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Pondering turnout – politicalbetting.com

SystemSystem Posts: 11,844
edited June 21 in General
imagePondering turnout – politicalbetting.com

We are now less than 2 weeks to go to the election and postal ballots have already gone out. It is an unusual election, but surely it is the case that every election has unique aspects. When speculating on results, voter turnout may be a key issue. I see this as two issues really. The first is the overall turnout, and second is the turnout by different demographic groups. Will it be the young or the old? C2DE or ABC1? The right or the left parties that stay at home?

Read the full story here

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    TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 116,187
    Ta Doc.
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    MonksfieldMonksfield Posts: 2,477
    Second, like the Tories
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    BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 33,361
    Third like the Tories
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    RochdalePioneersRochdalePioneers Posts: 28,128
    Third like the Tories
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    RochdalePioneersRochdalePioneers Posts: 28,128
    SNAP
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    GallowgateGallowgate Posts: 19,229
    Following on from @Casino_Royale’s comment in the last thread.

    I agree entirely that often laws are passed in order to generate a headline or to pretend something is being done. Often they are vague and it’s entirely intended for the courts to sort out the consequences because Parliament can’t be bothered to do its job properly.

    Vagueness in an agreement can often be beneficial to one party but I think most people can agree that vagueness in law only benefits lawyers. “Say what you mean.”
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    Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 57,503
    Good piece, @Foxy

    I haven't detected value in the turnout bands, which I think is gambling in its purest sense, so have stayed clear.
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    FoxyFoxy Posts: 46,213
    As ever, have spotted a typo...

    I did have a couple of graphs in the text, but they seem to have dropped out.

    This is the one on turnout over the years:

    And this on turnout by age referred to in the text:



    I hope this can be regarded as editing rather than breaching the one picture rule.

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    TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 116,187
    Foxy said:

    As ever, have spotted a typo...

    I did have a couple of graphs in the text, but they seem to have dropped out.

    This is the one on turnout over the years:

    And this on turnout by age referred to in the text:



    I hope this can be regarded as editing rather than breaching the one picture rule.

    My apologies, added now
  • Options
    noneoftheabovenoneoftheabove Posts: 21,640
    Foxy said:

    As ever, have spotted a typo...

    I did have a couple of graphs in the text, but they seem to have dropped out.

    This is the one on turnout over the years:

    And this on turnout by age referred to in the text:



    I hope this can be regarded as editing rather than breaching the one picture rule.

    Interesting that the youngsters arent really that far behind anymore, and werent, pre 1990s either. Now I am not saying that the drugs got much better around the same time, but.....
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    nico679nico679 Posts: 5,498
    edited June 21
    Expected turnout in polls normally overstates that.

    I’d expect the best turnout will be in those planning to vote for Reform . The worst in those voting Labour or Tory . Labour will be a bit nervous of the media calling the election for them already . I doubt we’ll see any major change to the normal demographic splits in turnout .

    The only recent European parliamentary election where turnout in younger people rose dramatically was in Poland.

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    noneoftheabovenoneoftheabove Posts: 21,640

    Third like the Tories

    Hope you have paid your oppo research team, and they must be many, very well indeed.
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    Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 26,352
    Fpt:
    RobD said:

    eek said:

    Absolutely disgusting "Supreme Court" judgement means a completely legal oil well project in Surrey has had its licence rescinded because it didn't 'take into account' the emissions that would result from consumers burning the product.
    https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/the-surrey-oil-judgment-undermines-our-democracy/

    This appointed court is not a part of our constitution; it has no legitimacy, and it is effectively making up law. It needs to be binned.

    Um no, it interprets the current law and generates a result.

    The new Labour Government can change the law and fix the issue all the Supreme Court has done is combine the law as it currently is and come to (an admittedly unexpected) conclusion..
    People like @Luckyguy1983 clearly have no understanding of our legal system whatsoever. This is how it has ALWAYS worked.
    Whether a new oil well can proceed legally is a matter for parliament and the appropriate local authorities. It is a complete abuse of "supreme court" powers to intervene on these spurious grounds, effectively to prevent any new oil wells being built in this country - economical self-harm which is for elected parliamentarians to inflict if they so wish, because they can be de-elected again. It's not for an appointed body to stretch its remit and make decisions like this.
    They can intervene if the process was not followed properly. That’s a fundamental principle of the rule of law.
    Their judgement is based upon a highly troubling interpretation of what that process should be - that's the point. The emissions involved in the set up and ongoing operation of the business were reported on in the usual way. The emissions generated subsequently were not, and I've explained why to demand that they are is deeply concerning in other posts.
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    FoxyFoxy Posts: 46,213

    Good piece, @Foxy

    I haven't detected value in the turnout bands, which I think is gambling in its purest sense, so have stayed clear.

    Not a great deal of value, I agree. The piece was more intended as a conversation starter.

    I think the "foregone conclusion" factor will outweigh the Faragasm factor so 62.5%- 64.99% is the most likely landing zone, but mostly a guess.

    Who turns out and who stays home is even harder to guess.

    I am pleases to see the age differences in likelihood to turnout diminishing in recent years. It is good for the health of our democracy.

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    tlg86tlg86 Posts: 25,568
    So if Surrey County Council had written "we've considered the impact of the CO2 from the oil and don't think it's enough to outweigh the benefits of the scheme", then it would have been alright?
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    Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 61,173
    Good morning, everyone.

    South Korea may reconsider position regarding Ukraine: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1ee8x221lno
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    BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 33,361
    Great header @Foxy, thanks.

    One factor which might add to a higher turnout is the >1m voters who registered in the last week of voter registration (c. 2% of the total registered voters?). I think it's safe to assume those people who bothered to register are very likely to vote.
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    GallowgateGallowgate Posts: 19,229
    tlg86 said:

    So if Surrey County Council had written "we've considered the impact of the CO2 from the oil and don't think it's enough to outweigh the benefits of the scheme", then it would have been alright?

    I’m not a planning lawyer but possibly. I mean I hate the planning system as much as the next person but to blame this on the courts is ridiculous. If Parliament sets out things for public authorities to consider and then they don’t, what is the court supposed to do?
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    BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 33,361

    Third like the Tories

    Third opposition like the Tories, after LDs, SNP, Reform?
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    MonksfieldMonksfield Posts: 2,477
    Posted on old thread by mistake first….

    If I had to put a finger in the air I would put turnout at about 66%. I think some Tories will sit on their hands, but others will be motivated to vote - for Reform. But among the centre and left I detect enthusiasm for giving the Tories a good kicking. That will boost turnout with the young.
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    MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 50,792
    edited June 21
    The old will turn out.They always do, as they are driven by those relatives who fought (and sometimes died) for that right.

    Labour must be a little concerned that with such massive poll leads, the urgency of their vote to get out is reduced. Plus this is not Tony Blair - there is no feeling this time of being part of something exciting. It's Starmer after all. Enthusiasm Factor 0.2....
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    GallowgateGallowgate Posts: 19,229
    edited June 21
    @Luckyguy1983 the Supreme Court isn’t doing anything different to what the House of Lords judicial committee did before them. You need to educate yourself. It is pretty much just a rebrand.
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    TOPPINGTOPPING Posts: 41,966
    Great article - good to see the betting implications. What do you think it says about the parties' chances.
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    DoubleDutchDoubleDutch Posts: 161

    @Luckyguy1983 the Supreme Court isn’t doing anything different to what the House of Lords judicial committee did before them. You need to educate yourself.

    Exactly

    It's an excellent decision. There was huge resistance from locals for extremely good reasons.

    Fuck off @Luckyguy1983 with your business-rimming planet-wrecking bullshit

    https://www.businessgreen.com/news/4325273/watershed-moment-battle-surrey-oil-project-wins-landmark-supreme-court-victory

    https://www.cpre.org.uk/news/supreme-court-decision-on-oil-drilling-is-major-win-for-the-countryside/
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    mwadamsmwadams Posts: 3,281

    Great header @Foxy, thanks.

    One factor which might add to a higher turnout is the >1m voters who registered in the last week of voter registration (c. 2% of the total registered voters?). I think it's safe to assume those people who bothered to register are very likely to vote.

    I'm not sure if the figures cover the same period but that seems like it might be low by comparison with 2017 and 2019

    https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/research-reports-and-data/our-reports-and-data-past-elections-and-referendums/report-overview-2019-uk-parliamentary-general-election/depth-delivering-2019-uk-parliamentary-general-election
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    DoubleDutchDoubleDutch Posts: 161

    The old will turn out.They always do, as they are driven by those relatives who fought (and sometimes died) for that right.

    Labour must be a little concerned that with such massive poll leads, the urgency of their vote to get out is reduced. Plus this is not Tony Blair - there is no feeling this time of being part of something exciting. It's Starmer after all. Enthusiasm Factor 0.2....

    Dunno

    On one hand I know tories who say they will sit on their hands or spoil ballots

    On other I know loads people itching to get to the polling booth to kick the tories in the knackers
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    LostPasswordLostPassword Posts: 16,730
    My expectation is for a low turnout, possibly a record low turnout. 57.5-59.99 is 9/2, which seems a bit short. Going for the apocalyptically low 55-57.49 at 14/1 might be better.

    My reasoning is.
    1. Low turnout seems to correlate with how badly the Tories do in recent decades, and this election may break records in that regard.
    2. In general FPTP depresses the vote of other parties, because they're perceived not to have a chance of winning, so I suspect Reform voters will be less likely to turn out.
    3. Starmer's safety-first strategy is unlikely to enthuse anyone to make a special effort to vote.
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    FarooqFarooq Posts: 12,365
    I am really quite bullish about turnout and I "feel" like it could go much higher than people on here are predicting.

    However, this is without having looked at what the pollsters are saying. It's a completely evidence-free feeling. I don't even know how to read the polls for predictions on turnout. Can anyone enlighten me?
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    DoubleDutchDoubleDutch Posts: 161
    edited June 21

    Posted on old thread by mistake first….

    If I had to put a finger in the air I would put turnout at about 66%. I think some Tories will sit on their hands, but others will be motivated to vote - for Reform. But among the centre and left I detect enthusiasm for giving the Tories a good kicking. That will boost turnout with the young.

    You've nailed it I reckon. Maybe a notch more to 67-68% but 66% looks a good call
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    SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 21,379

    Third like the Tories

    Nationally, or in your constituency?
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    DoubleDutchDoubleDutch Posts: 161
    Farooq said:

    I am really quite bullish about turnout and I "feel" like it could go much higher than people on here are predicting.

    However, this is without having looked at what the pollsters are saying. It's a completely evidence-free feeling. I don't even know how to read the polls for predictions on turnout. Can anyone enlighten me?

    It would be useful to compare enthusiasm vs venegeance

    '97 was both vengeance AND enthusiasm

    Has there ever been a more HATED Government in British history than the one now? Reckon some of you are totally missing this. Plus throw Reform into the mix. The post below that Reform voters less likely to vote seems whacko. They will stir people to GOTV both for and against.

    If turnout nipped over 70% I wouldn't fall off my chair
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    LostPasswordLostPassword Posts: 16,730
    On the other hand, are we comparing apples and oranges here? I think there has been a change to the way voter registration is handled which means that people registering at a new address are removed at the same time from the register at their old address, which should remove some of the spurious registrations that would lead to turnout looking like it was lower than it actually was.
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    SteveSSteveS Posts: 112

    Fpt:

    RobD said:

    eek said:

    Absolutely disgusting "Supreme Court" judgement means a completely legal oil well project in Surrey has had its licence rescinded because it didn't 'take into account' the emissions that would result from consumers burning the product.
    https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/the-surrey-oil-judgment-undermines-our-democracy/

    This appointed court is not a part of our constitution; it has no legitimacy, and it is effectively making up law. It needs to be binned.

    Um no, it interprets the current law and generates a result.

