It is all total garbage. Why anyone would drink it is beyond me.
I've had a couple of cans of full-fat Coke pretty much every day for the last 50 years - it's part of my healthy lifestyle, together with ready microwaved meals and instant Sainsbury coffee.
I wanted to like because it made me laugh (as I assume you intended), but I didn't because I am also shocked. Different priorities for different people, but if ever I lose my sense of taste I might as well book the trip to Switzerland. I can't get over the idea that food is just for life and if I ever eat something I don't enjoy it feels like wasted calories.
I've changed with age on this one. Food didn't interest me at all. I used to think it'd be great if I could get my nutrients from popping a pill in the morning. Much better than all the faffing about with eating. Now I'm quite into eating as an experience to enjoy for its own sake. Still gobble it down though. Cannot do that middle class 'linger at the table' business.
Petrol prices are currently similar to when oil was ~£86 per barrel, today they have fallen to £67 per barrel, this implies garages are padding their margins by about 15-17%, while the CMA fannies about the total destruction of competition among petrol forecourts has meant rip off prices for drivers and haulage firms. The decision to allow Asda to be taken over and then the transfer of Asda garages to the parent has been a complete disaster for the nation. It has, IMO, been one of the major causes of fuel price inflation which has led to higher inflation rates than elsewhere in Europe where the market still functions normally. It's time for the government to step in and break up the sector.
I think you need to look at the refining spread too.
'a growing gap between the price of crude oil entering refineries and the wholesale price of petrol and diesel leaving them (the “refining spread”). This accounts for just over 40% of the growth in road fuel prices (24p per litre). Both demand-side factors (in particular, the post-COVID-19 recovery) and supply-side factors (in particular, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the mothballing of refining capacity during COVID-19) appear to have played a role in driving up the refining spread.'
But that has stayed consistent over the last two months, if anything it should have gone down as more refining capacity has been opening up. This is pure retailer price gouging and margin padding.
+1 - I filled up with petrol at £1.519 a litre on Saturday by visiting the local Jet garage (which is at J59 of the A1M) and was a 2 minute diversion from the journey I was on.
Sainsburys is charging £1.609 at the moment.
It's clear when you look at the prices local independents garages are charging that the supermarkets and other chains are profiteering.
The Esso was 9p cheaper per litre than the Tesco according to my wife today. I was also suprised by that - used to the idea that the supermarkets are always cheaper. There's a Jet very near the Esso, so maybe they're having a bit of a local price war; Tesco further away.
Aren't you never supposed to buy supermarket petrol?
To be honest, after buying supermarket petrol for years, I can no longer taste the difference.
It is all total garbage. Why anyone would drink it is beyond me.
I've had a couple of cans of full-fat Coke pretty much every day for the last 50 years - it's part of my healthy lifestyle, together with ready microwaved meals and instant Sainsbury coffee.
I wanted to like because it made me laugh (as I assume you intended), but I didn't because I am also shocked. Different priorities for different people, but if ever I lose my sense of taste I might as well book the trip to Switzerland. I can't get over the idea that food is just for life and if I ever eat something I don't enjoy it feels like wasted calories.
I've changed with age on this one. Food didn't interest me at all. I used to think it'd be great if I could get my nutrients from popping a pill in the morning. Much better than all the faffing about with eating. Now I'm quite into eating as an experience to enjoy for its own sake. Still gobble it down though. Cannot do that middle class 'linger at the table' business.
I gobble as well. I enjoy the Michelin star taster menus which stop that happening and give hours of enjoyment with intense flavours. I also think they are good value contrary what may be perceived. Much as I enjoy a good pub meal it isn't better than what I can cook and a Michelin Star meal is only 3 - 4 times more expensive so a good special treat.
If I go for a meal in a pub it is more for the company not the food, even if I really enjoy the food.
Petrol prices are currently similar to when oil was ~£86 per barrel, today they have fallen to £67 per barrel, this implies garages are padding their margins by about 15-17%, while the CMA fannies about the total destruction of competition among petrol forecourts has meant rip off prices for drivers and haulage firms. The decision to allow Asda to be taken over and then the transfer of Asda garages to the parent has been a complete disaster for the nation. It has, IMO, been one of the major causes of fuel price inflation which has led to higher inflation rates than elsewhere in Europe where the market still functions normally. It's time for the government to step in and break up the sector.
I think you need to look at the refining spread too.
'a growing gap between the price of crude oil entering refineries and the wholesale price of petrol and diesel leaving them (the “refining spread”). This accounts for just over 40% of the growth in road fuel prices (24p per litre). Both demand-side factors (in particular, the post-COVID-19 recovery) and supply-side factors (in particular, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the mothballing of refining capacity during COVID-19) appear to have played a role in driving up the refining spread.'
But that has stayed consistent over the last two months, if anything it should have gone down as more refining capacity has been opening up. This is pure retailer price gouging and margin padding.
+1 - I filled up with petrol at £1.519 a litre on Saturday by visiting the local Jet garage (which is at J59 of the A1M) and was a 2 minute diversion from the journey I was on.
Sainsburys is charging £1.609 at the moment.
It's clear when you look at the prices local independents garages are charging that the supermarkets and other chains are profiteering.
The Esso was 9p cheaper per litre than the Tesco according to my wife today. I was also suprised by that - used to the idea that the supermarkets are always cheaper. There's a Jet very near the Esso, so maybe they're having a bit of a local price war; Tesco further away.
Aren't you never supposed to buy supermarket petrol?
To be honest, after buying supermarket petrol for years, I can no longer taste the difference.
Tesco's Finest Petrol actually tastes better than Shell's. To my taste buds, at least.
Petrol prices are currently similar to when oil was ~£86 per barrel, today they have fallen to £67 per barrel, this implies garages are padding their margins by about 15-17%, while the CMA fannies about the total destruction of competition among petrol forecourts has meant rip off prices for drivers and haulage firms. The decision to allow Asda to be taken over and then the transfer of Asda garages to the parent has been a complete disaster for the nation. It has, IMO, been one of the major causes of fuel price inflation which has led to higher inflation rates than elsewhere in Europe where the market still functions normally. It's time for the government to step in and break up the sector.
I think you need to look at the refining spread too.
'a growing gap between the price of crude oil entering refineries and the wholesale price of petrol and diesel leaving them (the “refining spread”). This accounts for just over 40% of the growth in road fuel prices (24p per litre). Both demand-side factors (in particular, the post-COVID-19 recovery) and supply-side factors (in particular, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the mothballing of refining capacity during COVID-19) appear to have played a role in driving up the refining spread.'
But that has stayed consistent over the last two months, if anything it should have gone down as more refining capacity has been opening up. This is pure retailer price gouging and margin padding.
+1 - I filled up with petrol at £1.519 a litre on Saturday by visiting the local Jet garage (which is at J59 of the A1M) and was a 2 minute diversion from the journey I was on.
Sainsburys is charging £1.609 at the moment.
It's clear when you look at the prices local independents garages are charging that the supermarkets and other chains are profiteering.
The Esso was 9p cheaper per litre than the Tesco according to my wife today. I was also suprised by that - used to the idea that the supermarkets are always cheaper. There's a Jet very near the Esso, so maybe they're having a bit of a local price war; Tesco further away.
Aren't you never supposed to buy supermarket petrol?
I thought the supermarkets were meant to be cheap? My major point of comparison is motorway services so they always seemed pretty reasonable. Amazing Ghana - Korea game. Ghana held on to win 3-2, with their coach red carded at the end!
I thought it was a quality issue. Perhaps an urban myth. @Driver (clue in the name) - or @Dura_Ace ?
Supermarket fuel AIUI is basic quality - ther's nothing wrong with it, certainly not that would justify "you're never supposed to buy it".
Branded fuel does tend to include performance enhancers, detergents and the like - and even then to get the really good stuff you need to fork out for the premium fuel - but for most normal drivers in most cars I doubt it's worth the extra you would normally expect to pay.
Worse - it's gold cans, which is caffeine free Diet Coke. Which completely misses all the point of Coke.
Caffeine free Diet Coke? I drink Diet Coke as I don't want to rot my teeth, but caffeine free . . . can't respect that.
Are you as kind to your teeth as you think? I'm no @turbotubbs but surely all fizzy drinks are acidic by virtue of the carbon dioxide dissolved in water, and probably citric acid for fruit-flavoured drinks, and phosphoric acid for full-fat Coke so probably Diet Coke as well. (Does pb have its own dentist? I vaguely think we used to.)
It is all total garbage. Why anyone would drink it is beyond me.
People drink it because they like it, and are thirsty.
Water is available.
Dost thou think because thou art virtuous there shall be no more cakes and ale?
Yes, by Saint Anne, and ginger shall be hot i' th' mouth too.
People like it.
Look at the list of ingredients on a can of diet coke or whatever and think which of those chemicals do I really want in my body? Water, that's it. We don't even know what some of these man made chemicals do to your body. And caffeine is a mood altering narcotic that's present in huge quantities in some of these drinks. I wouldn't touch any of them.
