As the year runs down and the "people's priorities" get missed, watch for the Electoral Commission being added to the list of woke left enemies of the people...
Regarding the header, ...voters can work out their choices to themselves. Can they though? Boundary changes will have an impact.
Is there a neutral, reliable source that will advise voters which party to vote for if they just want to unseat the incumbent?
I don't think anyone barring MPs and spads know what the proposed new seats are and what they mean.
Are they *definitely* coming into effect? If the new boundaries lose the Tories more seats I can see them scrapping it.
I don't think they have any choice.
This is from the Institute For Government.
"Once the boundary commissions have submitted their recommendations to the Speaker of the Commons, the government is not permitted to modify the commissions’ recommendations unless requested to do so by one of the commissions. The government will draft an Order in Council. This must then be presented to the Privy Council for approval by the monarch within four months of the draft proposals being received.12
The Order in Council means that parliament is not given a straightforward vote on the proposals. While it would technically be possible for parliament to block the list of Orders submitted to the Privy Council, this is unlikely."
This government have thrown the constitutional processes and procedures under the bus several times. They won't even blink if they need to do it again.
I don't think that's quite right - in previous times they did brazenly ignore that they should bring things to a vote, or changed the details, but they lacked the specific requirement now that Parliament gets no vote and that it 'must' be drafted for Council. They certainly could attempt to derail that, but that would require very quick legislative action it seems, rather than simply not approving the previous recommendations.
It's much harder to do than before, and they don't have much time to do it I think - one of the good decisions of the Boris government to tie parliament's hand on this.
They lied to the Queen. A one page bill to STOP THE STEAL could be railroaded through if needed.
As I said, it depends if the Tories decide the proposed new boundaries don't favour them.
As Benpointer notes, there'd surely be too many rebels to pass a one page bill in the very limited parliamentary time that is available before a draft Order must be submitted. And to what purpose? Any favour or disfavour is fairly limited, and what further harm done by so blatantly trying to sabotage it now?
I get being suspicious of what they might attempt, but the practicalities do not look very plausible.
Returning officers for the constituencies which cross local authority boundaries have already been determined and communicated by the government to those local authorities (ie which LA's RO is the lead where there is a split). Things are already moving.
As the year runs down and the "people's priorities" get missed, watch for the Electoral Commission being added to the list of woke left enemies of the people...
Why would this happen, or why would the government oppose these changes? They are favourable to the Tories!
Anyhow, after roughing it in my wooden cabin for roughly half an hour, I went and enjoyed a five course dinner with fine wines, which by remarkable good fortune was on offer not that many yards away, leaving the dog crossly alone with the view of the barren shore and a perpetually grey sky….
This year’s Radio Four Xmas Appeal should be ‘sun lamps for Norway’
Nature is cruel this summer. Half of Europe in unbearable heat, the other half in rain and grey cold skies. A tiny sliver along the channel, Biscay and Southern Baltic at reasonable summer temperatures.
Scotland is great. Long, hot (but not unbearable) early Summer, now changeable. sunny spellls, plenty of rain (but often at night) - bliss.
I’ve had a Swiss colleague moaning about the Scottish weather at me the last couple of weeks because he’s there with in-laws, as if a. Scottish weather is the same as average UK weather, b. I being British am somehow responsible for the weather he is experiencing.
Really annoys me when people bang on about our climate as if it’s somehow a cultural failing we should be apologising for. The Americans are worst at this but the Swiss, Germans and Italians are at it too. (Not so much the French, too busy moaning about how their own country is going to the dogs and Macron is a fascist).
... doesn't stop them moaning about the food here though.
As the year runs down and the "people's priorities" get missed, watch for the Electoral Commission being added to the list of woke left enemies of the people...
Why would this happen, or why would the government oppose these changes? They are favourable to the Tories!
Indeed, the legislation was setup this way precisely to avoid the boundary changes being scuppered at the last moment by Tory backbenchers unhappy about their seat being redrawn.
Anyhow, after roughing it in my wooden cabin for roughly half an hour, I went and enjoyed a five course dinner with fine wines, which by remarkable good fortune was on offer not that many yards away, leaving the dog crossly alone with the view of the barren shore and a perpetually grey sky….
This year’s Radio Four Xmas Appeal should be ‘sun lamps for Norway’
Nature is cruel this summer. Half of Europe in unbearable heat, the other half in rain and grey cold skies. A tiny sliver along the channel, Biscay and Southern Baltic at reasonable summer temperatures.
Scotland is great. Long, hot (but not unbearable) early Summer, now changeable. sunny spellls, plenty of rain (but often at night) - bliss.
I’ve had a Swiss colleague moaning about the Scottish weather at me the last couple of weeks because he’s there with in-laws, as if a. Scottish weather is the same as average UK weather, b. I being British am somehow responsible for the weather he is experiencing.
Really annoys me when people bang on about our climate as if it’s somehow a cultural failing we should be apologising for. The Americans are worst at this but the Swiss, Germans and Italians are at it too. (Not so much the French, too busy moaning about how their own country is going to the dogs and Macron is a fascist).
Frankly, the weather should be apologising to us this weekend.
As the year runs down and the "people's priorities" get missed, watch for the Electoral Commission being added to the list of woke left enemies of the people...
Why would this happen, or why would the government oppose these changes? They are favourable to the Tories!
Well that was the plan. But now that the ABC voting machine is in place, may they now backfire?
Tory 2019 mince MPs already fighting like the rats they are - either to get out quick, or to ensure they keep their seat. If there's an angle, Anderson, Gullis et al will go for it.
As the year runs down and the "people's priorities" get missed, watch for the Electoral Commission being added to the list of woke left enemies of the people...
Why would this happen, or why would the government oppose these changes? They are favourable to the Tories!
Electoral Calculus thinks the changes lead to Con +11,Lab -6, LD -3, Plaid -2 vs. 2019
As the year runs down and the "people's priorities" get missed, watch for the Electoral Commission being added to the list of woke left enemies of the people...
Why would this happen, or why would the government oppose these changes? They are favourable to the Tories!
Well that was the plan. But now that the ABC voting machine is in place, may they now backfire?
Tory 2019 mince MPs already fighting like the rats they are - either to get out quick, or to ensure they keep their seat. If there's an angle, Anderson, Gullis et al will go for it.
No, the latest boundaries show a benefit to the Tories. Just look on Electoral Calculus.
Anyhow, after roughing it in my wooden cabin for roughly half an hour, I went and enjoyed a five course dinner with fine wines, which by remarkable good fortune was on offer not that many yards away, leaving the dog crossly alone with the view of the barren shore and a perpetually grey sky….
This year’s Radio Four Xmas Appeal should be ‘sun lamps for Norway’
Nature is cruel this summer. Half of Europe in unbearable heat, the other half in rain and grey cold skies. A tiny sliver along the channel, Biscay and Southern Baltic at reasonable summer temperatures.
Scotland is great. Long, hot (but not unbearable) early Summer, now changeable. sunny spellls, plenty of rain (but often at night) - bliss.
I’ve had a Swiss colleague moaning about the Scottish weather at me the last couple of weeks because he’s there with in-laws, as if a. Scottish weather is the same as average UK weather, b. I being British am somehow responsible for the weather he is experiencing.
Really annoys me when people bang on about our climate as if it’s somehow a cultural failing we should be apologising for. The Americans are worst at this but the Swiss, Germans and Italians are at it too. (Not so much the French, too busy moaning about how their own country is going to the dogs and Macron is a fascist).
... doesn't stop them moaning about the food here though.
Generally don’t even moan, because their expectations are so low in the first place.
Australians of course very happy with our weather at the moment.
Anyhow, after roughing it in my wooden cabin for roughly half an hour, I went and enjoyed a five course dinner with fine wines, which by remarkable good fortune was on offer not that many yards away, leaving the dog crossly alone with the view of the barren shore and a perpetually grey sky….
This year’s Radio Four Xmas Appeal should be ‘sun lamps for Norway’
Nature is cruel this summer. Half of Europe in unbearable heat, the other half in rain and grey cold skies. A tiny sliver along the channel, Biscay and Southern Baltic at reasonable summer temperatures.
Scotland is great. Long, hot (but not unbearable) early Summer, now changeable. sunny spellls, plenty of rain (but often at night) - bliss.
I’ve had a Swiss colleague moaning about the Scottish weather at me the last couple of weeks because he’s there with in-laws, as if a. Scottish weather is the same as average UK weather, b. I being British am somehow responsible for the weather he is experiencing.
Really annoys me when people bang on about our climate as if it’s somehow a cultural failing we should be apologising for. The Americans are worst at this but the Swiss, Germans and Italians are at it too. (Not so much the French, too busy moaning about how their own country is going to the dogs and Macron is a fascist).
The Dutch have an unquenchable desire for the Highlands. Elevations over 100m stirs their flat souls with wonder. They will endure any weather, hot, cold, wet or dry, just to gaze on a horizon that isn't ... horizontal.
Just part of what is left of a massive coastal battery (dog for scale); one of 350 Atlantic Wall fortifications built in Norway, this one not that far south of the Arctic Circle.
"Local enthusiasts" are apparently "restoring" the underground bunkers, which seems mainly to compromise fitting them out with nice new pine panelling. Which I doubt the German soldiers had?
Wood lining? I'd think you needed it to prevent condensation and stop it dripping on everything, especially the ammunition rounds.
Believe that German soldiers were quite adept at making their bunkers and the like reasonably habitable, even quasi-comfortable, in both WW1 and WW2.
Hitler being a significant exception, but then he WAS exceptional.
In contrast, during First World War anyway, Brits appear to have shunned such creature comforts On grounds that it would take the offensive edge off the front-line troops. At least that seems to have been the "line' endorsed by brass hats ensconced in chateau and the like.
