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It started in Threadneedle Street will not work for the government – politicalbetting.com

SystemSystem Posts: 12,150
edited July 2023 in General
It started in Threadneedle Street will not work for the government – politicalbetting.com

Who bears the most responsibility for keeping inflation under control?The government: 50%Bank of England: 32%Other: 2%Don't know: 16%https://t.co/EvVzSs0nY1 pic.twitter.com/RHQWxfCc9S

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  • TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 119,492
    Test.
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 35,954
    ...
  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 51,760

    MattW said:

    MattW said:

    Morning all. My morning thoughts.

    1 - Is Daniel Korski toast yet? Not that it will make much difference to the identity of the next Major.

    2 - The 40% water bill increase sounds like either industry scaremongering, or media sensationalising.

    25% sounds more like it, and it is wished on us - as it will be across the UK and across Europe since we all have the same sewerage in rivers issue - by lobbies demanding umpteen billions of investment.

    Since English water consumption is about 25% above the European best practice (140l pppd vs 105l in Denmark), if peeps invest in reducing their consumption (eg rainwater collection for the garden using a couple of Industrial Bulk Containers and an automatic watering system) and change habits, then bills will stay approx the same.

    Personal responsibility required.

    One thing I find fascinating is that Greens inm my experience are demanding that millions of tons of concrete (presumably) be used to build new reservoirs. Greens? Rather than control consumption. What happened to Reduce, Reuse, Recycle?

    Why would we not build new reservoirs to cope with a vastly increased population? Scratching around for ways to stave off a hosepipe ban in Britain of all places is grotesque.
    Confluence of interests.

    All Development Is Bad + NIMBYS + Government wanting (via) regulator) lower bills + Companies want to spend less = huge coalition.

    Hence no reservoirs.

    Note that the major piece of water infrastructure built recently in the South East is the Thames Super Sewer, where most of the work is happening underground. The actual points where it is being accessed from the surface were furiously fought over.

    "Build the windfarm out sea. Where the real estate is free. And it's far away from me."
    I've moved in favour of onshore wind as a partial solution, having been heavily opposed to it, due to national security reasons.
    I’m deeply in favour of power generation through an internal combustion engine driven by nuclear explosions, for national security reasons.


    “Nuke us?”. The permanent secretary’s eyebrows lifted almost as high as his teacup bounced, once every few seconds.

    He looked at the Russian ambassador, over the top of his spectacles, with mock Pickwickian benevolence.

    “My dear sir, we nuke ourselves every 10 seconds”

    The teacups rattled, viciously.
    Nukus is a town in Uzbekistan:

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nukus
  • ChrisChris Posts: 11,742
    Scott_xP said:

    ...

    Harsh but fair.
  • Have we discussed the final new parliamentary boundaries for Westminster which have been released today?

    So far I have noticed some changes from the revised boundaries published at the end of last year in Wales around Swansea - there are some in North Wales. as well.
  • sladeslade Posts: 2,029
    I had a trip to Selby and Ainsty today. Drove through Burn, Brayton, Thorpe Willoughby, Hambleton, Monk Fryston, South Milford, Sherburn in Elmet, Barkston Ash, and Tadcaster. Also walked around the centre of Selby. All I saw was an SDP banner in Selby market place, and a Labour poster in Brayton. Low turnout?
  • Have we discussed the final new parliamentary boundaries for Westminster which have been released today?

    So far I have noticed some changes from the revised boundaries published at the end of last year in Wales around Swansea - there are some in North Wales. as well.

    https://www.bcereviews.org.uk/
    https://www.bcs2023review.com/
    https://bcomm-wales.gov.uk/reviews/06-23/2023-parliamentary-review-final-recommendations
    https://www.boundarycommission.org.uk/2023-review-parliamentary-constituencies
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 57,037

    A

    Stocky said:

    EV question.

    Someone has written to Parish Clerk explaining that he plans to buy a house that is for sale but he has an EV. The house is situated on the main through road of a conservation area village. The property he is contemplating buying is a Grade 2 Listed end-of-terrace stone cottage with no driveway, garage or allocated parking. The current owner of this property parks his car aside the road, as is common with terraced properties, assuming the space is vacant.

    The prospective buyer wants to know how he could charge his car should he go ahead with the purchase. I think he is wanting to install a charging point on the front or side of the cottage and run a cable across the path to his car at the side of the road.

    The clerk has referred him to highways, the conservation officer and others.

    Can someone explain how EV ownership works in this scenario. It must be common.

    I assume he would have to rely on charging options away from his home? If he was allowed to install a charging point in his Grade 2 listed stone wall (no chance) then what is to stop any other EV owner from pulling up and charging their own car? Is it permissible to have a charging lead trailing a public path? If he were allowed to install a charging point I think the next thing he would argue for is a ban on anyone else parking in from of his house, thus acquiring a designated parking space on land he doesn't own.

    Many thanks.

    Yes - here comes the fun...

    As to installing a charging point, it is pretty trivial to include a switch inside the house that shuts it off. A number of charging points for home use have locks etc to prevent unauthorised usage, as well.

    I knew someone who had a property he didn't want defaced, who installed the charging point in the ground. Waterproofing was some fun, but manageable.

    The problem is really about allocated parking.
    I would put a Zigbee relay in there and connect it to a Home Assistant instance, so that the switch can be turned on and off programmatically.
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 35,954
    CCHQ actually have this on their Twitter feed


  • TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 119,492
    On topic, the struggle is real.

    Rising costs and strained household finances are causing some families to weigh-up whether sending children to private schools is still worth the money and effort.

    School fees have been rising for more than a decade and earlier this week the Telegraph revealed how stagnating wages means middle-class parents can no longer afford places at the most prestigious schools.

    On top of that, pupils who attended private schools – and whose families paid tens of thousands of pounds to do so – are finding it increasingly difficult to get places in top British universities amid a surge in competition from state schools.

    While some families still swear by the education provided by Britain’s best-known schools, growing numbers of parents are wondering whether it is worth the financial sacrifice.


    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/consumer-affairs/private-school-fees-are-they-worth-it-uk/

    Spoiler alert: It is absolutely worth every penny.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 54,509

    Sandpit said:

    It’s literally the job of the BoE, to keep inflation under control. They have one target, and one lever they can pull.

    Rates should have been creeping up well before the pandemic, and the Bank should have been much closer to the Fed in raising rates in the past year.

    To be fair to the bank, they have been trying to hit that target whilst sharing a bouncy castle with a troop of adolescent gorillas. Some working in the government (what was the inflationary effect of the energy bung?)

    Doesn't mean they haven't done badly, but they're not the only ones.

    But the bottom line was that Sunak was a twit to make the pledge.
    Oh indeed, Sunak was a twit to make the pledge, when it’s both something out of his control, and something for which the remedy is going to cause all sorts of problems for people minded to vote for him.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 95,994
    You take credit for things when they go well, you disavow responsibility when things go badly. Such is life, but the public don't generally buy it unless they already really like you.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 95,994

    Have we discussed the final new parliamentary boundaries for Westminster which have been released today?

    So far I have noticed some changes from the revised boundaries published at the end of last year in Wales around Swansea - there are some in North Wales. as well.

    No changes in my neck of the woods - I wasn't sure if they could make further tweaks without delaying things.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 95,994
    QTWTAIN

  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 54,509
    Another boundary. England’s bowlers are giving Head too many opportunities.
  • FlatlanderFlatlander Posts: 4,635
    slade said:

    I had a trip to Selby and Ainsty today. Drove through Burn, Brayton, Thorpe Willoughby, Hambleton, Monk Fryston, South Milford, Sherburn in Elmet, Barkston Ash, and Tadcaster. Also walked around the centre of Selby. All I saw was an SDP banner in Selby market place, and a Labour poster in Brayton. Low turnout?