    The new Labour Government can change the law and fix the issue all the Supreme Court has done is combine the law as it currently is and come to (an admittedly unexpected) conclusion..
    People like @Luckyguy1983 clearly have no understanding of our legal system whatsoever. This is how it has ALWAYS worked.
    Whether a new oil well can proceed legally is a matter for parliament and the appropriate local authorities. It is a complete abuse of "supreme court" powers to intervene on these spurious grounds, effectively to prevent any new oil wells being built in this country - economical self-harm which is for elected parliamentarians to inflict if they so wish, because they can be de-elected again. It's not for an appointed body to stretch its remit and make decisions like this.
    They can intervene if the process was not followed properly. That’s a fundamental principle of the rule of law.
    Their judgement is based upon a highly troubling interpretation of what that process should be - that's the point. The emissions involved in the set up and ongoing operation of the business were reported on in the usual way. The emissions generated subsequently were not, and I've explained why to demand that they are is deeply concerning in other posts.
    I worry that this bit of the above…
    : “ Whether a new oil well can proceed legally is a matter for parliament and the appropriate local authorities”

    …Shows a confusion between parliament and the executive.

    Parliament makes laws. The executive (Government or SCC) makes decisions which should be legal, but if there is doubt the Judicial system will decide

    This is part of the citizenship exam. Maybe it should be taught in schools too?
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    NigelbNigelb Posts: 64,839
    Foxy said:

    As ever, have spotted a typo...

    I did have a couple of graphs in the text, but they seem to have dropped out.

    This is the one on turnout over the years:

    And this on turnout by age referred to in the text:



    I hope this can be regarded as editing rather than breaching the one picture rule.

    One other quibble with the header.
    Voting by party has always been different between the older and younger voters, but it is very noticeable how this divide has increased in recent years... ought also to note that the gap has widened, and then narrowed substantially in recent years.

    I've a couple of bets on turnout at the top end, at very long odds, but I've no real feel for likely turnout in this election.
    Is there any good recent polling indication ?
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    LostPasswordLostPassword Posts: 16,730
    Farooq said:

    I am really quite bullish about turnout and I "feel" like it could go much higher than people on here are predicting.

    However, this is without having looked at what the pollsters are saying. It's a completely evidence-free feeling. I don't even know how to read the polls for predictions on turnout. Can anyone enlighten me?

    Polls ask people how likely they are to vote, so you can look at the proportion saying 10 out of 10 will certainly vote, and take that as a prediction of turnout.

    But I wouldn't.

    Opinion polls have such difficulty finding a sample of people, the non-response rate is very high, meaning that the people who respond to polls are much more likely to be politically-engaged. And this is a problem that has worsened with time, so I don't even think you can use the polls before 2019 to calibrate.
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    FarooqFarooq Posts: 12,365

    Farooq said:

    I am really quite bullish about turnout and I "feel" like it could go much higher than people on here are predicting.

    However, this is without having looked at what the pollsters are saying. It's a completely evidence-free feeling. I don't even know how to read the polls for predictions on turnout. Can anyone enlighten me?

    It would be useful to compare enthusiasm vs venegeance

    '97 was both vengeance AND enthusiasm

    Has there ever been a more HATED Government in British history than the one now? Reckon some of you are totally missing this. Plus throw Reform into the mix. The post below that Reform voters less likely to vote seems whacko. They will stir people to GOTV both for and against.

    If turnout nipped over 70% I wouldn't fall off my chair
    That's it exactly. It's an election with a lot of choice, and over 70% doesn't feel like a mad bet right now.
    But sensible people with spreadsheets will know better than my finger in the air. Probably.
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    SteveSSteveS Posts: 112
    On topic. I can see future me congratulating myself for successfully predicting higher turnout on the basis that voters want to make a difference and this election allowed them to do that.

    Equally I can see future me congratulating myself for successfully predicting lower turnout as it’s a dead rubber.

    I’m staying clear…
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    wooliedyedwooliedyed Posts: 9,607

    Farooq said:

    I am really quite bullish about turnout and I "feel" like it could go much higher than people on here are predicting.

    However, this is without having looked at what the pollsters are saying. It's a completely evidence-free feeling. I don't even know how to read the polls for predictions on turnout. Can anyone enlighten me?

    It would be useful to compare enthusiasm vs venegeance

    '97 was both vengeance AND enthusiasm

    Has there ever been a more HATED Government in British history than the one now? Reckon some of you are totally missing this. Plus throw Reform into the mix. The post below that Reform voters less likely to vote seems whacko. They will stir people to GOTV both for and against.

    If turnout nipped over 70% I wouldn't fall off my chair
    I think the 'most hated' thing is a product of social media. Its very unpopular but i get more a sense of fed up than hatred and despair at the lack of a compelling alternative, plus increased 'plague on all houses' sentiment. To me that says low turnout
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    GallowgateGallowgate Posts: 19,229
    FWIW I don’t think turnout amongst Reform voters will be higher. Everyone I know who has indicated a desire to vote for Reform isn’t massively politically engaged.
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    DoubleDutchDoubleDutch Posts: 161
    edited June 21
    Also difference between "awareness" of voter ID rules and whether you have ID surely.

    Just about every single 18-30 yr old always has ID cos they need it for booze, clubbing.

    "Younger people were more likely than the general population to hold a form of photo ID. Ninety-nine per cent of those aged 18-29 held a form of photo ID"

    From the UK Govt's own data
    https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/609a5105d3bf7f2886e29f44/Photographic_ID_research-_headline_findings_report.pdf
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    MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 50,792

    The old will turn out.They always do, as they are driven by those relatives who fought (and sometimes died) for that right.

    Labour must be a little concerned that with such massive poll leads, the urgency of their vote to get out is reduced. Plus this is not Tony Blair - there is no feeling this time of being part of something exciting. It's Starmer after all. Enthusiasm Factor 0.2....

    Dunno

    On one hand I know tories who say they will sit on their hands or spoil ballots

    On other I know loads people itching to get to the polling booth to kick the tories in the knackers
    In every election, there are loads of people itching to get to the polling booth to kick the Tories in the knackers.

    Usually around 60%. The only difference this time is it will be 70%.
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    SouthamObserverSouthamObserver Posts: 39,213
    I think a lot of Tories are gong to stay at home, as well as a fair few voters in safe Labour seats. My guess is turnout will be down quite a bit. I would not be surprised to see under 60%.
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    bondegezoubondegezou Posts: 8,873
    SteveS said:

    Fpt:

    RobD said:

    eek said:

    Absolutely disgusting "Supreme Court" judgement means a completely legal oil well project in Surrey has had its licence rescinded because it didn't 'take into account' the emissions that would result from consumers burning the product.
    https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/the-surrey-oil-judgment-undermines-our-democracy/

    This appointed court is not a part of our constitution; it has no legitimacy, and it is effectively making up law. It needs to be binned.

    Um no, it interprets the current law and generates a result.

    The new Labour Government can change the law and fix the issue all the Supreme Court has done is combine the law as it currently is and come to (an admittedly unexpected) conclusion..
    People like @Luckyguy1983 clearly have no understanding of our legal system whatsoever. This is how it has ALWAYS worked.
    Whether a new oil well can proceed legally is a matter for parliament and the appropriate local authorities. It is a complete abuse of "supreme court" powers to intervene on these spurious grounds, effectively to prevent any new oil wells being built in this country - economical self-harm which is for elected parliamentarians to inflict if they so wish, because they can be de-elected again. It's not for an appointed body to stretch its remit and make decisions like this.
    They can intervene if the process was not followed properly. That’s a fundamental principle of the rule of law.
    Their judgement is based upon a highly troubling interpretation of what that process should be - that's the point. The emissions involved in the set up and ongoing operation of the business were reported on in the usual way. The emissions generated subsequently were not, and I've explained why to demand that they are is deeply concerning in other posts.
    I worry that this bit of the above…
    : “ Whether a new oil well can proceed legally is a matter for parliament and the appropriate local authorities”

    …Shows a confusion between parliament and the executive.

    Parliament makes laws. The executive (Government or SCC) makes decisions which should be legal, but if there is doubt the Judicial system will decide

    This is part of the citizenship exam. Maybe it should be taught in schools too?
    Or, at least, at Spectator editorial meetings.
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    BartholomewRobertsBartholomewRoberts Posts: 19,771
    SteveS said:

    Fpt:

    RobD said:

    eek said:

    Absolutely disgusting "Supreme Court" judgement means a completely legal oil well project in Surrey has had its licence rescinded because it didn't 'take into account' the emissions that would result from consumers burning the product.
    https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/the-surrey-oil-judgment-undermines-our-democracy/

    This appointed court is not a part of our constitution; it has no legitimacy, and it is effectively making up law. It needs to be binned.

    Um no, it interprets the current law and generates a result.

    The new Labour Government can change the law and fix the issue all the Supreme Court has done is combine the law as it currently is and come to (an admittedly unexpected) conclusion..
    People like @Luckyguy1983 clearly have no understanding of our legal system whatsoever. This is how it has ALWAYS worked.
    Whether a new oil well can proceed legally is a matter for parliament and the appropriate local authorities. It is a complete abuse of "supreme court" powers to intervene on these spurious grounds, effectively to prevent any new oil wells being built in this country - economical self-harm which is for elected parliamentarians to inflict if they so wish, because they can be de-elected again. It's not for an appointed body to stretch its remit and make decisions like this.
    They can intervene if the process was not followed properly. That’s a fundamental principle of the rule of law.
    Their judgement is based upon a highly troubling interpretation of what that process should be - that's the point. The emissions involved in the set up and ongoing operation of the business were reported on in the usual way. The emissions generated subsequently were not, and I've explained why to demand that they are is deeply concerning in other posts.
    I worry that this bit of the above…
    : “ Whether a new oil well can proceed legally is a matter for parliament and the appropriate local authorities”

    …Shows a confusion between parliament and the executive.

    Parliament makes laws. The executive (Government or SCC) makes decisions which should be legal, but if there is doubt the Judicial system will decide

    This is part of the citizenship exam. Maybe it should be taught in schools too?
    That's true but the court made a mistake in its ruling.

    The emissions generated by the burning of the oil should not be counted as the net difference of oil burnt as a result of the well is zero.

    Why zero? Because oil is fungible and had we not extracted from this well we'd have just imported from Saudi Arabia or somewhere else the exact same amount of oil.

    So the total net emissions of a fungible product is zero, unless or until we start forbidding imports.
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    CookieCookie Posts: 12,125
    On thread: This'll be a low turnout election, in my view.

    Off topic: we cover this periodically but a listicle to warm the heart. Worth tge minor faff of the 12 foot ladder if you don't have a Telegraph subscription:
    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/0/best-comedy-shows-all-time/
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    FarooqFarooq Posts: 12,365

    Farooq said:

    I am really quite bullish about turnout and I "feel" like it could go much higher than people on here are predicting.

    However, this is without having looked at what the pollsters are saying. It's a completely evidence-free feeling. I don't even know how to read the polls for predictions on turnout. Can anyone enlighten me?

    Polls ask people how likely they are to vote, so you can look at the proportion saying 10 out of 10 will certainly vote, and take that as a prediction of turnout.

    But I wouldn't.

    Opinion polls have such difficulty finding a sample of people, the non-response rate is very high, meaning that the people who respond to polls are much more likely to be politically-engaged. And this is a problem that has worsened with time, so I don't even think you can use the polls before 2019 to calibrate.
    So, if this is right... are we saying that everyone has their finger in the air?
    If so, that has interesting opportunities for betting against the herd.
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    NigelbNigelb Posts: 64,839

    @Luckyguy1983 the Supreme Court isn’t doing anything different to what the House of Lords judicial committee did before them. You need to educate yourself.

    Exactly

    It's an excellent decision. There was huge resistance from locals for extremely good reasons.

    Fuck off @Luckyguy1983 with your business-rimming planet-wrecking bullshit

    https://www.businessgreen.com/news/4325273/watershed-moment-battle-surrey-oil-project-wins-landmark-supreme-court-victory

    https://www.cpre.org.uk/news/supreme-court-decision-on-oil-drilling-is-major-win-for-the-countryside/
    The decision night not to be viewed on whether you approve or disapprove of oil extraction, and rather whether or not it's a valid determination under the law.

    To drill or not to drill is really a matter for the voters and those they elect. And those who are pro drilling are likely to lose at the ballot box quite soon.