The NHS recommended diet drinks on the diabetes remission diet I have been on for the last 7 months.
Fills you up without calories (same as water) and helped me lose 35kg.
The only side effect i have noticed is it gives you a visceral hatred of SKS!!!
I don't trust diet coke, or artificial sweetener in general.
I read something on the internet (treat with appropriate caution) that while there are fewer calories in artifically sweetened drinks, aspartane inhibits your body from turning fat into energy. So you don't get the calories, but nor do you lose fat the normal way.
More concretely, I also know several women who have real problems kicking a diet coke habit - with proper cravings, headaches and other withdrawal symptoms. Which a) sounds far from a benign 'ooh, I'd really like a bit of cake but I'm on a diet, tut' and b) diet coke is a really lame 'up' to give you such a big 'down' from not doing it. It's hardly the joy of a cigarette or a beer. If I'm going to get withdrawal symptoms I'd have wanted to consume something better than diet coke to make it worthwhile.
And, of course, the result of the nonsensical nanny state sugar tax is that most soft drinks manufacturers have "reformulated", i.e. added a bunch more artificial sweetener to create a worse-tasting drink.
Absolutely right. And people noticed. Hence why Sanpellegrino had to bring the original recipe back.
It's no surprise to me that the big holdout is Coke, who obviously learnt from the New Coke debacle. They even call normal Coke "Original Taste", admitting what everyone knows - artificial sweeteners don't taste the same.
A friend swears by some 'natural' syrup alternatives (for coffees and the like) with 'natural sugars derived from plants' or some similar blurb on the bottle. Which is all fine, except the 'carbohydrate (of which sugars)' content is unsurprisingly up there with standard syrup and misses the point that sugar is itself a natural sugar derived from plants.
(Having said that, the evidence is clear. Sugar is bad for you in excess. Artifical sweeteners may be too, but there is a less clear evidence base for that. Other than the occasional diet coke - I prefer the taste - I don't have huge amounts of either; I prefer my coffee bitter. Anyway, I'm sweet enough already )
Coke of course has different recipes for different regions/tastes.
In the middle east it is super sweet for example.
The water used is always local too, which makes a surprising difference.
Petrol prices are currently similar to when oil was ~£86 per barrel, today they have fallen to £67 per barrel, this implies garages are padding their margins by about 15-17%, while the CMA fannies about the total destruction of competition among petrol forecourts has meant rip off prices for drivers and haulage firms. The decision to allow Asda to be taken over and then the transfer of Asda garages to the parent has been a complete disaster for the nation. It has, IMO, been one of the major causes of fuel price inflation which has led to higher inflation rates than elsewhere in Europe where the market still functions normally. It's time for the government to step in and break up the sector.
I think you need to look at the refining spread too.
'a growing gap between the price of crude oil entering refineries and the wholesale price of petrol and diesel leaving them (the “refining spread”). This accounts for just over 40% of the growth in road fuel prices (24p per litre). Both demand-side factors (in particular, the post-COVID-19 recovery) and supply-side factors (in particular, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the mothballing of refining capacity during COVID-19) appear to have played a role in driving up the refining spread.'
But that has stayed consistent over the last two months, if anything it should have gone down as more refining capacity has been opening up. This is pure retailer price gouging and margin padding.
+1 - I filled up with petrol at £1.519 a litre on Saturday by visiting the local Jet garage (which is at J59 of the A1M) and was a 2 minute diversion from the journey I was on.
Sainsburys is charging £1.609 at the moment.
It's clear when you look at the prices local independents garages are charging that the supermarkets and other chains are profiteering.
The Esso was 9p cheaper per litre than the Tesco according to my wife today. I was also suprised by that - used to the idea that the supermarkets are always cheaper. There's a Jet very near the Esso, so maybe they're having a bit of a local price war; Tesco further away.
Aren't you never supposed to buy supermarket petrol?
To be honest, after buying supermarket petrol for years, I can no longer taste the difference.
Tesco's Finest Petrol actually tastes better than Shell's. To my taste buds, at least.
I prefer E5 unleaded but I see plenty of people literally queuing up for E10.
Petrol prices are currently similar to when oil was ~£86 per barrel, today they have fallen to £67 per barrel, this implies garages are padding their margins by about 15-17%, while the CMA fannies about the total destruction of competition among petrol forecourts has meant rip off prices for drivers and haulage firms. The decision to allow Asda to be taken over and then the transfer of Asda garages to the parent has been a complete disaster for the nation. It has, IMO, been one of the major causes of fuel price inflation which has led to higher inflation rates than elsewhere in Europe where the market still functions normally. It's time for the government to step in and break up the sector.
I think you need to look at the refining spread too.
'a growing gap between the price of crude oil entering refineries and the wholesale price of petrol and diesel leaving them (the “refining spread”). This accounts for just over 40% of the growth in road fuel prices (24p per litre). Both demand-side factors (in particular, the post-COVID-19 recovery) and supply-side factors (in particular, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the mothballing of refining capacity during COVID-19) appear to have played a role in driving up the refining spread.'
But that has stayed consistent over the last two months, if anything it should have gone down as more refining capacity has been opening up. This is pure retailer price gouging and margin padding.
+1 - I filled up with petrol at £1.519 a litre on Saturday by visiting the local Jet garage (which is at J59 of the A1M) and was a 2 minute diversion from the journey I was on.
Sainsburys is charging £1.609 at the moment.
It's clear when you look at the prices local independents garages are charging that the supermarkets and other chains are profiteering.
The Esso was 9p cheaper per litre than the Tesco according to my wife today. I was also suprised by that - used to the idea that the supermarkets are always cheaper. There's a Jet very near the Esso, so maybe they're having a bit of a local price war; Tesco further away.
Aren't you never supposed to buy supermarket petrol?
To be honest, after buying supermarket petrol for years, I can no longer taste the difference.
Petrol prices are currently similar to when oil was ~£86 per barrel, today they have fallen to £67 per barrel, this implies garages are padding their margins by about 15-17%, while the CMA fannies about the total destruction of competition among petrol forecourts has meant rip off prices for drivers and haulage firms. The decision to allow Asda to be taken over and then the transfer of Asda garages to the parent has been a complete disaster for the nation. It has, IMO, been one of the major causes of fuel price inflation which has led to higher inflation rates than elsewhere in Europe where the market still functions normally. It's time for the government to step in and break up the sector.
I think you need to look at the refining spread too.
'a growing gap between the price of crude oil entering refineries and the wholesale price of petrol and diesel leaving them (the “refining spread”). This accounts for just over 40% of the growth in road fuel prices (24p per litre). Both demand-side factors (in particular, the post-COVID-19 recovery) and supply-side factors (in particular, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the mothballing of refining capacity during COVID-19) appear to have played a role in driving up the refining spread.'
But that has stayed consistent over the last two months, if anything it should have gone down as more refining capacity has been opening up. This is pure retailer price gouging and margin padding.
+1 - I filled up with petrol at £1.519 a litre on Saturday by visiting the local Jet garage (which is at J59 of the A1M) and was a 2 minute diversion from the journey I was on.
Sainsburys is charging £1.609 at the moment.
It's clear when you look at the prices local independents garages are charging that the supermarkets and other chains are profiteering.
The Esso was 9p cheaper per litre than the Tesco according to my wife today. I was also suprised by that - used to the idea that the supermarkets are always cheaper. There's a Jet very near the Esso, so maybe they're having a bit of a local price war; Tesco further away.
Aren't you never supposed to buy supermarket petrol?
I thought the supermarkets were meant to be cheap? My major point of comparison is motorway services so they always seemed pretty reasonable. Amazing Ghana - Korea game. Ghana held on to win 3-2, with their coach red carded at the end!
I thought it was a quality issue. Perhaps an urban myth. @Driver (clue in the name) - or @Dura_Ace ?
Supermarket fuel AIUI is basic quality - ther's nothing wrong with it, certainly not that would justify "you're never supposed to buy it".
Branded fuel does tend to include performance enhancers, detergents and the like - and even then to get the really good stuff you need to fork out for the premium fuel - but for most normal drivers in most cars I doubt it's worth the extra you would normally expect to pay.
Lib Dems are attempting to amend the Finance Bill at Committee Stage to have Hunt write to every single taxpayer dragged into paying income tax or higher band with an explanation of how much more tax they are paying...
Lol as if that will pass, Labour will abstain because the latter years will be in their term and the Tories will vote against. Gesture politics.
It’s a whole lot easier to forgive an opposition party for a little bit of gesture politics - especially when they are up against the system as are the LibDems - than it is a governing party taking the country towards ruin because it always puts its own politics before the national interest.
