Meanwhile here in deepest Leaverstan the final piece of public squalor fell into place yesterday on the way up to church. We now have public street begging. We now have the complete set of behaviours associated with urban poverty in a town of 25K people in a rural location.
In the Anglican liturgy the preamble to the Nine Lessons and Carols service is beautiful and a passage focuses on poverty. It was quite haunting in the context. Then the sermon was quite a sophisticated meditation on food and plenty coupled with an appeal for help with our newish feeding project. 2018 was the year our Foodbank ' buckled ' and just isn't enough anymore.
The food is just a symptom however. It's a wide and deep social collapse linked to addiction, mental health and brutal public service cuts. The juxtaposition with the Westminster political crisis haunts me.
Was astonished by the homelessness in the West End this weekend. Huge numbers sleeping in Charing Cross Tube station - I counted about 20 sets of sleeping bags, and "camps", often of couples. Never seen anything like it since the '80s.
The bulk of homelessness in London is because of migration from Eastern Europe. Sad, but true.
They thought they could peel off some ERG, and/or the DUP, by making it purely about May. Vonc her, she's damaged, but the government isn't brought down. The stakes are much higher if they try to vonc the government, and the DUP in particular has been quite open they don't want that.
If the advice actually helps them this time perhaps they would be best advised to just reveal it. Though surely extending A50 would be a matter for the ECJ, in which case our view could just be wrong again anyway.
Is it still possible to hold an EP on 23rd May? How long does it take to arrange all the logistics?
Saturday night's PB discussion of the 80s converted me to this argument. If you take Section 28 as an example of an 80s culture war the only way the Tories could ever atone was decades later pushing through Gay Marriage. I think ( most ) Brexiters are making the same mistake. They are insisting on winning in such a brutal, unpleasent, stigmatising and divisive manner the next generation will insist on a hegemonic counter revolution. The North remembers.
I think that seriously misreads the gay debate. The Tories didn't push through Gay marriage to atone for anything. They pushed it through because the world had changed - as had much of the membership of the Tory back benches. They had finally caught up with what the vast majority of the public already thought in the 80s and 90s.
If you think the events of the last couple of years are going to make people look more favourably on the EU then you are very much mistaken. Even if we do end up Remaining it will still be with huge reluctance and resentment and we can be sure the EU will do nothing to change that. Indeed based on past performance they can be almost guaranteed to stoke up even more resentment with their response to Brexit - whether it succeeds or not.
I suspect the legalisation of marijuana will be the next big thing.
Something that should be supported by any sane person, the Americans and the Canadians have already done it.
I personally believe there will be an enormous dividend for the first major party to come out in favour of legalisation, if the Tories had any sense they would put it in the next manifesto. Unfortunately we seem to be ruled by cretins who are more interested in regulating people having a hand shandy rather than taxing and regulating a drug that is de facto legal on the streets anyway.
I am sure labour are going to, i can see them going for the “medical” usage fudge that places like California had for years.
Which is why the Tories should go full on legalise it, tax it, regulate it. No fudge. In a stroke, it would add a huge amount to the coffers (which could go direct to the NHS) while reaffirming the party's libertarian credentials which are sorely lacking.
Richard Tyndall's point about it taking twenty or so years for the government of the day to catch up with what people really think made me think of marijuana legalisation. For me it's a no-brainer. Even those of us who don't smoke it think it's bloody ridiculous there's a multi-billion dollar industry that is more or less ignored by the police, accepted by everyone else, and utterly forgotten when it comes to the huge tax revenues it could bring in.
If the advice actually helps them this time perhaps they would be best advised to just reveal it. Though surely extending A50 would be a matter for the ECJ, in which case our view could just be wrong again anyway.
A50 says it can be extended only by a unanimous vote of the EUCO.
EUCO has already made it clear they will only countenance an extension if there's a material change in the UK's political circumstances.
"We are too useless to make a decision" surely won't cut the euro-mustard.
Saturday night's PB discussion of the 80s converted me to this argument. If you take Section 28 as an example of an 80s culture war the only way the Tories could ever atone was decades later pushing through Gay Marriage. I think ( most ) Brexiters are making the same mistake. They are insisting on winning in such a brutal, unpleasent, stigmatising and divisive manner the next generation will insist on a hegemonic counter revolution. The North remembers.
I think that seriously misreads the gay debate. The Tories didn't push through Gay marriage to atone for anything. They pushed it through because the world had changed - as had much of the membership of the Tory back benches. They had finally caught up with what the vast majority of the public already thought in the 80s and 90s.
If you think the events of the last couple of years are going to make people look more favourably on the EU then you are very much mistaken. Even if we do end up Remaining it will still be with huge reluctance and resentment and we can be sure the EU will do nothing to change that. Indeed based on past performance they can be almost guaranteed to stoke up even more resentment with their response to Brexit - whether it succeeds or not.
Err...the LibDem minister wanted to do it and May, to her credit but also aware of the risk of LibDems running it as their own political initiative, gave it her support. Tories were reacting not acting.
There is no evidence for that. It happened to be a Lib Dem because she was the Minister for Equalities.
It's what happened. I had several long conversations with her about it at the time.
Meanwhile here in deepest Leaverstan the final piece of public squalor fell into place yesterday on the way up to church. We now have public street begging. We now have the complete set of behaviours associated with urban poverty in a town of 25K people in a rural location.
In the Anglican liturgy the preamble to the Nine Lessons and Carols service is beautiful and a passage focuses on poverty. It was quite haunting in the context. Then the sermon was quite a sophisticated meditation on food and plenty coupled with an appeal for help with our newish feeding project. 2018 was the year our Foodbank ' buckled ' and just isn't enough anymore.
The food is just a symptom however. It's a wide and deep social collapse linked to addiction, mental health and brutal public service cuts. The juxtaposition with the Westminster political crisis haunts me.
I visited a cousin in a county town in the South West recently. Walking to her house from the station I was shocked at the shabbiness of the shops, the potholes in the road and the number of beggars who accosted me in the High street. And this town is normally considered prosperous and secure.
Where and why?
And is it Brexit?
If you think it is, I am not so sure. I have very recently encountered similar shabbiness in southwest France (minus the beggars). A sense of stagnancy and deep malaise, and lots of boarded up shops. Hence the Yellow Vests.
No I don't think its Brexit. It obviously goes back further. Its low wages, public service and benefit cuts, addiction, the shift of retail to out of town locations and online, complex problems which have developed over a long period. But Brexit is diverting attention away from the issues.
I wonder how many other voters did the same as me. Boris Johnson is one, I suspect: in his heart he genuinely wanted Leave, in his head he thought Remain would win anyway, and he would personally benefit.
I think he genuinely wanted Remain, so he could play the disgruntled leaver keeping the flame alive.
If the SNP had won Indyref, Nicola Sturgeon wouldn't even be a footnote.
Then he won, and now BoZo is completely screwed. Fortunately.
I have personally encountered Boris, and I think you are wrong, or half-wrong.
I think he wrote that notorious thinkpiece about Leave from the heart, because he is, at heart, a Leaver,
But yes, his head told him Remain would win, and he would benefit from his position as a Leaver that lost, so there was no disbenefit to plumping for Leave.
Sigh. And: hmm.
Nah, he's basically a remainer, but recognised that Leave played better both to his interests and character.
If the advice actually helps them this time perhaps they would be best advised to just reveal it. Though surely extending A50 would be a matter for the ECJ, in which case our view could just be wrong again anyway.
A50 says it can be extended only by a unanimous vote of the EUCO.
EUCO has already made it clear they will only countenance an extension if there's a material change in the UK's political circumstances.
"We are too useless to make a decision" surely won't cut the euro-mustard.
