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The World Cup betting after an action-packed weekend – politicalbetting.com

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Comments

  • DriverDriver Posts: 4,963

    For non-Guardian readers, potential jokes of the year published today. Most are weak, but:

    Q: Why is the Government having problems with their version of the Christmas nativity?
    A: They can't find three wise men.


    Q: Why does Kate Bush need to turn her heating off?
    A: Because she's running up that bill.

    The first one is old...

    Still, at least now Boris has gone they have half a chance of finding a virgin...
  • JonathanJonathan Posts: 21,664
    I’ve seen England win before, but the way this side wins is new. Impressive and entertaining.
  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 22,015
    HYUFD said:

    SKS gives a speech on policy, and PB is talking about cricket.

    I certainly wasn't, as I stated his proposal to scrap the Lords and replace it with a directly elected Upper House could lead to a Tory upper house elected midterm using its mandate to block and delay as much legislation passed by a Labour government with a majority in the House of Commons as possible and vice versa.

    It would move us much more to the US model of gridlock than we are now.
    SKS said that the new "Senate" (or whatever it is called) will not have the power to delay legislation by a year, as is the case with the Lords.
  • Fox Sports’ US World Cup coverage is an unmissable abomination

    https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/dec/05/fox-sports-us-world-cup-coverage-tv-soccer

    They have obviously not watched ITV coverage....
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 82,020
    edited December 2022
    Jonathan said:

    I’ve seen England win before, but the way this side wins is new. Impressive and entertaining.

    In small bursts. That is the thing that is lacking, they can do it, they can play impressive entertaining football, Foden, Saka, Bellingham, etc etc etc, they can play magical football....then comes the very very long stretches where there is no movement, the ball is only going sideways and back at every opportunity....which is something you never see in the Premier League.

    What England have (and have had for a number of years) and unlike the past, a range of world class attacking talent, all with slightly different strengths. Where as back in the day it was much more pray that Rooney, Gazza or Beckham did something special and if that one talent was injured there wasn't really a replacement for them.

    The central striker position for England is a little bit like that, but every other position in midfield / wide can be filled with numerous different options that aren't a step down, they just offer something slightly different.
  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 49,863

    Mr. G, maybe. But I wasn't too delighted with this:
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-63851922

    "The report will put forward 40 recommendations, including proposals for handing new economic powers to English mayors, local authorities and devolved governments."

    My suspicion is he might attempt to carve England into bits. Labour have form on that.

    It sounds promising, but Labour is a party of centralised control, so I will believe it when I see it. And of course leaving us lumbered with our unjust voting system that denies so many our fair representation, locally and nationally, makes a nonsense of this review's supposed purpose.
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 42,840
    IanB2 said:

    Mr. G, maybe. But I wasn't too delighted with this:
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-63851922

    "The report will put forward 40 recommendations, including proposals for handing new economic powers to English mayors, local authorities and devolved governments."

    My suspicion is he might attempt to carve England into bits. Labour have form on that.

    It sounds promising, but Labour is a party of centralised control, so I will believe it when I see it. And of course leaving us lumbered with our unjust voting system that denies so many our fair representation, locally and nationally, makes a nonsense of this review's supposed purpose.
    Odd to have FPTP for England (de facto, where only-England matters are considered in HoC) but not the rest. Also odd to have Scotland but not Wales or NI with a say in foreign links, if that isn't just a BBC summary thing.
  • DJ41DJ41 Posts: 792
    Ben Wright in the Torygraph: "How China’s technotyranny has crushed lockdown protests". He implies you can fight against the system on the internet, but the article is mostly fine once you screen that idea out.

    Watch smart meters.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 71,073
    Sandpit said:

    Got him!

    Never in doubt.
  • DJ41 said:

    Ben Wright in the Torygraph: "How China’s technotyranny has crushed lockdown protests". He implies you can fight against the system on the internet, but the article is mostly fine once you screen that idea out.

    Watch smart meters.

    China's approach under Winnie the Pooh has long been that all those futuristic dystopian novels and movies where an instruction manual not a warning.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 82,020
    edited December 2022
    IanB2 said:

    Mr. G, maybe. But I wasn't too delighted with this:
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-63851922

    "The report will put forward 40 recommendations, including proposals for handing new economic powers to English mayors, local authorities and devolved governments."

    My suspicion is he might attempt to carve England into bits. Labour have form on that.

    It sounds promising, but Labour is a party of centralised control, so I will believe it when I see it. And of course leaving us lumbered with our unjust voting system that denies so many our fair representation, locally and nationally, makes a nonsense of this review's supposed purpose.
    There was something rather ironic about Gordon Brown being the one leading this report....a man who was constantly centralising government not to Westminster, but to the offices of the treasury.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 71,073
    edited December 2022

    HYUFD said:

    SKS gives a speech on policy, and PB is talking about cricket.

    I certainly wasn't, as I stated his proposal to scrap the Lords and replace it with a directly elected Upper House could lead to a Tory upper house elected midterm using its mandate to block and delay as much legislation passed by a Labour government with a majority in the House of Commons as possible and vice versa.

    It would move us much more to the US model of gridlock than we are now.
    SKS said that the new "Senate" (or whatever it is called) will not have the power to delay legislation by a year, as is the case with the Lords.
    Then what will be the point if it ?
  • malcolmg said:

    malcolmg said:

    malcolmg said:

    moonshine said:

    moonshine said:

    Whoever wins England vs France instantly becomes a strong second favourite. Frankly I think either would have the beating of Brazil.

    As for GB Utd, it might annoy some to say so but is there a single Welsh or Scotsman that would make it into the football side right now? Possibly a fit Kieran Tierney at left back. But not Bale or Ramsay anymore. The squad would have more depth I grant you.

    Intriguing too that the Wales wonder decade has not just coincided with the Bale era but also Swansea and Cardiff being premier league regulars. Proud Scots take note and try again to get the Old Firm in the pyramid south of the border to make a true British Premier League.

    Couldn't give much of a feck about which league Celtic and Rangers play in (aside from making parking easier in my bit a few days a year) but it'd be lovely to see the proud Brits that make up much of the Rangers' support exporting their culture to English cities on away days.
    The recent decline of Scottish football ought to concern the Scottish Government. Scottish teams no longer dominate Europe; Scottish players are no longer significant in the EPL. What's gone wrong up there? School playing fields sold off? It cannot be money or size because Wales is still there.
    It’s odd isn’t it. The premier league / first
    division always used to have a good
    number of Scots playing for the top sides.



    MONEY
    Scots don’t like it? Or people with effectively unlimited budgets will hire elsewhere?
    Premier league and even some of teh lower leagues have teh money to buy the best abroad nowadays. Scots going to play in the top English leagues years ago meant a much stronger pool of players and hence national team. Also fact that Scottish teams also buy more foreign players does not help either. A sad reflection on the modern game, it is all just money. Used to love teh FA cup and Fair Cups , etc , the big teams had to go to all sorts of places and face tough games in fields etc. Now they are all pampered , seeded to make sure no tough games till the selected few meet
    in later rounds so more money can be
    made.
    News today that Rashford had to fly home as over 300K of watches were nicked from his house says it all.
    Sterling


    Not all English people look the
    same
    Another Fcuking arsehole, it was an overpaid arsehole football player who cares which one it was you cretin , crawl back under your rock.
    Racism followed by foul mouthed abuse - you must be a Scottish nationalist!
  • Nigelb said:

    HYUFD said:

    SKS gives a speech on policy, and PB is talking about cricket.

    I certainly wasn't, as I stated his proposal to scrap the Lords and replace it with a directly elected Upper House could lead to a Tory upper house elected midterm using its mandate to block and delay as much legislation passed by a Labour government with a majority in the House of Commons as possible and vice versa.

    It would move us much more to the US model of gridlock than we are now.
    SKS said that the new "Senate" (or whatever it is called) will not have the power to delay legislation by a year, as is the case with the Lords.
    Then what will be the point if it ?
    Thes always been the problem hasn't it. If it's toothless, then it's a talking shop and no one cares so why have it at all.

    If it's got powers, then it's undemocratic (unless it's elected), and it needs the government giving up powers, which they tend not to do...

    And if it is elected, then how will it be different from the HoC...
  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 34,664
    malcolmg said:

    malcolmg said:

    malcolmg said:

    moonshine said:

    moonshine said:

    Whoever wins England vs France instantly becomes a strong second favourite. Frankly I think either would have the beating of Brazil.

    As for GB Utd, it might annoy some to say so but is there a single Welsh or Scotsman that would make it into the football side right now? Possibly a fit Kieran Tierney at left back. But not Bale or Ramsay anymore. The squad would have more depth I grant you.

    Intriguing too that the Wales wonder decade has not just coincided with the Bale era but also Swansea and Cardiff being premier league regulars. Proud Scots take note and try again to get the Old Firm in the pyramid south of the border to make a true British Premier League.

    Couldn't give much of a feck about which league Celtic and Rangers play in (aside from making parking easier in my bit a few days a year) but it'd be lovely to see the proud Brits that make up much of the Rangers' support exporting their culture to English cities on away days.
    The recent decline of Scottish football ought to concern the Scottish Government. Scottish teams no longer dominate Europe; Scottish players are no longer significant in the EPL. What's gone wrong up there? School playing fields sold off? It cannot be money or size because Wales is still there.
    It’s odd isn’t it. The premier league / first
    division always used to have a good
    number of Scots playing for the top sides.

