ecuk268

Thatcher authorised back-door talks with the IRA in 1990 despite her supposedly hard-line stance. So was she undermining her own government?

If so it would be interesting to see what stance the Unionists would take over the border with the Republic. They'd have May over a barrel (if she was still PM). The Tories are never squeamish about ditching their leaders and, as their campaign was so focused on May, there could be trouble if she delivers a worse result than 2015.

Might not need troops on the streets if the Tories hadn't got rid of 20000 police officers.

So 4 days after publishing their manifesto where they rejected Andrew Dilnot's idea of a cap on social care costs, May has decided that there will be one. Bit embarrassing after her ministers spent the weekend saying that a cap wasn't feasible. is this strong and stable leadership?

I think that he's saying that when Gordon Brown proposed something similar, the Tories (and the Daily Mail) were screaming about a "Death Tax". Also, when Ed Milliband proposed a cap on energy prices the Tories said that he was "living in a Marxist universe". But when May suggests the same, she's "standing up for hard-working families".

Renewed today and my son will probably renew tomorrow. My justification is that next season can't be as dull as this one. Besides that, I enjoy having a laugh with the people around me. Dropped my car into the garage this morning and the owner, who goes with 4 mates, said that none of them are renewing so I imagine that take up will be slow, especially as there is no discount for early renewal.

Admit it, you've had a sneek preview of the Tory manifesto.

I was looking forward to him insulting Trump.

Did that come from the Tory Party manifesto?

Yeah, it''s obviously all staged and their "profits" take no account of Ed's labour but I found the mechanical aspects interesting and also being old enough to remember most of the "classic" cars when they they were first made.

The amount spent on benefits in 2014/15 was £3bn on unemployment (1% of welfare spending) but £44bn on in-work benefits not including housing. Perhaps you should be more worried that your taxes are being used to subsidise employers who won't pay a decent wage.

As old Rene Descartes said: "I think, therefore I am not a Daily Mail reader".

In later years he ran the pub at the Sports Centre.

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That's not a benefit because it hasn't happened yet. Also, if it does happen, what evidence is there linking it to Brexit. Just because they happen at the same time does not mean that one caused the other. You might just as well say that it was caused by Saints beating Palace last night.

Spain is a member of Nato and so any attack on them would be taken as an attack on all member nations. So we would have to attack ourselves to defend Spain who we were attacking. Does that make sense??

If he wants immunity, it implies that he has done something illegal.

Exactly. I speak a bit of French but when I have to use it to actually speak to a French person, I'm concentrating on getting the words right rather than the nuances of expression.

I'm sure that everyone here could go on French television and do an interview in fluent French.

Any other fans out there? The great Ed China is leaving (see his announcement on Youtube). Apparently the American producers wanted to reduce the amount of detailed workshop content which is an integral part of the show, Ed disagreed and has decided to go his own way. Mike Brewer will continue with a new mechanic. I thought that it started to go downhill when they moved it to the States and, with Ed gone, I can't see it being nearly as good.

The Daily Mash is the authoritative voice, especially the last paragraph: http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/politics/politics-headlines/jubilant-brexiters-****ting-themselves-20170321124592

Surprised he made it to 90. Certainly led a colourful life with his various brushes with the law. My brother was at the Gaumont where he was supposed to be a support act but really stole the show.

May's answer is to spend £320 million on new free schools and new grammar schools which will become middle-class enclaves while over 30% of mainly urban schools are having their budgets cut.

Good to see that the government is united on the eve of such a momentous event. Liam Fox says that leaving without a deal would be "bad for Britain" while Boris says that it would be "perfectly OK". Briefings from sources within Downing Street describe Philip Hammond as "clueless about politics" while his allies call the No. 10 team "economically illiterate". Maybe Labour supporters can relax a bit about Corbyn being so useless. The government seems to be doing a decent job in opposing itself.