It's one reason I struggle to see why they would extend for, for instance, a GE or a Tory leadership contest - it has no guarantee of making it more likely we will come up with an answer
Which is why the Tories should go full on legalise it, tax it, regulate it. No fudge. In a stroke, it would add a huge amount to the coffers (which could go direct to the NHS) while reaffirming the party's libertarian credentials which are sorely lacking.
Richard Tyndall's point about it taking twenty or so years for the government of the day to catch up with what people really think made me think of marijuana legalisation. For me it's a no-brainer. Even those of us who don't smoke it think it's bloody ridiculous there's a multi-billion dollar industry that is more or less ignored by the police, accepted by everyone else, and utterly forgotten when it comes to the huge tax revenues it could bring in.
There are some holdouts, but I think it is coming within a generation unless those places that have already legalised show devastating negative effects soon - culturally it seems to be one of those things a great many people just don't think is a big deal, that regulation will protect the kids, and (the perception) health issues are no worse than some already legal substances.
If the advice actually helps them this time perhaps they would be best advised to just reveal it. Though surely extending A50 would be a matter for the ECJ, in which case our view could just be wrong again anyway.
A50 says it can be extended only by a unanimous vote of the EUCO.
EUCO has already made it clear they will only countenance an extension if there's a material change in the UK's political circumstances.
"We are too useless to make a decision" surely won't cut the euro-mustard.
But since it can be unilaterally revoked and reinstated by the UK, the EU would be foolish not to allow an extension.
If the advice actually helps them this time perhaps they would be best advised to just reveal it. Though surely extending A50 would be a matter for the ECJ, in which case our view could just be wrong again anyway.
Is it still possible to hold an EP on 23rd May? How long does it take to arrange all the logistics?
Apologies, I am drawing a total blank and will no doubt feel very silly - EP?
He'll be made to support a vote, allow Labour MPs to back remain in it, see remain win, government collapse and a GE which he will win, almost entirely against his own inclinations!
If the advice actually helps them this time perhaps they would be best advised to just reveal it. Though surely extending A50 would be a matter for the ECJ, in which case our view could just be wrong again anyway.
A50 says it can be extended only by a unanimous vote of the EUCO.
EUCO has already made it clear they will only countenance an extension if there's a material change in the UK's political circumstances.
"We are too useless to make a decision" surely won't cut the euro-mustard.
But since it can be unilaterally revoked and reinstated by the UK, the EU would be foolish not to allow an extension.
That's subject to the ECJ's tests on whether invoking A50 again is abusive. Essentially we'd be substituting the veto of the Council with the veto of the ECJ.
Meanwhile here in deepest Leaverstan the final piece of public squalor fell into place yesterday on the way up to church. We now have public street begging. We now have the complete set of behaviours associated with urban poverty in a town of 25K people in a rural location.
In the Anglican liturgy the preamble to the Nine Lessons and Carols service is beautiful and a passage focuses on poverty. It was quite haunting in the context. Then the sermon was quite a sophisticated meditation on food and plenty coupled with an appeal for help with our newish feeding project. 2018 was the year our Foodbank ' buckled ' and just isn't enough anymore.
The food is just a symptom however. It's a wide and deep social collapse linked to addiction, mental health and brutal public service cuts. The juxtaposition with the Westminster political crisis haunts me.
Was astonished by the homelessness in the West End this weekend. Huge numbers sleeping in Charing Cross Tube station - I counted about 20 sets of sleeping bags, and "camps", often of couples. Never seen anything like it since the '80s.
The bulk of homelessness in London is because of migration from Eastern Europe. Sad, but true.
It's not (in London) a symptom of Brexit, it's a CAUSE of Brexit.
These seemed to be largely white british people from outside the centre, judging by their accents. The exit to trafalgar to square had row after row of them in their sleeping bags.
Well, maybe. But I live in London. The homelessness is at its worst around Hyde Park Corner and Marble Arch, and it is almost exclusively Eastern European, and usually Roma.
Worth a read. Over-written, but brave and intriguing.
In Leicester, the homeless sleeping in doorways are white British, with the odd Afro-Caribbean. Many are ex-prisoners or ex-military. Drugs are rampant and quite visible, especially Spice, but I think increasingly synthetic opiods too.
We are not yet at the point of takeoff, but I think we do have some of the ingredients of a US style opiod crisis. Dealers have adapted to the gig economy.
Anyway time to vote Labour. Britain needs the redemptive suffering of a Corbyn led government. The enormity of the crime of making Corbyn PM is so epochal I was waiting for Brexit Day to cross the psychological rubicon but... Well today Theresa May shot the first hostage on live TV. The game is up. You can't stage the Gammondammerung on a tight budget. It deserves the full Corbyn.
Meanwhile here in deepest Leaverstan the final piece of public squalor fell into place yesterday on the way up to church. We now have public street begging. We now have the complete set of behaviours associated with urban poverty in a town of 25K people in a rural location.
In the Anglican liturgy the preamble to the Nine Lessons and Carols service is beautiful and a passage focuses on poverty. It was quite haunting in the context. Then the sermon was quite a sophisticated meditation on food and plenty coupled with an appeal for help with our newish feeding project. 2018 was the year our Foodbank ' buckled ' and just isn't enough anymore.
The food is just a symptom however. It's a wide and deep social collapse linked to addiction, mental health and brutal public service cuts. The juxtaposition with the Westminster political crisis haunts me.
I visited a cousin in a county town in the South West recently. Walking to her house from the station I was shocked at the shabbiness of the shops, the potholes in the road and the number of beggars who accosted me in the High street. And this town is normally considered prosperous and secure.
Where and why?
And is it Brexit?
If you think it is, I am not so sure. I have very recently encountered similar shabbiness in southwest France (minus the beggars). A sense of stagnancy and deep malaise, and lots of boarded up shops. Hence the Yellow Vests.
No I don't think its Brexit. It obviously goes back further. Its low wages, public service and benefit cuts, addiction, the shift of retail to out of town locations and online, complex problems which have developed over a long period. But Brexit is diverting attention away from the issues.
That makes sense. And it explains why the same thing is happening in France and America, to take just two western nations (I am sure there are more).
The West is in secular and relative decline, there is no evidence this will stop any time soon. Our societies are out-moded, and now out-competed, by Asia.
A metropolitan liberal elite still does VERY well. The average suffer modestly. The poorest suffer very badly.
Actually, that's quite a fair assessment imo.
Collectively we need to get used to not continuously seeing our standa of living rise. Was life so bad in (for example) the 1990s? No.
So why do we feel the need to see our standard of living forever increase? And what does it matter if the rest of the world gradually attains a similar SoL to the west?
If the advice actually helps them this time perhaps they would be best advised to just reveal it. Though surely extending A50 would be a matter for the ECJ, in which case our view could just be wrong again anyway.
Is it still possible to hold an EP on 23rd May? How long does it take to arrange all the logistics?
Apologies, I am drawing a total blank and will no doubt feel very silly - EP?
Sorry, editing fail: EP (European Parliament) *election*
I wonder how many other voters did the same as me. Boris Johnson is one, I suspect: in his heart he genuinely wanted Leave, in his head he thought Remain would win anyway, and he would personally benefit.
I think he genuinely wanted Remain, so he could play the disgruntled leaver keeping the flame alive.
If the SNP had won Indyref, Nicola Sturgeon wouldn't even be a footnote.
Then he won, and now BoZo is completely screwed. Fortunately.
I have personally encountered Boris, and I think you are wrong, or half-wrong.
I think he wrote that notorious thinkpiece about Leave from the heart, because he is, at heart, a Leaver,
But yes, his head told him Remain would win, and he would benefit from his position as a Leaver that lost, so there was no disbenefit to plumping for Leave.