I think British and Empire troops were in permanent rotation between front line second echelon and rear areas so rarely were in the front trenches for long, unlike French and Germans. Hence tended to not spend a lot of time making themselves comfy in WW1.
Good point. However, note that more comfort also = less trench foot & etc. which would have increased combat efficiency.
A consideration that largely escaped the Donkey's in their chateau who thought the Lions ought to live in conditions they would NOT allow for their own stables.
Might be worth reading some proper history about the First World War, not just the Blackadder, Lions led by donkeys version. The British army cared intensely about their soldiers. The generals, so derided by revisionist historians in the sixties, were faced with a uniquely difficult command situation. Up till then, battles were on a scale that a general could see the battlefield and exert influence rapidly and effectively. In the first world war communications were poor (telephone cables cut etc), battlefields were now too large to be overseen. Add in the defensive power of barbed wire, machine guns and huge artilliary and every battle became a siege. After WW1 armies had radio commas plus airforce observation and armour.
The generals tried so hard to not kill their troops. The Somme is a classic example. The huge, lengthy bombardment was meant to destroy the Germans. Sadly it failed for a variety of reasons ( although the French to the south did far better). The troops were mainly kitcheners men, and untested. Hence orders to advance slowly, to avoid chaos. Sadly in the face of strong opposition, small groups of soldiers infiltrating worked far better than lines of advance, as was shown later on 1st of July.
The generals evolved tactics throughout the war. By 1918 the British Army was the strongest left in the field, and after the hundred days stood on the brink of marching into Germany.
When Haig died, his troops saw him as a hero. Too many modern day folk get their history from Blackadder and the reactionary historians of the sixties. The generals were an endangered species - many died in combat. The idea that they had no knowledge of conditions at the front is risible. The idea that one said, after seeing the mud at Paschendale, “my god, did we really send me to fight in that” is an outrageous myth.
#rantover
"Might be worth reading some proper history about the First World War"
Having done just that, perhaps more than you.
Kindly get off your high-horse, quit your sneering, and stop looking down your nose . . . at your own balls.
EDIT - it IS possible after all, to make the points you are making, without being insulting.
78 British generals were killed in the First World War.
That was slightly lower than the death rate among subalterns but slightly higher than that of ordinary soldiers.
Edit - although there were I think more generals in WWII, about four times as many generals died in WWI compared to WWII. Largely because by then radios were sufficiently advanced for senior officers to be rather further from the fighting.
Would be interesting to see breakdown of stats by year?
Of course what launched this tempest in teapot, was comparison between conditions of German soldiers in their frontlines, compared with British soldiers.
The WAS it appears significant differences? Which were NOT entirely helpful to British war effort?
Whether they were sipping champagne in a chateau, or tea in a cesspit, perhaps generals should have paid more heed to front-line living conditions.
It wasn't the living conditions per se. It was that the Germans used concrete and the British used wood.
Logistics were also a problem with the Germans having rail up to the trenches whilst the British had to carry it all in.
The French constructed rail lines in support of their front-lines; didn't British do similar?
There was plenty about the British troops tiring simply because they didn't have the rail lines.
"The next problem was how to bridge the gap between the supply dumps and the soldiers who needed the supplies - and the problems got more and more difficult the closer supplies were moved towards the front lines. This distance was too long to be bridged effectively with horse-drawn vehicles, because horses could not manage a daily round trip of this length.
The French and Germans had a ready solution for the first part of this journey because they had recognised before the war that there would be an important role for 60cm gauge light railway systems. These were like model train sets with light, narrow gauge sections of railway line that could be easily laid on the ground and relocated when they were needed elsewhere. They quickly established networks that led from the main supply dumps to the artillery batteries and then further forward to smaller supply dumps and refilling points from which the front lines could be served.
The British, however, planned for a more mobile war and had decided to rely primarily on motor transport. Over 1,000 civilian lorries and over 300 buses were requisitioned at the outbreak of hostilities and were hurriedly moved across the Channel. The owners had been encouraged by a financial subsidy to purchase vehicles that met a War Department specification, a condition of which was that the vehicles could be requisitioned. These were only a temporary stopgap - although some vehicles such as London buses remained in service throughout the war - and thousands more vehicles were ordered from manufacturers in Britain and increasingly the USA. In the meantime, a heavy reliance had to be placed on far less efficient horse-drawn transport. The fodder for the horses alone took up more transportation capacity than food and ammunition for the men."
One of my great-grandfathers drove a London bus in France during the Great War. And to be fair, we now have Paris buses in London.
Paris buses?
More than a hundred London bus routes are operated by the Paris bus company, RATP. You can tell because their logo shows the Seine as a north-south squiggle. Thanks to privatisation, London buses are run by a nationalised French company. You couldn't make it up, except trains are the same.
Have to say that looks an outlier for both the Conservative and Reform numbers.
The Green 6% is consistent with the average Green vote in the by-elections. The Green vote does not appear to be squeezeable and they did very well in the locals. The Green vote is an activist vote. I think that they will surprise on the upside - doesn't mean that they will get any MPs though.
Reform UK 10% is high - 6% is a typical in the polls. The by-elections they averaged half that - 3%. This suggests that the Reform vote is a protest vote, as opposed to an activist vote, and squeezeable. This may be the rationale behind the Conservative policy approach to try and gain back Reform minded voters.
Looking at the Opinium tables, 16% of Conservative 2019 voters selected Reform - almost as many as the 18% who are now voting Labour. These are the votes that the Conservatives are trying to get back.
I think the green vote is squeezable. It’s just a bit more resilient than the others because people really really want to make a green (or lefty corbynista) point in by-elections.
Come the actual GE I think green will be 2.5%. They will lose Brighton pavilion and the remaining national vote will go about 70% to Labour, 20% Lib Dem and 5% Tory. Green are the Plaid of England….
Anyhow, after roughing it in my wooden cabin for roughly half an hour, I went and enjoyed a five course dinner with fine wines, which by remarkable good fortune was on offer not that many yards away, leaving the dog crossly alone with the view of the barren shore and a perpetually grey sky….
This year’s Radio Four Xmas Appeal should be ‘sun lamps for Norway’
Nature is cruel this summer. Half of Europe in unbearable heat, the other half in rain and grey cold skies. A tiny sliver along the channel, Biscay and Southern Baltic at reasonable summer temperatures.
Scotland is great. Long, hot (but not unbearable) early Summer, now changeable. sunny spellls, plenty of rain (but often at night) - bliss.
I’ve had a Swiss colleague moaning about the Scottish weather at me the last couple of weeks because he’s there with in-laws, as if a. Scottish weather is the same as average UK weather, b. I being British am somehow responsible for the weather he is experiencing.
Really annoys me when people bang on about our climate as if it’s somehow a cultural failing we should be apologising for. The Americans are worst at this but the Swiss, Germans and Italians are at it too. (Not so much the French, too busy moaning about how their own country is going to the dogs and Macron is a fascist).
The Dutch have an unquenchable desire for the Highlands. Elevations over 100m stirs their flat souls with wonder. They will endure any weather, hot, cold, wet or dry, just to gaze on a horizon that isn't ... horizontal.
Growing up in Dagenham, it was years before I saw a hill that did not have trains running underneath it.
Just part of what is left of a massive coastal battery (dog for scale); one of 350 Atlantic Wall fortifications built in Norway, this one not that far south of the Arctic Circle.
"Local enthusiasts" are apparently "restoring" the underground bunkers, which seems mainly to compromise fitting them out with nice new pine panelling. Which I doubt the German soldiers had?
Wood lining? I'd think you needed it to prevent condensation and stop it dripping on everything, especially the ammunition rounds.
Believe that German soldiers were quite adept at making their bunkers and the like reasonably habitable, even quasi-comfortable, in both WW1 and WW2.
Hitler being a significant exception, but then he WAS exceptional.
In contrast, during First World War anyway, Brits appear to have shunned such creature comforts On grounds that it would take the offensive edge off the front-line troops. At least that seems to have been the "line' endorsed by brass hats ensconced in chateau and the like.
I think British and Empire troops were in permanent rotation between front line second echelon and rear areas so rarely were in the front trenches for long, unlike French and Germans. Hence tended to not spend a lot of time making themselves comfy in WW1.
Good point. However, note that more comfort also = less trench foot & etc. which would have increased combat efficiency.
A consideration that largely escaped the Donkey's in their chateau who thought the Lions ought to live in conditions they would NOT allow for their own stables.
Might be worth reading some proper history about the First World War, not just the Blackadder, Lions led by donkeys version. The British army cared intensely about their soldiers. The generals, so derided by revisionist historians in the sixties, were faced with a uniquely difficult command situation. Up till then, battles were on a scale that a general could see the battlefield and exert influence rapidly and effectively. In the first world war communications were poor (telephone cables cut etc), battlefields were now too large to be overseen. Add in the defensive power of barbed wire, machine guns and huge artilliary and every battle became a siege. After WW1 armies had radio commas plus airforce observation and armour.
The generals tried so hard to not kill their troops. The Somme is a classic example. The huge, lengthy bombardment was meant to destroy the Germans. Sadly it failed for a variety of reasons ( although the French to the south did far better). The troops were mainly kitcheners men, and untested. Hence orders to advance slowly, to avoid chaos. Sadly in the face of strong opposition, small groups of soldiers infiltrating worked far better than lines of advance, as was shown later on 1st of July.
The generals evolved tactics throughout the war. By 1918 the British Army was the strongest left in the field, and after the hundred days stood on the brink of marching into Germany.
