I am hopeful that government focus on Blyth will lead (central funding permitting) to a Tyne and Wear Metro extension to the town and to South Northumberland generally.
So is HMG good for the NE
I will judge them on the results. The NE has been ignored by governments of all colours for too long.
I genuinely expect that to change throughout the red wall seats
Indeed.
Labour get their votes from those who are struggling, so it is in their interests to ensure people are struggling.
Tories get their votes from people who are more secure, so it is in their interests to ensure people are secure.
If you want things to change for the better vote Tory.
It has worked for the SNP in Scotland. I remember how grey and grim the West of Scotland was when labour ran everything.
Indeed.
Labour are a party that specialise in failure and misery. Keeping the serfs just about managing and voting for them is their purpose.
The Tories believe in success. Blair claimed to and certainly achieved it for himself. The SNP believe in making a success out of Scotland - they believe too much too in blaming the English, a bit more concentration on making a success out of Scotland and a bit less England bashing wouldn't go amiss. But Scotland is much better off in the SNPs hands than Labours.
Hopefully the red wall finds out they're better off with the Tories than Labour too.
Tosh. You are too young to remember the sheer misery of the 80s and 90s where Tories lack of investment in infrastructure meant that schools were literally falling down. The roof of my school literally blew off during the Burns Day storm in 1990. Labour did it the wrong way, through borrowing, but at least they recognised that substantial investment was needed. Until Blair took over he Tories were just managing decline. Tories are great at selling a story (such as Brexit) and then leaving Labour to pick up the pieces.
FWIW - and I'm giving a massive hostage to fortune here - in contrast to most of the Twitterati, I think that the chances of getting a deal in the next couple of days have improved quite a lot, and it will probably happen.
My reasoning is that the excuses Boris is giving for not signing up are so fantastical that they won't serve as an excuse for No Deal. Today he's repeated this nonsense:
Unfortunately at the moment, as you know, there are two key things where we just can’t seem to make progress and that’s this kind of ratchet clause they’ve got in to keep the UK locked in to whatever they want to do in terms of legislation, which obviously doesn’t work.
We know that is nonsense, he knows it is nonsense, so why is he saying it? If it's to give himself an excuse to 'walk away' and blame the EU, then it's a jolly feeble one. What happens when the EU publish their proposed text?
If Boris really wants an excuse to walk out, he could use fish, which no-one understands and where the EU position can easily be portrayed as unreasonable.
So it looks to me as though he's erecting a massive straw dragon which he can heroically slay.
Fingers crossed that I'm right!
I think you are probably right. Although it is possible that Johnson simply doesn't understand the EU's position on LPF.
To be honest I just want a deal and everyone wins by moving on in an amicable manner
What Johnson has just said- i.e. we must follow EU standards etc- seems to be totally at odds with what Ursela just said at that EU conference. So it's all just bluff and bluster.
If the UK doesn't go for a deal now - it's because it never wanted one. And the fallout of that is on Johnson
FWIW - and I'm giving a massive hostage to fortune here - in contrast to most of the Twitterati, I think that the chances of getting a deal in the next couple of days have improved quite a lot, and it will probably happen.
My reasoning is that the excuses Boris is giving for not signing up are so fantastical that they won't serve as an excuse for No Deal. Today he's repeated this nonsense:
Unfortunately at the moment, as you know, there are two key things where we just can’t seem to make progress and that’s this kind of ratchet clause they’ve got in to keep the UK locked in to whatever they want to do in terms of legislation, which obviously doesn’t work.
We know that is nonsense, he knows it is nonsense, so why is he saying it? If it's to give himself an excuse to 'walk away' and blame the EU, then it's a jolly feeble one. What happens when the EU publish their proposed text?
If Boris really wants an excuse to walk out, he could use fish, which no-one understands and where the EU position can easily be portrayed as unreasonable.
So it looks to me as though he's erecting a massive straw dragon which he can heroically slay.
Fingers crossed that I'm right!
I think you are probably right. Although it is possible that Johnson simply doesn't understand the EU's position on LPF.
To me that is a big move and statement which no doubt puts Macron in his place
I really hope this is the breakthrough we all need
I am not sure it is a big move. It is just not what the UK side has been briefing the UK media. But whether it is or not is beside the point. The ratchet clause as described and condemned by the UK government does not exist.
The UK media have their own very reliable EU and European sources as well too though.
They're not mugs.
Citation needed, I'm afraid.
I think when you have Katya Adler, James Forsyth, Tim Shipman, Laura Kuenssberg and Tony Connelly all saying very similar things - amongst others - you can be fairly certain there's something to it.
I am hopeful that government focus on Blyth will lead (central funding permitting) to a Tyne and Wear Metro extension to the town and to South Northumberland generally.
And Tyne Valley.
Maybe after the West End of Newcastle!
No, you're right. And the Tyne Valley.
It won't be a light railway as it would take forever to get into the City Centre. The plan is a normal rail service (to Central Station) with a stop at Northumberland Avenue for interchange to the Metro
Just heard Ursula Van Der luyden explain in the most beautifully articulated English the latest position on the Brexit talks. What a contrast to the embarrassing buffoon of a Prime Minister who followed her.
I am hopeful that government focus on Blyth will lead (central funding permitting) to a Tyne and Wear Metro extension to the town and to South Northumberland generally.
And Tyne Valley.
Maybe after the West End of Newcastle!
No, you're right. And the Tyne Valley.
It won't be a light railway as it would take forever to get into the City Centre. The plan is a normal rail service (to Central Station) with a stop at Northumberland Avenue for interchange to the Metro
We have the Peters Projection map, which shows countries according to their actual size, up in our bathroom.
I am pretty sure that graphic is rubbish - or at least very poorly executed.
Norway is 1089 miles long. The distance from Plymouth to Tangier in Morocco is 1012 miles.
Look at that graphic at its end point and it certainly doesn't show that.
I can't tell whether you're joking - apologies if so!
If you're not, did you not also notice that the Canada-US border becomes a bit harder to cross? Shrinking countries about their centres to their true size while maintaining Mercator projections of centres further exaggerates the distances between them at higher latitudes (the Plymouth-Tangiers distance is very different to the length of Norway in the start, Mercator, projection too).
The best way to look at a map of the world is on a globe.
No I was being serious although having read your reply I realise I was looking at things in perhaps a way that was not intended by the makers.
It stems from me having a little bit of useless information in my mind about how long Norway is. Something the Norwegians are always happy to tell you every single time you visit their country
Drakeford sinking without trace as he announces the disaster that is covid in Wales
All outdoor attractions across Wales to close
He has announced that it is inevitable to move to alert 4 after Christmas unless everyone reduces the number of people we see or mix with
Blaming the public is not a good look
Yet it's one popular with yourself and the other PB moralisers, who call for a reporter's career to be destroyed because she broke covid rules.