    Which probably explains @Luckyguy1983 's pique.
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    GallowgateGallowgate Posts: 19,229
    The laughable conclusion to @Luckyguy1983 ’s position that public authorities should not have to care about procedure is that councils could then simply block otherwise legal development for no other reason than because. That then becomes the exact kind of environment where corruption flourishes. It works both ways.
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    BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 33,361
    Anecdote alert: I attended an Arts Society summer drinks party last night in a very Tory area. Demographic was 99% white, over 65, as far as I could tell.

    The election came up a lot (pretty much every conversation) and my overall impression is there are a lot of bemused Tories out there, wondering where and how did it all go so spectacularly wrong.

    Unanimous acceptance that the Tories have lost, of course, 'but what will replace them?'. I had people complaining about benefit scroungers, and asking me what I thought about National Service (some who clearly like the idea).

    I'd guess quite a few will vote Reform, with the rest largely split Tory / LibDem.
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    bondegezoubondegezou Posts: 8,873

    SteveS said:

    Fpt:

    RobD said:

    eek said:

    Absolutely disgusting "Supreme Court" judgement means a completely legal oil well project in Surrey has had its licence rescinded because it didn't 'take into account' the emissions that would result from consumers burning the product.
    https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/the-surrey-oil-judgment-undermines-our-democracy/

    This appointed court is not a part of our constitution; it has no legitimacy, and it is effectively making up law. It needs to be binned.

    Um no, it interprets the current law and generates a result.

    The new Labour Government can change the law and fix the issue all the Supreme Court has done is combine the law as it currently is and come to (an admittedly unexpected) conclusion..
    People like @Luckyguy1983 clearly have no understanding of our legal system whatsoever. This is how it has ALWAYS worked.
    Whether a new oil well can proceed legally is a matter for parliament and the appropriate local authorities. It is a complete abuse of "supreme court" powers to intervene on these spurious grounds, effectively to prevent any new oil wells being built in this country - economical self-harm which is for elected parliamentarians to inflict if they so wish, because they can be de-elected again. It's not for an appointed body to stretch its remit and make decisions like this.
    They can intervene if the process was not followed properly. That’s a fundamental principle of the rule of law.
    Their judgement is based upon a highly troubling interpretation of what that process should be - that's the point. The emissions involved in the set up and ongoing operation of the business were reported on in the usual way. The emissions generated subsequently were not, and I've explained why to demand that they are is deeply concerning in other posts.
    I worry that this bit of the above…
    : “ Whether a new oil well can proceed legally is a matter for parliament and the appropriate local authorities”

    …Shows a confusion between parliament and the executive.

    Parliament makes laws. The executive (Government or SCC) makes decisions which should be legal, but if there is doubt the Judicial system will decide

    This is part of the citizenship exam. Maybe it should be taught in schools too?
    That's true but the court made a mistake in its ruling.

    The emissions generated by the burning of the oil should not be counted as the net difference of oil burnt as a result of the well is zero.

    Why zero? Because oil is fungible and had we not extracted from this well we'd have just imported from Saudi Arabia or somewhere else the exact same amount of oil.

    So the total net emissions of a fungible product is zero, unless or until we start forbidding imports.
    (a) If you think you understand the law better than those on the Supreme Court, you should be hiring yourself out as a consultant at >£1000 per hour.

    (b) We import only tiny amounts of oil from Saudi Arabia.
  • Options
    LostPasswordLostPassword Posts: 16,730

    SteveS said:

    Fpt:

    RobD said:

    eek said:

    Absolutely disgusting "Supreme Court" judgement means a completely legal oil well project in Surrey has had its licence rescinded because it didn't 'take into account' the emissions that would result from consumers burning the product.
    https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/the-surrey-oil-judgment-undermines-our-democracy/

    This appointed court is not a part of our constitution; it has no legitimacy, and it is effectively making up law. It needs to be binned.

    Um no, it interprets the current law and generates a result.

    The new Labour Government can change the law and fix the issue all the Supreme Court has done is combine the law as it currently is and come to (an admittedly unexpected) conclusion..
    People like @Luckyguy1983 clearly have no understanding of our legal system whatsoever. This is how it has ALWAYS worked.
    Whether a new oil well can proceed legally is a matter for parliament and the appropriate local authorities. It is a complete abuse of "supreme court" powers to intervene on these spurious grounds, effectively to prevent any new oil wells being built in this country - economical self-harm which is for elected parliamentarians to inflict if they so wish, because they can be de-elected again. It's not for an appointed body to stretch its remit and make decisions like this.
    They can intervene if the process was not followed properly. That’s a fundamental principle of the rule of law.
    Their judgement is based upon a highly troubling interpretation of what that process should be - that's the point. The emissions involved in the set up and ongoing operation of the business were reported on in the usual way. The emissions generated subsequently were not, and I've explained why to demand that they are is deeply concerning in other posts.
    I worry that this bit of the above…
    : “ Whether a new oil well can proceed legally is a matter for parliament and the appropriate local authorities”

    …Shows a confusion between parliament and the executive.

    Parliament makes laws. The executive (Government or SCC) makes decisions which should be legal, but if there is doubt the Judicial system will decide

    This is part of the citizenship exam. Maybe it should be taught in schools too?
    That's true but the court made a mistake in its ruling.

    The emissions generated by the burning of the oil should not be counted as the net difference of oil burnt as a result of the well is zero.

    Why zero? Because oil is fungible and had we not extracted from this well we'd have just imported from Saudi Arabia or somewhere else the exact same amount of oil.

    So the total net emissions of a fungible product is zero, unless or until we start forbidding imports.
    As pointed out by someone previously, the Supreme Court did not rule on the substance of the issue, but only on whether the county council had considered the substance of the issue. Which they had not.

    So your objection is not relevant, or in order, and we could expect that a revised planning decision from the country council, which did consider the substance of the issue, has a high probability of concluding that it shouldn't be a bar to approving the application, for the logical reasons you set out.

    That outcome would be law followed, planning approved, everyone happy (especially the lawyers!)
  • Options
    MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 26,247
    Off topic

    I see both the Telegraph and the Mail are incredulous that Starmer has suggested Corbyn might have been a better Prime Minister than the worst Prime Minister in modern history. Hardly a ringing endorsement of Corbyn, but nonetheless an accurate analysis of Johnson.

    I agree with Keir.
  • Options
    FoxyFoxy Posts: 46,213
    Farooq said:

    I am really quite bullish about turnout and I "feel" like it could go much higher than people on here are predicting.

    However, this is without having looked at what the pollsters are saying. It's a completely evidence-free feeling. I don't even know how to read the polls for predictions on turnout. Can anyone enlighten me?

    Polls usually give unrealistically high results for turnout, often over 80%, while since the 1950s that just hasn't happened, apart from the Sindyref, so it doesn't provide much guide.

    Worth noting too that dual registration by students and others with two residences distort the figures. Foxjr2 is registered both in Greenwich and Leics for example. He is in Autralia travelling but seems to have arranged a postal vote for Leics. In any case, his vote turnout cannot exceed 50%.
  • Options
    bondegezoubondegezou Posts: 8,873

    Off topic

    I see both the Telegraph and the Mail are incredulous that Starmer has suggested Corbyn might have been a better Prime Minister than the worst Prime Minister in modern history. Hardly a ringing endorsement of Corbyn, but nonetheless an accurate analysis of Johnson.

    I agree with Keir.

    Johnson was not the worst PM in modern history. He was only the worst PM in modern history up to that time.
  • Options
    NigelbNigelb Posts: 64,839

    Farooq said:

    I am really quite bullish about turnout and I "feel" like it could go much higher than people on here are predicting.

    However, this is without having looked at what the pollsters are saying. It's a completely evidence-free feeling. I don't even know how to read the polls for predictions on turnout. Can anyone enlighten me?

    Polls ask people how likely they are to vote, so you can look at the proportion saying 10 out of 10 will certainly vote, and take that as a prediction of turnout.

    But I wouldn't.

    Opinion polls have such difficulty finding a sample of people, the non-response rate is very high, meaning that the people who respond to polls are much more likely to be politically-engaged. And this is a problem that has worsened with time, so I don't even think you can use the polls before 2019 to calibrate.
    How much is the RefUK/Tory scrap likely to drive turnout of the otherwise demoralised Conservative voter ?

    And there's arguably a bit of the same thing going on with LibDems/Greens vs Labour etc looking to secure more seats in the next Parliament, even if the Lab majority outcome looks nailed on.
  • Options
    bondegezoubondegezou Posts: 8,873
    Foxy said:

    Farooq said:

    I am really quite bullish about turnout and I "feel" like it could go much higher than people on here are predicting.

    However, this is without having looked at what the pollsters are saying. It's a completely evidence-free feeling. I don't even know how to read the polls for predictions on turnout. Can anyone enlighten me?

    Polls usually give unrealistically high results for turnout, often over 80%, while since the 1950s that just hasn't happened, apart from the Sindyref, so it doesn't provide much guide.

    Worth noting too that dual registration by students and others with two residences distort the figures. Foxjr2 is registered both in Greenwich and Leics for example. He is in Autralia travelling but seems to have arranged a postal vote for Leics. In any case, his vote turnout cannot exceed 50%.
    … cannot LEGALLY exceed 50%.
  • Options
    LostPasswordLostPassword Posts: 16,730
    Farooq said:

    Farooq said:

    I am really quite bullish about turnout and I "feel" like it could go much higher than people on here are predicting.

    However, this is without having looked at what the pollsters are saying. It's a completely evidence-free feeling. I don't even know how to read the polls for predictions on turnout. Can anyone enlighten me?

    Polls ask people how likely they are to vote, so you can look at the proportion saying 10 out of 10 will certainly vote, and take that as a prediction of turnout.

    But I wouldn't.

    Opinion polls have such difficulty finding a sample of people, the non-response rate is very high, meaning that the people who respond to polls are much more likely to be politically-engaged. And this is a problem that has worsened with time, so I don't even think you can use the polls before 2019 to calibrate.
    So, if this is right... are we saying that everyone has their finger in the air?
    If so, that has interesting opportunities for betting against the herd.
    Well, other people might be following the opinion poll data. You'd have to compare it to the odds to see if that was the case.

    But, yes. We see reasonably good cases being made for high and low turnout in this thread, so it does look like we're all guessing.
  • Options
    algarkirkalgarkirk Posts: 11,397
    edited June 21
    Nigelb said:

    Foxy said:

    As ever, have spotted a typo...

    I did have a couple of graphs in the text, but they seem to have dropped out.

    This is the one on turnout over the years:

    And this on turnout by age referred to in the text:



    I hope this can be regarded as editing rather than breaching the one picture rule.

    One other quibble with the header.
    Voting by party has always been different between the older and younger voters, but it is very noticeable how this divide has increased in recent years... ought also to note that the gap has widened, and then narrowed substantially in recent years.

    I've a couple of bets on turnout at the top end, at very long odds, but I've no real feel for likely turnout in this election.
    Is there any good recent polling indication ?
    Yes, turnout is problematic. There is plenty to vote against but only Reform (ugh) have presented a front of being the outfit to affirmatively vote for.

    Labour's problem of course is that even their ultra modest agenda is one we all know they can't explain how to pay for.

    I would see it thus: this election is between three factions: worthy non populists (Lab, LD); populists (Ref, Green, SNP, Galloway); and the Tories who are presenting as none of these, which is why no-one at all has a good reason to vote for them.

    Worthy and populist voters will turn out. they all have a little bit to vote for. I think the young will again stay away - there is no free stuff for them, as will most of the totally unengaged and uncommitted. 64-65%

    Footnote: There is nothing this time to bring out either remainers or leavers who are otherwise generally not interested in elections. This won't help turnout.
  • Options
    FarooqFarooq Posts: 12,365

    SteveS said:

    Fpt:

    RobD said:

    eek said:

    Absolutely disgusting "Supreme Court" judgement means a completely legal oil well project in Surrey has had its licence rescinded because it didn't 'take into account' the emissions that would result from consumers burning the product.
    https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/the-surrey-oil-judgment-undermines-our-democracy/

    This appointed court is not a part of our constitution; it has no legitimacy, and it is effectively making up law. It needs to be binned.

