Went on a school trip to London and met Christian wakeford MP and former labour mp james frith and i listen to your podcast regularly so i asked them if they actually know whatthey are voting for or do they just listen to the whips (christian is a whip) and they both agreed and so i seem to realise that half of what politicians are voting for they dont actually know. I listened to your green party mp interview on the train there which is what gave me the idea so thanks alot for this 👍
Cameron is a beneficiary of 'by comparison' syndrome. The rapid rate of turnover at 10 Downing, following his departure, has gifted him a form of nostalgia not often associated with someone only eight years on - the last 'normal' leader before the circus arrived, as it were. If he were to become the next PM, or oppostion leader, it might at least give the impression that an adult was back in charge of the conservatives. This was exactly the thinking when Sunak brought him in to manage the foreign office, which worked. And if it worked in one post, there's no reason to suspect it wouldn't in another.
Only he wasn't very much of an adult when he was in office! He worked for his rich friends to bring the cost of living crisis about, and then accidentally caused Brexit, which makes it even worse. To feel Cameron is an option is a bit like Stockholm syndrome if you ask me.. ={
He's a decent Foreign Secretary, who is on top of his brief, I'll give you that. But he's also the PM that provoked the mess that is Brexit, a byproduct of which being Jonshon and Truss as PM's. That, in my view, makes him the worse PM in the post WWII era.
But for the fact he is detested within his own Party, particularly amongst Brexiteers and the right wing. Cameron's return to leadership would finally rend the party asunder. Given his post-Brexit abandonment, it's doubtful the British public would forget his role in inflicting Brexit upon the UK. Yesterday's man.
@@afctaylor12Being culturally Germanic (we are in nearby Lorraine too) and being German or in favor of being German are not the same.... By the way do you think Germanophone Swiss, Luxembourgians and Austrians want to be Germans?... We are French "de préférence" by repeated historical choice.
@@AuxaneSTI hate to break it to you, but Strasbourg was conquered by Louis XIV against the will of its people. I quote French Wikipedia here: "Le 28 septembre 1681, la ville est assiégée par une armée de 30 000 hommes sous le commandement de Louis XIV et deux jours plus tard, après de rapides négociations, Strasbourg accepte la reddition." So not much choice here.
Germany worries me, this not wanting to 'provoke' Putin is self-defeating weakness in the face of a revanchist tyrant. This ambiguous position only emboldens Putin. I think Macron's statement about not ruling out NATO troops on the ground in Ukraine was a deliberate poke at both Putin and Scholz. He knew full well that is unlikely to happen but someone needs to stand up and call Putin's bluff.
If you decided to discuss the Russian 'elections', then why didn't you read a bit on how it went? All this laughter and insensitive comments about people not protesting this time... Many people were taken to police stations, beaten, and got jail time for destroying their ballots or adding Navalny's name to the list of candidates. There were long lines and protests in front of Russia embassies abroad as well. Please, research the topic before discussing it.
Yes. At this point, it takes a lot of guts to protest anything in Russia - never mind trying to interfere with the election. The fact that there were people doing that all, is pretty remarkable. Certainly not a laughing matter.
@@martydav9475 It was said in a very dismissive tone though, like it's nothing. They didn't even mention the lines and protests in Berlin with Yulia Navalny and other activists. It's just a very shallow discussion, I expect more from them.
Brilliant analysis, and I say that as a French (from Lorraine) of German descent and former political science student (many moons ago). I doff my beret to both of you.
I do think you rather nicely hit the nail on the head with that discussion on what 16-17 year old's want. It's very much the same for the 20-30 year olds I know. Ultimately, yes, everyone wants and expects good environmental policy - but I think what the media misses is that this election is literally about one thing; the economy and cost of living. Prices for young people are ridiculously high, we struggle to pay rent without living either miles outside of almost all major cities, or in a mould-infested single room in a shared house. Meanwhile, we all shop at Aldi to try and keep costs down, struggle to save for holidays, we can't go out clubbing or partying, it's too expensive. I make a decent enough salary at 26, but God - I just cannot save anything at all for my future. We are told over and over that to succeed in life you have to save and plan your financial future - but that vision is so utterly destroyed that we're now just struggling to enjoy our lives now, let alone save money for homes. I know nobody who has got a home below the age of 35 without inheritence money. Our future and our present financial position is untenable - that is ALL that young people care about, and it's why Labour will overwhelmingly win the young age bracket at the next election.
...and before anyone tries to claim that examples of going out to the pub or going on holiday aren't important or neccessities - I'd love to see what people did in the 1990's with their disposable income. These are not neccessities for survival, no. But by God they are if you want to be sane, or have ANY social life. My girlfriend and I have got our weekly shop down to just £40 total for the both of us, and yet we have almost no savings for a home, we don't/can't commit money to anything other than the gym and having cars. That's with 30k+ salaries each. I just don't think people get that this situation just cannot go on - the cost of living is so utterly out of control, it's as if an entire generation is being robbed of it's future by a landlord class from the last who, by the looks of things, will then just pass that collective wealth on to their likely already wealthy children. If this goes on another generation, I dread to think of the consequences - given where we are already worldwide.
@@anirudhanagarajan7530Agreed - he can be a bit of a strutting peacock but he is resolute in his defence of democracy and his opposition to the far Right and far Left and for that he deserves support in my view.
@@martydav9475 With everything that’s going on, Britain, France, Germany, Japan and others all have to stick together. Can’t be motivated by ludicrous ideologies that don’t work anymore
The fall of the Berlin Wall was due to the economic decline of the Soviet union (due in part to the Chernobyl disaster, Afghanistan and also the arms race with the west) and the liberalisation by Gorbachev. To say that Brandt being nice to the GDR had anything to do with it is historically ridiculous. The Warsaw pact defacto occupation of eastern Europe by the USSR could not continue without force and they were bankrupt by then.
Very smart guys sitting in London thinking they are relevant and that they know what they are talking about. This is the embodiment of the problems that western culture is faced with.
@@Ultima-Signa the red Cardinal prevented the unification of Germany arguably the root cause for WW1 (if memory serves). But it is nowadays more of a meme perhaps.
@@mmmhorsesteaks nah, the thirty years war goes back too much, you also should count Napoleon, and the franco prussian war was just 40 years before ww1 and resulted in france lossing their industrial region, alsace lorraine. This is this conflict that made france's n1 enemy germany. before that, even under Napo it was the English. as for the english, they saw germany rising and pragmatically allied with france against the dominant european land power, just as they had done against france under Napo.
