Four of Britain’s top lawyers complain to Ofcom about BBC stance on Hamas
In a letter to Ofcom, Lord Wolfson KC, Lord Pannick KC, Lord Grabiner KC and Jeremy Brier KC urged the regulator to investigate the corporation.
The letter pointed out that the BBC referred to the Manchester Arena bombing as a “terror attack”. The BBC Bitesize GCSE guide refers to both Al Qaeda and the IRA as “terrorist” groups.
“The use of the word ‘terrorism’ is neither confusing nor imprecise. It is a very accurate statement within the natural use of the English language as to what Hamas is engaged in,” the authors said.
“If the BBC is only declining to use the word ‘terrorist’ in the context of Israel then this is further evidence of partiality (by discriminating in this case only).”
I can't read the full article, but what are they actually asking Ofcom to do about this?
Are they saying it breaches the Broadcasting Code for the BBC not to use the word that they would use about Hamas? Even if one agrees with them that the word "terrorist" is wholly appropriate for BBC journalists to use themselves rather than merely attributing it to others (and I do broadly agree with that point) it simply isn't the role of Ofcom to set the editorial policy of broadcasters, particularly in terms of what they DON'T say. Instead, they look at content actually broadcast and whether it complies with defined rules.
It just isn't enough simply to say they'd have reported a story differently. The whole point of broadcast regulation is it gives broad editorial discretion to channels, but patrols the boundaries on taste, decency etc. Eminent lawyers should, and I'd suggest probably do, know that.
They are complaining that the BBC isn't upholding impartiality, because despite the claims of the likes of John Simpson they have been happy to use terrorist / terrorism numerous other times. Thus their complaint is this they are ducking their duties by not calling out this act of terrorism.
Personally I find the constant letter writing campaigns to OfCom tedious, be for GB News or this. However, the BBC are getting this wrong, the "we don't do this because it would be taking sides" is nonsense. Were they taking sides when they called the Manchester bomber a terrorist / terrorist events...
This isn't a matter of Israel vs Palestine and trying to judge which side has / hasn't overstepped the mark, it is terrorists from Hamas (a terrorist organisation) carrying out acts of barbarism. And in other scenarios where such things have taken place they have described them as such.
That's pure sophistry by the KCs, I'm afraid.
The issue isn't whether the BBC has used the term "terrorist" in the past in other cases, it's about due impartiality in THIS case. And in this case, the BBC would point out that they have been more than clear about the facts of what individuals directed by Hamas have done, and that it has widely been described as terrorist action, and what the Israeli response has been and the different reactions to that.
I agree I'd not do what the BBC are doing on use of the word "terrorist" if I was Head of News at the Beeb. But it in no way means they are in breach of Ofcom's Broadcasting Code. It means I'd have a different editorial policy. But broadcasters can and do have widely different editorial policies, and that is fine as long as they don't cross defined boundaries... which this one quite plainly doesn't.
As I say, I am not a fan of the letter writing campaigns. Bit like the open letter nonsense we now get in every general election campaign.
However, the BBC really aren't doing themselves any favours here. Not exactly hard for somebody in management to send a memo saying in this specific case, it is absolutely undeniable what it is. John Simpson looks a berk trying to say well its a loaded term which people use about an outfit they disapprove of morally. It's simply not the BBC's job to tell people who to support and who to condemn - who are the good guys and who are the bad guys......
If you can't disapprove of decapitating babies, you have serious issues with your morality settings. I am reminded of the Mitchell and Webb sketch about the Nazi's, going maybe are we the bad guys....
"Aren't doing themselves any favours" is in no way the same as being in breach of the Broadcasting Code. Eldorado didn't do the BBC any favours, but wasn't in breach of anything.
And Simpson's point clearly isn't that you "can't disapprove of decapitating babies". It's that you don't need to. You simply report what happened and the moral judgment is utterly obvious.
Like I say, I'd not take the same editorial approach as the BBC on this one. But it is easily within allowed boundaries and there is no question whatsoever of a breach of due impartiality in this case, nor any other breach. The KCs know this.
"Aren't doing themselves any favours" is in no way the same as being in breach of the Broadcasting Code. Eldorado didn't do the BBC any favours, but wasn't in breach of anything.
And Simpson's point clearly isn't that you "can't disapprove of decapitating babies". It's that you don't need to. You simply report what happened and the moral judgment is utterly obvious.
Like I say, I'd not take the same editorial approach as the BBC on this one. But it is easily within allowed boundaries and there is no question whatsoever of a breach of due impartiality in this case, nor any other breach. The KCs know this.
Simpson's problem is he hasn't always done this, he has engaged in the use of these terms before.....as have the BBC.
In reality, we all know what is really going on, they are shit scared of upsetting a small group of people over a conflict that has gone on forever and no sign it will ever stop. Same with all the celebs keeping their heads down when they are normally super quick to have their I support the latest cause flag on their twitter pic. Some might suggest its cowardice.
You only have to compare the usual I stand with Ukraine, France after Bataclan, etc etc etc, none are doing that for Israel.
Four of Britain’s top lawyers complain to Ofcom about BBC stance on Hamas
In a letter to Ofcom, Lord Wolfson KC, Lord Pannick KC, Lord Grabiner KC and Jeremy Brier KC urged the regulator to investigate the corporation.
The letter pointed out that the BBC referred to the Manchester Arena bombing as a “terror attack”. The BBC Bitesize GCSE guide refers to both Al Qaeda and the IRA as “terrorist” groups.
“The use of the word ‘terrorism’ is neither confusing nor imprecise. It is a very accurate statement within the natural use of the English language as to what Hamas is engaged in,” the authors said.
“If the BBC is only declining to use the word ‘terrorist’ in the context of Israel then this is further evidence of partiality (by discriminating in this case only).”
I can't read the full article, but what are they actually asking Ofcom to do about this?
Are they saying it breaches the Broadcasting Code for the BBC not to use the word that they would use about Hamas? Even if one agrees with them that the word "terrorist" is wholly appropriate for BBC journalists to use themselves rather than merely attributing it to others (and I do broadly agree with that point) it simply isn't the role of Ofcom to set the editorial policy of broadcasters, particularly in terms of what they DON'T say. Instead, they look at content actually broadcast and whether it complies with defined rules.
It just isn't enough simply to say they'd have reported a story differently. The whole point of broadcast regulation is it gives broad editorial discretion to channels, but patrols the boundaries on taste, decency etc. Eminent lawyers should, and I'd suggest probably do, know that.
They are complaining that the BBC isn't upholding impartiality, because despite the claims of the likes of John Simpson they have been happy to use terrorist / terrorism numerous other times. Thus their complaint is this they are ducking their duties by not calling out this act of terrorism.
Personally I find the constant letter writing campaigns to OfCom tedious, be for GB News or this. However, the BBC are getting this wrong, the "we don't do this because it would be taking sides" is nonsense. Were they taking sides when they called the Manchester bomber a terrorist / terrorist events...
This isn't a matter of Israel vs Palestine and trying to judge which side has / hasn't overstepped the mark, it is terrorists from Hamas (a terrorist organisation) carrying out acts of barbarism. And in other scenarios where such things have taken place they have described them as such.
That's pure sophistry by the KCs, I'm afraid.
The issue isn't whether the BBC has used the term "terrorist" in the past in other cases, it's about due impartiality in THIS case. And in this case, the BBC would point out that they have been more than clear about the facts of what individuals directed by Hamas have done, and that it has widely been described as terrorist action, and what the Israeli response has been and the different reactions to that.
I agree I'd not do what the BBC are doing on use of the word "terrorist" if I was Head of News at the Beeb. But it in no way means they are in breach of Ofcom's Broadcasting Code. It means I'd have a different editorial policy. But broadcasters can and do have widely different editorial policies, and that is fine as long as they don't cross defined boundaries... which this one quite plainly doesn't.
As I say, I am not a fan of the letter writing campaigns. Bit like the open letter to the papers nonsense we now get in every general election campaign.
However, the BBC really aren't doing themselves any favours here. Not exactly hard for somebody in management to send a memo saying in this specific case, it is absolutely undeniable what it is.
John Simpson looks a berk trying to say well "its a loaded term which people use about an outfit they disapprove of morally. It's simply not the BBC's job to tell people who to support and who to condemn - who are the good guys and who are the bad guys"......"Our business is to present our audiences with the facts, and let them make up their own minds".
If you can't disapprove of decapitating babies and call that terrorism, you have serious issues with your morality settings. I am reminded of the Mitchell and Webb sketch about the Nazi's, going maybe we are the bad guys....
The real issue for me is the tone of “what Israel is GOING to do WILL be dreadful”. There’s a sense of breathless excitement about that. Will it? Well let’s judge it when it happens shall we?
But then I’m old fashioned and find even the modern style of “today the PM WILL say XYZ” really annoying, I am forever shouting at the radio/TV saying “first let them speak and then let’s dissect it - ignore the advance press release”.
And don’t get be started on the BBC online style of “X is a bastard - Y” as opposed to “Y says X is a bastard”. The former is the usual approach and I think implies BBC endorsement.
As we're talkin about the Lizzie Line, the DfT are now saying that no funding has been released by its cancellation, and all proposed projects will have to go through the usual process. The "pot of money" created by HS2 phase 1b/2 cancellation does not exist.
"From DfT's Dame Bernadette Kelly: 'I also note that the VfM of the £35.9bn of alternative transport investments proposed will need to be considered separately and on a case-by-case basis in the light of further business case analysis for those individual projects and programmes.'"
As we're talkin about the Lizzie Line, the DfT are now saying that no funding has been released by its cancellation, and all proposed projects will have to go through the usual process. The "pot of money" created by HS2 phase 1b/2 cancellation does not exist.
"From DfT's Dame Bernadette Kelly: 'I also note that the VfM of the £35.9bn of alternative transport investments proposed will need to be considered separately and on a case-by-case basis in the light of further business case analysis for those individual projects and programmes.'"
Hang on, that isn’t saying no funding has been released. That is saying any replacement project will still have to show it adds up. That’s surely something we all agree with for any project, Government or not?
As we're talkin about the Lizzie Line, the DfT are now saying that no funding has been released by its cancellation, and all proposed projects will have to go through the usual process. The "pot of money" created by HS2 phase 1b/2 cancellation does not exist.
"From DfT's Dame Bernadette Kelly: 'I also note that the VfM of the £35.9bn of alternative transport investments proposed will need to be considered separately and on a case-by-case basis in the light of further business case analysis for those individual projects and programmes.'"
Hang on, that isn’t saying no funding has been released. That is saying any replacement project will still have to show it adds up. That’s surely something we all agree with for any project, Government or not?
The HS2 funding doesn't exist. It's saying that every project would have to go through exactly the same hoops to get money that HS2 did.
Some people have sold this as though there was a massive pot of money hanging out somewhere down the back of a sofa in the treasury, waiting to be used on HS2; and that they could now shove their hands down the side of that sofa, pick it up, and use it on all these other wonderful projects (that have already been delivered...)
That's not the case. The money that would be used for the scrapped HS2 works is not ringfenced for the project, and will instead probably get used on something like raising nurse's salaries, or more staplers for the civil service. Probably good things, but *not* infrastructure.
Or they may just not borrow the money, and spend the non-existent money on nothing.
As we're talkin about the Lizzie Line, the DfT are now saying that no funding has been released by its cancellation, and all proposed projects will have to go through the usual process. The "pot of money" created by HS2 phase 1b/2 cancellation does not exist.
"From DfT's Dame Bernadette Kelly: 'I also note that the VfM of the £35.9bn of alternative transport investments proposed will need to be considered separately and on a case-by-case basis in the light of further business case analysis for those individual projects and programmes.'"
Hang on, that isn’t saying no funding has been released. That is saying any replacement project will still have to show it adds up. That’s surely something we all agree with for any project, Government or not?
The HS2 funding doesn't exist. It's saying that every project would have to go through exactly the same hoops to get money that HS2 did.
Some people have sold this as though there was a massive pot of money hanging out somewhere down the back of a sofa in the treasury, waiting to be used on HS2; and that they could now shove their hands down the side of that sofa, pick it up, and use it on all these other wonderful projects (that have already been delivered...)
That's not the case. The money that would be used for the scrapped HS2 works is not ringfenced for the project, and will instead probably get used on something like raising nurse's salaries, or more staplers for the civil service. Probably good things, but *not* infrastructure.
Or they may just not borrow the money, and spend the non-existent money on nothing.
As we're talkin about the Lizzie Line, the DfT are now saying that no funding has been released by its cancellation, and all proposed projects will have to go through the usual process. The "pot of money" created by HS2 phase 1b/2 cancellation does not exist.
"From DfT's Dame Bernadette Kelly: 'I also note that the VfM of the £35.9bn of alternative transport investments proposed will need to be considered separately and on a case-by-case basis in the light of further business case analysis for those individual projects and programmes.'"
Hang on, that isn’t saying no funding has been released. That is saying any replacement project will still have to show it adds up. That’s surely something we all agree with for any project, Government or not?
The HS2 funding doesn't exist. It's saying that every project would have to go through exactly the same hoops to get money that HS2 did.
Some people have sold this as though there was a massive pot of money hanging out somewhere down the back of a sofa in the treasury, waiting to be used on HS2; and that they could now shove their hands down the side of that sofa, pick it up, and use it on all these other wonderful projects (that have already been delivered...)
That's not the case. The money that would be used for the scrapped HS2 works is not ringfenced for the project, and will instead probably get used on something like raising nurse's salaries, or more staplers for the civil service. Probably good things, but *not* infrastructure.
Or they may just not borrow the money, and spend the non-existent money on nothing.
The penalty cost of cancellation are possibly going to be more than if the Tories had just built the thing. It really is a grade A f@ck up from Sunak, and underlines how fundamentally unserious this shambles of a government is. The SPADs are getting the blame from Tories "in the know", but the buck stops with the PM. On the time taken to *not* build 250km of HS2 in the UK, the Chinese have built over 1000km of high speed line for virtually the same money as we wasted.
A modern infrastructure is critical to our economic survival and from HS2 to general rail electrification, to "smart" motorways, the Tories have pissed billions against the wall and still achieved nothing.
