Two-Child Benefits Cap Could Be Axed

As Keir Starmer confronts his first Labour revolt, ministers have hinted that the two-child benefits cap may be removed soon.

Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall insisted the government must ‘do the sums’ before confirming that the policy will be ditched.

The Prime Minister has been working extremely hard to quell mounting resentment among his own supporters over his unwillingness to remove the limitations on family assistance distributions. Before making a commitment, Chancellor Rachel Reeves is emphatic that the public finances must stabilise.

A King’s Speech amendment might force a vote on the matter, albeit Labour has a massive 180-point working majority, so there’s no chance of losing.

On a round of interviews, Ms Kendall warned that things could not be changed ‘overnight’.

She told Times Radio: ‘We were elected on the promise that we would only make spending commitments that we know we can keep and we are facing a dire inheritance from the Tories.

‘I’m not into a wink and a nudge politics.

‘I’m not going to look constituents in the face and tell them I’m going to do something without actually having done the sums figuring out how I’m going to pay for it, figuring out how we transform opportunity for those children, not just in terms of their household income, which is essential, but about having sustained improvements to helping people get work and get on in work, more childcare, early years support, sorting out the dire state of people’s housing.

‘It’s got to be part of a much bigger approach.’

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said yesterday that the Government would look at lifting the cap as ‘one of a number of levers’ to tackle child poverty.

But she warned it would be ‘very expensive’ to reverse the policy as Labour battles with ‘really tough’ public finances.

Around 20 Labour backbenchers have already pledged to support an amendment to the King’s Speech demanding the Government ‘abolish’ the cap.

Ex-chancellor George Osborne imposed a two-child benefit cap that prohibits parents from obtaining child tax credit or universal credit for a third or subsequent child born after April 2017.

Before becoming PM, Sir Keir said he would ditch the two-child limit ‘in an ideal world’ but added that ‘we haven’t got the resources to do it at the moment’.

The Resolution Foundation has calculated that abolishing the two-child limit would cost the Government somewhere between £2.5billion and £3.6billion in 2024/25 but said such costs are ‘low compared to the harm that the policy causes’.

The problem that we have is the NHS is overrun, and now has its issues. We are lacking in school places, we are lacking in infrastructure, and we are short on housing stock, but yet our government encourage immigrants to enter our country, have loads of children, and then tell the good British people that if we have the cheek to have more than two children we will not get child benefits for them.

We are being outbred by our guests, and now the good British people can’t afford housing or acquire council housing because there is not enough housing stock and more and more British citizens are choosing not to have any children at all, and our government have allowed this to happen, but it has to stop!

First Time Ultra-Orthodox Jews Have Been Drafted Into Israel’s Army

Amid concerns that the Middle East war may worsen, Israel has called up ultra-Orthodox Jews to serve in the armed forces for the first time.

The Israel Defence Forces have sent draft notices to call up 1,000 men from the devout Haredi community to bolster the army’s ranks—the first of 3,000 to be conscripted in the coming weeks.

It comes after the Supreme Court of Israel ruled that men who identify as ultra-Orthodox could no longer be excused from military duty, breaking a deal that had existed since Israel’s founding in 1948.

The move comes amid heightened tensions in the region after the IDF carried out air strikes on Houthi rebel targets in Yemen, a day after a drone launched by the group hit Tel Aviv.

Conscripting ultra-Orthodox men is a contentious issue in Israel and the Haredi leadership fiercely resists any effort to draft young men, with some rabbis even urging anyone who receives call-up orders to burn them.

A large number of ultra-Orthodox Jews feel that military service is incompatible with their way of life. These Jews typically attend yeshivas or religious schools.

However, with Israeli troops still fighting in Gaza more than nine months after the Hamas terror attack on October 7, there has been growing pressure from the army and secular Israelis to spread the burden of military service.

By law, Israeli residents must enlist in the military at the age of eighteen and serve for at least 24 months. Since October 7, around 300,000 of these individuals have been called up for reserve service.

The government has said it will have to extend military service for conscripts and reservists to meet the country’s security needs.

The IDF said anyone ignoring multiple draft orders could be prevented from leaving the country or even face jail.