What's happened is that East Germans are now in power, and they missed the years of rapprochement. In the West, WEU's understated diplomacy giving two fora where issues could be talked through at a fairly low level, the Assembly of Parliamentarians (the Foreign and Defence Select Committees) and the Council (the Civil Service Foreign and Defence Ministers and subordinates). During the Cold War, diplomacy outside the block was dysfunctional, thanks to the legacy of European Imperialism in the late 19th Century, itself a feature of the Industrial Revolution. However, as that faded into history and jaw-jaw proved itself at least temporarily greater than war-war, WEU came back into play, at a time when the economics involved became more relevant: I'd spotted the rust in the Iron Curtain in 78, and my thesis became ever more credible over the next decade as Russia found it harder and harder to dictate, to the point where they fractured internally. The thesis remains true, the buffer being that Russia isn't really an economy so much as a group of communities doing what they always have done, survive in despite of Government: whether they call themselves Boyars or Oligarchs makes little difference. The Russians, amazingly, did very little to deprogram the Nazis. Perhaps their systemic parity saw affinity in the Socialist half rather than the Nationalist half of National Socialism, but at the same time, the question is very much on the table, do we actually want to be married in the ever closer union to this? Not just in the Franco-German alignment, but in the older heritage of French ambition to dominate semantically, despite having come in in about tenth place in the Industrial Revolution, in direct consequence, versus the internal rifts in the idea of Hermanicism between Prussian Calvinism and Austrian Catholicism. The whys and wherefores are less important than where they go from here. The restart of a forum rather than a Directorate and an end to micromanaged economic meddling is becoming more and more pertinent, as we see the difficulties of a single economy composed of principalities with vastly different resources becoming ever harder to govern.
But it is like the percentage that say they will vote Reform. How many are just intending a protest vote? How many voted Tory last time? How many voted Labour last time? I am not convinced they will get 15%, or that a Tory move to the far-right would get more than a third of that 15% to vote Tory.
You don’t need to see the country as your backyard to be pissed of when Russian mercenaries hide corpses in your abandoned military bases; among other niceties that show how little Russia and their puppet unelected African juntas care about truth and justice when they talk about France’s “neocolonialism”.
Germany also suffers from hiding behind other countries regarding defence. It then tries to take a high ground. Sholtz also suffers from stalling to help, the eventually doing what he should have done from the start. He also tries to be a status quo-ist in a world were the status quo is more or less dead.
Tbf, their main strength was always diplomacy. America brought the military power, Britain the foreign intelligence power and Germany the diplomatic power. But yes, they were too soft with their military ambitions but you can apply that to almost all major western powers not called America
In case of Defence: Germany is factually doing a lot more than France, while simultaneously also paying for the defence of other countries in Europe and is even helping France in Africa at French request. Nonetheless Germany is literally not trying to take any high ground whatsoever, but instead the French are doing that (as has been proven yet again by the latest aggressive statements of Macron). Literally everything of what you have said is untrue… that may be what some media outlets (wrongfully) report(ed) and you might have believed those talking points about Germany blindly (due to a bias perhaps), but that doesn’t make it factual.
I think the title of this discussion is exaggerated. Macron generally makes very good efforts to understand situations & negotiate. If France says they're doing more than some suggest, they most probably are.
@@adrien5834it isn't fake just because Anglo-Saxon media labels it fake. In the global south we have a very different view of what's is happening Russia and quite frankly based on facts presented by both sides the global south is inclined to support Russian view of all this. That's 88% of global population against 12% in the western alliance. This is almost becoming a zero sum game and the west will loose if they don't back off now.
Germany’s attitude dates inevitably back to its past . Where is the money promised by America - it will be too late soon . Biden needs to get it through the Senate.
Scholz's argument about Taurus is slightly misrepresented here. Taurus, he argues, has the capability of reaching Moscow from Ukraine. Cruise missiles send by France and the UK don't have that reach. To be sure, that the use of Taurus doesn't drag Germany into a war, he insists on keeping control of the missions. That can only be done with German soldiers on the ground, which would be a step too far for him.
Though SCALP can be launched from a great height to extend its reach. I appreciate it's still 100km short of Moscow. Still who cares, it doesn't matter we are past the point of escalation.
Why doesn’t the UK have limits on political donations and spending the way other countries do? In Canada, I can donate a maximum of $1,700 per year to the a Federal party, and another $1700 to a year to a candidate or local association. And how does all this money get spent? I know the UK has the same sort of election spending limits we have in Canada.
Both main Parties have got too much to lose: the Tories certainly don't want to lose all their rich backers and Labour don't want to lose - and probably can't afford to lose - all their union subscriptions.
I think the big money gets spent on nationwide advertising, previously billboards, now mainly social media. There are strict limits on spending within individual constituencies.
One of, another of, the Brexit downsides appears to be the French and Germans have to deal with each other without the possibility of British pragmatism to smooth those rough edges?
Pragmatism ? You mean as they always do, the brits are kinda in the group but they really only care about themselves. They really have nothing to offer in terms of decisionmaking. They don't have a vision for europe, unlike france and germany, because the UK decided that the group they really belong to is english speaking countries.
Never heard of her before, but she looks like someone's kind, slightly excentric grandmother. I vote yes. But seriously, though...maybe it's a way, to get Russia out of the claws of the Kleptocrats. I could see the common people rallying behind her.
@raraavis7782 Well yes. Her Imperial Majesty could appoint a Govt of Technocrats to get Russian troops out of the Ukraine, sign a long-term peace Treaty with Ukraine & then embark on deep reform to tackle domestic challenges especially social, economic & constitutional. Could revive Russia post Putin by getting them out of this nihilistic cul de sac.
@@matthewreynolds7260 Wouldn't that be something? A failed democracy, saved by the reinstitution of a monarchy. Maybe in this case, history needs to do two steps backwards, to then do one step forward again. And she probably does hate seeing, what has become of Russia. It's certainly a concerning thought, that there isn't even a very desirable alternative to Putin, otherwise. The way things are going, the country will likely just fall into the hands of someone just as bad, afterwards.
Defeat Russian imperialism by restoring the Empire, that makes sense. Do Romanov house laws even allow women to claim the imperial title? There was a reason Nicholas II was so desperate for a son. In any case, it's for the Russians to decide their future, if and when the time comes that they can.
