"Central London" is EC1, EC2, EC3, EC4, WC1, WC2, a bit of W2, SW1, and a thin linear slice of SE1 where it meets the river
On the other hand, I've met newcomers to London who live in north Tottenham or Earlsfield or Dagenham or right by Heathrow and in their eyes Camden is very definitely "central London", so I guess it is all a case of perspective
London consists of 32 boroughs (plus the City, by some, but not all definitions). Ilford is in Zone 4. I can get to Liverpool Street in 20 mins.
Don't tell Romford that! Seriously, "Romford isn't London" still works as a campaign message. Probably not for much longer, but it still works now.
So coming at it from the other side, what's the furthest out you can get that's uncontroversially London and not "Essex/Kent/Surrey, actually"?
Tentatively, it's about the North/South Circular.
Sewardstone lies OUTSIDE Greater London, yet it is postcode E4!
Skye has an Inverness postcode Aberystwyth has a Shrewsbury postcode
Amazing isnt it. An ex colleague who is emeritus at Aber told me that last week. Must be 70 miles surely?
In my head, all the mail goes to Shrewsbury then one poor sod is given the Aber run that day. Of course it doesn't work that way, but I like to pretend.
"Central London" is EC1, EC2, EC3, EC4, WC1, WC2, a bit of W2, SW1, and a thin linear slice of SE1 where it meets the river
On the other hand, I've met newcomers to London who live in north Tottenham or Earlsfield or Dagenham or right by Heathrow and in their eyes Camden is very definitely "central London", so I guess it is all a case of perspective
London consists of 32 boroughs (plus the City, by some, but not all definitions). Ilford is in Zone 4. I can get to Liverpool Street in 20 mins.
Don't tell Romford that! Seriously, "Romford isn't London" still works as a campaign message. Probably not for much longer, but it still works now.
So coming at it from the other side, what's the furthest out you can get that's uncontroversially London and not "Essex/Kent/Surrey, actually"?
Tentatively, it's about the North/South Circular.
Noooo, London goes quite far beyond that, and still feels like London
Lots of Barnet is beyond the North Circular. Heck, Wembley Stadium is the wrong side of the North Circular. No one thinks Wembley stadium is in Berkshire or Hertfordshire (or wherever)
Good point. Leads to the question- what's the difference about Essex-London compared with Metroland?
The trivial answer is history, but Greater London has had its current boundaries since 1965.
Respond is a word which can be interpreted in many ways. Bottom line is the West does not want to get involved directly, and will bend whatever way it can to ensure it stays that way, even if they step up to the line.
From a Northern perspective, London extends to somewhere around Northampton.
The London contactless train fare system extends as far west as Reading and as far north as Luton Airport now, and has gone as far south as Gatwick for a good few years. In the east you can go contactless as far as Grays and Dartford.
From a Northern perspective, London extends to somewhere around Northampton.
The old question - where does the north begin? And the west, and the West Country. Wiltshire is definitely West Country, but some regard it as central southern.
"Central London" is EC1, EC2, EC3, EC4, WC1, WC2, a bit of W2, SW1, and a thin linear slice of SE1 where it meets the river
On the other hand, I've met newcomers to London who live in north Tottenham or Earlsfield or Dagenham or right by Heathrow and in their eyes Camden is very definitely "central London", so I guess it is all a case of perspective
London consists of 32 boroughs (plus the City, by some, but not all definitions). Ilford is in Zone 4. I can get to Liverpool Street in 20 mins.
Don't tell Romford that! Seriously, "Romford isn't London" still works as a campaign message. Probably not for much longer, but it still works now.
So coming at it from the other side, what's the furthest out you can get that's uncontroversially London and not "Essex/Kent/Surrey, actually"?
Tentatively, it's about the North/South Circular.
Noooo, London goes quite far beyond that, and still feels like London
Lots of Barnet is beyond the North Circular. Heck, Wembley Stadium is the wrong side of the North Circular. No one thinks Wembley stadium is in Berkshire or Hertfordshire (or wherever)
It's quite simple: everything inside the M25 is London.
New: Labour has called for an injunction to end the 'Just Stop Oil' protests, positioning itself firmly on the side of motorists facing disruption.
Interesting to see how party's left-wing and green backers react to Starmer urging clamp down on activists
Excellent move by Labour.
When a protest interferes with ordinary people going about their lawful business, it stops being "peaceful".
So you'd ban all demonstrations and marches from central London, presumably, as road closures and other disruptions from these often prevent 'ordinary' people going about their lawful business?
There’s a clear difference between protests arranged in concert with the authorities that allow people to plan their activity and deliberately antagonistic protest designed to cause anger. You can argue that protest should upset, bu5 there is a limit. Heartlessly stopping people visiting dying relatives crosses the line.
Not relevant to my comment, which was in response to this sentence: When a protest interferes with ordinary people going about their lawful business, it stops being "peaceful".
What type of ordinary people live in central London?
Leon
Your definition of central London is wider than mine - which would be inside Zone 1.
And Leon doesn't live inside zone 1 - unless he's moved he lives in zone 2.
Yes agreed; I HAVE lived in central London for many years, Bloomsbury, Fitzrovia, Marylebone, but this is Camden
It may be "prime central London" to estate agents, but Camden is not central London in my mind. But Zone 1 does not = central London either. Zone 1 goes way south of the river - ugh! And way too far west, down to bloody south Ken which is basically Croydon
Central London in my mind is the City as far East as Tower Bridge, bounded in the north by Farringdon, then the frontier is Euston and Marylebone Road, then it dives south bisecting Hyde Park following the Serpentine, takes in SW1, but no other SWs, and its southern perimeter is a fuzzy line of the South Bank, any more than half a mile south of the river is Here Be Dragons
Urban Core London or Inner London is probably a better description for Camden
In your definition I dont think regents park is central london where I would call it so . I think you need to extend the north boundary to include Marylebone station, Euston station and Kings Cross (all which would be on the border on the wrong side) . I believe 221B Baker Street would also be outside your definition which Holmes may have to take you up on.Agree on Camden though
I am instinctively anti the edgelording of Euston Station into Central London. On the other hand, the magnificent King's Cross development definitely does FEEL like Central London now, yet it is NW1 (like me in Camden)
Perhaps Central London should include all the 1s. Which loops in E1 as well. Wapping, etc, and N1 - Islington
I always like dividing London up into trades - some are a bit out of date now but is it still roughly Bloomsbury - Academia Holborn - Legal City - banking/insurance Soho - Entertainment including Adult Charing Cross Road - Books Leicester Square - Conventional Entertainment - cinemas /nightclubs/casinos etc Brick Lane - Curries Hatton Garden - Jewellers Tottenham Court Road - Still Electrical retail? Oxford Street -mainstream retail Mayfair -posh retail Edgware Road - Arab cuisine
any more /any no longer?
I'd add:
Shoreditch: food, start-ups, general trendiness Hoxton: ditto Camden: markers, bars, music Borough: market South Bank: theatre and art
Great Portland Street - is is stil a bit media creative? Or has the draw of Hoxton moved them on? Fleet Street is sadly no longer the press (isn't Private Eye the only remaining rag?) but I doubt Wapping is either now !
