Suggestion from Tory insiders that more people are starting to warm to Kemi Badenoch. As her message hasn't really changed, if this is true, it suggests that more people are sinking to her level!! Not a pleasant thought at all.

Listening to Sky News and some of Yalda Hakims interview with Trump junior. Blimey.

Infantino by name and clearly by nature.

"Budgetgate" continues for another day. I didn't vote for this government and I don't like some of the things they are doing. But the media reporting on this is getting so shabby now and involves people who should know better. Very poor.

So although there were failings with the OBRs Internet security/processes, what you essentially had was a media organisation fishing links and getting lucky. But knowing the consequences, it then chose to use the information mischievously. Do I have that right?

If it's true that Cabinet Ministers are briefing reporters that they feel misled by the budget "issue", they don't seem very sensible. Just helps prolong what should be a non story. If it is that big an issue, then the decent thing to do is resign and say the same publicly.

Two words as to why the government will probably need extra fiscal headroom. Those two words are Kevin Hassett.

Wage caps. An idea whose time has come?

Watching Beth Rigby interviewing the Prime Minister on Sky News. She is really quite aggressive. I know politicians can be evasive. But the way she is coming across is pretty poor and not really getting anything constructive from him.

The 1970s/1980s were pretty grim politically. But the longer this decade progresses, it makes those earlier times seem relatively normal in comparison. I suspect a lot is down to the speed at which previous certainties or ways of thing are being consigned to the dustbin. The upheaval is relentless.

Looking at a list of participants in the "Battle of Ideas" Festival 2025. Eeek!!!!!

Labour are in danger of choking off legal migration to levels that could threaten how our current social model is sustained. Is nobody looking at the wider demographic issues. We have an ageing population and a low birthrate.

Wonder whether the EUs improvements to border security will have knock on benefits for us?

I have a number of issues with the Government's immigration proposals. But I think there is an urgent need to improve the system and ensure changes to reduce boat crossings and delays.

Will be interesting to hear the full proposals on immigration today. The suggestions so far have been pretty distasteful. But there is also a suggestion that more official routes for refugees/asylum seekers will be introduced. Will that make things better or fairer?

Watching Matt Vickers on Sky News. For some reason, the word "twat" keeps popping into my head.

Laura Keunsberg and others on her show talking about the Government's shambolic week. I'm assuming this is around the Government's tax "U-turn" on tax. But I'm still trying to understand how they can u-turn on something they've never officially announced.

Should be time now for the Government or one of the saner opposition parties to set out in understandable detail how damaging Brexit has already been for the UK and how it will continue to damage us going forward.

Was thinking how nice it would be if a chocolate manufacturer brought back a load of sweets and chocolate made using the actual recipes (less any dangerous additives) from the period of the late 60s to the early 80s. Mines a Cabana Bar for starters, then an Old Jamaican Bar. Salivating already.

Kemali Melbourne and Anna Jones on Sky News speculating how speculation about the budget can affect Gilts. Speculation brought to you courtesy of Sky News.

I see Anna Jones, Kemali Melbourne and Amanda Akass have decided to give up on some journalistic integrity this morning.

Just thinking what the reporting on the government would be like if journalists could only report on issues that they could verify as accurate. I know that this is a very basic scenario. But I think the answer would be "Boring". Am I right or wrong?

Watching Sky News Breakfast this morning where they are talking about Labour abandoning their plans to abandon the income tax rises they were going to make in the forthcoming budget.

Wonder who the hell was Trumps maths teacher?

Another day and yet more peripheral self-inflicted silliness from the Labour government. On day-to-day priorities, they are doing some good things. But the media will happily ignore that and concentrate on the alleged infighting and the petty issues.

Reading the Telegraph article about the Tory pile on accusing the BBC of left wing bias. Seems orchestrated. And no doubt the BBC will shift more to the right, even though a lot of people have concerns it is already enabling right leaning viewpoints, particularly their coverage of Reform.

