Why the hell we are still allowing that kind of thing to go on whilst planning on the UK population being subject to internal passports and mass testing is beyond me. I can only think that the Tory Party is in hock to the travel industry and airlines. If there is one thing the UK has consistenly screwed up throughout the pandemic it is travel.
Why isn't Starmer smashing the government on this every single day. I don't understand why all of the establishment have simply ignored the border.
Its very simple. We Had to leave the EU so that we could Take Back Control of our borders and stop people coming in. The Tories have done this, Labour opposed it. Labour should Shut Up complaining about our border being Closed and instead Cheer On the good old PM in his plans to Reopen our Closed border so we can go to Marbelloh and eat Egg and Chips on holiday.
Yes I know, this is the opposite of reality. But this is what the wazzocks out there believe. Labour can't attack the government for leaving open a border which Sneering Priti has definitely Shut.
Rather ironic that you mention ‘sneering Priti’ in a comment that is drenched with snobbish contempt for your fellow Britons, sorry, ‘the wazzocks out there who eat egg and chips’
"Egg and chips" (which I like btw) is a classic and oft-used signifier of, not so much class, but of cultural limitations and predictability and downmarketness. For example, the tedious husband of Shirley Valentine only ever wanted "chips and egg" for his dinner on a Tuesday. Every Tuesday. It drove her off to a new and richer, more enlightened life in Greece. And Sergeant Lewis in Inspector Morse would often say he was looking forward to having egg and chips for his "tea" (much to his boss's amused disdain). Although funnily enough, and just to show how these things don't always scan perfectly across to the political sphere, Lewis would have certainly voted Remain, whereas Morse might well have been a Leaver.
Shirley V's husband had steak and chips every Tuesday, didn't he? It was her forgetting to get the steak and making egg and chips instead that got his goat.
Egg and chips is the best vegetarian meal known to man. Throw in three spicy chorizo sausages on top and you have my choice for my last ever meal.
Egg and chips - and peas. Preferable mushy. (The peas, I mean.)
I'm not quite sure how that's relevant to the subject of the London property market, although clearly London based professionals will skew heavily remain.
Unlimited immigration from the EU has contributed to the stupid house prices.
That said, I'd have voted remain if Osborne had promised to get interest rates to 3% by the end of 2018.
Why do you think interest rates rising to 3% would cause house prices to fall, when interest rates falling from 6% to zero didn't cause them to rise?
The rise preceded the fall in rates not the other way around.
Earnings and employment were better in 2019 than they were in 2007, yet house P/E ratios were no worse in 2019 with virtually zero interest rates than they were in 2007 with close to 6% rates.
If interest rates had triggered price rises we should have seen P/E ratios higher in 2019 than they were in 2007 but we didn't.
Close to half of all house purchases are done with cash so interest rates don't effect house prices for those purchases - and those purchases tend to be more buy to let. A majority of buy to let purchases are cash-only purchases with no mortgage.
I fully expect that unless supply and demand are rectified interest rates rising will just see buying become even harder for those that need a mortgage, which is people wanting to buy their own home, while those who want to buy to let will maintain house prices just as high since they never took a mortgage in the first place.
If I could be arsed I'd change my handle to SidmouthObserver because that is where me and the Mrs are in the process of moving to - and lowering the average age of the place as a result! It's a fine little town, I have to say, surrounded by the most magnificent country. We now have our dream: a home by the sea. The only problem is a Tory MP with a rock solid majority, but we'll live with that ;-)
Oh dear we will be neighbours....there goes the neighbourhood as moving to exmouth in june / july
On 2 June 1975, snow an inch thick covered the pitch at Buxton in a match between Derbyshire and Lancashire, and snow stopped play at several other county cricket matches. Snowflakes even briefly fell on the Lord’s cricket ground in London.
"I’ve always been willing to accept lockdown as a temporary suspension of rights for a greater good. I don’t want to risk passing this illness on to a vulnerable person. But the very point of vaccinations – or so we were repeatedly told – was that they would allow us to regain our rights as fast as possible. Instead, they are now being used as cover, even justification, for the introduction of a whole new architecture of mass surveillance – and I am sick of it. I’m sick of masks, of spying, of lectures, and sick to the back teeth of false promises and false starts. Last week, Chris Whitty told us that in the future Covid would be managed like flu, which I take to mean a disease that we avoid and resist but ultimately live with.
Why the hell we are still allowing that kind of thing to go on whilst planning on the UK population being subject to internal passports and mass testing is beyond me. I can only think that the Tory Party is in hock to the travel industry and airlines. If there is one thing the UK has consistenly screwed up throughout the pandemic it is travel.
Why isn't Starmer smashing the government on this every single day. I don't understand why all of the establishment have simply ignored the border.
Its very simple. We Had to leave the EU so that we could Take Back Control of our borders and stop people coming in. The Tories have done this, Labour opposed it. Labour should Shut Up complaining about our border being Closed and instead Cheer On the good old PM in his plans to Reopen our Closed border so we can go to Marbelloh and eat Egg and Chips on holiday.
Yes I know, this is the opposite of reality. But this is what the wazzocks out there believe. Labour can't attack the government for leaving open a border which Sneering Priti has definitely Shut.
Rather ironic that you mention ‘sneering Priti’ in a comment that is drenched with snobbish contempt for your fellow Britons, sorry, ‘the wazzocks out there who eat egg and chips’
"Egg and chips" (which I like btw) is a classic and oft-used signifier of, not so much class, but of cultural limitations and predictability and downmarketness. For example, the tedious husband of Shirley Valentine only ever wanted "chips and egg" for his dinner on a Tuesday. Every Tuesday. It drove her off to a new and richer, more enlightened life in Greece. And Sergeant Lewis in Inspector Morse would often say he was looking forward to having egg and chips for his "tea" (much to his boss's amused disdain). Although funnily enough, and just to show how these things don't always scan perfectly across to the political sphere, Lewis would have certainly voted Remain, whereas Morse might well have been a Leaver.
Shirley V's husband had steak and chips every Tuesday, didn't he? It was her forgetting to get the steak and making egg and chips instead that got his goat.
Egg and chips is the best vegetarian meal known to man. Throw in three spicy chorizo sausages on top and you have my choice for my last ever meal.
Ham, chips and sunny side up eggs is a great meal. Definitely on of my favourites.
I'm not quite sure how that's relevant to the subject of the London property market, although clearly London based professionals will skew heavily remain.
Unlimited immigration from the EU has contributed to the stupid house prices.
That said, I'd have voted remain if Osborne had promised to get interest rates to 3% by the end of 2018.
Well, yes, net immigration will affect house prices, but it is by no means the only factor in play. The link to the 2016 referendum appears tenuous at best.
I live in Woking and work in London (well, pre-COVID anyway). House prices, immigration and interest rates were a big factor behind my vote to leave.
Same neck of the woods as me then.
I can see the logic there, and I must admit I had similar thoughts in the run-up to the ref. Precipitating severe damage to the UK's economy in the hope that a recession would lead to house price falls seemed a little... self-centred to me. And it clearly didn't work, judging by recent trends.
I particularly like the fact the domains used for what is looking more and more like outright fraud were registered using liberty House email addresses (if you are going to try and pull these things off use a disposable gmail address).
These arguments for the introduction of the internal passport fall apart like a wet paper bag.
It's about protection of staff - in which case why has Johnson already said they won't be applicable for many venues?
It's because Covid is some unique emergency. Yes it's a nasty virus and can cause complications but now the vast majority of the vulnerable population have been vaccinated, you can apply the same argument to influenza and the flu vaccine.
It's sledgehammer to crack a nut stuff. And yes I'd much rather attend a venue that wasn't demanding to know whether I'd either been vaxxed, had Covid anti-bodies or taken a recent test.
As a society we seem to be totally unwilling to allow individuals to weigh up the risks for themselves as we emerge into a future where the virus will be a background issue but the protection of the health system has been achieved.
If its a public health policy, the very first place that should be included is the tube. There is nowhere else that comes close to its impact in spreading germs around not just London but as London is so inter connected also to the wider country.
That it is not included is clear evidence that it is not a public health policy, but at best theatre to encourage youngsters to take the vaccine in greater numbers, or more likely the start of a permanent ID card scheme.
This is (re: the tube) of course an excellent point. The Government's general approach for combatting the spread of Covid has been to ban all activities which are "non-essential" whilst mitigating the dangers of those which they have to treat as essential. Public transport of course being in the latter group. The basic mitigation (other than masks and some measures to impose social distancing by fencing off seats) being to reduce usage to essential workers (everyone else being required to work from home).
But once the working from home guidance, and limits on non-essential activities are lifted then they have to accept that public transports and the tube in particular will start to become very busy again. Yes they'll still probably have masks to hold the line, but really, what's the point in protecting people in nightclubs and other crowded venues, if the protections on the tube are so flimsy?
The tube has about 100m passenger journeys per month in normal times. A decent proportion of those will be in more cramped and close conditions than any nightclub dancefloor let alone a bar, pub, theatre, sports stadia. It has poor ventilation.
That is before considering similarly crowded trains, trams and buses throughout the country.
If covid spreads again as we open up, it will be mostly from public transport, not hospitality venues.
Once again, that's missing the point a bit. Does it matter if a million people per day get COVID it only 100 of them turn up in hospital? The vaccines are primarily a tool to stop people needing hospital treatment and they are extremely effective at that.
Vaccine passports have got no utility that scenario.
Until WHO changed the definition of herd immunity, medics. recognised T cell immunity which is how a large population could mostly defeat a relatively new virus (SARS CoV 2 is ~80% similar to SARS 1 and of course some common colds are coronaviruses).
T cells are part of the reason why in a two week period only ~20% of passengers on the Diamond Princess became infected (NB in a longer period, it's thought that more would catch it but certainly not 100%).
The DP was an interesting trial because it was unintended and wouldn't normally be carried out due to 'ethics'. 0.37% died out of a ship population with an average age of ~60. There are proven treatments tested since then inclo Ivermectin, HCQ, vitamin D particularly.
Ioannidis recently published a paper estimating the IFR at 0.15%, or 0.05% if aged under 70.
Compulsory vaccination for an IFR of 0.15, let alone 0.05%? Go **** yourself, Gove and Johnson.
1 - T-cells provide a component of immunity but not, by their very nature, sterilising immunity that prevents transmission. As pointed out in detail by Shane Crotty, the immunologist who identified coronavirus cross-reactivity in SARS-CoV-2
2 - The cross-reactivity from common cold coronaviruses (which comprise only 20% of common cold infections in the first place) was studied and found to provide zero benefit in actually resisting covid - the T-cells were stimulated to react, but did not attack the virus at all. The common denialist meme that other coronavirus immunity protects against SARS-CoV-2 was comprehensively disproven.
3 - Ioannidis paper wasn't recent; it was several months ago, and was ripped apart by the wider community for dodgy assumptions, excluding any data that disagreed with it (of which there was much), and incorporating very dodgy serological data (which was since shown to be wrong) simply because it seemed to support his original idea. His latest paper was an attempt to defend it despite it being patently disproved by the IFR in many countries, including incorporating personal attacks on those who dismembered it in the first place.
4 - The IFR is neither 0.15% nor 0.05% as can be shown by the fact that the population death rate in many areas is considerably worse than that already.
Re 4, see inter alia WHO advice to doctors to define COVID deaths contrary to the normal past medical practice. Unprecedented. Same with a few other WHO rule changes in 2020.
The UK had ~10,000 deaths where COVID was the sole cause of death. Some deaths were defined as COVID despite the person clearly having succumbed to their cancer, trauma, MI or similar. Hardly anyone has questioned the 28 day rule, possibly because NHS trusts would sack them ... like they'll probably sack the consultant who pointed out the worrying rate of vaccine side effects among his/her colleagues. (this has been widely discussed abroad but the UK has been rather secretive ... I wonder why.)
If some of the figures you want to believe for 'COVID deaths' are correct, the implied deaths from cancer, MI, etc fall to 50-75% less than normal rates. This is vanishingly improbable.
You of all people on here seem to be destined to parrot forever the mainstream narrative and whatever the BBC or govt tell you that day. So over and out.
You seriously believe that Covid caused 10,000 deaths?
If so why are excess deaths twelve times that figure?
125k excess deaths is probably the most accurate figure for Covid deaths we can rely upon.
If IFR was 0.15% then over 83.3 million people in the UK would have been infected by now.
I’ve also gone to look at this “controversial” and misleading WHO advice on deaths classifications. Which includes such horrors as:
“ Note: Persons with COVID-19 may die of other diseases or accidents, such cases are not deaths due to COVID-19 and should not be certified as such. In case you think that COVID-19 aggravated the consequences of the accident, you may report COVID-19 in Part 2. Please remember to indicate the manner of death and record in part 1 the exact kind of an incident or other external cause.”
and
“ Note: Persons with COVID-19 may die due to other conditions such as myocardial infarction. Such cases are not deaths due to COVID-19 and should not be certified as such.”