    I remain to be convinced that many people are going to be enthusiastic about turning out to vote Labour in places like these, no matter how crap the government.

    Low turnout nailed on, I reckon.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 57,037
    kle4 said:

    You take credit for things when they go well, you disavow responsibility when things go badly. Such is life, but the public don't generally buy it unless they already really like you.

    You take credit for things when they go well, you disavow responsibility when things go badly. Such is life, but the public don't generally buy it unless they already really like you your wife definitely doesn't buy it.

    FTFY.
  • dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 29,384
    Sandpit said:

    Another boundary. England’s bowlers are giving Head

    Are you suggesting they suck?

  • SelebianSelebian Posts: 8,677
    slade said:

    I had a trip to Selby and Ainsty today. Drove through Burn, Brayton, Thorpe Willoughby, Hambleton, Monk Fryston, South Milford, Sherburn in Elmet, Barkston Ash, and Tadcaster. Also walked around the centre of Selby. All I saw was an SDP banner in Selby market place, and a Labour poster in Brayton. Low turnout?

    You should have popped round for a brew :smile:

    Well, of course low turnout, it's a by election :wink: Differential turnout, if existing, will be the key. FWIW, you see very few banners around here at GEs, generally. Not sure why. You do normally get big Conservative banners in some of the farmers' fields - was always a Nigel Adams one in a field near Osgodby on the side of the A19 up to York. I haven't been past recently to see whether there's one there for whoever the latest new candidate is. Might be the printers can't keep up!
  • FlatlanderFlatlander Posts: 4,635
    Farooq said:

    Sandpit said:

    Another boundary. England’s bowlers are giving Head too many opportunities.

    Yes, it's not that he's brilliant, it's the fact that they're giving Head so much that makes it hard to swallow.
    -- No Ball --

    Overstepping.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 54,509

    Farooq said:

    Sandpit said:

    Another boundary. England’s bowlers are giving Head too many opportunities.

    Yes, it's not that he's brilliant, it's the fact that they're giving Head so much that makes it hard to swallow.
    -- No Ball --

    Overstepping.
    Not another bloody no ball. Way too many extras today.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 95,994
    Water companies a bunch of incompetent shysters, fleecing people through pointless monopolies?

    Thames Water is in talks to secure extra funding as the government says it is ready to act in a worst case scenario if the company collapses.

    The water firm, which serves a quarter of the UK population, has billions in debt and is under pressure with its boss resigning unexpectedly on Tuesday.

    The government said "a lot of work is going on behind the scenes" and it had a process in place "if necessary".

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-66039170
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 28,342
    Kemi Badenoch looked pretty hopeless being interviewed about Thames Water earlier. It's pretty clear she's not even in the room in discussions about the Government response. Must just be Sunak, Hunt and the CS. As I said a couple of weeks ago, a sensational resignation from this statist shitshow of a Government is really her only viable path to leadership now.
  • Kemi Badenoch looked pretty hopeless being interviewed about Thames Water earlier. It's pretty clear she's not even in the room in discussions about the Government response. Must just be Sunak, Hunt and the CS. As I said a couple of weeks ago, a sensational resignation from this statist shitshow of a Government is really her only viable path to leadership now.

    Would the secretary of state for the environment, food and rural affairs be involved? Thérèse Coffey.
  • FeersumEnjineeyaFeersumEnjineeya Posts: 4,383
    edited June 2023
    rcs1000 said:

    A

    Stocky said:

    EV question.

    Someone has written to Parish Clerk explaining that he plans to buy a house that is for sale but he has an EV. The house is situated on the main through road of a conservation area village. The property he is contemplating buying is a Grade 2 Listed end-of-terrace stone cottage with no driveway, garage or allocated parking. The current owner of this property parks his car aside the road, as is common with terraced properties, assuming the space is vacant.

    The prospective buyer wants to know how he could charge his car should he go ahead with the purchase. I think he is wanting to install a charging point on the front or side of the cottage and run a cable across the path to his car at the side of the road.

    The clerk has referred him to highways, the conservation officer and others.

    Can someone explain how EV ownership works in this scenario. It must be common.

    I assume he would have to rely on charging options away from his home? If he was allowed to install a charging point in his Grade 2 listed stone wall (no chance) then what is to stop any other EV owner from pulling up and charging their own car? Is it permissible to have a charging lead trailing a public path? If he were allowed to install a charging point I think the next thing he would argue for is a ban on anyone else parking in from of his house, thus acquiring a designated parking space on land he doesn't own.

    Many thanks.

    Yes - here comes the fun...

    As to installing a charging point, it is pretty trivial to include a switch inside the house that shuts it off. A number of charging points for home use have locks etc to prevent unauthorised usage, as well.

    I knew someone who had a property he didn't want defaced, who installed the charging point in the ground. Waterproofing was some fun, but manageable.

    The problem is really about allocated parking.
    I would put a Zigbee relay in there and connect it to a Home Assistant instance, so that the switch can be turned on and off programmatically.
    Most, possibly all, home chargers come with an app to switch them on and off or set a charging schedule.
  • algarkirkalgarkirk Posts: 12,492
    The trouble with trying to understand responsibility for inflation is that the current situation is artificial. The general understanding is that the BoE has the job, and that 2% is the target, and interest rates are the instrument.

    But that's nonsense. The BoE has been given other jobs - like printing money in a crisis (under new names), which conflict with inflation control. And further, governments can control inflation, if they wish, by raising taxes and spending less which is just as good a way of reducing demand. So for votes reasons they pretend its all down to the BoE.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 57,037
    kle4 said:

    Water companies a bunch of incompetent shysters, fleecing people through pointless monopolies?

    Thames Water is in talks to secure extra funding as the government says it is ready to act in a worst case scenario if the company collapses.

    The water firm, which serves a quarter of the UK population, has billions in debt and is under pressure with its boss resigning unexpectedly on Tuesday.

    The government said "a lot of work is going on behind the scenes" and it had a process in place "if necessary".

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-66039170

    Of course: if Thames Water were to go bust, it would simply be taken over by the administrators, who would negotiate with the debt holders. There is no reason why there would be any interruption in service.

    The practical upshot would be that equity holders (the Macquarie Infrastructure Fund) would be wiped out, the debt would be written down to 60 cents in the dollar, and the lenders would end up in possession of the equity.
  • SandraMcSandraMc Posts: 692
    kle4 said:

    QTWTAIN

    It is written by Zoe Williams. I remember seeing her on The Daily Politics once. She had lank, greasy hair and was moaning about how dreadful everything was. I thought of a line in the Adrian Mole diaries where a social worker is going on about how how life is shit and Adrian's gran tells her that if she washed her hair she'd probably feel better about life.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 57,037

    rcs1000 said:

    A

    Stocky said:

    EV question.

    Someone has written to Parish Clerk explaining that he plans to buy a house that is for sale but he has an EV. The house is situated on the main through road of a conservation area village. The property he is contemplating buying is a Grade 2 Listed end-of-terrace stone cottage with no driveway, garage or allocated parking. The current owner of this property parks his car aside the road, as is common with terraced properties, assuming the space is vacant.

    The prospective buyer wants to know how he could charge his car should he go ahead with the purchase. I think he is wanting to install a charging point on the front or side of the cottage and run a cable across the path to his car at the side of the road.