Still a definite cluster of media in and around Gt Portland St, and ad agency people around Charlotte St
You also forgot the rag trade of South Fitzrovia, which still exists, amazingly (tho the piano makers have gone the way of the clockmakers of Farringdon)
Also Fine Art in east Mayfair, eg Dover Street, plus of course suits in Savile Row - still very much a thing
And Jermyn Street for men's shoes and shirts
And St James is still club land
And Westminster for politics
London is such a brilliantly intricate tapestry
Add in, Canary Wharf: finance
And Old Street: silicon roundabout = start ups and new tech
From a Northern perspective, London extends to somewhere around Northampton.
The old question - where does the north begin? And the west, and the West Country. Wiltshire is definitely West Country, but some regard it as central southern.
The north starts when all the Waitroses are south of you
"Central London" is EC1, EC2, EC3, EC4, WC1, WC2, a bit of W2, SW1, and a thin linear slice of SE1 where it meets the river
On the other hand, I've met newcomers to London who live in north Tottenham or Earlsfield or Dagenham or right by Heathrow and in their eyes Camden is very definitely "central London", so I guess it is all a case of perspective
London consists of 32 boroughs (plus the City, by some, but not all definitions). Ilford is in Zone 4. I can get to Liverpool Street in 20 mins.
Don't tell Romford that! Seriously, "Romford isn't London" still works as a campaign message. Probably not for much longer, but it still works now.
So coming at it from the other side, what's the furthest out you can get that's uncontroversially London and not "Essex/Kent/Surrey, actually"?
Tentatively, it's about the North/South Circular.
Noooo, London goes quite far beyond that, and still feels like London
Lots of Barnet is beyond the North Circular. Heck, Wembley Stadium is the wrong side of the North Circular. No one thinks Wembley stadium is in Berkshire or Hertfordshire (or wherever)
It's quite simple: everything inside the M25 is London.
That would exclude North Ockendon in Havering!
They should have thought about that before they let the M25 cut them off.
From a Northern perspective, London extends to somewhere around Northampton.
The old question - where does the north begin? And the west, and the West Country. Wiltshire is definitely West Country, but some regard it as central southern.
Wiltshire is “Wessex”, even though Swindon is essentially a new town outpost of Bristol.
New: Labour has called for an injunction to end the 'Just Stop Oil' protests, positioning itself firmly on the side of motorists facing disruption.
Interesting to see how party's left-wing and green backers react to Starmer urging clamp down on activists
Excellent move by Labour.
When a protest interferes with ordinary people going about their lawful business, it stops being "peaceful".
So you'd ban all demonstrations and marches from central London, presumably, as road closures and other disruptions from these often prevent 'ordinary' people going about their lawful business?
There’s a clear difference between protests arranged in concert with the authorities that allow people to plan their activity and deliberately antagonistic protest designed to cause anger. You can argue that protest should upset, bu5 there is a limit. Heartlessly stopping people visiting dying relatives crosses the line.
Not relevant to my comment, which was in response to this sentence: When a protest interferes with ordinary people going about their lawful business, it stops being "peaceful".
What type of ordinary people live in central London?
Leon
Your definition of central London is wider than mine - which would be inside Zone 1.
And Leon doesn't live inside zone 1 - unless he's moved he lives in zone 2.
Yes agreed; I HAVE lived in central London for many years, Bloomsbury, Fitzrovia, Marylebone, but this is Camden
It may be "prime central London" to estate agents, but Camden is not central London in my mind. But Zone 1 does not = central London either. Zone 1 goes way south of the river - ugh! And way too far west, down to bloody south Ken which is basically Croydon
Central London in my mind is the City as far East as Tower Bridge, bounded in the north by Farringdon, then the frontier is Euston and Marylebone Road, then it dives south bisecting Hyde Park following the Serpentine, takes in SW1, but no other SWs, and its southern perimeter is a fuzzy line of the South Bank, any more than half a mile south of the river is Here Be Dragons
Urban Core London or Inner London is probably a better description for Camden
In your definition I dont think regents park is central london where I would call it so . I think you need to extend the north boundary to include Marylebone station, Euston station and Kings Cross (all which would be on the border on the wrong side) . I believe 221B Baker Street would also be outside your definition which Holmes may have to take you up on.Agree on Camden though
I am instinctively anti the edgelording of Euston Station into Central London. On the other hand, the magnificent King's Cross development definitely does FEEL like Central London now, yet it is NW1 (like me in Camden)
Perhaps Central London should include all the 1s. Which loops in E1 as well. Wapping, etc, and N1 - Islington
I always like dividing London up into trades - some are a bit out of date now but is it still roughly Bloomsbury - Academia Holborn - Legal City - banking/insurance Soho - Entertainment including Adult Charing Cross Road - Books Leicester Square - Conventional Entertainment - cinemas /nightclubs/casinos etc Brick Lane - Curries Hatton Garden - Jewellers Tottenham Court Road - Still Electrical retail? Oxford Street -mainstream retail Mayfair -posh retail Edgware Road - Arab cuisine
any more /any no longer?
I'd add:
Shoreditch: food, start-ups, general trendiness Hoxton: ditto Camden: markers, bars, music Borough: market South Bank: theatre and art
Great Portland Street - is is stil a bit media creative? Or has the draw of Hoxton moved them on? Fleet Street is sadly no longer the press (isn't Private Eye the only remaining rag?) but I doubt Wapping is either now !
Private Eye is (and always was) in Soho. The press moved out of Fleet Street when the City took off in the 1980s and their Reuters shares were suddenly worth squillions. Is one of the Scottish papers still there? Edgware Road used to be hifi and electronics (a bit like Tottenham Court Road) but I expect it is all online now.
From a Northern perspective, London extends to somewhere around Northampton.
The old question - where does the north begin? And the west, and the West Country. Wiltshire is definitely West Country, but some regard it as central southern.
The north starts when all the Waitroses are south of you
From a Northern perspective, London extends to somewhere around Northampton.
The London contactless train fare system extends as far west as Reading and as far north as Luton Airport now, and has gone as far south as Gatwick for a good few years. In the east you can go contactless as far as Grays and Dartford.
Northern have introduced a contactless card for the part time season tickets. I have obtained a card, but never used it because WFH.
From a Northern perspective, London extends to somewhere around Northampton.
The old question - where does the north begin? And the west, and the West Country. Wiltshire is definitely West Country, but some regard it as central southern.
Wiltshire is “Wessex”, even though Swindon is essentially a new town outpost of Bristol.
That’s a cold insult! Swindon is a historic centre of railway production with a lengthy and glorious history. (And is a shithole).
From a Northern perspective, London extends to somewhere around Northampton.
The old question - where does the north begin? And the west, and the West Country. Wiltshire is definitely West Country, but some regard it as central southern.
The North begins at Sheffield and Manchester. Crewe? Not a chance.
From a Northern perspective, London extends to somewhere around Northampton.
The old question - where does the north begin? And the west, and the West Country. Wiltshire is definitely West Country, but some regard it as central southern.
Wiltshire is “Wessex”, even though Swindon is essentially a new town outpost of Bristol.
That’s a cold insult! Swindon is a historic centre of railway production with a lengthy and glorious history. (And is a shithole).
Lol.
Ok. Sorry.
Swindon is essentially an industrial exclave of Bristol. Is it a shithole? I’ve only ever passed by, noting the tall apartment block in the middle.
Respond is a word which can be interpreted in many ways. Bottom line is the West does not want to get involved directly, and will bend whatever way it can to ensure it stays that way, even if they step up to the line.
