The Left: Moribund.

[Nick Armstrong]

Ed Balls

For what it's worth, he was a few years below me at school and I vividly remember when I was a prefect giving him a few hundred lines for being a bumptious, annoying little so-and-so who wouldn't shut up during assembly...

[Pilchardman]

A scab is a two-legged animal with a corkscrew soul, a water brain, a combination backbone of jelly and glue.

Where others have hearts, he carries a tumor of rotten principles.

- Jack London

[Lateralthinking1]

Really Caliban? Can you give us more insights? I find him difficult to assess.

Trust would be very low. That he has a bit of something more than some of the others is undeniable. He seems to have been born to be political (rather than say being in business first).

I can't work out how left wing he is and how centrist he could easily become. I fear that he is another who would be anything for ambition.

[scottycelt]

Then I am unable to help you here.

The fact that you begin what passes for your argument by stating your evident belief that I "appeared [my italics] to make two points" alone suggests your apparent uncertainty as to what was being expressed therein but, given that your response seems to have been made on that basis, let's nevertheless examine it in terms of what it may seek to represent.

As to a), I did not "hope that you were not referring to me"; indeed, I did not even mention you specifically and I would not be interested in what you personally thought unless you had clearly and unequivocally directed your views, comments and responses at me and at no one else. I left out your last phrase simply because it was not germane to the point that I was making at the time.

As to b), I neither wished for nor expected such clarification from you, since I was not referring specifically to you in mentioning what I did but making a rather more generalised comment about those who might seek to associate "unthinking politically correct propagandism" (the clap-trap reference is yours and yours alone and you've already clarified that I omitted mention thereof) with "those on the Left".

Since I do not belong to either Left or Right and since neither persuasion would have welcome me into their presence if they had any sense, my remarks stand, whereas yours, of whose content (since you mention it) I had no particular advance expectations one way or the other, seem by the same token to fall.

I wouldn't worry about it, though - and, whilst we're about it, I'll take the liberty to accept your description of my post as "admirably concise" as a compliment, irrespective of whether or not it might have been meant as such.

Dear me, scotty - ONE nation divided by a common language?(!)...

I completely agree with everything you say, ahinton ...

[Nick Armstrong]

Really Caliban? Can you give us more insights? I find him difficult to assess.

Trust would be very low... I fear that he is another who would be anything for ambition.

Bit of a yob. Used to sit on the back seat of the bus to school with the 'tough guys' (according to my sister). I think your trust rating is about right!

[amateur51]

Bit of a yob. Used to sit on the back seat of the bus to school with the 'tough guys' (according to my sister). I think your trust rating is about right!

Poor sis.

Having to go on the bus while Carstairs took bruv to school in the Hamstrung Sidney

[Nick Armstrong]

Poor sis.

Having to go on the bus while Carstairs took bruv to school in the Hamstrung Sidney

I think I was flâning around the boulevards of Paris by that stage...

[amateur51]

I think I was flâning around the boulevards of Paris by that stage...

Caliban en flan ...

http://www.filmreference.com/images/sjff_01_img0161.jpg

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Flaneur-Stroll-Through-Paradoxes-Writer/dp/0747549575/ref=sr_1_fkmr2_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1322565355&sr=1-2-fkmr2

[Serial_Apologist]

Caliban en flan ...

http://www.filmreference.com/images/sjff_01_img0161.jpg

I'd wondered what had become of Cavatina...

[Nick Armstrong]

Caliban en flan ...

http://www.filmreference.com/images/sjff_01_img0161.jpg

I'd wondered what had become of Cavatina...

[Pilchardman]

Tens of thousands of people have joined rallies around the UK as a public sector strike over pensions disrupts schools, hospitals and other services.

The action by up to two million public sector staff has closed the majority of UK state schools, and forced hospitals to cancel thousands of operations

BBC.

Glasgow (reports of 20, 000):



Manchester:



Edinburgh:



10, 000 on demo in Sheffield.

And so on.

Not really the "damp squib" Cameron and our own dear thread starter are claiming, is it?

[ahinton]

BBC.

Glasgow (reports of 20, 000):



Manchester:



Edinburgh:



10, 000 on demo in Sheffield.

And so on.

Not really the "damp squib" Cameron and our own dear thread starter are claiming, is it?

In erms of numbners and extent of expressed support, no; in terms of the results that it will generate, we'll have to see.

[Mandryka]

I'm sorry, but it IS a damp squib: minimal disruption to public services and Heathrow moving 'like a dream'.

These foolish people can look forward to having their pensions slashed AND having less money for Christmas.

The days when strikes stopped anything are long gone: face it. In fact, you could probably count the number of 'successful' strikes in Britain's history on the fingers of one hand.

[handsomefortune]

These foolish people can look forward to having their pensions slashed AND having less money for Christmas.

foolish?

[ahinton]

I'm sorry, but it IS a damp squib: minimal disruption to public services and Heathrow moving 'like a dream'.

These foolish people can look forward to having their pensions slashed AND having less money for Christmas.

The days when strikes stopped anything are long gone: face it. In fact, you could probably count the number of 'successful' strikes in Britain's history on the fingers of one hand.

I'm sorry, but it was anything but a "damp squib" for many people who weren't actually planning to fly today; what it will or won't achieve in the long run doesn't actually affect the extent of either the humidity or the squibbishness of today's events.