#tax return on leaving uk

[georgeshutcheson]

Tax Return on Leaving UK

New Post has been published on https://www.fastaccountant.co.uk/tax-return-on-leaving-uk/

Tax Return on Leaving UK

If you’re thinking about leaving UK to live abroad, it’s important to understand the implications for your taxes. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) must be informed if you’re planning to permanently leave the country or work abroad full-time for at least one tax year. You have the responsibility to let HMRC know, and the process varies depending on whether you typically complete a self-assessment tax return or not. It’s crucial to be aware of the deadlines and penalties, and to understand how your residency status may affect your tax obligations. Additionally, you may need to consider National Insurance payments and how your departure may impact any UK benefits you are entitled to.

Tax obligations when leaving the UK

If you are planning on leaving UK to live abroad permanently or to work abroad full-time for at least one full tax year, it is important that you inform HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) of your departure. Notifying HMRC helps ensure that your tax affairs are in order and that you comply with your obligations as a taxpayer.

Informing HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC)

When leaving the UK, you must let HMRC know by either filling in a tax return or completing the necessary forms. However, if you are leaving the UK for holidays or business trips, there is no need to inform HMRC.

How to inform HMRC

The method of informing HMRC about your departure depends on whether or not you usually complete a Self Assessment tax return.

If you do not usually complete a Self Assessment tax return, there are two options for informing HMRC:

If you have already left the UK, you can fill in form P85 online.

If you have not yet left the UK, you can download and fill in form P85 offline. In addition, you will need to include Parts 2 and 3 of your P45 form, which you can obtain from your employer or Jobcentre Plus if you have been claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance.

If you usually complete a Self Assessment tax return, you can inform HMRC of your departure through your tax return. You will need to complete the ‘resident’ section (form SA109) and send it by post. It is important to note that HMRC’s online services cannot be used to inform them of your departure. If you prefer, you can also seek assistance from a professional, such as an accountant, or use commercial software to complete your Self Assessment tax return.

Self Assessment tax return

If you are leaving UK permanently or working abroad full-time for at least one full tax year, it is important to understand the implications for your tax return. Failure to meet the deadline can result in penalties. The deadline for sending your tax return by post is 31 October. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure that you are aware of the different tax obligations that may arise when leaving the UK.

Penalties for not meeting the deadline

To avoid penalties, it is essential to meet the deadline for submitting your tax return. Failure to do so can result in fines imposed by HMRC. It is therefore important that you are aware of the deadline and ensure that you submit your tax return on time.

Notifying other agencies and organizations

In addition to informing HMRC, there may be other agencies and organizations that you need to notify about your departure from the UK. For example, you may need to inform your local council to stop paying Council Tax. It is important to check with the relevant organizations to ensure that you have fulfilled all necessary obligations and have a smooth transition when leaving the UK.

Tax implications for non-residents

As a non-resident, there are specific tax obligations and implications that you need to understand. Here are some important points to consider:

Non-residents and their tax obligations

As a non-resident, you are not required to pay UK tax on income or gains that you receive outside the UK. However, if you have UK income, you may be subject to UK tax. It is important to familiarize yourself with the rules and regulations regarding non-resident taxation to ensure compliance and avoid any unintended tax liabilities.

Exemption from UK tax on income and gains

If you are a non-resident, you are generally exempt from paying UK tax on income or gains that you receive outside the UK. This means that if you have income from other countries, you will not be subject to UK tax on that income.

Taxation of UK income for non-residents

If you are a non-resident and have UK income, such as rental income from a property in the UK, you may be required to pay UK tax on that income. It is important to understand the rules and regulations surrounding non-resident taxation to ensure you are compliant.

Double taxation agreements

The UK has entered into double taxation agreements with many countries to prevent taxpayers from being subject to tax on the same income in two different countries. These agreements aim to ensure that individuals are not taxed twice on the same income and that they are not at a disadvantage due to the difference in tax rules between countries. It is important to check if there is a double taxation agreement between the UK and your country of residence to understand how it impacts your tax obligations.

National Insurance contributions

As a non-resident, you may have the option to pay National Insurance contributions if you plan to return to the UK or claim the State Pension later. However, if you leave the UK permanently, you cannot claim back any National Insurance contributions you have paid. It is important to understand the rules and regulations surrounding National Insurance contributions for non-residents to ensure compliance and make informed decisions about your contributions.

National Insurance contributions

National Insurance contributions are an important aspect of your financial responsibilities. Here are some key points to consider regarding National Insurance contributions:

Paying National Insurance contributions abroad

If you are planning to work abroad but intend to return to the UK or claim the State Pension later, you may be able to continue paying National Insurance contributions while you are abroad. It is important to understand the requirements and eligibility criteria for paying National Insurance contributions abroad to ensure compliance.

Claiming back National Insurance contributions

If you leave the UK permanently, you cannot claim back any National Insurance contributions you have made. However, the contributions you have paid may count towards benefits in the country you are moving to if there is a social security agreement with the UK. It is important to understand the rules and regulations regarding claiming back National Insurance contributions to ensure you are aware of your entitlements and limitations.

Social security agreements

The UK has social security agreements with various countries to ensure that individuals are not disadvantaged when it comes to social security benefits. These agreements aim to coordinate the social security systems of different countries and protect individuals’ rights to benefits. It is important to familiarize yourself with the social security agreement between the UK and your country of residence to understand how it may impact your National Insurance contributions and entitlements.

Claiming UK benefits while living abroad

If you are living in the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, or Switzerland, you may be able to claim certain UK benefits, such as Jobseeker’s Allowance. However, eligibility depends on the agreement between the UK and the country you are moving to. It is important to check the specific rules and regulations regarding claiming UK benefits while living abroad to ensure compliance and that you are aware of your entitlements.

Reporting changes in circumstances

It is important to inform HMRC if there are any changes in your circumstances while you are abroad. This includes changes such as moving house or changes in marital status. It is crucial to keep HMRC updated with your current information to ensure that you are complying with your tax and National Insurance obligations.

Visiting the UK

If you plan to visit the UK without becoming a resident again, it is important to understand the restrictions and implications. Here are some key points to consider:

Visiting the UK without becoming a resident

If you work full-time abroad, you can typically visit the UK for up to 90 days, as long as you work no more than 30 of these days. It is important to understand the rules and regulations surrounding visiting the UK without becoming a resident to ensure compliance with immigration and tax laws.

Restrictions on visiting the UK

While you can visit the UK without becoming a resident again, there may be restrictions and limitations based on immigration and tax laws. It is important to familiarize yourself with these restrictions to ensure compliance and to avoid any unintended legal issues.

Becoming a UK resident again

If you engage in new activities in the UK after leaving, such as starting a business or purchasing property, you may become a UK resident again. It is crucial to understand the rules and regulations regarding residence status to determine how your activities in the UK may impact your residency status.

Checking residence status

If you are unsure how your activities in the UK affect your residence status, it is advisable to check with the relevant authorities or seek professional advice. Understanding your residence status is crucial for ensuring compliance with tax and immigration laws.

Conclusion

In conclusion, when leaving the UK to live abroad, it is essential to inform HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) of your departure to comply with your tax obligations. Understanding the tax implications for non-residents, National Insurance contributions, visiting the UK, and related content can help ensure smooth transitions and compliance with the relevant laws and regulations. Additional resources are available for further information and guidance on specific situations.

[reasonsforhope]

"Abby Allen has no problem with her neighbours peering over her luxuriant hedges to see what she is up to on her farm.

For years she has been carrying out ad hoc experiments with wildlife and farming techniques; in her lush Devon fields native cattle graze alongside 400-year-old hedgerows, with birds and butterflies enjoying the species-rich pasture.

Under the environmental land management scheme (ELMS), introduced by the government in 2021, those experiments were finally being funded. “We have a neighbour who has always been more of an intensive farmer,” she says, but he is now considering leaving fields unploughed to help the soil. “It genuinely is having such a huge impact in changing people’s mindsets who traditionally would never have thought about farming in this way.”

The new nature payments scheme followed the UK’s exit from the EU, when the government decided to scrap the common agricultural payments scheme, which gave a flat subsidy dependent on the number of acres a farmer managed. In its place came ELMS, which pays farmers for things such as planting hedges, sowing wildflowers for birds to feed on and leaving corners of their land wild for nature.

But these schemes are now at threat of defunding, as the Labour government has refused to commit to the £2.4bn a year spending pot put in place by the previous Conservative government. With spending tight and the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, cutting back on infrastructure and hinting at tax rises, a cut to the ELMS scheme may be on her list.