#Iran President Ebrahim Raisi and #SaudiArabia Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had a phone call, discussing #Palestine. This is their first phone call ever which took place around 45 minutes. They discussed Muslim countries unity in the face of developments in Palestine. https://twitter.com/IranNuances/status/1712201693318857200
"Aren't doing themselves any favours" is in no way the same as being in breach of the Broadcasting Code. Eldorado didn't do the BBC any favours, but wasn't in breach of anything.
And Simpson's point clearly isn't that you "can't disapprove of decapitating babies". It's that you don't need to. You simply report what happened and the moral judgment is utterly obvious.
Like I say, I'd not take the same editorial approach as the BBC on this one. But it is easily within allowed boundaries and there is no question whatsoever of a breach of due impartiality in this case, nor any other breach. The KCs know this.
Simpson's problem is he hasn't always done this, he has engaged in the use of these terms before.....as have the BBC.
In reality, we all know what is really going on, they are shit scared of upsetting a small group of people over a conflict that has gone on forever and no sign it will ever stop. Same with all the celebs keeping their heads down when they are normally super quick to have their I support the latest cause flag on their twitter pic. Some might suggest its cowardice.
You only have to compare the usual I stand with Ukraine, France after Bataclan, etc etc etc, none are doing that for Israel.
But the KCs writing to Ofcom is nonsense.
This whole dare call it terrorism debate is misguided. It's not terrorism, it's war. To call it terrorism is an understatement.
As we're talkin about the Lizzie Line, the DfT are now saying that no funding has been released by its cancellation, and all proposed projects will have to go through the usual process. The "pot of money" created by HS2 phase 1b/2 cancellation does not exist.
"From DfT's Dame Bernadette Kelly: 'I also note that the VfM of the £35.9bn of alternative transport investments proposed will need to be considered separately and on a case-by-case basis in the light of further business case analysis for those individual projects and programmes.'"
Hang on, that isn’t saying no funding has been released. That is saying any replacement project will still have to show it adds up. That’s surely something we all agree with for any project, Government or not?
The HS2 funding doesn't exist. It's saying that every project would have to go through exactly the same hoops to get money that HS2 did.
Some people have sold this as though there was a massive pot of money hanging out somewhere down the back of a sofa in the treasury, waiting to be used on HS2; and that they could now shove their hands down the side of that sofa, pick it up, and use it on all these other wonderful projects (that have already been delivered...)
That's not the case. The money that would be used for the scrapped HS2 works is not ringfenced for the project, and will instead probably get used on something like raising nurse's salaries, or more staplers for the civil service. Probably good things, but *not* infrastructure.
Or they may just not borrow the money, and spend the non-existent money on nothing.
The penalty cost of cancellation are possibly going to be more than if the Tories had just built the thing. It really is a grade A f@ck up from Sunak, and underlines how fundamentally unserious this shambles of a government is. The SPADs are getting the blame from Tories "in the know", but the buck stops with the PM. On the time taken to *not* build 250km of HS2 in the UK, the Chinese have built over 1000km of high speed line for virtually the same money as we wasted.
A modern infrastructure is critical to our economic survival and from HS2 to general rail electrification, to "smart" motorways, the Tories have pissed billions against the wall and still achieved nothing.
That's a little unfair on railway electrification. Under Blair/Brown, about 10-15 miles of railway were electrified in England. Post-2010 governments have achieved much more. The problem was that NR proved incapable of delivering the GWML electrification anywhere near budget - for several reasons, including a lot of skills and knowledge had been lost during those years when there were no electrification projects.
Trump tells the court that the President has no duty to support the constitution.
Pulling my jaw off the floor: "The Presidential oath, which the framers of the 14th Amendment surely knew, requires the President to swear to 'preserve, protect and defend' the Constitution — not to 'support' the Constitution," said the filing by Trump's attorneys. "Because the framers chose to define the group of people subject to Section Three by an oath to 'support' the Constitution of the United States, and not by an oath to 'preserve, protect and defend' the Constitution, the framers of the Fourteenth Amendment never intended for it to apply to the President." https://twitter.com/Laurie_Garrett/status/1712224318673821767
As we're talkin about the Lizzie Line, the DfT are now saying that no funding has been released by its cancellation, and all proposed projects will have to go through the usual process. The "pot of money" created by HS2 phase 1b/2 cancellation does not exist.
"From DfT's Dame Bernadette Kelly: 'I also note that the VfM of the £35.9bn of alternative transport investments proposed will need to be considered separately and on a case-by-case basis in the light of further business case analysis for those individual projects and programmes.'"
Hang on, that isn’t saying no funding has been released. That is saying any replacement project will still have to show it adds up. That’s surely something we all agree with for any project, Government or not?
The HS2 funding doesn't exist. It's saying that every project would have to go through exactly the same hoops to get money that HS2 did.
Some people have sold this as though there was a massive pot of money hanging out somewhere down the back of a sofa in the treasury, waiting to be used on HS2; and that they could now shove their hands down the side of that sofa, pick it up, and use it on all these other wonderful projects (that have already been delivered...)
That's not the case. The money that would be used for the scrapped HS2 works is not ringfenced for the project, and will instead probably get used on something like raising nurse's salaries, or more staplers for the civil service. Probably good things, but *not* infrastructure.
Or they may just not borrow the money, and spend the non-existent money on nothing.
"Some people" here = Sunak. His speech was clear that projects in Network North were going ahead, not that they were to be considered on a case by case basis. Now of course that was a lie, but at least they could have held the position for more than 8 days before admitting it was a lie.
"Aren't doing themselves any favours" is in no way the same as being in breach of the Broadcasting Code. Eldorado didn't do the BBC any favours, but wasn't in breach of anything.
And Simpson's point clearly isn't that you "can't disapprove of decapitating babies". It's that you don't need to. You simply report what happened and the moral judgment is utterly obvious.
Like I say, I'd not take the same editorial approach as the BBC on this one. But it is easily within allowed boundaries and there is no question whatsoever of a breach of due impartiality in this case, nor any other breach. The KCs know this.
Simpson's problem is he hasn't always done this, he has engaged in the use of these terms before.....as have the BBC.
In reality, we all know what is really going on, they are shit scared of upsetting a small group of people over a conflict that has gone on forever and no sign it will ever stop. Same with all the celebs keeping their heads down when they are normally super quick to have their I support the latest cause flag on their twitter pic. Some might suggest its cowardice.
You only have to compare the usual I stand with Ukraine, France after Bataclan, etc etc etc, none are doing that for Israel.
But the KCs writing to Ofcom is nonsense.
This whole dare call it terrorism debate is misguided. It's not terrorism, it's war. To call it terrorism is an understatement.
War criminals seems the best descriptor imo for the little its worth. But as per normal it is the self defined defenders of free speech who seem most put out by someone else using different words to those they would use themselves.
As we're talkin about the Lizzie Line, the DfT are now saying that no funding has been released by its cancellation, and all proposed projects will have to go through the usual process. The "pot of money" created by HS2 phase 1b/2 cancellation does not exist.
"From DfT's Dame Bernadette Kelly: 'I also note that the VfM of the £35.9bn of alternative transport investments proposed will need to be considered separately and on a case-by-case basis in the light of further business case analysis for those individual projects and programmes.'"
Hang on, that isn’t saying no funding has been released. That is saying any replacement project will still have to show it adds up. That’s surely something we all agree with for any project, Government or not?
The HS2 funding doesn't exist. It's saying that every project would have to go through exactly the same hoops to get money that HS2 did.
Some people have sold this as though there was a massive pot of money hanging out somewhere down the back of a sofa in the treasury, waiting to be used on HS2; and that they could now shove their hands down the side of that sofa, pick it up, and use it on all these other wonderful projects (that have already been delivered...)
That's not the case. The money that would be used for the scrapped HS2 works is not ringfenced for the project, and will instead probably get used on something like raising nurse's salaries, or more staplers for the civil service. Probably good things, but *not* infrastructure.
Or they may just not borrow the money, and spend the non-existent money on nothing.
"Some people" here = Sunak. His speech was clear that projects in Network North were going ahead, not that they were to be considered on a case by case basis. Now of course that was a lie, but at least they could have held the position for more than 8 days before admitting it was a lie.
Some of those projects had already been delivered; some others are already part of the funded CP7 Network Rail plans. Others will have to go through exactly the same rigmarole as HS2 did, whilst a few are probably pie-in-the sky.
But the main point is this: it will now be much harder for any large-scale infrastructure project to go ahead in the UK. NIMBYs know they can kill them off; it gives the treasury more power, and industrial partners won't trust the government.
For all those who were against HS2 because it wasn't 'their' project - it's not much harder for *your* project to go ahead. Well done.
As we're talkin about the Lizzie Line, the DfT are now saying that no funding has been released by its cancellation, and all proposed projects will have to go through the usual process. The "pot of money" created by HS2 phase 1b/2 cancellation does not exist.
"From DfT's Dame Bernadette Kelly: 'I also note that the VfM of the £35.9bn of alternative transport investments proposed will need to be considered separately and on a case-by-case basis in the light of further business case analysis for those individual projects and programmes.'"
Hang on, that isn’t saying no funding has been released. That is saying any replacement project will still have to show it adds up. That’s surely something we all agree with for any project, Government or not?
The HS2 funding doesn't exist. It's saying that every project would have to go through exactly the same hoops to get money that HS2 did.
Some people have sold this as though there was a massive pot of money hanging out somewhere down the back of a sofa in the treasury, waiting to be used on HS2; and that they could now shove their hands down the side of that sofa, pick it up, and use it on all these other wonderful projects (that have already been delivered...)
That's not the case. The money that would be used for the scrapped HS2 works is not ringfenced for the project, and will instead probably get used on something like raising nurse's salaries, or more staplers for the civil service. Probably good things, but *not* infrastructure.
Or they may just not borrow the money, and spend the non-existent money on nothing.
"Some people" here = Sunak. His speech was clear that projects in Network North were going ahead, not that they were to be considered on a case by case basis. Now of course that was a lie, but at least they could have held the position for more than 8 days before admitting it was a lie.
Some of those projects had already been delivered; some others are already part of the funded CP7 Network Rail plans. Others will have to go through exactly the same rigmarole as HS2 did, whilst a few are probably pie-in-the sky.
But the main point is this: it will now be much harder for any large-scale infrastructure project to go ahead in the UK. NIMBYs know they can kill them off; it gives the treasury more power, and industrial partners won't trust the government.
For all those who were against HS2 because it wasn't 'their' project - it's not much harder for *your* project to go ahead. Well done.
And it is a 90% plus chance that a new government will come in the next 15 months to make new decisions yet again.
He may have a point about the Sunak-led Conservative Party, but of course Blairite Socialists are some of the most cynical fantasists out there. Blairism/Starmerism is the definition of cynicism and the Socialism (and schemes like Iraq) gets you the fantasy.
As we're talkin about the Lizzie Line, the DfT are now saying that no funding has been released by its cancellation, and all proposed projects will have to go through the usual process. The "pot of money" created by HS2 phase 1b/2 cancellation does not exist.
"From DfT's Dame Bernadette Kelly: 'I also note that the VfM of the £35.9bn of alternative transport investments proposed will need to be considered separately and on a case-by-case basis in the light of further business case analysis for those individual projects and programmes.'"
Hang on, that isn’t saying no funding has been released. That is saying any replacement project will still have to show it adds up. That’s surely something we all agree with for any project, Government or not?
The HS2 funding doesn't exist. It's saying that every project would have to go through exactly the same hoops to get money that HS2 did.
Some people have sold this as though there was a massive pot of money hanging out somewhere down the back of a sofa in the treasury, waiting to be used on HS2; and that they could now shove their hands down the side of that sofa, pick it up, and use it on all these other wonderful projects (that have already been delivered...)
That's not the case. The money that would be used for the scrapped HS2 works is not ringfenced for the project, and will instead probably get used on something like raising nurse's salaries, or more staplers for the civil service. Probably good things, but *not* infrastructure.
Or they may just not borrow the money, and spend the non-existent money on nothing.
"Some people" here = Sunak. His speech was clear that projects in Network North were going ahead, not that they were to be considered on a case by case basis. Now of course that was a lie, but at least they could have held the position for more than 8 days before admitting it was a lie.
Some of those projects had already been delivered; some others are already part of the funded CP7 Network Rail plans. Others will have to go through exactly the same rigmarole as HS2 did, whilst a few are probably pie-in-the sky.
But the main point is this: it will now be much harder for any large-scale infrastructure project to go ahead in the UK. NIMBYs know they can kill them off; it gives the treasury more power, and industrial partners won't trust the government.
For all those who were against HS2 because it wasn't 'their' project - it's not much harder for *your* project to go ahead. Well done.
And it is a 90% plus chance that a new government will come in the next 15 months to make new decisions yet again.
except the civil service, treasury and the NIMBYs now have much more power than they did. They know they can kill projects they don't like off.
As we're talkin about the Lizzie Line, the DfT are now saying that no funding has been released by its cancellation, and all proposed projects will have to go through the usual process. The "pot of money" created by HS2 phase 1b/2 cancellation does not exist.
"From DfT's Dame Bernadette Kelly: 'I also note that the VfM of the £35.9bn of alternative transport investments proposed will need to be considered separately and on a case-by-case basis in the light of further business case analysis for those individual projects and programmes.'"
Hang on, that isn’t saying no funding has been released. That is saying any replacement project will still have to show it adds up. That’s surely something we all agree with for any project, Government or not?
The HS2 funding doesn't exist. It's saying that every project would have to go through exactly the same hoops to get money that HS2 did.
Some people have sold this as though there was a massive pot of money hanging out somewhere down the back of a sofa in the treasury, waiting to be used on HS2; and that they could now shove their hands down the side of that sofa, pick it up, and use it on all these other wonderful projects (that have already been delivered...)
That's not the case. The money that would be used for the scrapped HS2 works is not ringfenced for the project, and will instead probably get used on something like raising nurse's salaries, or more staplers for the civil service. Probably good things, but *not* infrastructure.
Or they may just not borrow the money, and spend the non-existent money on nothing.
"Some people" here = Sunak. His speech was clear that projects in Network North were going ahead, not that they were to be considered on a case by case basis. Now of course that was a lie, but at least they could have held the position for more than 8 days before admitting it was a lie.
