Morning all! Shopping tip - buy big bags of pasta this week before the news of the impending pasta availability crunch becomes well known. TBH may as well buy anything you like that has long dates on it as the price inflation tsunami is about to crash into supermarkets.
Getting stuff for your Christmas dinner already?
Bit early for that. But there is definitely trouble ahead: Global commodity prices sky high Global shipping prices even higher Poor harvests (wheat in Canada creating the pasta fubar) Lack of staff in the food industry Lack of drivers
So when the CEO of the Food and Drink Federation warns that the growing chaos is going to settle into being normal without government intervention, and the government dismisses him by saying that we have a resilient supply chain so no threat to Christmas, remember this.
The FDF is the supply chain. I know that we've all had enough of experts, but there is nothing in it for the industry to create a fake crisis that imperils the Christmas payday large parts of it relies on.
If you are right, it is hard not to see it feeding into politics, and hence betting, for next year?
I've heard "winter of discontent" already used to describe one scenario this coming winter. I don't think people will blame another round of food problems directly on the government, though at one point some canny broadcaster will get some know-nothing minister and a higher up from the industry on the same show, have the minister say vacuous guff about the industry and have the industry chief tear them apart as clueless and arrogant.
Combine that with another skyrocket in pox cases from the current sustained high, the reimposition of restrictions, the effects of the "fuck the working poor" UC cut and an NHS on its knees, and yes this scenario wouldn't be good for Worzel. It is just a scenario though - they might ride it out.
Another point of interest. Observe the narrowing gap between supermarket and branded fuel prices. Supermarkets are shouldering food price inflation by cutting their usual subsidy of the fuel price. And so many of the bigger cost price rises on food are about to land as retailers have finally accepted that the choice is pay the rise or don't get products. In some cases because the manufacturer either passes it or on goes out of business.
Mr. Doethur, to be fair, Verstappen also took out himself, whereas at Silverstone Hamilton got the race win.
He may take an engine penalty there but it'll put him right at the back.
Sochi isn’t somewhere you’d want to start at the back, so I think he’ll take his three places here and probably still start in the top six. Instanbul and Austin would be better options, but if we don’t have the advertised 22 races (Brazil and Mexico looking doubtful) they might not need it.
Morning all! Shopping tip - buy big bags of pasta this week before the news of the impending pasta availability crunch becomes well known. TBH may as well buy anything you like that has long dates on it as the price inflation tsunami is about to crash into supermarkets.
Getting stuff for your Christmas dinner already?
Bit early for that. But there is definitely trouble ahead: Global commodity prices sky high Global shipping prices even higher Poor harvests (wheat in Canada creating the pasta fubar) Lack of staff in the food industry Lack of drivers
So when the CEO of the Food and Drink Federation warns that the growing chaos is going to settle into being normal without government intervention, and the government dismisses him by saying that we have a resilient supply chain so no threat to Christmas, remember this.
The FDF is the supply chain. I know that we've all had enough of experts, but there is nothing in it for the industry to create a fake crisis that imperils the Christmas payday large parts of it relies on.
If you are right, it is hard not to see it feeding into politics, and hence betting, for next year?
I've heard "winter of discontent" already used to describe one scenario this coming winter. I don't think people will blame another round of food problems directly on the government, though at one point some canny broadcaster will get some know-nothing minister and a higher up from the industry on the same show, have the minister say vacuous guff about the industry and have the industry chief tear them apart as clueless and arrogant.
Combine that with another skyrocket in pox cases from the current sustained high, the reimposition of restrictions, the effects of the "fuck the working poor" UC cut and an NHS on its knees, and yes this scenario wouldn't be good for Worzel. It is just a scenario though - they might ride it out.
Another point of interest. Observe the narrowing gap between supermarket and branded fuel prices. Supermarkets are shouldering food price inflation by cutting their usual subsidy of the fuel price. And so many of the bigger cost price rises on food are about to land as retailers have finally accepted that the choice is pay the rise or don't get products. In some cases because the manufacturer either passes it or on goes out of business.
The political challenge is going to be to join the dots, or to ensure that the dots remain unjoined.
Remember how a few weeks ago, the problems were down to the pingdemic? That's clearly over, and yet the problems persist.
Many of the issues that seem to be coming down the line look like being caused by "X and/magnified by Brexit". And Brexit will magnify, if only because the invisible hand only has a GB market to operate in, rather than the larger EEA space.
But some will want to talk a lot more about all the different X's, rather than the common factor.