    MONEY
    Scots don’t like it? Or people with effectively unlimited budgets will hire elsewhere?
    Premier league and even some of teh lower leagues have teh money to buy the best abroad nowadays. Scots going to play in the top English leagues years ago meant a much stronger pool of players and hence national team. Also fact that Scottish teams also buy more foreign players does not help either. A sad reflection on the modern game, it is all just money. Used to love teh FA cup and Fair Cups , etc , the big teams had to go to all sorts of places and face tough games in fields etc. Now they are all pampered , seeded to make sure no tough games till the selected few meet
    in later rounds so more money can be
    made.
    News today that Rashford had to fly home as over 300K of watches were nicked from his house says it all.
    Sterling

    Not all English people look the same
    Another Fcuking arsehole, it was an overpaid arsehole football player who cares which one it was you cretin , crawl back under your rock.
    You cared enough to quote a name. Wrong name as it happens... and I think we all know why.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 122,969

    HYUFD said:

    SKS gives a speech on policy, and PB is talking about cricket.

    I certainly wasn't, as I stated his proposal to scrap the Lords and replace it with a directly elected Upper House could lead to a Tory upper house elected midterm using its mandate to block and delay as much legislation passed by a Labour government with a majority in the House of Commons as possible and vice versa.

    It would move us much more to the US model of gridlock than we are now.
    SKS said that the new "Senate" (or whatever it is called) will not have the power to delay legislation by a year, as is the case with the Lords.
    He said it would remain a chamber charged with amending and scrutinising legislation and it would use that power if controlled by a different party to the elected Commons with its own electoral mandate to amend and alter virtually every single bill the Commons puts forward

    https://www.cityam.com/starmer-vows-to-scrap-house-of-lords-as-quickly-as-possible/
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 82,020
    edited December 2022
    DJ41 said:

    Ben Wright in the Torygraph: "How China’s technotyranny has crushed lockdown protests". He implies you can fight against the system on the internet, but the article is mostly fine once you screen that idea out.

    Watch smart meters.

    After the Huawei stuff about 5G, we are all still stuffing our own homes with TP-Link kit.....as they undercut the established players like Netgear making it on the surface a bit of a no-brainer to pay half as much for your home mesh network than from the Western brands.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 50,269
    sarissa said:

    Selebian said:

    Cookie said:

    pm215 said:

    It's an absolutely false economy to not have the heating on overnight when it's forecast to be sub-zero.

    Assuming you run the heating during the day, your house would have to be really badly insulated to drop below 0 during a single night. I have mine set to a lower temp overnight and it typically only goes from 19C to 15C by morning, so although the heating is technically "on" the boiler never fires up. Anyway, if you have a thermostat with a 'frost protection' setting, use it; otherwise set it to 5-7C rather than turning it off.
    Pipes through the loft (or just through any cold space) can be enough on a cold night.
    On boilers - I wonder if anyone has any knowledge or expertise or advice on my combi boiler, which now seems to need the pressure adjusting most days. It got a service from a British Gas engineer in the summer, who announced himself satisfied with it, and before that a look from a friend of mine who used to be a gas engineer. But it surely shouldn't be making the noises it does whenever anything is asked for it and it's not been topped up? It's about ten years old, but I would have thought it had a few years left in it yet. May be approaching time to look at ground source heat pumps.
    If you're having to top it up frequently, then like the expansion vessel has gone (effectively a balloon inside that can expand and contract to maintain fairly constant pressure). If that's perished then there's no expansion, if pressure is high it will vent through the pressure release outside, when pressure drops it gets too low for boiler to work and you have to top up.

    Can be replaced (inside boiler, might be expensive/fiddly if the whole thing needs taking to bits) or have an external one fitted near the boiler if there's somewhere you can tuck it away. There are flat ones not much bigger than a large frying pan. We had this done on our old boiler (external) which got us another three years out of it. Mind, if it's ten years old and you've got the cash it might be more economic to replace with the latest and greatest, be worth comparing quoted efficiencies.

    ETA: I see Nigelb put the same thing more succinctly
    .
    We had that exact problem in our office. Cost £150 for the exrternal expansion vessel.
    Plumber designing the setup for me has specified a couple of cold water accumulators.

    Quite a few people don’t realise that a major limit in many houses is how much *cold* water you can get to the boiler. Then wonder why even if you the install an RMBK-1000 to heat water, you don’t get much hot water.
  • DriverDriver Posts: 4,963
    Plenty of speculation that Eddie Jones has been or will be sacked today.

    Which would make it a great 24 hours for England in our (probably) three biggest sports.
  • Driver said:

    Plenty of speculation that Eddie Jones has been or will be sacked today.

    Which would make it a great 24 hours for England in our (probably) three biggest sports.

    Wales head coach Wayne Pivac replaced by Warren Gatland
  • DJ41DJ41 Posts: 792
    edited December 2022

    Driver said:

    Mr. G, maybe. But I wasn't too delighted with this:
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-63851922

    "The report will put forward 40 recommendations, including proposals for handing new economic powers to English mayors, local authorities and devolved governments."

    My suspicion is he might attempt to carve England into bits. Labour have form on that.

    It's this kind of thinking that has made England a highly centralised and poorly run country. We need far more local powers and local accountability so that we can try new approaches to things. I'd much rather live in an England that has been carved into bits if that means that each of the bits is better run.
    Devolution to English regions should only be done by an English government.
    Fine, if you really think that England needs 4 or 5 layers of government. An English government would be just as remote and out of touch as a UK government as England is 90% odd of the UK population-wise. As a Londoners I would really like to have a much more powerful government for our city-region. I grew up in the NE of England (as well as Scotland) and I know how remote and out of touch the UK government seems there. Our governance system has comprehensively failed. It's time for a break with the past.
    Indeed. Devolution within all the regions, and a new federated structure between the nations.

    That's in fact the only thing that will hold the UK together in the long-term, much to the chagrin of Putin.
    People in the NW, SW, etc., of England won't buy regional administrations just to keep Scotland in Britain. Who in England gives a toss whether Scotland leaves or not? No other (geographical) fault line is likely to crack, except in NI which is a special case. Nobody cares about the long term. It might as well not exist.
  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 22,015
    Nigelb said:

    HYUFD said:

    SKS gives a speech on policy, and PB is talking about cricket.

    I certainly wasn't, as I stated his proposal to scrap the Lords and replace it with a directly elected Upper House could lead to a Tory upper house elected midterm using its mandate to block and delay as much legislation passed by a Labour government with a majority in the House of Commons as possible and vice versa.

    It would move us much more to the US model of gridlock than we are now.
    SKS said that the new "Senate" (or whatever it is called) will not have the power to delay legislation by a year, as is the case with the Lords.
    Then what will be the point if it ?
    I don't see one, but then I am in favour of a unicameral parliament.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,191
    Why on God's green earth does Liz Truss need a press secretary ?
  • TOPPINGTOPPING Posts: 42,957
    The new second chamber quickly would become redundant as it would simply form up along party political lines.

    In 2024, for example, could anyone see the country voting for a Cons upper house.
  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 22,015

    sarissa said:

    Selebian said:

    Cookie said:

    pm215 said:

    It's an absolutely false economy to not have the heating on overnight when it's forecast to be sub-zero.

    Assuming you run the heating during the day, your house would have to be really badly insulated to drop below 0 during a single night. I have mine set to a lower temp overnight and it typically only goes from 19C to 15C by morning, so although the heating is technically "on" the boiler never fires up. Anyway, if you have a thermostat with a 'frost protection' setting, use it; otherwise set it to 5-7C rather than turning it off.
    Pipes through the loft (or just through any cold space) can be enough on a cold night.
    On boilers - I wonder if anyone has any knowledge or expertise or advice on my combi boiler, which now seems to need the pressure adjusting most days. It got a service from a British Gas engineer in the summer, who announced himself satisfied with it, and before that a look from a friend of mine who used to be a gas engineer. But it surely shouldn't be making the noises it does whenever anything is asked for it and it's not been topped up? It's about ten years old, but I would have thought it had a few years left in it yet. May be approaching time to look at ground source heat pumps.
    If you're having to top it up frequently, then like the expansion vessel has gone (effectively a balloon inside that can expand and contract to maintain fairly constant pressure). If that's perished then there's no expansion, if pressure is high it will vent through the pressure release outside, when pressure drops it gets too low for boiler to work and you have to top up.

    Can be replaced (inside boiler, might be expensive/fiddly if the whole thing needs taking to bits) or have an external one fitted near the boiler if there's somewhere you can tuck it away. There are flat ones not much bigger than a large frying pan. We had this done on our old boiler (external) which got us another three years out of it. Mind, if it's ten years old and you've got the cash it might be more economic to replace with the latest and greatest, be worth comparing quoted efficiencies.

    ETA: I see Nigelb put the same thing more succinctly
    .
    We had that exact problem in our office. Cost £150 for the exrternal expansion vessel.
    Plumber designing the setup for me has specified a couple of cold water accumulators.

    Quite a few people don’t realise that a major limit in many houses is how much *cold* water you can get to the boiler. Then wonder why even if you the install an RMBK-1000 to heat water, you don’t get much hot water.
    A "feature" of our system (combi boiler) is that if you turn the hot tap in the bath on fully, the water comes out luke warm. The boiler doesn't seem to have enough umph to heat the water adequately at max throughput. The work-around is to fill the bath more slowly (or have a shower), but a bit of a chew-on.
  • DJ41DJ41 Posts: 792

    DJ41 said:

    Ben Wright in the Torygraph: "How China’s technotyranny has crushed lockdown protests". He implies you can fight against the system on the internet, but the article is mostly fine once you screen that idea out.

    Watch smart meters.

    After the Huawei stuff about 5G, we are all still stuffing our own homes with TP-Link kit.....as they undercut the established players like Netgear making it on the surface a bit of a no-brainer to pay half as much for your home mesh network than from the Western brands.
    Any idea what % of homes in China have smart meters? I couldn't find that stat. In Britain it's a majority; in the US, a large majority; in Spain it is already 100%.
  • malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 43,329

    malcolmg said:

    malcolmg said:

    malcolmg said:

    moonshine said:

    moonshine said:

    Whoever wins England vs France instantly becomes a strong second favourite. Frankly I think either would have the beating of Brazil.

