shurlock

Quite impressed by Johnson.

That's not strictly true - many of the discussions are about points of fact and understanding which have a more or less right and wrong answer.

Frankly that's what I feel at times, especially when you read the desperate guff of the arch-Brexiters on here -guff that is getting worse with time, notwithstanding the fact that they've been wrong on nearly every issue over the past two years and still won't admit responsibility. I'll be OK either way (I have French citizenship); but that's neither here or there. It seems such a monumentally costly lesson or experiment to inflict on the country just to disabuse part of the population of its delusions (with no guarantees that it actually will). I would have accepted May's deal and just drawn a line under things.

Les - you're a predictable bore. Your little hobby horses have been challenged countless times on here before; you can trawl through the thread if you want answers to each of them.

All three of them?

I agree. He had an excellent season and we had a great team spirit.

Not sure. The data is not readily available. Clearly wages are a large element - in some cases, I wouldn't be surprised if they more than exceeded the higher net spend of smaller championship sides. In other cases, I suspect they weren't enough to offset rivals higher net spend given the disparities in net spend. And in other cases, I wouldn't be surprised if clubs outgunned us in terms of wages and net spend. People have very short memories about our season in the championship and the silly money that some championship clubs were throwing about. Jermaine Beckford, for example, was given a £15,000-a-week rise to move from Everton to Leicester City.

Teams whose net spend was greater than us that season: Leicester Brighton Derby West Ham Hull City Cardiff City Crystal Palace Barnsley Forest Millwall Coventry Doncaster Rovers Skates Boro Burnley Leeds Ipswich Peterboro Watford Bristol City #mancityofthechampionship

In the three years (2009/10-2011/12) it took us to go from L1 to the PL, we spent £10.1m (gross). In terms of net spend, we received more than we spent (-£8.2m). A club like Leicester spent nearly £30m more than us (net) over the same period. And they are by no means the only club that outspent us.

Les I thought you were above the fray of insults and abuse - at least, that's the impression you give when you arrogate to yourself the right to lecture others on the subject. You really are getting flustered, aren't you pal. It's not a pretty sight.

The data from the championship says otherwise. Btw how are Goa's plans to launch his construction companies in the UK going - after all, that was the main reason for purchasing the club according to the eggheads

It’s like Brexit has woken old demons in ilk like Les.

If you say so. He sounds like a complete psycho to me (when he’s not spreading conspiracy theories and untruths in Parliament). If being a true believer, devoid of doubt and dismissive of complexity, means that he comes across as confident and assured, then each to their own. A managed no deal is just tedious doublespeak - it’s like adding a plus or a plus plus plus to a Canada deal. It means little in practice. The fact is that the UK was always going to take contingency measures but their effectiveness depends to a significant extent on factors outside its control. The EU may strike some side deals with the UK but they will only be where the EU needs them and will be done to turn the screw on the UK where possible -and none will be allowed to dilute the four freedoms. All the bluster in the world doesn’t change the fact that the UK is a relative minnow compared to the EU. Either way, no amount of side-deals will come close to providing the full trading continuity that the UK currently enjoys.

What? A regurgitated ‘managed’ no deal? You’re obviously not listening very closely. It’s the same crap that the ERG have been spouting for months.

Nicky Morgan giving the coffin-dodgers nightmares. Good girl.

Wtf is emily maitlis wearing?

Making packed lunches for the troops?

Vile, vicious people. Its a powerkeg out there.

David M was more of a heavyweight than Ed M but he had other flaws -aloofness and arrogance- that would have turned colleagues and voters off. Arguably any Labour leader would have struggled against Cameron in 2015, especially as the election was fought entirely on New Labour’s record in office and its supposed culpability for the financial crisis. If anything, the 2015 election was the grand reckoning that the 2010 election wasn’t. In this respect, David M was no more immune from criticism than any other senior Labour politician. As a staunch Blairite, I’m also not sure that there was enough clear water between him and Cameron to sway voters -never mind he had little to offer to Labour voters in the North or voters on the left for whom Ed M. was the entrée before the whole Corbyn experiment.

Don't you need batteries for your casio keyboard pal?

Not his fan but not sure what Ed M could have done differently.

Rory Stewart is very good from the Tory side.

He's the next Elton John and I'll soon be sponsoring him on Patreon. I'll support him through thick and thin.

If only the ERG had pulled the trigger now. Masterful timing

Inspired by the Les and Wes event that was cancelled due to lack of demand. Sounds like a good one.