Sigh. And: hmm.
Nah, he's basically a remainer, but recognised that Leave played better both to his interests and character.
Unless you know him better than me (and fair enough if so) I will pull rank and say you are wrong.
On a sidenote, Jo Johnson walked past my door about an hour ago. He looked a bit nervous. Not sure why. He's in ultra-Remainery Camden.
Well he is risking no deal in pursuit of his dream of remain (though the risk of no deal is less than it was), so if he causes no deal he will presumably upset a lot of people.
Surely that falls under "no s**t Sherlock" territory?
Everyone has said all along that if A50 is delayed past the elections we'd need to take part in them. Which could see a resurgence in either UKIP or some other ugly party.
If the advice actually helps them this time perhaps they would be best advised to just reveal it. Though surely extending A50 would be a matter for the ECJ, in which case our view could just be wrong again anyway.
Is it still possible to hold an EP on 23rd May? How long does it take to arrange all the logistics?
Apologies, I am drawing a total blank and will no doubt feel very silly - EP?
European Parliament. If we're still members of the EU by then, even if only by a technicality like an A50 extension, we will have to elect MEPs.
Labour aren't limited to one VONC. One on the last day of term, another one immediately after the MV.
Trouble is this one just made them look stupid and incompetent. They could have called a full VoNC in the Government today. If they lost then they could call another one whenever they liked. This idiocy about a VoNC in the PM just made it look like they didn't know what they were doing.
At the moment they would lose a VoNC in the Government. By targeting the PM they could in theory have a few ERG members having strategic emergency hospital appointments to be unavoidable detained away from Parliament. And they couldn't do the same for a full VoNC...
So you can see the plan and see why it doesn't work...
There are literally zero exemptions for not voting in a VONC.
The whips will wheel you in on a gurney if they have to.
But it wasn't a VoNC in the government, did the whips wheel everyone in for Chris Grayling?
Anyway time to vote Labour. Britain needs the redemptive suffering of a Corbyn led government. The enormity of the crime of making Corbyn PM is so epochal I was waiting for Brexit Day to cross tge psychological rubicon but... Well today Theresa May shot the first hostage on live TV. The game is up. You can't stage the Gammondammerung on a tight budget. It deserve the full Corbyn.
Surely that falls under "no s**t Sherlock" territory?
Everyone has said all along that if A50 is delayed past the elections we'd need to take part in them. Which could see a resurgence in either UKIP or some other ugly party.
It's almost like we could use the european elections as a guide to a second referendum....
Meanwhile here in deepest Leaverstan the final piece of public squalor fell into place yesterday on the way up to church. We now have public street begging. We now have the complete set of behaviours associated with urban poverty in a town of 25K people in a rural location.
In the Anglican liturgy the preamble to the Nine Lessons and Carols service is beautiful and a passage focuses on poverty. It was quite haunting in the context. Then the sermon was quite a sophisticated meditation on food and plenty coupled with an appeal for help with our newish feeding project. 2018 was the year our Foodbank ' buckled ' and just isn't enough anymore.
The food is just a symptom however. It's a wide and deep social collapse linked to addiction, mental health and brutal public service cuts. The juxtaposition with the Westminster political crisis haunts me.
Was astonished by the homelessness in the West End this weekend. Huge numbers sleeping in Charing Cross Tube station - I counted about 20 sets of sleeping bags, and "camps", often of couples. Never seen anything like it since the '80s.
The bulk of homelessness in London is because of migration from Eastern Europe. Sad, but true.
Labour aren't limited to one VONC. One on the last day of term, another one immediately after the MV.
Trouble is this one just made them look stupid and incompetent. They could have called a full VoNC in the Government today. If they lost then they could call another one whenever they liked. This idiocy about a VoNC in the PM just made it look like they didn't know what they were doing.
At the moment they would lose a VoNC in the Government. By targeting the PM they could in theory have a few ERG members having strategic emergency hospital appointments to be unavoidable detained away from Parliament. And they couldn't do the same for a full VoNC...
So you can see the plan and see why it doesn't work...
There are literally zero exemptions for not voting in a VONC.
The whips will wheel you in on a gurney if they have to.
Not 100% true. The 1979 election happened only because the Labour whip let a Labour MP not be wheeled in on a gurney.
If the advice actually helps them this time perhaps they would be best advised to just reveal it. Though surely extending A50 would be a matter for the ECJ, in which case our view could just be wrong again anyway.
A50 says it can be extended only by a unanimous vote of the EUCO.
EUCO has already made it clear they will only countenance an extension if there's a material change in the UK's political circumstances.
"We are too useless to make a decision" surely won't cut the euro-mustard.
But since it can be unilaterally revoked and reinstated by the UK, the EU would be foolish not to allow an extension.
That's subject to the ECJ's tests on whether invoking A50 again is abusive. Essentially we'd be substituting the veto of the Council with the veto of the ECJ.
The ECJ couldn't prevent an A50 invocation, whether it was the 2nd or nth (we'd just leave in a No Deal way if they tried it.)
They could, and probably would, disallow a 2nd A50 revocation though.
If the advice actually helps them this time perhaps they would be best advised to just reveal it. Though surely extending A50 would be a matter for the ECJ, in which case our view could just be wrong again anyway.
Is it still possible to hold an EP on 23rd May? How long does it take to arrange all the logistics?
Apologies, I am drawing a total blank and will no doubt feel very silly - EP?
Sorry, editing fail: EP (European Parliament) *election*
Oh right, I forgot those were scheduled. Interesting question. I'm pretty sure contingency plans have supposedly been put in place,but not sure how long the practicalities take to arrange - not long I'ad have thought. I know for a fact Elections teams up and down the country are prepped for a 2019 GE, I will have to ask what they are doing for potential EP elections.
Meanwhile here in deepest Leaverstan the final piece of public squalor fell into place yesterday on the way up to church. We now have public street begging. We now have the complete set of behaviours associated with urban poverty in a town of 25K people in a rural location.
In the Anglican liturgy the preamble to the Nine Lessons and Carols service is beautiful and a passage focuses on poverty. It was quite haunting in the context. Then the sermon was quite a sophisticated meditation on food and plenty coupled with an appeal for help with our newish feeding project. 2018 was the year our Foodbank ' buckled ' and just isn't enough anymore.
The food is just a symptom however. It's a wide and deep social collapse linked to addiction, mental health and brutal public service cuts. The juxtaposition with the Westminster political crisis haunts me.
Was astonished by the homelessness in the West End this weekend. Huge numbers sleeping in Charing Cross Tube station - I counted about 20 sets of sleeping bags, and "camps", often of couples. Never seen anything like it since the '80s.
The bulk of homelessness in London is because of migration from Eastern Europe. Sad, but true.
It's not (in London) a symptom of Brexit, it's a CAUSE of Brexit.
These seemed to be largely white british people from outside the centre, judging by their accents. The exit to trafalgar to square had row after row of them in their sleeping bags.
Well, maybe. But I live in London. The homelessness is at its worst around Hyde Park Corner and Marble Arch, and it is almost exclusively Eastern European, and usually Roma.
Worth a read. Over-written, but brave and intriguing.
From your link:
"Judah might not trust statistics but he weaves them into his narrative, and at the end – in case we don’t trust them – he gives the sources, mostly from government surveys. In 40 years the percentage of white British in London has fallen from 86% to 45%; 600,000 of those in London are there illegally; the number of Africans would fill a city the size of Sheffield; 57% of births are to migrant mothers."
I am fairly certain that the driving force behind Brexit has been the pace of change. How can you have a society when so few share a common culture?
I wonder how many other voters did the same as me. Boris Johnson is one, I suspect: in his heart he genuinely wanted Leave, in his head he thought Remain would win anyway, and he would personally benefit.
