General News Thread

[Md9]

I am sure with everything going on now America is sleeping well knowing they have some new flag poles up 

[Dr The Singh]

6 minutes ago, Md9 said:

I am sure with everything going on now America is sleeping well knowing they have some new flag poles up 

Im glad there rustic proof

[Bellend Sebastian]

14 minutes ago, Md9 said:

I am sure with everything going on now America is sleeping well knowing they have some new flag poles up 

An American gentleman did once ask me why the British weren't into flags more.

 

What are you supposed to say to that? Because there are other things to be into? 

[leicsmac]

8 hours ago, Jon the Hat said:

I don’t recall the leaders of the US basically telling the world they will nuke another country for 40 years as soon as they have the capability though?

No, they've just, on several occasions, used their overwhelming conventional firepower to attempt to achieve the same end - they call it "regime change". They're doers rather than talkers, apparently. 

[Trav Le Bleu]

16 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

No, they've just, on several occasions, used their overwhelming conventional firepower to attempt to achieve the same end - they call it "regime change". They're doers rather than talkers, apparently. 

This smacks of Bay of Pigs. Then they attacked Cuba thinking that the people would rise up against their leaders. Didn't happen, operation failed.

 

Similarly they're expecting people to rise up in Iran, except they're killing so many of them they're achieving the opposite.

[leicsmac]

1 hour ago, Trav Le Bleu said:

This smacks of Bay of Pigs. Then they attacked Cuba thinking that the people would rise up against their leaders. Didn't happen, operation failed.

 

Similarly they're expecting people to rise up in Iran, except they're killing so many of them they're achieving the opposite.

I think a lot of the world has caught onto the pattern and isn't interested in offering any kind of support for it now, either. 

 

NB. I would add as a point of order before anyone nitpicks your post that the US hasn't killed many, if any more than a handful, of Iranian nationals in this latest round of foolhardiness - yet. 

Edited 18 June 2025 by leicsmac

[Torquay Gunner]

Any US involvement in a country’s regime change is bound to go well, as they have such a solid track record from Vietnam to Afghanistan!  I bet the Iranians can hardly wait. 

[Parafox]

14 hours ago, ajthefox said:

No-one likes the return journey but it sounds like you're a bit of a grumpy bastard, Para 

 

Depends what time I get up 

[Parafox]

14 hours ago, Jattdogg said:

Don't get me wrong, I understand why we don't want them to have it but always a bit rich for nuclear nations to preach about it when they already have. That's another topic though

 

The Iranian government and the population strike me as being a lot less stable than most other countries that have nuclear capability.

[Parafox]

1 hour ago, Md9 said:

I am sure with everything going on now America is sleeping well knowing they have some new flag poles up 

 

Every public statement that this man makes sounds like it's been written by a child.

[Parafox]

43 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

I think a lot of the world has caught onto the pattern and isn't interested in offering any kind of support for it now, either. 

 

NB. I would add as a point of order veggie anyone nitpicks your post that the US hasn't killed many, if any more than a handful, of Iranian nationals in this latest round of foolhardiness - yet. 

?

[leicsmac]

4 minutes ago, Parafox said:

?

It's fvcking amazing what autocorrect will come up with, isn't it? 

 

That was supposed to be "before" - now corrected. 

[Foxdiamond]

2 hours ago, Trav Le Bleu said:

The old That Was The Week That Was (I think it's from?) sketch with John Clease, Ronnie Barker and Ronnie Corbett ("I look down on him") needs an extra person smaller than Corbett these days.

Problem is the riff raff don't know they are riff raff

[urban.spaceman]

3 hours ago, Trav Le Bleu said:

The old That Was The Week That Was (I think it's from?) sketch with John Clease, Ronnie Barker and Ronnie Corbett ("I look down on him") needs an extra person smaller than Corbett these days.

“I know my place”

[st albans fox]

4 hours ago, Bellend Sebastian said:

An American gentleman did once ask me why the British weren't into flags more.

 

What are you supposed to say to that? Because there are other things to be into? 

