Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

Article 98 doesn’t apply unless the boats are in distress.

Article 95 grants immunity to British naval vessels.

Article 25 specifically gives the coastal state the right to prevent passage into its territorial waters that is not innocent.

There is nothing illegal in refusing a boat to enter U.K. territorial waters. If the U.K. coast guard or navy picks up a small boat the passengers should just be taken directly back to the coastal state from where they departed.

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

We used to be able to do that...

Anyhoo, love to see how pushing an inflatable back to the French coast without turning it over or people falling off the sides of the crowded inflatable wouldn't be counted as "in distress"...

---------- Post added at 15:12 ---------- Previous post was at 15:11 ----------

"something magic can happen"...

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

It's not just Hugh, almost everyone knows what we CAN'T do, but nobody seems to have a clue as to what we CAN do.

There are plenty of people with notions on what we'd LIKE to do, but . . .

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

But we didn’t, as it wasn’t an issue and if we were still in the EU and this was happening i doubt things would be drastically different.

Oh, and we still could return them, if we had a backbone.

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

What we CAN do is send illegal immigrants back to their country of origin. International law requires countries to accept their own nationals returning to their country.

We are too soft - no wonder they all want to come here to be looked after.

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

https://news.sky.com/story/man-dies-...ondon-13459217

I think now, to be on the safe side and to protect British citizens, we should just deport all Afghan Nationals. Start with them.

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

Including those that acted as interpreters for us, risking their lives helping our forces? Send them back to the Taliban?

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

They should be allowed to remain, definitely.

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

It was said with tongue planted in cheek, but my point remains the same.

BTW, was this murderer one of the Social care people, or doctor or engineer that you kept saying we need to welcome with open arms?

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

Rogue landlord rents out property without necessary license required by law

https://www.express.co.uk/news/polit...thwark-Dulwich

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

Typical, we’re supposed to trust her to run the country’s finances and she can’t even handle her own affairs. That’s the issue here.

It may look to be a minor transgression however, if it was you, I or Jo Bloggs that was found guilty of of such we would be looking at https://www.mortgagestrategy.co.uk/n...20resignations.

It wouldn’t have happened to Gordon Brown, that’s all I’m saying, the lack of serious political figures, on either side, is worrying.

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

To be fair, it was the local application of laws, which are another example of councils being vindictive. Forever charging money for not doing anything.
It only applied in certain areas, so would be less easy to be aware of. The licensing system was intended for HMOs, made up of flats and/or bedsits.

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

Starmer trying to sweep it under the carpet as usual


she has been campaigning for this law in other areas

as you say this is a serious breach of the law the local council should pursue it through the courts

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

She doesn't seem to be having much luck regarding houses . . . unless I'm mistaken and she's not the one recently in bother over a new house purchase in Brighton

oh well, how the other half live eh :rolleyes:


edit: . . . just checked, I was mistaken, that was the other muppet, Rayner

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

MPs should not be landlords are this point. So many of them are, it's a conflict of interest when they're passing laws regulating landlords, and they keep getting into trouble over it.

She and Labour have passed tighter regulations so falling foul of them is pretty impressive.

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

So what exactly, should MPs be allowed to own, buy, sell, or even do? A law exists connecting to almost everything.
It was local council decisions that created the issue, not national government. A licence wouldn't have been required if the property had been in a different area within the same council area.

---------- Post added at 13:48 ---------- Previous post was at 13:45 ----------

The owner is still required to make sure that any agent has the required licence.

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

They should be allowed to do their actual job, they get paid well enough for that.

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

This political ‘GOTCHA’ mentality is childish and must stop. They are behaving like infants.

Reeves actually asked about whether she needed a licence and was told she didn’t, so in the circumstances, she appears to be blameless.

What this actually shows is that we can all get caught out when even the professionals in the field are confused. The law is too complicated and it should be simplified rather than have more layers of complexity added.

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

We let a property out in Wokingham. We placed everything with a respected letting agent without knowing any of the ins and outs. We assumed everything was in order without giving it further thought. And so it was/is.

Much as the professional Reeves is to my utter distaste, this little pickle she's got into shouldn't bring the flogging that she is getting.


---------- Post added at 13:57 ---------- Previous post was at 13:55 ----------

Well said, OB.