Funny old world.
Yes. And often - although not in Big G's case tbf - the very same people who were almost horizontally relaxed about the Dominic "My rules don't apply to me" Cummings affair.
This cost quite a few posters their integrity for 24 hours the other day. 6 of them in fact.
I was remarkably consistent – I thought the Cummings thing was trivial guff (and said so repeatedly on here); ditto Kay Burley et al.
What isn't trivial is the spinecrawling authoritarian moralising from PBers – asking that a woman's livelihood be removed because she had three mates over for drinks.
Except that she enthusiastically participated in exactly that kind of spine-crawling authoritarian moralizing, demanding that other people's livelihoods be removed for similarly trivial offences. That she's finally getting a taste of her own medicine is nothing more than natural justice.
NO. You cannot comment on this. Integrity free zone. Please contact mods and delete your comment.
I am hopeful that government focus on Blyth will lead (central funding permitting) to a Tyne and Wear Metro extension to the town and to South Northumberland generally.
So is HMG good for the NE
I will judge them on the results. The NE has been ignored by governments of all colours for too long.
I genuinely expect that to change throughout the red wall seats
Indeed.
Labour get their votes from those who are struggling, so it is in their interests to ensure people are struggling.
Tories get their votes from people who are more secure, so it is in their interests to ensure people are secure.
If you want things to change for the better vote Tory.
It has worked for the SNP in Scotland. I remember how grey and grim the West of Scotland was when labour ran everything.
Indeed.
Labour are a party that specialise in failure and misery. Keeping the serfs just about managing and voting for them is their purpose.
The Tories believe in success. Blair claimed to and certainly achieved it for himself. The SNP believe in making a success out of Scotland - they believe too much too in blaming the English, a bit more concentration on making a success out of Scotland and a bit less England bashing wouldn't go amiss. But Scotland is much better off in the SNPs hands than Labours.
Hopefully the red wall finds out they're better off with the Tories than Labour too.
I am hopeful that government focus on Blyth will lead (central funding permitting) to a Tyne and Wear Metro extension to the town and to South Northumberland generally.
So is HMG good for the NE
I will judge them on the results. The NE has been ignored by governments of all colours for too long.
I genuinely expect that to change throughout the red wall seats
Indeed.
Labour get their votes from those who are struggling, so it is in their interests to ensure people are struggling.
Tories get their votes from people who are more secure, so it is in their interests to ensure people are secure.
If you want things to change for the better vote Tory.
It has worked for the SNP in Scotland. I remember how grey and grim the West of Scotland was when labour ran everything.
Indeed.
Labour are a party that specialise in failure and misery. Keeping the serfs just about managing and voting for them is their purpose.
The Tories believe in success. Blair claimed to and certainly achieved it for himself. The SNP believe in making a success out of Scotland - they believe too much too in blaming the English, a bit more concentration on making a success out of Scotland and a bit less England bashing wouldn't go amiss. But Scotland is much better off in the SNPs hands than Labours.
Hopefully the red wall finds out they're better off with the Tories than Labour too.
Labour have historically relied on people voting for them for fear of their lives being even worse. Scots aren't going back to voting labour any time soon. Voters in the red wall may not either.
Just heard Ursula Van Der luyden explain in the most beautifully articulated English the latest position on the Brexit talks. What a contrast to the embarrassing buffoon of a Prime Minister who followed her.
And yet Johnson apparently speaks very good French. If you will excuse the rather silly headline of this article:
Just heard Ursula Van Der luyden explain in the most beautifully articulated English the latest position on the Brexit talks. What a contrast to the embarrassing buffoon of a Prime Minister who followed her.
Johnson "explaining" the LPF issue to the British public -
"What they're saying is if THEY buy an expensive handbag, WE have to buy one too. That's really not the way to carry on."
Just heard Ursula Van Der luyden explain in the most beautifully articulated English the latest position on the Brexit talks. What a contrast to the embarrassing buffoon of a Prime Minister who followed her.
Johnson "explaining" the LPF issue to the British public -
"What they're saying is if THEY buy an expensive handbag, WE have to buy one too. That's really not the way to carry on."
Just heard Ursula Van Der luyden explain in the most beautifully articulated English the latest position on the Brexit talks. What a contrast to the embarrassing buffoon of a Prime Minister who followed her.
And yet Johnson apparently speaks very good French. If you will excuse the rather silly headline of this article:
Drakeford sinking without trace as he announces the disaster that is covid in Wales
All outdoor attractions across Wales to close
He has announced that it is inevitable to move to alert 4 after Christmas unless everyone reduces the number of people we see or mix with
Blaming the public is not a good look
Yet it's one popular with yourself and the other PB moralisers, who call for a reporter's career to be destroyed because she broke covid rules.
Funny old world.
Yes. And often - although not in Big G's case tbf - the very same people who were almost horizontally relaxed about the Dominic "My rules don't apply to me" Cummings affair.
This cost quite a few posters their integrity for 24 hours the other day. 6 of them in fact.
I was remarkably consistent – I thought the Cummings thing was trivial guff (and said so repeatedly on here); ditto Kay Burley et al.
What isn't trivial is the spinecrawling authoritarian moralising from PBers – asking that a woman's livelihood be removed because she had three mates over for drinks.
Except that she enthusiastically participated in exactly that kind of spine-crawling authoritarian moralizing, demanding that other people's livelihoods be removed for similarly trivial offences. That she's finally getting a taste of her own medicine is nothing more than natural justice.
NO. You cannot comment on this. Integrity free zone. Please contact mods and delete your comment.
FWIW - and I'm giving a massive hostage to fortune here - in contrast to most of the Twitterati, I think that the chances of getting a deal in the next couple of days have improved quite a lot, and it will probably happen.
My reasoning is that the excuses Boris is giving for not signing up are so fantastical that they won't serve as an excuse for No Deal. Today he's repeated this nonsense:
Unfortunately at the moment, as you know, there are two key things where we just can’t seem to make progress and that’s this kind of ratchet clause they’ve got in to keep the UK locked in to whatever they want to do in terms of legislation, which obviously doesn’t work.
We know that is nonsense, he knows it is nonsense, so why is he saying it? If it's to give himself an excuse to 'walk away' and blame the EU, then it's a jolly feeble one. What happens when the EU publish their proposed text?
If Boris really wants an excuse to walk out, he could use fish, which no-one understands and where the EU position can easily be portrayed as unreasonable.
So it looks to me as though he's erecting a massive straw dragon which he can heroically slay.
Fingers crossed that I'm right!
I think you are probably right. Although it is possible that Johnson simply doesn't understand the EU's position on LPF.