    As for GB Utd, it might annoy some to say so but is there a single Welsh or Scotsman that would make it into the football side right now? Possibly a fit Kieran Tierney at left back. But not Bale or Ramsay anymore. The squad would have more depth I grant you.

    Intriguing too that the Wales wonder decade has not just coincided with the Bale era but also Swansea and Cardiff being premier league regulars. Proud Scots take note and try again to get the Old Firm in the pyramid south of the border to make a true British Premier League.

    Couldn't give much of a feck about which league Celtic and Rangers play in (aside from making parking easier in my bit a few days a year) but it'd be lovely to see the proud Brits that make up much of the Rangers' support exporting their culture to English cities on away days.
    The recent decline of Scottish football ought to concern the Scottish Government. Scottish teams no longer dominate Europe; Scottish players are no longer significant in the EPL. What's gone wrong up there? School playing fields sold off? It cannot be money or size because Wales is still there.
    It’s odd isn’t it. The premier league / first
    division always used to have a good
    number of Scots playing for the top sides.



    MONEY
    Scots don’t like it? Or people with effectively unlimited budgets will hire elsewhere?
    Premier league and even some of teh lower leagues have teh money to buy the best abroad nowadays. Scots going to play in the top English leagues years ago meant a much stronger pool of players and hence national team. Also fact that Scottish teams also buy more foreign players does not help either. A sad reflection on the modern game, it is all just money. Used to love teh FA cup and Fair Cups , etc , the big teams had to go to all sorts of places and face tough games in fields etc. Now they are all pampered , seeded to make sure no tough games till the selected few meet
    in later rounds so more money can be
    made.
    News today that Rashford had to fly home as over 300K of watches were nicked from his house says it all.
    Sterling


    Not all English people look the
    same
    Another Fcuking arsehole, it was an overpaid arsehole football player who cares which one it was you cretin , crawl back under your rock.
    Racism followed by foul mouthed abuse - you must be a Scottish nationalist!
    You fcukwitted cretin , there was nothing racist about it other than in your tiny bigoted turd of a brain. I got a name wrong. Now fcuk off back under your rock where you belong. @ThePoliticalParty
  • malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 43,329
    DJ41 said:

    Driver said:

    Mr. G, maybe. But I wasn't too delighted with this:
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-63851922

    "The report will put forward 40 recommendations, including proposals for handing new economic powers to English mayors, local authorities and devolved governments."

    My suspicion is he might attempt to carve England into bits. Labour have form on that.

    It's this kind of thinking that has made England a highly centralised and poorly run country. We need far more local powers and local accountability so that we can try new approaches to things. I'd much rather live in an England that has been carved into bits if that means that each of the bits is better run.
    Devolution to English regions should only be done by an English government.
    Fine, if you really think that England needs 4 or 5 layers of government. An English government would be just as remote and out of touch as a UK government as England is 90% odd of the UK population-wise. As a Londoners I would really like to have a much more powerful government for our city-region. I grew up in the NE of England (as well as Scotland) and I know how remote and out of touch the UK government seems there. Our governance system has comprehensively failed. It's time for a break with the past.
    Indeed. Devolution within all the regions, and a new federated structure between the nations.

    That's in fact the only thing that will hold the UK together in the long-term, much to the chagrin of Putin.
    People in the NW, SW, etc., of England won't buy regional administrations just to keep Scotland in Britain. Who in England gives a toss whether Scotland leaves or not? No other (geographical) fault line is likely to crack, except in NI which is a special case. Nobody cares about the long term. It might as well not exist.
    Ha Ha Ha , the cowards are too scared to allow a referendum unless they end up left on their own you stupid blethering windbag numpty.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 71,073
    edited December 2022
    Sounds like she's a heavyweight, too.

    Chris Christie's niece kicked off New Orleans plane, injured 6 deputies, officials say
    https://www.nola.com/news/crime_police/chris-christies-niece-bites-officers-at-new-orleans-airport/article_592e7ee2-728d-11ed-9b91-9345a9dda9b2.html
    After getting forced off an airplane for asking passengers who appeared to her to be Latino whether they were drug mules, a niece of former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie bit, kicked and spit on Jefferson Parish sheriff's deputies trying to detain her on Thanksgiving Day at Louis Armstrong International Airport, authorities said

    ...All the while, Epstein shouted that the deputies were going to lose their jobs or end up in jail, boasting that she was related to powerful people and that her uncle is a friend of former President Donald Trump, Rivarde said. ...
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 122,969
    TOPPING said:

    The new second chamber quickly would become redundant as it would simply form up along party political lines.

    In 2024, for example, could anyone see the country voting for a Cons upper house.

    Maybe not but in 2026/27 with an unpopular Labour government raising tax, high inflation, strikes etc certainly. Much as US midterms almost always produce a backlash against the incumbent party
  • malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 43,329

    malcolmg said:

    malcolmg said:

    malcolmg said:

    moonshine said:

    moonshine said:

    Whoever wins England vs France instantly becomes a strong second favourite. Frankly I think either would have the beating of Brazil.

    As for GB Utd, it might annoy some to say so but is there a single Welsh or Scotsman that would make it into the football side right now? Possibly a fit Kieran Tierney at left back. But not Bale or Ramsay anymore. The squad would have more depth I grant you.

    Intriguing too that the Wales wonder decade has not just coincided with the Bale era but also Swansea and Cardiff being premier league regulars. Proud Scots take note and try again to get the Old Firm in the pyramid south of the border to make a true British Premier League.

    Couldn't give much of a feck about which league Celtic and Rangers play in (aside from making parking easier in my bit a few days a year) but it'd be lovely to see the proud Brits that make up much of the Rangers' support exporting their culture to English cities on away days.
    The recent decline of Scottish football ought to concern the Scottish Government. Scottish teams no longer dominate Europe; Scottish players are no longer significant in the EPL. What's gone wrong up there? School playing fields sold off? It cannot be money or size because Wales is still there.
    It’s odd isn’t it. The premier league / first
    division always used to have a good
    number of Scots playing for the top sides.

    MONEY
    Scots don’t like it? Or people with effectively unlimited budgets will hire elsewhere?
    Premier league and even some of teh lower leagues have teh money to buy the best abroad nowadays. Scots going to play in the top English leagues years ago meant a much stronger pool of players and hence national team. Also fact that Scottish teams also buy more foreign players does not help either. A sad reflection on the modern game, it is all just money. Used to love teh FA cup and Fair Cups , etc , the big teams had to go to all sorts of places and face tough games in fields etc. Now they are all pampered , seeded to make sure no tough games till the selected few meet
    in later rounds so more money can be
    made.
    News today that Rashford had to fly home as over 300K of watches were nicked from his house says it all.
    Sterling

    Not all English people look the same
    Another Fcuking arsehole, it was an overpaid arsehole football player who cares which one it was you cretin , crawl back under your rock.
    You cared enough to quote a name. Wrong name as it happens... and I think we all know why.
    Another arsehole crawls out from under his rock casting spurious accusations. You can also go Fcuk yourself you stupid pathetic twat.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 122,969
    DJ41 said:

    Driver said:

    Mr. G, maybe. But I wasn't too delighted with this:
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-63851922

    "The report will put forward 40 recommendations, including proposals for handing new economic powers to English mayors, local authorities and devolved governments."

    My suspicion is he might attempt to carve England into bits. Labour have form on that.

    It's this kind of thinking that has made England a highly centralised and poorly run country. We need far more local powers and local accountability so that we can try new approaches to things. I'd much rather live in an England that has been carved into bits if that means that each of the bits is better run.
    Devolution to English regions should only be done by an English government.
    Fine, if you really think that England needs 4 or 5 layers of government. An English government would be just as remote and out of touch as a UK government as England is 90% odd of the UK population-wise. As a Londoners I would really like to have a much more powerful government for our city-region. I grew up in the NE of England (as well as Scotland) and I know how remote and out of touch the UK government seems there. Our governance system has comprehensively failed. It's time for a break with the past.
    Indeed. Devolution within all the regions, and a new federated structure between the nations.

    That's in fact the only thing that will hold the UK together in the long-term, much to the chagrin of Putin.
    People in the NW, SW, etc., of England won't buy regional administrations just to keep Scotland in Britain. Who in England gives a toss whether Scotland leaves or not? No other (geographical) fault line is likely to crack, except in NI which is a special case. Nobody cares about the long term. It might as well not exist.
    I would prefer more devolution to English cities and counties than regions, the proposals include more powers for Mayors for instance.

    However devomax for Scotland does not necessarily have to lead to any change in England if no demand for it
  • TimSTimS Posts: 12,995

    Jonathan said:

    I’ve seen England win before, but the way this side wins is new. Impressive and entertaining.

    In small bursts. That is the thing that is lacking, they can do it, they can play impressive entertaining football, Foden, Saka, Bellingham, etc etc etc, they can play magical football....then comes the very very long stretches where there is no movement, the ball is only going sideways and back at every opportunity....which is something you never see in the Premier League.

    What England have (and have had for a number of years) and unlike the past, a range of world class attacking talent, all with slightly different strengths. Where as back in the day it was much more pray that Rooney, Gazza or Beckham did something special and if that one talent was injured there wasn't really a replacement for them.

    The central striker position for England is a little bit like that, but every other position in midfield / wide can be filled with numerous different options that aren't a step down, they just offer something slightly different.
    I assumed he was talking about the cricket.
  • malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 43,329
    Plenty of nasty creepy Little Englanders on here today.
  • eekeek Posts: 28,370
    malcolmg said:

    Plenty of nasty creepy Little Englanders on here today.

