Grumpy Twit

@CopMoustache @JimSpenceDundee Yes, but at least we had some resources to do it then. Not sure covering things from the air and with an old frigate quite cuts it 🤷

For everyone getting their knickers twisted about Russia sending subs into our waters, I was following the buggers all over UK waters around 35 years ago I can still quote the ring gear mesh rate of an Akula sub 🤣 Calm down, it’s nothing new bbc.co.uk/news/articles/…

@DPJHodges The answer lies with the Gulf countries. If Iran closes the Straits, the Gulf countries should close Iranian shipping also. If Iran charges tolls, the Gulf countries should charge tolls on Iranian shipping. Reciprocation strategy.

Genuine question. What is the Government seeking to actually achieve with its "coalition" to reopen the Strait. Either Iran agrees to free transit, in which case there is no need for a coalition. Or it doesn't. In which case force will be required. Which we have ruled out.

@RhonddaBryant @DeborahMeaden You’ll love strawberry marmalade when it arrives (and ‘fruit based spreads’ because some jams will no longer qualify as jams). All of this with absolutely no economic benefit. Starmer and the gang are imbeciles.

I like lime marmalade and thick cut orange marmalade.

@brian_p_k @GoodwinDou56587 @JenMeads @DeborahMeaden No they can’t. Regulatory alignment means just that. UK will be part of the EU regulatory orbit and will be required to align, even for products not intended for export. Well done Starmer. The man’s an imbecile.

@GoodwinDou56587 @JenMeads @DeborahMeaden @GrumpyTwit99 They're not aligning us. Our own labels can say what they like. It's only if we export to the EU that we have to comply. No different to cars being exported to usa having to have red indicators.

Michael is a politician and he hasn’t realised these labels can stay exactly as they are…

@meralhece @DeborahMeaden Yes, but wait until we have strawberry marmalade on the shelves and we won’t be able to label some of our jams ‘jam’ due to ‘insufficient’ fruit content(!). Typical EU trying to solve a problem that doesn’t exist 🙄

Orange marmalade to be labelled Orange marmalade. A shadow foreign secretary highlighting the big issues facing the country.

@DeborahMeaden @RupertMyers Not good enough for the EU regulation stasi I’m afraid Debs. It will need to state ‘citrus’ clearly 🙄

@RupertMyers These won’t need to change at all because they state they are orange!!

HOW will we ever survive the tiny addition of the word “citrus”

@DeborahMeaden The EU loves a regulation. I’m sure there will be plenty more coming our way for absolutely no benefit. Of course, certain ‘celebs’ can’t wait for it 🙄

Can we stop with the marmalade thing. We can still use it it’s just we need to add “citrus” to marmalade as other fruits are used in the EU. Hardly newsworthy…

@Diana_abbs @GeorgeFoulkes @SandraDunn1955 @pritipatel It’s accurate. Do your homework 🙄

@GeorgeFoulkes @SandraDunn1955 Oh for goodness sake @pritipatel, at least do some research before you come out with ridiculous, totally false statements like this!!🍊 That way you won’t sound so ignorant & stupid! 🙄

How ignorant can a Tory get? Marmalade comes from the French word "marmelade" which in turn came from Portuguese. It was first used as a breakfast item by Scots & given by James Boswell, from Auchinleck, to Samuel Johnson in 1773. England followed suit in the 19th. Century.

@tomhfh Here’s an idea. The state gives everyone a retirement ‘fund’. Each person can choose when to draw it as a pension. Leave it longer, the more you receive pa. Take it earlier, the less you receive. Inflation proofing? Receive less per month but it escalates each year. Simple.

Reform, Tories, and Labour have all rowed in behind the (originally Lib Dem) idea that it is smart to continually engorge state spending on pensions, beyond the rate of growth in the economy. This, mathematically, cannot go on forever.