I know this is a minor point but: I started at high school in 1977,my sons went to high schools, the school down the road from my house is a high school. We have schools called high schools in the U.K. and have done so since at least 1977. Grr.
38:51 Honestly I find it soooo frustrating when society/media refer to biracial people as black. Why in this day in age are we still perpetuating the slavery principle of the one drop rule? I.e. all biracial people with one black parent are automatically black, and we relegate them to minority status. It completely infuriates me because socall progressive use this to celebrate achievements for black people, when it's not a genuine win. Moreover, it lulls society to think that when biracial people gain significant achievements on behalf of black people, we can tick historic moments off the list and that racism has been solved. I'm sorry I still think America has yet to see it's first black president, and I think the same about Wales. It is great to see people like Obama and Gething in significant leadership, and refering to them as biracial rather than black doesn't take away any of their achievements, apart from referring to them as being the first black president / first black first minister. These men served as necessary stepping stones until we see genuine black people in such leadership position.
Think I understand the points. Are the sensibilities different bi racial versus black? Or is it the visual acceptance by the electorate? Comments made by the voting public indicates a long way away for a full black to be accepted.
Macron is very much a classic French thinker and centrist politician. He continues the French tradition of maintaining a leading military production industry to avoid a vassal like dependence on the USA, thus having a neuclear deterrent and producing modern fighter aircraft . Macron has evidently exausted diplomatic means to get Putin to back down and is now being far more decisive. Sholtz is a typical German pacifist Ost politik socialist who refuses to take the visibly leading role in the military supplies sense, though Germany is actually the second biggest by value supporter of Ukraine. Scholz maintains the traditional Germany an economic giant but a military dwarf.
I love the casual way ordinary folks are called far left or far right, or accused of supporting Putin, when all they wanted to know is why so much money is being sent to Ukraine when there are so many problems at hom. Perhaps if the Establishment types like your good selves had bothered to listen more to the concerns and aspirations of the electorate, BREXIT might not have happened.
aren't politicians supposed to promote hard feelings, instill the idea of conversation and debate and yes agree to disagree. Ultimately find a consensus based on current available information and known facts.
Global warming (or whatever the latest phrasing) is a priority within households for whom the cost of living is no longer a worry. In other words, it's a luxury concern.
It's called climate change & concerns everyone - may also cause huge migration out of Africa & other zones soon. The present solutions though, electric suv, windmills in the german landscape - are like a nice, feel good luxury & won't change a thing. We need a global approach & we also need to figure out how to be more adaptable, as we don't know exactly what's coming.
Really interesting discussion thanks Now can you do emergency pod cast on Freeports SEZs what are they why is it so difficult to get information from government People that know about them hate them why You have the biggest audience the people of Britain need to know what is happening in Britain. Help please
India congratulating Russia is in line with their Foreign policy which is not to be dragged in to this US vs Russia conflict. They are looking out for their own interest. While the countries in the west have short memories, India remembers that the USA armed a terrorist state like Pakistan, and as a result India suffered the consequences through terrorist attacks. USSR/Russia has been an old ally of India. India is not going to harm itself to cosy up to the USA, when they know the USA are equally out for their own self-interest and are not some global benefactor.
@@antonyandrewson5803 There are severe limits on the funding of federal and provincial political parties in Canada. Contributions are eligible for 75% tax credits. (Municipal governments are non-party political). Google it.
There are more French speakers in Congo than in Germany and definitely more than German speakers in France. So much for French German engine. Most of the time they wouuld have to speak English
Maybe it’s because I’m from the US but the idea that you can be a right-wing trade unionist makes me wonder if the meaning of those terms has evolved beyond recognition 🤣
Maybe we shoild start with something slightly less complicated? East of the Atlantic you can differentiate between: - communist trade unionists - democratic socialist trade unionists - non-socialist, broadly speaking liberal, trade unionists The first kind are basicaly revolutionaries with a very limited enthusiasm for democracy, the two others are not And the last kind are anti-socialists, the other two believe, more or less literally, in Marxist teachings
I think they meant the right of the Labour party rather than actually right wing. Although there have been minor conservative union movements. Thatcher even did a speech to the Conservative Trades Unionists Congress in the 70s.
Just a quick question.... . After 14 years or Tory r government There are 6.9 Millions more Immigrants in the country 1.7 Millions in just the last 2 years And during all this time you said Immigration will be in the tens of thousands....!!!!! The national debt is 100% taxes are at a post war hugh it isnt safe to walk the streets anymore the RAF RN and army are discredited and broken the country has no boarders no security and no air defence we have no pride and no national feeling. So given all these indisputable Facts... Where was the Conservative government?? No wonder You 2 get on well 😅 Tony never left office And for you 2 talk about the hard right is unbelievable ... you don't know what that is 🤑 For a working family in Manchester Your internationalist policys have driven rent up from 780£ a month 2019 to 1260£ now For a 1 bed flat !!!!! What do you expect when you bring in another 2 Million people and dump them on top of our heads They take our jobs drive down wages increase unemployment take our houses .... And don't say something Stupid like we need 2 build more homes because its impossible... You can't build 3 new cities the size of Birmingham over the next 15 years to put all your Immigrants can you 750.000 homes a year for 15 years Jusr for the immigrants.....!!!! So tell me why .. Is it 1 you can't count .... 2 you hate us and want to see us suffer ? 3 you just don't care and want to line your own pockets because non of this will touch you in Chelsea!!!!!
I would have to slightly disagree with Rory here-there are MANY ppl in Britain who have understanding & experience of France & Germany & indeed many other European countries.. It`s a real shame that they seem to be invisible. I have lived & worked in France, Germany & Portugal-my dtr is half German & is trilingual [& Spanish] & my son is half Portuguese [tho identifies as a True Brit]. would be nice if all this expereince & knowledge could be used. I am a Francophile & use French in my work with French Groups as a Tour Guide.
Das ist ein bescheuerter Spruch. Wir brauchen echt nicht wieder Krieg mit Frankreich - aus der Zeit stammt so'n Schwachsinn nämlich. Wir haben alle drei - England, Deutschland, Frankreich - seit Jahren ziemliche Luschen als Regierungsschefs & das ist wohl eher das Problem.
An election, procession or just another dictator doing what they know best. How do we help the people of Russia and such other countries realise that their system is corrupt.
I keep hoping that somehow, somewhere there can be a rising up against Putin, even if it's some kind of military coup, but there's no sign even of that.
