That really makes me angry. It's a flat-out lie, it's anti-democratic, and it reeks of desperation.

That really makes me angry. It's a flat-out lie, it's anti-democratic, and it reeks of desperation.

It's nothing to do with the sitting government. It's to do with "Yeah, you're not voting X, but unless you vote Y you might as well be voting for X." which isn't true, and isn't how democracy should be.

Yeah, but even with PR then you could still say that you had to vote for the "least worst" option if you decided to frame it in negative terms. If someone is "only voting X to keep Y out" then that surely means that there is something about X's policies that they prefer.

Yeah, but even with PR then you could still say that you had to vote for the "least worst" option if you decided to frame it in negative terms. If someone is "only voting X to keep Y out" then that surely means that there is something about X's policies that they prefer.

Sure, you do prefer X to Y, but you prefer Z to both, only the very idea of voting for Z is couched as a vote for Y.

Indeed. Stupid FPTP.

In other news, top shark hater Mr DJ Trump might come to the UK later in the year. You can write your own President's Club joke, before the Now Show does it anyway.

https://twitter.com/AdamBienkov/status/958729818777976832

I wish some of the other folk in there would be as quick to resign. Although it does rather look like making any excuse to get the hell out of there.

Order. Just before the Secretary of State responds to the shadow Secretary of State, I must say to the hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull East (Karl Turner), who, in his usual fashion, yelled, “It’s a disgrace,” from a sedentary position, that this morning I conducted my weekly Skype session with school students from the Education Centre. They were students of the Herne Bay primary school, one of whom asked me, “Mr Speaker, is there a Member who is particularly cheeky in terms of loud and repeated heckling?” I said, “Well, seeing as you ask, there is a chap called Karl Turner, who is a very agreeable fellow, but he does tend to go from nought to 60 in about five seconds.” I proceeded to educate the pupils of that primary school class in the favoured expressions of the hon. Gentleman—“Shocking” and “It’s a disgrace”—and his ritual exhortation, which fortunately I have not heard today to a Minister, to wit “be’ave”, which he makes while conspicuously failing to do so himself.

Train news now. Virgin East Coast (which is only 10% Branson and 90% Stagecoach) has lost its franchise after overbidding and running up losses of over £200 million. Reading the statement it suggests the government are open to returning to having a public operator on the line but I wouldn't be surprised if their 'assessment' rules this out.

Mr Speaker was in a catty mood:

At what loint should one stop tolerating aggressive begging and discarded needles?

http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/N ... _car_park/

Further developments in the Oastler Road Car Park fiasco

Walking down the road last night and boke came up to me last night and wanted money so I told him I didn't have any change and he told me to "Piss off" then followed me for a bit. Long story short, I've asked local police and counciller what the plan is to deal with such aggressive begging.

I know they think that arming teachers makes sense, and in some twisted way it does seem like a workable solution to an impossible problem, but how the fuck is putting live ammunition in a fucking classroom even being considered?

We don't want Mexicans crossing the border, build a big wall! As long as they don't realise planes exist, we're golden!

You're a teacher, now potentially freshly armed due to American stupidity. Congratulations, you're now the first target for a shooter.

Also, if you have anything less than a semi-auto assault rifle, like ALL of the high school shooters recently, it'll be a pointless exercise. It's actually very hard to hit anything with a pistol if it's more than 30-40 feet away.

Truly cretinous reasoning in defence of gun ownership.

Also, someone could probably work out the Number of teachers * hours spent in classrooms per year * accidental discharge rate for non-expert gun users and see how many teachers will end up shooting their pupils.

Also, someone could probably work out the Number of teachers * hours spent in classrooms per year * accidental discharge rate for non-expert gun users and see how many teachers will end up shooting their pupils.

Not forgetting that these teachers will be given training to actively shoot at their pupils.

I was thinking, yesterday, about Trump and Fox & Friends. I don't think we can be too snobby over it when our politicians court Mumsnet.

I would imagine there's quite a psychological barrier that needs to be overcome to shoot a kid.

What has John McCain said about this issue?

Yippie ki aye, muthafucker?

What has John McCain said about this issue?