I suspect he never bothered to actually go and look but merely parroted something read on Lockdown Sceptics because it said what he so wants to be true.
Back from my haircut. Most exciting things in weeks. My barbers had 4 chairs going and apparently opened at 6.
My son went to his considerably posher hairdresser as well. Had an appointment, even. Absolutely bouncing, they apparently had 27 people waiting in the very cold street when they opened this morning. His barber says he has no appointments until he goes on holiday to see his family in London on 23rd April.
The world comes back to normal one step at a time but this was a good one.
I am not worried about the ID cards. It is, after all, a government IT project. I suspect any minimal chances of success will be lowered when it is handed out to one of Boris's incompetent chums.
I am more worried by the creeping intolerance in both govt and their supporters. Regardless of the success or failure of IT projects, if these proposed powers get through, all it will take is some half-crazed policitian in favour of intolerant policies and if she gets Boris's job then all the tools of oppression will already be on the Statute Books.
Why the hell we are still allowing that kind of thing to go on whilst planning on the UK population being subject to internal passports and mass testing is beyond me. I can only think that the Tory Party is in hock to the travel industry and airlines. If there is one thing the UK has consistenly screwed up throughout the pandemic it is travel.
Why isn't Starmer smashing the government on this every single day. I don't understand why all of the establishment have simply ignored the border.
Its very simple. We Had to leave the EU so that we could Take Back Control of our borders and stop people coming in. The Tories have done this, Labour opposed it. Labour should Shut Up complaining about our border being Closed and instead Cheer On the good old PM in his plans to Reopen our Closed border so we can go to Marbelloh and eat Egg and Chips on holiday.
Yes I know, this is the opposite of reality. But this is what the wazzocks out there believe. Labour can't attack the government for leaving open a border which Sneering Priti has definitely Shut.
Rather ironic that you mention ‘sneering Priti’ in a comment that is drenched with snobbish contempt for your fellow Britons, sorry, ‘the wazzocks out there who eat egg and chips’
"Egg and chips" (which I like btw) is a classic and oft-used signifier of, not so much class, but of cultural limitations and predictability and downmarketness. For example, the tedious husband of Shirley Valentine only ever wanted "chips and egg" for his dinner on a Tuesday. Every Tuesday. It drove her off to a new and richer, more enlightened life in Greece. And Sergeant Lewis in Inspector Morse would often say he was looking forward to having egg and chips for his "tea" (much to his boss's amused disdain). Although funnily enough, and just to show how these things don't always scan perfectly across to the political sphere, Lewis would have certainly voted Remain, whereas Morse might well have been a Leaver.
Shirley V's husband had steak and chips every Tuesday, didn't he? It was her forgetting to get the steak and making egg and chips instead that got his goat.
Egg and chips is the best vegetarian meal known to man. Throw in three spicy chorizo sausages on top and you have my choice for my last ever meal.
No, that was Thursday. She gave him chips and egg on the wrong day.
”I like chips and egg ..on a TUESDAY – today is THURSDAY… Where’s me steak?!”
The Patriarchy. Which she plucked up the fortitude to reject and overthrow.
I'm not quite sure how that's relevant to the subject of the London property market, although clearly London based professionals will skew heavily remain.
Unlimited immigration from the EU has contributed to the stupid house prices.
That said, I'd have voted remain if Osborne had promised to get interest rates to 3% by the end of 2018.
Well, yes, net immigration will affect house prices, but it is by no means the only factor in play. The link to the 2016 referendum appears tenuous at best.
I live in Woking and work in London (well, pre-COVID anyway). House prices, immigration and interest rates were a big factor behind my vote to leave.
Same neck of the woods as me then.
I can see the logic there, and I must admit I had similar thoughts in the run-up to the ref. Precipitating severe damage to the UK's economy in the hope that a recession would lead to house price falls seemed a little... self-centred to me. And it clearly didn't work, judging by recent trends.
I suspect a lot of people on here voted leave for very different reasons to the general public. I voted on the basis that we were holding the EU back and it would be better all round if we were a distance removed and let them get on with it.
I particularly like the fact the domains used for what is looking more and more like outright fraud were registered using liberty House email addresses.
Thank goodness we don't have half a billion of government guarantees on his debt, eh? Oh, wait a minute.
This could become one of the sorest hits for Scotland since Darien. Spectacular incompetence and barely a murmur in the press.
Norn Iron riots amongst the Unionist population - the areas in question have lots of posters and slogans on walls and lamp-posts that say "No Irish Sea border". My favourite was "No Unionist can tolerate an Irish Sea border"
I'm not quite sure how that's relevant to the subject of the London property market, although clearly London based professionals will skew heavily remain.
Unlimited immigration from the EU has contributed to the stupid house prices.
That said, I'd have voted remain if Osborne had promised to get interest rates to 3% by the end of 2018.
Why do you think interest rates rising to 3% would cause house prices to fall, when interest rates falling from 6% to zero didn't cause them to rise?
The rise preceded the fall in rates not the other way around.
Earnings and employment were better in 2019 than they were in 2007, yet house P/E ratios were no worse in 2019 with virtually zero interest rates than they were in 2007 with close to 6% rates.
If interest rates had triggered price rises we should have seen P/E ratios higher in 2019 than they were in 2007 but we didn't.
Close to half of all house purchases are done with cash so interest rates don't effect house prices for those purchases - and those purchases tend to be more buy to let. A majority of buy to let purchases are cash-only purchases with no mortgage.
I fully expect that unless supply and demand are rectified interest rates rising will just see buying become even harder for those that need a mortgage, which is people wanting to buy their own home, while those who want to buy to let will maintain house prices just as high since they never took a mortgage in the first place.
Perhaps, but at least it would have been nice to get a bit of interest on my savings.
Alternatively, a major tax on rental income would also have done nicely.
Back from my haircut. Most exciting things in weeks. My barbers had 4 chairs going and apparently opened at 6.
My son went to his considerably posher hairdresser as well. Had an appointment, even. Absolutely bouncing, they apparently had 27 people waiting in the very cold street when they opened this morning. His barber says he has no appointments until he goes on holiday to see his family in London on 23rd April.
The world comes back to normal one step at a time but this was a good one.
Amazingly you and son were able to do all this without the need for a covid vaccine app passport.
Almost as if there isn't a problem that needs solving.
Why the hell we are still allowing that kind of thing to go on whilst planning on the UK population being subject to internal passports and mass testing is beyond me. I can only think that the Tory Party is in hock to the travel industry and airlines. If there is one thing the UK has consistenly screwed up throughout the pandemic it is travel.
Why isn't Starmer smashing the government on this every single day. I don't understand why all of the establishment have simply ignored the border.
Its very simple. We Had to leave the EU so that we could Take Back Control of our borders and stop people coming in. The Tories have done this, Labour opposed it. Labour should Shut Up complaining about our border being Closed and instead Cheer On the good old PM in his plans to Reopen our Closed border so we can go to Marbelloh and eat Egg and Chips on holiday.
Yes I know, this is the opposite of reality. But this is what the wazzocks out there believe. Labour can't attack the government for leaving open a border which Sneering Priti has definitely Shut.
Rather ironic that you mention ‘sneering Priti’ in a comment that is drenched with snobbish contempt for your fellow Britons, sorry, ‘the wazzocks out there who eat egg and chips’
"Egg and chips" (which I like btw) is a classic and oft-used signifier of, not so much class, but of cultural limitations and predictability and downmarketness. For example, the tedious husband of Shirley Valentine only ever wanted "chips and egg" for his dinner on a Tuesday. Every Tuesday. It drove her off to a new and richer, more enlightened life in Greece. And Sergeant Lewis in Inspector Morse would often say he was looking forward to having egg and chips for his "tea" (much to his boss's amused disdain). Although funnily enough, and just to show how these things don't always scan perfectly across to the political sphere, Lewis would have certainly voted Remain, whereas Morse might well have been a Leaver.
Shirley V's husband had steak and chips every Tuesday, didn't he? It was her forgetting to get the steak and making egg and chips instead that got his goat.
Egg and chips is the best vegetarian meal known to man. Throw in three spicy chorizo sausages on top and you have my choice for my last ever meal.
Ham, chips and sunny side up eggs is a great meal. Definitely on of my favourites.
Yup.
Not quite with Stocky's "mushy peas" innovation, I have to say. Keep that for F&C.
I'm not quite sure how that's relevant to the subject of the London property market, although clearly London based professionals will skew heavily remain.
Unlimited immigration from the EU has contributed to the stupid house prices.
That said, I'd have voted remain if Osborne had promised to get interest rates to 3% by the end of 2018.
Well, yes, net immigration will affect house prices, but it is by no means the only factor in play. The link to the 2016 referendum appears tenuous at best.
I live in Woking and work in London (well, pre-COVID anyway). House prices, immigration and interest rates were a big factor behind my vote to leave.
Same neck of the woods as me then.
I can see the logic there, and I must admit I had similar thoughts in the run-up to the ref. Precipitating severe damage to the UK's economy in the hope that a recession would lead to house price falls seemed a little... self-centred to me. And it clearly didn't work, judging by recent trends.
I suspect a lot of people on here voted leave for very different reasons to the general public. I voted on the basis that we were holding the EU back and it would be better all round if we were a distance removed and let them get on with it.
For me it was the future requiring quick and nimble, which the EU is not.
And on the topic of the Cone Hotline, were it still in place, I’d have someone to vent at about the state of the M4 out of London. Just one of so many countless ways in which the absence of the Great Man from affairs of state is now so keenly felt.
Interest rate rises are best for buy to let landlords making cash purchases.
A decade ago I used to work with someone who invested in buying homes to let. He left the company as he was making so much more money as a landlord than he was from his day job. He was debt-free and said from memory that every 20 homes he owned per year gave enough profit to buy another home for cash, debt-free.
People like this couldn't care less about interest rates since they aren't paying for a mortgage in the first place. If mortgages become harder to afford then more people need to rent, so he can make more profit.
The idea that interest rates rising would suddenly see a collapse in house prices is for the fairies. There's a reason interest rates falling did not see a rise in house prices. All you would do is make it harder for those who need a mortgage to buy somewhere to live and allow those buying for cash to keep on buying and letting and making even more profit than before.
People need somewhere to live so the one true determinant of prices is supply and demand. Build more houses and prices go down, increase population and prices go up. Whatever the interest rate is people need somewhere to live, the higher the interest rate the more you just tip the scales in favour of cash-only purchasers which is the already wealthy or buy to let landlords.
Norn Iron riots amongst the Unionist population - the areas in question have lots of posters and slogans on walls and lamp-posts that say "No Irish Sea border". My favourite was "No Unionist can tolerate an Irish Sea border"
Another triumph of Brexit...
Sold down the river and discarded when no longer useful. The Red Wallies should think on.
I'm not quite sure how that's relevant to the subject of the London property market, although clearly London based professionals will skew heavily remain.
Unlimited immigration from the EU has contributed to the stupid house prices.
That said, I'd have voted remain if Osborne had promised to get interest rates to 3% by the end of 2018.
Well, yes, net immigration will affect house prices, but it is by no means the only factor in play. The link to the 2016 referendum appears tenuous at best.
I live in Woking and work in London (well, pre-COVID anyway). House prices, immigration and interest rates were a big factor behind my vote to leave.
Same neck of the woods as me then.
I can see the logic there, and I must admit I had similar thoughts in the run-up to the ref. Precipitating severe damage to the UK's economy in the hope that a recession would lead to house price falls seemed a little... self-centred to me. And it clearly didn't work, judging by recent trends.
I suspect a lot of people on here voted leave for very different reasons to the general public. I voted on the basis that we were holding the EU back and it would be better all round if we were a distance removed and let them get on with it.
A perfectly acceptable reason. I could add all the stuff about sovereignty and fearing us being dragged into another Eurozone crisis, but ultimately what really pissed me off is that not once did Remain address my concerns.
Back from my haircut. Most exciting things in weeks. My barbers had 4 chairs going and apparently opened at 6.
My son went to his considerably posher hairdresser as well. Had an appointment, even. Absolutely bouncing, they apparently had 27 people waiting in the very cold street when they opened this morning. His barber says he has no appointments until he goes on holiday to see his family in London on 23rd April.
The world comes back to normal one step at a time but this was a good one.
Amazingly you and son were able to do all this without the need for a covid vaccine app passport.
Almost as if there isn't a problem that needs solving.
Well I couldn't have such a passport right now because I haven't been vaccinated and neither has my son but I must confess to some anxiety sitting there sans mask getting my hair cut in a busy shop. They were letting more people in than they probably should because it was freezing outside.
It was a definite risk in my unvaccinated state but so, so necessary.
Why the hell we are still allowing that kind of thing to go on whilst planning on the UK population being subject to internal passports and mass testing is beyond me. I can only think that the Tory Party is in hock to the travel industry and airlines. If there is one thing the UK has consistenly screwed up throughout the pandemic it is travel.
