Much of the character of towns could be restored by making shopping there a distinctive experience with local small businesses offering interesting products people want to browse and buy
Regarding the third point, I have a theory that it is a lot, lot harder than we acknowledge to change the purpose of a town, filling old factories full of trendy Web design agencies etc. I know it has happened, but even in places like Glasgow it hasn't been the full picture.
The easiest way to revive a town must be to restore its original purpose. Where there were tourists, attract tourists. Where there was fishing, fish. Obviously it isn't quite as simple as that, but this is one reason why I floated opening the coal mines a while back, and why I favour repatriating fishing post Brexit.
‘Restoring its original purpose‘ is in many cases even less realistic.
In Havering there seems to be an abundance of "Turkish" shops opening up. I wonder if this is due to the "Hellbanianz" running London's drug trade out of Barking
Regarding the third point, I have a theory that it is a lot, lot harder than we acknowledge to change the purpose of a town, filling old factories full of trendy Web design agencies etc. I know it has happened, but even in places like Glasgow it hasn't been the full picture.
The easiest way to revive a town must be to restore its original purpose. Where there were tourists, attract tourists. Where there was fishing, fish. Obviously it isn't quite as simple as that, but this is one reason why I floated opening the coal mines a while back, and why I favour repatriating fishing post Brexit.
Some failed towns should be bulldozed and the land rewilded. It’s an act of cruelty to keep people in a place with no prospects.
I can't disagree with the principle but in practise where would one house those communities?
Far larger numbers were rehomed after the war. The third dimension in successful cities should be deployed much more.
There is also the transport dimension - with better links, a number of towns around a Leeds or Manchester would be far more attractive compared to the city suburbs. Amd more attractive to businesses seeking cheaper rents.
Regarding the third point, I have a theory that it is a lot, lot harder than we acknowledge to change the purpose of a town, filling old factories full of trendy Web design agencies etc. I know it has happened, but even in places like Glasgow it hasn't been the full picture.
The easiest way to revive a town must be to restore its original purpose. Where there were tourists, attract tourists. Where there was fishing, fish. Obviously it isn't quite as simple as that, but this is one reason why I floated opening the coal mines a while back, and why I favour repatriating fishing post Brexit.
Some failed towns should be bulldozed and the land rewilded. It’s an act of cruelty to keep people in a place with no prospects.
I can't disagree with the principle but in practise where would one house those communities?
Far larger numbers were rehomed after the war. The third dimension in successful cities should be deployed much more.
Building more tower blocks in London will not solve the problem of failing towns up north, in the west country or by the seaside. Refurbishing existing but empty neighbourhoods could play a part in regenerating these places, if only by stimulating spending in these communities. They'd even need more lawyers!
This is a matter of economics. If a town has successful businesses bringing good wages into the town the city centre will thrive, have good restaurants, nightclubs, boutique shops etc. If it doesn’t the town won’t. Focussing on retail instead of demand is missing the point.
How do these towns attract and nurture such businesses? A specialism at the local university or college can help. Working on import substitution for existing businesses can help. A council which incentivises the right sort of businesses to come can help too. But it’s not easy and I agree with Alastair that it is a major part of economic under performance.
Much of the character of towns could be restored by making shopping there a distinctive experience with local small businesses offering interesting products people want to browse and buy.
Yes indeed. That is what we want. But the difficulty arises when a profit has to be made. Take that aspect away and you're off to the races.
For example, Primrose Hill, near me. Delightful little place full of independent shops that all look chic and classy. Great to just stroll and browse around. No need to buy. Indeed nobody ever does, but it doesn't matter because most of the shops are owned and run as "hobby businesses" by independently wealthy individuals who live in the locale. Break even is fine. More than fine - it's a success.
So, the challenge for retail in the towns, how to remove the need to make a profit when there is a lack of private "hobby capital" available? Can alternative funding be found? Is it desirable - or at least acceptable - for, say, local government in the North to act as HNW individuals in London NW3 do and support break even local enterprise for the good of the overall look & feel of the area?
Much of the character of towns could be restored by making shopping there a distinctive experience with local small businesses offering interesting products people want to browse and buy.
Yes indeed. That is what we want. But the difficulty arises when a profit has to be made. Take that aspect away and you're off to the races.
For example, Primrose Hill, near me. Delightful little place full of independent shops that all look chic and classy. Great to just stroll and browse around. No need to buy. Indeed nobody ever does, but it doesn't matter because most of the shops are owned and run as "hobby businesses" by independently wealthy individuals who live in the locale. Break even is fine. Indeed more than fine - it's a success.
So, the challenge for retail in the towns, how to remove the need to make a profit when there is a lack of private "hobby capital" available? Can alternative funding be found? Is it desirable - or at least acceptable - for, say, local government in the North to act as HNW individuals in London NW3 do and support break even local enterprise for the good of the overall look & feel of the area?
In part yes but if the products are interesting and novel enough and well made people will be willing to pay for and buy them
Much of the character of towns could be restored by making shopping there a distinctive experience with local small businesses offering interesting products people want to browse and buy.
Yes indeed. That is what we want. But the difficulty arises when a profit has to be made. Take that aspect away and you're off to the races.
For example, Primrose Hill, near me. Delightful little place full of independent shops that all look chic and classy. Great to just stroll and browse around. No need to buy. Indeed nobody ever does, but it doesn't matter because most of the shops are owned and run as "hobby businesses" by independently wealthy individuals who live in the locale. Break even is fine. Indeed more than fine - it's a success.
So, the challenge for retail in the towns, how to remove the need to make a profit when there is a lack of private "hobby capital" available? Can alternative funding be found? Is it desirable - or at least acceptable - for, say, local government in the North to act as HNW individuals in London NW3 do and support break even local enterprise for the good of the overall look & feel of the area?
This is one reason I am sceptical of combining local authorities. Councils should see it as their duty to buy their paperclips and red tape from local stationers, retain local offices and depots so their workers frequent local cafes, and so on.
Much of the character of towns could be restored by making shopping there a distinctive experience with local small businesses offering interesting products people want to browse and buy.
Yes indeed. That is what we want. But the difficulty arises when a profit has to be made. Take that aspect away and you're off to the races.
For example, Primrose Hill, near me. Delightful little place full of independent shops that all look chic and classy. Great to just stroll and browse around. No need to buy. Indeed nobody ever does, but it doesn't matter because most of the shops are owned and run as "hobby businesses" by independently wealthy individuals who live in the locale. Break even is fine. Indeed more than fine - it's a success.