    The clerk has referred him to highways, the conservation officer and others.

    Can someone explain how EV ownership works in this scenario. It must be common.

    I assume he would have to rely on charging options away from his home? If he was allowed to install a charging point in his Grade 2 listed stone wall (no chance) then what is to stop any other EV owner from pulling up and charging their own car? Is it permissible to have a charging lead trailing a public path? If he were allowed to install a charging point I think the next thing he would argue for is a ban on anyone else parking in from of his house, thus acquiring a designated parking space on land he doesn't own.

    Many thanks.

    Yes - here comes the fun...

    As to installing a charging point, it is pretty trivial to include a switch inside the house that shuts it off. A number of charging points for home use have locks etc to prevent unauthorised usage, as well.

    I knew someone who had a property he didn't want defaced, who installed the charging point in the ground. Waterproofing was some fun, but manageable.

    The problem is really about allocated parking.
    I would put a Zigbee relay in there and connect it to a Home Assistant instance, so that the switch can be turned on and off programmatically.
    Most, possibly all, home chargers come with an app to switch them on and off or set a charging schedule.
    https://shop.tesla.com/en_gb/product/wall-connector

    Ahem.
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 28,342
    Farooq said:

    Kemi Badenoch looked pretty hopeless being interviewed about Thames Water earlier. It's pretty clear she's not even in the room in discussions about the Government response. Must just be Sunak, Hunt and the CS. As I said a couple of weeks ago, a sensational resignation from this statist shitshow of a Government is really her only viable path to leadership now.

    "Statist" is one of those marker words. Whenever people use it, I'm absolutely certain I've got nothing in common with them politically.
    I suspect that's the case.
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 32,481
    edited June 2023
    Selby was a Labour seat in 1997, 2001 and 2005. Unlike Uxbridge, which has been Tory since 1970.
  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 51,760

    Have we discussed the final new parliamentary boundaries for Westminster which have been released today?

    So far I have noticed some changes from the revised boundaries published at the end of last year in Wales around Swansea - there are some in North Wales. as well.

    Boundaries? Which boundaries??
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 54,509
    edited June 2023
    Bowling sucks so badly, that we’re giving Head a half-century.
  • StuartinromfordStuartinromford Posts: 17,191

    Kemi Badenoch looked pretty hopeless being interviewed about Thames Water earlier. It's pretty clear she's not even in the room in discussions about the Government response. Must just be Sunak, Hunt and the CS. As I said a couple of weeks ago, a sensational resignation from this statist shitshow of a Government is really her only viable path to leadership now.

    Is it also possible that KB, like a lot of her colleagues, is very inexperienced and (for now) overpromoted?

    Six years ago, she had just become an MP.
  • ChrisChris Posts: 11,742

    Farooq said:

    Kemi Badenoch looked pretty hopeless being interviewed about Thames Water earlier. It's pretty clear she's not even in the room in discussions about the Government response. Must just be Sunak, Hunt and the CS. As I said a couple of weeks ago, a sensational resignation from this statist shitshow of a Government is really her only viable path to leadership now.

    "Statist" is one of those marker words. Whenever people use it, I'm absolutely certain I've got nothing in common with them politically.
    I suspect that's the case.
    Please do feel free to share your vision of a "non-statist" government.
  • ChrisChris Posts: 11,742
    Chris said:

    Farooq said:

    Kemi Badenoch looked pretty hopeless being interviewed about Thames Water earlier. It's pretty clear she's not even in the room in discussions about the Government response. Must just be Sunak, Hunt and the CS. As I said a couple of weeks ago, a sensational resignation from this statist shitshow of a Government is really her only viable path to leadership now.

    "Statist" is one of those marker words. Whenever people use it, I'm absolutely certain I've got nothing in common with them politically.
    I suspect that's the case.
    Please do feel free to share your vision of a "non-statist" government.
    Oh - sorry - please cancel that request.

    No doubt the answer would be "Liz Truss".
  • geoffwgeoffw Posts: 8,692
    Despite the operational independence granted to the BoE, the government does appoint the governor - for a fixed term of 8(!) years, renewable once - and the 4 external members of the MPC. It has, ridiculously, appointed doves instead of hawks to both. In its decision last week there were two members of the MPC who voted for no change in the interest rate.
    So yes, the BoE and MPC are culpable not only for not meeting the 2% target, but not even trying to. However the Chancellor of the Exchequer is also culpable for making those appointments.
  • FeersumEnjineeyaFeersumEnjineeya Posts: 4,383
    edited June 2023
    rcs1000 said:

    rcs1000 said:

    A

    Stocky said:

    EV question.

    Someone has written to Parish Clerk explaining that he plans to buy a house that is for sale but he has an EV. The house is situated on the main through road of a conservation area village. The property he is contemplating buying is a Grade 2 Listed end-of-terrace stone cottage with no driveway, garage or allocated parking. The current owner of this property parks his car aside the road, as is common with terraced properties, assuming the space is vacant.

    The prospective buyer wants to know how he could charge his car should he go ahead with the purchase. I think he is wanting to install a charging point on the front or side of the cottage and run a cable across the path to his car at the side of the road.

    The clerk has referred him to highways, the conservation officer and others.

    Can someone explain how EV ownership works in this scenario. It must be common.

    I assume he would have to rely on charging options away from his home? If he was allowed to install a charging point in his Grade 2 listed stone wall (no chance) then what is to stop any other EV owner from pulling up and charging their own car? Is it permissible to have a charging lead trailing a public path? If he were allowed to install a charging point I think the next thing he would argue for is a ban on anyone else parking in from of his house, thus acquiring a designated parking space on land he doesn't own.

    Many thanks.

    Yes - here comes the fun...

    As to installing a charging point, it is pretty trivial to include a switch inside the house that shuts it off. A number of charging points for home use have locks etc to prevent unauthorised usage, as well.

    I knew someone who had a property he didn't want defaced, who installed the charging point in the ground. Waterproofing was some fun, but manageable.

    The problem is really about allocated parking.
    I would put a Zigbee relay in there and connect it to a Home Assistant instance, so that the switch can be turned on and off programmatically.
    Most, possibly all, home chargers come with an app to switch them on and off or set a charging schedule.
    https://shop.tesla.com/en_gb/product/wall-connector

    Ahem.
    Ahem what? Does that one not come with an app? My Podpoint did, and it's set to charge only between 12:30am and 4:30am, when I get cheap electricity. But if I do want to charge my car some other time, then a couple of taps on the app will override the schedule.
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 32,481
    69 overs by ten to six is pretty pathetic from the England bowlers.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 54,509
    edited June 2023
    Andy_JS said:

    69 overs by ten to six is pretty pathetic from the England bowlers.

    There have been three interruptions, two for weather and one for a protest, adding up to about half an hour. Still not a brilliant over rate though. Should get the new ball for about four overs tonight.
  • geoffwgeoffw Posts: 8,692
    edited June 2023
    geoffw said:

    Despite the operational independence granted to the BoE, the government does appoint the governor - for a fixed term of 8(!) years, renewable once - and the 4 external members of the MPC. It has, ridiculously, appointed doves instead of hawks to both. In its decision last week there were two members of the MPC who voted for no change in the interest rate.
    So yes, the BoE and MPC are culpable not only for not meeting the 2% target, but not even trying to. However the Chancellor of the Exchequer is also culpable for making those appointments.