I think he genuinely wanted Remain, so he could play the disgruntled leaver keeping the flame alive.
If the SNP had won Indyref, Nicola Sturgeon wouldn't even be a footnote.
Then he won, and now BoZo is completely screwed. Fortunately.
I have personally encountered Boris, and I think you are wrong, or half-wrong.
I think he wrote that notorious thinkpiece about Leave from the heart, because he is, at heart, a Leaver,
But yes, his head told him Remain would win, and he would benefit from his position as a Leaver that lost, so there was no disbenefit to plumping for Leave.
Sigh. And: hmm.
Nah, he's basically a remainer, but recognised that Leave played better both to his interests and character.
Unless you know him better than me (and fair enough if so) I will pull rank and say you are wrong.
On a sidenote, Jo Johnson walked past my door about an hour ago. He looked a bit nervous. Not sure why. He's in ultra-Remainery Camden.
Meanwhile here in deepest Leaverstan the final piece of public squalor fell into place yesterday on the way up to church. We now have public street begging. We now have the complete set of behaviours associated with urban poverty in a town of 25K people in a rural location.
In the Anglican liturgy the preamble to the Nine Lessons and Carols service is beautiful and a passage focuses on poverty. It was quite haunting in the context. Then the sermon was quite a sophisticated meditation on food and plenty coupled with an appeal for help with our newish feeding project. 2018 was the year our Foodbank ' buckled ' and just isn't enough anymore.
The food is just a symptom however. It's a wide and deep social collapse linked to addiction, mental health and brutal public service cuts. The juxtaposition with the Westminster political crisis haunts me.
Was astonished by the homelessness in the West End this weekend. Huge numbers sleeping in Charing Cross Tube station - I counted about 20 sets of sleeping bags, and "camps", often of couples. Never seen anything like it since the '80s.
The bulk of homelessness in London is because of migration from Eastern Europe. Sad, but true.
It's not (in London) a symptom of Brexit, it's a CAUSE of Brexit.
These seemed to be largely white british people from outside the centre, judging by their accents. The exit to trafalgar to square had row after row of them in their sleeping bags.
Well, maybe. But I live in London. The homelessness is at its worst around Hyde Park Corner and Marble Arch, and it is almost exclusively Eastern European, and usually Roma.
Worth a read. Over-written, but brave and intriguing.
From your link:
"Judah might not trust statistics but he weaves them into his narrative, and at the end – in case we don’t trust them – he gives the sources, mostly from government surveys. In 40 years the percentage of white British in London has fallen from 86% to 45%; 600,000 of those in London are there illegally; the number of Africans would fill a city the size of Sheffield; 57% of births are to migrant mothers."
I am fairly certain that the driving force behind Brexit has been the pace of change. How can you have a society when so few share a common culture?
If the advice actually helps them this time perhaps they would be best advised to just reveal it. Though surely extending A50 would be a matter for the ECJ, in which case our view could just be wrong again anyway.
Is it still possible to hold an EP on 23rd May? How long does it take to arrange all the logistics?
Apologies, I am drawing a total blank and will no doubt feel very silly - EP?
Sorry, editing fail: EP (European Parliament) *election*
Oh right, I forgot those were scheduled. Interesting question. I'm pretty sure contingency plans have supposedly been put in place,but not sure how long the practicalities take to arrange - not long I'ad have thought. I know for a fact Elections teams up and down the country are prepped for a 2019 GE, I will have to ask what they are doing for potential EP elections.
Given we can have a General Election at 6 weeks notice and the European Parliament elections are to be held more than 6 weeks after we are scheduled to leave, surely that is a non-issue?
If there's an extension we'll know that before end of March so prepare for elections. If there's no extension it is moot.
@GOsborneGenius (the artiste formerly known as tim) is a little gem, isn't he?
Meanwhile, what's this 'Theresa May is delaying the vote by almost a month' stuff? It's actually a few working days.
Today at work I had to tell a customer that something which takes 7-10 working days wouldn't be ready until 11th January (the factory producing shuts down from this Friday until Thursday 3rd). She objected saying it was nearly a month.
Meanwhile here in deepest Leaverstan the final piece of public squalor fell into place yesterday on the way up to church. We now have public street begging. We now have the complete set of behaviours associated with urban poverty in a town of 25K people in a rural location.
In the Anglican liturgy the preamble to the Nine Lessons and Carols service is beautiful and a passage focuses on poverty. It was quite haunting in the context. Then the sermon was quite a sophisticated meditation on food and plenty coupled with an appeal for help with our newish feeding project. 2018 was the year our Foodbank ' buckled ' and just isn't enough anymore.
The food is just a symptom however. It's a wide and deep social collapse linked to addiction, mental health and brutal public service cuts. The juxtaposition with the Westminster political crisis haunts me.
Was astonished by the homelessness in the West End this weekend. Huge numbers sleeping in Charing Cross Tube station - I counted about 20 sets of sleeping bags, and "camps", often of couples. Never seen anything like it since the '80s.
The bulk of homelessness in London is because of migration from Eastern Europe. Sad, but true.
If the advice actually helps them this time perhaps they would be best advised to just reveal it. Though surely extending A50 would be a matter for the ECJ, in which case our view could just be wrong again anyway.
Is it still possible to hold an EP on 23rd May? How long does it take to arrange all the logistics?
Apologies, I am drawing a total blank and will no doubt feel very silly - EP?
Sorry, editing fail: EP (European Parliament) *election*
Oh right, I forgot those were scheduled. Interesting question. I'm pretty sure contingency plans have supposedly been put in place,but not sure how long the practicalities take to arrange - not long I'ad have thought. I know for a fact Elections teams up and down the country are prepped for a 2019 GE, I will have to ask what they are doing for potential EP elections.
Hah - we've not planned for No Deal so I bet we've certainly not planned for No Brexit!
will insist on a hegemonic counter revolution. The North remembers.
I think that seriously misreads the gay debate. The Tories didn't push through Gay marriage to atone for anything. They pushed it through because the world had changed - as had much of the membership of the Tory back benches. They had finally caught up with what the vast majority of the public already thought in the 80s and 90s.
If you think the events of the last couple of years are going to make people look more favourably on the EU then you are very much mistaken. Even if we do end up Remaining it will still be with huge reluctance and resentment and we can be sure the EU will do nothing to change that. Indeed based on past performance they can be almost guaranteed to stoke up even more resentment with their response to Brexit - whether it succeeds or not.
I suspect the legalisation of marijuana will be the next big thing.
Something that should be supported by any sane person, the Americans and the Canadians have already done it.
I personally believe there will be an enormous dividend for the first major party to come out in favour of legalisation, if the Tories had any sense they would put it in the next manifesto. Unfortunately we seem to be ruled by cretins who are more interested in regulating people having a hand shandy rather than taxing and regulating a drug that is de facto legal on the streets anyway.
I am sure labour are going to, i can see them going for the “medical” usage fudge that places like California had for years.
Which is why the Tories should go full on legalise it, tax it, regulate it. No fudge. In a stroke, it would add a huge amount to the coffers (which could go direct to the NHS) while reaffirming the party's libertarian credentials which are sorely lacking.
Richard Tyndall's point about it taking twenty or so years for the government of the day to catch up with what people really think made me think of marijuana legalisation. For me it's a no-brainer. Even those of us who don't smoke it think it's bloody ridiculous there's a multi-billion dollar industry that is more or less ignored by the police, accepted by everyone else, and utterly forgotten when it comes to the huge tax revenues it could bring in.
Those of us who experienced the 1960s as late teen or early 20s are mid 60s to mid 70s now. We have seen ours and all subsequent generations use cannabis. Are we terrified by it?
