At least twenty dead in this italian train crash I see. Apparently both units were four carriage. The front two of one and the front carriage of the other have been obliterated.
I fear that, unless the trains were very lightly loaded there may be worse news to follow.
It's quite horrific.
On the face of it, it does seem rather similar to the recent German crash - head-on crash between trains on a single-track line.
ISTR they were 'fortunate' (*) with that crash: if it had been term-time it would have been filled with children going to school.
The unprecedented safety record on our railways is amazing - eight years without a passenger being killed in a train accident. But there have been plenty of near-misses that could have been fatal if circumstances had been different. Our continental friends have been having much worse luck - if it is luck.
I might've agreed the PLP had good intentions a while ago (after all, I voted for one of the PLP's own in a leadership election just a year ago), but I'm not that naive anymore.
If the , as much as the hard left is.
It's not about being naive, it's the truth. Angela Eagle is being put forward at this stage not because she'll win a GE but because at least under her the Labour party will SURVIVE. The Labour party as we know it will still be one committed to gaining power through parliamentary democracy. That will NOT be the case if Corbyn's leadership continues. As I stressed before in previous posts, this is no longer about even winning the next GE anymore. This is about the SURVIVAL of a political party. Cameroonian Tories also supported the Remain campaign: that does not mean they do not care about the Tories' electability. Indeed for a long period, it looked as though Remain would win. The PLP are not trying to split the party - they are trying to avoid splitting Labour by getting rid of Corbyn. If Corbyn stays on that is what will cause a split.
This is not about 'ideological purity'. If that was the case, a cross section of PLP with various different views that depart from the so-called 'centre-ground' would not want Corbyn gone.
Why on earth would the party do better under Angela Eagle than it would under Corbyn?
Well, as I stated in my previous post Labour will still be a party which believes in parliamentary democracy. They won't be taken over by militant Leftists. Labour will still at some stage be able to win GEs again. If Corbyn stays, Labour will be taken over by the militant Left and will totally dead as a political force for decades, perhaps forever.
These are just assertions, without any reasoning to support them. WHY would Eagle mean Labour would at some stage be able to win GEs again? WHY would she win more seats in an election than Corbyn? She has less charisma than Corbyn, seems less of a plausible PM, is more of a hated "career politician" - once again, the Remain campaign being rejected in the Labour heartlands shows how successful she would be.
In a Parliamentary democracy the leader of a Parliamentary party has to command the confidence of the majority of the MPs of the party he/she leads. There is no way round that, I'm afraid. If Labour members re-elect Corbyn they are saying that Labour is no longer a Parliamentary party focused on winning power through Parliamentary elections.
Politics in the last few weeks has been like watching 10 box sets of 20 episode-long series in a fortnight.
I've been on the west coast of the US since the Brexit vote and have got used to waking up each day to a huge quantity of big political news to catch up with. Today's NEC shenanigans seem like an uneventful day in comparison with the last couple of weeks.
I felt my first foreign Brexit backlash today (I'm by Lake Maggiore in Switzerland)
An American heard me talking about Brexit with my Swiss guide. The Swiss lady said "we're pleased that you've left, you're with us now," at which point the American stepped in and said "We're NOT pleased".
I told him I voted LEAVE and gave him a mildly hard stare.
To objectionable Americans that get shirty about 'ruopean politics, I normally ask them if they know what the difference between England, Great Britain and the UK is...
I wonder how many peers will be created in the Resignation Honours. Might make this easier to get through. Also, given the 1999 act, Cameron could accept the traditional hereditary Earldom and still be an MP.
Politics in the last few weeks has been like watching 10 box sets of 20 episode-long series in a fortnight.
I've been on the west coast of the US since the Brexit vote and have got used to waking up each day to a huge quantity of big political news to catch up with. Today's NEC shenanigans seem like an uneventful day in comparison with the last couple of weeks.
I felt my first foreign Brexit backlash today (I'm by Lake Maggiore in Switzerland)
An American heard me talking about Brexit with my Swiss guide. The Swiss lady said "we're pleased that you've left, you're with us now," at which point the American stepped in and said "We're NOT pleased".
I told him I voted LEAVE and gave him a mildly hard stare.
I have some distant US relations who were aghast at the Brexit vote. I suspect partly because (they lean a bit democrat - sort of wet conservative) they have been fed doom by the US media, and partly because if the UK can vote Brexit then the US electorate could vote for Donald
I might've agreed the PLP had good intentions a while ago (after all, I voted for one of the PLP's own in a leadership election just a year ago), but I'm not that naive anymore.
If the , as much as the hard left is.
It's not about being naive, it's the truth. Angela Eagle is being put forward at this stage not because she'll win a GE but because at least under her the Labour party will SURVIVE. The Labour party as we know it will still be one committed to gaining power through parliamentary democracy. That will NOT be the case if Corbyn's leadership continues. As I stressed before in previous posts, this is no longer about even winning the next GE anymore. This is about the SURVIVAL of a political party. Cameroonian Tories also supported the Remain campaign: that does not mean they do not care about the Tories' electability. Indeed for a long period, it looked as though Remain would win. The PLP are not trying to split the party - they are trying to avoid splitting Labour by getting rid of Corbyn. If Corbyn stays on that is what will cause a split.
This is not about 'ideological purity'. If that was the case, a cross section of PLP with various different views that depart from the so-called 'centre-ground' would not want Corbyn gone.
Why on earth would the party do better under Angela Eagle than it would under Corbyn?
Well, as I stated in my previous post Labour will still be a party which believes in parliamentary democracy. They won't be taken over by militant Leftists. Labour will still at some stage be able to win GEs again. If Corbyn stays, Labour will be taken over by the militant Left and will totally dead as a political force for decades, perhaps forever.
These are just assertions, without any reasoning to support them. WHY would Eagle mean Labour would at some stage be able to win GEs again? WHY would she win more seats in an election than Corbyn? She has less charisma than Corbyn, seems less of a plausible PM, is more of a hated "career politician" - once again, the Remain campaign being rejected in the Labour heartlands shows how successful she would be.
In a Parliamentary democracy the leader of a Parliamentary party has to command the confidence of the majority of the MPs of the party he/she leads. There is no way round that, I'm afraid. If Labour members re-elect Corbyn they are saying that Labour is no longer a Parliamentary party focused on winning power through Parliamentary elections.
Well, isn't there an obvious solution to this? If most MPs need to support its leader, then there is another variable other than the leader that can be changed....
At least twenty dead in this italian train crash I see. Apparently both units were four carriage. The front two of one and the front carriage of the other have been obliterated.
I fear that, unless the trains were very lightly loaded there may be worse news to follow.
It is a single track back country branch line, so hopefully the trains were not heavily loaded.
Its more equivalent to the Sheffield - Manchester route - not full blown intercity but busy interurban, it is electrified and is so busy that it will be double tracked in a few years (doubling of part of the route is already underway with the contract to double the crash stretch not far from letting. It at least happened at 11.30 not in the middle of Rush Hour
The current death rate is five persons per destroyed carriage which is very low. I fear that in the three most damaged carriages there will be little left to identify until the forensic teams get to work. Moorgate and the first coach of the Networker train at Ladbroke grove are the only accidents I can remember in recent (last 40 or so years) history that have resulted in anywhere near that level of destruction of carriages. Three carriages are basically matchwood and one is destroyed on one side.
Sad day for the Italian railways.
I have done Pisa Airport to Pisa, as well as Pisa to Florence, albeit back in 2000.
These are just assertions, without any reasoning to support them. WHY would Eagle mean Labour would at some stage be able to win GEs again? WHY would she win more seats in an election than Corbyn? She has less charisma than Corbyn, seems less of a plausible PM, is more of a hated "career politician" - once again, the Remain campaign being rejected in the Labour heartlands shows how successful she would be.
They are not just assertions without any reasoning to support them. Take a look at @SouthamObserver's piece from yesterday, and particularly the tweet from the founder of Momentum. The militants backing and supporting Corbyn no longer believe that Labour's main aim should be about winning GEs, and changing people's lives through parliamentary democracy.
On Eagle, as I stated before Labour under Eagle (or indeed Owen Smith, or anyone not Corbyn/McDonell) will continue to be a party which believes in parliamentary democracy. This means, that once Eagle loses an election (or steps down) someone more electable can be found who gives Labour a better chance of winning GEs. If Corbyn stays, the Labour party will split, and mass deselections will probably occur. Labour will be filled with Corbynites and those of the hard left as prospective parliamentary candidates. These people will also subscribe to the beliefs of the Momentumers, and other militants - that is that Labour first and foremost is a social movement and should represent all of their members views. The job of MPs in the Labour party will no longer be to represent their constituents, which will make it totally different from every other political party.