However, government data released last week found the schemes were working to tentatively bring nature back to England’s farmland. Butterflies, bees and bats are among the wildlife being boosted by ELMS, with birds among the chief beneficiaries, particularly ones that largely feed on invertebrates. An average of 25% more breeding birds were found in areas utilising the eco-friendly schemes.

...there are also farmers who welcome the schemes. Allen says the ELMS has helped her farm provide data and funds to expand and improve the good things they were doing for nature. “Some of the money available around things like soil testing and monitoring – instead of us going ‘we think these are the right things to do and providing these benefits,’ we can now measure it. The exciting thing now is there is money available to measure and monitor and kind of prove that you’re doing the right things. And so then you can find appropriate funding to do more of that.”

Allen, who is in the Nature Friendly Farming Network, manages a network of farms in England, most of which are using the ELMS. This includes chicken farms where the poultry spend their life outside rather than in sheds and other regenerative livestock businesses...

Mark Spencer was an environment minister until 2024 when he lost his seat, but now spends more time in the fields admiring the fruits of his and his family’s labour. He says that a few years of nature-friendly agriculture has restored lapwings and owls.

“On the farm, I haven’t seen lapwings in any number for what feels like a whole generation. You know, as a kid, when I was in my early teens, you’d see lapwings. We used to call them peewits. We’d see them all the time, and they sort of disappeared.

“But then, me and my neighbours changed the way we did cropping, left space in the fields for them to nest, and suddenly they returned. You need to have a piece of land where you’re not having mechanical machinery go over it on a regular basis, because otherwise you destroy the nest. We’ve also got baby owls in our owl box now for the first time in 15 years. They look mega, to be honest, these little owls, little balls of fluff. It is rewarding.”"

-via The Guardian, August 23, 2024

[mclarengf]

pas besoin d'un faux sourire

learning to parent with dad!logan sargeant

[1.0k]

note: haha enjoy more angst. dw this one’s not an ambiguous ending it def gets fluffy. dad!logan save me fr 

lottie’s crying.

she doesn’t cry very often, which only adds to your concern.

you’d run into the living room when you heard lottie’s soft cry of, “mummy…” and now you’re sat on the couch with her, whispering consolations into her hair. 

as if on cue, the front door opens and logan steps in, finally home after a few days of doing sim work in the uk. after taking in the situation, he parks his suitcase in front of the shoe rack and rushes to your side, placing a hand on your shoulder in support. what a welcome, he must be thinking.

“hey, sweetheart, daddy’s home. daddy’s here,” he says to your daughter softly, “what’s wrong, my lottie?” 

you crouch down and hold out your hand for lottie. you’re a bit surprised she can see through her tears when she takes it, but wrap her in a big hug regardless.

“what’s upset you, baby?”

she just buries her head in the crook of your neck and cries harder. 

you can’t see anything broken or spilt around you, and lottie doesn’t look hurt. you gesture vaguely at logan to take her temperature because you can’t reach her face without shifting and risking her discomfort. he side steps a toy strewn on the floor and presses the back of his hand to her forehead. he comes back into your field of view and shakes his head.

you’ve never felt more inadequate than you do right now. you have no idea why lottie’s so upset, and logan, bless him, isn’t exactly prepared to help in this situation. he’s just gotten back and probably drove the thirty minutes from nice côte d’azur expecting… not this.

“logan,” he looks up, much resembling a deer in headlights, “could you get us a wet flannel please?” 

you’re giving him an out to leave the room and get into the right headspace to do some ‘proper parenting’, he realises. he ducks out, but not before placing a hand over his heart and mouthing a thank you as he goes. 

he’s back in a couple of minutes, having also taken the opportunity to change out of his plane clothes, and joins his girls on the carpet.

“come here, lottie-lou,” you allow her dad to hold onto her, and you shuffle closer to him as he washes her face with the cloth, wiping her tears away as he does so. 

“can you tell daddy what’s wrong?” you ask, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. 

she shakes her head.

“that’s okay, baby,” logan chimes in, “we can just sit here for a bit, yeah?”

you rest your head down on his shoulder as you sit in silence, save lottie’s quiet sobs. it’s never been exceptionally easy being parents, nevertheless at your relatively young age. lottie’s usually such a gem, so the moments like this are hard to get through, for all of you. 

she’s getting quieter as the two of you comfort her, but it doesn’t seem like there’ll be an end to the tears just yet. logan kisses your cheek; he doesn’t know quite what to do either, so you’ll just have to figure it out together.

another few minutes pass by, then you hear her take in a big breath and mumble, “i miss my home.”

ah, of course. you’d all moved from london to monaco about a month ago, on account of location convenience for logan’s job, and the educational opportunities for lottie. the tax benefits weren’t exactly a complaint either. 

lottie hadn’t had any qualms about the move so far, so you’d both figured she was adjusting alright. she’d even been excited, but of course, the realisation that this wasn’t like a race weekend or a holiday where she would be sure to return to your humble london flat, was bound to kick in eventually.

little by little as she calms down, lottie tells you about how even though she knows a little bit of french from you, it’s not enough to really talk with the other kids, and that the teachers are nice but she doesn’t want to cause a fuss and keep bothering them every day. 

“i’m sorry,” she whispers.

you shake your head and open your mouth to speak, but logan beats you to it.

“you don’t have to be sorry, baby. it’s okay if you feel bad sometimes.” 

you press a kiss to her hands and add, “you just have big emotions, my love. just like me.” 

she’s stopped crying now, and even smiles a bit when you bring up your similarity. 

“if you want, lottie love, we can find you a tutor here who can help with your french, and you and i can always practise at home.”  

she nods at your proposition, then wrinkles her nose and asks, “what about daddy?” 

lottie, selfless as ever, is already thinking about how to include logan. you want to laugh just thinking about logan learning french and even more so, him speaking french with his american accent.

“we’ll rope him into learning with us too,” you grin at logan, “now come on, let’s give daddy a big hug, 'cause we’ve missed him very much while he’s been working.” 

logan smiles at his little family and wraps his arms around both of you, happy that peace has been restored. he takes lottie’s face in his hands and covers her in kisses, making her giggle. 

“you wanna help me unpack now, lottie-lou?”

she jumps up and runs toward logan’s suitcase at her dad’s suggestion, and starts wheeling it towards your bedroom. you and logan, still sat on the floor, watch her go. you give him a kiss. 

“welcome home, handsome. sorry that’s what you came in to.” 

he looks down at you and breathes out a laugh. instead of saying anything, he just holds his hand out for a high-five, which you humor. he lets go of you to push himself up, and helps you up after.  

before he follows after your daughter, he slings an arm over your shoulder and states, “we’re such awesome parents.”

it’s your turn to laugh now, and you reward him with a couple of quick pecks on his lips. you push him to go to lottie before she starts calling for him, and give him a cheeky pat to the bum as he stumbles forward. 

“je t’aime, baby.”

okay; now that that’s sorted, what to have for dinner?

[brf-rumortrackinganon]

Closer and closer...

Without a permanent primary residence in the UK, Harry is officially unable to serve as Counsellor of State.

Archived Link

Because I know it's going to come up as well:

Harry is allowed to keep his titles whilst living here in the US and/or becoming a naturalized citizen. He is only required to give up the titles if he runs for political office, per the US Constitution.

This has no impact on his immigration status or deportability. All it means is that he lives here most of the time and he's on the hook for taxes. He can still be deported. He can still be refused entry to the US if he leaves and tries to return.

(And he's not going to be deported. Not in the official way with DHS agents taking him to an immigration detention center or stuffing him on a plane back to the UK. That looks terrible for the special relationship and embarrasses the Trump Administration, the Biden Administration, and the Court of St. James. At worst, it'll all be handed privately/behind doors and it'll be spun as Harry deciding to move to Africa to be closer to his lifelong work with Sentebale. At best, it's a huge fine.)

(And before certain people come at me for mentioning the Trump Administration, yes, they are involved. The Sussexes moved to the US in March 2020 during the Trump Administration. Any paperwork for Harry to stay here past 90 days/June 2020 would have been processed by the Trump Administration. The Biden Administration didn't take office until January 20, 2021. Harry came and stayed under Trump. They're involved too, though the Biden Administration will take all the blame.)

[notyourmajesty]

Henry's Dog David, and How RWRB (the Book and the Movie) Explore the Meaning of His Name.

(GIF by @andysapril)

CW: Mentions of deaths, murder attempts, mostly from Bible verses.

