Oh Mr Starmer … could things be any worse only 4 months in?

My Jeremy wanted to evict or frogmarch Nige and his Barbour out of the Farmer's protest. Him and that Hopkins creature.

Do you mean more Reform MP’s like this one?
‘A newly elected Reform MP said he was “deeply sorry” after it emerged he had spent a week in a young offenders institution nearly 20 years ago for assaulting a former girlfriend.
James McMurdock, who won the South Basildon and East Thurrock seat at the general election by just 98 votes from Labour, admitted the incident and said it had happened on a drunken night out.
The Daily Mail, which first revealed the details, said it had spoken to the victim’s mother, who said Mr McMurdock had “left marks” on her daughter’s body.
In a statement, Mr McMurdock said: “This is the biggest regret of my life and I wish I could go back and fix things.”

This is a hopeless government and a one two thirds of the electorate didn't vote for. Apart from the rise in the minimum wage and ending the junior doctors strike, they've been abysmal. I'd hope parties other than the main two do really well at the next election and this old guard of useless Labour and Conservative PMs.

most economists said they do not think the UK is heading for recession

From the same article you quoted FGT so perhaps not such ‘bad news’ then

FGT found it now!

I'd ever heard of Jeremy Squirrell so looked him up.
He sounds interesting.

x.com/Jes_Squirrell/status/1859299097569575341

Thanks FGT.

Weirdly, when I’ve Googled it, nothing current is coming up for the Telegraph about the UK nearing recession.

Oh well, one of those things I suppose🤷‍♀️

I’m sure it will reported by other mainstream media outlets.

Maremia

One of the benefits of following a thread like this is that you are kept aware of the nonsense being spewed out by the right wing press, without having to pay anything into their coffers.

Yes! You're right.
It's amazing how many links, excerpts and references to the Daily Mail etc are posted on GN by indignant posters who claim to be left-wing.

It never ceases to amaze me.

Mollygo

Was the school just closed because of the playground escaped?
We had problems getting cars up the local roads which affected buses, parents and staff, but the only playground rule was, sadly, don’t make slides on the playground.

Oh, that used to be such fun!

(I sound like Miranda's mother.)

Perhaps Nige will come along in his Barbour and save us all.

Personally I prefer Jeremy Squirrell.

I quoted from an article in the Telegraph.

Thanks Wyllow. Interesting background info into the source!

Apologies … should be Mollygo🙈

Interesting report Mollgo - some useful graphs showing where we are now compared to the last few years.

Thanks Mollygo.

Like you, I’ve received some quite insulting comments when I’ve asked for sources. I don’t know why but some people seem to take offence at being asked🤷‍♀️

I like to read around an issue as much as I can - from a range of perspectives / sources, in order to inform myself. What I don’t do is take something as ‘gospel’ from a snapshot or a headline.

So, thanks for the link - I’ll read it now!

(Lobbying and political funding). I'd rather get my economics elsewhere.

SPGlobal spending huge amounts of money in US politics:

www.opensecrets.org/orgs/s-p-global/summary?id=D000035733

It's sometimes easier or harder to find a source, but that doesn't mean that the source is the only or the best opinion on the topic, just one opinion amongst others.

LizzieDrip, good luck with getting sources. Whenever I asked for them from previous posters I was rudely rebuffed or received derogatory comments because people didn’t like the answer.
The other thing I notice on GN is that if you do provide resources, they are often rubbished or dismissed as being unacceptable because of where they come from.
Here’s one to help you though. It was easy to find.
www.spglobal.com/marketintelligence/en/mi/research-analysis/flash-uk-pmi-falls-into-contraction-territory-as-outlook-gloom-deepens-Nov24.html

FGT, you’ve got several quotes in your post, so I presume you’re citing a source. Could you tell me your source, so I can read it in its entirety?

From past experience on GN, when I request sources (because I like to know & understand things) posters usually come back at me with ‘Google is your friend’ or more derogatory comments.

FYI, I have Googled FGT’s claim and can’t find anything about it today.

I’m not saying it’s wrong - I’d just like to read more detail. So FGT, could you tell me your source please?

Smileless2012

Isn't there still some dispute about the existence and size of the black hole Mollygo?

Depends who you are.
It did exist according to Sunak
Then it didn’t exist when Labour got in
so we had millions to pour into pay increases (I’m not anti those pay increases per se)
Then we had a black hole even bigger presumably because of the pay increases.

If there was a change of government tomorrow, I’m certain there would be claims of no black hole to be inherited by the incoming government.

Iam64

It isn’t defensiveness abiut anything Labour does. Sheeesh

Sorry, not everything, but it quite often is, usually prefaced by a reference to the previous government, even when Labour have done what KS criticised Sunak for proposing.

It isn’t defensiveness abiut anything Labour does. Sheeesh

Maremia

One of the benefits of following a thread like this is that you are kept aware of the nonsense being spewed out by the right wing press, without having to pay anything into their coffers.

That was equally true during the last government, but now you can add to
that the constant excuses spewed out by those on the defensive of anything Labour does.

Indeed.