Furthermore, look at the way Corbyn backers are behaving - intimidating opponents through threats of violence. Do they sound to you people interested in entertaining a Labour party who believes in parliamentary democracy?
Well whoever it was that LBC briefly interviewed outside the Labour meeting - didn't catch the name - thinks that @Southam is right - meeting will keep Corbyn on!
Politics in the last few weeks has been like watching 10 box sets of 20 episode-long series in a fortnight.
I've been on the west coast of the US since the Brexit vote and have got used to waking up each day to a huge quantity of big political news to catch up with. Today's NEC shenanigans seem like an uneventful day in comparison with the last couple of weeks.
I felt my first foreign Brexit backlash today (I'm by Lake Maggiore in Switzerland)
An American heard me talking about Brexit with my Swiss guide. The Swiss lady said "we're pleased that you've left, you're with us now," at which point the American stepped in and said "We're NOT pleased".
I told him I voted LEAVE and gave him a mildly hard stare.
You should have told him that one of the reasons people voted to LEAVE was because we're fed up being pushed around by the USA...
At least twenty dead in this italian train crash I see. Apparently both units were four carriage. The front two of one and the front carriage of the other have been obliterated.
I fear that, unless the trains were very lightly loaded there may be worse news to follow.
It's quite horrific.
On the face of it, it does seem rather similar to the recent German crash - head-on crash between trains on a single-track line.
ISTR they were 'fortunate' (*) with that crash: if it had been term-time it would have been filled with children going to school.
The unprecedented safety record on our railways is amazing - eight years without a passenger being killed in a train accident. But there have been plenty of near-misses that could have been fatal if circumstances had been different. Our continental friends have been having much worse luck - if it is luck.
When I heard the details of the "Ersatz" signalling that allowed the German crash to occur it made my hair stand on end. It appears that the signaller made an error- however in the UK the signaller could not have made that error, the signalling would not have let him.
At least twenty dead in this italian train crash I see. Apparently both units were four carriage. The front two of one and the front carriage of the other have been obliterated.
I fear that, unless the trains were very lightly loaded there may be worse news to follow.
It is a single track back country branch line, so hopefully the trains were not heavily loaded.
Its more equivalent to the Sheffield - Manchester route - not full blown intercity but busy interurban, it is electrified and is so busy that it will be double tracked in a few years (doubling of part of the route is already underway with the contract to double the crash stretch not far from letting. It at least happened at 11.30 not in the middle of Rush Hour
The current death rate is five persons per destroyed carriage which is very low. I fear that in the three most damaged carriages there will be little left to identify until the forensic teams get to work. Moorgate and the first coach of the Networker train at Ladbroke grove are the only accidents I can remember in recent (last 40 or so years) history that have resulted in anywhere near that level of destruction of carriages. Three carriages are basically matchwood and one is destroyed on one side.
Sad day for the Italian railways.
I have done Pisa Airport to Pisa, as well as Pisa to Florence, albeit back in 2000.
I did Milan to Venice in stages and Catania to Taormina.
I might've agreed the PLP had good intentions a while ago (after all, I voted for one of the PLP's own in a leadership election just a year ago), but I'm not that naive anymore.
If the , as much as the hard left is.
It's not about being naive, it's the truth. Angela Eagle is being put forward at this stage not because she'll win a GE but because at least under her the Labour party will SURVIVE. The Labour party as we know it will still be one committed to gaining power through parliamentary democracy. That will NOT be the case if Corbyn's leadership continues. As I stressed before in previous posts, this is no longer about even winning the next GE anymore. This is about the SURVIVAL of a political party. Cameroonian Tories also supported the Remain campaign: that does not mean they do not care about the Tories' electability. Indeed for a long period, it looked as though Remain would win. The PLP are not trying to split the party - they are trying to avoid splitting Labour by getting rid of Corbyn. If Corbyn stays on that is what will cause a split.
This is not about 'ideological purity'. If that was the case, a cross section of PLP with various different views that depart from the so-called 'centre-ground' would not want Corbyn gone.
Why on earth would the party do better under Angela Eagle than it would under Corbyn?
Well, perhaps forever.
These are career politician" - once again, the Remain campaign being rejected in the Labour heartlands shows how successful she would be.
In a Parliamentary democracy the leader of a Parliamentary party has to command the confidence of the majority of the MPs of the party he/she leads. There is no way round that, I'm afraid. If Labour members re-elect Corbyn they are saying that Labour is no longer a Parliamentary party focused on winning power through Parliamentary elections.
Well, isn't there an obvious solution to this? If most MPs need to support its leader, then there is another variable other than the leader that can be changed....
Of course - the MPs can be deselected. But that only kicks in at the following general election. I am sure that is where things are heading whatever happens now - Momentum is a very powerful party and extremely well organised. It will mean, though, that even fewer Labour MPs are returned than otherwise would have been the case.
Incidentally, the secret ballot can swing both ways.
Imagine you're on the NEC. If Corbyn wins, no reprisals. If he loses, people will wonder who voted this way or that. Which situation would make you feel more comfortable, in terms of personal safety?
Perhaps they could allow just those who want to vote against him, to have a secret ballot...
Politics in the last few weeks has been like watching 10 box sets of 20 episode-long series in a fortnight.
I've been on the west coast of the US since the Brexit vote and have got used to waking up each day to a huge quantity of big political news to catch up with. Today's NEC shenanigans seem like an uneventful day in comparison with the last couple of weeks.
I felt my first foreign Brexit backlash today (I'm by Lake Maggiore in Switzerland)
An American heard me talking about Brexit with my Swiss guide. The Swiss lady said "we're pleased that you've left, you're with us now," at which point the American stepped in and said "We're NOT pleased".
I told him I voted LEAVE and gave him a mildly hard stare.
I have some distant US relations who were aghast at the Brexit vote. I suspect partly because (they lean a bit democrat - sort of wet conservative) they have been fed doom by the US media, and partly because if the UK can vote Brexit then the US electorate could vote for Donald
This is the same Sean who has been pouring his heart out on here for two weeks about the terrible mistake he made?? Now staring down the first enlightened foreigner who happens to agree with him? WTF!?
I wonder how many peers will be created in the Resignation Honours. Might make this easier to get through. Also, given the 1999 act, Cameron could accept the traditional hereditary Earldom and still be an MP.
Politics in the last few weeks has been like watching 10 box sets of 20 episode-long series in a fortnight.
I've been on the west coast of the US since the Brexit vote and have got used to waking up each day to a huge quantity of big political news to catch up with. Today's NEC shenanigans seem like an uneventful day in comparison with the last couple of weeks.
I felt my first foreign Brexit backlash today (I'm by Lake Maggiore in Switzerland)
An American heard me talking about Brexit with my Swiss guide. The Swiss lady said "we're pleased that you've left, you're with us now," at which point the American stepped in and said "We're NOT pleased".
I told him I voted LEAVE and gave him a mildly hard stare.
I have some distant US relations who were aghast at the Brexit vote. I suspect partly because (they lean a bit democrat - sort of wet conservative) they have been fed doom by the US media, and partly because if the UK can vote Brexit then the US electorate could vote for Donald
This is the same Sean who has been pouring his heart out on here for two weeks about the terrible mistake he made?? Now staring down the first enlightened foreigner who happens to agree with him? WTF!?
Sean is carved from pure, flinty Cornish granite. I thought this was common knowledge.
At least twenty dead in this italian train crash I see. Apparently both units were four carriage. The front two of one and the front carriage of the other have been obliterated.
I fear that, unless the trains were very lightly loaded there may be worse news to follow.
It is a single track back country branch line, so hopefully the trains were not heavily loaded.
Its more equivalent to the Sheffield - Manchester route - not full blown intercity but busy interurban, it is electrified and is so busy that it will be double tracked in a few years (doubling of part of the route is already underway with the contract to double the crash stretch not far from letting. It at least happened at 11.30 not in the middle of Rush Hour
The current death rate is five persons per destroyed carriage which is very low. I fear that in the three most damaged carriages there will be little left to identify until the forensic teams get to work. Moorgate and the first coach of the Networker train at Ladbroke grove are the only accidents I can remember in recent (last 40 or so years) history that have resulted in anywhere near that level of destruction of carriages. Three carriages are basically matchwood and one is destroyed on one side.
Not a nice topic, but Eschede perhaps? Made more complicated by a bridge falling on the wreckage.
Politics in the last few weeks has been like watching 10 box sets of 20 episode-long series in a fortnight.
I've been on the west coast of the US since the Brexit vote and have got used to waking up each day to a huge quantity of big political news to catch up with. Today's NEC shenanigans seem like an uneventful day in comparison with the last couple of weeks.
I felt my first foreign Brexit backlash today (I'm by Lake Maggiore in Switzerland)
An American heard me talking about Brexit with my Swiss guide. The Swiss lady said "we're pleased that you've left, you're with us now," at which point the American stepped in and said "We're NOT pleased".
