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Post by Bill in the rain on Jul 9, 2024 15:05:39 GMT
What happens if you sit on the benches?
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Post by Mr Wonderstuff on Jul 9, 2024 15:10:08 GMT
What happens if you sit on the benches? Think James Bond. |
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otto
New Member
Posts: 981
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Post by otto on Jul 9, 2024 15:13:03 GMT
I think a couple of us here have been often as civil servants. There's a little box in the corner where officials sit. I am not very objective on the subject but I fucking hate the place, I think it's pokey and kitschy and the architecture and layout are not conducive to grown up politics. I would rip the entire place down or turn it into a conference centre and move the lot of them to a purpose-built hemicycle in Birmingham. I'm dead serious. It would improve things no end.
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Post by britesparc on Jul 9, 2024 15:25:34 GMT
I read something a couple of years ago that said the building is so old it's basically falling apart and is an absolute death trap, and to fix it would cost literally billions and require it to be shut down for a number of years.
Which I actually think they should do, but once you move Parliament out of there for, say, 2-3 years, I wonder if there's any point moving them back in. Maybe keep it as a tourist attraction or for certain state functions (eg Opening of Parliament) but for everything else they go elsewhere.
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Blue_Mike
Full Member
Meet Hanako At Embers
Posts: 5,402
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Post by Blue_Mike on Jul 9, 2024 16:01:02 GMT
I think a couple of us here have been often as civil servants. There's a little box in the corner where officials sit. I am not very objective on the subject but I fucking hate the place, I think it's pokey and kitschy and the architecture and layout are not conducive to grown up politics. I would rip the entire place down or turn it into a conference centre and move the lot of them to a purpose-built hemicycle in Birmingham. I'm dead serious. It would improve things no end. Thanks for sending me down the hemicycle rabbithole. |
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Post by Dougs on Jul 9, 2024 16:07:00 GMT
I think a couple of us here have been often as civil servants. There's a little box in the corner where officials sit. I am not very objective on the subject but I fucking hate the place, I think it's pokey and kitschy and the architecture and layout are not conducive to grown up politics. I would rip the entire place down or turn it into a conference centre and move the lot of them to a purpose-built hemicycle in Birmingham. I'm dead serious. It would improve things no end. Never going to happen. I love wandering around the place, the history is palpable. Generally prefer the Lords to Commons. But it is pokey and kitschy, and falling apart.and probably needs tearing down. |
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X201
Full Member
Posts: 5,141
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Post by X201 on Jul 9, 2024 16:39:05 GMT
What happens if you sit on the benches? Sitting is fine. Lounge with an air of entitlement and you’ll lose your seat at the next general election.  |
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Post by jeepers on Jul 9, 2024 16:55:33 GMT
I got taken there by Michael Howard (who was sort of a client at the time). What surprised me most was that he took us thro’ a small door near the visitors lobby (?), up a number of narrow stairs, opened another small, innocuous door and we were in the viewing gallery (?) above the Commons.
Security felt amazingly lax!
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Post by Dougs on Jul 9, 2024 17:16:21 GMT
If you're with a Member with a pass to escort, you can go around most of the place. Once got left in a Member's area after a Minister buggered off - doormen were very quick. Also seen a colleague dragged out (literally) of the officials box for not being on the list. Wasn't his fault, admin cock up.
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Post by jeepers on Jul 9, 2024 17:25:07 GMT
If you're with a Member with a pass to escort, you can go around most of the place. Once got left in a Member's area after a Minister buggered off - doormen were very quick. Also seen a colleague dragged out (literally) of the officials box for not being on the list. Wasn't his fault, admin cock up. It’s actually reassuring that it’s discreet rather than absent security  |
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Post by jeepers on Jul 9, 2024 17:26:35 GMT
Weirdly, and as someone who disliked intensely Michael Howard, whenever I met him, he was the most ridiculously charismatic and charming person I’d ever met. I guess you have to be but it still surprised me.