When Haig died, his troops saw him as a hero. Too many modern day folk get their history from Blackadder and the reactionary historians of the sixties. The generals were an endangered species - many died in combat. The idea that they had no knowledge of conditions at the front is risible. The idea that one said, after seeing the mud at Paschendale, “my god, did we really send me to fight in that” is an outrageous myth.
#rantover
"Might be worth reading some proper history about the First World War"
Having done just that, perhaps more than you.
Kindly get off your high-horse, quit your sneering, and stop looking down your nose . . . at your own balls.
EDIT - it IS possible after all, to make the points you are making, without being insulting.
78 British generals were killed in the First World War.
That was slightly lower than the death rate among subalterns but slightly higher than that of ordinary soldiers.
Edit - although there were I think more generals in WWII, about four times as many generals died in WWI compared to WWII. Largely because by then radios were sufficiently advanced for senior officers to be rather further from the fighting.
Would be interesting to see breakdown of stats by year?
Of course what launched this tempest in teapot, was comparison between conditions of German soldiers in their frontlines, compared with British soldiers.
The WAS it appears significant differences? Which were NOT entirely helpful to British war effort?
Whether they were sipping champagne in a chateau, or tea in a cesspit, perhaps generals should have paid more heed to front-line living conditions.
It wasn't the living conditions per se. It was that the Germans used concrete and the British used wood.
Logistics were also a problem with the Germans having rail up to the trenches whilst the British had to carry it all in.
The French constructed rail lines in support of their front-lines; didn't British do similar?
There was plenty about the British troops tiring simply because they didn't have the rail lines.
"The next problem was how to bridge the gap between the supply dumps and the soldiers who needed the supplies - and the problems got more and more difficult the closer supplies were moved towards the front lines. This distance was too long to be bridged effectively with horse-drawn vehicles, because horses could not manage a daily round trip of this length.
The French and Germans had a ready solution for the first part of this journey because they had recognised before the war that there would be an important role for 60cm gauge light railway systems. These were like model train sets with light, narrow gauge sections of railway line that could be easily laid on the ground and relocated when they were needed elsewhere. They quickly established networks that led from the main supply dumps to the artillery batteries and then further forward to smaller supply dumps and refilling points from which the front lines could be served.
The British, however, planned for a more mobile war and had decided to rely primarily on motor transport. Over 1,000 civilian lorries and over 300 buses were requisitioned at the outbreak of hostilities and were hurriedly moved across the Channel. The owners had been encouraged by a financial subsidy to purchase vehicles that met a War Department specification, a condition of which was that the vehicles could be requisitioned. These were only a temporary stopgap - although some vehicles such as London buses remained in service throughout the war - and thousands more vehicles were ordered from manufacturers in Britain and increasingly the USA. In the meantime, a heavy reliance had to be placed on far less efficient horse-drawn transport. The fodder for the horses alone took up more transportation capacity than food and ammunition for the men."
One of my great-grandfathers drove a London bus in France during the Great War. And to be fair, we now have Paris buses in London.
Paris buses?
More than a hundred London bus routes are operated by the Paris bus company, RATP. You can tell because their logo shows the Seine as a north-south squiggle. Thanks to privatisation, London buses are run by a nationalised French company. You couldn't make it up, except trains are the same.
Regarding the header, ...voters can work out their choices to themselves. Can they though? Boundary changes will have an impact.
Is there a neutral, reliable source that will advise voters which party to vote for if they just want to unseat the incumbent?
I don't think anyone barring MPs and spads know what the proposed new seats are and what they mean.
Are they *definitely* coming into effect? If the new boundaries lose the Tories more seats I can see them scrapping it.
Looking briefly at the relevant Act it talks about how a draft Order in Council 'must' be submitted by the Secretary of State or Minister for the Cabinet Office, and this must be no later than four months after the necessary reprots have been laid before parliament.
There is some wiggle room for exceptional circumstances, but those surely don't apply.
How many Privy Councillors are there? A few hundred at a guess. Do they ever get together to chew the fat and talk about the good old days? More significantly, do they ever get together to discuss anything important and take a decision in the presence of His Majesty? I suspect not. Maybe their time is nigh? A few of them must surely be itching to wield a little power after 20, 30 or 40 years in the wilderness.
Rishi Sunak is going to take his daughters to see Oppenheimer, the film has two gratuitous sex scenes.
I may have to report him to social services.
It definitely could have been trimmed down half an hour easily, the sex scenes among them.
It was still a very good film, even as it did two things I generally dislike - disjointed narratives, and characters having unrealistically vivid hallucinations so the director can indulge in 'symbolism'. But in its defence I felt like most of that was justified in its case.
Anyhow, after roughing it in my wooden cabin for roughly half an hour, I went and enjoyed a five course dinner with fine wines, which by remarkable good fortune was on offer not that many yards away, leaving the dog crossly alone with the view of the barren shore and a perpetually grey sky….
This year’s Radio Four Xmas Appeal should be ‘sun lamps for Norway’
Nature is cruel this summer. Half of Europe in unbearable heat, the other half in rain and grey cold skies. A tiny sliver along the channel, Biscay and Southern Baltic at reasonable summer temperatures.
Scotland is great. Long, hot (but not unbearable) early Summer, now changeable. sunny spellls, plenty of rain (but often at night) - bliss.
I’ve had a Swiss colleague moaning about the Scottish weather at me the last couple of weeks because he’s there with in-laws, as if a. Scottish weather is the same as average UK weather, b. I being British am somehow responsible for the weather he is experiencing.
Really annoys me when people bang on about our climate as if it’s somehow a cultural failing we should be apologising for. The Americans are worst at this but the Swiss, Germans and Italians are at it too. (Not so much the French, too busy moaning about how their own country is going to the dogs and Macron is a fascist).
The Dutch have an unquenchable desire for the Highlands. Elevations over 100m stirs their flat souls with wonder. They will endure any weather, hot, cold, wet or dry, just to gaze on a horizon that isn't ... horizontal.
Growing up in Dagenham, it was years before I saw a hill that did not have trains running underneath it.
In Norfolk on for a week last month, Mrs P: "How do they do the hill-starts on the driving tests round here?" (She took a few in Bath way back.)
Anyhow, after roughing it in my wooden cabin for roughly half an hour, I went and enjoyed a five course dinner with fine wines, which by remarkable good fortune was on offer not that many yards away, leaving the dog crossly alone with the view of the barren shore and a perpetually grey sky….
This year’s Radio Four Xmas Appeal should be ‘sun lamps for Norway’
Nature is cruel this summer. Half of Europe in unbearable heat, the other half in rain and grey cold skies. A tiny sliver along the channel, Biscay and Southern Baltic at reasonable summer temperatures.
Scotland is great. Long, hot (but not unbearable) early Summer, now changeable. sunny spellls, plenty of rain (but often at night) - bliss.
I’ve had a Swiss colleague moaning about the Scottish weather at me the last couple of weeks because he’s there with in-laws, as if a. Scottish weather is the same as average UK weather, b. I being British am somehow responsible for the weather he is experiencing.
Really annoys me when people bang on about our climate as if it’s somehow a cultural failing we should be apologising for. The Americans are worst at this but the Swiss, Germans and Italians are at it too. (Not so much the French, too busy moaning about how their own country is going to the dogs and Macron is a fascist).
The Dutch have an unquenchable desire for the Highlands. Elevations over 100m stirs their flat souls with wonder. They will endure any weather, hot, cold, wet or dry, just to gaze on a horizon that isn't ... horizontal.
It helps to explain why so many have holiday homes in the otherwise unprepossessing Auvergne. Dark, granitic, poor, badly serviced, elderly, a bit xenophobic, but hilly enough to attract the Dutch second home owner.
Regarding the header, ...voters can work out their choices to themselves. Can they though? Boundary changes will have an impact.
Is there a neutral, reliable source that will advise voters which party to vote for if they just want to unseat the incumbent?
I don't think anyone barring MPs and spads know what the proposed new seats are and what they mean.
Are they *definitely* coming into effect? If the new boundaries lose the Tories more seats I can see them scrapping it.
Looking briefly at the relevant Act it talks about how a draft Order in Council 'must' be submitted by the Secretary of State or Minister for the Cabinet Office, and this must be no later than four months after the necessary reprots have been laid before parliament.
There is some wiggle room for exceptional circumstances, but those surely don't apply.
How many Privy Councillors are there? A few hundred at a guess. Do they ever get together to chew the fat and talk about the good old days? More significantly, do they ever get together to discuss anything important and take a decision in the presence of His Majesty? I suspect not. Maybe their time is nigh? A few of them must surely be itching to wield a little power after 20, 30 or 40 years in the wilderness.
IIRC only those counsellors asked to attend are supposed to come, and I assume that's just ministers. And since it's meant to be a rubber stamping exercise, not a vote, and the Act in this case says an Order must be drafted, it'd take some Boris level shenanigans to somehow present it (as the law requires) but advise the King not to assent to it!
But hey, I'm no lawyer, and if they want another case taken to the Supreme Court more power to them.
Anyhow, after roughing it in my wooden cabin for roughly half an hour, I went and enjoyed a five course dinner with fine wines, which by remarkable good fortune was on offer not that many yards away, leaving the dog crossly alone with the view of the barren shore and a perpetually grey sky….
This year’s Radio Four Xmas Appeal should be ‘sun lamps for Norway’
Nature is cruel this summer. Half of Europe in unbearable heat, the other half in rain and grey cold skies. A tiny sliver along the channel, Biscay and Southern Baltic at reasonable summer temperatures.
After a bit of a fright in June (very warm, occasionally hot, frequently sticky, portending a repeat of last year's Hadean nightmare in July,) this Summer has actually turned out to be really rather nice. Pleasantly warm, some much needed rain but not consistently wet. Conditions in which you can get out and do stuff without getting soaked most of the time and without having to wrap up in layers. We could do with a little more sunshine and a little less overcast, but on the whole it's been great. Frankly, the less often we're subjected to infernal heat and drought the better.