To be honest I just want a deal and everyone wins by moving on in an amicable manner
With you there. Which is why I'm not planning to get too animated about Johnson doing his old trick of trumpeting an agreement essentially on the EU's terms as being a big win for the UK achieved by his diligence, resilience and hardball negotiation.
Point is, he has to be confident folk will buy that - and so he'll keep the love - otherwise there's a risk of him not doing it. And we do NOT want that. No Deal would be terrible for the country - and what's worse terrible for me personally since I've been banging on forever about how it's the ultimate Not Happening Event and a deal is therefore certain. I'd look a right plonker.
Another big rise in cases in Wales today: 2,234, up from 1,471 last Friday. Now over 400 per week per 100,000, and most of that is concentrated in the south where some of the areas are posting scary numbers. Hard lock down needed right now there, not after Christmas.
Northern Ireland ending a circuit breaker today even though numbers are slowly going up. Scotland relaxing restrictions while cases are no better than constant, so the only way is up there as well. England inching up already when it still hasn't really been long enough for the lockdown end to affect the numbers.
If this deal is done, can we bet on how many months later Boris tells us that it is unacceptable in some way and that we have to breach it?
Nah, if Boris puts pen to paper his consistent line will that this is the most splendiferous deal since the Peace of Callias, or something.
What's rather nice about that allusion is that there's a long tradition of asking undergraduates to determine whether the Peace of Callias ever in fact existed at all...
Another big rise in cases in Wales today: 2,234, up from 1,471 last Friday. Now over 400 per week per 100,000, and most of that is concentrated in the south where some of the areas are posting scary numbers. Hard lock down needed right now there, not after Christmas.
Northern Ireland ending a circuit breaker today even though numbers are slowly going up. Scotland relaxing restrictions while cases are no better than constant, so the only way is up there as well. England inching up already when it still hasn't really been long enough for the lockdown end to affect the numbers.
All very depressing.
Well I had a lovely "takeaway" pint of Amstel in Newcastle City Centre last night. So there's that.
Just heard Ursula Van Der luyden explain in the most beautifully articulated English the latest position on the Brexit talks. What a contrast to the embarrassing buffoon of a Prime Minister who followed her.
And yet Johnson apparently speaks very good French. If you will excuse the rather silly headline of this article:
Just heard Ursula Van Der luyden explain in the most beautifully articulated English the latest position on the Brexit talks. What a contrast to the embarrassing buffoon of a Prime Minister who followed her.
Johnson "explaining" the LPF issue to the British public -
"What they're saying is if THEY buy an expensive handbag, WE have to buy one too. That's really not the way to carry on."
I mean, c'mon. Honestly.
Cool Britannia. Fit for Brexit.
Compared to our team, the EU side are lightweights.
Another big rise in cases in Wales today: 2,234, up from 1,471 last Friday. Now over 400 per week per 100,000, and most of that is concentrated in the south where some of the areas are posting scary numbers. Hard lock down needed right now there, not after Christmas.
Northern Ireland ending a circuit breaker today even though numbers are slowly going up. Scotland relaxing restrictions while cases are no better than constant, so the only way is up there as well. England inching up already when it still hasn't really been long enough for the lockdown end to affect the numbers.
All very depressing.
The England figure masks the worsening situation in London, adjacent parts of Kent and Essex, and some of eastern England, offset by containing declines most everywhere else, particularly up North.
2020 is the year anyone paying attention realised WE ARE NOT ALONE.
I continue to be blown away how little traction has been made by the formal releases from the US Navy, statements by senior US congressmen and private sector advisors, as well as convincing eye witness testimony from Top Gun pilots.
We have the Peters Projection map, which shows countries according to their actual size, up in our bathroom.
I am pretty sure that graphic is rubbish - or at least very poorly executed.
Norway is 1089 miles long. The distance from Plymouth to Tangier in Morocco is 1012 miles.
Look at that graphic at its end point and it certainly doesn't show that.
I can't tell whether you're joking - apologies if so!
If you're not, did you not also notice that the Canada-US border becomes a bit harder to cross? Shrinking countries about their centres to their true size while maintaining Mercator projections of centres further exaggerates the distances between them at higher latitudes (the Plymouth-Tangiers distance is very different to the length of Norway in the start, Mercator, projection too).
The best way to look at a map of the world is on a globe.
No I was being serious although having read your reply I realise I was looking at things in perhaps a way that was not intended by the makers.
It stems from me having a little bit of useless information in my mind about how long Norway is. Something the Norwegians are always happy to tell you every single time you visit their country
Map projections have to distort country size, distances between them or both - I knew this and yet I still assumed, due to these projections, that Norway was a lot longer than Britain, which it isn't really (just 25% or so). So your useless information is now my useless information
Drakeford sinking without trace as he announces the disaster that is covid in Wales
All outdoor attractions across Wales to close
He has announced that it is inevitable to move to alert 4 after Christmas unless everyone reduces the number of people we see or mix with
Blaming the public is not a good look
Yet it's one popular with yourself and the other PB moralisers, who call for a reporter's career to be destroyed because she broke covid rules.
Funny old world.
Yes. And often - although not in Big G's case tbf - the very same people who were almost horizontally relaxed about the Dominic "My rules don't apply to me" Cummings affair.
This cost quite a few posters their integrity for 24 hours the other day. 6 of them in fact.
I was remarkably consistent – I thought the Cummings thing was trivial guff (and said so repeatedly on here); ditto Kay Burley et al.
What isn't trivial is the spinecrawling authoritarian moralising from PBers – asking that a woman's livelihood be removed because she had three mates over for drinks.
Except that she enthusiastically participated in exactly that kind of spine-crawling authoritarian moralizing, demanding that other people's livelihoods be removed for similarly trivial offences. That she's finally getting a taste of her own medicine is nothing more than natural justice.
NO. You cannot comment on this. Integrity free zone. Please contact mods and delete your comment.
Lol - aren't the 24 hours up yet?
Philip's are, yes. But you've only just gone in.
Not in solitary though. Felix is there doing a 72 stretch.
Another big rise in cases in Wales today: 2,234, up from 1,471 last Friday. Now over 400 per week per 100,000, and most of that is concentrated in the south where some of the areas are posting scary numbers. Hard lock down needed right now there, not after Christmas.
Northern Ireland ending a circuit breaker today even though numbers are slowly going up. Scotland relaxing restrictions while cases are no better than constant, so the only way is up there as well. England inching up already when it still hasn't really been long enough for the lockdown end to affect the numbers.
All very depressing.
The England figure masks the worsening situation in London, adjacent parts of Kent and Essex, and some of eastern England, offset by containing declines most everywhere else, particularly up North.