    And some nasty creepy Little Scotlanders as well.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 71,073
    Animal eyes again sent to Ukrainian diplomats—UA MFA. 21 cases of similar threats reported in 12 countries

    "🇪🇸police seized 3 envelopes in post office w/ what are believed to be animal eyes, addressed to🇺🇦Embassy in Madrid,Consulates in Barcelona & Malaga"

    https://mobile.twitter.com/EuromaidanPress/status/1599746408235442176
  • BartholomewRobertsBartholomewRoberts Posts: 21,994
    edited December 2022
    TOPPING said:

    The new second chamber quickly would become redundant as it would simply form up along party political lines.

    In 2024, for example, could anyone see the country voting for a Cons upper house.

    A sensible reform the Tories could and should have done is to fix the system for how its meant to work at the moment, while finishing the act of removing hereditary peers which would always leave it open for further reform until done:

    1: Abolish remaining hereditary peers.
    2: Rename the Lords to something else.
    3: Make it clear that the purpose of the chamber is a revising chamber to give advice to the Commons on how to improve laws, but not to frustrate the Commons.
    4: Make it clear that the Commons has primacy and can override the other chamber where the Commons chooses not to take its advice.

    The moment you make the Lords [whatever you call it] elected, it has its own mandate.
  • Good friendly atmosphere on here today 💙
  • Northern_AlNorthern_Al Posts: 8,383
    edited December 2022
    I think Labour has made an error today in subsuming HoL reform/abolition with all the devolution stuff, as the former is getting too much of the attention, while it is the latter that deserves the most attention.

    The devolution stuff is a serious effort to get to grips with genuine levelling-up by putting in place the structures that give more power to local regions/cities. It's a much more sophisticated attempt than the Tories' efforts, to whom levelling-up consisted largely of shovelling money to their favoured MPs/mayors/marginal seats with Boris wearing a hi-viz jacket to publicise it.
  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 34,664
    malcolmg said:

    malcolmg said:

    malcolmg said:

    malcolmg said:

    moonshine said:

    moonshine said:

    Whoever wins England vs France instantly becomes a strong second favourite. Frankly I think either would have the beating of Brazil.

    As for GB Utd, it might annoy some to say so but is there a single Welsh or Scotsman that would make it into the football side right now? Possibly a fit Kieran Tierney at left back. But not Bale or Ramsay anymore. The squad would have more depth I grant you.

    Intriguing too that the Wales wonder decade has not just coincided with the Bale era but also Swansea and Cardiff being premier league regulars. Proud Scots take note and try again to get the Old Firm in the pyramid south of the border to make a true British Premier League.

    Couldn't give much of a feck about which league Celtic and Rangers play in (aside from making parking easier in my bit a few days a year) but it'd be lovely to see the proud Brits that make up much of the Rangers' support exporting their culture to English cities on away days.
    The recent decline of Scottish football ought to concern the Scottish Government. Scottish teams no longer dominate Europe; Scottish players are no longer significant in the EPL. What's gone wrong up there? School playing fields sold off? It cannot be money or size because Wales is still there.
    It’s odd isn’t it. The premier league / first
    division always used to have a good
    number of Scots playing for the top sides.

    MONEY
    Scots don’t like it? Or people with effectively unlimited budgets will hire elsewhere?
    Premier league and even some of teh lower leagues have teh money to buy the best abroad nowadays. Scots going to play in the top English leagues years ago meant a much stronger pool of players and hence national team. Also fact that Scottish teams also buy more foreign players does not help either. A sad reflection on the modern game, it is all just money. Used to love teh FA cup and Fair Cups , etc , the big teams had to go to all sorts of places and face tough games in fields etc. Now they are all pampered , seeded to make sure no tough games till the selected few meet
    in later rounds so more money can be
    made.
    News today that Rashford had to fly home as over 300K of watches were nicked from his house says it all.
    Sterling

    Not all English people look the same
    Another Fcuking arsehole, it was an overpaid arsehole football player who cares which one it was you cretin , crawl back under your rock.
    You cared enough to quote a name. Wrong name as it happens... and I think we all know why.
    Another arsehole crawls out from under his rock casting spurious accusations. You can also go Fcuk yourself you stupid pathetic twat.
    Haha - true colours.
  • eekeek Posts: 28,370
    IanB2 said:

    Mr. G, maybe. But I wasn't too delighted with this:
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-63851922

    "The report will put forward 40 recommendations, including proposals for handing new economic powers to English mayors, local authorities and devolved governments."

    My suspicion is he might attempt to carve England into bits. Labour have form on that.

    It sounds promising, but Labour is a party of centralised control, so I will believe it when I see it. And of course leaving us lumbered with our unjust voting system that denies so many our fair representation, locally and nationally, makes a nonsense of this review's supposed purpose.
    I think the last 12 years shows the weaknesses of centralised control with Manchester and Leeds (picking 2 obvious examples) restricted by their inability to make their own decisions on things such as transport and even where to open public loos.

    That latter case may be an urban myth but I remember it and can't be bothered to hit google to confirm it.
  • LPM insight: abolition of the House of Lords isn't going to happen.
  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 34,664
    edited December 2022
    eek said:

    malcolmg said:

    Plenty of nasty creepy Little Englanders on here today.

    And some nasty creepy Little Scotlanders as well.
    Malc doing his best to show that nationalism leads inevitably to xenophobia, racism and fascism.
  • TimS said:

    Jonathan said:

    I’ve seen England win before, but the way this side wins is new. Impressive and entertaining.

    In small bursts. That is the thing that is lacking, they can do it, they can play impressive entertaining football, Foden, Saka, Bellingham, etc etc etc, they can play magical football....then comes the very very long stretches where there is no movement, the ball is only going sideways and back at every opportunity....which is something you never see in the Premier League.

    What England have (and have had for a number of years) and unlike the past, a range of world class attacking talent, all with slightly different strengths. Where as back in the day it was much more pray that Rooney, Gazza or Beckham did something special and if that one talent was injured there wasn't really a replacement for them.

    The central striker position for England is a little bit like that, but every other position in midfield / wide can be filled with numerous different options that aren't a step down, they just offer something slightly different.
    I assumed he was talking about the cricket.
    We never talk about cricket on PB, so I made the assumption that couldn't have been referring to that ;-)
  • Northern_AlNorthern_Al Posts: 8,383

    TOPPING said:

    The new second chamber quickly would become redundant as it would simply form up along party political lines.

    In 2024, for example, could anyone see the country voting for a Cons upper house.

    A sensible reform the Tories could and should have done is to fix the system for how its meant to work at the moment, while finishing the act of removing hereditary peers which would always leave it open for further reform until done:

    1: Abolish remaining hereditary peers.
    2: Rename the Lords to something else.
    3: Make it clear that the purpose of the chamber is a revising chamber to give advice to the Commons on how to improve laws, but not to frustrate the Commons.
    4: Make it clear that the Commons has primacy and can override the other chamber where the Commons chooses not to take its advice.

    The moment you make the Lords [whatever you call it] elected, it has its own mandate.
    On your No. 2. The Oval?
  • DJ41DJ41 Posts: 792
    Explosion this morning at the Engels-2 airbase in the Saratov region of Russia, home to some heavy bomber planes and also a bunkerful of strategic nuclear warheads.

    Is this the first time that a base containing nuclear warheads has been bombed in a war?

    The Manchester millowner must be turning in his grave.
  • GhedebravGhedebrav Posts: 3,860
    On topic, realistically England are going out in the quarters. Unfortunate draw, but if they can't get past France they wouldn't have won it anyway.

    Just expect the usual anti-Southgate moaners to start kicking off.
  • NickPalmerNickPalmer Posts: 21,526
    Nigelb said:

    HYUFD said:

    SKS gives a speech on policy, and PB is talking about cricket.

    I certainly wasn't, as I stated his proposal to scrap the Lords and replace it with a directly elected Upper House could lead to a Tory upper house elected midterm using its mandate to block and delay as much legislation passed by a Labour government with a majority in the House of Commons as possible and vice versa.

    It would move us much more to the US model of gridlock than we are now.
    SKS said that the new "Senate" (or whatever it is called) will not have the power to delay legislation by a year, as is the case with the Lords.
    Then what will be the point if it ?
    I always thought, and still think, that the power of delay (and the more frequently used ping-pong before the Lords eventually gives in) is the wrong weapon - it usually just causes irritation without actually stopping anything. The power I'd like to see them have is that ALL legislation should start in the Lords and undergo committee scrutiny before it gets to the Commons. That way, the mostly generalist MPs can get the benefit of careful scrutiny of new Bills identifying potential snags, especially if the tradition of appointing leading professionals to the Lords is somehow maintained.

    If that leads to Tories winning a majority mid-term and sending down lots of detailed amendments to consider, so be it. But I'd favour retaining an appointed element with experts from every walk of life (including non-professional ones - e.g. it'd be helpful to have an ex-refugee and someone who's been a battered spouse). It'd be undemocratic for the President of the Royal College of Surgeons, say, to be able to block or delay legislation on surgeons or anything else, but perfectly reasonable for him or her to point out snags in the legislation and suggest amendments. The power of well-informed challenge to ill-considered legislation is quite strong in practice.
  • eekeek Posts: 28,370
    edited December 2022

    I think Labour has made an error today in subsuming HoL reform/abolition with all the devolution stuff, as the former is getting too much of the attention, while it is the latter that deserves the most attention.

    The devolution stuff is a serious effort to get to grips with genuine levelling-up by putting in place the structures that give more power to local regions/cities. It's a much more sophisticated attempt than the Tories' efforts, to whom levelling-up consisted largely of shovelling money to their favoured MPs/mayors/marginal seats with Boris wearing a hi-viz jacket to publicise it.

