Alf Bentley

Thinking about it, maybe Rutte was being smarter than I realised calling Trump "Daddy", as he clearly has Daddy issues. By all accounts, his father was a horrible, domineering man, super-critical and demanding obedience. He even features - as a carnt of our time - in Woody Guthrie's memoir "Bound for Glory". Donald was the golden boy who followed in his Daddy's footsteps adopting all his horrible attitudes - whereas his elder brother ended up drinking himself to death at least partly because Daddy Trump was so hostile and dismissive towards his "failure" of a career, opting to become an airline pilot...

Sounds like it....for now. C4 News quoted him saying he was cancelling his proposed tariffs as he'd just had a great meeting with NATO boss Mark Rutte and they'd agreed a framework deal for Greenland's security. Perhaps Rutte called him "Daddy" again and it made all the difference?

I've heard more rational political speeches from blokes leaning on a bar in a pool of spilt ale with 10 pints in their guts and spittle running down their chins...

Impressive, as you say. A speech that future generations may read about in history books. Also a long speech... So, I've re-posted selected bits that seem particularly important to me - notably the bits that are bolded. A few comments... - "interests diverge": I wonder if he was considering the distinct possibility of other nations, including UK or EU, taking the nationalist-autocracy path - or the misguided fortress path... - "not every partner shares our values": I presume he was thinking of the deal Canada has just done with China. Relations with China need to be handed very carefully re. security & long-term strategy, but there's an argument that, for the UK & EU, carefully calibrated partnerships with a reliable, so-far-only-moderately-aggressive autocracy like China are a better idea than partnerships with an unreliable, demonstrably hostile, expansionist quasi-autocracy like the USA (though hopefully that last definition can yet be reversed). - Supplementary to the above...the response of other nations matters, but perhaps US domestic politics matters even more? Will US constitutional/democratic institutions persist? Will US courts deem Trump's aggressive use of tariffs to be illegal? Will rebel Republicans in Congress block his actions: e.g. his ability to order an invasion of Greenland? Will meaningful mid-term elections be possible? - "The TransPacific Partnership" (TPP): I'd forgotten that the UK joined this a year ago - the only European nation to do so, I think. Would be interesting if the EU also considered this or at least Carney's proposed "EU-TPP bridge"... Oh, and to save other ignoramuses having to Google...."GIUK" in Mac's previous post = "Greenland, Iceland, UK" (Note to Mac: please avoid exclusionary acronyms - we don't all have brains the size of yours! )

I wouldn't bank on Trump believing that. Yesterday he commented on the UK supposedly having made insufficient use of North Sea oilfields, compared to Norway. In a separate comment about the strategic/security importance of Greenland, he made additional passing reference to the Faroes and Shetland....

Sounds more like "I've discovered you're about to quit and to shit on the Tories, so you're sacked". Jenrick has yet to comment several hours later. Farage confirmed he'd been talking to Jenrick but claimed nothing definite had been arranged. BBC suggested someone discovered Jenrick's draft "I quit and you're shit" speech and handed it to Badenoch....Whoops!

I hear this in the voice of Oliver Hardy.... "Hard boiled eggs and nuts, huh!"

Yes, I wonder why that is? - Because she's put in some better parliamentary/speaking performances recently? But I doubt many people notice that? - Because memories of the Tory Govt are fading a bit, so some Tory voters alienated by the last Govt are returning to the fold? - Because some voters tempted by Reform are being put off or having second thoughts due to revelations about Farage, Reform policies or Reform in power in some local councils? The slight upward trend in Tory/Badenoch's ratings seems to be mainly Reform switchers returning. Labour's ratings remain low, but they mainly seem to have lost votes to the Greens. Though I'm sure it's not as black and white as that...

This is a more interesting one. Firstly, it seems Badenoch has sacked him and withdrawn the Tory whip because he was allegedly plotting to defect, while inflicting maximum damage on the Tories: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/crmdmkg8gymt I presume she has strong evidence. Cannot imagine that she'd have taken such action without it? Presumably he'll now confirm his defection? Secondly, only a few months ago, many were expecting him to stand against Badenoch and become Tory leader. She seems to have rallied her troops a bit and Tory poll ratings have crept up a bit (though still well behind Reform), so maybe he no longer fancied his chances of winning? Hopefully this all helps to split the vote on the Right? Also, I wonder how helpful it will be to Farage to keep stuffing his "new party of change" with high-profile Tories from a Govt still resented by many, whatever they think of Starmer & co?

I genuinely had to Google it to find out what the dickhead sign was. I don't think anyone's ever made the dickhead sign to me. One finger and two fingers certainly, the wunker sign occasionally....but no dickhead sign. Maybe I've been a lifelong annoying twat, occasionally a wunker but never a dickhead?

Eric Idle is still going strong.