Oh, the poor German lady whose grandfather was in Stalingrad. What on earth could he have been doing there? Working for whom? 🤔 These two clowns - Campbell and Stewart - sound so smart, smooth and well spoken. But they are purely propagandists by trade and they talk absolute crap!
Macron is absolutely hilarious He is a dependable leader but he has such a Napoleon complex he would crown himself l'Empereur de France if given the chance
Probably two very divisive political figures from the past. But, for Christ sake always so interesting & knowledgeable. Admit to be addicted to this podcast.
France is already in a shooting war with Russia in the Sahel. They are losing control of much of Francafrique, which has been crucial to them over 50+ years, and is the source of much of their uranium (Niger) and oil (Gabon). Wagner Group troops are on the ground, now controlled more directly by Moscow.
Uranium is fine. Niger was only the third furnisher of uranium for france. Still, it was seen as a reliable source. What france is really loosing is political relevance and influence. As for economy, if france looses, all western nations loose something in those countries. You guys forget, but french companies are not the only ones extracting stuff in those countries. The US, UK, italy, spain, australia even have mines in the sahel. Other european countries like italy like to criticize france for those unbalanced exploitation deals, when they did the same thing, in the same place.
Since when was Wales a European country? Isn't it an administrative region of the UK, same as England, Scotland, and the other one ? Not part of the UN . UK is !
As Johann Gotfried Herder said, we are generated by the society which was affirmed by Marx materialist's dichotomy of economics. When Rory in his introduction poured scorn on Russia's election, he so much reminded me of Marx and Herder interpretation of our individual thought. Despite being intelligent, Rory is blinded by the general attitude of UK Society towards Russia. I would have expected this Campbell guy to make such a stupid remark as his entire thought is not intellectually oriented but power. I am also surprised that Rory can regard Tony Blair as a leftfist. Blair was an agent of neoliberalism hiding in the left....an agent provocateur as Thatcher admitted. As far as Putin win is concerned Rory, Putin did not need congratulations from imperialists. As a Kenyan who were colonised by the British, I find your attitude despicable. The old saying is true, you can kick an imperialist from the empire but you cannot remove imperialism from him. I am totally disappointed. I hear you Rory and Campbell...all congratulations to Putin from Africa and Global South don’t matter because we don't matter. Any wonder we are coalescing as a Global South. Perhaps you are not too intelligent after all and cannot ses the real problem.
As the leading politics pod in the UK, can the guys get leaders of the Labour left and right on the show to debate the issues of the day. We, as the public, deserve to hear the two sides and the arguments for and against the policies that will end up ruling our lives?
At first i thought they both made sense. Learned many nuances of European politics. But had to stop watching after he took Modi and Zinpings name in single breath. You sir need to study more about India in general before making these loose comments, unless you making them intentionally, which I hope is not the case.
a really facile comment Rory but as one of your biggest advocates, please moderate your distaste face. I'm no poker player but, as much as i dislike it, image is important.
Love this show as it has smart people having intelligent conversations without trying to dominate the other.
It's such an interesting watch with Rory & Alastair, always learn lots and admire your discussions being on opposite sides of politics. 👏👍🏼
Very good Analysis from Alistair and Rory. Greetings from Germany.
Wow, it's very strange to hear people on the internet who actually know what they are talking about. Great analysis guys!
Good to hear you speaking so appreciatively about Willi Brandt
West Germany/Germany has had a long series of impressive leaders in my view.
It's one of the best talk shows in UK ❤
I love Rory Stewart.
Yes, his choice of jumpers is rather intriguing.
When did Rod steward die?
Went on a school trip to London and met Christian wakeford MP and former labour mp james frith and i listen to your podcast regularly so i asked them if they actually know whatthey are voting for or do they just listen to the whips (christian is a whip) and they both agreed and so i seem to realise that half of what politicians are voting for they dont actually know. I listened to your green party mp interview on the train there which is what gave me the idea so thanks alot for this 👍
Met my local MP Chris green outside filming a video it was quite an intriguing day
Cameron is a beneficiary of 'by comparison' syndrome. The rapid rate of turnover at 10 Downing, following his departure, has gifted him a form of nostalgia not often associated with someone only eight years on - the last 'normal' leader before the circus arrived, as it were. If he were to become the next PM, or oppostion leader, it might at least give the impression that an adult was back in charge of the conservatives. This was exactly the thinking when Sunak brought him in to manage the foreign office, which worked. And if it worked in one post, there's no reason to suspect it wouldn't in another.
So far he's been very impressive as Foreign Secretary - the adult in the room.
Only he wasn't very much of an adult when he was in office! He worked for his rich friends to bring the cost of living crisis about, and then accidentally caused Brexit, which makes it even worse. To feel Cameron is an option is a bit like Stockholm syndrome if you ask me.. ={
He's a decent Foreign Secretary, who is on top of his brief, I'll give you that. But he's also the PM that provoked the mess that is Brexit, a byproduct of which being Jonshon and Truss as PM's. That, in my view, makes him the worse PM in the post WWII era.
But for the fact he is detested within his own Party, particularly amongst Brexiteers and the right wing. Cameron's return to leadership would finally rend the party asunder. Given his post-Brexit abandonment, it's doubtful the British public would forget his role in inflicting Brexit upon the UK. Yesterday's man.
@@lolakauffmann a syndrome with which Corbyn-ites will be well acquainted
Lived until recently in Alsace and the people their have a major mistrust of Germany after being overrun several times.
You clearly haven't as they were Germanic before French took over. They still are
@@afctaylor12 You have no idea clearly you have never been there to speak to people. Ignorance has no borders clearly
@@afctaylor12Being culturally Germanic (we are in nearby Lorraine too) and being German or in favor of being German are not the same.... By the way do you think Germanophone Swiss, Luxembourgians and Austrians want to be Germans?... We are French "de préférence" by repeated historical choice.
@@AuxaneSTI hate to break it to you, but Strasbourg was conquered by Louis XIV against the will of its people. I quote French Wikipedia here: "Le 28 septembre 1681, la ville est assiégée par une armée de 30 000 hommes sous le commandement de Louis XIV et deux jours plus tard, après de rapides négociations, Strasbourg accepte la reddition." So not much choice here.
@@AuxaneSTBut I am happy for you that you have come to terms with it today, even if it requires self-deception and distortion of history.
The sound is off today with echoes. Just a feedback for your sound team.