    Um no, it interprets the current law and generates a result.

    The new Labour Government can change the law and fix the issue all the Supreme Court has done is combine the law as it currently is and come to (an admittedly unexpected) conclusion..
    People like @Luckyguy1983 clearly have no understanding of our legal system whatsoever. This is how it has ALWAYS worked.
    Whether a new oil well can proceed legally is a matter for parliament and the appropriate local authorities. It is a complete abuse of "supreme court" powers to intervene on these spurious grounds, effectively to prevent any new oil wells being built in this country - economical self-harm which is for elected parliamentarians to inflict if they so wish, because they can be de-elected again. It's not for an appointed body to stretch its remit and make decisions like this.
    They can intervene if the process was not followed properly. That’s a fundamental principle of the rule of law.
    Their judgement is based upon a highly troubling interpretation of what that process should be - that's the point. The emissions involved in the set up and ongoing operation of the business were reported on in the usual way. The emissions generated subsequently were not, and I've explained why to demand that they are is deeply concerning in other posts.
    I worry that this bit of the above…
    : “ Whether a new oil well can proceed legally is a matter for parliament and the appropriate local authorities”

    …Shows a confusion between parliament and the executive.

    Parliament makes laws. The executive (Government or SCC) makes decisions which should be legal, but if there is doubt the Judicial system will decide

    This is part of the citizenship exam. Maybe it should be taught in schools too?
    That's true but the court made a mistake in its ruling.

    The emissions generated by the burning of the oil should not be counted as the net difference of oil burnt as a result of the well is zero.

    Why zero? Because oil is fungible and had we not extracted from this well we'd have just imported from Saudi Arabia or somewhere else the exact same amount of oil.

    So the total net emissions of a fungible product is zero, unless or until we start forbidding imports.
    Hmmm that's not right. In general, increasing supply of a product can increase demand.
  • Options
    Sean_FSean_F Posts: 36,489

    Off topic

    I see both the Telegraph and the Mail are incredulous that Starmer has suggested Corbyn might have been a better Prime Minister than the worst Prime Minister in modern history. Hardly a ringing endorsement of Corbyn, but nonetheless an accurate analysis of Johnson.

    I agree with Keir.

    In light of Corbyn’s views on foreign affairs, I do not.
  • Options
    BartholomewRobertsBartholomewRoberts Posts: 19,771

    SteveS said:

    Fpt:

    RobD said:

    eek said:

    Absolutely disgusting "Supreme Court" judgement means a completely legal oil well project in Surrey has had its licence rescinded because it didn't 'take into account' the emissions that would result from consumers burning the product.
    https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/the-surrey-oil-judgment-undermines-our-democracy/

    This appointed court is not a part of our constitution; it has no legitimacy, and it is effectively making up law. It needs to be binned.

    Um no, it interprets the current law and generates a result.

    The new Labour Government can change the law and fix the issue all the Supreme Court has done is combine the law as it currently is and come to (an admittedly unexpected) conclusion..
    People like @Luckyguy1983 clearly have no understanding of our legal system whatsoever. This is how it has ALWAYS worked.
    Whether a new oil well can proceed legally is a matter for parliament and the appropriate local authorities. It is a complete abuse of "supreme court" powers to intervene on these spurious grounds, effectively to prevent any new oil wells being built in this country - economical self-harm which is for elected parliamentarians to inflict if they so wish, because they can be de-elected again. It's not for an appointed body to stretch its remit and make decisions like this.
    They can intervene if the process was not followed properly. That’s a fundamental principle of the rule of law.
    Their judgement is based upon a highly troubling interpretation of what that process should be - that's the point. The emissions involved in the set up and ongoing operation of the business were reported on in the usual way. The emissions generated subsequently were not, and I've explained why to demand that they are is deeply concerning in other posts.
    I worry that this bit of the above…
    : “ Whether a new oil well can proceed legally is a matter for parliament and the appropriate local authorities”

    …Shows a confusion between parliament and the executive.

    Parliament makes laws. The executive (Government or SCC) makes decisions which should be legal, but if there is doubt the Judicial system will decide

    This is part of the citizenship exam. Maybe it should be taught in schools too?
    That's true but the court made a mistake in its ruling.

    The emissions generated by the burning of the oil should not be counted as the net difference of oil burnt as a result of the well is zero.

    Why zero? Because oil is fungible and had we not extracted from this well we'd have just imported from Saudi Arabia or somewhere else the exact same amount of oil.

    So the total net emissions of a fungible product is zero, unless or until we start forbidding imports.
    (a) If you think you understand the law better than those on the Supreme Court, you should be hiring yourself out as a consultant at >£1000 per hour.

    (b) We import only tiny amounts of oil from Saudi Arabia.
    a) I'm not saying that I know the law better than the Court, I'm saying in case I'm not clear that if that is the law then the law is an ass.

    The law should be that the net difference in emissions is considered. Downstream emissions on a fungible product are moot.

    b) You're being ignorant again of the fact that oil is fungible and a global commodities market. It doesn't matter if we get our oil from the UK, Norway or Saudi Arabia, the Saudis and others adjust their production to make the difference and if too much oil is being produced so the price falls then the OPEC cartel are more than willing to cut their own production in order to inflate the price back up for the rest of what they sell.

    Cutting our own production just means OPEC can produce more without needing to cut their own production to keep prices inflated. Net change on global CO2 emissions is zero. Anyone advocating that is not serious about the environment and has another agenda, we need to cut consumption of oil more than we need to cut production of it and the two are not directly linked.
  • Options
    Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 61,173
    Mr. F, it's staggering that someone who marched with banners of Stalin got such a soft treatment from the media.
  • Options
    DoubleDutchDoubleDutch Posts: 161

    Off topic

    I see both the Telegraph and the Mail are incredulous that Starmer has suggested Corbyn might have been a better Prime Minister than the worst Prime Minister in modern history. Hardly a ringing endorsement of Corbyn, but nonetheless an accurate analysis of Johnson.

    I agree with Keir.

    Yeah their most feeble headlines in a long while

    Nom-Dom mega rich proprietors starting to panic
  • Options
    Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 34,653
    Saw my first Tory posters last night. Nailed to a tree, so not obviously in someone's garden
  • Options
    kle4kle4 Posts: 93,849
    RobD said:

    eek said:

    Absolutely disgusting "Supreme Court" judgement means a completely legal oil well project in Surrey has had its licence rescinded because it didn't 'take into account' the emissions that would result from consumers burning the product.
    https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/the-surrey-oil-judgment-undermines-our-democracy/

    This appointed court is not a part of our constitution; it has no legitimacy, and it is effectively making up law. It needs to be binned.

    Um no, it interprets the current law and generates a result.

    The new Labour Government can change the law and fix the issue all the Supreme Court has done is combine the law as it currently is and come to (an admittedly unexpected) conclusion..
    People like @Luckyguy1983 clearly have no understanding of our legal system whatsoever. This is how it has ALWAYS worked.
    Whether a new oil well can proceed legally is a matter for parliament and the appropriate local authorities. It is a complete abuse of "supreme court" powers to intervene on these spurious grounds, effectively to prevent any new oil wells being built in this country - economical self-harm which is for elected parliamentarians to inflict if they so wish, because they can be de-elected again. It's not for an appointed body to stretch its remit and make decisions like this.
    They can intervene if the process was not followed properly. That’s a fundamental principle of the rule of law.
    Yes, I don't particularly like the ruling either but it's spectacularly dumb to claim courts determining if the rules have been followed is an abuse of position when that's the whole point of most legal challenges.

    Indeed, the fault usually lies with parliament setting vague duties or requirements which opens the door for people to challenge via the courts. So it's blaming the wrong people.

    Putting Supreme Court in inverted commas makes me think it's one of those comments that erroneously thinks the court is acting like the US Supreme Court, as I know a chap who is always moaning about that, despite the Court conspicuously not having that power and a case around alleged maladministration not being unusual.
  • Options
    BartholomewRobertsBartholomewRoberts Posts: 19,771
    Farooq said:

    SteveS said:

    Fpt:

    RobD said:

    eek said:

    Absolutely disgusting "Supreme Court" judgement means a completely legal oil well project in Surrey has had its licence rescinded because it didn't 'take into account' the emissions that would result from consumers burning the product.
    https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/the-surrey-oil-judgment-undermines-our-democracy/

    This appointed court is not a part of our constitution; it has no legitimacy, and it is effectively making up law. It needs to be binned.

    Um no, it interprets the current law and generates a result.

    The new Labour Government can change the law and fix the issue all the Supreme Court has done is combine the law as it currently is and come to (an admittedly unexpected) conclusion..
    People like @Luckyguy1983 clearly have no understanding of our legal system whatsoever. This is how it has ALWAYS worked.
    Whether a new oil well can proceed legally is a matter for parliament and the appropriate local authorities. It is a complete abuse of "supreme court" powers to intervene on these spurious grounds, effectively to prevent any new oil wells being built in this country - economical self-harm which is for elected parliamentarians to inflict if they so wish, because they can be de-elected again. It's not for an appointed body to stretch its remit and make decisions like this.
    They can intervene if the process was not followed properly. That’s a fundamental principle of the rule of law.
    Their judgement is based upon a highly troubling interpretation of what that process should be - that's the point. The emissions involved in the set up and ongoing operation of the business were reported on in the usual way. The emissions generated subsequently were not, and I've explained why to demand that they are is deeply concerning in other posts.
    I worry that this bit of the above…
    : “ Whether a new oil well can proceed legally is a matter for parliament and the appropriate local authorities”

    …Shows a confusion between parliament and the executive.

    Parliament makes laws. The executive (Government or SCC) makes decisions which should be legal, but if there is doubt the Judicial system will decide

    This is part of the citizenship exam. Maybe it should be taught in schools too?
    That's true but the court made a mistake in its ruling.

    The emissions generated by the burning of the oil should not be counted as the net difference of oil burnt as a result of the well is zero.

    Why zero? Because oil is fungible and had we not extracted from this well we'd have just imported from Saudi Arabia or somewhere else the exact same amount of oil.

    So the total net emissions of a fungible product is zero, unless or until we start forbidding imports.
    Hmmm that's not right. In general, increasing supply of a product can increase demand.
    Because oversupply leads to a fall of prices.

    Except our supply isn't significant enough to increase supply globally and OPEC would rather cut an oversupply to keep prices high (and have done since the 1970s) than let prices collapse.
  • Options
    DoubleDutchDoubleDutch Posts: 161

    SteveS said:

    Fpt:

    RobD said:

    eek said:

    Absolutely disgusting "Supreme Court" judgement means a completely legal oil well project in Surrey has had its licence rescinded because it didn't 'take into account' the emissions that would result from consumers burning the product.
    https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/the-surrey-oil-judgment-undermines-our-democracy/

    This appointed court is not a part of our constitution; it has no legitimacy, and it is effectively making up law. It needs to be binned.

    Um no, it interprets the current law and generates a result.

    The new Labour Government can change the law and fix the issue all the Supreme Court has done is combine the law as it currently is and come to (an admittedly unexpected) conclusion..
    People like @Luckyguy1983 clearly have no understanding of our legal system whatsoever. This is how it has ALWAYS worked.
    Whether a new oil well can proceed legally is a matter for parliament and the appropriate local authorities. It is a complete abuse of "supreme court" powers to intervene on these spurious grounds, effectively to prevent any new oil wells being built in this country - economical self-harm which is for elected parliamentarians to inflict if they so wish, because they can be de-elected again. It's not for an appointed body to stretch its remit and make decisions like this.
    They can intervene if the process was not followed properly. That’s a fundamental principle of the rule of law.
    Their judgement is based upon a highly troubling interpretation of what that process should be - that's the point. The emissions involved in the set up and ongoing operation of the business were reported on in the usual way. The emissions generated subsequently were not, and I've explained why to demand that they are is deeply concerning in other posts.
    I worry that this bit of the above…
    : “ Whether a new oil well can proceed legally is a matter for parliament and the appropriate local authorities”

    …Shows a confusion between parliament and the executive.