'According to figures released this week by the English Housing Survey, the proportion of English owners of second homes who have properties in Europe has fallen again, with 60% of holiday homes located in the UK rather than outside it.
Anyhow, after roughing it in my wooden cabin for roughly half an hour, I went and enjoyed a five course dinner with fine wines, which by remarkable good fortune was on offer not that many yards away, leaving the dog crossly alone with the view of the barren shore and a perpetually grey sky….
This year’s Radio Four Xmas Appeal should be ‘sun lamps for Norway’
Nature is cruel this summer. Half of Europe in unbearable heat, the other half in rain and grey cold skies. A tiny sliver along the channel, Biscay and Southern Baltic at reasonable summer temperatures.
After a bit of a fright in June (very warm, occasionally hot, frequently sticky, portending a repeat of last year's Hadean nightmare in July,) this Summer has actually turned out to be really rather nice. Pleasantly warm, some much needed rain but not consistently wet. Conditions in which you can get out and do stuff without getting soaked most of the time and without having to wrap up in layers. We could do with a little more sunshine and a little less overcast, but on the whole it's been great. Frankly, the less often we're subjected to infernal heat and drought the better.
Sure, but it could have returned to June type just for this weekend!
'According to figures released this week by the English Housing Survey, the proportion of English owners of second homes who have properties in Europe has fallen again, with 60% of holiday homes located in the UK rather than outside it.
Why, oh why, does he (or his team) push out such rubbish? Who gives and actual flying fuck about his family going to the flicks?
Do they think it makes the multi-millionaire Sunak family, look more just like normal people?
I think it's harmless fluff. I was more convinced by the one of him and Javid nerding out at Star Wars though.
I do think it's a bit weird when public figures put in their twitter bios things like 'Cabinet Minister. Dad of Two' sort of thing. I get people revealing things of themselves on social media, and showing they are human and probably pretty normal, and no doubt proud of their families and trying to show they are more than the thing they are know for, but it still causes me to do a double take.
Regarding the header, ...voters can work out their choices to themselves. Can they though? Boundary changes will have an impact.
Is there a neutral, reliable source that will advise voters which party to vote for if they just want to unseat the incumbent?
I don't think anyone barring MPs and spads know what the proposed new seats are and what they mean.
Are they *definitely* coming into effect? If the new boundaries lose the Tories more seats I can see them scrapping it.
Looking briefly at the relevant Act it talks about how a draft Order in Council 'must' be submitted by the Secretary of State or Minister for the Cabinet Office, and this must be no later than four months after the necessary reprots have been laid before parliament.
There is some wiggle room for exceptional circumstances, but those surely don't apply.
How many Privy Councillors are there? A few hundred at a guess. Do they ever get together to chew the fat and talk about the good old days? More significantly, do they ever get together to discuss anything important and take a decision in the presence of His Majesty? I suspect not. Maybe their time is nigh? A few of them must surely be itching to wield a little power after 20, 30 or 40 years in the wilderness.
IIRC only those counsellors asked to attend are supposed to come, and I assume that's just ministers. And since it's meant to be a rubber stamping exercise, not a vote, and the Act in this case says an Order must be drafted, it'd take some Boris level shenanigans to somehow present it (as the law requires) but advise the King not to assent to it!
But hey, I'm no lawyer, and if they want another case taken to the Supreme Court more power to them.
I'm sure it can be arranged for the King's pen to run out of ink.
And yes, of course, you're quite right. The Council is packed from the outset because only compliant members are invited to attend. Maybe Parliament could be managed along similar lines.
Anyhow, after roughing it in my wooden cabin for roughly half an hour, I went and enjoyed a five course dinner with fine wines, which by remarkable good fortune was on offer not that many yards away, leaving the dog crossly alone with the view of the barren shore and a perpetually grey sky….
This year’s Radio Four Xmas Appeal should be ‘sun lamps for Norway’
Nature is cruel this summer. Half of Europe in unbearable heat, the other half in rain and grey cold skies. A tiny sliver along the channel, Biscay and Southern Baltic at reasonable summer temperatures.
After a bit of a fright in June (very warm, occasionally hot, frequently sticky, portending a repeat of last year's Hadean nightmare in July,) this Summer has actually turned out to be really rather nice. Pleasantly warm, some much needed rain but not consistently wet. Conditions in which you can get out and do stuff without getting soaked most of the time and without having to wrap up in layers. We could do with a little more sunshine and a little less overcast, but on the whole it's been great. Frankly, the less often we're subjected to infernal heat and drought the better.
Sure, but it could have returned to June type just for this weekend!
Anyhow, after roughing it in my wooden cabin for roughly half an hour, I went and enjoyed a five course dinner with fine wines, which by remarkable good fortune was on offer not that many yards away, leaving the dog crossly alone with the view of the barren shore and a perpetually grey sky….
This year’s Radio Four Xmas Appeal should be ‘sun lamps for Norway’
Nature is cruel this summer. Half of Europe in unbearable heat, the other half in rain and grey cold skies. A tiny sliver along the channel, Biscay and Southern Baltic at reasonable summer temperatures.
After a bit of a fright in June (very warm, occasionally hot, frequently sticky, portending a repeat of last year's Hadean nightmare in July,) this Summer has actually turned out to be really rather nice. Pleasantly warm, some much needed rain but not consistently wet. Conditions in which you can get out and do stuff without getting soaked most of the time and without having to wrap up in layers. We could do with a little more sunshine and a little less overcast, but on the whole it's been great. Frankly, the less often we're subjected to infernal heat and drought the better.
Sure, but it could have returned to June type just for this weekend!
Why, oh why, does he (or his team) push out such rubbish? Who gives and actual flying fuck about his family going to the flicks?
Do they think it makes the multi-millionaire Sunak family, look more just like normal people?
Yes, they do. They are hoping that people will be more sympathetic and forgiving because you will think of Sunak as a normal person you know, rather than as a generic politician.
If you think it doesn't make a difference, at least at the margins, then you are incredibly naive.
Why, oh why, does he (or his team) push out such rubbish? Who gives and actual flying fuck about his family going to the flicks?
Do they think it makes the multi-millionaire Sunak family, look more just like normal people?
I think it's harmless fluff. I was more convinced by the one of him and Javid nerding out at Star Wars though.
I do think it's a bit weird when public figures put in their twitter bios things like 'Cabinet Minister. Dad of Two' sort of thing. I get people revealing things of themselves on social media, and showing they are human and probably pretty normal, and no doubt proud of their families and trying to show they are more than the thing they are know for, but it still causes me to do a double take.
I think it’s fine. None of us wish him ill. I’m sure he’s a nice chap. We just want him and his clown show of a party out of power for a generation.
'According to figures released this week by the English Housing Survey, the proportion of English owners of second homes who have properties in Europe has fallen again, with 60% of holiday homes located in the UK rather than outside it.
Why, oh why, does he (or his team) push out such rubbish? Who gives and actual flying fuck about his family going to the flicks?
Do they think it makes the multi-millionaire Sunak family, look more just like normal people?
Just noticed they are going to see Barbie, not Oppenheimer. The tweet is fine by me, and I doubt their wealth will shift a single vote, just like it didn't with all our previous millionaire Prime Ministers.
Why, oh why, does he (or his team) push out such rubbish? Who gives and actual flying fuck about his family going to the flicks?
Do they think it makes the multi-millionaire Sunak family, look more just like normal people?
Just noticed they are going to see Barbie, not Oppenheimer. The tweet is fine by me, and I doubt their wealth will shift a single vote, just like it didn't with all our previous millionaire Prime Ministers.
Why, oh why, does he (or his team) push out such rubbish? Who gives and actual flying fuck about his family going to the flicks?
Do they think it makes the multi-millionaire Sunak family, look more just like normal people?
Just noticed they are going to see Barbie, not Oppenheimer. The tweet is fine by me, and I doubt their wealth will shift a single vote, just like it didn't with all our previous millionaire Prime Ministers.
Tagged Barbenheimer so likely both
I assumed it was just a joke to tie into some mild virality around the two films, rather than actually seeing both today. I know TSE did it, but it'd make a long evening!
Regarding the header, ...voters can work out their choices to themselves. Can they though? Boundary changes will have an impact.
Is there a neutral, reliable source that will advise voters which party to vote for if they just want to unseat the incumbent?
I don't think anyone barring MPs and spads know what the proposed new seats are and what they mean.
Are they *definitely* coming into effect? If the new boundaries lose the Tories more seats I can see them scrapping it.
Looking briefly at the relevant Act it talks about how a draft Order in Council 'must' be submitted by the Secretary of State or Minister for the Cabinet Office, and this must be no later than four months after the necessary reprots have been laid before parliament.
There is some wiggle room for exceptional circumstances, but those surely don't apply.
How many Privy Councillors are there? A few hundred at a guess. Do they ever get together to chew the fat and talk about the good old days? More significantly, do they ever get together to discuss anything important and take a decision in the presence of His Majesty? I suspect not. Maybe their time is nigh? A few of them must surely be itching to wield a little power after 20, 30 or 40 years in the wilderness.
IIRC only those counsellors asked to attend are supposed to come, and I assume that's just ministers. And since it's meant to be a rubber stamping exercise, not a vote, and the Act in this case says an Order must be drafted, it'd take some Boris level shenanigans to somehow present it (as the law requires) but advise the King not to assent to it!
But hey, I'm no lawyer, and if they want another case taken to the Supreme Court more power to them.
Isn’t cabinet technically a sub committee of the privy council?