We won't attack Russia but - if Russia has just used chemical weapons in Ukraine - there will be enormous pressure to go much further, right up to the point where we are *almost* firing missiles at Russian troops from NATO countries
From a Northern perspective, London extends to somewhere around Northampton.
The old question - where does the north begin? And the west, and the West Country. Wiltshire is definitely West Country, but some regard it as central southern.
Wiltshire is “Wessex”, even though Swindon is essentially a new town outpost of Bristol.
That’s a cold insult! Swindon is a historic centre of railway production with a lengthy and glorious history. (And is a shithole).
Lol.
Ok. Sorry.
Swindon is essentially an industrial exclave of Bristol. Is it a shithole? I’ve only ever passed by, noting the tall apartment block in the middle.
No don’t apologise. I may have been born there, love the football team, but I’d never live there.
From a Northern perspective, London extends to somewhere around Northampton.
The old question - where does the north begin? And the west, and the West Country. Wiltshire is definitely West Country, but some regard it as central southern.
Wiltshire is “Wessex”, even though Swindon is essentially a new town outpost of Bristol.
That’s a cold insult! Swindon is a historic centre of railway production with a lengthy and glorious history. (And is a shithole).
Lol.
Ok. Sorry.
Swindon is essentially an industrial exclave of Bristol. Is it a shithole? I’ve only ever passed by, noting the tall apartment block in the middle.
No don’t apologise. I may have been born there, love the football team, but I’d never live there.
I once had a taxi driver who lived in Swindon. He had been borin in India (or maybe Pakistan) and he assured me it was the finest place to live in the UK.
From a Northern perspective, London extends to somewhere around Northampton.
The old question - where does the north begin? And the west, and the West Country. Wiltshire is definitely West Country, but some regard it as central southern.
Wiltshire is “Wessex”, even though Swindon is essentially a new town outpost of Bristol.
That’s a cold insult! Swindon is a historic centre of railway production with a lengthy and glorious history. (And is a shithole).
It's a lovely town...to drive past on the way to proper Wiltshire.
From a Northern perspective, London extends to somewhere around Northampton.
The old question - where does the north begin? And the west, and the West Country. Wiltshire is definitely West Country, but some regard it as central southern.
Wiltshire is “Wessex”, even though Swindon is essentially a new town outpost of Bristol.
That’s a cold insult! Swindon is a historic centre of railway production with a lengthy and glorious history. (And is a shithole).
Lol.
Ok. Sorry.
Swindon is essentially an industrial exclave of Bristol. Is it a shithole? I’ve only ever passed by, noting the tall apartment block in the middle.
No don’t apologise. I may have been born there, love the football team, but I’d never live there.
I once had a taxi driver who lived in Swindon. He had been borin in India (or maybe Pakistan) and he assured me it was the finest place to live in the UK.
The BBC's news page splashes on the Amess murder, with the Khan and Pickles stories buried down the page. On other occasions, there'd be people here decrying the BBC's political bias in story selection. It is just news values.
From a Northern perspective, London extends to somewhere around Northampton.
The old question - where does the north begin? And the west, and the West Country. Wiltshire is definitely West Country, but some regard it as central southern.
Wiltshire is “Wessex”, even though Swindon is essentially a new town outpost of Bristol.
That’s a cold insult! Swindon is a historic centre of railway production with a lengthy and glorious history. (And is a shithole).
Lol.
Ok. Sorry.
Swindon is essentially an industrial exclave of Bristol. Is it a shithole? I’ve only ever passed by, noting the tall apartment block in the middle.
No don’t apologise. I may have been born there, love the football team, but I’d never live there.
I once had a taxi driver who lived in Swindon. He had been borin in India (or maybe Pakistan) and he assured me it was the finest place to live in the UK.
Had he tried anywhere else?
To be fair, his reasons seemed sound. Cheaper housing, lots of green space, modern-ish amenities, plenty of jobs.
I would never live (and maybe not set foot in such a place) but most people want a quiet life and presumably Swindon ticks a lot of boxes.
The North is everything above the Severn-Wash line (I'm afraid that puts the Midlands into the North).
I've always liked the massive Motoway signs simply for 'The North'. Britain has fantastically silly place and region names and yet we've settled on such a basic one there.
What do you mean *if it is proven*? You sound like Jeremy Corbyn.
It is in Ukraine's interest to get the West evermore deeply involved in this war
AND this is the Azov Battalion reporting this, AIUI (not the nicest people)
So there is very good reason to be cautious. That said, I can well believe this has happened, the Russians in Donbas were urging on this precise tactic this morning, to be used against the last hold-outs in Mariupol. No one has denied those reports
Therefore I fear this is likely true. We shall see
The BBC's news page splashes on the Amess murder, with the Khan and Pickles stories buried down the page. On other occasions, there'd be people here decrying the BBC's political bias in story selection. It is just news values.
The Pickles one is small beer. He’s clearly an insensitive jerk, but I think we knew that. As to the other two, I think terrorist murder edges peadophile in a perverse news top trumps.
I think the Trent is the North South divide - It makes sense in Nottingham where the suburbs south of the Trent are southern in feel (West Bridgford, Edwalton, Gamston) and a bit posh where the other side (The Meadows and the main city and northern suburbs are very much north .
Generally you would have some enclaves like Harrogate (South ) and Birmingham (North )
From a Northern perspective, London extends to somewhere around Northampton.
The old question - where does the north begin? And the west, and the West Country. Wiltshire is definitely West Country, but some regard it as central southern.
Wiltshire is “Wessex”, even though Swindon is essentially a new town outpost of Bristol.
That’s a cold insult! Swindon is a historic centre of railway production with a lengthy and glorious history. (And is a shithole).
Lol.
Ok. Sorry.
Swindon is essentially an industrial exclave of Bristol. Is it a shithole? I’ve only ever passed by, noting the tall apartment block in the middle.
No don’t apologise. I may have been born there, love the football team, but I’d never live there.
I once had a taxi driver who lived in Swindon. He had been borin in India (or maybe Pakistan) and he assured me it was the finest place to live in the UK.
Had he tried anywhere else?
To be fair, his reasons seemed sound. Cheaper housing, lots of green space, modern-ish amenities, plenty of jobs.
I would never live (and maybe not set foot in such a place) but most people want a quiet life and presumably Swindon ticks a lot of boxes.
Is it still a bellwether seat?
I think it was at the last election and probably still will be in 2024. It has a mix of areas with just the right blend of housing to make the seats marginal. When it’s labour it’s almost always a red jewel in a sea of blue, as the rest of Wiltshire is classic Tory small towns and countryside. Jobs has had a hit from the car manufacturing, not sure what’s happening now, but there were hopes to repurpose towards electric at one point.
The BBC's news page splashes on the Amess murder, with the Khan and Pickles stories buried down the page. On other occasions, there'd be people here decrying the BBC's political bias in story selection. It is just news values.
The Pickles one is small beer. He’s clearly an insensitive jerk, but I think we knew that. As to the other two, I think terrorist murder edges peadophile in a perverse news top trumps.
Yes, that's the point, but partisans on either side can be too quick with accusations of bias because they see only party labels.
What do you mean *if it is proven*? You sound like Jeremy Corbyn.