So, the challenge for retail in the towns, how to remove the need to make a profit when there is a lack of private "hobby capital" available? Can alternative funding be found? Is it desirable - or at least acceptable - for, say, local government in the North to act as HNW individuals in London NW3 do and support break even local enterprise for the good of the overall look & feel of the area?
In part yes but if the products are interesting and novel enough and well made people will be willing to pay for and buy them
In Havering there seems to be an abundance of "Turkish" shops opening up. I wonder if this is due to the "Hellbanianz" running London's drug trade out of Barking
Indeed, there now seems to be a plethora of Turkish barbers round here, and a new-ish and excellent Turkish restaurant in the next town.
My observations... Many cities / large towns have managed to entirely reinvent themselves over the last three decades. Areas like Newcastle, Manchester, Sheffield and Liverpool are utterly changed from the stereotype of places on their knees and struggling. They really have been transformed. The same cant be said for the next tier down. Stagnant populations with ageing demographics are struggling the most.
Some areas like mine, are holding their own, but only in an absolute sense, you can see around they are going backwards relative to their larger siblings less than a hundred miles away.
To be fair, there has always been evolution in these matters. Not far from here is a small village....... I don't think anyone would argue that...... which was extremely important 1200 or so years ago, so important that King Edmund the Martyr was crowned there.
My home town has been re-inventing itself for over 1,000 years - from market town, to manufacturing centre (some of which it still retains), County Town to source of mineral water and now dormitory town to a much larger city 14 dual carriageway miles away - I'm sure 'luck' and 'geography' have played their part - but the High street is dead, but then what did the council expect building two edge of town supermarkets with free parking?
@Alistair Meeks. That's a very interesting article.
Which cities do you see as underperforming? Glasgow, Birmingham, Liverpool, Bradford, come to mind, but which others?
I’ll do a part two about the cities, but basically all of them other than London and Edinburgh.
And I am not so sure about Edinburgh. It has coped better with the loss of thousands of well paid financial services than I would have expected but a lot of growth has bled away to Livingston as has the new housing etc. The private schools seem to be doing well although 1 closed a couple of years ago and there has been some consolidation. Edinburgh University has done really well and brought a lot of money into the city. Universities are the equivalent of monasteries in the Middle Ages. They are key and nowhere on the planet is as well placed as London.
In part yes but if the products are interesting and novel enough and well made people will be willing to pay for and buy them.
Yes, and in some cases that could lead to profits being made, perhaps quite large profits in extreme cases. Which is great. But my point is that it's quite restrictive if a profit HAS to be made in order for a business to keep operating. It's generally accepted (I think rightly) that a town benefits greatly from a vibrant, diverse selection of physical customer facing enterprises - shops, cafes etc - so why not fund (publicly) on a break even basis? With suitable systems and controls bla bla - the detail will be important obviously - but for now just the principle. It's worth considering surely?
Much of the character of towns could be restored by making shopping there a distinctive experience with local small businesses offering interesting products people want to browse and buy.
Yes indeed. That is what we want. But the difficulty arises when a profit has to be made. Take that aspect away and you're off to the races.
For example, Primrose Hill, near me. Delightful little place full of independent shops that all look chic and classy. Great to just stroll and browse around. No need to buy. Indeed nobody ever does, but it doesn't matter because most of the shops are owned and run as "hobby businesses" by independently wealthy individuals who live in the locale. Break even is fine. Indeed more than fine - it's a success.
So, the challenge for retail in the towns, how to remove the need to make a profit when there is a lack of private "hobby capital" available? Can alternative funding be found? Is it desirable - or at least acceptable - for, say, local government in the North to act as HNW individuals in London NW3 do and support break even local enterprise for the good of the overall look & feel of the area?
In part yes but if the products are interesting and novel enough and well made people will be willing to pay for and buy them
Only if they have the money to spend.
You don't need to live in Hampstead to produce a good independent shop with things people want to buy, you could do so even in Barnsley if you have some novelty items reasonably priced and use local produce effectively
My observations... Many cities / large towns have managed to entirely reinvent themselves over the last three decades. Areas like Newcastle, Manchester, Sheffield and Liverpool are utterly changed from the stereotype of places on their knees and struggling. They really have been transformed. The same cant be said for the next tier down. Stagnant populations with ageing demographics are struggling the most.
Some areas like mine, are holding their own, but only in an absolute sense, you can see around they are going backwards relative to their larger siblings less than a hundred miles away.
To be fair, there has always been evolution in these matters. Not far from here is a small village....... I don't think anyone would argue that...... which was extremely important 1200 or so years ago, so important that King Edmund the Martyr was crowned there.
My home town has been re-inventing itself for over 1,000 years - from market town, to manufacturing centre (some of which it still retains), County Town to source of mineral water and now dormitory town to a much larger city 14 dual carriageway miles away - I'm sure 'luck' and 'geography' have played their part - but the High street is dead, but then what did the council expect building two edge of town supermarkets with free parking?
To be fair, 'council' are composed of locals. And some of the councillors are local shopkeepers and/or town centre traders.
It would be interesting to see how the average age of a town affects how it looks and feels, and the general levels of satisfaction within it.
There is a generational aspect. The move online is being led by the young. The shops that are being lost are valued by the old. So the loss is being felt by a group who do not see the compensating gains.
"The move online is being led by the young"
It really isn't. The well-off older generation are as savvy about online retail as any.
There’s a key word in your sentence that you are evidently so privileged as to be blind to.
You think the young in poverty are leading the charge to online shopping?
You have identified one subset of the elderly to dispute my point that the movement online is being led by the young. I’m amazed that you find it the least bit controversial to say that old people are late adopters compared with younger people. You must move exclusively in affluent circles.
The problems with all the statistics I have seen on the age vs online shopping usage is that they leave out the amount spent and the profit margin on the items bought. So a 14 year old buying 1.99 of beads to make necklaces on eBay is considered the same as the 72 year old who orders her weeks shopping online.
Consider Apple - iOS has 10% of market share. But Apple gets most of the *profit* in the mobile device space.
I would also challenge the idea that it is the affluent who shop online - much of the appeal of online is the lower cost combined with the access to a wider range of products. Interestingly it seems to be hard to find good stats on this.
Before making any plans I would think that getting a bunch of data scientists to chop the data (and demand more to fill gaps) would be a good idea.