Petrol prices are currently similar to when oil was ~£86 per barrel, today they have fallen to £67 per barrel, this implies garages are padding their margins by about 15-17%, while the CMA fannies about the total destruction of competition among petrol forecourts has meant rip off prices for drivers and haulage firms. The decision to allow Asda to be taken over and then the transfer of Asda garages to the parent has been a complete disaster for the nation. It has, IMO, been one of the major causes of fuel price inflation which has led to higher inflation rates than elsewhere in Europe where the market still functions normally. It's time for the government to step in and break up the sector.
I think you need to look at the refining spread too.
'a growing gap between the price of crude oil entering refineries and the wholesale price of petrol and diesel leaving them (the “refining spread”). This accounts for just over 40% of the growth in road fuel prices (24p per litre). Both demand-side factors (in particular, the post-COVID-19 recovery) and supply-side factors (in particular, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the mothballing of refining capacity during COVID-19) appear to have played a role in driving up the refining spread.'
But that has stayed consistent over the last two months, if anything it should have gone down as more refining capacity has been opening up. This is pure retailer price gouging and margin padding.
+1 - I filled up with petrol at £1.519 a litre on Saturday by visiting the local Jet garage (which is at J59 of the A1M) and was a 2 minute diversion from the journey I was on.
Sainsburys is charging £1.609 at the moment.
It's clear when you look at the prices local independents garages are charging that the supermarkets and other chains are profiteering.
The Esso was 9p cheaper per litre than the Tesco according to my wife today. I was also suprised by that - used to the idea that the supermarkets are always cheaper. There's a Jet very near the Esso, so maybe they're having a bit of a local price war; Tesco further away.
Aren't you never supposed to buy supermarket petrol?
To be honest, after buying supermarket petrol for years, I can no longer taste the difference.
Tesco's Finest Petrol actually tastes better than Shell's. To my taste buds, at least.
Off topic - the reason for the journey was that the Tyneside cinema was showing Glass Onion so I combined that with some shopping.
2 observations
1 Glass Onion is great fun - for those who can't see it before it disappears from cinemas get Netflix over Christmas and watch it. 2 the Tyneside Cinema is very clear that Die Hard is a Christmas movie - it's being shown alongside other Xmas movies such as Wonderful World and Home Alone. No sign of them showing Muppet's Christmas Carol which is the definitive Christmas movie though.
Worse - it's gold cans, which is caffeine free Diet Coke. Which completely misses all the point of Coke.
Caffeine free Diet Coke? I drink Diet Coke as I don't want to rot my teeth, but caffeine free . . . can't respect that.
Are you as kind to your teeth as you think? I'm no @turbotubbs but surely all fizzy drinks are acidic by virtue of the carbon dioxide dissolved in water, and probably citric acid for fruit-flavoured drinks, and phosphoric acid for full-fat Coke so probably Diet Coke as well. (Does pb have its own dentist? I vaguely think we used to.)
It is all total garbage. Why anyone would drink it is beyond me.
People drink it because they like it, and are thirsty.
Water is available.
Dost thou think because thou art virtuous there shall be no more cakes and ale?
Yes, by Saint Anne, and ginger shall be hot i' th' mouth too.
People like it.
Look at the list of ingredients on a can of diet coke or whatever and think which of those chemicals do I really want in my body? Water, that's it. We don't even know what some of these man made chemicals do to your body. And caffeine is a mood altering narcotic that's present in huge quantities in some of these drinks. I wouldn't touch any of them.
Thats going a bit far. Any chemical allowed for human consumption has been tested, and there is no difference in how 'man-made' chemicals behave and natural ones. But yes, water is a far better option.
There can be quite a difference in the presence of given chemicals between natural and man made foodstuffs, though. The jury is still out on the long term health effects of aspartame, which is not something you'll find much of in natural foodstuffs, for example: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8227014/
I'd agree with that. I always challenge anyone who believes 'man-made' chemicals are intrinsically bad as the atoms don't know anything different.
Nothing inherently bad but I'd rather my diet was composed mainly of things that humans have been eating for centuries without getting cancer or becoming morbidly obese. Clearly something has gone wrong with the average British diet and lifestyle in the last few decades, judging by the state of people. I'm sure all the garbage food and drink that people consume has something to do with it, alongside a sedentary lifestyle.
Or maybe the incidence of cancer is a factor of living longer lives which gives more chance for cancerous mutations to take place. No idea if it is definitely the case but my suspicion would be there is a strong correlation. When the average life span was 30 years probably wasnt a lot of scope to develop cancer before death by mammoth occurred
Its certainly true that living longer increase the risk of some cancers (but not all). Most men who die in their 80's or 90's will have prostate cancer to some extent - usually benign. And yes if the average age of death is much lower than today, then cancer incidence will have been a lot lower.
Petrol prices are currently similar to when oil was ~£86 per barrel, today they have fallen to £67 per barrel, this implies garages are padding their margins by about 15-17%, while the CMA fannies about the total destruction of competition among petrol forecourts has meant rip off prices for drivers and haulage firms. The decision to allow Asda to be taken over and then the transfer of Asda garages to the parent has been a complete disaster for the nation. It has, IMO, been one of the major causes of fuel price inflation which has led to higher inflation rates than elsewhere in Europe where the market still functions normally. It's time for the government to step in and break up the sector.
I think you need to look at the refining spread too.
'a growing gap between the price of crude oil entering refineries and the wholesale price of petrol and diesel leaving them (the “refining spread”). This accounts for just over 40% of the growth in road fuel prices (24p per litre). Both demand-side factors (in particular, the post-COVID-19 recovery) and supply-side factors (in particular, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the mothballing of refining capacity during COVID-19) appear to have played a role in driving up the refining spread.'
But that has stayed consistent over the last two months, if anything it should have gone down as more refining capacity has been opening up. This is pure retailer price gouging and margin padding.
+1 - I filled up with petrol at £1.519 a litre on Saturday by visiting the local Jet garage (which is at J59 of the A1M) and was a 2 minute diversion from the journey I was on.
Sainsburys is charging £1.609 at the moment.
It's clear when you look at the prices local independents garages are charging that the supermarkets and other chains are profiteering.
The Esso was 9p cheaper per litre than the Tesco according to my wife today. I was also suprised by that - used to the idea that the supermarkets are always cheaper. There's a Jet very near the Esso, so maybe they're having a bit of a local price war; Tesco further away.
Aren't you never supposed to buy supermarket petrol?
I thought the supermarkets were meant to be cheap? My major point of comparison is motorway services so they always seemed pretty reasonable. Amazing Ghana - Korea game. Ghana held on to win 3-2, with their coach red carded at the end!
I thought it was a quality issue. Perhaps an urban myth. @Driver (clue in the name) - or @Dura_Ace ?
Supermarket fuel AIUI is basic quality - ther's nothing wrong with it, certainly not that would justify "you're never supposed to buy it".
Branded fuel does tend to include performance enhancers, detergents and the like - and even then to get the really good stuff you need to fork out for the premium fuel - but for most normal drivers in most cars I doubt it's worth the extra you would normally expect to pay.
Thank you. I knew you would know. Supermarkets don't seem to offer E5 though.
That Jet garage did - if you bought the Super unleaded - which is what I actually got as my JCW mini prefers it. I think that E10 is how most places sell unleaded now - I suspect it's impossible to find anything else from the refinery.
Petrol prices are currently similar to when oil was ~£86 per barrel, today they have fallen to £67 per barrel, this implies garages are padding their margins by about 15-17%, while the CMA fannies about the total destruction of competition among petrol forecourts has meant rip off prices for drivers and haulage firms. The decision to allow Asda to be taken over and then the transfer of Asda garages to the parent has been a complete disaster for the nation. It has, IMO, been one of the major causes of fuel price inflation which has led to higher inflation rates than elsewhere in Europe where the market still functions normally. It's time for the government to step in and break up the sector.
I think you need to look at the refining spread too.
'a growing gap between the price of crude oil entering refineries and the wholesale price of petrol and diesel leaving them (the “refining spread”). This accounts for just over 40% of the growth in road fuel prices (24p per litre). Both demand-side factors (in particular, the post-COVID-19 recovery) and supply-side factors (in particular, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the mothballing of refining capacity during COVID-19) appear to have played a role in driving up the refining spread.'
But that has stayed consistent over the last two months, if anything it should have gone down as more refining capacity has been opening up. This is pure retailer price gouging and margin padding.
+1 - I filled up with petrol at £1.519 a litre on Saturday by visiting the local Jet garage (which is at J59 of the A1M) and was a 2 minute diversion from the journey I was on.
Sainsburys is charging £1.609 at the moment.
It's clear when you look at the prices local independents garages are charging that the supermarkets and other chains are profiteering.
The Esso was 9p cheaper per litre than the Tesco according to my wife today. I was also suprised by that - used to the idea that the supermarkets are always cheaper. There's a Jet very near the Esso, so maybe they're having a bit of a local price war; Tesco further away.
Aren't you never supposed to buy supermarket petrol?
I thought the supermarkets were meant to be cheap? My major point of comparison is motorway services so they always seemed pretty reasonable. Amazing Ghana - Korea game. Ghana held on to win 3-2, with their coach red carded at the end!