    Parliament makes laws. The executive (Government or SCC) makes decisions which should be legal, but if there is doubt the Judicial system will decide

    This is part of the citizenship exam. Maybe it should be taught in schools too?
    That's true but the court made a mistake in its ruling.

    The emissions generated by the burning of the oil should not be counted as the net difference of oil burnt as a result of the well is zero.

    Why zero? Because oil is fungible and had we not extracted from this well we'd have just imported from Saudi Arabia or somewhere else the exact same amount of oil.

    So the total net emissions of a fungible product is zero, unless or until we start forbidding imports.
    As pointed out by someone previously, the Supreme Court did not rule on the substance of the issue, but only on whether the county council had considered the substance of the issue. Which they had not.

    So your objection is not relevant, or in order, and we could expect that a revised planning decision from the country council, which did consider the substance of the issue, has a high probability of concluding that it shouldn't be a bar to approving the application, for the logical reasons you set out.

    That outcome would be law followed, planning approved, everyone happy (especially the lawyers!)
    Not the locals. Not people who care about the countryside. Not those who want to save the planet.

    but, yeah, it was about legal processes at the moment
  • Options
    NigelbNigelb Posts: 64,839

    The old will turn out.They always do, as they are driven by those relatives who fought (and sometimes died) for that right.

    Labour must be a little concerned that with such massive poll leads, the urgency of their vote to get out is reduced. Plus this is not Tony Blair - there is no feeling this time of being part of something exciting. It's Starmer after all. Enthusiasm Factor 0.2....

    I don't think it's as simple as that.

    This election is likely to set the political weather for the next decade, almost as significantly as the Brexit vote did the last.

    The campaigns have indeed been lacklustre, but the stakes for the future direction of British politics are pretty high.
  • Options
    FoxyFoxy Posts: 46,213

    Foxy said:

    Farooq said:

    I am really quite bullish about turnout and I "feel" like it could go much higher than people on here are predicting.

    However, this is without having looked at what the pollsters are saying. It's a completely evidence-free feeling. I don't even know how to read the polls for predictions on turnout. Can anyone enlighten me?

    Polls usually give unrealistically high results for turnout, often over 80%, while since the 1950s that just hasn't happened, apart from the Sindyref, so it doesn't provide much guide.

    Worth noting too that dual registration by students and others with two residences distort the figures. Foxjr2 is registered both in Greenwich and Leics for example. He is in Autralia travelling but seems to have arranged a postal vote for Leics. In any case, his vote turnout cannot exceed 50%.
    … cannot LEGALLY exceed 50%.
    Foxjr2 is a good little boy who never does anything illegal. Anyone who says otherwise can take it up with his mum, whose Paddington Stare is not something to be suffered lightly.
  • Options
    BartholomewRobertsBartholomewRoberts Posts: 19,771

    SteveS said:

    Fpt:

    RobD said:

    eek said:

    Absolutely disgusting "Supreme Court" judgement means a completely legal oil well project in Surrey has had its licence rescinded because it didn't 'take into account' the emissions that would result from consumers burning the product.
    https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/the-surrey-oil-judgment-undermines-our-democracy/

    This appointed court is not a part of our constitution; it has no legitimacy, and it is effectively making up law. It needs to be binned.

    Um no, it interprets the current law and generates a result.

    The new Labour Government can change the law and fix the issue all the Supreme Court has done is combine the law as it currently is and come to (an admittedly unexpected) conclusion..
    People like @Luckyguy1983 clearly have no understanding of our legal system whatsoever. This is how it has ALWAYS worked.
    Whether a new oil well can proceed legally is a matter for parliament and the appropriate local authorities. It is a complete abuse of "supreme court" powers to intervene on these spurious grounds, effectively to prevent any new oil wells being built in this country - economical self-harm which is for elected parliamentarians to inflict if they so wish, because they can be de-elected again. It's not for an appointed body to stretch its remit and make decisions like this.
    They can intervene if the process was not followed properly. That’s a fundamental principle of the rule of law.
    Their judgement is based upon a highly troubling interpretation of what that process should be - that's the point. The emissions involved in the set up and ongoing operation of the business were reported on in the usual way. The emissions generated subsequently were not, and I've explained why to demand that they are is deeply concerning in other posts.
    I worry that this bit of the above…
    : “ Whether a new oil well can proceed legally is a matter for parliament and the appropriate local authorities”

    …Shows a confusion between parliament and the executive.

    Parliament makes laws. The executive (Government or SCC) makes decisions which should be legal, but if there is doubt the Judicial system will decide

    This is part of the citizenship exam. Maybe it should be taught in schools too?
    That's true but the court made a mistake in its ruling.

    The emissions generated by the burning of the oil should not be counted as the net difference of oil burnt as a result of the well is zero.

    Why zero? Because oil is fungible and had we not extracted from this well we'd have just imported from Saudi Arabia or somewhere else the exact same amount of oil.

    So the total net emissions of a fungible product is zero, unless or until we start forbidding imports.
    As pointed out by someone previously, the Supreme Court did not rule on the substance of the issue, but only on whether the county council had considered the substance of the issue. Which they had not.

    So your objection is not relevant, or in order, and we could expect that a revised planning decision from the country council, which did consider the substance of the issue, has a high probability of concluding that it shouldn't be a bar to approving the application, for the logical reasons you set out.

    That outcome would be law followed, planning approved, everyone happy (especially the lawyers!)
    Not the locals. Not people who care about the countryside. Not those who want to save the planet.

    but, yeah, it was about legal processes at the moment
    I want to save the planet.

    To do that we need to follow science, not dogma.

    The science is we need to transition away from consuming oil.

    We still need oil for the transition though and there is no scientific reason why OPEC-produced oil is better for the environment than domestically produced oil.
  • Options
    kle4kle4 Posts: 93,849
    Nigelb said:

    Farooq said:

    I am really quite bullish about turnout and I "feel" like it could go much higher than people on here are predicting.

    However, this is without having looked at what the pollsters are saying. It's a completely evidence-free feeling. I don't even know how to read the polls for predictions on turnout. Can anyone enlighten me?

    Polls ask people how likely they are to vote, so you can look at the proportion saying 10 out of 10 will certainly vote, and take that as a prediction of turnout.

    But I wouldn't.

    Opinion polls have such difficulty finding a sample of people, the non-response rate is very high, meaning that the people who respond to polls are much more likely to be politically-engaged. And this is a problem that has worsened with time, so I don't even think you can use the polls before 2019 to calibrate.
    How much is the RefUK/Tory scrap likely to drive turnout of the otherwise demoralised Conservative voter ?
    There was the possibility it would increase it, as it made some realise they don't want to see destruction even if they have no interest in seeing the party retain power.

    Instead it seems to have excited Reform leaners and further depressed Tories.
  • Options
    NickPalmerNickPalmer Posts: 21,421

    Farooq said:

    I am really quite bullish about turnout and I "feel" like it could go much higher than people on here are predicting.

    However, this is without having looked at what the pollsters are saying. It's a completely evidence-free feeling. I don't even know how to read the polls for predictions on turnout. Can anyone enlighten me?

    It would be useful to compare enthusiasm vs venegeance

    '97 was both vengeance AND enthusiasm

    Has there ever been a more HATED Government in British history than the one now? Reckon some of you are totally missing this. Plus throw Reform into the mix. The post below that Reform voters less likely to vote seems whacko. They will stir people to GOTV both for and against.

    If turnout nipped over 70% I wouldn't fall off my chair
    I think the 'most hated' thing is a product of social media. Its very unpopular but i get more a sense of fed up than hatred and despair at the lack of a compelling alternative, plus increased 'plague on all houses' sentiment. To me that says low turnout
    Canvassing a posh new estate yesterday in Didcot and Wantage (nominally safe Tory, with LDs a poor second in 2019 and Labour a poor second in 2015 and 17) produced a lot of "don't knows", who were on being pressed mostly anti-Tory but not sure how to express it. The Tory campaign locally is almost invisible - no posters (unlike previous elections), little overt support. Masses of LibDem leaflets (sometimes 2 a day) and lots of Labour leaflets too, the very occasional Tory or Reform leaflet. I honestly don't know how to interpret the response - high abstention, strong LD vote, strong Labour vote? If I had to choose I'd say high abstention. Switching to a strong Labour area for the last rwo weeks, it'll be interesting to see if the response is different.
  • Options
    bondegezoubondegezou Posts: 8,873

    SteveS said:

    Fpt:

    RobD said:

    eek said:

    Absolutely disgusting "Supreme Court" judgement means a completely legal oil well project in Surrey has had its licence rescinded because it didn't 'take into account' the emissions that would result from consumers burning the product.
    https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/the-surrey-oil-judgment-undermines-our-democracy/

    This appointed court is not a part of our constitution; it has no legitimacy, and it is effectively making up law. It needs to be binned.

    Um no, it interprets the current law and generates a result.

    The new Labour Government can change the law and fix the issue all the Supreme Court has done is combine the law as it currently is and come to (an admittedly unexpected) conclusion..
    People like @Luckyguy1983 clearly have no understanding of our legal system whatsoever. This is how it has ALWAYS worked.
    Whether a new oil well can proceed legally is a matter for parliament and the appropriate local authorities. It is a complete abuse of "supreme court" powers to intervene on these spurious grounds, effectively to prevent any new oil wells being built in this country - economical self-harm which is for elected parliamentarians to inflict if they so wish, because they can be de-elected again. It's not for an appointed body to stretch its remit and make decisions like this.
    They can intervene if the process was not followed properly. That’s a fundamental principle of the rule of law.
    Their judgement is based upon a highly troubling interpretation of what that process should be - that's the point. The emissions involved in the set up and ongoing operation of the business were reported on in the usual way. The emissions generated subsequently were not, and I've explained why to demand that they are is deeply concerning in other posts.
    I worry that this bit of the above…
    : “ Whether a new oil well can proceed legally is a matter for parliament and the appropriate local authorities”

    …Shows a confusion between parliament and the executive.

    Parliament makes laws. The executive (Government or SCC) makes decisions which should be legal, but if there is doubt the Judicial system will decide

    This is part of the citizenship exam. Maybe it should be taught in schools too?
    That's true but the court made a mistake in its ruling.

    The emissions generated by the burning of the oil should not be counted as the net difference of oil burnt as a result of the well is zero.

    Why zero? Because oil is fungible and had we not extracted from this well we'd have just imported from Saudi Arabia or somewhere else the exact same amount of oil.

    So the total net emissions of a fungible product is zero, unless or until we start forbidding imports.
    (a) If you think you understand the law better than those on the Supreme Court, you should be hiring yourself out as a consultant at >£1000 per hour.

    (b) We import only tiny amounts of oil from Saudi Arabia.
    a) I'm not saying that I know the law better than the Court, I'm saying in case I'm not clear that if that is the law then the law is an ass.

    The law should be that the net difference in emissions is considered. Downstream emissions on a fungible product are moot.

    b) You're being ignorant again of the fact that oil is fungible and a global commodities market. It doesn't matter if we get our oil from the UK, Norway or Saudi Arabia, the Saudis and others adjust their production to make the difference and if too much oil is being produced so the price falls then the OPEC cartel are more than willing to cut their own production in order to inflate the price back up for the rest of what they sell.

    Cutting our own production just means OPEC can produce more without needing to cut their own production to keep prices inflated. Net change on global CO2 emissions is zero. Anyone advocating that is not serious about the environment and has another agenda, we need to cut consumption of oil more than we need to cut production of it and the two are not directly linked.
    (a) You said the “court made a mistake in its ruling”. If it has correctly interpreted the law, it has not made a mistake. If you think the law is an ass, then the legislators have made a mistake.

    (b) If you say we will get oil from Saudi Arabia, then, yes, it matters that we get almost no oil from Saudi Arabia. If I arrive home with some apples and you say I got them from Tesco, and I say, no, I bought them from M&S, then you saying, “But you could’ve bought them from Tesco” doesn’t make you right.
  • Options
    El_CapitanoEl_Capitano Posts: 4,184
    edited June 21
    By-election on both county and district in Sutton Courtenay, Oxfordshire, last night:

    County seat:

    LibDem 702
    Con 656
    Grn 375
    Lab 183

    District seat:

    LibDem 226
    Grn 214
    Con 182
    Lab 50

    LibDem hold in both cases.

