If Boris, Nicola and Arlene all agree on tighter Xmas measures I'm sure the Welsh will be bounced into it because the three nations will do it anyway leaving Wales as the odd one out.
They are right to lay out the options, but it will definitely go to Sheffield and Leeds.
HS2 already isn't going to Sheffield. I don't count HS2 trains trundling along existing infrastructure to Midland station to be HS2 going to Sheffield. They *could* have had a Meadowhall station on the main route and used it as a fulcrum to drive the regeneration of a largely post-industrial shithole, but oh no.
I can't comprehend why they didn't go for Meadowhall. It is just such an obvious choice and as well as the Sheffield tram it has direct links to Doncaster, Rotherham and Barnsley (although Doncaster is only 90 minutes from King's Cross as it is).
The current route just blights parts of South Yorkshire for absolutely no benefit, other than being able to wave at people on their way to Leeds.
But that's the point about HS2. In order to get journey times down it has to by-pass just about everywhere, since stopping and starting from high speed takes up a lot of time. And the regeneration it brings to the very limited places it would stop is of no benefit to places it bypasses and comes at enormous expense.
Also, exactly the same issue about lack of connectivity arises with the Curzon Street terminus at Birmingham. The entire rail hub of the West Midlands revolves around Birmingham New Street. That means that most who need to travel to London from Birmingham and the Black Country are going to continue to travel into London using the West Coast Main LIne, which will still be quicker and no doubt much cheaper. That's assuming that the amount of long distance rail travel ever recovers which is a moot point now that business has spent a year learning how to cope using Zoom.
Yes, I understand it has to bypass nearly everywhere. If it is going to do that, though, each stop must be chosen for maximum connectivity, otherwise it will only ever be of use to people within 3 miles of each terminus.
I do agree with the tone of your post. HS2 has White Elephant written all over it. HS3, on the other hand...
Honestly if they can't collate stats like this....
If they can't collate stats like this then...,.
maybe they shouldn't be taking decisions that are destroying millions of livelihoods???
... even if not taking such decisions would destroy more livelihoods (and lives)? It's not a simple tradeoff, less lockdown may be worse (a fortnight later admittedly) for people's jobs.
It is still not entirely clear to me why or how Mark Drakeford has so mismanaged this.
Drakeford is a very cautious person -- as far from the reckless chancer, the laughing blonde bounder, as it is possible to be. Drakeford is not very imaginative or very creative or very bright.
He is the sort of political leader who has actually done very well in the pandemic -- his natural instincts are to panic, to shut things down, to ban things, to stay tight and to not move.
I wonder whether his lockdowns -- in the end -- proved counterproductive. For example, parts of the Valleys have been in very restrictive measures since the beginning of September. It is the Valleys -- the Welsh Labour heartlands --where the pandemic is out of control.
Maybe in the end, there are only so many sacrifices you can ask people to make. Maybe in the end, after too long in a straitjacket, enough people go WTF, I am going out, I am going to party, I am going to drink, I am going to socialise.
I am not a huge fan of Drakeford.
But, I am still very surprised that the cautious, bumbling, tedious Professor of Social Studies had managed to bungle this worse than the sexually obsessive, cocky, conniving Knave.
There is something yet to be explained here.
Those graphs show that the Welsh public has been strongly supportive of Drakeford, up until the very recent polling, even though from reading these pages you might have concluded otherwise.
Drakeford's major error was overconfidence in the effect of Wales' early lockdown. He let Wales emerge from lockdown on 9th November without any significant restrictions in place (i.e. broad equivalent of current England Tier 1) in any part of the Wales, even while England was barely into lockdown, and failed to put renewed restrictions in place on hospitality until 5th December, making matters worse by giving drinkers the best part of a weeks notice to make a last visit to a crowded pub.
Apart from that, Drakeford still seems to have handled the rest of the crisis pretty well, and he's at least reverted to the cautious approach now. We see the Welsh school Christmas break sensibly extended from 2 to 3 weeks, with online learning for the first week, whilst Johnson has forbidden English local authorities from following suit.
Yes Drakeford's error wasn't implementing the lockdown, it was not extending it. It should still be in place now.
No, his mistake was buying into the rubbish about 2 week circuit breaker lockdowns actually making any real difference. It was clear from the outset that hyping it up as a solution was going to end badly and now Wales is going to end up in an even longer "don't leave the house" lockdown as a result.
It wasn't rubbish. Wales had an early 17 day lockdown that took note of the SAGE recommendation, England had a late 27 day lockdown starting when cases were much higher. The difference in length wasn't that great and both succeeded in bringing down case rates. The Welsh problem was the failure to have nothing significant in place when the lockdown ended, which undid all the good work and more.
That was the whole idea behind the "circuit breaker" that you could have two weeks in lockdown and then go "normality" equivalent to England or Scotland's tier 1. It was bullshit and pointed out as such at the time. I even said I'd rather support a longer lockdown to reorganise testing and the tiering system for the longer term rather than just two weeks where we could achieve nothing.
So you're not criticising the Welsh lockdown, or its relatively early timing, just the failure to extend it or to put something in place afterwards. Fair enough, I agree with you on that.
What I'm criticising is the way Starmer and the Welsh government pitched it to the public as some kind of solution to the virus, that if we did this then it would go away and we could all go back to normal. It was completely irresponsible and the case numbers in Wales show it.
I don't think Keir ever said a two week lockdown was the solution? He said it would bring down cases - which it did - and then he said we needed a proper track and trace and tier system when we came out.
The Welsh Government failed on the latter. In my view they should have just extended the lockdown.
But then you can equally attack the UK Gov as they did exactly the same thing. If we were to come out we needed a proper track + trace and tier system, which we don't have. So again we should have extended the lockdown.
How do you do that in two weeks? What reorganisation of track and trace can be effected in a two week period? It was a rubbish policy.
Again, you seem to be mistaking my criticism of the Welsh government as praise of Westminster. It isn't. I think the government has been a complete shower of shit for months, in case you don't remember I actually put my money where my mouth is and resigned my membership over it.
I think all 4 nations have had a very poor virus, England, Scotland and Wales especially so. The lack of joined up thinking by the three has been awful, the lack of quarantine measures, the lack of any kind of isolation scheme, the lack of a door to door tracing system. It's all been a disaster. The only thing I can credit Westminster with is vaccine procurement and roll out which has been absolutely brilliant. I'm almost certain that if Scotland and Wales were in charge of their own vaccine procurement they would be waiting a lot longer because they'd be in the rubbish EU scheme.
Agreed. Now the vaccine is imminent, I sent see them getting their act together anyway.
Wait until you hear my economic policies. You'll flee for the hills.
I'm still the fiscally dry conservative I've always been.
Buying those £400+ trainers you linked to earlier this morning doesn't smack of fiscal dryness to me! Soaking wet, really.
I'm debt free, I'm allowed the occasional indulgence.
Plus they are comfortable and I'm helping the economy, the epitome of Conservatism.
Debt free? You should gear up at these interest rates!!
I was raised by a mother who views debt, other than mortgages, as the eighth deadliest sin.
I save and invest and save these days.
I was very lucky in life, I finished university, got a job in London, I was going to rent, my mother decided the best thing was for me to buy a house with my father on the mortgage.
Buying a house in London in 2000 and selling it in 2007 really did set me up for life and allowed me to buy even better houses in the desolate North for the fraction of the cost.
If Boris, Nicola and Arlene all agree on tighter Xmas measures I'm sure the Welsh will be bounced into it because the three nations will do it anyway leaving Wales as the odd one out.
AIUI the Scots had to be browbeaten into the current measures (which are somewhat more severe there), so I don't think they will object. Is Mr Drakeford arguing for more or less restriction? I'm completely confused.
The Government didn't do that. The cases came down even in the two week Welsh circuit breaker but like us they didn't have a working track and trace + tier system to come out into.
Our track + trace system + tiers also don't work.
So actually I honestly think Keir's advice wasn't really followed so it's hard to conclude he got it wrong.
I still would have extended it past two weeks in Wales, the Welsh Government got it wrong, absolutely. But the UK Government should have extended it too. They got it wrong as well.
Did you see the article on the BBC as to *why* track and trace is not working?
According to the people who work in it, people refusing to follow advice, abuse at the operators, refusing to answer calls etc etc.
The best example was the hairdresser who had tested positive but couldn't answer the phone because they were at work...
615 cases in Wales today, down from 780 last Tuesday. A sign that "alert level 3" as introduced 10 days ago (but only named yesterday) is working?
Erm, maybe not: "Public Health Wales said these figures are 'not a true reflection of the picture in Wales' due to system maintenance."
That's been going on since Sunday now, when there were no cases reported at all. Amazing what dropping a few thousand case files behind the back of the sofa can do for bending the curve:
Let's be honest if Labour had made this move and was seemingly about to U-turn some here would be jumping up and down and shouting "U-turn! U-turn!".
Hypocrisy as always.
Labour have made this move. 🤦🏻♂️
Who do you think runs Wales?
I'm not sure what Welsh Labour has to do with Keir Starmer.
Basically everything. It is just another part of the Labour Party, with someone elected to be "Leader of Welsh Labour" since 2016. And a regional office which runs Welsh Labour political stuff.