It follows a Houthi drone attack on a Tel Aviv apartment block on Friday that left a 50-year-old man dead and eight other people injured.

Speaking on Saturday evening after the attacks, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country would defend itself ‘by all means’.

Israel responded by launching a series of airstrikes in Yemen—the first time it has struck the country directly—which Houthi-linked news outlets said killed six people and injured more than 80.

Israeli forces said they intercepted a ballistic missile fired yesterday in retaliation.

While all Israelis should help to defend their nation, dealing with ultra-Orthodox Jews can be challenging. They have so far done everything to resist, so it’s about time they put in some graft like the rest of their country.

Ben Gurion came up with an exemption plan that was somewhat of a Faustian bargain.

Although the nation was established on secular principles, it retained the traditional cultural practice of Judaism. allowing the Orthodox, who at the time suited the majority, to pray and preserve their religion while everyone else fought to defend and establish the nation.

They essentially outsourced religion to the orthodox custodians.

The number of orthodox people has increased throughout time, and they have all had a large number of children. As a result, they are now a greater burden on the welfare state and have significantly increased political power.

They are no longer a small minority in their demographic, and it now seems that the rest of Israel is no longer prepared to subsidise their way of life. This has been brewing for a long time, and there are many roles that they could perform that would not contradict their way of life.

Biden Stepped Aside For What Reason?

Despite weeks of crisis talks and dozens of Democrats calling for him to step down, Joe Biden’s decision to withdraw was made at the last minute.

The 81-year-old president was spending time alone at his $3.4 million vacation house in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, when he received polling data indicating he was no longer able to defeat Donald Trump.

At that point, they wrote a letter stating that he should resign to protect the Democratic Party’s future.

Millions of dollars had been withheld from him by donors, the number of Democrats urging him to withdraw was increasing daily, and polls indicated that his prospects of defeating Donald Trump were diminishing following his appalling performance in the debate.

Jill Biden was there when her husband eventually made the historic call, giving in to mounting pressure. However, a spokeswoman for the First Lady said it was the president’s judgement alone and confirmed he made it late.

‘Down to the last hours of the decision only he could make, she (Jill Biden) was supportive of whatever road he chose,’ the spokeswoman said. ‘She’s his biggest believer, champion, and always on his side, in that trusted way only a spouse of almost 50 years can be.’ 

What ultimately motivated Biden to take the drastic step that surprised most of his reelection campaign staff and some members of his White House staff is the question at hand.

On Saturday evening, Biden summoned to his side two men who have been there since his political start: advisers Steve Ricchetti and Mike Donilon. They have been with him through the best of times—his first years as a senator—and the worst of times—the death of his son, Beau Biden, in 2015.

Already with the president and the first lady were their closest aides, Annie Tomasini and Anthony Bernal, who they refer to as ‘family.’

Donilon and Ricchetti were the ones who delivered the shocking new information that would influence Biden’s decision.

Following the debate, they released the results of the most recent internal campaign polling, which indicated he was no longer able to defeat Trump.

Biden’s decision was made soon after, and he asked Ricchetti and Donilon to start drafting a letter and to begin the process of how to make a public announcement, DailyMail.com confirmed. The president also began telling his family.

Biden had previously insisted that he would only step aside if he was shown polling that proved Kamala Harris would fare better than him against Trump or if he developed a ‘medical condition’. In the end, it was the first of those developments that sealed his fate.

It seems that the media are falling over themselves to talk about Joe Biden’s bravery and the sacrifice that he’s making as he saves democracy from Donald Trump. I’m guessing his bravery didn’t extend to informing his team or addressing the nation. No, of course not; it was a letter that was written by someone else.

America has to exercise extreme caution when it comes to Donald Trump, who holds admiration for Vladimir Putin, and Tucker Carlson, who seems to think that living in Russia is preferable to living in the US, and Trump believes he’s the King of the Castle.

Saving democracy from Trump is like saying “I will save your soul from God by giving you the devil.”

The woke media should also take a bow out of their profession because dishonest media is a useless media, and to the masses that matters.