My observations... Many cities / large towns have managed to entirely reinvent themselves over the last three decades. Areas like Newcastle, Manchester, Sheffield and Liverpool are utterly changed from the stereotype of places on their knees and struggling. They really have been transformed. The same cant be said for the next tier down. Stagnant populations with ageing demographics are struggling the most.
Some areas like mine, are holding their own, but only in an absolute sense, you can see around they are going backwards relative to their larger siblings less than a hundred miles away.
To be fair, there has always been evolution in these matters. Not far from here is a small village....... I don't think anyone would argue that...... which was extremely important 1200 or so years ago, so important that King Edmund the Martyr was crowned there.
A small village I lived in as a child for three years!
Nice place to live. Railway station too.
I’ve returned to the area - I now live one station closer to Marks Tey.
Close to the viaduct, eh. Fancy a drink sometime? I'm about half an hour away.
Mr. Sandpit, parking's a big issue in Leeds. Most people I know, with cars, prefer to take the bus/train to get there because parking's such a pain in the arse.
On top of that, there were mutterings a few months ago about 'going green' by increasing charges on vehicles that aren't clean enough. Which includes most taxis and buses, which will, in turn, increase costs on consumers.
Exactly - so the changes being proposed by most councils are in completely the wrong direction, and make people more likely to stay at home and shop online than come to the city centre.
Does central Leeds still have the world's biggest one way system, with 25 exits and almost no signage?
In part yes but if the products are interesting and novel enough and well made people will be willing to pay for and buy them.
Yes, and in some cases that could lead to profits being made, perhaps quite large profits in extreme cases. Which is great. But my point is that it's quite restrictive if a profit HAS to be made in order for a business to keep operating. It's generally accepted (I think rightly) that a town benefits greatly from a vibrant, diverse selection of physical customer facing enterprises - shops, cafes etc - so why not fund (publicly) on a break even basis? With suitable systems and controls bla bla - the detail will be important obviously - but for now just the principle. It's worth considering surely?
In part yes but there is a limit to it as ultimately that public funding will come from council tax payers and business rates
What a curious attitude. Over the top celebrations would no doubt be unwise, but this was a matter of binary victory or defeat, one side was always going to have its noses rubbed in it.
Matthew Goodwin @GoodwinMJ Centre-left at latest election
UK Labour Lowest seats since 1935
Austria Lowest since 1945
Germany 2nd lowest since 1949
France Lowest ever
Italy Lowest ever
Netherlands Lowest ever
Sweden Lowest since 1908
Finland 2nd lowest since 1962
Maybe it's not just about Brexit?
Though in France Macron and En Marche are in power, albeit more liberal centrist than left and the left are also in power in Spain and Denmark and Sweden as the largest party
The more the Tories organize celebrations the more they cement this as Tory-owned. It's theirs now, totally.
When it turns into a disaster they will have nowhere to hide.
I've never quite understood this sort of comment. Those saying it usually make clear that even before there was a deal, before we had any idea what it looked like, and whether there are celebrations or not, that the Tories were going to own this completely and have nowhere to hide.
And that is largely true, as despite a large chunk of Labour voters and even some LD and SNP voters backing Brexit, the Tories have been in government and charting the course we take on all this. So I don't really get why celebrations of any kind cement the idea Brexit is Tory owned. I don't see that it makes any difference at all.
This is terrific. Pb is very lucky to have such brilliant header writers. There is a huge variety of types of towns. E.g. the dormitory towns built up when easy transport to a metropolis was available. I once flew from Frankfurt to Moscow and was amazed at the regular spacing of towns below the flight path, like something from an economic geography textbook. Ancient patterns obviously conform to the physical geography of the area, but though these features remain constant the forces behind growth and decay have changed radically and the digital age is accelerating these changes.
Serious question, when does Len lose his grip on power? There are good reasons unions have such influence with Labour, but a single man who is wrong so often is surely problematic?
This is one reason I am sceptical of combining local authorities. Councils should see it as their duty to buy their paperclips and red tape from local stationers, retain local offices and depots so their workers frequent local cafes, and so on.
Yes, that's an example of what I'm getting it. Local government supporting local businesses. Buy local even if it costs more. Not become like France, preserving things in aspic, I don't mean that, I just mean removing the brutal "open market" profit imperative in places that need a boost and need the benign influence of a diverse and vibrant retail environment. In Primrose Hill, the money - the 'subsidy' if we must - for break even local businesses comes from rich bankers and the mechanism is their wives. OK, so in Wigan there aren't any rich bankers, or precious few, therefore let's look at the money coming from government and the mechanism being not wives of bankers but local people who wish to create something.
Just back after a nice break from all things political and nothing has really changed. What brought me back was seeing (mostly newly elected) MEPs whining on social media about falling straight back off their cushy gravy train. It could bring a tear of laughter to a glass eye.
What a curious attitude. Over the top celebrations would no doubt be unwise, but this was a matter of binary victory or defeat, one side was always going to have its noses rubbed in it.
It's not like we're proposing to strap him to the mechanism and use him to sound the Great Bell eleven times, is it?
I think 'towns' 'in the north' is an overly reductive and even a slightly wrong approach to where Labour lost / Tories won this time and can win / lose next time..
Many of the working class seats Labour lost are only semi-urban and, if you look carefully, have substantial rural and village character (albeit not always posh villages). Pit villages in many places sit in farmland, and are not especially urban. Labour lost over 20% of its seats, but rather more of its land area. 'Valley' in a constituency name is normally a clue. I was in Barnsley East yesterday, not a loss iirc, but very typical of numerous rural / small industrial / not particularly commutery seats that changed hands.
Some,o but not that many, pure urban seats were lost.
The second point I'd make is the narrative provides lots of opportunity to scapegoat the north as was the case with Brexit. There's little difference between how Brexity the NW/NE/Yorks regions were compared with East/SE/SW, but somehow Northern Brexit votes count double in the blamestorming.
I can see likewise for Boris, despite those Southern regions remaining much more Tory voting than the North. In a high employment, post industrial settlement, generations after Thatcher, it is increasingly less clear to me why Bolsover should vote that differently to Billericay, why Harlow should vote that differently to Halifax.
That is a massive threat to Labour, but also presents an opportunity - if Labour gets towns offer right and Boris/Brexit gets it wrong, there's no reason to suppose Labour can't combine modest gains in the north with something more akin to a 1997 event in the south.
Good article and discussion - with national politics being a bit tumbleweed at the moment, it's a good time to look at underlying issues.