I told him I voted LEAVE and gave him a mildly hard stare.
I have some distant US relations who were aghast at the Brexit vote. I suspect partly because (they lean a bit democrat - sort of wet conservative) they have been fed doom by the US media, and partly because if the UK can vote Brexit then the US electorate could vote for Donald
This is the same Sean who has been pouring his heart out on here for two weeks about the terrible mistake he made?? Now staring down the first enlightened foreigner who happens to agree with him? WTF!?
After this modest stramash I had lunch with a second Swiss lady guide and I told her what had transpired, and HER reaction was - What the Fuck has it got to do with him, it's your country, your vote.
Quite right too. Sturdy Swiss independence.
I see you are keeping busy in Switzerland, Sean. *innocent face*
At least twenty dead in this italian train crash I see. Apparently both units were four carriage. The front two of one and the front carriage of the other have been obliterated.
I fear that, unless the trains were very lightly loaded there may be worse news to follow.
It is a single track back country branch line, so hopefully the trains were not heavily loaded.
Its more equivalent to the Sheffield - Manchester route - not full blown intercity but busy interurban, it is electrified and is so busy that it will be double tracked in a few years (doubling of part of the route is already underway with the contract to double the crash stretch not far from letting. It at least happened at 11.30 not in the middle of Rush Hour
The current death rate is five persons per destroyed carriage which is very low. I fear that in the three most damaged carriages there will be little left to identify until the forensic teams get to work. Moorgate and the first coach of the Networker train at Ladbroke grove are the only accidents I can remember in recent (last 40 or so years) history that have resulted in anywhere near that level of destruction of carriages. Three carriages are basically matchwood and one is destroyed on one side.
Sad day for the Italian railways.
I have done Pisa Airport to Pisa, as well as Pisa to Florence, albeit back in 2000.
Just been thinking about May's Cabinet picks. Everyone is saying that Hammond for CoE is nailed on, yet reading a transcript of her speech yesterday it doesn't seem likely that Hammond would be too comfortable with that type of agenda. I'm also wondering if his excessive post-ref Brexit negativity might weigh against. I'm wondering if she will go for a more interesting pick.
Politics in the last few weeks has been like watching 10 box sets of 20 episode-long series in a fortnight.
I've been on the west coast of the US since the Brexit vote and have got used to waking up each day to a huge quantity of big political news to catch up with. Today's NEC shenanigans seem like an uneventful day in comparison with the last couple of weeks.
I felt my first foreign Brexit backlash today (I'm by Lake Maggiore in Switzerland)
An American heard me talking about Brexit with my Swiss guide. The Swiss lady said "we're pleased that you've left, you're with us now," at which point the American stepped in and said "We're NOT pleased".
I told him I voted LEAVE and gave him a mildly hard stare.
You should have told them at least we will be following the letter of the law as we declare independence, unlike their unlawful rebellion.
Just been thinking about May's Cabinet picks. Everyone is saying that Hammond for CoE is nailed on, yet reading a transcript of her speech yesterday it doesn't seem likely that Hammond would be too comfortable with that type of agenda. I'm also wondering if his excessive post-ref Brexit negativity might weigh against. I'm wondering if she will go for a more interesting pick.
Politics in the last few weeks has been like watching 10 box sets of 20 episode-long series in a fortnight.
I've been on the west coast of the US since the Brexit vote and have got used to waking up each day to a huge quantity of big political news to catch up with. Today's NEC shenanigans seem like an uneventful day in comparison with the last couple of weeks.
I felt my first foreign Brexit backlash today (I'm by Lake Maggiore in Switzerland)
An American heard me talking about Brexit with my Swiss guide. The Swiss lady said "we're pleased that you've left, you're with us now," at which point the American stepped in and said "We're NOT pleased".
I told him I voted LEAVE and gave him a mildly hard stare.
I have some distant US relations who were aghast at the Brexit vote. I suspect partly because (they lean a bit democrat - sort of wet conservative) they have been fed doom by the US media, and partly because if the UK can vote Brexit then the US electorate could vote for Donald
This is the same Sean who has been pouring his heart out on here for two weeks about the terrible mistake he made?? Now staring down the first enlightened foreigner who happens to agree with him? WTF!?
After this modest stramash I had lunch with a second Swiss lady guide and I told her what had transpired, and HER reaction was - What the Fuck has it got to do with him, it's your country, your vote.
Quite right too. Sturdy Swiss independence.
What she was thinking may not necessarily have lined up with what you were thinking that she was saying....
Just been thinking about May's Cabinet picks. Everyone is saying that Hammond for CoE is nailed on, yet reading a transcript of her speech yesterday it doesn't seem likely that Hammond would be too comfortable with that type of agenda. I'm also wondering if his excessive post-ref Brexit negativity might weigh against. I'm wondering if she will go for a more interesting pick.
Anything but Chris Grayling as chancellor....
Just received an email that indicates a big promotion in the offing for Greg Clark..
@DannyShawBBC: This is significant: @JBrokenshire says it would be "virtually impossible" to remove EU citizens who've been in the UK for at least 5 years
I thought that anyone who has been legally resident in the UK for 5 years has the right to apply for a right to remain (and six years for citizenship).
So if Brexit is effective from 31 December 2018 say, anyone arriving in the UK from before 2014 would be able to remain?
At least twenty dead in this italian train crash I see. Apparently both units were four carriage. The front two of one and the front carriage of the other have been obliterated.
I fear that, unless the trains were very lightly loaded there may be worse news to follow.
It's quite horrific.
On the face of it, it does seem rather similar to the recent German crash - head-on crash between trains on a single-track line.
ISTR they were 'fortunate' (*) with that crash: if it had been term-time it would have been filled with children going to school.
The unprecedented safety record on our railways is amazing - eight years without a passenger being killed in a train accident. But there have been plenty of near-misses that could have been fatal if circumstances had been different. Our continental friends have been having much worse luck - if it is luck.
When I heard the details of the "Ersatz" signalling that allowed the German crash to occur it made my hair stand on end. It appears that the signaller made an error- however in the UK the signaller could not have made that error, the signalling would not have let him.
That particular failure mode might not, but similar mistakes might be possible.
A recent Rail had details of all the signalling systems used by Network Rail, and there are a surprising number. Fortunately the age of many of these is security: their bugs have been removed. But it feels odd that in out modern age of computers and wireless communications passenger trains can still rely on a piece of metal (token/staff) being on a train.
They are not just assertions without any reasoning to support them. Take a look at @SouthamObserver's piece from yesterday, and particularly the tweet from the founder of Momentum. The militants backing and supporting Corbyn no longer believe that Labour's main aim should be about winning GEs, and changing people's lives through parliamentary democracy.
On Eagle, as I stated before Labour under Eagle (or indeed Owen Smith, or anyone not Corbyn/McDonell) will continue to be a party which believes in parliamentary democracy. This means, that once Eagle loses an election (or steps down) someone more electable can be found who gives Labour a better chance of winning GEs. If Corbyn stays, the Labour party will split, and mass deselections will probably occur. Labour will be filled with Corbynites and those of the hard left as prospective parliamentary candidates. These people will also subscribe to the beliefs of the Momentumers, and other militants - that is that Labour first and foremost is a social movement and should represent all of their members views. The job of MPs in the Labour party will no longer be to represent their constituents, which will make it totally different from every other political party.
Furthermore, look at the way Corbyn backers are behaving - intimidating opponents through threats of violence. Do they sound to you people interested in entertaining a Labour party who believes in parliamentary democracy?
For the record, I'm not a Momentum member, don't have much time for them, and don't agree with the tweet from Jon Lansman. My reasoning for supporting Corbyn right now is that, for all his MANY flaws, he would most likely get a better General Election result for Labour than the alternative, and keep more of the party intact than the alternative. If I thought one of the PLP "moderates" was a better politician than Corbyn and had a better electoral strategy, then I would switch support to them -- but, in reality, all we've got is Angela Eagle, someone who is even less of a vote-winner with the public than Corbyn, who would lead Labour on the basis of the Remain strategy which was just rejected by two-thirds of Labour seats and who would willfully push the vast majority of Labour members out into a breakaway party.
And of all the many problems Corbyn has in the eyes of Joe Public, the constitutional niceties of "parliamentary democracy" is pretty much right at the bottom of the list. I mean, the country just voted on the EU to reject the recommendation of the vast majority of the MPs - clearly the public doesn't believe in "parliamentary democracy" by your definition either.
Jezza is an unmitigated disaster for the Labour Party but I cannot read those rules in any way other than that he doesn't need to obtain signatures. This will get nasty.
The courts will back the NEC. The storm will die down in a few months...