An Easter Egg from the book that the film managed to incorporate in an entirely different context.

Henry naming his dog David is one of the things Alex comments on both in the film and the book. He finds the name particularly odd for a pet, and when Henry tells him later that the inspiration was David Bowie, Alex remarks that he could have just used the surname instead.

This is basically just me overthinking the way the book and the film added "David and Jonathan" to two totally different scenes haha.

David Bowie

There has been a lot of debate over Bowie's sexuality since the 70s, and possibly conflicting statements from Bowie himself over the decades, but he did leave quite an impact on queer people in his time (ref: this article). Henry both in the book and in the film has often turned to literature and art for inspiration, and solace, when it came to exploring his own identity as a gay man. All kinds of historical queer identities - both debated and confirmed - show up in the tapestry of people and ideas that have influenced Henry's own thoughts and ideas (Alex's too). So it definitely makes sense that he would name his beloved pet dog after one of those inspirations.

(notably, during Henry's dramatic entrance when Alex comes down to the UK for damage control, the song playing is Bowie's "Up the Hill Backwards". You also see him choose a Queen song for karaoke, which makes me want to really headcanon him as a 70s prog rock fan 😄)

David and Jonathan

In the book, Alex goes over the details of Henry's fact sheet with Nora and his sister June. When he mentions the name of Henry's dog, he claims his dislike for the name is because it sounds more like a "tax attorney" than a beloved pet (Ch 2).

In the film, it's his SS detail Amy who quizzes him. She responds to his quip about Henry's choice of name for a pet by telling him what she's named her own dog. It's a tiny, fun detail with no lasting importance in the film, but I feel it does work within the larger framework of how the film incorporates queer readings and figures too.

I see this as a reference to a popular reading of the Hebrew/Biblical story of David and Jonathan from the 2 books of Samuel. David was a shepherd anointed by the prophet Samuel (through orders from God), to succeed King Saul, and Jonathan was Saul's son who was extremely devoted to David and even saved him from his father's wrath. They were known to have made a covenant to each other soon after they met, and the first Book of Samuel gives us a picture of an immensely close bond between the two:

After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself. From that day Saul kept David with him and did not let him return home to his family. And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself. Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow and his belt. (1 Samuel 18, 1-4)

Interpretations of their relationship have ranged from close friendship to a romantic relationship, and there have been many, many queer readings on this pair.

In Casey McQuiston's RWRB too, Alex references both a saying from the Book of Proverbs (24:13), and the story of David and Jonathan in the same paragraph. This is in Ch 10, when Henry takes Alex to the V&A museum. This particular sequence is in the inner chamber of the museum, shortly after the couple dance to Elton John's "Your Song".

He compares himself and Henry to "a lost David and Jonathan", and it's pretty obvious why when you think of their devotion, and the tragic end of the relationship of the latter. Like Jonathan, Henry is a prince utterly devoted to one man, and sure that his family too will be against their bond. Like David, Alex is an outsider who the royal family may view as a threat to their stability, and therefore must be kept away. David's love for Jonathan is immense: he makes the covenant with Saul's son soon after they meet, and when he mourns Jonathan's death, he says "Thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women." (2 Samuel 1:26).

This amazing post from @elipheleh explores this metaphor more in detail (as well as St. Chiara, and a quote from Oscar Wilde, who is referenced both in the book and the film as a writer Henry is fond of). It also speaks about the verse from the Book of Proverbs that Alex remembers, partly in Spanish, partly in English - Eat honey, my son, for it is good; honey from the comb is sweet to your taste. (Proverbs 24:13-14)

(Jonathan in 1 Samuel also has his own reference to honey - there is a story that chronicles a tense moment between Jonathan and his father, King Saul, due to Jonathan eating wild honey on a day when the troops were bound by an oath to fast (he had not heard the oath himself). He almost faces death by Saul's hand for breaking the oath the latter had made, but is saved by the other people in the troops. (1 Samuel 14: 24-46). I've seen different ways of this passage being interpreted - as either Jonathan being judged for disobeying an oath even though he was not around when it was announced, or Saul being viewed as foolish for making such an oath in the first place. The main point is, Saul is ready to kill his son for breaching a certain protocol, and it is the people who save Jonathan.

Similarly IMO, Henry is prepared to live his whole life in the closet viewing his sexuality as something that would bring shame to his family, but eventually recognizes that he has support. Both within his family (in the form of his mother Catherine and his sister Bea), and in the public eye)

At this point in their lives, Alex and Henry see very little hope that things will get better soon enough for them to unite. It is more than likely that - in their minds - this one romantic visit will be their last for a long, long time. Of course David and Jonathan - who parted ways in the hope of being reunited after the battle with Jonathan's father, and whose friendship/love met a tragic end - would be considered a fitting parallel for the situation Alex and Henry find themselves in.

The book has the space and scope to explore many, many images and symbols that could fit Alex and Henry. Whether it's in the letters they send each other, the references Alex learns more about as he figures out his sexuality. The book can - at the V&A museum - describe the statues the two men linger at in loving detail, making us more aware how poignant their temporary separation will be and how bittersweet this last dance is.

The movie's focus is different - the V&A scene is a (presumably) final, deeply intimate moment that lets Alex see for real the weight of his role in Henry's environment, and how little he expects to see his dreams come true. It also lets Henry see how determined Alex is to make his every dream a reality.

Most moments of highlighting queer literature or history are pocketed away in smaller sequences in the film, as small references and Easter eggs (eg. the books they recommend each other), as the film focuses more on the relationship and it's effects both on the men and the world around them. The V&A is more a visual backdrop for that bittersweet last moment where the two can find equal ground and truly understand each other. I think mentioning the names of the statues would take away from that.

The movie didn't need to include David and Jonathan. Why is why I'm truly, truly grateful that they still did. Even as a tiny, cute Easter egg that is supposed to be banter about weirdly specific pet-naming protocol 💖

[randomnameless]

I seriously hilarious how after a year people are still treating Engage like it burned their spouses and fucked their crops. If they love "moral grayness writing" that much, they have tons of other rpgs with similar themes to play, 8 seasons of Game of Thrones to watch and lots of grimdark fantasy books to read.

Seriously, there's only 3 times (if we want to count 3h that badly) where this franchise has tried to explote more nuanced and complex plots, and those games were the Tellius duology and the Jugdral games. The rest have milquetoast fantasy rpg plots. Why they sticking with FE when it's clearly not the franchise for these kinds remains an enigna.

Mmh,

I wouldn't say GOT's seasons are grim d4rk, imo they're trash in the same vein as the Kadarshians TV show, you're watching it to see how ruined things will be

(c'est quoi l'équivalent US/UK de l'émission "les marseillais"? )

I feel like Martin's books were more in the lines of "deconstruction then reconstruction" of the "traditional" fantasy tropes, with his own choice of depicting very grim and dark things that participate in the "deconstruction" side of his works... even if at times it borders on misery porn and, tbh, misogyny.

Fantasy settings, in general, always have some sort of monarchy and morale of "the good/rightful king returns home and everything is better!" - you can add some twists here and there, but in general, and especially FE, it's that kind of frame. We're not in game where Bob and John feel like Hector charges them too much for the sewer tax, and file a claim to his court to be discharged from paying said tax.

I'm not saying you can't add twists and add some sort of depth to the game, hell the Tales of franchise often tries to add some greater theme to their general "hero with a sword whacks people and is ultimately involved in a greater quest to save the world while eating appel gels", Symphonia tries to tackle racism and how being a victim or racism doesn't give you a pass to create concentration camps to turn people you see as "inferior beings" as fuels/devices to upgrade you and your chosen ones (even if that plot point utterly vanished when the MC goes "i wish we could have been friends" which is, uh, I guess where i found Kishimoto's inspiration for Obito I guess), Abyss tackles the existential crisis of clones/people created to be spares, do they have the right to exist beyond the purpose of their original creation or not? - etc etc.

Funny how you mention Tellius, because IMO, Tellius is even more shaky/wonky than Fodlan (or at least it's a serious competition) with its general message of "racism BaD but miscegenation BaD too" which is, uh... well.

That leaves Jugdral with all of the stuff it wanted to convey - and managed to do while being a SNES duology (I think?) - and yet Jugdral is, at its core, a story of "rightful heir returns to his throne" with some emphasis, especially in FE5, on what "rightful" means but the premise is the same, it's not Dalshin who's going to become the Lord of New Thracia, it's Leif because Leif is Quan'n'Ethlyn's son : his journey in FE5 is all about learning to become a good leader/king.