(That surprised me - I thought there was some institutional separation).
"Welsh Labour is formally part of the Labour Party. It is not separately registered with the Electoral Commission under the terms of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act.[8] In 2016, the Labour Party Conference voted for the office of leader of Welsh Labour to exist; as such, Mark Drakeford is now leader of Welsh Labour." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_Labour
You are completely correct -- thanks for pointing this out.
Welsh Labour is NOT a separate party. It is is a ridiculous and shameful re-branding of part of the Labour Party.
Until recently, this was the Chair of Welsh Labour
Gosh, she lives in the Welsh city of Bolton. Basically, Welsh Labour consists of people like Wulfrun_Phil, who live nowhere near Wales -- but they know what is best for Wales.
That is why Wales (after 20 years of Labour rule) is poorer than it has ever been.
And let's not forget the wretched & pointless Welsh Liberal Democrats -- the leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrat lives in Richmond, the Welsh suburb of London.
Let's be honest if Labour had made this move and was seemingly about to U-turn some here would be jumping up and down and shouting "U-turn! U-turn!".
Hypocrisy as always.
Labour have made this move. 🤦🏻♂️
Who do you think runs Wales?
I'm not sure what Welsh Labour has to do with Keir Starmer.
Basically everything. It is just another part of the Labour Party, with someone elected to be "Leader of Welsh Labour" since 2016. And a regional office which runs Welsh Labour political stuff.
(That surprised me - I thought there was some institutional separation).
"Welsh Labour is formally part of the Labour Party. It is not separately registered with the Electoral Commission under the terms of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act.[8] In 2016, the Labour Party Conference voted for the office of leader of Welsh Labour to exist; as such, Mark Drakeford is now leader of Welsh Labour." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_Labour
You are completely correct -- thanks for pointing this out.
Welsh Labour is NOT a separate party. It is is a ridiculous and shameful re-branding of part of the Labour Party.
Until recently, this was the Chair of Welsh Labour
Gosh, she lives in the Welsh city of Bolton. Basically, Welsh Labour consists of people like Wulfrun_Phil, who live nowhere near Wales -- but they know what is best for Wales.
That is why Wales (after 20 years of Labour rule) is poorer than it has ever been.
And let's not forget the wretched & pointless Welsh Liberal Democrats -- the leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrat lives in Richmond, the Welsh suburb of London.
The electoral legislation for Scotland has an exemption allowing the Labour Party to call itself 'Scottish' in Scotland, IIRC - rather remarkably. Is there anything like that for Wales?
Government, and the country, is in no-win territory here. Every course of action leads to businesses being harmed and people getting infected.
We'll just have the media bleating about what happens without any attempt to portray (or understand) the simple truth that a pandemic is bloody difficult to deal with. That's true for everyone, including devolved political bodies.
The simplistic negativity also means actual Government failures (we had a few weeks when we could've taken more actions, borders weren't secured, and we know the failures in care homes) aren't subject to proper scrutiny because short term and instinctively critical political journalists lack the capacity to sort the wheat from the chaff.
And, on occasions when the Government gets things right (vaccine ordering), there's rather less acknowledgement of this than the flaws, both real and imagined.
It reminds me of the utterly pathetic BBC coverage of job losses in the gambling sector after the surprising, but correct, decision to cut FOBT stakes to £2. It was praised at the time then when jobs were lost it was described as "unforeseen consequences".
No, you cretin. Foreseen consequences. Natural and obvious consequences. You can't diminish the profitability of a sector and expect it to maintain the same staffing levels. That's the trade-off, and a price obviously considered worth paying because it was less important than trying to reduce problem gambling.
Let's be honest if Labour had made this move and was seemingly about to U-turn some here would be jumping up and down and shouting "U-turn! U-turn!".
Hypocrisy as always.
Labour have made this move. 🤦🏻♂️
Who do you think runs Wales?
I'm not sure what Welsh Labour has to do with Keir Starmer.
Basically everything. It is just another part of the Labour Party, with someone elected to be "Leader of Welsh Labour" since 2016. And a regional office which runs Welsh Labour political stuff.
(That surprised me - I thought there was some institutional separation).
"Welsh Labour is formally part of the Labour Party. It is not separately registered with the Electoral Commission under the terms of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act.[8] In 2016, the Labour Party Conference voted for the office of leader of Welsh Labour to exist; as such, Mark Drakeford is now leader of Welsh Labour." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_Labour
You are completely correct -- thanks for pointing this out.
Welsh Labour is NOT a separate party. It is is a ridiculous and shameful re-branding of part of the Labour Party.
Until recently, this was the Chair of Welsh Labour
Gosh, she lives in the Welsh city of Bolton. Basically, Welsh Labour consists of people like Wulfrun_Phil, who live nowhere near Wales -- but they know what is best for Wales.
That is why Wales (after 20 years of Labour rule) is poorer than it has ever been.
And let's not forget the wretched & pointless Welsh Liberal Democrats -- the leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrat lives in Richmond, the Welsh suburb of London.
The electoral legislation for Scotland has an exemption allowing the Labour Party to call itself 'Scottish' in Scotland, IIRC - rather remarkably. Is there anything like that for Wales?
Yes, they are allowed to call themselves Welsh Labour/Llafur Cymru.
But, I think it is all just UK Labour, no? It is just a marketing policy.
Let's be honest if Labour had made this move and was seemingly about to U-turn some here would be jumping up and down and shouting "U-turn! U-turn!".
Hypocrisy as always.
Labour have made this move. 🤦🏻♂️
Who do you think runs Wales?
I'm not sure what Welsh Labour has to do with Keir Starmer.
Basically everything. It is just another part of the Labour Party, with someone elected to be "Leader of Welsh Labour" since 2016. And a regional office which runs Welsh Labour political stuff.
(That surprised me - I thought there was some institutional separation).
"Welsh Labour is formally part of the Labour Party. It is not separately registered with the Electoral Commission under the terms of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act.[8] In 2016, the Labour Party Conference voted for the office of leader of Welsh Labour to exist; as such, Mark Drakeford is now leader of Welsh Labour." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_Labour
You are completely correct -- thanks for pointing this out.
Welsh Labour is NOT a separate party. It is is a ridiculous and shameful re-branding of part of the Labour Party.
Until recently, this was the Chair of Welsh Labour
Gosh, she lives in the Welsh city of Bolton. Basically, Welsh Labour consists of people like Wulfrun_Phil, who live nowhere near Wales -- but they know what is best for Wales.
That is why Wales (after 20 years of Labour rule) is poorer than it has ever been.
And let's not forget the wretched & pointless Welsh Liberal Democrats -- the leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrat lives in Richmond, the Welsh suburb of London.
The electoral legislation for Scotland has an exemption allowing the Labour Party to call itself 'Scottish' in Scotland, IIRC - rather remarkably. Is there anything like that for Wales?
Yes, they are allowed to call themselves Welsh Labour/Llafur Cymru.
But, I think it is all just UK Labour, no? It is just a marketing policy.
Are Welsh Labour autonomous when it comes to policy?
Let's be honest if Labour had made this move and was seemingly about to U-turn some here would be jumping up and down and shouting "U-turn! U-turn!".
Hypocrisy as always.
Labour have made this move. 🤦🏻♂️
Who do you think runs Wales?
I'm not sure what Welsh Labour has to do with Keir Starmer.
Basically everything. It is just another part of the Labour Party, with someone elected to be "Leader of Welsh Labour" since 2016. And a regional office which runs Welsh Labour political stuff.
(That surprised me - I thought there was some institutional separation).
"Welsh Labour is formally part of the Labour Party. It is not separately registered with the Electoral Commission under the terms of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act.[8] In 2016, the Labour Party Conference voted for the office of leader of Welsh Labour to exist; as such, Mark Drakeford is now leader of Welsh Labour." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_Labour
You are completely correct -- thanks for pointing this out.
Welsh Labour is NOT a separate party. It is is a ridiculous and shameful re-branding of part of the Labour Party.
Until recently, this was the Chair of Welsh Labour
Gosh, she lives in the Welsh city of Bolton. Basically, Welsh Labour consists of people like Wulfrun_Phil, who live nowhere near Wales -- but they know what is best for Wales.
That is why Wales (after 20 years of Labour rule) is poorer than it has ever been.
And let's not forget the wretched & pointless Welsh Liberal Democrats -- the leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrat lives in Richmond, the Welsh suburb of London.
The electoral legislation for Scotland has an exemption allowing the Labour Party to call itself 'Scottish' in Scotland, IIRC - rather remarkably. Is there anything like that for Wales?
Yes, they are allowed to call themselves Welsh Labour/Llafur Cymru.
But, I think it is all just UK Labour, no? It is just a marketing policy.
It would however be illegal to use the "Welsh Labour" name in an election unless there is an exemption in the legislation, so that's what I was wondering. Edit: I mean, it's not a separate 'accounting unit' from the main Labour Party. So it shoulds normally be under that name on the ballot etc. unless specially exempt.
Presumably Tories will be consistent as usual and call out this?
Does that include the back taxes he has been let off?