    Gordon Brown is Crap.

    The reality is that House of Lords reform should be a long-term project - after first deciding what it should be used for - is it a retirement home for old MPs with added experts, should it be experts alone or should it be an elected chamber.

    That latter idea looks great but makes zero real sense. And the retirement home isn't in jest, it allows political expertise to be retained

  • TOPPINGTOPPING Posts: 42,957

    TOPPING said:

    The new second chamber quickly would become redundant as it would simply form up along party political lines.

    In 2024, for example, could anyone see the country voting for a Cons upper house.

    A sensible reform the Tories could and should have done is to fix the system for how its meant to work at the moment, while finishing the act of removing hereditary peers which would always leave it open for further reform until done:

    1: Abolish remaining hereditary peers.
    2: Rename the Lords to something else.
    3: Make it clear that the purpose of the chamber is a revising chamber to give advice to the Commons on how to improve laws, but not to frustrate the Commons.
    4: Make it clear that the Commons has primacy and can override the other chamber where the Commons chooses not to take its advice.

    The moment you make the Lords [whatever you call it] elected, it has its own mandate.
    I don't mind "it" having stronger powers than just advisory, ie it can amend, otherwise all the HoC has to do is hold out and it will get its way completely. Drafting such powers would be a challenge I appreciate.

    The HoC as it stands has primacy of course.
  • ohnotnowohnotnow Posts: 3,792
    https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-63857912

    "The Met Office has warned that severe cold weather is set to hit the UK this week, with overnight temperatures plummeting to -6C (21F) in some places.

    Snow is likely in northern Scotland, although temperatures will be low enough to make it a possibility anywhere in the country.

    Frost and ice are also expected.

    People are being urged to use their heating, despite rising energy prices, and to look out for people who are especially vulnerable.
    ...

    The World Health Organization considers an "adequately warm home" as reaching as 21C in living rooms and 18C in bedrooms - but studies have shown that the average temperature that people will be living in if they can't afford to heat their homes is only 10C."
  • BozzaBozza Posts: 37

    LPM insight: abolition of the House of Lords isn't going to happen.

    If it ain't broke, don't fix it!
  • GhedebravGhedebrav Posts: 3,860
    DJ41 said:

    Driver said:

    Mr. G, maybe. But I wasn't too delighted with this:
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-63851922

    "The report will put forward 40 recommendations, including proposals for handing new economic powers to English mayors, local authorities and devolved governments."

    My suspicion is he might attempt to carve England into bits. Labour have form on that.

    It's this kind of thinking that has made England a highly centralised and poorly run country. We need far more local powers and local accountability so that we can try new approaches to things. I'd much rather live in an England that has been carved into bits if that means that each of the bits is better run.
    Devolution to English regions should only be done by an English government.
    Fine, if you really think that England needs 4 or 5 layers of government. An English government would be just as remote and out of touch as a UK government as England is 90% odd of the UK population-wise. As a Londoners I would really like to have a much more powerful government for our city-region. I grew up in the NE of England (as well as Scotland) and I know how remote and out of touch the UK government seems there. Our governance system has comprehensively failed. It's time for a break with the past.
    Indeed. Devolution within all the regions, and a new federated structure between the nations.

    That's in fact the only thing that will hold the UK together in the long-term, much to the chagrin of Putin.
    People in the NW, SW, etc., of England won't buy regional administrations just to keep Scotland in Britain. Who in England gives a toss whether Scotland leaves or not? No other (geographical) fault line is likely to crack, except in NI which is a special case. Nobody cares about the long term. It might as well not exist.
    Loads of people in England give a toss. People with friends and relatives there, people of Scottish descent, people who want the balancing political effect of Scotland's vague leftism, people who just want the country to stay together.

    Regional administrations are a boondoggle to be sure (nobody seriously thinks of e.g. the North West of England as a coherent social entity - the closest you'll get is Yorkshire), but there's huge scope to devolve in other ways, especially to metro areas.
  • TimSTimS Posts: 12,995
    HYUFD said:

    DJ41 said:

    Driver said:

    Mr. G, maybe. But I wasn't too delighted with this:
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-63851922

    "The report will put forward 40 recommendations, including proposals for handing new economic powers to English mayors, local authorities and devolved governments."

    My suspicion is he might attempt to carve England into bits. Labour have form on that.

    It's this kind of thinking that has made England a highly centralised and poorly run country. We need far more local powers and local accountability so that we can try new approaches to things. I'd much rather live in an England that has been carved into bits if that means that each of the bits is better run.
    Devolution to English regions should only be done by an English government.
    Fine, if you really think that England needs 4 or 5 layers of government. An English government would be just as remote and out of touch as a UK government as England is 90% odd of the UK population-wise. As a Londoners I would really like to have a much more powerful government for our city-region. I grew up in the NE of England (as well as Scotland) and I know how remote and out of touch the UK government seems there. Our governance system has comprehensively failed. It's time for a break with the past.
    Indeed. Devolution within all the regions, and a new federated structure between the nations.

    That's in fact the only thing that will hold the UK together in the long-term, much to the chagrin of Putin.
    People in the NW, SW, etc., of England won't buy regional administrations just to keep Scotland in Britain. Who in England gives a toss whether Scotland leaves or not? No other (geographical) fault line is likely to crack, except in NI which is a special case. Nobody cares about the long term. It might as well not exist.
    I would prefer more devolution to English cities and counties than regions, the proposals include more powers for Mayors for instance.

    However devomax for Scotland does not necessarily have to lead to any change in England if no demand for it
    County level devolution makes some sense. There is already some of the bureaucratic infrastructure in place so you're not creating a whole new layer. The largest cities generally either are their own "county" / unitary authority (Greater Manchester, Greater London) or are part of an urban conglomeration that dominates a county (West Yorks, Merseyside etc). Most have their own cricket team already. One has its own wine PDO.

    Each with its own tax setting powers meaning inter-county competition. It works at this kind of scale in Switzerland and at slightly larger scale (lander) and smaller scale (municipality) in Germany.
  • TimSTimS Posts: 12,995
    ohnotnow said:

    https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-63857912

    "The Met Office has warned that severe cold weather is set to hit the UK this week, with overnight temperatures plummeting to -6C (21F) in some places.

    Snow is likely in northern Scotland, although temperatures will be low enough to make it a possibility anywhere in the country.

    Frost and ice are also expected.

    People are being urged to use their heating, despite rising energy prices, and to look out for people who are especially vulnerable.
    ...

    The World Health Organization considers an "adequately warm home" as reaching as 21C in living rooms and 18C in bedrooms - but studies have shown that the average temperature that people will be living in if they can't afford to heat their homes is only 10C."

    21C is too warm and 10C is obviously way too cold. I'd say down to 16C works if people are wrapped up enough and reasonably active around the house. 18-19C if they are completely sedentary.
  • Ghedebrav said:

    On topic, realistically England are going out in the quarters. Unfortunate draw, but if they can't get past France they wouldn't have won it anyway.

    Just expect the usual anti-Southgate moaners to start kicking off.

    France's front line is good but their back line might be even shakier than ours. Let's not concede just yet.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 122,969

    TOPPING said:

    The new second chamber quickly would become redundant as it would simply form up along party political lines.

    In 2024, for example, could anyone see the country voting for a Cons upper house.

    A sensible reform the Tories could and should have done is to fix the system for how its meant to work at the moment, while finishing the act of removing hereditary peers which would always leave it open for further reform until done:

    1: Abolish remaining hereditary peers.
    2: Rename the Lords to something else.
    3: Make it clear that the purpose of the chamber is a revising chamber to give advice to the Commons on how to improve laws, but not to frustrate the Commons.
    4: Make it clear that the Commons has primacy and can override the other chamber where the Commons chooses not to take its advice.

    The moment you make the Lords [whatever you call it] elected, it has its own mandate.
    There are only 91 hereditary Peers left out of 786 Lords in total. Most of them rooted in the land and heritage of the nation.

    If Labour wishes to further wreck the constitution and impose a fully elected upper house leading to clashes with the Commons that is up to Labour, it is the Tories role to defend the status quo and tradition from unnecessary reform
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 35,990
    The past 12 years of Tory government have been so terrible that even Tory MPs aren't prepared to argue they should be allowed another go.

    Twelve expensive, destructive, pointless years wasted.

    https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/tory-mps-dont-tory-government-28657141 https://twitter.com/fleetstreetfox/status/1599752165668446210/photo/1
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 71,073
    Bozza said:

    LPM insight: abolition of the House of Lords isn't going to happen.

    If it ain't broke, don't fix it!
    It's broke, though.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 71,073
    Walker continues to underperform.
    https://www.politico.com/news/2022/12/05/warnock-walker-georgia-senate-runoff-2022-00072147
    ...In a brief interview with POLITICO on Saturday, Walker seemed to mistake which chamber of Congress he was running for and also appeared to think the outcome of his race would determine control of the Senate...
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 82,020
    edited December 2022

    Ghedebrav said:

    On topic, realistically England are going out in the quarters. Unfortunate draw, but if they can't get past France they wouldn't have won it anyway.

    Just expect the usual anti-Southgate moaners to start kicking off.

    France's front line is good but their back line might be even shakier than ours. Let's not concede just yet.
    A big concern from yesterdays game I have is that Walker got done for pace several times. Fully fit Walker doesn't get done for pace by anybody and now he has to mark a flying Mbappe all night.
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 35,990
    HYUFD said:

    it is the Tories role to defend the status quo and tradition from unnecessary reform

    *cough*Brexit*cough*
  • TOPPINGTOPPING Posts: 42,957
    Also, people are going to be nervous. A lot of radical ideas coming out of Lab these past few days/weeks. VAT on (people who aspire to send their children to) private schools, messing up the time-honoured British political system, why wasn't it only a few weeks ago that members of the House of Lords were involved in Queen's funeral, etc.