Why isn't Starmer smashing the government on this every single day. I don't understand why all of the establishment have simply ignored the border.
Its very simple. We Had to leave the EU so that we could Take Back Control of our borders and stop people coming in. The Tories have done this, Labour opposed it. Labour should Shut Up complaining about our border being Closed and instead Cheer On the good old PM in his plans to Reopen our Closed border so we can go to Marbelloh and eat Egg and Chips on holiday.
Yes I know, this is the opposite of reality. But this is what the wazzocks out there believe. Labour can't attack the government for leaving open a border which Sneering Priti has definitely Shut.
Rather ironic that you mention ‘sneering Priti’ in a comment that is drenched with snobbish contempt for your fellow Britons, sorry, ‘the wazzocks out there who eat egg and chips’
"Egg and chips" (which I like btw) is a classic and oft-used signifier of, not so much class, but of cultural limitations and predictability and downmarketness. For example, the tedious husband of Shirley Valentine only ever wanted "chips and egg" for his dinner on a Tuesday. Every Tuesday. It drove her off to a new and richer, more enlightened life in Greece. And Sergeant Lewis in Inspector Morse would often say he was looking forward to having egg and chips for his "tea" (much to his boss's amused disdain). Although funnily enough, and just to show how these things don't always scan perfectly across to the political sphere, Lewis would have certainly voted Remain, whereas Morse might well have been a Leaver.
Shirley V's husband had steak and chips every Tuesday, didn't he? It was her forgetting to get the steak and making egg and chips instead that got his goat.
Egg and chips is the best vegetarian meal known to man. Throw in three spicy chorizo sausages on top and you have my choice for my last ever meal.
Ham, chips and sunny side up eggs is a great meal. Definitely on of my favourites.
Yup.
Not quite with Stocky's "mushy peas" innovation, I have to say. Keep that for F&C.
Mushy peas on toast with black pepper and HP sauce is pretty yum too.
Interest rate rises are best for buy to let landlords making cash purchases.
A decade ago I used to work with someone who invested in buying homes to let. He left the company as he was making so much more money as a landlord than he was from his day job. He was debt-free and said from memory that every 20 homes he owned per year gave enough profit to buy another home for cash, debt-free.
People like this couldn't care less about interest rates since they aren't paying for a mortgage in the first place. If mortgages become harder to afford then more people need to rent, so he can make more profit.
The idea that interest rates rising would suddenly see a collapse in house prices is for the fairies. There's a reason interest rates falling did not see a rise in house prices. All you would do is make it harder for those who need a mortgage to buy somewhere to live and allow those buying for cash to keep on buying and letting and making even more profit than before.
People need somewhere to live so the one true determinant of prices is supply and demand. Build more houses and prices go down, increase population and prices go up. Whatever the interest rate is people need somewhere to live, the higher the interest rate the more you just tip the scales in favour of cash-only purchasers which is the already wealthy or buy to let landlords.
So do you think we should go negative? -3%? -6%?
If it's all about helping people get a mortgage, why not?
You elect a nationalist-populist government, what do you expect?
As far as I know (and I'd really like someone to describe an exception) they all end up unpleasantly authoritarian, led by a sleazy clique, and eventually running out of money.
It's a potent brew to win power, but it fails as a way to run a country.
Spot on, but according to most "conservatives" on here, bad governance is a price well worth paying for annoying the liberal lefties.
There are certainly a number of Conservative Party supporters on PB who don't really seem to care much what their side do when in power as long as they win. It's more akin to supporting a football team.
It is pointless arguing about whether Johnson is liberal or not, very few of his actions are motivated by conviction or political principle , the driver is what is likely to keep him in power.
People like HUYFD and Big G can be four square behind the Tories under Cameron when they were strongly in favour of being in the EU and then a couple of years later four square behind the Tories when Johnson has removed us from the EU and it is a virulently anti-EU party. I really don't get it.
OT Can't get worked up about vaxpassports either way. The horse has well and truly bolted if you are worried about a "surveillance society". CCTV cameras, mobile phone tracking, driving licences, NHS records, passports, credit cards - anyone who believes that we cannot be tracked already is delusional.
Can I just correct that comment
I have never been strongly in favour of the EU and my vote to remain was reluctant nor was I happy that Cameron had not achieved a deal with the EU
When we voted to leave I accepted the result and now want to move forward and adapt to the change that is inevitable
Accepting that Brexit it s now a fact is one thing, actively supporting a Brexit government is another thing entirely.
If you believe that being in the EU is a beneficial to this country, as I still do, then it is illogical to actively support this Johnson government. You might, at a stretch, vote for it as the lesser of 2 evils but to actively be a member makes no sense to me.
I do not support being in the EU at all not least following their recent behaviour
Like you I was a marginal voter in the referendum but unlike you narrowly decided to vote out. I think many diehard remainers assume that all brexiters are as extreme as they are. For many people it was a nuanced decision.
Quite. I voted remain bit would not vote rejoin and I was completely against the tactics used to thwart the result. The whole Leave telling lies should be couched in the fact that Cameron used the machinery of state for remain even sending out leaflets to every household.
Likewise I was for Remain but would probably abstain or vote to stay out now. For me, EEA is the best result, second to that any kind of deal so I guess by default I am in support of the deal Johnson negotiated
Why do newspapers employ those kind of idiots? Why do they choose to insult our intelligence? Sir Keir apparently visited a non PC church, but his quote here is followed by something like ‘working with the community to provide health care’ if you watch the video, so he isn’t saying “it’s a great example of a church” to endorse their beliefs.
Interest rate rises are best for buy to let landlords making cash purchases.
A decade ago I used to work with someone who invested in buying homes to let. He left the company as he was making so much more money as a landlord than he was from his day job. He was debt-free and said from memory that every 20 homes he owned per year gave enough profit to buy another home for cash, debt-free.
People like this couldn't care less about interest rates since they aren't paying for a mortgage in the first place. If mortgages become harder to afford then more people need to rent, so he can make more profit.
The idea that interest rates rising would suddenly see a collapse in house prices is for the fairies. There's a reason interest rates falling did not see a rise in house prices. All you would do is make it harder for those who need a mortgage to buy somewhere to live and allow those buying for cash to keep on buying and letting and making even more profit than before.
People need somewhere to live so the one true determinant of prices is supply and demand. Build more houses and prices go down, increase population and prices go up. Whatever the interest rate is people need somewhere to live, the higher the interest rate the more you just tip the scales in favour of cash-only purchasers which is the already wealthy or buy to let landlords.
There are very powerful lobbies against the building of new homes. Theyre called voters. And no politician ignores them. The revelation is the single biggest reactionary group ive seen in local government against new house building are the Greens. Who somehow marry the virtue of unlimited immigration for all with no new house building on land with a bit of grass on it.
Norn Iron riots amongst the Unionist population - the areas in question have lots of posters and slogans on walls and lamp-posts that say "No Irish Sea border". My favourite was "No Unionist can tolerate an Irish Sea border"
Another triumph of Brexit...
Sold down the river and discarded when no longer useful. The Red Wallies should think on.
On the substantive, one of the many reasons why I neither support Conservative nor Labour is both parties are, in my experience, only too willing to promulgate legislation to enforce State or Government control and mush less willing to repeal or renounce.
However, it takes three to tango (if you go to those sort of venues) and the public has been, on many occasions, complicit in the further restriction of civil liberties. Two points I've made on here before but I think (well, I would, wouldn't I?) bear repeating.
First, if you make someone frightened enough, they will voluntarily, and enthusiastically sign away their rights for the illusion of safety, security or prosperity. There are so many instances of apparently sensible groups who, in the face of some "threat" and after the appropriate conditioning in the media, enter a state of what I can only describe as a psychosis - we saw it in the EU Referendum on the fringes of both campaigns.
Second, if you think of the coronavirus as a terrorist attack, everything that has happened in the past year makes sense. Now, I'm NOT (for the benefit of some on here) suggesting a deliberate man-made instigated bio-terrorist outrage - I'll leave that to others. We accepted significant restrictions on our daily lives in order to find protection from the virus - indeed, some have said the Government hasn't gone far enough. It is exactly analogous to the response to a terrorist outrage - more power to the security state, more control, more surveillance, not because they are in any way an effective response but to provide the public a perception of response.
The next stage will be the stigmatisation of those who choose not to be vaccinated. As we've seen so often, it's easy for the media to attack those who are "different" and don't conform to accepted mores. I choose to be vaccinated - I'd like everyone to be given the choice but I've no issue with those who choose not to be vaccinated and I have every sympathy for those whose medical condition precludes them being vaccinated.
I think it inappropriate we should be seeking to segment society - it was talked about a few months ago on here in terms of "letting the young enjoy life while the old stay at home". It was wrong then and it's wrong now. I'll be as risk-averse as I damn well please as it's my life and if that works for me it can work for everyone else too. It shouldn't be for Government to define my risk - they can and should provide me with the information required for me to make my own evaluation.
All I can think gdpr has done is blocked me from viewing various US news websites.
GDPR has spawned an industry for producing privacy notices, consent popups, and box ticking (by both users and the companies). But there is not much evidence of the GDPR having stopped companies both collecting and losing large volumes of private data. It reminds me a bit of the FSA which was good at ensuring banks produced lots of paper work saying they were following the rules, but not very good at ensuring banks were solvent.
Checklists can be valuable tools, but for the most part they are used incorrectly, and become a substitute for either thinking or appropriate action.
I often start my safety workshops with the statement "I am on a war against compliance" It shocks some, but invariably it gets a lot of knowing nods.
If you look carefully into the picture you can see a cricket pitch and a shop selling cream teas.
Some former PMs, like Blair and Cameron, become less popular after they have left office. Major is one who has become more popular after leaving office.
Been having a socially distanced chat with someone high up in South Yorkshire health about the vaccine passports.
Apparently they aren't the April/May/June easing up but for the autumn and winter times when we'll all need a booster top ups and be a nudge for people to get their booster jab.
This could all be done with a simple QR code but this government likes a good power grab over the people.
See the Henry VIII powers for Brexit and the legislation to ban protests and judicial reviews.
Why the hell we are still allowing that kind of thing to go on whilst planning on the UK population being subject to internal passports and mass testing is beyond me. I can only think that the Tory Party is in hock to the travel industry and airlines. If there is one thing the UK has consistenly screwed up throughout the pandemic it is travel.
Why isn't Starmer smashing the government on this every single day. I don't understand why all of the establishment have simply ignored the border.
Its very simple. We Had to leave the EU so that we could Take Back Control of our borders and stop people coming in. The Tories have done this, Labour opposed it. Labour should Shut Up complaining about our border being Closed and instead Cheer On the good old PM in his plans to Reopen our Closed border so we can go to Marbelloh and eat Egg and Chips on holiday.
Yes I know, this is the opposite of reality. But this is what the wazzocks out there believe. Labour can't attack the government for leaving open a border which Sneering Priti has definitely Shut.
Rather ironic that you mention ‘sneering Priti’ in a comment that is drenched with snobbish contempt for your fellow Britons, sorry, ‘the wazzocks out there who eat egg and chips’
"Egg and chips" (which I like btw) is a classic and oft-used signifier of, not so much class, but of cultural limitations and predictability and downmarketness. For example, the tedious husband of Shirley Valentine only ever wanted "chips and egg" for his dinner on a Tuesday. Every Tuesday. It drove her off to a new and richer, more enlightened life in Greece. And Sergeant Lewis in Inspector Morse would often say he was looking forward to having egg and chips for his "tea" (much to his boss's amused disdain). Although funnily enough, and just to show how these things don't always scan perfectly across to the political sphere, Lewis would have certainly voted Remain, whereas Morse might well have been a Leaver.
Shirley V's husband had steak and chips every Tuesday, didn't he? It was her forgetting to get the steak and making egg and chips instead that got his goat.
Egg and chips is the best vegetarian meal known to man. Throw in three spicy chorizo sausages on top and you have my choice for my last ever meal.
Ham, chips and sunny side up eggs is a great meal. Definitely on of my favourites.
Yup.
Not quite with Stocky's "mushy peas" innovation, I have to say. Keep that for F&C.
Mushy peas on toast with black pepper and HP sauce is pretty yum too.
That's an even more outre (!) combo. I just do not deal in mushy peas unless there's fried fish in the vicinity.
A brilliant demonstration of everything that SKS is missing. He was a great loss and is still fondly remembered by the older denizens of Faculty.
Sir Keir has, is common with Ed Miliband, the permanent, faked look and tone of voice, of complete shock that the PM could possibly do anything he disagrees with.
Interest rate rises are best for buy to let landlords making cash purchases.
A decade ago I used to work with someone who invested in buying homes to let. He left the company as he was making so much more money as a landlord than he was from his day job. He was debt-free and said from memory that every 20 homes he owned per year gave enough profit to buy another home for cash, debt-free.