I doubt it.
Are we terrified off drug dealers and violence on our doorstep?
Meanwhile here in deepest Leaverstan the final piece of public squalor fell into place yesterday on the way up to church. We now have public street begging. We now have the complete set of behaviours associated with urban poverty in a town of 25K people in a rural location.
In the Anglican liturgy the preamble to the Nine Lessons and Carols service is beautiful and a passage focuses on poverty. It was quite haunting in the context. Then the sermon was quite a sophisticated meditation on food and plenty coupled with an appeal for help with our newish feeding project. 2018 was the year our Foodbank ' buckled ' and just isn't enough anymore.
The food is just a symptom however. It's a wide and deep social collapse linked to addiction, mental health and brutal public service cuts. The juxtaposition with the Westminster political crisis haunts me.
Was astonished by the homelessness in the West End this weekend. Huge numbers sleeping in Charing Cross Tube station - I counted about 20 sets of sleeping bags, and "camps", often of couples. Never seen anything like it since the '80s.
The bulk of homelessness in London is because of migration from Eastern Europe. Sad, but true.
It's not (in London) a symptom of Brexit, it's a CAUSE of Brexit.
These seemed to be largely white british people from outside the centre, judging by their accents.
The homeless people I have spoken to in London haven't been East European. An above average proportion of them have been Scottish or Irish, .
A huge number are ex servicemen. We do not look after our military personnel the way we should.
Homelessness in London seems to have become progressive worse in the 18 years I have lived here.
I have lived in London for 37 years. Homelessness was considerably and noticeably worse, than now, in the early-mid 1980s.
But we may be headed back there. Sad.
Yes, I remember the South Bank in the '80s. Yesterday reminded me of that. It is not however completely beyond our control ; political choices have been made with benefit cuts, sanctions, and crucially, a mental health resource crisis, as in the '80s.
If the advice actually helps them this time perhaps they would be best advised to just reveal it. Though surely extending A50 would be a matter for the ECJ, in which case our view could just be wrong again anyway.
Is it still possible to hold an EP on 23rd May? How long does it take to arrange all the logistics?
Apologies, I am drawing a total blank and will no doubt feel very silly - EP?
Sorry, editing fail: EP (European Parliament) *election*
Oh right, I forgot those were scheduled. Interesting question. I'm pretty sure contingency plans have supposedly been put in place,but not sure how long the practicalities take to arrange - not long I'ad have thought. I know for a fact Elections teams up and down the country are prepped for a 2019 GE, I will have to ask what they are doing for potential EP elections.
Hah - we've not planned for No Deal so I bet we've certainly not planned for No Brexit!
Well, generally that will be the case, sure, but for elections its a known quantity, simpler to plan for!
Labour aren't limited to one VONC. One on the last day of term, another one immediately after the MV.
Trouble is this one just made them look stupid and incompetent. They could have called a full VoNC in the Government today. If they lost then they could call another one whenever they liked. This idiocy about a VoNC in the PM just made it look like they didn't know what they were doing.
At the moment they would lose a VoNC in the Government. By targeting the PM they could in theory have a few ERG members having strategic emergency hospital appointments to be unavoidable detained away from Parliament. And they couldn't do the same for a full VoNC...
So you can see the plan and see why it doesn't work...
There are literally zero exemptions for not voting in a VONC.
The whips will wheel you in on a gurney if they have to.
Not 100% true. The 1979 election happened only because the Labour whip let a Labour MP not be wheeled in on a gurney.
Labour's deputy Chief Whip, Walter Harrison approached Weatherill to enforce the pairing convention that if a sick MP from the Government could not vote, an MP from the Opposition would abstain to compensate. Weatherill said that pairing had never been intended for votes on Matters of Confidence that meant the life or death of the Government and it would be impossible to find a Conservative MP who would agree to abstain. However, after a moment's reflection, he offered that he himself would abstain, because he felt it would be dishonourable to break his word with Harrison. Harrison was so impressed by Weatherill's offer – which would have effectively ended his political career – that he released Weatherill from his obligation and so the Government fell by one vote on the agreement of gentlemen.
Meanwhile here in deepest Leaverstan the final piece of public squalor fell into place yesterday on the way up to church. We now have public street begging. We now have the complete set of behaviours associated with urban poverty in a town of 25K people in a rural location.
The food is just a symptom however. It's a wide and deep social collapse linked to addiction, mental health and brutal public service cuts. The juxtaposition with the Westminster political crisis haunts me.
Was astonished by the homelessness in the West End this weekend. Huge numbers sleeping in Charing Cross Tube station - I counted about 20 sets of sleeping bags, and "camps", often of couples. Never seen anything like it since the '80s.
It's not (in London) a symptom of Brexit, it's a CAUSE of Brexit.
These seemed to be largely white british people from outside the centre, judging by their accents. The exit to trafalgar to square had row after row of them in their sleeping bags.
Well, maybe. But I live in London. The homelessness is at its worst around Hyde Park Corner and Marble Arch, and it is almost exclusively Eastern European, and usually Roma.
Worth a read. Over-written, but brave and intriguing.
In Leicester, the homeless sleeping in doorways are white British, with the odd Afro-Caribbean. Many are ex-prisoners or ex-military. Drugs are rampant and quite visible, especially Spice, but I think increasingly synthetic opiods too.
We are not yet at the point of takeoff, but I think we do have some of the ingredients of a US style opiod crisis. Dealers have adapted to the gig economy.
I wholly accept that this is true. While the intake of homeless Roma and Slavs has made homelessness in London much worse than it was, in the future it will be Brits zonked out on opioids and Spice. I see no reason why we shouldn't follow the American example.
Terrifying. Maybe the robots will save us. I don't know what else will.
One of the major drivers of the US opiod crisis (now killing more than guns or motor vehicles annually, and heading to the point of these combined) has been the over precription by my US colleagues.
The County Lines gangs with JIT supply chains and cheap Chinese synthetic opiods are taking the issue to small town UK, in a way very similar to the way the Mexican gangs reached small town Appalachia.
Those of us who experienced the 1960s as late teen or early 20s are mid 60s to mid 70s now. We have seen ours and all subsequent generations use cannabis. Are we terrified by it?
I doubt it.
Are we terrified off drug dealers and violence on our doorstep?
I expect so.
Just legalise it now.
Absolutely. Canada is leading the way but everyone will follow before long. It's inevitable.
Meanwhile here in deepest Leaverstan the final piece of public squalor fell into place yesterday on the way up to church. We now have public street begging. We now have the complete set of behaviours associated with urban poverty in a town of 25K people in a rural location.
In the Anglican liturgy the preamble to the Nine Lessons and Carols service is beautiful and a passage focuses on poverty. It was quite haunting in the context. Then the sermon was quite a sophisticated meditation on food and plenty coupled with an appeal for help with our newish feeding project. 2018 was the year our Foodbank ' buckled ' and just isn't enough anymore.
The food is just a symptom however. It's a wide and deep social collapse linked to addiction, mental health and brutal public service cuts. The juxtaposition with the Westminster political crisis haunts me.
Was astonished by the homelessness in the West End this weekend. Huge numbers sleeping in Charing Cross Tube station - I counted about 20 sets of sleeping bags, and "camps", often of couples. Never seen anything like it since the '80s.
The bulk of homelessness in London is because of migration from Eastern Europe. Sad, but true.
It's not (in London) a symptom of Brexit, it's a CAUSE of Brexit.
These seemed to be largely white british people from outside the centre, judging by their accents.
The homeless people I have spoken to in London haven't been East European. An above average proportion of them have been Scottish or Irish, .
A huge number are ex servicemen. We do not look after our military personnel the way we should.
