means of communication (after semaphore chains and pigeons).

Rendered redundant by motor vehicles, aircraft and satellites.
A perfect hill for Hancock to die on (Figuratively - obvs).

[Watchman]

Cunt should be picking up soap at His Majesty’s pleasure

Covid contracts: messages reveal extent of Tory donor access to Matt Hancock
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... OSApp_Othe

[Yug]

I was just coming in to post that article.

From the linked Grauniad article

Newly released WhatsApp messages and emails between Tory donors and the former health secretary Matt Hancock reveal the extent of ministerial access they enjoyed when government Covid contracts were being awarded.

Two major donors to the Conservatives, Mustafa Mohammed and Mohamed Amersi, had direct access to Hancock, and used it to promote companies offering Covid services with which they were involved. Amersi also had a phone meeting with James Bethell, a health minister at the time, in which he put forward projects with which he was

The government has been forced to admit that it ran a controversial “VIP” PPE contracts lane for those with personal contacts, which was subsequently ruled unlawful.

[Andy McDandy]

38 million consolation prize, guaranteed even if nothing is delivered.

38 million, that's a bloody good racket.