No issue with the salary increase as he had effectively taken a salary sacrifice previously as he said no advisors should be on over 100k. Hypocrisy obviously to take the higher salary without making it known but thats what we should expect from him.
I wonder if it was increased for pension reasons? Do the govt pay final salary related pensions to SPADS? If so, it wound end up being hundreds of thousands extra not £40k ish extra.
Let's be honest if Labour had made this move and was seemingly about to U-turn some here would be jumping up and down and shouting "U-turn! U-turn!".
Hypocrisy as always.
Labour have made this move. 🤦🏻♂️
Who do you think runs Wales?
I'm not sure what Welsh Labour has to do with Keir Starmer.
Basically everything. It is just another part of the Labour Party, with someone elected to be "Leader of Welsh Labour" since 2016. And a regional office which runs Welsh Labour political stuff.
(That surprised me - I thought there was some institutional separation).
"Welsh Labour is formally part of the Labour Party. It is not separately registered with the Electoral Commission under the terms of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act.[8] In 2016, the Labour Party Conference voted for the office of leader of Welsh Labour to exist; as such, Mark Drakeford is now leader of Welsh Labour." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_Labour
You are completely correct -- thanks for pointing this out.
Welsh Labour is NOT a separate party. It is is a ridiculous and shameful re-branding of part of the Labour Party.
Until recently, this was the Chair of Welsh Labour
Gosh, she lives in the Welsh city of Bolton. Basically, Welsh Labour consists of people like Wulfrun_Phil, who live nowhere near Wales -- but they know what is best for Wales.
That is why Wales (after 20 years of Labour rule) is poorer than it has ever been.
And let's not forget the wretched & pointless Welsh Liberal Democrats -- the leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrat lives in Richmond, the Welsh suburb of London.
The electoral legislation for Scotland has an exemption allowing the Labour Party to call itself 'Scottish' in Scotland, IIRC - rather remarkably. Is there anything like that for Wales?
Yes, they are allowed to call themselves Welsh Labour/Llafur Cymru.
But, I think it is all just UK Labour, no? It is just a marketing policy.
It would however be illegal to use the "Welsh Labour" name in an election unless there is an exemption in the legislation, so that's what I was wondering.
Wait until you hear my economic policies. You'll flee for the hills.
I'm still the fiscally dry conservative I've always been.
Buying those £400+ trainers you linked to earlier this morning doesn't smack of fiscal dryness to me! Soaking wet, really.
I'm debt free, I'm allowed the occasional indulgence.
Plus they are comfortable and I'm helping the economy, the epitome of Conservatism.
Debt free? You should gear up at these interest rates!!
I was raised by a mother who views debt, other than mortgages, as the eighth deadliest sin.
I save and invest and save these days.
I was very lucky in life, I finished university, got a job in London, I was going to rent, my mother decided the best thing was for me to buy a house with my father on the mortgage.
Buying a house in London in 2000 and selling it in 2007 really did set me up for life and allowed me to buy even better houses in the desolate North for the fraction of the cost.
I worked in London 1999 - 2002. I was looking for a new flat after 7 months and a colleague suggested I buy a new build apartment in Docklands, which at the time were £140kish. Would have had to do a self-declaration mortgage but everyone was doing it.
I didn't because (a) I hated London and (b) thought that my "purchase" essentially only buys a front door key.
How much are 1 beds in Docklands now? OK not now now, back at the beginning of the year.
@CorrectHorseBattery are you telling me you dont have a pair of £1,000 Balenciagas?
Nah got a pair of Brooks Ghost 13, Brooks Ghost 12 and some Hokas, combined cost probably £300 over them all
I used to have a self imposed price cap on trainers around £40 but after injury got a pair of Ghost 12s and wont go back. Not just comfort but you can feel the extra support and stability.
Presumably Tories will be consistent as usual and call out this?
Does that include the back taxes he has been let off?
No issue with the salary increase as he had effectively taken a salary sacrifice previously as he said no advisors should be on over 100k. Hypocrisy obviously to take the higher salary without making it known but thats what we should expect from him.
I wonder if it was increased for pension reasons? Do the govt pay final salary related pensions to SPADS? If so, it wound end up being hundreds of thousands extra not £40k ish extra.
IIRC the FS [edit: for pensioin purposes] is calculated as the average over a period of 2 years or some such arrangement, so it doesn't depend on the instant value at leaving, but it does depend on what variant of the civil service pension scheme is used.
@CorrectHorseBattery are you telling me you dont have a pair of £1,000 Balenciagas?
Nah got a pair of Brooks Ghost 13, Brooks Ghost 12 and some Hokas, combined cost probably £300 over them all
I used to have a self imposed price cap on trainers around £40 but after injury got a pair of Ghost 12s and wont go back. Not just comfort but you can feel the extra support and stability.
@CorrectHorseBattery are you telling me you dont have a pair of £1,000 Balenciagas?
Nah got a pair of Brooks Ghost 13, Brooks Ghost 12 and some Hokas, combined cost probably £300 over them all
I used to have a self imposed price cap on trainers around £40 but after injury got a pair of Ghost 12s and wont go back. Not just comfort but you can feel the extra support and stability.
@CorrectHorseBattery are you telling me you dont have a pair of £1,000 Balenciagas?
Nah got a pair of Brooks Ghost 13, Brooks Ghost 12 and some Hokas, combined cost probably £300 over them all
I used to have a self imposed price cap on trainers around £40 but after injury got a pair of Ghost 12s and wont go back. Not just comfort but you can feel the extra support and stability.
Everyone raved about Hokas but I don't think I will get another pair. Love the stability as you say of the Ghosts.
I want to get a flatter pair for faster running but alternating the 12s and the 13s is doing me fine in the meantime.
Let's be honest if Labour had made this move and was seemingly about to U-turn some here would be jumping up and down and shouting "U-turn! U-turn!".
Hypocrisy as always.
Labour have made this move. 🤦🏻♂️
Who do you think runs Wales?
I'm not sure what Welsh Labour has to do with Keir Starmer.
Basically everything. It is just another part of the Labour Party, with someone elected to be "Leader of Welsh Labour" since 2016. And a regional office which runs Welsh Labour political stuff.
(That surprised me - I thought there was some institutional separation).
"Welsh Labour is formally part of the Labour Party. It is not separately registered with the Electoral Commission under the terms of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act.[8] In 2016, the Labour Party Conference voted for the office of leader of Welsh Labour to exist; as such, Mark Drakeford is now leader of Welsh Labour." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_Labour
You are completely correct -- thanks for pointing this out.
Welsh Labour is NOT a separate party. It is is a ridiculous and shameful re-branding of part of the Labour Party.
Until recently, this was the Chair of Welsh Labour
Gosh, she lives in the Welsh city of Bolton. Basically, Welsh Labour consists of people like Wulfrun_Phil, who live nowhere near Wales -- but they know what is best for Wales.
That is why Wales (after 20 years of Labour rule) is poorer than it has ever been.
And let's not forget the wretched & pointless Welsh Liberal Democrats -- the leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrat lives in Richmond, the Welsh suburb of London.
The electoral legislation for Scotland has an exemption allowing the Labour Party to call itself 'Scottish' in Scotland, IIRC - rather remarkably. Is there anything like that for Wales?
Yes, they are allowed to call themselves Welsh Labour/Llafur Cymru.
But, I think it is all just UK Labour, no? It is just a marketing policy.
Isn't that the same for the Welsh Conservatives. When I lived in Cardiff North they had a titular head office on Merthyr Road, Whitchurch, and all their documentation throughout Wales, as I recall, used that address.
The diminutive Alun however, always seemed to take his orders from Downing Street.
Let's be honest if Labour had made this move and was seemingly about to U-turn some here would be jumping up and down and shouting "U-turn! U-turn!".
Hypocrisy as always.
Labour have made this move. 🤦🏻♂️
Who do you think runs Wales?
I'm not sure what Welsh Labour has to do with Keir Starmer.
Basically everything. It is just another part of the Labour Party, with someone elected to be "Leader of Welsh Labour" since 2016. And a regional office which runs Welsh Labour political stuff.
(That surprised me - I thought there was some institutional separation).
"Welsh Labour is formally part of the Labour Party. It is not separately registered with the Electoral Commission under the terms of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act.[8] In 2016, the Labour Party Conference voted for the office of leader of Welsh Labour to exist; as such, Mark Drakeford is now leader of Welsh Labour." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_Labour
You are completely correct -- thanks for pointing this out.
Welsh Labour is NOT a separate party. It is is a ridiculous and shameful re-branding of part of the Labour Party.
Until recently, this was the Chair of Welsh Labour
Gosh, she lives in the Welsh city of Bolton. Basically, Welsh Labour consists of people like Wulfrun_Phil, who live nowhere near Wales -- but they know what is best for Wales.
That is why Wales (after 20 years of Labour rule) is poorer than it has ever been.
And let's not forget the wretched & pointless Welsh Liberal Democrats -- the leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrat lives in Richmond, the Welsh suburb of London.
The electoral legislation for Scotland has an exemption allowing the Labour Party to call itself 'Scottish' in Scotland, IIRC - rather remarkably. Is there anything like that for Wales?
Yes, they are allowed to call themselves Welsh Labour/Llafur Cymru.