    Andrew Bailey was appointed when Sajid David was Chancellor. Officially the Prime Minister makes a recommendation to the monarch

  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 51,760
    Farooq said:

    Have we discussed the final new parliamentary boundaries for Westminster which have been released today?

    So far I have noticed some changes from the revised boundaries published at the end of last year in Wales around Swansea - there are some in North Wales. as well.

    Boundaries? Which boundaries??
    You know which boundary. The big fence with guard towers they're building between your mum's house and Sainsbury's. The one she's going to do a cannonball run through every shopping day. If you drive at exactly 91mph the ULEZ camera's can't detect you. Gwan yersel' Mrs Prasannan!
    BTW, wishing you Tweed Mubarak :lol:
  • As well as interest rates, the BofE have been reducing the size of their corporate bond and gilt holdings over the past year. This is the opposite of quantative easing - quantative restricting.

    Inflation can be described as too much money chasing too few goods/supplies. BofE is making money more costly, the left hand element of the equation. The Truss experiment would have chucked more money into the system (reducing taxes etc.), so government also has a big impact on the amount of money. This was part of the Truss problem as it was unclear that the BofE and government were working together to reduce inflation.

    The right hand is also under the government control and were part of the Thatcherite supply side changes to the economy. By increasing restrictions - such as on imported goods/people etc. - this has the effect of facilitating increases in inflation.

    So the government has many more levers to play with than the BofE to reduce inflation.

    Historically it was said that changes in interest rates took 2 years to feed through. I do not know whether this is still true in today's economy.



  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 51,760
    dixiedean said:

    Sandpit said:

    Another boundary. England’s bowlers are giving Head

    Are you suggesting they suck?

    Vacuum cleaners are worse!
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 70,924
    rcs1000 said:

    kle4 said:

    Water companies a bunch of incompetent shysters, fleecing people through pointless monopolies?

    Thames Water is in talks to secure extra funding as the government says it is ready to act in a worst case scenario if the company collapses.

    The water firm, which serves a quarter of the UK population, has billions in debt and is under pressure with its boss resigning unexpectedly on Tuesday.

    The government said "a lot of work is going on behind the scenes" and it had a process in place "if necessary".

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-66039170

    Of course: if Thames Water were to go bust, it would simply be taken over by the administrators, who would negotiate with the debt holders. There is no reason why there would be any interruption in service.

    The practical upshot would be that equity holders (the Macquarie Infrastructure Fund) would be wiped out, the debt would be written down to 60 cents in the dollar, and the lenders would end up in possession of the equity.
    Macquarie disposed of their shares half a decade ago, having squeezed the company dry. The patsies who bought it have been discovering that utilities aren't a safe investment after all, if you don't check the balance sheet.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 122,666
    edited June 2023

    On topic, the struggle is real.

    Rising costs and strained household finances are causing some families to weigh-up whether sending children to private schools is still worth the money and effort.

    School fees have been rising for more than a decade and earlier this week the Telegraph revealed how stagnating wages means middle-class parents can no longer afford places at the most prestigious schools.

    On top of that, pupils who attended private schools – and whose families paid tens of thousands of pounds to do so – are finding it increasingly difficult to get places in top British universities amid a surge in competition from state schools.

    While some families still swear by the education provided by Britain’s best-known schools, growing numbers of parents are wondering whether it is worth the financial sacrifice.


    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/consumer-affairs/private-school-fees-are-they-worth-it-uk/

    Spoiler alert: It is absolutely worth every penny.

    If you have a nearby Outstanding state school your children are in the catchment area of or still eligible to attend (eg you go to Church enough) or you have a grammar schools in your area (and your children are bright enough to pass the 11+ or 13+) then private schools may not be worth the fees even if you can afford them.

    if you don't have any of the above then they probably still are
  • turbotubbsturbotubbs Posts: 17,316
    Sandpit said:

    Andy_JS said:

    69 overs by ten to six is pretty pathetic from the England bowlers.

    There have been three interruptions, two for weather and one for a protest, adding up to about half an hour. Still not a brilliant over rate though. Should get the new ball for about four overs tonight.
    Bet the Aussies don’t declare tonight.
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 32,481
    Final recommendations from the Boundary Commission for England for the next constituencies.

    https://boundarycommissionforengland.independent.gov.uk/2023-review/
  • eekeek Posts: 28,264
    Once in a while Peston can actually do Maths

    @Peston
    Part of the financial squeeze on Thames Water stems from both the amount of debt on its balance sheet - some £14bn, generating a relatively high debt-to-equity or gearing ratio of 80% - and the proportion of that debt whose interest payments are linked to inflation. I've looked at the accounts of its financing company, Thames Water Utilities Finance plc. This lists 13 index-linked or inflation-proof bonds with a total value of £3.35bn, as of spring last year. Many of these bonds don't fall due for 10 or 20 years. This implies that every 1% increase in inflation is costing the company a painful £34m a year. It is possible - perhaps likely - that some of this inflation exposure is hedged. But on the basis of what's happened to UK inflation over the past 18 months, the additional annual interest cost on these bonds for the company could plausibly be £200m, a non-trivial sum for a company seeking to raise £1bn in additional equity.

    £200m is a sizeable additional cost when income is fixed...
  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 51,760

    Have we discussed the final new parliamentary boundaries for Westminster which have been released today?

    So far I have noticed some changes from the revised boundaries published at the end of last year in Wales around Swansea - there are some in North Wales. as well.

    https://www.bcereviews.org.uk/
    https://www.bcs2023review.com/
    https://bcomm-wales.gov.uk/reviews/06-23/2023-parliamentary-review-final-recommendations
    https://www.boundarycommission.org.uk/2023-review-parliamentary-constituencies
    Phew! I'm still in Ilford North :)
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 70,924
    edited June 2023
    Farooq said:

    rcs1000 said:

    kle4 said:

    Water companies a bunch of incompetent shysters, fleecing people through pointless monopolies?

    Thames Water is in talks to secure extra funding as the government says it is ready to act in a worst case scenario if the company collapses.

    The water firm, which serves a quarter of the UK population, has billions in debt and is under pressure with its boss resigning unexpectedly on Tuesday.

    The government said "a lot of work is going on behind the scenes" and it had a process in place "if necessary".

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-66039170

    Of course: if Thames Water were to go bust, it would simply be taken over by the administrators, who would negotiate with the debt holders. There is no reason why there would be any interruption in service.

    The practical upshot would be that equity holders (the Macquarie Infrastructure Fund) would be wiped out, the debt would be written down to 60 cents in the dollar, and the lenders would end up in possession of the equity.
    If you're a supplier, and you faced the prospect of getting 60p in the £ for stuff you're currently sending, you're probably going to stop supplies. That could mean, in some circumstances, interruptions to supply.
    No, that's not how it works. Try that and government will step in.
    Given that the bond holders are some of the financial institutions which fund government debt (Kuwait investment office etc), government is likely to be less than draconian in its treatment of them.

    In any event, expect water bills to climb steadily.
  • Richard_NabaviRichard_Nabavi Posts: 30,821
    Scott_xP said:

    ...

    Aaagh! I'd successfully suppressed all memories of that horror, and there you go reviving them again. I may need therapy.
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 28,319
    HYUFD said:

    On topic, the struggle is real.

    Rising costs and strained household finances are causing some families to weigh-up whether sending children to private schools is still worth the money and effort.

    School fees have been rising for more than a decade and earlier this week the Telegraph revealed how stagnating wages means middle-class parents can no longer afford places at the most prestigious schools.

