Two little snippets of Ukraine information overnight:
*) France is to provide Ukraine with Scalp long-range missiles - their version of the Storm Shadow missile that we've already given. Scalp apparently has some differences, including the ability to be fired from ships (and therefore ground?). Yet again, Britain leads.
*) During last night's missile barrage, Ukraine claim to have shot down six of Russia's 'impossible to hit' Kinzhal missiles. In return, Russia claims to have hit one Patriot battery.
There are also unconfirmed rumours that Germany said last night that they'd train Ukrainian pilots for the F16 - after the UK said that we'd do it. If true, another case where Britain leads.
How long before Ukraine gets F16s?
Do we have F 16s for training?
As far as I'm aware, no. However (and I daresay @Dura_Ace would give his unique take on this), we could do simulators, and there is much more to learn about operations of western jets than just flying.
A bigger concern might be that our own flight training services are apparently a real mess atm.
I see the weirdo Lib Dem regional London party sockpuppet Leader showing their true colours ......... This will get them far......
Scotland 'can never' exist again, says Scottish LibDems leader THE leader of the Scottish LibDems has said that Scotland “can never and should never exist again” in an “extraordinary” intervention during a debate on independence.
How odd: 1 This is an Oxford Union debate from literally months ago, the day after Sturgeon resigned 2 Alex Salmond was speaking there, so nobody can say it wasn't known about in nationalist circles 3 So why is The National breathlessly reporting it today as news?
What did ACH actually say? In response to a call out from the audience about colonialism he said
"we are a people trapped between flags, between politicians who mythologise and pine for ancient nations which can never and should never exist again in the global world in which we find ourselves"
Seems fair. The ancient nations are dead and gone. An independent Scotland would not be a recreation of the ancient Scotland which merged with England. It would be something new.
Malcolm's leader was there, yet this is being presented as somehow news. It isn't. Did Salmond see it as a grave insult and go to town over it? No.
Gvven that the only change to the Anglo-Scottish border would be, erm, nothing at all, and that Scotland still has continuity of civil and legasl systems with the pre-1707 state, your statement of 'something new' isn't, er, quite right in key senses. So ACH's remarks are either stupid or malign.
There haven't been any changes of law? Or society? Or the global community, since 1707? If Scotland became independent tomorrow it would be a new country built on the land of the old, not the reinstatement of Stuart Scotland from 316 years ago.
Even Alex Salmond didn't propose the reinstatement of feudalism - he wanted a modern dynamic European Scotland. Retain the heritage, build something fit for the future. Forwards not backwards.
One of the main aims of Brexit was to control the UK's borders. That's clearly been a failure.
Yet we're continually told that restrictions on EU migration has led to labour shortages ie full employment and pay rises for the low paid.
I'd be interested to know where immigrants are moving to - does the restriction on EU migration mean that proportionally more of current immigrants are moving to London and other cities.
I remember looking at a map of 2nd languages. Polish was quite dominant in rural england
Very dominant and with quite a few Romanian areas in south-eastern England:
My hypothesis is that the restrictions on EU immigration has led to lower migration to those areas where Eastern European were the main source of migrants but has led to higher immigration in those areas where non-European migrants have always been the main source.
This would correlate to the housing problems in London and my unscientific but real world 'voices in the supermarket' experience.
Sounds like there are four main groups, and it is fairly predictable where each group will trend to.
Students - university towns Hong Kongers - London and commuter belt Ukrainians - places with spare rooms - i.e. rural and some suburban rather than cities Care Workers - wide geographic spread, probably mostly in places with full employment already
There's apparently a lot of Hong Kongers moving to Warrington and Crewe - not the high finance types who move to London but more ordinary middle class.
One of the main aims of Brexit was to control the UK's borders. That's clearly been a failure.
Yet we're continually told that restrictions on EU migration has led to labour shortages ie full employment and pay rises for the low paid.