Valneva SA said the U.K. government is canceling a supply contract for Covid-19 vaccines, a blow to the French drugmaker’s attempt to develop an alternative to existing shots.
The company said Monday it contests allegations by the U.K. government that it’s in breach of its obligations under the agreement.
That article points out that it's not approved yet so it might be as simple as the contract says approval needed by date X. And as we seem to have a vaccine program that has worked there is no need to allow an exception
Mr. Doethur, to be fair, Verstappen also took out himself, whereas at Silverstone Hamilton got the race win.
He may take an engine penalty there but it'll put him right at the back.
Sochi isn’t somewhere you’d want to start at the back, so I think he’ll take his three places here and probably still start in the top six. Instanbul and Austin would be better options, but if we don’t have the advertised 22 races (Brazil and Mexico looking doubtful) they might not need it.
Istanbul is also doubtful unless Turkey moves off the UK's red list.
Congratulations to her, she did a great job to win the title from the qualifiers.
However isn't this thread header a bit vulgar and a bit too American? I notice at the presentation yesterday the interviewer told her how much her paycheque was, you wouldn't dream of hearing that at Wimbledon.
Yes the tabloids and midmarket papers may speculate but I would hope PB was more broadsheet
Just think of the potential inheritance in 80 years time! Luvvly jubbly!
Raducanu is a Remainer icon. I fully expect her to lead the campaign to Rejoin in a decade’s time.
Bromley? Remain Under 55? Remain Migrant? Remain Parents work in Finance? Remain
She also has an A* in Economics, so she knows just how damaging Brexit to the economy.
It's rare to hear such a great example of mansplaining.
If she's as intelligent as you seem to think she is, and appears to be, then she can make up her own mind on these issues. And it might be a very different view from the one you say she should have.
To be frank, I hope no-one asks her: if they do, she just side-steps it. There are too many traps for her.
Mr. Doethur, to be fair, Verstappen also took out himself, whereas at Silverstone Hamilton got the race win.
He may take an engine penalty there but it'll put him right at the back.
Sochi isn’t somewhere you’d want to start at the back, so I think he’ll take his three places here and probably still start in the top six. Instanbul and Austin would be better options, but if we don’t have the advertised 22 races (Brazil and Mexico looking doubtful) they might not need it.
Istanbul is also doubtful unless Turkey moves off the UK's red list.
Yes, apparently a lot of lobbying going on behind the scenes there, as the countries the F1 teams are mostly from (UK, Italy, Switzerland) are all blacklisting travel from Turkey at the moment. Cases there are hovering around 22,000, from a population of 85m.
Morning all! Shopping tip - buy big bags of pasta this week before the news of the impending pasta availability crunch becomes well known. TBH may as well buy anything you like that has long dates on it as the price inflation tsunami is about to crash into supermarkets.
Getting stuff for your Christmas dinner already?
Bit early for that. But there is definitely trouble ahead: Global commodity prices sky high Global shipping prices even higher Poor harvests (wheat in Canada creating the pasta fubar) Lack of staff in the food industry Lack of drivers
So when the CEO of the Food and Drink Federation warns that the growing chaos is going to settle into being normal without government intervention, and the government dismisses him by saying that we have a resilient supply chain so no threat to Christmas, remember this.
The FDF is the supply chain. I know that we've all had enough of experts, but there is nothing in it for the industry to create a fake crisis that imperils the Christmas payday large parts of it relies on.
If you are right, it is hard not to see it feeding into politics, and hence betting, for next year?
I've heard "winter of discontent" already used to describe one scenario this coming winter. I don't think people will blame another round of food problems directly on the government, though at one point some canny broadcaster will get some know-nothing minister and a higher up from the industry on the same show, have the minister say vacuous guff about the industry and have the industry chief tear them apart as clueless and arrogant.
Combine that with another skyrocket in pox cases from the current sustained high, the reimposition of restrictions, the effects of the "fuck the working poor" UC cut and an NHS on its knees, and yes this scenario wouldn't be good for Worzel. It is just a scenario though - they might ride it out.
Another point of interest. Observe the narrowing gap between supermarket and branded fuel prices. Supermarkets are shouldering food price inflation by cutting their usual subsidy of the fuel price. And so many of the bigger cost price rises on food are about to land as retailers have finally accepted that the choice is pay the rise or don't get products. In some cases because the manufacturer either passes it or on goes out of business.
The political challenge is going to be to join the dots, or to ensure that the dots remain unjoined.