But, I think it is all just UK Labour, no? It is just a marketing policy.
Isn't that the same for the Welsh Conservatives. When I lived in Cardiff North they had a titular head office on Merthyr Road, Whitchurch, and all their documentation throughout Wales, as I recall, used that address.
The diminutive Alun however, always seemed to take his orders from Downing Street.
True.
But, the Conservatives have always believed Wales is a small lean-to garden shed built onto the side of England, perhaps useful for keeping a few garden tools in.
Let's be honest if Labour had made this move and was seemingly about to U-turn some here would be jumping up and down and shouting "U-turn! U-turn!".
Hypocrisy as always.
Labour have made this move. 🤦🏻♂️
Who do you think runs Wales?
I'm not sure what Welsh Labour has to do with Keir Starmer.
Basically everything. It is just another part of the Labour Party, with someone elected to be "Leader of Welsh Labour" since 2016. And a regional office which runs Welsh Labour political stuff.
(That surprised me - I thought there was some institutional separation).
"Welsh Labour is formally part of the Labour Party. It is not separately registered with the Electoral Commission under the terms of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act.[8] In 2016, the Labour Party Conference voted for the office of leader of Welsh Labour to exist; as such, Mark Drakeford is now leader of Welsh Labour." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_Labour
You are completely correct -- thanks for pointing this out.
Welsh Labour is NOT a separate party. It is is a ridiculous and shameful re-branding of part of the Labour Party.
Until recently, this was the Chair of Welsh Labour
Gosh, she lives in the Welsh city of Bolton. Basically, Welsh Labour consists of people like Wulfrun_Phil, who live nowhere near Wales -- but they know what is best for Wales.
That is why Wales (after 20 years of Labour rule) is poorer than it has ever been.
And let's not forget the wretched & pointless Welsh Liberal Democrats -- the leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrat lives in Richmond, the Welsh suburb of London.
The electoral legislation for Scotland has an exemption allowing the Labour Party to call itself 'Scottish' in Scotland, IIRC - rather remarkably. Is there anything like that for Wales?
Yes, they are allowed to call themselves Welsh Labour/Llafur Cymru.
But, I think it is all just UK Labour, no? It is just a marketing policy.
Isn't that the same for the Welsh Conservatives. When I lived in Cardiff North they had a titular head office on Merthyr Road, Whitchurch, and all their documentation throughout Wales, as I recall, used that address.
The diminutive Alun however, always seemed to take his orders from Downing Street.
True.
But, the Conservatives have always believed Wales is a small lean-to garden shed built onto the side of England, perhaps useful for keeping a few garden tools in.
Wait until you hear my economic policies. You'll flee for the hills.
I'm still the fiscally dry conservative I've always been.
Buying those £400+ trainers you linked to earlier this morning doesn't smack of fiscal dryness to me! Soaking wet, really.
I'm debt free, I'm allowed the occasional indulgence.
Plus they are comfortable and I'm helping the economy, the epitome of Conservatism.
Debt free? You should gear up at these interest rates!!
I was raised by a mother who views debt, other than mortgages, as the eighth deadliest sin.
I save and invest and save these days.
I was very lucky in life, I finished university, got a job in London, I was going to rent, my mother decided the best thing was for me to buy a house with my father on the mortgage.
Buying a house in London in 2000 and selling it in 2007 really did set me up for life and allowed me to buy even better houses in the desolate North for the fraction of the cost.
I worked in London 1999 - 2002. I was looking for a new flat after 7 months and a colleague suggested I buy a new build apartment in Docklands, which at the time were £140kish. Would have had to do a self-declaration mortgage but everyone was doing it.
I didn't because (a) I hated London and (b) thought that my "purchase" essentially only buys a front door key.
How much are 1 beds in Docklands now? OK not now now, back at the beginning of the year.
Big range, 350k upwards, maybe £450k median but double that not unheard of.
Let's be honest if Labour had made this move and was seemingly about to U-turn some here would be jumping up and down and shouting "U-turn! U-turn!".
Hypocrisy as always.
Labour have made this move. 🤦🏻♂️
Who do you think runs Wales?
I'm not sure what Welsh Labour has to do with Keir Starmer.
Basically everything. It is just another part of the Labour Party, with someone elected to be "Leader of Welsh Labour" since 2016. And a regional office which runs Welsh Labour political stuff.
(That surprised me - I thought there was some institutional separation).
"Welsh Labour is formally part of the Labour Party. It is not separately registered with the Electoral Commission under the terms of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act.[8] In 2016, the Labour Party Conference voted for the office of leader of Welsh Labour to exist; as such, Mark Drakeford is now leader of Welsh Labour." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_Labour
You are completely correct -- thanks for pointing this out.
Welsh Labour is NOT a separate party. It is is a ridiculous and shameful re-branding of part of the Labour Party.
Until recently, this was the Chair of Welsh Labour
Gosh, she lives in the Welsh city of Bolton. Basically, Welsh Labour consists of people like Wulfrun_Phil, who live nowhere near Wales -- but they know what is best for Wales.
That is why Wales (after 20 years of Labour rule) is poorer than it has ever been.
And let's not forget the wretched & pointless Welsh Liberal Democrats -- the leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrat lives in Richmond, the Welsh suburb of London.
The electoral legislation for Scotland has an exemption allowing the Labour Party to call itself 'Scottish' in Scotland, IIRC - rather remarkably. Is there anything like that for Wales?
Yes, they are allowed to call themselves Welsh Labour/Llafur Cymru.
But, I think it is all just UK Labour, no? It is just a marketing policy.
Isn't that the same for the Welsh Conservatives. When I lived in Cardiff North they had a titular head office on Merthyr Road, Whitchurch, and all their documentation throughout Wales, as I recall, used that address.
The diminutive Alun however, always seemed to take his orders from Downing Street.
True.
But, the Conservatives have always believed Wales is a small lean-to garden shed built onto the side of England, perhaps useful for keeping a few garden tools in.
By "tools" I hope you are not referring to Alun, Paul and R.T. !
I am surprised how popular the Conservatives are based on your rather accurate analogy. I think the notion of the old benevolent feudal Tory sits well with Welsh peasantry.
Did the Welsh lockdown achieve anything? It did during the lockdown itself but as soon as it was relaxed it was back to the previous situation.
It did in the short term as the graphs demonstrate. It was however too short and when relaxed too casual. I wouldn't be too smug at this point as I suspect London, the South East and East Anglia are hot on our heels.
Nonetheless, the current Welsh stats are nothing short of catastrophic.
Wait until you hear my economic policies. You'll flee for the hills.
I'm still the fiscally dry conservative I've always been.
Buying those £400+ trainers you linked to earlier this morning doesn't smack of fiscal dryness to me! Soaking wet, really.
I'm debt free, I'm allowed the occasional indulgence.
Plus they are comfortable and I'm helping the economy, the epitome of Conservatism.
Debt free? You should gear up at these interest rates!!
I was raised by a mother who views debt, other than mortgages, as the eighth deadliest sin.
I save and invest and save these days.
I was very lucky in life, I finished university, got a job in London, I was going to rent, my mother decided the best thing was for me to buy a house with my father on the mortgage.
Buying a house in London in 2000 and selling it in 2007 really did set me up for life and allowed me to buy even better houses in the desolate North for the fraction of the cost.
you need to zoom in and take a look at the city seats
Very few areas from wealthy Remain heavy London and of course cities like Birmingham, Nottingham and Sheffield, Hull and Coventry and Sunderland for example voted Leave anyway.
The poorer parts of Manchester and Liverpool and Newcastle perhaps the only exceptions
Ha ha very few areas from London? You need to master the use of the zoom function. I counted around 40 London constituencies on that map, more than half of the city's 73 constituencies. And if the map were extended to Scotland and N Ireland you'd find plenty of poor Remain-voting areas too. If I recall correctly income is not a robust predictor of Brexit opinion once education is controlled for but I may be wrong.
Even if the division was less marked than education level.
Yes but is income an independent source of variation in Leave support or is it a proxy for education? As I recall once you put in education income is no longer significant. You said "very few areas" in London are on the map of deprived areas we are discussing, but that map shows a bit over half of London constituencies are in the most deprived 50% in England, so your comment was clearly inaccurate.
On average most higher income earners also have a high level of education so that is hardly a surprise and my original point therefore stands absolutely, income and education are a far higher indicator of how you voted in the EU referendum than they are of whether you voted Tory or Labour at the last general election.
Given areas of London which are deprived include Barking and Dagenham which also voted Leave you also cannot even claim all London deprived areas as Remain areas anyway, so my original point that there are barely any Remain areas on the map of the most deprived areas again stands correct. The vast majority of the deprived constituencies on that map of England voted Leave in 2016.
Your “original point” was “barely a remain seat among them”, which ensuing discussion has proved to have been completely wrong.
Did the Welsh lockdown achieve anything? It did during the lockdown itself but as soon as it was relaxed it was back to the previous situation.
All it achieved was the first government endorsement of "go to Amazon" thanks to the ridiculous essential items rule.
No, the essential items fiasco was a stupid sideshow, accidentally engineered by Russell George. The lockdown was too short.
