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    TomTom Posts: 273

    Tom said:



    And we would also re-invent alot of it anyway. In my area of work we would clearly have Environmental Impact Regulations, procurement guidelines and competition policy. In the latter case the EU can probably be more trusted than national Governments to take on large multi-nationals and stop support of national champions and barriers to entry.

    I suspect a substantial part of parliamentary business on exit would be amending SIs to remove references to EU laws but leaving the rest of them substantially intact.

    .....As to the EU taking on large multi-nationals and stopping support of National Champions, I can hear the cries of derisive laughter even from down here in rural Sussex. True they have conducted a few well-publicised search and destroy missions (e.g. Microsoft) but much more has been done that supports the big boys to the disadvantage of smaller players trying to break in to their markets and as for National champions I refer you to France.
    Yes the EC really held VW in check....
    They are not perfect by any means but the State Aid and Competition policies exist precisely because of the way Governments would behave without them ie. even worse. As for VW that was a complete failure of regulation - on both sides of the Atlantic - don't know how you pin that one on the EU.
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    IndigoIndigo Posts: 9,966
    edited December 2015
    viewcode said:


    Which begs the question: beginning of what?

    The same can be said for remaining, what is it the beginning of, how will the EU look in ten years time. What cunning wheezes will the Eurozone have foisted on the UK to our detriment ?
    viewcode said:

    I assume you mean "the beginning of said onerous burden". But this is just restating the Universal Villain fallacy - that leaving the EU will enable removal of elements imposed against our will. You still haven't demonstrated that a) they were emplaced by the EU and b) it was against our will. It may be true (it may not...:-)) but you are assuming it as a given.

    If 51% or more of the population vote for leave then the imposition will have been shown, defacto, to have been against our will, us being the British people, not necessarily our elected politicians.
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    surbiton said:

    Barnesian said:

    surbiton said:

    rcs1000 said:

    BBC: "in its World Oil Outlook report, Opec said oil would rise to $70 a barrel by 2020 and in the long term would continue higher."

    Just in time for IndyRef2!

    $70 in 2020.

    It's amazing how perspectives change. 18 months ago you would need to be an uber-bear to predict $70 in 2020. Now $70 in 2020 is considered a bullish forecast.
    People are not realising how much renewables are catching on. Europe led the way but now China and India have caught the zeal of the convert. USA too. Two of the largest solar plants were constructed only recently. Solar is growing by about 100% every year.
    Renewables will have to manage without the govt subsidy in future. And without a govt subsidy what will be the cost of 'renewing' all those solar panels?
    "New tax breaks for North Sea oil and gas production announced by the chancellor, George Osborne, earlier in 2015 will cost taxpayers a further £1.7bn by 2020, according to government figures."

    http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/nov/12/uk-breaks-pledge-to-become-only-g7-country-increase-fossil-fuel-subsidies
    Quite. And without a govt tax break what will be the cost of 'keeping' all those oil fields?

    One thing I find very puzzling and it is not the cost of subsidy.

    People on the left like renewables initially with subsidy [ which is/was costly ]

    Rightwingers have no qualm about subsidies for Nuclear, Oil / Gas fields !! Taking a punt on
    future energy prices for nuclear is OK but not for renewables, apparently !
    I am pointing out only that the growth in renewables was fuelled (no pun) by subsidies which have been significantly cut. Will they continue? Nuclear is (I think) relatively expensive and is paid for in the end by consumers. However a diverse source of energy is desirable. Our own North Sea will inevitably decline, but we are in the fortunate position of Shale helping us with energy independence. It may well be there will be tax breaks for this as there have been for north sea exploration. In the end the extraction will be a source of revenue - just like north sea oil.
    If the stuff is not extracted it cannot be taxed and we must then import more.
    My main concern for wind and solar is that it may be generated when we do not need it and not generated when we do.
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    TGOHFTGOHF Posts: 21,633
    edited December 2015
    BBC etc seem to be going big on this story

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/david-cameron/12065608/David-Cameron-urged-to-intervene-as-US-bans-Muslim-family.html

    A family's human right to visit Disneyland has been violated.
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    Plato_SaysPlato_Says Posts: 11,822
    Guardian fake headline generator now redundant https://t.co/ntoyNrIcJC
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    SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 20,785

    surbiton said:

    Barnesian said:

    surbiton said:

    rcs1000 said:

    BBC: "in its World Oil Outlook report, Opec said oil would rise to $70 a barrel by 2020 and in the long term would continue higher."