A few thoughts (partly as the borough council Exec member responsible for parking):
* Making towns interesting is the key. If it's merely somewhere to provide routine shopping, then retail parks will win. A few specialist shops, ideally on a common theme, will bring people in from other areas. Brighton has reinvented itself from a decaying seaside resort to an arty, edgy place for greenish people - not everyone's cup of tea, but a definite new identity. I don't think you have to go back to your former identity to thrive, and some really can't - the fishing and coal industries aren't going to suddenly boom.
* The point about surplus of shops vs shortage of housing is good, but can't be taken too far - if you aren't careful, you end up with a dormitory of people always commuting somewhere else.
* Free parking is fine for short stops ("I'll pop into Boots to get...") but counter-productive if extended too long, as commuters start to block the space. There's also an issue of what shops want (a stream of people coming and going) vs preventing too much pollution. Farnham, in my patch, has a pretty good shopping area, which draws in loads of traffic and a serious air quality problem.
* Ideally you want park and ride or park and stride, but"ride" costs money and as for "stride", most people really don't like walking with heavy shopping, or indeed at all. Farnham has some car parks in easy walking distance from the centre - they are badly under-used, and there is even a request from a local fitness centre to get them cheap parking in the nearest multi-story, as their supposedly fitness-aspiring clients can't be bothered to walk from the one a bit further away.
Kind of on topic, if people are to celebrate, shouldn't it be done locally in small pubs rather than a congregation in a big city?
A great point. And it would be far more appropriate given that Brexit is a provincial thing and the centre of resistance to it was London.
For Leavers to celebrate Brexit Day in the capital is like scoring for Man U at Anfield and running the length of the pitch to celebrate in front of the Kop.
Really tacky - and possibly slightly dangerous too.
The more the Tories organize celebrations the more they cement this as Tory-owned. It's theirs now, totally.
When it turns into a disaster they will have nowhere to hide.
I've never quite understood this sort of comment. Those saying it usually make clear that even before there was a deal, before we had any idea what it looked like, and whether there are celebrations or not, that the Tories were going to own this completely and have nowhere to hide.
And that is largely true, as despite a large chunk of Labour voters and even some LD and SNP voters backing Brexit, the Tories have been in government and charting the course we take on all this. So I don't really get why celebrations of any kind cement the idea Brexit is Tory owned. I don't see that it makes any difference at all.
Normally written by people who lost a vote, pretend they accept the result and wish the country the best, but sneak in a kind of free option troll at the party they blindly oppose so they can say I told you so all along
Matthew Goodwin @GoodwinMJ Centre-left at latest election
UK Labour Lowest seats since 1935
Austria Lowest since 1945
Germany 2nd lowest since 1949
France Lowest ever
Italy Lowest ever
Netherlands Lowest ever
Sweden Lowest since 1908
Finland 2nd lowest since 1962
Maybe it's not just about Brexit?
Though in France Macron and En Marche are in power, albeit more liberal centrist than left and the left are also in power in Spain and Denmark and Sweden as the largest party
True - but the French left is all but gone and in Spain despite a left-wing Socialisr government both of the key members lost seats at the last election and are in power at the behest of the nationalists.
Good article and discussion - with national politics being a bit tumbleweed at the moment, it's a good time to look at underlying issues.
A few thoughts (partly as the borough council Exec member responsible for parking):
* Making towns interesting is the key. If it's merely somewhere to provide routine shopping, then retail parks will win. A few specialist shops, ideally on a common theme, will bring people in from other areas. Brighton has reinvented itself from a decaying seaside resort to an arty, edgy place for greenish people - not everyone's cup of tea, but a definite new identity. I don't think you have to go back to your former identity to thrive, and some really can't - the fishing and coal industries aren't going to suddenly boom.
* The point about surplus of shops vs shortage of housing is good, but can't be taken too far - if you aren't careful, you end up with a dormitory of people always commuting somewhere else.
* Free parking is fine for short stops ("I'll pop into Boots to get...") but counter-productive if extended too long, as commuters start to block the space. There's also an issue of what shops want (a stream of people coming and going) vs preventing too much pollution. Farnham, in my patch, has a pretty good shopping area, which draws in loads of traffic and a serious air quality problem.
* Ideally you want park and ride or park and stride, but"ride" costs money and as for "stride", most people really don't like walking with heavy shopping, or indeed at all. Farnham has some car parks in easy walking distance from the centre - they are badly under-used, and there is even a request from a local fitness centre to get them cheap parking in the nearest multi-story, as their supposedly fitness-aspiring clients can't be bothered to walk from the one a bit further away.
People walking back to distant cars with heavy shopping is one reason why the more elderly have taken to internet shopping with such gusto....
Much of the character of towns could be restored by making shopping there a distinctive experience with local small businesses offering interesting products people want to browse and buy.
Yes indeed. That is what we want. But the difficulty arises when a profit has to be made. Take that aspect away and you're off to the races.
For example, Primrose Hill, near me. Delightful little place full of independent shops that all look chic and classy. Great to just stroll and browse around. No need to buy. Indeed nobody ever does, but it doesn't matter because most of the shops are owned and run as "hobby businesses" by independently wealthy individuals who live in the locale. Break even is fine. Indeed more than fine - it's a success.
So, the challenge for retail in the towns, how to remove the need to make a profit when there is a lack of private "hobby capital" available? Can alternative funding be found? Is it desirable - or at least acceptable - for, say, local government in the North to act as HNW individuals in London NW3 do and support break even local enterprise for the good of the overall look & feel of the area?
This is one reason I am sceptical of combining local authorities. Councils should see it as their duty to buy their paperclips and red tape from local stationers, retain local offices and depots so their workers frequent local cafes, and so on.
Yes, grim reading. Leicester loses £10 million while Leics gains £15 million. It is quite a strong redistribution from poor areas to the wealthier, so surely harsher austerity.
Still, those Turkey towns voted to be oven ready, I suppose.
In part yes but there is a limit to it as ultimately that public funding will come from council tax payers and business rates
OK, great, that's all I was looking for. The principle to be green-lighted. Public funding for break-even enterprise in struggling towns. On the table.
Detail tbc - budgets, accountability, audit, tax implications etc etc.
Kind of on topic, if people are to celebrate, shouldn't it be done locally in small pubs rather than a congregation in a big city?
A great point. And it would be far more appropriate given that Brexit is a provincial thing and the centre of resistance to it was London.
For Leavers to celebrate Brexit Day in the capital is like scoring for Man U at Anfield and running the length of the pitch to celebrate in front of the Kop.
