In the news

the tories have copped a 70K fine for election expenses fiddling. money well spent for them, i'm sure.

Criminal investigations are ongoing, the fine was levied by the electoral commission.

https://www.theguardian.com/global/2017/mar/15/second-tory-reveals-police-investigated-him-over-spending-allegations

I'm sure it'll all come to nothing, but the ramifications of a dodgy election win for the tories given the cluster fuck they've presided over since the 23 June last year makes me want to cry.

radio 5 currently interviewing a ( self-named i presume ) europeologist

wtfigo

self-named

sois-disant for extra europoints, shirley?

"You got an ology; you're a scientist!"

thanks maureen
such a classic line

Shmoke and a pancake?

No, your a pologist.

Now you're talking.

Can we wear clogs?

This result also means that the Dutch Sandwich will stay on the menu of boardrooms across the world. Thus ensuring billions of euros of tax revenue is avoided every year causing governments across Europe to drive for greater austerity and higher personal taxation in a multitude of failed efforts to plug the gap that corporate taxes should be filling.

glad to see the dutch have found their rudder again.

Fluffy Orange clogs for home? ;)

The EU is actually working on closing down some loop holes. Note that Republic of Ireland is also a tax evasion haven, the EU had to step in on Apple, they have also stepped in on Cafe Nero in NL etc. for blatant breaking of their own tax rules.

And yeah not happy with that Dutch Sandwich at all. But the UK can't exactly preach here either. [vodafone bill cough] It needs sorted though.

George Osborne has just been made editor of the Evening Standard.

"Noel Fielding and Sandi Toksvig to present the Great British Bake Off on Channel 4....no, skip that, Lynn, that's terrible. Awful idea."

This may have been posted already. This is long, but a really interesting read about the preparations for the ten days or so following the queen's death.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/mar/16/what-happens-when-queen-elizabeth-dies-london-bridge

Insane planning, seemingly minute by minute at some point (for example making sure that processions get to their destination just as soon as clocks begin to chime on the hour), what the BBC will say once the song currently playing finishes, exactly how the various other royals will be shepherded around etc.
Apparently people have been meeting very regularly for years to rehearse all the various points of the plan.

Yes, it's a great article.

If only Cameron had invested a fraction of that amount of planning into his referendum :)

Synchronised forelock tugging in 5... 4... 3...

(It is an interesting article, though)

will I get another Bank Holiday ? that's all I'm bothered about.

National day of mourning... I wouldn't be surprised.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbzTyFTIOUk

good to know the price of the paper he's editing reflects his journalistic qualifications. is he going to keep being an MP?

More than one I'd have thought.

I'm gonna drive around playing this on repeat at full volume https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7c187E5BxY

Time to buy Margrethe Vestager a pint again.

http://news.sky.com/story/ba-among-airlines-fined-by-european-commission-for-cargo-cartel-10804658

imagine voluntarily reading the evening standard tho...

In my previous job, every year, I updated and overhauled the police search response as part of Op London Bridge and Forth Bridge (DofE) in relation to Windsor. Route searches, unoccupied premises, drains and manholes, temporary structures et al.
There will be free camping alongside the river on Home Park (public) for when the Queen goes in case you're interested.
csb etc. bragging thread >>>>>