[Killer Whale]

Is it the Septics that spell it with a 'k'?

[Malcolm Armsteen]

Yup.

[Tubby Isaacs]

The Liberal Democrats have called for an urgent investigation into the causes of today’s air traffic control glitch.

You forgot to call for COBRA to recalled. You're slipping.

On balance, I think it's unlikely that the Government won't try and find out what happened, don't you?

[Tubby Isaacs]

This is a pretty Lib Dem thing. Would they have left X? Holding a formal review that concludes the obvious- we can't leave because nowhere else has anywhere near the reach and the owner was Trump's mate- sounds like a waste of time.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Lib Dems call for rail fares to be frozen saying an increase would be a 'slap in the face to ordinary people'

They've opposed every tax rise so far, as far as I know. How is this to be paid for? Apparently they could negotiate a bespoke customs union that raises £25bn of extra tax a year. Too bad all the people who should be running the Government are driving cabs, cutting hair and in the Lib Dems.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Lib Dem leader to boycott king’s Trump banquet in protest over Gaza
Exclusive: Ed Davey says Starmer should engage with US president but they should not close their eyes to crisis

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... otest-gaza

Don't mind this, but as ever the implication that Starmer isn't being tough as Ed "Mad Dog" Davey would himself be is very jarring.

The role of the PM and leader of the third/fourth party are different.

[Yug]

Would the shitgibbon even notice if Davey doesn't turn up?

[Tubby Isaacs]

He'll probably struggle with the idea that there's more than two parties.

[The Weeping Angel]

He probably thinks he's a senator.

[Boiler]

He'll probably struggle with the idea that there's more than two parties.

More than one party, surely?

[The Weeping Angel]

[Tubby Isaacs]

I thought she was fucked and should resign but admittedly I don't understand why people set up trusts for disabled children. The Tories talking about a fraud investigation (by whom? HMRC? The Fraud Squad?) is ridiculous.

[Boiler]

I don't understand why people set up trusts for disabled children.

See https://www.gov.uk/trusts-taxes/trusts- ... ble-people for just one example.

[Tubby Isaacs]

I don't understand why people set up trusts for disabled children.

See https://www.gov.uk/trusts-taxes/trusts- ... ble-people for just one example.

Thank you. My first instincts were wrong.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Bloke funding lots of extra spending now from a customs union that would take years to negotiate, if the EU could even be bothered, complains about populism.

[Youngian]

How would you negotiate to join a customs union? A CU doesn't change tariff schedules to suit a new member. You get handed a list of new external rates and abolish the old ones on CU members. As Gibraltar is doing this month.
LD populism is calling for unspecified alternative places to install solar panels. Or green taxes on petrol apart from in rural constituencies with LD MPs.

[Tubby Isaacs]

The bespoke customs union was something Jez talked about as the Leave option in a second referendum. I don't think it was on offer there either, though I suppose it's possible. The Turkey style CU is recognized by lots of people as being a bad option, and I note that Norway doesn't bother with it, even though it's in the Single Market. I'm not quite clear why not, but it suggests to me that it is indeed a bad option.

"Bespoke Customs Union" does two jobs for Davey- they get to attack the Government as Kippers, and he magics up a load of money to pay for everything while cutting tax. That's populism in my book.

[Youngian]

Its a compromise sop to anti EU elements in Norway for joining the SM, it has no geopolitical leverage for Norway and an interview with Swedish customs officers I saw checking paperwork declarations on some butter or watches, regarded it as a tiresome joke.
And the only reason the Trump administration gave the UK a break on tariffs is to yank the country away from the EU's orbit.
There's a suggestion coming out of Scandinavia that the EU should join the CPTPP. A complex move but an ingenious one to become undisputed top dog in global trade negotiations. Brussels is cool on the idea because they don't want to upset little Donny anymore then they have to for the sake of Ukraine.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Norway has a lot of what we call Lexiters, who I assume are not particularly exercised by trade deals. So I'm inclined to take at least that part of the anti-EU element as being relatively rational about the customs union. The Single Market is more significant in terms of signing up to the Man's agenda, even if you ignore immigration. So I'm inclined to take Norway. Iceland etc seriously on the customs union.

In other news, here is Ed on rather better form. What the heck does Badenoch think she's doing?

[Yug]

Is anyone surprised by this?

The Liberal Democrats should drop their stunts and offer a more serious policy programme if they want to gain support among voters, according to a study presented at the party’s annual conference.

Polling by the More in Common thinktank, shown to Lib Dem members at the gathering in Bournemouth, suggested that while it has the scope to go beyond its historic total of 72 MPs at the last election, many voters tempted by the party remain uncertain about what it stands for...

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... rvey-finds