Anyhow, after roughing it in my wooden cabin for roughly half an hour, I went and enjoyed a five course dinner with fine wines, which by remarkable good fortune was on offer not that many yards away, leaving the dog crossly alone with the view of the barren shore and a perpetually grey sky….
This year’s Radio Four Xmas Appeal should be ‘sun lamps for Norway’
Nature is cruel this summer. Half of Europe in unbearable heat, the other half in rain and grey cold skies. A tiny sliver along the channel, Biscay and Southern Baltic at reasonable summer temperatures.
Scotland is great. Long, hot (but not unbearable) early Summer, now changeable. sunny spellls, plenty of rain (but often at night) - bliss.
I’ve had a Swiss colleague moaning about the Scottish weather at me the last couple of weeks because he’s there with in-laws, as if a. Scottish weather is the same as average UK weather, b. I being British am somehow responsible for the weather he is experiencing.
Really annoys me when people bang on about our climate as if it’s somehow a cultural failing we should be apologising for. The Americans are worst at this but the Swiss, Germans and Italians are at it too. (Not so much the French, too busy moaning about how their own country is going to the dogs and Macron is a fascist).
The Dutch have an unquenchable desire for the Highlands. Elevations over 100m stirs their flat souls with wonder. They will endure any weather, hot, cold, wet or dry, just to gaze on a horizon that isn't ... horizontal.
Growing up in Dagenham, it was years before I saw a hill that did not have trains running underneath it.
In Norfolk on for a week last month, Mrs P: "How do they do the hill-starts on the driving tests round here?" (She took a few in Bath way back.)
Why, oh why, does he (or his team) push out such rubbish? Who gives and actual flying fuck about his family going to the flicks?
Do they think it makes the multi-millionaire Sunak family, look more just like normal people?
You can't imagine the Thatchers putting out that sort of publicity shot, can you?
Nor the Blairs or Camerons. It's just too naff for words.
Of course the problem with these predictions is taking into account smartphones becoming ubiquitous and twitter really taking off and it wasn't really until Cameron's time that these sorts of instant, candid family snaps, and a culture of loads of people not just the famous posting random stuff about themselves all the time, was so widespread. I guess FaceBook maybe, but would a Blair at his height of popularity not made use of such things?
Why, oh why, does he (or his team) push out such rubbish? Who gives and actual flying fuck about his family going to the flicks?
Do they think it makes the multi-millionaire Sunak family, look more just like normal people?
Just noticed they are going to see Barbie, not Oppenheimer. The tweet is fine by me, and I doubt their wealth will shift a single vote, just like it didn't with all our previous millionaire Prime Ministers.
Why, oh why, does he (or his team) push out such rubbish? Who gives and actual flying fuck about his family going to the flicks?
Do they think it makes the multi-millionaire Sunak family, look more just like normal people?
Just noticed they are going to see Barbie, not Oppenheimer. The tweet is fine by me, and I doubt their wealth will shift a single vote, just like it didn't with all our previous millionaire Prime Ministers.
Tagged Barbenheimer so likely both
I assumed it was just a joke to tie into some mild virality around the two films, rather than actually seeing both today. I know TSE did it, but it'd make a long evening!
Arrived at the cinema last night at 8pm and didn't leave until gone 2.30am.
I thank Allah I have a bladder the size of the Sahara.
Why, oh why, does he (or his team) push out such rubbish? Who gives and actual flying fuck about his family going to the flicks?
Do they think it makes the multi-millionaire Sunak family, look more just like normal people?
Just noticed they are going to see Barbie, not Oppenheimer. The tweet is fine by me, and I doubt their wealth will shift a single vote, just like it didn't with all our previous millionaire Prime Ministers.
Tagged Barbenheimer so likely both
I assumed it was just a joke to tie into some mild virality around the two films, rather than actually seeing both today. I know TSE did it, but it'd make a long evening!
Arrived at the cinema last night at 8pm and didn't leave until gone 2.30am.
I thank Allah I have a bladder the size of the Sahara.
His blessings are strangely specific, but welcome no doubt.
Why, oh why, does he (or his team) push out such rubbish? Who gives and actual flying fuck about his family going to the flicks?
Do they think it makes the multi-millionaire Sunak family, look more just like normal people?
Just noticed they are going to see Barbie, not Oppenheimer. The tweet is fine by me, and I doubt their wealth will shift a single vote, just like it didn't with all our previous millionaire Prime Ministers.
Tagged Barbenheimer so likely both
I assumed it was just a joke to tie into some mild virality around the two films, rather than actually seeing both today. I know TSE did it, but it'd make a long evening!
Arrived at the cinema last night at 8pm and didn't leave until gone 2.30am.
I thank Allah I have a bladder the size of the Sahara.
Here south of Watford there are toilets in cinemas
Why, oh why, does he (or his team) push out such rubbish? Who gives and actual flying fuck about his family going to the flicks?
Do they think it makes the multi-millionaire Sunak family, look more just like normal people?
Just noticed they are going to see Barbie, not Oppenheimer. The tweet is fine by me, and I doubt their wealth will shift a single vote, just like it didn't with all our previous millionaire Prime Ministers.
Tagged Barbenheimer so likely both
I assumed it was just a joke to tie into some mild virality around the two films, rather than actually seeing both today. I know TSE did it, but it'd make a long evening!
Arrived at the cinema last night at 8pm and didn't leave until gone 2.30am.
I thank Allah I have a bladder the size of the Sahara.
Here south of Watford there are toilets in cinemas
And miss even a second of Cillian Murphy staring into the middle distance? I think not.
Why, oh why, does he (or his team) push out such rubbish? Who gives and actual flying fuck about his family going to the flicks?
Do they think it makes the multi-millionaire Sunak family, look more just like normal people?
Just noticed they are going to see Barbie, not Oppenheimer. The tweet is fine by me, and I doubt their wealth will shift a single vote, just like it didn't with all our previous millionaire Prime Ministers.
Tagged Barbenheimer so likely both
I assumed it was just a joke to tie into some mild virality around the two films, rather than actually seeing both today. I know TSE did it, but it'd make a long evening!
Arrived at the cinema last night at 8pm and didn't leave until gone 2.30am.
I thank Allah I have a bladder the size of the Sahara.
Here south of Watford there are toilets in cinemas
You don't want to leave during the film as you might miss a key scene or two.
'According to figures released this week by the English Housing Survey, the proportion of English owners of second homes who have properties in Europe has fallen again, with 60% of holiday homes located in the UK rather than outside it.
Why, oh why, does he (or his team) push out such rubbish? Who gives and actual flying fuck about his family going to the flicks?
Do they think it makes the multi-millionaire Sunak family, look more just like normal people?
Just noticed they are going to see Barbie, not Oppenheimer. The tweet is fine by me, and I doubt their wealth will shift a single vote, just like it didn't with all our previous millionaire Prime Ministers.
Tagged Barbenheimer so likely both
I assumed it was just a joke to tie into some mild virality around the two films, rather than actually seeing both today. I know TSE did it, but it'd make a long evening!
Arrived at the cinema last night at 8pm and didn't leave until gone 2.30am.
I thank Allah I have a bladder the size of the Sahara.
Here south of Watford there are toilets in cinemas
And miss even a second of Cillian Murphy staring into the middle distance? I think not.
The thing that really blew my mind, it was maybe half way through the film that I realised that the aides to Lewis Strauss/Robert Downey Jr were Han Solo and Gordon Molloy from The Orville.
'According to figures released this week by the English Housing Survey, the proportion of English owners of second homes who have properties in Europe has fallen again, with 60% of holiday homes located in the UK rather than outside it.
'According to figures released this week by the English Housing Survey, the proportion of English owners of second homes who have properties in Europe has fallen again, with 60% of holiday homes located in the UK rather than outside it.
Why, oh why, does he (or his team) push out such rubbish? Who gives and actual flying fuck about his family going to the flicks?
Do they think it makes the multi-millionaire Sunak family, look more just like normal people?
Just noticed they are going to see Barbie, not Oppenheimer. The tweet is fine by me, and I doubt their wealth will shift a single vote, just like it didn't with all our previous millionaire Prime Ministers.
Tagged Barbenheimer so likely both
I assumed it was just a joke to tie into some mild virality around the two films, rather than actually seeing both today. I know TSE did it, but it'd make a long evening!
Arrived at the cinema last night at 8pm and didn't leave until gone 2.30am.
I thank Allah I have a bladder the size of the Sahara.
Here south of Watford there are toilets in cinemas
And miss even a second of Cillian Murphy staring into the middle distance? I think not.
The thing that really blew my mind, it was maybe half way through the film that I realised that the aides to Lewis Strauss/Robert Downey Jr were Han Solo and Gordon Molloy from The Orville.
It was one of those films where because the director is acclaimed lots of minor roles are filled by recognisable figures when it really could have been anyone (Asteroid City was the same, except shit). Granted the chap from The Orville would not be that known to most.
I had no idea who Ensign Boimler was playing he was in it so briefly - turns out Richard Feynman according to IMDB.
Why, oh why, does he (or his team) push out such rubbish? Who gives and actual flying fuck about his family going to the flicks?
Do they think it makes the multi-millionaire Sunak family, look more just like normal people?
Just noticed they are going to see Barbie, not Oppenheimer. The tweet is fine by me, and I doubt their wealth will shift a single vote, just like it didn't with all our previous millionaire Prime Ministers.
Tagged Barbenheimer so likely both
I assumed it was just a joke to tie into some mild virality around the two films, rather than actually seeing both today. I know TSE did it, but it'd make a long evening!
Arrived at the cinema last night at 8pm and didn't leave until gone 2.30am.
I thank Allah I have a bladder the size of the Sahara.
Here south of Watford there are toilets in cinemas
And miss even a second of Cillian Murphy staring into the middle distance? I think not.