    On top of that, pupils who attended private schools – and whose families paid tens of thousands of pounds to do so – are finding it increasingly difficult to get places in top British universities amid a surge in competition from state schools.

    While some families still swear by the education provided by Britain’s best-known schools, growing numbers of parents are wondering whether it is worth the financial sacrifice.


    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/consumer-affairs/private-school-fees-are-they-worth-it-uk/

    Spoiler alert: It is absolutely worth every penny.

    If you have a nearby Outstanding state school your children are in the catchment area of or still eligible to attend (eg you go to Church enough) or you have a grammar schools in your area (and your children are bright enough to pass the 11+ or 13+) then private schools may not be worth the fees.

    if you don't have any of the above then they probably still are
    TSE tees up a private education post so HY smashes it straight and true down the fairway marked grammar schools? Nooooooo!
  • Richard_NabaviRichard_Nabavi Posts: 30,821
    eek said:

    Once in a while Peston can actually do Maths

    @Peston
    Part of the financial squeeze on Thames Water stems from both the amount of debt on its balance sheet - some £14bn, generating a relatively high debt-to-equity or gearing ratio of 80% - and the proportion of that debt whose interest payments are linked to inflation. I've looked at the accounts of its financing company, Thames Water Utilities Finance plc. This lists 13 index-linked or inflation-proof bonds with a total value of £3.35bn, as of spring last year. Many of these bonds don't fall due for 10 or 20 years. This implies that every 1% increase in inflation is costing the company a painful £34m a year. It is possible - perhaps likely - that some of this inflation exposure is hedged. But on the basis of what's happened to UK inflation over the past 18 months, the additional annual interest cost on these bonds for the company could plausibly be £200m, a non-trivial sum for a company seeking to raise £1bn in additional equity.

    £200m is a sizeable additional cost when income is fixed...

    Although in general the regulator will allow income to rise with inflation, which is why issuing index-linked bonds made some sense. Of course, it only makes sense if you don't overdo it.
  • TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 119,492
    Time to nuke Edinburgh, actually nuke Scotland to be safe.

    Like Indy, I hate spiders.

    Stowaway African huntsman spider found in Edinburgh suitcase

    The adventurous arachnid was discovered at a property in the Scottish capital after the resident returned from a work placement in Africa. Huntsman spiders use venom to immobilise their prey and can grow up to 30cm in leg span.


    https://news.sky.com/story/stowaway-african-huntsman-spider-found-in-edinburgh-suitcase-12911116
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 32,481
    edited June 2023
    Head st Bairstow b Root 77
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 50,048
    HYUFD said:

    On topic, the struggle is real.

    Rising costs and strained household finances are causing some families to weigh-up whether sending children to private schools is still worth the money and effort.

    School fees have been rising for more than a decade and earlier this week the Telegraph revealed how stagnating wages means middle-class parents can no longer afford places at the most prestigious schools.

    On top of that, pupils who attended private schools – and whose families paid tens of thousands of pounds to do so – are finding it increasingly difficult to get places in top British universities amid a surge in competition from state schools.

    While some families still swear by the education provided by Britain’s best-known schools, growing numbers of parents are wondering whether it is worth the financial sacrifice.


    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/consumer-affairs/private-school-fees-are-they-worth-it-uk/

    Spoiler alert: It is absolutely worth every penny.

    If you have a nearby Outstanding state school your children are in the catchment area of or still eligible to attend (eg you go to Church enough) or you have a grammar schools in your area (and your children are bright enough to pass the 11+ or 13+) then private schools may not be worth the fees even if you can afford them.

    if you don't have any of the above then they probably still are
    Quite a number are going for 6th form at a high end state school plus tutoring.

    Plus you can claim to be From Der Staines Massive at interview. Coaching an accent may be required.
  • dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 29,384
    HYUFD said:

    On topic, the struggle is real.

    Rising costs and strained household finances are causing some families to weigh-up whether sending children to private schools is still worth the money and effort.

    School fees have been rising for more than a decade and earlier this week the Telegraph revealed how stagnating wages means middle-class parents can no longer afford places at the most prestigious schools.

    On top of that, pupils who attended private schools – and whose families paid tens of thousands of pounds to do so – are finding it increasingly difficult to get places in top British universities amid a surge in competition from state schools.

    While some families still swear by the education provided by Britain’s best-known schools, growing numbers of parents are wondering whether it is worth the financial sacrifice.


    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/consumer-affairs/private-school-fees-are-they-worth-it-uk/

    Spoiler alert: It is absolutely worth every penny.

    If you have a nearby Outstanding state school your children are in the catchment area of or still eligible to attend (eg you go to Church enough) or you have a grammar schools in your area (and your children are bright enough to pass the 11+ or 13+) then private schools may not be worth the fees even if you can afford them.

    if you don't have any of the above then they probably still are
    But not if you cannot afford them.
  • TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 119,492

    HYUFD said:

    On topic, the struggle is real.

    Rising costs and strained household finances are causing some families to weigh-up whether sending children to private schools is still worth the money and effort.

    School fees have been rising for more than a decade and earlier this week the Telegraph revealed how stagnating wages means middle-class parents can no longer afford places at the most prestigious schools.

    On top of that, pupils who attended private schools – and whose families paid tens of thousands of pounds to do so – are finding it increasingly difficult to get places in top British universities amid a surge in competition from state schools.

    While some families still swear by the education provided by Britain’s best-known schools, growing numbers of parents are wondering whether it is worth the financial sacrifice.


    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/consumer-affairs/private-school-fees-are-they-worth-it-uk/

    Spoiler alert: It is absolutely worth every penny.

    If you have a nearby Outstanding state school your children are in the catchment area of or still eligible to attend (eg you go to Church enough) or you have a grammar schools in your area (and your children are bright enough to pass the 11+ or 13+) then private schools may not be worth the fees.

    if you don't have any of the above then they probably still are
    TSE tees up a private education post so HY smashes it straight and true down the fairway marked grammar schools? Nooooooo!
    All the best Tories, such as Thatcher, close down grammar schools.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 54,509
    Off with his Head!
  • solarflaresolarflare Posts: 3,705

    Time to nuke Edinburgh, actually nuke Scotland to be safe.

    Like Indy, I hate spiders.

    Stowaway African huntsman spider found in Edinburgh suitcase

    The adventurous arachnid was discovered at a property in the Scottish capital after the resident returned from a work placement in Africa. Huntsman spiders use venom to immobilise their prey and can grow up to 30cm in leg span.


    https://news.sky.com/story/stowaway-african-huntsman-spider-found-in-edinburgh-suitcase-12911116

    Independence hates spiders?
  • turbotubbsturbotubbs Posts: 17,316
    Good to see that England can take wickets without a spinner, as per the BBC…
    Idiots.
    Ashes look lost to me though.
    Bad toss to win today.
  • GallowgateGallowgate Posts: 19,437

    Have we discussed the final new parliamentary boundaries for Westminster which have been released today?

    So far I have noticed some changes from the revised boundaries published at the end of last year in Wales around Swansea - there are some in North Wales. as well.

    Not best pleased to no longer be in a Newcastle constituency.
  • boulayboulay Posts: 5,450

    HYUFD said:

    On topic, the struggle is real.

    Rising costs and strained household finances are causing some families to weigh-up whether sending children to private schools is still worth the money and effort.

    School fees have been rising for more than a decade and earlier this week the Telegraph revealed how stagnating wages means middle-class parents can no longer afford places at the most prestigious schools.

