Music of the week

Over fifty years old and still pure gold.

Our future Prime Minister?

 

Quote of the day

President Trump ...

"I'm an extremely stable genius. OK?”

... perhaps not so accomplished when it comes to modesty.

Some journalists have a twisted mind

The Times reports:

Paddy Power’s never done political correctness. So no big shock to see the bookie price up the next politician to get “milkshaked”. It has Nigel Farage 2-1 favourite to make it a double, followed at 3-1 by Tommy Robinson — now on a hat-trick after two strawberry affairs earlier this month. Boris looks a rather generous 10-1.

And maybe this sort of thing shouldn’t really be encouraged. But it is only milkshake.

And doesn’t the bookie risk something similar to the Sutton United FC pie-eating coup? Mr Farage could always stage manage another milk attack — after placing a big bet with Arron Banks’ money.

 

The Minister with four ovens

James Brokenshire, communities secretary, displays his kitchen (and wife), presumably as part of a leadership bid.

But who needs four ovens?

   

Quote of the day

From The Guardian (here):

There is something truly grotesque about the unrestrained political beauty contest into which May’s most senior colleagues have now flung themselves. Fashion shoots, posed photographs with spouses, “My vision for Britain” articles: you would never think that the UK had been granted a second extension by the EU, or that May’s withdrawal agreement had failed three times, or that the cross-party talks must deliver soon or collapse.

Extraordinarily, most Tories see no contradiction or impropriety in this. So great is their faith in the power of leadership that they do believe that, say, Boris Johnson or Dominic Raab could do a better job in Brussels than May, and – by sheer force of charisma and personality – whip the EU into line.

This is the deep, collective delusion of a tribe that depends unhealthily upon the magical powers of its chieftain. It is no way to run a party, let alone a country.

   

THE EAGLES (1977) - Lyin' Eyes (Live)

Bitchy?

Red Box reports comments on the sacking of Private Pike aka the Defence Secretary:

One cabinet minister said within minutes of the news breaking: "It didn't take Miss Marple did it?"

Another cabinet minister said: "Who would have thought it was him? Apart from everyone who knows him."

"He has form for this," said a third. "He has made a complete prat of himself."

   
 

Go figure

The Guardian reports:

Sainsbury’s results, released this morning, show that the company burned through £46m in costs on the Asda deal before competition regulators torpedoed it last week.

Like-for-like sales fell 0.2% last year, while profits shrank from £309 to £219m.

Perversely, Sainsbury's share price has risen by over 4.5% this morning.

I will never understand the stock market ...