Friday Post - Fun Tory Time Competition

Who will make the best next Prime Minister? You have to choose a current Tory MP to make it a bit harder.

I start with mine below:

Tom Pursglove. He is the youngest Tory MP but very experienced nonetheless. Rising up from roles as advisor and also from Wellingborough Borough Council, he has already fought and won 3 elections in 2015, 2017 and 2019. As the MP for Corby he is in the heart of the Country and so nicely between the ex-Red Wall seats but far from the Home counties. 

He has been chair of Conservative Youth and has expressed the "right" views on being anti-Europe and also a borderline climate change denier and actively campaigning against more onshore wind farms. A good anti-dote to the green obsessed Boris but still unlikely to undo Brexit. 

Being so young he is also unlikely to die from the ongoing covid pandemic and is not a member of either the Cotswold or Islington sets that have done so much damage to the body politic over the last few years. 

Answers in the comments please.

I'll try to engineer a job as an unpaid Tory spad for the winner.

And The Winner Is ...

And so to our Colonialist Capitalist Quiz.  The amount charged by the RAF to the Egyptian government for the 3rd aerial survey in 1922 was £1,583 13s 5d.  

By my reckoning, the odd change in decimal is £0.6708  (13 x 12 + 5 = 161 pennies, / 240); so in guineas, 1,583.6708 / (1+(1/20))  =  1,508.26 guineas

So the winner is Sobers, with his very realistic stab.  A free lifetime subscription to C@W for that person - plus the first pint on me next time Blog Drinks are permitted.

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Incidentally, if a little schoolboy humour is allowed while we are in robust retro mood  - you gotta admire the QC who told the court this week that the idea children can safely opt for puberty-blocking drugs is "a fairy tale" ...

ND

Tuesday Fun: Quick Capitalist Quiz

 Busy today, so here's a fun quick money question.

At the weekend I wrote of the problems of getting adequate military maps in WW2 for many areas in North Africa; but that a big swathe of Egypt had been covered by interwar surveys - "at the expense of the Egyptian government!".  Yes, the RAF charged the Egyptian government the cost of the aerial surveys.  Well, they were highly beneficial for irrigation planning, with a spin-off benefit of quite revelatory archaeological research.

Here's what happened on the 3rd such survey, conducted in 1922: based, unsurprisingly, on the Nile, it was split into a North survey from the Delta Barrage to the sea, carried out by No. 208 Squadron (Bristol Fighters), and a South survey by No. 47 Squadron (D.H.9s) from Aswan to the Delta Barrage, a total of 850 miles.  So: our colonialist capitalist quiz question -

What was the cost that was passed through to the Egyptians for the 3rd survey?  

Answer in Pounds Sterling, money of the day (1922 pounds, shillings & pence).

Small prize for the closest estimate ... (editor's decision final)

ND

Friday Fun - Who would you choose if you could wish it so?

So amongst many things we have learned this week, it is certain that Theresa May is manifestly unsuited to being Prime Minister. I mean we thought she would be a bit crap, but down there, fending off Corbyn as worst politician in the UK; well it would be worrying if it wasn't so funny.


But here we are, equipped with Magic Wand, to anoint a new Prime Minister bright and early for Monday morning to lead us out of the chaos of Brexit one way or t'other....

WHO WILL YOU CHOOSE?

Two choices  each - one UK and one choice of anyone on earth.


Defend your choices in the comments and I will pick a winner Sunday!

BREXIT COMPO: No Plan Survives First Contact With ...

... reality.  I wonder how well Mr Barwell's wargaming is standing up to what's unfolding before us.

Anyhow:  it's Compo Time at C@W!

At the start of the First World War the FT ran a compo.  They printed a big empty map of Europe, on which entrants had to mark what they reckoned would be the national borders when hostilities ceased and the losers had been carved up.  (History does not record who won, and how close they came to the actual result.)

So - your predictions, please, for the state of play on Brexit Day 29 March 2019:

• who will be PM?
• has there been a GE?   If so, what headline outcome?
• has a 2nd referendum happened?  If happened - question? result?
• in broad terms, on what basis is the UK / EU relationship set for the immediate 12 months following that date?
• has Gove disappeared up his own fundament? 
• do the LibDems still exist? 
• tie-breaker: any other colourful details concerning British politics you care to append? (this is not mean as an open invitation to devise cruel and unnatural punishments for your pet-hate politicians)  

Events are obviously moving fast, so we'll set a closing date of midnight Friday next (23rd).  Anyone who offers an early entry is free to offer a revised entry up until that deadline.  Small prize.

ND

Competition: Win Return Flights to Florence with CityJet

To celebrate the commencement of their new service to Florence, CityJet are giving away a pair of return flights to the Tuscan city.
There are many beautiful towns and cities in Italy, but Florence really is one of the country's crown jewels. The medieval centre is home to the imposing Duomo cathedral, Uffizi art gallery and the stunning Punto Vecchio (Old Bridge) over the River Arno.

 For many visitors though, the first stop is the Galleria dell'Accademia which houses Michelangelo's statue of David.

There's so much to enjoy in Florence, from the beautiful buildings and art, to the delicious local food and of course Chianti, the wine of Tuscany. If you've got time, hire a car for a day and take a trip to nearby Pisa for a view of the Leaning Tower and on to Siena; a historic hilltop town famous for it's Il Palio; an annual horse race around the central square.

About CityJet's New Florence service


CityJet will start a new scheduled service to Florence from London City Airport on Monday 10th January 2011.
The new service will operate six times a week with fares from just £69 one-way all inclusive.


There will also be some flights over the Christmas period - giving you the chance to enjoy the festive season in the heart of the beautiful Tuscan countryside.
Fill in the form on this Florence Competition page to be in with a chance to WIN 2 x FREE return flights on CityJet's latest route!
For more information on Florence see here.


Competition Terms and Conditions:
- Competition period (to register): 15 NOV - 15 DEC
- To fly within 6 months of 15 JAN 2011.
- Open to all over 18 years old, all countries but only LCY-FLR-LCY tickets
- Non refundable, non exchangeable, cannot be resold, no cash value
- Entry not open to employees of CityJet, LondonNet and Tailsweep