Scotland wasn't conquered, it voted to join about a century after the King of Scotland inherited the throne of England. But generally yes, in earlier history all countries (or more accurately kings) fought and attempted to colonise each other.

Only in a legalistic sense. Not in any meaningful sense in terms of our modern identity.

A thought occurs that Boris along with Davis will play well with ukip supporters so maybe May is thinking about the next election rather than leadership challenges.

Yes certainly the cabinet has shifted to the right, and is to the right of May herself.

She's a consummate politician and knows how to keep dangerous elements content. I think this, and the old adage about keeping your friends close and your enemies closer, explain Blunderbus Boris's presence.

Yea reading the comments on Guido Fawkes most of which were we are voting UKIP apoplectic on the appointment of May, Davis and Boris appointments have calmed things down.

I'd be interested to see what Alans's view of this from across the pond is.

May seems to have played this well. Her speech appeals to centre-lefties, her appointments appeal to right/ukipers.

I'm pretty sure she's properly ****ed the corpse that is the labour party.

Davis is a hard Brexiter - i.e. Canada model.

Interesting that he has that job. Maybe Brexit really will mean Brexit rather than some EEA style deal.

A deal that lets us form bilateral trade agreements is doubleplusgood.

Some old Tory grandee made the point that to get a good deal in a negotiation it help if the other side believes you can live with the worst the other side can do. Appointing Davis sends that message very loudly.

Good point.

https://next.ft.com/content/923bbc2b...f-9d11acbc1bbf

my guess is that EU constituent foreign ministers are pointless because germany decides everything for them, but we're going to be defining our relationship with ROW over the next couple of years and i expect the foreign office will play a key role

the germans barely do foreign policy either. in part because of, you know, history.

there's not much in it for boris really. others will handle all the trade stuff and the boring diplomatic details. the wars and dreams of being a great power are all in the past hopefully. he just has to be able to attend formal dinners without choking on the food and sign where he's told at ceremonies without insulting anyone in the process.

Apparently yes:



A snob "forgetting" a sock.


Wonder how Boris would have looked if'd going bald? Would he have shaved or "remained" ?

The guy is enough of a chameleon for managing that.

Guy, you are deluded big time. Don't trust my avatar.

He will be crushed, if you believe me. You will be a big Norway, everybody laughing at you. Or then remain.

I think Boris will lead you right! "It's better to have a saying than not". Can imagine him saying that, with his uncut hair swinging. You've got yourselves a real politician!

One of his pre-referendum lies was that we would have individual trade agreements with EU countries.

May has simply appointed Brexiters to the relevant roles because she knows that national humiliation awaits and she hopes that she will be able to distance herself from that.

Old Vulcan saying: Only Nixon can go to China

He was scuppered just because Gove ran and essentially offered all the same features with a few less downsides.

If he is on the fringe he gets to play the card of being a good Tory not Corbyning the leadership contest and he also won British exit. If he is involved in the exit he can't turn around and say better could have been gotten.

He only really gets back in leadership contention now if British exit negotiations go way better than expected and if it does he has to play second fiddle to DD.

So essentially he gets all the downside, little upside, and he gets a chance to just complete **** up something important.

I mean he gets more power now and in terms of legacy building its better than a minor position like pensions minister or a lesser cabinet spot like Scottish secretary but his raw PM equity, small as it is, imo went down.

Nah man. You don't realise just how far to the right she is. There is almost no room rightward.

She is marginally reasonable on some issues like gay marriage only when compared to absolute fringe nobodies. Migration she is as far to the right as possible, her speech criticising the court of human rights was so crazy bad last year the right of the party was distancing themselves and the centre was disavowing her position and on justice she is very rightward.

No clue about stuff like war but I'd bet a lot she ain't giving peace a chance.

I was reading yesterday an article about how she created a policy to prosecute absolutely every migration case to the highest courts on principle even when there was zero chance to win, costing is a million plus for cases decided definitively at a lower court for just a couple grand.

Ignoring the high court on salary requirements on visas for the finances and spouses of British citizens is especially odious causing huge direct harm to British citizens and children especially for no logical reason whatsoever. The court argued it should be closer to the living wage, its currently well above average wage.

They also regularly spoil visa applications on the nittiest details possible, like tiny obvious human error things when completing huge forms.

She is a huge ****. It would be harsh to cancer to wish it on her.

Watching her inaugural PM speech and noticing the awful and unnecessary grimace she concludes the end of sentences with, you may well be right.

Phill, don't be so evasive and wishy-washy, say what you mean.

Obvious answer is a Trump comb-over.

She did refuse to let that odious 'merican chap in - the one who lectures on 'seducing' women. And she took on police corruption and suss with particular reference to how it was applied racially. Gay marriage of course and no doubt some other good stuff.

She gets some support over her handling of Hillsborough: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/...-mays-11598771

But she's also horrible in many ways. It was easier to 'forget' that when we were comparing her to the thought of people like Loathsome and Gove.