Oh, and just because British Politics isn't enough of a laughing stock, today there was the Chilcot Report.

What's that and will looking it up make me sad?

Probably, it's about how the UK had no basis in going to war with Iraq in 2003.

- not all peaceful options had been exhausted

- there was no imminent thread

- there was no plan for what would have to happen after Saddam was removed

- any intelligence acted upon was flawed to say the least

- Blair had been advised by everybody that the US plans were inadequate

So here we are, tens of thousands of dead people later and the Middle East in shambles thanks to a power vacuum that has been filled by ISIS, strengthened by Baath generals. But at least Saddam is gone, so there's that.

A summary of the 2.6 million word report:

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/07/world/europe/chilcot-report.html?_r=0

Labour now at 600.000 members btw, membership increased 4-fold since May.

Oh, and just because British Politics isn't enough of a laughing stock, today there was the Chilcot Report.

What's that and will looking it up make me sad?

Probably, it's about how the UK had no basis in going to war with Iraq in 2003.

- not all peaceful options had been exhausted

- there was no imminent thread

- there was no plan for what would have to happen after Saddam was removed

- any intelligence acted upon was flawed to say the least

- Blair had been advised by everybody that the US plans were inadequate

So here we are, tens of thousands of dead people later and the Middle East in shambles thanks to a power vacuum that has been filled by ISIS, strengthened by Baath generals. But at least Saddam is gone, so there's that.

A summary of the 2.6 million word report:

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/07/world/europe/chilcot-report.html?_r=0

There was no imminent threat either, btw.

So, to recap where we are now:

- UK voted marginally in favour of a Brexit

- Cameron called the referendum and then called it quits the day after

- Gove stabbed Johnson stabbed Cameron

- Corbyn got stabbed but, like the Black Knight, shrugged it off: 'tis but a flesh wound'.

- Labour needs a new leader, hundreds of thousands of people have signed up in order to have a say themselves.

- Labour's previous top guy has been blasted by a damning report on his dragging the UK into an unnecessary war

- France and Germany are already divvying up the spoils, the financial heart of London

- Hundreds of billions of GBP's have left the UK and been sheltered in other countries' public debt, to the point where people pay to lend countries money

Upcoming:

- Italy's banks are on the verge of collapsing, with government bailouts prohibited by the EU and 30% of the bad debt on their books.

- Spain has just had a second consecutive election and is having severe problems in getting to grips with the fact they are no longer a two party system. This whole coalition-making is alien to them. Also still suffering from a high unemployment rate

- Austria is headed for a new president, one of the candidates has already called for an Öxit, an Austrian Exit referendum

- Who knows what Turkey will do

Is it wrong that I was hearing "We didn't start the fire" as I was reading all that?

Well, it's marginally better than what I've been replaying in my mind whenever I hear Brits on the referendum:

I had this vision of Boris Johnson sitting in the looney bin singing that song to himself.

Well, it's marginally better than what I've been replaying in my mind whenever I hear Brits on the referendum:

No it's not, that song's awesome! Not as good as Gethsemane, but good.

So, to recap where we are now:

- UK voted marginally in favour of a Brexit

- Cameron called the referendum and then called it quits the day after

- Gove stabbed Johnson stabbed Cameron

- Corbyn got stabbed but, like the Black Knight, shrugged it off: 'tis but a flesh wound'.

- Labour needs a new leader, hundreds of thousands of people have signed up in order to have a say themselves.

- Labour's previous top guy has been blasted by a damning report on his dragging the UK into an unnecessary war

- France and Germany are already divvying up the spoils, the financial heart of London

- Hundreds of billions of GBP's have left the UK and been sheltered in other countries' public debt, to the point where people pay to lend countries money

Upcoming:

- Italy's banks are on the verge of collapsing, with government bailouts prohibited by the EU and 30% of the bad debt on their books.

- Spain has just had a second consecutive election and is having severe problems in getting to grips with the fact they are no longer a two party system. This whole coalition-making is alien to them. Also still suffering from a high unemployment rate

- Austria is headed for a new president, one of the candidates has already called for an Öxit, an Austrian Exit referendum

- Who knows what Turkey will do

Labour doesn't need a new leader, it needs new MPs, but it can't get them unless there's a General Election, would be my only quibble. But I am just a tiny bit biased on that point.