Rory and Alastair Thanks allot this was very informative thanks again 👍👍
Germany worries me, this not wanting to 'provoke' Putin is self-defeating weakness in the face of a revanchist tyrant. This ambiguous position only emboldens Putin. I think Macron's statement about not ruling out NATO troops on the ground in Ukraine was a deliberate poke at both Putin and Scholz. He knew full well that is unlikely to happen but someone needs to stand up and call Putin's bluff.
and all mock marcron but he had the ballss to call it
If you decided to discuss the Russian 'elections', then why didn't you read a bit on how it went? All this laughter and insensitive comments about people not protesting this time... Many people were taken to police stations, beaten, and got jail time for destroying their ballots or adding Navalny's name to the list of candidates. There were long lines and protests in front of Russia embassies abroad as well. Please, research the topic before discussing it.
Yes. At this point, it takes a lot of guts to protest anything in Russia - never mind trying to interfere with the election. The fact that there were people doing that all, is pretty remarkable. Certainly not a laughing matter.
Campbell did say just that about the very long line of protest outside the Russian Embassy in London.
@@martydav9475 It was said in a very dismissive tone though, like it's nothing. They didn't even mention the lines and protests in Berlin with Yulia Navalny and other activists. It's just a very shallow discussion, I expect more from them.
On the plus side, now you know they arent worth listening to if they arent going to do basic research on claims they publically make.
Once again a fascinating and thought-provoking discussion.
Brilliant analysis, and I say that as a French (from Lorraine) of German descent and former political science student (many moons ago). I doff my beret to both of you.
Very well explained and analysed.
I do think you rather nicely hit the nail on the head with that discussion on what 16-17 year old's want. It's very much the same for the 20-30 year olds I know. Ultimately, yes, everyone wants and expects good environmental policy - but I think what the media misses is that this election is literally about one thing; the economy and cost of living. Prices for young people are ridiculously high, we struggle to pay rent without living either miles outside of almost all major cities, or in a mould-infested single room in a shared house. Meanwhile, we all shop at Aldi to try and keep costs down, struggle to save for holidays, we can't go out clubbing or partying, it's too expensive. I make a decent enough salary at 26, but God - I just cannot save anything at all for my future. We are told over and over that to succeed in life you have to save and plan your financial future - but that vision is so utterly destroyed that we're now just struggling to enjoy our lives now, let alone save money for homes. I know nobody who has got a home below the age of 35 without inheritence money. Our future and our present financial position is untenable - that is ALL that young people care about, and it's why Labour will overwhelmingly win the young age bracket at the next election.
...and before anyone tries to claim that examples of going out to the pub or going on holiday aren't important or neccessities - I'd love to see what people did in the 1990's with their disposable income. These are not neccessities for survival, no. But by God they are if you want to be sane, or have ANY social life. My girlfriend and I have got our weekly shop down to just £40 total for the both of us, and yet we have almost no savings for a home, we don't/can't commit money to anything other than the gym and having cars. That's with 30k+ salaries each. I just don't think people get that this situation just cannot go on - the cost of living is so utterly out of control, it's as if an entire generation is being robbed of it's future by a landlord class from the last who, by the looks of things, will then just pass that collective wealth on to their likely already wealthy children. If this goes on another generation, I dread to think of the consequences - given where we are already worldwide.
Macron may be borderline insufferable but he's alternative in Le Pen would be beyond that and downright dangerous.
Yeah, but she's got way bigger set of balls than ManYule Macaroni. 😮
As much as people don’t like Macron, he is probably the most dependable and even handed leader in the West right now
@@anirudhanagarajan7530Agreed - he can be a bit of a strutting peacock but he is resolute in his defence of democracy and his opposition to the far Right and far Left and for that he deserves support in my view.
Macrons a warrior boxer and he wants to knock putin out
@@martydav9475 With everything that’s going on, Britain, France, Germany, Japan and others all have to stick together. Can’t be motivated by ludicrous ideologies that don’t work anymore
The fall of the Berlin Wall was due to the economic decline of the Soviet union (due in part to the Chernobyl disaster, Afghanistan and also the arms race with the west) and the liberalisation by Gorbachev. To say that Brandt being nice to the GDR had anything to do with it is historically ridiculous. The Warsaw pact defacto occupation of eastern Europe by the USSR could not continue without force and they were bankrupt by then.
35:35 "Showbiz for ugly people" 😆🤣Alistair, you don't know how funny you are!
Very smart guys sitting in London thinking they are relevant and that they know what they are talking about. This is the embodiment of the problems that western culture is faced with.
The French and the Germans not getting on very well? Who ever heard of such a thing.
That is a very english statement… in fact they have gotten a long quite well a lot of times throughout history.
@@Ultima-Signa the red Cardinal prevented the unification of Germany arguably the root cause for WW1 (if memory serves).
But it is nowadays more of a meme perhaps.
@@mmmhorsesteakswhat ? Are you just ignoring the franco-prussian war and bismark ?
@@popkhorne5372 I'd say the thirty years war was the more "fundamental" conflict but there have been others, sure.
@@mmmhorsesteaks nah, the thirty years war goes back too much, you also should count Napoleon, and the franco prussian war was just 40 years before ww1 and resulted in france lossing their industrial region, alsace lorraine. This is this conflict that made france's n1 enemy germany. before that, even under Napo it was the English. as for the english, they saw germany rising and pragmatically allied with france against the dominant european land power, just as they had done against france under Napo.
Let's call these things 'Show Elections' in the same way you have 'Show Trials'. A public spectacle which presents the illusion of justice.
What's happened is that East Germans are now in power, and they missed the years of rapprochement. In the West, WEU's understated diplomacy giving two fora where issues could be talked through at a fairly low level, the Assembly of Parliamentarians (the Foreign and Defence Select Committees) and the Council (the Civil Service Foreign and Defence Ministers and subordinates). During the Cold War, diplomacy outside the block was dysfunctional, thanks to the legacy of European Imperialism in the late 19th Century, itself a feature of the Industrial Revolution. However, as that faded into history and jaw-jaw proved itself at least temporarily greater than war-war, WEU came back into play, at a time when the economics involved became more relevant: I'd spotted the rust in the Iron Curtain in 78, and my thesis became ever more credible over the next decade as Russia found it harder and harder to dictate, to the point where they fractured internally. The thesis remains true, the buffer being that Russia isn't really an economy so much as a group of communities doing what they always have done, survive in despite of Government: whether they call themselves Boyars or Oligarchs makes little difference.