The courts will say it is the internal matter of the Labour Party. Therefore, whatever, NEC says , goes.
Which implies the Courts can't make judgement on any contract law, since it is an internal matter to the contracting parties.
No, it means the courts can't make judgements on contract law when the contract defines who the separate arbitration panel is for resolving disputes.
Most contractees would not be stupid enough to choose a nakedly political outfit as the impartial arbitrators, but this is the Labour Party we are talking about.
They can and do.
I am embarrassed to say I have done a few judicial reviews of disciplinary proceedings in golf clubs and the courts had no problem with it. There is Scottish precedent for the Labour Party being taken to court over its internal disciplinary procedures and the application of natural justice. The courts will have no problem in getting involved in this. Corbyn has clear title and interest.
That's what I thought. The Showman's Guild case is pretty clear cut in its rulings as well I would have thought.
Politics in the last few weeks has been like watching 10 box sets of 20 episode-long series in a fortnight.
I've been on the west coast of the US since the Brexit vote and have got used to waking up each day to a huge quantity of big political news to catch up with. Today's NEC shenanigans seem like an uneventful day in comparison with the last couple of weeks.
I felt my first foreign Brexit backlash today (I'm by Lake Maggiore in Switzerland)
An American heard me talking about Brexit with my Swiss guide. The Swiss lady said "we're pleased that you've left, you're with us now," at which point the American stepped in and said "We're NOT pleased".
I told him I voted LEAVE and gave him a mildly hard stare.
There was a southern toff in an MCC tie who applauded a fine stroke at a Lancs/Yorks cricket match and was told by one of the other spectators "Booger off, it's nowt to do wi' thee". Precedent for you.
At least twenty dead in this italian train crash I see. Apparently both units were four carriage. The front two of one and the front carriage of the other have been obliterated.
I fear that, unless the trains were very lightly loaded there may be worse news to follow.
It is a single track back country branch line, so hopefully the trains were not heavily loaded.
Its more equivalent to the Sheffield - Manchester route - not full blown intercity but busy interurban, it is electrified and is so busy that it will be double tracked in a few years (doubling of part of the route is already underway with the contract to double the crash stretch not far from letting. It at least happened at 11.30 not in the middle of Rush Hour
The current death rate is five persons per destroyed carriage which is very low. I fear that in the three most damaged carriages there will be little left to identify until the forensic teams get to work. Moorgate and the first coach of the Networker train at Ladbroke grove are the only accidents I can remember in recent (last 40 or so years) history that have resulted in anywhere near that level of destruction of carriages. Three carriages are basically matchwood and one is destroyed on one side.
Sad day for the Italian railways.
I have done Pisa Airport to Pisa, as well as Pisa to Florence, albeit back in 2000.
I did Rome to Florence in 2006.
I did Pisa to Florence back in April. Perfectly acceptable I also did Florence - Rome back in September 2014... Very nice but awfully boring scenario as high speed tracks are flat and just use cuttings to keep things straight...
Pisa Airport to Pisa reopens in late September. To be honest I'm so used to catching the coach now at €5 I time I won't bother catching the train. The coach is quicker anyway...
Just been thinking about May's Cabinet picks. Everyone is saying that Hammond for CoE is nailed on, yet reading a transcript of her speech yesterday it doesn't seem likely that Hammond would be too comfortable with that type of agenda. I'm also wondering if his excessive post-ref Brexit negativity might weigh against. I'm wondering if she will go for a more interesting pick.
Anything but Chris Grayling as chancellor....
Just received an email that indicates a big promotion in the offing for Greg Clark..
For some reason I recall seeing his name in association with George Osborne. Just googled him now though, he's a former SDPer. I don't think many Tories will be keen on someone who is (seems?) to a moderate as chancellor.
Just been thinking about May's Cabinet picks. Everyone is saying that Hammond for CoE is nailed on, yet reading a transcript of her speech yesterday it doesn't seem likely that Hammond would be too comfortable with that type of agenda. I'm also wondering if his excessive post-ref Brexit negativity might weigh against. I'm wondering if she will go for a more interesting pick.
Anything but Chris Grayling as chancellor....
Won't be him, I did think Javid at one stage but I'm cooling on him. Real off piste suggestion would be Justine Greening who at the very least needs to be brought in from exile at DFID.
AlastairMeeks said: I'd just like to put a short post up explaining why I'm not going to be around much for quite a while.
At the weekend my other half had a very bad fall. He had to have a blood clot removed from the brain and a large piece of his skull removed. He remains in critical care, though he has made some progress. It is going to be a long road ahead. As a result, my responsibilities lie elsewhere for the foreseeable future.
I wish you all well, and I mean all, and I will be dropping by from time to time to see what's going on. Apologies if I don't reply to messages - any rudeness on this occasion will be accidental.
Just been thinking about May's Cabinet picks. Everyone is saying that Hammond for CoE is nailed on, yet reading a transcript of her speech yesterday it doesn't seem likely that Hammond would be too comfortable with that type of agenda. I'm also wondering if his excessive post-ref Brexit negativity might weigh against. I'm wondering if she will go for a more interesting pick.
Anything but Chris Grayling as chancellor....
Won't be him, I did think Javid at one stage but I'm cooling on him. Real off piste suggestion would be Justine Greening who at the very least needs to be brought in from exile at DFID.
That comes with the Heathrow problem. She has previously threatened to resign over the issue.
If the PLP don't realise how forcing Corbyn off the ballot looks to impartial observers, thank god they've no chance of gaining any power if they succeed
Just been thinking about May's Cabinet picks. Everyone is saying that Hammond for CoE is nailed on, yet reading a transcript of her speech yesterday it doesn't seem likely that Hammond would be too comfortable with that type of agenda. I'm also wondering if his excessive post-ref Brexit negativity might weigh against. I'm wondering if she will go for a more interesting pick.
Anything but Chris Grayling as chancellor....
Just received an email that indicates a big promotion in the offing for Greg Clark..
Just been thinking about May's Cabinet picks. Everyone is saying that Hammond for CoE is nailed on, yet reading a transcript of her speech yesterday it doesn't seem likely that Hammond would be too comfortable with that type of agenda. I'm also wondering if his excessive post-ref Brexit negativity might weigh against. I'm wondering if she will go for a more interesting pick.
Anything but Chris Grayling as chancellor....
Just received an email that indicates a big promotion in the offing for Greg Clark..
This is getting ridiculous. Some of us have to dress for dinner.
Been in your PJs all day?
No shorts and t shirt but we are staying at a pretentious hotel who insist on long trousers and a shirt for dinner. Unfortunately I did not bring my jeans...
His partner suffered a nasty fall and has had a blood clot removed from his brain. He is in critical care. So Mr Meeks will be looking after him - and we won't see as much of him as we would normally expect.
Just been thinking about May's Cabinet picks. Everyone is saying that Hammond for CoE is nailed on, yet reading a transcript of her speech yesterday it doesn't seem likely that Hammond would be too comfortable with that type of agenda. I'm also wondering if his excessive post-ref Brexit negativity might weigh against. I'm wondering if she will go for a more interesting pick.
Anything but Chris Grayling as chancellor....
Just received an email that indicates a big promotion in the offing for Greg Clark..
For some reason I recall seeing his name in association with George Osborne. Just googled him now though, he's a former SDPer. I don't think many Tories will be keen on someone who is (seems?) to a moderate as chancellor.
He is very well thought of in the party and is also regarded as a deep thinker and policy wonk. Possibly BiS or the home office for him from DCLG
Just been thinking about May's Cabinet picks. Everyone is saying that Hammond for CoE is nailed on, yet reading a transcript of her speech yesterday it doesn't seem likely that Hammond would be too comfortable with that type of agenda. I'm also wondering if his excessive post-ref Brexit negativity might weigh against. I'm wondering if she will go for a more interesting pick.
Anything but Chris Grayling as chancellor....
Just received an email that indicates a big promotion in the offing for Greg Clark..
He was openly laughed on QT after claiming the EU made us all richer...
Just been thinking about May's Cabinet picks. Everyone is saying that Hammond for CoE is nailed on, yet reading a transcript of her speech yesterday it doesn't seem likely that Hammond would be too comfortable with that type of agenda. I'm also wondering if his excessive post-ref Brexit negativity might weigh against. I'm wondering if she will go for a more interesting pick.
Anything but Chris Grayling as chancellor....
Just received an email that indicates a big promotion in the offing for Greg Clark..
For some reason I recall seeing his name in association with George Osborne. Just googled him now though, he's a former SDPer. I don't think many Tories will be keen on someone who is (seems?) to a moderate as chancellor.
AlastairMeeks said: I'd just like to put a short post up explaining why I'm not going to be around much for quite a while.