I thought it was a quality issue. Perhaps an urban myth. @Driver (clue in the name) - or @Dura_Ace ?
Supermarket fuel AIUI is basic quality - ther's nothing wrong with it, certainly not that would justify "you're never supposed to buy it".
Branded fuel does tend to include performance enhancers, detergents and the like - and even then to get the really good stuff you need to fork out for the premium fuel - but for most normal drivers in most cars I doubt it's worth the extra you would normally expect to pay.
Lib Dems are attempting to amend the Finance Bill at Committee Stage to have Hunt write to every single taxpayer dragged into paying income tax or higher band with an explanation of how much more tax they are paying...
Lol as if that will pass, Labour will abstain because the latter years will be in their term and the Tories will vote against. Gesture politics.
It’s a whole lot easier to forgive an opposition party for a little bit of gesture politics - especially when they are up against the system as are the LibDems - than it is a governing party taking the country towards ruin because it always puts its own politics before the national interest.
Have the LDs been forgiven for 2010 yet?
Number of MPs would suggest not
Number of safe Tory seats lost to Lib Dems wold suggest Yes.
Petrol prices are currently similar to when oil was ~£86 per barrel, today they have fallen to £67 per barrel, this implies garages are padding their margins by about 15-17%, while the CMA fannies about the total destruction of competition among petrol forecourts has meant rip off prices for drivers and haulage firms. The decision to allow Asda to be taken over and then the transfer of Asda garages to the parent has been a complete disaster for the nation. It has, IMO, been one of the major causes of fuel price inflation which has led to higher inflation rates than elsewhere in Europe where the market still functions normally. It's time for the government to step in and break up the sector.
I think you need to look at the refining spread too.
'a growing gap between the price of crude oil entering refineries and the wholesale price of petrol and diesel leaving them (the “refining spread”). This accounts for just over 40% of the growth in road fuel prices (24p per litre). Both demand-side factors (in particular, the post-COVID-19 recovery) and supply-side factors (in particular, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the mothballing of refining capacity during COVID-19) appear to have played a role in driving up the refining spread.'
But that has stayed consistent over the last two months, if anything it should have gone down as more refining capacity has been opening up. This is pure retailer price gouging and margin padding.
+1 - I filled up with petrol at £1.519 a litre on Saturday by visiting the local Jet garage (which is at J59 of the A1M) and was a 2 minute diversion from the journey I was on.
Sainsburys is charging £1.609 at the moment.
It's clear when you look at the prices local independents garages are charging that the supermarkets and other chains are profiteering.
The Esso was 9p cheaper per litre than the Tesco according to my wife today. I was also suprised by that - used to the idea that the supermarkets are always cheaper. There's a Jet very near the Esso, so maybe they're having a bit of a local price war; Tesco further away.
Aren't you never supposed to buy supermarket petrol?
I thought the supermarkets were meant to be cheap? My major point of comparison is motorway services so they always seemed pretty reasonable. Amazing Ghana - Korea game. Ghana held on to win 3-2, with their coach red carded at the end!
I thought it was a quality issue. Perhaps an urban myth. @Driver (clue in the name) - or @Dura_Ace ?
Supermarket fuel AIUI is basic quality - ther's nothing wrong with it, certainly not that would justify "you're never supposed to buy it".
Branded fuel does tend to include performance enhancers, detergents and the like - and even then to get the really good stuff you need to fork out for the premium fuel - but for most normal drivers in most cars I doubt it's worth the extra you would normally expect to pay.
Thank you. I knew you would know. Supermarkets don't seem to offer E5 though.
That Jet garage did - if you bought the Super unleaded - which is what I actually got as my JCW mini prefers it. I think that E10 is how most places sell unleaded now - I suspect it's impossible to find anything else from the refinery.
Our classic mini does not like E10 - struggles on starting when cold. We try to only use E5 whenever possible.
Petrol prices are currently similar to when oil was ~£86 per barrel, today they have fallen to £67 per barrel, this implies garages are padding their margins by about 15-17%, while the CMA fannies about the total destruction of competition among petrol forecourts has meant rip off prices for drivers and haulage firms. The decision to allow Asda to be taken over and then the transfer of Asda garages to the parent has been a complete disaster for the nation. It has, IMO, been one of the major causes of fuel price inflation which has led to higher inflation rates than elsewhere in Europe where the market still functions normally. It's time for the government to step in and break up the sector.
I think you need to look at the refining spread too.
'a growing gap between the price of crude oil entering refineries and the wholesale price of petrol and diesel leaving them (the “refining spread”). This accounts for just over 40% of the growth in road fuel prices (24p per litre). Both demand-side factors (in particular, the post-COVID-19 recovery) and supply-side factors (in particular, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the mothballing of refining capacity during COVID-19) appear to have played a role in driving up the refining spread.'
But that has stayed consistent over the last two months, if anything it should have gone down as more refining capacity has been opening up. This is pure retailer price gouging and margin padding.
+1 - I filled up with petrol at £1.519 a litre on Saturday by visiting the local Jet garage (which is at J59 of the A1M) and was a 2 minute diversion from the journey I was on.
Sainsburys is charging £1.609 at the moment.
It's clear when you look at the prices local independents garages are charging that the supermarkets and other chains are profiteering.
The Esso was 9p cheaper per litre than the Tesco according to my wife today. I was also suprised by that - used to the idea that the supermarkets are always cheaper. There's a Jet very near the Esso, so maybe they're having a bit of a local price war; Tesco further away.
Aren't you never supposed to buy supermarket petrol?
I thought the supermarkets were meant to be cheap? My major point of comparison is motorway services so they always seemed pretty reasonable. Amazing Ghana - Korea game. Ghana held on to win 3-2, with their coach red carded at the end!
I thought it was a quality issue. Perhaps an urban myth. @Driver (clue in the name) - or @Dura_Ace ?
Supermarket fuel AIUI is basic quality - ther's nothing wrong with it, certainly not that would justify "you're never supposed to buy it".
Branded fuel does tend to include performance enhancers, detergents and the like - and even then to get the really good stuff you need to fork out for the premium fuel - but for most normal drivers in most cars I doubt it's worth the extra you would normally expect to pay.
Petrol prices are currently similar to when oil was ~£86 per barrel, today they have fallen to £67 per barrel, this implies garages are padding their margins by about 15-17%, while the CMA fannies about the total destruction of competition among petrol forecourts has meant rip off prices for drivers and haulage firms. The decision to allow Asda to be taken over and then the transfer of Asda garages to the parent has been a complete disaster for the nation. It has, IMO, been one of the major causes of fuel price inflation which has led to higher inflation rates than elsewhere in Europe where the market still functions normally. It's time for the government to step in and break up the sector.
I think you need to look at the refining spread too.
'a growing gap between the price of crude oil entering refineries and the wholesale price of petrol and diesel leaving them (the “refining spread”). This accounts for just over 40% of the growth in road fuel prices (24p per litre). Both demand-side factors (in particular, the post-COVID-19 recovery) and supply-side factors (in particular, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the mothballing of refining capacity during COVID-19) appear to have played a role in driving up the refining spread.'
But that has stayed consistent over the last two months, if anything it should have gone down as more refining capacity has been opening up. This is pure retailer price gouging and margin padding.
+1 - I filled up with petrol at £1.519 a litre on Saturday by visiting the local Jet garage (which is at J59 of the A1M) and was a 2 minute diversion from the journey I was on.
Sainsburys is charging £1.609 at the moment.
It's clear when you look at the prices local independents garages are charging that the supermarkets and other chains are profiteering.
The Esso was 9p cheaper per litre than the Tesco according to my wife today. I was also suprised by that - used to the idea that the supermarkets are always cheaper. There's a Jet very near the Esso, so maybe they're having a bit of a local price war; Tesco further away.
Aren't you never supposed to buy supermarket petrol?
To be honest, after buying supermarket petrol for years, I can no longer taste the difference.
Tesco's Finest Petrol actually tastes better than Shell's. To my taste buds, at least.
I once watched a friend of mine try and siphon some petrol from a petrol tank. Can’t remember why it needed siphoning but he wasn’t nicking it, it was legit, the car’s owner was there too.
I have never, before or since, seen anyone sprint on their knees like he did when the petrol hit his mouth. He was kneeling down to do it, the petrol hit his mouth, and without seeming to straighten his legs he ran to the sink to rinse his mouth as quickly as he possibly could. God it was funny. There were three or four of us watching him, warning him not to do it, but my mate was being Billy Big Bollocks. We all collapsed laughing. As you do.
Petrol prices are currently similar to when oil was ~£86 per barrel, today they have fallen to £67 per barrel, this implies garages are padding their margins by about 15-17%, while the CMA fannies about the total destruction of competition among petrol forecourts has meant rip off prices for drivers and haulage firms. The decision to allow Asda to be taken over and then the transfer of Asda garages to the parent has been a complete disaster for the nation. It has, IMO, been one of the major causes of fuel price inflation which has led to higher inflation rates than elsewhere in Europe where the market still functions normally. It's time for the government to step in and break up the sector.