Agreed but Drakeford is directly responsible for the free for all post the lockdown and accelerating the virus throughout Wales
And I did call it immediately following the end of lockdown.
It was all too obvious in town and around and about that by Drakeford insisting it was a 'one and only firebreak' everyone seemed to think covid was over once the firebreak ended
Let's be honest if Labour had made this move and was seemingly about to U-turn some here would be jumping up and down and shouting "U-turn! U-turn!".
Hypocrisy as always.
Labour have made this move. 🤦🏻♂️
Who do you think runs Wales?
I'm not sure what Welsh Labour has to do with Keir Starmer.
Basically everything. It is just another part of the Labour Party, with someone elected to be "Leader of Welsh Labour" since 2016. And a regional office which runs Welsh Labour political stuff.
(That surprised me - I thought there was some institutional separation).
"Welsh Labour is formally part of the Labour Party. It is not separately registered with the Electoral Commission under the terms of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act.[8] In 2016, the Labour Party Conference voted for the office of leader of Welsh Labour to exist; as such, Mark Drakeford is now leader of Welsh Labour." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_Labour
You are completely correct -- thanks for pointing this out.
Welsh Labour is NOT a separate party. It is is a ridiculous and shameful re-branding of part of the Labour Party.
Until recently, this was the Chair of Welsh Labour
Gosh, she lives in the Welsh city of Bolton. Basically, Welsh Labour consists of people like Wulfrun_Phil, who live nowhere near Wales -- but they know what is best for Wales.
That is why Wales (after 20 years of Labour rule) is poorer than it has ever been.
And let's not forget the wretched & pointless Welsh Liberal Democrats -- the leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrat lives in Richmond, the Welsh suburb of London.
The electoral legislation for Scotland has an exemption allowing the Labour Party to call itself 'Scottish' in Scotland, IIRC - rather remarkably. Is there anything like that for Wales?
Yes, they are allowed to call themselves Welsh Labour/Llafur Cymru.
But, I think it is all just UK Labour, no? It is just a marketing policy.
Isn't that the same for the Welsh Conservatives. When I lived in Cardiff North they had a titular head office on Merthyr Road, Whitchurch, and all their documentation throughout Wales, as I recall, used that address.
The diminutive Alun however, always seemed to take his orders from Downing Street.
I haven't got the foggiest idea; Welsh Tories are boring (but I am sure someone can correct me on that :-) .
Though I am sure it is less complicated than the organisation of the Lib Dems.
And less exciting than the Welsh Greens, especially one of their colourful Deputy Leaders who used to seem to have as many Jags as Prezza.
"Perhaps, in 202), cheap meat, cheap booze, the Iceland prawn ring and the two-metre long Aldi pig-in-a-blanket have made gout a disease to which anyone can aspire."
And no matter the issues around Cummings just how is that relevant to the billions lost due to covid and the decimation of private sector employment especially in leisure and hospitality
Mr. xP, I think the private sector view of the public sector, with largely guaranteed jobs and pensions, complaining of a pay freeze might be a concise expression in Anglo-Saxon.
Frankly if Drakeford doesn't back down and end this nutty policy - if that's what Gove is asking - he should resign.
I am not sure you haven't got the wrong end of the stick here, although frankly it hasn't been explained at all well by Drakeford (nothing new there). I suspect he would bite Johnson's hand off, if the four nations were to bolster restrictions ( I know he has said no pre- Christmas additional measures for Wales, but he has gone from popular to hugely unpopular in the space of three weeks). Drakeford will only be too happy to U-turn, he likes a lockdown anyway.
It is widely understood that there will be a three week "fire-break" from 28th Dec in Wales followed by a strict tiered approach- anoth Drakeford U-turn. I hope Johnson dodges the current Covid bullet, but I fear the glee at our misfortune in Wales by some English Conservatives on here might be 10 days premature.
"Perhaps, in 202), cheap meat, cheap booze, the Iceland prawn ring and the two-metre long Aldi pig-in-a-blanket have made gout a disease to which anyone can aspire."
Frankly if Drakeford doesn't back down and end this nutty policy - if that's what Gove is asking - he should resign.
I am not sure you haven't got the wrong end of the stick here, although frankly it hasn't been explained at all well by Drakeford (nothing new there). I suspect he would bite Johnson's hand off, if the four nations were to bolster restrictions ( I know he has said no pre- Christmas additional measures for Wales, but he has gone from popular to hugely unpopular in the space of three weeks). Drakeford will only be too happy to U-turn, he likes a lockdown anyway.
It is widely understood that there will be a three week "fire-break" from 28th Dec in Wales followed by a strict tiered approach- anoth Drakeford U-turn. I hope Johnson dodges the current Covid bullet, but I fear the glee at our misfortune in Wales by some English Conservatives on here might be 10 days premature.
I am living it with my family and there is no glee at the dreadful position that has arisen in Wales
Drakeford has been found out and here in North Wales he is virtually 'persona non grata' and banned for 18 months from many local pubs
Let's be honest if Labour had made this move and was seemingly about to U-turn some here would be jumping up and down and shouting "U-turn! U-turn!".
Hypocrisy as always.
Labour have made this move. 🤦🏻♂️
Who do you think runs Wales?
I'm not sure what Welsh Labour has to do with Keir Starmer.
Basically everything. It is just another part of the Labour Party, with someone elected to be "Leader of Welsh Labour" since 2016. And a regional office which runs Welsh Labour political stuff.
(That surprised me - I thought there was some institutional separation).
"Welsh Labour is formally part of the Labour Party. It is not separately registered with the Electoral Commission under the terms of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act.[8] In 2016, the Labour Party Conference voted for the office of leader of Welsh Labour to exist; as such, Mark Drakeford is now leader of Welsh Labour." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_Labour
You are completely correct -- thanks for pointing this out.
Welsh Labour is NOT a separate party. It is is a ridiculous and shameful re-branding of part of the Labour Party.
Until recently, this was the Chair of Welsh Labour
Gosh, she lives in the Welsh city of Bolton. Basically, Welsh Labour consists of people like Wulfrun_Phil, who live nowhere near Wales -- but they know what is best for Wales.
That is why Wales (after 20 years of Labour rule) is poorer than it has ever been.
And let's not forget the wretched & pointless Welsh Liberal Democrats -- the leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrat lives in Richmond, the Welsh suburb of London.
The electoral legislation for Scotland has an exemption allowing the Labour Party to call itself 'Scottish' in Scotland, IIRC - rather remarkably. Is there anything like that for Wales?
Yes, they are allowed to call themselves Welsh Labour/Llafur Cymru.
But, I think it is all just UK Labour, no? It is just a marketing policy.
Isn't that the same for the Welsh Conservatives. When I lived in Cardiff North they had a titular head office on Merthyr Road, Whitchurch, and all their documentation throughout Wales, as I recall, used that address.
The diminutive Alun however, always seemed to take his orders from Downing Street.
I haven't got the foggiest idea; Welsh Tories are boring (but I am sure someone can correct me on that :-) .
Though I am sure it is less complicated than the organisation of the Lib Dems.
And less exciting than the Welsh Greens, especially one of their colourful Deputy Leaders who used to seem to have as many Jags as Prezza.
The Welsh Greens are the most hypocritical of all.
The Welsh Greens simultaneously support independence for Wales. And at the same time they voted to remain part of the English Green party.
Wait until you hear my economic policies. You'll flee for the hills.
I'm still the fiscally dry conservative I've always been.
Buying those £400+ trainers you linked to earlier this morning doesn't smack of fiscal dryness to me! Soaking wet, really.
I'm debt free, I'm allowed the occasional indulgence.
Plus they are comfortable and I'm helping the economy, the epitome of Conservatism.
Debt free? You should gear up at these interest rates!!
I was raised by a mother who views debt, other than mortgages, as the eighth deadliest sin.
I save and invest and save these days.
I was very lucky in life, I finished university, got a job in London, I was going to rent, my mother decided the best thing was for me to buy a house with my father on the mortgage.
Buying a house in London in 2000 and selling it in 2007 really did set me up for life and allowed me to buy even better houses in the desolate North for the fraction of the cost.
The only downside being that you now have to live up north. Which is a fairly serious downside.
Let's be honest if Labour had made this move and was seemingly about to U-turn some here would be jumping up and down and shouting "U-turn! U-turn!".
Hypocrisy as always.
Labour have made this move. 🤦🏻♂️
Who do you think runs Wales?
I'm not sure what Welsh Labour has to do with Keir Starmer.
Basically everything. It is just another part of the Labour Party, with someone elected to be "Leader of Welsh Labour" since 2016. And a regional office which runs Welsh Labour political stuff.
(That surprised me - I thought there was some institutional separation).
"Welsh Labour is formally part of the Labour Party. It is not separately registered with the Electoral Commission under the terms of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act.[8] In 2016, the Labour Party Conference voted for the office of leader of Welsh Labour to exist; as such, Mark Drakeford is now leader of Welsh Labour." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_Labour
You are completely correct -- thanks for pointing this out.
Welsh Labour is NOT a separate party. It is is a ridiculous and shameful re-branding of part of the Labour Party.
Until recently, this was the Chair of Welsh Labour
Gosh, she lives in the Welsh city of Bolton. Basically, Welsh Labour consists of people like Wulfrun_Phil, who live nowhere near Wales -- but they know what is best for Wales.