    On top of that, pupils who attended private schools – and whose families paid tens of thousands of pounds to do so – are finding it increasingly difficult to get places in top British universities amid a surge in competition from state schools.

    While some families still swear by the education provided by Britain’s best-known schools, growing numbers of parents are wondering whether it is worth the financial sacrifice.


    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/consumer-affairs/private-school-fees-are-they-worth-it-uk/

    Spoiler alert: It is absolutely worth every penny.

    If you have a nearby Outstanding state school your children are in the catchment area of or still eligible to attend (eg you go to Church enough) or you have a grammar schools in your area (and your children are bright enough to pass the 11+ or 13+) then private schools may not be worth the fees even if you can afford them.

    if you don't have any of the above then they probably still are
    Quite a number are going for 6th form at a high end state school plus tutoring.

    Plus you can claim to be From Der Staines Massive at interview. Coaching an accent may be required.
    I wonder if any of the top private schools will make a run for it and change from 13-18 to 11-16 so students go onto state sixth form but the school still gets 5 years of fees.
  • turbotubbsturbotubbs Posts: 17,316
    And another to the non-spinner.
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 32,481
    Green c Anderson b Root 0
  • Scott_xP said:

    ...

    Aaagh! I'd successfully suppressed all memories of that horror, and there you go reviving them again. I may need therapy.
    It looks like you're trying to suppress some memories of annoying cartoon stationery.

    Would you like some help with that today?

    YES NO
  • TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 119,492

    Time to nuke Edinburgh, actually nuke Scotland to be safe.

    Like Indy, I hate spiders.

    Stowaway African huntsman spider found in Edinburgh suitcase

    The adventurous arachnid was discovered at a property in the Scottish capital after the resident returned from a work placement in Africa. Huntsman spiders use venom to immobilise their prey and can grow up to 30cm in leg span.


    https://news.sky.com/story/stowaway-african-huntsman-spider-found-in-edinburgh-suitcase-12911116

    Independence hates spiders?
    This Indy.


  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 54,509
    Ooh, here we go!
  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 51,760
    Andy_JS said:

    Final recommendations from the Boundary Commission for England for the next constituencies.

    https://boundarycommissionforengland.independent.gov.uk/2023-review/

    Looks like Ilford North gains two wards from Ilford South, in the southwest, losing the northwestern part to Chingford & Woodford Green, and a small western section to Leyton & Wanstead. Ilford South gets compensated with the northern-most bit of Dagenham & Rainham.
  • solarflaresolarflare Posts: 3,705

    Time to nuke Edinburgh, actually nuke Scotland to be safe.

    Like Indy, I hate spiders.

    Stowaway African huntsman spider found in Edinburgh suitcase

    The adventurous arachnid was discovered at a property in the Scottish capital after the resident returned from a work placement in Africa. Huntsman spiders use venom to immobilise their prey and can grow up to 30cm in leg span.


    https://news.sky.com/story/stowaway-african-huntsman-spider-found-in-edinburgh-suitcase-12911116

    Independence hates spiders?
    This Indy.


    Is it worth going to see Dial of Destiny, or will I just be disappointed?
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 70,924
    Nigelb said:

    rcs1000 said:

    kle4 said:

    Water companies a bunch of incompetent shysters, fleecing people through pointless monopolies?

    Thames Water is in talks to secure extra funding as the government says it is ready to act in a worst case scenario if the company collapses.

    The water firm, which serves a quarter of the UK population, has billions in debt and is under pressure with its boss resigning unexpectedly on Tuesday.

    The government said "a lot of work is going on behind the scenes" and it had a process in place "if necessary".

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-66039170

    Of course: if Thames Water were to go bust, it would simply be taken over by the administrators, who would negotiate with the debt holders. There is no reason why there would be any interruption in service.

    The practical upshot would be that equity holders (the Macquarie Infrastructure Fund) would be wiped out, the debt would be written down to 60 cents in the dollar, and the lenders would end up in possession of the equity.
    Macquarie disposed of their shares half a decade ago, having squeezed the company dry. The patsies who bought it have been discovering that utilities aren't a safe investment after all, if you don't check the balance sheet.
    I'm assuming that Macquarie, as the ones who loaded it with debt, aren't the ones who hold much, if any of the debt ?
  • geoffwgeoffw Posts: 8,692

    Time to nuke Edinburgh, actually nuke Scotland to be safe.

    Like Indy, I hate spiders.

    Stowaway African huntsman spider found in Edinburgh suitcase

    The adventurous arachnid was discovered at a property in the Scottish capital after the resident returned from a work placement in Africa. Huntsman spiders use venom to immobilise their prey and can grow up to 30cm in leg span.


    https://news.sky.com/story/stowaway-african-huntsman-spider-found-in-edinburgh-suitcase-12911116

    From the report:
    "We've been liaising with our contacts and have a home down in Kent lined up with a specialist where this huntsman can happily live out the rest of their life."

    This pronoun thing is getting even more ridiculous

  • northern_monkeynorthern_monkey Posts: 1,639
    My mortgage is going up by £270 a month. Thank you Conservatives, thank you Brexit!
  • GallowgateGallowgate Posts: 19,437
    geoffw said:

    Time to nuke Edinburgh, actually nuke Scotland to be safe.

    Like Indy, I hate spiders.

    Stowaway African huntsman spider found in Edinburgh suitcase

    The adventurous arachnid was discovered at a property in the Scottish capital after the resident returned from a work placement in Africa. Huntsman spiders use venom to immobilise their prey and can grow up to 30cm in leg span.


    https://news.sky.com/story/stowaway-african-huntsman-spider-found-in-edinburgh-suitcase-12911116

    From the report:
    "We've been liaising with our contacts and have a home down in Kent lined up with a specialist where this huntsman can happily live out the rest of their life."

    This pronoun thing is getting even more ridiculous

    I assume you're being sarcastic.
  • TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 119,492

    Time to nuke Edinburgh, actually nuke Scotland to be safe.

    Like Indy, I hate spiders.

    Stowaway African huntsman spider found in Edinburgh suitcase

    The adventurous arachnid was discovered at a property in the Scottish capital after the resident returned from a work placement in Africa. Huntsman spiders use venom to immobilise their prey and can grow up to 30cm in leg span.


    https://news.sky.com/story/stowaway-african-huntsman-spider-found-in-edinburgh-suitcase-12911116

    Independence hates spiders?
    This Indy.


    Is it worth going to see Dial of Destiny, or will I just be disappointed?
    No, you'll be very disappointed.
  • darkagedarkage Posts: 5,386
    kle4 said:

    Water companies a bunch of incompetent shysters, fleecing people through pointless monopolies?

    Thames Water is in talks to secure extra funding as the government says it is ready to act in a worst case scenario if the company collapses.

    The water firm, which serves a quarter of the UK population, has billions in debt and is under pressure with its boss resigning unexpectedly on Tuesday.

    The government said "a lot of work is going on behind the scenes" and it had a process in place "if necessary".

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-66039170

    There seems to be a lot of public anger directed at water companies, like lots of privatised utilities. It is quite entertaining that the endgame is a conservative government getting lumbered with the problem and then become the focus of all the public anger.
  • bondegezoubondegezou Posts: 10,966
    Korski has withdrawn from the race to be the Tory London mayoral candidate next year following groping allegations (which he still denies). That leaves Hossain, whose campaign manager was pictured at the Shaun Bailey Partygate party, and Hall, a London Assembly Member.
  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 51,760
    edited June 2023

    Time to nuke Edinburgh, actually nuke Scotland to be safe.

    Like Indy, I hate spiders.