Homelessness in London seems to have become progressively worse in the 18 years I have lived here.
I've lived in London for my whole life and homelessness was a lot worse in the mid to late nineties and then very bad after the financial crisis. It got a bit better afterwards but now central London is swamped with pan handlers from Romania.
The County Lines gangs with JIT supply chains and cheap Chinese synthetic opiods are taking the issue to small town UK, in a way very similar to the way the Mexican gangs reached small town Appalachia.
Synthetic opioids are indicated for acute pain and contraindicated for chronic pain. Yet 75% of the prescriptions in the US are for chronic pain.
The systematic corruption of the medical profession by the pharmaceutical industry is, of course, nothing new. But this time the bodycount has people taking notice.
@Grabcoque I can see now it was a mistake not to vote Labour in 2017. I was too focused on Corbyn's fundamental and ahistorical unfitness for for the role of PM, his profound euroscepticism and the disaster his government would be. But I see now that that was an analogue assessment of the political situation. I was too slow.
will insist on a hegemonic counter revolution. The North remembers.
I think that seriously misreads the gay debate. The Tories didn't push through Gay marriage to atone for anything. They pushed it through because the world had changed - as had much of the membership of the Tory back benches. They had finally caught up with what the vast majority of the public already thought in the 80s and 90s.
If you think the events of the last couple of years are going to make people look more favourably on the EU then you are very much mistaken. Even if we do end up Remaining it will still be with huge reluctance and resentment and we can be sure the EU will do nothing to change that. Indeed based on past performance they can be almost guaranteed to stoke up even more resentment with their response to Brexit - whether it succeeds or not.
I suspect the legalisation of marijuana will be the next big thing.
Something that should be supported by any sane person, the Americans and the Canadians have already done it.
I personally believe there will be an enormous dividend for the first major party to come out in favour of legalisation, if the Tories had any sense they would put it in the next manifesto. Unfortunately we seem to be ruled by cretins who are more interested in regulating people having a hand shandy rather than taxing and regulating a drug that is de facto legal on the streets anyway.
I am sure labour are going to, i can see them going for the “medical” usage fudge that places like California had for years.
Which is why the Tories should go full on legalise it, tax it, regulate it. No fudge. In a stroke, it would add a huge amount to the coffers (which could go direct to the NHS) while reaffirming the party's libertarian credentials which are sorely lacking.
Richard .
Those of us who experienced the 1960s as late teen or early 20s are mid 60s to mid 70s now. We have seen ours and all subsequent generations use cannabis. Are we terrified by it?
I doubt it.
Are we terrified off drug dealers and violence on our doorstep?
I expect so.
Just legalise it now.
3 decades ago I would have agreed, but since then I have seen too many lives ruined by cannabis.
If we are to make a success off Brexit as a highly skilled and motivated workforce then being stoned and apathetic is the last thing that we should do.
I wonder how many other voters did the same as me. Boris Johnson is one, I suspect: in his heart he genuinely wanted Leave, in his head he thought Remain would win anyway, and he would personally benefit.
I think he genuinely wanted Remain, so he could play the disgruntled leaver keeping the flame alive.
If the SNP had won Indyref, Nicola Sturgeon wouldn't even be a footnote.
Then he won, and now BoZo is completely screwed. Fortunately.
I have personally encountered Boris, and I think you are wrong, or half-wrong.
I think he wrote that notorious thinkpiece about Leave from the heart, because he is, at heart, a Leaver,
But yes, his head told him Remain would win, and he would benefit from his position as a Leaver that lost, so there was no disbenefit to plumping for Leave.
Sigh. And: hmm.
Nah, he's basically a remainer, but recognised that Leave played better both to his interests and character.
Unless you know him better than me (and fair enough if so) I will pull rank and say you are wrong.
On a sidenote, Jo Johnson walked past my door about an hour ago. He looked a bit nervous. Not sure why. He's in ultra-Remainery Camden.
He was walking past the only Leaver in NW1?
You're forgetting Jezza surely?
SeanT and Jezza have at least a couple of things in common.
EDIT: bugger, just realised Islington is N1 not NW1 - oh well, never mind.
If the advice actually helps them this time perhaps they would be best advised to just reveal it. Though surely extending A50 would be a matter for the ECJ, in which case our view could just be wrong again anyway.
A50 says it can be extended only by a unanimous vote of the EUCO.
EUCO has already made it clear they will only countenance an extension if there's a material change in the UK's political circumstances.
"We are too useless to make a decision" surely won't cut the euro-mustard.
But since it can be unilaterally revoked and reinstated by the UK, the EU would be foolish not to allow an extension.
That's subject to the ECJ's tests on whether invoking A50 again is abusive. Essentially we'd be substituting the veto of the Council with the veto of the ECJ.
The ECJ couldn't prevent an A50 invocation, whether it was the 2nd or nth (we'd just leave in a No Deal way if they tried it.)
They could, and probably would, disallow a 2nd A50 revocation though.
They have specifically said that it is the second invocation that would be abusive.
@GOsborneGenius (the artiste formerly known as tim) is a little gem, isn't he?
Meanwhile, what's this 'Theresa May is delaying the vote by almost a month' stuff? It's actually a few working days.
11th December to 11th Jan is a month in my book. Given the importance of this they should all be working days.
They can have 25th December, 26th December and 1st January off.
However the rest of the time there's no excuse for taking off at this point. They should be working until the issue is resolved.
It is not just MPs who have to be present when the House is in session. All the ancillary and administrative staff would also lose their time off - not to mention Police and security services.
Whilst it sounds easy to just increase the number of sitting days, it has a knock on effect.
If we are to make a success off Brexit as a highly skilled and motivated workforce then being stoned and apathetic is the last thing that we should do.
I mean it's only kids that do weed. Almost everyone grows out of it by the time they reach age 24.
If the advice actually helps them this time perhaps they would be best advised to just reveal it. Though surely extending A50 would be a matter for the ECJ, in which case our view could just be wrong again anyway.
A50 says it can be extended only by a unanimous vote of the EUCO.
EUCO has already made it clear they will only countenance an extension if there's a material change in the UK's political circumstances.
"We are too useless to make a decision" surely won't cut the euro-mustard.
But since it can be unilaterally revoked and reinstated by the UK, the EU would be foolish not to allow an extension.
That's subject to the ECJ's tests on whether invoking A50 again is abusive. Essentially we'd be substituting the veto of the Council with the veto of the ECJ.
The ECJ couldn't prevent an A50 invocation, whether it was the 2nd or nth (we'd just leave in a No Deal way if they tried it.)
They could, and probably would, disallow a 2nd A50 revocation though.
They have specifically said that it is the second invocation that would be abusive.
They said it *could* be abusive, not automatically would. It would certainly be subject to ECJ scrutiny.
The County Lines gangs with JIT supply chains and cheap Chinese synthetic opiods are taking the issue to small town UK, in a way very similar to the way the Mexican gangs reached small town Appalachia.
Synthetic opioids are indicated for acute pain and contraindicated for chronic pain. Yet 75% of the prescriptions in the US are for chronic pain.
The systematic corruption of the medical profession by the pharmaceutical industry is, of course, nothing new. But this time the bodycount has people taking notice.
Yes, I think that my own profession is more restrictive, so we do not have that as a contributor here.
In the US direct advertising to consumers has also played a part.
If we are to make a success off Brexit as a highly skilled and motivated workforce then being stoned and apathetic is the last thing that we should do.
Why would you think we would suddenly see that many more people smoking pot than already do? Barely anyone thinks twice about smoking it at the moment anyway, and for the young they are generation sensible after all.
I suspect the legalisation of marijuana will be the next big thing.
Something that should be supported by any sane person, the Americans and the Canadians have already done it.