I'd be interested to know where immigrants are moving to - does the restriction on EU migration mean that proportionally more of current immigrants are moving to London and other cities.
I remember looking at a map of 2nd languages. Polish was quite dominant in rural england
Very dominant and with quite a few Romanian areas in south-eastern England:
My hypothesis is that the restrictions on EU immigration has led to lower migration to those areas where Eastern European were the main source of migrants but has led to higher immigration in those areas where non-European migrants have always been the main source.
This would correlate to the housing problems in London and my unscientific but real world 'voices in the supermarket' experience.
Sounds like there are four main groups, and it is fairly predictable where each group will trend to.
Students - university towns Hong Kongers - London and commuter belt Ukrainians - places with spare rooms - i.e. rural and some suburban rather than cities Care Workers - wide geographic spread, probably mostly in places with full employment already
There's apparently a lot of Hong Kongers moving to Warrington and Crewe - not the high finance types who move to London but more ordinary middle class.
Catching up on the recent threads I do not recall a more depressing time in politics or economics
Conservatives accused of gerrymandering votes and now Starmer being accused of gerrymandering EU citizens votes whilst so many are struggling with basics not least food price inflation
Then Braverman makes a leadership pitch (pity help us), Boris band of disciples copy the Corbyn tribute act, and meanwhile Sunak, and no doubt Hunt, are content to see high immigration numbers as they are a pathway to economic growth
I believe we are facing a bitter and lengthy political schism over the next 18 months that will become more divisive and unappealing to most voters who just want stability
Anyway it is our 59th wedding anniversary today so my wife and I are having time in our garden before the family come over later this afternoon
Of course this time next year, (if we keep taking our pills !!) we should receive royal recognition of our diamond celebrations from Charles (if he lasts that long)
Stop buying the Daily Mail. You’ll feel better for it.
Happy anniversary.
Why would you think I buy the mail or even agree with it
My wife has a subscription as she does the online puzzles, but if you follow my posts you are more likely to see me quoting the guardian than the mail
I wouldn't read The Guardian either.
I tend to read across the spectrum of news media but all online
I have not bought a newspaper for years, and ironically in the mid 1960s I owned a newsagents
Sample of one 42-year-old but I still buy papers - the ‘i’ [sic] admittedly mostly for the puzzles and probably once a month the weekend FT (any week without the grotesque ‘How To Spend It’ supplement).
Sample of one 50 year old - I bought a paper daily (The Times) until last week on subscription.
Then discovered that the digital only version is £40 a month cheaper and the iPad version is nicer to read.
There are lots of reasons for not reading newspapers. One reason re print form is this: In 1966 a year's supply of the D Telegraph cost £6. A year's supply (subscription) is now £1000.
One of the main aims of Brexit was to control the UK's borders. That's clearly been a failure.
Yet we're continually told that restrictions on EU migration has led to labour shortages ie full employment and pay rises for the low paid.
I'd be interested to know where immigrants are moving to - does the restriction on EU migration mean that proportionally more of current immigrants are moving to London and other cities.
Overwhelmingly London and surrounding area.
Attempts to even mention the idea of spreading immigration around more have been shouted down.
Under New Labour, an idea to house asylum seekers out of London and its hinterland was challenged on human rights grounds. Apparently sending refugees to Edinburgh/Glasgow was beyond… the pale.
One of the main aims of Brexit was to control the UK's borders. That's clearly been a failure.
Yet we're continually told that restrictions on EU migration has led to labour shortages ie full employment and pay rises for the low paid.
I'd be interested to know where immigrants are moving to - does the restriction on EU migration mean that proportionally more of current immigrants are moving to London and other cities.
Overwhelmingly London and surrounding area.
Attempts to even mention the idea of spreading immigration around more have been shouted down.
Under New Labour, an idea to house asylum seekers out of London and its hinterland was challenged on human rights grounds. Apparently sending refugees to Edinburgh/Glasgow was beyond… the pale.