    Just in time for IndyRef2!

    $70 in 2020.

    It's amazing how perspectives change. 18 months ago you would need to be an uber-bear to predict $70 in 2020. Now $70 in 2020 is considered a bullish forecast.
    People are not realising how much renewables are catching on. Europe led the way but now China and India have caught the zeal of the convert. USA too. Two of the largest solar plants were constructed only recently. Solar is growing by about 100% every year.
    Renewables will have to manage without the govt subsidy in future. And without a govt subsidy what will be the cost of 'renewing' all those solar panels?
    "New tax breaks for North Sea oil and gas production announced by the chancellor, George Osborne, earlier in 2015 will cost taxpayers a further £1.7bn by 2020, according to government figures."

    http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/nov/12/uk-breaks-pledge-to-become-only-g7-country-increase-fossil-fuel-subsidies
    Quite. And without a govt tax break what will be the cost of 'keeping' all those oil fields?

    One thing I find very puzzling and it is not the cost of subsidy.

    People on the left like renewables initially with subsidy [ which is/was costly ]

    Rightwingers have no qualm about subsidies for Nuclear, Oil / Gas fields !! Taking a punt on
    future energy prices for nuclear is OK but not for renewables, apparently !
    I am pointing out only that the growth in renewables was fuelled (no pun) by subsidies which have been significantly cut. Will they continue? Nuclear is (I think) relatively expensive and is paid for in the end by consumers. However a diverse source of energy is desirable. Our own North Sea will inevitably decline, but we are in the fortunate position of Shale helping us with energy independence. It may well be there will be tax breaks for this as there have been for north sea exploration. In the end the extraction will be a source of revenue - just like north sea oil.
    If the stuff is not extracted it cannot be taxed and we must then import more.
    My main concern for wind and solar is that it may be generated when we do not need it and not generated when we do.
    We need shale gas for energy independence - in the week that the last UK coal mine closed down because importing coal at superficially lower cost is preferable to energy independence.
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    Wanderer said:

    Interesting, longish piece on the Republican Party and the meaning of Trump http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2016/01/the-great-republican-revolt/419118/

    That's a very interesting article and explains a lot of Trump's appeal, both demographic and economic.

    I must admit the American middle-class do seem to have a tougher time in the States than we do over here.
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    kle4kle4 Posts: 92,087
    I love how the language of this piece is perfectly newspaper like, then just throws out 'piss-poor' as a descriptor.
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    chestnutchestnut Posts: 7,341
    edited December 2015

    Another pointless own goal. What's wrong with him? It's more stupid teenager rebellion behaviour.

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/Jeremy_Corbyn/12066323/Jeremy-Corbyn-cancels-Christmas-and-refuses-to-issue-festive-message.html

    Corbyn the Anti-Christ.

    I'm watching out for #crossover between Labour's polling figure and UK GDP growth rate.

    3% strategy.
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    Plato_SaysPlato_Says Posts: 11,822
    It's just embarrassing. No wonder so many Sensible Labour bods have their heads in their hands.
    chestnut said:

    Another pointless own goal. What's wrong with him? It's more stupid teenager rebellion behaviour.

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/Jeremy_Corbyn/12066323/Jeremy-Corbyn-cancels-Christmas-and-refuses-to-issue-festive-message.html

    Corbyn the Anti-Christ.

    I'm watching out for #crossover between Labour's polling figure and UK GDP growth rate.

    3% strategy.
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    kle4kle4 Posts: 92,087

    isam said:
    A change of 0.1% in a guesstimate/forecast is a problem????
    If increases like that are treated as significant, then yes. Is it a trend, for one.

    In any case, borrowing looks pretty crappy - though as ever it's down to one offs no doubt, just as future issues will be one offs -so revisions downwards, if it becomes regular, can add to the narrative of General crapness.
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    taffystaffys Posts: 9,753
    ''A family's human right to visit Disneyland has been violated.''

    There is probably more to this than meets the eye.

    Of much more interest is the media's attitude to America, which is essentially that of Iran's - ie the Great Satan.
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    justin124justin124 Posts: 11,527

    justin124 said:

    The ONS has cut its estimate of GDP growth for Quarters 2 and 3 by 0.2% and 0.1% respectively. Growth over 12 months is now 2.1% - a rate of growth somewhat below trend. Clear signs of slowdown there!