At the weekend my other half had a very bad fall. He had to have a blood clot removed from the brain and a large piece of his skull removed. He remains in critical care, though he has made some progress. It is going to be a long road ahead. As a result, my responsibilities lie elsewhere for the foreseeable future.
I wish you all well, and I mean all, and I will be dropping by from time to time to see what's going on. Apologies if I don't reply to messages - any rudeness on this occasion will be accidental.
Just been thinking about May's Cabinet picks. Everyone is saying that Hammond for CoE is nailed on, yet reading a transcript of her speech yesterday it doesn't seem likely that Hammond would be too comfortable with that type of agenda. I'm also wondering if his excessive post-ref Brexit negativity might weigh against. I'm wondering if she will go for a more interesting pick.
Anything but Chris Grayling as chancellor....
Won't be him, I did think Javid at one stage but I'm cooling on him. Real off piste suggestion would be Justine Greening who at the very least needs to be brought in from exile at DFID.
That comes with the Heathrow problem. She has previously threatened to resign over the issue.
Just been thinking about May's Cabinet picks. Everyone is saying that Hammond for CoE is nailed on, yet reading a transcript of her speech yesterday it doesn't seem likely that Hammond would be too comfortable with that type of agenda. I'm also wondering if his excessive post-ref Brexit negativity might weigh against. I'm wondering if she will go for a more interesting pick.
Anything but Chris Grayling as chancellor....
Just received an email that indicates a big promotion in the offing for Greg Clark..
He was openly laughed on QT after claiming the EU made us all richer...
They are not just assertions without any reasoning to support them. Take a look at @SouthamObserver's piece from yesterday, and particularly the tweet from the founder of Momentum. The militants backing and supporting Corbyn no longer believe that Labour's main aim should be about winning GEs, and changing people's lives through parliamentary democracy.
If Corbyn stays, the Labour party will split, and mass deselections will probably occur. Labour will be filled with Corbynites and those of the hard left as prospective parliamentary candidates. These people will also subscribe to the beliefs of the Momentumers, and other militants - that is that Labour first and foremost is a social movement and should represent all of their members views. The job of MPs in the Labour party will no longer be to represent their constituents, which will make it totally different from every other political party.
look at the way Corbyn backers are behaving - intimidating opponents through threats of violence. Do they sound to you people interested in entertaining a Labour party who believes in parliamentary democracy?
For the record, I'm not a Momentum member, don't have much time for them, and don't agree with the tweet from Jon Lansman. My reasoning for supporting Corbyn right now is that, for all his MANY flaws, he would most likely get a better General Election result for Labour than the alternative, and keep more of the party intact than the alternative. If I thought one of the PLP "moderates" was a better politician than Corbyn and had a better electoral strategy, then I would switch support to them -- but, in reality, all we've got is Angela Eagle, someone who is even less of a vote-winner with the public than Corbyn, who would lead Labour on the basis of the Remain strategy which was just rejected by two-thirds of Labour seats and who would willfully push the vast majority of Labour members out into a breakaway party.
And of all the many problems Corbyn has in the eyes of Joe Public, the constitutional niceties of "parliamentary democracy" is pretty much right at the bottom of the list. I mean, the country just voted on the EU to reject the recommendation of the vast majority of the MPs - clearly the public doesn't believe in "parliamentary democracy" by your definition either.
Corbyn is a perfectly respectable leader of a party that under a proportional voting system would get 15-20% of the vote in a good year and either play a key part in the opposition, or get to influence a centre-left government now and again.
His problem is that he is grafted on to a party that still holds illusions - almost certainly false - that it might one day command a majority under FTPT. If the party manages to work out what it stands for, and Mr Obama's son or daughter descends from the skies to lead them then, perhaps. Otherwise, no.
At least twenty dead in this italian train crash I see. Apparently both units were four carriage. The front two of one and the front carriage of the other have been obliterated.
I fear that, unless the trains were very lightly loaded there may be worse news to follow.
It is a single track back country branch line, so hopefully the trains were not heavily loaded.
Its more equivalent to the Sheffield - Manchester route - not full blown intercity but busy interurban, it is electrified and is so busy that it will be double tracked in a few years (doubling of part of the route is already underway with the contract to double the crash stretch not far from letting. It at least happened at 11.30 not in the middle of Rush Hour
The current death rate is five persons per destroyed carriage which is very low. I fear that in the three most damaged carriages there will be little left to identify until the forensic teams get to work. Moorgate and the first coach of the Networker train at Ladbroke grove are the only accidents I can remember in recent (last 40 or so years) history that have resulted in anywhere near that level of destruction of carriages. Three carriages are basically matchwood and one is destroyed on one side.
Sad day for the Italian railways.
I have done Pisa Airport to Pisa, as well as Pisa to Florence, albeit back in 2000.
I did Rome to Florence in 2006.
I did Pisa to Florence back in April. Perfectly acceptable I also did Florence - Rome back in September 2014... Very nice but awfully boring scenario as high speed tracks are flat and just use cuttings to keep things straight...
Pisa Airport to Pisa reopens in late September. To be honest I'm so used to catching the coach now at €5 I time I won't bother catching the train. The coach is quicker anyway...
Has anyone done St Pancras to Avignon direct? Just booked some tremendously cheap tix for late September!
I tend to agree with those who think the rules do not require the person being challenged, that is the incumbent, to be nominated but ffs, how can you possibly lead the party in Parliament when 3/4 have already passed a no confidence motion in you and 50 are not prepared to back you? This is through the looking glass, it really is.
You have to change the MPs to represent the members views. It will take a while but it's the only way.
Yes: sod what the voters want: democracy requires the voters are represented by people selected by the leader.
Sounds like criticism of Blair: with the names changed.
Voters are represented by the people they vote for. If they don't like the MPs and leader selected by a party's members they won't vote for them. That's democracy. Simple.
I am embarrassed to say I have done a few judicial reviews of disciplinary proceedings in golf clubs and the courts had no problem with it. There is Scottish precedent for the Labour Party being taken to court over its internal disciplinary procedures and the application of natural justice. The courts will have no problem in getting involved in this. Corbyn has clear title and interest.
Do you have an opinion on how likely Corbyn would be to succeed? I would have thought the specifics of the change made to the wording in 2010 will make it relatively easy for the court to find in Corbyn's favour?
If the PLP don't realise how forcing Corbyn off the ballot looks to impartial observers, thank god they've no chance of gaining any power if they succeed
Spot on.
New NEC elections are currently underway too. I will stay to vote in that as well as trying to get my MP deselected.
Something to look forward to. Politics has been so boring lately....
:-)
Those will be initial proposals , to be followed by appeals/objections and then revised ( in many cases based on the last review substantially ) proposals . A long way to go yet .
Second. A very good post, Mrs Cyclefree. Are you sure you are not a Liberal Democrat?
Interestingly, two of the junior Cyclefrees joined the Lib Dems in the last fortnight and I voted for them last year. There was a very good local LD candidate in my constituency.
I work in the financial sector but I was struck by what the Northern bit of my family and all our friends in Millom and roundabout said during the referendum. They were pretty much all for Leave, thought it would win and felt that London needed a reality check. And indeed when I go there it makes me realise that what gets taken for granted in London is really not at all normal in the rest of the country. It is not enough for London to say that we pay for everything: behaving like Lady Bountiful is not really tenable long-term.
In a way I think that this referendum has been more divisive - or brought out the divisions more clearly - precisely because it was not a GE and because every vote counted. It has also made me rethink my approach to the voting system. We should make every vote count. We may not like the result but better that than sullen acquiescence/indifference for years and then - boom - a shock.
Perhaps TSE could give us his views?
Can I also thank you for an excellent article. I'm writing a big piece right now - called The Discontented - looking at the reasons why so many people in so many places are unhappy. I'll share it when I'm done. (Yes, with the whole of PB...)
What I find most interesting is that there is only one developed world country (that's not a massive commodity exporter) that's managed to square the circle in the last 25 years, and that's Germany.
East Germany in 1990 was a lot worse place than Millom, with lower skills, failing firms, and rising unemployment. Germany managed to revitalise its East, such that the unemployment rate in Brandenberg or Mecklenberg are below 6%. And they did it without the massively unbalanced economy that we have: there's no massive current account issue, or consumer debt issue, or reliance on housing or the vagaries of finance.
We would do well to learn lessons from the Germans as far as how regional policy should work.
To be fair East Germany was the nearest the Warsaw Pact got to making a communist state work. It was only after the electronic revolution in the 80s that the wheels came of because there wasnt the funds for investment to re-equipping with new technology.
As late as the 74 oil crisis I suspect much of East Germanys industrial infrastructure was more modern than ours and they still had a few world leading companies like Zeiss (Jena) whos products were exported to and coverted in the west.