People like this couldn't care less about interest rates since they aren't paying for a mortgage in the first place. If mortgages become harder to afford then more people need to rent, so he can make more profit.
The idea that interest rates rising would suddenly see a collapse in house prices is for the fairies. There's a reason interest rates falling did not see a rise in house prices. All you would do is make it harder for those who need a mortgage to buy somewhere to live and allow those buying for cash to keep on buying and letting and making even more profit than before.
People need somewhere to live so the one true determinant of prices is supply and demand. Build more houses and prices go down, increase population and prices go up. Whatever the interest rate is people need somewhere to live, the higher the interest rate the more you just tip the scales in favour of cash-only purchasers which is the already wealthy or buy to let landlords.
So do you think we should go negative? -3%? -6%?
If it's all about helping people get a mortgage, why not?
No, because negative numbers break certain things in maths and interest rates are one of them.
The whole point of interest rates is to charge people for the service of borrowing and to reward people for the act of saving. High interest rates means there's a high cost to borrowing but also high reward for saving, low interest rates mean there's a low cost to borrowing and lo reward for saving.
Negative interest rates would mean you're actually charged for saving and rewarded for borrowing. You would be incentivising people to borrow as much as they can, as often as they can and to have their indebtedness as high as possible. That is clearly mental.
If you look carefully into the picture you can see a cricket pitch and a shop selling cream teas.
Some former PMs, like Blair and Cameron, become less popular after they have left office. Major is one who has become more popular after leaving office.
Because leaving office was his greatest achievement.
Been having a socially distanced chat with someone high up in South Yorkshire health about the vaccine passports.
Apparently they aren't the April/May/June easing up but for the autumn and winter times when we'll all need a booster top ups and be a nudge for people to get their booster jab.
This could all be done with a simple QR code but this government likes a good power grab over the people.
See the Henry VIII powers for Brexit and the legislation to ban protests and judicial reviews.
That doesn't make any sense because the booster jab is unlikely to be available for under 50s initially so the government would have to shut us all out of going to the cinema etc...
It's just a way for the government to hold on to all of these powers they will lose in September once our vaccine programme has all but eradicated COVID and we achieve herd immunity.
Been having a socially distanced chat with someone high up in South Yorkshire health about the vaccine passports.
Apparently they aren't the April/May/June easing up but for the autumn and winter times when we'll all need a booster top ups and be a nudge for people to get their booster jab.
This could all be done with a simple QR code but this government likes a good power grab over the people.
See the Henry VIII powers for Brexit and the legislation to ban protests and judicial reviews.
Interest rate rises are best for buy to let landlords making cash purchases.
A decade ago I used to work with someone who invested in buying homes to let. He left the company as he was making so much more money as a landlord than he was from his day job. He was debt-free and said from memory that every 20 homes he owned per year gave enough profit to buy another home for cash, debt-free.
People like this couldn't care less about interest rates since they aren't paying for a mortgage in the first place. If mortgages become harder to afford then more people need to rent, so he can make more profit.
The idea that interest rates rising would suddenly see a collapse in house prices is for the fairies. There's a reason interest rates falling did not see a rise in house prices. All you would do is make it harder for those who need a mortgage to buy somewhere to live and allow those buying for cash to keep on buying and letting and making even more profit than before.
People need somewhere to live so the one true determinant of prices is supply and demand. Build more houses and prices go down, increase population and prices go up. Whatever the interest rate is people need somewhere to live, the higher the interest rate the more you just tip the scales in favour of cash-only purchasers which is the already wealthy or buy to let landlords.
Interest rates are not wholly irrelevant to a cash buyer. If you're getting a juicy return on your cash for just letting it sit in a bank it can be a disincentive for doing other things with it - eg buying property.
Back from my haircut. Most exciting things in weeks. My barbers had 4 chairs going and apparently opened at 6.
My son went to his considerably posher hairdresser as well. Had an appointment, even. Absolutely bouncing, they apparently had 27 people waiting in the very cold street when they opened this morning. His barber says he has no appointments until he goes on holiday to see his family in London on 23rd April.
The world comes back to normal one step at a time but this was a good one.
Can’t wait for my appointment, but it’s not until next week. Every time I look in the mirror, Father Jack stares back at me.
Been having a socially distanced chat with someone high up in South Yorkshire health about the vaccine passports.
Apparently they aren't the April/May/June easing up but for the autumn and winter times when we'll all need a booster top ups and be a nudge for people to get their booster jab.
This could all be done with a simple QR code but this government likes a good power grab over the people.
See the Henry VIII powers for Brexit and the legislation to ban protests and judicial reviews.
You're in favour of this nonsense, aren't you?
God No!
I might join my first ever protests against this nonsense.
Back from my haircut. Most exciting things in weeks. My barbers had 4 chairs going and apparently opened at 6.
My son went to his considerably posher hairdresser as well. Had an appointment, even. Absolutely bouncing, they apparently had 27 people waiting in the very cold street when they opened this morning. His barber says he has no appointments until he goes on holiday to see his family in London on 23rd April.
The world comes back to normal one step at a time but this was a good one.
Can’t wait for my appointment, but it’s not until next week. Every time I look in the mirror, Father Jack stares back at me.
Well if you will go for these namby pamby appointment things. Some of us just take our turn.
But it could be worse for you. This weekend I was accused of looking like Boris Johnson!
Interest rate rises are best for buy to let landlords making cash purchases.
A decade ago I used to work with someone who invested in buying homes to let. He left the company as he was making so much more money as a landlord than he was from his day job. He was debt-free and said from memory that every 20 homes he owned per year gave enough profit to buy another home for cash, debt-free.
People like this couldn't care less about interest rates since they aren't paying for a mortgage in the first place. If mortgages become harder to afford then more people need to rent, so he can make more profit.
The idea that interest rates rising would suddenly see a collapse in house prices is for the fairies. There's a reason interest rates falling did not see a rise in house prices. All you would do is make it harder for those who need a mortgage to buy somewhere to live and allow those buying for cash to keep on buying and letting and making even more profit than before.
People need somewhere to live so the one true determinant of prices is supply and demand. Build more houses and prices go down, increase population and prices go up. Whatever the interest rate is people need somewhere to live, the higher the interest rate the more you just tip the scales in favour of cash-only purchasers which is the already wealthy or buy to let landlords.
So do you think we should go negative? -3%? -6%?
If it's all about helping people get a mortgage, why not?
No, because negative numbers break certain things in maths and interest rates are one of them.
The whole point of interest rates is to charge people for the service of borrowing and to reward people for the act of saving. High interest rates means there's a high cost to borrowing but also high reward for saving, low interest rates mean there's a low cost to borrowing and lo reward for saving.
Negative interest rates would mean you're actually charged for saving and rewarded for borrowing. You would be incentivising people to borrow as much as they can, as often as they can and to have their indebtedness as high as possible. That is clearly mental.
I have no formal economic training, but I think this is nonsense. The ultra low interest rates with no prospect of rises in the future has very much led to people borrowing as much as they possibly can.
Interest rate rises are best for buy to let landlords making cash purchases.
A decade ago I used to work with someone who invested in buying homes to let. He left the company as he was making so much more money as a landlord than he was from his day job. He was debt-free and said from memory that every 20 homes he owned per year gave enough profit to buy another home for cash, debt-free.
People like this couldn't care less about interest rates since they aren't paying for a mortgage in the first place. If mortgages become harder to afford then more people need to rent, so he can make more profit.
The idea that interest rates rising would suddenly see a collapse in house prices is for the fairies. There's a reason interest rates falling did not see a rise in house prices. All you would do is make it harder for those who need a mortgage to buy somewhere to live and allow those buying for cash to keep on buying and letting and making even more profit than before.
People need somewhere to live so the one true determinant of prices is supply and demand. Build more houses and prices go down, increase population and prices go up. Whatever the interest rate is people need somewhere to live, the higher the interest rate the more you just tip the scales in favour of cash-only purchasers which is the already wealthy or buy to let landlords.
There are very powerful lobbies against the building of new homes. Theyre called voters. And no politician ignores them. The revelation is the single biggest reactionary group ive seen in local government against new house building are the Greens. Who somehow marry the virtue of unlimited immigration for all with no new house building on land with a bit of grass on it.
Yes the Greens are repugnant for that and they completely f**k over the young who then go out to vote for them. Its part of why the voters don't always act in their own best interests.
Standing up to NIMBYs and voters is part of any good politicians duties. Pandering to everyone is not good governance.
Back from my haircut. Most exciting things in weeks. My barbers had 4 chairs going and apparently opened at 6.
My son went to his considerably posher hairdresser as well. Had an appointment, even. Absolutely bouncing, they apparently had 27 people waiting in the very cold street when they opened this morning. His barber says he has no appointments until he goes on holiday to see his family in London on 23rd April.
The world comes back to normal one step at a time but this was a good one.
Been having a socially distanced chat with someone high up in South Yorkshire health about the vaccine passports.
Apparently they aren't the April/May/June easing up but for the autumn and winter times when we'll all need a booster top ups and be a nudge for people to get their booster jab.
This could all be done with a simple QR code but this government likes a good power grab over the people.
See the Henry VIII powers for Brexit and the legislation to ban protests and judicial reviews.
That doesn't make any sense because the booster jab is unlikely to be available for under 50s initially so the government would have to shut us all out of going to the cinema etc...
It's just a way for the government to hold on to all of these powers they will lose in September once our vaccine programme has all but eradicated COVID and we achieve herd immunity.
I think because of the lag between the age groups getting vaccinated the young wouldn't get locked out of cinemas etc by the time of the booster jabs.
Imagine it’s early 2020 all over again. Except this time we are forewarned. We know what’s coming.
The government says to us, we can have a Korea style outcome, 1,700 dead, 100,000 cases, virtually no lockdown, economy barely touched, but for that to happen we need compulsory smartphone apps so the government can track and trace everyone?
Alternatively, we can have no compulsory apps, the government will not track everyone, but instead we will have 4m cases, 150,000 dead, a year of lockdown, and an economy decimated
I know which one I’d choose. The first. South Korea. Let the government film me in the loo. I don’t bloody care
I imagine 98% of Britons would choose the same. So Liberty really is relative, not absolute
You would be more likely to get the surveillance society plus the lockdowns and deaths given government's unwillingness to shut the borders and inability to organise track and trace.
Yes, the borders are the key, we don't need a SK surveillance state if we close the border properly.
We should surely do both. Close the borders tightly. However, because we are not far far away from anywhere else, like Oz and NZ, we will need to do SK as well.
Remember the incredible data that SK gave its people. Text messages to citizens warning them they were nearing a cluster of infections down the road. STAY AWAY.
I guarantee every advanced nation on the planet will be studying SK’s covid policy and trying to learn from it. Just as SK learned from their own experience with SARS, so they were ready for Covid19
Nah, we can easily enforce hotel quarantine and simple drop offs for roll off cargo. You're weirdly happy to accept these unnecessary intrusions into your life but not properly control the border to stop the virus entering in the first place. The system that every nation will be studying is New Zealand, not SK.
NZ now have a different problem. While other nations begin to recover and mop up from the coronavirus flood they are, for some considerable time to come, going to be nervously looking up at a creaking dam. The FIFA Women’s World Cup is due to be held there in two years. They need to get vaccinating.
There’s only 5m Kiwis, won’t take long to get them done in the(ir) spring.
Fingers crossed they’ll be open for tourists by October or November.
Interest rate rises are best for buy to let landlords making cash purchases.
A decade ago I used to work with someone who invested in buying homes to let. He left the company as he was making so much more money as a landlord than he was from his day job. He was debt-free and said from memory that every 20 homes he owned per year gave enough profit to buy another home for cash, debt-free.
People like this couldn't care less about interest rates since they aren't paying for a mortgage in the first place. If mortgages become harder to afford then more people need to rent, so he can make more profit.
The idea that interest rates rising would suddenly see a collapse in house prices is for the fairies. There's a reason interest rates falling did not see a rise in house prices. All you would do is make it harder for those who need a mortgage to buy somewhere to live and allow those buying for cash to keep on buying and letting and making even more profit than before.
People need somewhere to live so the one true determinant of prices is supply and demand. Build more houses and prices go down, increase population and prices go up. Whatever the interest rate is people need somewhere to live, the higher the interest rate the more you just tip the scales in favour of cash-only purchasers which is the already wealthy or buy to let landlords.
So do you think we should go negative? -3%? -6%?
If it's all about helping people get a mortgage, why not?
No, because negative numbers break certain things in maths and interest rates are one of them.
The whole point of interest rates is to charge people for the service of borrowing and to reward people for the act of saving. High interest rates means there's a high cost to borrowing but also high reward for saving, low interest rates mean there's a low cost to borrowing and lo reward for saving.
Negative interest rates would mean you're actually charged for saving and rewarded for borrowing. You would be incentivising people to borrow as much as they can, as often as they can and to have their indebtedness as high as possible. That is clearly mental.