Back to your post, if people want a game where you "smash the patriarchy" and bring "the revolution"... well, the FE series is not (or wasn't, who knows how it will turn out to be in the near future) for you.

[tanadrin]

Seems like the problem of how to run or support the economy of very small island territories very far from other places is a difficult one. Like the best thing you could possibly do for the economy of a place like St. Helena is move everybody off St. Helena, to somewhere where there are lots of jobs and infrastructure and not everything has to be imported from thousands of miles away by boat. But of course that is (fairly) a pretty unsatisfying solution to the people who don’t want to leave St. Helen.

If your island is the territory of a big rich country like the UK, they can afford to spend a bunch of money on you, which is great. For little islands, this expenditure can be quite small in the grand scheme of things and have big returns. So much the better if, like the UK, there’s some vague sentiment that attaches to the improvement of your island as a relic of the former glories of empire.

But for small independent island states, or aspiring independent island states, the calculus seems more difficult. Unless we get some kind of worldwide tax-and-transfer scheme (i.e. effectively one world government), geographically isolated small countries seem likely to struggle economically for the foreseeable future, outside the occasional find of valuable natural resources or a big tourism sector, which come with their own problems.

[beardedmrbean]

The father of a Jewish baby whose birth certificate was returned defaced from the Home Office has demanded that all civil servants are vetted again.

Israel, who did not wish to disclose his surname, said he feels “unsafe” in Britain and is considering leaving after his birthplace – the country Israel – was scribbled out on his six-month-old daughter’s document.

The 32-year-old’s family from Edgware, in north London, sent off the papers to the Home Office on Feb 6 to obtain a British passport for their baby daughter Ronnie but it was returned with his birthplace defaced in black pen on Monday morning. 

His 29-year-old wife Dorin was also born in Israel but her entry remained intact. 

James Cleverly, the Home Secretary, said he had asked officials to “investigate this urgently” and vowed to see that “appropriate action is taken”. It is unclear whether it was a mistake.

But Israel, a father-of-three who owns an engineering company, has demanded that ministers go further and review whether civil servants in their ranks are politically biased or not.

“This person immediately needs to be sacked and we need to make sure it has been registered somewhere, so people know this person cannot hold sensitive documents because they are taking their personal politics or even racism from home into work and gets paid from my taxes,” he told Sky News.

He added: “The Government needs to re-vet the people who work in the public sector because if anyone can get into these documents, what’s the point of a document being private?

“I don’t feel confident to send any more official papers to the Home Office or to anywhere else, because the Home Office is in charge of my security as a minority over here.”

He revealed that he was now considering leaving the country because he feared that the Home Office staff member who defaced the certificate could get their “riff raff” to come to his address.

Since the Israeli-Hamas war began on October 7 Israel said “to be Jewish in the UK is very hard nowadays and it’s not getting better, it’s getting worse and worse”.

‘I feel unsafe in London’

“I just think of my daughter in 20 years, what’s her future over here because London is not London any more and I literally feel unsafe,” he added

Israel compared the incident to the Nazis defacing of documents in the 1930s.

Under the Forgery Act of 1861 it is a criminal offence to deface a birth certificate. Israel said he would be reporting it to the police. The Met said it had not had any involvement in the case thus far.

The Campaign Against Antisemitism, which is supporting the family, said it was “completely unacceptable” and released a picture of the birth certificate.

A Home Office spokesman said: “The Home Secretary has asked officials to urgently investigate this matter and appropriate action will be taken.

“While the facts and circumstances are being established, it must be reiterated that this government will not tolerate antisemitism in any form.”

[ivalice-tifalucis]

Jason.

Suddenly I want to talk about Jason (it's a very long talk).

I realize I never talk about this here, but I often compare him to Queen's John Deacon. There are few similarities. The "silent" one, the underrated one, the one who prefer tea when the others would prefer wine, the one whose lyrics always about life, the dark horse, the one who is not confident with singing, the one who left the band and never be seen again.

The thing about John Deacon is that I never feel sort of bereaved, longing, or sad that he is no longer in Queen. I am a Queen fan since I could barely speak english thanks to my dad and the moment I learn that he left Queen so many years ago I was like that's ok. That's because even though Brian and Roger are the spine of Queen, the heart and soul will always be with Freddie and Freddie died 32 years ago. New fans had their hard time accepting it when they searched for Deacy but they quickly realized time has gone long and he has been living a peaceful private life. It's easy for us to let go of Deacy, because Queen regardless how good Adam Lambert is now, is over the moment Freddie died. There are no what ifs when talking about Deacy leaving Queen and public life. His statement is also clear and undeniable that he left because he thought there should be no more Queen after Freddie.

But the thing about Jason Orange is that he left at the height of Take That fandom. They just had Robbie back and they released Progress and it was very very success album and tour too. Three years later, people expect something but Robbie's not coming back and so did Jason. It feels anticlimactic for fans even though it may not be for him. There are no impromptu. Unlike the rest of the members, Jason doesn't have social media but he also didn't do or say anything leading up to that day in 2014. Take That was perfectly fine ship and suddenly one of their longest standing member at that time jumped the ship without lifeboat that could help him return. He swam to the nearest island and not planning to swim back to the ship ever again. Sure he made a statement through Take That's PR but it's just a thank yous. Something is not told and as fans we left to wonder why did he leave. What had gone wrong in the background??

Toxic fans would often like to think it's because of Robbie because Jason didn't like Rob in the 90s and, while often written off in newer documentaries or autobiographies, was the one who propagated to kick Robbie Williams out of Take That (as stated by the man himself in Look Back, Don't Stare). It's easy to make Robbie Williams a scapegoat, isn't it? However, Jason himself said back in Progress era that Robbie came back to Take That was the final piece of puzzle. Gary in his book A Better Me also said that Jason always wanted Robbie to return and felt like his job is done when he got to see all his boyband friends in the same room again.

However, it still doesn't answer the question to why did he leave? I have a habit of wondering over unimportant things and sometimes, especially now, my mind wonder about Jason and why exactly did he leave. I have some theories, it might not satisfy you but bare with me.

Here's a gif of Jason so you won't get too tired reading this post lol

First theory: tax evasion scandal. I'm not gonna pretend to be a foolish fan and not know that sometimes in 2014, Take That faced a huge backlash thanks to this scandal. Those annoying 40-50 something British guy who love to make this tax evader joke to state they never like Take That to look manly can never escape me every time I go around social media about Take That. Even though it rarely talked about among Thatters, I feel like if they are not known more now than they are a decade ago it's because this scandal still affecting them in the eyes of UK public, who are their major target market. I could also argue if only they make another big break this scandal will be gone from people's mind but sad to say they haven't done anything bigger than Progress even until now, not that I don't like III, Wonderland, and This Life, I do. But me and all of you (roughly 30 people around here) and I'd estimate less than 2 millions most royal Thatters out there who are interested are not enough. Back to the tax scandal, it is a fact that Gary, Mark, and Howard are part of the scandal but not Jason because his finance always managed by his twin brother, so I heard. I wonder whatever went behind the scene could might affect Jason's decision to leave.

Why? Because if it is true that he left because Progress is enough, he could have stated he would be leaving since after Progress or any time between 2012 to early 2014. Why did he have to wait and drag this for too long? Also, I wonder if this is why they are so sensitive about Jason leaving at first. Remember in Robbie's autobiography when they were really angry at Rob for accidentally blurted it that Jason would leave before official statement?

Second theory: anxiety, illness, physical problem or other health problems. I often wonder about this too. Progress era is the ultimate era especially for old school Thatters (lol sorry to the actual ultimate era). Who would have thought that "I'm rich beyond my wildest dream", the greatest britpop star living in private mansion in Beverly Hills with around 10 entourages including his gf, Robbie Williams, could ever reunited with Take That? I can only look this like history book and only recently realized how crazy it is. It happened. In his Netflix documentary, even his management didn't believe this that he'd rather earn so little yet did so much effort for Take That rather than earning another hundreds of millions of dollar doing another solo tour. But it happened, he needed it, the rest of Take That needed it, and we're glad it happened. And then, imagine Never Forget. One of the best Take That song ever, made in 1995 but released when Rob had left, so before 2010 this song had never been performed by Robbie Williams. The moment that all Thatters had been waiting for, to see all five members of Take That perform this song life, without others backing the others, as the original single intended. The only era where they can do this, and it only ever happened once (1). And then Jason...

