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i suppose we do have the monster raving looney party

http://www.loonyparty.com/about/policy-proposals/

The Italians have Five Star...

A French person on my facebook clarified he's not condoning Le Pen he's just refusing to support Macron.

So a tad biased perhaps, according to him.

And by doing that what's he going to get?

Ask him if he recognises that LePen getting in would be a sin of omission.

Don't take the red pill.

Just to be clear, I'm not for one moment suggesting you should take the blue pill. But whatever you do, you definitely shouldn't take the red pill.

Oh and just to be extra clear - there are only two choices and you shouldn't take the red pill.

may 2017 - crossrail services start on the liverpool street to shenfield section

next month?!

The reasoning seems to be that Melenchon wants to respect voters and not tell them "please vote for the others cos LePen"

Macron is of course not very liked by either his fans or Le Pen fans are an ex-banker who is pro globalization.

Look I understand the logic, but in this case it's bollocks.

Yes, the NF supports lots of great things - workers rights, family values, protecting its citizens safety. But at it's core it is a party built on prejudice and fear. If Melenchon is too obtuse to recognise this is the thin edge of the wedge in Europe he can do one.

I'm going to stake a greenhell-style position and put him in the same boat as the socialists in the NSDAP.

"family values" = shorthand for women stay at home / reduction of abortion rights
"safety" = short hand for police state/racial profiling

I know their ilk.

I agree yeah that tactical voting is better, but that's the issues with the idealistic left atm: Nothing but purity will do.

In a way I see where they are coming from, they feel center has become too right, and it has in many places, but this doesn't help.

But Labour is willing to throw their purity under the bus over EU nationals, they feel very betrayed with the "but limit immigration" notes in Keir's talk (electioneering, innit) so there you go, sometimes you can't win.

"family values"

In the case of France I was genuinely thinking more of having lunch together and that half day of school on a Wednesday they used to do.

Unfortunately Le Pen is "one of those ones" who flirts with the anti-women brigade in the EU.

I think they may still have shorter school over there than here, I can check. But yeah my partner said that was growing up for him, walk back from school, have food at home and then go back.

Yep, but that's just the new Crossrail trains being used on that section of track that had existed before the Crossrail project (part of the Great Eastern Main Line).

It'll be 2018 before you can go West of Liverpool St on Crossrail and 2019 before it's all officially open.

Giant rabbit DOA on United Airlines flight from Heathrow to O'Hare... Yup...

http://globalnews.ca/news/3404756/suspect-caught-on-camera-doing-stretches-before-robbing-dunkin-donuts-in-pennsylvania/

Another terrorist incident in Westminster, this time a guy arrested with knives, and this time someone who the police were already following and no one hurt (it seems).

First of all, what a fucking idiot for many reasons, firstly for deciding to attack a place where security has just been ramped up considerably (assuming this was his motive). And for staying alive, which presumably also wasn't part of his plan.

Hopefully this doesn't lead to more attempts similar attempts, as this seems to be IS strategy now they've failed as a military force. Hopefully, if there are more attempts, they are as futile seeming as this one. And hopefully it does remain futile, because all it takes is a few idiots in the press to try and increase the state of fear, and tip the tone of the election even more towards one of 'security', xenophobia and racism, and the failure will have turned into a success.

Quite a good-looking guy too, minus the wispy beard.

First of all, what a fucking idiot for many reasons, firstly for deciding to attack a place where security has just been ramped up considerably (assuming this was his motive). And for staying alive, which presumably also wasn't part of his plan.

They are not always the shiniest tools in the box.

Nice to hear that the gov't has been told to stop dragging its heels on the air polution plans (if it has any):

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-39737981

Perhaps this means there will be some meaningful policies in the major parties' manifestos?

I thought the government could just appeal it again, which would push the court date past the election and block it anyway?

In a boy band with five members he'd be the third cutest. The wispy beard would be his special thing.

Sadly so. I guess it depends whether this is going to be as big a bombshell as implied.

It's a big thing for Sadiq so hopefully Labour can make enough of a fuss about it that backing down again looks as shameful as it would be.

meanwhile, in the colonies...

http://zimbabwe-today.com/gay-baboon-terrorises-villagers-in-southafrica-rapes-5-men/