    This is part of the Didcot & Wantage constituency.
  • Options
    Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 34,653

    SNIP

    You're back !
  • Options
    DoubleDutchDoubleDutch Posts: 161
    Nigelb said:

    The old will turn out.They always do, as they are driven by those relatives who fought (and sometimes died) for that right.

    Labour must be a little concerned that with such massive poll leads, the urgency of their vote to get out is reduced. Plus this is not Tony Blair - there is no feeling this time of being part of something exciting. It's Starmer after all. Enthusiasm Factor 0.2....

    I don't think it's as simple as that.

    This election is likely to set the political weather for the next decade, almost as significantly as the Brexit vote did the last.

    The campaigns have indeed been lacklustre, but the stakes for the future direction of British politics are pretty high.
    Don't think the tory campaign has been lacklustre at all.

    Pure comedy gold. One of the funniest things ive ever seen in politics. The gift that keeps on giving.
  • Options
    DoubleDutchDoubleDutch Posts: 161
    Scott_xP said:

    Saw my first Tory posters last night. Nailed to a tree, so not obviously in someone's garden

    They even hate their own symbol

    Did you rip it down? The poster not the tree I mean.
  • Options
    LostPasswordLostPassword Posts: 16,730
    The intensity of Ukrainian drone attacks on Russia appears to be increasing. The linked tweet has a number of poor quality videos of explosions in the distance.

    https://x.com/NOELreports/status/1804036223096258566

    "Ukrainian UAVs once again were very active overnight. The Eysk airfield, the Lukoil oil depot in Volgograd and the Illinsky refinery were all attacked. Over 40 explosions were heard.

    The Russian ministry of defense said it destroyed over 110 drones in several directions."
  • Options
    Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 34,653

    Scott_xP said:

    Saw my first Tory posters last night. Nailed to a tree, so not obviously in someone's garden

    They even hate their own symbol

    Did you rip it down? The poster not the tree I mean.
    Couldn't reach it
  • Options
    Jim_the_LurkerJim_the_Lurker Posts: 117
    I am sure it has already been mentioned but good to see the FT front page on political betting - do we reckon one of the pencils from the byline is a regular here?

    What amuses is me is how little money these clowns netted - at such an obvious high risk / morally questionable cost. In the three large BX bets the article covers they reckon netted around £5.6k.

    In Macc news we now have recieved Conservative Party literature. One via Royal Mail, one via professional pamphleteer (well that or it was a Conservative volunteer who also wanted to promote his Tree Surgery business at the same time by shoving the two leaflets through the letterbox together).
  • Options
    VerulamiusVerulamius Posts: 1,464
    May I suggest that everyone reads at least the press summary of the supreme court decision before commenting. There has been quite a lot of misleading comments on the case so far.

    https://caselaw.nationalarchives.gov.uk/uksc/2024/20/press-summary/1

    It is an agreed fact that, if the project goes ahead, it is not merely likely but inevitable that the oil produced from the well site will be refined and, as an end product, will eventually undergo combustion, and that that combustion will produce greenhouse gas emissions [45]. It is not disputed that these emissions will have a significant impact on climate. It is agreed that the amount of these emissions can be estimated using an established methodology; indeed, the council has provided such an estimate as part of its evidence in this case [81]. The issue is whether the combustion emissions constitute “direct or indirect … effects of the project” within the meaning of the EIA Directive and 2017 Regulations. If they are, they must be assessed as part of the EIA.

    The Supreme Court is unanimous in rejecting the view of the Court of Appeal that this question requires an evaluative judgment about whether there is a sufficient causal connection between the extraction of the oil and its eventual combustion, on which different planning authorities could reasonably take opposite views. It is unreasonable to interpret the EIA Directive in a way that treats inconsistent answers to the question whether the combustion emissions are “effects of the project” as equally valid [59]–[60], [321]–[325].
  • Options
    BartholomewRobertsBartholomewRoberts Posts: 19,771

    SteveS said:

    Fpt:

    RobD said:

    eek said:

    Absolutely disgusting "Supreme Court" judgement means a completely legal oil well project in Surrey has had its licence rescinded because it didn't 'take into account' the emissions that would result from consumers burning the product.
    https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/the-surrey-oil-judgment-undermines-our-democracy/

    This appointed court is not a part of our constitution; it has no legitimacy, and it is effectively making up law. It needs to be binned.

    Um no, it interprets the current law and generates a result.

    The new Labour Government can change the law and fix the issue all the Supreme Court has done is combine the law as it currently is and come to (an admittedly unexpected) conclusion..
    People like @Luckyguy1983 clearly have no understanding of our legal system whatsoever. This is how it has ALWAYS worked.
    Whether a new oil well can proceed legally is a matter for parliament and the appropriate local authorities. It is a complete abuse of "supreme court" powers to intervene on these spurious grounds, effectively to prevent any new oil wells being built in this country - economical self-harm which is for elected parliamentarians to inflict if they so wish, because they can be de-elected again. It's not for an appointed body to stretch its remit and make decisions like this.
    They can intervene if the process was not followed properly. That’s a fundamental principle of the rule of law.
    Their judgement is based upon a highly troubling interpretation of what that process should be - that's the point. The emissions involved in the set up and ongoing operation of the business were reported on in the usual way. The emissions generated subsequently were not, and I've explained why to demand that they are is deeply concerning in other posts.
    I worry that this bit of the above…
    : “ Whether a new oil well can proceed legally is a matter for parliament and the appropriate local authorities”

    …Shows a confusion between parliament and the executive.

    Parliament makes laws. The executive (Government or SCC) makes decisions which should be legal, but if there is doubt the Judicial system will decide

    This is part of the citizenship exam. Maybe it should be taught in schools too?
    That's true but the court made a mistake in its ruling.

    The emissions generated by the burning of the oil should not be counted as the net difference of oil burnt as a result of the well is zero.

    Why zero? Because oil is fungible and had we not extracted from this well we'd have just imported from Saudi Arabia or somewhere else the exact same amount of oil.

    So the total net emissions of a fungible product is zero, unless or until we start forbidding imports.
    (a) If you think you understand the law better than those on the Supreme Court, you should be hiring yourself out as a consultant at >£1000 per hour.

    (b) We import only tiny amounts of oil from Saudi Arabia.
    a) I'm not saying that I know the law better than the Court, I'm saying in case I'm not clear that if that is the law then the law is an ass.

    The law should be that the net difference in emissions is considered. Downstream emissions on a fungible product are moot.

    b) You're being ignorant again of the fact that oil is fungible and a global commodities market. It doesn't matter if we get our oil from the UK, Norway or Saudi Arabia, the Saudis and others adjust their production to make the difference and if too much oil is being produced so the price falls then the OPEC cartel are more than willing to cut their own production in order to inflate the price back up for the rest of what they sell.

    Cutting our own production just means OPEC can produce more without needing to cut their own production to keep prices inflated. Net change on global CO2 emissions is zero. Anyone advocating that is not serious about the environment and has another agenda, we need to cut consumption of oil more than we need to cut production of it and the two are not directly linked.
    (a) You said the “court made a mistake in its ruling”. If it has correctly interpreted the law, it has not made a mistake. If you think the law is an ass, then the legislators have made a mistake.

    (b) If you say we will get oil from Saudi Arabia, then, yes, it matters that we get almost no oil from Saudi Arabia. If I arrive home with some apples and you say I got them from Tesco, and I say, no, I bought them from M&S, then you saying, “But you could’ve bought them from Tesco” doesn’t make you right.
    a) Point taken.

    b) No you're categorically wrong on this one because the point was that oil is fungible and we [humanity, globally, since emissions are globally] get our global oil production from nations such as OPEC.

    You're ignoring the fungibility of oil which is uneconomic and unscientific.
  • Options
    algarkirkalgarkirk Posts: 11,397

    SteveS said:

    Fpt:

    RobD said:

    eek said:

    Absolutely disgusting "Supreme Court" judgement means a completely legal oil well project in Surrey has had its licence rescinded because it didn't 'take into account' the emissions that would result from consumers burning the product.
    https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/the-surrey-oil-judgment-undermines-our-democracy/

    This appointed court is not a part of our constitution; it has no legitimacy, and it is effectively making up law. It needs to be binned.

    Um no, it interprets the current law and generates a result.

    The new Labour Government can change the law and fix the issue all the Supreme Court has done is combine the law as it currently is and come to (an admittedly unexpected) conclusion..
    People like @Luckyguy1983 clearly have no understanding of our legal system whatsoever. This is how it has ALWAYS worked.
    Whether a new oil well can proceed legally is a matter for parliament and the appropriate local authorities. It is a complete abuse of "supreme court" powers to intervene on these spurious grounds, effectively to prevent any new oil wells being built in this country - economical self-harm which is for elected parliamentarians to inflict if they so wish, because they can be de-elected again. It's not for an appointed body to stretch its remit and make decisions like this.
    They can intervene if the process was not followed properly. That’s a fundamental principle of the rule of law.
    Their judgement is based upon a highly troubling interpretation of what that process should be - that's the point. The emissions involved in the set up and ongoing operation of the business were reported on in the usual way. The emissions generated subsequently were not, and I've explained why to demand that they are is deeply concerning in other posts.
    I worry that this bit of the above…
    : “ Whether a new oil well can proceed legally is a matter for parliament and the appropriate local authorities”

    …Shows a confusion between parliament and the executive.

    Parliament makes laws. The executive (Government or SCC) makes decisions which should be legal, but if there is doubt the Judicial system will decide

    This is part of the citizenship exam. Maybe it should be taught in schools too?
    That's true but the court made a mistake in its ruling.

    The emissions generated by the burning of the oil should not be counted as the net difference of oil burnt as a result of the well is zero.

    Why zero? Because oil is fungible and had we not extracted from this well we'd have just imported from Saudi Arabia or somewhere else the exact same amount of oil.

    So the total net emissions of a fungible product is zero, unless or until we start forbidding imports.
    (a) If you think you understand the law better than those on the Supreme Court, you should be hiring yourself out as a consultant at >£1000 per hour.

    (b) We import only tiny amounts of oil from Saudi Arabia.
    a) I'm not saying that I know the law better than the Court, I'm saying in case I'm not clear that if that is the law then the law is an ass.

    The law should be that the net difference in emissions is considered. Downstream emissions on a fungible product are moot.

    b) You're being ignorant again of the fact that oil is fungible and a global commodities market. It doesn't matter if we get our oil from the UK, Norway or Saudi Arabia, the Saudis and others adjust their production to make the difference and if too much oil is being produced so the price falls then the OPEC cartel are more than willing to cut their own production in order to inflate the price back up for the rest of what they sell.

    Cutting our own production just means OPEC can produce more without needing to cut their own production to keep prices inflated. Net change on global CO2 emissions is zero. Anyone advocating that is not serious about the environment and has another agenda, we need to cut consumption of oil more than we need to cut production of it and the two are not directly linked.
    On the whole in the post-Denning world judges don't declare what the law ought to be and then proceed to make it, they have the hard task (the SC was 3-2 in this case) of understanding the egregious and copious regulatory drivel accumulated over decades and telling us what it means in hard cases.

    In this the central importance is that the state at every level is not allowed to break its own laws. This is one of handful of differences which marks us out from Russia, China, North Korea, Saudi, Iran. In this case if there is a problem, it is because the regulations the SC are seeking to apply will have a degree of unclarity.

    I like living in a country where the state cannot break its own laws and is regularly caught out. Even if I sometimes don't agree with the SC, I like it that way.

  • Options
    wooliedyedwooliedyed Posts: 9,607

    By-election on both county and district in Sutton Courtenay, Oxfordshire, last night:

    County seat:

    LibDem 702
    Con 656
    Grn 375
    Lab 183

    District seat:

    LibDem 226
    Grn 214
    Con 182
    Lab 50

    LibDem hold in both cases.

