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The crux of your post is demonstrative of why the political system in it's current state is fucked and needs reform (NO, not that Reform!). As you rightly point out, to win power you need to be centrist and then the expectation on both sides is for the respective parties to lean towards their respective traditions and be considered weak and gutless if they appear to not do so in an undefined timescale. This country desperately needs PR and likely governments built on coalition instead of traditional one-party views. And not like the 'coalition of chaos' that was 2010-15 - it needs true equal-standing coalition where the best interests of the electorate take precedence, not a focus on career politics.

Will no one think of the two Wearside lads who live in (and around) Bilbao?

I was about to post the same. Seething.

Would appear so.

If this turns out to be our equivalent of “don’t take muh guns, this is murica” I’ll be fucking fuming tbh.

Agreed. And on that note... Badenoch refuses to criticise Jenrick over Reform coalition suggestion. That'll do it, I would think. Reform gets legitimacy, Tories get vote share.

It increasingly looks like I was wrong about Starmer. I hope he would do what the Tories are very good at: win power at the centre then move to the right (or left in steamer’s case) once in power. How wrong I was. There is still time left for him to do this but the early evidence isn’t positive. He has been gutless on Brexit and appears so scared of breaking his fragile coalition that he would prefer to mirror the neoliberal/austerity policies of Cameron and Osborne than bring about any meaningful change. This won’t win him any votes in the red wall and nor will his flip flopping over culture war issues. His supporters will say he’s managed to stop Reform using it as a wedge issue as there’s now so little between them on this particular matter but all he’s achieving is alienating a lot of socially progressive Labour voters.

my mate just told me the last time we won at brighton was that freak goal that came off diame's heel - is that right? and was that when we were in the championship? need to sort out our away record down there, starting in a couple of week's time

Looks like the lass who was insisting she'd been to Ibiza with Tonali.

Looks like Mrs wykiki has been at it again... https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14639537/Police-hunt-Newcastle-United-ear-bitten-headbutted.html

I fucking wish. Anyways, I thought you had a 32 inch waist? I guess we've both been let down.

I thought you were a quantitative surveyor / married into land owner.

As a right of centre leaning, Brexit voting alleged gammon, I couldn’t care about any of this. Live and let live. And if going through it made a child of mine happier, 100% support. I am however very jealous of the bionic bollock.

Probably the first time in your life where Wykiki has posted without using the word 'cunt'.

Na, they’re here look. Someone brought Maddie McCann as a gift for Adam Johnson.

It really is.... Fucking love it. Honestly, think back 10 years..... Night and day.

https://x.com/athletic_en/status/1915036714835300533?s=12&t=_JhUCoDPCaDM2qiBf831Jw Someone’s missing

That’s older than me. Probably older than me dad

Based on my own experience, I'd reach out to them to discuss these very points with them - particularly around which pronouns they prefer you to use. They'll likely see it positively as your acceptance of their position and a willingness to be supportive of them. One of my good mates who I worked with for years had a daughter 2 years older than mine who I've known since she was a toddler. Lucie elected to transition in her mid-teens and is now known as Cal. My mate Steve talked to me at some length given it was a few years since my sister transitioned. The bottom line we both agree is it's vital to talk about it. They see it as absolute inclusion.

Furthermore she's absolutely despised by large sections of the trans community about her views on the very subject of what is a woman. Many years ago there was a t-shirt in circulation with the slogan "Trans women are women, get over it!". My sister chose to have a t-shirt of the same design made with the slogan "Trans women are men, get over it" and wore it at a public demonstration. A photo of her went viral on social media and she was subjected to quite horrendous abuse and death threats as a result. I'm not defending her position. As I've stated many times I refuse to be drawn either way on this subject and understand the views of both sides and ultimately, she's chosen to put herself in the firing line, but the level of abuse was, in my opinion, disproportionate and, as much as I try keep myself out of this minefield, it's really difficult when you can someone who shares the same parents as you and who you've known and looked up to for years being subjected to such horrendous commentary.

Cheers man, good if you to post that. Regarding my niece, we were asked to use their new name about two years ago, when they were 15ish. They dress as male, but in actual fact it’s more non-gender specific- jeans, band shirts etc. They keep their hair short. I still refer to them as my niece because other than being asked to use their new name, that’s all the info we’ve had. I use they/them because I don’t know what else to use, and niece because as far as I’m aware there isn’t a non-gender version. My Mrs’ family are all onboard, but just don’t ever talk about the stuff I’d like to know- just the basics, would they like be referred to as he/him, she/her, or they /them? Niece or Nephew? I suspect if things follow their logical course, the discussion will be had, but I’d have preferred it done so we don’t inadvertently upset them.

Aye, I disagree with your position but I understand how you've come to a different view to me.

We're not going to reach a point of agreement on this so best just left.

That’s not where fillet comes from