    Do you understand the 'economic-cycle'. [Silly question: Most folk do not understand the definition of 'a recession...!]
    I do indeed - inmost cycles we have seen growth reaching circa 4% before falling back.
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    richardDoddrichardDodd Posts: 5,472
    Taffys They can go to the one in France..no probs..
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    kle4kle4 Posts: 92,087

    I don't frequently quote the Express, but Corbyn's intv with Red Pepper seems another own goal re patriotism http://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/628920/Jeremy-Corbyn-Falklands-War-xenophobic-election-Mar

    In an in-depth interview with the Far-Left Red Pepper website, the Labour leader suggested that the party’s humiliating defeat in the 1983 general election was because of a “xenophobic” campaign by Margaret Thatcher’s government based on the Falklands War.

    The comment is the latest insult to islanders who have fiercely opposed being taken over by Argentina and the veterans who lost their lives and suffered injuries in the campaign in 1982 when fascist leader General Leopoldo Galtieri ordered the invasion.

    Previously, Mr Corbyn has provoked outrage on the same issue when he described the war as “a plot” by Margaret Thatcher to distract from unemployment in Britain as she restructured the economy.
    It does seem a common complaint from the far quarters of the left that Thatcher used The Falklands to win, and it often seems to carry over into seeming as though any bump she may have gotten from it is illegitimate somehow, and, additionally, therefore the war itself was bad, at least implicitly. At best it makes them look like whiners who blame a single thing for everything, and at worst like they felt we should have done nothing and the public fell for a propaganda war, therefore blaming the public for being idiots.
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    WandererWanderer Posts: 3,838

    Wanderer said:

    Interesting, longish piece on the Republican Party and the meaning of Trump http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2016/01/the-great-republican-revolt/419118/

    That's a very interesting article and explains a lot of Trump's appeal, both demographic and economic.

    I must admit the American middle-class do seem to have a tougher time in the States than we do over here.
    That was my reaction. The middle class in Western countries has, in general, not done brilliantly from globalisation but over here it's easy to be fairly sanguine. Less so in the States, maybe.

    That and the idea that those people have been pulling a political lever that isn't attached to anything.
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    TGOHFTGOHF Posts: 21,633
    taffys said:

    ''A family's human right to visit Disneyland has been violated.''

    There is probably more to this than meets the eye.

    Of much more interest is the media's attitude to America, which is essentially that of Iran's - ie the Great Satan.

    Two brothers, no wives, Norwegian air - nothing suspicious at all.
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    JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 39,213


    We need shale gas for energy independence - in the week that the last UK coal mine closed down because importing coal at superficially lower cost is preferable to energy independence.

    According to the radio there was quite a lot of difference; although due to fluctuations in price UK Coal had been competitive a year or two before.

    Of more importance might be the fact that coal-fired power stations are rapidly closing down, meaning that the mass market for their products was disappearing. Even Drax power stations, only a few miles away from Kellingley, is moving to biomass, and who knows what's going to happen to the White Rose project.

    You may want to blame the person responsible for closing down all these coal-fired stations and insisting on untried CCS. Who is this Evil Tory who destroyed the coal industry?

    Step forward Ed Miliband ...

    (As an aside, the destruction of the UK coal industry has been bad for railfreight, for whom it was a massive money-maker).
  • Options

    I feel sorry for anyone living with Zoe Williams at Xmas.

    https://twitter.com/jhallwood/status/679599592145612802/photo/1

    Is that a bad hair day or does she really think she looks good in that hairdo?

    It's an atheist anti-consumerist hairdo.
    A humbug walks into a "bah"....
    Did you hear about the dyslexic man who walked into a bra?


    ....tumbleweed....
    ..or the dyslexic agnostic who wasn't sure whether or not he believed in dog...
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    HurstLlamaHurstLlama Posts: 9,098

    It's just embarrassing. No wonder so many Sensible Labour bods have their heads in their hands.

    chestnut said:

    Another pointless own goal. What's wrong with him? It's more stupid teenager rebellion behaviour.

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/Jeremy_Corbyn/12066323/Jeremy-Corbyn-cancels-Christmas-and-refuses-to-issue-festive-message.html

    Corbyn the Anti-Christ.

    I'm watching out for #crossover between Labour's polling figure and UK GDP growth rate.

