badgerx16

All that will happen is that Labour will have to go through a new leadership election whilst BoJo stays in office and continues to bluff it out because "there are more important issues that need to be addressed". Boris is gambling that by the time of the next GE this will all be ancient history.

Oh I know what happened with the Pact, but my argument is that it was accepted by both sides that it was a fig leaf, and bound to be broken once one or both of the megalomaniacal leaders decided to show their true intentions. There was no way that 2 such ideologically opposed powers could exist as peaceful neighbours for long.

I don't think this is correct. The Ribbentrop-Molotov pact was negotiated to buy both sides time; for the Russians to try the Winter War against Finland whilst rebuilding their officer corps after Stalin's purge, and for the Germans to knock out the Western allies so as to not face the risk of a war on 2 fronts. A conflict between Nazism and Communism was always going to happen, as Hitler predicted, driven by the desire for Lebensraum. Some sources even claim that Barbarossa pre-empted Soviet plans to attack westwards.

I think most of the protesters were Ukrainian refugees.

The Scottish and NI situations were entirely predictable, but the Brexiteers wanted to chase their unicorn.

Regardless of his domestic issues, he was one of my wife's favourite actors. Does that surprise you ?

Have they fitted those exhaust boxes that sound like a Vulcan taking off ? We had a Micra driving up and down our road yesterday, it sounded like a broken tank, and you could hear it half a mile away.

Fur

Smile lads, be grateful that you are in Moscow and not Ukraine.

There is also this drone footage of a Russian helo dropping troops off onto the island and getting totally blatted during disembarkation;

What are Stock and Aitken going to do now ?

Gcuti Fatwa might well be the first "person of colour" to play The Doctor as the lead character, but he isn't the first to play conti an incarnation - Jo Martin played the Fugitive Doctor in 3 episodes earlier in Jodie Whittaker's tenurre. If all the necessary boxes are to be ticked, presumably Whittaker's Doctor will continue to develop her apparent infatuation with Yas.

Or the Ukrainian Nazis did it themselves, like all those dead bodies in Bucha that appeared after the Russians took over.

Pre-arranged business meetings were permitted under Tier 2 rules: "Sport, live performances and business meetings limited to 50% capacity or 1000 people indoors". Also, restaurants were allowed to open, but had to stop taking orders by 22:00, and close by 23:00. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/944213/COVID-19_Tier_Posters_16_December_2020_High.pdf

So tomorrow I have to be a Leicester and Arsenal fan.

We have 4 strikers in our first team squad, and AB's loss of form doesn't explain the defensive performances.

Have we seen the true Armando Broja in the second half of the season ?

Budd

It's called Balkanisation, splitting a country up into smaller and smaller entities to no ultimate benefit, playing of perceived 'differences' and 'weaknesses' to provide the justification. I'll give you a ( slightly contrived ) example; Moving on from the current structure of the UK, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales all gain full independence. At this point, Cornwall and Devon decide that London is too remote to be relied on for effective Governance and start agitating for their freedom. At the same time the counties north of the Mersey/Humber demand self rule - however having acheived this Lancashire and Yorkshire stand at loggerheads as neither will accept power given to the other; Cumbria determines that it wants away from these 2 ancient rivals and sets up on it's own, followed by the creation of the People's Republics of Tyneside and Wearside. Northumberland and Durham woo Scotland with the intention of joining the Jocks in the EU. Meanwhile, Devon and Cornwall have border disputes along the banks of the Tamar, which result in violent sectarian exchanges, they split, and Cornwall sets Kernewek as it's official language. The City of London, as the financial centre of the Universe, ( in it's own eyes ), becomes fed up with having to pass on part of the income it generates to other parts of the country, and declares all land within the M25 as it's hegemony and fiefdom, and pulls up the metaphorical drawbridge, leaving the Home Counties rudderless. The majority of Hampshire takes advantage of these political upheavals to build a wall to isolate Portsea Island and set armed guards to prevent any escape. ============================================================= In the real world, you get external agitation stirring up emnities that aren't really a problem, such as Russia's arming of insurgents in the Donbas on a bogus pretext.

It isn't 'acceptable', but sometimes bad things become necessary. Humans are an imperfect species, and society places a thin veneer over animal brutality, but on occasion violence is the only way to prevent worse outcomes. In 2014 Russia was trying to subvert Ukraine's desire to democratise and move away from Kremlin imposed autocracy, and the 'little green men' led an armed insurrection intended to destroy the Ukrainian national identity. The Ukrainians felt justified in resisting. War is hell, but some things are worth fighting for. Still, you keep on trying to find ways to justify what is happening in Mariupol, Mykolaiv, Kharkiv, etc.

This in spades.

So does that mean Alex was wrong ? ( Again).

FPTP is anachronistic and has been unfit for purpose for at least 40 years. There's a reason why all 3 devolved assemblies don't use it

Lol, if you think transport investment is "going up north". You should try the trans-pennine route.