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

to quote kier Starmer "you can't be a law maker and a law breaker"

she knows all about this law she has campaigned for it

if she can break the law with no consequences then we all can do it

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

Looks like she is probably in the clear unless something else comes up. The letting agency explicitly told her they were applying the licence, only for the person making the promise to resign before they did. Leaving both Reeves thinking it was done, and the agency unaware of this.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c24l7gnp3v2t

The agency has apologised:

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

i've done a rough calculation on that and the answer is Bullshit, sounds like a bent lawyer is advising on this, any one know one?

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

It seems pretty simple to me.

The issue now is whether you think she should have double-checked that they actually did it.

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

it's her responsibility she's the land lord, i'm surprised she didn't blame Brexit


it's a good story worthy of a gold star in junior school story writing

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

Are you stating that Gareth Martin, owner of Harvey Wheeler the Estate Agents) is a liar?

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

are you his lawyer

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

Probably not, but maybe Hugh (as an admin on this forum) is just trying to clarify things, as your comment, and I quote “...sounds like a bent lawyer is advising on this....", could possibly be construed as being libellous.

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

thank you for your legal opinion and your adoration of Hugh

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

Oh, don’t mention it. It’s fine.;)

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

any way is she paying back the rent she has taken, i read somewhere that it was the normal procedure in these cases ,does anyone know how long this breach of the law has been going on?

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

Link

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

You really don’t like her, do you, papa? ;)

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

it's definitely going to be the fault of brexit next;)

---------- Post added at 20:32 ---------- Previous post was at 20:29 ----------

well I'm a pensioner can you find a reason why i would, plus i don't believe she's up to the job

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

Climate change more like…

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

I think its getting more frosty around here, rather than warmer. ;)

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

Yep, story over move on to next scandal.

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

I think it's quite clever that when the person that did the promising (by letter? ) resigned, somebody who then took over their (unfinished) workload didn't spot it.

There again, I'm probably just looking for a scapegoat . . . oh wait :D

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

Perhaps it was an elaborate set-up to catch her out :erm:

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

One day hopefully we will get a selection of MPs that are in politics to actually run the country for our benefit.

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

So voting Lib Dem next time ? ;) Mind you even they sold out in 2010, when they saw a chance of govt. All power corrupts.

A benevolent dictator might be our best chance. The public cant be trusted with their vote anymore, they make daft descisions for the wrong reasons.e.g. who they hate least, or who sounds or looks nicer or who is 'trending'. ( i blame reality tv).

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

They didn’t sell out. The problem was they didn’t have the votes to have the impact they wanted.

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

They were naive, unforgivable really considering they’re the party that wants electoral reform of the sort that actually causes coalitions almost every time. They know - or ought to - that they’ll never form a majority government alone and that their pitch, if delivered honestly, ought to reflect that. But they never have. They’ve always preferred to assume they’ll never have to deliver on any promise they ever make, and can therefore spend their time navel gazing, virtue signalling and running intensely local campaigns that aren’t above contradicting each other when convenient.

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

It is probably true that a benevolent dictator might be the best option. The problem is what do you do if they turn out to not be a benevolent as you think.

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

Christopher Biggins is the man to take us forward, as a benevolent dictator. He couldn't possibly be nasty and would insist everyone is nice to each other ( or else!)

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

Christ no, that voice . . . :sick:

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

I can get behind that.


……..the jokes write themselves

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

Wouldn’t it be easier to just abolish parliament and let Charlie become an absolute monarch instead?

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

A ruler for everyone. Plus we wouldn’t need to bother about the inconvenience of elections and manifesto promises any more.

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

https://www.cableforum.uk/images/local/2025/11/1.jpg

He very much approves of this message.

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

Just watched Rachael from customer accounts give her it's every one else's fault speech ,then avoiding the questions after it, looks like labour are going to rip up the manifesto and pile on the taxes as usual.

it was brexit it was covid it was kwasi ...........


who exactly is compiling this budget her or the OBR


https://www.express.co.uk/news/polit...eves-tax-rises

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

A mess of their own making. Utterly stupid to rule out tax rises with the state of the finances.

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

She talked about poor productivity [oh the irony]

then about getting the best qualified people for the job [oh irony upon irony] won't be having anyone who faked their CV then:rolleyes:


last budget she "fixed the foundations" and wasn't coming back for more money ,now the foundations have collapsed

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

We have the most expensive electricity in the world. Any economist can tell you there is always, always a direct correlation between economic growth and energy. The industrial revolution happened here because we had near unlimited supplies of easily mined coal to fuel the ideas of people like Boulton and Watt. As long as the idiot ideologue Ed Miliband is in charge of net zero zealotry, nothing will improve because just about anywhere else is cheaper to make stuff than here.