That is why Wales (after 20 years of Labour rule) is poorer than it has ever been.
And let's not forget the wretched & pointless Welsh Liberal Democrats -- the leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrat lives in Richmond, the Welsh suburb of London.
The electoral legislation for Scotland has an exemption allowing the Labour Party to call itself 'Scottish' in Scotland, IIRC - rather remarkably. Is there anything like that for Wales?
Yes, they are allowed to call themselves Welsh Labour/Llafur Cymru.
But, I think it is all just UK Labour, no? It is just a marketing policy.
Isn't that the same for the Welsh Conservatives. When I lived in Cardiff North they had a titular head office on Merthyr Road, Whitchurch, and all their documentation throughout Wales, as I recall, used that address.
The diminutive Alun however, always seemed to take his orders from Downing Street.
I haven't got the foggiest idea; Welsh Tories are boring (but I am sure someone can correct me on that :-) .
Though I am sure it is less complicated than the organisation of the Lib Dems.
And less exciting than the Welsh Greens, especially one of their colourful Deputy Leaders who used to seem to have as many Jags as Prezza.
I have had the pleasure of meeting several senior Welsh Tories over the years. I regularly get to converse with Alun Cairns. My late father used to speak with him in Welsh. Cairns is quite a club-able chap until his partisanship gets the better of him. A lot less stuffy than his Conservative predecessor Walter Sweeney.
I used to meet Gwilym Jones through an employee who was at the same Masonic lodge as him, when he was my MP. He was a very nice guy.
I have also met Nicholas Bennett, and before him Nick Edwards many years ago, they were as I recall very "upright". I met Michael Ancram on a recycling site in Brecon during GE2005, he was very pleasant- but that doesn't count as he was an English MP!
Let's be honest if Labour had made this move and was seemingly about to U-turn some here would be jumping up and down and shouting "U-turn! U-turn!".
Hypocrisy as always.
Labour have made this move. 🤦🏻♂️
Who do you think runs Wales?
I'm not sure what Welsh Labour has to do with Keir Starmer.
Basically everything. It is just another part of the Labour Party, with someone elected to be "Leader of Welsh Labour" since 2016. And a regional office which runs Welsh Labour political stuff.
(That surprised me - I thought there was some institutional separation).
"Welsh Labour is formally part of the Labour Party. It is not separately registered with the Electoral Commission under the terms of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act.[8] In 2016, the Labour Party Conference voted for the office of leader of Welsh Labour to exist; as such, Mark Drakeford is now leader of Welsh Labour." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_Labour
You are completely correct -- thanks for pointing this out.
Welsh Labour is NOT a separate party. It is is a ridiculous and shameful re-branding of part of the Labour Party.
Until recently, this was the Chair of Welsh Labour
Gosh, she lives in the Welsh city of Bolton. Basically, Welsh Labour consists of people like Wulfrun_Phil, who live nowhere near Wales -- but they know what is best for Wales.
That is why Wales (after 20 years of Labour rule) is poorer than it has ever been.
And let's not forget the wretched & pointless Welsh Liberal Democrats -- the leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrat lives in Richmond, the Welsh suburb of London.
The electoral legislation for Scotland has an exemption allowing the Labour Party to call itself 'Scottish' in Scotland, IIRC - rather remarkably. Is there anything like that for Wales?
Yes, they are allowed to call themselves Welsh Labour/Llafur Cymru.
But, I think it is all just UK Labour, no? It is just a marketing policy.
Isn't that the same for the Welsh Conservatives. When I lived in Cardiff North they had a titular head office on Merthyr Road, Whitchurch, and all their documentation throughout Wales, as I recall, used that address.
The diminutive Alun however, always seemed to take his orders from Downing Street.
I haven't got the foggiest idea; Welsh Tories are boring (but I am sure someone can correct me on that :-) .
Though I am sure it is less complicated than the organisation of the Lib Dems.
And less exciting than the Welsh Greens, especially one of their colourful Deputy Leaders who used to seem to have as many Jags as Prezza.
I have had the pleasure of meeting several senior Welsh Tories over the years. I regularly get to converse with Alun Cairns. My late father used to speak with him in Welsh. Cairns is quite a club-able chap until his partisanship gets the better of him. A lot less stuffy than his Conservative predecessor Walter Sweeney.
I used to meet Gwilym Jones through an employee who was at the same Masonic lodge as him, when he was my MP. He was a very nice guy.
I have also met Nicholas Bennett, and before him Nick Edwards many years ago, they were as I recall very "upright". I met Michael Ancram on a recycling site in Brecon during GE2005, he was very pleasant- but that doesn't count as he was an English MP!
Also a Scots peer, Marquess of Lothian ...! But not for purposes of sitting in the HoL, though he is a life peer as well, Baron Kerr of Monteviot.
And no matter the issues around Cummings just how is that relevant to the billions lost due to covid and the decimation of private sector employment especially in leisure and hospitality
One of the narratives that has definitely hit the government is the sense of "one rule for Boris's mates (like Dom), another for us". And £50k is the kind of sum of money that sounds like a lot to normal people; if I ballsed up at work and it cost that much, I'd expect to be in trouble over it.
In the grand scheme of things, it's a trivial amount of cash wasted; what was that litany of waste from Yes, Minister? But that's politics- if you can't take the bows and arrows...
Did the Welsh lockdown achieve anything? It did during the lockdown itself but as soon as it was relaxed it was back to the previous situation.
All it achieved was the first government endorsement of "go to Amazon" thanks to the ridiculous essential items rule.
No, the essential items fiasco was a stupid sideshow, accidentally engineered by Russell George. The lockdown was too short.
Agreed but Drakeford is directly responsible for the free for all post the lockdown and accelerating the virus throughout Wales
And I did call it immediately following the end of lockdown.
It was all too obvious in town and around and about that by Drakeford insisting it was a 'one and only firebreak' everyone seemed to think covid was over once the firebreak ended
It has been badly mishandled here, and those in power must carry the can. I can't speak for North Wales, but around here behaviour has been awful, and that is the fault of those behaving badly, not government.
I was in Portsmouth last week, people there were also not socially distancing. Behaviour was as bad as Wales. This is a recipe for disaster. It is not Johnson's fault for this behaviour, but if it leads to an overstretched NHS and further English lockdown, he will carry the can. Let's hope it stabilises quickly.
And no matter the issues around Cummings just how is that relevant to the billions lost due to covid and the decimation of private sector employment especially in leisure and hospitality
One of the narratives that has definitely hit the government is the sense of "one rule for Boris's mates (like Dom), another for us". And £50k is the kind of sum of money that sounds like a lot to normal people; if I ballsed up at work and it cost that much, I'd expect to be in trouble over it.
In the grand scheme of things, it's a trivial amount of cash wasted; what was that litany of waste from Yes, Minister? But that's politics- if you can't take the bows and arrows...
Cummings was wrong and should have resigned or been sacked at the time
However, he has gone now and the narrative moves onto the new topics of the day, and as you say this observation is for political anoraks, unlike normal folk who just get on with their daily lives
Let's be honest if Labour had made this move and was seemingly about to U-turn some here would be jumping up and down and shouting "U-turn! U-turn!".
Hypocrisy as always.
Labour have made this move. 🤦🏻♂️
Who do you think runs Wales?
I'm not sure what Welsh Labour has to do with Keir Starmer.
Basically everything. It is just another part of the Labour Party, with someone elected to be "Leader of Welsh Labour" since 2016. And a regional office which runs Welsh Labour political stuff.
(That surprised me - I thought there was some institutional separation).
"Welsh Labour is formally part of the Labour Party. It is not separately registered with the Electoral Commission under the terms of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act.[8] In 2016, the Labour Party Conference voted for the office of leader of Welsh Labour to exist; as such, Mark Drakeford is now leader of Welsh Labour." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_Labour
You are completely correct -- thanks for pointing this out.
Welsh Labour is NOT a separate party. It is is a ridiculous and shameful re-branding of part of the Labour Party.
Until recently, this was the Chair of Welsh Labour
Gosh, she lives in the Welsh city of Bolton. Basically, Welsh Labour consists of people like Wulfrun_Phil, who live nowhere near Wales -- but they know what is best for Wales.
That is why Wales (after 20 years of Labour rule) is poorer than it has ever been.
And let's not forget the wretched & pointless Welsh Liberal Democrats -- the leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrat lives in Richmond, the Welsh suburb of London.
The electoral legislation for Scotland has an exemption allowing the Labour Party to call itself 'Scottish' in Scotland, IIRC - rather remarkably. Is there anything like that for Wales?
Yes, they are allowed to call themselves Welsh Labour/Llafur Cymru.
But, I think it is all just UK Labour, no? It is just a marketing policy.
Isn't that the same for the Welsh Conservatives. When I lived in Cardiff North they had a titular head office on Merthyr Road, Whitchurch, and all their documentation throughout Wales, as I recall, used that address.
The diminutive Alun however, always seemed to take his orders from Downing Street.
I haven't got the foggiest idea; Welsh Tories are boring (but I am sure someone can correct me on that :-) .