And then they never did it again. Throughout Progress live tour, Jason didn't sing a single note by solo. His part in Never Forget was covered by Gary. You could even argue that his mic was never on during any of Progress live performances and I would believe you. So much downgrade than The Circus Live where he did an entire section singing two songs with his guitar. What was going on??

Why? He stated few times he was never confident in singing. Even Nigel Martin Smith berating him in the 90s for being the one with the worse singing voice (arguable though because he actually has decent voice). I'm glad Take Two era gave him the confidence to try albeit shyly. However, maybe eventually his anxiety won sometimes between 2012 to 2014. Plus the fact that we know he can't do breakdance forever. He was in his 40s at that time. Even current Take That dance lesser and lesser than they were in previous era. Maybe Jason thought there should not be more dancing in Take That. Maybe he thought his body would no longer able to. Maybe he's not strong as he used to be. He's ill? Idk, only Jason knows.

Third theory: settling down in private. It could be just my headcanon but think about it. We always joke he might as well marry to the bench because he's always photographed alone in his own thoughts. Some people even randomly thinking is he gay? He has that swag though, but I don't think at least he himself think that he's gay(?).

Lol this iconic pic

But what we never talk about is that he did have girlfriends in the past. He has been photographed by paparazzi in the past with "mystery" women (yes women as in plural) which I will not share here. He had a public relationship with Catherine Tate after all.

I genuinely think Jason is the kind who would drop everything to keep his family safe from public. This is after all the same guy who despite the height of his career barely show his family to the public, except his mom probably, but then again all TT moms always have media presence since day 1. Being in kdrama fandom and see korean actors and actresses who literally just dropped their career for their family and their privacy, I can see Jason would do just like that. Why not? He has achieved and experienced everything there is to know about being a celebrity. He doesn't feel the need to. And I feel like his relationship with Catherine Tate, since she also a public figure, was so gobbled down by media that maybe he thought this isn't right to have people judging his partner. If one day Jason appear with a wife and a child, I won't be surprised at all. I would be exploding in happiness that this theory is correct though.

Also I'm happy to see Catherine Tate returns to Doctor Who with David Tennant. I just know then that she actually is known for being in Doctor Who. I had no idea who is she outside being in Happy Now music video 😂

My theory outside Jason leaving:

Take That (and their management) know where and how Jason is (to some extent). In the interviews often Gary, Mark, and Howard would be asked about Jason to which they would say they didn't contact him for ages. Or joke that they tried to email him but then maybe he only have flip phones and doesn't even have a computer to answer the email. Look, he can be a hermit but man living in first world country and doesn't have even a smartphone to answer email in 21st century is ridiculous. I believe they still talk or see each other once in a while, especially with Howard, who tweeted that he met Jason in 2018. Hell, I feel like even Rob has seen Jason at least once between 2014 to now. I don't know, just a hunch.

His privacy is protected by Take That management and also by most of public. Continuation from previous bullet point. Yes. Because do you remember when there was George Michael's art auction in Manchester and some celebrities who came there are photographed clearly. But not Jason. It's hard to find that picture again but I found it and that's just the only the bigfoot sightings of Jason Orange that I know of because it happened after I know Take That deep enough. Between 2014 to 2017, how many sightings that I didn't know? Where if other celeb would have crystal clear pictures taken but not him on the same occasion? I wonder. Also many people claimed that they met Jason in public space in around London or Manchester, but mostly Manchester. So he is not as hermit as they would like you to think. Maybe if you go around there and if you just lucky, you might come across a wild Jason Orange.

Goddammit this guy.

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At the end of this post, thank you for reading this until this part, guys. I really miss Jason like all of you. He is truly an enigma but no matter what would always have special place in every Thatters' heart. Awww...I cringe a little when I wrote that.

Regardless my theory, I can only wish he lives a good and happy life. If you have something to say, you can also add here in the reblog or reply, or dm me, let's chat.

Also I put all Jason sightings on my tumblr with this tag called The Bigfoot Sightings of Jason Orange (because he is as blurry as bigfoot sightings).

[theherdofturtles]

Fandom: Hetalia Prompt: Worked themselves to exhaustion Rating: G Word Count: 2570 I whumped England but I actually whumped Ireland. England works himself to exhaustion because he makes bad life choices, Ireland begrudgingly picks up the pieces because England's life choices also affect the people around him. @badthingshappenbingo

Usually when Éire showed up at England's place in the middle of the night, he showed up to return to himself the things which England had stolen from him over the years.

Éire got a kick out of giving England no part in the transaction. It was a turning of tables long overdue... so, silent as the night, he’d take his things and leave no trace of himself.

He'd retrieve an old sword, a king's crown, his wand their mother had given him, his henri hippo money box... the usual objects his kleptomaniac of a little brother had seen and somehow immediately sensed that this, this had sentimental value attached, and dragged far misplaced from the original steward.

Usually when Éire showed up at England's place in the middle of the night, he would slip through the window. The old dusty one behind the garden rose bush, the one which had lost all its screws, which England still hadn't realised, and the same one which had lost the short decorative awning lip over the top to small faerie teeth. The window had a sideways damaged flair— that was why England planted the rose bush in the first place.

He was terrible at hiding the problems he refused to fix.

And Éire had gotten deftly skilled at dealing with the hurricane of problems left in the wake of what his youngest brother refused to fix.

But tonight was different even if his entry stayed the same.

Éire slipped into England's house with feather-feet. The storage closet heaps around him absorbed sound between their packed boxes, keeping him secret as if they, too, were on his side, begging to be rescued from the dust-forgotten corners of England's dragon hoard.

His fingers wrapped around the knotted bour wand in his pocket to retrieve the tool. A spell whispered under his breath caused a warm faerie glow to light like a firefly from the tip.

Then, stepping light-pawed around the boxes, Éire continued soundlessly. In the dark he was obscured: a lanky man dressed in brown tweed wool, a narrow movement between narrow spaces that moved a swift pace in a cat-like-gait.

He manoeuvred to leave the closet and he entered England's relatively new house. 

The halls were stoic to his presence as usual. They were oddly protective of the ugly deep green imitation of toxic Victorian wallpaper they drowned in, but the sheer number of paintings, posters, framed letters, photographs, and swords hanging over the painful paper drowned even the wall's colour.

Éire disliked this house less than he disliked the last one.

This house, particularly, had only actually been England's house for a few decades. The new residence was government owned rather than having been gifted to him by royals, which was almost a plus for Éire. See, after England’s last home had been rendered unliveable as it was a bombed, fifty room, bleed-your-taxes-out, museum of a pile of rubble, the UK authorities had leapt at the chance to shove him into a smaller, twenty room, bleed-due-to-your-housing-crisis-out, hoarders' paradise of an estate.

In Éire's opinion, the 'house' could probably squeeze five Westminsters and the Palace in it if England threw away his hoard.

Which, to him, meant the ‘house’ was way too large to justify one man living in it... the UK authorities should move his things into a museum or send them back to their owners and put him in a normal house like all the other privileged Britons.

And each of his brothers had been plushily treated to the same British bribery while Éire still lived on the same stoney island he'd claimed since Vikings would knock down his door. No one could make him budge.

He didn't understand why his siblings had all stumbled after similar impractical lifestyles.

Éire whispered a second spell under his breath, an old one he'd created, "dul sa tóir ar dhuine namhad." 

He flicked his fingers to his shoes, flicking magic as if it were water. The leather shoes absorbed the words and whispered back, d'aimsigh mé an deargnamhaid.

They began to walk and Éire trusted their direction.

Two things happened at once after a nice stroll through England's hoard.

Éire rounded a corner with cozy fire-feet.

A fizzle of sparkling firecracker-green wizzed by his head.

The crackling spark missed him by a lot. It struck a poor undeserving photograph of a horse and immediately splintered the glass like a shrieking spiderweb.

So that was how the little dragon was today...

Éire's magic smoothed an immediate fire-gold shield in front of himself.

England let loose a string of curses.

"Watch your magic. And your aim. That was horrendous on every front," Éire said.

His littlest brother cursed again.

He looked worse than he'd looked several days ago when Éire'd last seen him. England might've been attempting a furious glare, but the bags under his eyes were taking all of Éire's attention, and Éire couldn't focus on anything else except the massive purple bandit bruising on his face.

My God... those bags were three times larger than usual. He looked like a raccoon.

It suited the greedy little bastard.

"Get out of my house!" England said. He swayed on his feet like a goblin fortress threatening to collapse in the wind. 

"No thank you," Éire didn't smirk as he usually would. He wasn't sure what was wrong with the little beast yet, and he felt he should know before he began kicking anthills.

