Politics, The Final Frontier (Politics)

[Mick Harper]

But surely they've got a point. Addressing the problems of transgenders is not going to do much for the wider ills of Scotland but independence might. It doesn't matter whether you or I think this is a batty proposition, the point is it is a legitimate cure-all single-issue, just as Brexit was. Are we expecting a Transgender Rights Party any time soon? However, without a charismatic leader the tables are somewhat turned

Reporter: What are you going to do about the state of the Scottish econony?
Nicola Flashpants: We're going to win independence.
Reporter: Yes, but what about the here and now?
Nicola Flashpants: London are so nervous about us winning independence they'll lob us a tidy sum to tidy us over.

Reporter: What are you going to do about the state of the Scottish econony?
Deirdre McLackluster: We're going to try to persuade them to let us hold a referendum.
Reporter: Good luck with that, but what about the here and now?
Deirdre McLackluster: We can always ask.

[Mick Harper]

The Windsor Framework (Rishi's only false step) is a stunning victory for the Brits over the Yerps. Things must be in a much more parlous state over in Euroland than we had been led to suppose. Everything will be sweetness and light from now on which is bad news for the malcontents e.g.

1. The Labour Party. They are no longer swanning to victory or even, dare one whisper it, a hung parliament.
2. The ERG. When your leader and chief ideologue starts blubbing on camera about how everything is now sweetness and light, they will have to find something else to... er... research.
3. The DUP. After weeks and months (must be coming up to years) of blather it took the political correspondent of their house organ, the Belfast Telegraph, to admit that it was only the distaste of serving under Sinn Fein that is keeping them in their hutches. One look at Sammy Wilson and Ian Paisley the Lesser told you even the Ultras are past caring.
4. The Remoaners. The revelation that Northern Ireland has been doing better under the Protocol (i.e. being in the EU) than the rest of the UK, demonstrates what a big mistake voting Leave was, but the Framework shows how right we were to do so.

[Mick Harper]

[Wile E. Coyote]

Not sure, seems to Wiley that the "bad loser" "obstructionist " "they cheated", "we were robbed", "take em to court" tendencies on both left and right are gaining in strength. Mind you it's worse in the US. It's probably to do with folks watching too many legal dramas. There ought to be a law against it.

[Mick Harper]

Rubbish. We're going the opposite way. Rishi Sunak: the end of politics as we know it. He's not a radical. You may be right when some radicals do take over but since the Scots Nats are dished, the EU hapless and Keir Starmer is a pussy cat, I see only sweetness and light for the foreseeable future.

I am not saying that's a good thing.

[Wile E. Coyote]

[Wile E. Coyote]

The election for SNP leader is going to end up being contested as unfair by the losers.

The election is being run by the former First Minister's husband, Peter Morrell, who has totally changed the rules and then banned the press from the hustings. I have no ideas about his motivation but given that the SNP did not accept the result of the last Indyref, I can't see the losers of the leadership election accepting the result as the democratic will of the activists.

It will be decided in the courts.

[Mick Harper]

Mr (formerly Sir) Keith Starmer refuses to say when he first broached the new job with Sue Gray. The AEL has learned when it was

Keith: Fancy a new job, sweetheart?
Dulcie: Not 'alf.
Keith: What's going to be your verdict on Borisgate?
Dulcie: I don't know, I've haven't looked at the evidence yet.
Keith: You have now.

[Mick Harper]

Both the BBC and Al-Jazeera report with vast approval the 'unrest' in Georgia as the people rise up against their government's pro-Russian policies. This would be the government voted in with a goodly majority by the people of Georgia, would it?

[Grant]

Did you notice that as usual the protesters had a nice range of professionally made banners, mostly in English?

[Mick Harper]

This is quite important. Virtually all anti-government movements are engendered by young, urban, well-educated elites. The government knows it has either the tacit support of everyone else or at any rate the passive forbearance of everyone else who have a healthy regard for what happens, individually and societally, to people who take on their governments.

The fact that the whole world is now in on it, thanks to modern media developments, has upset but not overthrown this delicate age-old balance (the young, urban, well-educated elite are usually right).

[Mick Harper]

[Wile E. Coyote]

[Mick Harper]

Your historical knowledge is woeful, McWiley. District Commissioners were the local arm of British imperial administration. They had absolute powers, including life and death, over everything except interestingly advertisements, street names, statues, prostitution, blimps, pot holes and waste collection. Bendy buses had not been invented at the time.

Fun fact: the boy scouts have district commissioners.

[Wile E. Coyote]