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

I've probably got this wrong - as usual - but don't we earn (lol) some sort of carbon credits by not manufacturing stuff (therefore not adding to global warming*), and then sell those credits to other countries so they can offset their carbon emissions whilst manufacturing shite (adding to the dreaded global warming) that we then import from afar (again adding to global warming), and then dump aforementioned shite into landfills (adding to global warming) or even ship it back where it came from (adding to global warming) where it is recycled (adding to . . . ) and the circle goes on and on.

*I use the term global warming loosely as a polluting the planet phrase connected to net zero ;)

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

Yes, the world did invent a way of buying and selling worthless bits of paper which almost certainly makes no practical difference to carbon emissions whatsoever.

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

Net zero in the UK is just a pointless joke these days.

We are responsible for "less than 1% of annual global greenhouse gas emissions", it really doesnt matter what we do.

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

Yep, the backwater of Europe trying to act like the saviour of the World . . .

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

Nobody gets elected promising tax rises.

The public need to get real, always wanting something for nothing. The mess this country is in isn"t down to the last year, its down to the 14 years before it and daft decisions made by the electorate. Joe Public always want someone to blame, maybe they should look in the mirror...

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

The truth I suspect is somewhere between the two, the past year isn't anywhere near wholly responsible but has played a part in our current position.

As someone else said it was stupid of labour to put no tax rises in their manifesto even baron von greenback is now walking back his no tax increases statements.

The tories failed to fix the problems, labour will fail to fix the problems. I don't see any other party being able to fix the issues we face. IMHO the country is and will continue to be in a death spiral.

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

We need to cut the waste rather than keep putting up taxes. Robin Hood must be spinning in his grave.

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

Priceless.

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

Why don’t you tell that to the 8 Reform-led Councils who have said they are putting up Council Tax?

https://www.thetimes.com/article/029...c5792c2075a892

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

Start with the unsustainable triple lock pension? The one that those funding it atm will never get themselves?

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

:bsmack: :PP:

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

And this is true. But suppose a party campaigned on ‘we will tax the rich a lot more to pay for xyz’? Sounds good doesn't it, surely a majority of people will vote for that?

Except, what do you mean by ‘rich’? I suspect that most people will be think of Musk or Bezos, who could certainly afford to pay more tax and not even notice it. Or what about millionaires, they can pay more? But what if they are technically millionaires because they happen to have inherited a house from great-aunt Matilda which has been in the family for 200 years and sits in 4 acres of grounds in Wimbledon! So it’s not like they happen to have a few million in notes under the bed, or even in the bank - what do you tax? DO you demand three rooms from the house be handed over?

Now this might be an apocryphal story, but I do seem to remember a story form the Kinnock era, when he said just that, ‘tax the rich’, without specifying what he meant. Eventually pushed as to what ‘the rich’ meant, it turned out that some nurses in senior positions would fall into that category. Somehow ‘tax nurses more’ didn’t do it!

Basically the manifesto needs to say, unequivocally, 'everyone is going to pay more tax, you are all going to give the state more of your money’.

Despite the logic, it tends not to go down well.

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

Exactly, there isn't enough millionaires and billionaires to tax to fund what people want funded. It's also harder to tax wealth than income.

If we want the state to be as big as it is with the NHS, pensions and also adult social care (which is going to become a bigger and bigger crisis), then we need to pay for it.

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

Joe Public has a vote, they make the decisions, whether it's referendums, or who runs the country. Caveat emptor.

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

Politics:

" . . . you can’t please all of the people all of the time”.

" . . . you can’t fool all of the people all of the time”.

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

oops they did it again

Manhunt for foreign prisoner after mistaken release from HMP Wandsworth
The error happened just five days after the high-profile release of migrant sex offender Hadush Kebatu from HMP Chelmsford.


https://news.sky.com/story/manhunt-f...worth-13464331



David Lamy was asked 5 times at PMQS if anyone had been accidently released again,and all he did was lose his temper and obfuscate

it turns out this guy has been missing since last wednesday

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

Apparently it's going to be a new series, Netflix are already on it with Sky pushing strongly for 'prime time' highlights on Saturday evenings :D

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

it would make a good comedy series if it wasn't so serious

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

I think it's more of a drama, this could just be the tip of the iceberg that the Labour party are about to hit at full steam . . and they forgot to order lifeboats

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

It’s wrong, it shouldn’t happen, but why weren’t people outraged or why wasn’t it headline news previously?

https://news.sky.com/story/thousands...-show-12931325

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

And now William billy Smith released wrongfully on 3 nov

We are appealing for help in finding 35-year-old William Smith, who goes by the name Billy, after he was released in error from HMP Wandsworth on Monday (3 November).