The thing that really blew my mind, it was maybe half way through the film that I realised that the aides to Lewis Strauss/Robert Downey Jr were Han Solo and Gordon Molloy from The Orville.
It was one of those films where because the director is acclaimed lots of minor roles are filled by recognisable figures when it really could have been anyone (Asteroid City was the same, except shit). Granted the chap from The Orville would not be that known to most.
I had no idea who Ensign Boimler was playing he was in it so briefly - turns out Richard Feynman according to IMDB.
Do the PM's security detail buy tickets or do they just stay outside the theatre?
You mean No. 10 doesn't have it's own in-house Cineworld multiplex?
Turn right instead of going straight on in the underground tunnel towards the Cabinet Office Briefing Rooms. Believe that Boris Johnson often went the wrong way down there early in the pandemic. Easy mistake to make.
'According to figures released this week by the English Housing Survey, the proportion of English owners of second homes who have properties in Europe has fallen again, with 60% of holiday homes located in the UK rather than outside it.
The rich buying up half of Cornwall instead of just a third - another of the more pernicious effects of Brexit.
Holiday homes should be taxed at punitive rates. Ditto AirBnB's.
Should be minimum x10 Council Tax + special large charge on income and capital gains 👍
Never had you and Pigeon down as campaigners for higher taxes.
I am a working class Conservative. I don't like unearned wealth. Hence I favour lopping the taxes on it. Hope you agree with me.
I'm with you there!
HY will be along in a moment to explain you can't be a true Conservative is you don't support the inalienable right of posh kids to inherit gazillions.
Anyhow, after roughing it in my wooden cabin for roughly half an hour, I went and enjoyed a five course dinner with fine wines, which by remarkable good fortune was on offer not that many yards away, leaving the dog crossly alone with the view of the barren shore and a perpetually grey sky….
This year’s Radio Four Xmas Appeal should be ‘sun lamps for Norway’
Nature is cruel this summer. Half of Europe in unbearable heat, the other half in rain and grey cold skies. A tiny sliver along the channel, Biscay and Southern Baltic at reasonable summer temperatures.
Scotland is great. Long, hot (but not unbearable) early Summer, now changeable. sunny spellls, plenty of rain (but often at night) - bliss.
I’ve had a Swiss colleague moaning about the Scottish weather at me the last couple of weeks because he’s there with in-laws, as if a. Scottish weather is the same as average UK weather, b. I being British am somehow responsible for the weather he is experiencing.
Really annoys me when people bang on about our climate as if it’s somehow a cultural failing we should be apologising for. The Americans are worst at this but the Swiss, Germans and Italians are at it too. (Not so much the French, too busy moaning about how their own country is going to the dogs and Macron is a fascist).
If he's gone to Scotland planning for anything except rain, he's an idiot. You don't visit Scotland for the weather - if you get flashes of glorious sunshine, you're grateful.
Anyhow, after roughing it in my wooden cabin for roughly half an hour, I went and enjoyed a five course dinner with fine wines, which by remarkable good fortune was on offer not that many yards away, leaving the dog crossly alone with the view of the barren shore and a perpetually grey sky….
This year’s Radio Four Xmas Appeal should be ‘sun lamps for Norway’
Nature is cruel this summer. Half of Europe in unbearable heat, the other half in rain and grey cold skies. A tiny sliver along the channel, Biscay and Southern Baltic at reasonable summer temperatures.
Scotland is great. Long, hot (but not unbearable) early Summer, now changeable. sunny spellls, plenty of rain (but often at night) - bliss.
I’ve had a Swiss colleague moaning about the Scottish weather at me the last couple of weeks because he’s there with in-laws, as if a. Scottish weather is the same as average UK weather, b. I being British am somehow responsible for the weather he is experiencing.
Really annoys me when people bang on about our climate as if it’s somehow a cultural failing we should be apologising for. The Americans are worst at this but the Swiss, Germans and Italians are at it too. (Not so much the French, too busy moaning about how their own country is going to the dogs and Macron is a fascist).
If he's gone to Scotland planning for anything except rain, he's an idiot. You don't visit Scotland for the weather - if you get flashes of glorious sunshine, you're grateful.
Isn't it meant to be the cloudiest country in Europe?
Regarding the header, ...voters can work out their choices to themselves. Can they though? Boundary changes will have an impact.
Is there a neutral, reliable source that will advise voters which party to vote for if they just want to unseat the incumbent?
I don't think anyone barring MPs and spads know what the proposed new seats are and what they mean.
Are they *definitely* coming into effect? If the new boundaries lose the Tories more seats I can see them scrapping it.
Looking briefly at the relevant Act it talks about how a draft Order in Council 'must' be submitted by the Secretary of State or Minister for the Cabinet Office, and this must be no later than four months after the necessary reprots have been laid before parliament.
There is some wiggle room for exceptional circumstances, but those surely don't apply.
It is good but it doesn't help voters know how their new constituency would have voted last time.
Electoral calculus has this information. Im sure many other sites will too, closer to the GE.
I think people subliminally know something like this, at least about English seats.
In England the great majority of seats are Lab and Con or vice versa in positions 1 and 2. Job done.
There are almost no Lab v LD seats, and the exceptions are intellectual hotbeds that can sort themselves, and anyway it makes no difference to beating the Tories.
The significant number of Con v LD seats are clustered in the south west and in smarter/more educated and self regarding bits of the country, especially south and south east. In all these seats the LDs will send you a bar chart bearing some trace of relation to the truth, unlike, say, in Bootle or South Holland, where they won't.
Seats with close three way split will have to hold a cage fight to decide.
Anyhow, after roughing it in my wooden cabin for roughly half an hour, I went and enjoyed a five course dinner with fine wines, which by remarkable good fortune was on offer not that many yards away, leaving the dog crossly alone with the view of the barren shore and a perpetually grey sky….
This year’s Radio Four Xmas Appeal should be ‘sun lamps for Norway’
Nature is cruel this summer. Half of Europe in unbearable heat, the other half in rain and grey cold skies. A tiny sliver along the channel, Biscay and Southern Baltic at reasonable summer temperatures.
Scotland is great. Long, hot (but not unbearable) early Summer, now changeable. sunny spellls, plenty of rain (but often at night) - bliss.
I’ve had a Swiss colleague moaning about the Scottish weather at me the last couple of weeks because he’s there with in-laws, as if a. Scottish weather is the same as average UK weather, b. I being British am somehow responsible for the weather he is experiencing.
Really annoys me when people bang on about our climate as if it’s somehow a cultural failing we should be apologising for. The Americans are worst at this but the Swiss, Germans and Italians are at it too. (Not so much the French, too busy moaning about how their own country is going to the dogs and Macron is a fascist).
If he's gone to Scotland planning for anything except rain, he's an idiot. You don't visit Scotland for the weather - if you get flashes of glorious sunshine, you're grateful.
Arctic terms - miracles of nature - who rotate between the arctic and antarctic circles find Scotland a happy stopping off place, reminding them of the frozen wastes.
'According to figures released this week by the English Housing Survey, the proportion of English owners of second homes who have properties in Europe has fallen again, with 60% of holiday homes located in the UK rather than outside it.
'According to figures released this week by the English Housing Survey, the proportion of English owners of second homes who have properties in Europe has fallen again, with 60% of holiday homes located in the UK rather than outside it.
The rich buying up half of Cornwall instead of just a third - another of the more pernicious effects of Brexit.
Holiday homes should be taxed at punitive rates. Ditto AirBnB's.
Should be minimum x10 Council Tax + special large charge on income and capital gains 👍
Never had you and Pigeon down as campaigners for higher taxes.
I am a working class Conservative. I don't like unearned wealth. Hence I favour lopping the taxes on it. Hope you agree with me.
I'm with you there!
HY will be along in a moment to explain you can't be a true Conservative is you don't support the inalienable right of posh kids to inherit gazillions.
I favour high taxes on inheritance too so yes I will disagree with @HYUFD - he knows my views on this 👍
Anyhow, after roughing it in my wooden cabin for roughly half an hour, I went and enjoyed a five course dinner with fine wines, which by remarkable good fortune was on offer not that many yards away, leaving the dog crossly alone with the view of the barren shore and a perpetually grey sky….
This year’s Radio Four Xmas Appeal should be ‘sun lamps for Norway’
Nature is cruel this summer. Half of Europe in unbearable heat, the other half in rain and grey cold skies. A tiny sliver along the channel, Biscay and Southern Baltic at reasonable summer temperatures.
Scotland is great. Long, hot (but not unbearable) early Summer, now changeable. sunny spellls, plenty of rain (but often at night) - bliss.
I’ve had a Swiss colleague moaning about the Scottish weather at me the last couple of weeks because he’s there with in-laws, as if a. Scottish weather is the same as average UK weather, b. I being British am somehow responsible for the weather he is experiencing.
Really annoys me when people bang on about our climate as if it’s somehow a cultural failing we should be apologising for. The Americans are worst at this but the Swiss, Germans and Italians are at it too. (Not so much the French, too busy moaning about how their own country is going to the dogs and Macron is a fascist).
If he's gone to Scotland planning for anything except rain, he's an idiot. You don't visit Scotland for the weather - if you get flashes of glorious sunshine, you're grateful.
Isn't it meant to be the cloudiest country in Europe?
When I studied in Edinburgh, German colleagues said they were thrilled with the weather because in their part of Germany, it was mild but permanently overcast, whereas Scotland is like the rest of the UK, constantly changing. Just a few degrees colder than England.
'According to figures released this week by the English Housing Survey, the proportion of English owners of second homes who have properties in Europe has fallen again, with 60% of holiday homes located in the UK rather than outside it.
