YoungWillz

Off to one of my best friend's wedding today. In the inimitable words of @time, nobody die!

This is your "there's a fortnight to enter" warning. Yes, June has 30 days.

Keith Burns, actor and singer who originated the roles of Montparnasse in Les Miserables and Thuy in Miss Saigon, reportedly dead: Many other West End credits including Rum Tum Tugger in Cats and Riff Raff in The Rocky Horror Show.

Looks like a case for Tennant and his Tardis to return. If not, the deus ex machina is either going to be incredibly convoluted or just terrible. This takes me back though - a proper shit your pants villain.

Kevin Campbell BBC: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cqvvyypg33zo

Reports that Kevin Campbell is a goner: Awaiting the usual confirmations.

Swiss tenor Eric Tappy reportedly dead: https://operawire.com/obituary-tenor-eric-tappy-dies-at-93/ Last picked afaik for the DDP in 2015, so List of the Missed @Death Impends https://operawire.com/obituary-tenor-eric-tappy-dies-at-93/

We have not got an extradition treaty with Satan yet.

Tony Mordente played A-rab in the Broadway version of West Side Story, but played Action in the film version. Choreographed for the Ed Sullivan Show. Directed episodes of Rhoda, M*A*S*H and The Love Boat, among many others. Just for context. IBDB: https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/tony-mordente-1330 IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0603286/

I'm not so sure - I never read manifestos, think of the trees and climate change, for gawd's sakes. So I judge Labour on what they say. There's a lot of what I'd regard as Blairite soundbites. On the side of business and wealth creation - that's where Blair really let working folk down later, as he cosied up to business leaders. But I should be clear - Labour sound like they are launching a manifesto from Government. Steady as she goes, here's a few plans to get the country back on its feet, etc. That is an old school Tory way of doing things, not the current crop of right wing nutters. The message of the current Tory Government is let's raid the welfare budget again to spaff more money into the pockets of the wealthy. There is nothing as far as I can see from them for how things will be done better, or a promise to voters beyond the next morning's crisis - that's where they are losing badly. I think the SNP don't launch until Monday. Flynn has by all accounts been an outstanding performer which could rescue some seats they might lose to Labour, but I think most folk have made up their mind tbh. Maybe we should be asking why Labour are in general dropping in the polls, and will that continue.

Yesterday was a total brainmelt. Sunak embracing the far right leader of Italy. Starmer essentially launching a manifesto of which the Tories would be proud. Kate Forbes being the worst representative of the SNP ever on Question Time. Reform overtaking the Tories in the Polls. Mordaunt being handed her own arse by Farage. I let it all wash over me tbh. It's desperate. And now Scotland will try and beat Germany today?

Laura Trott is a laugh a minute. Apparently, Starmer and Labour are Machiavellian schemers who aren't telling you what they would do, particularly on tax. It's not what is in their manifesto, it's what is not there. Reform haven't promised to invade France. The Tories haven't promised to open a Vietnamese restaurant on every street in the UK. The Greens haven't promised to deface Constable's The Haywain. The SNP haven't promised to make the National Anthem Sheena Easton's 9 To 5 (Morning Train). The LibDems haven't promised to deport every Tory voter to the Phillippines. Who knows what all these parties' secret plans are? Any of the above might just happen. Trott along.

Tommy Banks QO: https://uk.news.yahoo.com/sports/news/bolton-wanderers-legend-tommy-banks-190022590.html

England international at the 1958 WC Tommy Banks, reportedly dead: https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/24386834.bolton-wanderers-legend-tommy-banks-passes-away-94/

You are always ahead of the curve GC, that's all. If you stuck with some of your picks, who knows? If you get that right, you could win that damn DDP game.

Meantime, Jeremy Corbyn has been out and about in his constituency with a damning indictment of Starmer and Sunak.

Scotland learnt the lesson of the broken big two parties a long time ago. (Not saying the SNP are in a good place now, but for a long time the Scots have looked on in horror at Lab/Con governments). Question really is - does England have a third way? That used to be the Liberals/LibDems. But I'd argue a total splintering of support at the ballot box is on the cards next time round, unless there is a party which can draw the country together. It's so bloody broken, everything is so broken it's a long road to recovery for the UK - if that still exists by 2029.

Neil Goldschmidt, former Oregon Governor and Secretary for Transportation under Carter, reportedly dead: https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2024/06/neil-goldschmidt-former-governor-forever-tainted-by-scandal-dies.html

Sunak already preparing for his job on California's T.W.A.T. Radio.

Actually he didn't. He was challenged on his own tax plans which would mean income tax would rise under the Tories, but said he didn't recognise that figure. Also said he had not seen the analysis which showed the overall tax burden rising - this is the fucking Prime Minister, who must know these things. Instant reaction - 36% say Sunak won, 64% say Starmer won.

Well, Starmer vs Sunak was...as expected. Starmer was so full of what he wants to do, sometimes it came as a word salad of ideas. Only real problem was the Corbyn question, which he declined to be clear on. Otherwise a fair reception, difficult to judge without a manifesto. Sunak's clown show continued. Loads of laughs, loads of challenges to his record and with a junior doctor in the audience, blamed the doctors in part for high waiting lists. The repeated scripted lines, blah blah blah. A second hand cheese salesman. IMO.

This made me chuckle:

Tony Lo Bianco, a pick for @MariNisia here, reportedly dead: https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/us-celebrity-news/breaking-french-connection-law-order-33012402

Noeline Donaher, matriarch of early Aussie reality show Sylvania Waters, reported to have died some time in May: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-13520637/Australias-reality-TV-star-dead-enjoying-quiet-life-away-spotlight.html A List of the Missed, last picked in 2022 by perennial offender @Gooseberry Crumble for their Blueberry team: https://www.derbydeadpool.co.uk/deadpool2022/celebs_D.html#donahen022 @Death Impends.