    FAKE NEWS! Indiana Jones hates SNAKES, not spiders!

    "Snakes! Why did it have to be snakes?!"
  • SeaShantyIrish2SeaShantyIrish2 Posts: 17,559
    edited June 2023
    to add (perhaps) something re: question as to whether Tories should chose yet ANOTHER leader before next general election, note that in late late 19th century, the Conservative Party of Canada presented no less than FIVE different Tory PMs to a not-entirely grateful dominion, between federal GEs of March 1891 and June 1896:

    1. Sir John A. Macdonald > a father of confederation, first PM of new dominion, with both physical & political resemblance to Benjamin Disraeli; the 1891 election was his last hurrah, he died in office following June; succeeded by

    2. Sir John Abbot > compromise choice, senator not MP, his period in office was marked by economic depression and government scandal; burdens of office contributed to his failing health, he resigned and died soon after; succeed by

    3. Sir John Thompson > most able leader upon Macdonald's death, but he declined premiership at that time due to his Catholic religion, which was HIGHLY divisive issue then in Canada, and especially within Tory Party; however he was obvious choice to take over from Abbot, and was reasonably successful . . . until he suffered sudden heart attack and died in office in 1894; to be succeed by

    4. Sir Mackenzie Bowell > who to balance out his RC predecessor, was a past Grandmaster of the Orange Order of British North America, ran on the rocks of the Manitoba Schools issue concerning how to renege on guarantees to French-speaking Metis when Manitoba entered Confederation, goal supported by growing numbers of English-speaking Manitobans and (naturally) Canadian Orangemen who were numerous esp. in Ontario; during his term as PM, Bowell was overshadowed by HIS sucessor

    5. Sir Charles Tupper > also a Father of Confederation, and former premier of Nova Scotia, Tupper was a stormy petrel in Canadian politics for decades; his support for Bowell was predicated on B yielding the title as well as substance of PM-ship for the 1896 general election; only served 68 days in office (still the Canuck record) before resigning in wake of Tory defeat and landslide Liberal victory under Sir Wilfred Laurier, Canada's first francophone PM, who remained in office with his fellow Grits for next 16 years.

    Addendum - don't know IF Sir John A. Macdonald was scared of snakes, but he reported seeing them quite frequently, even during blizzards in tropical Ottawa.
  • geoffwgeoffw Posts: 8,692

    geoffw said:

    Time to nuke Edinburgh, actually nuke Scotland to be safe.

    Like Indy, I hate spiders.

    Stowaway African huntsman spider found in Edinburgh suitcase

    The adventurous arachnid was discovered at a property in the Scottish capital after the resident returned from a work placement in Africa. Huntsman spiders use venom to immobilise their prey and can grow up to 30cm in leg span.


    https://news.sky.com/story/stowaway-african-huntsman-spider-found-in-edinburgh-suitcase-12911116

    From the report:
    "We've been liaising with our contacts and have a home down in Kent lined up with a specialist where this huntsman can happily live out the rest of their life."

    This pronoun thing is getting even more ridiculous

    I assume you're being sarcastic.
    You can assume what you like, but wouldn't you say "its" instead of "their"?

  • SeaShantyIrish2SeaShantyIrish2 Posts: 17,559

    Have we discussed the final new parliamentary boundaries for Westminster which have been released today?

    So far I have noticed some changes from the revised boundaries published at the end of last year in Wales around Swansea - there are some in North Wales. as well.

    https://www.bcereviews.org.uk/
    https://www.bcs2023review.com/
    https://bcomm-wales.gov.uk/reviews/06-23/2023-parliamentary-review-final-recommendations
    https://www.boundarycommission.org.uk/2023-review-parliamentary-constituencies
    Phew! I'm still in Ilford North :)
    Gesundheit!
  • geoffwgeoffw Posts: 8,692

    Have we discussed the final new parliamentary boundaries for Westminster which have been released today?

    So far I have noticed some changes from the revised boundaries published at the end of last year in Wales around Swansea - there are some in North Wales. as well.

    https://www.bcereviews.org.uk/
    https://www.bcs2023review.com/
    https://bcomm-wales.gov.uk/reviews/06-23/2023-parliamentary-review-final-recommendations
    https://www.boundarycommission.org.uk/2023-review-parliamentary-constituencies
    Phew! I'm still in Ilford North :)
    Gesundheit!
    Healthy place, Ilford North. Is there a nudist colony there?

  • boulayboulay Posts: 5,450
    geoffw said:

    geoffw said:

    Time to nuke Edinburgh, actually nuke Scotland to be safe.

    Like Indy, I hate spiders.

    Stowaway African huntsman spider found in Edinburgh suitcase

    The adventurous arachnid was discovered at a property in the Scottish capital after the resident returned from a work placement in Africa. Huntsman spiders use venom to immobilise their prey and can grow up to 30cm in leg span.


    https://news.sky.com/story/stowaway-african-huntsman-spider-found-in-edinburgh-suitcase-12911116

    From the report:
    "We've been liaising with our contacts and have a home down in Kent lined up with a specialist where this huntsman can happily live out the rest of their life."

    This pronoun thing is getting even more ridiculous

    I assume you're being sarcastic.
    You can assume what you like, but wouldn't you say "its" instead of "their"?

    It’s a real trend now for animals to choose their gender identity - for example Eddie Lizzard.
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 42,719

    geoffw said:

    Time to nuke Edinburgh, actually nuke Scotland to be safe.

    Like Indy, I hate spiders.

    Stowaway African huntsman spider found in Edinburgh suitcase

    The adventurous arachnid was discovered at a property in the Scottish capital after the resident returned from a work placement in Africa. Huntsman spiders use venom to immobilise their prey and can grow up to 30cm in leg span.


    https://news.sky.com/story/stowaway-african-huntsman-spider-found-in-edinburgh-suitcase-12911116

    From the report:
    "We've been liaising with our contacts and have a home down in Kent lined up with a specialist where this huntsman can happily live out the rest of their life."

    This pronoun thing is getting even more ridiculous

    I assume you're being sarcastic.
    Not at all. It reads precisely thus, because of the use of 'their': the Cruelty are rounding up folk they know, and planning to dump them in a house with a keeper till the spider can work its way through them.
  • eekeek Posts: 28,264
    edited June 2023

    On topic (sort-of): I think we may need a bit of a re-evaluation of the whole question of central bank independence and inflation-targeting through interest-rate changes. Although it has become received wisdom in most developed economies that that is the right way to do it, the received wisdom hasn't really been tested in anger until now, and (in the UK at least), the results are not very encouraging.

    This may be partly because changes to the structure of the mortgage market mean that interest rate rises fall very heavily on that small subset of home owners whose fixed-rate deals happen to be coming to an end, but don't immediately affect other mortgage holders, or the increased proportion of people who own their house outright. The transmission mechanism of interest-rate changes is supposed to be to tweak aggregate demand, but this is a very crude way of doing it and causes a lot of pain to the smallish number of people it hits, as well as acting very slowly compared with how it did back in 1980s when nearly all mortgages were variable-rate. (I'm simplifying slightly here, because there's also an effect on companies, but you get the idea).

    However, interest rate changes are not the only way of tweaking aggregate demand, you can also do it through taxation. Maybe we should go back to considering the two together, rather than leaving central banks with the responsibility to control inflation but with only one mechanism which is slow-acting and rather arbitrary in terms of who it affects.

    Problem with the taxation approach is that tax rates are at a record high and it doesn't seem to be impacting things.