Yep. The particular area for concern is now a big square box around London. The most populated bit of England. Wonder if we are not going to look back and regret not just going for 2 more weeks?
Another big rise in cases in Wales today: 2,234, up from 1,471 last Friday. Now over 400 per week per 100,000, and most of that is concentrated in the south where some of the areas are posting scary numbers. Hard lock down needed right now there, not after Christmas.
Northern Ireland ending a circuit breaker today even though numbers are slowly going up. Scotland relaxing restrictions while cases are no better than constant, so the only way is up there as well. England inching up already when it still hasn't really been long enough for the lockdown end to affect the numbers.
All very depressing.
The England figure masks the worsening situation in London, adjacent parts of Kent and Essex, and some of eastern England, offset by containing declines most everywhere else, particularly up North.
You're right, it's picking up speed there, with >20% week-over-week rises for London now.
Starmer still hasn't regained those three or four points since the start of the Corbyn dispute, but I expect the Tories' lead will soon be overtaken by events, and that will look like nothng.
Another big rise in cases in Wales today: 2,234, up from 1,471 last Friday. Now over 400 per week per 100,000, and most of that is concentrated in the south where some of the areas are posting scary numbers. Hard lock down needed right now there, not after Christmas.
Northern Ireland ending a circuit breaker today even though numbers are slowly going up. Scotland relaxing restrictions while cases are no better than constant, so the only way is up there as well. England inching up already when it still hasn't really been long enough for the lockdown end to affect the numbers.
All very depressing.
Terrible figures for Drakeford and Wales, London I expect is heading for Tier 3 along with Essex, Manchester will probably move down to Tier 2
Not convinced on this because if I'm right and the LPF deal is coming they'll probably lose money. Unless of course Johnson builds up the No Deal fear for a while longer, drives those markets down, then tips them the wink when the big "breakthrough" is about to happen. Clean up twice! Gosh, that would be corrupt. No, I don't believe it.
Not convinced on this because if I'm right and the LPF deal is coming they'll probably lose money. Unless of course Johnson builds up the No Deal fear for a while longer, drives those markets down, then tips them the wink when the big "breakthrough" is about to happen. Clean up twice! Gosh, that would be corrupt. No, I don't believe it.
Scandalous to even think such things, especially when central Brexit figures like Farage have had nothing whatsoever to do with events like that in the past, and there's no been record of corruption in the current government, either. Take a cold shower and think moral thoughts !
Drakeford sinking without trace as he announces the disaster that is covid in Wales
All outdoor attractions across Wales to close
He has announced that it is inevitable to move to alert 4 after Christmas unless everyone reduces the number of people we see or mix with
Blaming the public is not a good look
Yet it's one popular with yourself and the other PB moralisers, who call for a reporter's career to be destroyed because she broke covid rules.
Funny old world.
Yes. And often - although not in Big G's case tbf - the very same people who were almost horizontally relaxed about the Dominic "My rules don't apply to me" Cummings affair.
This cost quite a few posters their integrity for 24 hours the other day. 6 of them in fact.
I was remarkably consistent – I thought the Cummings thing was trivial guff (and said so repeatedly on here); ditto Kay Burley et al.
What isn't trivial is the spinecrawling authoritarian moralising from PBers – asking that a woman's livelihood be removed because she had three mates over for drinks.
Except that she enthusiastically participated in exactly that kind of spine-crawling authoritarian moralizing, demanding that other people's livelihoods be removed for similarly trivial offences. That she's finally getting a taste of her own medicine is nothing more than natural justice.
NO. You cannot comment on this. Integrity free zone. Please contact mods and delete your comment.
Lol - aren't the 24 hours up yet?
Philip's are, yes. But you've only just gone in.
Not in solitary though. Felix is there doing a 72 stretch.
Excellent company indeed. Personally, I would prefer cum Felici errare, quam cum aliis vera sentire.
Just heard Ursula Van Der luyden explain in the most beautifully articulated English the latest position on the Brexit talks. What a contrast to the embarrassing buffoon of a Prime Minister who followed her.
Johnson "explaining" the LPF issue to the British public -
"What they're saying is if THEY buy an expensive handbag, WE have to buy one too. That's really not the way to carry on."
I mean, c'mon. Honestly.
Cool Britannia. Fit for Brexit.
Compared to our team, the EU side are lightweights.
I believe that "nimble and agile" are the preferred terms. Sure I picked them up here.
Another big rise in cases in Wales today: 2,234, up from 1,471 last Friday. Now over 400 per week per 100,000, and most of that is concentrated in the south where some of the areas are posting scary numbers. Hard lock down needed right now there, not after Christmas.
Northern Ireland ending a circuit breaker today even though numbers are slowly going up. Scotland relaxing restrictions while cases are no better than constant, so the only way is up there as well. England inching up already when it still hasn't really been long enough for the lockdown end to affect the numbers.
All very depressing.
Well I had a lovely "takeaway" pint of Amstel in Newcastle City Centre last night. So there's that.
Would definitely settle for a takeaway pint. Since March I've actually only been to a bar once and there's nothing like a draught pint.
Another big rise in cases in Wales today: 2,234, up from 1,471 last Friday. Now over 400 per week per 100,000, and most of that is concentrated in the south where some of the areas are posting scary numbers. Hard lock down needed right now there, not after Christmas.
Northern Ireland ending a circuit breaker today even though numbers are slowly going up. Scotland relaxing restrictions while cases are no better than constant, so the only way is up there as well. England inching up already when it still hasn't really been long enough for the lockdown end to affect the numbers.
All very depressing.
Terrible figures for Drakeford and Wales, London I expect is heading for Tier 3 along with Essex, Manchester will probably move down to Tier 2
Not great in NI either considering they are loosening today. 2 weeks just does not work. 4 does, but only marginally, and not for very long. It is a long distance race, not a 400 m. Any politician, of any stripe, claiming otherwise is dissembling at best. The North is falling now after around 3 months. Just like the first wave.
Electoral Calculus gives a hung parliament with Tories on 312, Labour on 250, the SNP on 58, the LDs on 7, the DUP on 8 and PC on 4 and the SDLP on 2 and the Greens and Alliance each on 1.
So the Tories and DUP = 320 but Labour + SNP + LDs + PC + Greens + SDLP = 322, so Starmer would still end up PM
So the "huge concession" from the EU was the deal they were offering all along and BoZo just hasn't taken it
I think the Tories don’t really want a deal at all. They have convinced themselves that any restraint - even as a result of an agreement freely entered into - is intolerable. They have come to a belief that sovereignty means being able to do exactly what you want with no adverse consequences whatsoever. They believe that the EU is some sort of evil monster out to get them. So why enter into a deal at all?
