The right-wing government of Hungary spends around 5% of its GDP on policies to to "get Hungarian women to breed".

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/04/baby-bonuses-fit-the-nationalist-agenda-but-do-they-work

Look, organisations with unpleasant views aren't universally stupid. Turning Point states upfront that its mission is to "identify, educate, train, and organize students to promote freedom", but dig down and you find fun stuff like this: https://www.tpusa.com/live/pro-choicers-are-sick-and-twisted

I'd also like to note that praising some historically left-wing policies, and criticising some loonies, should not mean that you stop looking critically at the other things a person says.

Authoritarian policies that deny women choice aren't limited to right-wing governments. If you support women's rights to choice, Hungary is not a country you would praise.

‘Baby machines’: eastern Europe’s answer to depopulation The conference in Budapest opened with a sand animation video of migrants rushing towards Europe, and was laced with references to the “great replacement” conspiracy theory, which suggests that shadowy forces want to replace so-called “native” Europeans with outsiders. “There are political forces in Europe who want a replacement of population for ideological or other reasons,” Orbán told the conference. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/04/baby-bonuses-fit-the-nationalist-agenda-but-do-they-work

You know, pretty much all of that website seems to be written by one guy. So I looked up some of his other work.

the myth that women primarily work for reasons other than economics or family needs distorts reality https://medium.com/@daviddemos/women-under-siege-quick-notes-on-the-rights-assault-on-women-s-work-choices-and-family-formation-c3b27c6266e6

It's hard to draw conclusions. Who knows. But what I will say is that this guy clearly spends a lot of time thinking about how certain women can be coaxed into having more babies.

Women in Europe, North America, and some countries in Asia.

You can increase social spending and still have contempt for women's right to bodily autonomy. The two don't go automatically hand in hand. In fact if your social spending is geared towards having more babies, it most likely won't be.

Not really. If your goal is to undo "retreating state support," you can do that without praising far-right regimes aiming to restrict women's rights to bodily autonomy.

The fact that they gloss over that little aspect is suspicious.

Their website is conspicuously opaque regarding its funding, and "stop population decline" is curiously close to (but notably more palatable than) the 14 Words, while still acting as an effective dog-whistle for people familiar with those words.

You don't say. But this guy has such an exemplary record of totally not making up bullshit.

In 2015, Maussan [...] revealed a body that he claimed belonged to an alien, but it was later shown to be the remains of a human child.

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/alleged-aliens-corpses-displayed-to-mexican-congress-did-not-convince-scientists-180982900/

They have a bunch of stuff about "promoting fertility", eg

the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Israel offer lessons. These countries have managed to increase fertility rates by introducing pro-natal policies — a combination of cash incentives, subsidised childcare, and housing assistance

which all sounds lovely and idyllic, but in reality the far-right government in Hungary has been throttling access to abortion with new legislation that is

an extension of the government’s anti-abortion policies, aimed at boosting the birthrate

meaning that

legal abortions [have] become increasingly difficult as the compulsory counselling sessions were becoming more aggressive and difficult to schedule

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2022/sep/13/hungary-tightens-abortion-access-with-listen-to-foetal-heartbeat-rule

I can't definitely figure out the angle either. But they are a pro-fertility organisation praising a far-right regime that is implementing regressive "pro-life" policies at the expense of women's rights, and they are very careful not to highlight the true nature of these policies on their website.

They're also headquartered in Texas. So... draw your own conclusions.

Oh god, my table had an absolute hoot with Wild Sheep Chase, DM included. Highly recommended.

Can't say I blame them. It's really rough.

EU welfare standards have always been minimum standards, not maximum standards.

I quit with the death of RiF.

Ah, I forgot that councillors don't read newspapers. There's no way a councillor in North Somerset could have been aware of this attack in Surrey, as reported in the national papers.

Hah, guess.

American Bully XL

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/natasha-johnston-surrey-dogwalker-american-bully-xl-london-b1082064.html

For everyone saying this seems random/odd/pointless/in response to some Karen etc:

February 2023: Dog walker mauled to death by dogs at Surrey beauty spot

The dog walker, from Croydon, died after suffering massive blood loss caused by multiple bites to the neck in Gravelly Hill, Caterham, on January 12, while she was out with eight dogs.

https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/first-pictures-of-natasha-johnston-dog-walker-mauled-to-death-by-dogs-at-surrey

Which I suspect may have some bearing on this announcement.

Naff off mate.

That was an interesting & informative video that was not nearly as terrible as the thumbnail might suggest.

Not a fan of current trends in YouTube thumbnails.

Although for context, as of June this year

UK average house prices have increased by 24.2% (£55,880) since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

https://www.twindig.com/market-views/latest-average-uk-regional-house-prices

A lot of damage has already been done in terms of brain drain to the continent. I never got the impression that the Brexit gang understood it isn't just about money; it's about the ease of collaboration. As if British research, unique among the world, didn't derive benefit from collaboration.

I wouldn't be surprised if it doesn't reopen. Channel crossing passengers are down 30% since 2019. They've also canned the Disneyland Express.

PMQs is an opportunity for MPs to put questions to the Government, in public. If the government chooses to publicly dodge a legitimate question, that in itself is worth it.

Before Blair, PMQs were twice a week for 15 minutes. Once a week for 30 is a recent change. And before Wilson & Heath it was pretty civilised. That too is a recent change, and it's got markedly worse under the recent run of Tories.