There is some validity in placing asylum seekers near existing communities, but the dispersal programme is a longstanding one under government's of both stripes.
I see the weirdo Lib Dem regional London party sockpuppet Leader showing their true colours ......... This will get them far......
Scotland 'can never' exist again, says Scottish LibDems leader THE leader of the Scottish LibDems has said that Scotland “can never and should never exist again” in an “extraordinary” intervention during a debate on independence.
How odd: 1 This is an Oxford Union debate from literally months ago, the day after Sturgeon resigned 2 Alex Salmond was speaking there, so nobody can say it wasn't known about in nationalist circles 3 So why is The National breathlessly reporting it today as news?
What did ACH actually say? In response to a call out from the audience about colonialism he said
"we are a people trapped between flags, between politicians who mythologise and pine for ancient nations which can never and should never exist again in the global world in which we find ourselves"
Seems fair. The ancient nations are dead and gone. An independent Scotland would not be a recreation of the ancient Scotland which merged with England. It would be something new.
Malcolm's leader was there, yet this is being presented as somehow news. It isn't. Did Salmond see it as a grave insult and go to town over it? No.
Given that the only change to the Anglo-Scottish border would be, erm, nothing at all, and that Scotland still has continuity of civil and legasl systems with the pre-1707 state, your statement of 'something new' isn't, er, quite right in key senses. So ACH's remarks are either stupid or malign.
I see the weirdo Lib Dem regional London party sockpuppet Leader showing their true colours ......... This will get them far......
Scotland 'can never' exist again, says Scottish LibDems leader THE leader of the Scottish LibDems has said that Scotland “can never and should never exist again” in an “extraordinary” intervention during a debate on independence.
How odd: 1 This is an Oxford Union debate from literally months ago, the day after Sturgeon resigned 2 Alex Salmond was speaking there, so nobody can say it wasn't known about in nationalist circles 3 So why is The National breathlessly reporting it today as news?
What did ACH actually say? In response to a call out from the audience about colonialism he said
"we are a people trapped between flags, between politicians who mythologise and pine for ancient nations which can never and should never exist again in the global world in which we find ourselves"
Seems fair. The ancient nations are dead and gone. An independent Scotland would not be a recreation of the ancient Scotland which merged with England. It would be something new.
Malcolm's leader was there, yet this is being presented as somehow news. It isn't. Did Salmond see it as a grave insult and go to town over it? No.
Given that the only change to the Anglo-Scottish border would be, erm, nothing at all, and that Scotland still has continuity of civil and legasl systems with the pre-1707 state, your statement of 'something new' isn't, er, quite right in key senses. So ACH's remarks are either stupid or malign.
In ACH’s case, both stupid and malign.
I don't rate him and have said so repeatedly. But the idea that this is shocking news is a stretch, even for SNP Pravda The National.
One of the main aims of Brexit was to control the UK's borders. That's clearly been a failure.
Yet we're continually told that restrictions on EU migration has led to labour shortages ie full employment and pay rises for the low paid.
I'd be interested to know where immigrants are moving to - does the restriction on EU migration mean that proportionally more of current immigrants are moving to London and other cities.
Overwhelmingly London and surrounding area.
Attempts to even mention the idea of spreading immigration around more have been shouted down.
Under New Labour, an idea to house asylum seekers out of London and its hinterland was challenged on human rights grounds. Apparently sending refugees to Edinburgh/Glasgow was beyond… the pale.
There is some validity in placing asylum seekers near existing communities, but the dispersal programme is a longstanding one under government's of both stripes.
It also has to do with ideology.
Back in the 90s, a fashionable progressive idea was that incomers *shouldn’t* need to integrate. One Labour councillor told me he was proud that speaking English wasn’t required. When I pointed out the well documented (around the world) exploitation of migrants who don’t speak the local language he became upset.
The fashion switched after it was realised that non integration lead to a situation where it was not so much which national cricket team you backed. More which side you back when buses explode.
