Iain
@iainbhx.bsky.social
Former politician, keen psephologist, cat dad, Germanophile, likes traveling by train, average cook, occasional writer. Oh and I do things with SQL for coin.
And the six month rule is now in affect for the West Midlands Met Boroughs and the district councils which have elections next year - so no new by-elections there. However, if elections are cancelled again, which is possible for the districts, then those will become vacancies again. 3 /3
November 16, 2025 at 10:07 AM
And the six month rule is now in affect for the West Midlands Met Boroughs and the district councils which have elections next year - so no new by-elections there. However, if elections are cancelled again, which is possible for the districts, then those will become vacancies again. 3 /3
Lichfield DC, Armitage & Handsacre has been called for the 11th of December. The SOPN is coming out tomorrow - but there are five candidate according to the notice of nomination of candidates. 2 / 3
November 16, 2025 at 10:05 AM
Lichfield DC, Armitage & Handsacre has been called for the 11th of December. The SOPN is coming out tomorrow - but there are five candidate according to the notice of nomination of candidates. 2 / 3
And I thought I was a late starter because I moved around a lot until I was 35 and because of the issues for gay men with mortgages in the late 80's/90's
November 13, 2025 at 5:59 PM
And I thought I was a late starter because I moved around a lot until I was 35 and because of the issues for gay men with mortgages in the late 80's/90's
I own my house outright but that's because I had a lucky windfall in 2018, otherwise I'd still be paying for it for another few months, but being finally rid of a mortgage at 61 is not very optimal. People should be able to buy in their late 20's/early 30's and be mortgage free by 55 really.
November 13, 2025 at 5:58 PM
I own my house outright but that's because I had a lucky windfall in 2018, otherwise I'd still be paying for it for another few months, but being finally rid of a mortgage at 61 is not very optimal. People should be able to buy in their late 20's/early 30's and be mortgage free by 55 really.
I live in Birmingham, not in a posh bit, not in one of the worst bits but in a very average area. In 2011, I bought this 3.5 bed semi for 216k, a 3 bed semi just went for 350k around the corner. The average household wage in Brum is 40k and that means this house is unaffordable to many families.
November 13, 2025 at 4:06 PM
I live in Birmingham, not in a posh bit, not in one of the worst bits but in a very average area. In 2011, I bought this 3.5 bed semi for 216k, a 3 bed semi just went for 350k around the corner. The average household wage in Brum is 40k and that means this house is unaffordable to many families.
We had a PCC by-election in the West Midlands the turnout was 10.4%. The vast majority of the votes were postal - there were polling stations where very few votes were cast and supposedly one in Tipton with no on the day votes cast.
November 13, 2025 at 11:40 AM
We had a PCC by-election in the West Midlands the turnout was 10.4%. The vast majority of the votes were postal - there were polling stations where very few votes were cast and supposedly one in Tipton with no on the day votes cast.
They‘ve clearly never been to St Ives or Exmouth or Torbay then.
November 12, 2025 at 4:27 PM
They‘ve clearly never been to St Ives or Exmouth or Torbay then.
I heard stories about this happening during the Lebanese civil war as well. It's truly abominable.
November 12, 2025 at 6:38 AM
I heard stories about this happening during the Lebanese civil war as well. It's truly abominable.
Doesn't he have people to do that for him? Tsk.
November 11, 2025 at 5:26 PM
Doesn't he have people to do that for him? Tsk.
You'd hope so wouldn't you? But say he's got a AA card, I don't think he earns anything on the EI direct ,but would get some fairly small double bubble on BA flights or codeshares DUB-LHR-CDG.
November 11, 2025 at 5:22 PM
You'd hope so wouldn't you? But say he's got a AA card, I don't think he earns anything on the EI direct ,but would get some fairly small double bubble on BA flights or codeshares DUB-LHR-CDG.
For most of that time I was a Hilton Diamond and either - BA Gold or a LH SEN. But there was the two glorious years when I was an LH HON.