I personally believe there will be an enormous dividend for the first major party to come out in favour of legalisation, if the Tories had any sense they would put it in the next manifesto. Unfortunately we seem to be ruled by cretins who are more interested in regulating people having a hand shandy rather than taxing and regulating a drug that is de facto legal on the streets anyway.
I am sure labour are going to, i can see them going for the “medical” usage fudge that places like California had for years.
Which is why the Tories should go full on legalise it, tax it, regulate it. No fudge. In a stroke, it would add a huge amount to the coffers (which could go direct to the NHS) while reaffirming the party's libertarian credentials which are sorely lacking.
Richard .
Those of us who experienced the 1960s as late teen or early 20s are mid 60s to mid 70s now. We have seen ours and all subsequent generations use cannabis. Are we terrified by it?
I doubt it.
Are we terrified off drug dealers and violence on our doorstep?
I expect so.
Just legalise it now.
3 decades ago I would have agreed, but since then I have seen too many lives ruined by cannabis.
If we are to make a success off Brexit as a highly skilled and motivated workforce then being stoned and apathetic is the last thing that we should do.
Except for the fact that people are doing it anyway.
I really doubt there is a single person in the country who goes "mmm, I could really use a spliff. But it's illegal. So I won't."
The police don't enforce it and it's easy to get on the street within a few minutes. All that legalisation would be doing would be putting tax revenue in the NHS coffers. Which could go towards mental health services. For me it's a clear win-win. It's a drug with negative effects, yes, but so is alcohol. Prohibition doesn't work.
If the advice actually helps them this time perhaps they would be best advised to just reveal it. Though surely extending A50 would be a matter for the ECJ, in which case our view could just be wrong again anyway.
A50 says it can be extended only by a unanimous vote of the EUCO.
EUCO has already made it clear they will only countenance an extension if there's a material change in the UK's political circumstances.
"We are too useless to make a decision" surely won't cut the euro-mustard.
But since it can be unilaterally revoked and reinstated by the UK, the EU would be foolish not to allow an extension.
That's subject to the ECJ's tests on whether invoking A50 again is abusive. Essentially we'd be substituting the veto of the Council with the veto of the ECJ.
The ECJ couldn't prevent an A50 invocation, whether it was the 2nd or nth (we'd just leave in a No Deal way if they tried it.)
They could, and probably would, disallow a 2nd A50 revocation though.
They have specifically said that it is the second invocation that would be abusive.
Are you sure? I thought that was in the Advocate-General's advice but didn't appear in the final ruling. I might be wrong, though.
@GOsborneGenius (the artiste formerly known as tim) is a little gem, isn't he?
Meanwhile, what's this 'Theresa May is delaying the vote by almost a month' stuff? It's actually a few working days.
11th December to 11th Jan is a month in my book. Given the importance of this they should all be working days.
They can have 25th December, 26th December and 1st January off.
However the rest of the time there's no excuse for taking off at this point. They should be working until the issue is resolved.
It is not just MPs who have to be present when the House is in session. All the ancillary and administrative staff would also lose their time off - not to mention Police and security services.
Whilst it sounds easy to just increase the number of sitting days, it has a knock on effect.
And for very little purpose
I am not unsympathetic to staff, and while the days may be frittered away it does mean fewer cans can be claimed as necessary for later debates, so I would think staff and security could reasonably be asked to take on the burden. Even discounting emergency work and other 24 hour professions, loads of people work between Christmas and New Year anyway, it is not that big a deal.
If the advice actually helps them this time perhaps they would be best advised to just reveal it. Though surely extending A50 would be a matter for the ECJ, in which case our view could just be wrong again anyway.
A50 says it can be extended only by a unanimous vote of the EUCO.
EUCO has already made it clear they will only countenance an extension if there's a material change in the UK's political circumstances.
"We are too useless to make a decision" surely won't cut the euro-mustard.
But since it can be unilaterally revoked and reinstated by the UK, the EU would be foolish not to allow an extension.
That's subject to the ECJ's tests on whether invoking A50 again is abusive. Essentially we'd be substituting the veto of the Council with the veto of the ECJ.
The ECJ couldn't prevent an A50 invocation, whether it was the 2nd or nth (we'd just leave in a No Deal way if they tried it.)
They could, and probably would, disallow a 2nd A50 revocation though.
They have specifically said that it is the second invocation that would be abusive.
Are you sure? I thought that was in the Advocate-General's advice but didn't appear in the final ruling. I might be wrong, though.
Apologies. You are right it was in the AG's advice. I have not looked in detail at the actual ruling and just assumed it followed the AG's line. I will take a look.
If we are to make a success off Brexit as a highly skilled and motivated workforce then being stoned and apathetic is the last thing that we should do.
I mean it's only kids that do weed. Almost everyone grows out of it by the time they reach age 24.
Sadly, not true, and even then there has been permanent damage to developing brains. Don't believe me? then read the Royal College of Psychiatrists on the subject.
If we are to make a success off Brexit as a highly skilled and motivated workforce then being stoned and apathetic is the last thing that we should do.
I mean it's only kids that do weed. Almost everyone grows out of it by the time they reach age 24.
Sadly, not true, and even then there has been permanent damage to developing brains. Don't believe me? then read the Royal College of Psychiatrists on the subject.
@GOsborneGenius (the artiste formerly known as tim) is a little gem, isn't he?
Meanwhile, what's this 'Theresa May is delaying the vote by almost a month' stuff? It's actually a few working days.
11th December to 11th Jan is a month in my book. Given the importance of this they should all be working days.
They can have 25th December, 26th December and 1st January off.
However the rest of the time there's no excuse for taking off at this point. They should be working until the issue is resolved.
It is not just MPs who have to be present when the House is in session. All the ancillary and administrative staff would also lose their time off - not to mention Police and security services.
Whilst it sounds easy to just increase the number of sitting days, it has a knock on effect.
And for very little purpose
I am not unsympathetic to staff, and while the days may be frittered away it does mean fewer cans can be claimed as necessary for later debates, so I would think staff and security could reasonably be asked to take on the burden. Even discounting emergency work and other 24 hour professions, loads of people work between Christmas and New Year anyway, it is not that big a deal.
But, on the whole, most people don't have their Christmas/New Year schedules altered at the last minute as this would be. Yes, those in the emergency services know that they could be called on at any time. But the catering staff, cleaners and other key workers that help Westminster function don't have similar expectations.
I see no benefit in allowing MPs a chance to continue to bloviate at this stage. A pause for reflection is no bad thing.
They have specifically said that it is the second invocation that would be abusive.
Are you sure? I thought that was in the Advocate-General's advice but didn't appear in the final ruling. I might be wrong, though.
You're right:
That article largely adopts the wording of a withdrawal clause first set out in the draft Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe. Although, during the drafting of that clause, amendments had been proposed to allow the expulsion of a Member State, to avoid the risk of abuse during the withdrawal procedure or to make the withdrawal decision more difficult, those amendments were all rejected on the ground, expressly set out in the comments on the draft, that the voluntary and unilateral nature of the withdrawal decision should be ensured.
I have a feeling that not long after Brexit is finally resolved one way or another the Commission will eagerly start agitating for Article 50's amendment or removal.
If we are to make a success off Brexit as a highly skilled and motivated workforce then being stoned and apathetic is the last thing that we should do.
I mean it's only kids that do weed. Almost everyone grows out of it by the time they reach age 24.
Sadly, not true, and even then there has been permanent damage to developing brains. Don't believe me? then read the Royal College of Psychiatrists on the subject.
As I understand it, prohibition has caused levels of pro-psychotic THC to rise astronomically, doing the most damage. Cannabidiol, the other key element, and in much higher proportions in 1960s weed, seems to have anti-psychotic effects, as testified by its increasing use in other treatments.
