#opp: margaret

[jayne-hecate-writer]

Happy New Year?...

As twenty twenty three passes into twenty twenty four, we can all sit back and reflect on where we have come as a society, marvel at the changes we have made for the better as things have improved for everyone, to ensure that they can live happy, worry free lives...

This is of course utter nonsense. Things have not got better, if anything, things have got considerably worse and many families in the UK are facing an uncertain future, filled with fear and misery. With heating bills rising, rents out of control even if you can find somewhere to live and medical waiting lists moving from months into years for essential health care. From this, we can only conclude that Britain is failing. The old Etonian schoolboys who have run the country for the last decade and a half have lined their own pockets, sold essential services to their friends and stolen the hopes and dreams of the poor. Food bank usage is higher than ever and of course, Brexit has been a huge, wonderful success... Opps sorry, I mean a catastrophic failure that we could all see coming, but somehow the likes of Farage and Johnson convinced the masses that a future separate from our biggest trading partners was the best option for us.

Why am I writing this now? I have kept quiet on my views for long enough. In twenty twenty three, I turned fifty. I never thought I would make it to fifty, I had always thought that I would have died in some exciting mountaineering accident, my mangled body slowing rotting in the high altitude sunshine, having dropped from an indeterminate ledge upon which I was having an epic climb. But arthritis and injury put a stop to that dream! Instead I am stuck indoors, riddled with pain and losing my mobility and independence, while living in fear of the next PIP assessment form that is going to drop through my door and force me to justify my existence.

I realise now that my hope for a happy peaceful future has evaporated. I am terrified of getting tooth ache, because I have no access to dental care. If I have an injury that needs medical attention, the NHS is so stripped of money, I will just sit on a waiting list to see a specialist Doctor who probably died of stress related alcoholism or Covid some time ago and may not have been replaced yet. I am not alone in these fears, so many others here in the UK have these fears and I cannot see a bright future for anyone here, except the very richest, most of which are already multimillionaires. Our current Prime Minister is richer than the King, meanwhile his wife has dealings with companies that are alleged to have made huge profits from Government involvement or even corruption. We all know that the Government are corrupt, but the media has carefully taken the hatchet to the anyone who would oppose them, leaving us with an opposition party who recently praised the work of Margaret Thatcher, the milk snatcher. The woman who destroyed the mining industry before it was cool to do so and also sold off our water and energy infrastructure, who took us back to the dark ages of the rich owning everything the poor rely upon to live. Currently, we have an unelected member of the cabinet, put there by making him a member of the house of lords, a completely unelected body who include people like Andrew Lloyd Webber and even Jeffrey Archer, of Weston Super Mare (some of us remember the scandal that involved him while he was in Government. Oh, they were such happy days, back when a political scandal meant that the minister was caught having intimate relations with someone he/she/they were not married too!). I am even getting e-Mails from Lord Michael Hesseltine, telling me that we have the same views on important political issues, such as Brexit and membership of the EU. OK, well only on that issue.

So what is my hope for twenty twenty four? It is this. I hope that nothing happens to me or my wife, because I do not know how I will pay the rent on my home. I hope that I do not need dental care or surgery. I hope that my car, that helps me with my daily mobility, does not fail the MOT in January. I hope that my Daughter and her partner can find a home of their own. I hope that my friends can find stability and freedom from debt. I hope that my seventeen year old cat makes it for another year . Finally, I hope that my arthritic hands can keep going as I explore my art and my writing. See? I do have hope after all.

My dear friends, I hope that the coming year brings you much needed peace and restorative rest, so we can face the horrors of our society and fight to put them right. I hope that we can remove these overly entitled bigots and old Etonian schoolboys from power and put in place a better, more egalitarian Government who don't want to ship desperate, hurting people off to the country that is still recovering from a horrific genocide of it's own people.

But if all of these hopes fail, you will find me on a mountain, real or metaphysical, praying to the spirit of nature to take me back home and away from this hellscape I have landed in... Oh yeah, I should mention that shouldn't I? Twenty twenty three was the year that I discovered that I had swapped universes, travelled across the metaphysical barrier between realities and landed in this unrelenting hellscape of far right politics and revolting nationalism. I should have guessed really, after all, what kind of lunatic would vote Boris Johnson into power or believe the lies and evil of Donald Trump? The world feels like a computer game, being played for laughs by a teenager who wants to see how evil a society can become before it implodes! Surely, at any moment, the points score is going to be so low that we are going to be wiped out by environmental disaster, while fighting global warfare started by underendowed oligarchs or simply failing to reach the next level in the game. I know how this works, I used to play Theme Hospital and occasionally I put the most evil and corrupt characters in charge, just for the giggles. Oh Heck... None of this is real. What kind of reality would allow for a fourth Matrix movie or make Darth Vader the sympathetic character we all feel sorry for?

Good luck my friends, I hope that despite it all, the coming year brings you the things you need to make your life safe, happy and peaceful. If it doesn't, then come and find me on the mountain and we can shout at the sky together.

With love always, Jayney XXX

[missvane]

When: 30th July, 1800 Where: Mulgrave Residence Who: @margaretmulgrave​

Ophelia was nervous. She and Lady Mulgrave had made easy conversation not a week prior, and now she felt that awful twist in her belly at the prospect of facing the woman. She was no stranger to confrontation, but this was different... She did not want to lose a possible friend over Richard. Yet, it seemed Whistledown was keen to ruin everything from romance to friendships, to family. It was horrid. 

Still, the woman had invited Ophelia to her home, and she would oblige. Perhaps Margaret didn’t think it true! Perhaps she had invited her over to laugh about the preposterous nature of the rumor... Though that would hardly help matters, seeing as Ophelia was well aware she would not be able to lie to Lady Mulgrave’s face. It would come out strained and overeager.

So. she resolved herself to facing whatever may come. And with a deep breath, Ophelia nodded at Bridget to knock on the door.

[conradmowbray]

Lady Margaret Mulgrave turned Harcourt... It was a union of some import. The Harcourt name was standing on it’s final leg, and the Mulgrave dukedom was in the hands of a woman. Conrad expected that both families were pleased with marriage, and that by summer next there would be a proper heir to merge the two. 

He had not had the distinct pleasure of being introduced to Lady Harcourt prior to the luncheon, but he had heard whispers of her pleasant nature and rather becoming appearance. He had, in particular, taken interest in the tales of her successful captaining during the Bennetton Regatta. 

Leaning over towards the countess, Conrad offered a smile, and a dip of his head in greeting. “Lady Harcourt, I do not believe I’ve had the pleasure of making your acquaintance. I’m Lord Mowbray.”

@margaretmulgrave​

[bigtiddiegangwrite]

♦ (margaret about tamsyn)

“Mirror“

Send me a “♦” for the first word my muse thinks of when your muse is mentioned.