"What's got you leasing brain power into the void this week?" Éire said sceptically. "Three days ago, you missed your queue to imitate a frazzled pup when I called your latest political stunt the world's most irrelevant tantrum. Then you said, 'thank you' when I tossed a note containing a list of GIS data demands in the general direction of your head."

England narrowed his eyes. 

He looked deeply concentrated.

Then, "sorry," he said

Sorry? Éire almost laughed, because that was the wrong answer.

England must be feeling economically sick already to be that delirious. England didn’t say ‘sorry’ to him, ever.

"I'll ask Scot to write your obituary if he hasn't started already." Now Éire smirked. "Do you have a fever? Immediate global backlash? Investors betting on your poor choices? Well well well, consequences of your own actions." He was going to sprinkle salt in England's wound just to watch him squirm.

"Please get out of my house."

"Your house? Could've sworn I stood on public land. British taxpayers bought this place-"

"I don't have time to fight you tonight!" England growled. He stomped, but it was a weak stomp, and he nearly stumbled with the motion.

This pulled Éire off his elusive high horse and back onto his original mission, which was to make sure England wouldn't kneel over dead. A ruin of fun, really, but there was an unfortunate responsibility that came with being the eldest of four magical island men without a mother in sight.

"Are you drunk as well as sick?" Éire asked.

"What?"

"Are. You. Drunk?" Éire pronounced each word clearly and slowly for England's aid.

England's wrinkled raccoon peepers widened slightly and he shook his head adamantly. "Why'd you always think 'm drunk." He sounded genuinely puzzled and upset.

"It's a Saturday night, you're alone, yesterday you were withdrawn. Believe it or not, Arthur, you're an incredibly habitual creature."

"I'm not drunk!" 

"You're like a toddler trying to bike without stabilisers."

"Leave!" England boldly moved forward. Very pathetically he tried to push Éire.

His bones were fish floppy, his feet were flippered messes without stance, and his resolve faded before Éire could bother lowering his magical barrier to help England save his dignity.

"This is the worst attempt you've ever put forth in controlling me; this should earn you tears." 

Even in this poor state, England was desperately clutching filing cabinets and alphabetized dictionaries. Éire was a wild card no matter how desperately England attempted to tame him into his perfectly organised box of a universe. But this? This was a particularly resigned attempt to settle his order.

England's grip loosened and he wobbled more, steadied himself, and drooped. He was a staggering drunk.

He dropped further as if gravity had grabbed his shoulders and tugged him eagerly for a hug. 

"England, are you drunk?" He asked again. He was sterner and teasing in the same tone.

England didn't respond this time.

Was the little bastard going to kneel over and die? 

Éire... didn't know how to feel about that. He'd need at least a week to ponder whether to sing and dance or sacrifice a single tear or do both at once during his funeral.

Suddenly England's droop sloppily straightened, his fingers glowed a magic green, and Éire's barricade prepared to take another missed shot.

England's hand waved up at his own head as he muttered 'wake' at himself.

The green glow fizzled over England before sinking into his skin.

Immediately his littlest brother straightened fully. His eyes glazed sharp. His face contorted angerly as a mask over his tiredness.

"I'm not drunk, thank you very much, dear brother."

You had got to be kidding...

He was just sleep deprived?

And cursed?!

A magical method to force wakefulness didn't negate the necessity of sleeping!

"You're cursing yourself!" Éire accused. 

"Jealous?" England taunted.

"Of sleepless torture? Why would I be?!"

"That you didn't get to curse on me by your own hand," England clarified. He sneered in his ugly pug-face way which always made Éire want to swing a nice left hook into his flat Saxon skull.

The purple sagging under his eyes made Éire think twice about pummelling him. He was already pummelling himself.

"I can solve that problem and curse you now, you little bastard," Éire flicked his wand upwards. The wand summoned an opaque white fog of faerie dreams which twirled, misted, and glinted, in small, dreary loops around his wrist, ready to curse England into a deep sleep.

Alarmed, England put a few feet of distance between them.

"No, no, no you can't do that, I forbid you!" His hands waved up as if they could shield him.

"Oh yes I can." Éire grinned sharply. "You can't forbid me from anything."

"I'm not done working needs to be done before tomorrow I've a deadline another stack of documents— this pertains to you! This is interests you!" England shouted.

Éire lifted his chin. 

Clever intentional little bastard. Manipulative baby brother. Lying kid.

"Really?" He said, tilting his head. England brightened.

"Yes, very important," he gestured mindlessly at his desk, "this needs to be-"

Éire flicked the faerie fog off his tangle-bore wand into England's face.

England fell like a stack of bricks.

"You forgot that I don't care for your words," Éire told the soundly sleeping English lump. "... but, er, sorry mum," he mumbled as an afterthought. She never liked it when they fought. 

Éire stepped over England's sleeping form and strolled over to England's desk to check what he'd been forcing himself awake to finish.

A stack of documents lined one side. A smaller stack lined the other side. Highlighted on the paper in the centre of his desk was an EU document.

So... England was starting to fill out his divorce papers.

Éire would chuckle to himself if he wasn't tied to his brother's fate. The deadlines were indeed short, England might've been working for days without sleep if he wasn't being helped with all these documents.

Éire picked up a page and flicked the thing straight before reading aloud.

"The bilateral arrangements between the Union and the United Kingdom under the Protocol do not give rise to rights and obligations for third countries," he read the part circled next to a note scribbled illegibly.

Ouch... England getting labelled a 'third country' by the EU was exactly the cold shoulder which England had signed up for. It was different to see it first hand, though.

"Consequently, any imports pursuant to Union import tariff rate quotas or other import quotas applying to goods originating in a third country that are brought into Northern Ireland..." Éire paused as he focused much deeper into the document, "cannot be counted towards that third country’s rights vis-à-vis the Union, unless agreed by the third country. That situation poses a risk to the proper functioning of the Union’s internal market and the integrity of the Common Commercial Policy by allowing the possible circumvention of the Union’s tariff rate quotas or other import quotas."

England hadn't lied.

This was about him and his Union membership.

That made Éire feel odd. The little dragon's whole mouth was silver, to have heard him actually use the truth as his defence was weird.

This wasn't just England's battle, how'd England not bring this up to him three days ago? The foot Éire still had toward his little brother's United Kingdom would cause scruples over import and export tariffs as goods flowed freely without strict regulation between all of Éire's land regardless to which side it belonged. It was a tentative measure to ensure peace.

Dealing with that without contacting him? Ridiculous.

The fact that this made space for squabbling between England and his fresh break with the Union meant England should be meeting with Éire more often about this topic at hand. The Union wouldn't like how plausibly England could escape tariffs by utilising Éire's scar.

And if the Union got their ideal way, England might be further split from Éire's Northern half by regulation. The ordeal depended on how this particular negotiation ended. It wouldn't be a wise choice to put a customs border in the middle of Éire, as reinforcements of his split would call back to more violent times in his history.

But a customs border on the Irish sea would put Éire fully a fence away from the United Kingdom, separating his North half from their main source of imports.

Éire hummed and tapped two fingers to the corner of his mouth.

This... was a stick poking a delicate tower of cards. Éire could sense tension and riot material already.

Loyalists and Nationalists, back at it again with bricks and sticks and fire wicks.

No fun. Especially for Éire.

"You've tripped me for the thousandth time," Éire said to his sleeping brother. The thorn in his side always, the deep splinter in his foot which his own mother had made. England honestly couldn't help but jump off a cliff and knock Éire over in the process. 

England: professional discord sewer. 

An ironic situation considering England spent every second of his life attempting to control and sort everything into his own perfect order.

Éire sighed.

"If you didn't exist there'd be nothing on earth that could keep me humble. I might've been king. Let's get you to a proper bed," he begrudgingly told the little bastard. He was going to drag him over every stair-step like he and his other siblings did when England was passed-out drunk.

Then, he was going to make him sleep for three days before he lifted the spell. Mainly, because Éire didn't want to deal with him; secondly, when Éire did deal with him, he should be well rested and thinking with a clear head. This was his fight before it should be England's, but England had a part to play and he’d better play well. Éire wouldn't take the consequences of England's choices without driving his stake into the ground first.

[eaglesnick]

“The True measure of our wealth is how much we’d be worth if we lost all our money.” – J.H.Jowett

The Byline Times carried this headline on 18th January 2024

“Reform UK Limited: The Political Business Brought to You by Billionaires.”