It is in Ukraine's interest to get the West evermore deeply involved in this war
AND this is the Azov Battalion reporting this, AIUI (not the nicest people)
So there is very good reason to be cautious. That said, I can well believe this has happened, the Russians in Donbas were urging on this precise tactic this morning, to be used against the last hold-outs in Mariupol. No one has denied those reports
Therefore I fear this is likely true. We shall see
I was always a little sceptical about the use of chemical weapons in Syria, for those reasons. For the rebels proven chemical weapons use was gold dust, as it gets the west involved. I don’t know enough to say that this is bollocks, which it probably is. The Russians seem capable of anything right now.
"Central London" is EC1, EC2, EC3, EC4, WC1, WC2, a bit of W2, SW1, and a thin linear slice of SE1 where it meets the river
On the other hand, I've met newcomers to London who live in north Tottenham or Earlsfield or Dagenham or right by Heathrow and in their eyes Camden is very definitely "central London", so I guess it is all a case of perspective
London consists of 32 boroughs (plus the City, by some, but not all definitions). Ilford is in Zone 4. I can get to Liverpool Street in 20 mins.
Don't tell Romford that! Seriously, "Romford isn't London" still works as a campaign message. Probably not for much longer, but it still works now.
So coming at it from the other side, what's the furthest out you can get that's uncontroversially London and not "Essex/Kent/Surrey, actually"?
Tentatively, it's about the North/South Circular.
Sewardstone lies OUTSIDE Greater London, yet it is postcode E4!
Skye has an Inverness postcode Aberystwyth has a Shrewsbury postcode
Amazing isnt it. An ex colleague who is emeritus at Aber told me that last week. Must be 70 miles surely?
I think the Trent is the North South divide - It makes sense in Nottingham where the suburbs south of the Trent are southern in feel (West Bridgford, Edwalton, Gamston) and a bit posh where the other side (The Meadows and the main city and northern suburbs are very much north .
Generally you would have some enclaves like Harrogate (South ) and Birmingham (North )
Harrogate never felt South to me; posh North more like.
From a Northern perspective, London extends to somewhere around Northampton.
The old question - where does the north begin? And the west, and the West Country. Wiltshire is definitely West Country, but some regard it as central southern.
The north starts when all the Waitroses are south of you
From a Northern perspective, London extends to somewhere around Northampton.
The old question - where does the north begin? And the west, and the West Country. Wiltshire is definitely West Country, but some regard it as central southern.
Wiltshire is “Wessex”, even though Swindon is essentially a new town outpost of Bristol.
That’s a cold insult! Swindon is a historic centre of railway production with a lengthy and glorious history. (And is a shithole).
Lol.
Ok. Sorry.
Swindon is essentially an industrial exclave of Bristol. Is it a shithole? I’ve only ever passed by, noting the tall apartment block in the middle.
No don’t apologise. I may have been born there, love the football team, but I’d never live there.
I once had a taxi driver who lived in Swindon. He had been borin in India (or maybe Pakistan) and he assured me it was the finest place to live in the UK.
Had he tried anywhere else?
To be fair, his reasons seemed sound. Cheaper housing, lots of green space, modern-ish amenities, plenty of jobs.
I would never live (and maybe not set foot in such a place) but most people want a quiet life and presumably Swindon ticks a lot of boxes.
Is it still a bellwether seat?
I think it was at the last election and probably still will be in 2024. It has a mix of areas with just the right blend of housing to make the seats marginal. When it’s labour it’s almost always a red jewel in a sea of blue, as the rest of Wiltshire is classic Tory small towns and countryside. Jobs has had a hit from the car manufacturing, not sure what’s happening now, but there were hopes to repurpose towards electric at one point.
North Swindon looks pretty safe now, South Swindon less so, as it got pretty close again in 2017.
The Boundary Commission proposals for Swindon are a complete mess, but in fairness I don't think it's intentional gerrymandering so much as the numbers not working, but the adding of a couple of wards of South Swindon into Tory heartland East Wiltshire doesn't make a great deal of sense other than for numbers reasons. No idea if they are particularly Laboury bits of Swindon.
From a Northern perspective, London extends to somewhere around Northampton.
The London contactless train fare system extends as far west as Reading and as far north as Luton Airport now, and has gone as far south as Gatwick for a good few years. In the east you can go contactless as far as Grays and Dartford.
Northern have introduced a contactless card for the part time season tickets. I have obtained a card, but never used it because WFH.
London's contactless network. I have visited every station marked on the map:
What do you mean *if it is proven*? You sound like Jeremy Corbyn.
It is in Ukraine's interest to get the West evermore deeply involved in this war
AND this is the Azov Battalion reporting this, AIUI (not the nicest people)
So there is very good reason to be cautious. That said, I can well believe this has happened, the Russians in Donbas were urging on this precise tactic this morning, to be used against the last hold-outs in Mariupol. No one has denied those reports
Therefore I fear this is likely true. We shall see
I was always a little sceptical about the use of chemical weapons in Syria, for those reasons. For the rebels proven chemical weapons use was gold dust, as it gets the west involved. I don’t know enough to say that this is bollocks, which it probably is. The Russians seem capable of anything right now.
It's not just that the Russians have escaped any bounds of morality, it's also that the use of Nuke/Bio/Chem weapons is in their interest
It strikes fear It wins battles It might cause Ukraine to surrender, or make a painful peace It goads the west, which Putin wants, so he can then turn this disastrous war into something existential It makes Russia the centre of attention, the country that must be supplicated
If you have abandoned any scruple, as Putin seems to have done, then this is entirely logical. What does he have to lose? We will not launch nukes at him, pre-emptively
I think the Trent is the North South divide - It makes sense in Nottingham where the suburbs south of the Trent are southern in feel (West Bridgford, Edwalton, Gamston) and a bit posh where the other side (The Meadows and the main city and northern suburbs are very much north .
Generally you would have some enclaves like Harrogate (South ) and Birmingham (North )
It would also mean Stoke is partly in the South which it certainly isn't.
New: Labour has called for an injunction to end the 'Just Stop Oil' protests, positioning itself firmly on the side of motorists facing disruption.
Interesting to see how party's left-wing and green backers react to Starmer urging clamp down on activists
Good policy decision from Labour. Not sure how it will go down with their core supporters in places like Islington and Brighton though.
Is it? The fact that a protest inconveniences people doesn’t make it unlawful or wrong, and you’d think the party likely to have to support unions in strike action over pay soon would watch its step here.
Yes, and more broadly the right to protest is rightly valued in a democracy. And we all know that if a protest or demonstration doesn't inconvenience people or make a lot of noise, it won't get any publicity in the media.
This is nothing to do with the eco/oil protests. I was responding to a comment earlier that any protest that interferes with 'ordinary people' going about their lawful business was ipso facto not peaceful, and by implication should be illegal. That's dangerous nonsense, though the current wretched government is trying to make protest harder.
Having watched the implicit violence meted out on members of society by Just Stop Oil and their poisonous friends IB and ER, I am quite happy to define their activities as the violent side of the divide. They are reckless as to what hurt they cause to innocent third parties.
It doesn't help that those I have spoken too have no coherent case to argue, and seem to me to be damaging others for no reason they can justify.
"Central London" is EC1, EC2, EC3, EC4, WC1, WC2, a bit of W2, SW1, and a thin linear slice of SE1 where it meets the river
On the other hand, I've met newcomers to London who live in north Tottenham or Earlsfield or Dagenham or right by Heathrow and in their eyes Camden is very definitely "central London", so I guess it is all a case of perspective
London consists of 32 boroughs (plus the City, by some, but not all definitions). Ilford is in Zone 4. I can get to Liverpool Street in 20 mins.