The rich buying up half of Cornwall instead of just a third - another of the more pernicious effects of Brexit.
Holiday homes should be taxed at punitive rates. Ditto AirBnB's.
Should be minimum x10 Council Tax + special large charge on income and capital gains 👍
Never had you and Pigeon down as campaigners for higher taxes.
I am a working class Conservative. I don't like unearned wealth. Hence I favour lopping the taxes on it. Hope you agree with me.
I'm with you there!
HY will be along in a moment to explain you can't be a true Conservative is you don't support the inalienable right of posh kids to inherit gazillions.
I favour high taxes on inheritance too so yes I will disagree with @HYUFD - he knows my views on this 👍
'According to figures released this week by the English Housing Survey, the proportion of English owners of second homes who have properties in Europe has fallen again, with 60% of holiday homes located in the UK rather than outside it.
The rich buying up half of Cornwall instead of just a third - another of the more pernicious effects of Brexit.
Holiday homes should be taxed at punitive rates. Ditto AirBnB's.
Should be minimum x10 Council Tax + special large charge on income and capital gains 👍
Never had you and Pigeon down as campaigners for higher taxes.
I am a working class Conservative. I don't like unearned wealth. Hence I favour lopping the taxes on it. Hope you agree with me.
You are assuming a 2nd home owner bought them with unearned wealth. I assume for the vast majority that is not true.
Rapid inflation of house prices without having to live in it = unearned wealth. And shit for the locals.
Even beach huts are insane. The average price of a Dorset *beach hut* is about 120K plus IIRC. from the latest issue of Which. This probably refers to it.
Why, oh why, does he (or his team) push out such rubbish? Who gives and actual flying fuck about his family going to the flicks?
Do they think it makes the multi-millionaire Sunak family, look more just like normal people?
Just noticed they are going to see Barbie, not Oppenheimer. The tweet is fine by me, and I doubt their wealth will shift a single vote, just like it didn't with all our previous millionaire Prime Ministers.
Tagged Barbenheimer so likely both
I assumed it was just a joke to tie into some mild virality around the two films, rather than actually seeing both today. I know TSE did it, but it'd make a long evening!
Arrived at the cinema last night at 8pm and didn't leave until gone 2.30am.
I thank Allah I have a bladder the size of the Sahara.
Here south of Watford there are toilets in cinemas
And miss even a second of Cillian Murphy staring into the middle distance? I think not.
The thing that really blew my mind, it was maybe half way through the film that I realised that the aides to Lewis Strauss/Robert Downey Jr were Han Solo and Gordon Molloy from The Orville.
Regarding the header, ...voters can work out their choices to themselves. Can they though? Boundary changes will have an impact.
Is there a neutral, reliable source that will advise voters which party to vote for if they just want to unseat the incumbent?
I don't think anyone barring MPs and spads know what the proposed new seats are and what they mean.
Are they *definitely* coming into effect? If the new boundaries lose the Tories more seats I can see them scrapping it.
Looking briefly at the relevant Act it talks about how a draft Order in Council 'must' be submitted by the Secretary of State or Minister for the Cabinet Office, and this must be no later than four months after the necessary reprots have been laid before parliament.
There is some wiggle room for exceptional circumstances, but those surely don't apply.
It is good but it doesn't help voters know how their new constituency would have voted last time.
Electoral calculus has this information. Im sure many other sites will too, closer to the GE.
I think people subliminally know something like this, at least about English seats.
In England the great majority of seats are Lab and Con or vice versa in positions 1 and 2. Job done.
There are almost no Lab v LD seats, and the exceptions are intellectual hotbeds that can sort themselves, and anyway it makes no difference to beating the Tories.
The significant number of Con v LD seats are clustered in the south west and in smarter/more educated and self regarding bits of the country, especially south and south east. In all these seats the LDs will send you a bar chart bearing some trace of relation to the truth, unlike, say, in Bootle or South Holland, where they won't.
Seats with close three way split will have to hold a cage fight to decide.
* Membership > 700. * Yes, every cabinet minister is a member. * Yes, the cabinet is a subcommittee of it. * Do they ever all get together? No, other than when a monarch ascends or an heir gets engaged. * It's their secretariat you've got to watch. Function? Coordinating government departments. Curiously that's also one of the Cabinet Office's functions. How many bodies can there be that coordinate government departments?
Anyhow, after roughing it in my wooden cabin for roughly half an hour, I went and enjoyed a five course dinner with fine wines, which by remarkable good fortune was on offer not that many yards away, leaving the dog crossly alone with the view of the barren shore and a perpetually grey sky….
This year’s Radio Four Xmas Appeal should be ‘sun lamps for Norway’
Nature is cruel this summer. Half of Europe in unbearable heat, the other half in rain and grey cold skies. A tiny sliver along the channel, Biscay and Southern Baltic at reasonable summer temperatures.
Scotland is great. Long, hot (but not unbearable) early Summer, now changeable. sunny spellls, plenty of rain (but often at night) - bliss.
I’ve had a Swiss colleague moaning about the Scottish weather at me the last couple of weeks because he’s there with in-laws, as if a. Scottish weather is the same as average UK weather, b. I being British am somehow responsible for the weather he is experiencing.
Really annoys me when people bang on about our climate as if it’s somehow a cultural failing we should be apologising for. The Americans are worst at this but the Swiss, Germans and Italians are at it too. (Not so much the French, too busy moaning about how their own country is going to the dogs and Macron is a fascist).
If he's gone to Scotland planning for anything except rain, he's an idiot. You don't visit Scotland for the weather - if you get flashes of glorious sunshine, you're grateful.
Isn't it meant to be the cloudiest country in Europe?
The only places less climatically suited to cricket than England are Scotland and Ireland. It's one of life's strange miracles that the sport developed in a country with weather so inimical to it.
It's interesting to note that the second British Empire only really starts to get going after the MCC is formed - clearly a major motive force was to secure land with a climate better suited to playing cricket.
* Membership > 700. * Yes, every cabinet minister is a member. * Yes, the cabinet is a subcommittee of it. * Do they ever all get together? No, other than when a monarch ascends or an heir gets engaged. * It's their secretariat you've got to watch. Function? Coordinating government departments. Curiously that's also one of the Cabinet Office's functions. How many bodies can there be that coordinate government departments?
* Membership > 700. * Yes, every cabinet minister is a member. * Yes, the cabinet is a subcommittee of it. * Do they ever all get together? No, other than when a monarch ascends or an heir gets engaged. * It's their secretariat you've got to watch. Function? Coordinating government departments. Curiously that's also one of the Cabinet Office's functions. How many bodies can there be that coordinate government departments?
* Membership > 700. * Yes, every cabinet minister is a member. * Yes, the cabinet is a subcommittee of it. * Do they ever all get together? No, other than when a monarch ascends or an heir gets engaged. * It's their secretariat you've got to watch. Function? Coordinating government departments. Curiously that's also one of the Cabinet Office's functions. How many bodies can there be that coordinate government departments?
Perhaps some sort of body to coordinate the bodies that coordinate departments is needed?
I should think a dozen staff adn 1m a year budget should just about do it.
Anyhow, after roughing it in my wooden cabin for roughly half an hour, I went and enjoyed a five course dinner with fine wines, which by remarkable good fortune was on offer not that many yards away, leaving the dog crossly alone with the view of the barren shore and a perpetually grey sky….
This year’s Radio Four Xmas Appeal should be ‘sun lamps for Norway’
Nature is cruel this summer. Half of Europe in unbearable heat, the other half in rain and grey cold skies. A tiny sliver along the channel, Biscay and Southern Baltic at reasonable summer temperatures.
Scotland is great. Long, hot (but not unbearable) early Summer, now changeable. sunny spellls, plenty of rain (but often at night) - bliss.
I’ve had a Swiss colleague moaning about the Scottish weather at me the last couple of weeks because he’s there with in-laws, as if a. Scottish weather is the same as average UK weather, b. I being British am somehow responsible for the weather he is experiencing.
Really annoys me when people bang on about our climate as if it’s somehow a cultural failing we should be apologising for. The Americans are worst at this but the Swiss, Germans and Italians are at it too. (Not so much the French, too busy moaning about how their own country is going to the dogs and Macron is a fascist).
If he's gone to Scotland planning for anything except rain, he's an idiot. You don't visit Scotland for the weather - if you get flashes of glorious sunshine, you're grateful.
I had 10 cloudless days in the hebrides in June this year (also windless and was trying to sail so not ideal), two virtually Caribbean summers in 1984 and 2006 (the only 2 complete summers I have had up there), and a cloudless week doing the cuillins in about 2010. You just have to time it.
Why, oh why, does he (or his team) push out such rubbish? Who gives and actual flying fuck about his family going to the flicks?
Do they think it makes the multi-millionaire Sunak family, look more just like normal people?
Just noticed they are going to see Barbie, not Oppenheimer. The tweet is fine by me, and I doubt their wealth will shift a single vote, just like it didn't with all our previous millionaire Prime Ministers.
Tagged Barbenheimer so likely both
I assumed it was just a joke to tie into some mild virality around the two films, rather than actually seeing both today. I know TSE did it, but it'd make a long evening!
Arrived at the cinema last night at 8pm and didn't leave until gone 2.30am.
I thank Allah I have a bladder the size of the Sahara.
Here south of Watford there are toilets in cinemas
And miss even a second of Cillian Murphy staring into the middle distance? I think not.
The thing that really blew my mind, it was maybe half way through the film that I realised that the aides to Lewis Strauss/Robert Downey Jr were Han Solo and Gordon Molloy from The Orville.
Why, oh why, does he (or his team) push out such rubbish? Who gives and actual flying fuck about his family going to the flicks?
Do they think it makes the multi-millionaire Sunak family, look more just like normal people?