[canthelps]

hello you there! yes you! i want more ships with you! i don’t care if we have 0 or 12 i want more!! below the cut are my wanted opps for some of my muses give this a like if you like the look of any of them and we can work something out!

warning its a very long list

summer (haley lu richardson fc) x hailee steinfeld/any hot ladys or sexy dudes 

heath (jacob elordi fc) x froy gutierrez/literally any euphoria girl/ troye sivan/ timothee chalamet basically any scrawny lil dudes

ross (gavin leatherwood fc) x kiernan shipka/maude apatow/halle bailey/zendaya/olivia scott welch/ any hot lady

addison (renee rapp fc) x kennedy mcmann/victoria pedretti/dakota johnson any hot lady lmao

ellis (rudy pankow fc) x chris evans/chris hemsworth/jamie dornan/cody christian/froy gutierrez/henry cavill

jensen (diana silvers fc) x kaitlyn dever/jacob elordi/rudy pankow/kj apa/

casper (alex landi fc) x any hot lady :)

cody (mason gooding fc) x BEANIE FELDSTEIN!!/ maude apatow/kj apa/hot ladies or sexy dudes

isla (katie mcgrath fc) x melissa benoist/natalie dormer/odette anable/ caity lotz/ basically any of the dctv ladies/sarah snook

nora (hayley atwell fc) x chris evans/sebastian stan/brie larson/tessa thompson/elizabeth olsen/natalie dormer/katie mcgrath/richard madden/kit harrington

alex (brie larson fc) x tessa thompson/dakota johnson/elizabeth olsen/lucy liu/gillian anderson/sarah snook

arielle (alexandra daddario fc) x margot robbie/alexandra daddario (not in an inc*st way, but in a gay people like to date people who look like them way and i think it would be funny since ari is a bit of a narcissist)/any hot women lol

natasha (evan rachel wood fc) x tessa thompson/richard madden/victoria pedretti

moody (dakota johnson fc) x brie larson/elizabeth olsen/jamie dornan/robert pattinson/victoria pedretti

zelda (florence pugh fc) x saoirse ronan/timothee chalamet/harry styles/tom holland/hailee steinfeld/andrew garfield/victoria pedretti

maxime (margaret qualley fc) x robert pattinson/nick robinson/syndey sweeney/andrew garfield/florence pugh

bellamy (marlo kelly fc) x madelyn cline/willa fitzgerald/herizen guardiola/florence pugh

greer (jodie comer fc) x SANDRA OH YOU COWARDS/florence pugh/adeline rudolph

annie (natasha liu bordizzo fc) x sydney sweeney/jacob elordi/alex fitzalan/adeline rudolph

indiana (rachel weisz fc) x florence pugh/natalie dormer/katie mcgrath/brie larson/rachel mcadams/yvonne strahovski/jessica chastain

[lvciddreamt]

okay so !! below the cut is a list of ships i’ve been wanting, but it is by no means exhaustive so if there are any of my muses or wanted opps/fcs/plots that you’re vibing w, hmu !! we don’t have to be mutuals ♡ if you’re interested in any of the following ships, pls like this post or im me !! pls be 18+

(italics indicate preference for who i play, no italics means no preference!)

alexa demie x barbie ferreira alexa demie x maude apatow jacob elordi x sydney sweeney madelaine petsch x lili reinhart madelaine petsch x camila mendes madelaine petsch x adeline rudolph adeline rudolph x cindy kimberly cindy kimberly x sebastian stan medalion rahimi x sebastian stan ester exposito x danna paola ester exposito x jorge lopez ester exposito x aron piper ester exposito x georgina amoros ester exposito x mina el hammani  ester exposito x alejandro speitzer timothee chalamet x mason gooding alexa demie x mason gooding lily collins x anya taylor joy lily collins x dianna agron lily collins x dakota johnson lily collins x florence pugh greta onieogou x samantha logan phoebe tonkin x victoria pedretti

and bonus if anyone lets me use lucas bravo, sebastian stan, michiel huisman, camila mendes, shay mitchell, phoebe tonkin, margaret qualley, and/or halston sage bc i’m currently in love with them all thank you & goodnight !!

okay sorry that ended up being a v extra list and i’ve left some stuff out bc i have goldfish brain so YEAH if u made it to the end ur a g ♡

[wutbju]

So all the students -- 124, btw, not 88 -- who were at Bob Jones College in that first year are as follows:

Perry Bestor Allen from Crichton, Alabama

Ella Louise Buckner from Headland, Alabama

Henry Seymour Blocker from Sandusky, Ohio

Mary Evelyn Brannon from Headland, Alabama

I. D. Barton from Andalusia, Alabama

Olin Comer Cleveland from Hartwell, Georgia

John Andrew Cherry from Dothan, Alabama

Hilary Herbert Clements from Pinckard, Alabama

Henry Mallory Chandler from Grady, Alabama

Dorothy Maxine Ceruti from Millville, Florida

Virgil Miller Culpepper from Ensley, Alabama

Asa Lee Carter from Ramer, Alabama

Leonidas Littlebury Colley from Brundidge, Alabama

Nollie  Dykes from Ariton, Alabama

LeGare  Day from Abbeville, Alabama

Dorothy  Dowling from Enterprise, Alabama

Leonard LeRoy Dunlap from Meridian, Mississippi

Cecil Marvett Ellisor from Andalusia, Alabama

Bessie Ruby Enfinger from Skipperville, Alabama

Rawdon Lee Gallman from Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Samuel Willard Gates from Carrollton, Alabama