Joe Biden has now stepped aside, but what one has to remember is that old men do not always accept that they’re too old to do some things and therefore they find it hard to bow out gracefully. He is an old man and also a human being, and this announcement is that of an old man reluctantly agreeing with those around him.

Immigration: What Do You Think?

Immigration has long been one of Britain’s most divisive topics, dominating much of the discussion in the lead-up to the general election and causing several senior politicians to butt heads, and it was the same when MailOnline went to the main immigration hotspots in the nation.

Analysis this week revealed up to one in 22 residents in parts of England and Wales are immigrants who came to the country last year.

This number, which was compiled by the Office for National Statistics, represents immigrants who are not from the United Kingdom.

The five locations with the largest inflow of foreign migrants in 2023 were Middlesbrough, Leicester, Coventry, Camden, and Newhaven. This increased demand puts further strain on housing, education, and the NHS.

But what is it like to live in these places? And what do the locals have to say on the issue? We went back out to these five locations to speak to residents about their views on immigration and the effect it has had on their communities.

Official estimates place Middlesbrough’s population at about 150,000. In 2023, there was an influx of almost 6,800 foreign migrants living there.

Due to the increase, foreigners who moved to Teesside town in 2023 now make up about 4.4% of the town’s population.

However, many are concerned that as the region gets more crowded, the hike is hurting young people’s ability to move up the housing ladder.

According to official government statistics, 6,800 foreign migrants made their way to Middlesbrough, which is home to about 150,000 people overall.

Trainee welder Dom Barwick, 19, said, ‘In the last four or five years, I have seen immigration numbers rise. I’d love to know why that increase has happened, but I don’t know.

‘It could be because places like Middlesbrough are so cheap. Even Newcastle, which is not far from here, is a lot more expensive.

‘But we can’t provide for our people, such as our veterans. Then we see migrants from abroad coming into hotels.

‘I don’t think that’s fair. I doubt the government are going to help, though. I feel for them, but we have to provide for our own people first.

‘I don’t see that happening as much as it should. I don’t mind seeing more people; it makes it more multi-cultural and that is a good thing to help the economy.

‘But this should be in the Government’s top three priorities to sort out.’

We have never had a government ask us if we wanted this in my lifetime, but we have voted for governments that have pledged to reduce the numbers. Our government has never responded to our concerns; instead, it has made a concerted effort to complicate our lives and allay any legitimate worries we may have had.

Our government should care more about its citizens, but it doesn’t because it doesn’t directly touch them. All that matters is that the labour is inexpensive, profits are increased, and wages remain low.

I have no problem with people from other countries coming to our land, but our government are not selective enough, or restrictive enough in terms of access. We are a tiny place, with not enough room. If we were the size of America or Australia, then that would be a bit different, and even Australia probably wouldn’t let them in.

The floodgates are now open for good. They come with open arms, and now it will never stop! Our government simply does not care and they treat us with contempt as well as taxing us to the hilt.

The UK is overpopulated and has a high crime rate. It is pricey, has high utility and service costs, and has a high cost of living. They have been asking people about immigration for ages and always receive the same response, but they have never taken any action and never will.

BENEFITS FOR CHILDREN

Based on the child credit component of the previously rejected Health Government’s Tax Credit proposal, which would have abolished PAYE and integrated tax and benefits, Barbara Castle established Child Benefit in 1975.

It has long been a necessary component of our lives, and everyone has the right to it—even those with higher incomes than others or those who are wealthy.

Do those in riches need this extra cash? They could get by without it, of course, but they nevertheless assert their claim because they are entitled to it.

Should the rich receive child benefits? In my opinion, they shouldn’t, and the state should subsidise the unemployed, low-wage earners, disabled parents, or those who have disabled children.

Of course, there’s the counterargument that there are too many children born into too many households. I guess we could turn all the guys into eunuchs to prevent them from having children, which would prevent overpopulation.

What our government forgets to mention is all the immigrants that they bring into this country. Nobody seems to mention the fact that they’re handed out child benefits willy-nilly, but when it comes to the British people claiming, they get slated off all the time.