I think you need to look at the refining spread too.
'a growing gap between the price of crude oil entering refineries and the wholesale price of petrol and diesel leaving them (the “refining spread”). This accounts for just over 40% of the growth in road fuel prices (24p per litre). Both demand-side factors (in particular, the post-COVID-19 recovery) and supply-side factors (in particular, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the mothballing of refining capacity during COVID-19) appear to have played a role in driving up the refining spread.'
But that has stayed consistent over the last two months, if anything it should have gone down as more refining capacity has been opening up. This is pure retailer price gouging and margin padding.
+1 - I filled up with petrol at £1.519 a litre on Saturday by visiting the local Jet garage (which is at J59 of the A1M) and was a 2 minute diversion from the journey I was on.
Sainsburys is charging £1.609 at the moment.
It's clear when you look at the prices local independents garages are charging that the supermarkets and other chains are profiteering.
The Esso was 9p cheaper per litre than the Tesco according to my wife today. I was also suprised by that - used to the idea that the supermarkets are always cheaper. There's a Jet very near the Esso, so maybe they're having a bit of a local price war; Tesco further away.
Aren't you never supposed to buy supermarket petrol?
I thought the supermarkets were meant to be cheap? My major point of comparison is motorway services so they always seemed pretty reasonable. Amazing Ghana - Korea game. Ghana held on to win 3-2, with their coach red carded at the end!
I thought it was a quality issue. Perhaps an urban myth. @Driver (clue in the name) - or @Dura_Ace ?
Supermarket fuel AIUI is basic quality - ther's nothing wrong with it, certainly not that would justify "you're never supposed to buy it".
Branded fuel does tend to include performance enhancers, detergents and the like - and even then to get the really good stuff you need to fork out for the premium fuel - but for most normal drivers in most cars I doubt it's worth the extra you would normally expect to pay.
Thank you. I knew you would know. Supermarkets don't seem to offer E5 though.
That Jet garage did - if you bought the Super unleaded - which is what I actually got as my JCW mini prefers it. I think that E10 is how most places sell unleaded now - I suspect it's impossible to find anything else from the refinery.
Our classic mini does not like E10 - struggles on starting when cold. We try to only use E5 whenever possible.
It eats the rubber compound lining steel braided fuel hoses, and diaphragms in carburettors. The ethanol in E5 isn't great for them either, but as there is less ethanol in E5 the disintegration process takes much longer. It's not just Minis, other, as late as 1990s classics like MX5 Mk1s don't like E10 either.
Petrol prices are currently similar to when oil was ~£86 per barrel, today they have fallen to £67 per barrel, this implies garages are padding their margins by about 15-17%, while the CMA fannies about the total destruction of competition among petrol forecourts has meant rip off prices for drivers and haulage firms. The decision to allow Asda to be taken over and then the transfer of Asda garages to the parent has been a complete disaster for the nation. It has, IMO, been one of the major causes of fuel price inflation which has led to higher inflation rates than elsewhere in Europe where the market still functions normally. It's time for the government to step in and break up the sector.
I think you need to look at the refining spread too.
'a growing gap between the price of crude oil entering refineries and the wholesale price of petrol and diesel leaving them (the “refining spread”). This accounts for just over 40% of the growth in road fuel prices (24p per litre). Both demand-side factors (in particular, the post-COVID-19 recovery) and supply-side factors (in particular, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the mothballing of refining capacity during COVID-19) appear to have played a role in driving up the refining spread.'
But that has stayed consistent over the last two months, if anything it should have gone down as more refining capacity has been opening up. This is pure retailer price gouging and margin padding.
+1 - I filled up with petrol at £1.519 a litre on Saturday by visiting the local Jet garage (which is at J59 of the A1M) and was a 2 minute diversion from the journey I was on.
Sainsburys is charging £1.609 at the moment.
It's clear when you look at the prices local independents garages are charging that the supermarkets and other chains are profiteering.
The Esso was 9p cheaper per litre than the Tesco according to my wife today. I was also suprised by that - used to the idea that the supermarkets are always cheaper. There's a Jet very near the Esso, so maybe they're having a bit of a local price war; Tesco further away.
Aren't you never supposed to buy supermarket petrol?
I thought the supermarkets were meant to be cheap? My major point of comparison is motorway services so they always seemed pretty reasonable. Amazing Ghana - Korea game. Ghana held on to win 3-2, with their coach red carded at the end!
I thought it was a quality issue. Perhaps an urban myth. @Driver (clue in the name) - or @Dura_Ace ?
Supermarket fuel AIUI is basic quality - ther's nothing wrong with it, certainly not that would justify "you're never supposed to buy it".
Branded fuel does tend to include performance enhancers, detergents and the like - and even then to get the really good stuff you need to fork out for the premium fuel - but for most normal drivers in most cars I doubt it's worth the extra you would normally expect to pay.
Thank you. I knew you would know. Supermarkets don't seem to offer E5 though.
That Jet garage did - if you bought the Super unleaded - which is what I actually got as my JCW mini prefers it. I think that E10 is how most places sell unleaded now - I suspect it's impossible to find anything else from the refinery.
Our classic mini does not like E10 - struggles on starting when cold. We try to only use E5 whenever possible.
It eats the rubber compound lining steel braided fuel hoses, and diaphragms in carburettors. The ethanol in E5 isn't great for them either, but as there is less ethanol in E5 the disintegration process takes much longer. It's not just Minis, other, as late as 1990s classics like MX5 Mk1s don't like E10 either.
A Tory MP has successfully secured a debate on the actions of SNP MP John Nicolson in the House of Commons.
It comes after the Speaker said Nicolson gave a "partial and biased account" of a letter sent to him on Twitter.
It's understood that Sir Lindsay Hoyle has decided to allow David Davis, Tory MP and former Brexit minister, to table a motion on privilege on the actions of Nicolson.
The debate will reportedly take place on Tuesday 29 November.
Hmm, interesting proposal for the Scottish impasse - devomax (proper one this time) *and* EU membership (as for NI). More immediate things to discuss just now, footie etc., but this is one line of future debate. But whether Mr Sunak will consider it I have no idea.
Petrol prices are currently similar to when oil was ~£86 per barrel, today they have fallen to £67 per barrel, this implies garages are padding their margins by about 15-17%, while the CMA fannies about the total destruction of competition among petrol forecourts has meant rip off prices for drivers and haulage firms. The decision to allow Asda to be taken over and then the transfer of Asda garages to the parent has been a complete disaster for the nation. It has, IMO, been one of the major causes of fuel price inflation which has led to higher inflation rates than elsewhere in Europe where the market still functions normally. It's time for the government to step in and break up the sector.
Couldn’t happen to a more pompous prick: A Tory MP has successfully secured a debate on the actions of SNP MP John Nicolson in the House of Commons.
It comes after the Speaker said Nicolson gave a "partial and biased account" of a letter sent to him on Twitter.
It's understood that Sir Lindsay Hoyle has decided to allow David Davis, Tory MP and former Brexit minister, to table a motion on privilege on the actions of Nicolson.
The debate will reportedly take place on Tuesday 29 November.
Petrol prices are currently similar to when oil was ~£86 per barrel, today they have fallen to £67 per barrel, this implies garages are padding their margins by about 15-17%, while the CMA fannies about the total destruction of competition among petrol forecourts has meant rip off prices for drivers and haulage firms. The decision to allow Asda to be taken over and then the transfer of Asda garages to the parent has been a complete disaster for the nation. It has, IMO, been one of the major causes of fuel price inflation which has led to higher inflation rates than elsewhere in Europe where the market still functions normally. It's time for the government to step in and break up the sector.
I think you need to look at the refining spread too.
'a growing gap between the price of crude oil entering refineries and the wholesale price of petrol and diesel leaving them (the “refining spread”). This accounts for just over 40% of the growth in road fuel prices (24p per litre). Both demand-side factors (in particular, the post-COVID-19 recovery) and supply-side factors (in particular, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the mothballing of refining capacity during COVID-19) appear to have played a role in driving up the refining spread.'
But that has stayed consistent over the last two months, if anything it should have gone down as more refining capacity has been opening up. This is pure retailer price gouging and margin padding.
Lib Dems are attempting to amend the Finance Bill at Committee Stage to have Hunt write to every single taxpayer dragged into paying income tax or higher band with an explanation of how much more tax they are paying...
Hmm, interesting proposal for the Scottish impasse - devomax (proper one this time) *and* EU membership (as for NI). More immediate things to discuss just now, footie etc., but this is one line of future debate. But whether Mr Sunak will consider it I have no idea.
“Things might get messy along Hadrian!s wall”….not least because much of it is well inside England…..
Hmm, interesting proposal for the Scottish impasse - devomax (proper one this time) *and* EU membership (as for NI). More immediate things to discuss just now, footie etc., but this is one line of future debate. But whether Mr Sunak will consider it I have no idea.
