Lionel

What a useless, ill-thought out comment!

Major took the Conservative Party Centre left, against the will of Parliament. He also forced through Maastricht, against Parliament's will. Facts, facts .. you do seem so short of them.

Are you really over fifty?

OK, so you're yet another one from the remain camp who has joined ... today? Of course I'm right. There's been so many on SS just like you, make a silly point and beggar off. If you had taken the time to read Speakers Corner posts from nearly four years ago, of which I was a poster, you would have seen yours is a lost cause. The hard core majority on here are Brexit supporters, as I am. I'm somewhat sorry to tell you, spouting remain doctrine, which is not a truth at all, doesn't cut any mustard.

Bloody rubbish! You need to think through what you're saying because it is horribly flawed.

Popcorn, perhaps you should check your facts. The British economy was not in such a mess prior to joining the EEC. That supposed mess was a lie propagated by Heath et al. The IMF bailout was 1967/8 as I recall and was not a factor in the state of our economy in 1972. The Socialists under Wilson caused much economic trouble with their neo-communist policies. That's why we needed a bailout.

I'd say 40.

Did you lie on the age question for admission to SS?

Such a stupid post! For what, precisely, would you have us examined? I have a BSc in Geology from London University. Does that disqualify me? My wife has been a mother and businesswoman. Is she disqualified in your rule book? What are your thresholds in this examination? Who would conduct it? Do you not yet understand, it is for the individual citizen to remain fully informed as to what is either proposed or going on? It is for the individual to make personal choices, to decide the nation's direction for the next five years. British democracy embraces the entirety of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, a collective result. That result stands! If you want to exclude people from our democracy, I'll begin with YOU! Denominate your qualification for holding your opinions, tell us all why we should even read your post. I can tell you. there's several on SS of a like mind who would have you disqualified from voting in an instant - that is if you want such barriers. It's goose and gander time. What's good for you is even better for us!

Brilliant, and so true.

Neil, there is a fact which the Brits choose to ignore. Germany is arming again. It reads to me like a repeat if the 1930's. But then what do I know? In the '30's so many of our aristocracy and parliamentarians wanted to ally Britain with Germany under Hitler. The possible outcome of that... I'll leave that to you. It's clear to me the EU is ... I won't write it here but use your head. Why would we engage with them on friendly terms. If you're in the reserve stand by. I fear it's all coming at us again.

I'm not of the Armed Forces Neil, but believe me, you guys, serving or retired, I hold in the highest regard. May I say thank you to you from an otherwise ungrateful country. Your point about the Labour Party hits the spot with me. I am Jewish by birth and so any threat to Jewish people is a threat to me, although I don't live in community. Racism ... yes, I know about that too. Oh boy, do I ever know about that. The very thought of Corbyn in Downing Street horrifies me. That old dictum ... first the Jews then ... it's your call, it could be you. I'll vote Brexit Party. Not only is it good for Britain but it's good for Jewsih people. Again, Neil, my thanks for serving.

No, Wilf, the challenge is not the environment. The challenge facing all reasoning folk is two fold: desecrating the environment through corporate greed and, not least, humanity's disgusting habits. Otherwise, the environment is fine. I've said a few times on SS I'm quite familiar with the former Soviet States of Czech and Poland. I was there in the very early nineties. What struck me most was the cleanliness of both the people and their land, quite unlike UK even in those days. No chewing gum on the streets and no supermarkets anywhere therefore very little corporate waste. Food was mostly wrapped in paper which was composted for taties. Coming back to Britain after a month in Czech was a severe culture shock. The waste we strew around everywhere wasn't credible. I was ashamed of my own people. We choose to disagree on the origins of climate change, Wilf. That's fine by me. But surely you can't disagree much of climate change, for whatever reason, is driven by the disgusting habits of humanity. Too much waste irresponsibly disposed of in a reckless manner, too much packaging discarded .... we need to think again and bring our corporates, and ourselves, into line here. What has this to do with the election? A lot! No political party is going to tackle the corporates or our habits. It's a political no no and because of that we drown in corporate waste. Is there no politician with enough backbone to standup and say, 'enough.'

Are you sure? There are so many gender variations lauded these days I wouldn't care to drop my pants for anyone but my lovely wife,

Well said. Quite right.

Yes, Pauline, so very well said. Thank you.

I go with Peter Hitchens, the voting age should be raised to 40. Looking back I think I was more politically aware at that age, and since, than ever before.

I had always thought so many of those pictured above were gay. Does that mean hair on the upper lip is a signal? If so, better pay close attention tomorrow when shaving.

I well remember reading Francis Chichester's biography The Lonely Sea and the Sky. Therein he said,' if one doesn't vote one loses the right to complain, until the next election.' I do so love to complain about the government, don't you?

A lot is very rotten in the state of Denmark, and it is far more widespread, methinks. You will have noted where I came from, the company I kept in those salubrious quarters. Lessons were learned at quite a young age. Keep out of it! And I did. But that was fifty plus years ago. It can only be worse now. I see Whitehall as a massive, all-encompassing witches cauldron - everyone is hostage to something. Can Washington D.C. be different? As with you, Yodama, my favourite curmudgeon says,' I don't believe it.' The trouble is, I do!