And the enthusiastic way in which they all agreed to tear up an agreement they signed up for shows that they don’t really believe in agreements at all.
The logic of their own beliefs pushes them to a No Deal / with one bound we are free result. And I think that is where we will end up.
I hope not. But I fear it. The Tory party has been driven mad by a concept they simply do not understand. It is a shame for the rest of us though who have to face the real world consequences of this obsession.
2020 is the year anyone paying attention realised WE ARE NOT ALONE.
I continue to be blown away how little traction has been made by the formal releases from the US Navy, statements by senior US congressmen and private sector advisors, as well as convincing eye witness testimony from Top Gun pilots.
That just takes my breath away.
You’re ego is writing cheques your body can’t cash
Another big rise in cases in Wales today: 2,234, up from 1,471 last Friday. Now over 400 per week per 100,000, and most of that is concentrated in the south where some of the areas are posting scary numbers. Hard lock down needed right now there, not after Christmas.
Northern Ireland ending a circuit breaker today even though numbers are slowly going up. Scotland relaxing restrictions while cases are no better than constant, so the only way is up there as well. England inching up already when it still hasn't really been long enough for the lockdown end to affect the numbers.
All very depressing.
Terrible figures for Drakeford and Wales, London I expect is heading for Tier 3 along with Essex, Manchester will probably move down to Tier 2
Not great in NI either considering they are loosening today. 2 weeks just does not work. 4 does, but only marginally, and not for very long. It is a long distance race, not a 400 m. Any politician, of any stripe, claiming otherwise is dissembling at best. The North is falling now after around 3 months. Just like the first wave.
At least we are now vaccinating those most at risk. I still cant't believe other countries are not doing this.
Not convinced on this because if I'm right and the LPF deal is coming they'll probably lose money. Unless of course Johnson builds up the No Deal fear for a while longer, drives those markets down, then tips them the wink when the big "breakthrough" is about to happen. Clean up twice! Gosh, that would be corrupt. No, I don't believe it.
I’m not quite sure I believe all of this either. It’s too neat. Hedge funds, as the name suggests, try to offset risks and, indeed, one of the main ways of doing that is by short selling. But the whole point of a hedge fund is, yes, to maximise returns but also offset risk. It’s one hell of a risk to trash a major economy, within which the same hedge funds will undoubtedly have many investments, just for a short term return.
Another big rise in cases in Wales today: 2,234, up from 1,471 last Friday. Now over 400 per week per 100,000, and most of that is concentrated in the south where some of the areas are posting scary numbers. Hard lock down needed right now there, not after Christmas.
Northern Ireland ending a circuit breaker today even though numbers are slowly going up. Scotland relaxing restrictions while cases are no better than constant, so the only way is up there as well. England inching up already when it still hasn't really been long enough for the lockdown end to affect the numbers.
All very depressing.
Terrible figures for Drakeford and Wales, London I expect is heading for Tier 3 along with Essex, Manchester will probably move down to Tier 2
Not great in NI either considering they are loosening today. 2 weeks just does not work. 4 does, but only marginally, and not for very long. It is a long distance race, not a 400 m. Any politician, of any stripe, claiming otherwise is dissembling at best. The North is falling now after around 3 months. Just like the first wave.
At least we are now vaccinating those most at risk. I still cant't believe other countries are not doing this.
It won't be long before other countries follow. For us it was just because all the cards fell in the right places. We backed most of the right vaccines that were ready soonest and our regulatory authority was well placed to approve it quickly.
Not convinced on this because if I'm right and the LPF deal is coming they'll probably lose money. Unless of course Johnson builds up the No Deal fear for a while longer, drives those markets down, then tips them the wink when the big "breakthrough" is about to happen. Clean up twice! Gosh, that would be corrupt. No, I don't believe it.
I’m not quite sure I believe all of this either. It’s too neat. Hedge funds, as the name suggests, try to offset risks and, indeed, one of the main ways of doing that is by short selling. But the whole point of a hedge fund is, yes, to maximise returns but also offset risk. It’s one hell of a risk to trash a major economy, within which the same hedge funds will undoubtedly have many investments, just for a short term return.
However, their investment in the original Brexit result is already even better-documented. If I'm not very much mistaken, Crispin Odey is one those who has been quite happy to go public with his own strategy, for instance.
Most Tories knew, when they picked him, that he was a child being put up for a man’s job.
Boris was picked solely to beat Corbyn and deliver Brexit, both of which he achieved
So what’s he still doing there?
He will complete Brexit, probably with No Deal, if that goes well he will stay, if it goes badly after a year or 2 he will be replaced by Sunak who will go back to the EU for a Deal (Sunak having voted for May's WA 3 times unlike Boris who only voted for it once)
Another big rise in cases in Wales today: 2,234, up from 1,471 last Friday. Now over 400 per week per 100,000, and most of that is concentrated in the south where some of the areas are posting scary numbers. Hard lock down needed right now there, not after Christmas.
Northern Ireland ending a circuit breaker today even though numbers are slowly going up. Scotland relaxing restrictions while cases are no better than constant, so the only way is up there as well. England inching up already when it still hasn't really been long enough for the lockdown end to affect the numbers.
All very depressing.
Terrible figures for Drakeford and Wales, London I expect is heading for Tier 3 along with Essex, Manchester will probably move down to Tier 2
Not great in NI either considering they are loosening today. 2 weeks just does not work. 4 does, but only marginally, and not for very long. It is a long distance race, not a 400 m. Any politician, of any stripe, claiming otherwise is dissembling at best. The North is falling now after around 3 months. Just like the first wave.
At least we are now vaccinating those most at risk. I still cant't believe other countries are not doing this.
It won't be long before other countries follow. For us it was just because all the cards fell in the right places. We backed most of the right vaccines that were ready soonest and our regulatory authority was well placed to approve it quickly.
3000 people are dying each day in America from Covid. they a vaccine that works great, yet they have delayed using it. Its total madness to me.
Not convinced on this because if I'm right and the LPF deal is coming they'll probably lose money. Unless of course Johnson builds up the No Deal fear for a while longer, drives those markets down, then tips them the wink when the big "breakthrough" is about to happen. Clean up twice! Gosh, that would be corrupt. No, I don't believe it.
I’m not quite sure I believe all of this either. It’s too neat. Hedge funds, as the name suggests, try to offset risks and, indeed, one of the main ways of doing that is by short selling. But the whole point of a hedge fund is, yes, to maximise returns but also offset risk. It’s one hell of a risk to trash a major economy, within which the same hedge funds will undoubtedly have many investments, just for a short term return.
However, their investment in the original Brexit result is already even better documented.
And also typically a load of bollocks.
Hedge funds have investments is not news. They always do. It would more be news if they didn't.