“Things might get messy along Hadrian!s wall”….not least because much of it is well inside England…..
All of it is!
It's a lazy cliche, though I was a bit surprised when Mr Rory the then Tory fell for it with his capaign for a love-in along the wall in 2014, as he should have known his geography too well to do so.
Hmm, interesting proposal for the Scottish impasse - devomax (proper one this time) *and* EU membership (as for NI). More immediate things to discuss just now, footie etc., but this is one line of future debate. But whether Mr Sunak will consider it I have no idea.
“Things might get messy along Hadrian!s wall”….not least because much of it is well inside England…..
All of it is!
It's a lazy cliche, though I was a bit surprised when Mr Rory the then Tory fell for it with his capaign for a love-in along the wall in 2014, as he should have known his geography too well to do so.
For how long though. You can't trust those Scots, once they have Scotland who knows what is next.
Hmm, interesting proposal for the Scottish impasse - devomax (proper one this time) *and* EU membership (as for NI). More immediate things to discuss just now, footie etc., but this is one line of future debate. But whether Mr Sunak will consider it I have no idea.
“Things might get messy along Hadrian!s wall”….not least because much of it is well inside England…..
All of it is!
It's a lazy cliche, though I was a bit surprised when Mr Rory the then Tory fell for it with his capaign for a love-in along the wall in 2014, as he should have known his geography too well to do so.
For how long though. You can't trust those Scots, once they have Scotland who knows what is next.
No idle fear. I once saw a 'Welcome to England' sign by the Severn Bridge yet I'd never crossed into Wales in the first place. Sneaky devils, the colonies.
Hmm, interesting proposal for the Scottish impasse - devomax (proper one this time) *and* EU membership (as for NI). More immediate things to discuss just now, footie etc., but this is one line of future debate. But whether Mr Sunak will consider it I have no idea.
“Things might get messy along Hadrian!s wall”….not least because much of it is well inside England…..
All of it is!
It's a lazy cliche, though I was a bit surprised when Mr Rory the then Tory fell for it with his capaign for a love-in along the wall in 2014, as he should have known his geography too well to do so.
For how long though. You can't trust those Scots, once they have Scotland who knows what is next.
No idle fear. I once saw a 'Welcome to England' sign by the Severn Bridge yet I'd never crossed
into Wales in the first place. Sneaky devils, the colonies.
Good quiz question along those lines (I think?) which countries are either side of the Severn Bridge?
Hmm, interesting proposal for the Scottish impasse - devomax (proper one this time) *and* EU membership (as for NI). More immediate things to discuss just now, footie etc., but this is one line of future debate. But whether Mr Sunak will consider it I have no idea.
“Things might get messy along Hadrian!s wall”….not least because much of it is well inside England…..
All of it is!
It's a lazy cliche, though I was a bit surprised when Mr Rory the then Tory fell for it with his capaign for a love-in along the wall in 2014, as he should have known his geography too well to do so.
For how long though. You can't trust those Scots, once they have Scotland who knows what is next.
No idle fear. I once saw a 'Welcome to England' sign by the Severn Bridge yet I'd never crossed
into Wales in the first place. Sneaky devils, the colonies.
Good quiz question along those lines (I think?) which countries are either side of the Severn Bridge?
Hmm, interesting proposal for the Scottish impasse - devomax (proper one this time) *and* EU membership (as for NI). More immediate things to discuss just now, footie etc., but this is one line of future debate. But whether Mr Sunak will consider it I have no idea.
“Things might get messy along Hadrian!s wall”….not least because much of it is well inside England…..
All of it is!
It's a lazy cliche, though I was a bit surprised when Mr Rory the then Tory fell for it with his capaign for a love-in along the wall in 2014, as he should have known his geography too well to do so.
I think this criticism is a bit overwrought. The actual border can be somewhat inaccessible (having walked across it a few times), and Hadrian's Wall is much more accessible. Most of all, Hadrian's Wall is a symbol. It's not *the* border, but it symbolises the boundary between civilisation and the uncouth.
I won't say whether the uncouth are north or south of the wall.
Hmm, interesting proposal for the Scottish impasse - devomax (proper one this time) *and* EU membership (as for NI). More immediate things to discuss just now, footie etc., but this is one line of future debate. But whether Mr Sunak will consider it I have no idea.
“Things might get messy along Hadrian!s wall”….not least because much of it is well inside England…..
All of it is!
It's a lazy cliche, though I was a bit surprised when Mr Rory the then Tory fell for it with his capaign for a love-in along the wall in 2014, as he should have known his geography too well to do so.
For how long though. You can't trust those Scots, once they have Scotland who knows what is next.
No idle fear. I once saw a 'Welcome to England' sign by the Severn Bridge yet I'd never crossed
into Wales in the first place. Sneaky devils, the colonies.
Good quiz question along those lines (I think?) which countries are either side of the Severn Bridge?
True story. A Welsh Uni, can't say which, had a huge banner photo of the Severn Bridge and the country beyond to use as part of their recruitment material (brochures, prospectus, posters etc). All lovely until my colleague pointed out it had been shot from the Welsh side, looking towards the English side. Someone had goofed. Lots of stuff got pulped.
Hmm, interesting proposal for the Scottish impasse - devomax (proper one this time) *and* EU membership (as for NI). More immediate things to discuss just now, footie etc., but this is one line of future debate. But whether Mr Sunak will consider it I have no idea.
“Things might get messy along Hadrian!s wall”….not least because much of it is well inside England…..
All of it is!
It's a lazy cliche, though I was a bit surprised when Mr Rory the then Tory fell for it with his capaign for a love-in along the wall in 2014, as he should have known his geography too well to do so.
For how long though. You can't trust those Scots, once they have Scotland who knows what is next.
No idle fear. I once saw a 'Welcome to England' sign by the Severn Bridge yet I'd never crossed
into Wales in the first place. Sneaky devils, the colonies.
Good quiz question along those lines (I think?) which countries are either side of the Severn Bridge?
True story. A Welsh Uni, can't say which, had a huge banner photo of the Severn Bridge and the country beyond to use as part of their recruitment material (brochures, prospectus, posters etc). All lovely until my colleague pointed out it had been shot from the Welsh side, looking towards the English side. Someone had goofed. Lots of stuff got pulped.
Hmm, interesting proposal for the Scottish impasse - devomax (proper one this time) *and* EU membership (as for NI). More immediate things to discuss just now, footie etc., but this is one line of future debate. But whether Mr Sunak will consider it I have no idea.
He won't. It is a bird that won't fly.
Reasons are legion, but the thought of FoM from 500,000,000 million people to Scotland while also having a CTA with England would be fun.
As to trade and the border, there is no solution.
Except the only realistic one of the entire UK joining EFTA/EEA, after which Scottish independence can be revisited.
Hmm, interesting proposal for the Scottish impasse - devomax (proper one this time) *and* EU membership (as for NI). More immediate things to discuss just now, footie etc., but this is one line of future debate. But whether Mr Sunak will consider it I have no idea.
“Things might get messy along Hadrian!s wall”….not least because much of it is well inside England…..
All of it is!
It's a lazy cliche, though I was a bit surprised when Mr Rory the then Tory fell for it with his capaign for a love-in along the wall in 2014, as he should have known his geography too well to do so.
For how long though. You can't trust those Scots, once they have Scotland who knows what is next.
No idle fear. I once saw a 'Welcome to England' sign by the Severn Bridge yet I'd never crossed into Wales in the first place. Sneaky devils, the colonies.
I think I know where you mean. In fairness, I think you can only pass that while staying in England if you are executing a sneaky get-past-the-traffic-jam-on-the-M5 manoeuvre. I also nited it was translated into Welsh as 'Croeso Y Lloegr' - and I ak no expert in Welsh, but I think that translates to "Welcome to the lost lands" - is that really still the Welsh for England?
Hmm, interesting proposal for the Scottish impasse - devomax (proper one this time) *and* EU membership (as for NI). More immediate things to discuss just now, footie etc., but this is one line of future debate. But whether Mr Sunak will consider it I have no idea.
“Things might get messy along Hadrian!s wall”….not least because much of it is well inside England…..
All of it is!
It's a lazy cliche, though I was a bit surprised when Mr Rory the then Tory fell for it with his capaign for a love-in along the wall in 2014, as he should have known his geography too well to do so.
For how long though. You can't trust those Scots, once they have Scotland who knows what is next.
No idle fear. I once saw a 'Welcome to England' sign by the Severn Bridge yet I'd never crossed
into Wales in the first place. Sneaky devils, the colonies.
Good quiz question along those lines (I think?) which countries are either side of the Severn Bridge?
England and England. There’s a bit of Gloucestershire sticking out where the main bit lands before a smaller span crosses the Wye into Wales.
EDIT: this is the old one. The new one is Wales and England.
Hmm, interesting proposal for the Scottish impasse - devomax (proper one this time) *and* EU membership (as for NI). More immediate things to discuss just now, footie etc., but this is one line of future debate. But whether Mr Sunak will consider it I have no idea.
