No. It’s multiple choice, mostly common sense with a couple of bits to memorise (braking distances etc) but it should be very easy to revise for and then sit the exam.

Definitely. This is her manifesto for Leader for all of the membership, plus giving something for her supporters to get behind and use as a stick to beat Sunak.

Braverman publishes her first article since getting sacked in which she attacks the PM and sets out her own 5-point plan for immigration (I know, it’s the Telegraph. But that’s where she has set it out, text is included so you don’t have to give them clicks).

This could be our Falklands, Elizabeth

I know, and I promise my eyes are wide open (to our shitty government and the damage they have done to the NHS). I posted this article not as any endorsement of the publication but simply because it was the one that was sent to me and it struck a chord, and that was purely based on my own experiences with the NHS and its management.

Absolutely, for me I think the link is the line "many bully to hide their incompetence ". The best managers accept that sometimes problems arise and mistakes happen (or in the worst case someone acts maliciously), and they take the short term aggro or reputational damage to improve the long term outcome. The bad managers are the exact opposite, they don’t want to deal with the short term problem and will actively bury it regardless of the long term risk to patients. I think that is what has happened here, and sadly often the next step (in my experience) is bullying those subversive elements.

Based on my experiences (13 years, 3 Trust’s) the managers fell into two broad groups. The first were amazing, well established in their profession and worked their way up through the ranks. They cared for their team, had professional pride and enabled everybody to do the best job possible (it was actually one of these people who sent me the article). The second group were as the article describes. Invariably not very good at their core role so moved towards management and admin to escape it, invariably failed upwards, made poor decisions which they weren’t around long enough to see the impact of, and were insecure in their position so responded poorly to any challenge.

There was no suggestion of privatisation in the article, nor do I think that would be a good idea. I posted it because the description of the culture surrounding NHS management resonated with my own experiences.

Maybe for certain issues. But something like this bridges the political divide, and I think the article hits the nail on the head regarding NHS management and the culture that surrounds a lot of them.

As per the Beeb article he has “four grown-up children with second wife Marina Wheeler, and another daughter from an affair” plus the other 2 he had whilst in office. So I’d say eighth as the bare minimum

Start with Winchester. It’s just outside of London, easy enough to drive/train/coach. Really beautiful historic city, with a cathedral, The Great Hall, a 1000 year old pub. Good range of shops, some nice boutique places, bunch of decent restaurants and other eateries. It’s also really walkable as a city, can take a wander up St Catherine’s Hill, start the South Downs Way or any of the other many trails about. Should be a good jumping off point for your exploration.

I think only Margaret Ferrier (ex SNP) is getting a recall petition. All 3 Tories quit first; Johnson before his suspension/recall/by-election, Adams in support, and Warburton over alleged sexual misconduct and drug taking. Plus Dorries and her Schrödinger’s resignation.

Boris Johnson and not taking accusations of impropriety about a Tory MP seriously which ended up backfiring massively. Name a more iconic duo.

Not really. However Labour is a broad church, always has been, and the reality is they have the most electoral success when they come towards that centre ground. Blair showed that, and on the flip side Corbyn showed that the British public don’t have the stomach for that lurch to the Left. It’s needs to be a slow shift, an election cycle/leader at a time which moves the party and brings the British people with them.

“I suppose I’m disillusioned – I’m disillusioned by the move to the Right, I’m disillusioned by everything that happened under Boris Johnson and that’s had a long-term effect.”

You and me both mate.

Who do you think stand a better chance? The Tories are currently imploding, there is no clear vision for the party and the different factions and backstabbing and wrestling for control. Sunak is weak, a caretaker PM with no authority or presence. They are tired, with nothing and nobody to rally around, and even the big corporations can see the writing on the wall.

Surely maintaining a well staffed, trained, disciplined, equipped and motivated military is something in the best interests of everyone? From a purely military point of view we are honouring our commitments to NATO and have the capacity to support our allies and project force if required (particularly against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine, and any potential Taiwan shenanigans). Of the money spent on the military a decent chunk supports R&D, hardware but also tactics which can subsequently be exported internationally. The same goes for training, which is world class (whether that’s Sandhurst or Dartmouth, or us training Ukrainians). You take a cross-section of British citizens and teach them a variety of highly useful and transferrable skills, all valuable whilst they are in the Forces and probably still beneficial to the country after they leave and get ‘normal’ jobs. The money invested, and spent on staffing, stays mainly within the British economy providing further economic stimulus. Plus all of the soft power Hearts and Minds.

It surely will prompt fresh infighting, though Johnson was such a pyrrhic victory for the party that no single faction has the power to rule, all they can do is keep chipping away at each other. You have the One Nation lot, the ERG nutters, the Boris loyalists and the 2019 intake (distinct but overlapping groups), all headed up by the weakest Prime Minister we have seen for generations. So the squabbling will continue, leaking and counter-briefing, death by a thousand cuts as we trudge towards a General Election.