We are carrying out a number of enquiries at pace to try and locate him.

Smith was sentenced to 45 months for multiple fraud offences at Croydon Crown Court on Monday (3 November), during which he appeared via a live video link from HMP Wandsworth.

He is described as White, bald, and clean shaven.

Smith was last seen wearing a navy long sleeve jumper with the Nike brand ‘tick’ across the front in white, navy blue tracksuit bottoms with a Nike ‘tick’ in white on the left pocket, and black trainers.

Smith has links to Woking but could be anywhere in Surrey.

https://www.surrey.police.uk/news/su...n-billy-smith/


Yes folks he was released on the same day he was convicted


https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/21...-surrey-police

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

Well he can....just not here!

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

Because, as you well know, certain things have to happen to make story newsworthy. Then it gets out to the wider population.

The perfect storm this cycle has been:

Epping Hotel protests
Epping Hotel protestors branded far right, although many mothers and daughters
Epping Hotel migrant actually found guilty of sexual assault
Epping protestors vindicated
Epping migrant convicted of sexual assault released
Epping Migrant asked to be allowed back in prison as he didn’t know where to go.
Epping Migrant picked up two days later.

Prison service now under scrutiny by the press……………
Other mistaken releases highlighted and reported on.

2023 doesn’t matter, That’s why it’s headline news now.

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

Hang on a minute, what about that brilliant scheme to release prisoners early?

Can they not just fudge some paperwork and say "well we let them go because we needed the room"

:rofl:

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

Prisoner wrongly released hands himself in

Billy Smith was spotted waving and smiling as he voluntarily made his return to HMP Wandsworth, but the search for another prisoner, sex offender Brahim Kaddour-Cherif, continues.


https://news.sky.com/story/one-of-tw...tands-13464924

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

And another one's gone

a man who was serving a 21-year sentence for kidnap and grievous bodily harm absconded from an open prison in Sussex last month.

Sky News has learned that Ola Abimbola is a foreign national offender who still hasn't returned to HMP Ford - and Sussex Police says it is working with partners to find him.

https://news.sky.com/story/public-at...r-way-13465492

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

*cough* . . . erm

and you thought I was joking :D

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

Lucy Powell says Labour must stand by promise not to raise key taxes
New deputy leader also calls on government to lift two-child benefit cap urgently and in full


looks like we might not all be in this together

https://www.theguardian.com/politics...aise-key-taxes

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

The only thing we're 'all in together' is the brown smelly stuff, it's just some aren't in as deep . . . but will be when the wonky 3 legged stool they're standing on collapses..

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

Just completely unserious. Once again, you can have whatever you want in terms of spending but without having to raise tax :rolleyes:

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

….Or cut back on waste, which they won’t do.

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

cut back on Ed Miliband , that'll fill a black hole or two

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

Nobody really likes a rise in basic income tax, although that really only hurts those at the bottom of the 'average' earnings bracket.

A rise in VAT hits everyone, apart from suppliers who will presumably raise their prices to the consumers.

National Insurance . . well we've already seen that working . . . so successfully :rolleyes:


Waste however, my Lord, where to start with cutting back on waste.
For every proposal on how to cut waste there is a counter argument from those departments doing the wasting :D

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

But this is also fantasy politics. Something politicians say to pretend you don't have to make difficult choices. You can cut waste, sure, but it isn't enough to make up for the huge cost of providing pensions, benefits or services. Reform tried this nonsense and soon found themselves having to raise taxes because adult social care is expensive and making sure people don't order too many post-it cuts and cut back on the after-hours taxis doesn't pay for it.

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

Income tax is due a rise, it hasnt been raised for 50 years, just cut. The state of the nations finances hasn't much to do with this Govt, who've been in a little over a year, but the last 20 years, and decisions made by the electorate.

With an ageing non productive population, increaded demands on the NHS/care systen, and a public that demand all this and more, but dont want to pay for it.

If they cut NI to protect those that bother to work then fair enough.
Its like when you go shopping, you don't get something for nothing, and if you want more, you have to pay more.

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

</snip>

I'd be a lot more concerned about the younger, fitter, and can't be arsed non productive population.

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

or we could offer less, and pay less.

The government doesn't deserve more tax receipts as it has proven itself incapable of being being able to spend it prudently.

Re: Starmer’s chronicles
 

What do you want less of ? Health, education, police, transport, state pension?