    This is part of the Didcot & Wantage constituency.

    %s
    Sutton Courtenay (Vale of White Horse) Council By-Election Result:

    🔶 LDM: 33.6% (-24.9)
    🌍 GRN: 31.8% (+18.3)
    🌳 CON: 27.1% (-0.9)
    🌹 LAB: 7.4% (New)

    Sutton Courtenay & Marcham (Oxfordshire) Council By-Election Result:

    🔶 LDM: 36.6% (-12.1)
    🌳 CON: 34.2% (-5.7)
    🌍 GRN: 19.6% (New)
    🌹 LAB: 9.6% (-1.7)

    Greens doing well, nobody else setting the Vale alight
  • Options
    kle4kle4 Posts: 93,849
    It's one thing to say a court got a decision wrong and say why, or to say there's too many opportunities for judicial review and it's too broad in many ways. I think it can be ridiculous how much decisions can be held up.

    It's another thing entirely to suggest court intervention is inherently outrageous on an issue, as though the concept of challenge itself is some fresh innovation, and ignoring that it's usually parliament which in effect requires it by introducing rules, processes, and standards to which bodies must adhere.

    If rules are set for others to follow, but no one can object to a body's own interpretation of if they have been followed, then the rules would be meaningless.
  • Options
    wooliedyedwooliedyed Posts: 9,607
    St Oswald (Sefton) Council By-Election Result:

    🌹 LAB: 78.2% (-0.4)
    🌳 CON: 6.3% (+0.1)
    👨‍🔧 TUSC: 5.4% (-2.5)
    🌍 GRN: 5.2% (-2.2)
    🔶 LDM: 3.0% (New)
    ⚙️ WPB: 1.9% (New)

    Labour HOLD.
    Changes w/ 2024.

    Tories pushing Labour HARD in Sefton
  • Options
    FoxyFoxy Posts: 46,213

    The old will turn out.They always do, as they are driven by those relatives who fought (and sometimes died) for that right.

    Labour must be a little concerned that with such massive poll leads, the urgency of their vote to get out is reduced. Plus this is not Tony Blair - there is no feeling this time of being part of something exciting. It's Starmer after all. Enthusiasm Factor 0.2....

    Certainly voting is habit forming. I always vote and always will though never has a seat that I have voted in changed party at a GE. I have always been in a safe seat for one party or another, though maybe that is about to change.

    It takes sometime for the habit to wear off is my interpretation of the top chart.

    The young may not be enthused by Starmerism (who is?) but do seem to be very against National Service even if they won't be called up themselves, and also by Gaza. This may drive up the Green, Independent and WPB vote, even those will get few seats.

    It is a guessing game, but I think 62.5%-64.99% is the landing zone.

  • Options
    BartholomewRobertsBartholomewRoberts Posts: 19,771
    algarkirk said:

    SteveS said:

    Fpt:

    RobD said:

    eek said:

    Absolutely disgusting "Supreme Court" judgement means a completely legal oil well project in Surrey has had its licence rescinded because it didn't 'take into account' the emissions that would result from consumers burning the product.
    https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/the-surrey-oil-judgment-undermines-our-democracy/

    This appointed court is not a part of our constitution; it has no legitimacy, and it is effectively making up law. It needs to be binned.

    Um no, it interprets the current law and generates a result.

    The new Labour Government can change the law and fix the issue all the Supreme Court has done is combine the law as it currently is and come to (an admittedly unexpected) conclusion..
    People like @Luckyguy1983 clearly have no understanding of our legal system whatsoever. This is how it has ALWAYS worked.
    Whether a new oil well can proceed legally is a matter for parliament and the appropriate local authorities. It is a complete abuse of "supreme court" powers to intervene on these spurious grounds, effectively to prevent any new oil wells being built in this country - economical self-harm which is for elected parliamentarians to inflict if they so wish, because they can be de-elected again. It's not for an appointed body to stretch its remit and make decisions like this.
    They can intervene if the process was not followed properly. That’s a fundamental principle of the rule of law.
    Their judgement is based upon a highly troubling interpretation of what that process should be - that's the point. The emissions involved in the set up and ongoing operation of the business were reported on in the usual way. The emissions generated subsequently were not, and I've explained why to demand that they are is deeply concerning in other posts.
    I worry that this bit of the above…
    : “ Whether a new oil well can proceed legally is a matter for parliament and the appropriate local authorities”

    …Shows a confusion between parliament and the executive.

    Parliament makes laws. The executive (Government or SCC) makes decisions which should be legal, but if there is doubt the Judicial system will decide

    This is part of the citizenship exam. Maybe it should be taught in schools too?
    That's true but the court made a mistake in its ruling.

    The emissions generated by the burning of the oil should not be counted as the net difference of oil burnt as a result of the well is zero.

    Why zero? Because oil is fungible and had we not extracted from this well we'd have just imported from Saudi Arabia or somewhere else the exact same amount of oil.

    So the total net emissions of a fungible product is zero, unless or until we start forbidding imports.
    (a) If you think you understand the law better than those on the Supreme Court, you should be hiring yourself out as a consultant at >£1000 per hour.

    (b) We import only tiny amounts of oil from Saudi Arabia.
    a) I'm not saying that I know the law better than the Court, I'm saying in case I'm not clear that if that is the law then the law is an ass.

    The law should be that the net difference in emissions is considered. Downstream emissions on a fungible product are moot.

    b) You're being ignorant again of the fact that oil is fungible and a global commodities market. It doesn't matter if we get our oil from the UK, Norway or Saudi Arabia, the Saudis and others adjust their production to make the difference and if too much oil is being produced so the price falls then the OPEC cartel are more than willing to cut their own production in order to inflate the price back up for the rest of what they sell.

    Cutting our own production just means OPEC can produce more without needing to cut their own production to keep prices inflated. Net change on global CO2 emissions is zero. Anyone advocating that is not serious about the environment and has another agenda, we need to cut consumption of oil more than we need to cut production of it and the two are not directly linked.
    On the whole in the post-Denning world judges don't declare what the law ought to be and then proceed to make it, they have the hard task (the SC was 3-2 in this case) of understanding the egregious and copious regulatory drivel accumulated over decades and telling us what it means in hard cases.

    In this the central importance is that the state at every level is not allowed to break its own laws. This is one of handful of differences which marks us out from Russia, China, North Korea, Saudi, Iran. In this case if there is a problem, it is because the regulations the SC are seeking to apply will have a degree of unclarity.

    I like living in a country where the state cannot break its own laws and is regularly caught out. Even if I sometimes don't agree with the SC, I like it that way.

    On that I agree with you.

    I just think the court should be taking into account the fungibility of oil, and if the law permits it to then it was wrong not to, and if the law does not permit it to, then the law is in the wrong.

    IANAL but IMHO its either a bad interpretation of the law, or a bad law, one or the other.
  • Options
    DoubleDutchDoubleDutch Posts: 161

    I am sure it has already been mentioned but good to see the FT front page on political betting - do we reckon one of the pencils from the byline is a regular here?

    What amuses is me is how little money these clowns netted - at such an obvious high risk / morally questionable cost. In the three large BX bets the article covers they reckon netted around £5.6k.

    In Macc news we now have recieved Conservative Party literature. One via Royal Mail, one via professional pamphleteer (well that or it was a Conservative volunteer who also wanted to promote his Tree Surgery business at the same time by shoving the two leaflets through the letterbox together).

    Yeah tiny amount in total too. £5k or so? Someone mentioned below how piddling that is compared to the PPE scandals.

    But it's the principle of it isn't it? Whether or not it counts as "insider trading" it still stinks of sleaze and corruption.
  • Options
    FeersumEnjineeyaFeersumEnjineeya Posts: 4,081

    SteveS said:

    Fpt:

    RobD said:

    eek said:

    Absolutely disgusting "Supreme Court" judgement means a completely legal oil well project in Surrey has had its licence rescinded because it didn't 'take into account' the emissions that would result from consumers burning the product.
    https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/the-surrey-oil-judgment-undermines-our-democracy/

    This appointed court is not a part of our constitution; it has no legitimacy, and it is effectively making up law. It needs to be binned.

    Um no, it interprets the current law and generates a result.

    The new Labour Government can change the law and fix the issue all the Supreme Court has done is combine the law as it currently is and come to (an admittedly unexpected) conclusion..
    People like @Luckyguy1983 clearly have no understanding of our legal system whatsoever. This is how it has ALWAYS worked.
    Whether a new oil well can proceed legally is a matter for parliament and the appropriate local authorities. It is a complete abuse of "supreme court" powers to intervene on these spurious grounds, effectively to prevent any new oil wells being built in this country - economical self-harm which is for elected parliamentarians to inflict if they so wish, because they can be de-elected again. It's not for an appointed body to stretch its remit and make decisions like this.
    They can intervene if the process was not followed properly. That’s a fundamental principle of the rule of law.
    Their judgement is based upon a highly troubling interpretation of what that process should be - that's the point. The emissions involved in the set up and ongoing operation of the business were reported on in the usual way. The emissions generated subsequently were not, and I've explained why to demand that they are is deeply concerning in other posts.
    I worry that this bit of the above…
    : “ Whether a new oil well can proceed legally is a matter for parliament and the appropriate local authorities”

    …Shows a confusion between parliament and the executive.

    Parliament makes laws. The executive (Government or SCC) makes decisions which should be legal, but if there is doubt the Judicial system will decide

    This is part of the citizenship exam. Maybe it should be taught in schools too?
    That's true but the court made a mistake in its ruling.

    The emissions generated by the burning of the oil should not be counted as the net difference of oil burnt as a result of the well is zero.

    Why zero? Because oil is fungible and had we not extracted from this well we'd have just imported from Saudi Arabia or somewhere else the exact same amount of oil.

    So the total net emissions of a fungible product is zero, unless or until we start forbidding imports.
    As pointed out by someone previously, the Supreme Court did not rule on the substance of the issue, but only on whether the county council had considered the substance of the issue. Which they had not.

    So your objection is not relevant, or in order, and we could expect that a revised planning decision from the country council, which did consider the substance of the issue, has a high probability of concluding that it shouldn't be a bar to approving the application, for the logical reasons you set out.

    That outcome would be law followed, planning approved, everyone happy (especially the lawyers!)
    Not the locals. Not people who care about the countryside. Not those who want to save the planet.

    but, yeah, it was about legal processes at the moment
    I want to save the planet.

    To do that we need to follow science, not dogma.

    The science is we need to transition away from consuming oil.

    We still need oil for the transition though and there is no scientific reason why OPEC-produced oil is better for the environment than domestically produced oil.
    If the world needs to transition away from consuming oil, then basic logic says that the world also has to transition away from producing oil. As a country, we should therefore transition away from both producing and consuming oil as well as appropriately taxing the import of oil and oil derivatives to encourage other countries to do likewise.
  • Options
    El_CapitanoEl_Capitano Posts: 4,184
    edited June 21

    By-election on both county and district in Sutton Courtenay, Oxfordshire, last night:

    County seat:

    LibDem 702
    Con 656
    Grn 375
    Lab 183

    District seat:

    LibDem 226
    Grn 214
    Con 182
    Lab 50

    LibDem hold in both cases.

    This is part of the Didcot & Wantage constituency.

    Sutton Courtenay (Vale of White Horse) Council By-Election Result:

    🔶 LDM: 33.6% (-24.9)
    🌍 GRN: 31.8% (+18.3)
    🌳 CON: 27.1% (-0.9)
    🌹 LAB: 7.4% (New)

    Sutton Courtenay & Marcham (Oxfordshire) Council By-Election Result:

    🔶 LDM: 36.6% (-12.1)
    🌳 CON: 34.2% (-5.7)
    🌍 GRN: 19.6% (New)
    🌹 LAB: 9.6% (-1.7)

    Greens doing well, nobody else setting the Vale alight
    Exactly. I think the scenario here is that at regular district (and to some extent county) elections round there, the LibDems and Greens don't usually campaign against each other - both Vale and OCC are "all-in" elections rather than split over several years, so there's an advantage in splitting the effort. Whereas with this being a by-election, they've both had a go. The LibDems were incumbents in Sutton Courtenay. Hence the result is a pretty straight LibDem->Green transfer.