Really tacky - and possibly slightly dangerous too.
We are having a Brexit Party in Epping for local Tories on Friday night but we are paying for it ourselves
I just don't understand it at all. The plea that those who don't love it not comment on it is just sad. The fact it's like a montage video of a TV drama romantic pairing is just bizarre (or its like an in memoriam video, which is even weirder). The fact they are so moved by it when you could find images of Boris smiling with people and do the exact same thing.
I'm sorry, but it is seriously creepy stuff. I swear I try, not always successfully, to appreciate that people can passionately believe in a particular leader, and that good can come from that, but that is just creepy.
Good article and discussion - with national politics being a bit tumbleweed at the moment, it's a good time to look at underlying issues.
A few thoughts (partly as the borough council Exec member responsible for parking):
* Making towns interesting is the key. If it's merely somewhere to provide routine shopping, then retail parks will win. A few specialist shops, ideally on a common theme, will bring people in from other areas. Brighton has reinvented itself from a decaying seaside resort to an arty, edgy place for greenish people - not everyone's cup of tea, but a definite new identity. I don't think you have to go back to your former identity to thrive, and some really can't - the fishing and coal industries aren't going to suddenly boom.
* The point about surplus of shops vs shortage of housing is good, but can't be taken too far - if you aren't careful, you end up with a dormitory of people always commuting somewhere else.
* Free parking is fine for short stops ("I'll pop into Boots to get...") but counter-productive if extended too long, as commuters start to block the space. There's also an issue of what shops want (a stream of people coming and going) vs preventing too much pollution. Farnham, in my patch, has a pretty good shopping area, which draws in loads of traffic and a serious air quality problem.
* Ideally you want park and ride or park and stride, but"ride" costs money and as for "stride", most people really don't like walking with heavy shopping, or indeed at all. Farnham has some car parks in easy walking distance from the centre - they are badly under-used, and there is even a request from a local fitness centre to get them cheap parking in the nearest multi-story, as their supposedly fitness-aspiring clients can't be bothered to walk from the one a bit further away.
Excellent points Nick and I agree with all of them, specialist shops, free parking short enough to attract shoppers but not long enough to be taken by commuters and car parks close to the shops is key
Matthew Goodwin @GoodwinMJ Centre-left at latest election
UK Labour Lowest seats since 1935
Austria Lowest since 1945
Germany 2nd lowest since 1949
France Lowest ever
Italy Lowest ever
Netherlands Lowest ever
Sweden Lowest since 1908
Finland 2nd lowest since 1962
Maybe it's not just about Brexit?
Though in France Macron and En Marche are in power, albeit more liberal centrist than left and the left are also in power in Spain and Denmark and Sweden as the largest party
True - but the French left is all but gone and in Spain despite a left-wing Socialisr government both of the key members lost seats at the last election and are in power at the behest of the nationalists.
Though remember even Macron was in Hollande's Government.
47% of Hollande voters in 2012 voted for Macron in the first round in 2017 to just 24% who voted for Melenchon and 15% who voted for Hamon, in France a plurality of the Socialist party vote has gone to Macron and En Marche
I just don't understand it at all. The plea that those who don't love it not comment on it is just sad. The fact it's like a montage video of a TV drama romantic pairing is just bizarre (or its like an in memoriam video, which is even weirder). The fact they are so moved by it when you could find images of Boris smiling with people and do the exact same thing.
I'm sorry, but it is seriously creepy stuff. I swear I try, not always successfully, to appreciate that people can passionately believe in a particular leader, and that good can come from that, but that is just creepy.
I just don't understand it at all. The plea that those who don't love it not comment on it is just sad. The fact it's like a montage video of a TV drama romantic pairing is just bizarre (or its like an in memoriam video, which is even weirder). The fact they are so moved by it when you could find images of Boris smiling with people and do the exact same thing.
I'm sorry, but it is seriously creepy stuff. I swear I try, not always successfully, to appreciate that people can passionately believe in a particular leader, and that good can come from that, but that is just creepy.
It is but even more it is a demonstration that they have no idea why they lost and what to do about it. Which is fine, up to the point you actually need a functioning opposition.
The more the Tories organize celebrations the more they cement this as Tory-owned. It's theirs now, totally.
When it turns into a disaster they will have nowhere to hide.
Are there government organized celebrations in the pipeline? I thought the plan was to let therpeople do it themselves, as with crowdfunding the bongs rather than paying for them.
Regarding the third point, I have a theory that it is a lot, lot harder than we acknowledge to change the purpose of a town, filling old factories full of trendy Web design agencies etc. I know it has happened, but even in places like Glasgow it hasn't been the full picture.
The easiest way to revive a town must be to restore its original purpose. Where there were tourists, attract tourists. Where there was fishing, fish. Obviously it isn't quite as simple as that, but this is one reason why I floated opening the coal mines a while back, and why I favour repatriating fishing post Brexit.
Some failed towns should be bulldozed and the land rewilded. It’s an act of cruelty to keep people in a place with no prospects.
We could do the same to some of the shitholes in London too.
Mr. Sandpit, parking's a big issue in Leeds. Most people I know, with cars, prefer to take the bus/train to get there because parking's such a pain in the arse.
On top of that, there were mutterings a few months ago about 'going green' by increasing charges on vehicles that aren't clean enough. Which includes most taxis and buses, which will, in turn, increase costs on consumers.
Exactly - so the changes being proposed by most councils are in completely the wrong direction, and make people more likely to stay at home and shop online than come to the city centre.
Does central Leeds still have the world's biggest one way system, with 25 exits and almost no signage?
Went to Leeds a few months ago to a gig. The city centre is an absolute nightmare
My observations... Many cities / large towns have managed to entirely reinvent themselves over the last three decades. Areas like Newcastle, Manchester, Sheffield and Liverpool are utterly changed from the stereotype of places on their knees and struggling. They really have been transformed. The same cant be said for the next tier down. Stagnant populations with ageing demographics are struggling the most.
Some areas like mine, are holding their own, but only in an absolute sense, you can see around they are going backwards relative to their larger siblings less than a hundred miles away.
To be fair, there has always been evolution in these matters. Not far from here is a small village....... I don't think anyone would argue that...... which was extremely important 1200 or so years ago, so important that King Edmund the Martyr was crowned there.
My home town has been re-inventing itself for over 1,000 years - from market town, to manufacturing centre (some of which it still retains), County Town to source of mineral water and now dormitory town to a much larger city 14 dual carriageway miles away - I'm sure 'luck' and 'geography' have played their part - but the High street is dead, but then what did the council expect building two edge of town supermarkets with free parking?