And yes, Britain is like a living episode of The Thick Of It at the moment and it's not getting any better.

Halp.

Well, the do-over petition has been officially killed off:

“As the Prime Minister made clear in his statement to the House of Commons on 27 June, the referendum was one of the biggest democratic exercises in British history with over 33 million people having their say.

“The Prime Minister and Government have been clear that this was a once-in-a-generation vote and, as the Prime Minister has said, the decision must be respected. We must now prepare for the process to exit the EU and the Government is committed to ensuring the best possible outcome for the British people in the negotiations.”

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-government-rejects-eu-referendum-petition-latest-a7128306.html

And it looks like the Leadsom campaign is gunning for an Article 50 in september:

https://twitter.com/ben_hart/status/751117842079215616

...And it looks like the Leadsom campaign is gunning for an Article 50 in september:

...well given today's headlines, that's not likely to happen. She's already shot herself in the foot.

...And it looks like the Leadsom campaign is gunning for an Article 50 in september:

...well given today's headlines, that's not likely to happen. She's already shot herself in the foot.

Yeah, she has a habit of doing that. Padding her resume and all that.

And then going on Twitter to state that she never said what was reported she had said, forcing everybody and their uncle to post the direct audio of that conversation.

And there goes Leadsom.

All hail prime minister May.

Gods, Elizabeth must be longing for the days when her family had a tighter grip on the reins.

And there goes Leadsom.

All hail prime minister May.

Gods, Elizabeth must be longing for the days when her family had a tighter grip on the reins.

If there's one benefit to this it's the hilarious video of Angela Eagle being abandoned by the press as they find out that Leadsom has withdrawn.

There are no other benefits to this.

D'you think, if I were to quickly gain a UK passport, I might have a chance?

I mean, everybody else is running and it wouldn't be the first time a Dutchman ended up ruling the country.

It might even end up solving the problems in Ireland once and for all! And I sure am not a huge fan of the French, so everything goes back full circle.

Iron Lady MK II online.

Iron Lady MK II online.

"And this time there's NO compassion..."

I gave up my desire to visit the UK a long time ago. Now it's just Poland and Germany, and that's fading with the obvious desire of conflict.

I gave up my desire to visit the UK a long time ago. Now it's just Poland and Germany, and that's fading with the obvious desire of conflict.

Why would you not want to visit the UK? Great country, lots of amazing things to see. Ranks far above Germany and Poland in my book

What conflict?

I gave up my desire to visit the UK a long time ago. Now it's just Poland and Germany, and that's fading with the obvious desire of conflict.

Why would you not want to visit the UK? Great country, lots of amazing things to see. Ranks far above Germany and Poland in my book

What conflict?

But it's full of racists and xenophobes

Now it's just Poland and Germany, and that's fading with the obvious desire of conflict.

Are you a timetraveller from the 1930's?

Now it's just Poland and Germany, and that's fading with the obvious desire of conflict.

Are you a timetraveller from the 1930's?

Are you confusing him with Nigel Farage?

Now it's just Poland and Germany, and that's fading with the obvious desire of conflict.

Are you a timetraveller from the 1930's?

Edit: Oh, "from"!

Now it's just Poland and Germany, and that's fading with the obvious desire of conflict.

Are you a timetraveller from the 1930's?

Aren't we all?

Edit: Oh, "from"!

TO LATE DOC-TORRRRR! YOU HAVE RE-VEALED YOUR-SELF!

YOU WILL BE EXTER-MINATED!

EXTERMINATE!

EXTERMINATE!

EXTERMINAAAAAAAAAAAAAATE!

Now it's just Poland and Germany, and that's fading with the obvious desire of conflict.

Are you a timetraveller from the 1930's?

Aren't we all?

Edit: Oh, "from"!

TO LATE DOC-TORRRRR! YOU HAVE RE-VEALED YOUR-SELF!

YOU WILL BE EXTER-MINATED!

EXTERMINATE!

EXTERMINATE!

EXTERMINAAAAAAAAAAAAAATE!

God I love Daleks. They should look absurd, but they actually look unbelievably creepy.

I want to play a The Last of Us style game set in a Dalek occupied world, but with no fighting, you just have to hide. So frights, much scary. Wow.

Theresa May remind anyone else of Davros?