“Things might get messy along Hadrian!s wall”….not least because much of it is well inside England…..
All of it is!
It's a lazy cliche, though I was a bit surprised when Mr Rory the then Tory fell for it with his capaign for a love-in along the wall in 2014, as he should have known his geography too well to do so.
I think this criticism is a bit overwrought. The actual border can be somewhat inaccessible (having walked across it a few times), and Hadrian's Wall is much more accessible. Most of all, Hadrian's Wall is a symbol. It's not *the* border, but it symbolises the boundary between civilisation and the uncouth.
I won't say whether the uncouth are north or south of the wall.
Well, quite, if you are a Unionist journalist for a London newspaper. Just such a shame about Bigg Market and Grainger Market, not to mention the University of Newcastle.
Hmm, interesting proposal for the Scottish impasse - devomax (proper one this time) *and* EU membership (as for NI). More immediate things to discuss just now, footie etc., but this is one line of future debate. But whether Mr Sunak will consider it I have no idea.
“Things might get messy along Hadrian!s wall”….not least because much of it is well inside England…..
All of it is!
It's a lazy cliche, though I was a bit surprised when Mr Rory the then Tory fell for it with his capaign for a love-in along the wall in 2014, as he should have known his geography too well to do so.
For how long though. You can't trust those Scots, once they have Scotland who knows what is next.
No idle fear. I once saw a 'Welcome to England' sign by the Severn Bridge yet I'd never crossed
into Wales in the first place. Sneaky devils, the colonies.
Good quiz question along those lines (I think?) which countries are either side of the Severn Bridge?
True story. A Welsh Uni, can't say which, had a huge banner photo of the Severn Bridge and the country beyond to use as part of their recruitment material (brochures, prospectus, posters etc). All lovely until my colleague pointed out it had been shot from the Welsh side, looking towards the English side. Someone had goofed. Lots of stuff got pulped.
Petrol prices are currently similar to when oil was ~£86 per barrel, today they have fallen to £67 per barrel, this implies garages are padding their margins by about 15-17%, while the CMA fannies about the total destruction of competition among petrol forecourts has meant rip off prices for drivers and haulage firms. The decision to allow Asda to be taken over and then the transfer of Asda garages to the parent has been a complete disaster for the nation. It has, IMO, been one of the major causes of fuel price inflation which has led to higher inflation rates than elsewhere in Europe where the market still functions normally. It's time for the government to step in and break up the sector.
🧵 In June, The Netherlands announced it had detained a Russian spy, posing as a Brazilian just as he was about to start work for the ICC. Sent back to Brazil, he ended up sentenced to 15 years for using fraudulent documents. Russia now claims he's a drug dealer, not a spy...
Hmm, interesting proposal for the Scottish impasse - devomax (proper one this time) *and* EU membership (as for NI). More immediate things to discuss just now, footie etc., but this is one line of future debate. But whether Mr Sunak will consider it I have no idea.
“Things might get messy along Hadrian!s wall”….not least because much of it is well inside England…..
All of it is!
It's a lazy cliche, though I was a bit surprised when Mr Rory the then Tory fell for it with his capaign for a love-in along the wall in 2014, as he should have known his geography too well to do so.
I think this criticism is a bit overwrought. The actual border can be somewhat inaccessible (having walked across it a few times), and Hadrian's Wall is much more accessible. Most of all, Hadrian's Wall is a symbol. It's not *the* border, but it symbolises the boundary between civilisation and the uncouth.
I won't say whether the uncouth are north or south of the wall.
Almost everywhere I've lived in Scotland had some kind of Roman settlement but they did think of us as uncouth.
"There are two principal races of the Britons, the Caledonians and the Maeatae, and the names of the others have been merged in these two. The Maeatae live next to the cross-wall which cuts the island in half, and the Caledonians are beyond them. Both tribes inhabit wild and waterless mountains and desolate and swampy plains, and possess neither walls, cities, nor tilled fields, but live on their flocks, wild game, and certain fruits...They dwell in tents, naked and unshod, possess their women in common, and in common rear all the offspring. Their form of rule is democratic for the most part, and they are very fond of plundering; consequently they choose their boldest men as rulers....They can endure hunger and cold and any kind of hardship; for they plunge into the swamps and exist there for many days with only their heads above water, and in the forests they support themselves upon bark and roots, and for all emergencies they prepare a certain kind of food, the eating of a small portion of which, the size of a bean, prevents them from feeling either hunger or thirst"
Hmm, interesting proposal for the Scottish impasse - devomax (proper one this time) *and* EU membership (as for NI). More immediate things to discuss just now, footie etc., but this is one line of future debate. But whether Mr Sunak will consider it I have no idea.
“Things might get messy along Hadrian!s wall”….not least because much of it is well inside England…..
All of it is!
It's a lazy cliche, though I was a bit surprised when Mr Rory the then Tory fell for it with his capaign for a love-in along the wall in 2014, as he should have known his geography too well to do so.
For how long though. You can't trust those Scots, once they have Scotland who knows what is next.
No idle fear. I once saw a 'Welcome to England' sign by the Severn Bridge yet I'd never crossed into Wales in the first place. Sneaky devils, the colonies.
I think I know where you mean. In fairness, I think you can only pass that while staying in England if you are executing a sneaky get-past-the-traffic-jam-on-the-M5 manoeuvre. I also nited it was translated into Welsh as 'Croeso Y Lloegr' - and I ak no expert in Welsh, but I think that translates to "Welcome to the lost lands" - is that really still the Welsh for England?
Yes, in fairness I hade turned the wrong way coming down from the north, so had involutnarily headed towards Wales (is there another way?) and needed to u-turn.
Great subsample for SLAB - they're on 37% compared to 32% for the SNP. Not a chance SLAB are actually in the lead, mind, but probably suggests there hasn't been a groundswell of support for the SNP following the Supreme Court decision.
There's definitely been a slight slippage in the Labour share in recent polls, but it hasn't benefited the Tories much. Mostly to minor parties.
If you look at the wikipedia graph, the conservative vote has been on a downward trend since 2019 at an average of about 0.4% per month. Blips (but reverting to trend) were the initial Covid outbreak in March 2020, then the delivery of the vaccines in 2021 and partygate at the start of 2022. Will Sunak as pm enable a reversion to trend, or better?
Do you know that you posted about some Martha Velez music yesterday?
She was one of the Street Choir
I did not know that! I was not super excited by the Martha Velez stuff, to be honest. I listened to the Tell Mama cover, it was not great and I was deterred from listening to more.
Labour should move Britain closer to the EU by granting ministers the power to copy EU rules, Tony Blair’s think tank has said.
The institute set up by the former prime minister said the UK must mirror Brussels standards to rebuild trade ties with the continent.
Tory MPs warned the plan would be a betrayal of Brexit and see the country effectively taken back into the single market by stealth.
Under the proposals, Britain would dynamically align with EU rules covering swathes of the economy, most notably food production.
Ministers would be given “keeping pace” powers to update the UK statute books and take account of new laws made in Brussels. Parliament would be able to either accept or reject the changes but not amend them.
”We therefore have to make divergence work. We need to push ahead with the scrapping of EU laws – a project now being held up by civil servants who, though they won’t say so, want an incoming Labour government to agree to dynamic alignment with Brussels (ie adopting whatever future laws the EU passes). We should sign trade deals that comply with WTO rules, some of which are directly in conflict with EU practice, especially in agri-foods, where Brussels imposes numerous unscientific bans on protectionist grounds. We should cut taxes.” https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/11/26/brexit-should-have-gone-swiss-now-have-no-option-go-singaporean/
Fresh from 'Truss was good actually and was betrayed', now quoting Hannan as if he wasn't perpetually contradicting the stupid shit he'd said previously.
I salute your indefatigability etc.
Perhaps you might want to ponder how justifiable it is to accuse 'Brexit' of being so crap, when in practise Brexit so far has meant keeping all EU rules.
Or you could ask yourself how you'd like a Scottish independence settlement where Scotland had to keep all UK law and align itself dynamically with everything new.
Worse - it's gold cans, which is caffeine free Diet Coke. Which completely misses all the point of Coke.
Caffeine free Diet Coke? I drink Diet Coke as I don't want to rot my teeth, but caffeine free . . . can't respect that.
Are you as kind to your teeth as you think? I'm no @turbotubbs but surely all fizzy drinks are acidic by virtue of the carbon dioxide dissolved in water, and probably citric acid for fruit-flavoured drinks, and phosphoric acid for full-fat Coke so probably Diet Coke as well. (Does pb have its own dentist? I vaguely think we used to.)
It is all total garbage. Why anyone would drink it is beyond me.
People drink it because they like it, and are thirsty.
Water is available.
Dost thou think because thou art virtuous there shall be no more cakes and ale?
Yes, by Saint Anne, and ginger shall be hot i' th' mouth too.