I hate to say it but Germanys lumpen proletariat is head and shoulders above ours.
If the PLP don't realise how forcing Corbyn off the ballot looks to impartial observers, thank god they've no chance of gaining any power if they succeed
Spot on.
New NEC elections are currently underway too. I will stay to vote in that as well as trying to get my MP deselected.
Good article from Cyclefree. Lets see if TM's actions match her rhetoric.
In the light of the ongoing car crash at the NEC meeting, I think it's time more candidates were picked by some sort of primary system. Was going to say Labour but suspect it would be good for all parties.
Just been thinking about May's Cabinet picks. Everyone is saying that Hammond for CoE is nailed on, yet reading a transcript of her speech yesterday it doesn't seem likely that Hammond would be too comfortable with that type of agenda. I'm also wondering if his excessive post-ref Brexit negativity might weigh against. I'm wondering if she will go for a more interesting pick.
Anything but Chris Grayling as chancellor....
Won't be him, I did think Javid at one stage but I'm cooling on him. Real off piste suggestion would be Justine Greening who at the very least needs to be brought in from exile at DFID.
That comes with the Heathrow problem. She has previously threatened to resign over the issue.
Hopefully we'll get someone sensible at Transport and at the Treasury. LHR3 needs to be the first priority for approval as it will signal we're open for business.
You're not getting where I'm coming from at all. In fact a lot of the above are strawman arguments. It's not about the 'constitutional niceties of parliamentary democracy'. It's about the fact Corbyn doesn't believe in parliamentary democracy AT ALL. There is a difference between disagreeing with MPs on an issue - as the EU referendum was - and not believing in parliamentary democracy AT ALL. Corbyn believes that he should carry on as leader despite losing the confidence of his MPs. He believes that activists and members, and leftist militant groups are an electorate which are more important than MPs'. Literally no other political party thinks this. And the GBP has already noticed that Corbyn has no time for parliamentary democracy by the fact after losing a vote of confidence - which would usually result in a leader resigning - Corbyn told his MPs to get lost.
And Corbyn would not get a better GE result than Eagle. The man doesn't even believe he needs to have the confidence of all sections of his party. How on earth is this man going to convince the country that he and his backers care about gaining the confidence of whole country? They don't. They care about those who agree with every single one of their views, and will intimidate individuals if necessary, in order to get them on the Corbynite train. I'm not saying we have to get a PLP moderate. We can find someone from the Left if need be. As long as they believe in parliamentary democracy and aren't associated with groups like momentum, Labour should be okay in the long-term.
Cameron also led the Remain strategy. He also just a year ago won an election. This entire EU referendum is not a litmus test on someone's suitability to be leader. Look at Boris Johnson and other leavers FGS. They were on the winning side of the campaign, but would most likely be total disasters as leaders. And quite frankly Labour would be better off with Corbynite members out of the party in the long-term. The best thing the party could do is find members who exist in the real world and actually give a damn about views other than their own.
Just been thinking about May's Cabinet picks. Everyone is saying that Hammond for CoE is nailed on, yet reading a transcript of her speech yesterday it doesn't seem likely that Hammond would be too comfortable with that type of agenda. I'm also wondering if his excessive post-ref Brexit negativity might weigh against. I'm wondering if she will go for a more interesting pick.
Anything but Chris Grayling as chancellor....
Just received an email that indicates a big promotion in the offing for Greg Clark..
For some reason I recall seeing his name in association with George Osborne. Just googled him now though, he's a former SDPer. I don't think many Tories will be keen on someone who is (seems?) to a moderate as chancellor.
Greg Clark, as wet as they come.
Sound like May is planning on dropping the £12bn cuts to welfare if Greg Clarke is going to Work and pensions and possibly Greening for CoE? Although she only went to Southampton uni to study economics.
At least twenty dead in this italian train crash I see. Apparently both units were four carriage. The front two of one and the front carriage of the other have been obliterated.
I fear that, unless the trains were very lightly loaded there may be worse news to follow.
It's quite horrific.
On the face of it, it does seem rather similar to the recent German crash - head-on crash between trains on a single-track line.
ISTR they were 'fortunate' (*) with that crash: if it had been term-time it would have been filled with children going to school.
The unprecedented safety record on our railways is amazing - eight years without a passenger being killed in a train accident. But there have been plenty of near-misses that could have been fatal if circumstances had been different. Our continental friends have been having much worse luck - if it is luck.
When I heard the details of the "Ersatz" signalling that allowed the German crash to occur it made my hair stand on end. It appears that the signaller made an error- however in the UK the signaller could not have made that error, the signalling would not have let him.
That particular failure mode might not, but similar mistakes might be possible.
A recent Rail had details of all the signalling systems used by Network Rail, and there are a surprising number. Fortunately the age of many of these is security: their bugs have been removed. But it feels odd that in out modern age of computers and wireless communications passenger trains can still rely on a piece of metal (token/staff) being on a train.
But it works.
Do any parts of the UK rail network still do this? I was talking to Mrs MBE Mère today about this. She always got a wave from the signalman, who she knew via a family connection, when the steam train to college stopped at the signalbox for the exchange of the token. But this was a long time ago.
Just been thinking about May's Cabinet picks. Everyone is saying that Hammond for CoE is nailed on, yet reading a transcript of her speech yesterday it doesn't seem likely that Hammond would be too comfortable with that type of agenda. I'm also wondering if his excessive post-ref Brexit negativity might weigh against. I'm wondering if she will go for a more interesting pick.
I agree 100% ..... I will be very surprised if Hammond gets the CoE gig. He's made little or no impression as Foreign Secretary, especially given a glorious opportunity to shine amidst the EU re-negotiation, when he appeared invisible. Instead I've had a couple of quid on Greg (safe pair of) Hands at 25/1 with Ladbrokes, possibly with my MP Justine Greening getting his old job. I certainly think La May needs to promote at least 3 or 4 new faces to her first Cabinet, the current lot look staid and that's putting it mildly! DYOR.
A sight to behold. Centrists, who consider themselves liberal and fair minded, rejoicing over a PM that hasn't even been elected as leader by her party membership let alone won a GE, while the opposition force the man off the ballot who won more votes than the other four put together less than a year ago
Post Democratic Politics. Jobs for the boys and girls
This is getting ridiculous. Some of us have to dress for dinner.
Been in your PJs all day?
No shorts and t shirt but we are staying at a pretentious hotel who insist on long trousers and a shirt for dinner. Unfortunately I did not bring my jeans...
Likewise. I'm at the Eden Roc in Ascona. Here's my view as I type
At least twenty dead in this italian train crash I see. Apparently both units were four carriage. The front two of one and the front carriage of the other have been obliterated.
I fear that, unless the trains were very lightly loaded there may be worse news to follow.
It's quite horrific.
On the face of it, it does seem rather similar to the recent German crash - head-on crash between trains on a single-track line.
ISTR they were 'fortunate' (*) with that crash: if it had been term-time it would have been filled with children going to school.
The unprecedented safety record on our railways is amazing - eight years without a passenger being killed in a train accident. But there have been plenty of near-misses that could have been fatal if circumstances had been different. Our continental friends have been having much worse luck - if it is luck.
When I heard the details of the "Ersatz" signalling that allowed the German crash to occur it made my hair stand on end. It appears that the signaller made an error- however in the UK the signaller could not have made that error, the signalling would not have let him.
That particular failure mode might not, but similar mistakes might be possible.
A recent Rail had details of all the signalling systems used by Network Rail, and there are a surprising number. Fortunately the age of many of these is security: their bugs have been removed. But it feels odd that in out modern age of computers and wireless communications passenger trains can still rely on a piece of metal (token/staff) being on a train.
But it works.
Do any parts of the UK rail network still do this? I was talking to Mrs MBE Mère today about this. She always got a wave from the signalman, who she knew via a family connection, when the steam train to college stopped at the signalbox for the exchange of the token. But this was a long time ago.
I might be wrong, but I think the Heart of Wales line does. Several others as well, unless they've recently been modernised. Though some have the token locked away in boxes at the station, which the driver has to unlock as the signal boxes have been closed.
I think it was featured on a recent TV proggie - perhaps the Paul Merton one on remote stations?
His partner suffered a nasty fall and has had a blood clot removed from his brain. He is in critical care. So Mr Meeks will be looking after him - and we won't see as much of him as we would normally expect.
Jeez Best wishes and lots of prayers for Mr Meek and his partner.
Just been thinking about May's Cabinet picks. Everyone is saying that Hammond for CoE is nailed on, yet reading a transcript of her speech yesterday it doesn't seem likely that Hammond would be too comfortable with that type of agenda. I'm also wondering if his excessive post-ref Brexit negativity might weigh against. I'm wondering if she will go for a more interesting pick.
Anything but Chris Grayling as chancellor....