    3% strategy.
    Now, now, Miss P, I enjoy giving Corbyn a deserved kicking as much as the next man, but this story as reported the the 'Telegraph is not even a storm in a teacup - maore an attempt to whip a storm in an upturned thimble. What has Corbyn done or said? Well, he won't be issuing a Christmas message from the leader of the opposition. We will in fact be spared some more ridiculous platitudes from some politician.

    Frankly I think Corbyn should be praised for this sensible and merciful decision and wish that Cameron and other pretentious berks would do the same. HMtQ does a Christmas message to the nation (which I haven't watched or listened to for more than 30 years), that is enough.
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    Patrick said:

    I feel sorry for anyone living with Zoe Williams at Xmas.

    https://twitter.com/jhallwood/status/679599592145612802/photo/1

    Is that a bad hair day or does she really think she looks good in that hairdo?

    It's an atheist anti-consumerist hairdo.
    A humbug walks into a "bah"....
    Did you hear about the dyslexic man who walked into a bra?


    ....tumbleweed....
    ..or the dyslexic agnostic who wasn't sure whether or not he believed in dog...
    ...or the insomniac dyslexic agnostic who lay awake at night wondering if there is a dog...
  • Options
    WandererWanderer Posts: 3,838

    It's just embarrassing. No wonder so many Sensible Labour bods have their heads in their hands.

    chestnut said:

    Another pointless own goal. What's wrong with him? It's more stupid teenager rebellion behaviour.

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/Jeremy_Corbyn/12066323/Jeremy-Corbyn-cancels-Christmas-and-refuses-to-issue-festive-message.html

    Corbyn the Anti-Christ.

    I'm watching out for #crossover between Labour's polling figure and UK GDP growth rate.

    3% strategy.
    Now, now, Miss P, I enjoy giving Corbyn a deserved kicking as much as the next man, but this story as reported the the 'Telegraph is not even a storm in a teacup - maore an attempt to whip a storm in an upturned thimble. What has Corbyn done or said? Well, he won't be issuing a Christmas message from the leader of the opposition. We will in fact be spared some more ridiculous platitudes from some politician.

    Frankly I think Corbyn should be praised for this sensible and merciful decision and wish that Cameron and other pretentious berks would do the same. HMtQ does a Christmas message to the nation (which I haven't watched or listened to for more than 30 years), that is enough.
    Hmm, but it sounds like he will be issuing a New Year message instead. I fear the pretentious-berk factor may be high.
  • Options
    surbitonsurbiton Posts: 13,549

    It's just embarrassing. No wonder so many Sensible Labour bods have their heads in their hands.

    chestnut said:

    Another pointless own goal. What's wrong with him? It's more stupid teenager rebellion behaviour.

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/Jeremy_Corbyn/12066323/Jeremy-Corbyn-cancels-Christmas-and-refuses-to-issue-festive-message.html

    Corbyn the Anti-Christ.

    I'm watching out for #crossover between Labour's polling figure and UK GDP growth rate.

    3% strategy.
    Now, now, Miss P, I enjoy giving Corbyn a deserved kicking as much as the next man, but this story as reported the the 'Telegraph is not even a storm in a teacup - maore an attempt to whip a storm in an upturned thimble. What has Corbyn done or said? Well, he won't be issuing a Christmas message from the leader of the opposition. We will in fact be spared some more ridiculous platitudes from some politician.

    Frankly I think Corbyn should be praised for this sensible and merciful decision and wish that Cameron and other pretentious berks would do the same. HMtQ does a Christmas message to the nation (which I haven't watched or listened to for more than 30 years), that is enough.
    Good on Corbyn. I stopped sending out all those meaningless WH Smith cards about 10 years ago and have replaced it with a email message to the employees. I give the money saved to a favourite charity. I now find about 20 of my colleagues are now doing the same.

    I send a few to close friends and some relatives.

    Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to everyone at PB !
  • Options
    WandererWanderer Posts: 3,838
    surbiton said:

    It's just embarrassing. No wonder so many Sensible Labour bods have their heads in their hands.

    chestnut said:

    Another pointless own goal. What's wrong with him? It's more stupid teenager rebellion behaviour.

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/Jeremy_Corbyn/12066323/Jeremy-Corbyn-cancels-Christmas-and-refuses-to-issue-festive-message.html

    Corbyn the Anti-Christ.

    I'm watching out for #crossover between Labour's polling figure and UK GDP growth rate.

