Rain, Toys, Clegg

[poliphilo]

It rained yesterday and it's going to rain some more today. Apparently it's all down to the seasonal melting of the Greenland ice. The sogginess of May is now so predictable that commentators are beginning to talk (seriously or in jest, I'm not sure which) about the British monsoon season.

I spent £15 in the Red Cross shop in Paddock Wood yesterday. I bought three plastic dinosaurs, four plastic sea creatures (more or less life-size), a tin full of plastic animals, a box full of plastic ponies and their riders and four die cast metal cars. All for the grandchildren and great nephews you understand (cough).

Last time I looked Nick Clegg was still leader of the Lib Dems. I can't think why. 

Comments

[jfs.livejournal.com]

I read a meteorologists article about 10 years ago predicting a fifth, rain or monsoon season in Britain. At the time the author said the evidence was weak, but that there was a correlation and that they'd be monitoring it as a sign of climate change.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I think the evidence is stronger now.

[davesmusictank.livejournal.com]

I also think as we get more tropical that a monsoon season becomes more likely. And like you, i still wonder why Clegg is leader of the Liberals. About time he abdicated.
I love doing the charity shops in Paddock Wood. Found some good books there. Now you have given me an idea. I have this mystery shop in High Brooms (Odeon cinema) early evening to do so i could do Paddock Wood first , then catch the train to High Brooms. Just hope it is not too wet later on.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Paddock Wood is really well supplied with charity shops for such a small town.

[shewhomust.livejournal.com]

That sounds like fifteen quid well spent!

Who would replace Nick Clegg as leader of the Lib Dems at this point? I can't see anyone saving them from disaster in the next general election. So in a year's time, they still have a leader tainted with the betrayals of coalition, who has lead them to defeat in the election which (as most people see it) actually matters - and they're back to looking for a leader again. Isn't any serious contender going to prefer to wait?

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Nick Clegg is arguably the most unpopular man in British politics today- and that's not going to change. It's probably too late for the Lib Dems to regroup before the next election but they could make a start. As for his successor the obvious person is Vince Cable, who- for reasons that escape me- is still liked.

[stevegreen.livejournal.com]

Clegg needs to go. I was never convinced by him - and he didn't get my vote in the leadership election - but neither am I all that impressed by Cable, whose chief claim to fame is that he noticed the Jenga-like precariousness of world banking ahead of the actual collapse. A period in the political wilderness outside Westminster might do us some good. It's not as if the territory is unfamiliar.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I don't see the Lib Dems ever recovering with Clegg as their leader. He's just too badly damaged.

[shewhomust.livejournal.com]

Oh, I'm not arguing that Clegg should stay on - just that anyone who seriously wants the job might want to wait until they have some chance of keeping it for more than a year.

Of course, Vince Cable has done the job before on a caretaker basis, so he might accept it again. He won a lot of goodwill then, though mainly, as I recall, for saying the sort of things his party has turned its back on in 'government'. You reckon he's still liked? Not in this house, but what do I know?

It certainly makes his current position (in China and far away from all this unseemly infighting) look very interesting...

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I take your point: the job's a poisoned chalice.

On the other hand it's going to remain poisoned until Clegg goes.

[qatsi.livejournal.com]

Apparently it's all down to the seasonal melting of the Greenland ice.

And there was I thinking it was because The People had voted for UKIP.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

God's righteous anger?- well, it's a theory...

[redatt.livejournal.com]

And every bit as solid as a certain UKIPer's theory that the weather is God's righteous anger for gay marriage. I know which theory I prefer :-D

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

You've got to mind your "p"s and "q"s when God's around. The old chap has a very uncertain temper.