Some of those projects had already been delivered; some others are already part of the funded CP7 Network Rail plans. Others will have to go through exactly the same rigmarole as HS2 did, whilst a few are probably pie-in-the sky.
But the main point is this: it will now be much harder for any large-scale infrastructure project to go ahead in the UK. NIMBYs know they can kill them off; it gives the treasury more power, and industrial partners won't trust the government.
For all those who were against HS2 because it wasn't 'their' project - it's not much harder for *your* project to go ahead. Well done.
Already happening;
The decision to cut the Birmingham to Manchester leg of HS2 has fuelled opposition to East West Rail (EWR), which plans to link Oxford and Cambridge. A countryside charity has questioned the need for the Bedford to Cambridge section of EWR.
Of course, one way of using the pretend savings would be to pretend to fund pre-election tax cuts. I trust the we all think that would be grossly irresponsible.
As we're talkin about the Lizzie Line, the DfT are now saying that no funding has been released by its cancellation, and all proposed projects will have to go through the usual process. The "pot of money" created by HS2 phase 1b/2 cancellation does not exist.
"From DfT's Dame Bernadette Kelly: 'I also note that the VfM of the £35.9bn of alternative transport investments proposed will need to be considered separately and on a case-by-case basis in the light of further business case analysis for those individual projects and programmes.'"
Hang on, that isn’t saying no funding has been released. That is saying any replacement project will still have to show it adds up. That’s surely something we all agree with for any project, Government or not?
The HS2 funding doesn't exist. It's saying that every project would have to go through exactly the same hoops to get money that HS2 did.
Some people have sold this as though there was a massive pot of money hanging out somewhere down the back of a sofa in the treasury, waiting to be used on HS2; and that they could now shove their hands down the side of that sofa, pick it up, and use it on all these other wonderful projects (that have already been delivered...)
That's not the case. The money that would be used for the scrapped HS2 works is not ringfenced for the project, and will instead probably get used on something like raising nurse's salaries, or more staplers for the civil service. Probably good things, but *not* infrastructure.
Or they may just not borrow the money, and spend the non-existent money on nothing.
Not only does such funding not exist in the way you state - much of it wasn't going to be spent for a decade or more.
As we're talkin about the Lizzie Line, the DfT are now saying that no funding has been released by its cancellation, and all proposed projects will have to go through the usual process. The "pot of money" created by HS2 phase 1b/2 cancellation does not exist.
"From DfT's Dame Bernadette Kelly: 'I also note that the VfM of the £35.9bn of alternative transport investments proposed will need to be considered separately and on a case-by-case basis in the light of further business case analysis for those individual projects and programmes.'"
Hang on, that isn’t saying no funding has been released. That is saying any replacement project will still have to show it adds up. That’s surely something we all agree with for any project, Government or not?
The HS2 funding doesn't exist. It's saying that every project would have to go through exactly the same hoops to get money that HS2 did.
Some people have sold this as though there was a massive pot of money hanging out somewhere down the back of a sofa in the treasury, waiting to be used on HS2; and that they could now shove their hands down the side of that sofa, pick it up, and use it on all these other wonderful projects (that have already been delivered...)
That's not the case. The money that would be used for the scrapped HS2 works is not ringfenced for the project, and will instead probably get used on something like raising nurse's salaries, or more staplers for the civil service. Probably good things, but *not* infrastructure.
Or they may just not borrow the money, and spend the non-existent money on nothing.
"Some people" here = Sunak. His speech was clear that projects in Network North were going ahead, not that they were to be considered on a case by case basis. Now of course that was a lie, but at least they could have held the position for more than 8 days before admitting it was a lie.
Some of those projects had already been delivered; some others are already part of the funded CP7 Network Rail plans. Others will have to go through exactly the same rigmarole as HS2 did, whilst a few are probably pie-in-the sky.
But the main point is this: it will now be much harder for any large-scale infrastructure project to go ahead in the UK. NIMBYs know they can kill them off; it gives the treasury more power, and industrial partners won't trust the government.
For all those who were against HS2 because it wasn't 'their' project - it's not much harder for *your* project to go ahead. Well done.
Already happening;
The decision to cut the Birmingham to Manchester leg of HS2 has fuelled opposition to East West Rail (EWR), which plans to link Oxford and Cambridge. A countryside charity has questioned the need for the Bedford to Cambridge section of EWR.
Of course, one way of using the pretend savings would be to pretend to fund pre-election tax cuts. I trust the we all think that would be grossly irresponsible.
Don't we?
Yep, I pointed out the EWR thing the other day. And that does affect me, as there was going to be a station in my 'village'.
It's an awful ****ing mess, and a blooming big sign to anyone that the government has reached new depths of incompetence.
But the treasury need putting back in their box as well.
"Aren't doing themselves any favours" is in no way the same as being in breach of the Broadcasting Code. Eldorado didn't do the BBC any favours, but wasn't in breach of anything.
And Simpson's point clearly isn't that you "can't disapprove of decapitating babies". It's that you don't need to. You simply report what happened and the moral judgment is utterly obvious.
Like I say, I'd not take the same editorial approach as the BBC on this one. But it is easily within allowed boundaries and there is no question whatsoever of a breach of due impartiality in this case, nor any other breach. The KCs know this.
Simpson's problem is he hasn't always done this, he has engaged in the use of these terms before.....as have the BBC.
In reality, we all know what is really going on, they are shit scared of upsetting a small group of people over a conflict that has gone on forever and no sign it will ever stop. Same with all the celebs keeping their heads down when they are normally super quick to have their I support the latest cause flag on their twitter pic. Some might suggest its cowardice.
You only have to compare the usual I stand with Ukraine, France after Bataclan, etc etc etc, none are doing that for Israel.
But the KCs writing to Ofcom is nonsense.
This whole dare call it terrorism debate is misguided. It's not terrorism, it's war. To call it terrorism is an understatement.
War criminals seems the best descriptor imo for the little its worth. But as per normal it is the self defined defenders of free speech who seem most put out by someone else using different words to those they would use themselves.
I have very little care what words the BBC chooses to use. News reporting terminology is not a very big deal.
However, the explanation of their editorial choice was clearly nonsense given past examples to the contrary, and that makes it more interesting. It reasonably invites further questions on their choices if it has not been their consistent position.
So whilst going to OfCom etc is silly, I see no issue with people saying "you've used term x before without attribution despite saying that is not your policy: can you explain why?"
I think FrancisUrquhart has it right that we know what is really going on, and the lack of consistency demonstrates that.
As we're talkin about the Lizzie Line, the DfT are now saying that no funding has been released by its cancellation, and all proposed projects will have to go through the usual process. The "pot of money" created by HS2 phase 1b/2 cancellation does not exist.
"From DfT's Dame Bernadette Kelly: 'I also note that the VfM of the £35.9bn of alternative transport investments proposed will need to be considered separately and on a case-by-case basis in the light of further business case analysis for those individual projects and programmes.'"
Hang on, that isn’t saying no funding has been released. That is saying any replacement project will still have to show it adds up. That’s surely something we all agree with for any project, Government or not?
The HS2 funding doesn't exist. It's saying that every project would have to go through exactly the same hoops to get money that HS2 did.
Some people have sold this as though there was a massive pot of money hanging out somewhere down the back of a sofa in the treasury, waiting to be used on HS2; and that they could now shove their hands down the side of that sofa, pick it up, and use it on all these other wonderful projects (that have already been delivered...)
That's not the case. The money that would be used for the scrapped HS2 works is not ringfenced for the project, and will instead probably get used on something like raising nurse's salaries, or more staplers for the civil service. Probably good things, but *not* infrastructure.
Or they may just not borrow the money, and spend the non-existent money on nothing.
Staplers for the Civil Service sounds like an excellent plan. What were you intending to staple them to, though?
As we're talkin about the Lizzie Line, the DfT are now saying that no funding has been released by its cancellation, and all proposed projects will have to go through the usual process. The "pot of money" created by HS2 phase 1b/2 cancellation does not exist.
"From DfT's Dame Bernadette Kelly: 'I also note that the VfM of the £35.9bn of alternative transport investments proposed will need to be considered separately and on a case-by-case basis in the light of further business case analysis for those individual projects and programmes.'"
Hang on, that isn’t saying no funding has been released. That is saying any replacement project will still have to show it adds up. That’s surely something we all agree with for any project, Government or not?
The HS2 funding doesn't exist. It's saying that every project would have to go through exactly the same hoops to get money that HS2 did.
Some people have sold this as though there was a massive pot of money hanging out somewhere down the back of a sofa in the treasury, waiting to be used on HS2; and that they could now shove their hands down the side of that sofa, pick it up, and use it on all these other wonderful projects (that have already been delivered...)
That's not the case. The money that would be used for the scrapped HS2 works is not ringfenced for the project, and will instead probably get used on something like raising nurse's salaries, or more staplers for the civil service. Probably good things, but *not* infrastructure.
Or they may just not borrow the money, and spend the non-existent money on nothing.
Staplers for the Civil Service sounds like an excellent plan. What were you intending to staple them to, though?
Maybe a setup like the old adverts for wallpaper paste;
As we're talkin about the Lizzie Line, the DfT are now saying that no funding has been released by its cancellation, and all proposed projects will have to go through the usual process. The "pot of money" created by HS2 phase 1b/2 cancellation does not exist.
"From DfT's Dame Bernadette Kelly: 'I also note that the VfM of the £35.9bn of alternative transport investments proposed will need to be considered separately and on a case-by-case basis in the light of further business case analysis for those individual projects and programmes.'"
Hang on, that isn’t saying no funding has been released. That is saying any replacement project will still have to show it adds up. That’s surely something we all agree with for any project, Government or not?
The HS2 funding doesn't exist. It's saying that every project would have to go through exactly the same hoops to get money that HS2 did.
Some people have sold this as though there was a massive pot of money hanging out somewhere down the back of a sofa in the treasury, waiting to be used on HS2; and that they could now shove their hands down the side of that sofa, pick it up, and use it on all these other wonderful projects (that have already been delivered...)
That's not the case. The money that would be used for the scrapped HS2 works is not ringfenced for the project, and will instead probably get used on something like raising nurse's salaries, or more staplers for the civil service. Probably good things, but *not* infrastructure.
Or they may just not borrow the money, and spend the non-existent money on nothing.
"Some people" here = Sunak. His speech was clear that projects in Network North were going ahead, not that they were to be considered on a case by case basis. Now of course that was a lie, but at least they could have held the position for more than 8 days before admitting it was a lie.
Some of those projects had already been delivered; some others are already part of the funded CP7 Network Rail plans. Others will have to go through exactly the same rigmarole as HS2 did, whilst a few are probably pie-in-the sky.
But the main point is this: it will now be much harder for any large-scale infrastructure project to go ahead in the UK. NIMBYs know they can kill them off; it gives the treasury more power, and industrial partners won't trust the government.
For all those who were against HS2 because it wasn't 'their' project - it's not much harder for *your* project to go ahead. Well done.
Already happening;
The decision to cut the Birmingham to Manchester leg of HS2 has fuelled opposition to East West Rail (EWR), which plans to link Oxford and Cambridge. A countryside charity has questioned the need for the Bedford to Cambridge section of EWR.
Of course, one way of using the pretend savings would be to pretend to fund pre-election tax cuts. I trust the we all think that would be grossly irresponsible.
Don't we?
Ah, by “a countryside charity” they mean CPRE, the Campaign for the Prevention of Rural England.
He may have a point about the Sunak-led Conservative Party, but of course Blairite Socialists are some of the most cynical fantasists out there. Blairism/Starmerism is the definition of cynicism and the Socialism (and schemes like Iraq) gets you the fantasy.
So you didn't read the article, just the headline.
As we're talkin about the Lizzie Line, the DfT are now saying that no funding has been released by its cancellation, and all proposed projects will have to go through the usual process. The "pot of money" created by HS2 phase 1b/2 cancellation does not exist.
"From DfT's Dame Bernadette Kelly: 'I also note that the VfM of the £35.9bn of alternative transport investments proposed will need to be considered separately and on a case-by-case basis in the light of further business case analysis for those individual projects and programmes.'"
Hang on, that isn’t saying no funding has been released. That is saying any replacement project will still have to show it adds up. That’s surely something we all agree with for any project, Government or not?
The HS2 funding doesn't exist. It's saying that every project would have to go through exactly the same hoops to get money that HS2 did.
Some people have sold this as though there was a massive pot of money hanging out somewhere down the back of a sofa in the treasury, waiting to be used on HS2; and that they could now shove their hands down the side of that sofa, pick it up, and use it on all these other wonderful projects (that have already been delivered...)
That's not the case. The money that would be used for the scrapped HS2 works is not ringfenced for the project, and will instead probably get used on something like raising nurse's salaries, or more staplers for the civil service. Probably good things, but *not* infrastructure.
Or they may just not borrow the money, and spend the non-existent money on nothing.
"Some people" here = Sunak. His speech was clear that projects in Network North were going ahead, not that they were to be considered on a case by case basis. Now of course that was a lie, but at least they could have held the position for more than 8 days before admitting it was a lie.
Some of those projects had already been delivered; some others are already part of the funded CP7 Network Rail plans. Others will have to go through exactly the same rigmarole as HS2 did, whilst a few are probably pie-in-the sky.
But the main point is this: it will now be much harder for any large-scale infrastructure project to go ahead in the UK. NIMBYs know they can kill them off; it gives the treasury more power, and industrial partners won't trust the government.
For all those who were against HS2 because it wasn't 'their' project - it's not much harder for *your* project to go ahead. Well done.
Already happening;
The decision to cut the Birmingham to Manchester leg of HS2 has fuelled opposition to East West Rail (EWR), which plans to link Oxford and Cambridge. A countryside charity has questioned the need for the Bedford to Cambridge section of EWR.
Of course, one way of using the pretend savings would be to pretend to fund pre-election tax cuts. I trust the we all think that would be grossly irresponsible.
Don't we?
Ah, by “a countryside charity” they mean CPRE, the Campaign for the Prevention of Rural England.
Are they affiliated to the Royal Society for the Prevention of BIrds?