    3% strategy.
    Now, now, Miss P, I enjoy giving Corbyn a deserved kicking as much as the next man, but this story as reported the the 'Telegraph is not even a storm in a teacup - maore an attempt to whip a storm in an upturned thimble. What has Corbyn done or said? Well, he won't be issuing a Christmas message from the leader of the opposition. We will in fact be spared some more ridiculous platitudes from some politician.

    Frankly I think Corbyn should be praised for this sensible and merciful decision and wish that Cameron and other pretentious berks would do the same. HMtQ does a Christmas message to the nation (which I haven't watched or listened to for more than 30 years), that is enough.
    Good on Corbyn. I stopped sending out all those meaningless WH Smith cards about 10 years ago and have replaced it with a email message to the employees. I give the money saved to a favourite charity. I now find about 20 of my colleagues are now doing the same.

    I send a few to close friends and some relatives.

    Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to everyone at PB !
    Why the mail spam though? 95% of recipients will just delete it.
  • Options
    Wanderer said:

    It's just embarrassing. No wonder so many Sensible Labour bods have their heads in their hands.

    chestnut said:

    Another pointless own goal. What's wrong with him? It's more stupid teenager rebellion behaviour.

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/Jeremy_Corbyn/12066323/Jeremy-Corbyn-cancels-Christmas-and-refuses-to-issue-festive-message.html

    Corbyn the Anti-Christ.

    I'm watching out for #crossover between Labour's polling figure and UK GDP growth rate.

    3% strategy.
    Now, now, Miss P, I enjoy giving Corbyn a deserved kicking as much as the next man, but this story as reported the the 'Telegraph is not even a storm in a teacup - maore an attempt to whip a storm in an upturned thimble. What has Corbyn done or said? Well, he won't be issuing a Christmas message from the leader of the opposition. We will in fact be spared some more ridiculous platitudes from some politician.

    Frankly I think Corbyn should be praised for this sensible and merciful decision and wish that Cameron and other pretentious berks would do the same. HMtQ does a Christmas message to the nation (which I haven't watched or listened to for more than 30 years), that is enough.
    Hmm, but it sounds like he will be issuing a New Year message instead. I fear the pretentious-berk factor may be high.
    Thats right. He is still issuing a message but doe not want to give any credit to Christmas. It is however another pathetic tabloid headline from what used to be a quality broadsheet.
  • Options
    WandererWanderer Posts: 3,838

    Wanderer said:

    It's just embarrassing. No wonder so many Sensible Labour bods have their heads in their hands.

    chestnut said:

    Another pointless own goal. What's wrong with him? It's more stupid teenager rebellion behaviour.

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/Jeremy_Corbyn/12066323/Jeremy-Corbyn-cancels-Christmas-and-refuses-to-issue-festive-message.html

    Corbyn the Anti-Christ.

    I'm watching out for #crossover between Labour's polling figure and UK GDP growth rate.

    3% strategy.
    Now, now, Miss P, I enjoy giving Corbyn a deserved kicking as much as the next man, but this story as reported the the 'Telegraph is not even a storm in a teacup - maore an attempt to whip a storm in an upturned thimble. What has Corbyn done or said? Well, he won't be issuing a Christmas message from the leader of the opposition. We will in fact be spared some more ridiculous platitudes from some politician.

    Frankly I think Corbyn should be praised for this sensible and merciful decision and wish that Cameron and other pretentious berks would do the same. HMtQ does a Christmas message to the nation (which I haven't watched or listened to for more than 30 years), that is enough.
    Hmm, but it sounds like he will be issuing a New Year message instead. I fear the pretentious-berk factor may be high.
    Thats right. He is still issuing a message but doe not want to give any credit to Christmas. It is however another pathetic tabloid headline from what used to be a quality broadsheet.
    That is also true.
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    New Thread New Thread

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    surbitonsurbiton Posts: 13,549
    edited December 2015

    surbiton said:

    Barnesian said:

    surbiton said:

    rcs1000 said:

    BBC: "in its World Oil Outlook report, Opec said oil would rise to $70 a barrel by 2020 and in the long term would continue higher."

    Just in time for IndyRef2!

    $70 in 2020.