People like it.
Look at the list of ingredients on a can of diet coke or whatever and think which of those chemicals do I really want in my body? Water, that's it. We don't even know what some of these man made chemicals do to your body. And caffeine is a mood altering narcotic that's present in huge quantities in some of these drinks. I wouldn't touch any of them.
Three ingredients is the best number: water, hops and barley
Four ingredients - you forgot yeast. Without that, you'll have hops flavoured sugar water.
Worse - it's gold cans, which is caffeine free Diet Coke. Which completely misses all the point of Coke.
Caffeine free Diet Coke? I drink Diet Coke as I don't want to rot my teeth, but caffeine free . . . can't respect that.
Are you as kind to your teeth as you think? I'm no @turbotubbs but surely all fizzy drinks are acidic by virtue of the carbon dioxide dissolved in water, and probably citric acid for fruit-flavoured drinks, and phosphoric acid for full-fat Coke so probably Diet Coke as well. (Does pb have its own dentist? I vaguely think we used to.)
It is all total garbage. Why anyone would drink it is beyond me.
People drink it because they like it, and are thirsty.
Water is available.
Dost thou think because thou art virtuous there shall be no more cakes and ale?
Yes, by Saint Anne, and ginger shall be hot i' th' mouth too.
People like it.
Look at the list of ingredients on a can of diet coke or whatever and think which of those chemicals do I really want in my body? Water, that's it. We don't even know what some of these man made chemicals do to your body. And caffeine is a mood altering narcotic that's present in huge quantities in some of these drinks. I wouldn't touch any of them.
The NHS recommended diet drinks on the diabetes remission diet I have been on for the last 7 months.
Fills you up without calories (same as water) and helped me lose 35kg.
The only side effect i have noticed is it gives you a visceral hatred of SKS!!!
I don't trust diet coke, or artificial sweetener in general.
I read something on the internet (treat with appropriate caution) that while there are fewer calories in artifically sweetened drinks, aspartane inhibits your body from turning fat into energy. So you don't get the calories, but nor do you lose fat the normal way.
More concretely, I also know several women who have real problems kicking a diet coke habit - with proper cravings, headaches and other withdrawal symptoms. Which a) sounds far from a benign 'ooh, I'd really like a bit of cake but I'm on a diet, tut' and b) diet coke is a really lame 'up' to give you such a big 'down' from not doing it. It's hardly the joy of a cigarette or a beer. If I'm going to get withdrawal symptoms I'd have wanted to consume something better than diet coke to make it worthwhile.
And, of course, the result of the nonsensical nanny state sugar tax is that most soft drinks manufacturers have "reformulated", i.e. added a bunch more artificial sweetener to create a worse-tasting drink.
Absolutely right. And people noticed. Hence why Sanpellegrino had to bring the original recipe back.
It's no surprise to me that the big holdout is Coke, who obviously learnt from the New Coke debacle. They even call normal Coke "Original Taste", admitting what everyone knows - artificial sweeteners don't taste the same.
A friend swears by some 'natural' syrup alternatives (for coffees and the like) with 'natural sugars derived from plants' or some similar blurb on the bottle. Which is all fine, except the 'carbohydrate (of which sugars)' content is unsurprisingly up there with standard syrup and misses the point that sugar is itself a natural sugar derived from plants.
(Having said that, the evidence is clear. Sugar is bad for you in excess. Artifical sweeteners may be too, but there is a less clear evidence base for that. Other than the occasional diet coke - I prefer the taste - I don't have huge amounts of either; I prefer my coffee bitter. Anyway, I'm sweet enough already )
Hard to form an opinion without knowing what sugar substitutes he's into, but in general, less refined sugars are better because they contain more of their natural complement of biochemical components, which can help the body deal with what it's consuming. Molasses is supposed to be quite a good sweetener. Honey (used in moderation, must be good honey) another.
Comments
If I go for a meal in a pub it is more for the company not the food, even if I really enjoy the food.
Branded fuel does tend to include performance enhancers, detergents and the like - and even then to get the really good stuff you need to fork out for the premium fuel - but for most normal drivers in most cars I doubt it's worth the extra you would normally expect to pay.
Which? and the aforementioned PetrolPrices seem to agree.
Number of MPs would suggest not
2 observations
1 Glass Onion is great fun - for those who can't see it before it disappears from cinemas get Netflix over Christmas and watch it.
2 the Tyneside Cinema is very clear that Die Hard is a Christmas movie - it's being shown alongside other Xmas movies such as Wonderful World and Home Alone. No sign of them showing Muppet's Christmas Carol which is the definitive Christmas movie though.
An absolute necessity for classic cars unless one wants their fuel hoses eaten by ethanol.
I have never, before or since, seen anyone sprint on their knees like he did when the petrol hit his mouth. He was kneeling down to do it, the petrol hit his mouth, and without seeming to straighten his legs he ran to the sink to rinse his mouth as quickly as he possibly could. God it was funny. There were three or four of us watching him, warning him not to do it, but my mate was being Billy Big Bollocks. We all collapsed laughing. As you do.
A Tory MP has successfully secured a debate on the actions of SNP MP John Nicolson in the House of Commons.
It comes after the Speaker said Nicolson gave a "partial and biased account" of a letter sent to him on Twitter.
It's understood that Sir Lindsay Hoyle has decided to allow David Davis, Tory MP and former Brexit minister, to table a motion on privilege on the actions of Nicolson.
The debate will reportedly take place on Tuesday 29 November.
https://www.thenational.scot/news/23154967.tory-mp-secures-debate-actions-snp-mp-house-commons/
Hmm, interesting proposal for the Scottish impasse - devomax (proper one this time) *and* EU membership (as for NI). More immediate things to discuss just now, footie etc., but this is one line of future debate. But whether Mr Sunak will consider it I have no idea.
Sauce for the goose.... Wankers.
It's a lazy cliche, though I was a bit surprised when Mr Rory the then Tory fell for it with his capaign for a love-in along the wall in 2014, as he should have known his geography too well to do so.
For how long though. You can't trust those Scots, once they have Scotland who knows what is next.
I won't say whether the uncouth are north or south of the wall.
https://www.washingtonian.com/2017/01/05/washington-post-express-worst-womens-march-screwup-imaginable/
Reasons are legion, but the thought of FoM from 500,000,000 million people to Scotland while also having a CTA with England would be fun.
As to trade and the border, there is no solution.
Except the only realistic one of the entire UK joining EFTA/EEA, after which Scottish independence can be revisited.
In fairness, I think you can only pass that while staying in England if you are executing a sneaky get-past-the-traffic-jam-on-the-M5 manoeuvre.
I also nited it was translated into Welsh as 'Croeso Y Lloegr' - and I ak no expert in Welsh, but I think that translates to "Welcome to the lost lands" - is that really still the Welsh for England?
EDIT: this is the old one. The new one is Wales and England.
Westminster Voting Intention (27 Nov.):
Labour 47% (-2)
Conservative 27% (-1)
Liberal Democrat 11% (+2)
Reform UK 5% (–)
Green 5% (+1)
SNP 3% (-1)
Other 1% (-1)
Changes +/- 20 Nov.
https://redfieldandwiltonstrategies.com/latest-gb-voting-intention-27-november-2022
Even Truss did better before the Trussterfuck.
https://www.washingtonian.com/2017/01/05/washington-post-express-worst-womens-march-screwup-imaginable/
https://twitter.com/EliotHiggins/status/1597276418290745346
"There are two principal races of the Britons, the Caledonians and the Maeatae, and the names of the others have been merged in these two. The Maeatae live next to the cross-wall which cuts the island in half, and the Caledonians are beyond them. Both tribes inhabit wild and waterless mountains and desolate and swampy plains, and possess neither walls, cities, nor tilled fields, but live on their flocks, wild game, and certain fruits...They dwell in tents, naked and unshod, possess their women in common, and in common rear all the offspring. Their form of rule is democratic for the most part, and they are very fond of plundering; consequently they choose their boldest men as rulers....They can endure hunger and cold and any kind of hardship; for they plunge into the swamps and exist there for many days with only their heads above water, and in the forests they support themselves upon bark and roots, and for all emergencies they prepare a certain kind of food, the eating of a small portion of which, the size of a bean, prevents them from feeling either hunger or thirst"
I posted some Martha Velez music two days ago
Do you know that you posted about some Martha Velez music yesterday?
She was one of the Street Choir
If you look at the wikipedia graph, the conservative vote has been on a downward trend since 2019 at an average of about 0.4% per month. Blips (but reverting to trend) were the initial Covid outbreak in March 2020, then the delivery of the vaccines in 2021 and partygate at the start of 2022. Will Sunak as pm enable a reversion to trend, or better?
I was not super excited by the Martha Velez stuff, to be honest. I listened to the Tell Mama cover, it was not great and I was deterred from listening to more.
Or you could ask yourself how you'd like a Scottish independence settlement where Scotland had to keep all UK law and align itself dynamically with everything new.