I have no formal economic training, but I think this is nonsense. The ultra low interest rates with no prospect of rises in the future has very much led to people borrowing as much as they possibly can.
Low interest rates have led to people borrowing when they have a reason to do so, but negative interest rates would incentivise people to max out their credit even when they have no reason to do so.
A brilliant demonstration of everything that SKS is missing. He was a great loss and is still fondly remembered by the older denizens of Faculty.
Sir Keir has, is common with Ed Miliband, the permanent, faked look and tone of voice, of complete shock that the PM could possibly do anything he disagrees with.
It's a look that counsel often affect in court. It doesn't really work there either. It doesn't persuade. It sounds false and insincere. Humour, in contrast, can be deadly.
Been having a socially distanced chat with someone high up in South Yorkshire health about the vaccine passports.
Apparently they aren't the April/May/June easing up but for the autumn and winter times when we'll all need a booster top ups and be a nudge for people to get their booster jab.
This could all be done with a simple QR code but this government likes a good power grab over the people.
See the Henry VIII powers for Brexit and the legislation to ban protests and judicial reviews.
That doesn't make any sense because the booster jab is unlikely to be available for under 50s initially so the government would have to shut us all out of going to the cinema etc...
It's just a way for the government to hold on to all of these powers they will lose in September once our vaccine programme has all but eradicated COVID and we achieve herd immunity.
I'm glad to see most of PB united against vaccine passports (I refuse to call them Vaxports), as well as the Lib Dems finally breaking cover and making a stand for...er... liberalism. I may actually renew my membership.
I've been fairly on the fence with ID cards in the past. The civil liberties implications balance against the potential benefits to me, as safeguards could be put in place.
I'll be dammed if this government is going to sneak them through on the back of the most severe restrictions on or liberties since the war, on a rationale which is far from clear-cut.
What are you on about? That's Conservativehome, an independent blog, highlighting public vacancies to try and get a few Conservatives to apply, in a somewhat forlorn attempt to stop them automatically going to people who read the ads that are still (afaik) placed in the Guardian. The fact that you see this as scandalous effrontery speaks to Leon's earlier point about the left being appalled that everyone isn't rolling over for them.
The next stage will be the stigmatisation of those who choose not to be vaccinated. As we've seen so often, it's easy for the media to attack those who are "different" and don't conform to accepted mores. I choose to be vaccinated - I'd like everyone to be given the choice but I've no issue with those who choose not to be vaccinated and I have every sympathy for those whose medical condition precludes them being vaccinated.
I don't think there will be stigmatism. Maybe a few Darwin awards, but ultimately if any one individual decides not to get vaccinated that's their decision. One could say they are free-loading, but such is life.
What we should all be really grateful for is that enough people are getting vaccinated. We don't have the problems that other countries have.
And in NW London. Not welcome. Really irritating decision by god. It's not going to settle though. Not cold enough.
Didn't realise you lived in London, hello fellow Londoner!
Oh yes. Been here since I was 17 apart from some spells abroad. I'd struggle anywhere else, I think. Nothing specific just the feeling.
Looking at a family break in London @kinabalu@MaxPB I know you guys are close to Hampstead Heath which I've never been to,despite numerous visits to London. Do you think we should rent somewhere close to Hampstead Heath or go for central London, as usual, and travel up. Can't decide.
Hampstead is a lovely place to stay. Would recommend staying in actual Hampstead too, rather than Kilburn or Swiss Cottage.
I'd second that. Couple of very "atmospheric" Irish boozers in Kilburn but that was BC and in any case not the ticket for a family minibreak.
Prefer Muswell Hill. But it's often ruled out by its lack of a tube station. I'm told there was a plan but it fell foul of WWII.
Interest rate rises are best for buy to let landlords making cash purchases.
A decade ago I used to work with someone who invested in buying homes to let. He left the company as he was making so much more money as a landlord than he was from his day job. He was debt-free and said from memory that every 20 homes he owned per year gave enough profit to buy another home for cash, debt-free.
People like this couldn't care less about interest rates since they aren't paying for a mortgage in the first place. If mortgages become harder to afford then more people need to rent, so he can make more profit.
The idea that interest rates rising would suddenly see a collapse in house prices is for the fairies. There's a reason interest rates falling did not see a rise in house prices. All you would do is make it harder for those who need a mortgage to buy somewhere to live and allow those buying for cash to keep on buying and letting and making even more profit than before.
People need somewhere to live so the one true determinant of prices is supply and demand. Build more houses and prices go down, increase population and prices go up. Whatever the interest rate is people need somewhere to live, the higher the interest rate the more you just tip the scales in favour of cash-only purchasers which is the already wealthy or buy to let landlords.
Interest rates are not wholly irrelevant to a cash buyer. If you're getting a juicy return on your cash for just letting it sit in a bank it can be a disincentive for doing other things with it - eg buying property.
And yet price/earnings ratios peaked when base rate was 6%, not 0%. The stampede of people buying to let peaked when base rate was 6% and has gone into reverse in recent years when base rate was 0%. Why is that?
Because no bank actually offers base rate as their savings rate. Borrowers pay Base + adjustment, savers get paid Base - adjustment.
Norn Iron riots amongst the Unionist population - the areas in question have lots of posters and slogans on walls and lamp-posts that say "No Irish Sea border". My favourite was "No Unionist can tolerate an Irish Sea border"
Another triumph of Brexit...
Did I hear through the mists of sleep this am that some Unionists are saying it's tit for tat for the Shinners attending an IRA man's funeral?
Been having a socially distanced chat with someone high up in South Yorkshire health about the vaccine passports.
Apparently they aren't the April/May/June easing up but for the autumn and winter times when we'll all need a booster top ups and be a nudge for people to get their booster jab.
This could all be done with a simple QR code but this government likes a good power grab over the people.
See the Henry VIII powers for Brexit and the legislation to ban protests and judicial reviews.
That doesn't make any sense because the booster jab is unlikely to be available for under 50s initially so the government would have to shut us all out of going to the cinema etc...
It's just a way for the government to hold on to all of these powers they will lose in September once our vaccine programme has all but eradicated COVID and we achieve herd immunity.
I think because of the lag between the age groups getting vaccinated the young wouldn't get locked out of cinemas etc by the time of the booster jabs.
Agree on your latter sentence.
Which totally defeats the point! Surely the only reason for having these things is if we are trying to keep the economy going as much as possible whilst fighting the virus. But we'd have to accept that we are doing so at the cost of discriminating against those who haven't had the chance to get the latest vaccine.
A brilliant demonstration of everything that SKS is missing. He was a great loss and is still fondly remembered by the older denizens of Faculty.
Sir Keir has, is common with Ed Miliband, the permanent, faked look and tone of voice, of complete shock that the PM could possibly do anything he disagrees with.
It's a look that counsel often affect in court. It doesn't really work there either. It doesn't persuade. It sounds false and insincere. Humour, in contrast, can be deadly.
Absolutely, it is why I use humour so much in my life, it disarms people.
I may occasionally slip in the occasional gag into a PB threader.
The simplest way to determine the correct response to vaccine passports is to imagine Labour were going to introduce them.
Those for them here would be up in arms.
Therefore opposing them is consistent. Many here are of course not, they treat politics like a football match
Usually that might be the case, in fact it often is, but I actually don't think on ID cards and related issues that people on here align quite so perfectly along party lines. As we'll see in parliament if things come to a vote, there are some strange bedfellows here on this issue.
The next stage will be the stigmatisation of those who choose not to be vaccinated. As we've seen so often, it's easy for the media to attack those who are "different" and don't conform to accepted mores. I choose to be vaccinated - I'd like everyone to be given the choice but I've no issue with those who choose not to be vaccinated and I have every sympathy for those whose medical condition precludes them being vaccinated.
I don't think there will be stigmatism. Maybe a few Darwin awards, but ultimately if any one individual decides not to get vaccinated that's their decision. One could say they are free-loading, but such is life.
What we should all be really grateful for is that enough people are getting vaccinated. We don't have the problems that other countries have.
My own strong view is that you eventually get to higher levels of vaccination if you keep the programme voluntary. In this case, the cause has been facilitated by both the sense of value of the vaccine and its scarcity, making people want it.
Been having a socially distanced chat with someone high up in South Yorkshire health about the vaccine passports.
Apparently they aren't the April/May/June easing up but for the autumn and winter times when we'll all need a booster top ups and be a nudge for people to get their booster jab.
This could all be done with a simple QR code but this government likes a good power grab over the people.
See the Henry VIII powers for Brexit and the legislation to ban protests and judicial reviews.
Been having a socially distanced chat with someone high up in South Yorkshire health about the vaccine passports.
Apparently they aren't the April/May/June easing up but for the autumn and winter times when we'll all need a booster top ups and be a nudge for people to get their booster jab.
This could all be done with a simple QR code but this government likes a good power grab over the people.
See the Henry VIII powers for Brexit and the legislation to ban protests and judicial reviews.
That doesn't make any sense because the booster jab is unlikely to be available for under 50s initially so the government would have to shut us all out of going to the cinema etc...
It's just a way for the government to hold on to all of these powers they will lose in September once our vaccine programme has all but eradicated COVID and we achieve herd immunity.
I think because of the lag between the age groups getting vaccinated the young wouldn't get locked out of cinemas etc by the time of the booster jabs.
Agree on your latter sentence.
And what happens to people who for various reasons got their initial jabs earlier than they might otherwise have done, but are then low down on the priority list for boosters?
Punished for not insisting that the doctor who offered it should throw it in the bin?
What are you on about? That's Conservativehome, an independent blog, highlighting public vacancies to try and get a few Conservatives to apply, in a somewhat forlorn attempt to stop them automatically going to people who read the ads that are still (afaik) placed in the Guardian. The fact that you see this as scandalous effrontery speaks to Leon's earlier point about the left being appalled that everyone isn't rolling over for them.
Like I said, not even trying to hide. One more small step into Orbánary.
One strange issue is that the combination of testing and the volumes being done now and proposed in the future, combined with border controls and "Covid certification" probably would have worked as a 'zero covid' alternative to vaccines.
But we have vaccines, not only do we have them but they're very, very effective ones.
So zero Covid restrictions are not only massively illiberal but they're not necessary either.
I can understand why a government would develop these ideas in parallel to others in case vaccines didn't work out. But they did.
Illiberal and unnecessary is not a good combination.
Why is it illiberal to make the condition of entry to a nightclub or a bar with minimal or no restrictions inside that you show that you have been vaccinated? Don't you want to go back to normal? How do we achieve this if there is an element in our country, roughly 10%, who refuse the vaccine freely offered? Is it not an intrusion on my liberty if i am unknowingly exposed to them in an inside environment?
Vaccination is not 100% protection. Its very good but its not that good. 200 vaccinated people in a club are very safe. But if 20 of them are not vaccinated the risks are proportionately much greater and not just for those 20.
Why stop at Covid? Why not make it a condition of entry into Wetherspoons that you can prove you don't have HIV, or didn't vote Remain, or have the required 27 union jacks on your profile?
Because getting HIV involves an exchange of bodily fluids that isn't likely to happen by accident. For Covid all people need to do is breath. Surely you can see that the risks are different?
To be clear I am not suggesting that they are mandatory because I do not believe vaccination should be mandatory. I do not believe that they should be used for any other purpose other than gaining access to places you can choose not to go. Live without one if you wish. But don't inflict your breath on the rest of us inside if you haven't been vaccinated.
By July, how will the risks be any different from seasonal flu?
We somehow managed with that without ushering in a surveillance state.
It is not a surveillance state, it is a protection should you want to go into a more dangerous environment with others. By July there will still be millions who have not had vaccination, mainly children. By December that will have been overcome. Whether the virus continues to exist in our society at that point remains to be seen.
The Surveillance State is coming, however. The serendipitous collision of so many maturing technologies makes it inevitable. From AI to smartphones to robots to nano-drones to advanced Face Recognition
Some will resent this, even resist it. But most will accept it, eagerly. Why? Because, for instance, it will mean an end to things like violent crime and theft. Every criminal will get caught, extremely quickly.
The disappearance of cash, by itself, is already wreaking huge changes in society as beggars give up.
The future is Singapore-shaped
We night to fight against it with everything we have. Otherwise we will end up as slaves to technology.
What are you on about? That's Conservativehome, an independent blog, highlighting public vacancies to try and get a few Conservatives to apply, in a somewhat forlorn attempt to stop them automatically going to people who read the ads that are still (afaik) placed in the Guardian. The fact that you see this as scandalous effrontery speaks to Leon's earlier point about the left being appalled that everyone isn't rolling over for them.
Like I said, not even trying to hide. One more small step into Orbánary.
There’s only 5m Kiwis, won’t take long to get them done in the(ir) spring.
Fingers crossed they’ll be open for tourists by October or November.