    Heck it seems businesses are desperately working to maximise the amount of tax their pay at 25% of their profits by increasing their profits as quickly and as highly as possible (Remember that one of the biggest supposed reasons behind the inflation figures is corporations seeking to increase profits).
  • On topic (sort-of): I think we may need a bit of a re-evaluation of the whole question of central bank independence and inflation-targeting through interest-rate changes. Although it has become received wisdom in most developed economies that that is the right way to do it, the received wisdom hasn't really been tested in anger until now, and (in the UK at least), the results are not very encouraging.

    This may be partly because changes to the structure of the mortgage market mean that interest rate rises fall very heavily on that small subset of home owners whose fixed-rate deals happen to be coming to an end, but don't immediately effect other mortgage holders, or the increased proportion of people who own their house outright. The transmission mechanism of interest-rate changes is supposed to be to tweak aggregate demand, but this is a very crude way of doing it and causes a lot of pain to the smallish number of people it hits, as well as acting very slowly compared with how it did back in 1980s when nearly all mortgages were variable-rate. (I'm simplifying slightly here, because there's also an effect on companies, but you get the idea).

    However, interest rate changes are not the only way of tweaking aggregate demand, you can also do it through taxation. Maybe we should go back to considering the two together, rather than leaving central banks with the responsibility to control inflation but with only one mechanism which is slow-acting and rather arbitrary in terms of who it affects.

    I think there is a very strong argument for reversing central bank independence on several grounds:

    1. As you say, the results have not been encouraging to say the least;

    2. To paraphrase, interest rates are too important to be left to the Bankers. That is especially the case in an economy in the UK which is both heavily property dependent and over reliant on short-term mortgages;

    3. There is the risk of an uncoordinated policy (as you say, taxation and interest rates not being coordinated together).

    I think a lot of the problem is the narrow mindset of the people in charge of central banks today who cut their teeth and were at university in the 1970s and 1980s and so accepted the then orthodoxy that interest rates were the only way to curb inflation. Even a narrow reading of the causes of today's inflation will show that interest rate rises only impact a segment of the drivers, and even that segment may have been dealt with more effectively by taxation policy. Also note, in 1945 for example, when there was a similar inflation spike and on similar grounds, central banks eschewed the interest rate rise policy.
  • to add (perhaps) something re: question as to whether Tories should chose yet ANOTHER leader before next general election, note that in late late 19th century, the Conservative Party of Canada presented no less than FIVE different Tory PMs to a not-entirely grateful dominion, between federal GEs of March 1891 and June 1896:

    1. Sir John A. Macdonald > a father of confederation, first PM of new dominion, with both physical & political resemblance to Benjamin Disraeli; the 1891 election was his last hurrah, he died in office following June; succeeded by

    2. Sir John Abbot > compromise choice, senator not MP, his period in office was marked by economic depression and government scandal; burdens of office contributed to his failing health, he resigned and died soon after; succeed by

    3. Sir John Thompson > most able leader upon Macdonald's death, but he declined premiership at that time due to his Catholic religion, which was HIGHLY divisive issue then in Canada, and especially within Tory Party; however he was obvious choice to take over from Abbot, and was reasonably successful . . . until he suffered sudden heart attack and died in office in 1894; to be succeed by

    4. Sir Mackenzie Bowell > who to balance out his RC predecessor, was a past Grandmaster of the Orange Order of British North America, ran on the rocks of the Manitoba Schools issue concerning how to renege on guarantees to French-speaking Metis when Manitoba entered Confederation, goal supported by growing numbers of English-speaking Manitobans and (naturally) Canadian Orangemen who were numerous esp. in Ontario; during his term as PM, Bowell was overshadowed by HIS sucessor

    5. Sir Charles Tupper > also a Father of Confederation, and former premier of Nova Scotia, Tupper was a stormy petrel in Canadian politics for decades; his support for Bowell was predicated on B yielding the title as well as substance of PM-ship for the 1896 general election; only served 68 days in office (still the Canuck record) before resigning in wake of Tory defeat and landslide Liberal victory under Sir Wilfred Laurier, Canada's first francophone PM, who remained in office with his fellow Grits for next 16 years.

    Addendum - don't know IF Sir John A. Macdonald was scared of snakes, but he reported seeing them quite frequently, even during blizzards in tropical Ottawa.

    Great facts @SeaShantyIrish2! Keep it up!

    (Although you won't like my next post :) )
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 32,481
    Carnyx said:
    Boston Manor is a tube station on the Piccadilly Line on the way to Heathrow.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 54,509
    edited June 2023

    Time to nuke Edinburgh, actually nuke Scotland to be safe.

    Like Indy, I hate spiders.

    Stowaway African huntsman spider found in Edinburgh suitcase

    The adventurous arachnid was discovered at a property in the Scottish capital after the resident returned from a work placement in Africa. Huntsman spiders use venom to immobilise their prey and can grow up to 30cm in leg span.


    https://news.sky.com/story/stowaway-african-huntsman-spider-found-in-edinburgh-suitcase-12911116

    How the hell do you get a massive spider in your suitcase by accident? A huntsman isn’t your regular house spider, it’s the size of a dinner plate!
  • GardenwalkerGardenwalker Posts: 21,295
    edited June 2023
    No, let’s not reverse Central Bank independence.
    If the results are not impressive now, they sure as hell weren’t before-hand.

    Two points:

    1. I agree that the transmission of interest rates into the homebuying economy doesn’t work as well anymore. But that’s a fix to investigate, not a wholesale surrender of independence.

    2. The government has a role too, and not just in keeping public sector wages down. The government is stoking inflation with the triple lock, and refuses to look at supply side (market) reform. Evidence is growing that at least some of this inflation is price gouging. Too many sectors in the UK run as effective oligopolies.
  • GardenwalkerGardenwalker Posts: 21,295
    edited June 2023
    My internal Tory sources (I retain some) tell me that Korski has long had a “reputation”.

    How he got this far, and won the endorsement of so many heavy hitters, is the real question.
  • No, let’s not reverse Central Bank independence.
    If the results are not impressive now, they sure as hell weren’t before-hand.

    Two points:

    1. I agree that the transmission of interest rates into the homebuying economy doesn’t work as well anymore. But that’s a fix to investigate, not a wholesale surrender of independence.

    2. The government has a role too, and not just in keeping public sector wages down. The government is stoking inflation with the triple lock, and refused to look at supply side (market) reform. Evidence is growing that at least some of this inflation is price gouging. Too many sectors in the UK run as effective oligopolies.

    The issue with central bank independence is that there is an inherent flaw, namely that the bankers in control have an outdated mindset which goes into their decision making.

    Economics itself has realised this is an issue which is why there is more teaching of economic history and context in economic courses these days but the people who are at the top now are still rooted in theoretical thinking. It is Soviet-style thinking in the modern era.

    I would argue there were two major instances where the politicians got it majorly wrong on interest rates:

    1. 1981 when Geoffrey Howe spiked interest rates far in excess of what was needed and destroyed large swathes of industry that (arguably) could have been reformed and saved.

    2. 1992 and Black Wednesday with the run on the pound.

    The thing is that in both these cases I do not think the actions of the central bankers would have been different to the politicians.

  • DecrepiterJohnLDecrepiterJohnL Posts: 27,747

    My internal Tory sources (I retain some) tell me that Korski has long had a “reputation”.

    How he got this far, and won the endorsement of so many heavy hitters, is the real question.

    We've had prime ministers with "reputations". America has had presidents with "reputations".
This discussion has been closed.