    The Greens aren't bothering in Didcot & Wantage at the General so I'd expect that vote to stick with the LibDems.
  • Options
    Wulfrun_PhilWulfrun_Phil Posts: 4,729
    Thanks for the thread Foxy, but I think the turnout is going to be much less than you think. For me the 57.5% to 62.5% range beckons, with the 60-62.5% range the most likely within that. A great number of 2019 Conservatives are telling me that they are not going to vote, I don't think the late appearance of Farage will change that. The commitment among Labour voters is much more grudging than in 1997, talking to Labour voters it feels in many respects more like 2001. And of course it's widely expected to be a foregone conclusion, which as you say will drag down turnout significantly. So there are a number of factors pointing towards a lower turnout, and pretty well none pointing towards a higher one.

    I have spent the past weeks doing lots of doorknocking (for Labour) and that is what I am picking up.
  • Options
    BartholomewRobertsBartholomewRoberts Posts: 19,771

    SteveS said:

    Fpt:

    RobD said:

    eek said:

    Absolutely disgusting "Supreme Court" judgement means a completely legal oil well project in Surrey has had its licence rescinded because it didn't 'take into account' the emissions that would result from consumers burning the product.
    https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/the-surrey-oil-judgment-undermines-our-democracy/

    This appointed court is not a part of our constitution; it has no legitimacy, and it is effectively making up law. It needs to be binned.

    Um no, it interprets the current law and generates a result.

    The new Labour Government can change the law and fix the issue all the Supreme Court has done is combine the law as it currently is and come to (an admittedly unexpected) conclusion..
    People like @Luckyguy1983 clearly have no understanding of our legal system whatsoever. This is how it has ALWAYS worked.
    Whether a new oil well can proceed legally is a matter for parliament and the appropriate local authorities. It is a complete abuse of "supreme court" powers to intervene on these spurious grounds, effectively to prevent any new oil wells being built in this country - economical self-harm which is for elected parliamentarians to inflict if they so wish, because they can be de-elected again. It's not for an appointed body to stretch its remit and make decisions like this.
    They can intervene if the process was not followed properly. That’s a fundamental principle of the rule of law.
    Their judgement is based upon a highly troubling interpretation of what that process should be - that's the point. The emissions involved in the set up and ongoing operation of the business were reported on in the usual way. The emissions generated subsequently were not, and I've explained why to demand that they are is deeply concerning in other posts.
    I worry that this bit of the above…
    : “ Whether a new oil well can proceed legally is a matter for parliament and the appropriate local authorities”

    …Shows a confusion between parliament and the executive.

    Parliament makes laws. The executive (Government or SCC) makes decisions which should be legal, but if there is doubt the Judicial system will decide

    This is part of the citizenship exam. Maybe it should be taught in schools too?
    That's true but the court made a mistake in its ruling.

    The emissions generated by the burning of the oil should not be counted as the net difference of oil burnt as a result of the well is zero.

    Why zero? Because oil is fungible and had we not extracted from this well we'd have just imported from Saudi Arabia or somewhere else the exact same amount of oil.

    So the total net emissions of a fungible product is zero, unless or until we start forbidding imports.
    As pointed out by someone previously, the Supreme Court did not rule on the substance of the issue, but only on whether the county council had considered the substance of the issue. Which they had not.

    So your objection is not relevant, or in order, and we could expect that a revised planning decision from the country council, which did consider the substance of the issue, has a high probability of concluding that it shouldn't be a bar to approving the application, for the logical reasons you set out.

    That outcome would be law followed, planning approved, everyone happy (especially the lawyers!)
    Not the locals. Not people who care about the countryside. Not those who want to save the planet.

    but, yeah, it was about legal processes at the moment
    I want to save the planet.

    To do that we need to follow science, not dogma.

    The science is we need to transition away from consuming oil.

    We still need oil for the transition though and there is no scientific reason why OPEC-produced oil is better for the environment than domestically produced oil.
    If the world needs to transition away from consuming oil, then basic logic says that the world also has to transition away from producing oil. As a country, we should therefore transition away from both producing and consuming oil as well as appropriately taxing the import of oil and oil derivatives to encourage other countries to do likewise.
    Yes over time we need to transition away from producing oil and we already are. We've gone from being a net exporter of oil to a net importer of it, so we've transitioned away from production faster than consumption and do not need to transition any more (yet) on production.

    We need to transition more on consumption and taxing imports etc, not forbidding production.
  • Options
    NigelbNigelb Posts: 64,839

    I am sure it has already been mentioned but good to see the FT front page on political betting - do we reckon one of the pencils from the byline is a regular here?

    What amuses is me is how little money these clowns netted - at such an obvious high risk / morally questionable cost. In the three large BX bets the article covers they reckon netted around £5.6k...

    Interesting that it's Betfair Exchange.
    Does that make a criminal charge more likely, as they could be said effectively to be offering odds themselves by participating in that market ?

    Perhaps @viewcode can weigh in.
  • Options
    CookieCookie Posts: 12,125

    Off topic

    I see both the Telegraph and the Mail are incredulous that Starmer has suggested Corbyn might have been a better Prime Minister than the worst Prime Minister in modern history. Hardly a ringing endorsement of Corbyn, but nonetheless an accurate analysis of Johnson.

    I agree with Keir.

    Of all the worrying things about SKS, this is the worst. Can you imagine Corbyn in charge during covid? Or for the Ukraine war?
    Not that it matters nowof course. We dodged that bullet.
  • Options
    FoxyFoxy Posts: 46,213

    Thanks for the thread Foxy, but I think the turnout is going to be much less than you think. For me the 57.5% to 62.5% range beckons, with the 60-62.5% range the most likely within that. A great number of 2019 Conservatives are telling me that they are not going to vote, I don't think the late appearance of Farage will change that. The commitment among Labour voters is much more grudging than in 1997, talking to Labour voters it feels in many respects more like 2001. And of course it's widely expected to be a foregone conclusion, which as you say will drag down turnout significantly. So there are a number of factors pointing towards a lower turnout, and pretty well none pointing towards a higher one.

    I have spent the past weeks doing lots of doorknocking (for Labour) and that is what I am picking up.

    Interesting anecdata. Is that in the Wolverhampton area?
  • Options
    wooliedyedwooliedyed Posts: 9,607

    By-election on both county and district in Sutton Courtenay, Oxfordshire, last night:

    County seat:

    LibDem 702
    Con 656
    Grn 375
    Lab 183

    District seat:

    LibDem 226
    Grn 214
    Con 182
    Lab 50

    LibDem hold in both cases.

    This is part of the Didcot & Wantage constituency.

    Sutton Courtenay (Vale of White Horse) Council By-Election Result:

    🔶 LDM: 33.6% (-24.9)
    🌍 GRN: 31.8% (+18.3)
    🌳 CON: 27.1% (-0.9)
    🌹 LAB: 7.4% (New)

    Sutton Courtenay & Marcham (Oxfordshire) Council By-Election Result:

    🔶 LDM: 36.6% (-12.1)
    🌳 CON: 34.2% (-5.7)
    🌍 GRN: 19.6% (New)
    🌹 LAB: 9.6% (-1.7)

    Greens doing well, nobody else setting the Vale alight
    Exactly. I think the scenario here is that at regular district (and to some extent county) elections round there, the LibDems and Greens don't usually campaign against each other - both Vale and OCC are "all-in" elections rather than split over several years, so there's an advantage in splitting the effort. Whereas with this being a by-election, they've both had a go. The LibDems were incumbents in Sutton Courtenay. Hence the result is a pretty straight LibDem->Green transfer.

    The Greens aren't bothering in Didcot & Wantage at the General so I'd expect that vote to stick with the LibDems.
    Yes, and the Tory vote looks unenthusiastic if at least holding up at its flaccid levels
    LD gain. Sorry Nick.
  • Options
    kle4kle4 Posts: 93,849

    algarkirk said:

    SteveS said:

    Fpt:

    RobD said:

    eek said:

    Absolutely disgusting "Supreme Court" judgement means a completely legal oil well project in Surrey has had its licence rescinded because it didn't 'take into account' the emissions that would result from consumers burning the product.
    https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/the-surrey-oil-judgment-undermines-our-democracy/

    This appointed court is not a part of our constitution; it has no legitimacy, and it is effectively making up law. It needs to be binned.

    Um no, it interprets the current law and generates a result.

    The new Labour Government can change the law and fix the issue all the Supreme Court has done is combine the law as it currently is and come to (an admittedly unexpected) conclusion..
    People like @Luckyguy1983 clearly have no understanding of our legal system whatsoever. This is how it has ALWAYS worked.
    Whether a new oil well can proceed legally is a matter for parliament and the appropriate local authorities. It is a complete abuse of "supreme court" powers to intervene on these spurious grounds, effectively to prevent any new oil wells being built in this country - economical self-harm which is for elected parliamentarians to inflict if they so wish, because they can be de-elected again. It's not for an appointed body to stretch its remit and make decisions like this.
    They can intervene if the process was not followed properly. That’s a fundamental principle of the rule of law.
    Their judgement is based upon a highly troubling interpretation of what that process should be - that's the point. The emissions involved in the set up and ongoing operation of the business were reported on in the usual way. The emissions generated subsequently were not, and I've explained why to demand that they are is deeply concerning in other posts.
    I worry that this bit of the above…
    : “ Whether a new oil well can proceed legally is a matter for parliament and the appropriate local authorities”

    …Shows a confusion between parliament and the executive.

    Parliament makes laws. The executive (Government or SCC) makes decisions which should be legal, but if there is doubt the Judicial system will decide

    This is part of the citizenship exam. Maybe it should be taught in schools too?
    That's true but the court made a mistake in its ruling.

    The emissions generated by the burning of the oil should not be counted as the net difference of oil burnt as a result of the well is zero.

    Why zero? Because oil is fungible and had we not extracted from this well we'd have just imported from Saudi Arabia or somewhere else the exact same amount of oil.

    So the total net emissions of a fungible product is zero, unless or until we start forbidding imports.
    (a) If you think you understand the law better than those on the Supreme Court, you should be hiring yourself out as a consultant at >£1000 per hour.

    (b) We import only tiny amounts of oil from Saudi Arabia.
    a) I'm not saying that I know the law better than the Court, I'm saying in case I'm not clear that if that is the law then the law is an ass.

    The law should be that the net difference in emissions is considered. Downstream emissions on a fungible product are moot.

    b) You're being ignorant again of the fact that oil is fungible and a global commodities market. It doesn't matter if we get our oil from the UK, Norway or Saudi Arabia, the Saudis and others adjust their production to make the difference and if too much oil is being produced so the price falls then the OPEC cartel are more than willing to cut their own production in order to inflate the price back up for the rest of what they sell.

    Cutting our own production just means OPEC can produce more without needing to cut their own production to keep prices inflated. Net change on global CO2 emissions is zero. Anyone advocating that is not serious about the environment and has another agenda, we need to cut consumption of oil more than we need to cut production of it and the two are not directly linked.
    On the whole in the post-Denning world judges don't declare what the law ought to be and then proceed to make it, they have the hard task (the SC was 3-2 in this case) of understanding the egregious and copious regulatory drivel accumulated over decades and telling us what it means in hard cases.

    In this the central importance is that the state at every level is not allowed to break its own laws. This is one of handful of differences which marks us out from Russia, China, North Korea, Saudi, Iran. In this case if there is a problem, it is because the regulations the SC are seeking to apply will have a degree of unclarity.

    I like living in a country where the state cannot break its own laws and is regularly caught out. Even if I sometimes don't agree with the SC, I like it that way.

    On that I agree with you.

    I just think the court should be taking into account the fungibility of oil, and if the law permits it to then it was wrong not to, and if the law does not permit it to, then the law is in the wrong.

    IANAL but IMHO its either a bad interpretation of the law, or a bad law, one or the other.

    That it came down to 3-2 does suggest it was basically random chance on the outcome, has the selection of justices been different.
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