The issue is that British citizens are no longer the majority in our own country. Immigrants are now the locals, and we are the guests, but they are locals now for a reason and that’s because they will work longer hours for less money and our government has taken advantage of this fact. They said that slavery was dead; I don’t think so!

Now that Sir Keir Starmer is our prime minister, you can be sure that things will only get worse rather than better. Unless Labour undergoes an immediate brain transplant, things will only get worse from this point on.

Oh, and some dentists are no longer accepting NHS patients. Very few of them are, and you have to wait months or even years to be placed on a list. Dental care is an expense that retirees who do not receive pension credit must bear.

State Pension is £221.20 per week. Out of that, some might get a bit less, and some might have to pay something towards their rent, and they certainly don’t get anything towards their dentist costs, but if you get Pension Credit, which is part of the DWP, you will get free dentistry care, that is, of course, if you can get NHS, and why is it called State Pension? You paid your hard-working cash into that. It was similar to a piggy bank scheme, you paid in with the notion that when you retired you would be paid what you paid into that piggy bank, but guess what, they spent it!

The concept of allowing the wealthy to receive child benefits is that it makes them feel wealthy and that the state is on their side, but in reality, these people have all they need and don’t need this small amount of money.

Leaving Biden Out Of The Race

Democrats are discussing a possible ‘loophole’ that can be used to boot Biden out of the presidential race if he refuses to drop out.

If Biden hasn’t withdrawn from the race by the time of the convention in August, delegates to the Democratic National Convention are mulling over their choices.

Politicians are considering a ‘good conscience loophole’ that would enable them to vote for a new candidate.

Political scientist and DNC delegate Elaine Kamarck had a Zoom conversation with other delegates on Friday morning.

She briefed them on the ‘loophole’—which would let them drop Biden if they do not have a ‘good conscience’ about their pledged choice determined by primaries and caucuses. 

Kamarck has been a member of the DNC’s Rules Committee for decades. She told the 50 delegates, ‘There’s no such thing as Joe Biden releasing his delegates. And Joe Biden gets this.’

She said, ‘I don’t know why the rest of the press doesn’t get it,’ according to the Post.

According to Kamarck, previous rules demanded that delegates vote for who they were pledged to.

However, after the 1980 convention fight between Ted Kennedy and Jimmy Carter, who was president at the time, the rules changed, and now Democrats can revolt at any time. 

Part of the rules, according to Kamarck, is that the chosen delegates reflect the opinions of those who elected them, so they could bend the rules if Biden no longer represented the people’s choice. 

‘See, we’ve never had a situation quite like this where the primaries were over. Very clear-cut winner. And yet something was discovered unclosed, whatever you want to call it, after the end of the primaries that caused people to severely doubt whether or not their nominee should proceed,’ Kamarck said.

As the group’s representative, Kamarck led Friday’s delegate call. Delegates Are Democracy is a new organisation.

‘Loophole’ discussions come as a stream of prominent Democrats are calling upon Biden to step aside from the presidential race.

Calls for President Joe Biden to drop out have gotten so close to his inner circle that some in the White House know he ‘can’t’ run in 2024 and want to give in the ‘grace’ to step down, top Democrats say.

Important members of the 81-year-old’s presidential party are in favour of a different nominee to avoid a carnage of votes in November 2024 against Donald Trump.

More than 30 Democrats have called for him to step aside and have started to make astonishing claims about his cognitive decline.

The West Wing is under tremendous pressure to figure out a way forward and is now ‘divided’ over whether Biden calls it quits, insiders say.

‘Most of them know. Some of them will say, Oh, calm down. But most of them will say, Oh, he can’t do it; just give him the grace,’ said Johanna Maska, former director of White House press affairs under Barack Obama.

‘It’s very divided. It’s got to be hard for all of them right now,’ she told DailyMail.com.

On a day when 11 House Democrats and counting called for Biden to step back, she referenced one longtime aide who called to ‘just give him the grace to make the decision himself instead of just everyone coming out like this.’

If Biden was removed from the ticket, it was unclear to whom the delegates would pledge their support.

It’s funny how people said that Donald Trump would not leave the White House, and it turns out it’s Joe Biden who will not go.

