Reform, and the death of the Tory Party

[BoldonLad]

Worth remembering that food accounted for about 25% of household expenditure then, now I think it's about 10%.

We may have had a slight. advantage, my maternal grandfather had a small holding with chickens and a few pigs. We received eggs and the occasional chicken, maybe some pork. No idea if my parents paid for them, I suspect they did (my grandfather was, shall we say, careful with his money), but, probably not the "going rate". My recollection of "meat" is that chicken was a luxury, beef, lamb, duck, turkey I do not recall having. Lots of meals were based on mince. My father, a shipyard worker (welder) made an effort at growing 'stuff" in our small garden, I recall digging up potatoes, but, I dont think his ashes would be disturbed by hearing me say "he was not really a gardener" 😊

 

[TailWindHome]

https://thecritic.co.uk/the-farage-flounce/

 

[AndyRM]

Surely no one wants to return to the stinky pubs and clubs of our youth. It won’t win votes from anyone who doesn’t smoke and the population of smokers is around 10%.

I would love to know the ratio of Reform voters who smoke. I expect it would be quite higher than 10% average.

I smoke.

Banning it indoors has been a great idea and changing that would be monumentally stupid.

 

[briantrumpet]

I smoke.

Banning it indoors has been a great idea and changing that would be monumentally stupid.

I've never smoked, but can *still* remember the stench that clothes you'd worn to the pub the night before still had the next morning.

 

[AndyRM]

I've never smoked, but can *still* remember the stench that clothes you'd worn to the pub the night before still had the next morning.

Yup. It's rank.

I don't smoke inside at home either, because I don't want my flat to smell like an ashtray, which is pretty much unavoidable.

 

[briantrumpet]

Yes, I guess it is a combination of fresh food, smaller portions and a lack of snacking, including far less sugar.

Ha, that reminds me of Mum's daily shop in the village: butcher, baker, greengrocers. Sometimes went into Gateway if she'd forgotten to get something in the weekly delivery from one of the two small grocers shops. Parents never had a car in 52 years of marriage.

 

[All uphill]

I've never smoked, but can *still* remember the stench that clothes you'd worn to the pub the night before still had the next morning.

Do you remember coming home from a day in the office stinking of other people's fags?

Hanging your clothes up outside to be slightly freshened for the next day.

 

[briantrumpet]

Do you remember coming home from a day in the office stinking of other people's fags?

Hanging your clothes up outside to be slightly freshened for the next day.

I've never worked in an office. Well apart from Property Services Agency for a total of one week in 1981 🤣

 

[midlandsgrimpeur]

Ha, that reminds me of Mum's daily shop in the village: butcher, baker, greengrocers. Sometimes went into Gateway if she'd forgotten to get something in the weekly delivery from one of the two small grocers shops. Parents never had a car in 52 years of marriage.

I actually hate supermarkets, but I have no other choice. I would love for there to still be small independent grocers, fishmongers and so on. I have one independent bakery near to me but they open two days a week and are a bit too pricey to be a weekly staple, more an occasional treat place.

 

[briantrumpet]

I actually hate supermarkets, but I have no other choice. I would love for there to still be small independent grocers, fishmongers and so on. I have one independent bakery near to me but they open two days a week and are a bit too pricey to be a weekly staple, more an occasional treat place.

It was hard work doing the daily shop, and I can see why supermarkets have effectively killed the high street smal shop, for all sorts of reasons. I think the 'high street' will have to adapt even further, with more residential, but I'd ban supermarkets where the only practical access is by car. To be fair to Lidl and Aldi, amongst others, they do seem to find decent in-town locations, at least here and France, where I can still do my shopping by bike easily, and seem to serve local communities, rather than being magnets for large and car-only clientele.

That said, Topsham still has a butchers, bakers and greengrocers, but I suspect they are only just hanging on, as we've got two truly excellent large farm shops nearby. (The one where I buy my sausages sells 2-3 tonnes of sausages *per week*!! So it's not surprising that the small butcher's find it hard to compete.)

 

[Beebo]

Do you remember coming home from a day in the office stinking of other people's fags?

Hanging your clothes up outside to be slightly freshened for the next day.

I started work in 1996. I recall the office smoking room. An absolute hell hole.

I think “at desk” smoking had been abolished a few years previously.

 

[briantrumpet]

I must admit that seeing addicted smokers being given time off-site for a quick top-up of nicotine both amuses me, and annoys me (if it's on paid time - would they do the same for cocaine addicts?) - the amusement comes from them having to stand in the rain or whatever for their 'fix'.

 

[Pblakeney]

I must admit that seeing addicted smokers being given time off-site for a quick top-up of nicotine both amuses me, and annoys me (if it's on paid time - would they do the same for cocaine addicts?) - the amusement comes from them having to stand in the rain or whatever for their 'fix'.

Tbf, there are lots of ways to chill while on the clock without going outside in the rain.
And if it's sunny then there are potentially outdoors methods too.

 

[Mr Celine]

Seems Reform aren't just racist, some are homophobes too. Malcolm Offord, Reform leader in Scotland, in trouble for a 'joke' told at a Burns supper. The link includes it, NSFW and not remotely funny.

https://www.thenational.scot/politi...eform-uk-scotland-leader-malcolm-offord-told/

 

[Beebo]

Seems Reform aren't just racist, some are homophobes too. Malcolm Offord, Reform leader in Scotland, in trouble for a 'joke' told at a Burns supper. The link includes it, NSFW and not remotely funny.

https://www.thenational.scot/politi...eform-uk-scotland-leader-malcolm-offord-told/

Wow. That’s an awful joke.
I was expecting some light campy joke that was a bit off colour, but that was dark and vicious.