My own immigrant relatives found the non-integration idea offensive, incidentally. They saw it as “Being British is not for you”.
One of the main aims of Brexit was to control the UK's borders. That's clearly been a failure.
Yet we're continually told that restrictions on EU migration has led to labour shortages ie full employment and pay rises for the low paid.
I'd be interested to know where immigrants are moving to - does the restriction on EU migration mean that proportionally more of current immigrants are moving to London and other cities.
Overwhelmingly London and surrounding area.
Attempts to even mention the idea of spreading immigration around more have been shouted down.
Under New Labour, an idea to house asylum seekers out of London and its hinterland was challenged on human rights grounds. Apparently sending refugees to Edinburgh/Glasgow was beyond… the pale.
There is some validity in placing asylum seekers near existing communities, but the dispersal programme is a longstanding one under government's of both stripes.
It also has to do with ideology.
Back in the 90s, a fashionable progressive idea was that incomers *shouldn’t* need to integrate. One Labour councillor told me he was proud that speaking English wasn’t required. When I pointed out the well documented (around the world) exploitation of migrants who don’t speak the local language he became upset.
The fashion switched after it was realised that non integration lead to a situation where it was not so much which national cricket team you backed. More which side you back when buses explode.
My own immigrant relatives found the non-integration idea offensive, incidentally. They saw it as “Being British is not for you”.
The whole point of placing asylum seekers near existing communities is to aid integration.
One of the main aims of Brexit was to control the UK's borders. That's clearly been a failure.
Yet we're continually told that restrictions on EU migration has led to labour shortages ie full employment and pay rises for the low paid.
I'd be interested to know where immigrants are moving to - does the restriction on EU migration mean that proportionally more of current immigrants are moving to London and other cities.
Overwhelmingly London and surrounding area.
Attempts to even mention the idea of spreading immigration around more have been shouted down.
Under New Labour, an idea to house asylum seekers out of London and its hinterland was challenged on human rights grounds. Apparently sending refugees to Edinburgh/Glasgow was beyond… the pale.
There is some validity in placing asylum seekers near existing communities, but the dispersal programme is a longstanding one under government's of both stripes.
It also has to do with ideology.
Back in the 90s, a fashionable progressive idea was that incomers *shouldn’t* need to integrate. One Labour councillor told me he was proud that speaking English wasn’t required. When I pointed out the well documented (around the world) exploitation of migrants who don’t speak the local language he became upset.
The fashion switched after it was realised that non integration lead to a situation where it was not so much which national cricket team you backed. More which side you back when buses explode.
My own immigrant relatives found the non-integration idea offensive, incidentally. They saw it as “Being British is not for you”.
The whole point of placing asylum seekers near existing communities is to aid integration.
The result was (and is) often non-integration. If you have a large number of people who are from “home” and only speak the language from “home”, you can easily get a ghetto forming.
The U.K. does much better, these days, on this. English being the world wide lingua franca helps a lot, I reckon.
I see the weirdo Lib Dem regional London party sockpuppet Leader showing their true colours ......... This will get them far......
Scotland 'can never' exist again, says Scottish LibDems leader THE leader of the Scottish LibDems has said that Scotland “can never and should never exist again” in an “extraordinary” intervention during a debate on independence.
Yes. Rectify the terrible mistake of splitting Northumbria between these bogus nations of England and Scotland and put Yeavering and Lindisfarne back at the centre of the nation's affairs.
Northumbria? Pah. Itself a newfangled bogus nation made from combining the true kingdoms of Bernicia and Deira.
New boys on the block - should have stayed as Yr Hen Ogledd....
Two little snippets of Ukraine information overnight:
*) France is to provide Ukraine with Scalp long-range missiles - their version of the Storm Shadow missile that we've already given. Scalp apparently has some differences, including the ability to be fired from ships (and therefore ground?). Yet again, Britain leads.