We bought a place near Tottenham Court Road station know that Crossrail was coming. It makes getting to Heathrow (direct, 35 minutes) easy, and Gatwick (change at Farringdon, 45-50 minutes) dramatically easier.
Come to mention it, it makes getting to Bedford to see OGH much easier too.
I Elizabeth Line
I always fantasised about living in Bedford Square
Have you read the Strangers & Brothers series by CP Snow?
"Aren't doing themselves any favours" is in no way the same as being in breach of the Broadcasting Code. Eldorado didn't do the BBC any favours, but wasn't in breach of anything.
And Simpson's point clearly isn't that you "can't disapprove of decapitating babies". It's that you don't need to. You simply report what happened and the moral judgment is utterly obvious.
Like I say, I'd not take the same editorial approach as the BBC on this one. But it is easily within allowed boundaries and there is no question whatsoever of a breach of due impartiality in this case, nor any other breach. The KCs know this.
Simpson's problem is he hasn't always done this, he has engaged in the use of these terms before.....as have the BBC.
In reality, we all know what is really going on, they are shit scared of upsetting a small group of people over a conflict that has gone on forever and no sign it will ever stop. Same with all the celebs keeping their heads down when they are normally super quick to have their I support the latest cause flag on their twitter pic. Some might suggest its cowardice.
You only have to compare the usual I stand with Ukraine, France after Bataclan, etc etc etc, none are doing that for Israel.
But the KCs writing to Ofcom is nonsense.
I think that the almost desperate silence from some has a funnier origin.
Most “celebrity influencers” don’t invent their ideas. They are re-Twatting ideas from others.
Being off message is Death. But there is no message.
The “Gas the Jews” stuff is insane enough that they know not to touch it. But the rest of their feed is silent.
Inside their heads is a strange echo, and a weird voice they don’t listen to (themselves). How to fill the silence?
My eldest daughter is full on Woke - she can’t discuss the situation, for lack of TikToks giving her a direction. Her sister is being vocal about the atrocities, but she is completely unafraid about being off message and having her own ideas.
We bought a place near Tottenham Court Road station know that Crossrail was coming. It makes getting to Heathrow (direct, 35 minutes) easy, and Gatwick (change at Farringdon, 45-50 minutes) dramatically easier.
Come to mention it, it makes getting to Bedford to see OGH much easier too.
I Elizabeth Line
I always fantasised about living in Bedford Square
Have you read the Strangers & Brothers series by CP Snow?
"Aren't doing themselves any favours" is in no way the same as being in breach of the Broadcasting Code. Eldorado didn't do the BBC any favours, but wasn't in breach of anything.
And Simpson's point clearly isn't that you "can't disapprove of decapitating babies". It's that you don't need to. You simply report what happened and the moral judgment is utterly obvious.
Like I say, I'd not take the same editorial approach as the BBC on this one. But it is easily within allowed boundaries and there is no question whatsoever of a breach of due impartiality in this case, nor any other breach. The KCs know this.
Simpson's problem is he hasn't always done this, he has engaged in the use of these terms before.....as have the BBC.
In reality, we all know what is really going on, they are shit scared of upsetting a small group of people over a conflict that has gone on forever and no sign it will ever stop. Same with all the celebs keeping their heads down when they are normally super quick to have their I support the latest cause flag on their twitter pic. Some might suggest its cowardice.
You only have to compare the usual I stand with Ukraine, France after Bataclan, etc etc etc, none are doing that for Israel.
But the KCs writing to Ofcom is nonsense.
This whole dare call it terrorism debate is misguided. It's not terrorism, it's war. To call it terrorism is an understatement.
War criminals seems the best descriptor imo for the little its worth. But as per normal it is the self defined defenders of free speech who seem most put out by someone else using different words to those they would use themselves.
I have very little care what words the BBC chooses to use. News reporting terminology is not a very big deal.
However, the explanation of their editorial choice was clearly nonsense given past examples to the contrary, and that makes it more interesting. It reasonably invites further questions on their choices if it has not been their consistent position.
So whilst going to OfCom etc is silly, I see no issue with people saying "you've used term x before without attribution despite saying that is not your policy: can you explain why?"
I think FrancisUrquhart has it right that we know what is really going on, and the lack of consistency demonstrates that.
I don't think the BBC should make such judgments, but it does all the time. It's now very common for BBC reports to describe some claim or other as "baseless". And "balance" between opposing views often amounts to the BBC actively pushing a view somewhere in the middle, which is just as subjective.
As we're talkin about the Lizzie Line, the DfT are now saying that no funding has been released by its cancellation, and all proposed projects will have to go through the usual process. The "pot of money" created by HS2 phase 1b/2 cancellation does not exist.
"From DfT's Dame Bernadette Kelly: 'I also note that the VfM of the £35.9bn of alternative transport investments proposed will need to be considered separately and on a case-by-case basis in the light of further business case analysis for those individual projects and programmes.'"
Hang on, that isn’t saying no funding has been released. That is saying any replacement project will still have to show it adds up. That’s surely something we all agree with for any project, Government or not?
The HS2 funding doesn't exist. It's saying that every project would have to go through exactly the same hoops to get money that HS2 did.
Some people have sold this as though there was a massive pot of money hanging out somewhere down the back of a sofa in the treasury, waiting to be used on HS2; and that they could now shove their hands down the side of that sofa, pick it up, and use it on all these other wonderful projects (that have already been delivered...)
That's not the case. The money that would be used for the scrapped HS2 works is not ringfenced for the project, and will instead probably get used on something like raising nurse's salaries, or more staplers for the civil service. Probably good things, but *not* infrastructure.
Or they may just not borrow the money, and spend the non-existent money on nothing.
"Some people" here = Sunak. His speech was clear that projects in Network North were going ahead, not that they were to be considered on a case by case basis. Now of course that was a lie, but at least they could have held the position for more than 8 days before admitting it was a lie.
Some of those projects had already been delivered; some others are already part of the funded CP7 Network Rail plans. Others will have to go through exactly the same rigmarole as HS2 did, whilst a few are probably pie-in-the sky.
But the main point is this: it will now be much harder for any large-scale infrastructure project to go ahead in the UK. NIMBYs know they can kill them off; it gives the treasury more power, and industrial partners won't trust the government.
For all those who were against HS2 because it wasn't 'their' project - it's not much harder for *your* project to go ahead. Well done.
Already happening;
The decision to cut the Birmingham to Manchester leg of HS2 has fuelled opposition to East West Rail (EWR), which plans to link Oxford and Cambridge. A countryside charity has questioned the need for the Bedford to Cambridge section of EWR.
Of course, one way of using the pretend savings would be to pretend to fund pre-election tax cuts. I trust the we all think that would be grossly irresponsible.
Don't we?
Ah, by “a countryside charity” they mean CPRE, the Campaign for the Prevention of Rural England.
Are they affiliated to the Royal Society for the Prevention of BIrds?
I am thinking of starting the Campaign For the Egregious Elimination and Prevention of Everything.
CREEPE will oppose *everything* - if your neighbour rescues injured hedgehogs we will get a court order. Try and build a cancer hospital for especially photogenic children? We’ll be there.
The money will be raised from the worst possible sources. Russian state oil companies for a start…
The idea is to make fuckwit NIMYIsm so socially toxic that it becomes like drink driving.
As we're talkin about the Lizzie Line, the DfT are now saying that no funding has been released by its cancellation, and all proposed projects will have to go through the usual process. The "pot of money" created by HS2 phase 1b/2 cancellation does not exist.
"From DfT's Dame Bernadette Kelly: 'I also note that the VfM of the £35.9bn of alternative transport investments proposed will need to be considered separately and on a case-by-case basis in the light of further business case analysis for those individual projects and programmes.'"
Hang on, that isn’t saying no funding has been released. That is saying any replacement project will still have to show it adds up. That’s surely something we all agree with for any project, Government or not?
The HS2 funding doesn't exist. It's saying that every project would have to go through exactly the same hoops to get money that HS2 did.
Some people have sold this as though there was a massive pot of money hanging out somewhere down the back of a sofa in the treasury, waiting to be used on HS2; and that they could now shove their hands down the side of that sofa, pick it up, and use it on all these other wonderful projects (that have already been delivered...)
That's not the case. The money that would be used for the scrapped HS2 works is not ringfenced for the project, and will instead probably get used on something like raising nurse's salaries, or more staplers for the civil service. Probably good things, but *not* infrastructure.
Or they may just not borrow the money, and spend the non-existent money on nothing.
"Some people" here = Sunak. His speech was clear that projects in Network North were going ahead, not that they were to be considered on a case by case basis. Now of course that was a lie, but at least they could have held the position for more than 8 days before admitting it was a lie.
Some of those projects had already been delivered; some others are already part of the funded CP7 Network Rail plans. Others will have to go through exactly the same rigmarole as HS2 did, whilst a few are probably pie-in-the sky.
But the main point is this: it will now be much harder for any large-scale infrastructure project to go ahead in the UK. NIMBYs know they can kill them off; it gives the treasury more power, and industrial partners won't trust the government.
For all those who were against HS2 because it wasn't 'their' project - it's not much harder for *your* project to go ahead. Well done.
Already happening;
The decision to cut the Birmingham to Manchester leg of HS2 has fuelled opposition to East West Rail (EWR), which plans to link Oxford and Cambridge. A countryside charity has questioned the need for the Bedford to Cambridge section of EWR.
Of course, one way of using the pretend savings would be to pretend to fund pre-election tax cuts. I trust the we all think that would be grossly irresponsible.
Don't we?
Ah, by “a countryside charity” they mean CPRE, the Campaign for the Prevention of Rural England.
Are they affiliated to the Royal Society for the Prevention of BIrds?
Royal Society for the Prevention of BIrds is allied with the Cats Protection League ...
"Aren't doing themselves any favours" is in no way the same as being in breach of the Broadcasting Code. Eldorado didn't do the BBC any favours, but wasn't in breach of anything.
And Simpson's point clearly isn't that you "can't disapprove of decapitating babies". It's that you don't need to. You simply report what happened and the moral judgment is utterly obvious.
Like I say, I'd not take the same editorial approach as the BBC on this one. But it is easily within allowed boundaries and there is no question whatsoever of a breach of due impartiality in this case, nor any other breach. The KCs know this.
Simpson's problem is he hasn't always done this, he has engaged in the use of these terms before.....as have the BBC.
In reality, we all know what is really going on, they are shit scared of upsetting a small group of people over a conflict that has gone on forever and no sign it will ever stop. Same with all the celebs keeping their heads down when they are normally super quick to have their I support the latest cause flag on their twitter pic. Some might suggest its cowardice.
You only have to compare the usual I stand with Ukraine, France after Bataclan, etc etc etc, none are doing that for Israel.
But the KCs writing to Ofcom is nonsense.
This whole dare call it terrorism debate is misguided. It's not terrorism, it's war. To call it terrorism is an understatement.
War criminals seems the best descriptor imo for the little its worth. But as per normal it is the self defined defenders of free speech who seem most put out by someone else using different words to those they would use themselves.
I have very little care what words the BBC chooses to use. News reporting terminology is not a very big deal.
However, the explanation of their editorial choice was clearly nonsense given past examples to the contrary, and that makes it more interesting. It reasonably invites further questions on their choices if it has not been their consistent position.
So whilst going to OfCom etc is silly, I see no issue with people saying "you've used term x before without attribution despite saying that is not your policy: can you explain why?"
I think FrancisUrquhart has it right that we know what is really going on, and the lack of consistency demonstrates that.
It's editorial guidance. Clearly they will, from time to time, be inconsistent. I happen to disagree with their not using "terrorist" in this case - but I don't think it's particularly important.
As for "we know what's going on", that's just projection. What is actually means is "I am convinced this is their particular motivation".
In the next year we might see Hamas destroyed and Russian military defeated and pushed out of Crimea, both in wars they started, both supported by Iran.
As bad as the world is, there is room for hope. Never forget that.
"Aren't doing themselves any favours" is in no way the same as being in breach of the Broadcasting Code. Eldorado didn't do the BBC any favours, but wasn't in breach of anything.
And Simpson's point clearly isn't that you "can't disapprove of decapitating babies". It's that you don't need to. You simply report what happened and the moral judgment is utterly obvious.
Like I say, I'd not take the same editorial approach as the BBC on this one. But it is easily within allowed boundaries and there is no question whatsoever of a breach of due impartiality in this case, nor any other breach. The KCs know this.
Simpson's problem is he hasn't always done this, he has engaged in the use of these terms before.....as have the BBC.
In reality, we all know what is really going on, they are shit scared of upsetting a small group of people over a conflict that has gone on forever and no sign it will ever stop. Same with all the celebs keeping their heads down when they are normally super quick to have their I support the latest cause flag on their twitter pic. Some might suggest its cowardice.
You only have to compare the usual I stand with Ukraine, France after Bataclan, etc etc etc, none are doing that for Israel.
But the KCs writing to Ofcom is nonsense.
This whole dare call it terrorism debate is misguided. It's not terrorism, it's war. To call it terrorism is an understatement.
War criminals seems the best descriptor imo for the little its worth. But as per normal it is the self defined defenders of free speech who seem most put out by someone else using different words to those they would use themselves.
I have very little care what words the BBC chooses to use. News reporting terminology is not a very big deal.
However, the explanation of their editorial choice was clearly nonsense given past examples to the contrary, and that makes it more interesting. It reasonably invites further questions on their choices if it has not been their consistent position.
So whilst going to OfCom etc is silly, I see no issue with people saying "you've used term x before without attribution despite saying that is not your policy: can you explain why?"
I think FrancisUrquhart has it right that we know what is really going on, and the lack of consistency demonstrates that.
It's editorial guidance. Clearly they will, from time to time, be inconsistent. I happen to disagree with their not using "terrorist" in this case - but I don't think it's particularly important.
As for "we know what's going on", that's just projection. What is actually means is "I am convinced this is their particular motivation".
Yes, because that's what the evidence is.
Hamas are literally conducting the most vile terrorism and are legally on the proscribed terrorist list - but the Beeb won't call them terrorists despite using the word in other situations?
As we're talkin about the Lizzie Line, the DfT are now saying that no funding has been released by its cancellation, and all proposed projects will have to go through the usual process. The "pot of money" created by HS2 phase 1b/2 cancellation does not exist.