Lots of countries love a flag pole 

generally find there is a correlation between flagpoles and uniforms 

[Foxdiamond]

1 hour ago, urban.spaceman said:

“I know my place”

As opposed to riff raff who don't know how to behave

[Foxdiamond]

17 minutes ago, st albans fox said:

Lots of countries love a flag pole 

generally find there is a correlation between flagpoles and uniforms 

Some truth in this. The UK has rarely had a large standing army in peacetime. 

[The Year Of The Fox]

General Sir Mike Jackson stated in his autobiography how America has always overlooked the hearts and minds campaign and neglected the ‘what happens after the war/regime change’ 

 

Consider his autobiography was written in the mid 2000’s, his words are very profound. 

[davieG]

Talking of flags I see the Leicestershire Council lead by Reform are dealing with County Council's major problems

 

 

https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/leicestershire-opposition-parties-band-together-10271797

 

 

Leicestershire opposition parties band together against new Reform flags policy

The new policy has created uncertainty over whether community flags will be flown

 

By

Hannah RichardsonLocal Democracy Reporter

11:06, 18 JUN 2025

 

A decision by Reform UK to limit which flags can be flown at the headquarters of Leicestershire County Council has been formally challenged by opposition parties. Reform, which took control of the council in May’s local election, voted last week, in a cabinet meeting which lasted less than seven minutes, to amend the authority’s flag policy.

The new policy states the Union flag and county standard are to be flown on two of the three poles in front of County Hall, in Glenfield, and either the St George’s or Lord Lieutenant’s flags displayed on the third. Previously, the Union flag, county flag and either the Commonwealth flag or, on the anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine, the Ukrainian flag occupied the three poles at the front of the building, with the Lord Lieutenants flag also flown there when he was present.

A fourth pole, which is in County Hall's inner quadrangle, previously flew other banners, such as the Armed forces flag, Pride flag or disabled people’s flag, during community events and celebration days. This pole is now to be used to “mark events such as Armed Forces Day, Commonwealth Days and Armistice Day”, with decisions over whether to fly other banners to be delegated to the chief executive “following consultation with the leader of the council”, Dan Harrison.

 

The move has sparked criticism from staff, including those from LGBT+, disability and BAME groups, who are concerned flags celebrating their communities will not be flown going forward. One claimed it was akin to a message from the council saying that they were “not safe” and “not welcome” there.

Now, opposition leaders have called in Reform’s policy for further scrutiny, with a meeting to debate the issue scheduled for next week. The call-in was signed by Deborah Taylor for the Conservatives, Michael Mullaney for the Liberal Democrats, Jewel Miah for the Labour group and by Green councillor Naomi Bottomley.

The four councillors said they did not believe Reform's decision had been “thought through properly”, adding that it seemed to them to be “very rushed”.

The call-in announcement reads: “This decision is not clear and leaves the chief executive in a difficult position. A clear decision is needed by the administration regarding what flags can fly, when and where.

“It cannot be left to a weekly decision. Neither can the staff be left without any clear direction.

“This decision has weakened the current positive position of our approved Flag Flying Policy. Staff and our residents deserve clear policies, as the previous Flag Flying Policy was agreed upon by all the group leaders of the last council.”

 

 

Leader of Leicestershire County Council Dan Harrison (Image: LeicestershireLive)

The four parties further said they did not believe that the Reform cabinet had taken into account the requirements of the Public Sector Equality Duty, which requires them to “eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between people with protected characteristics and those who do not”. None of the staff working groups had “had their voices heard”, the councillors added.

Councillor Harrison previously told LeicestershireLive: "Staff are protected by law, so they're safe in their environment. If they wish to fly flags, they could always fly them at home if they want to [...].

“I will meet with their groups and assure them that their health, their safety, the [working] environment will be safe. Nobody would ever disrespect anybody because there's a law to protect them, and we as a county council will guide the way to protect those people."

While those behind a call-in can challenge and recommend changes be made to a policy, ultimately it will be down to the council's cabinet itself to make any decisions around altering it.