I have always been somewhat surprised why so many of the British electorate vote for Nigel Farage. He is not a “man of the people”, he rarely speaks “common sense" and he breaks his political promises as often as Sir Keir Starmer. (We all remember the slogan, “We send the EU £350 million a week. Lets fund our NHS” that turned out to be either a "mistake" as Farage later described it, or a deliberate lie, depending on your point of view.)

There are two themes that run throughout Forages political career – accusations of racism and his love of money.

Lets take racism:

Farage’s infamous anti-immigration poster of 2016 was described by George Osbourne as both “vile" and reminiscent of “nazi propaganda”. Farage is a master at promoting feelings of “us” and “them”, the polarizing political rhetoric that pits one group of people against another.

Despite claiming to “hate” the EU, its institutions, its personnel and its policies, Nigel Farage was a member of the European Parliament for 21 years, raking in a small fortune while doing so. (More of this later) He very successfully used the language  of  “hatred” to persuade the British people to leave the EU but at the same time created a problem for himself as he also scuppered his earning potential. Having defeated the bullying EU he needed to create a new enemy to rail against – Muslims.

Sky News (27/05/24:

“Nigel Farage called out for 'blanket accusation' as he says 'growing number' of Muslims 'loathe' British values.

And LBC said:

“Farage defends Reform UK candidates after anti-Islam and far-right comments exposed." (13/06/24)

Farage’s anti-Muslim position had been known for many years. In 2013 Farage claimed Muslim migrants were  “coming here to take us over". But since leaving the EU it has taken on new significance, Muslims being  an easily identifiable group for the particular brand of "hatred" politics that Farage peddles in order to make money.

Let us suppose for arguments sake Farage actually believes what he says about Muslims trying to “take over Britain” and “loathing British values”. The question then arises as to why he has handed the Chairmanship of the Reform UK party to a Muslim millionaire.

Before the last election Reform UK accepted hundreds of thousands of pounds from very wealthy individuals, the largest donor being Muslim.

“The precise amount Zia Yusuf has given to the party has not been disclosed but Reform UK claims it is the biggest donation of their general election campaign so far." (BBC News: 19/06/24)

Two months later and Zia Yusaf has been made chairman of Reform UK. If Muslims are intent on “taking over" Britain what better way than becoming Chairman of Britons fastest growing political party? But why would Farage open the door to a “takeover” by the very people he claims loath British values?

The answer is of course money. When you “donate” millions to a political party you expect something in return. And for Farage money has always been of primary concern regardless of ethics.

Reform UK is backed by billionaires and millionaires because they feel it will protect their interests. Nigel Farage does not really care about the so-called “Muslim threat” anymore than he hated the EU.  Farage’s primary concern is funding his ever-growing bank account that being a controversial figure in the political limelight allows him to do.

The 21 years that Farage was a member of the despicable European Parliament he was paid approximately £2.2 million before tax (£1.7 million after tax). In 2018, Esquire magazine (21/08/18) revealed that Farage was living in a £4 million Chelsea town house, and was paid nearly £1million pounds for his broadcasting contracts on top of his job as an MEP. That isn’t all. As a retiring MEP Mr Farage was entitled to an extra payment of £152,000 before tax, and a massive pension of £73,000 per year. Strange that Mr  Farage had told the Daily Mail only months earlier that he was “skint” and that there was “no money in politics”.

It is money that drives Farage not political conviction. It is no wonder that the Financial Times (17/08/24) reported that:

“Nigel Farage is Britain’s highest earning MP, Common records reveal."

Farage has been absent from his Clacton constituency and not holding constituency surgeries on the pretext "the public will flow through the doors with knives in their pockets”. A more plausible explanation might be he has been too busy in America supporting Donald Trump and raking in huge sums of money for his speaking events.

The Independent (17/08/24) revealed Farage is pocketing £98,000 a month from his various political activities this year. Stoking political and social division pays very nicely it seems. His anti-EU, anti-immigrant, anti-Muslim, credentials have kept him firmly in the media spotlight, and this has provided him the opportunity to feather his own nest regardless of the economic cost to the nation regards Brexit, or the social cost regards his anti-immigration, anti-Muslim stance.  Where making money takes precedence over all things is it any wonder that Reform UK is the party of billionaires.

[bondshotel]

Bill Wyman

Geboren am 24. Oktober 1936

als William George Perks

in Penge, London, Vereinigtes Königreich britischer Musiker.

Von 1962 bis zu seinem Ausstieg 1993 war er Bassist der Rolling Stones.

When Being In The World's Greatest Rock & Roll Band Ain't Enough.

Former Rolling Stones bassist Bill Wyman has revealed the financial troubles he faced during his tenure in the band.

Interview conducted by Writer Ian Fortnam for Classic Rock Magazine:

Bill Wyman has opened up about his time in the Rolling Stones, revealing that he and some of his bandmates were struggling financially.

In an interview with Classic Rock, Wyman was asked if he left the band at the right time – he left in 1993 – and replied that he should have left earlier.

“I hung on for a three-tour ending across ’89 and ’90, after seven years of nothing, and I’d ended up with a bank overdraft of £200,000, because we weren’t earning anything,” he explained.

Wyman continued: “Mick [Jagger] and Keith [Richards] were totally wealthy, so they weren’t bothered, but me, Charlie [Watts] and Ronnie [Wood] were scraping by. Ronnie started to do art to feed his family. Anyway, I only started playing with them again in the hope it’d only be a couple of years, because I had all these other things I wanted to do.”

He also discussed the criticism the band received after they left the UK in 1971, becoming tax exiles in the south of France. “We had no fucking money,” he said. “[Former Stones manager Allen] Klein had all the money, and when you wanted anything you begged him to send you some money. You’re in the red with your bank, so you weren’t partying all the time, you were worrying about how to pay your bills. It was a nightmare.

“And then [Prime Minister Harold] Wilson comes in, and puts tax up to ninety-three per cent, it was absurd. So we left. We had to leave because we owed the Inland Revenue so much money that, with ninety-three per cent tax, we could never make enough to pay it back. So we had to leave, and then we were accused of being multimillionaires, leaving because we didn’t want to pay our way, but we weren’t.”

He went on to say that former Stones guitarist Brian Jones was over £30,000 in debt when he died in 1969, and added: “When I bought that manor in Suffolk I had a thousand pounds in the bank, had to scrape together a mortgage and hope I could continue to make enough money to keep it. That’s how bad it was.”

He explained that Jagger and Richards had greater wealth due to their songwriting and publishing royalties, but that he, Jones, Watts and Wood were only making about a tenth of what Jagger and Richards were.

Watts died in 2021 at the age of 80, and at the time Wyman shared a heartfelt tribute to his old bandmate. He wrote on Instagram alongside a photo of Watts: “Charlie, you were like a brother to me. In the band and in life. Rest in peace.”

Earlier this year, Wyman – who briefly returned to the Stones to record a track for their album ‘Hackney Diamonds’ in 2023 – spoke about his decision to leave the band.

He said about his bandmates: “I left in 1991 but they would not believe me. They refused to accept I had left. It was not until 1993, when they were starting to get together to tour in 1994, when they said, ‘You have actually now left, haven’t you?’ And I said, ‘I left two years ago’. They finally accepted it, so they say I left in 1993.”

He explained that he’d “had enough” and wanted to do other things, from writing books to playing charity cricket to indulging in his passion for archaeology: “I used to read about ancient cultures while I was on the road and take photos as well. I just had this whole other life I wanted to live.”

Meanwhile, the Stones have “cut back” on their backstage rider requests, according to bassist Darryl Jones. The band no longer make bigger requests, like for large gaming rooms, but do request plenty of food – including Richards’ favourite shepherd’s pie.

[ukrfeminism]

The government has been urged to more than double maternity pay so it is equal to minimum wage as mothers are being forced to choose between eating and heating their homes.

Mothers are brushing their teeth to beat hunger cravings, only eating toast all day, or resorting to consuming their kid’s leftovers – with one woman saying she became anaemic due to missing meals, new research has found.

The study, by the trade union Unison and the charity Maternity Action, found seven in 10 mothers have turned down their thermostat while over half turned off the heating to save money.

Mothers warn skimping on heating is causing damp and mould problems in their homes and leaving them with health problems such as respiratory issues – as well as sparking fears their new babies may be getting cold.

Researchers, who polled 1,400 mothers in the UK who had taken maternity leave, also discovered around a third were either missing meals altogether or opting for smaller portion sizes.