The Russians, amazingly, did very little to deprogram the Nazis. Perhaps their systemic parity saw affinity in the Socialist half rather than the Nationalist half of National Socialism, but at the same time, the question is very much on the table, do we actually want to be married in the ever closer union to this? Not just in the Franco-German alignment, but in the older heritage of French ambition to dominate semantically, despite having come in in about tenth place in the Industrial Revolution, in direct consequence, versus the internal rifts in the idea of Hermanicism between Prussian Calvinism and Austrian Catholicism.
The whys and wherefores are less important than where they go from here. The restart of a forum rather than a Directorate and an end to micromanaged economic meddling is becoming more and more pertinent, as we see the difficulties of a single economy composed of principalities with vastly different resources becoming ever harder to govern.
But it is like the percentage that say they will vote Reform.
How many are just intending a protest vote?
How many voted Tory last time?
How many voted Labour last time?
I am not convinced they will get 15%, or that a Tory move to the far-right would get more than a third of that 15% to vote Tory.
I think Macron has also changed his tune, due to Russia meddling in Africa, which France views as its backyard.
Interesting point but it's dismaying to see African states and leaders seemingly embracing a dreadful character like Putin.
You don’t need to see the country as your backyard to be pissed of when Russian mercenaries hide corpses in your abandoned military bases; among other niceties that show how little Russia and their puppet unelected African juntas care about truth and justice when they talk about France’s “neocolonialism”.
Germany also suffers from hiding behind other countries regarding defence. It then tries to take a high ground.
Sholtz also suffers from stalling to help, the eventually doing what he should have done from the start. He also tries to be a status quo-ist in a world were the status quo is more or less dead.
Yes I remember Hemet Gate their first attempt to help Ukraine
Tbf, their main strength was always diplomacy. America brought the military power, Britain the foreign intelligence power and Germany the diplomatic power. But yes, they were too soft with their military ambitions but you can apply that to almost all major western powers not called America
In case of Defence: Germany is factually doing a lot more than France, while simultaneously also paying for the defence of other countries in Europe and is even helping France in Africa at French request. Nonetheless Germany is literally not trying to take any high ground whatsoever, but instead the French are doing that (as has been proven yet again by the latest aggressive statements of Macron). Literally everything of what you have said is untrue… that may be what some media outlets (wrongfully) report(ed) and you might have believed those talking points about Germany blindly (due to a bias perhaps), but that doesn’t make it factual.
I think the title of this discussion is exaggerated. Macron generally makes very good efforts to understand situations & negotiate. If France says they're doing more than some suggest, they most probably are.
Well they don't reveal aid due to decision by national assembly
I suppose the joy of only ever having had 6 PMs means you can constantly complain about the other team with no real critical eye for your own side
Russia elects its head of state, remind me what does the UK do
Heh. Good joke. Fake elections don't count.
@@adrien5834it isn't fake just because Anglo-Saxon media labels it fake. In the global south we have a very different view of what's is happening Russia and quite frankly based on facts presented by both sides the global south is inclined to support Russian view of all this. That's 88% of global population against 12% in the western alliance. This is almost becoming a zero sum game and the west will loose if they don't back off now.
Where do people write questions to? Is it only paid members?
Germany’s attitude dates inevitably back to its past . Where is the money promised by America - it will be too late soon . Biden needs to get it through the Senate.
Scholz's argument about Taurus is slightly misrepresented here. Taurus, he argues, has the capability of reaching Moscow from Ukraine. Cruise missiles send by France and the UK don't have that reach. To be sure, that the use of Taurus doesn't drag Germany into a war, he insists on keeping control of the missions. That can only be done with German soldiers on the ground, which would be a step too far for him.
Though SCALP can be launched from a great height to extend its reach. I appreciate it's still 100km short of Moscow.
Still who cares, it doesn't matter we are past the point of escalation.
currently this show is the ONLY reason i come to youtube.
Brilliant team 👬 guys blessings from Scotland ❤
Why doesn’t the UK have limits on political donations and spending the way other countries do? In Canada, I can donate a maximum of $1,700 per year to the a Federal party, and another $1700 to a year to a candidate or local association.
And how does all this money get spent? I know the UK has the same sort of election spending limits we have in Canada.
Both main Parties have got too much to lose: the Tories certainly don't want to lose all their rich backers and Labour don't want to lose - and probably can't afford to lose - all their union subscriptions.
I think the big money gets spent on nationwide advertising, previously billboards, now mainly social media. There are strict limits on spending within individual constituencies.
We limit how much money people can spend rather than how much they can donate.
Just seen a video on Rory debating Hedgehogs in the commons when a minister. Very surreal what was that all about???😊
One of, another of, the Brexit downsides appears to be the French and Germans have to deal with each other without the possibility of British pragmatism to smooth those rough edges?
Pragmatism ? You mean as they always do, the brits are kinda in the group but they really only care about themselves. They really have nothing to offer in terms of decisionmaking. They don't have a vision for europe, unlike france and germany, because the UK decided that the group they really belong to is english speaking countries.
Neither view the British as pragmatic. They viewed it as a problem brother they both had a problem with.
Rory, my mum called and she wants her sweater back!
😂
The jumper....Is it meant to be a metaphor.
Bet your mum misses it, though.
😂
What about Grand Duchess Maria Romanov as Empress under a restored Monarchy as a post Putin Head of State ?
Never heard of her before, but she looks like someone's kind, slightly excentric grandmother. I vote yes.
But seriously, though...maybe it's a way, to get Russia out of the claws of the Kleptocrats. I could see the common people rallying behind her.
@raraavis7782 Well yes. Her Imperial Majesty could appoint a Govt of Technocrats to get Russian troops out of the Ukraine, sign a long-term peace Treaty with Ukraine & then embark on deep reform to tackle domestic challenges especially social, economic & constitutional. Could revive Russia post Putin by getting them out of this nihilistic cul de sac.
@@matthewreynolds7260
Wouldn't that be something? A failed democracy, saved by the reinstitution of a monarchy. Maybe in this case, history needs to do two steps backwards, to then do one step forward again.
And she probably does hate seeing, what has become of Russia.
It's certainly a concerning thought, that there isn't even a very desirable alternative to Putin, otherwise. The way things are going, the country will likely just fall into the hands of someone just as bad, afterwards.
Dont mention names. They wont make it to next year.
Defeat Russian imperialism by restoring the Empire, that makes sense. Do Romanov house laws even allow women to claim the imperial title? There was a reason Nicholas II was so desperate for a son. In any case, it's for the Russians to decide their future, if and when the time comes that they can.