If Joe Biden is removed from office, he could still run for president again and still be elected—that’s if he doesn’t shuffle off this mortal coil before that! However, I doubt that he will be around to run again because he’s pretty old already.

Biden prioritises his personal goals over those of his party and nation, which shows selfishness. Everyone is acting as though they are unaware of Biden’s decline, even though it has been publicly known since 2020.

Hillary Clinton said it was the electorate that was stupid. Why, yes, it was!

Anyone who has eyes has seen all of this going on in full display, and it’s been going on for years. However, they believed that the public was dumb, and now those in power have revealed their horrible judgment.

Although there isn’t any evidence to suggest that Joe Biden is suffering from dementia or senility, one thing is certain: he is elderly and shouldn’t be carrying out the duties for which he was elected. In the first place, he shouldn’t have been eligible to compete for it.

This is a fact! But now they’re pretending that they just realised that he can’t do the job, but they’ve known all along, and have been covering it up.

A DRONE Was Used By Donald Trump’s Shooter

It has been disclosed that the gunman who tried to kill Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania last week flew a drone over the location a few hours before the incident.

Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, was able to navigate the drone over the western Pennsylvania grounds and obtain aerial footage on July 13, the same day as Trump’s Butler rally. 

Crooks allegedly flew the drone on a programmed flight path earlier in the day, and officials say that the predetermined path suggests Crooks had flown the small aircraft more than once to scope out the site of the rally.

The shocking revelation was made on Friday—almost a week after the ill-fated campaign event—by law-enforcement officials, according to the Wall Street Journal.

It was another illustration of how the Secret Service’s inadequate security measures left the MAGA crowd and the former president vulnerable to the deadly situation that followed.

Trump sustained a wound on his ear from a gunshot graze and one spectator was killed when at least six rounds of ammunition were fired by the assassin.

After a Secret Service sniper team returned fire, Crooks was shot and killed.

Since they failed miserably at their duty, the Secret Service has come under heavy fire, and many have called for Kimberly Cheatle, the agency’s director, to step down.

A growing number of things went wrong both before and during the assassination attempt, making the situation characterised as a massive security lapse.

In front of shocked Trump fans, Thomas Matthew Crooks of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, lay down on a nearby building’s roof and fired towards the stage, as shown in a horrifying video from TMZ.

Law officers reportedly noticed him at the Trump event venue earlier and kept an eye on him because they thought something wasn’t quite right. But before the bloodshed began, they lost sight of him.

Witnesses said they alerted police to a man who was climbing on top of a building with an AR-style weapon, but he was still able to fire.

In a damning statement on Saturday night, FBI Special Agent Kevin Rojek said it was ‘surprising’ Crooks managed to fire off so many shots.

Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., became the first lawmaker to say that Cheatle ‘needs to go.’

Speaking to ABC News on Tuesday, Cheatle claimed that agents were not positioned on top of the sloped building, deeming it too dangerous, despite images from the scene showing Secret Service snipers set up on a sloped roof behind where Trump was delivering his speech. 

There was no excuse. The Secret Service were responsible for this nearly successful assassination of Trump. Like him or not, he has to be protected and the Secret Service practically invited this teenager to assassinate him, and there were so many errors and breaches of security.

What’s more crucial to know is how or where this 20-year-old obtained a rifle and explosives. He needed assistance, and this was not cheap material.

This was incompetence on par with the Keystone Cops, as it would be even more heinous and abhorrent to believe that it was intentional.

It’s unbelievable. This lad used a drone to do a scope after the Secret Service did theirs. Trump saved himself by ducking down, and security was off by a long shot (pardon the pun). His security detail was useless.

If this was a set-up, and I’m not saying that it was. This lad was not a lone wolf; he had help because he certainly wasn’t smart enough to do this alone, he would have needed help.

New statement From Princess Kate

The Princess of Wales has issued a new statement hailing the ‘power of nature’ in supporting ‘wellbeing’ as she continues her cancer treatment.

Kate, 42, shared in a series of Instagram stories how she was ‘hugely supportive’ of the Natural History Museum and the opening of its new gardens.