"From DfT's Dame Bernadette Kelly: 'I also note that the VfM of the £35.9bn of alternative transport investments proposed will need to be considered separately and on a case-by-case basis in the light of further business case analysis for those individual projects and programmes.'"
Hang on, that isn’t saying no funding has been released. That is saying any replacement project will still have to show it adds up. That’s surely something we all agree with for any project, Government or not?
The HS2 funding doesn't exist. It's saying that every project would have to go through exactly the same hoops to get money that HS2 did.
Some people have sold this as though there was a massive pot of money hanging out somewhere down the back of a sofa in the treasury, waiting to be used on HS2; and that they could now shove their hands down the side of that sofa, pick it up, and use it on all these other wonderful projects (that have already been delivered...)
That's not the case. The money that would be used for the scrapped HS2 works is not ringfenced for the project, and will instead probably get used on something like raising nurse's salaries, or more staplers for the civil service. Probably good things, but *not* infrastructure.
Or they may just not borrow the money, and spend the non-existent money on nothing.
"Some people" here = Sunak. His speech was clear that projects in Network North were going ahead, not that they were to be considered on a case by case basis. Now of course that was a lie, but at least they could have held the position for more than 8 days before admitting it was a lie.
Some of those projects had already been delivered; some others are already part of the funded CP7 Network Rail plans. Others will have to go through exactly the same rigmarole as HS2 did, whilst a few are probably pie-in-the sky.
But the main point is this: it will now be much harder for any large-scale infrastructure project to go ahead in the UK. NIMBYs know they can kill them off; it gives the treasury more power, and industrial partners won't trust the government.
For all those who were against HS2 because it wasn't 'their' project - it's not much harder for *your* project to go ahead. Well done.
Already happening;
The decision to cut the Birmingham to Manchester leg of HS2 has fuelled opposition to East West Rail (EWR), which plans to link Oxford and Cambridge. A countryside charity has questioned the need for the Bedford to Cambridge section of EWR.
Of course, one way of using the pretend savings would be to pretend to fund pre-election tax cuts. I trust the we all think that would be grossly irresponsible.
Don't we?
Ah, by “a countryside charity” they mean CPRE, the Campaign for the Prevention of Rural England.
Are they affiliated to the Royal Society for the Prevention of BIrds?
Royal Society for the Prevention of BIrds is allied with the Cats Protection League ...
Uncle Barty always makes Warrington sound bloody awful, soulless identikit housing surrounded by motorways. I have been to Warrington, it’s not that bad in real life. At least not the bit I visited.
Hmm, a look at TripAdvisor throws up cultural activities like Zombie Scavenger Hunts (not sure if the undead are doinf the scavenging or being eaten), though there is a nice looking trad municipal museum with mummy and paintings and dino and all. Okay. Walton Hall is No 1 Best Thing to Do in Warrington, and the Museum is No 3., but it 's a bit worrying that Gullivers World Theme Park is no 2 and an alpaca farm is no 4. Really trad Lanc culture that, of a part with parkin and faggot and so on. It thins out a bit later, No 105 being a bcobblestoned street, which at least doesn't take long to inspect.
Of course people are mobile and via motorways you can get elsewhere within the NW within a very reasonable time too. Want to be in Liverpool, or Manchester, or Chester, or North Wales? All easily accessible.
"Of course people are mobile [...] via motorways [...]".
Lots of people don't have cars. As much reminded on here.
*To calculate the amount they would publicly report as their cash holdings.
Isn't a check for non-randomness a standard forensic accounting procedure when looking at possibly dodgy figures? I assume it is, because it's almost the first thing I would check (and certainly in dodgy scientific research). But IANAA.
"Aren't doing themselves any favours" is in no way the same as being in breach of the Broadcasting Code. Eldorado didn't do the BBC any favours, but wasn't in breach of anything.
And Simpson's point clearly isn't that you "can't disapprove of decapitating babies". It's that you don't need to. You simply report what happened and the moral judgment is utterly obvious.
Like I say, I'd not take the same editorial approach as the BBC on this one. But it is easily within allowed boundaries and there is no question whatsoever of a breach of due impartiality in this case, nor any other breach. The KCs know this.
Simpson's problem is he hasn't always done this, he has engaged in the use of these terms before.....as have the BBC.
In reality, we all know what is really going on, they are shit scared of upsetting a small group of people over a conflict that has gone on forever and no sign it will ever stop. Same with all the celebs keeping their heads down when they are normally super quick to have their I support the latest cause flag on their twitter pic. Some might suggest its cowardice.
You only have to compare the usual I stand with Ukraine, France after Bataclan, etc etc etc, none are doing that for Israel.
But the KCs writing to Ofcom is nonsense.
This whole dare call it terrorism debate is misguided. It's not terrorism, it's war. To call it terrorism is an understatement.
War criminals seems the best descriptor imo for the little its worth. But as per normal it is the self defined defenders of free speech who seem most put out by someone else using different words to those they would use themselves.
I have very little care what words the BBC chooses to use. News reporting terminology is not a very big deal.
However, the explanation of their editorial choice was clearly nonsense given past examples to the contrary, and that makes it more interesting. It reasonably invites further questions on their choices if it has not been their consistent position.
So whilst going to OfCom etc is silly, I see no issue with people saying "you've used term x before without attribution despite saying that is not your policy: can you explain why?"
I think FrancisUrquhart has it right that we know what is really going on, and the lack of consistency demonstrates that.
It's editorial guidance. Clearly they will, from time to time, be inconsistent. I happen to disagree with their not using "terrorist" in this case - but I don't think it's particularly important.
As for "we know what's going on", that's just projection. What is actually means is "I am convinced this is their particular motivation".
Yes, because that's what the evidence is.
Hamas are literally conducting the most vile terrorism and are legally on the proscribed terrorist list - but the Beeb won't call them terrorists despite using the word in other situations?
There's no excuse for that, its pure prejudice.
It's probably seen as being 'complicated' because Hamas claim they are a government. It'd be a bit like Sinn Fein being in power in Eire, whilst also openly running the IRA's campaign against the UK.
I wonder if that makes Israel's position a little easier? If Hamas is just a terrorist group, Israeli attacks on Gaza might hit non-terrorists. If Hamas are the government, then it's a war. P'haps.
But anyway, IMV Hamas are a government *and* terrorists...
"Aren't doing themselves any favours" is in no way the same as being in breach of the Broadcasting Code. Eldorado didn't do the BBC any favours, but wasn't in breach of anything.
And Simpson's point clearly isn't that you "can't disapprove of decapitating babies". It's that you don't need to. You simply report what happened and the moral judgment is utterly obvious.
Like I say, I'd not take the same editorial approach as the BBC on this one. But it is easily within allowed boundaries and there is no question whatsoever of a breach of due impartiality in this case, nor any other breach. The KCs know this.
Simpson's problem is he hasn't always done this, he has engaged in the use of these terms before.....as have the BBC.
In reality, we all know what is really going on, they are shit scared of upsetting a small group of people over a conflict that has gone on forever and no sign it will ever stop. Same with all the celebs keeping their heads down when they are normally super quick to have their I support the latest cause flag on their twitter pic. Some might suggest its cowardice.
You only have to compare the usual I stand with Ukraine, France after Bataclan, etc etc etc, none are doing that for Israel.
But the KCs writing to Ofcom is nonsense.
This whole dare call it terrorism debate is misguided. It's not terrorism, it's war. To call it terrorism is an understatement.
War criminals seems the best descriptor imo for the little its worth. But as per normal it is the self defined defenders of free speech who seem most put out by someone else using different words to those they would use themselves.
I have very little care what words the BBC chooses to use. News reporting terminology is not a very big deal.
However, the explanation of their editorial choice was clearly nonsense given past examples to the contrary, and that makes it more interesting. It reasonably invites further questions on their choices if it has not been their consistent position.
So whilst going to OfCom etc is silly, I see no issue with people saying "you've used term x before without attribution despite saying that is not your policy: can you explain why?"
I think FrancisUrquhart has it right that we know what is really going on, and the lack of consistency demonstrates that.
I don't think the BBC should make such judgments, but it does all the time. It's now very common for BBC reports to describe some claim or other as "baseless"...
They do that when claims are not backed by any evidence, or (eg with Trump) when they are obvious lies.
Uncle Barty always makes Warrington sound bloody awful, soulless identikit housing surrounded by motorways. I have been to Warrington, it’s not that bad in real life. At least not the bit I visited.
Hmm, a look at TripAdvisor throws up cultural activities like Zombie Scavenger Hunts (not sure if the undead are doinf the scavenging or being eaten), though there is a nice looking trad municipal museum with mummy and paintings and dino and all. Okay. Walton Hall is No 1 Best Thing to Do in Warrington, and the Museum is No 3., but it 's a bit worrying that Gullivers World Theme Park is no 2 and an alpaca farm is no 4. Really trad Lanc culture that, of a part with parkin and faggot and so on. It thins out a bit later, No 105 being a bcobblestoned street, which at least doesn't take long to inspect.
Of course people are mobile and via motorways you can get elsewhere within the NW within a very reasonable time too. Want to be in Liverpool, or Manchester, or Chester, or North Wales? All easily accessible.
"Of course people are mobile [...] via motorways [...]".
Lots of people don't have cars. As much reminded on here.
Not a problem.
There's these things called buses and coaches that can go on motorways for the small minority who have no access to private transport.
Another day of massive Russian casualties in Ukraine.
990 have been supported have been supported by personnel losses, 42 tanks, 44 armoured personnel vehicles, 32 artillery.
If those are the Ukrainian government figures, they don't mean very much. Though they are less fantastic than Russia's.
And there has certainly been some fierce fighting over the last few days.
The Ukrainian numbers might be considerable overcounting - but there really isn't that much evidence of it. At least two-thirds of their numbers have been supported by independent verification (although Oryx's roll in that is at an end). There is also anecdotal stuff that Ukrainians have a mass of footage that hasn't been put in the public domain, for whatever reason. But knock off even a third and these still represent massive damage to the Russian reserves of manpower and vehicles, especially as this is the second day of it.
*To calculate the amount they would publicly report as their cash holdings.
Isn't a check for non-randomness a standard forensic accounting procedure when looking at possibly dodgy figures? I assume it is, because it's almost the first thing I would check (and certainly in dodgy scientific research). But IANAA.
Also a check *for* randomness.
"numpy.random.normal(7500, 3000)." is going to become a finance joke, I reckon.
Q "So what number should we put on the top of the report for the Board?"
A "numpy.random.normal(7500, 3000) will make them happy"
In the next year we might see Hamas destroyed and Russian military defeated and pushed out of Crimea, both in wars they started, both supported by Iran.
As bad as the world is, there is room for hope. Never forget that.
Which would also probably have the added advantage of toppling the Russian and Iranian regimes.
However, I think that is really optimistic. And there would be a lot more bloodshed to get us there.
French Left also split, Melenchon and his far left wing wont condemn Hamas while the moderate Left says he must of they wont support him in Parliament.
"Aren't doing themselves any favours" is in no way the same as being in breach of the Broadcasting Code. Eldorado didn't do the BBC any favours, but wasn't in breach of anything.
And Simpson's point clearly isn't that you "can't disapprove of decapitating babies". It's that you don't need to. You simply report what happened and the moral judgment is utterly obvious.
Like I say, I'd not take the same editorial approach as the BBC on this one. But it is easily within allowed boundaries and there is no question whatsoever of a breach of due impartiality in this case, nor any other breach. The KCs know this.
Simpson's problem is he hasn't always done this, he has engaged in the use of these terms before.....as have the BBC.
In reality, we all know what is really going on, they are shit scared of upsetting a small group of people over a conflict that has gone on forever and no sign it will ever stop. Same with all the celebs keeping their heads down when they are normally super quick to have their I support the latest cause flag on their twitter pic. Some might suggest its cowardice.
You only have to compare the usual I stand with Ukraine, France after Bataclan, etc etc etc, none are doing that for Israel.
But the KCs writing to Ofcom is nonsense.
This whole dare call it terrorism debate is misguided. It's not terrorism, it's war. To call it terrorism is an understatement.
War criminals seems the best descriptor imo for the little its worth. But as per normal it is the self defined defenders of free speech who seem most put out by someone else using different words to those they would use themselves.
I have very little care what words the BBC chooses to use. News reporting terminology is not a very big deal.
However, the explanation of their editorial choice was clearly nonsense given past examples to the contrary, and that makes it more interesting. It reasonably invites further questions on their choices if it has not been their consistent position.
So whilst going to OfCom etc is silly, I see no issue with people saying "you've used term x before without attribution despite saying that is not your policy: can you explain why?"
I think FrancisUrquhart has it right that we know what is really going on, and the lack of consistency demonstrates that.
It's editorial guidance. Clearly they will, from time to time, be inconsistent. I happen to disagree with their not using "terrorist" in this case - but I don't think it's particularly important.
As for "we know what's going on", that's just projection. What is actually means is "I am convinced this is their particular motivation".
Yes, because that's what the evidence is.
Hamas are literally conducting the most vile terrorism and are legally on the proscribed terrorist list - but the Beeb won't call them terrorists despite using the word in other situations?
There's no excuse for that, its pure prejudice.
It's probably seen as being 'complicated' because Hamas claim they are a government. It'd be a bit like Sinn Fein being in power in Eire, whilst also openly running the IRA's campaign against the UK.
I wonder if that makes Israel's position a little easier? If Hamas is just a terrorist group, Israeli attacks on Gaza might hit non-terrorists. If Hamas are the government, then it's a war. P'haps.
But anyway, IMV Hamas are a government *and* terrorists...
Slight difference there in that Eire is a state and has a government.
As we're talkin about the Lizzie Line, the DfT are now saying that no funding has been released by its cancellation, and all proposed projects will have to go through the usual process. The "pot of money" created by HS2 phase 1b/2 cancellation does not exist.
"From DfT's Dame Bernadette Kelly: 'I also note that the VfM of the £35.9bn of alternative transport investments proposed will need to be considered separately and on a case-by-case basis in the light of further business case analysis for those individual projects and programmes.'"