    In these straitened times do people really have an appetite for such dramatic social change.

    I'm not 100% sure.
  • GhedebravGhedebrav Posts: 3,860
    HYUFD said:

    TOPPING said:

    The new second chamber quickly would become redundant as it would simply form up along party political lines.

    In 2024, for example, could anyone see the country voting for a Cons upper house.

    A sensible reform the Tories could and should have done is to fix the system for how its meant to work at the moment, while finishing the act of removing hereditary peers which would always leave it open for further reform until done:

    1: Abolish remaining hereditary peers.
    2: Rename the Lords to something else.
    3: Make it clear that the purpose of the chamber is a revising chamber to give advice to the Commons on how to improve laws, but not to frustrate the Commons.
    4: Make it clear that the Commons has primacy and can override the other chamber where the Commons chooses not to take its advice.

    The moment you make the Lords [whatever you call it] elected, it has its own mandate.
    There are only 91 hereditary Peers left out of 786 Lords in total. Most of them rooted in the land and heritage of the nation.

    If Labour wishes to further wreck the constitution and impose a fully elected upper house leading to clashes with the Commons that is up to Labour, it is the Tories role to defend the status quo and tradition from unnecessary reform
    I honestly didn't realise there were still so many hereditary peers. Over 10%!

    Presumably the implication is that you have to have a family crest to be able to be rooted in the land and heritage of the nation... surely that applies equally to plenty of life peers too?
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 35,990

    A big concern from yesterdays game I have is that Walker got done for pace several times. Fully fit Walker doesn't get done for pace by anybody and now he has to mark a flying Mbappe all night.

    Posted during the match last night

    Kyle Walker forgot he isn’t @Adam_Gemili for a sec
  • GhedebravGhedebrav Posts: 3,860

    Ghedebrav said:

    On topic, realistically England are going out in the quarters. Unfortunate draw, but if they can't get past France they wouldn't have won it anyway.

    Just expect the usual anti-Southgate moaners to start kicking off.

    France's front line is good but their back line might be even shakier than ours. Let's not concede just yet.
    I'm not conceding, but France are the more likely winners - probably 45-55 on balance.
  • turbotubbsturbotubbs Posts: 17,405
    TimS said:

    ohnotnow said:

    https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-63857912

    "The Met Office has warned that severe cold weather is set to hit the UK this week, with overnight temperatures plummeting to -6C (21F) in some places.

    Snow is likely in northern Scotland, although temperatures will be low enough to make it a possibility anywhere in the country.

    Frost and ice are also expected.

    People are being urged to use their heating, despite rising energy prices, and to look out for people who are especially vulnerable.
    ...

    The World Health Organization considers an "adequately warm home" as reaching as 21C in living rooms and 18C in bedrooms - but studies have shown that the average temperature that people will be living in if they can't afford to heat their homes is only 10C."

    21C is too warm and 10C is obviously way too cold. I'd say down to 16C works if people are wrapped up enough and reasonably active around the house. 18-19C if they are completely sedentary.
    Totally agree. When I started dated my now wife, her mum's house was at 25 deg C. Far too warm. Unpleasantly warm. Now, for various reasons, she has the thermostat at 16 deg C and copes very well. I would wager a women decided that 21 deg C was adequately warm, not a man...
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 82,020
    edited December 2022
    Scott_xP said:

    A big concern from yesterdays game I have is that Walker got done for pace several times. Fully fit Walker doesn't get done for pace by anybody and now he has to mark a flying Mbappe all night.

    Posted during the match last night

    Kyle Walker forgot he isn’t @Adam_Gemili for a sec
    I wouldn't be surprised if Southgate goes 5 at the back, Walker to 3rd centre back to try and add cover against Mbappe / Dembele and Trippier in at right back as the first line of defence.

    The question then becomes can England get enough of the ball / territory to consistently threaten France.
  • DriverDriver Posts: 4,963
    Ghedebrav said:

    On topic, realistically England are going out in the quarters. Unfortunate draw, but if they can't get past France they wouldn't have won it anyway.

    Just expect the usual anti-Southgate moaners to start kicking off.

    "start"?
  • AlistairMAlistairM Posts: 2,005
    DJ41 said:

    Explosion this morning at the Engels-2 airbase in the Saratov region of Russia, home to some heavy bomber planes and also a bunkerful of strategic nuclear warheads.

    Is this the first time that a base containing nuclear warheads has been bombed in a war?

    The Manchester millowner must be turning in his grave.

    Russians are apoplectic over Ukraine have the temerity to hit a Russian AF base that is repeatedly used to send up bombers to launch cruise missiles. For some reason it is fine for them to bomb the hell out of Ukrainian civilian infrastructure but beyond the pale for their own military installations inside Russia to be hit.

    Although from what I understand their anger may be due to the fact that they positioned all their bombers up in nice straight lines in the open.

    Ukraine is smart though. They realise that they can never stop all the missiles launched at them once in the air. Therefore they need to take out the launch platforms. They've worked out one way to achieve this.
  • For PB's tech contractors:-

    Tech contractor who uses an umbrella company? UK tax is coming after them
    Britain's wallet-checkers suspect VAT avoidance from some of them – to the tune of 10,000-case tribunal backlog

    https://www.theregister.com/2022/12/05/hmrc/
  • DriverDriver Posts: 4,963
    edited December 2022
    Scott_xP said:

    HYUFD said:

    it is the Tories role to defend the status quo and tradition from unnecessary reform

    *cough*Brexit*cough*
    The leader of the Tories was against that at the time of the referendum.

    I know you hate being reminded of this, but he - and you - lost.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 71,073
    Nigelb said:

    Walker continues to underperform.
    https://www.politico.com/news/2022/12/05/warnock-walker-georgia-senate-runoff-2022-00072147
    ...In a brief interview with POLITICO on Saturday, Walker seemed to mistake which chamber of Congress he was running for and also appeared to think the outcome of his race would determine control of the Senate...

    Meantime...
    https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2022/12/herschel-walker-raphael-warnock-georgia-runoff-brian-kemp-dec-6.html
    ...Warnock “probably has the best media advertisement of any candidate I’ve ever seen,” Jason Shepherd, the ex-chair of the Cobb County Republican Party, told me. “I want to find that person who does all of his ads, and pay them so much money they switch sides. I mean: puppies, kids. They’re fantastic.”...
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 35,990
    Driver said:

    I know you hate being reminded of this, but he - and you - lost.

    Everybody in the Country lost
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 50,269

    sarissa said:

    Selebian said:

    Cookie said:

    pm215 said:

    It's an absolutely false economy to not have the heating on overnight when it's forecast to be sub-zero.

    Assuming you run the heating during the day, your house would have to be really badly insulated to drop below 0 during a single night. I have mine set to a lower temp overnight and it typically only goes from 19C to 15C by morning, so although the heating is technically "on" the boiler never fires up. Anyway, if you have a thermostat with a 'frost protection' setting, use it; otherwise set it to 5-7C rather than turning it off.
    Pipes through the loft (or just through any cold space) can be enough on a cold night.
    On boilers - I wonder if anyone has any knowledge or expertise or advice on my combi boiler, which now seems to need the pressure adjusting most days. It got a service from a British Gas engineer in the summer, who announced himself satisfied with it, and before that a look from a friend of mine who used to be a gas engineer. But it surely shouldn't be making the noises it does whenever anything is asked for it and it's not been topped up? It's about ten years old, but I would have thought it had a few years left in it yet. May be approaching time to look at ground source heat pumps.
    If you're having to top it up frequently, then like the expansion vessel has gone (effectively a balloon inside that can expand and contract to maintain fairly constant pressure). If that's perished then there's no expansion, if pressure is high it will vent through the pressure release outside, when pressure drops it gets too low for boiler to work and you have to top up.

    Can be replaced (inside boiler, might be expensive/fiddly if the whole thing needs taking to bits) or have an external one fitted near the boiler if there's somewhere you can tuck it away. There are flat ones not much bigger than a large frying pan. We had this done on our old boiler (external) which got us another three years out of it. Mind, if it's ten years old and you've got the cash it might be more economic to replace with the latest and greatest, be worth comparing quoted efficiencies.

    ETA: I see Nigelb put the same thing more succinctly
    .
    We had that exact problem in our office. Cost £150 for the exrternal expansion vessel.
    Plumber designing the setup for me has specified a couple of cold water accumulators.

    Quite a few people don’t realise that a major limit in many houses is how much *cold* water you can get to the boiler. Then wonder why even if you the install an RMBK-1000 to heat water, you don’t get much hot water.
    A "feature" of our system (combi boiler) is that if you turn the hot tap in the bath on fully, the water comes out luke warm. The boiler doesn't seem to have enough umph to heat the water adequately at max throughput. The work-around is to fill the bath more slowly (or have a shower), but a bit of a chew-on.
    The best solution is a boiler with a smallish (180lt) hot tank next to/below it, plus a cold water accumulator (if required) to ensure max flow *into* the boiler. The cold water accumulator(s) go in the roof - on their side in the eves if you have a loft conversion.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 71,073
    Driver said:

    Scott_xP said:

    HYUFD said:

    it is the Tories role to defend the status quo and tradition from unnecessary reform

    *cough*Brexit*cough*
    The leader of the Tories was against that at the time of the referendum.

    I know you hate being reminded of this, but he - and you - lost.
    For how many more years do you think that will be a convincing rebuttal ?
  • GhedebravGhedebrav Posts: 3,860
    Scott_xP said:

    A big concern from yesterdays game I have is that Walker got done for pace several times. Fully fit Walker doesn't get done for pace by anybody and now he has to mark a flying Mbappe all night.