Won't be him, I did think Javid at one stage but I'm cooling on him. Real off piste suggestion would be Justine Greening who at the very least needs to be brought in from exile at DFID.
I like the idea of a female PM and chancellor, but I'm being unfairly biased there, I know. It should be the best person for the job. I find Javid incredibly overrated and incredibly annoying, if I am being honest.
Just been thinking about May's Cabinet picks. Everyone is saying that Hammond for CoE is nailed on, yet reading a transcript of her speech yesterday it doesn't seem likely that Hammond would be too comfortable with that type of agenda. I'm also wondering if his excessive post-ref Brexit negativity might weigh against. I'm wondering if she will go for a more interesting pick.
Anything but Chris Grayling as chancellor....
Just received an email that indicates a big promotion in the offing for Greg Clark..
For some reason I recall seeing his name in association with George Osborne. Just googled him now though, he's a former SDPer. I don't think many Tories will be keen on someone who is (seems?) to a moderate as chancellor.
He is very well thought of in the party and is also regarded as a deep thinker and policy wonk. Possibly BiS or the home office for him from DCLG
At least twenty dead in this italian train crash I see. Apparently both units were four carriage. The front two of one and the front carriage of the other have been obliterated.
I fear that, unless the trains were very lightly loaded there may be worse news to follow.
It's quite horrific.
On the face of it, it does seem rather similar to the recent German crash - head-on crash between trains on a single-track line.
ISTR they were 'fortunate' (*) with that crash: if it had been term-time it would have been filled with children going to school.
The unprecedented safety record on our railways is amazing - eight years without a passenger being killed in a train accident. But there have been plenty of near-misses that could have been fatal if circumstances had been different. Our continental friends have been having much worse luck - if it is luck.
When I heard the details of the "Ersatz" signalling that allowed the German crash to occur it made my hair stand on end. It appears that the signaller made an error- however in the UK the signaller could not have made that error, the signalling would not have let him.
That particular failure mode might not, but similar mistakes might be possible.
A recent Rail had details of all the signalling systems used by Network Rail, and there are a surprising number. Fortunately the age of many of these is security: their bugs have been removed. But it feels odd that in out modern age of computers and wireless communications passenger trains can still rely on a piece of metal (token/staff) being on a train.
But it works.
Do any parts of the UK rail network still do this? I was talking to Mrs MBE Mère today about this. She always got a wave from the signalman, who she knew via a family connection, when the steam train to college stopped at the signalbox for the exchange of the token. But this was a long time ago.
This is getting ridiculous. Some of us have to dress for dinner.
Been in your PJs all day?
No shorts and t shirt but we are staying at a pretentious hotel who insist on long trousers and a shirt for dinner. Unfortunately I did not bring my jeans...
Likewise. I'm at the Eden Roc in Ascona. Here's my view as I type
They are not just assertions without any reasoning to support them. Take a look at @SouthamObserver's piece from yesterday, and particularly the tweet from the founder of Momentum. The militants backing and supporting Corbyn no longer believe that Labour's main aim should be about winning GEs, and changing people's lives through parliamentary democracy.
On Eagle, as I stated before Labour under Eagle (or indeed Owen Smith, or anyone not Corbyn/McDonell) will continue to be a party which believes in parliamentary democracy. This means, that once Eagle loses an election (or steps down) someone more electable can be found who gives Labour a better chance of winning GEs. If Corbyn stays, the Labour party will split, and mass deselections will probably occur. Labour will be filled with Corbynites and those of the hard left as prospective parliamentary candidates. These people will also subscribe to the beliefs of the Momentumers, and other militants - that is that Labour first and foremost is a social movement and should represent all of their members views. The job of MPs in the Labour party will no longer be to represent their constituents, which will make it totally different from every other political party.
Furthermore, look at the way Corbyn backers are behaving - intimidating opponents through threats of violence. Do they sound to you people interested in entertaining a Labour party who believes in parliamentary democracy?
For the record, I'm not a Momentum member, don't have much time for them, and don't agree with the tweet from Jon Lansman. My reasoning for supporting Corbyn right now is that, for all his MANY flaws, he would most likely get a better General Election result for Labour than the alternative, and keep more of the party intact than the alternative. If I thought one of the PLP "moderates" was a better politician than Corbyn and had a better electoral strategy, then I would switch support to them -- but, in reality, all we've got is Angela Eagle, someone who is even less of a vote-winner with the public than Corbyn, who would lead Labour on the basis of the Remain strategy which was just rejected by two-thirds of Labour seats and who would willfully push the vast majority of Labour members out into a breakaway party.
And of all the many problems Corbyn has in the eyes of Joe Public, the constitutional niceties of "parliamentary democracy" is pretty much right at the bottom of the list. I mean, the country just voted on the EU to reject the recommendation of the vast majority of the MPs - clearly the public doesn't believe in "parliamentary democracy" by your definition either.
Yep, agree with this. It's not at all clear that the Nu Lab types have a clue what they want to offer, should they wrest back control.
Just been thinking about May's Cabinet picks. Everyone is saying that Hammond for CoE is nailed on, yet reading a transcript of her speech yesterday it doesn't seem likely that Hammond would be too comfortable with that type of agenda. I'm also wondering if his excessive post-ref Brexit negativity might weigh against. I'm wondering if she will go for a more interesting pick.
Anything but Chris Grayling as chancellor....
Just received an email that indicates a big promotion in the offing for Greg Clark..
For some reason I recall seeing his name in association with George Osborne. Just googled him now though, he's a former SDPer. I don't think many Tories will be keen on someone who is (seems?) to a moderate as chancellor.
Greg Clark, as wet as they come.
Sound like May is planning on dropping the £12bn cuts to welfare if Greg Clarke is going to Work and pensions and possibly Greening for CoE? Although she only went to Southampton uni to study economics.
A large chunk of that £12bn comes from the cash freeze in various benefits.
That went through with minimal fuss so I doubt it'll be reversed.
Politics in the last few weeks has been like watching 10 box sets of 20 episode-long series in a fortnight.
I felt my first foreign Brexit backlash today (I'm by Lake Maggiore in Switzerland) .
You should have told them at least we will be following the letter of the law as we declare independence, unlike their unlawful rebellion.
I take it you've seen the draft revocation of the the independence of the USA by HM to be used in the event that Trump becomes President.
"To the citizens of the United States of America, in light of your failure to elect a competent President of the USA and thus to govern yourselves, we hereby give notice of the revocation of your independence, effective today.
Her Sovereign Majesty Queen Elizabeth II resumes monarchical duties over all states, commonwealths and other territories. Except Utah, which she does not fancy.
Your new prime minister (The Right Honourable Theresa May, MP) will appoint a Minister for America. Congress and the Senate are disbanded. A questionnaire circulated next year will determine whether any of you noticed.
To aid your transition to a British Crown Dependency, the following rules are introduced with immediate effect:
1. Look up "revocation" in the Oxford English Dictionary. Check "aluminium" in the pronunciation guide. You will be amazed at just how wrongly you pronounce it. The letter 'U' will be reinstated in words such as 'favour' and 'neighbour'. Likewise you will learn to spell 'doughnut' without skipping half the letters. Generally, you should raise your vocabulary to acceptable levels. Look up "vocabulary."
2. There is no such thing as "U.S. English." We'll let Microsoft know on your behalf. The Microsoft spell-checker will be adjusted to take account of the reinstated letter 'u'.
3. You should stop playing American "football." You should instead play proper football. Initially, it would be best if you played with the girls.
4. You will no longer be allowed to own or carry guns, or anything more dangerous in public than a vegetable peeler. Because you are not sensible enough to handle potentially dangerous items, you need a permit to carry a vegetable peeler.
5. Learn to resolve personal issues without guns, lawyers or therapists. That you need many lawyers and therapists shows you're not adult enough to be independent. If you're not adult enough to sort things out without suing someone or speaking to a therapist, you're not grown up enough to handle a gun.
6. Please tell us who killed JFK. It's been driving us crazy.
7. Tax collectors from Her Majesty's Government will be with you shortly to ensure the acquisition of all revenues due (backdated to 1776). "
Comments
On the face of it, it does seem rather similar to the recent German crash - head-on crash between trains on a single-track line.
ISTR they were 'fortunate' (*) with that crash: if it had been term-time it would have been filled with children going to school.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-35585302
The unprecedented safety record on our railways is amazing - eight years without a passenger being killed in a train accident. But there have been plenty of near-misses that could have been fatal if circumstances had been different. Our continental friends have been having much worse luck - if it is luck.
http://orr.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/19185/rail-safety-statistics-2014-15.pdf
(*) Fortunate doesn't really seem the right word.
Pulpstar. Can you explain your book? Do the figures represent + and - £ positions per candidate? Where does the £280 fit into it?