That there is no money for these projects was clear the afternoon that Richy made his speech. An utter fantasy, crayon politics offered to people they believe are morons who will believe any lie.
Meanwhile in the real world, the Conservative Party presides over a legal system so Broken under their watch that judges are instructed not to send rapists to jail because the prisons are full.
Not an issue for Richy on his private jet, nor is it a problem that he doesn't know how a pen works so will not issue any Action This Day instructions to fix it.
Uncle Barty always makes Warrington sound bloody awful, soulless identikit housing surrounded by motorways. I have been to Warrington, it’s not that bad in real life. At least not the bit I visited.
Hmm, a look at TripAdvisor throws up cultural activities like Zombie Scavenger Hunts (not sure if the undead are doinf the scavenging or being eaten), though there is a nice looking trad municipal museum with mummy and paintings and dino and all. Okay. Walton Hall is No 1 Best Thing to Do in Warrington, and the Museum is No 3., but it 's a bit worrying that Gullivers World Theme Park is no 2 and an alpaca farm is no 4. Really trad Lanc culture that, of a part with parkin and faggot and so on. It thins out a bit later, No 105 being a bcobblestoned street, which at least doesn't take long to inspect.
Of course people are mobile and via motorways you can get elsewhere within the NW within a very reasonable time too. Want to be in Liverpool, or Manchester, or Chester, or North Wales? All easily accessible.
"Of course people are mobile [...] via motorways [...]".
Lots of people don't have cars. As much reminded on here.
Warrington is not a model that can be transposed on to more densely populated parts of the country, particularly not the south east. You can't just build 10 lane motorways through AONB's and National Parks, which is what would happen if you try and fulfil the demand for car use through building new roads, at some point you need to start reducing the demand for car use and developing other options (public transport) - something we realised about 30-40 years ago.
Also the situation in Warrington and this part of the north west is a product of town planning, not something that has happened because town planning has been swept away. All the roads, infrastructure to go with the housing have to be planned and co-ordinated, along with policies that direct growth to certain areas. You don't just create it by throwing up a few motorways and letting people build wherever they want on vaguely defined zones. Even if you create a zonal system, like Japan and many other countries in Europe, it still has to be planned, it is just a slightly different type of planning.
It is too late. Unless the United States can rein in Israel's response, the narrative will shift to the plight of the innocent Gazan people who are now homeless and without electricity or water.
So, given we all love Crossrail, can we all pledge to stop saying the we're shit at infrastructure, please?
Politicians respond to public pressure. If you want more of it you need to lobby your MP. We all need to not cry blue murder because it's difficult to predict to the exact day and pound exactly where something fiendishly complex will land 15 years in advance.
Instead, focus on the prize and the benefits, and getting it right.
Another day of massive Russian casualties in Ukraine.
990 have been supported have been supported by personnel losses, 42 tanks, 44 armoured personnel vehicles, 32 artillery.
If those are the Ukrainian government figures, they don't mean very much. Though they are less fantastic than Russia's.
And there has certainly been some fierce fighting over the last few days.
The Ukrainian numbers might be considerable overcounting - but there really isn't that much evidence of it. At least two-thirds of their numbers have been supported by independent verification (although Oryx's roll in that is at an end). There is also anecdotal stuff that Ukrainians have a mass of footage that hasn't been put in the public domain, for whatever reason. But knock off even a third and these still represent massive damage to the Russian reserves of manpower and vehicles, especially as this is the second day of it.
I think the reason for the increased casualties of the last few days is the Russians turning from defence to offensive in Avdiivka.
As we're talkin about the Lizzie Line, the DfT are now saying that no funding has been released by its cancellation, and all proposed projects will have to go through the usual process. The "pot of money" created by HS2 phase 1b/2 cancellation does not exist.
"From DfT's Dame Bernadette Kelly: 'I also note that the VfM of the £35.9bn of alternative transport investments proposed will need to be considered separately and on a case-by-case basis in the light of further business case analysis for those individual projects and programmes.'"
That there is no money for these projects was clear the afternoon that Richy made his speech. An utter fantasy, crayon politics offered to people they believe are morons who will believe any lie.
Meanwhile in the real world, the Conservative Party presides over a legal system so Broken under their watch that judges are instructed not to send rapists to jail because the prisons are full.
Not an issue for Richy on his private jet, nor is it a problem that he doesn't know how a pen works so will not issue any Action This Day instructions to fix it.
You can fool some of the people all the time, and those are the ones you want to concentrate on.
Uncle Barty always makes Warrington sound bloody awful, soulless identikit housing surrounded by motorways. I have been to Warrington, it’s not that bad in real life. At least not the bit I visited.
Hmm, a look at TripAdvisor throws up cultural activities like Zombie Scavenger Hunts (not sure if the undead are doinf the scavenging or being eaten), though there is a nice looking trad municipal museum with mummy and paintings and dino and all. Okay. Walton Hall is No 1 Best Thing to Do in Warrington, and the Museum is No 3., but it 's a bit worrying that Gullivers World Theme Park is no 2 and an alpaca farm is no 4. Really trad Lanc culture that, of a part with parkin and faggot and so on. It thins out a bit later, No 105 being a bcobblestoned street, which at least doesn't take long to inspect.
Of course people are mobile and via motorways you can get elsewhere within the NW within a very reasonable time too. Want to be in Liverpool, or Manchester, or Chester, or North Wales? All easily accessible.
"Of course people are mobile [...] via motorways [...]".
Lots of people don't have cars. As much reminded on here.
Not a problem.
There's these things called buses and coaches that can go on motorways for the small minority who have no access to private transport.
Maybe you have heard of them before?
Sadly, the cost of bus travel has increased even while fuel duty has been cut, punishing the disabled, poor and young.
That's if the bus actually exists. 1,500 routes have been cut just since 2021. 10% of all services were cut in the last year. 50% since 2010.
I extend a compromise - no new motorways until bus travel costs are cut to the same extent as fuel duty, and the number of services return to pre-2010 levels?
So, given we all love Crossrail, can we all pledge to stop saying the we're shit at infrastructure, please?
Politicians respond to public pressure. If you want more of it you need to lobby your MP. We all need to not cry blue murder because it's difficult to predict to the exact day and pound exactly where something fiendishly complex will land 15 years in advance.
Instead, focus on the prize and the benefits, and getting it right.
We're mostly shit at infrastructure *outside London*, and *getting it to budget even in London*. I think that's fair, given how bad Crossrail was in the latter respect.
The more news comes out about the Israel - Hamas war, the greater my feeling that Israel has license to do something generational.
Some debate about what to call Hamas. They are the government of Gaza and a declaration of war has formally been made. Israel sees Hamas as terrorists and they are, but they are also a government - hence the declaration of war.
Legally that makes it people combatants, not terrorists. Israel is therefore now under the international rules of war - as are Hamas. Whilst people are warning Israel not to act illegally, the same is now true of Hamas. And whilst Hamas combatants kidnap, rape and behead, and see martyrdom as a goal, there should be little objection to Israel's actions.
Prisoners have rights in war. But not lunatics trying to kill everyone including themselves. Gaza's civilians need more consideration, but the enemy are hiding amongst and embedded within those civilians. As so many Israeli military leaders are saying, once you go in you have to assume that everyone is a combatant and every object a bomb - because in the past they have been. Self-defence is just and legal in war, even at individual level...
It is too late. Unless the United States can rein in Israel's response, the narrative will shift to the plight of the innocent Gazan people who are now homeless and without electricity or water.
Thats nailed on, the usual crowd will be having demos and screaming various "isms" over the next month.
Uncle Barty always makes Warrington sound bloody awful, soulless identikit housing surrounded by motorways. I have been to Warrington, it’s not that bad in real life. At least not the bit I visited.
Hmm, a look at TripAdvisor throws up cultural activities like Zombie Scavenger Hunts (not sure if the undead are doinf the scavenging or being eaten), though there is a nice looking trad municipal museum with mummy and paintings and dino and all. Okay. Walton Hall is No 1 Best Thing to Do in Warrington, and the Museum is No 3., but it 's a bit worrying that Gullivers World Theme Park is no 2 and an alpaca farm is no 4. Really trad Lanc culture that, of a part with parkin and faggot and so on. It thins out a bit later, No 105 being a bcobblestoned street, which at least doesn't take long to inspect.
Of course people are mobile and via motorways you can get elsewhere within the NW within a very reasonable time too. Want to be in Liverpool, or Manchester, or Chester, or North Wales? All easily accessible.
"Of course people are mobile [...] via motorways [...]".
Lots of people don't have cars. As much reminded on here.
Not a problem.
There's these things called buses and coaches that can go on motorways for the small minority who have no access to private transport.
Maybe you have heard of them before?
Sadly, the cost of bus travel has increased even while fuel duty has been cut, punishing the disabled, poor and young.
That's if the bus actually exists. 1,500 routes have been cut just since 2021. 10% of all services were cut in the last year. 50% since 2010.
I extend a compromise - no new motorways until bus travel costs are cut to the same extent as fuel duty, and the number of services return to pre-2010 levels?
Oh, and it's not a "tiny minority" without access to a car. 22% of households in England and Wales.
Uncle Barty always makes Warrington sound bloody awful, soulless identikit housing surrounded by motorways. I have been to Warrington, it’s not that bad in real life. At least not the bit I visited.
Hmm, a look at TripAdvisor throws up cultural activities like Zombie Scavenger Hunts (not sure if the undead are doinf the scavenging or being eaten), though there is a nice looking trad municipal museum with mummy and paintings and dino and all. Okay. Walton Hall is No 1 Best Thing to Do in Warrington, and the Museum is No 3., but it 's a bit worrying that Gullivers World Theme Park is no 2 and an alpaca farm is no 4. Really trad Lanc culture that, of a part with parkin and faggot and so on. It thins out a bit later, No 105 being a bcobblestoned street, which at least doesn't take long to inspect.
Of course people are mobile and via motorways you can get elsewhere within the NW within a very reasonable time too. Want to be in Liverpool, or Manchester, or Chester, or North Wales? All easily accessible.
"Of course people are mobile [...] via motorways [...]".
Lots of people don't have cars. As much reminded on here.
Not a problem.
There's these things called buses and coaches that can go on motorways for the small minority who have no access to private transport.
Maybe you have heard of them before?
Some of us actually like to be able to access stuff on foot, you know. Not like ****ing LA without the sun.
So, given we all love Crossrail, can we all pledge to stop saying the we're shit at infrastructure, please?
Politicians respond to public pressure. If you want more of it you need to lobby your MP. We all need to not cry blue murder because it's difficult to predict to the exact day and pound exactly where something fiendishly complex will land 15 years in advance.
Instead, focus on the prize and the benefits, and getting it right.
We are crap at infrastructure. We dont do enough of it and what we do is too badly conrolled.
So, given we all love Crossrail, can we all pledge to stop saying the we're shit at infrastructure, please?
Politicians respond to public pressure. If you want more of it you need to lobby your MP. We all need to not cry blue murder because it's difficult to predict to the exact day and pound exactly where something fiendishly complex will land 15 years in advance.
Instead, focus on the prize and the benefits, and getting it right.
Crossrail demonstrates that we are shit at infrastructure. A single scheme delivered decades late. Whoop-de-do. Meanwhile we have shit roads and shit railways and no hub airport fit for purpose and shit schools and hospitals falling down and prisons unable to house rapists and not enough power generation and must I go on?
We can build occasional projects very well. We build many other projects criminally badly. And most projects we don't build at all.
Uncle Barty always makes Warrington sound bloody awful, soulless identikit housing surrounded by motorways. I have been to Warrington, it’s not that bad in real life. At least not the bit I visited.
Hmm, a look at TripAdvisor throws up cultural activities like Zombie Scavenger Hunts (not sure if the undead are doinf the scavenging or being eaten), though there is a nice looking trad municipal museum with mummy and paintings and dino and all. Okay. Walton Hall is No 1 Best Thing to Do in Warrington, and the Museum is No 3., but it 's a bit worrying that Gullivers World Theme Park is no 2 and an alpaca farm is no 4. Really trad Lanc culture that, of a part with parkin and faggot and so on. It thins out a bit later, No 105 being a bcobblestoned street, which at least doesn't take long to inspect.
Of course people are mobile and via motorways you can get elsewhere within the NW within a very reasonable time too. Want to be in Liverpool, or Manchester, or Chester, or North Wales? All easily accessible.
"Of course people are mobile [...] via motorways [...]".
Lots of people don't have cars. As much reminded on here.
Not a problem.
There's these things called buses and coaches that can go on motorways for the small minority who have no access to private transport.
Maybe you have heard of them before?
Sadly, the cost of bus travel has increased even while fuel duty has been cut, punishing the disabled, poor and young.
That's if the bus actually exists. 1,500 routes have been cut just since 2021. 10% of all services were cut in the last year. 50% since 2010.
I extend a compromise - no new motorways until bus travel costs are cut to the same extent as fuel duty, and the number of services return to pre-2010 levels?
The one all-day bus service through this small town was recently re-routed. We can get to Stansted Airport on one bus. However, getting to either of the two local hospitals requires two buses. We used to be able to get a bus directly to one.
Good morning to all. That’s a greeting, not a comment on the weather, grey and damp.
The more news comes out about the Israel - Hamas war, the greater my feeling that Israel has license to do something generational.
Some debate about what to call Hamas. They are the government of Gaza and a declaration of war has formally been made. Israel sees Hamas as terrorists and they are, but they are also a government - hence the declaration of war.
Legally that makes it people combatants, not terrorists. Israel is therefore now under the international rules of war - as are Hamas. Whilst people are warning Israel not to act illegally, the same is now true of Hamas. And whilst Hamas combatants kidnap, rape and behead, and see martyrdom as a goal, there should be little objection to Israel's actions.
Prisoners have rights in war. But not lunatics trying to kill everyone including themselves. Gaza's civilians need more consideration, but the enemy are hiding amongst and embedded within those civilians. As so many Israeli military leaders are saying, once you go in you have to assume that everyone is a combatant and every object a bomb - because in the past they have been. Self-defence is just and legal in war, even at individual level...
Israel needs to ask itself whether doing what its enemy wants it to do is a wise course of action.
So, given we all love Crossrail, can we all pledge to stop saying the we're shit at infrastructure, please?