    .
    People are not realising how much renewables are catching on. Europe led the way but now China and India have caught the zeal of the convert. USA too. Two of the largest solar plants were constructed only recently. Solar is growing by about 100% every year.
    Renewables will have to manage without the govt subsidy in future. And without a govt subsidy what will be the cost of 'renewing' all those solar panels?
    "New tax breaks for North Sea oil and gas production announced by the chancellor, George Osborne, earlier in 2015 will cost taxpayers a further £1.7bn by 2020, according to government figures."

    http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/nov/12/uk-breaks-pledge-to-become-only-g7-country-increase-fossil-fuel-subsidies
    Quite. And without a govt tax break what will be the cost of 'keeping' all those oil fields?

    One thing I find very puzzling and it is not the cost of subsidy.

    People on the left like renewables initially with subsidy [ which is/was costly ]

    Rightwingers have no qualm about subsidies for Nuclear, Oil / Gas fields !! Taking a punt on
    future energy prices for nuclear is OK but not for renewables, apparently !
    I am pointing out only that the growth in renewables was fuelled (no pun) by subsidies which have been significantly cut. Will they continue? Nuclear is (I think) relatively expensive and is paid for in the end by consumers. However a diverse source of energy is desirable. Our own North Sea will inevitably decline, but we are in the fortunate position of Shale helping us with energy independence. It may well be there will be tax breaks for this as there have been for north sea exploration. In the end the extraction will be a source of revenue - just like north sea oil.
    If the stuff is not extracted it cannot be taxed and we must then import more.
    My main concern for wind and solar is that it may be generated when we do not need it and not generated when we do.
    The hare will eventually go past the tortoise ! It took a couple of million years for the fossil fuels to be in their current state that we have burnt in the last 200 years ! Sooner or later it will finish or the cost the extraction will be so much that it would be meaningless.

    Let us not forget the "original" energy in fossil fuels also came from the Sun. After all, we have ultimately, only one source.
  • Options
    HurstLlamaHurstLlama Posts: 9,098
    Wanderer said:

    It's just embarrassing. No wonder so many Sensible Labour bods have their heads in their hands.

    chestnut said:

    Another pointless own goal. What's wrong with him? It's more stupid teenager rebellion behaviour.

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/Jeremy_Corbyn/12066323/Jeremy-Corbyn-cancels-Christmas-and-refuses-to-issue-festive-message.html

    Corbyn the Anti-Christ.

    I'm watching out for #crossover between Labour's polling figure and UK GDP growth rate.

    3% strategy.
    Now, now, Miss P, I enjoy giving Corbyn a deserved kicking as much as the next man, but this story as reported the the 'Telegraph is not even a storm in a teacup - maore an attempt to whip a storm in an upturned thimble. What has Corbyn done or said? Well, he won't be issuing a Christmas message from the leader of the opposition. We will in fact be spared some more ridiculous platitudes from some politician.

    Frankly I think Corbyn should be praised for this sensible and merciful decision and wish that Cameron and other pretentious berks would do the same. HMtQ does a Christmas message to the nation (which I haven't watched or listened to for more than 30 years), that is enough.
    Hmm, but it sounds like he will be issuing a New Year message instead. I fear the pretentious-berk factor may be high.
    Alas, yes, but every eegit in some position of power or influence in politics, business and the public sector seems to feel it necessary to send a new year's message and most of said message's are frankly rather pathetic, if not actually meaningless.

    The fact remains that Corbyn has opted out from sending another set of platitudes at Christmas and is therefore, in my view, deserving of thanks if not full-on praise. What he hasn't done in anyway shape or form is "Cancel Christmas". As Mr. Path recognises up-thread the Telegraph has become a bloody awful newspaper.
  • Options


    We need shale gas for energy independence - in the week that the last UK coal mine closed down because importing coal at superficially lower cost is preferable to energy independence.

    According to the radio there was quite a lot of difference; although due to fluctuations in price UK Coal had been competitive a year or two before.

    Of more importance might be the fact that coal-fired power stations are rapidly closing down, meaning that the mass market for their products was disappearing. Even Drax power stations, only a few miles away from Kellingley, is moving to biomass, and who knows what's going to happen to the White Rose project.

    You may want to blame the person responsible for closing down all these coal-fired stations and insisting on untried CCS. Who is this Evil Tory who destroyed the coal industry?

    Step forward Ed Miliband ...