    Posted during the match last night

    Kyle Walker forgot he isn’t @Adam_Gemili for a sec
    France do have a degree of mental fragility (as England used to have, but have cast off in the Southgate era, as Colombia discovered to their cost when they ought to have just played football against us instead of shithousing). Their team spirit is spurious, given how feud-ridden the squad has been over the years.

    Mbappe looks to be in terrific form though, so England will have to commit forward to get goals; whatever happens I expect goals on both sides. The performance against Senegal was very encouraging for England in this respect, and there's real strength in depth and *options* with Saka, Rashford, Foden et al.
  • CookieCookie Posts: 13,803
    DJ41 said:

    Explosion this morning at the Engels-2 airbase in the Saratov region of Russia, home to some heavy bomber planes and also a bunkerful of strategic nuclear warheads.

    Is this the first time that a base containing nuclear warheads has been bombed in a war?

    The Manchester millowner must be turning in his grave.

    Which Manchester millowner are you thinking of?

    I'm slightly surprised the location of Russia's nuclear warheads is a matter of public knowledge.
  • GhedebravGhedebrav Posts: 3,860
    Cookie said:

    DJ41 said:

    Explosion this morning at the Engels-2 airbase in the Saratov region of Russia, home to some heavy bomber planes and also a bunkerful of strategic nuclear warheads.

    Is this the first time that a base containing nuclear warheads has been bombed in a war?

    The Manchester millowner must be turning in his grave.

    Which Manchester millowner are you thinking of?

    I'm slightly surprised the location of Russia's nuclear warheads is a matter of public knowledge.
    Engels, I assume
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 122,969
    Ghedebrav said:

    HYUFD said:

    TOPPING said:

    The new second chamber quickly would become redundant as it would simply form up along party political lines.

    In 2024, for example, could anyone see the country voting for a Cons upper house.

    A sensible reform the Tories could and should have done is to fix the system for how its meant to work at the moment, while finishing the act of removing hereditary peers which would always leave it open for further reform until done:

    1: Abolish remaining hereditary peers.
    2: Rename the Lords to something else.
    3: Make it clear that the purpose of the chamber is a revising chamber to give advice to the Commons on how to improve laws, but not to frustrate the Commons.
    4: Make it clear that the Commons has primacy and can override the other chamber where the Commons chooses not to take its advice.

    The moment you make the Lords [whatever you call it] elected, it has its own mandate.
    There are only 91 hereditary Peers left out of 786 Lords in total. Most of them rooted in the land and heritage of the nation.

    If Labour wishes to further wreck the constitution and impose a fully elected upper house leading to clashes with the Commons that is up to Labour, it is the Tories role to defend the status quo and tradition from unnecessary reform
    I honestly didn't realise there were still so many hereditary peers. Over 10%!

    Presumably the implication is that you have to have a family crest to be able to be rooted in the land and heritage of the nation... surely that applies equally to plenty of life peers too?
    Not really, they may be experts in their field (or party donors) but few of them have the landed estates the hereditary Peers do.

    Of course originally the Lords was supposed to be the upper house for the landed peerage and Bishops and the Commons the elected House for commoners
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 122,969
    Scott_xP said:

    HYUFD said:

    it is the Tories role to defend the status quo and tradition from unnecessary reform

    *cough*Brexit*cough*
    Its supporters would argue a necessary reform but of course the Tory PM at the time opposed it, Cameron
  • GhedebravGhedebrav Posts: 3,860
    Nigelb said:

    Walker continues to underperform.
    https://www.politico.com/news/2022/12/05/warnock-walker-georgia-senate-runoff-2022-00072147
    ...In a brief interview with POLITICO on Saturday, Walker seemed to mistake which chamber of Congress he was running for and also appeared to think the outcome of his race would determine control of the Senate...

    For a minute I got confused as to why England's semi-crocked veteran fullback was giving interviews to Politico.
  • DriverDriver Posts: 4,963
    Nigelb said:

    Driver said:

    Scott_xP said:

    HYUFD said:

    it is the Tories role to defend the status quo and tradition from unnecessary reform

    *cough*Brexit*cough*
    The leader of the Tories was against that at the time of the referendum.

    I know you hate being reminded of this, but he - and you - lost.
    For how many more years do you think that will be a convincing rebuttal ?
    Until he accepts the fact and moves on...
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 50,269
    AlistairM said:

    DJ41 said:

    Explosion this morning at the Engels-2 airbase in the Saratov region of Russia, home to some heavy bomber planes and also a bunkerful of strategic nuclear warheads.

    Is this the first time that a base containing nuclear warheads has been bombed in a war?

    The Manchester millowner must be turning in his grave.

    Russians are apoplectic over Ukraine have the temerity to hit a Russian AF base that is repeatedly used to send up bombers to launch cruise missiles. For some reason it is fine for them to bomb the hell out of Ukrainian civilian infrastructure but beyond the pale for their own military installations inside Russia to be hit.

    Although from what I understand their anger may be due to the fact that they positioned all their bombers up in nice straight lines in the open.

    Ukraine is smart though. They realise that they can never stop all the missiles launched at them once in the air. Therefore they need to take out the launch platforms. They've worked out one way to achieve this.
    Yes, lined up straight lines with no revetments according to the satellite photos.

    One wonders about a ground recon team to establish when the bombers were refuelling for their next sortie.

    {Col. Mayne has entered the chat, giggling furiously}

    It’s MIRV Maths all over again.

    A bomber launches multiple weapons per mission.

    In the case of Russia they have zero heavy bomber manufacturing capability. So taking out a bomber not only takes out its next delivery of weapons but all future missions by reducing the bomber force by 1.
  • DriverDriver Posts: 4,963
    Scott_xP said:

    Driver said:

    I know you hate being reminded of this, but he - and you - lost.

    Everybody in the Country lost
    Not as badly as they would have if you'd got your way and democracy had been rendered irrelevant.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 50,269

    For PB's tech contractors:-

    Tech contractor who uses an umbrella company? UK tax is coming after them
    Britain's wallet-checkers suspect VAT avoidance from some of them – to the tune of 10,000-case tribunal backlog

    https://www.theregister.com/2022/12/05/hmrc/

    Some people in the contracting thing used to boast of how close to the wind they sailed…
  • GhedebravGhedebrav Posts: 3,860
    HYUFD said:

    Ghedebrav said:

    HYUFD said:

    TOPPING said:

    The new second chamber quickly would become redundant as it would simply form up along party political lines.

    In 2024, for example, could anyone see the country voting for a Cons upper house.

    A sensible reform the Tories could and should have done is to fix the system for how its meant to work at the moment, while finishing the act of removing hereditary peers which would always leave it open for further reform until done:

    1: Abolish remaining hereditary peers.
    2: Rename the Lords to something else.
    3: Make it clear that the purpose of the chamber is a revising chamber to give advice to the Commons on how to improve laws, but not to frustrate the Commons.
    4: Make it clear that the Commons has primacy and can override the other chamber where the Commons chooses not to take its advice.

    The moment you make the Lords [whatever you call it] elected, it has its own mandate.
    There are only 91 hereditary Peers left out of 786 Lords in total. Most of them rooted in the land and heritage of the nation.

    If Labour wishes to further wreck the constitution and impose a fully elected upper house leading to clashes with the Commons that is up to Labour, it is the Tories role to defend the status quo and tradition from unnecessary reform
    I honestly didn't realise there were still so many hereditary peers. Over 10%!

    Presumably the implication is that you have to have a family crest to be able to be rooted in the land and heritage of the nation... surely that applies equally to plenty of life peers too?
    Not really, they may be experts in their field (or party donors) but few of them have the landed estates the hereditary Peers do.

    Of course originally the Lords was supposed to be the upper house for the landed peerage and Bishops and the Commons the elected House for commoners
    So you have to own the land to have a stake in it?
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 50,269

    TimS said:

    ohnotnow said:

    https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-63857912

    "The Met Office has warned that severe cold weather is set to hit the UK this week, with overnight temperatures plummeting to -6C (21F) in some places.

    Snow is likely in northern Scotland, although temperatures will be low enough to make it a possibility anywhere in the country.

    Frost and ice are also expected.

    People are being urged to use their heating, despite rising energy prices, and to look out for people who are especially vulnerable.
    ...

    The World Health Organization considers an "adequately warm home" as reaching as 21C in living rooms and 18C in bedrooms - but studies have shown that the average temperature that people will be living in if they can't afford to heat their homes is only 10C."

    21C is too warm and 10C is obviously way too cold. I'd say down to 16C works if people are wrapped up enough and reasonably active around the house. 18-19C if they are completely sedentary.
    Totally agree. When I started dated my now wife, her mum's house was at 25 deg C. Far too warm. Unpleasantly warm. Now, for various reasons, she has the thermostat at 16 deg C and copes very well. I would wager a women decided that 21 deg C was adequately warm, not a man...
    When we had children, the advice was 18c to avoid dehydration in the night. My wife insisted on 21c on the grounds it was freezing. As a South American, she seemed to find anything less than 30 horrible.

    I found that not having to get up twice a night to get another glass of water was quite nice.
  • HYUFD said:

    Ghedebrav said:

    HYUFD said:

    TOPPING said:

    The new second chamber quickly would become redundant as it would simply form up along party political lines.

    In 2024, for example, could anyone see the country voting for a Cons upper house.

    A sensible reform the Tories could and should have done is to fix the system for how its meant to work at the moment, while finishing the act of removing hereditary peers which would always leave it open for further reform until done:

    1: Abolish remaining hereditary peers.
    2: Rename the Lords to something else.
    3: Make it clear that the purpose of the chamber is a revising chamber to give advice to the Commons on how to improve laws, but not to frustrate the Commons.
    4: Make it clear that the Commons has primacy and can override the other chamber where the Commons chooses not to take its advice.