Don't tell Romford that! Seriously, "Romford isn't London" still works as a campaign message. Probably not for much longer, but it still works now.
So coming at it from the other side, what's the furthest out you can get that's uncontroversially London and not "Essex/Kent/Surrey, actually"?
Tentatively, it's about the North/South Circular.
Sewardstone lies OUTSIDE Greater London, yet it is postcode E4!
Skye has an Inverness postcode Aberystwyth has a Shrewsbury postcode
Amazing isnt it. An ex colleague who is emeritus at Aber told me that last week. Must be 70 miles surely?
From a Northern perspective, London extends to somewhere around Northampton.
The London contactless train fare system extends as far west as Reading and as far north as Luton Airport now, and has gone as far south as Gatwick for a good few years. In the east you can go contactless as far as Grays and Dartford.
Northern have introduced a contactless card for the part time season tickets. I have obtained a card, but never used it because WFH.
London's contactless network. I have visited every station marked on the map:
From a Northern perspective, London extends to somewhere around Northampton.
The London contactless train fare system extends as far west as Reading and as far north as Luton Airport now, and has gone as far south as Gatwick for a good few years. In the east you can go contactless as far as Grays and Dartford.
Northern have introduced a contactless card for the part time season tickets. I have obtained a card, but never used it because WFH.
London's contactless network. I have visited every station marked on the map:
From a Northern perspective, London extends to somewhere around Northampton.
The old question - where does the north begin? And the west, and the West Country. Wiltshire is definitely West Country, but some regard it as central southern.
The north starts when all the Waitroses are south of you
Hexham has a Waitrose; you can see Hadrians's wall from it.
The north starts somewhere in Lincolnshire. From its south you commute in minutes to London, from its north end you are stepping into Yorkshire.
I decided to stay at my hotel to eat. Well.. I didn’t really decide; I fell asleep after my beer earlier and woke up to not many options nearby. I was just in time to get into the hotel restaurant. I had to go for the set menu which worked out rather well.
Started with beef carpaccio, onions and capers. The main course was mackerel and another white fish (the lovely Italian waitress and I couldn’t work out what it’s called in English even with the help of our phones) with black rice and a creamy mustard sauce. Dessert (which I’m still eating!) is a sort of chocolate granola with roasted pear, a rich chocolate mousse and mascarpone. I’ve been washing it all down with a rather splendid bottle of local Roussillon white.
From a Northern perspective, London extends to somewhere around Northampton.
The old question - where does the north begin? And the west, and the West Country. Wiltshire is definitely West Country, but some regard it as central southern.
Wiltshire is “Wessex”, even though Swindon is essentially a new town outpost of Bristol.
That’s a cold insult! Swindon is a historic centre of railway production with a lengthy and glorious history. (And is a shithole).
Lol.
Ok. Sorry.
Swindon is essentially an industrial exclave of Bristol. Is it a shithole? I’ve only ever passed by, noting the tall apartment block in the middle.
No don’t apologise. I may have been born there, love the football team, but I’d never live there.
I once had a taxi driver who lived in Swindon. He had been borin in India (or maybe Pakistan) and he assured me it was the finest place to live in the UK.
Had he tried anywhere else?
To be fair, his reasons seemed sound. Cheaper housing, lots of green space, modern-ish amenities, plenty of jobs.
I would never live (and maybe not set foot in such a place) but most people want a quiet life and presumably Swindon ticks a lot of boxes.
Is it still a bellwether seat?
I think it was at the last election and probably still will be in 2024. It has a mix of areas with just the right blend of housing to make the seats marginal. When it’s labour it’s almost always a red jewel in a sea of blue, as the rest of Wiltshire is classic Tory small towns and countryside. Jobs has had a hit from the car manufacturing, not sure what’s happening now, but there were hopes to repurpose towards electric at one point.
North Swindon looks pretty safe now, South Swindon less so, as it got pretty close again in 2017.
The Boundary Commission proposals for Swindon are a complete mess, but in fairness I don't think it's intentional gerrymandering so much as the numbers not working, but the adding of a couple of wards of South Swindon into Tory heartland East Wiltshire doesn't make a great deal of sense other than for numbers reasons. No idea if they are particularly Laboury bits of Swindon.
Cameron's arsing around tightening the quotas is at root of this. And in many other constituencies.
I genuinely have no idea. Is there some query over this conviction?!
Not leaving any doubts as to his opinion:
I am utterly appalled and distraught at the dreadful miscarriage of justice that has befallen my friend and colleague Imran Ahmad Khan, MP for Wakefield since December 2019. His conviction today is nothing short of an international scandal, with dreadful wider implications for millions of LGBT+ muslims around the world.
I sat through some of the trial. The conduct of this case relied on lazy tropes about LGBT+ people that we might have thought we had put behind us decades ago.
As a former Justice Minister I was prepared to testify about the truly extraordinary sequence of events that has resulted in Imran being put through this nightmare start to his Parliamentary career.
I hope for the return of Imran Ahmad Khan to the public service that has exemplified his life to date. Any other outcome will be a stain on our reputation for justice, and an appalling own goal by Britain as we try to take a lead in reversing the Victorian era prejudice that still disfigures too much of the global statute book.
So why is the Midlands so often divided into East and West and so rarely divided North and South ?
A North South Midlands division makes more sense in relation to a North South England division.
As an East Midlander I’d argue the East Mids is essentially the more northern bit. We “feel” and sound more northern (definitely don’t sound Brummie) and we have Derbyshire. Also mining back in the day. Don’t call us northern though. We are our own thing.
What do you mean *if it is proven*? You sound like Jeremy Corbyn.
It is in Ukraine's interest to get the West evermore deeply involved in this war
AND this is the Azov Battalion reporting this, AIUI (not the nicest people)
So there is very good reason to be cautious. That said, I can well believe this has happened, the Russians in Donbas were urging on this precise tactic this morning, to be used against the last hold-outs in Mariupol. No one has denied those reports
Therefore I fear this is likely true. We shall see
I was always a little sceptical about the use of chemical weapons in Syria, for those reasons. For the rebels proven chemical weapons use was gold dust, as it gets the west involved. I don’t know enough to say that this is bollocks, which it probably is. The Russians seem capable of anything right now.
It's not just that the Russians have escaped any bounds of morality, it's also that the use of Nuke/Bio/Chem weapons is in their interest
It strikes fear It wins battles It might cause Ukraine to surrender, or make a painful peace It goads the west, which Putin wants, so he can then turn this disastrous war into something existential It makes Russia the centre of attention, the country that must be supplicated
If you have abandoned any scruple, as Putin seems to have done, then this is entirely logical. What does he have to lose? We will not launch nukes at him, pre-emptively
Frankly it is time to take the gloves off. Anti-ship missiles and Migs to Ukraine. Europe needs to massively cut the gas too. Forecast for the Russian economy contraction this year now 11%. That's nowhere near enough. We should be aiming for 20-30%.
I decided to stay at my hotel to eat. Well.. I didn’t really decide; I fell asleep after my beer earlier and woke up to not many options nearby. I was just in time to get into the hotel restaurant. I had to go for the set menu which worked out rather well.