Johnnie  Goare from Slocomb, Alabama

Joseph Leon Goodin from Opp, Alabama

Henry Edward Grube from Mobile, Alabama

Ariana  Haymaker from Winona Lake, Indiana

Nellie Pauline Hallford from Slocomb, Alabama

Dorothy Vivian Harris from Valdosta, Georgia

John William Hightower from Brundidge, Alabama

Russell Clifford Hobbs from Lynn Haven , Florida

William Jennings Hughes from Brewton, Alabama

James Ottis Hays from Red Level, Alabama

Ottawa Grace Hall from Blountstown, Florida

Fannie Mae Holmes from Fort Deposit, Alabama

Bonclie  Howell from Hartford, Alabama

Evenly  Howell from Hartford, Alabama

Lonnie Coleman Henley from Ramer, Alabama

James Welborne Johnston from Panama City, Florida

Anna Louise Johnson from Lynn Haven , Florida

Frank Milner Jones from Daleville, Alabama

Isaac Godfrey King from Sneads, Florida

John Clifford Lewis from Red Level, Alabama

Marvin M. Larrimore from Dickinson, Alabama

Bertha Eloise Long from Clio, Alabama

Lillia V. Long from Clio, Alabama

Ruth  Mowbray from St. Andrews, Florida

Margaret  Massey from Luverne, Alabama

Kate  McMillan from Wausau, Florida

Minnie Eunice Monk from Lynn Haven , Florida

Matha Virginia Monk from Clio, Alabama

Ruth Doris Mahan from Montgomery, Alabama

Ruth Ellen Miller from Vernon, Florida

Frances Eudora Moseley from Sylacauga, Alabama

Homer  Napier from Dothan, Alabama

Laura Frances Porter from Sylacauga, Alabama

Frank Norris Pitts from Montgomery, Alabama

Graff  Parish from Dozier, Alabama

Jesse Lamar Price from Eufala, Alabama

Jesse Lee Riley from Enterprise, Alabama

Eugene Clower Smith from Port St. Joe, Florida

Randolph Aenon Sparks from Aucilla, Florida

Miriam Burnett Sellers from Slocomb, Alabama

Eva May Silent from Slocomb, Alabama

Robert Paul Stough from Dothan, Alabama

James Monroe Strickland from Dothan, Alabama

Illah May Smith from Olustee, Florida

Gladys Alma Trawick from Skipperville, Alabama

Bowers Shipp Sandusky from Marianna, Florida

Evelyn Avery Urquhart from Montgomery, Alabama

Virginia  Urquhart from Montgomery, Alabama

Alvine Herman Vanlandingham from Hartford, Alabama

Walter Bowden Venters from Chipley, Florida

Florrie Love Williams from Panama City, Florida

Ruby  Woodham from Slocomb, Alabama

Lynwood Henry Wilson from Crewe, Virginia

Hugh Emmette Wilson from Sweetwater, Alabama

John Wesley Wilson from Goodwater, Alabama

Daniel Cleveland Whitsett from Abbeville, Alabama

Anthony Hamilton Warner from Montgomery, Alabama

Paul Jennings Ward from Geneva, Alabama

Marguerite  Ward from Panama City, Florida

Bessie Lou Ward from Slocomb, Alabama

Alvin Lewis Walden from DeFuniak Springs, Florida

George J. Leslie Amos from Andalusia, Alabama

Olin B. Brooks from Birmingham, Alabama

Selden Temple Bristow from Lynn Haven , Florida

James Carl Bowden from Tennille, Alabama

I. Z. Bowden from Tennille, Alabama

Minnie Pearl Canterbury from Montgomery, Alabama

Oma Leonteen Cain from Panama City, Florida

Lucy Belle Canterbury from Panama City, Florida

Dora Lee Canterbury from Panama City, Florida

J. C. Dean from Ponce De Leon, Florida

Morrison Mosley Davis from McClenny, Florida

Charlie Herns Edenfield from Altha, Florida

Mildred  Edwards from Dothan, Alabama

Maries  Edwards from Dothan, Alabama

Annalee  Folks from Panama City, Florida

Pat  Hall from Thomasville, Alabama

Frances Catherine Glover from Panama City, Florida

James Lafayette Houston from Comer, Alabama

Steadman Eugene Hobbs from Panama City, Florida

Mrs. W. J. Hughes from Hartford, Alabama

Max Darby Jones from Port St. Joe, Florida

Bob Jr. Jones from College Point, Florida

James Walter Kelly from Slocomb, Alabama

Annie Louise Lee from Panama City, Florida

Lenna Elizabeth Leonard from Lynn Haven , Florida

Andrew Paul McKenzie from Panama City, Florida

Minnie Lois Mayers from Panama City, Florida

William Leonard Peters from St. Petersburg, Florida

William Hubbard Reynolds from Montgomery, Alabama

Gaston  Robinson from Clanton, Alabama

Helen Kathryn Sims from Panama City, Florida

Howard William Sapp from Panama City, Florida

Martha Jane Surber from St. Andrews, Florida

Rea  Steele from Panama City, Florida

Herbert Patton Sapp from Panama City, Florida

Minnie Beatrice Seay from Bartow, Florida

Mabel  Thompson from St. Andrews, Florida

Graves Sim Urquhart from Montgomery, Alabama

Marion Kenneth Vickery from Flomaton, Alabama

Mike Litton Whaley from Ozark, Alabama

Edward Meredith Wilson from Goldwater, Alabama

Alcus Addis Walden from DeFuniak Springs, Florida

[shipsforeveryone]

Hi there! Can I have some ships please? You are awesome for doing this! With Atla, GoT, Harry Potter, MCU, OUAT, parks and rec, star wars, and Hobbit please? With ask out scenario?(for any of them, which ever you feel most inspired by!)

I'm a straight female (so male ships pls)

MBTI: ISFJ and INFJ (I constantly switch between the 2/the S and N are always pretty much even)

Enneagram: 6w7 and 4w3(i know i know you are only suppose to have 1 but i swear I’m both lol)

House: Slytherpuff (I got both the first time on pottermore and it made me chose one, and every quiz I take anywhere always gives me a dif house each time 😅), and Thunderbird

Love language: Def physical touch, but I'm often too scared to initiate it. But hugs and cuddling are my fav things ever. Also giving and receiving gifts and words of affirmation

Personality: I'm kind of an oxymoron in general, like I'm super duper shy but extremely bubbly and energetic when I do talk. I'm get like super passionate about things and excited about everything and accidently get too loud sometimes. Or, when it comes to school and work I dont talk at all. Really bad with starting conversations and thinking of things to say.

Can be super awkward but like I think cute awkward? Super innocent. I'm annoyingly empathetic, often over little things like someone getting their feelings hurt. Extroverted introvert, I like to be included and go out and LOVE adventures and taking chances but I NEED my alone time to recharge. I can go go go but then i will need a week completely alone.

I get super intimated by guys, especially ones I like/think are cute, hence really the only guy friends I have are gay. I get left out a lot but also create fun for myself and not afraid to go to places alone and have a great time. Always worried about being rejected as I have dad abandonment issues and dance world rejection because of a minor disability(mild cerebral palsy on one side), but sometimes Im so worried about being liked that it becomes a self filming prophecy, I also think everyone always hates me secretly.

I have tons of ambition and passion and am super sweet. Can always find a positive in any situation. I can be super over sensitive tho. I can be super intense sometimes and steam roll but it's because I'm super passionate. I get excited about any and everything. Both a kid at heart and an old soul

Hobbies/interests: Musical theater (cant sing to save my life tho opps), Video editing, dancing, animals (always say I'm gonna die cause of an animal attack cause I want and try to approach and pet every animal I see 🤣), superheros, disney and disney world(worked there as a photographer), history and museums(I love old artifacts and places), traveling and going on adventures, redemption arcs 🤣

Thanks so much and sorry this was so long!