Though I am sure it is less complicated than the organisation of the Lib Dems.
And less exciting than the Welsh Greens, especially one of their colourful Deputy Leaders who used to seem to have as many Jags as Prezza.
I have had the pleasure of meeting several senior Welsh Tories over the years. I regularly get to converse with Alun Cairns. My late father used to speak with him in Welsh. Cairns is quite a club-able chap until his partisanship gets the better of him. A lot less stuffy than his Conservative predecessor Walter Sweeney.
I used to meet Gwilym Jones through an employee who was at the same Masonic lodge as him, when he was my MP. He was a very nice guy.
I have also met Nicholas Bennett, and before him Nick Edwards many years ago, they were as I recall very "upright". I met Michael Ancram on a recycling site in Brecon during GE2005, he was very pleasant- but that doesn't count as he was an English MP!
Also a Scots peer, Marquess of Lothian ...! But not for purposes of sitting in the HoL, though he is a life peer as well, Baron Kerr of Monteviot.
Indeed, but he didn't sound anything like Billy Connolly.
One important finding is that they have some (limited) evidence that it reduces asymptomatic infections. If so, I would expect that the same is probably also true of the Pfizer vaccine at least (and maybe others). Which looks like some welcome good news.
Did the Welsh lockdown achieve anything? It did during the lockdown itself but as soon as it was relaxed it was back to the previous situation.
All it achieved was the first government endorsement of "go to Amazon" thanks to the ridiculous essential items rule.
No, the essential items fiasco was a stupid sideshow, accidentally engineered by Russell George. The lockdown was too short.
Agreed but Drakeford is directly responsible for the free for all post the lockdown and accelerating the virus throughout Wales
And I did call it immediately following the end of lockdown.
It was all too obvious in town and around and about that by Drakeford insisting it was a 'one and only firebreak' everyone seemed to think covid was over once the firebreak ended
It has been badly mishandled here, and those in power must carry the can. I can't speak for North Wales, but around here behaviour has been awful, and that is the fault of those behaving badly, not government.
I was in Portsmouth last week, people there were also not socially distancing. Behaviour was as bad as Wales. This is a recipe for disaster. It is not Johnson's fault for this behaviour, but if it leads to an overstretched NHS and further English lockdown, he will carry the can. Let's hope it stabilises quickly.
I think we both hope it stabilises across the UK to be fair
Wait until you hear my economic policies. You'll flee for the hills.
I'm still the fiscally dry conservative I've always been.
Buying those £400+ trainers you linked to earlier this morning doesn't smack of fiscal dryness to me! Soaking wet, really.
I'm debt free, I'm allowed the occasional indulgence.
Plus they are comfortable and I'm helping the economy, the epitome of Conservatism.
Debt free? You should gear up at these interest rates!!
I was raised by a mother who views debt, other than mortgages, as the eighth deadliest sin.
I save and invest and save these days.
I was very lucky in life, I finished university, got a job in London, I was going to rent, my mother decided the best thing was for me to buy a house with my father on the mortgage.
Buying a house in London in 2000 and selling it in 2007 really did set me up for life and allowed me to buy even better houses in the desolate North for the fraction of the cost.
The only downside being that you now have to live up north. Which is a fairly serious downside.
It really isn't. I know the area TSE is from, great place to live.
Let's be honest if Labour had made this move and was seemingly about to U-turn some here would be jumping up and down and shouting "U-turn! U-turn!".
Hypocrisy as always.
Labour have made this move. 🤦🏻♂️
Who do you think runs Wales?
I'm not sure what Welsh Labour has to do with Keir Starmer.
Basically everything. It is just another part of the Labour Party, with someone elected to be "Leader of Welsh Labour" since 2016. And a regional office which runs Welsh Labour political stuff.
(That surprised me - I thought there was some institutional separation).
"Welsh Labour is formally part of the Labour Party. It is not separately registered with the Electoral Commission under the terms of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act.[8] In 2016, the Labour Party Conference voted for the office of leader of Welsh Labour to exist; as such, Mark Drakeford is now leader of Welsh Labour." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_Labour
You are completely correct -- thanks for pointing this out.
Welsh Labour is NOT a separate party. It is is a ridiculous and shameful re-branding of part of the Labour Party.
Until recently, this was the Chair of Welsh Labour
Gosh, she lives in the Welsh city of Bolton. Basically, Welsh Labour consists of people like Wulfrun_Phil, who live nowhere near Wales -- but they know what is best for Wales.
That is why Wales (after 20 years of Labour rule) is poorer than it has ever been.
And let's not forget the wretched & pointless Welsh Liberal Democrats -- the leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrat lives in Richmond, the Welsh suburb of London.
The electoral legislation for Scotland has an exemption allowing the Labour Party to call itself 'Scottish' in Scotland, IIRC - rather remarkably. Is there anything like that for Wales?
Yes, they are allowed to call themselves Welsh Labour/Llafur Cymru.
But, I think it is all just UK Labour, no? It is just a marketing policy.
Isn't that the same for the Welsh Conservatives. When I lived in Cardiff North they had a titular head office on Merthyr Road, Whitchurch, and all their documentation throughout Wales, as I recall, used that address.
The diminutive Alun however, always seemed to take his orders from Downing Street.
I haven't got the foggiest idea; Welsh Tories are boring (but I am sure someone can correct me on that :-) .
Though I am sure it is less complicated than the organisation of the Lib Dems.
And less exciting than the Welsh Greens, especially one of their colourful Deputy Leaders who used to seem to have as many Jags as Prezza.
The Welsh Greens are the most hypocritical of all.
The Welsh Greens simultaneously support independence for Wales. And at the same time they voted to remain part of the English Green party.
Did the Welsh lockdown achieve anything? It did during the lockdown itself but as soon as it was relaxed it was back to the previous situation.
All it achieved was the first government endorsement of "go to Amazon" thanks to the ridiculous essential items rule.
No, the essential items fiasco was a stupid sideshow, accidentally engineered by Russell George. The lockdown was too short.
Agreed but Drakeford is directly responsible for the free for all post the lockdown and accelerating the virus throughout Wales
And I did call it immediately following the end of lockdown.
It was all too obvious in town and around and about that by Drakeford insisting it was a 'one and only firebreak' everyone seemed to think covid was over once the firebreak ended
It has been badly mishandled here, and those in power must carry the can. I can't speak for North Wales, but around here behaviour has been awful, and that is the fault of those behaving badly, not government.
I was in Portsmouth last week, people there were also not socially distancing. Behaviour was as bad as Wales. This is a recipe for disaster. It is not Johnson's fault for this behaviour, but if it leads to an overstretched NHS and further English lockdown, he will carry the can. Let's hope it stabilises quickly.
I think we both hope it stabilises across the UK to be fair
Indeed. Covid seems to be a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" sort of a crisis. And one is only as good as how they dealt with the latest element of the chaos. Incumbents across Europe will pay the penalty for their misfortune at being in power during the pandemic.
I am writing to request a PB ban on "Third Wave" nonsense, please? It is the Second Wave hitting different parts of the country. Thank you for your consideration in this matter.
Let's be honest if Labour had made this move and was seemingly about to U-turn some here would be jumping up and down and shouting "U-turn! U-turn!".
Hypocrisy as always.
Labour have made this move. 🤦🏻♂️
Who do you think runs Wales?
I'm not sure what Welsh Labour has to do with Keir Starmer.
Basically everything. It is just another part of the Labour Party, with someone elected to be "Leader of Welsh Labour" since 2016. And a regional office which runs Welsh Labour political stuff.
(That surprised me - I thought there was some institutional separation).
"Welsh Labour is formally part of the Labour Party. It is not separately registered with the Electoral Commission under the terms of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act.[8] In 2016, the Labour Party Conference voted for the office of leader of Welsh Labour to exist; as such, Mark Drakeford is now leader of Welsh Labour." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_Labour
You are completely correct -- thanks for pointing this out.
Welsh Labour is NOT a separate party. It is is a ridiculous and shameful re-branding of part of the Labour Party.
Until recently, this was the Chair of Welsh Labour
Gosh, she lives in the Welsh city of Bolton. Basically, Welsh Labour consists of people like Wulfrun_Phil, who live nowhere near Wales -- but they know what is best for Wales.
That is why Wales (after 20 years of Labour rule) is poorer than it has ever been.
And let's not forget the wretched & pointless Welsh Liberal Democrats -- the leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrat lives in Richmond, the Welsh suburb of London.
The electoral legislation for Scotland has an exemption allowing the Labour Party to call itself 'Scottish' in Scotland, IIRC - rather remarkably. Is there anything like that for Wales?
Yes, they are allowed to call themselves Welsh Labour/Llafur Cymru.
But, I think it is all just UK Labour, no? It is just a marketing policy.
Isn't that the same for the Welsh Conservatives. When I lived in Cardiff North they had a titular head office on Merthyr Road, Whitchurch, and all their documentation throughout Wales, as I recall, used that address.
The diminutive Alun however, always seemed to take his orders from Downing Street.
I haven't got the foggiest idea; Welsh Tories are boring (but I am sure someone can correct me on that :-) .
Though I am sure it is less complicated than the organisation of the Lib Dems.