Started with beef carpaccio, onions and capers. The main course was mackerel and another white fish (the lovely Italian waitress and I couldn’t work out what it’s called in English even with the help of our phones) with black rice and a creamy mustard sauce. Dessert (which I’m still eating!) is a sort of chocolate granola with roasted pear, a rich chocolate mousse and mascarpone. I’ve been washing it all down with a rather splendid bottle of local Roussillon white.
That looks like an excellent dinner
Beef carpaccio, red onions and capers. Mmm. Deliciously simple
Not sure about creamy mustard sauce AND mackerel? Two strong flavours there. But if it works it works!
I decided to stay at my hotel to eat. Well.. I didn’t really decide; I fell asleep after my beer earlier and woke up to not many options nearby. I was just in time to get into the hotel restaurant. I had to go for the set menu which worked out rather well.
Started with beef carpaccio, onions and capers. The main course was mackerel and another white fish (the lovely Italian waitress and I couldn’t work out what it’s called in English even with the help of our phones) with black rice and a creamy mustard sauce. Dessert (which I’m still eating!) is a sort of chocolate granola with roasted pear, a rich chocolate mousse and mascarpone. I’ve been washing it all down with a rather splendid bottle of local Roussillon white.
A good beef carpaccio and decent, simple, mackerel, are both heaven on a plate. Had carpaccio myself earlier and with a decent, crisp white it just makes you smile.
I decided to stay at my hotel to eat. Well.. I didn’t really decide; I fell asleep after my beer earlier and woke up to not many options nearby. I was just in time to get into the hotel restaurant. I had to go for the set menu which worked out rather well.
Started with beef carpaccio, onions and capers. The main course was mackerel and another white fish (the lovely Italian waitress and I couldn’t work out what it’s called in English even with the help of our phones) with black rice and a creamy mustard sauce. Dessert (which I’m still eating!) is a sort of chocolate granola with roasted pear, a rich chocolate mousse and mascarpone. I’ve been washing it all down with a rather splendid bottle of local Roussillon white.
Do you not find carpaccio bland? - I mean the meat itself not the gubbins with it. Perhaps I have been having low-quality carpaccio…
In other news, the Met has received another bloody nose from the courts, which have scathingly dismissed as "hopeless" the Met's appeal against the ruling that it broke the law in how it policed the Sarah Everard vigil.
As if that weren't enough there have been revelations of more revolting WhatsApp messages widespread amongst officers in the Diplomatic Protection bit of the Met, the one Couzens was in.
The new temporary Met Commissioner needs to stop tilting at windmills and accept his force has to obey the law and his officers to behave decently. He has a hell of a job on his hands.
I think the Trent is the North South divide - It makes sense in Nottingham where the suburbs south of the Trent are southern in feel (West Bridgford, Edwalton, Gamston) and a bit posh where the other side (The Meadows and the main city and northern suburbs are very much north .
Generally you would have some enclaves like Harrogate (South ) and Birmingham (North )
It would also mean Stoke is partly in the South which it certainly isn't.
Likewise Scunthorpe and Grimsby.
There's a great youtube vid by Jay Foreman on the North/South divide and where to draw the line. I recommend it for a good laugh.
I genuinely have no idea. Is there some query over this conviction?!
Not leaving any doubts as to his opinion:
I am utterly appalled and distraught at the dreadful miscarriage of justice that has befallen my friend and colleague Imran Ahmad Khan, MP for Wakefield since December 2019. His conviction today is nothing short of an international scandal, with dreadful wider implications for millions of LGBT+ muslims around the world.
I sat through some of the trial. The conduct of this case relied on lazy tropes about LGBT+ people that we might have thought we had put behind us decades ago.
As a former Justice Minister I was prepared to testify about the truly extraordinary sequence of events that has resulted in Imran being put through this nightmare start to his Parliamentary career.
I hope for the return of Imran Ahmad Khan to the public service that has exemplified his life to date. Any other outcome will be a stain on our reputation for justice, and an appalling own goal by Britain as we try to take a lead in reversing the Victorian era prejudice that still disfigures too much of the global statute book.
New: Labour has called for an injunction to end the 'Just Stop Oil' protests, positioning itself firmly on the side of motorists facing disruption.
Interesting to see how party's left-wing and green backers react to Starmer urging clamp down on activists
Excellent move by Labour.
When a protest interferes with ordinary people going about their lawful business, it stops being "peaceful".
So you'd ban all demonstrations and marches from central London, presumably, as road closures and other disruptions from these often prevent 'ordinary' people going about their lawful business?
There’s a clear difference between protests arranged in concert with the authorities that allow people to plan their activity and deliberately antagonistic protest designed to cause anger. You can argue that protest should upset, bu5 there is a limit. Heartlessly stopping people visiting dying relatives crosses the line.
Not relevant to my comment, which was in response to this sentence: When a protest interferes with ordinary people going about their lawful business, it stops being "peaceful".
What type of ordinary people live in central London?
Leon
Your definition of central London is wider than mine - which would be inside Zone 1.
And Leon doesn't live inside zone 1 - unless he's moved he lives in zone 2.
Yes agreed; I HAVE lived in central London for many years, Bloomsbury, Fitzrovia, Marylebone, but this is Camden
It may be "prime central London" to estate agents, but Camden is not central London in my mind. But Zone 1 does not = central London either. Zone 1 goes way south of the river - ugh! And way too far west, down to bloody south Ken which is basically Croydon
Central London in my mind is the City as far East as Tower Bridge, bounded in the north by Farringdon, then the frontier is Euston and Marylebone Road, then it dives south bisecting Hyde Park following the Serpentine, takes in SW1, but no other SWs, and its southern perimeter is a fuzzy line of the South Bank, any more than half a mile south of the river is Here Be Dragons
Urban Core London or Inner London is probably a better description for Camden
In your definition I dont think regents park is central london where I would call it so . I think you need to extend the north boundary to include Marylebone station, Euston station and Kings Cross (all which would be on the border on the wrong side) . I believe 221B Baker Street would also be outside your definition which Holmes may have to take you up on.Agree on Camden though
I am instinctively anti the edgelording of Euston Station into Central London. On the other hand, the magnificent King's Cross development definitely does FEEL like Central London now, yet it is NW1 (like me in Camden)
Perhaps Central London should include all the 1s. Which loops in E1 as well. Wapping, etc, and N1 - Islington
King's Cross is N1 (specifically, the new N1C was allocated to the area with all the new developments)
I'm not sure what there is in the history of the development that makes North London feel much more like London than South London. There isn't really anywhere in North London zones 5/6 that has maintained a distinctive identity and feel as A Place Itself like Kingston, Croydon and Bromley - or, in the east, Romford.
I genuinely have no idea. Is there some query over this conviction?!
Golly
Doesn't seem to appreciate that 15 years old is off limits irrespective of orientation
Crispin Blunt doesn't strike me as a nutter, however. Eccentric but principled? He is saying this is an outrageous miscarriage of justice
What a mess. Who knows
He’d be better off keeping his thoughts to himself and helping his friend in private. It does no one favours for politicians to cast doubt on convictions in this way.
What do you mean *if it is proven*? You sound like Jeremy Corbyn.