Of course, babe! So I just kinda wanted to input, you can ignore me if you want, but your description of yourself sounds more like an INFP/ENFP than an IxFJ. I would suggest looking up the cognitive functions of each type. To me, you read as a dominant or auxiliary Fi. Also, you may be tritype 469.

I’ll jump to the ships, feel free to ignore that first bit! xx

Avatar: The Last Airebender

OTP - Zuko. I can just see the two of you going to theater performances together. (Though avoiding The Ember Island Players)

BrOTP - Katara

NOTP - Toph

Game of Thrones

OTP - Jon Snow. 

BrOTP - Samwell Tarly

NOTP - Jaime Lannister

Harry Potter

OTP - Cedric Diggory

BrOTP - Neville Longbottom

NOTP - Percy Weasley

Once Upon A Time

OTP - Graham / The Huntsman. There is a lot of common ground between you. Up to and including your love of animals. He’d find you extremely honorable and would completely admire you.

BrOTP - Snow White / Mary Margaret Blanchard

NOTP - Emma Swan

Parks and Recreation

OTP - Andy Dwyer. As much as I love Andy and April, I think I might even ship you with Andy more. There’s so much in common, albeit Andy is even more extroverted. So I think you’d be a great balance for each other.

BrOTP - Chris Traeger. Although I think it’s fair to say, pretty much anyone could be BrOTP with Chris. 

NOTP - Tom Haverford

Star Wars

OTP - Luke Skywalker

BrOTP - Is it cheating to say R2? If so then Obi-Wan Kenobi. 

NOTP - Anakin Skywalker

The Hobbit

OTP - Bilbo Baggins. You’re both safety-seeking types that are also adventurous. So I can easily picture you both running off on adventures together and then going back to Bag End when you’re both socially drained and curling up together with a nice cup of tea.

Asking Out - I think the rest of the Company would have to play matchmaker between the two of you. You’re both too shy to approach the other about your feelings. One night, Kili gets impatient and tricks you into admitting your feelings for Bilbo, not knowing that Bilbo is within earshot. So when you stop by a village the next day, Bilbo asks you if you’d like to have a picnic with him. 

BrOTP - Kili. He’d bring you out of your shell and would respect your need to be alone sometimes. Plus he’d be the main matchmaker between you and Bilbo.

NOTP - Dwalin. He may be my favorite grump but that’s what he is. An impatient grump.

[duchessofostergotlands]

Can you name 3 "weaknesses" and 3 "strengths" of the Queen, Charles, Will, Kate, Harry and Meghan (individually)? I feel like you did this before but I can't find it, and i would love to know. If you find it, would you please send it to me? thank you

Lord this is asking for trouble. I don’t know if this is strengths and weaknesses but it’s things I personally would mention as positives and negatives about them:

The Queen

Weaknesses

She keeps rewarding Andrew for being a nib

She has so many patronages that there are some she hasn’t visited in at least 20 years

She can come across as disinterested really easily (picking her nails at the Olympics, anyone?)

Strengths

She is ridiculously sharp. When I compare her to how my great grandmother was when she was 10 years younger than the Queen is now it’s remarkable

She has been consistent and solid for most of her reign. There have been few major wobbles compared to her predecessors

She never complains, no matter what. The sense of duty is astonishing

Charles

Weaknesses

He interferes in politics way too much and it’s not cool

He isn’t a particularly good public speaker despite doing it longer than my parents have been alive

He doesn’t come across as naturally warm or welcoming. He reminds me of Carl Gustaf. He’s charming face to face but doesn’t always come across as relaxed and down to Earth in front of the cameras

Strengths

In royal terms he’s an incredibly hard worker

He has built the Duchy of Cornwall up into a formidable business which shows a lot of business savvy and strategy

His charities- particularly the Prince’s Trust- have perhaps had more influence on Britain than any other royal charity endeavour other than the DofE award

William

Weaknesses

He has taken a ridiculously long time to start focusing on royal engagements full time

He doesn’t think before he speaks

He’s a bit forgettable. I once referred to him as the human embodiment of the colour beige.

Strengths

He’s a bit forgettable hahaha. I know I put this as a weakness but I think it’s both! The Queen was always more forgettable than Margaret as a young woman and that’s what made her good at the job- she was safe! He knows what to keep private and what to show.

He is good at knowing the limits of his role. I can’t think of him ever openly interfering in political matters, he treads the line carefully

He has been refreshingly candid about his mistakes- particularly that speech about the task force which was amazing!

Kate

Weaknesses

She has also taken a long time to focus on royal duties and still isn’t working at the rate I’d like her to be at

While she’s improved, she’s not a natural public speaker and still has a way to go

We don’t hear from her!! I think part of this is the public speaking issue but in the past she’s released a letter or a statement and I would have loved a video message instead! Or she’ll often let william do the speaking when they’re together. It means we don’t get to build a sense of her personality as much

Strengths

She has no interest in showing off or getting praise. Heads Together was her idea and we had to find out from William and Harry because she won’t talk about it. It’s very humble

She has incredible emotional intelligence. Particularly around children. She often meets kids who are likely to have experience of trauma or adversity and she respects their boundaries and treats them like people

She is resilient. While William looked pissed all day after the topless pics leaked, Kate was out with a smile on her face like nothing happened. I like to say she has a backbone of steel

Harry

Weaknesses

Like his brother, he doesn’t think before he speaks or acts

He is unpredictable. One minute it’s all smiles and press photo opps and the next he’s furious and not talking to anyone 

He believes his own hype and doesn’t respond well when others don’t. From talking about how desperately all these causes “need” him and how the public needs the monarchy (fuck off pal) to the way he repeatedly touches or tried to touch Muslim women without considering their consent, it’s just bullish and arrogant 

Strengths 

When he’s on form he’s amiable and easy to get along with

 When he finds something he’s passionate about he really does throw himself into it. I know from some work contacts how heavily involved he was behind the scenes of the first Invictus Games, for example

 He isn’t afraid to make bold choices. Taking an HIV test was a really huge thing, speaking openly about his mental health was brave etc 

Meghan

Weaknesses

She doesn’t learn from her mistakes easily. She’s still spending huge amounts on clothing despite the criticism, she still gets free gifts despite it being completely off limits, she still highlights the US over the UK even though it’s not popular

She doesn’t seem to really understand the roles and responsibilities of the monarchy yet

In her speeches and things like the Foreword for the Together cookbook she talks about herself more than I would like and talks about the charity or its beneficiaries less than I would like. The balance is just a bit off. 

Strengths

She’s different. She hasn’t grown up in wealthy white circles like most royals so she brings a different perspective to things and has the potential to reach new groups who wouldn’t have engaged with the monarchy

 While I think there are some content issues as I mentioned above, her delivery of speeches is amazing and she is really good at improvising and speaking without notes which isn’t easy 

 She’s very perceptive at recognising gaps in the organisations she works with and working out how she can actually add value 

[disisphlebotinum]

1x19 The Return

Opps. We may or may not finish season 1 today.