    (As an aside, the destruction of the UK coal industry has been bad for railfreight, for whom it was a massive money-maker).
    Destruction?
    Drax was built on the promise of 50+ years coal locally at Selby. But the geology of the Selby complex proved to be massively over optimistic.
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    Plato_SaysPlato_Says Posts: 11,822
    US is an outlier among wealthiest nations:
    Religion is very important:
    US 53%
    Australia 18%
    Germany 21%
    Canada 27%
    https://t.co/ex4uyuFBhW
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    BarnesianBarnesian Posts: 8,010

    surbiton said:

    Barnesian said:

    surbiton said:

    rcs1000 said:

    BBC: "in its World Oil Outlook report, Opec said oil would rise to $70 a barrel by 2020 and in the long term would continue higher."

    Just in time for IndyRef2!

    $70 in 2020.

    It's amazing how perspectives change. 18 months ago you would need to be an uber-bear to predict $70 in 2020. Now $70 in 2020 is considered a bullish forecast.
    Renewables will have to manage without the govt subsidy in future. And without a govt subsidy what will be the cost of 'renewing' all those solar panels?
    "New tax breaks for North Sea oil and gas production announced by the chancellor, George Osborne, earlier in 2015 will cost taxpayers a further £1.7bn by 2020, according to government figures."

    http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/nov/12/uk-breaks-pledge-to-become-only-g7-country-increase-fossil-fuel-subsidies
    Quite. And without a govt tax break what will be the cost of 'keeping' all those oil fields?

    One thing I find very puzzling and it is not the cost of subsidy.

    People on the left like renewables initially with subsidy [ which is/was costly ]

    Rightwingers have no qualm about subsidies for Nuclear, Oil / Gas fields !! Taking a punt on
    future energy prices for nuclear is OK but not for renewables, apparently !
    I am pointing out only that the growth in renewables was fuelled (no pun) by subsidies which have been significantly cut. Will they continue? Nuclear is (I think) relatively expensive and is paid for in the end by consumers. However a diverse source of energy is desirable. Our own North Sea will inevitably decline, but we are in the fortunate position of Shale helping us with energy independence. It may well be there will be tax breaks for this as there have been for north sea exploration. In the end the extraction will be a source of revenue - just like north sea oil.
    If the stuff is not extracted it cannot be taxed and we must then import more.
    My main concern for wind and solar is that it may be generated when we do not need it and not generated when we do.
    We urgently need efficient energy storage systems. - Dinorwig type pumped stoage systems aren't the answer because of distance (and lack) of suitable locations.

    There is a lot of R&D going into efficent and cost effective batteries. Conversion to hydrogen using surplus wind and solar power would also be a good solution.

    NB Tidal power is completely predictable and the UK has the second largest tidal ranges in the world (after Newfoundland).
  • Options
    JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 39,213


    We need shale gas for energy independence - in the week that the last UK coal mine closed down because importing coal at superficially lower cost is preferable to energy independence.

    According to the radio there was quite a lot of difference; although due to fluctuations in price UK Coal had been competitive a year or two before.

    Of more importance might be the fact that coal-fired power stations are rapidly closing down, meaning that the mass market for their products was disappearing. Even Drax power stations, only a few miles away from Kellingley, is moving to biomass, and who knows what's going to happen to the White Rose project.

    You may want to blame the person responsible for closing down all these coal-fired stations and insisting on untried CCS. Who is this Evil Tory who destroyed the coal industry?

    Step forward Ed Miliband ...

    (As an aside, the destruction of the UK coal industry has been bad for railfreight, for whom it was a massive money-maker).
    Destruction?
    Drax was built on the promise of 50+ years coal locally at Selby. But the geology of the Selby complex proved to be massively over optimistic.
    Indeed. The Selby coalfield plans caused the ECML Selby diversion to be built, which I believe was the first main railway line built in Britain for many decades.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selby_Diversion
  • Options
    malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 42,211

    TGOHF said:

    Scott_P said:

    TGOHF said:

    Holyrood gets a taste of "FREEDOM"

    Sky News ‏@SkyNews 1m1 minute ago

    The European Courts of Justice says the Scottish parliament cannot introduce a minimum price per unit of alcohol

    Not according to Nicola...

    https://t.co/oC90vuX4Zf
    Sounds familiar..

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-20042069

    "Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has defended Alex Salmond's account of whether he received legal advice on Scotland's position in the European Union."
    Sky misreporting this. Someone will now, in a British court, need to argue that there are in fact less restrictive measures having the same effect on the internal market.
    There's the rub. What other alcohol tax or duty options are available to the SG?

    https://twitter.com/BraidenHT/status/679599900091351040
    The frothers are in overdrive, pity they are unable to read It is far from dead to say the least.
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