It is in Ukraine's interest to get the West evermore deeply involved in this war
AND this is the Azov Battalion reporting this, AIUI (not the nicest people)
So there is very good reason to be cautious. That said, I can well believe this has happened, the Russians in Donbas were urging on this precise tactic this morning, to be used against the last hold-outs in Mariupol. No one has denied those reports
Therefore I fear this is likely true. We shall see
I was always a little sceptical about the use of chemical weapons in Syria, for those reasons. For the rebels proven chemical weapons use was gold dust, as it gets the west involved. I don’t know enough to say that this is bollocks, which it probably is. The Russians seem capable of anything right now.
It's not just that the Russians have escaped any bounds of morality, it's also that the use of Nuke/Bio/Chem weapons is in their interest
It strikes fear It wins battles It might cause Ukraine to surrender, or make a painful peace It goads the west, which Putin wants, so he can then turn this disastrous war into something existential It makes Russia the centre of attention, the country that must be supplicated
If you have abandoned any scruple, as Putin seems to have done, then this is entirely logical. What does he have to lose? We will not launch nukes at him, pre-emptively
Frankly it is time to take the gloves off. Anti-ship missiles and Migs to Ukraine. Europe needs to massively cut the gas too. Forecast for the Russian economy contraction this year now 11%. That's nowhere near enough. We should be aiming for 20-30%.
Yup. Fuck ‘em. If they have used chemical weapons we should grow that as their withdrawal from the human race and freeze all economic contact whatever the cost. We should also go all in on arming Ukraine as you say, and think about whether this is just the time we have to bite the bullet and step in.
Oil prices back below $100 a barrel. Anyone have an explanation?
Warmer weather?
I read somewhere about the impact of the Shanghai shutdown on demand - there looked to be some quite alarming statistics on demand for freight. I wonder if, as inflation bites and families do cut back, we'll see a real hit to demand much as we did at the beginning of the pandemic.
On that basis, I'd expect oil prices to fall sharply.
The new temporary Met Commissioner needs to stop tilting at windmills and accept his force has to obey the law and his officers to behave decently.
Well, it'd be most unusual. Have you no respect for tradition, madam? What is the world coming to if the rules are not whatever the police think it is?
Don't know why they fight so hard on such points - they can just ignore rulings anyway.
I'm normally a defender of MPs. My instinctive belief is that they are by and large above-average humans doing a difficult job. But good grief they seem determined to test this belief. A greater proportion than you would expect seem to be distinctly flawed or distinctly weird or both.
There are aspects to this. I'd like to think of myself as fairly (not abnormally) intelligent, fairly open-minded, and fairly open to new ideas. Which is why I'm on PB. I'm also *amazingly* attractive, and can surpass Gimpo (*) in the bedroom department.
I'd like to think I'd make a good MP. I don't have a particular love of money, and no particular ideology (aside from a general feeling of let people be what they want to be, as long as they do not hurt others.)
But there is no way I'd ever become an MP. And for that reason I have an instinctive admiration for those who put themselves forward for the role. But I do fear that it does attract an above-average proportion of ner-do-wells on either side of the political divide. It's a power thing.
(*) Of KLF fame.
In some ways I'd love to contribute to politics, now that I actually know stuff & have some knowledge and experience to offer. But I'd hate the effect on my family and, frankly, it's all hypothetical because (a) I can barely find a party to vote for let alone represent and (b) there is NFW any party would take a bolshie woman like me.
I could almost certainly be more useful elsewhere.
When I studied politics at university the students were roughly divided into those who took it seriously and went into politics (they were all weird in some way and some you'd cross the road to avoid so odd were they) and others who were just interested in it intellectually. Whenever I see politicians trying to show how like us they are, I always remember the weird loons from uni days and go ..... hmmm....
Not sure how we get better ones. But on the day that David Amess's murderer is convicted, it is worth remembering that many MPs are, however odd they may be, in it to serve the public.
May the poor man rest in peace and his family find some consolation in justice finally having been done.
Which is why I've always said I quite admire those who stand to be an MP, of whatever party. I wouldn't want myself - or my family - put through that scrutiny. And I don't have anything particularly to hide (and I believe the same for my family).
However, I do think that power can attract both angels and demons, and politics is, in a way, the ultimate power. I can see why politics might appeal to ner-do-wells, as much as it does to the angels.
I'd also add that IME at uni the lawyers were the weird loons. Even worse than architects (fx: shudders at mentioning the word...) And I say that as someone who studied engineering...
I know it seems odd, but what struck me in Parliament was how normal almost everyone was. OK, I have my quirky streaks, but my colleagues in all parties were mostly more like everyone else that I knew outside politics. Many were a bit taken aback to be there at all (it was 1997 so lots of us hadn't expected to win) but we settled down and had fun in the early years with a sense of achievement at getting in and helping what we felt was a good cause.
Unusually interested in politics, obviously, some drinkers, and the usual mix of good, bad and so-so home lives, but very few actual weirdos.
I genuinely have no idea. Is there some query over this conviction?!
Golly
Doesn't seem to appreciate that 15 years old is off limits irrespective of orientation
Whatever the truth of the matter, Tim Montgomerie is well out of order
If Blunt thinks there has been a miscarriage of justice, let him say so, and campaign for it to be reversed. That is not a sin, let alone a crime. What is this "withdraw the whip" nonsense?
People are allowed to find convictions unsafe, in their own eyes - especially MPs, who have the power to change minds. The Birmingham Six were wrongly convicted, and MPs campaigned to have that reversed, and they were rightly successful, in the end
The North is everything above the Severn-Wash line (I'm afraid that puts the Midlands into the North).
I've always liked the massive Motoway signs simply for 'The North'. Britain has fantastically silly place and region names and yet we've settled on such a basic one there.
You still get signs saying "The North" on the A9 north of Inverness...
I posted this before but anyway...
This is a constituency map with the population split into thirds, using the northing of each constituency centroid.
Shading is population density.
Whether most of Wales would appreciate being in the Midlands I'm not sure...
The new temporary Met Commissioner needs to stop tilting at windmills and accept his force has to obey the law and his officers to behave decently.
Well, it'd be most unusual. Have you no respect for tradition, madam? What is the world coming to if the rules are not whatever the police think it is?
Don't know why they fight so hard on such points - they can just ignore rulings anyway.
My favourite go to with an arsey police officer is always the old “what’s your badge number and under what powers are you asking me to do X”? Scares them every time. Of course I can only do this because I am white, male, and dress like I can afford a decent solicitor.
Oil prices back below $100 a barrel. Anyone have an explanation?
The markets have realised that the west is not serious about sanctions and therefor, there is going to be no issue with supply and so pierce are reverting back to original level.
I genuinely have no idea. Is there some query over this conviction?!
Blunt is an arse. Quite what his reference to LGBT is meant to add God only knows.
I read it as him implying the case basically suggested that as a gay man he must be sex mad all the time or something, and thus cast otherwise innocent actions a sinister to show a pattern of behaviour. I find it hard to believe a prosecutor did that or a judge allowed it, even though some are indeed terrible at their jobs.
Appeal judges are not usually mugs, but Blunt is setting himself up for a big fall if it doesn't go Khan's way.
The North is everything above the Severn-Wash line (I'm afraid that puts the Midlands into the North).
I've always liked the massive Motoway signs simply for 'The North'. Britain has fantastically silly place and region names and yet we've settled on such a basic one there.
You still get signs saying "The North" on the A9 north of Inverness...
I posted this before but anyway...
This is a constituency map with the population split into thirds, using the northing of each constituency centroid.
Shading is population density.
Whether most of Wales would appreciate being in the Midlands I'm not sure...