To be fair, 'council' are composed of locals. And some of the councillors are local shopkeepers and/or town centre traders.
The "Town" (pop 14,000) no longer has a council - its at County (pop 116,000) level - and there are 4 councillors from the town. In days of yore there was a "Provost" and council to fight the town's corner - I doubt the current councillors with their county wide committees have much time - there's no "one person" to carry the can for when it goes wrong - just a lot of hand wringing and "something must be done (but don't look at me)".
We are having a Brexit Party in Epping for local Tories on Friday night but we are paying for it ourselves
Sounds very nice. Guess you can still enjoy it despite having voted Remain. Would imagine it will just be the genuine hardcore at the end though - giving it some.
We are having a Brexit Party in Epping for local Tories on Friday night but we are paying for it ourselves
Sounds very nice. Guess you can still enjoy it despite having voted Remain. Would imagine it will just be the genuine hardcore at the end though - giving it some.
Yes, there will be plenty to drink so could be quite interesting by 11pm.
(One Remain backing cllr has though conveniniently booked a trip to Costa Rica at the same time so will be unable to attend)
This village talk reminds me: when I was in China I visited somewhere described as a 'village'. Upon enquiry, it turned out the population was 200,000.
Mr. Sandpit, parking's a big issue in Leeds. Most people I know, with cars, prefer to take the bus/train to get there because parking's such a pain in the arse.
On top of that, there were mutterings a few months ago about 'going green' by increasing charges on vehicles that aren't clean enough. Which includes most taxis and buses, which will, in turn, increase costs on consumers.
Exactly - so the changes being proposed by most councils are in completely the wrong direction, and make people more likely to stay at home and shop online than come to the city centre.
Does central Leeds still have the world's biggest one way system, with 25 exits and almost no signage?
Went to Leeds a few months ago to a gig. The city centre is an absolute nightmare
Was there last year twice for the cricket. Finding the hotel and it’s parking was just horrific. But the centre was lively, the restaurants good and the beer highly acceptable.
I just don't understand it at all. The plea that those who don't love it not comment on it is just sad. The fact it's like a montage video of a TV drama romantic pairing is just bizarre (or its like an in memoriam video, which is even weirder). The fact they are so moved by it when you could find images of Boris smiling with people and do the exact same thing.
I'm sorry, but it is seriously creepy stuff. I swear I try, not always successfully, to appreciate that people can passionately believe in a particular leader, and that good can come from that, but that is just creepy.
I just played it and got tears in my ears. 50% for the right reason and 50% for all the wrong ones.
The thing is, for some people (not many but also not a few) the Corbyn project was a massive thing. Lives spent arguing and activating for that sort of politics, most of the time ignored or laughed at, largely in the shadows, and then break through and into the light, for 4 years in charge of the Labour Party, coming close to power in 2017, and now - because of Dec 12th - it's all over. The dream is dead.
And there is no sadder thing on this earth than when your dream dies. People should respect this. They should not need to be socialists themselves to empathize.
Kind of on topic, if people are to celebrate, shouldn't it be done locally in small pubs rather than a congregation in a big city?
A great point. And it would be far more appropriate given that Brexit is a provincial thing and the centre of resistance to it was London.
For Leavers to celebrate Brexit Day in the capital is like scoring for Man U at Anfield and running the length of the pitch to celebrate in front of the Kop.
Really tacky - and possibly slightly dangerous too.
We are having a Brexit Party in Epping for local Tories on Friday night but we are paying for it ourselves
I just don't understand it at all. The plea that those who don't love it not comment on it is just sad. The fact it's like a montage video of a TV drama romantic pairing is just bizarre (or its like an in memoriam video, which is even weirder). The fact they are so moved by it when you could find images of Boris smiling with people and do the exact same thing.
I'm sorry, but it is seriously creepy stuff. I swear I try, not always successfully, to appreciate that people can passionately believe in a particular leader, and that good can come from that, but that is just creepy.
Having watched this moving video, I have changed my mind. Truly the country has lost a great and inspiring leader who would have been the finest prime minister since Atlee.
Yes but Westminster has to agree and the Tories won a UK wide majority with a manifesto commitment to no indyref2 after the 'once in a generation' (in Salmond's words) referendum in 2014 voted to stay in the UK
Kind of on topic, if people are to celebrate, shouldn't it be done locally in small pubs rather than a congregation in a big city?
A great point. And it would be far more appropriate given that Brexit is a provincial thing and the centre of resistance to it was London.
For Leavers to celebrate Brexit Day in the capital is like scoring for Man U at Anfield and running the length of the pitch to celebrate in front of the Kop.
Really tacky - and possibly slightly dangerous too.
We are having a Brexit Party in Epping for local Tories on Friday night but we are paying for it ourselves
I presume Remain voters aren't on the guest list?
There will be Remain voters there who respect democracy (including me)
Yes but Westminster has to agree and the Tories won a UK wide majority with a manifesto commitment to no indyref2 after the 'once in a generation' (in Salmond's words) referendum in 2014 voted to stay in the UK
I'd wait to see ALL the questions asked in the poll - that they led with this one may be telling.....
The minimum wage shifted retail toward large and super-efficient firms. Lots of parking encourages householders to live far away, opening up other shopping options away from the town. And if councils have to buy staples in the town shop, the price in said shop will rise. People respond to incentives!
Kind of on topic, if people are to celebrate, shouldn't it be done locally in small pubs rather than a congregation in a big city?
A great point. And it would be far more appropriate given that Brexit is a provincial thing and the centre of resistance to it was London.
For Leavers to celebrate Brexit Day in the capital is like scoring for Man U at Anfield and running the length of the pitch to celebrate in front of the Kop.
Really tacky - and possibly slightly dangerous too.
We are having a Brexit Party in Epping for local Tories on Friday night but we are paying for it ourselves
I presume Remain voters aren't on the guest list?
There will be Remain voters there who respect democracy (including me)
Enjoy the evening. As a Leave voter, I'll probably be in bed by 11.
Yes but Westminster has to agree and the Tories won a UK wide majority with a manifesto commitment to no indyref2 after the 'once in a generation' (in Salmond's words) referendum in 2014 voted to stay in the UK
While an independence vote is a Scotland issue, as long as the UK exists the question of when to consider a breakup of the UK is a UK issue. It is highly misleading to issue a poll which only consults Scots on a UK political issue.