November 11, 2025 at 3:46 PM
For most of that time I was a Hilton Diamond and either - BA Gold or a LH SEN. But there was the two glorious years when I was an LH HON.
Those days are now over - I haven‘t flown since 2022 and I haven’t had insane levels of travel since 2013, but 1997-2013 was very special over 1 million bum-in-seat miles and I was living of the miles and hotel points until about 2018.
November 11, 2025 at 3:44 PM
Those days are now over - I haven‘t flown since 2022 and I haven’t had insane levels of travel since 2013, but 1997-2013 was very special over 1 million bum-in-seat miles and I was living of the miles and hotel points until about 2018.
Yeah I think I did once on the early days of Z. I tried to dodge it but was foiled by a) actually arriving at the gate and b) not being allowed to use
the B FCL dodge. The next time I had that, I just went landslide and walked to the FCT.
the B FCL dodge. The next time I had that, I just went landslide and walked to the FCT.
November 11, 2025 at 3:37 PM
Yeah I think I did once on the early days of Z. I tried to dodge it but was foiled by a) actually arriving at the gate and b) not being allowed to use
the B FCL dodge. The next time I had that, I just went landslide and walked to the FCT.
the B FCL dodge. The next time I had that, I just went landslide and walked to the FCT.
Yes, basically they had no path from Non-Schengen arrivals in B to Schengen that didn‘t go through security for about a decade, you had to clear Immigration of course but you didn‘t have to clear security. They fixed about the same time I stopped flying so much, of course.
November 11, 2025 at 2:04 PM
Yes, basically they had no path from Non-Schengen arrivals in B to Schengen that didn‘t go through security for about a decade, you had to clear Immigration of course but you didn‘t have to clear security. They fixed about the same time I stopped flying so much, of course.
That is absolutely correct, although if you pass through the Tunnel of Love (if you know, you know) twice you've made a mistake.
November 11, 2025 at 1:51 PM
That is absolutely correct, although if you pass through the Tunnel of Love (if you know, you know) twice you've made a mistake.
Of course, the absolute best way to transfer at FRA was for the nice driver to pick you up from your remote bus stand and take you directly to the most suitable entry point for your next gate. Because UK pax didn't have to go through transfer security, it was just easier for FRAport to make them.
November 11, 2025 at 1:49 PM
Of course, the absolute best way to transfer at FRA was for the nice driver to pick you up from your remote bus stand and take you directly to the most suitable entry point for your next gate. Because UK pax didn't have to go through transfer security, it was just easier for FRAport to make them.
Like the first rule is follow the signs and don't go landside unless you have to. Now I haven't always obeyed the latter when FRA transfer security was chokka and I was departing from a low numbered A gate but at least I had the excuse of transferring at FRA about 10-15 times a year. He's an idiot.
November 11, 2025 at 1:42 PM
Like the first rule is follow the signs and don't go landside unless you have to. Now I haven't always obeyed the latter when FRA transfer security was chokka and I was departing from a low numbered A gate but at least I had the excuse of transferring at FRA about 10-15 times a year. He's an idiot.
Had he managed to struggle up the grimy stairs to the Colony Room back in the day, Ida would have taken one look at him and said "Piss off, cunty".
November 10, 2025 at 9:25 PM
Had he managed to struggle up the grimy stairs to the Colony Room back in the day, Ida would have taken one look at him and said "Piss off, cunty".
We moved to a new build house in, I think 1968, it didn't have central heating or double glazing, we had a gas fire and you went to bed with a hot water bottle. My parents got central heating in about 1979, they never got double glazing despite me offering to pay for it.
November 9, 2025 at 8:24 PM
We moved to a new build house in, I think 1968, it didn't have central heating or double glazing, we had a gas fire and you went to bed with a hot water bottle. My parents got central heating in about 1979, they never got double glazing despite me offering to pay for it.