[Sampson]

36 minutes ago, davieG said:

Talking of flags I see the Leicestershire Council lead by Reform are dealing with County Council's major problems

 

 

https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/leicestershire-opposition-parties-band-together-10271797

 

 

Leicestershire opposition parties band together against new Reform flags policy

The new policy has created uncertainty over whether community flags will be flown

 

By

Hannah RichardsonLocal Democracy Reporter

11:06, 18 JUN 2025

 

A decision by Reform UK to limit which flags can be flown at the headquarters of Leicestershire County Council has been formally challenged by opposition parties. Reform, which took control of the council in May’s local election, voted last week, in a cabinet meeting which lasted less than seven minutes, to amend the authority’s flag policy.

The new policy states the Union flag and county standard are to be flown on two of the three poles in front of County Hall, in Glenfield, and either the St George’s or Lord Lieutenant’s flags displayed on the third. Previously, the Union flag, county flag and either the Commonwealth flag or, on the anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine, the Ukrainian flag occupied the three poles at the front of the building, with the Lord Lieutenants flag also flown there when he was present.

A fourth pole, which is in County Hall's inner quadrangle, previously flew other banners, such as the Armed forces flag, Pride flag or disabled people’s flag, during community events and celebration days. This pole is now to be used to “mark events such as Armed Forces Day, Commonwealth Days and Armistice Day”, with decisions over whether to fly other banners to be delegated to the chief executive “following consultation with the leader of the council”, Dan Harrison.

 

The move has sparked criticism from staff, including those from LGBT+, disability and BAME groups, who are concerned flags celebrating their communities will not be flown going forward. One claimed it was akin to a message from the council saying that they were “not safe” and “not welcome” there.

Now, opposition leaders have called in Reform’s policy for further scrutiny, with a meeting to debate the issue scheduled for next week. The call-in was signed by Deborah Taylor for the Conservatives, Michael Mullaney for the Liberal Democrats, Jewel Miah for the Labour group and by Green councillor Naomi Bottomley.

The four councillors said they did not believe Reform's decision had been “thought through properly”, adding that it seemed to them to be “very rushed”.

The call-in announcement reads: “This decision is not clear and leaves the chief executive in a difficult position. A clear decision is needed by the administration regarding what flags can fly, when and where.

“It cannot be left to a weekly decision. Neither can the staff be left without any clear direction.

“This decision has weakened the current positive position of our approved Flag Flying Policy. Staff and our residents deserve clear policies, as the previous Flag Flying Policy was agreed upon by all the group leaders of the last council.”

 

 

Leader of Leicestershire County Council Dan Harrison (Image: LeicestershireLive)

The four parties further said they did not believe that the Reform cabinet had taken into account the requirements of the Public Sector Equality Duty, which requires them to “eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between people with protected characteristics and those who do not”. None of the staff working groups had “had their voices heard”, the councillors added.

Councillor Harrison previously told LeicestershireLive: "Staff are protected by law, so they're safe in their environment. If they wish to fly flags, they could always fly them at home if they want to [...].

“I will meet with their groups and assure them that their health, their safety, the [working] environment will be safe. Nobody would ever disrespect anybody because there's a law to protect them, and we as a county council will guide the way to protect those people."

While those behind a call-in can challenge and recommend changes be made to a policy, ultimately it will be down to the council's cabinet itself to make any decisions around altering it.

I’m walking on egg shells and trying not to get banned so I’ll just say… Isn’t the stopping displaying certain political symbols and setting up rules about what flags you can fly in 21st century Britain more than a bit snowflakey and cancel culturey? And basically everything they say they hate?