Yes but Westminster has to agree and the Tories won a UK wide majority with a manifesto commitment to no indyref2 after the 'once in a generation' (in Salmond's words) referendum in 2014 voted to stay in the UK
I'd wait to see ALL the questions asked in the poll - that they led with this one may be telling.....
Indeed and only 50% of Scots actually think Holyrood should be able to decide when to call an indyref2 even if there is a Nationalist majority at the 2021 Holyrood elections
I just don't understand it at all. The plea that those who don't love it not comment on it is just sad. The fact it's like a montage video of a TV drama romantic pairing is just bizarre (or its like an in memoriam video, which is even weirder). The fact they are so moved by it when you could find images of Boris smiling with people and do the exact same thing.
I'm sorry, but it is seriously creepy stuff. I swear I try, not always successfully, to appreciate that people can passionately believe in a particular leader, and that good can come from that, but that is just creepy.
I just played it and got tears in my ears. 50% for the right reason and 50% for all the wrong ones.
The thing is, for some people (not many but also not a few) the Corbyn project was a massive thing. Lives spent arguing and activating for that sort of politics, most of the time ignored or laughed at, largely in the shadows, and then break through and into the light, for 4 years in charge of the Labour Party, coming close to power in 2017, and now - because of Dec 12th - it's all over. The dream is dead.
And there is no sadder thing on this earth than when your dream dies. People should respect this. They should not need to be socialists themselves to empathize.
That’s how I feel about brexit my European dream is over with nothing positive to replace it. But maybe the rest of Europe can continue without the UK.
I just don't understand it at all. The plea that those who don't love it not comment on it is just sad. The fact it's like a montage video of a TV drama romantic pairing is just bizarre (or its like an in memoriam video, which is even weirder). The fact they are so moved by it when you could find images of Boris smiling with people and do the exact same thing.
I'm sorry, but it is seriously creepy stuff. I swear I try, not always successfully, to appreciate that people can passionately believe in a particular leader, and that good can come from that, but that is just creepy.
Having watched this moving video, I have changed my mind. Truly the country has lost a great and inspiring leader who would have been the finest prime minister since Atlee.
Instead we got lumbered with a proven liar, a Stalinist who purges internal dissent, a spendthrift with any number of magic money trees, a Premier committed to a course of action which according to recent Conservative governments, [Kinnock mode=on] Conservative governments, will be the most damaging economic act since the second world war.
I have changed my mind twice as to whether this is satire. I think he means it.
I will hang on to a Brexit 50p when I come across one. It will serve as a useful reminder that being convinced that one's own opinion is correct is not enough to be convincing to other people.
There are a lot of people yet to learn that lesson. It seems like the false dichotomy between giving up on winning the argument and believing that the argument has already been won, is going to surrender the field of battle of ideas to the right.
That’s how I feel about brexit my European dream is over with nothing positive to replace it. But maybe the rest of Europe can continue without the UK.
Yes a sad day, 31 Jan.
I feel it too, although my Labour identity is stronger than my Remain one.
Yes but Westminster has to agree and the Tories won a UK wide majority with a manifesto commitment to no indyref2 after the 'once in a generation' (in Salmond's words) referendum in 2014 voted to stay in the UK
I'd wait to see ALL the questions asked in the poll - that they led with this one may be telling.....
Indeed and only 50% of Scots actually think Holyrood should be able to decide when to call an indyref2 even if there is a Nationalist majority at the 2021 Holyrood elections
There is something odd about this announcement: Around 3 million Brexit coins will enter banks, Post Offices and shops nationwide from Friday 31 January, with a further 7 million entering circulation later this year. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/first-images-of-brexit-coin-revealed
Presumably after last time Boris did not die in a ditch, HMG did not want to press the button too early and now cannot mint all the coins in time. It would be interesting to know when the Chancellor did make the call to Wales.
Yes but Westminster has to agree and the Tories won a UK wide majority with a manifesto commitment to no indyref2 after the 'once in a generation' (in Salmond's words) referendum in 2014 voted to stay in the UK
I'd wait to see ALL the questions asked in the poll - that they led with this one may be telling.....
Indeed and only 50% of Scots actually think Holyrood should be able to decide when to call an indyref2 even if there is a Nationalist majority at the 2021 Holyrood elections
Lying toerags the pair of you. Lower than rattlesnakes bellies. A pox on you both.
I see that you too had a heavy Burns Night!
Quite obviously only the Holyrood Parliament should decide on whether and when to have a further referendum. It is a fundamental principle of self determination. Anything else is colonial occupation.
Kind of on topic, if people are to celebrate, shouldn't it be done locally in small pubs rather than a congregation in a big city?
A great point. And it would be far more appropriate given that Brexit is a provincial thing and the centre of resistance to it was London.
For Leavers to celebrate Brexit Day in the capital is like scoring for Man U at Anfield and running the length of the pitch to celebrate in front of the Kop.
Really tacky - and possibly slightly dangerous too.
We are having a Brexit Party in Epping for local Tories on Friday night but we are paying for it ourselves
I presume Remain voters aren't on the guest list?
There will be Remain voters there who respect democracy (including me)
Don't let them bully you for being an unbeliever and don't try too hard to cover up your true feelings, even if it does mean the evening gets a bit awkward.
Comments
Amd more attractive to businesses seeking cheaper rents.
https://www.aol.co.uk/news/2020/01/25/dona-t-a-rub-our-noses-in-ita-remainer-heseltine-urges-john/
How do these towns attract and nurture such businesses? A specialism at the local university or college can help. Working on import substitution for existing businesses can help. A council which incentivises the right sort of businesses to come can help too. But it’s not easy and I agree with Alastair that it is a major part of economic under performance.
For example, Primrose Hill, near me. Delightful little place full of independent shops that all look chic and classy. Great to just stroll and browse around. No need to buy. Indeed nobody ever does, but it doesn't matter because most of the shops are owned and run as "hobby businesses" by independently wealthy individuals who live in the locale. Break even is fine. More than fine - it's a success.
So, the challenge for retail in the towns, how to remove the need to make a profit when there is a lack of private "hobby capital" available? Can alternative funding be found? Is it desirable - or at least acceptable - for, say, local government in the North to act as HNW individuals in London NW3 do and support break even local enterprise for the good of the overall look & feel of the area?
Which cities do you see as underperforming? Glasgow, Birmingham, Liverpool, Bradford, come to mind, but which others?