2. Congrats to @Cyclefree Junior on his degree.
3. Great article @Cyclefree
I have done Pisa Airport to Pisa, as well as Pisa to Florence, albeit back in 2000.
On Eagle, as I stated before Labour under Eagle (or indeed Owen Smith, or anyone not Corbyn/McDonell) will continue to be a party which believes in parliamentary democracy. This means, that once Eagle loses an election (or steps down) someone more electable can be found who gives Labour a better chance of winning GEs. If Corbyn stays, the Labour party will split, and mass deselections will probably occur. Labour will be filled with Corbynites and those of the hard left as prospective parliamentary candidates. These people will also subscribe to the beliefs of the Momentumers, and other militants - that is that Labour first and foremost is a social movement and should represent all of their members views. The job of MPs in the Labour party will no longer be to represent their constituents, which will make it totally different from every other political party.
Furthermore, look at the way Corbyn backers are behaving - intimidating opponents through threats of violence. Do they sound to you people interested in entertaining a Labour party who believes in parliamentary democracy?
Been catching up after work. Best wishes to Alistair's partner and hope for a full and speedy recovery.
Perhaps they could allow just those who want to vote against him, to have a secret ballot...
July 12, 2016
I'm told andy Burnham wanted a further week of talks over Jeremy Corbyns future but looks like the majority of the nec want to deal with it
https://twitter.com/PeoplesMomentum/status/752863482337460224?ref_src=twsrc^tfw
And smashing up your constituency office...
A recent Rail had details of all the signalling systems used by Network Rail, and there are a surprising number. Fortunately the age of many of these is security: their bugs have been removed. But it feels odd that in out modern age of computers and wireless communications passenger trains can still rely on a piece of metal (token/staff) being on a train.
But it works.
And of all the many problems Corbyn has in the eyes of Joe Public, the constitutional niceties of "parliamentary democracy" is pretty much right at the bottom of the list. I mean, the country just voted on the EU to reject the recommendation of the vast majority of the MPs - clearly the public doesn't believe in "parliamentary democracy" by your definition either.
I don't remember any of f our members assaulting your members
I don't remember any of our members spitting on your delegates
I don't remember any of our members launching brick's through constituency office windows
I do remember your members doing those things, so who, really, is the nasty party?
Would be the easy answer
I also did Florence - Rome back in September 2014... Very nice but awfully boring scenario as high speed tracks are flat and just use cuttings to keep things straight...
Pisa Airport to Pisa reopens in late September. To be honest I'm so used to catching the coach now at €5 I time I won't bother catching the train. The coach is quicker anyway...
Thank you.
AlastairMeeks said:
I'd just like to put a short post up explaining why I'm not going to be around much for quite a while.
At the weekend my other half had a very bad fall. He had to have a blood clot removed from the brain and a large piece of his skull removed. He remains in critical care, though he has made some progress. It is going to be a long road ahead. As a result, my responsibilities lie elsewhere for the foreseeable future.
I wish you all well, and I mean all, and I will be dropping by from time to time to see what's going on. Apologies if I don't reply to messages - any rudeness on this occasion will be accidental.
:-)
Possibly BiS or the home office for him from DCLG
Hope things are better for them soon and I'll keep them in my thoughts.
His problem is that he is grafted on to a party that still holds illusions - almost certainly false - that it might one day command a majority under FTPT. If the party manages to work out what it stands for, and Mr Obama's son or daughter descends from the skies to lead them then, perhaps. Otherwise, no.
Edit: As a LibDem I'm quite enjoying this.
One source tells me they reckon Labour NEC meeting could last another 3-4 hours
Michael Crick (@MichaelLCrick) July 12, 2016
NEC meeting lasting so long, I'm told, because 32 people each insist on speaking twice on each subject!
New NEC elections are currently underway too. I will stay to vote in that as well as trying to get my MP deselected.
My very best wishes to Alastair Meek and his partner.
I'm sure we all look forward to his swift return that will have encompassed a full recovery for his loved one.
As late as the 74 oil crisis I suspect much of East Germanys industrial infrastructure was more modern than ours and they still had a few world leading companies like Zeiss (Jena) whos products were exported to and coverted in the west.
I hate to say it but Germanys lumpen proletariat is head and shoulders above ours.
In the light of the ongoing car crash at the NEC meeting, I think it's time more candidates were picked by some sort of primary system. Was going to say Labour but suspect it would be good for all parties.
You're not getting where I'm coming from at all. In fact a lot of the above are strawman arguments. It's not about the 'constitutional niceties of parliamentary democracy'. It's about the fact Corbyn doesn't believe in parliamentary democracy AT ALL. There is a difference between disagreeing with MPs on an issue - as the EU referendum was - and not believing in parliamentary democracy AT ALL. Corbyn believes that he should carry on as leader despite losing the confidence of his MPs. He believes that activists and members, and leftist militant groups are an electorate which are more important than MPs'. Literally no other political party thinks this. And the GBP has already noticed that Corbyn has no time for parliamentary democracy by the fact after losing a vote of confidence - which would usually result in a leader resigning - Corbyn told his MPs to get lost.
And Corbyn would not get a better GE result than Eagle. The man doesn't even believe he needs to have the confidence of all sections of his party. How on earth is this man going to convince the country that he and his backers care about gaining the confidence of whole country? They don't. They care about those who agree with every single one of their views, and will intimidate individuals if necessary, in order to get them on the Corbynite train. I'm not saying we have to get a PLP moderate. We can find someone from the Left if need be. As long as they believe in parliamentary democracy and aren't associated with groups like momentum, Labour should be okay in the long-term.
Cameron also led the Remain strategy. He also just a year ago won an election. This entire EU referendum is not a litmus test on someone's suitability to be leader. Look at Boris Johnson and other leavers FGS. They were on the winning side of the campaign, but would most likely be total disasters as leaders. And quite frankly Labour would be better off with Corbynite members out of the party in the long-term. The best thing the party could do is find members who exist in the real world and actually give a damn about views other than their own.
(Update) Stephen Moss (@StephenMossGdn) - Would make sense for Theresa May to hold a snap election while the NEC meeting is taking place
Instead I've had a couple of quid on Greg (safe pair of) Hands at 25/1 with Ladbrokes, possibly with my MP Justine Greening getting his old job.
I certainly think La May needs to promote at least 3 or 4 new faces to her first Cabinet, the current lot look staid and that's putting it mildly!
DYOR.
Post Democratic Politics. Jobs for the boys and girls
I think it was featured on a recent TV proggie - perhaps the Paul Merton one on remote stations?
Best wishes and lots of prayers for Mr Meek and his partner.
Not surprised he's a policy wonk.
@TCPoliticalBetting I thought that some would think this....
http://www.lbc.co.uk/fantastic-corbyn-lookalike-turns-up-at-labour-hq-133693
That went through with minimal fuss so I doubt it'll be reversed.
"To the citizens of the United States of America, in light of your failure to elect a competent President of the USA and thus to govern yourselves, we hereby give notice of the revocation of your independence, effective today.
Her Sovereign Majesty Queen Elizabeth II resumes monarchical duties over all states, commonwealths and other territories. Except Utah, which she does not fancy.
Your new prime minister (The Right Honourable Theresa May, MP) will appoint a Minister for America. Congress and the Senate are disbanded. A questionnaire circulated next year will determine whether any of you noticed.
To aid your transition to a British Crown Dependency, the following rules are introduced with immediate effect:
1. Look up "revocation" in the Oxford English Dictionary. Check "aluminium" in the pronunciation guide. You will be amazed at just how wrongly you pronounce it. The letter 'U' will be reinstated in words such as 'favour' and 'neighbour'. Likewise you will learn to spell 'doughnut' without skipping half the letters. Generally, you should raise your vocabulary to acceptable levels. Look up "vocabulary."
2. There is no such thing as "U.S. English." We'll let Microsoft know on your behalf. The Microsoft spell-checker will be adjusted to take account of the reinstated letter 'u'.
3. You should stop playing American "football." You should instead play proper football. Initially, it would be best if you played with the girls.
4. You will no longer be allowed to own or carry guns, or anything more dangerous in public than a vegetable peeler. Because you are not sensible enough to handle potentially dangerous items, you need a permit to carry a vegetable peeler.
5. Learn to resolve personal issues without guns, lawyers or therapists. That you need many lawyers and therapists shows you're not adult enough to be independent. If you're not adult enough to sort things out without suing someone or speaking to a therapist, you're not grown up enough to handle a gun.
6. Please tell us who killed JFK. It's been driving us crazy.
7. Tax collectors from Her Majesty's Government will be with you shortly to ensure the acquisition of all revenues due (backdated to 1776). "
Excellent! Off to dinner - and wouldn't want to miss the fun while I'm away....