One in 20 said they sometimes went without food all day to save money as they were so anxious about the cost of living crisis, while around half said they were being forced to buy less healthy food. 

Union representatives and campaigners urged ministers to raise statutory maternity pay to £364.70 a week to ensure new mothers are not forced to return to work too early – warning the current amount of £172.48 is inadequate.

Ministers must more than double the pay so women receive what amounts to the national minimum wage of £10.42 per hour, campaigners warned, also raising concerns women are cutting down their maternity leave.

Around six in 10 mothers went back to work before they completely recovered from giving birth due to anxiety about money, campaigners claimed.

“Everyone is feeling the impact of escalating living costs. But it’s hitting new mums particularly hard,” Unison general secretary Christina McAnea said.

“No mother should have to go without food or skip meals. But the failure of maternity pay to keep up with increasing living costs is driving many pregnant workers and new mothers into severe financial hardship.

“The government is effectively forcing many women to choose between work and family. They must raise maternity leave pay to ensure no one is penalised for having a baby.”

In the UK, statutory maternity leave is paid for up to 39 weeks – with mothers getting 90 per cent of average weekly earnings before tax for the first six weeks. After that, mothers get £172.48 or 90 per cent of their average weekly earnings, whichever sum is lower, for the next 33 weeks. Employers can offer better terms but they are not legally obliged to.

“Mothers shouldn’t be forced to cut short their maternity leave because they can’t make ends meet,” Ros Bragg, Maternity Action’s director, said. “This is an important time for women to recover from the birth and bond with their baby.”

Ms Bragg argued women must keep their stress levels down while pregnant and during their child's first year, rather than being wracked with anxiety about how they will afford basics.

“Stress during pregnancy puts women at increased risk of post-natal depression and other mental health conditions,” she added. “The government should be supporting pregnant women and new mothers to live healthy lives, not leaving them struggling to keep their house warm and eat a balanced diet.”

A mother, who was forced to return to work when her son was just three months old, said: “We had to take a £5,000 loan to keep us afloat for those three months (on maternity leave) because the maternity pay wasn’t enough.”

A government spokesperson said: “We want new mothers to be able to take time away from work to protect their health and wellbeing and that of their child. That is why we increased Statutory Maternity Pay and Maternity Allowance by over 10 per cent last year and will raise it again by 6.7 per cent from April.

“In addition, parents who are ready to return to work will benefit from the single biggest investment in childcare in England ever and we’re supporting those who are struggling with record financial support worth around £3,700 per household.”

[ravenroth-grayson]

Robrae Weekend 2023 Prompt: Books

Summary: It’s the end of the tax year and Robin is trying to balance the Teen Titans books… but he’s finding the tax return to be a little taxing…

Hope you enjoy reading this... Surprisingly this idea has never been done before - I know shocker! I think I got the idea as the RobRae prompts came out at end/start of the UK tax year… and balancing the books is often a phrase used to do your taxes. Once the idea took hold, it wouldn’t leave me, so I had to write it. Give it a chance and maybe you’ll be rewarded with a giggle or two… I’m not sorry for the pun in the summary - it was totally intentional (lol)

[theretirementstory]

21/04/24. Another day in Paris. It was an early start, I was out of bed at 5:30am and by the time we got back in the evening it was after 7pm. Boy was I tired! However, I am going to Paris for the next part of the CAR-T cell therapy on Thursday April 25. I should be staying in the hospital in Paris for 3-4 weeks. I am just praying that the food is good.

Now it’s time to do my tax return as it has to be completed by May 23 and I don’t want to send an email saying I am in hospital again! I have all of the information it is just a case of finding where to put it on the forms.

Had a catch up chat with Rosie who lives In Poitou-Charentes. Anie messaged to see if she could visit, she brought me a delightful bunch of muguet. While I was checking on a crumble I was cooking, there was a knock on the door. I opened the front door to find a huge bunch of muguet tucked into the door handle and Marlene was disappearing down the drive. I dashed out to speak to her and her husband before they left. I was so happy to receive these lovely gifts.

I had to have a platelet transfusion in Troyes on Monday and before they would let me leave the hospital in Paris on Tuesday I had to have another platelet transfusion. Can you believe I was booked in for another in Troyes on Friday afternoon. Well I got to the hospital on time, then after a blood test I was told I couldn’t have the transfusion on Friday I have to return on Monday morning. I was so angry but as I have found no amount of anger changes the stance of these people. Coming back in the taxi, I had to sit in the back, by the time we got home I was feeling travel sick! So Monday at 8:45am it is, what’s the betting that it will be more than one transfusion and I will be there all day 😩. I think I will need my case packing this afternoon!

Monique came to visit, she brought me lilac from her trees and three delicious cakes, bought at the most expensive cake shop in town! I cannot believe how well we get along and how we can sit and talk for hours when Monique only speaks French and German 🤔. She stayed for about 3 hours by which time we had put the world to rights.

I spoke to a cousin in London, who is terrified that WW3 is about to break out. To be honest if it does there is not much you or I can do about it and if someone pushes the button we may not even have time to worry. Just one thing I would like to know, in case this should happen, was Andrew Hillier from France 24, born in the North East of England? 😂

Anie called to see me again, bearing more gifts. This time it was pain d’épicés and a jar of homemade soup. The pain d’épicés contained walnuts too, it was absolutely delicious.

I needed some pj’s to wear in the hospital so I popped to Gemo in town and got a couple of pairs of pj bottoms and four t shirt tops as I need tops with short sleeves. I was given the sheet advising what I can eat on the protected feeding plan. Now I will be on this diet while I am in hospital but was told there is a washing machine available to wash my nightclothes. As I will be expected to remain in my room, being so far from home that I won’t have any visitors, I wonder how my pj’s will manage to get washed? Answers on a postcard please 😂😂.

The doctor from Paris phoned me just to say he had all the scan results and providing I don’t have Covid, he will see me on Thursday. Oh gosh it’s exciting and terrifying at the same time! I am hoping that I will be able to do my blogs but as some of the risk factors are neurological and I may lose the ability to write (temporarily) I will have to wait and see.

I have had two deliveries this week, the first was four books from another cousin in the UK and the second was a card and two magazines from a friend in the UK. I finally managed to package up, again, the gift I sent her last year which was refused by UK customs and returned to me.

“The Trainee Solicitor” has been stressed again this week! Having to keep one eye on training the new recruit and the other on dealing with his cases I guess he is looking a bit like Marty Feldman! Anyway it’s the weekend and a time to clear your head ready for the forthcoming week.

“The Reconnect Navigator” is going to be doing a new role at work until such time as a replacement is found. All experience and I think it will be rather interesting too. Her new Dr Marten boots have rubbed her feet and made them very sore. She went out on Friday evening with friends, I do hope she didn’t have to go barefoot!

“The Photographer” has his children this weekend. On Friday evening he had prepared a cottage pie with red wine jus and cheesy mash. Apparently the children really enjoyed it and my grandson had second helpings! On Saturday they met up with “The Trainee Solicitor” and “The Reconnect Navigator” for lunch, so I imagine that was a great experience too, as both children adore them! I was sent photos on Friday evening, of both children playing with large cardboard boxes. I love imaginary play where the box can be your home, a car, boat or plane it’s just wonderful to see children playing this way. Of course I love to see them as they are growing up so quickly, apparently my grandson can count to ten in French.

“The Jetsetter”, has been continuing with the day job until she goes away again. Not long now girl, I will be thinking of you on the day you fly but don’t you be thinking of me 😂.

The music this week starts with a song from a married couple. It was released in 1988, it’s Teardrops by Womack and Womack.

The second song is from 1997 (that was a good year😉) it’s by Savage Garden and it’s “To The Moon And Back”.

On my travels I have noticed that lilac, laburnum and the candles on the horse chestnut trees are all in evidence. I think they are probably a few weeks early. My cherry tree has lots of cherries starting to appear. Let’s hope that no heavy frost comes and kills them off.

So I will do my best to get a blog out to you next week. I am staying in the Saint-Antoine hospital in Paris. The nurse who was doing the transfusion said “ oh you are going to be staying on the floor”, I replied “Well I am hoping for a bed actually” to which we both had a laugh. The hospital is older than the one in Troyes, the room is probably going to be smaller and the “salle de douche”, in the room I was in on the day unit, was tiny, I could have taken a shower while sitting on the toilet! Maybe that’s how my pj’s will get washed 🤔.

The photo at the top of the blog Is the barrière du trône and this final photo is somewhere in the 12th arrondissement.

Jusqu’à la semaine prochaine.

[masllp]

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