*) During last night's missile barrage, Ukraine claim to have shot down six of Russia's 'impossible to hit' Kinzhal missiles. In return, Russia claims to have hit one Patriot battery.
There are also unconfirmed rumours that Germany said last night that they'd train Ukrainian pilots for the F16 - after the UK said that we'd do it. If true, another case where Britain leads.
How long before Ukraine gets F16s?
Do we have F 16s for training?
There is no active European F-16 training pipeline. It would have to be done in the US.
Two little snippets of Ukraine information overnight:
*) France is to provide Ukraine with Scalp long-range missiles - their version of the Storm Shadow missile that we've already given. Scalp apparently has some differences, including the ability to be fired from ships (and therefore ground?). Yet again, Britain leads.
*) During last night's missile barrage, Ukraine claim to have shot down six of Russia's 'impossible to hit' Kinzhal missiles. In return, Russia claims to have hit one Patriot battery.
There are also unconfirmed rumours that Germany said last night that they'd train Ukrainian pilots for the F16 - after the UK said that we'd do it. If true, another case where Britain leads.
How long before Ukraine gets F16s?
Do we have F 16s for training?
As far as I'm aware, no. However (and I daresay @Dura_Ace would give his unique take on this), we could do simulators, and there is much more to learn about operations of western jets than just flying.
A bigger concern might be that our own flight training services are apparently a real mess atm.
The UK has no F-16 simulators and no F-16 instructors. We could borrow a shitload of money and buy the ex-RNLAF Vipers at Sabca in Belgium then give them to Ukraine if Biden lets us.
I see the weirdo Lib Dem regional London party sockpuppet Leader showing their true colours ......... This will get them far......
Scotland 'can never' exist again, says Scottish LibDems leader THE leader of the Scottish LibDems has said that Scotland “can never and should never exist again” in an “extraordinary” intervention during a debate on independence.
How odd: 1 This is an Oxford Union debate from literally months ago, the day after Sturgeon resigned 2 Alex Salmond was speaking there, so nobody can say it wasn't known about in nationalist circles 3 So why is The National breathlessly reporting it today as news?
What did ACH actually say? In response to a call out from the audience about colonialism he said
"we are a people trapped between flags, between politicians who mythologise and pine for ancient nations which can never and should never exist again in the global world in which we find ourselves"
Seems fair. The ancient nations are dead and gone. An independent Scotland would not be a recreation of the ancient Scotland which merged with England. It would be something new.
Malcolm's leader was there, yet this is being presented as somehow news. It isn't. Did Salmond see it as a grave insult and go to town over it? No.
Given that the only change to the Anglo-Scottish border would be, erm, nothing at all, and that Scotland still has continuity of civil and legasl systems with the pre-1707 state, your statement of 'something new' isn't, er, quite right in key senses. So ACH's remarks are either stupid or malign.
I see the weirdo Lib Dem regional London party sockpuppet Leader showing their true colours ......... This will get them far......
Scotland 'can never' exist again, says Scottish LibDems leader THE leader of the Scottish LibDems has said that Scotland “can never and should never exist again” in an “extraordinary” intervention during a debate on independence.
How odd: 1 This is an Oxford Union debate from literally months ago, the day after Sturgeon resigned 2 Alex Salmond was speaking there, so nobody can say it wasn't known about in nationalist circles 3 So why is The National breathlessly reporting it today as news?
What did ACH actually say? In response to a call out from the audience about colonialism he said
"we are a people trapped between flags, between politicians who mythologise and pine for ancient nations which can never and should never exist again in the global world in which we find ourselves"
Seems fair. The ancient nations are dead and gone. An independent Scotland would not be a recreation of the ancient Scotland which merged with England. It would be something new.
Malcolm's leader was there, yet this is being presented as somehow news. It isn't. Did Salmond see it as a grave insult and go to town over it? No.