Is this the episode where August turns to wood?

David trying to kiss Kathryn on her forehead is not sweet, its gross. He has done enough to her. He could at least keep his hands to himself.

I call bullshit on any of these people caring if Mary Margaret ever came home again.

My roommate just asked me when Emma was going to find out that Henry was her son? 

David sucks and so does his apology. I don’t know why she always thought he would catch her though, they were literally broken up and being idiots. Don’t they not get back together until the curse is broken? If so, lame.

Ready to skip immediately to Neil. Young him is just a waste.

I remember when this was first airing, when we believed that August was Rumple’s son. 

And that is how a boy becomes a Neil. Not an August.

Dick move show. This whole having Mr. Gold apologize to August shit is just cruel.

I forgot Sydney was our scapegoat for Kathryn’s disappearance. Do we ever seen Kathryn again after season 1?

“I’m taking back my son.”

[avaricepcys-blog]

✩. Tag dump

﹛―⇢ margaret ┊biography  ―﹜ ﹛―⇢ margaret ┊musings  ―﹜ ﹛―⇢ margaret ┊visage  ―﹜ ﹛―⇢ margaret ┊headcanon  ―﹜ ﹛―⇢ margaret ┊connections  ―﹜ ﹛―⇢ margaret ┊memes  ―﹜ ﹛―⇢ margaret interactions┊threads  ―﹜ ﹛―⇢ margaret interactions┊starter  ―﹜ ﹛―⇢ opp char┊000  ―﹜ ﹛―⇢ risqué content .✩﹜ ﹛―⇢ thread┊abc  ―﹜ ﹛ ✩ — Queue know how the time flies — ✩﹜ ( ooc┊this was the closest gif I could find — ✩)

[missvane]

When: 14 July, 1800 Where: Mrs. Bell’s Modiste Who: @margaretmulgrave

She needed to get out of the house, away from her thoughts and the red paint that now adorned the entrance to the townhome. There were a number of places she could go: the park, Hatchard’s, Piccadilly Arcade, Somerset House... and yet all held the terrifying risk of running into those she was attempting to avoid. So instead, Ophelia chose a rather infrequent location, and one she felt quite sure would offer the freedom of an unwanted run-in. An appointment at the modiste. 

Unfortunately for her, Whistledown had seen to it that any anonymity would be impossible to come by, and as she and Bridget made their way to Mirs. Bell’s, eyes followed them from all directions. If nothing else, Ophelia felt exhausted, and she for, perhaps the first time ever, she felt relief as the bell chimed upon their entrance to the dressmaker’s. 

But it would seem she was not the only one to have thought this place a refuge, or perhaps Lady Mulgrave drowned her sorrows in fabric in ribbon. Either way it seemed the two had similar ideas. 

“Lady Mulgrave,” she said, with a nod of greeting. “What a lovely welcome we received upon our return to London, hm?

[toparommen]

Roadtrip

Tirsdag morgen skulle vi endelig hente bilen, men fikk beskjed om at bilen ikke var klar før på ettermiddagen. Dagen gikk derfor bort i venting, før vi klarte å ta feil buss og endte opp med å måtte ta uber til utleiestedet. Da vi til slutt fikk bilen, kjørte vi til Fremantle, der vi bodde en natt. Fra Freo (som det kalles på folkemunne) kjørte vi til Injidup natural spa. Vi kunne ikke bade på stranden pga haifare, fordi de hadde funnet et hvalkadaver i nærheten. Men vi fant veien ned til kulpen med vann, som fungerte som et naturlig boblebad. Der fikk vi oppleve en kjempefin solnedgang, før vi kjørte tilbake til Camp Grace (hvor Jesus sørget for at vi hadde det bra).

Dagen etter kjørte vi til Margaret River, som vi hadde hørt så mye fint om. Vi kjørte forbi vingård etter vingård og skjønte fort hvorfor alle er så begeistret for dette området. Vi plukket ut to vingårder som vi besøkte, der vi på den ene ble tilbudt gratis minivinsmaking. Da vi begge skulle kjøre bil, fikk vi vår debut med vinspytting. Vi fikk smake på mange ulike vintyper og endte opp med å kjøpe med oss en campingvin begge to.

Etter vinsmakingen kjørte vi videre til Hamelin Bay. Hanna var i ekstase da vi så Eagle Rays på stranda og fikk haket av enda et punkt på bucketlisten. Vi kom etterhvert frem til en campingplass med en kjempestor hoppepute, som vi fikk leke oss på og være barn igjen (godt vi har blitt «voksne», for det å være barn gikk visst ikke så bra). Da sola gikk ned satt vi oss på brygga i soveposen, med et glass vin og speidet utover vannet. Det dukket opp en nise i vannet, som Hanna oppdaget med et trent øye.

Da vi skulle legge oss fikk vi besøk av kenguruer på vei til do, og vi sjekket derfor alle båsene før vi satt i gang med kveldsstellet. Det var et kryende dyreliv som møtte oss, og heldigvis var de alle snille (ingen ekle slanger eller edderkopper). Da sola stod opp igjen satt vi nesen mot Valley of the Giants. Her kunne vi gå mellom enorme trær, på en bro som raget mange meter opp i luften. Vi fikk testet høydeskrekken da vi så skiltet om «maks 10 mennesker på broen av gangen» samtidig som asiatiske turister kom traskende mot oss. Vi klarte å nyte utsikten og kom oss ned på bakken i to hele deler.

På veien videre mot Esperance løp Hanna innom Dinosaur world (supergira), før vi stoppet innom Greens pool og Elephant rocks, og så en fantastisk solnedgang fra bilen midt uti ingenmannsland.

Fortsettelse følger —

[evcrlasting]

CONTINUING FROM HERE @mauvemind​

“I need a beer for this conversation.” Dorian groaned as he stood up and walked over to the fridge. God, if only he could hide inside there for a bit longer, he wouldn’t have to face his demons. Today’s topic of horror was how transparent he was (or wasn’t) with his ex. “It’s none of their business if you ask me.” He reached for the bottle opener magnet on the freezer door and opened his drink. “and you know damn well that’ll open up a can of worms neither of us wants to deal with right now.” 

“Dorian-” Maggie spoke, twisting towards him as she watched him. As if that was really going to help. She didn’t want this conversation, hell she wasn’t even sure exactly what they really were or what they were doing. She enjoyed him, a lot, and she assumed - well she didn’t need to assume, she should’ve stopped assuming, he spoke again. “I’m, Dorian, that’s much easier to say when she didn’t corner you at the end of the school day while you’re trying to usher kids to their buses.” She let a small breath out. “I don’t care to tell her anything either but I’m not here for her trying to intimidate me.” And definitely not in her work place. “I didn’t think that was what I was getting into when we started.... this” whatever this what.