    The moment you make the Lords [whatever you call it] elected, it has its own mandate.
    There are only 91 hereditary Peers left out of 786 Lords in total. Most of them rooted in the land and heritage of the nation.

    If Labour wishes to further wreck the constitution and impose a fully elected upper house leading to clashes with the Commons that is up to Labour, it is the Tories role to defend the status quo and tradition from unnecessary reform
    I honestly didn't realise there were still so many hereditary peers. Over 10%!

    Presumably the implication is that you have to have a family crest to be able to be rooted in the land and heritage of the nation... surely that applies equally to plenty of life peers too?
    Not really, they may be experts in their field (or party donors) but few of them have the landed estates the hereditary Peers do.

    Of course originally the Lords was supposed to be the upper house for the landed peerage and Bishops and the Commons the elected House for commoners
    Its the 21st century, why the hell does anyone still have a landed estate from centuries ago?

    That's one way to tackle our deficit and address our housing issues then, let alone who gets into Parliament, address that problem. Sort out the taxation issue so that inheriting vast estates you haven't worked for is impossible, and free up the land so that everyone has the same opportunities to work for, and acquire through their own efforts, any land.
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 35,990
    Nigelb said:

    For how many more years do you think that will be a convincing rebuttal ?

    It was never a convincing rebuttal

    Brexit will be a shitshow.

    But you lost...

    Brexit is a shitshow.

    But you lost...

    Brexit will continue to be a shitshow.

    But you lost...

    Less a rebuttal, more an impotent whine.
  • BartholomewRobertsBartholomewRoberts Posts: 21,994
    edited December 2022

    TimS said:

    ohnotnow said:

    https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-63857912

    "The Met Office has warned that severe cold weather is set to hit the UK this week, with overnight temperatures plummeting to -6C (21F) in some places.

    Snow is likely in northern Scotland, although temperatures will be low enough to make it a possibility anywhere in the country.

    Frost and ice are also expected.

    People are being urged to use their heating, despite rising energy prices, and to look out for people who are especially vulnerable.
    ...

    The World Health Organization considers an "adequately warm home" as reaching as 21C in living rooms and 18C in bedrooms - but studies have shown that the average temperature that people will be living in if they can't afford to heat their homes is only 10C."

    21C is too warm and 10C is obviously way too cold. I'd say down to 16C works if people are wrapped up enough and reasonably active around the house. 18-19C if they are completely sedentary.
    Totally agree. When I started dated my now wife, her mum's house was at 25 deg C. Far too warm. Unpleasantly warm. Now, for various reasons, she has the thermostat at 16 deg C and copes very well. I would wager a women decided that 21 deg C was adequately warm, not a man...
    When we had children, the advice was 18c to avoid dehydration in the night. My wife insisted on 21c on the grounds it was freezing. As a South American, she seemed to find anything less than 30 horrible.

    I found that not having to get up twice a night to get another glass of water was quite nice.
    I find 18C horribly cold myself. I much prefer 21+.

    Got the heating on a timer so its only coming on for a few hours in the morning, and the evening. If it weren't for gas prices, I'd have the heating on right now.
  • DriverDriver Posts: 4,963
    Scott_xP said:

    Nigelb said:

    For how many more years do you think that will be a convincing rebuttal ?

    It was never a convincing rebuttal

    Brexit will be a shitshow.

    But you lost...

    Brexit is a shitshow.

    But you lost...

    Brexit will continue to be a shitshow.

    But you lost...

    Less a rebuttal, more an impotent whine.
    Well, you're PB's greatest expert on them, you've been whining impotently for six and a half years.
  • AlistairMAlistairM Posts: 2,005
    Those air defence systems provided to Ukraine making a difference?

    I don't have the actual numbers yet, but without a doubt this rocket attack was way less effective than the last one. Ukrainian air defense shot down a lot of missiles, especially in the Kyiv region.

    We are waiting for the official numbers.

    Glory to Ukraine.

    https://twitter.com/NOELreports/status/1599771624068116480
  • MightyAlexMightyAlex Posts: 1,660
    TOPPING said:

    Also, people are going to be nervous. A lot of radical ideas coming out of Lab these past few days/weeks. VAT on (people who aspire to send their children to) private schools, messing up the time-honoured British political system, why wasn't it only a few weeks ago that members of the House of Lords were involved in Queen's funeral, etc.

    In these straitened times do people really have an appetite for such dramatic social change.

    I'm not 100% sure.

    I would say that its only during uncertain times change actually happens.
  • williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 51,648
    Scott_xP said:

    Nigelb said:

    For how many more years do you think that will be a convincing rebuttal ?

    It was never a convincing rebuttal

    Brexit will be a shitshow.

    But you lost...

    Brexit is a shitshow.

    But you lost...

    Brexit will continue to be a shitshow.

    But you lost...

    Less a rebuttal, more an impotent whine.
    Are you not planning to vote for the pro-Brexit policies of Keir Starmer?
  • TimS said:

    ohnotnow said:

    https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-63857912

    "The Met Office has warned that severe cold weather is set to hit the UK this week, with overnight temperatures plummeting to -6C (21F) in some places.

    Snow is likely in northern Scotland, although temperatures will be low enough to make it a possibility anywhere in the country.

    Frost and ice are also expected.

    People are being urged to use their heating, despite rising energy prices, and to look out for people who are especially vulnerable.
    ...

    The World Health Organization considers an "adequately warm home" as reaching as 21C in living rooms and 18C in bedrooms - but studies have shown that the average temperature that people will be living in if they can't afford to heat their homes is only 10C."

    21C is too warm and 10C is obviously way too cold. I'd say down to 16C works if people are wrapped up enough and reasonably active around the house. 18-19C if they are completely sedentary.
    Totally agree. When I started dated my now wife, her mum's house was at 25 deg C. Far too warm. Unpleasantly warm. Now, for various reasons, she has the thermostat at 16 deg C and copes very well. I would wager a women decided that 21 deg C was adequately warm, not a man...
    When we had children, the advice was 18c to avoid dehydration in the night. My wife insisted on 21c on the grounds it was freezing. As a South American, she seemed to find anything less than 30 horrible.

    I found that not having to get up twice a night to get another glass of water was quite nice.
    Women prefer higher temperatures to men (is this a new frontier in the trans debate?).
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-33760845
  • felixfelix Posts: 15,164

    LPM insight: abolition of the House of Lords isn't going to happen.

    Quite - it's classic Yes minister stuff to avoid revealing anything important that needs doing. Labour's great advantage is that they are not the Tories. Labour's great disadvantage is that that is all they have!
  • Glad to see SerKeir addressing the big democratic hurdle in the UK - the lack of an English Parliament. Now that Labour have set out their plans to fix the devolution settlement by confirming England will finally have its own legislative body, there can be no doubt that he isn't a man for, no, hang on.

    Wowsers Labour. Is that all you've got?
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 122,969

    HYUFD said:

    Ghedebrav said:

    HYUFD said:

    TOPPING said:

    The new second chamber quickly would become redundant as it would simply form up along party political lines.

    In 2024, for example, could anyone see the country voting for a Cons upper house.

    A sensible reform the Tories could and should have done is to fix the system for how its meant to work at the moment, while finishing the act of removing hereditary peers which would always leave it open for further reform until done:

    1: Abolish remaining hereditary peers.
    2: Rename the Lords to something else.
    3: Make it clear that the purpose of the chamber is a revising chamber to give advice to the Commons on how to improve laws, but not to frustrate the Commons.
    4: Make it clear that the Commons has primacy and can override the other chamber where the Commons chooses not to take its advice.

    The moment you make the Lords [whatever you call it] elected, it has its own mandate.
    There are only 91 hereditary Peers left out of 786 Lords in total. Most of them rooted in the land and heritage of the nation.

    If Labour wishes to further wreck the constitution and impose a fully elected upper house leading to clashes with the Commons that is up to Labour, it is the Tories role to defend the status quo and tradition from unnecessary reform
    I honestly didn't realise there were still so many hereditary peers. Over 10%!

    Presumably the implication is that you have to have a family crest to be able to be rooted in the land and heritage of the nation... surely that applies equally to plenty of life peers too?
    Not really, they may be experts in their field (or party donors) but few of them have the landed estates the hereditary Peers do.

    Of course originally the Lords was supposed to be the upper house for the landed peerage and Bishops and the Commons the elected House for commoners
    Its the 21st century, why the hell does anyone still have a landed estate from centuries ago?

    That's one way to tackle our deficit and address our housing issues then, let alone who gets into Parliament, address that problem. Sort out the taxation issue so that inheriting vast estates you haven't worked for is impossible, and free up the land so that everyone has the same opportunities to work for, and acquire through their own efforts, any land.
    As they manage its maintenance and preservation as they have done for centuries.

    Unlike your policy of theft of I assume also inherited farms and businesses too, about as unTory a policy as there could possibly be.

    Fortunately the Tory Party will not pursue such a policy and if you never vote Tory again and pollute it with such socialist ideas all to the good!
  • eekeek Posts: 28,370

    For PB's tech contractors:-

    Tech contractor who uses an umbrella company? UK tax is coming after them
    Britain's wallet-checkers suspect VAT avoidance from some of them – to the tune of 10,000-case tribunal backlog

    https://www.theregister.com/2022/12/05/hmrc/

    That article is complete gibberish.

    The claw back for VAT avoidance won't be aimed at the employees of the umbrella firms - the law was changed last year to allow HMRC to bill the VAT to agencies who allow their workers to work via a Mini Umbrella Company (MUC) (even if there are other firms in the chain between the agency and the MUC)
This discussion has been closed.