And less exciting than the Welsh Greens, especially one of their colourful Deputy Leaders who used to seem to have as many Jags as Prezza.
I have had the pleasure of meeting several senior Welsh Tories over the years. I regularly get to converse with Alun Cairns. My late father used to speak with him in Welsh. Cairns is quite a club-able chap until his partisanship gets the better of him. A lot less stuffy than his Conservative predecessor Walter Sweeney.
I used to meet Gwilym Jones through an employee who was at the same Masonic lodge as him, when he was my MP. He was a very nice guy.
I have also met Nicholas Bennett, and before him Nick Edwards many years ago, they were as I recall very "upright". I met Michael Ancram on a recycling site in Brecon during GE2005, he was very pleasant- but that doesn't count as he was an English MP!
Also a Scots peer, Marquess of Lothian ...! But not for purposes of sitting in the HoL, though he is a life peer as well, Baron Kerr of Monteviot.
Indeed, but he didn't sound anything like Billy Connolly.
An Ampleforth, Christ Church andf Bullingdon alumnus?! Borders perhaps, but surely not West Central Belt urban demotic Scots.
Can we have a PB ban on "Third Wave" nonsense, please? It is the Second Wave hitting different parts of the country. Thank you for your consideration in this matter.
I think it's the Home Counties clutching their collective pearls at having to wear something that is pre-used in the North.
Comments
https://twitter.com/TheBlock__/status/1338508482081918976
Their first case - a legal hemp crop destroyed by an overzealous sheriff...
https://twitter.com/el33th4xor/status/1338578549373100032
I do agree with the tone of your post. HS2 has White Elephant written all over it. HS3, on the other hand...
It's not a simple tradeoff, less lockdown may be worse (a fortnight later admittedly) for people's jobs.
It could have been so different...
https://twitter.com/DrEricDing/status/1338724668795183104
I save and invest and save these days.
I was very lucky in life, I finished university, got a job in London, I was going to rent, my mother decided the best thing was for me to buy a house with my father on the mortgage.
Buying a house in London in 2000 and selling it in 2007 really did set me up for life and allowed me to buy even better houses in the desolate North for the fraction of the cost.
Erm, maybe not: "Public Health Wales said these figures are 'not a true reflection of the picture in Wales' due to system maintenance."
That's been going on since Sunday now, when there were no cases reported at all. Amazing what dropping a few thousand case files behind the back of the sofa can do for bending the curve:
Just not one that many of us would contemplate adopting.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-55316924
are anything to go by, it'll make little difference what policies any of the UK governments decide on.
Welsh Labour is NOT a separate party. It is is a ridiculous and shameful re-branding of part of the Labour Party.
Until recently, this was the Chair of Welsh Labour
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/politics/new-chair-welsh-labour-lives-14579658
Gosh, she lives in the Welsh city of Bolton. Basically, Welsh Labour consists of people like Wulfrun_Phil, who live nowhere near Wales -- but they know what is best for Wales.
That is why Wales (after 20 years of Labour rule) is poorer than it has ever been.
And let's not forget the wretched & pointless Welsh Liberal Democrats -- the leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrat lives in Richmond, the Welsh suburb of London.
the MidlandsSheffield.https://www.flannels.com/balenciaga-triple-s-trainers-114027#colcode=11402703
We'll just have the media bleating about what happens without any attempt to portray (or understand) the simple truth that a pandemic is bloody difficult to deal with. That's true for everyone, including devolved political bodies.
The simplistic negativity also means actual Government failures (we had a few weeks when we could've taken more actions, borders weren't secured, and we know the failures in care homes) aren't subject to proper scrutiny because short term and instinctively critical political journalists lack the capacity to sort the wheat from the chaff.
And, on occasions when the Government gets things right (vaccine ordering), there's rather less acknowledgement of this than the flaws, both real and imagined.
It reminds me of the utterly pathetic BBC coverage of job losses in the gambling sector after the surprising, but correct, decision to cut FOBT stakes to £2. It was praised at the time then when jobs were lost it was described as "unforeseen consequences".
No, you cretin. Foreseen consequences. Natural and obvious consequences. You can't diminish the profitability of a sector and expect it to maintain the same staffing levels. That's the trade-off, and a price obviously considered worth paying because it was less important than trying to reduce problem gambling.
(Don't ask me; it's a Yorkshire thing.)
But, I think it is all just UK Labour, no? It is just a marketing policy.
This is stupid, just cancel the whole thing.
No issue with the salary increase as he had effectively taken a salary sacrifice previously as he said no advisors should be on over 100k. Hypocrisy obviously to take the higher salary without making it known but thats what we should expect from him.
I wonder if it was increased for pension reasons? Do the govt pay final salary related pensions to SPADS? If so, it wound end up being hundreds of thousands extra not £40k ish extra.
I didn't because (a) I hated London and (b) thought that my "purchase" essentially only buys a front door key.
How much are 1 beds in Docklands now? OK not now now, back at the beginning of the year.
I want to get a flatter pair for faster running but alternating the 12s and the 13s is doing me fine in the meantime.
The diminutive Alun however, always seemed to take his orders from Downing Street.
But, the Conservatives have always believed Wales is a small lean-to garden shed built onto the side of England, perhaps useful for keeping a few garden tools in.
Finally, the Labour Party have got Wales to the top of a league table.
Not just top, Wales has bagged a clean sweep of the top 7 places. And we've got 10 of the top 15.
We've almost got an entire Premier league just on our own.
https://twitter.com/PaulMatthews67/status/1338733536002633732/photo/1
I am surprised how popular the Conservatives are based on your rather accurate analogy. I think the notion of the old benevolent feudal Tory sits well with Welsh peasantry.
Nonetheless, the current Welsh stats are nothing short of catastrophic.
"The painful truth about gout
The 'disease of kings' now has more to do with poverty than privilege
BY MATTHEW SWEET"
https://unherd.com/2020/12/the-surprisingly-painful-return-of-gout/
And I did call it immediately following the end of lockdown.
It was all too obvious in town and around and about that by Drakeford insisting it was a 'one and only firebreak' everyone seemed to think covid was over once the firebreak ended
Though I am sure it is less complicated than the organisation of the Lib Dems.
And less exciting than the Welsh Greens, especially one of their colourful Deputy Leaders who used to seem to have as many Jags as Prezza.
https://twitter.com/adamcooperF1/status/1338862890472783874
https://twitter.com/henrymance/status/1338865260980174859
I did not believe it, but it really is true.
https://www.aldi.co.uk/two-metre-long-pig-in-blanket/p/021470342794900
It is widely understood that there will be a three week "fire-break" from 28th Dec in Wales followed by a strict tiered approach- anoth Drakeford U-turn. I hope Johnson dodges the current Covid bullet, but I fear the glee at our misfortune in Wales by some English Conservatives on here might be 10 days premature.
Drakeford has been found out and here in North Wales he is virtually 'persona non grata' and banned for 18 months from many local pubs
The Welsh Greens simultaneously support independence for Wales. And at the same time they voted to remain part of the English Green party.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-44837499
https://twitter.com/MostCrucified/status/1338853927668867073
I used to meet Gwilym Jones through an employee who was at the same Masonic lodge as him, when he was my MP. He was a very nice guy.
I have also met Nicholas Bennett, and before him Nick Edwards many years ago, they were as I recall very "upright". I met Michael Ancram on a recycling site in Brecon during GE2005, he was very pleasant- but that doesn't count as he was an English MP!
In the grand scheme of things, it's a trivial amount of cash wasted; what was that litany of waste from Yes, Minister? But that's politics- if you can't take the bows and arrows...
I thought it was just some random nutter at first. Then I saw the top hat and thought, "wow - this guy is serious".
Angus B MacNeil MP
@AngusMacNeilSNP
·
1h
Memory returned ...
Quote Tweet
Leslie Evans
@PermSecScot
· 2h
Sharing my reflections on being a leader in 2020 & the incredible work of @scotgov civil servants in responding to the pandemic in @CSWnews: https://civilserviceworld.com/in-depth/article/2020-has-been-the-most-testing-time-ive-experienced-as-a-leader-scottish-government-permanent-secretary-leslie-evans-looks-back-at-a-volatile-and-complex-year
I was in Portsmouth last week, people there were also not socially distancing. Behaviour was as bad as Wales. This is a recipe for disaster. It is not Johnson's fault for this behaviour, but if it leads to an overstretched NHS and further English lockdown, he will carry the can. Let's hope it stabilises quickly.
However, he has gone now and the narrative moves onto the new topics of the day, and as you say this observation is for political anoraks, unlike normal folk who just get on with their daily lives
https://www.fda.gov/media/144453/download
One important finding is that they have some (limited) evidence that it reduces asymptomatic infections. If so, I would expect that the same is probably also true of the Pfizer vaccine at least (and maybe others). Which looks like some welcome good news.
https://twitter.com/hugorifkind/status/1338871426582007808
https://twitter.com/RobDotHutton/status/1338872318462930948
https://twitter.com/itvnews/status/1183725776136523776?s=20
"I won't argue this in a political way" (when talking about the SNP government's policies)......
Except perhaps Nippy.
It is the Second Wave hitting different parts of the country.
Thank you for your consideration in this matter.