Remember how a few weeks ago, the problems were down to the pingdemic? That's clearly over, and yet the problems persist.
Many of the issues that seem to be coming down the line look like being caused by "X and/magnified by Brexit". And Brexit will magnify, if only because the invisible hand only has a GB market to operate in, rather than the larger EEA space.
But some will want to talk a lot more about all the different X's, rather than the common factor.
Half the country will see "magnified by Brexit", the other half "its happening everywhere". Politically it does not matter much which version is correct, just if and when it stops being half v half and becomes more like two thirds vs one third.
Morning all! Shopping tip - buy big bags of pasta this week before the news of the impending pasta availability crunch becomes well known. TBH may as well buy anything you like that has long dates on it as the price inflation tsunami is about to crash into supermarkets.
Getting stuff for your Christmas dinner already?
Bit early for that. But there is definitely trouble ahead: Global commodity prices sky high Global shipping prices even higher Poor harvests (wheat in Canada creating the pasta fubar) Lack of staff in the food industry Lack of drivers
So when the CEO of the Food and Drink Federation warns that the growing chaos is going to settle into being normal without government intervention, and the government dismisses him by saying that we have a resilient supply chain so no threat to Christmas, remember this.
The FDF is the supply chain. I know that we've all had enough of experts, but there is nothing in it for the industry to create a fake crisis that imperils the Christmas payday large parts of it relies on.
If you are right, it is hard not to see it feeding into politics, and hence betting, for next year?
I've heard "winter of discontent" already used to describe one scenario this coming winter. I don't think people will blame another round of food problems directly on the government, though at one point some canny broadcaster will get some know-nothing minister and a higher up from the industry on the same show, have the minister say vacuous guff about the industry and have the industry chief tear them apart as clueless and arrogant.
Combine that with another skyrocket in pox cases from the current sustained high, the reimposition of restrictions, the effects of the "fuck the working poor" UC cut and an NHS on its knees, and yes this scenario wouldn't be good for Worzel. It is just a scenario though - they might ride it out.
Another point of interest. Observe the narrowing gap between supermarket and branded fuel prices. Supermarkets are shouldering food price inflation by cutting their usual subsidy of the fuel price. And so many of the bigger cost price rises on food are about to land as retailers have finally accepted that the choice is pay the rise or don't get products. In some cases because the manufacturer either passes it or on goes out of business.
The political challenge is going to be to join the dots, or to ensure that the dots remain unjoined.
Remember how a few weeks ago, the problems were down to the pingdemic? That's clearly over, and yet the problems persist.
Many of the issues that seem to be coming down the line look like being caused by "X and/magnified by Brexit". And Brexit will magnify, if only because the invisible hand only has a GB market to operate in, rather than the larger EEA space.
But some will want to talk a lot more about all the different X's, rather than the common factor.
The pingdemic was real. The issue is that it hasn't gone away because neither has Covid. I know that a few happy clappy posters think they have prayed the pox away but we have a sustained high infection rate.
"Doesn't matter, hospitalisation and death rates are relatively low". Indeed - which helps no-one when a member of your team has caught Covid and several others are now also off having gone for a test and awaiting results, or actually have symptoms (which are just as likely to be seasonal hate colds etc).
As example, the dire service those of us who have business contracts with couriers are receiving is partly a lack of drivers and partly covid.
Ooh, just thought of another Raducanu hypothetical..
If Emma said tomorrow that she hated Brexit, and me for supporting it, I'll still support her as strongly as I am now.
If she were to come out in support for Brexit could Remainers (or whatever you call yourselves) say the same?
I love to make it all about Brexit. In case Scott takes a day off
She is (a) young, (b) from a very pro-EU part of the world (Wimbledon), and (c) has a parent with an EU citizenship (I expect). Plus I suspect she will also be rightly insulted that the leader of the Brexit campaign said he wouldn't like Romanians living next door.
So, I suspect she will be inherently Brexit-sceptical.
But I also suspect that she's going to have quite a lot on her plate for the next decade. So I'm not going to worry about it.
I agree with all you've said, and still have no idea or care for what she thinks about Brexit.
The point is I would still support her if she does get all anti Brexit on us (I don't expect any politics from her at all, it was posed as hypothetical). If she got all pro-Brexit would Remainers feel the same about her? I doubt it
I wonder, though, if we do that because (given her background) you'd expect her to be anti-Brexit.
If she came from a tough working class background in Grimsby, and was pro-Remain, I think we might think a bit differently.
It's always "class traitors" that people have the biggest issue with.