The Central London Museum opened a free-to-visit ‘outdoor gallery’ as well as a ‘living laboratory’ to support nature’s recovery in the face of climate change.

Two gardens that depict the tale of the evolving natural world—the Evolution Garden and the Nature Discovery Garden—have been created out of the five acres around the building in South Kensington.

The heartwarming tweet was posted in response to Kate’s Sunday public appearance at Wimbledon when she watched the Grand Slam final from the Royal Box. Kate has stepped back from her public royal duties while receiving cancer treatment.

The Natural History Museum has launched a sizable green area to promote urban nature, science teaching, and research, replete with a massive, brand-new bronze dinosaur.

‘I am hugely supportive of the museum’s commitment to create a special space which encourages people of all ages to reconnect with nature and learn more about how we can protect our natural world,’ Kate wrote on Instagram today.

‘I know the power of nature to support our development and well-being, both by bringing us joy and helping to keep us physically, mentally, and spiritually healthy.

‘I hope these gardens will be inspiring and transformative for the thousands of people who visit.’

The supportive post featured footage of Kate’s visit to the museum three years ago, during which she took a tour of the Natural History Museum’s wildlife gardens and met local schoolchildren.

She also had a meeting with Dr. Doug Gurr, the director of the museum, who gave her an explanation of the project’s goal of reestablishing human connection with nature and locating the critical answers required to safeguard the planet’s future.

Kate appeared in public for the second time this year on Sunday. The future Queen received a standing ovation when she entered the Royal Box at Wimbledon, accompanied by her sister Pippa Middleton and her nine-year-old daughter Princess Charlotte.

But before the mother-daughter duo took their seats in the Royal Box, they met with female tennis stars, including 21-year-old Emma Radacanu, who all presented Kate with a bouquet of flowers.

Upon meeting the tennis star, Charlotte broke into a big smile. Lulu Sun, a qualifier from New Zealand, had tragically dashed Charlotte’s dream of winning Wimbledon last week on Centre Court.

The power of nature is wonderful, but it doesn’t pay our mortgage, keep a roof over our heads, or anything else. Kate has the best doctors, but there is no deadline for her to go back to work. She regrettably has cancer, and while most people will hope for a full recovery with minimal long-term implications, everyday struggles are faced by regular people in the real world.

She will be extremely well looked after in every possible and immediate way and will be pampered and protected like no other. The same with the King, whilst most of us will be queuing the system and having to make do with what can be done.

I can also see that the Palace PR machine is in full swing again. It feeds the tabloids photos, statements, more photos, and more statements, and I’m sure that Kate isn’t going to solely rely on nature to fight her cancer though. She will be sticking with all the private doctors at her beck and call.

Is It Likely That Donald Trump Will Defeat Joe Biden In The Election?

Following a positive COVID-19 test, President Joe Biden returned to Delaware on Wednesday night, and it is now clear that his political career is in jeopardy.

Over the past 24 hours, private conversations with three top Congressional Democrats have leaked out, and they’ve all reportedly given Biden the same advice: he’s not going to win and it’s time to go.

Late Wednesday, CNN reported that Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi privately told Biden he could not defeat former President Donald Trump and could sink the Democrats’ chances in Congress as well. 

Should Joe Biden step down? Well, that’s his choice; if he wants to withdraw from the campaign, perhaps it is time for him to pass the torch to somebody else. At the moment, the president has remained publicly defiant about staying in the race, but perhaps he will soften.

To choose their next president, Americans will cast their ballots on November 5. The two front-runners in 2020 remain the same.

Joe Biden’s candidature has been questioned by others who dispute his suitability for the position. Mr Biden’s presidency has been defined by high inflation, big industrial policy bills, turmoil abroad, and worries about his age, which continue to plague his campaign.

On the other hand, in 2020, Donald Trump’s followers attempted to reverse his election defeat. Regarding his purported involvement in that conspiracy, he was charged federally, and he was found guilty of a felony connected to his 2016 presidential campaign.

On July 13, however, a 20-year-old man opened fire on Donald Trump during a rally in Pennsylvania, killing a bystander and grazing the former president’s ear.