[vsangelssparkle]

Casting (Callbacks):

1.    Abby Champion (Callbacks)

2.    Adrianna Bach

3.    Aiden Curtiss (Callbacks)

4.    Alana Felisberto (Callbacks)

5.    Alana Henry

6.    Alanna Arrington (Callbacks)

7.    Alannah Walton (Callbacks)

8.    Alecia Morais (Callbacks)

9.    Alessia Mertz

10.  Alexandra Bonnesen

11.  Alexina Graham (Gerücht: ohne Casting dabei)

12.  Aleyna Fitzgerald (Callbacks)

13.  Alicia Burke

14.  Alicia Burke (Callbacks)

15.  Alicia Herbeth

16.  Alina Bobyleva

17.  Alyssa Riley (Callbacks)

18.  Ambra Battilana Gutierrez

19.  Amilna Estevao (Callbacks)

20.  Amira Pinheiro

21.  Amy Black

22.  Anabela Belikava

23.  Anamarija Crnoja

24.  Anastasia Panasenko

25.  Angelica Erthal

26.  Ange-Marie Moutambou

27.  Anne de Paula

28.  Antonina Petkovic (Callbacks)

29.  Aqua Parios (Callbacks)

30.  Ariela Soares

31.  Ashika Pratt

32.  Ashley Karah

33.  Aube Jolicoeur

34.  Azlin Nicolette

35.  Barbara Fialho (Gerücht: ohne Casting dabei)

36.  Barbara Palvin (Callbacks)

37.  Barbara Valente

38.  Barbra Lee Grant

39.  Blanca Padilla (Callbacks)

40.  Bojana Krsmanovic

41.  Brittany Noon (Callbacks)

42.  Brittni Tucker (Callbacks)

43.  Brooke Lynn Buchanan

44.  Brooke Perry (Callbacks)

45.  Bruna Lirio (Callbacks)

46.  Camille Opp

47.  Candice Blackburn

48.  Carmen Bruendler

49.  Carola Remer

50.  Carolina Sanchez

51.  Catherine Laylin

52.  Cayley King

53.  Chantal Monaghan

54.  Charlee Fraser

55.  Charlotte D’Alessio

56.  Charlotte Rose Hansen

57.  Chase Carter (Callbacks)

58.  Chelsey Weimar

59.  Chen Estelle (Callbacks)

60.  Cheyenne Maya Carty (Callbacks)

61.  Chiharu Okunugi (Callbacks)

62.  Chloe Braaten

63.  Chuyan He (Callbacks)

64.  Cindy Bruna (Gerücht: ohne Casting dabei)

65.  Cindy Mello

66.  Dahlia Savic

67.  Daiane Sodre

68.  Daniela Braga (Callbacks)

69.  Danielle Herrington (Callbacks)

70.  Danielle Knudson (Callbacks)

71.  Dasha Malentina (Callbacks)

72.  Destene Marie

73.  Devon Windsor (Callbacks)

74.  Dilan Cicek Deniz

75.  Dilone (Callbacks)

76.  Domonique Babineaux

77.  Duckie Thot (Callbacks)

78.  Ebonee Davis (Callbacks)

79.  Effy Harvard

80.  Elena Matei

81.  Elizabeth Turner

82.  Ella Rattigan

83.  Ellen Rosa (Callbacks)

84.  Elsa Baldaia

85.  Emma Bartlett

86.  Emma Brandstrup

87.  Eniko Mihalik (Callbacks)

88.  Eniola Abioro (Callbacks)

89.  Erin Eliopulos

90.  Eva Adams (Callbacks)

91.  Eva Berzina (Callbacks)

92.  Faith Lynch

93.  Fernanda Ly (Callbacks)

94.  Fernanda Oliveira (Callbacks)

95.  Fiona Briseno

96.  Flavia Lucini (Callbacks)

97.  Frida Aasen (Callbacks)

98.  Gabrielle Caunesil (Callbacks)

99.  Georgia Fowler (Callbacks)

100.               Georgia Gibbs

101.               Gizele Oliveira (Callbacks)

102.               Grace Bol (Callbacks)

103.               Grace Elizabeth (ohne Casting dabei)

104.               Greta Varlese (Callbacks)

105.               Gwen van Meir

106.               Hailey Clauson (Callbacks)

107.               Hannah Donker

108.               Hannah Ferguson (Callbacks)

109.               He Cong (Callbacks)

110.               Herieth Paul (Callbacks)

111.               I-Hua

112.               Iana Godnia

113.               Iesha Hodges (Callbacks)

114.               Imade Ogbewi

115.               India Makailah Graham

116.               Isabel Scholten (Callbacks)

117.               Isilda Moreira (Callbacks)

118.               Iwanna Bella

119.               Jamea Byrd

120.               Jasmine Daniels

121.               Jasmine Sanders (Callbacks)

122.               Jessica Clements (Callbacks)

123.               Jessica Strother

124.               Jessica Whitlow

125.               Jessie Li

126.               Joanna Bella

127.               Johanna Szikszai

128.               Jordan Rand (Callbacks)

129.               Josephine Le Tutour (Callbacks)

130.               Josie Canseco (Callbacks)

131.               Jourdana Elizabeth (Callbacks)

132.               Joy van der Eecken

133.               Juana Burga

134.               Julia Banas

135.               Julia Belyakova (Callbacks)

136.               Kamila Hansen

137.               Kate Bock (Callbacks)

138.               Kate Grigorieva (Callbacks)

139.               Kate Li (Callbacks)

140.               Keke Lindgard

141.               Keliani Asmus

142.               Kelly Gale (Callbacks)

143.               Kelsey Merritt (Callbacks)

144.               Kennidy Hunter

145.               Kiko Arai

146.               Kirstin Liljegren

147.               Kristina Perie

148.               Kristina Romanova (Callbacks)

149.               Lais Oliveira (Callbacks)

150.               Lameka Fox (Callbacks)

151.               Lara Ghraoui (Callbacks)

152.               Lara Helmer

153.               Lauren de Graaf (Callbacks)

154.               Lauren Layne

155.               Leila Nda (Callbacks)

156.               Leomie Anderson (Callbacks)

157.               Lexi Hipchen

158.               Lieke van Houten

159.               Lilly-Marie Liegau

160.               Lily Fofana

161.               Linda Helena

162.               Lini Kennedy

163.               Lola Hendrickx Lomijoh

164.               Lorena Rae (Callbacks)

165.               Lotta Kaijarvi (Callbacks)

166.               Lotta Maybelake (Callbacks)

167.               Lucia Lopez (Callbacks)

168.               Luma Grothe (Callbacks)

169.               Luna Castilho

170.               Maartje Verhoef (Callbacks)

171.               Mackinley Hill

172.               Madisin Rian

173.               Madison Headrick

174.               Madison Kirkbride

175.               Maeva Marshall

176.               Maggie Laine (ohne Casting dabei)

177.               Maia Cotton (Callbacks)

178.               Malaika Firth

179.               Mame Camara (Callbacks)

180.               Margaret Elson

181.               Maria Borges (Callbacks)

182.               Mariah Strongin

183.               Mariama Diallo

184.               Marianne Forseca

185.               Martine Fox

186.               Maya Stepper

187.               Mayowa Nicholas (Callbacks)

188.               McKenna Hellam

189.               Megan Irminger

190.               Megan Puleri

191.               Megan Williams (Callbacks)

192.               Melie Tiacoh (Callbacks)

193.               Melissa Cuc

194.               Melodie Vroom

195.               Melodie Vaxelaire (Callbacks)

196.               Meri Gulin