It perfectly illustrates the carpetbaggers opinions of Scotland. Happy to milk the public purse on behalf of London. The guy is a clown of the first order, a cuckoo in teh nest and it is little wonder the Lib Dems are circling the drain.
Circling the drain, but comfortably out-polling Alba, which puts you where...
Back onto the actual point as opposed to the comedy insults, the old nations are gone. We can choose to forge a new state in a modern world, but the pre-union Scotland (same as the pre-union England or a pre-conquest unified Wales) is gone. The past.
Even the proposals for statehood advocated by your party leader was not for status quo ante. And given that he was sat across the dias from ACH months ago in this debate, and didn't react as the national has done, perhaps his views aren't just comedy insults as yours are?
You can dance on teh head of a pin all you like, and if fact you "currently" out poll a brand new party is the level of your idea of success then you prove my point. Only an idiot woudl try to justify it by saying people want a pre 1707 Scotland. All borders , law , etc are same and the country would be Scotland. Only a clown woudl come out with that crap.
Two little snippets of Ukraine information overnight:
*) France is to provide Ukraine with Scalp long-range missiles - their version of the Storm Shadow missile that we've already given. Scalp apparently has some differences, including the ability to be fired from ships (and therefore ground?). Yet again, Britain leads.
*) During last night's missile barrage, Ukraine claim to have shot down six of Russia's 'impossible to hit' Kinzhal missiles. In return, Russia claims to have hit one Patriot battery.
There are also unconfirmed rumours that Germany said last night that they'd train Ukrainian pilots for the F16 - after the UK said that we'd do it. If true, another case where Britain leads.
How long before Ukraine gets F16s?
Do we have F 16s for training?
As far as I'm aware, no. However (and I daresay @Dura_Ace would give his unique take on this), we could do simulators, and there is much more to learn about operations of western jets than just flying.
A bigger concern might be that our own flight training services are apparently a real mess atm.
The UK has no F-16 simulators and no F-16 instructors. We could borrow a shitload of money and buy the ex-RNLAF Vipers at Sabca in Belgium then give them to Ukraine if Biden lets us.
My memory is hazy, but isn't there a Dutch military flight simulator company (or maybe it was just the CEO who was Dutch) with some F16 simulators in the UK that they hire out to the Bahrainian, Egyptian, etc air forces?
On the subject of Egypt, @Nigelb posted a fabulous article on (a) making desert areas more fertile, (b) ameliorating global warming, (c) generating cheap electricity and (d) doing all this without requiring people to change their lifestyles.
Comments
A bigger concern might be that our own flight training services are apparently a real mess atm.
Even Alex Salmond didn't propose the reinstatement of feudalism - he wanted a modern dynamic European Scotland. Retain the heritage, build something fit for the future. Forwards not backwards.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-62658669
But overall different types of migrant go to different places to do different things.
And I doubt the government has much understanding of the situation and even less control or planning.
And Matt is free on Twitter.
Attempts to even mention the idea of spreading immigration around more have been shouted down.
Under New Labour, an idea to house asylum seekers out of London and its hinterland was challenged on human rights grounds. Apparently sending refugees to Edinburgh/Glasgow was beyond… the pale.
SNP PravdaThe National.PS I see my lunch partner got there first. The bubbly will, of course, be on him.
Back in the 90s, a fashionable progressive idea was that incomers *shouldn’t* need to integrate. One Labour councillor told me he was proud that speaking English wasn’t required. When I pointed out the well documented (around the world) exploitation of migrants who don’t speak the local language he became upset.
The fashion switched after it was realised that non integration lead to a situation where it was not so much which national cricket team you backed. More which side you back when buses explode.
My own immigrant relatives found the non-integration idea offensive, incidentally. They saw it as “Being British is not for you”.
The U.K. does much better, these days, on this. English being the world wide lingua franca helps a lot, I reckon.
Only a clown woudl come out with that crap.
Well worth a read: https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/seaflooding
Looks a very plausible plan to me.