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Mark Adams's avatar

“Trump doesn’t remember calling Zelenskyy a dictator.”

Of course he remembers. He was obviously pretending not to remember. Take him seriously but not literally, so indeed we’re all trying to figure out his chess move there. But there’s really no point while the process is unfolding; we’ll know soon enough why he said “dictator.”

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Michelle Styles's avatar

It will be interesting to see. It has to do with the mineral deal and Bessent/Zelenskyy not getting on. I believe Johnson has been involved on Ukraine's side.

RIght now Trump has what he wants from Labour. Blue Labour will be taking ideas/forging ties with Trump. Morgan MacSweeney is running the show. Handy Mandy (Peter Mandelson) also knows how to schmooze. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2025/02/28/behind-scenes-starmers-five-month-plan-woo-trump/ or https://archive.ph/0kDkr

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faith1101's avatar

Excellent as always Michelle !!

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Chana Goanna's avatar

Wowsers—*I* want an invitation to Balmoral! Of course if I got one, I’d immediately wail that I have nothing to wear.

Saving the article on Syria to read later. That country is so complicated and confusing.

Birbalsingh has it right. I’m so tired of tyrannical kids lording it over spineless parents.

The bees are back in town! 🎵 And yeah, always having to clean the paws these days. Either that or clean the carpet. But I’m so excited for spring that I don’t care!

Have a lovely weekend!

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Michelle Styles's avatar

Balmoral is lovely. My daughter and I went on a day trip there a few years ago. The golf course is obviously closed off to the general public sort of thing. It was the lawn tat which surprised and the huge sculpture of the atomically correct boar. At the time the general public could only go into the ballroom but you could wander around the gardens. I think there are now plans to open more up.

I thought you might enjoy this article on Prince and Princess of Wales: Apparently she makes her own jam. She is giving away the recipe. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/royal-family/2025/02/26/william-and-catherine-in-wales-together-for-first-time-sinc/ or https://archive.ph/KsRpD

I thought this article was good about the evolution of parenting advice. After Birabalsingh's intervention, I suspect more articles over here will be critical of it. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/02/26/naughty-punishment-parenting/ or https://archive.ph/KT0NY

It is always great when the bees are flying. Mud season is real, swiftly followed by seed season.

Have a lovely weekend.

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Running Burning Man's avatar

Liked the linked articles about Birabalsingh. That woman has got a spine. Also linked the one on Phillipson!

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Michelle Styles's avatar

Birbalsingh has a lot of moral courage. I have a lot of respect for what she does and the results she achieves. She speaks a lot of sense.

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Chana Goanna's avatar

Just when I thought I couldn’t love Kate anymore! Maybe I should share my peach jam recipe with her. 🤣 I made a ton of cherry jelly and jam last summer to give away this Purim.

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Michelle Styles's avatar

The Princess of Wales is lovely and has bags of charm and grace, particularly under pressure.

I am not remarking on what just happened in the Oval Office.

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Chana Goanna's avatar

Oh lord. I wish I could put a leash on his tongue.

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jt's avatar

Hello Northumberland! Good to see You. Another great roundup.

Thatcher and Reagan had it right. I'm glad to see Trump's actions re: the Ukraine. That's interesting that he got along so well with Sir Keir.

And that was an interesting article by Charles Lister. I hope Washington does right by Syria.

What can I say about the antisemitism?

Shame to see how the EIBF was gaslighting everyone.

Glad to see the Darlington Nurses get their say: “This case is about truth, reality and whether a man can be a woman just because he says so."

That was a great article on Katharine Birbalsingh.

Sorry to hear about the Volvo. But glad to hear about the bees. And Paddy is looking as good as ever.

As always, Michelle, TY for Your work.

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Michelle Styles's avatar

And Anneliese Dodds has resigned re the development aid cuts. She was also Equalities minister. She is a TWAW sort of person so I shall shed no tears. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2025/02/28/anneliese-dodds-resigns-keir-starmer-cuts-aid-budget/ or https://archive.ph/nEUY8

I am glad the mechanic took the Volvo -- it needs work. It was worth less than 0 to me in the current state. It did great service which is the main thing.

So good to see you as well JT

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Implausibly Convenient Alibi's avatar

An excellent update, Michelle. Has there been a verdict in the Peggie case? At what point is the trial?

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Michelle Styles's avatar

Peggie remains part heard, to resume for 2 weeks in July. I have no idea why NHS Fife are continuing to contest it. More and more keeps coming out about how proper procedures re the development of policy were not followed.

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Bruce Miller's avatar

The leader of AfD is Alice Weidel. There is no evidence that she harbors any nazi-like tendencies. Unless, of course, you also think that her muse, Dame Thacher, was a fascist.

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Michelle Styles's avatar

It took Marine Le Pen decades to erase the stink of her father's antisemitism. And even now it is not entirely erased. It surprised me that National Rally will not have anything to do with AfD and indeed kicked them out of the right wing caucus in May 2024.

Weidel's problem are the people within the AfD and that they keep doing things. She had to have known that many would not like Alice fur Deutschland as it was far too close to Alles fur Deutschland (the Stormtroopers' slogan) She could have gone with Weidel fur Deutschland but that would not have been so nudge, nudge wink wink imho.

Ho Chi Minh's huge inspiration was George Washington. I don't think Ho believed in representative democracy in the end. Maybe you know differently.

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Bruce Miller's avatar

So the taint of blood? Invented by your adopted land; prohibited in America.

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Michelle Styles's avatar

No, Jean Le Pen ran National Rally in a specific way. There was a huge fight between Jean and Marine. Marine Le Pen has her eyes on the main prize which is the French Presidency etc. I suspect she may get it but who knows.

The hard right in Europe has many components. AfD now caucus with a group which think Orban is too left leaning. Declaration for a free Nations of Europe (formed in 2023) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Homeland_Movement instead of with National Rally etc.

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Bruce Miller's avatar

And the left is drearily monotheistic; with the only variants being those who are socialist or outright communist.

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