I do so hope she doesn't actually descend to any politics (at least until she wants to be PM!)
She can be a bit greener than Hamilton, but can't be a tennis superstar without flying everywhere, and so will still similarly be a bit of a hypocrite if she tries to be all green.
Given how ridiculously talented she is - A* in maths at A Level, fluent Chinese, Kent Lawn Tennis Player of the Year 2021 - surely being PM would be within her reach
Ahem. Talent (and certainly not of an intellectual sort) isn’t actually one of the requirements.
Arguably the opposite. Since 1900 there have been three properly intellectual PMs - Balfour, Wilson and Brown. (Some others have been very clever, e.g. Lloyd George and John Major, without having been trained to high academic standards. Or went into a career straight from uni like Thatcher or Attlee.)
Of those three PMs, they won three elections between them - two by narrow margins. And all three were won by Wilson.
Morning all! Shopping tip - buy big bags of pasta this week before the news of the impending pasta availability crunch becomes well known. TBH may as well buy anything you like that has long dates on it as the price inflation tsunami is about to crash into supermarkets.
Getting stuff for your Christmas dinner already?
Bit early for that. But there is definitely trouble ahead: Global commodity prices sky high Global shipping prices even higher Poor harvests (wheat in Canada creating the pasta fubar) Lack of staff in the food industry Lack of drivers
So when the CEO of the Food and Drink Federation warns that the growing chaos is going to settle into being normal without government intervention, and the government dismisses him by saying that we have a resilient supply chain so no threat to Christmas, remember this.
The FDF is the supply chain. I know that we've all had enough of experts, but there is nothing in it for the industry to create a fake crisis that imperils the Christmas payday large parts of it relies on.
If you are right, it is hard not to see it feeding into politics, and hence betting, for next year?
I've heard "winter of discontent" already used to describe one scenario this coming winter. I don't think people will blame another round of food problems directly on the government, though at one point some canny broadcaster will get some know-nothing minister and a higher up from the industry on the same show, have the minister say vacuous guff about the industry and have the industry chief tear them apart as clueless and arrogant.
Combine that with another skyrocket in pox cases from the current sustained high, the reimposition of restrictions, the effects of the "fuck the working poor" UC cut and an NHS on its knees, and yes this scenario wouldn't be good for Worzel. It is just a scenario though - they might ride it out.
Another point of interest. Observe the narrowing gap between supermarket and branded fuel prices. Supermarkets are shouldering food price inflation by cutting their usual subsidy of the fuel price. And so many of the bigger cost price rises on food are about to land as retailers have finally accepted that the choice is pay the rise or don't get products. In some cases because the manufacturer either passes it or on goes out of business.
The political challenge is going to be to join the dots, or to ensure that the dots remain unjoined.
Remember how a few weeks ago, the problems were down to the pingdemic? That's clearly over, and yet the problems persist.
Many of the issues that seem to be coming down the line look like being caused by "X and/magnified by Brexit". And Brexit will magnify, if only because the invisible hand only has a GB market to operate in, rather than the larger EEA space.
But some will want to talk a lot more about all the different X's, rather than the common factor.
i went to order a new motorbike (fireblade sp) after last week's broken wrist catastrofuck but they cant get me one until december. in the motor trade this means march. the two yobbos who worked in the dealer had a half hearted argument over whether it was caused by brexit or not but we all knew...
getting a gsx-r1000r instead next week. chavtastic
“As is now abundantly clear, the trade and future relationship agreement struck with the EU was a terrible deal for Britain that imposes multiple different obstructions on trade and seriously damaged the integrity of the union with Northern Ireland”.
Valneva SA said the U.K. government is canceling a supply contract for Covid-19 vaccines, a blow to the French drugmaker’s attempt to develop an alternative to existing shots.
The company said Monday it contests allegations by the U.K. government that it’s in breach of its obligations under the agreement.
The money involved is small, it's good to be seen to be a good partners, the vaccine is promising, and the more different arrows we have in our quiver, the better.
Valneva SA said the U.K. government is canceling a supply contract for Covid-19 vaccines, a blow to the French drugmaker’s attempt to develop an alternative to existing shots.
The company said Monday it contests allegations by the U.K. government that it’s in breach of its obligations under the agreement.
That article points out that it's not approved yet so it might be as simple as the contract says approval needed by date X. And as we seem to have a vaccine program that has worked there is no need to allow an exception
But they have submitted, haven't they? Using approval rather than submission date seems a little capricious.