Just noticed they are going to see Barbie, not Oppenheimer. The tweet is fine by me, and I doubt their wealth will shift a single vote, just like it didn't with all our previous millionaire Prime Ministers.
Tagged Barbenheimer so likely both
I assumed it was just a joke to tie into some mild virality around the two films, rather than actually seeing both today. I know TSE did it, but it'd make a long evening!
Arrived at the cinema last night at 8pm and didn't leave until gone 2.30am.
I thank Allah I have a bladder the size of the Sahara.
Here south of Watford there are toilets in cinemas
And miss even a second of Cillian Murphy staring into the middle distance? I think not.
The thing that really blew my mind, it was maybe half way through the film that I realised that the aides to Lewis Strauss/Robert Downey Jr were Han Solo and Gordon Molloy from The Orville.
Harrison Ford???
No.
Harrison Ford was THE Han Solo in:
A New Hope The Empire Strikes Back Return of the Jedi The Force Awakens The Rise of Skywalker
* Membership > 700. * Yes, every cabinet minister is a member. * Yes, the cabinet is a subcommittee of it. * Do they ever all get together? No, other than when a monarch ascends or an heir gets engaged. * It's their secretariat you've got to watch. Function? Coordinating government departments. Curiously that's also one of the Cabinet Office's functions. How many bodies can there be that coordinate government departments?
Is there a Toilet Council?
That Was The Week That Was illustrated a story about the Lord Privy Seal with photos of a Lord in ermine robes, a toilet and a seal balancing a ball on its nose
'According to figures released this week by the English Housing Survey, the proportion of English owners of second homes who have properties in Europe has fallen again, with 60% of holiday homes located in the UK rather than outside it.
The rich buying up half of Cornwall instead of just a third - another of the more pernicious effects of Brexit. No
Holiday homes should be taxed at punitive rates. Ditto AirBnB's.
Should be minimum x10 Council Tax + special large charge on income and capital gains 👍
Never had you and Pigeon down as campaigners for higher taxes.
I am a working class Conservative. I don't like unearned wealth. Hence I favour lopping the taxes on it. Hope you agree with me.
You are assuming a 2nd home owner bought them with unearned wealth. I assume for the vast majority that is not true.
Rapid inflation of house prices without having to live in it = unearned wealth. And shit for the locals.
Even beach huts are insane. The average price of a Dorset *beach hut* is about 120K plus IIRC. from the latest issue of Which. This probably refers to it.
There is Capital gains tax on profit on gains on 2nd homes. I don't think we want to live in a society where we start banning people from buying stuff. You can't live in a beach hut (even if you wanted to because you are not allowed). If people want to pay silly money for a beach hut why should they not be allowed to so with bonus of taxing them on their gains.
Re 2nd homes I agree it is an issue for locals in many places, although in some places it is a bonus for locals. Southwold is almost entirely 2nd homes. The entire economy is geared around fleecing the 2nd home owners of their money. I accept this is probably not true where the 2nd home owners are spread across a wider area and inflate house prices and impact communities by reducing local populations, but where concentrated they are a godsend. Not sure how you legislate for that or whether you should.
Good grief. I’ve just seen the London weather forecast
I think I’d rather be under drone attack in Odesa
What's the weather like today in Odessa? And what colour is the boathouse in Hereford?
In Odessa, Washington? Temp 84F, zero % rainfall chance, humidity 23%, wind 10 mph
In Odessa, Ukraine = temp 77F, 3% chance of rainfall, humidity 79%, wind 9 mph
As for Heerford boathouse, dingy
Why are you still using Fahrenheit???
Because otherwise I (and we) would NOT have a clue how hot (or not) it is!!!
And WHY are YOU still weighing yourself in rocks, or whatever it is?
It makes more sense to say 10 stones than 140 pounds.
That's an interesting assertion.
I give my weight in stones generally, but why does it make 'more sense'? Certainly it is what I am used to, but pretty much any other option would make just as much sense.
Edit: Of course, my weight in pounds is 199.5, so sticking with Stones may be to my advantage.
Good grief. I’ve just seen the London weather forecast
I think I’d rather be under drone attack in Odesa
What's the weather like today in Odessa? And what colour is the boathouse in Hereford?
In Odessa, Washington? Temp 84F, zero % rainfall chance, humidity 23%, wind 10 mph
In Odessa, Ukraine = temp 77F, 3% chance of rainfall, humidity 79%, wind 9 mph
As for Heerford boathouse, dingy
Why are you still using Fahrenheit???
Because otherwise I (and we) would NOT have a clue how hot (or not) it is!!!
And WHY are YOU still weighing yourself in rocks, or whatever it is?
It makes more sense to say 10 stones than 140 pounds.
That's an interesting assertion.
I give my weight in stones generally, but why does it make 'more sense'? Certainly it is what I am used to, but pretty much any other option would make just as much sense.
Agree. I use kg for my weight, but still use imperial for my height. In consistent by me, but acceptable
Comments
Cue Lee Anderson. "Who elected them?"
I get being suspicious of what they might attempt, but the practicalities do not look very plausible.
Returning officers for the constituencies which cross local authority boundaries have already been determined and communicated by the government to those local authorities (ie which LA's RO is the lead where there is a split). Things are already moving.
Tory 2019 mince MPs already fighting like the rats they are - either to get out quick, or to ensure they keep their seat. If there's an angle, Anderson, Gullis et al will go for it.
Australians of course very happy with our weather at the moment.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RATP_Dev_Transit_London
Rishi Sunak is going to take his daughters to see Oppenheimer, the film has two gratuitous sex scenes.
I may have to report him to social services.
https://twitter.com/RishiSunak/status/1682812164111728643
http://www.londonbusroutes.net/garages.htm
It was still a very good film, even as it did two things I generally dislike - disjointed narratives, and characters having unrealistically vivid hallucinations so the director can indulge in 'symbolism'. But in its defence I felt like most of that was justified in its case.
But hey, I'm no lawyer, and if they want another case taken to the Supreme Court more power to them.
Ten years ago, the split was approximately even, with 51% of second homes located outside the UK, mainly in France or Spain.'
https://www.theguardian.com/money/2023/jul/22/english-housing-survey-second-homes-europe-brexit
Do they think it makes the multi-millionaire Sunak family, look more just like normal people?
I do think it's a bit weird when public figures put in their twitter bios things like 'Cabinet Minister. Dad of Two' sort of thing. I get people revealing things of themselves on social media, and showing they are human and probably pretty normal, and no doubt proud of their families and trying to show they are more than the thing they are know for, but it still causes me to do a double take.
And yes, of course, you're quite right. The Council is packed from the outset because only compliant members are invited to attend. Maybe Parliament could be managed along similar lines.
If you think it doesn't make a difference, at least at the margins, then you are incredibly naive.
Holiday homes should be taxed at punitive rates. Ditto AirBnB's.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-12327161/Barbie-Oppenheimer-break-records-look-propel-weekend-box-office-fourth-highest-weekend-grosses-TIME-300-million-haul.html
The United States in 2024? Nope, Israel in 2023:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jul/22/tens-of-thousands-of-israelis-march-as-vote-on-judicial-curbs-nears
I thank Allah I have a bladder the size of the Sahara.
I had no idea who Ensign Boimler was playing he was in it so briefly - turns out Richard Feynman according to IMDB.
Oh and Asteroid City is fantastic
HY will be along in a moment to explain you can't be a true Conservative is you don't support the inalienable right of posh kids to inherit gazillions.
In England the great majority of seats are Lab and Con or vice versa in positions 1 and 2. Job done.
There are almost no Lab v LD seats, and the exceptions are intellectual hotbeds that can sort themselves, and anyway it makes no difference to beating the Tories.
The significant number of Con v LD seats are clustered in the south west and in smarter/more educated and self regarding bits of the country, especially south and south east. In all these seats the LDs will send you a bar chart bearing some trace of relation to the truth, unlike, say, in Bootle or South Holland, where they won't.
Seats with close three way split will have to hold a cage fight to decide.
Even beach huts are insane. The average price of a Dorset *beach hut* is about 120K plus IIRC. from the latest issue of Which. This probably refers to it.
https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/which-money-podcast-britains-beach-hut-boom-aZOlK8x1D2tA
As well as comparisons the site has predictions based on current polling.
* Membership > 700.
* Yes, every cabinet minister is a member.
* Yes, the cabinet is a subcommittee of it.
* Do they ever all get together? No, other than when a monarch ascends or an heir gets engaged.
* It's their secretariat you've got to watch. Function? Coordinating government departments. Curiously that's also one of the Cabinet Office's functions. How many bodies can there be that coordinate government departments?
It's interesting to note that the second British Empire only really starts to get going after the MCC is formed - clearly a major motive force was to secure land with a climate better suited to playing cricket.
I should think a dozen staff adn 1m a year budget should just about do it.
Saying someone has changed from 135 lbs to 145 lbs means quite clearly a 10lb change. It is clean and simple to understand.
Stones don't add anything useful.
A New Hope
The Empire Strikes Back
Return of the Jedi
The Force Awakens
The Rise of Skywalker
Re 2nd homes I agree it is an issue for locals in many places, although in some places it is a bonus for locals. Southwold is almost entirely 2nd homes. The entire economy is geared around fleecing the 2nd home owners of their money. I accept this is probably not true where the 2nd home owners are spread across a wider area and inflate house prices and impact communities by reducing local populations, but where concentrated they are a godsend. Not sure how you legislate for that or whether you should.
I give my weight in stones generally, but why does it make 'more sense'? Certainly it is what I am used to, but pretty much any other option would make just as much sense.
Edit: Of course, my weight in pounds is 199.5, so sticking with Stones may be to my advantage.