Maybe, Wilf, there's a good few others like me who are patriotic towards this nation. That being the case, voting is a duty, don't you think?

Well, Trish, I wouldn't, being strongly of the hetero persuasion. I can just imagine the scene, camp fire, camp followers gathered around and a GI in full battle gear holding a pair of soiled men's underwear. I wonder which brave soul, male or female, would own up?

Hello Clive. I was divorced almost 25 years ago. I didn't want that outcome but she did so it happened. I didn't take the breakdown of my marriage at all well - not buckets of tears but a lot of resentment and anger toward the other parties involved. Yes, there were three! My faith carried me through too, eventually, when I was ready to let go of the heavy emotional stuff. These days, contentedly married again I view that part of life as a doorway through which it was necessary to pass. This man's God-given faith is more certain than before.

Nothing is sacred when a political leader is in a tight spot. Human life? Well, not worth much in the great scheme of things, is it? Unless of course one happens to be in the firing line. Trump seems to have spent his life treading on everybody who crosses his path so why should some marauding Arab be any different. Was it Abu? Wasn't it Abu? Only the privileged few will ever know.

Does that mean the Americans must find someone in his camp familiar with his underwear to identify him? I can just imagine the scene!

No problem with cheese for supper. Sleep like a rock mostly. Now, that is a great blessing.

Again, one of the great pleasures of living in a remote part of East Anglia is that we so seldom hear fire works. But in case a new comer to the area (there are so few) should get frisky with fireworks my Collies each have a Valerian capsule at tea time. Helps us all with a good night's sleep.

I'm not a political animal no, but more of an observer. But it does seem to me there are too many variables to call at this stage in proceedings. We need some runners humiliated, brought down or whatever to reduce the field. I most certainly will be voting. I believe it's a duty and being quite patriotic I'll use my vote to reinforce my stance on Brexit, and give a hint of how I feel about the three party leaders. You could say, I'll see through what was begun over three years ago.

Anything to part us from our hard earned cash but with no tangible return. Still, the Iraq War needed to be financed somehow.

Please give your dad my greetings. In principle I would agree with a small hike in VAT to provide world class NHS services once again. However, if we consider the number of specific taxes levied, Road Fund Tax as was, for example, too often they end up in the Exchequer's General Fund and be squandered on questionable wars, government vanity projects or paying off the national debt. If we consider something of the order of £50 billion is collected from VED, it seems to me far less is spent on roads.

And, Wilf, consider as with any government project the Exchequer receives back VAT, Income Tax and Corporation Tax, so the net cost to them of any project is probably 60% of initial spend.

Quite right Wilf. I very angry at all the tinkering and cutting back with what was in my lifetime a world class model.

As a bit of an aside ... my home village in West Norfolk would be visited once a week by a doctor from the local town. It became known he was first a horse vet in the First World War which only served to enhance his standing. He would enthrone himself in the local pub and, pint in hand, see patients. It must be said he was a brute by today's standards - hey ya got the clap again? was the usual greeting. But he delivered good doctoring. I don't remember patient interviews were measured in time, no if you needed a few minutes more you got it. He was an old fashioned caring doctor who liked his drink. But he delivered the goods. I well remember when my grandmother died in my arms. I was just twelve years old. I called a doctor from the only phone in the village on the green. It was this man who came out. I can say he was the soul of compassion and care. Gentle, kind and so much in that situation with me. Gone was the brusque front, here was the real man. In my childish way I loved him for his gentle care of my Granny's body. What has this to do with the question? I'll tell you. If this man could, with his sole partner, service a small town and very many surrounding villages with good medical care what the hell has gone so wrong these days? Standing appointments? What utter ruddy nonsense. Between us my wife and I have paid in to the NHS for 101 years!. In her late sixties she now has MS. It's her first call on the Health Service. But there's no help for her. Stand-up appointments, she can't stand! She falls down. Bloody fools. Get the Health Service sorted out and bloody quickly. With Brexit the Brits are on the march. Things are gonna change. They've got to change or else we're all doomed.

I'd like a general election tomorrow, just to get something moving in this country! We haven't had an effective government since Cameron announced the referendum.

Me too! And I was a whistler.

There's a message for you. Just go to the right of the screen to the little blue square with a white arrow head in it and follow the links.

Well, Hazel, I did enough whistling when I was a lad it's good to know someone enjoyed it as much as I did.

There's the problem. Such complainer don't want to, and won't ever grow up. Pity, life's a lot more fun if we don't take offence at everything.

How true, and I'm a newly 70 year old man.

Billy, I tickled trout in a local chalk stream as a kid. Face down, arm in water as far as it would go. Lazily passing my twelfth year in the sun ... a blow to my rump broke that reverie. It was our burly village copper, Jack Bray. He was a very well respected Dixon of Dock Green, but in a small village. He picked me up by the scruff, dragged me off to my grand parents home. I waited until 9pm that evening for a Victorian grand father to return from work. I haven't tickled trout in that stream since.