197.               Mia Jokic

198.               Mia Speicher

199.               Michelle Dantas

200.               Michelle van Bijnen

201.               Michelle Xavier

202.               Michi Delane

203.               Mileshka Cortes (Callbacks)

204.               Mili Boskovic

205.               Ming Xi (Gerücht: ohne Casting dabei)

206.               Miquela Vos (Callbacks)

207.               Moa Aberg

208.               Monica Cima (Callbacks)

209.               Myla Dalbesio (Callbacks)

210.               Myrthe Bolt (Callbacks)

211.               Nadine Leopold (Callbacks)

212.               Naki Depass

213.               Natalia Sirotina

214.               Neelam Gill

215.               Nibar Madar

216.               Nicole Potur

217.               Noel Capri Berry

218.               Olivia Edit Aarnio

219.               One Wy (Callbacks)

220.               Ophelie Guillermand (Callbacks)

221.               Oumie Jammeh (Callbacks)

222.               Paige Reifler

223.               Pamela Ramos

224.               Paulina Frankowska

225.               Pauline Hoarau (Callbacks)

226.               Peyton Olivia Knight

227.               Pooja Mor

228.               Raven Lyn

229.               Raylane Raysa

230.               Regan Kemper (Callbacks)

231.               Regitze Christensen

232.               Riane Herzik (Callbacks)

233.               Riley Montana (Callbacks)

234.               Robin Marjolein Holzken (Callbacks)

235.               Rocio Crusset

236.               Roos Abels (Callbacks)

237.               Roosmarijn de Kok (Callbacks)

238.               Rosmary Altuve Gomez

239.               Rubina Dyan

240.               Sadie Newman (Callbacks)

241.               Samantha Archibald

242.               Samile Bermannelli (Callbacks)

243.               Sandra Martens

244.               Sanne Vloet (Callbacks)

245.               Sara Dijkink

246.               Sarah Fraser

247.               Sara Witt (Callbacks)

248.               Sasha Kichinga (Callbacks)

249.               Shanelle Nyasiase (Callbacks)

250.               Shani Zigron (Callbacks)

251.               Shanina Shaik (Callbacks)

252.               Sharina Gutierrez

253.               Shayna Terese Taylor (Callbacks)

254.               Soa Denise

255.               Sofia Jamora

256.               Sofia Resing (Callbacks)

257.               Sofie Grace Rovenstine (Callbacks)

258.               Solange van Doorn (Callbacks)

259.               Stamatina Vlami

260.               Stefanie Giesinger

261.               Stephanie Jackson

262.               Stephanie Lyne

263.               Subah Koj

264.               Sui He (Callbacks)

265.               Susanne Knipper

266.               Symone Challenger

267.               Taerlo Thein

268.               Tako Nats

269.               Tami Williams

270.               Tanya Kizko (Callbacks)

271.               Tarah Rodgers (Callbacks)

272.               Tatiana Ringsby (Callbacks)

273.               Toni Garrn (Callbacks)

274.               Valentina Sampaio

275.               Valery Kaufman (Callbacks)

276.               Vanessa Moody (Callbacks)

277.               Varsha Thapa

278.               Victoria Lee (Callbacks)

279.               Victoria Seng

280.               Vika Ihnatenko

281.               Wallette Watson

282.               Wanesa Milhomem

283.               Willow Hand (Callbacks)

284.               Winnie Harlow (Callbacks)

285.               Xiao Wen Ju (Callbacks)

286.               Xin Xie (Callbacks)

287.               Yada Villaret (Callbacks)

288.               Yana Trufano

289.               Yasmin Wijnaldum (Callbacks)

290.               Yovanna Ventura

291.               Ysaunny Brito

292.               Zahara Davis (Callbacks)

293.               Zoi Ageliki Mantzakanis

294.               Zorana Kuzmanovic

295.               Zuri Tibby (ohne Casting dabei)

[hjohn3]

Political Tribute Acts

Tories And Labour Both Want Play The Old Tunes

By Honest John

YOU COULD be forgiven to think that, politically, the U.K. is in a time warp. The country is faced with problems that can only be described as existential: inflation set to hit 11% by the end of the calendar year; an absence of meaningful growth; a dearth of affordable housing; a health and social care system unable to cope with the most basic demands placed upon it; chronic problems of supply and desperate social and regional inequality. The British economic model, always woefully imbalanced with an overeliance on Finance, and bedevilled by systemic lack of investment and poor productivity, could just about stagger on while a member of the EU, with its economic rules set in Brussels, frictionless access to some of the world’s richest markets and risk shared between its member states. Outside the EU, it no longer even makes sense.

Twelve years of hubristic Tory rule have simply exacerbated these fundamental weaknesses of the British system. The party of alleged sound economic management has foisted on the country ten years of growth sapping austerity; the destruction of its own neoliberal free trading model by wantonly exiting the EU with no alternative plan; a catastrophic response to the Covid pandemic and enabling the integrity free populist waste of the Boris Johnson years. The Tories have also presided over a possibly terminal weakening of the bonds of the United Kingdom itself. It is no understatement that in modern Britain, nothing works, everything is going backwards, and national optimism is at an all time low.

When the Conservatives realised that their supposedly vote winning wizard, Johnson, had become an electoral liability, rammed home by local and by election routs this year, his Cabinet suddenly rediscovered a sense of honesty and decency that had eluded them when for three years they cheered his corrupt and scandal strewn idiocy to the rafters in the House of Commons, and abruptly dispensed with him in a mass rebellion comprising what Keir Starmer termed “the sinking ship deserting the rat”. So now we have the dreary prospect of one of two Cabinet veterans and former Johnson loyalists, becoming Prime Minister after the absurdly unrepresentative Conservative Party membership have had their say. Although we won’t know the outcome of this restricted election until 5th September, all the smart money is on Liz Truss besting Rishi Sunak and completing a miserable trio of utterly inadequate Tory Prime Ministers that have been inflicted on the nation since 2016.