Remain 48%
Consider Apple - iOS has 10% of market share. But Apple gets most of the *profit* in the mobile device space.
I would also challenge the idea that it is the affluent who shop online - much of the appeal of online is the lower cost combined with the access to a wider range of products. Interestingly it seems to be hard to find good stats on this.
Before making any plans I would think that getting a bunch of data scientists to chop the data (and demand more to fill gaps) would be a good idea.
Takes one to know one, I suppose.
Does central Leeds still have the world's biggest one way system, with 25 exits and almost no signage?
When it turns into a disaster they will have nowhere to hide.
@GoodwinMJ
Centre-left at latest election
UK Labour
Lowest seats since 1935
Austria
Lowest since 1945
Germany
2nd lowest since 1949
France
Lowest ever
Italy
Lowest ever
Netherlands
Lowest ever
Sweden
Lowest since 1908
Finland
2nd lowest since 1962
Maybe it's not just about Brexit?
What a baleful presence he is, looming over the Labour party.
And that is largely true, as despite a large chunk of Labour voters and even some LD and SNP voters backing Brexit, the Tories have been in government and charting the course we take on all this. So I don't really get why celebrations of any kind cement the idea Brexit is Tory owned. I don't see that it makes any difference at all.
Serious question, when does Len lose his grip on power? There are good reasons unions have such influence with Labour, but a single man who is wrong so often is surely problematic?
What brought me back was seeing (mostly newly elected) MEPs whining on social media about falling straight back off their cushy gravy train. It could bring a tear of laughter to a glass eye.
https://twitter.com/ScouseGirlMedia/status/1221370111870849025?s=20
Although.....
Many of the working class seats Labour lost are only semi-urban and, if you look carefully, have substantial rural and village character (albeit not always posh villages). Pit villages in many places sit in farmland, and are not especially urban. Labour lost over 20% of its seats, but rather more of its land area. 'Valley' in a constituency name is normally a clue. I was in Barnsley East yesterday, not a loss iirc, but very typical of numerous rural / small industrial / not particularly commutery seats that changed hands.
Some,o but not that many, pure urban seats were lost.
The second point I'd make is the narrative provides lots of opportunity to scapegoat the north as was the case with Brexit. There's little difference between how Brexity the NW/NE/Yorks regions were compared with East/SE/SW, but somehow Northern Brexit votes count double in the blamestorming.
I can see likewise for Boris, despite those Southern regions remaining much more Tory voting than the North. In a high employment, post industrial settlement, generations after Thatcher, it is increasingly less clear to me why Bolsover should vote that differently to Billericay, why Harlow should vote that differently to Halifax.
That is a massive threat to Labour, but also presents an opportunity - if Labour gets towns offer right and Boris/Brexit gets it wrong, there's no reason to suppose Labour can't combine modest gains in the north with something more akin to a 1997 event in the south.
A few thoughts (partly as the borough council Exec member responsible for parking):
* Making towns interesting is the key. If it's merely somewhere to provide routine shopping, then retail parks will win. A few specialist shops, ideally on a common theme, will bring people in from other areas. Brighton has reinvented itself from a decaying seaside resort to an arty, edgy place for greenish people - not everyone's cup of tea, but a definite new identity. I don't think you have to go back to your former identity to thrive, and some really can't - the fishing and coal industries aren't going to suddenly boom.
* The point about surplus of shops vs shortage of housing is good, but can't be taken too far - if you aren't careful, you end up with a dormitory of people always commuting somewhere else.
* Free parking is fine for short stops ("I'll pop into Boots to get...") but counter-productive if extended too long, as commuters start to block the space. There's also an issue of what shops want (a stream of people coming and going) vs preventing too much pollution. Farnham, in my patch, has a pretty good shopping area, which draws in loads of traffic and a serious air quality problem.
* Ideally you want park and ride or park and stride, but"ride" costs money and as for "stride", most people really don't like walking with heavy shopping, or indeed at all. Farnham has some car parks in easy walking distance from the centre - they are badly under-used, and there is even a request from a local fitness centre to get them cheap parking in the nearest multi-story, as their supposedly fitness-aspiring clients can't be bothered to walk from the one a bit further away.
For Leavers to celebrate Brexit Day in the capital is like scoring for Man U at Anfield and running the length of the pitch to celebrate in front of the Kop.
Really tacky - and possibly slightly dangerous too.
Still, those Turkey towns voted to be oven ready, I suppose.
Detail tbc - budgets, accountability, audit, tax implications etc etc.
A different age.
I'm sorry, but it is seriously creepy stuff. I swear I try, not always successfully, to appreciate that people can passionately believe in a particular leader, and that good can come from that, but that is just creepy.
I predict it's going to become relatively rare, due to people deliberately throwing it away or defacing it. Could be wrong, but that's my guess.
47% of Hollande voters in 2012 voted for Macron in the first round in 2017 to just 24% who voted for Melenchon and 15% who voted for Hamon, in France a plurality of the Socialist party vote has gone to Macron and En Marche
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017_French_presidential_election
The voters said "jog on...."
The polite ones.
I have changed my mind twice as to whether this is satire. I think he means it.
(One Remain backing cllr has though conveniniently booked a trip to Costa Rica at the same time so will be unable to attend)
The thing is, for some people (not many but also not a few) the Corbyn project was a massive thing. Lives spent arguing and activating for that sort of politics, most of the time ignored or laughed at, largely in the shadows, and then break through and into the light, for 4 years in charge of the Labour Party, coming close to power in 2017, and now - because of Dec 12th - it's all over. The dream is dead.
And there is no sadder thing on this earth than when your dream dies. People should respect this. They should not need to be socialists themselves to empathize.
https://www.progressscotland.org/research/scots-back-independence-referendum-powers-for-holyrood
There are a lot of people yet to learn that lesson. It seems like the false dichotomy between giving up on winning the argument and believing that the argument has already been won, is going to surrender the field of battle of ideas to the right.
I feel it too, although my Labour identity is stronger than my Remain one.
Around 3 million Brexit coins will enter banks, Post Offices and shops nationwide from Friday 31 January, with a further 7 million entering circulation later this year.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/first-images-of-brexit-coin-revealed
Presumably after last time Boris did not die in a ditch, HMG did not want to press the button too early and now cannot mint all the coins in time. It would be interesting to know when the Chancellor did make the call to Wales.
Quite obviously only the Holyrood Parliament should decide on whether and when to have a further referendum. It is a fundamental principle of self determination. Anything else is colonial occupation.