We spoke to Mrs Stodge's brother last evening - he is on the West Coast of the South Island. Apparently they are going to start vaccinating in July (their winter) beginning with border staff and health/care workers before rolling it down the population by age. It seems they will be using Pfizer (at least initially).
As far as the current border "arrangements" are concerned, attempts to start up travel corridors with Australia have been frustrated by periodic flare-ups in the latter. It seems more likely "the islands" (Cook Islands, American Samoa) may be the first to allow full resumption of travel.
As others have said, they are a wholly unvaccinated country at this time - I thought, however, once fully vaccinated, the ability of an individual to both contract and transmit the virus was significantly reduced. Were we to try to go to NZ once fully vaccinated, Mrs Stodge and I would have to spend 14 days in quarantine in Auckland which seems absurd.
What are you on about? That's Conservativehome, an independent blog, highlighting public vacancies to try and get a few Conservatives to apply, in a somewhat forlorn attempt to stop them automatically going to people who read the ads that are still (afaik) placed in the Guardian. The fact that you see this as scandalous effrontery speaks to Leon's earlier point about the left being appalled that everyone isn't rolling over for them.
Like I said, not even trying to hide. One more small step into Orbánary.
Con home have been doing this for 10 years. Hardly a novel development.
Been having a socially distanced chat with someone high up in South Yorkshire health about the vaccine passports.
Apparently they aren't the April/May/June easing up but for the autumn and winter times when we'll all need a booster top ups and be a nudge for people to get their booster jab.
This could all be done with a simple QR code but this government likes a good power grab over the people.
See the Henry VIII powers for Brexit and the legislation to ban protests and judicial reviews.
That doesn't make any sense because the booster jab is unlikely to be available for under 50s initially so the government would have to shut us all out of going to the cinema etc...
It's just a way for the government to hold on to all of these powers they will lose in September once our vaccine programme has all but eradicated COVID and we achieve herd immunity.
I think because of the lag between the age groups getting vaccinated the young wouldn't get locked out of cinemas etc by the time of the booster jabs.
Agree on your latter sentence.
Which totally defeats the point! Surely the only reason for having these things is if we are trying to keep the economy going as much as possible whilst fighting the virus. But we'd have to accept that we are doing so at the cost of discriminating against those who haven't had the chance to get the latest vaccine.
As much as looking at the science we also have to look at the politics.
Boris Johnson and the Tories know they are buggered if there's another wave of avoidable deaths from Covid-19.
This quote really struck me as a student of history, (as I think Boris is). A certain leader of the German Reich used to conduct his goverment in this way, playing his ministers off against each other, and letting the strongest have their way in a form of Darwinism.
I do find it somewhat amusing of the acussations that Conservatives are waging a culture war. For the last decade they didnt even realise the war was happening. They allowed transgender extremism and movements like critical race theory to infest and spread across institutions. They belatedly realised that elements in their own government and publics services were facilitating this cultural revolution. The mildest of mild push back from them, and it is the Conservatives who are waging a war. A war that theyve barely realised was happening.
Since you invoked the first reference to the early to mid last century. It seems a bit like Germany claiming that the UK is the aggressor and militarist war mongerer for declaring war against them in 1939, when all they were trying to do was peacefully unite their subjugated peoples into a free and democratic homeland.
Very good point.
The reason the reactions to the race report were so shrill and hysterical (a bit like reax to vaxports here) is because the Left has never experienced push back on this issue ever before. They’ve had it all their own way, they’ve never encountered a different position, and in their culture war there’s been no fighting because an enemy did not exist. It was just endless advance on all fronts.
They seem actively outraged that someone should dare to contradict them.
Absolutely. The rage was there for all to see. Average white person response to what we've seen over the last few years of the ratcheting up of this "how awful racist Britain and its institutions are" has divided into two, what are now becoming familiar lines.
Most people live in their cocoons, whether those are based on class, professions or race. Sometimes there is massive cross over of these and sometimes you can find yourself in regular company outside of that which you are familiar (NP talked about his poker games the other day as his experience). So we often really dont experience the lives of others and are willing to take their word for it.
So we end up with many people believing some of the more extreme claims about life in the UK by those who have largest media coverage. That for poorer people life has never been worse, with young urchins starving to death without access to foodbanks. That black people cannot experience a day without been abused racially etc.
This has allowed a ratchet on the latter for more and more ludicrous situations to be reported on with all seriousness. The list of things, places, activities and organisations that are now racist has become so ubiquitous that there are a sizable group of people who unquestionably accept it.
And then you have those who dont. Who see the whole thing as a nonsense, but mutter it quietly . The problem is.... That yes the whole thing is a nonsense, but the grain of truth that sometimes people do experience prejudice based on their race and lets see where we reduce it is lost.
At least some of those people are in regular receipt of a river of racist bullshit.
Do you imagine that David Lammy’s inbox is nothing but sweetness and light?
I think the report may have been well intentioned, but it utterly failed to either a) consider the context into which it was being dropped or b) to give the slightest thought or credence to any of the arguments that Britain does contain elements of institutional (or other) racism.
It’s one thing to think those arguments are wrong, but to simply ignore them completely & cherry pick only those parts of people’s research that the authors believed supported their POV without even consulting them suggests that the authors simply wished to push a particular narrative & were uninterested in any of the counter-arguments.
This might be good politics, but it’s bad science IMO.
I found the report a bit vacuous tbh. Also a touch cynical in that it was clearly manufactured to preexisting instructions like a piece of IKEA furniture.
"Let's have something upbeat saying we are no longer racist and people should stop banging on about it. That's what most of our voters think after all. And the Left will hate it, lol."
Unfortunately for you, and fortunately for the rest of us, institutions that have conservatives in any kind of majority control can completely dismantle the toxic advancement of critical race theory.
The tools for a ruthless push back have been handed to us. The counter revolution is in earnest.
One of the strange things though is that the report doesn't say what Conservatives think it does, which is why they are happy for the left to discredit it. While refusing to use the terms "institutional racism" or to "decolonisation the curriculum" the recommendations do address both these issues. What is recommendation 20 other than to decolonisation the curriculum, for example?
Been having a socially distanced chat with someone high up in South Yorkshire health about the vaccine passports.
Apparently they aren't the April/May/June easing up but for the autumn and winter times when we'll all need a booster top ups and be a nudge for people to get their booster jab.
This could all be done with a simple QR code but this government likes a good power grab over the people.
See the Henry VIII powers for Brexit and the legislation to ban protests and judicial reviews.
Been having a socially distanced chat with someone high up in South Yorkshire health about the vaccine passports.
Apparently they aren't the April/May/June easing up but for the autumn and winter times when we'll all need a booster top ups and be a nudge for people to get their booster jab.
This could all be done with a simple QR code but this government likes a good power grab over the people.
See the Henry VIII powers for Brexit and the legislation to ban protests and judicial reviews.
That doesn't make any sense because the booster jab is unlikely to be available for under 50s initially so the government would have to shut us all out of going to the cinema etc...
It's just a way for the government to hold on to all of these powers they will lose in September once our vaccine programme has all but eradicated COVID and we achieve herd immunity.
I think because of the lag between the age groups getting vaccinated the young wouldn't get locked out of cinemas etc by the time of the booster jabs.
Agree on your latter sentence.
And what happens to people who for various reasons got their initial jabs earlier than they might otherwise have done, but are then low down on the priority list for boosters?
Punished for not insisting that the doctor who offered it should throw it in the bin?
The logic will be that the booster jab date is automatically generated, say 6 months after your second jab, so they don't get penalised.
Look I'm not supporting the idea, just telling you the way the government will try and defend it.
Been having a socially distanced chat with someone high up in South Yorkshire health about the vaccine passports.
Apparently they aren't the April/May/June easing up but for the autumn and winter times when we'll all need a booster top ups and be a nudge for people to get their booster jab.
This could all be done with a simple QR code but this government likes a good power grab over the people.
See the Henry VIII powers for Brexit and the legislation to ban protests and judicial reviews.
And in NW London. Not welcome. Really irritating decision by god. It's not going to settle though. Not cold enough.
Didn't realise you lived in London, hello fellow Londoner!
Oh yes. Been here since I was 17 apart from some spells abroad. I'd struggle anywhere else, I think. Nothing specific just the feeling.
Looking at a family break in London @kinabalu@MaxPB I know you guys are close to Hampstead Heath which I've never been to,despite numerous visits to London. Do you think we should rent somewhere close to Hampstead Heath or go for central London, as usual, and travel up. Can't decide.
Hampstead is a lovely place to stay. Would recommend staying in actual Hampstead too, rather than Kilburn or Swiss Cottage.
I'd second that. Couple of very "atmospheric" Irish boozers in Kilburn but that was BC and in any case not the ticket for a family minibreak.
Prefer Muswell Hill. But it's often ruled out by its lack of a tube station. I'm told there was a plan but it fell foul of WWII.
Interest rate rises are best for buy to let landlords making cash purchases.
A decade ago I used to work with someone who invested in buying homes to let. He left the company as he was making so much more money as a landlord than he was from his day job. He was debt-free and said from memory that every 20 homes he owned per year gave enough profit to buy another home for cash, debt-free.
People like this couldn't care less about interest rates since they aren't paying for a mortgage in the first place. If mortgages become harder to afford then more people need to rent, so he can make more profit.
The idea that interest rates rising would suddenly see a collapse in house prices is for the fairies. There's a reason interest rates falling did not see a rise in house prices. All you would do is make it harder for those who need a mortgage to buy somewhere to live and allow those buying for cash to keep on buying and letting and making even more profit than before.
People need somewhere to live so the one true determinant of prices is supply and demand. Build more houses and prices go down, increase population and prices go up. Whatever the interest rate is people need somewhere to live, the higher the interest rate the more you just tip the scales in favour of cash-only purchasers which is the already wealthy or buy to let landlords.
So do you think we should go negative? -3%? -6%?
If it's all about helping people get a mortgage, why not?
No, because negative numbers break certain things in maths and interest rates are one of them.
The whole point of interest rates is to charge people for the service of borrowing and to reward people for the act of saving. High interest rates means there's a high cost to borrowing but also high reward for saving, low interest rates mean there's a low cost to borrowing and lo reward for saving.
Negative interest rates would mean you're actually charged for saving and rewarded for borrowing. You would be incentivising people to borrow as much as they can, as often as they can and to have their indebtedness as high as possible. That is clearly mental.
I have no formal economic training, but I think this is nonsense. The ultra low interest rates with no prospect of rises in the future has very much led to people borrowing as much as they possibly can.
Low interest rates have led to people borrowing when they have a reason to do so, but negative interest rates would incentivise people to max out their credit even when they have no reason to do so.
A curious feature of negative interest rates is that you get a strange feeling that while the bank will charge you to borrow your money, you won't be able to charge the bank for the privilege of lending it to you.
Been having a socially distanced chat with someone high up in South Yorkshire health about the vaccine passports.
Apparently they aren't the April/May/June easing up but for the autumn and winter times when we'll all need a booster top ups and be a nudge for people to get their booster jab.
This could all be done with a simple QR code but this government likes a good power grab over the people.
See the Henry VIII powers for Brexit and the legislation to ban protests and judicial reviews.
That doesn't make any sense because the booster jab is unlikely to be available for under 50s initially so the government would have to shut us all out of going to the cinema etc...
It's just a way for the government to hold on to all of these powers they will lose in September once our vaccine programme has all but eradicated COVID and we achieve herd immunity.
I think because of the lag between the age groups getting vaccinated the young wouldn't get locked out of cinemas etc by the time of the booster jabs.
Agree on your latter sentence.
Which totally defeats the point! Surely the only reason for having these things is if we are trying to keep the economy going as much as possible whilst fighting the virus. But we'd have to accept that we are doing so at the cost of discriminating against those who haven't had the chance to get the latest vaccine.
As much as looking at the science we also have to look at the politics.
Boris Johnson and the Tories know they are buggered if there's another wave of avoidable deaths from Covid-19.
Any polling on this? Maybe I'm unusual, but I personally couldn't give a fuck if the anti-vaxxers start to snuff it in the autumn.
If all of the vaccine passport talk now is simply about scaring people into getting vaccinated, then fine (though I'm not sure about the psychology whether it will work).
The simplest way to determine the correct response to vaccine passports is to imagine Labour were going to introduce them.
Those for them here would be up in arms.
Therefore opposing them is consistent. Many here are of course not, they treat politics like a football match
I think this is exactly right. Put the shoe on the other foot and imagine Corbyn was proposing these things everyone and his dog would be against them.
Interest rate rises are best for buy to let landlords making cash purchases.
A decade ago I used to work with someone who invested in buying homes to let. He left the company as he was making so much more money as a landlord than he was from his day job. He was debt-free and said from memory that every 20 homes he owned per year gave enough profit to buy another home for cash, debt-free.
People like this couldn't care less about interest rates since they aren't paying for a mortgage in the first place. If mortgages become harder to afford then more people need to rent, so he can make more profit.