Valneva SA said the U.K. government is canceling a supply contract for Covid-19 vaccines, a blow to the French drugmaker’s attempt to develop an alternative to existing shots.
The company said Monday it contests allegations by the U.K. government that it’s in breach of its obligations under the agreement.
The money involved is small, it's good to be seen to be a good partners, the vaccine is promising, and the more different arrows we have in our quiver, the better.
Novavax will be shitting bricks this morning as well. Definitely agree that we need to ensure a wide vaccine purchase strategy rather than bet the house on Pfizer.
Valneva SA said the U.K. government is canceling a supply contract for Covid-19 vaccines, a blow to the French drugmaker’s attempt to develop an alternative to existing shots.
The company said Monday it contests allegations by the U.K. government that it’s in breach of its obligations under the agreement.
The money involved is small, it's good to be seen to be a good partners, the vaccine is promising, and the more different arrows we have in our quiver, the better.
Novavax will be shitting bricks this morning as well. Definitely agree that we need to ensure a wide vaccine purchase strategy rather than bet the house on Pfizer.
It's not only that: we want to use Covid and Brexit to become a centre for vaccine research and production. Valneva is opening up a Scottish plant underpinned by the UK government's order. Cancelling the contract looks awfully like bait-and-switch.
Plus, of course, Valneva's vaccine works in a different way to the other vaccines. It's not just targeting the spike protein, and could be an incredibly effective booster shot.
Ooh, just thought of another Raducanu hypothetical..
If Emma said tomorrow that she hated Brexit, and me for supporting it, I'll still support her as strongly as I am now.
If she were to come out in support for Brexit could Remainers (or whatever you call yourselves) say the same?
I love to make it all about Brexit. In case Scott takes a day off
As a remainer (former remainer? it hardy makes sense to be a 'remainer' when we've left) I can say that I couldn't care less about Raducanu's views on Brexit. I don't care whether she's got posters of Farage in her bedroom*, Johnson or Starmer or if she was at Glastonbury chanting "ooh Jeremy Corbyn".
She's an amazing tennis talent. I think she's done a great job. I neither like nor dislike her as I don't know her. I don't care about her politics any more than I care about Lewis Hamilton's, Andy Murray's or Adam Peaty's. Why should I?
Only one person's Brexit views have changed my view of them as a person and in that case it wasn't the views themselves, but the obnoxious putting down of anyone with a different view, including his wife. That person happened to be a Brexiter, but it could just as easily have been a remainer, with a Brexiter wife - he simply rvealed himself to be a chauvinistic tosser of te highest order. Looking back, the signs were there pre-Brexit too.
*might have vague concerns for her mental health, but so too if she had posters of Starmer or Johnson!
Who cares what she thinks about Brexit? As with celebs giving their opinions I am honestly not interested. If a celeb starts acting to do something practical (like Marcus Rashford) then that's relevant as its not just an opinion. Otherwise, concentrate on the day job.
Rayner replies three times now to the question of exactly how Labour would pay for social care with “those with the broadest shoulders.” Wait, four times now. That’s not an answer.
Valneva SA said the U.K. government is canceling a supply contract for Covid-19 vaccines, a blow to the French drugmaker’s attempt to develop an alternative to existing shots.
The company said Monday it contests allegations by the U.K. government that it’s in breach of its obligations under the agreement.
The money involved is small, it's good to be seen to be a good partners, the vaccine is promising, and the more different arrows we have in our quiver, the better.
Novavax will be shitting bricks this morning as well. Definitely agree that we need to ensure a wide vaccine purchase strategy rather than bet the house on Pfizer.
It's not only that: we want to use Covid and Brexit to become a centre for vaccine research and production. Valneva is opening up a Scottish plant underpinned by the UK government's order. Cancelling the contract looks awfully like bait-and-switch.
Plus, of course, Valneva's vaccine works in a different way to the other vaccines. It's not just targeting the spike protein, and could be an incredibly effective booster shot.
By declaring that Covid is over and unilaterally defaulting on its contract of a vaccine manufactured in Scotlanmd, the government are showing both their commitment to the union and their commitment to international development.
Even if you honestly thought Covid was over in the UK (and it isn't) we still need to innoculate the world. So even if the only reason is selfish (in that we don't want a Djibuti variant developing and getting round the existing vaccines) we should be buying thesse and distributing them to the parts of the world who can't afford them.
Ooh, just thought of another Raducanu hypothetical..
If Emma said tomorrow that she hated Brexit, and me for supporting it, I'll still support her as strongly as I am now.