Fancy some good news for a change? https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/jan/12/london-homicide-rate-drops-to-lowest-in-more-than-a-decade I'm sure some will question the figures and it certainly doesn't mean crime isn't a problem in London, but.... "London’s murder rate has dropped to its lowest in more than a decade with police in the capital and the mayor saying it is now one of the safest cities in the western world. [...] In 2025, the Metropolitan police recorded 97 homicides in London, down from 153 in 2019, and down from 109 in 2024. In terms of longer term trends, a decade ago there were 120 homicides; in 2005, 181 homicides were recorded, with the peak this century being 216 in 2003. Homicides of those aged under-25 have fallen dramatically, with 18 recorded in 2025 compared with a peak of 69 in 2017. [...] The fall in the number of homicides comes despite a rise in London’s population, to 9.1 million compared with 8.1 million in 2010. Thus the chance of being a victim of homicide has fallen and according to Met figures there were, in 2025, 1.1 killings for every 100,000 residents of London, compared with 3.2 for Berlin, 2.9 in Brussels and 1.6 in Paris. According to the figures, London is safer than many if not all major North American cities, having a fraction of their homicide rate, which in New York is 2.8 for every 100,000 members of the city’s population, 5.6 in Los Angeles, 10.5 in Houston and 12.3 in Philadelphia. For young people in London who were at a greater risk of homicide, they are now at lower risk than older adults. In 2017, there were 2.51 killings for every 100,000 people aged under-25, while the rate for adults was 1.65. In 2025, the figure for adults was 1.1 for every 100,000, while for those under-25 the rate was 0.65".

No, I wasn't watching. Will see later. I hope you're not implying corruption? I'll judge later, but am a cock-up theorist, not a conspiracy theorist by nature.....though conspiracies do happen, of course....

Everton lose their penalty play-off v Sunderland after just 3 penalties. All 3 Everton penalties saved; all 3 Sunderland pens scored. I'm sure that's happened before, but I don't remember it...

.....says a Gooner! Fair play, Sir!

Yep. How bad are we going to feel when Enzo succeeds Pep and we see a smiling Winks lifting the CL trophy in a sky blue shirt?

Quite right, Mike. "A" could be anyone. I used to work in a small office where 3 of my colleagues were named Alun, Andrew and Anne. Mind you, I do suspect that the Royal Family might be involved. My money's on Princess Anne. There was always something a bit perverse about her obsession with horses.

I'm getting pretty sick of politicians saying: "Let me tackle that head on", then adding that they are "laser-focused" on providing a "robust" solution...

This report is informative: https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/paul-doyle-bit-sailors-ear-33051416?int_source=nba The ex-veteran PTSD argument was not used because he was never on active service during his time in the military. As a young man he was repeatedly in trouble with the courts and his military employers for numerous violent assaults (including one against his superior officer), criminal damage and dishonesty. This culminated in him getting discharged before the end of his service period and being given a 1-year prison sentence for biting a sailor's ear off in a bar brawl. That answers the "ex-veteran PTSD" question, but doesn't answer why he perpetrated this rampage, when he'd clearly turned his life round. It seems he'd not been charged with any offences for 30 years, had settled down in employment and a stable family life - then suddenly went haywire. Blood tests showed that he had no alcohol or illegal drugs in his system. Video footage shows that well before he reached the celebrating crowd, he was repeatedly undertaking cars and jumping red lights. Why was that? You'd presume that, if any psychiatric/psychological assessment had found him to have been seriously mentally ill, then his defence team would have presented that - as grounds for a diminished responsibility not-guilty plea or mitigation, at least. I don't know if he or his lawyers offered any explanation of his driving before he reached the event? Again, if some extreme event had provoked his behaviour, surely his lawyers would have raised that as mitigation for a lighter sentence? Maybe, he is just a man prone to rage and violence (as his youthful behaviour suggests), who had successfully got those inclinations under control for 30 years - but for some minor reason (stressful life? argument with wife? pissed off at having to pick his mate up?) or simply due to a foul mood, he drove into the city like a maniac, then saw red at the crowds getting in his way - and did what he did?

Amusing to see Scots getting angsty about McTominay not being a nominee - particularly as they might have a point (Serie A title & POTY after ManU failure; spectacular goal in WC win). Looking forward to Vardy getting the 25-26 award, after he wins Serie A POTY at 39, gets a late England recall, scores the winner in the World Cup final, then celebrates by baring his arse at Trump and Infantino, before being grabbed by ICE and deported to an El Salvador prison....

I wonder if Littler might win this year? He's widely known among casual sports TV viewers and has a big media presence - on top of achievements and youth. Rory has to be a contender and is a known personality beyond golf fanatics, so definitely has a chance - but golf is a minority sport for TV viewing. 2 England women footballers being nominated harms both their chances - and women's rugby is surely also a minority interest, World Cup notwithstanding? Likewise, motor racing - granted that F1 drivers have won before, but maybe better-known, bigger personalities than Norris?

You've been peeping, haven't you? Get back in the women's changing rooms, you perve! You're also going to look very silly when Rory comes out as trans. Regarding the "white" bit, it looks like the vast majority of winners, including 7 of the last 10 have been white? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BBC_Sports_Personality_of_the_Year_Award Only Farah (black) and Hamilton & Raduceanu (mixed race) not white in the past decade - and all 6 nominees are white this year, aren't they?

It's a Knockaert The Only Way is Lynex Absolutely Fabregas Wasyl Death Do Us Part Andy Peaky Blinders Raddy Antic Roadshow Match of the Mervyn Day Father Teddy Sheringham ....er, Top of the Pops..

Murderous former MI5/IRA double agent, Freddie "Stakeknife" Scappaticci: Murderous former Chelsea footballer, Ron "Chopper" Harris