After this shocking assassination attempt, politicians of all stripes called for a calmer national mood. The election will now be less of a popularity contest than a referendum, which Americans believe is the least bad option.

Joe Biden had a meeting with his cabinet; he also spoke with the bookcase and argued with his desk, but sadly, they all disagreed with him!

I shouldn’t have laughed as hard as I did, but the thing is, it’s not even a joke anymore. Joe Biden is old and frail and needs to step down gracefully.

I don’t understand why his family doesn’t advise him to retire so he can spend more time with his grandchildren. He is just a man who deserves to retire. Many of us aren’t capable of making thoughtful judgements at this age, and that’s okay. After giving it his all, he should take a step back and enjoy his remaining years stress-free.

There should be rules put in place when someone runs for candidature, and there should be an age limit. Some might say that’s discrimination, and I might agree if the position that they were running for wasn’t such an important role, but it is. They are running a country! Not a circus and even then I would be a bit apprehensive.

I can’t help but feel terrible for Joe Biden. After he won the election, he was ridiculed by others, but hey, you cast your ballot for him! He exerted all of his effort. Perhaps he ought to have given up long ago and given someone else a chance, but he didn’t and now he ought to.

Brace Yourself, Rodney…

There is only one classic scene that comes to mind for fans of Only Fools and Horses when they see a beautiful chandelier hanging from the ceiling of a mansion and men hired to deep clean it.

A National Trust property in Somerset is bringing in contractors to clean the chandeliers, and any visitor that quotes the hapless Trotters will be urged to make a voluntary donation.

A member of the upper class hires Del Boy and Rodney to clean the chandeliers in a home in Dorset in the 1982 episode A Touch of Glass.

They prepare themselves with a sheet to catch a priceless hallway chandelier as their granddad goes upstairs and unscrews the wrong one.

The line ‘Brace yourself, Rodney, brace yourself’ followed by another chandelier hurtling towards the floor cemented the series’ place in television history.

While their own chandeliers are deep cleaned, staff at the Bath Assembly Rooms say they hear guests quoting the BBC sitcom series ‘all the time’ and they have set up a tap-to-donate point for a ‘bit of fun’.

Alana Wright, the experience and visitor manager at the historic venue, told The Guardian: ‘We have suggested that if they are even thinking about the comedy scene, they should donate something to help look after the chandeliers.’ 

The Great Octagon Room has the largest chandelier in the Bath Assembly Rooms. It weighs 440 pounds and is ten feet tall.

Once frequented by Jane Austen and Charles Dickens, the Somerset property has ten chandeliers that cost £4,000 a year to preserve by the National Trust.

But they do not have two men holding a sheet underneath them to safeguard the 250-year-old chandeliers.

Rather, the trust safely lowers the chandelier from the ceiling by using a winch mechanism.

The visitor ‘tax’ is set to be rolled out when chandelier cleaning takes place in various National Trust properties up and down the country.

If only they produced comedies like this instead of the trite, safe fare they air these days. Though every episode was a masterwork, alas, the days of genuine humour, outstanding performance, and superb casting are long gone.

They’re not imposing a tax, they’re asking for a voluntary donation, and this is just a bit of harmless fun, not to be taken too seriously.

Sadly, Only Fools And Horses would be cancelled after a few episodes in this woke age we live in, but I loved watching it as a kid and now love watching the repeats, and I still laugh at it now. The jolly boys’ outing, the bar scene, Batman and Robin, the chandelier, Del at the doctors and the blow-up dolls to name but a few – that was proper comedy.

They don’t produce actors and actresses like these anymore, and they should be held in such high regard, that even thirty-odd years later is a testament to their abilities.

Life was more innocent and fun back then, and every time I watched Only Fools And Horses I nearly choked to death with laughter. Their slapstick timing with the best, and they just don’t make comedies like this anymore.

We will never see classic comedy such as this again because our freedom of speech and workerism have made sure of that.

The fact that old sitcoms that were loved by all the family now have to have warnings about ‘outdated language and attitudes’ plastered all over the screen, which tells you how precious people are now. Everyone under 35 years old seems to search frantically for things to be offended by.

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