I know this is a minor point but: I started at high school in 1977,my sons went to high schools, the school down the road from my house is a high school. We have schools called high schools in the U.K. and have done so since at least 1977. Grr.
Well said. My elder brother and I were at sScarborough High School for Boys in the late 50s and early sixties. High Schools were not uncommon.
38:51 Honestly I find it soooo frustrating when society/media refer to biracial people as black. Why in this day in age are we still perpetuating the slavery principle of the one drop rule? I.e. all biracial people with one black parent are automatically black, and we relegate them to minority status.
It completely infuriates me because socall progressive use this to celebrate achievements for black people, when it's not a genuine win.
Moreover, it lulls society to think that when biracial people gain significant achievements on behalf of black people, we can tick historic moments off the list and that racism has been solved.
I'm sorry I still think America has yet to see it's first black president, and I think the same about Wales. It is great to see people like Obama and Gething in significant leadership, and refering to them as biracial rather than black doesn't take away any of their achievements, apart from referring to them as being the first black president / first black first minister.
These men served as necessary stepping stones until we see genuine black people in such leadership position.
Think I understand the points. Are the sensibilities different bi racial versus black?
Or is it the visual acceptance by the electorate?
Comments made by the voting public indicates a long way away for a full black to be accepted.
Stormshadow/Scalp is have heard they/we are not supplying those later versions will greater ranges.
There is no place for personal ego in Politics, you are there voted in to represent the peoples wishes.
Macron is very much a classic French thinker and centrist politician. He continues the French tradition of maintaining a leading military production industry to avoid a vassal like dependence on the USA, thus having a neuclear deterrent and producing modern fighter aircraft . Macron has evidently exausted diplomatic means to get Putin to back down and is now being far more decisive. Sholtz is a typical German pacifist Ost politik socialist who refuses to take the visibly leading role in the military supplies sense, though Germany is actually the second biggest by value supporter of Ukraine. Scholz maintains the traditional Germany an economic giant but a military dwarf.
I love the casual way ordinary folks are called far left or far right, or accused of supporting Putin, when all they wanted to know is why so much money is being sent to Ukraine when there are so many problems at hom. Perhaps if the Establishment types like your good selves had bothered to listen more to the concerns and aspirations of the electorate, BREXIT might not have happened.
not like the French and Germans to disagree.
Almost like the French and British sorry I mean ENGLISH not agreeing
We need to update English dictionaries to replace the word “milquetoast” with “schulz.”
aren't politicians supposed to promote hard feelings, instill the idea of conversation and debate and yes agree to disagree. Ultimately find a consensus based on current available information and known facts.
Not when its not in their interests i.e when they think THEY can win by throwing LOGIC out and bringing in emotional appeals
Could you talk to Gary Stevenson please
Global warming (or whatever the latest phrasing) is a priority within households for whom the cost of living is no longer a worry. In other words, it's a luxury concern.
It's called climate change & concerns everyone - may also cause huge migration out of Africa & other zones soon. The present solutions though, electric suv, windmills in the german landscape - are like a nice, feel good luxury & won't change a thing. We need a global approach & we also need to figure out how to be more adaptable, as we don't know exactly what's coming.
Mr. P was rumored to be in "special relationship" with a RU rhythmic gimnast.
Really interesting discussion thanks
Now can you do emergency pod cast on Freeports SEZs what are they why is it so difficult to get information from government People that know about them hate them why
You have the biggest audience the people of Britain need to know what is happening in Britain. Help please
Why does Alastair keep pronouncing Putin as Pughtin.? Which is correct?
India congratulating Russia is in line with their Foreign policy which is not to be dragged in to this US vs Russia conflict. They are looking out for their own interest. While the countries in the west have short memories, India remembers that the USA armed a terrorist state like Pakistan, and as a result India suffered the consequences through terrorist attacks. USSR/Russia has been an old ally of India. India is not going to harm itself to cosy up to the USA, when they know the USA are equally out for their own self-interest and are not some global benefactor.
Congratulating a corrupt leader on a rigged, fixed election should be called out.
But you don't remember Russias Terrorists attack on Ukraine, do you? Why do you want to back a terrorist state? Does India back the terrorist?
Great stuff as usual gentleman
You people get to vote, but see who you end up with running your government!
Is the central issue not that Ukraine are losing the war.
For political party financing reform, check out the Canadian system (federal and provincial).
Why?
@@antonyandrewson5803 There are severe limits on the funding of federal and provincial political parties in Canada. Contributions are eligible for 75% tax credits. (Municipal governments are non-party political). Google it.
So good these guys. France v Germany . France v England same same
There are more French speakers in Congo than in Germany and definitely more than German speakers in France. So much for French German engine. Most of the time they wouuld have to speak English
Maybe it’s because I’m from the US but the idea that you can be a right-wing trade unionist makes me wonder if the meaning of those terms has evolved beyond recognition 🤣
Maybe we shoild start with something slightly less complicated?
East of the Atlantic you can differentiate between:
- communist trade unionists
- democratic socialist trade unionists
- non-socialist, broadly speaking liberal, trade unionists
The first kind are basicaly revolutionaries with a very limited enthusiasm for democracy, the two others are not
And the last kind are anti-socialists, the other two believe, more or less literally, in Marxist teachings
I think they meant the right of the Labour party rather than actually right wing.
Although there have been minor conservative union movements. Thatcher even did a speech to the Conservative Trades Unionists Congress in the 70s.
@@MrGeorgFTWThat's right, they mean the Right of the Labour party.
It would be very difficult to find anyone more uncharismatic, dull and bovine as Scholz as a leader.
Nothing on Leo? Nearest neighbours?
Recorded on Tuesday morning
Marcel talks!
Just a quick question.... .
After 14 years or Tory r government
There are 6.9 Millions more Immigrants in the country 1.7 Millions in just the last 2 years
And during all this time you said Immigration will be in the tens of thousands....!!!!!
The national debt is 100% taxes are at a post war hugh it isnt safe to walk the streets anymore the RAF RN and army are discredited and broken the country has no boarders no security and no air defence we have no pride and no national feeling.
So given all these indisputable Facts...
Where was the Conservative government??
No wonder You 2 get on well 😅
Tony never left office
And for you 2 talk about the hard right is unbelievable ... you don't know what that is 🤑
For a working family in Manchester Your internationalist policys have driven rent up from 780£ a month 2019 to 1260£ now
For a 1 bed flat !!!!!