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Post by Jambowayoh on Jul 9, 2024 17:26:49 GMT
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Post by Whizzo on Jul 9, 2024 17:27:53 GMT
Weirdly, and as someone who disliked intensely Michael Howard, whenever I met him, he was the most ridiculously charismatic and charming person I’d ever met. I guess you have to be but it still surprised me. Vampires are well known for that though. |
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Post by Whizzo on Jul 9, 2024 18:09:24 GMT
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Post by Dougs on Jul 9, 2024 19:21:47 GMT
Weirdly, and as someone who disliked intensely Michael Howard, whenever I met him, he was the most ridiculously charismatic and charming person I’d ever met. I guess you have to be but it still surprised me. Was discussing working with ministers of both parties with a mate of mine, who also remembers the last Labour years. We hoth agreed that Tory ministers were almost certainly nicer to work for. May have just been lucky but they were all very nice indeed. The odd Labour one from then were quite awful. |
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Ulythium
Full Member
Lily-livered
Posts: 7,133
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Post by Ulythium on Jul 9, 2024 19:39:38 GMT
To be honest, the URL could've stopped there, and there would still have been a 99% chance of your statement being correct.
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Post by technoish on Jul 9, 2024 19:51:27 GMT
Weirdly, and as someone who disliked intensely Michael Howard, whenever I met him, he was the most ridiculously charismatic and charming person I’d ever met. I guess you have to be but it still surprised me. Was discussing working with ministers of both parties with a mate of mine, who also remembers the last Labour years. We hoth agreed that Tory ministers were almost certainly nicer to work for. May have just been lucky but they were all very nice indeed. The odd Labour one from then were quite awful. Our new lot seem very very nice. The ones that were the harshest were all lords minister who were big in business previously, although one of them was still quite kind - he shared his umbrella with me as we left his ministerial car behind in city traffic to sprint thru pouring rain to a reception he was speaking at. |
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Bongo Heracles
Junior Member
Technically illegal to ride on public land
Posts: 4,658
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Post by Bongo Heracles on Jul 9, 2024 19:54:24 GMT
The odd Labour one from then were quite awful. It’s easy to forget in the intervening years that, as well as the more traditional old heads, Labour were full of snide yuppie cunts who pushed some genuinely awful policies. And the likes of Streeting are absolutely nailed on to be remembered as the latter. |
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Post by technoish on Jul 9, 2024 20:11:31 GMT
He seemed all good sense in his speech today.
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Post by Dougs on Jul 9, 2024 20:21:31 GMT
Yeah the worst were the Government of all Talents that Brown tried. Not dissimilar to what Starmer is trying now but with jumped up pricks.
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Tomo
Junior Member
Posts: 3,524
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Post by Tomo on Jul 9, 2024 20:23:04 GMT
Having reported quite a lot on Streeting when he was NUS President back in my student newspaper days, he came across as quite annoying back then. Complete careerist. His ascent has been quite impressive though tbf. He seems quietly intense in a slightly psychopathic way to me these days.
Buttttt, I'm still open-minded. Maybe he'll be good.
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cubby
Full Member
doesn't get subtext
Posts: 6,397
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Post by cubby on Jul 9, 2024 20:28:35 GMT
As long as they keep Jacqui Smith as far away from the home secretary role hopefully they won't fuck up too much.
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Post by dfunked on Jul 9, 2024 20:50:07 GMT
Apparently he's going to give his entire salary away to charity, in a totally coincidentally timed bit of news. Curious to see which charities he picks... |
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Post by Danno on Jul 9, 2024 20:51:26 GMT
Is he pushing WWII off the curriculum |
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Post by Jambowayoh on Jul 9, 2024 20:52:22 GMT
Apparently he's going to give his entire salary away to charity, in a totally coincidentally timed bit of news. Curious to see which charities he picks... Uncle Vlad's 100 Storey Window Emporium is a charity isn't it? |
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Post by Danno on Jul 9, 2024 20:57:04 GMT
The odd Labour one from then were quite awful. And the likes of Streeting are absolutely nailed on to be remembered as the latter. Said it before I *really* do not like him. He approaches every single interview fists up and that's a concern if he thinks he's going to get the Junior Doctors dispute resolved happily* on all sides. I wouldn't have him anywhere near health. Or any other cabinet position that requires some level of compassion and compromise. Put him in charge of OFWAT, for now *happily enough to get it resolved for a few years at least. |
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Post by Dougs on Jul 9, 2024 20:59:45 GMT
Took me ages to recognise Rupert Lowe. Ex-Southampton FC Chairman!
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Post by Danno on Jul 9, 2024 21:06:36 GMT
Took me ages to recognise Rupert Lowe. Ex-Southampton FC Chairman! Automatic Scum. |
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Post by Whizzo on Jul 9, 2024 21:08:36 GMT
On the matter of Rupert Lowe, it's getting very murky.
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Post by Dougs on Jul 9, 2024 21:20:36 GMT
83 Vic Street is one of those offices with loads registered there. Now who owns the building could be interesting...
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