North Wales is more Cheshire Lancashire than the Midlands
Oil prices back below $100 a barrel. Anyone have an explanation?
The markets have realised that the west is not serious about sanctions and therefor, there is going to be no issue with supply and so pierce are reverting back to original level.
Pump prices are already falling in continental Europe. I haven’t noticed it here, yet.
Comments
Of course it doesn't work that way, but I like to pretend.
The trivial answer is history, but Greater London has had its current boundaries since 1965.
Stamford Hill - orthodox jews
Dalston - digital cat-sitters
Shoreditch - start-up bros
Homerton - escaped schizopheniacs
Hackney Wick - anarchist artists
Stoke Newington - lesbians
You also forgot the rag trade of South Fitzrovia, which still exists, amazingly (tho the piano makers have gone the way of the clockmakers of Farringdon)
Also Fine Art in east Mayfair, eg Dover Street, plus of course suits in Savile Row - still very much a thing
And Jermyn Street for men's shoes and shirts
And St James is still club land
And Westminster for politics
London is such a brilliantly intricate tapestry
Add in, Canary Wharf: finance
And Old Street: silicon roundabout = start ups and new tech
https://www.flickr.com/photos/37190-dalzell/23574951982
A better option might be to cross your fingers and hope the Russian nukes are largely defective.
Ok. Sorry.
Swindon is essentially an industrial exclave of Bristol. Is it a shithole? I’ve only ever passed by, noting the tall apartment block in the middle.
Cheaper housing, lots of green space, modern-ish amenities, plenty of jobs.
I would never live (and maybe not set foot in such a place) but most people want a quiet life and presumably Swindon ticks a lot of boxes.
Is it still a bellwether seat?
Loving the results.
I've always liked the massive Motoway signs simply for 'The North'. Britain has fantastically silly place and region names and yet we've settled on such a basic one there.
AND this is the Azov Battalion reporting this, AIUI (not the nicest people)
So there is very good reason to be cautious. That said, I can well believe this has happened, the Russians in Donbas were urging on this precise tactic this morning, to be used against the last hold-outs in Mariupol. No one has denied those reports
Therefore I fear this is likely true. We shall see
Generally you would have some enclaves like Harrogate (South ) and Birmingham (North )
Jobs has had a hit from the car manufacturing, not sure what’s happening now, but there were hopes to repurpose towards electric at one point.
The Boundary Commission proposals for Swindon are a complete mess, but in fairness I don't think it's intentional gerrymandering so much as the numbers not working, but the adding of a couple of wards of South Swindon into Tory heartland East Wiltshire doesn't make a great deal of sense other than for numbers reasons. No idea if they are particularly Laboury bits of Swindon.
https://content.tfl.gov.uk/london-rail-and-tube-services-map.pdf
It strikes fear
It wins battles
It might cause Ukraine to surrender, or make a painful peace
It goads the west, which Putin wants, so he can then turn this disastrous war into something existential
It makes Russia the centre of attention, the country that must be supplicated
If you have abandoned any scruple, as Putin seems to have done, then this is entirely logical. What does he have to lose? We will not launch nukes at him, pre-emptively
Likewise Scunthorpe and Grimsby.
It doesn't help that those I have spoken too have no coherent case to argue, and seem to me to be damaging others for no reason they can justify.
Sharper reply in a few minutes.
A North South Midlands division makes more sense in relation to a North South England division.
Get it right
I am not a fan of wannabe BSD talk about investment strategies, but cash looks pretty much like king to me atm
"Withdraw the whip from Blunt. Immediately."
https://twitter.com/montie/status/1513612487530274823?s=20&t=oRkoBAuSoQ5ojgsP0WMvXQ
I genuinely have no idea. Is there some query over this conviction?!
The north starts somewhere in Lincolnshire. From its south you commute in minutes to London, from its north end you are stepping into Yorkshire.
I decided to stay at my hotel to eat. Well.. I didn’t really decide; I fell asleep after my beer earlier and woke up to not many options nearby. I was just in time to get into the hotel restaurant. I had to go for the set menu which worked out rather well.
Started with beef carpaccio, onions and capers. The main course was mackerel and another white fish (the lovely Italian waitress and I couldn’t work out what it’s called in English even with the help of our phones) with black rice and a creamy mustard sauce. Dessert (which I’m still eating!) is a sort of chocolate granola with roasted pear, a rich chocolate mousse and mascarpone. I’ve been washing it all down with a rather splendid bottle of local Roussillon white.
I am utterly appalled and distraught at the dreadful miscarriage of justice that has befallen my friend and colleague Imran Ahmad Khan, MP for Wakefield since December 2019. His conviction today is nothing short of an international scandal, with dreadful wider implications for millions of LGBT+ muslims around the world.
I sat through some of the trial. The conduct of this case relied on lazy tropes about LGBT+ people that we might have thought we had put behind us decades ago.
As a former Justice Minister I was prepared to testify about the truly extraordinary sequence of events that has resulted in Imran being put through this nightmare start to his Parliamentary career.
I hope for the return of Imran Ahmad Khan to the public service that has exemplified his life to date. Any other outcome will be a stain on our reputation for justice, and an appalling own goal by Britain as we try to take a lead in reversing the Victorian era prejudice that still disfigures too much of the global statute book.
https://www.blunt4reigate.com/news/statement-conviction-imran-ahmad-khan-mp
https://www.cnn.com/2022/04/11/investing/russia-default-sp/index.html
Doesn't seem to appreciate that 15 years old is off limits irrespective of orientation
Beef carpaccio, red onions and capers. Mmm. Deliciously simple
Not sure about creamy mustard sauce AND mackerel? Two strong flavours there. But if it works it works!
What a mess. Who knows
As if that weren't enough there have been revelations of more revolting WhatsApp messages widespread amongst officers in the Diplomatic Protection bit of the Met, the one Couzens was in.
The new temporary Met Commissioner needs to stop tilting at windmills and accept his force has to obey the law and his officers to behave decently. He has a hell of a job on his hands.
It’s a story of a middle aged man creeping on a child. That’s not ok and the kind of behaviour rejected by the vast majority of LGBT people.
I'm not sure what there is in the history of the development that makes North London feel much more like London than South London. There isn't really anywhere in North London zones 5/6 that has maintained a distinctive identity and feel as A Place Itself like Kingston, Croydon and Bromley - or, in the east, Romford.
On that basis, I'd expect oil prices to fall sharply.
We'll see.
Don't know why they fight so hard on such points - they can just ignore rulings anyway.
Unusually interested in politics, obviously, some drinkers, and the usual mix of good, bad and so-so home lives, but very few actual weirdos.
If Blunt thinks there has been a miscarriage of justice, let him say so, and campaign for it to be reversed. That is not a sin, let alone a crime. What is this "withdraw the whip" nonsense?
People are allowed to find convictions unsafe, in their own eyes - especially MPs, who have the power to change minds. The Birmingham Six were wrongly convicted, and MPs campaigned to have that reversed, and they were rightly successful, in the end
https://www.blunt4reigate.com/news/statement-conviction-imran-ahmad-khan-mp
I posted this before but anyway...
This is a constituency map with the population split into thirds, using the northing of each constituency centroid.
Shading is population density.
Whether most of Wales would appreciate being in the Midlands I'm not sure...
Appeal judges are not usually mugs, but Blunt is setting himself up for a big fall if it doesn't go Khan's way.