So the "huge concession" from the EU was the deal they were offering all along and BoZo just hasn't taken it
I think the Tories don’t really want a deal at all. They have convinced themselves that any restraint - even as a result of an agreement freely entered into - is intolerable. They have come to a belief that sovereignty means being able to do exactly what you want with no adverse consequences whatsoever. They believe that the EU is some sort of evil monster out to get them. So why enter into a deal at all?
And the enthusiastic way in which they all agreed to tear up an agreement they signed up for shows that they don’t really believe in agreements at all.
The logic of their own beliefs pushes them to a No Deal / with one bound we are free result. And I think that is where we will end up.
I hope not. But I fear it. The Tory party has been driven mad by a concept they simply do not understand. It is a shame for the rest of us though who have to face the real world consequences of this obsession.
Trouble is that I can fully understand why Boris and the Brexiteers don't want to sign a deal. It means acknowledging the gap between dreams and reality.
But that doesn't alter the need to sign a deal.
There's a Rolling Stones song which sums up the issue. Let's hope it isn't "Out of Time".
Another big rise in cases in Wales today: 2,234, up from 1,471 last Friday. Now over 400 per week per 100,000, and most of that is concentrated in the south where some of the areas are posting scary numbers. Hard lock down needed right now there, not after Christmas.
Northern Ireland ending a circuit breaker today even though numbers are slowly going up. Scotland relaxing restrictions while cases are no better than constant, so the only way is up there as well. England inching up already when it still hasn't really been long enough for the lockdown end to affect the numbers.
All very depressing.
Terrible figures for Drakeford and Wales, London I expect is heading for Tier 3 along with Essex, Manchester will probably move down to Tier 2
Not great in NI either considering they are loosening today. 2 weeks just does not work. 4 does, but only marginally, and not for very long. It is a long distance race, not a 400 m. Any politician, of any stripe, claiming otherwise is dissembling at best. The North is falling now after around 3 months. Just like the first wave.
At least we are now vaccinating those most at risk. I still cant't believe other countries are not doing this.
It won't be long before other countries follow. For us it was just because all the cards fell in the right places. We backed most of the right vaccines that were ready soonest and our regulatory authority was well placed to approve it quickly.
It's more than just luck since our team which was much maligned by the opposition was getting praise from anyone sensible in backing all the leading contenders (except Moderna which are contractually obliged to only supply the USA until March so it was futile to back them).
Trouble is that I can fully understand why Boris and the Brexiteers don't want to sign a deal. It means acknowledging the gap between dreams and reality.
So the "huge concession" from the EU was the deal they were offering all along and BoZo just hasn't taken it
I think the Tories don’t really want a deal at all. They have convinced themselves that any restraint - even as a result of an agreement freely entered into - is intolerable. They have come to a belief that sovereignty means being able to do exactly what you want with no adverse consequences whatsoever. They believe that the EU is some sort of evil monster out to get them. So why enter into a deal at all?
And the enthusiastic way in which they all agreed to tear up an agreement they signed up for shows that they don’t really believe in agreements at all.
The logic of their own beliefs pushes them to a No Deal / with one bound we are free result. And I think that is where we will end up.
I hope not. But I fear it. The Tory party has been driven mad by a concept they simply do not understand. It is a shame for the rest of us though who have to face the real world consequences of this obsession.
Trouble is that I can fully understand why Boris and the Brexiteers don't want to sign a deal. It means acknowledging the gap between dreams and reality.
But that doesn't alter the need to sign a deal.
There's a Rolling Stones song which sums up the issue. Let's hope it isn't "Out of Time".
Quickly followed by 'You Can't Always Get What You Want'
If this deal is done, can we bet on how many months later Boris tells us that it is unacceptable in some way and that we have to breach it?
Nah, if Boris puts pen to paper his consistent line will that this is the most splendiferous deal since the Peace of Callias, or something.
What's rather nice about that allusion is that there's a long tradition of asking undergraduates to determine whether the Peace of Callias ever in fact existed at all...
FWIW - and I'm giving a massive hostage to fortune here - in contrast to most of the Twitterati, I think that the chances of getting a deal in the next couple of days have improved quite a lot, and it will probably happen.
My reasoning is that the excuses Boris is giving for not signing up are so fantastical that they won't serve as an excuse for No Deal. Today he's repeated this nonsense:
Unfortunately at the moment, as you know, there are two key things where we just can’t seem to make progress and that’s this kind of ratchet clause they’ve got in to keep the UK locked in to whatever they want to do in terms of legislation, which obviously doesn’t work.
We know that is nonsense, he knows it is nonsense, so why is he saying it? If it's to give himself an excuse to 'walk away' and blame the EU, then it's a jolly feeble one. What happens when the EU publish their proposed text?
If Boris really wants an excuse to walk out, he could use fish, which no-one understands and where the EU position can easily be portrayed as unreasonable.
So it looks to me as though he's erecting a massive straw dragon which he can heroically slay.
Fingers crossed that I'm right!
I think you are probably right. Although it is possible that Johnson simply doesn't understand the EU's position on LPF.
To be honest I just want a deal and everyone wins by moving on in an amicable manner
What Johnson has just said- i.e. we must follow EU standards etc- seems to be totally at odds with what Ursela just said at that EU conference. So it's all just bluff and bluster.
If the UK doesn't go for a deal now - it's because it never wanted one. And the fallout of that is on Johnson
Yep. To choose stiff general tariffs now over the possibility of selective tariffs in the medium to long future is on the face of it utterly crazy. I was tossing and turning most of the night trying to come up with a valid reason why Johnson might do it. Why he might No Deal. I generated three, which I’d like to share to see if people think they are feasible – I don’t, hence why I’m so confident of a deal – or if they can spot any I’ve missed. They are as follows -
(1) He thinks that a period of No Deal will drive the EU back to the negotiating table ready to do a deal which does NOT protect their LPF.
(2) He is planning a big bout of regulation slashing and/or state aid in the short term which he knows will trigger sanctions under the deal and so figures we’re better off just getting on with it from right outside.
(3) He fears that if he does a deal on LPF it will trigger a Con rebellion and he’ll have to rely on Labour votes to get it through. This being a “Mrs May” look which, if combined with a loss of love amongst the grass roots, could threaten his position, even see him ousted next year.
What do you guys think?
(Number 3 is imo the best although I don’t buy it myself. But of course if a plugged in Tory member such as @HYUFD thinks otherwise I will definitely give it further thought.)
Not convinced on this because if I'm right and the LPF deal is coming they'll probably lose money. Unless of course Johnson builds up the No Deal fear for a while longer, drives those markets down, then tips them the wink when the big "breakthrough" is about to happen. Clean up twice! Gosh, that would be corrupt. No, I don't believe it.