What do you expect when you bring in another 2 Million people and dump them on top of our heads
They take our jobs drive down wages increase unemployment take our houses ....
And don't say something Stupid like we need 2 build more homes because its impossible...
You can't build 3 new cities the size of Birmingham over the next 15 years to put all your Immigrants can you
750.000 homes a year for 15 years Jusr for the immigrants.....!!!!
So tell me why ..
Is it 1 you can't count ....
2 you hate us and want to see us suffer ?
3 you just don't care and want to line your own pockets because non of this will touch you in Chelsea!!!!!
I would have to slightly disagree with Rory here-there are MANY ppl in Britain who have understanding & experience of France & Germany & indeed many other European countries.. It`s a real shame that they seem to be invisible. I have lived & worked in France, Germany & Portugal-my dtr is half German & is trilingual [& Spanish] & my son is half Portuguese [tho identifies as a True Brit]. would be nice if all this expereince & knowledge could be used. I am a Francophile & use French in my work with French Groups as a Tour Guide.
A new hyphenated verb, "fell-out". Every day's a school day.
It was a lover's tiff.
It was a lover's tiff.
A lover's-tiff@@vasilispatsalidis5683
Old German saying:
"Deutch und Fransozisch gehen nie zuzammen."
Das ist ein bescheuerter Spruch. Wir brauchen echt nicht wieder Krieg mit Frankreich - aus der Zeit stammt so'n Schwachsinn nämlich. Wir haben alle drei - England, Deutschland, Frankreich - seit Jahren ziemliche Luschen als Regierungsschefs & das ist wohl eher das Problem.
ADF are right , the US did blow the pipeline!
An election, procession or just another dictator doing what they know best. How do we help the people of Russia and such other countries realise that their system is corrupt.
I keep hoping that somehow, somewhere there can be a rising up against Putin, even if it's some kind of military coup, but there's no sign even of that.
I am wondering if this is a comedy show 😮😅😂🎉
Like we have a democratically election 😮😅😂🎉🎉🎉
Oh, the poor German lady whose grandfather was in Stalingrad. What on earth could he have been doing there? Working for whom? 🤔
These two clowns - Campbell and Stewart - sound so smart, smooth and well spoken. But they are purely propagandists by trade and they talk absolute crap!
Macron is absolutely hilarious
He is a dependable leader but he has such a Napoleon complex he would crown himself l'Empereur de France if given the chance
He has his issues but at least he puts France first, not something I can say about the UK’s leadership for some time now
Look at your own leaders/clowns🎉
@@turquoiseblue228Bonjour Monsieur President
It was Hof singing We are Looking fir Freedom
@restispolitics: Ireland is catching up on the UK with 5 Taoisigh (PMs) since 2010. 😅
Feature of a 2 party coalition with rotating Taoisigh. Leo is bailing out early.
WW1,WW2 and before
Probably two very divisive political figures from the past. But, for Christ sake always so interesting & knowledgeable. Admit to be addicted to this podcast.
Me too - it's very impressive.
It was a lover's tff.
This pair of pdf files are spouting nothing but bs
France is already in a shooting war with Russia in the Sahel. They are losing control of much of Francafrique, which has been crucial to them over 50+ years, and is the source of much of their uranium (Niger) and oil (Gabon). Wagner Group troops are on the ground, now controlled more directly by Moscow.
Uranium is fine. Niger was only the third furnisher of uranium for france. Still, it was seen as a reliable source.
What france is really loosing is political relevance and influence.
As for economy, if france looses, all western nations loose something in those countries. You guys forget, but french companies are not the only ones extracting stuff in those countries. The US, UK, italy, spain, australia even have mines in the sahel. Other european countries like italy like to criticize france for those unbalanced exploitation deals, when they did the same thing, in the same place.
Since when was Wales a European country? Isn't it an administrative region of the UK, same as England, Scotland, and the other one ?
Not part of the UN .
UK is !
It's a country, like Scotland and England
England Scotland Wales and NI are all countries in their own right
@@mrennie5158Northern Ireland is a province not actually a country.
This might be an unpopular opinion, but I find Alastair and Rory's incessant need to show off their French and German terminology a bit insufferable.
As Johann Gotfried Herder said, we are generated by the society which was affirmed by Marx materialist's dichotomy of economics. When Rory in his introduction poured scorn on Russia's election, he so much reminded me of Marx and Herder interpretation of our individual thought. Despite being intelligent, Rory is blinded by the general attitude of UK Society towards Russia. I would have expected this Campbell guy to make such a stupid remark as his entire thought is not intellectually oriented but power.
I am also surprised that Rory can regard Tony Blair as a leftfist. Blair was an agent of neoliberalism hiding in the left....an agent provocateur as Thatcher admitted.
As far as Putin win is concerned Rory, Putin did not need congratulations from imperialists. As a Kenyan who were colonised by the British, I find your attitude despicable. The old saying is true, you can kick an imperialist from the empire but you cannot remove imperialism from him. I am totally disappointed. I hear you Rory and Campbell...all congratulations to Putin from Africa and Global South don’t matter because we don't matter. Any wonder we are coalescing as a Global South. Perhaps you are not too intelligent after all and cannot ses the real problem.
hows Iraq?
As the leading politics pod in the UK, can the guys get leaders of the Labour left and right on the show to debate the issues of the day. We, as the public, deserve to hear the two sides and the arguments for and against the policies that will end up ruling our lives?
At first i thought they both made sense. Learned many nuances of European politics. But had to stop watching after he took Modi and Zinpings name in single breath. You sir need to study more about India in general before making these loose comments, unless you making them intentionally, which I hope is not the case.
Lot of gossiping. More substance would be nice.
Good luck european.... 🤞
*SORRY* it’s a hard NO on the Hamburglar stripe pullover
Germany is weak
The French had previously seized Elsaß.
Calm down the vocal fry Rory. It’s getting irritating
Both Macron and Scholz are small men, the rest is psychology.
Complet BS
Russophobia
The leftist bias should be declared a little more clearly but the program is really good. thanks
What's this German Tourist cruise missile they won't give? Just put your beach towels on the Russian sunbeds on the Crimean beaches.
With a name such as yours, I would have expected less of a 'Sun'-bed comment.
🙄
a really facile comment Rory but as one of your biggest advocates, please moderate your distaste face. I'm no poker player but, as much as i dislike it, image is important.