[Trav Le Bleu]

1 hour ago, davieG said:

Talking of flags I see the Leicestershire Council lead by Reform are dealing with County Council's major problems

 

 

https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/leicestershire-opposition-parties-band-together-10271797

 

 

Leicestershire opposition parties band together against new Reform flags policy

The new policy has created uncertainty over whether community flags will be flown

 

By

Hannah RichardsonLocal Democracy Reporter

11:06, 18 JUN 2025

 

A decision by Reform UK to limit which flags can be flown at the headquarters of Leicestershire County Council has been formally challenged by opposition parties. Reform, which took control of the council in May’s local election, voted last week, in a cabinet meeting which lasted less than seven minutes, to amend the authority’s flag policy.

The new policy states the Union flag and county standard are to be flown on two of the three poles in front of County Hall, in Glenfield, and either the St George’s or Lord Lieutenant’s flags displayed on the third. Previously, the Union flag, county flag and either the Commonwealth flag or, on the anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine, the Ukrainian flag occupied the three poles at the front of the building, with the Lord Lieutenants flag also flown there when he was present.

A fourth pole, which is in County Hall's inner quadrangle, previously flew other banners, such as the Armed forces flag, Pride flag or disabled people’s flag, during community events and celebration days. This pole is now to be used to “mark events such as Armed Forces Day, Commonwealth Days and Armistice Day”, with decisions over whether to fly other banners to be delegated to the chief executive “following consultation with the leader of the council”, Dan Harrison.

 

The move has sparked criticism from staff, including those from LGBT+, disability and BAME groups, who are concerned flags celebrating their communities will not be flown going forward. One claimed it was akin to a message from the council saying that they were “not safe” and “not welcome” there.

Now, opposition leaders have called in Reform’s policy for further scrutiny, with a meeting to debate the issue scheduled for next week. The call-in was signed by Deborah Taylor for the Conservatives, Michael Mullaney for the Liberal Democrats, Jewel Miah for the Labour group and by Green councillor Naomi Bottomley.

The four councillors said they did not believe Reform's decision had been “thought through properly”, adding that it seemed to them to be “very rushed”.

The call-in announcement reads: “This decision is not clear and leaves the chief executive in a difficult position. A clear decision is needed by the administration regarding what flags can fly, when and where.

“It cannot be left to a weekly decision. Neither can the staff be left without any clear direction.

“This decision has weakened the current positive position of our approved Flag Flying Policy. Staff and our residents deserve clear policies, as the previous Flag Flying Policy was agreed upon by all the group leaders of the last council.”

 

 

Leader of Leicestershire County Council Dan Harrison (Image: LeicestershireLive)

The four parties further said they did not believe that the Reform cabinet had taken into account the requirements of the Public Sector Equality Duty, which requires them to “eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between people with protected characteristics and those who do not”. None of the staff working groups had “had their voices heard”, the councillors added.

Councillor Harrison previously told LeicestershireLive: "Staff are protected by law, so they're safe in their environment. If they wish to fly flags, they could always fly them at home if they want to [...].

“I will meet with their groups and assure them that their health, their safety, the [working] environment will be safe. Nobody would ever disrespect anybody because there's a law to protect them, and we as a county council will guide the way to protect those people."

While those behind a call-in can challenge and recommend changes be made to a policy, ultimately it will be down to the council's cabinet itself to make any decisions around altering it.

Flying/not flying a flag doesn't mean anyone is/isn't being discriminated against.

 

It just means you've got a flag pole and it's being used. 

Edited 18 June 2025 by Trav Le Bleu

[Vacamion]

8 hours ago, Bellend Sebastian said:

An American gentleman did once ask me why the British weren't into flags more.

 

What are you supposed to say to that? Because there are other things to be into? 

 

You could have told him to check out Belfast or Larkhall the first 2 weeks of July.

 

More "flegs" than you can shake a stick at  

 

 

[Samilktray]

Starting to think l I might get into Flags actually, could be decent 

[bovril]

The flag stuff shows how the English right wing have have been totally psychically colonised by Americans and their politics. Same with pretty much everything Kemi Badenoch says 

[leicsmac]

2 minutes ago, bovril said:

The flag stuff shows how the English right wing have have been totally psychically colonised by Americans and their politics. Same with pretty much everything Kemi Badenoch says 

See also: a variety of different scientific matters.