Politicians respond to public pressure. If you want more of it you need to lobby your MP. We all need to not cry blue murder because it's difficult to predict to the exact day and pound exactly where something fiendishly complex will land 15 years in advance.
Instead, focus on the prize and the benefits, and getting it right.
We're mostly shit at infrastructure *outside London*, and *getting it to budget even in London*. I think that's fair, given how bad Crossrail was in the latter respect.
Our engineers are good, very good, at making stuff happen. Our governance systems are poor, very poor at organising and managing the making.
Given her previous history this is not exactly earth shattering news.
Maybe not. But it illustrates how far the Tories have travelled from the broad church.
Labour have kicked out Corbyn and co so hardly a broad church either..
Yep. Trading Corbyn for Soubry and Hastings looks a very astute move.
Let's see how the Blue Wall votes in Mid Beds next week.
This is hardly a trade. Politicians do their own thing, parties remain a spread of opinions. The Tories still have centrists and Labour still have people on the far left.
Uncle Barty always makes Warrington sound bloody awful, soulless identikit housing surrounded by motorways. I have been to Warrington, it’s not that bad in real life. At least not the bit I visited.
Hmm, a look at TripAdvisor throws up cultural activities like Zombie Scavenger Hunts (not sure if the undead are doinf the scavenging or being eaten), though there is a nice looking trad municipal museum with mummy and paintings and dino and all. Okay. Walton Hall is No 1 Best Thing to Do in Warrington, and the Museum is No 3., but it 's a bit worrying that Gullivers World Theme Park is no 2 and an alpaca farm is no 4. Really trad Lanc culture that, of a part with parkin and faggot and so on. It thins out a bit later, No 105 being a bcobblestoned street, which at least doesn't take long to inspect.
Of course people are mobile and via motorways you can get elsewhere within the NW within a very reasonable time too. Want to be in Liverpool, or Manchester, or Chester, or North Wales? All easily accessible.
"Of course people are mobile [...] via motorways [...]".
Lots of people don't have cars. As much reminded on here.
Not a problem.
There's these things called buses and coaches that can go on motorways for the small minority who have no access to private transport.
Maybe you have heard of them before?
Sadly, the cost of bus travel has increased even while fuel duty has been cut, punishing the disabled, poor and young.
That's if the bus actually exists. 1,500 routes have been cut just since 2021. 10% of all services were cut in the last year. 50% since 2010.
I extend a compromise - no new motorways until bus travel costs are cut to the same extent as fuel duty, and the number of services return to pre-2010 levels?
The one all-day last service through this small town was recently re-routed. We can get to Stansted Airport on one bus. However, getting to either of the two local hospitals requires two buses. We used to be able to get a bus directly to one.
Good morning to all. That’s a greeting, not a comment on the weather, grey and damp.
Good morning too. On the contrary, for a change in Scotland the weather here is bright and sunny, if chilly at night - have had to put the heating on briefly in the morning and evening as it was otherwise too cold for comfort at the desk all day.
So, given we all love Crossrail, can we all pledge to stop saying the we're shit at infrastructure, please?
Politicians respond to public pressure. If you want more of it you need to lobby your MP. We all need to not cry blue murder because it's difficult to predict to the exact day and pound exactly where something fiendishly complex will land 15 years in advance.
Instead, focus on the prize and the benefits, and getting it right.
We're mostly shit at infrastructure *outside London*, and *getting it to budget even in London*. I think that's fair, given how bad Crossrail was in the latter respect.
Crossrail wasn't "bad" in the latter respect, still less "how bad". It had the most complex systems integration challenge in the world and was successfully completed to 98%+ reliability 3.5 years late (at least a year of which is Covid, about 10 months due to very complex civils works, and about 18 months due to bugs and testing that had to be ironed out across three different signalling systems) but only £3bn over its £15bn budget.
That's what megaprojects are like. They take a very long time to deliver and are very hard to do. It's not like getting a quote for your patio extension.
So it's 20% over its original estimated budget - that happens, remember any major events that might have happened between 2008 and 2022 that might have thrown out the original assumptions? - and, according to stats published today, its usage is over 60% higher than its original projections.
So, Crossrail has easily exceeded the benefits/cost ratio in its original business case, and it's delivering more value than originally anticipated - not less.
You strike me as someone who'd comment on the empty portion of the glass no matter how well-filled it was, and if it was filled to the brim so you spilt some complain about that too.
Uncle Barty always makes Warrington sound bloody awful, soulless identikit housing surrounded by motorways. I have been to Warrington, it’s not that bad in real life. At least not the bit I visited.
Hmm, a look at TripAdvisor throws up cultural activities like Zombie Scavenger Hunts (not sure if the undead are doinf the scavenging or being eaten), though there is a nice looking trad municipal museum with mummy and paintings and dino and all. Okay. Walton Hall is No 1 Best Thing to Do in Warrington, and the Museum is No 3., but it 's a bit worrying that Gullivers World Theme Park is no 2 and an alpaca farm is no 4. Really trad Lanc culture that, of a part with parkin and faggot and so on. It thins out a bit later, No 105 being a bcobblestoned street, which at least doesn't take long to inspect.
Of course people are mobile and via motorways you can get elsewhere within the NW within a very reasonable time too. Want to be in Liverpool, or Manchester, or Chester, or North Wales? All easily accessible.
"Of course people are mobile [...] via motorways [...]".
Lots of people don't have cars. As much reminded on here.
Not a problem.
There's these things called buses and coaches that can go on motorways for the small minority who have no access to private transport.
Maybe you have heard of them before?
Sadly, the cost of bus travel has increased even while fuel duty has been cut, punishing the disabled, poor and young.
That's if the bus actually exists. 1,500 routes have been cut just since 2021. 10% of all services were cut in the last year. 50% since 2010.
I extend a compromise - no new motorways until bus travel costs are cut to the same extent as fuel duty, and the number of services return to pre-2010 levels?
Oh, and it's not a "tiny minority" without access to a car. 22% of households in England and Wales.
The Tories are currently on 24%.
And even families having one car doesn't mean that everyone has convenient car access when and where they need it. Hence the households feeling they need two, three or four.
And the more you provide for cars, the further apart the good stuff is pushed, the more you need cars...
There must be a stable equilibrium eventually, but I'm not sure it's a pleasant or productive place to live.
So, given we all love Crossrail, can we all pledge to stop saying the we're shit at infrastructure, please?
No; we are shit at infrastructure. "We" in this case being governments of the last couple of decades. Not your sector.
I was driving in the countryside between Stoke and Stone (Staffs) on Tuesday and looking at a huge length of land churned up for HS2. People were still working on it and I thought what a total waste.
It is too late. Unless the United States can rein in Israel's response, the narrative will shift to the plight of the innocent Gazan people who are now homeless and without electricity or water.
Thats nailed on, the usual crowd will be having demos and screaming various "isms" over the next month.
The usual crowd? The narrative will shift to call out the other usual crowd who condemned Russian attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure and civilians.
The more news comes out about the Israel - Hamas war, the greater my feeling that Israel has license to do something generational.
Some debate about what to call Hamas. They are the government of Gaza and a declaration of war has formally been made. Israel sees Hamas as terrorists and they are, but they are also a government - hence the declaration of war.
Legally that makes it people combatants, not terrorists. Israel is therefore now under the international rules of war - as are Hamas. Whilst people are warning Israel not to act illegally, the same is now true of Hamas. And whilst Hamas combatants kidnap, rape and behead, and see martyrdom as a goal, there should be little objection to Israel's actions.
Prisoners have rights in war. But not lunatics trying to kill everyone including themselves. Gaza's civilians need more consideration, but the enemy are hiding amongst and embedded within those civilians. As so many Israeli military leaders are saying, once you go in you have to assume that everyone is a combatant and every object a bomb - because in the past they have been. Self-defence is just and legal in war, even at individual level...
The laws of war don’t apply for just declared wars. All armed conflict included.
The original Hague convention was written with input from British officers who had served on the frontline in Afghanistan. It was designed to regulate non state and semi state groups from the beginning.
Hama easily meet the test for being an organised party in the conflict - Command structure etc.
The more news comes out about the Israel - Hamas war, the greater my feeling that Israel has license to do something generational.
Some debate about what to call Hamas. They are the government of Gaza and a declaration of war has formally been made. Israel sees Hamas as terrorists and they are, but they are also a government - hence the declaration of war.
Legally that makes it people combatants, not terrorists. Israel is therefore now under the international rules of war - as are Hamas. Whilst people are warning Israel not to act illegally, the same is now true of Hamas. And whilst Hamas combatants kidnap, rape and behead, and see martyrdom as a goal, there should be little objection to Israel's actions.
Prisoners have rights in war. But not lunatics trying to kill everyone including themselves. Gaza's civilians need more consideration, but the enemy are hiding amongst and embedded within those civilians. As so many Israeli military leaders are saying, once you go in you have to assume that everyone is a combatant and every object a bomb - because in the past they have been. Self-defence is just and legal in war, even at individual level...
Israel needs to ask itself whether doing what its enemy wants it to do is a wise course of action.
Hamas wants Israel to smash Gaza and slaughter civilians. It thinks that way it wins a moral victory (though it is sacrificing its own people...). Problem for Hamas is that it is slaughtering, kidnapping, raping, beheading. In large numbers. There is a knee-jerk reaction from a decreasing few against Israel. The rest of the world looks on in horror and asks Israel how it can help.
So, given we all love Crossrail, can we all pledge to stop saying the we're shit at infrastructure, please?
Politicians respond to public pressure. If you want more of it you need to lobby your MP. We all need to not cry blue murder because it's difficult to predict to the exact day and pound exactly where something fiendishly complex will land 15 years in advance.
Instead, focus on the prize and the benefits, and getting it right.
Crossrail demonstrates that we are shit at infrastructure. A single scheme delivered decades late. Whoop-de-do. Meanwhile we have shit roads and shit railways and no hub airport fit for purpose and shit schools and hospitals falling down and prisons unable to house rapists and not enough power generation and must I go on?
We can build occasional projects very well. We build many other projects criminally badly. And most projects we don't build at all.
And, such ignorant and cynical attitudes ensure we won't get any more of it.
The more news comes out about the Israel - Hamas war, the greater my feeling that Israel has license to do something generational.
Some debate about what to call Hamas. They are the government of Gaza and a declaration of war has formally been made. Israel sees Hamas as terrorists and they are, but they are also a government - hence the declaration of war.
Legally that makes it people combatants, not terrorists. Israel is therefore now under the international rules of war - as are Hamas. Whilst people are warning Israel not to act illegally, the same is now true of Hamas. And whilst Hamas combatants kidnap, rape and behead, and see martyrdom as a goal, there should be little objection to Israel's actions.
Prisoners have rights in war. But not lunatics trying to kill everyone including themselves. Gaza's civilians need more consideration, but the enemy are hiding amongst and embedded within those civilians. As so many Israeli military leaders are saying, once you go in you have to assume that everyone is a combatant and every object a bomb - because in the past they have been. Self-defence is just and legal in war, even at individual level...
The laws of war don’t apply for just declared wars. All armed conflict included.
The original Hague convention was written with input from British officers who had served on the frontline in Afghanistan. It was designed to regulate non state and semi state groups from the beginning.
Hama easily meet the test for being an organised party in the conflict - Command structure etc.
I appreciate the broadening of my understanding! Either way, there are rules. Which Hamas are not remotely respecting.
So, given we all love Crossrail, can we all pledge to stop saying the we're shit at infrastructure, please?
Politicians respond to public pressure. If you want more of it you need to lobby your MP. We all need to not cry blue murder because it's difficult to predict to the exact day and pound exactly where something fiendishly complex will land 15 years in advance.
Instead, focus on the prize and the benefits, and getting it right.
We're mostly shit at infrastructure *outside London*, and *getting it to budget even in London*. I think that's fair, given how bad Crossrail was in the latter respect.
Crossrail wasn't "bad" in the latter respect, still less "how bad". It had the most complex systems integration challenge in the world and was successfully completed to 98%+ reliability 3.5 years late (at least a year of which is Covid, about 10 months due to very complex civils works, and about 18 months due to bugs and testing that had to be ironed out across three different signalling systems) but only £3bn over its £15bn budget.
That's what megaprojects are like. They take a very long time to deliver and are very hard to do. It's not like getting a quote for your patio extension.
So it's 20% over its original estimated budget - that happens, remember any major events that might have happened between 2008 and 2022 that might have thrown out the original assumptions? - and, according to stats published today, its usage is over 60% higher than its original projections.
So, Crossrail has easily exceeded the benefits/cost ratio in its original business case, and it's delivering more value than originally anticipated - not less.
You strike me as someone who'd comment on the empty portion of the glass no matter how well-filled it was, and if it was filled to the brim so you spilt some complain about that too.
I've been on here to say how great Crossrail is as a finished project. But the excess usage isn't an excuse for Crossrail screwing up the budget, because it is true of almost every single transport project.
And budgeting? What happened to contingency budgeting? Sure, signalling etc are problems - but that should have been budgeted for, instead of pretending it would be cheap. 25% overrun is not chump change.
The more news comes out about the Israel - Hamas war, the greater my feeling that Israel has license to do something generational.
Some debate about what to call Hamas. They are the government of Gaza and a declaration of war has formally been made. Israel sees Hamas as terrorists and they are, but they are also a government - hence the declaration of war.
Legally that makes it people combatants, not terrorists. Israel is therefore now under the international rules of war - as are Hamas. Whilst people are warning Israel not to act illegally, the same is now true of Hamas. And whilst Hamas combatants kidnap, rape and behead, and see martyrdom as a goal, there should be little objection to Israel's actions.
Prisoners have rights in war. But not lunatics trying to kill everyone including themselves. Gaza's civilians need more consideration, but the enemy are hiding amongst and embedded within those civilians. As so many Israeli military leaders are saying, once you go in you have to assume that everyone is a combatant and every object a bomb - because in the past they have been. Self-defence is just and legal in war, even at individual level...
Is Gaza recognised as an independent state? If not then, sadly, because the International Criminal Court makes a distinction between wars between states and internal wars, then the rules of war do not apply. There are other rules of course which do apply but Hamas are terrorists, not legally defined combatants. And things like the rules on Prisoners of War are not legally applicable even if morally it could be argued they should be.