The idea that interest rates rising would suddenly see a collapse in house prices is for the fairies. There's a reason interest rates falling did not see a rise in house prices. All you would do is make it harder for those who need a mortgage to buy somewhere to live and allow those buying for cash to keep on buying and letting and making even more profit than before.
People need somewhere to live so the one true determinant of prices is supply and demand. Build more houses and prices go down, increase population and prices go up. Whatever the interest rate is people need somewhere to live, the higher the interest rate the more you just tip the scales in favour of cash-only purchasers which is the already wealthy or buy to let landlords.
Interest rates are not wholly irrelevant to a cash buyer. If you're getting a juicy return on your cash for just letting it sit in a bank it can be a disincentive for doing other things with it - eg buying property.
And yet price/earnings ratios peaked when base rate was 6%, not 0%. The stampede of people buying to let peaked when base rate was 6% and has gone into reverse in recent years when base rate was 0%. Why is that?
Because no bank actually offers base rate as their savings rate. Borrowers pay Base + adjustment, savers get paid Base - adjustment.
Interest rates are just one of many factors in play with house prices. But there's no doubt that by and large falling rates are supportive (of prices) and rising rates are a dampener. You'd be alone in the known world if you are disputing this. It's not one for a tumble unless you are desperate for a tumble.
So why don't we pivot the debate a little and ask the question - who is planning to voluntarily take up the government on the offer of a twice-weekly test (in England at this point)?
Not me. I flat refuse. Even worse than vaccine passports in terms of intrusion into my private life.
It’s no intrusion at all, given that it’s up to the individual. I’ll be taking it up until I get my second shot, as it will enable my visiting unvaccinated family without significant worry.
Been having a socially distanced chat with someone high up in South Yorkshire health about the vaccine passports.
Apparently they aren't the April/May/June easing up but for the autumn and winter times when we'll all need a booster top ups and be a nudge for people to get their booster jab.
This could all be done with a simple QR code but this government likes a good power grab over the people.
See the Henry VIII powers for Brexit and the legislation to ban protests and judicial reviews.
That doesn't make any sense because the booster jab is unlikely to be available for under 50s initially so the government would have to shut us all out of going to the cinema etc...
It's just a way for the government to hold on to all of these powers they will lose in September once our vaccine programme has all but eradicated COVID and we achieve herd immunity.
I think because of the lag between the age groups getting vaccinated the young wouldn't get locked out of cinemas etc by the time of the booster jabs.
Agree on your latter sentence.
Which totally defeats the point! Surely the only reason for having these things is if we are trying to keep the economy going as much as possible whilst fighting the virus. But we'd have to accept that we are doing so at the cost of discriminating against those who haven't had the chance to get the latest vaccine.
As much as looking at the science we also have to look at the politics.
Boris Johnson and the Tories know they are buggered if there's another wave of avoidable deaths from Covid-19.
Any polling on this? Maybe I'm unusual, but I personally couldn't give a fuck if the anti-vaxxers start to snuff it in the autumn.
If all of the vaccine passport talk now is simply about scaring people into getting vaccinated, then fine (though I'm not sure about the psychology whether it will work).
You only have to look at the polling prior to the vaccines as our deaths were world beating and the Tories started trailing in the polls.
What are you on about? That's Conservativehome, an independent blog, highlighting public vacancies to try and get a few Conservatives to apply, in a somewhat forlorn attempt to stop them automatically going to people who read the ads that are still (afaik) placed in the Guardian. The fact that you see this as scandalous effrontery speaks to Leon's earlier point about the left being appalled that everyone isn't rolling over for them.
Like I said, not even trying to hide. One more small step into Orbánary.
Yes, appalling isn't it? Imagine people in public life who are actually conservatives. The barbarians really are at the gate.
A brilliant demonstration of everything that SKS is missing. He was a great loss and is still fondly remembered by the older denizens of Faculty.
I tentatively agree: thus far, SKS has done nothing resembling this clip of John Smith at his best.
However, to be fair to SKS, this sort of knockabout only works when you have a packed House of Commons. So far, SKS has had to perform under surreal Zoom conditions, where humour just doesn't work as well. Even Boris's gags have rather fallen flat under the current conditions. So, I'd reserve final judgement until the HoC reverts to normal.
Been having a socially distanced chat with someone high up in South Yorkshire health about the vaccine passports.
Apparently they aren't the April/May/June easing up but for the autumn and winter times when we'll all need a booster top ups and be a nudge for people to get their booster jab.
This could all be done with a simple QR code but this government likes a good power grab over the people.
See the Henry VIII powers for Brexit and the legislation to ban protests and judicial reviews.
That doesn't make any sense because the booster jab is unlikely to be available for under 50s initially so the government would have to shut us all out of going to the cinema etc...
It's just a way for the government to hold on to all of these powers they will lose in September once our vaccine programme has all but eradicated COVID and we achieve herd immunity.
I think because of the lag between the age groups getting vaccinated the young wouldn't get locked out of cinemas etc by the time of the booster jabs.
Agree on your latter sentence.
Which totally defeats the point! Surely the only reason for having these things is if we are trying to keep the economy going as much as possible whilst fighting the virus. But we'd have to accept that we are doing so at the cost of discriminating against those who haven't had the chance to get the latest vaccine.
As much as looking at the science we also have to look at the politics.
Boris Johnson and the Tories know they are buggered if there's another wave of avoidable deaths from Covid-19.
99% of deaths are in JVCI groups 1-9, 99.9% in groups 1-10. Groups 1-9 will be immediately eligible and I don't see why uptake would be any lower than now. The issue is going to be securing enough doses to cover all 32m in those groups. There's a reason the minister is talking about groups 1-4 only for now.
I am clearly in a minority in respect of vaccination certificates ("VCs"), at least on here if not in the general polling. I am going to try 1 more time and then give up.
1. We need to nudge those who are reluctant to have vaccines. These are particularly numerous amongst the young (who often feel it is not a risk to them) and certain ethnic minorities, sometimes because of religious beliefs. 2. VCs should not be compulsory because vaccination is not compulsory. 3. We have learned that certain activities are much more likely to spread the virus than others. Typically those that are indoors, with poor ventilation, large numbers of people shouting or being energetic. 4. If we are to allow those activities to take place without restrictions that make them economically unviable it seems reasonable that we should insist on some precautions. 5. Having a VC is such a precaution and it doesn't seem unreasonable to me that those who want to undertake those activities should be able to vouch that they are "safe". Of course such a system can only come into play once everyone has had the chance to be vaccinated. 6. A VC should have no other purpose nor should it be asked for for any other reason nor should it contain access to medical records or history (per @Cyclefree). It shouldn't be able to track you either. 7. Their utility should be examined as the virus diminishes. If the risk is removed then they should be too.
I do feel that those who claim that this is the thin edge of the fascist state and the end of liberty in this country are getting more than a tad carried away with themselves. But there we are. Enough.
What are you on about? That's Conservativehome, an independent blog, highlighting public vacancies to try and get a few Conservatives to apply, in a somewhat forlorn attempt to stop them automatically going to people who read the ads that are still (afaik) placed in the Guardian. The fact that you see this as scandalous effrontery speaks to Leon's earlier point about the left being appalled that everyone isn't rolling over for them.
Like I said, not even trying to hide. One more small step into Orbánary.
Why should an independent blog hide?
Does the Guardian hide its advertisements?
How times change, for those of us who remember how these things were done in the 80s and 90s.
Why the hell we are still allowing that kind of thing to go on whilst planning on the UK population being subject to internal passports and mass testing is beyond me. I can only think that the Tory Party is in hock to the travel industry and airlines. If there is one thing the UK has consistenly screwed up throughout the pandemic it is travel.
Why isn't Starmer smashing the government on this every single day. I don't understand why all of the establishment have simply ignored the border.
Its very simple. We Had to leave the EU so that we could Take Back Control of our borders and stop people coming in. The Tories have done this, Labour opposed it. Labour should Shut Up complaining about our border being Closed and instead Cheer On the good old PM in his plans to Reopen our Closed border so we can go to Marbelloh and eat Egg and Chips on holiday.
Yes I know, this is the opposite of reality. But this is what the wazzocks out there believe. Labour can't attack the government for leaving open a border which Sneering Priti has definitely Shut.
Rather ironic that you mention ‘sneering Priti’ in a comment that is drenched with snobbish contempt for your fellow Britons, sorry, ‘the wazzocks out there who eat egg and chips’
"Egg and chips" (which I like btw) is a classic and oft-used signifier of, not so much class, but of cultural limitations and predictability and downmarketness. For example, the tedious husband of Shirley Valentine only ever wanted "chips and egg" for his dinner on a Tuesday. Every Tuesday. It drove her off to a new and richer, more enlightened life in Greece. And Sergeant Lewis in Inspector Morse would often say he was looking forward to having egg and chips for his "tea" (much to his boss's amused disdain). Although funnily enough, and just to show how these things don't always scan perfectly across to the political sphere, Lewis would have certainly voted Remain, whereas Morse might well have been a Leaver.
I think Morse would definitely have been a Remainer. An academic technocrat, he once thought the dons of Oxford should step in to sort out the British economy - certainly no 'had enough of experts' man.
Interest rate rises are best for buy to let landlords making cash purchases.
A decade ago I used to work with someone who invested in buying homes to let. He left the company as he was making so much more money as a landlord than he was from his day job. He was debt-free and said from memory that every 20 homes he owned per year gave enough profit to buy another home for cash, debt-free.
People like this couldn't care less about interest rates since they aren't paying for a mortgage in the first place. If mortgages become harder to afford then more people need to rent, so he can make more profit.
The idea that interest rates rising would suddenly see a collapse in house prices is for the fairies. There's a reason interest rates falling did not see a rise in house prices. All you would do is make it harder for those who need a mortgage to buy somewhere to live and allow those buying for cash to keep on buying and letting and making even more profit than before.
People need somewhere to live so the one true determinant of prices is supply and demand. Build more houses and prices go down, increase population and prices go up. Whatever the interest rate is people need somewhere to live, the higher the interest rate the more you just tip the scales in favour of cash-only purchasers which is the already wealthy or buy to let landlords.
Interest rates are not wholly irrelevant to a cash buyer. If you're getting a juicy return on your cash for just letting it sit in a bank it can be a disincentive for doing other things with it - eg buying property.
And yet price/earnings ratios peaked when base rate was 6%, not 0%. The stampede of people buying to let peaked when base rate was 6% and has gone into reverse in recent years when base rate was 0%. Why is that?
Because no bank actually offers base rate as their savings rate. Borrowers pay Base + adjustment, savers get paid Base - adjustment.
Interest rates are just one of many factors in play with house prices. But there's no doubt that by and large falling rates are supportive (of prices) and rising rates are a dampener. You'd be alone in the known world if you are disputing this. It's not one for a tumble unless you are desperate for a tumble.
They're a massively, massively overrated factor. Yes I do dispute it.
If interest rates were a major factor then price ratios should have surged after interest rates were slashed from 6% to 0%. They didn't. Why didn't they?
People look at the fact that we have high prices and 0% interest rates and blame the high prices on the 0% interest rates, while ignoring the fact that the prices increased when rates were 6% and haven't risen since.
Blaming house prices on interest rates is about as economically literate as blaming the UK's 125k dead of the virus on the UK's high vaccination scheme - it completely reverses the order in which things occured.
Prices rose in the 00's because population surged far more than construction did. Not because of interest rates or any other crap.
What are you on about? That's Conservativehome, an independent blog, highlighting public vacancies to try and get a few Conservatives to apply, in a somewhat forlorn attempt to stop them automatically going to people who read the ads that are still (afaik) placed in the Guardian. The fact that you see this as scandalous effrontery speaks to Leon's earlier point about the left being appalled that everyone isn't rolling over for them.
Like I said, not even trying to hide. One more small step into Orbánary.
Why should an independent blog hide?
Does the Guardian hide its advertisements?
How times change, for those of us who remember how these things were done in the 80s and 90s.
Which successful independent blogs in the 80s and 90s didn't advertise things? 🙄
Again should the Guardian hide it? This blog has done this for a decade, just as the Guardian has for decades too.
I am clearly in a minority in respect of vaccination certificates ("VCs"), at least on here if not in the general polling. I am going to try 1 more time and then give up.
1. We need to nudge those who are reluctant to have vaccines. These are particularly numerous amongst the young (who often feel it is not a risk to them) and certain ethnic minorities, sometimes because of religious beliefs. 2. VCs should not be compulsory because vaccination is not compulsory. 3. We have learned that certain activities are much more likely to spread the virus than others. Typically those that are indoors, with poor ventilation, large numbers of people shouting or being energetic. 4. If we are to allow those activities to take place without restrictions that make them economically unviable it seems reasonable that we should insist on some precautions. 5. Having a VC is such a precaution and it doesn't seem unreasonable to me that those who want to undertake those activities should be able to vouch that they are "safe". Of course such a system can only come into play once everyone has had the chance to be vaccinated. 6. A VC should have no other purpose nor should it be asked for for any other reason nor should it contain access to medical records or history (per @Cyclefree). It shouldn't be able to track you either. 7. Their utility should be examined as the virus diminishes. If the risk is removed then they should be too.