I’m not quite sure I believe all of this either. It’s too neat. Hedge funds, as the name suggests, try to offset risks and, indeed, one of the main ways of doing that is by short selling. But the whole point of a hedge fund is, yes, to maximise returns but also offset risk. It’s one hell of a risk to trash a major economy, within which the same hedge funds will undoubtedly have many investments, just for a short term return.
However, their investment in the original Brexit result is already even better documented.
And also typically a load of bollocks.
Hedge funds have investments is not news. They always do. It would more be news if they didn't.
I see. Odey, for instance, is still donating to the Tories in 2020 IIRC, having been one of the most prolific Vote Leave donors of all four years back.
Drakeford sinking without trace as he announces the disaster that is covid in Wales
All outdoor attractions across Wales to close
He has announced that it is inevitable to move to alert 4 after Christmas unless everyone reduces the number of people we see or mix with
Blaming the public is not a good look
Yet it's one popular with yourself and the other PB moralisers, who call for a reporter's career to be destroyed because she broke covid rules.
Funny old world.
Yes. And often - although not in Big G's case tbf - the very same people who were almost horizontally relaxed about the Dominic "My rules don't apply to me" Cummings affair.
This cost quite a few posters their integrity for 24 hours the other day. 6 of them in fact.
I was remarkably consistent – I thought the Cummings thing was trivial guff (and said so repeatedly on here); ditto Kay Burley et al.
What isn't trivial is the spinecrawling authoritarian moralising from PBers – asking that a woman's livelihood be removed because she had three mates over for drinks.
Except that she enthusiastically participated in exactly that kind of spine-crawling authoritarian moralizing, demanding that other people's livelihoods be removed for similarly trivial offences. That she's finally getting a taste of her own medicine is nothing more than natural justice.
NO. You cannot comment on this. Integrity free zone. Please contact mods and delete your comment.
Lol - aren't the 24 hours up yet?
Philip's are, yes. But you've only just gone in.
Not in solitary though. Felix is there doing a 72 stretch.
So the "huge concession" from the EU was the deal they were offering all along and BoZo just hasn't taken it
I think the Tories don’t really want a deal at all. They have convinced themselves that any restraint - even as a result of an agreement freely entered into - is intolerable. They have come to a belief that sovereignty means being able to do exactly what you want with no adverse consequences whatsoever. They believe that the EU is some sort of evil monster out to get them. So why enter into a deal at all?
And the enthusiastic way in which they all agreed to tear up an agreement they signed up for shows that they don’t really believe in agreements at all.
The logic of their own beliefs pushes them to a No Deal / with one bound we are free result. And I think that is where we will end up.
I hope not. But I fear it. The Tory party has been driven mad by a concept they simply do not understand. It is a shame for the rest of us though who have to face the real world consequences of this obsession.
Trouble is that I can fully understand why Boris and the Brexiteers don't want to sign a deal. It means acknowledging the gap between dreams and reality.
But that doesn't alter the need to sign a deal.
There's a Rolling Stones song which sums up the issue. Let's hope it isn't "Out of Time".
Could he refuse responsibility for the deal by putting it before Parliament without endorsing it himself, and leaving it to Labour and a minority of his own party to get it over the line?
Electoral Calculus gives a hung parliament with Tories on 312, Labour on 250, the SNP on 58, the LDs on 7, the DUP on 8 and PC on 4 and the SDLP on 2 and the Greens and Alliance each on 1.
So the Tories and DUP = 320 but Labour + SNP + LDs + PC + Greens + SDLP = 322, so Starmer would still end up PM
Johnson should give the SNP that independence vote
Not convinced on this because if I'm right and the LPF deal is coming they'll probably lose money. Unless of course Johnson builds up the No Deal fear for a while longer, drives those markets down, then tips them the wink when the big "breakthrough" is about to happen. Clean up twice! Gosh, that would be corrupt. No, I don't believe it.
I’m not quite sure I believe all of this either. It’s too neat. Hedge funds, as the name suggests, try to offset risks and, indeed, one of the main ways of doing that is by short selling. But the whole point of a hedge fund is, yes, to maximise returns but also offset risk. It’s one hell of a risk to trash a major economy, within which the same hedge funds will undoubtedly have many investments, just for a short term return.
However, their investment in the original Brexit result is already even better documented.
And also typically a load of bollocks.
Hedge funds have investments is not news. They always do. It would more be news if they didn't.
Yes, it's utter bollocks. It's similar to the standard Corbynistic garbage of blaming mysterious and shadowy financiers for everything. Quite how those shadowy figures instructed 52% of voters to how to vote is never clear, nor is why they would bother in the first place.
'Hedge Funds' make a particularly good bogeyman for this conspiracy theory because they sound particularly mysterious and hardly anyone knows what they are. In fact, although originally the term referred to the kind of fund @DougSeal mentioned, i.e. funds that tended to have both long and short positions, nowadays the terms is so widely applied that it's effectively meaningless: they are just Funds, with all manner of different investment strategies.
Not convinced on this because if I'm right and the LPF deal is coming they'll probably lose money. Unless of course Johnson builds up the No Deal fear for a while longer, drives those markets down, then tips them the wink when the big "breakthrough" is about to happen. Clean up twice! Gosh, that would be corrupt. No, I don't believe it.
I’m not quite sure I believe all of this either. It’s too neat. Hedge funds, as the name suggests, try to offset risks and, indeed, one of the main ways of doing that is by short selling. But the whole point of a hedge fund is, yes, to maximise returns but also offset risk. It’s one hell of a risk to trash a major economy, within which the same hedge funds will undoubtedly have many investments, just for a short term return.
However, their investment in the original Brexit result is already even better documented.
And also typically a load of bollocks.
Hedge funds have investments is not news. They always do. It would more be news if they didn't.
I see. Odey, for instance, is still donating to the Tories in 2020, IIRC, having been one of the most prolific Vote Leave donors four years back.
Hedge funds always have funds and positions. It doesn't mean a fraction of what ignorant reporters tend to think they mean. Typically reports like this concentrate solely on what the fund is shorting without looking at what they're backing which is to entirely misunderstand how hedge funds work.
Not convinced on this because if I'm right and the LPF deal is coming they'll probably lose money. Unless of course Johnson builds up the No Deal fear for a while longer, drives those markets down, then tips them the wink when the big "breakthrough" is about to happen. Clean up twice! Gosh, that would be corrupt. No, I don't believe it.
I’m not quite sure I believe all of this either. It’s too neat. Hedge funds, as the name suggests, try to offset risks and, indeed, one of the main ways of doing that is by short selling. But the whole point of a hedge fund is, yes, to maximise returns but also offset risk. It’s one hell of a risk to trash a major economy, within which the same hedge funds will undoubtedly have many investments, just for a short term return.