@L__Macfarlane @DeborahMeaden We will earn increased tax revenues, improved balance of payments and reduced carbon footprint from not buying fuel from the other side of the world 🤡

The only way new North Sea drilling cuts energy bills is if the UK: – Nationalises the rigs – Bans exports – Sells at cost-price None of that is on the table. It will be sold on global markets to the highest bidder. Bills won’t move an inch.

@EULondonMark What an utterly moronic analysis. Like arguing sitting two drunks together makes them both better off 🤦‍♂️ As for geography, the UK is and always should be a global trading nation. Other than for fresh produce, geography is irrelevant.

Argument that because EU has problems UK shouldn't get closer is silly. UK has most of same problems, often worse. We can't choose our main trading partner. EU is big+next door. Whether EU is perfect (it isn't) or flawed entity that provides big net benefits (it is) is irrelevant

@EdConwaySky @FraserMyers Just to be clear: the man’s an idiot. Rational economic analysis doesn’t even enter his head 🙄

The problem with casting a closer relationship with Europe as the solution to the world's current economic malaise is that it kind of misses the point. The key problem at present is a shortage of ENERGY. Europe has an energy deficit. Up until 2022 it filled that gap with gas from Russia. Now it fills that gap with gas (and oil) from the US and Middle East. It swapped one dependency for another. We can debate whether that dependency is inevitable, the extent to which it's a function of geology and/or political decisions taken years ago. Regardless, right now Europe is highly exposed to the problems in the Gulf. And without US energy imports it is in BIG trouble. A closer relationship between the UK and the EU does not solve this conundrum.

@philhuwedwards @mr_james_c No one likes it when I say it but the energy storage solution is to create hydrogen with the excess wind turbine energy. Burn it in hydrogen fuelled power stations to keep the lights on. Cue pushback on transportation, storage, different tech, etc 🙄

@mr_james_c Quite right. The Royal Society reckon batteries are a complete non-starter owing the amount of long term grid storage the UK would need.

Amazing how few people seem to comprehend this fact when discussing batteries and renewables.

@LordWalney @MrHarryCole Unfortunately it’s a pattern of behaviour we are seeing, both in this country and abroad. It’s deliberately designed so that those that criticise it will be caused racist, while failure to criticise it encourages its greater use (ie step by step domination).

I’m not convinced Muslim prayer in Trafalgar Square is an act of dominance. Islam is hardly unique in considering itself the one true religion.. But the fact the PM thinks Nick Timothy should be sacked undermines the claim we are all free to criticise Islam despite the new anti-Muslim hostility definition.

@julianHjessop @CeeMacBee I hope you’re not suggesting the CX would ever intentionally mislead the public… 🙄

Chart(s) of the Day 🤓 Here's what has actually happened to UK GDP per head since the Brexit vote in 2016, and what it would have looked like if the magical EU fairy dust had added 8%... 🤔

@resfoundation @Kevin_Maguire Progressive in that it taxes you progressively. Absolutely not progressive in terms of thinking 🙄

The totality of direct taxes in the UK is progressive; the very richest pay more than five times more in income tax than the poorest. In contrast, Council Tax remains strongly regressive, absorbing only about 1 per cent of income at the very top, against nearly 5 per cent at the very bottom.

@BobSmith959269 @DeborahMeaden @john4brexit It takes a great deal of effort to be this dim. Mad Milliband’s policies have given us the highest electricity costs in Europe, making Denby unable to compete in their key FAR EAST markets 🙄

@john4brexit Denby lost 40% of their export market with Brexit, and had to cease European exports. Brexit is harming British industries, and Brexit cheerleaders refuse to mention that.

This government is hell bent on destroying British industry. There are at least three more years of damage

@RupertMyers This is hilarious 🤣

This is disgusting and wrong

@rcolvile What’s the betting that extending the franchise to 16 year olds gets put in the back-burner? 🤣

As I've pointed out before, Labour's central problem/trauma is that they think they're the party of the working classes but the working classes don't agree.