I do feel that those who claim that this is the thin edge of the fascist state and the end of liberty in this country are getting more than a tad carried away with themselves. But there we are. Enough.
That's a circular argument and you know it. In a country heading for 95% uptake the only thing preventing full capacity in any business or sector would be government regulations.
There is no scientific justification for them. The government may be able to convince a few people to hand over their liberty in the name of "saving the NHS" but that doesn't make it true.
Comments
The rise preceded the fall in rates not the other way around.
Earnings and employment were better in 2019 than they were in 2007, yet house P/E ratios were no worse in 2019 with virtually zero interest rates than they were in 2007 with close to 6% rates.
If interest rates had triggered price rises we should have seen P/E ratios higher in 2019 than they were in 2007 but we didn't.
Close to half of all house purchases are done with cash so interest rates don't effect house prices for those purchases - and those purchases tend to be more buy to let. A majority of buy to let purchases are cash-only purchases with no mortgage.
I fully expect that unless supply and demand are rectified interest rates rising will just see buying become even harder for those that need a mortgage, which is people wanting to buy their own home, while those who want to buy to let will maintain house prices just as high since they never took a mortgage in the first place.
Such a bane. What can be done about them?
https://www.theguardian.com/news/2020/jun/01/weatherwatch-freak-snow-stopped-cricket-on-2-june-1975
On 2 June 1975, snow an inch thick covered the pitch at Buxton in a match between Derbyshire and Lancashire, and snow stopped play at several other county cricket matches. Snowflakes even briefly fell on the Lord’s cricket ground in London.
"I’ve always been willing to accept lockdown as a temporary suspension of rights for a greater good. I don’t want to risk passing this illness on to a vulnerable person. But the very point of vaccinations – or so we were repeatedly told – was that they would allow us to regain our rights as fast as possible. Instead, they are now being used as cover, even justification, for the introduction of a whole new architecture of mass surveillance – and I am sick of it. I’m sick of masks, of spying, of lectures, and sick to the back teeth of false promises and false starts. Last week, Chris Whitty told us that in the future Covid would be managed like flu, which I take to mean a disease that we avoid and resist but ultimately live with.
Well, we don’t have passports for flu, do we?"
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/04/05/covid-passports-authoritarian-illogical-vile/
I can see the logic there, and I must admit I had similar thoughts in the run-up to the ref. Precipitating severe damage to the UK's economy in the hope that a recession would lead to house price falls seemed a little... self-centred to me. And it clearly didn't work, judging by recent trends.
https://twitter.com/humenm/status/1378959815045697536
I particularly like the fact the domains used for what is looking more and more like outright fraud were registered using liberty House email addresses (if you are going to try and pull these things off use a disposable gmail address).
Which includes such horrors as:
“ Note: Persons with COVID-19 may die of other diseases or accidents, such cases are not deaths due to COVID-19 and should not be certified as such. In case you think that COVID-19 aggravated the consequences of the accident, you may report COVID-19 in Part 2. Please remember to indicate the manner of death and record in part 1 the exact kind of an incident or other external cause.”
and
“ Note: Persons with COVID-19 may die due to other conditions such as myocardial infarction. Such cases are not deaths due to COVID-19 and should not be certified as such.”
I suspect he never bothered to actually go and look but merely parroted something read on Lockdown Sceptics because it said what he so wants to be true.
My son went to his considerably posher hairdresser as well. Had an appointment, even. Absolutely bouncing, they apparently had 27 people waiting in the very cold street when they opened this morning. His barber says he has no appointments until he goes on holiday to see his family in London on 23rd April.
The world comes back to normal one step at a time but this was a good one.
I am more worried by the creeping intolerance in both govt and their supporters. Regardless of the success or failure of IT projects, if these proposed powers get through, all it will take is some half-crazed policitian in favour of intolerant policies and if she gets Boris's job then all the tools of oppression will already be on the Statute Books.
”I like chips and egg ..on a TUESDAY – today is THURSDAY… Where’s me steak?!”
The Patriarchy. Which she plucked up the fortitude to reject and overthrow.
This could become one of the sorest hits for Scotland since Darien. Spectacular incompetence and barely a murmur in the press.
Another triumph of Brexit...
Alternatively, a major tax on rental income would also have done nicely.
Osborne wasn't interested in my vote, however.
Almost as if there isn't a problem that needs solving.
Not quite with Stocky's "mushy peas" innovation, I have to say. Keep that for F&C.
A decade ago I used to work with someone who invested in buying homes to let. He left the company as he was making so much more money as a landlord than he was from his day job. He was debt-free and said from memory that every 20 homes he owned per year gave enough profit to buy another home for cash, debt-free.
People like this couldn't care less about interest rates since they aren't paying for a mortgage in the first place. If mortgages become harder to afford then more people need to rent, so he can make more profit.
The idea that interest rates rising would suddenly see a collapse in house prices is for the fairies. There's a reason interest rates falling did not see a rise in house prices. All you would do is make it harder for those who need a mortgage to buy somewhere to live and allow those buying for cash to keep on buying and letting and making even more profit than before.
People need somewhere to live so the one true determinant of prices is supply and demand. Build more houses and prices go down, increase population and prices go up. Whatever the interest rate is people need somewhere to live, the higher the interest rate the more you just tip the scales in favour of cash-only purchasers which is the already wealthy or buy to let landlords.
It was a definite risk in my unvaccinated state but so, so necessary.
If it's all about helping people get a mortgage, why not?
https://twitter.com/joncstone/status/1379012267476451331?s=21
On the substantive, one of the many reasons why I neither support Conservative nor Labour is both parties are, in my experience, only too willing to promulgate legislation to enforce State or Government control and mush less willing to repeal or renounce.
However, it takes three to tango (if you go to those sort of venues) and the public has been, on many occasions, complicit in the further restriction of civil liberties. Two points I've made on here before but I think (well, I would, wouldn't I?) bear repeating.
First, if you make someone frightened enough, they will voluntarily, and enthusiastically sign away their rights for the illusion of safety, security or prosperity. There are so many instances of apparently sensible groups who, in the face of some "threat" and after the appropriate conditioning in the media, enter a state of what I can only describe as a psychosis - we saw it in the EU Referendum on the fringes of both campaigns.
Second, if you think of the coronavirus as a terrorist attack, everything that has happened in the past year makes sense. Now, I'm NOT (for the benefit of some on here) suggesting a deliberate man-made instigated bio-terrorist outrage - I'll leave that to others. We accepted significant restrictions on our daily lives in order to find protection from the virus - indeed, some have said the Government hasn't gone far enough. It is exactly analogous to the response to a terrorist outrage - more power to the security state, more control, more surveillance, not because they are in any way an effective response but to provide the public a perception of response.
The next stage will be the stigmatisation of those who choose not to be vaccinated. As we've seen so often, it's easy for the media to attack those who are "different" and don't conform to accepted mores. I choose to be vaccinated - I'd like everyone to be given the choice but I've no issue with those who choose not to be vaccinated and I have every sympathy for those whose medical condition precludes them being vaccinated.
I think it inappropriate we should be seeking to segment society - it was talked about a few months ago on here in terms of "letting the young enjoy life while the old stay at home". It was wrong then and it's wrong now. I'll be as risk-averse as I damn well please as it's my life and if that works for me it can work for everyone else too. It shouldn't be for Government to define my risk - they can and should provide me with the information required for me to make my own evaluation.
Checklists can be valuable tools, but for the most part they are used incorrectly, and become a substitute for either thinking or appropriate action.
I often start my safety workshops with the statement "I am on a war against compliance" It shocks some, but invariably it gets a lot of knowing nods.
Apparently they aren't the April/May/June easing up but for the autumn and winter times when we'll all need a booster top ups and be a nudge for people to get their booster jab.
This could all be done with a simple QR code but this government likes a good power grab over the people.
See the Henry VIII powers for Brexit and the legislation to ban protests and judicial reviews.
The whole point of interest rates is to charge people for the service of borrowing and to reward people for the act of saving. High interest rates means there's a high cost to borrowing but also high reward for saving, low interest rates mean there's a low cost to borrowing and lo reward for saving.
Negative interest rates would mean you're actually charged for saving and rewarded for borrowing. You would be incentivising people to borrow as much as they can, as often as they can and to have their indebtedness as high as possible. That is clearly mental.
https://www.conservativehome.com/public-appointments/2021/04/calling-conservatives-new-public-appointments-announced-chair-of-the-charity-commission-and-more-2.html
It's just a way for the government to hold on to all of these powers they will lose in September once our vaccine programme has all but eradicated COVID and we achieve herd immunity.
I am shocked!
I might join my first ever protests against this nonsense.
But it could be worse for you. This weekend I was accused of looking like Boris Johnson!
Standing up to NIMBYs and voters is part of any good politicians duties. Pandering to everyone is not good governance.
Agree on your latter sentence.
Fingers crossed they’ll be open for tourists by October or November.
I've been fairly on the fence with ID cards in the past. The civil liberties implications balance against the potential benefits to me, as safeguards could be put in place.
I'll be dammed if this government is going to sneak them through on the back of the most severe restrictions on or liberties since the war, on a rationale which is far from clear-cut.
What we should all be really grateful for is that enough people are getting vaccinated. We don't have the problems that other countries have.
Those for them here would be up in arms.
Therefore opposing them is consistent. Many here are of course not, they treat politics like a football match
Because no bank actually offers base rate as their savings rate. Borrowers pay Base + adjustment, savers get paid Base - adjustment.
I may occasionally slip in the occasional gag into a PB threader.
Punished for not insisting that the doctor who offered it should throw it in the bin?
Does the Guardian hide its advertisements?
As far as the current border "arrangements" are concerned, attempts to start up travel corridors with Australia have been frustrated by periodic flare-ups in the latter. It seems more likely "the islands" (Cook Islands, American Samoa) may be the first to allow full resumption of travel.
As others have said, they are a wholly unvaccinated country at this time - I thought, however, once fully vaccinated, the ability of an individual to both contract and transmit the virus was significantly reduced. Were we to try to go to NZ once fully vaccinated, Mrs Stodge and I would have to spend 14 days in quarantine in Auckland which seems absurd.
Boris Johnson and the Tories know they are buggered if there's another wave of avoidable deaths from Covid-19.
Look I'm not supporting the idea, just telling you the way the government will try and defend it.
If all of the vaccine passport talk now is simply about scaring people into getting vaccinated, then fine (though I'm not sure about the psychology whether it will work).
I’ll be taking it up until I get my second shot, as it will enable my visiting unvaccinated family without significant worry.
However, to be fair to SKS, this sort of knockabout only works when you have a packed House of Commons. So far, SKS has had to perform under surreal Zoom conditions, where humour just doesn't work as well. Even Boris's gags have rather fallen flat under the current conditions. So, I'd reserve final judgement until the HoC reverts to normal.
1. We need to nudge those who are reluctant to have vaccines. These are particularly numerous amongst the young (who often feel it is not a risk to them) and certain ethnic minorities, sometimes because of religious beliefs.
2. VCs should not be compulsory because vaccination is not compulsory.
3. We have learned that certain activities are much more likely to spread the virus than others. Typically those that are indoors, with poor ventilation, large numbers of people shouting or being energetic.
4. If we are to allow those activities to take place without restrictions that make them economically unviable it seems reasonable that we should insist on some precautions.
5. Having a VC is such a precaution and it doesn't seem unreasonable to me that those who want to undertake those activities should be able to vouch that they are "safe". Of course such a system can only come into play once everyone has had the chance to be vaccinated.
6. A VC should have no other purpose nor should it be asked for for any other reason nor should it contain access to medical records or history (per @Cyclefree). It shouldn't be able to track you either.
7. Their utility should be examined as the virus diminishes. If the risk is removed then they should be too.
I do feel that those who claim that this is the thin edge of the fascist state and the end of liberty in this country are getting more than a tad carried away with themselves. But there we are. Enough.
If interest rates were a major factor then price ratios should have surged after interest rates were slashed from 6% to 0%. They didn't. Why didn't they?
People look at the fact that we have high prices and 0% interest rates and blame the high prices on the 0% interest rates, while ignoring the fact that the prices increased when rates were 6% and haven't risen since.
Blaming house prices on interest rates is about as economically literate as blaming the UK's 125k dead of the virus on the UK's high vaccination scheme - it completely reverses the order in which things occured.
Prices rose in the 00's because population surged far more than construction did. Not because of interest rates or any other crap.
Again should the Guardian hide it? This blog has done this for a decade, just as the Guardian has for decades too.
There is no scientific justification for them. The government may be able to convince a few people to hand over their liberty in the name of "saving the NHS" but that doesn't make it true.