A reminder that of the last 15 years, the Tories were in power for 93% of that time. So I wonder who is more to blame for the current state of the country. 93% v 7%. Ummm, tricky one...........

I see Helen Whatley is doing the media circuit this morning, moaning about Rachel Reeves pre-budget announcement. You'd never believe that the Tories had been in power for 93% of the time during the last 15 years. 🤡🤡🤡

Do wonder sometimes whether the plan is for huge numbers of people to be cast adrift through mass upheaval in the coming years, so we end up with high tech city statelets, populated by vetted citizens and protected by private armed forces. Some tech bros seem up for that kind of future.

Do the people stirring up the hate and toxicity in society believe they will be in control of events if it leads to upheaval? Have they considered they may be surplus to requirements when it happens? Or do they simply enjoy other people's discomfort or suffering?

Wonder if the US Congress will ever reconvene? The longer it stays inactive, the easier it is to keep it in recess.

Listening to Neil Hudson (Con MP Epping) bemoaning the poor state of the justice/immigration system in relation to the erroneous prisoner release. It's largely in such a poor state because the Tories mismanaged it so poorly and irresponsibly during their time in office. Massive hypocrisy. Twat.

Will be interesting to see if the election of Lucy Powell as Labour's Deputy Leader has any impact on the party's approach.

Good to see the Lib Dems drawing level with the Tories. Need to be more visible and noisy though to keep the forward momentum.

Listening to Chris Philps speech at the Tory conference. Listening to the twat, you'd never have thought the Tories had been in power for 14 years until last summer.

With significant political changes taking place in many EU member states, will the EU still be an effective organisation in 10 years time? Will it still even exist?

It really is time that the government accurately explains how our current social model works. They should clearly flag the pressures on it, including funding and also how specific changes would impact it. There is so much ignorance/misunderstanding around it. So some education on it is vital.

Take a bow Shane Lowry 😀

Important to note that Trump's grasp of basic maths is probably the same as his grasp of everything else.

I wonder how comfortable Farage and Tice actually are with the growing number of Tories with government experience joining Reform. Does make you wonder if these ex Tories like the idea of being in an extreme right party but would happily push Farage and Tice out, if the opportunity arises.

Wondering if we are all just part of a mega version of a sim city like simulation and player 1 has just found the "let's really fcuk everything up bigtime" setting. Who needs a splif in this mad world of ours!

Sad and depressing to watch what is happening in the US. Hard to know where things are going to end up. And worryingly, there are real consequences for us, if it descends into chaos.

Sitting in a hospital A&E department is an eyeopener and education in so many ways.

So, if Farage and Co deport people back to places where they are tortured or perhaps killed, it would prove why they were so desperate to make the dangerous journey to seek asylum in the first place. Sadly, that won't probably register with Reform voters.

If you need a flag to be a patriot.......

The problem for sensible politicians today is they have to deal with a world that is probably changing faster than ever before whilst all the political extremists/psychopaths and associated scum have come to the surface at the same time. No wonder they are struggling. I would in their place.

So Spain has been suffering from some severe climate issues in recent years. Apparently the temperature hit 46°C today. Direction of travel seems clear and likely a disaster for the country. Yet Vox are creeping up in the polls. What a complete crapshow.

Wonder if the world would be a better place if everyone was given a passport at age 18 and a subsidy to allow them to visit a chosen country in each continent of the world.

Probably time that we stopped thinking about the old Left/Right divide in politics, as societal developments are happening so quickly these days. Better to consider extreme/non extreme and what is acceptable and unacceptable in a modern age.

🎧 mixcloud.com/Chris2023/pop-in-the-real-world-mixcloud-21/ In our slimmed down version, we'll be considering the letter 'U' in pop, the delights of English pubs, and sampling a debut that arrived 41 years after the band split up. With @theloftuk.bsky.social @dreadzone.bsky.social and many more.