Imagine him in a GE campaign against anybody any good - there are about a dozen of these kind of traps he’s set himself and, under pressure, when he knows he’s wrong, he freezes, stutters or falls apart
"When you told voters in 2017 and 2019 that Jeremy Corbyn, a man that called Hamas friends should be PM, did you mean it?" - @BethRigby
Labour Leader @Keir_Starmer says 'between 2017 and 2019, the Labour Party lost its way'.
The more news comes out about the Israel - Hamas war, the greater my feeling that Israel has license to do something generational.
Some debate about what to call Hamas. They are the government of Gaza and a declaration of war has formally been made. Israel sees Hamas as terrorists and they are, but they are also a government - hence the declaration of war.
Legally that makes it people combatants, not terrorists. Israel is therefore now under the international rules of war - as are Hamas. Whilst people are warning Israel not to act illegally, the same is now true of Hamas. And whilst Hamas combatants kidnap, rape and behead, and see martyrdom as a goal, there should be little objection to Israel's actions.
Prisoners have rights in war. But not lunatics trying to kill everyone including themselves. Gaza's civilians need more consideration, but the enemy are hiding amongst and embedded within those civilians. As so many Israeli military leaders are saying, once you go in you have to assume that everyone is a combatant and every object a bomb - because in the past they have been. Self-defence is just and legal in war, even at individual level...
The laws of war don’t apply for just declared wars. All armed conflict included.
The original Hague convention was written with input from British officers who had served on the frontline in Afghanistan. It was designed to regulate non state and semi state groups from the beginning.
Hama easily meet the test for being an organised party in the conflict - Command structure etc.
So, given we all love Crossrail, can we all pledge to stop saying the we're shit at infrastructure, please?
No; we are shit at infrastructure. "We" in this case being governments of the last couple of decades. Not your sector.
I was driving in the countryside between Stoke and Stone (Staffs) on Tuesday and looking at a huge length of land churned up for HS2. People were still working on it and I thought what a total waste.
When I was last back in Leamington the scale of the work to the south and east of the town was huge. So much torn to pieces and destroyed, and for what? We’ve lost countless precious ancient landscapes and woodlands for next to nothing, it turns out.
Comments
And Simpson's point clearly isn't that you "can't disapprove of decapitating babies". It's that you don't need to. You simply report what happened and the moral judgment is utterly obvious.
Like I say, I'd not take the same editorial approach as the BBC on this one. But it is easily within allowed boundaries and there is no question whatsoever of a breach of due impartiality in this case, nor any other breach. The KCs know this.
In reality, we all know what is really going on, they are shit scared of upsetting a small group of people over a conflict that has gone on forever and no sign it will ever stop. Same with all the celebs keeping their heads down when they are normally super quick to have their I support the latest cause flag on their twitter pic. Some might suggest its cowardice.
You only have to compare the usual I stand with Ukraine, France after Bataclan, etc etc etc, none are doing that for Israel.
But the KCs writing to Ofcom is nonsense.
But then I’m old fashioned and find even the modern style of “today the PM WILL say XYZ” really annoying, I am forever shouting at the radio/TV saying “first let them speak and then let’s dissect it - ignore the advance press release”.
And don’t get be started on the BBC online style of “X is a bastard - Y” as opposed to “Y says X is a bastard”. The former is the usual approach and I think implies BBC endorsement.
"From DfT's Dame Bernadette Kelly: 'I also note that the VfM of the £35.9bn of alternative transport investments proposed will need to be considered separately and on a case-by-case basis in the light of further business case analysis for those individual projects and programmes.'"
https://twitter.com/AndyRoden1/status/1712055942102020216
Some people have sold this as though there was a massive pot of money hanging out somewhere down the back of a sofa in the treasury, waiting to be used on HS2; and that they could now shove their hands down the side of that sofa, pick it up, and use it on all these other wonderful projects (that have already been delivered...)
That's not the case. The money that would be used for the scrapped HS2 works is not ringfenced for the project, and will instead probably get used on something like raising nurse's salaries, or more staplers for the civil service. Probably good things, but *not* infrastructure.
Or they may just not borrow the money, and spend the non-existent money on nothing.
On the time taken to *not* build 250km of HS2 in the UK, the Chinese have built over 1000km of high speed line for virtually the same money as we wasted.
A modern infrastructure is critical to our economic survival and from HS2 to general rail electrification, to "smart" motorways, the Tories have pissed billions against the wall and still achieved nothing.
The Tory Party has been taken over by cynics and fantasists, says former Telegraph editor Max Hastings – which is why he has decided to vote Labour
https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/the-era-of-flat-earth-conservatism-max-hastings/
https://twitter.com/IranNuances/status/1712201693318857200
I don't think I've ever come across this novel accounting method before.
They used a legit random number generator* lmao send them all to jail forever
https://twitter.com/fed_speak/status/1711812054338752591
*To calculate the amount they would publicly report as their cash holdings.
Pulling my jaw off the floor:
"The Presidential oath, which the framers of the 14th Amendment surely knew, requires the President to swear to 'preserve, protect and defend' the Constitution — not to 'support' the Constitution," said the filing by Trump's attorneys. "Because the framers chose to define the group of people subject to Section Three by an oath to 'support' the Constitution of the United States, and not by an oath to 'preserve, protect and defend' the Constitution, the framers of the Fourteenth Amendment never intended for it to apply to the President."
https://twitter.com/Laurie_Garrett/status/1712224318673821767
But the main point is this: it will now be much harder for any large-scale infrastructure project to go ahead in the UK. NIMBYs know they can kill them off; it gives the treasury more power, and industrial partners won't trust the government.
For all those who were against HS2 because it wasn't 'their' project - it's not much harder for *your* project to go ahead. Well done.
The decision to cut the Birmingham to Manchester leg of HS2 has fuelled opposition to East West Rail (EWR), which plans to link Oxford and Cambridge. A countryside charity has questioned the need for the Bedford to Cambridge section of EWR.
https://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/cambridge-news/calls-bedford-cambridge-part-east-27855151
Of course, one way of using the pretend savings would be to pretend to fund pre-election tax cuts. I trust the we all think that would be grossly irresponsible.
Don't we?
It's an awful ****ing mess, and a blooming big sign to anyone that the government has reached new depths of incompetence.
But the treasury need putting back in their box as well.
However, the explanation of their editorial choice was clearly nonsense given past examples to the contrary, and that makes it more interesting. It reasonably invites further questions on their choices if it has not been their consistent position.
So whilst going to OfCom etc is silly, I see no issue with people saying "you've used term x before without attribution despite saying that is not your policy: can you explain why?"
I think FrancisUrquhart has it right that we know what is really going on, and the lack of consistency demonstrates that.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/white-pupils-slipped-further-behind-school-education-covid-qhm62mhz0 (£££)
Biden says ‘respect for international law’ imperative as UN warns the humanitarian situation is deteriorating for Palestinians
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2023/10/11/us-israel-gaza-biden-netanyahu-palestine-onslaught-hamas/ (£££)
Most “celebrity influencers” don’t invent their ideas. They are re-Twatting ideas from others.
Being off message is Death. But there is no message.
The “Gas the Jews” stuff is insane enough that they know not to touch it. But the rest of their feed is silent.
Inside their heads is a strange echo, and a weird voice they don’t listen to (themselves). How to fill the silence?
My eldest daughter is full on Woke - she can’t discuss the situation, for lack of TikToks giving her a direction. Her sister is being vocal about the atrocities, but she is completely unafraid about being off message and having her own ideas.
990 military personnel losses, 42 tanks, 44 armoured personnel vehicles, 32 artillery.
CREEPE will oppose *everything* - if your neighbour rescues injured hedgehogs we will get a court order. Try and build a cancer hospital for especially photogenic children? We’ll be there.
The money will be raised from the worst possible sources. Russian state oil companies for a start…
The idea is to make fuckwit NIMYIsm so socially toxic that it becomes like drink driving.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/oct/11/ex-tory-business-minister-anna-soubry-says-she-will-vote-labour
Clearly they will, from time to time, be inconsistent.
I happen to disagree with their not using "terrorist" in this case - but I don't think it's particularly important.
As for "we know what's going on", that's just projection. What is actually means is "I am convinced this is their particular motivation".
As bad as the world is, there is room for hope. Never forget that.
Hamas are literally conducting the most vile terrorism and are legally on the proscribed terrorist list - but the Beeb won't call them terrorists despite using the word in other situations?
There's no excuse for that, its pure prejudice.
Lots of people don't have cars. As much reminded on here.
And there has certainly been some fierce fighting over the last few days.
I wonder if that makes Israel's position a little easier? If Hamas is just a terrorist group, Israeli attacks on Gaza might hit non-terrorists. If Hamas are the government, then it's a war. P'haps.
But anyway, IMV Hamas are a government *and* terrorists...
What is wrong with that ?
There's these things called buses and coaches that can go on motorways for the small minority who have no access to private transport.
Maybe you have heard of them before?
When Jewish women are being raped and murdered why is our feminist movement staying quiet ? Fair question.
https://www.welt.de/kultur/plus247917366/Terror-in-Israel-Wenn-Juedinnen-misshandelt-werden-schweigt-der-deutsche-Feminismus.html
Warmest September & largest anomaly ever measured, shattering previous September record.
Warming since August concentrated in polar regions.
Near certain 2023 becomes the warmest year.
Likely 2023 exceeds 1.5 °C.
https://twitter.com/BerkeleyEarth/status/1712082288656187510
"numpy.random.normal(7500, 3000)." is going to become a finance joke, I reckon.
Q "So what number should we put on the top of the report for the Board?"
A "numpy.random.normal(7500, 3000) will make them happy"
However, I think that is really optimistic. And there would be a lot more bloodshed to get us there.
https://www.lefigaro.fr/politique/francois-ruffin-se-desolidarise-du-clan-de-jean-luc-melenchon-20231011
Donald Trump unleashed on Israel during a bizarre and dangerous speech in West Palm Beach and called Hamas "smart."
https://www.meidastouch.com/news/trump-attacks-israel-and-calls-them-weak-they-let-us-down
ISIS claimed to be a government too.
Hamas are ISIS not Sinn Fein.
Meanwhile in the real world, the Conservative Party presides over a legal system so Broken under their watch that judges are instructed not to send rapists to jail because the prisons are full.
Not an issue for Richy on his private jet, nor is it a problem that he doesn't know how a pen works so will not issue any Action This Day instructions to fix it.
Also the situation in Warrington and this part of the north west is a product of town planning, not something that has happened because town planning has been swept away. All the roads, infrastructure to go with the housing have to be planned and co-ordinated, along with policies that direct growth to certain areas. You don't just create it by throwing up a few motorways and letting people build wherever they want on vaguely defined zones. Even if you create a zonal system, like Japan and many other countries in Europe, it still has to be planned, it is just a slightly different type of planning.
Politicians respond to public pressure. If you want more of it you need to lobby your MP. We all need to not cry blue murder because it's difficult to predict to the exact day and pound exactly where something fiendishly complex will land 15 years in advance.
Instead, focus on the prize and the benefits, and getting it right.
That's if the bus actually exists. 1,500 routes have been cut just since 2021. 10% of all services were cut in the last year. 50% since 2010.
I extend a compromise - no new motorways until bus travel costs are cut to the same extent as fuel duty, and the number of services return to pre-2010 levels?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-67084533
Hooray! We're all rich! Three cheers for Sunak and Hunt! Although July has been revised down a bit.
Let's see how the Blue Wall votes in Mid Beds next week.
Some debate about what to call Hamas. They are the government of Gaza and a declaration of war has formally been made. Israel sees Hamas as terrorists and they are, but they are also a government - hence the declaration of war.
Legally that makes it people combatants, not terrorists. Israel is therefore now under the international rules of war - as are Hamas. Whilst people are warning Israel not to act illegally, the same is now true of Hamas. And whilst Hamas combatants kidnap, rape and behead, and see martyrdom as a goal, there should be little objection to Israel's actions.
Prisoners have rights in war. But not lunatics trying to kill everyone including themselves. Gaza's civilians need more consideration, but the enemy are hiding amongst and embedded within those civilians. As so many Israeli military leaders are saying, once you go in you have to assume that everyone is a combatant and every object a bomb - because in the past they have been. Self-defence is just and legal in war, even at individual level...
The Tories are currently on 24%.
We can build occasional projects very well. We build many other projects criminally badly. And most projects we don't build at all.
Good morning to all. That’s a greeting, not a comment on the weather, grey and damp.
That's what megaprojects are like. They take a very long time to deliver and are very hard to do. It's not like getting a quote for your patio extension.
So it's 20% over its original estimated budget - that happens, remember any major events that might have happened between 2008 and 2022 that might have thrown out the original assumptions? - and, according to stats published today, its usage is over 60% higher than its original projections.
So, Crossrail has easily exceeded the benefits/cost ratio in its original business case, and it's delivering more value than originally anticipated - not less.
You strike me as someone who'd comment on the empty portion of the glass no matter how well-filled it was, and if it was filled to the brim so you spilt some complain about that too.
"We" in this case being governments of the last couple of decades. Not your sector.
And the more you provide for cars, the further apart the good stuff is pushed, the more you need cars...
There must be a stable equilibrium eventually, but I'm not sure it's a pleasant or productive place to live.
The original Hague convention was written with input from British officers who had served on the frontline in Afghanistan. It was designed to regulate non state and semi state groups from the beginning.
Hama easily meet the test for being an organised party in the conflict - Command structure etc.
Well done. You are part of the problem.
And budgeting? What happened to contingency budgeting? Sure, signalling etc are problems - but that should have been budgeted for, instead of pretending it would be cheap. 25% overrun is not chump change.
"When you told voters in 2017 and 2019 that Jeremy Corbyn, a man that called Hamas friends should be PM, did you mean it?" - @BethRigby
Labour Leader @Keir_Starmer says 'between 2017 and 2019, the Labour Party lost its way'.
#PoliticsHub trib.al/Ws0G7ow
https://x.com/skypoliticshub/status/1712184539018150167?s=46&t=CW4pL-mMpTqsJXCdjW0Z6Q