@GOsborneGenius (the artiste formerly known as tim) is a little gem, isn't he?
Meanwhile, what's this 'Theresa May is delaying the vote by almost a month' stuff? It's actually a few working days.
11th December to 11th Jan is a month in my book. Given the importance of this they should all be working days.
And what exactly should they be doing during this time? Talking to our EU friends, for example?
They've all wasted a great deal of time on unicorn fantasies, I won't deny a certain pettiness suggests perhaps they should be made to come in to work and face each other and continue to prevaricate and misdirect to each other's faces since they love doing it so much.
If we are to make a success off Brexit as a highly skilled and motivated workforce then being stoned and apathetic is the last thing that we should do.
I mean it's only kids that do weed. Almost everyone grows out of it by the time they reach age 24.
Sadly, not true, and even then there has been permanent damage to developing brains. Don't believe me? then read the Royal College of Psychiatrists on the subject.
There is an argument that decriminalisation or legalisation reduces the rate of usage, so is the lesser evil. Arguing that it is not a harmful drug is going against the evidence though.
@GOsborneGenius (the artiste formerly known as tim) is a little gem, isn't he?
Meanwhile, what's this 'Theresa May is delaying the vote by almost a month' stuff? It's actually a few working days.
11th December to 11th Jan is a month in my book. Given the importance of this they should all be working days.
They can have 25th December, 26th December and 1st January off.
However the rest of the time there's no excuse for taking off at this point. They should be working until the issue is resolved.
It is not just MPs who have to be present when the House is in session. All the ancillary and administrative staff would also lose their time off - not to mention Police and security services.
Whilst it sounds easy to just increase the number of sitting days, it has a knock on effect.
And for very little purpose
I am not unsympathetic to staff, and while the days may be frittered away it does mean fewer cans can be claimed as necessary for later debates, so I would think staff and security could reasonably be asked to take on the burden. Even discounting emergency work and other 24 hour professions, loads of people work between Christmas and New Year anyway, it is not that big a deal.
But, on the whole, most people don't have their Christmas/New Year schedules altered at the last minute as this would be. Yes, those in the emergency services know that they could be called on at any time. But the catering staff, cleaners and other key workers that help Westminster function don't have similar expectations.
I see no benefit in allowing MPs a chance to continue to bloviate at this stage. A pause for reflection is no bad thing.
I don't seriously see the benefit either, but neither would I think it unreasonable if it happened, sometimes even ancillary work makes unexpected demands.
On legalising marijuana, surely the only sane policy now is to wait a few years to see what the results of the mass field trial being run in Canada are?
On legalising marijuana, surely the only sane policy now is to wait a few years to see what the results of the mass field trial being run in Canada are?
There's certainly no need to rush. Committing to do it and then implementing it could cover a long period of time.
On legalising marijuana, surely the only sane policy now is to wait a few years to see what the results of the mass field trial being run in Canada are?
Aside from the removal of the criminal element and increased tax revenues it will end up much the same as the mass field trial they were previously running.
On legalising marijuana, surely the only sane policy now is to wait a few years to see what the results of the mass field trial being run in Canada are?
We've certainly not seen any precipitous collapse in civilization in anywhere that has legalized cannabis.
Perhaps the greatest decriminalization success story is Portugal:
Comments
Richard Tyndall's point about it taking twenty or so years for the government of the day to catch up with what people really think made me think of marijuana legalisation. For me it's a no-brainer. Even those of us who don't smoke it think it's bloody ridiculous there's a multi-billion dollar industry that is more or less ignored by the police, accepted by everyone else, and utterly forgotten when it comes to the huge tax revenues it could bring in.
EUCO has already made it clear they will only countenance an extension if there's a material change in the UK's political circumstances.
"We are too useless to make a decision" surely won't cut the euro-mustard.
10:04pm Jeremy Corbyn accidentally becomes the duchess of Cambridge by mistake
11:06pm Northern Ireland accidentally jettisoned into the Arctic Sea by mistake
12:04am NOTHING HAS CHANGED
We are not yet at the point of takeoff, but I think we do have some of the ingredients of a US style opiod crisis. Dealers have adapted to the gig economy.
Collectively we need to get used to not continuously seeing our standa of living rise. Was life so bad in (for example) the 1990s? No.
So why do we feel the need to see our standard of living forever increase? And what does it matter if the rest of the world gradually attains a similar SoL to the west?
Everyone has said all along that if A50 is delayed past the elections we'd need to take part in them. Which could see a resurgence in either UKIP or some other ugly party.
They could, and probably would, disallow a 2nd A50 revocation though.
Meanwhile, what's this 'Theresa May is delaying the vote by almost a month' stuff? It's actually a few working days.
"Judah might not trust statistics but he weaves them into his narrative, and at the end – in case we don’t trust them – he gives the sources, mostly from government surveys. In 40 years the percentage of white British in London has fallen from 86% to 45%; 600,000 of those in London are there illegally; the number of Africans would fill a city the size of Sheffield; 57% of births are to migrant mothers."
I am fairly certain that the driving force behind Brexit has been the pace of change. How can you have a society when so few share a common culture?
He was walking past the only Leaver in NW1?
If there's an extension we'll know that before end of March so prepare for elections.
If there's no extension it is moot.
Duh.
I doubt it.
Are we terrified off drug dealers and violence on our doorstep?
I expect so.
Just legalise it now.
However the rest of the time there's no excuse for taking off at this point. They should be working until the issue is resolved.
No good deed ever goes unpunished.
The County Lines gangs with JIT supply chains and cheap Chinese synthetic opiods are taking the issue to small town UK, in a way very similar to the way the Mexican gangs reached small town Appalachia.
The systematic corruption of the medical profession by the pharmaceutical industry is, of course, nothing new. But this time the bodycount has people taking notice.
If we are to make a success off Brexit as a highly skilled and motivated workforce then being stoned and apathetic is the last thing that we should do.
SeanT and Jezza have at least a couple of things in common.
EDIT: bugger, just realised Islington is N1 not NW1 - oh well, never mind.
Whilst it sounds easy to just increase the number of sitting days, it has a knock on effect.
And for very little purpose
In the US direct advertising to consumers has also played a part.
I really doubt there is a single person in the country who goes "mmm, I could really use a spliff. But it's illegal. So I won't."
The police don't enforce it and it's easy to get on the street within a few minutes. All that legalisation would be doing would be putting tax revenue in the NHS coffers. Which could go towards mental health services. For me it's a clear win-win. It's a drug with negative effects, yes, but so is alcohol. Prohibition doesn't work.
Survival of the frittest.
https://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/mental-health/parents-and-young-people/young-people/cannabis-and-mental-health-information-for-young-people
* May’s deal.
We are fucked alert...
I see no benefit in allowing MPs a chance to continue to bloviate at this stage. A pause for reflection is no bad thing.
You're right:
That article largely adopts the wording of a withdrawal clause first set out in the draft Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe. Although, during the drafting of that clause, amendments had been proposed to allow the expulsion of a Member State, to avoid the risk of abuse during the withdrawal procedure or to make the withdrawal decision more difficult, those amendments were all rejected on the ground, expressly set out in the comments on the draft, that the voluntary and unilateral nature of the withdrawal decision should be ensured.
I have a feeling that not long after Brexit is finally resolved one way or another the Commission will eagerly start agitating for Article 50's amendment or removal.
Perhaps the greatest decriminalization success story is Portugal:
https://www.theguardian.com/news/2017/dec/05/portugals-radical-drugs-policy-is-working-why-hasnt-the-world-copied-it
However, you can save a lot on health/crime consequences.