However, their investment in the original Brexit result is already even better documented.
And also typically a load of bollocks.
Hedge funds have investments is not news. They always do. It would more be news if they didn't.
Yes, it's utter bollocks. It's similar to the standard Corbynistic garbage of blaming mysterious and shadowy financiers for everything. Quite how those shadowy figures instructed 52% of voters to how to vote is never clear, nor is why they would bother in the first place.
'Hedge Funds' make a particularly good bogeyman for this conspiracy theory because they sound particularly mysterious and hardly anyone knows what they are. In fact, although originally the term referred to the kind of fund @DougSeal mentioned, i.e. funds that tended to have both long and short positions, nowadays the terms is so widely applied that it's effectively meaningless: they are just Funds, with all manner of different investment strategies.
The idea that hedge funds have invested in Brexit, and the post-2015 Tories, for the very specific reasons outlined, isn't at all new or controversial. The FT, which is hardly a Corbynist outlet, has run multiple pieces on it for years.
So the "huge concession" from the EU was the deal they were offering all along and BoZo just hasn't taken it
I think the Tories don’t really want a deal at all. They have convinced themselves that any restraint - even as a result of an agreement freely entered into - is intolerable. They have come to a belief that sovereignty means being able to do exactly what you want with no adverse consequences whatsoever. They believe that the EU is some sort of evil monster out to get them. So why enter into a deal at all?
And the enthusiastic way in which they all agreed to tear up an agreement they signed up for shows that they don’t really believe in agreements at all.
The logic of their own beliefs pushes them to a No Deal / with one bound we are free result. And I think that is where we will end up.
I hope not. But I fear it. The Tory party has been driven mad by a concept they simply do not understand. It is a shame for the rest of us though who have to face the real world consequences of this obsession.
Trouble is that I can fully understand why Boris and the Brexiteers don't want to sign a deal. It means acknowledging the gap between dreams and reality.
But that doesn't alter the need to sign a deal.
There's a Rolling Stones song which sums up the issue. Let's hope it isn't "Out of Time".
Could he refuse responsibility for the deal by putting it before Parliament without endorsing it himself, and leaving it to Labour and a minority of his own party to get it over the line?
If a majority of the Tories oppose the deal they'd defenestrate any leader who put it to the House. This is what finally lead to May's demise, when she started making moves to compromise with the Opposition.
Comments
If the UK doesn't go for a deal now - it's because it never wanted one. And the fallout of that is on Johnson
https://www.railfuture.org.uk/Ashington+Blyth+and+Tyne#:~:text=The new service would have,and Seaton Delaval) as well. has full details if it loads
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1337385736530780161
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1337373146652020736
It stems from me having a little bit of useless information in my mind about how long Norway is. Something the Norwegians are always happy to tell you every single time you visit their country
https://qz.com/1689699/boris-johnson-is-secretly-a-europhile/
https://twitter.com/JenniferJJacobs/status/1337387064124461056
"What they're saying is if THEY buy an expensive handbag, WE have to buy one too. That's really not the way to carry on."
I mean, c'mon. Honestly.
https://twitter.com/paulhutcheon/status/1337395212163948545?s=20
Imagine being in a state of utter, existential despair...and finding your desperate phone call answered by him.
Point is, he has to be confident folk will buy that - and so he'll keep the love - otherwise there's a risk of him not doing it. And we do NOT want that. No Deal would be terrible for the country - and what's worse terrible for me personally since I've been banging on forever about how it's the ultimate Not Happening Event and a deal is therefore certain. I'd look a right plonker.
So the "huge concession" from the EU was the deal they were offering all along and BoZo just hasn't taken it
Northern Ireland ending a circuit breaker today even though numbers are slowly going up. Scotland relaxing restrictions while cases are no better than constant, so the only way is up there as well. England inching up already when it still hasn't really been long enough for the lockdown end to affect the numbers.
All very depressing.
Not in solitary though. Felix is there doing a 72 stretch.
Wonder if we are not going to look back and regret not just going for 2 more weeks?
2 weeks just does not work.
4 does, but only marginally, and not for very long.
It is a long distance race, not a 400 m.
Any politician, of any stripe, claiming otherwise is dissembling at best. The North is falling now after around 3 months. Just like the first wave.
Electoral Calculus gives a hung parliament with Tories on 312, Labour on 250, the SNP on 58, the LDs on 7, the DUP on 8 and PC on 4 and the SDLP on 2 and the Greens and Alliance each on 1.
So the Tories and DUP = 320 but Labour + SNP + LDs + PC + Greens + SDLP = 322, so Starmer would still end up PM
And the enthusiastic way in which they all agreed to tear up an agreement they signed up for shows that they don’t really believe in agreements at all.
The logic of their own beliefs pushes them to a No Deal / with one bound we are free result. And I think that is where we will end up.
I hope not. But I fear it. The Tory party has been driven mad by a concept they simply do not understand. It is a shame for the rest of us though who have to face the real world consequences of this obsession.
Hedge funds have investments is not news. They always do. It would more be news if they didn't.
But that doesn't alter the need to sign a deal.
There's a Rolling Stones song which sums up the issue. Let's hope it isn't "Out of Time".
(1) He thinks that a period of No Deal will drive the EU back to the negotiating table ready to do a deal which does NOT protect their LPF.
(2) He is planning a big bout of regulation slashing and/or state aid in the short term which he knows will trigger sanctions under the deal and so figures we’re better off just getting on with it from right outside.
(3) He fears that if he does a deal on LPF it will trigger a Con rebellion and he’ll have to rely on Labour votes to get it through. This being a “Mrs May” look which, if combined with a loss of love amongst the grass roots, could threaten his position, even see him ousted next year.
What do you guys think?
(Number 3 is imo the best although I don’t buy it myself. But of course if a plugged in Tory member such as @HYUFD thinks otherwise I will definitely give it further thought.)
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/boris-johnsons-donor-crispin-odey-eyes-brexit-jackpot-with-300m-bet-against-british-firms-0lwjbnqsn
'Hedge Funds' make a particularly good bogeyman for this conspiracy theory because they sound particularly mysterious and hardly anyone knows what they are. In fact, although originally the term referred to the kind of fund @DougSeal mentioned, i.e. funds that tended to have both long and short positions, nowadays the terms is so widely applied that it's effectively meaningless: they are just Funds, with all manner of different investment strategies.
Hedge funds always have funds and positions. It doesn't mean a fraction of what ignorant reporters tend to think they mean. Typically reports like this concentrate solely on what the fund is shorting without looking at what they're backing which is to entirely misunderstand how hedge funds work.