And what exactly are the wholly unimpressive Truss’ solutions to the intrinsic problems facing this country? It appears as though Truss believes she is back in 1986. Always a slightly absurd Margaret Thatcher tribute act in terms of her photo opps, she now seems to have doubled down on her latter day Thatcherism, prescribing tax cuts (including reversing the rise in National Insurance that is currently funding the gargantuan task of reducing NHS waiting lists), a “bonfire” of regulations, and an expansion of the Rwanda refugee offshoring policy to, perhaps Turkey, oh, and banning strikes of course. And that is pretty much it. Truss claims, with virtually no evidence, that tax cuts will combat inflation; she claims Britain is subject to a range of EU “rules” that are restricting enterprise which she will allow to lapse next year with no discussion of the implication of the resultant legal black hole, and asserts her low tax, low regulation, low wage economy will magically attract investment without explaining how. The economic illiteracy of the Truss “programme” is quite staggering and its wilful ignoring of the actual problems facing the country makes it almost irrelevant. In hoc to the Tory glory years of the 1980s, Truss seems to believe that tax cuts are not just a sweet spot for the party faithful, but also for the general electorate also - a magic formula for General Election success. But the former Liberal Democrat Truss clearly does not know her Conservative history: Thatcher did not cut taxes until her third term, after cuts to public expenditure and North Sea oil revenues had built a war chest of budgetary surpluses that made tax cuts affordable. The modern U.K. has a debt counted in the billions, and her promised £30bn of tax cuts, opening a massive hole in the public finances, would have appalled the Iron Lady in its irresponsibility. Even in Tory terms, tax cuts in current economic circumstances, makes no sense. The fact that Truss is talking about borrowing to fund her tax cuts tells you all you need to know about our likely future PM’s grip on the most basic fundamentals of economic management.

Is Truss’ wilful naivety and refusal to address the real issues facing the country a symptom of her own cluelessness or of the paucity of any new thinking within Conservatism, or both? In some respects, it doesn’t matter: a 1980s tribute act is all that’s on offer from the Tory front runner, recently matched by a desperate Sunak, palpably failing to break through to the Tory membership.

Given the Sunak/ Truss race to the bottom to create a minimal state right wing nirvana, this must surely be an opportunity for Labour, to be able to exploit Tory internecine warfare and put forward a compelling vision for national renewal to contrast the small minded irrelevance of the two leadership candidates? Sadly not. Keir Starmer and his unimaginative team seem determined to dial forward just ten years from the Tories’ 80s cul-de-sac. Starmer’s sweet spot is 1996.

The extent to which the dead hand of Peter Mandelson is behind this is a subject of debate (particularly in fevered left wing circles), but Starmer’s move to emulate Blair and Brown’s march to power in the late 1990s has been as rapid as it is unthinking. For Blair’s “Education, education, education”, we have Starmer’s “Growth, growth, growth”; for Gordon’s Brown’s 1997 “Golden Rule” governing borrowing, we have Rachel Reeves’ suddenly made up “fiscal rules”; for Blair’s distancing from the trade union movement, we have Starmer’s bizarre banning of Cabinet members from picket lines. This is less a 1990s tribute act, as much as direct copying of the Blair playbook. In an unironic mirror image of Truss’ witless pursuit of tax cuts, so Starmer’s circle seem to believe emulating every feature of Blair’s pre 1997 positioning, will be a magical passport to Downing Street, regardless of the utterly changed political and economic circumstances of the U.K. in 2022 compared to the country then.

In truth, the New Labour stance on macro economics was, in essence, a political tactic. After having lost four elections in a row, and a major factor of each being the public’s suspicion of Labour’s ability to run the economy effectively after the disasters of 1978/79, Blair and Brown took the view that the Thatcherite settlement of deregulation, privatisation and free trade within Europe, should be accepted in full. This eventually morphed into the conceit of the “Third Way” and a genuine belief on the part of the New Labour high command that they had discovered a formula that could fuse neoliberal economics with an emphasis at home on social justice and win elections indefinitely. This belief appears to have now captured the team surrounding the Labour leadership. However the Blairite model of global free trade and public spending programmes fuelled by easy credit and the resultant growth, did not last more than eleven years. For the Blair tribute act, it is as if the 2008 crash, a decade of austerity, the loss of virtually all Labour’s Scottish seats in 2015, Brexit, Covid and the loss of the red wall didn’t happen. Over a decade of stagnant growth, exacerbated by leaving the European Union, which itself clearly requires government intervention in a British economy now on its own, will apparently be addressed by being “business friendly”, encouraging “growth” and “making Brexit work”. It seems has though Starmer has imbibed Blair’s penchant for the slogan, but without the policy detail behind them that made New Labour such a formidable governing force when it came to power.

A broken economic model without the protection of the EU, beset by runaway inflation, anaemic growth post covid, suffering from Brexit induced trade barriers, with public services failing now to even cover the basics, needs radical reform. A reform programme for the 2020s which could convert the despair of the final collapse of belief in the Tory market state, to address climate change, regional redistribution of wealth, post Brexit trade with Europe, and electoral and constitutional reform. Starmer proudly informs the nation on a regular basis what Labour is not going to do (public ownership; joining the European single market; agreeing a non Tory programme for government with the Liberal Democrats) but gives no detail of what Labour would do if it manages to come to power at the next election. The adherence to the electoral tactics of 27 years ago inspires no one and disappoints many. It is entirely feasible that Starmer’s lack of vision, courage and optimism, will see the easy blandishments of Truss’ faux insurgent Thatcherism overhaul the unexciting Labour pitch of being honest and competent. Starmer’s team behave as if all was well with the good ship Britannia before Johnson appeared from nowhere and upset everything and now all that is needed is a decent PM, governing from a mythical centre ground to put things right. What neither Truss nor Starmer seem to want to acknowledge, was that in his dim, cynical way, Johnson was actually onto something. His promise of a post Brexit active state seeking to “level up” the nation, free of European restrictions on state aid, could have been genuinely transformative if he had had the energy and competence to see it through. The current political circumstances favour real boldness of vision and genuine innovation: it could not be a more propitious time for an opposition seeking to end a long period of rule by a governing party with literally nothing left to offer. Instead Starmer’s Labour wishes to match Truss’ Toryism in its absence of new ideas and its cleaving to the past. Both Tories and Labour offer the country nothing, peddling old and busted ideas like two clapped out Queen or Oasis tribute bands.

What a choice to put before the British people.

31st July 2022