If she were to come out in support for Brexit could Remainers (or whatever you call yourselves) say the same?
I love to make it all about Brexit. In case Scott takes a day off
I thought cheering her on would primarily be about her tennis and perhaps secondarily her representing Blighty (potentially dangerous territory granted).
If she were to attend the Tory Party Conference and blow smoke up Johnson's Brexity ****, I believe it would be an error of judgement (best to remain neutral in these matters) nonetheless, it wouldn't stop me from cheering her on against her "foreign foes".
She's eighteen, she's now a millionairess, I suspect Brexit is the least of her worries. In a year or two's time as she looks across at the ocean from her mansion in Newport Beach, she'll barely remember Bromley or Brexit.
Dr. Foxy, public shaming and accusatory finger-wagging might help keep people quiet about certain opinions. It also makes them more likely to vote to '**** you, you finger-wagging zealots' in the privacy of the polling booth.
We saw this also with shy Tories.
Turns out lecturing people for thinking wrong and forcing them to shut up due to peer pressure isn't the same as persuading them.
More respect for the opinions of those who think differently is beneficial for people seeking to persuade. Preaching to the choir won't win you new converts.
How many 18 year olds care in the slightest about politics? Even in large universities, the student political societies number in the dozens of members.
I think Miss Raducanu has been way more interested in finishing her A levels and improving her tennis in the last couple of years.
Rayner replies three times now to the question of exactly how Labour would pay for social care with “those with the broadest shoulders.” Wait, four times now. That’s not an answer.
Valneva SA said the U.K. government is canceling a supply contract for Covid-19 vaccines, a blow to the French drugmaker’s attempt to develop an alternative to existing shots.
The company said Monday it contests allegations by the U.K. government that it’s in breach of its obligations under the agreement.
The money involved is small, it's good to be seen to be a good partners, the vaccine is promising, and the more different arrows we have in our quiver, the better.
Novavax will be shitting bricks this morning as well. Definitely agree that we need to ensure a wide vaccine purchase strategy rather than bet the house on Pfizer.
It's not only that: we want to use Covid and Brexit to become a centre for vaccine research and production. Valneva is opening up a Scottish plant underpinned by the UK government's order. Cancelling the contract looks awfully like bait-and-switch.
Plus, of course, Valneva's vaccine works in a different way to the other vaccines. It's not just targeting the spike protein, and could be an incredibly effective booster shot.
The 'lets save a few million now and sod the future' mentality.
At some point all the PPE purchasing will be shifted back to China to save a few million more.
Raducanu is a Remainer icon. I fully expect her to lead the campaign to Rejoin in a decade’s time.
Bromley? Remain Under 55? Remain Migrant? Remain Parents work in Finance? Remain
She also has an A* in Economics, so she knows just how damaging Brexit to the economy.
It's rare to hear such a great example of mansplaining.
If she's as intelligent as you seem to think she is, and appears to be, then she can make up her own mind on these issues. And it might be a very different view from the one you say she should have.
To be frank, I hope no-one asks her: if they do, she just side-steps it. There are too many traps for her.
Bit of a stretch calling that Mansplaining.
He guessing to some third parties, rather than explaining to ER.
Leaving aside that mansplaining is really a gendered word aiming to silence men from expressing opinions, anyway
Interesting to read last night that only Truss had the smarts / balls to object to Rishi’s tax bomb by suggesting we borrow more.
You don't borrow money to fund day to day spending which is what Truss was suggesting there.
There are a whole pile of things a Government can borrow money for (infrastructure, unexpected one off shocks) but ongoing day to day expenditure needs to be funded from day to day income which for a Government means taxation
In one statement Truss switches from being reasonable sane to rather stupid.
Rayner replies three times now to the question of exactly how Labour would pay for social care with “those with the broadest shoulders.” Wait, four times now. That’s not an answer.
As I have said before, Labour's failure to have any kind of plan for social care has been a huge mistake for the party. I note that Rawnsley in Observer made the same point this weekend and it seemed that senior figures agreed with him.
Three in last four headers of serious political analysis blog politicalbetting.com contain the name Raducanu
Is she the biggest thing EVER?
No, I just think everyone is YEARNING to talk about Matters Other Than Covid. I certainly am. Enough, enough
I think she might actually be so uniquely impressive.
As you highlighted earlier, her connection with China and command of Mandarin gives her a near unprecedented opportunity (was Michael Chang of Chinese origin and did he make money in China from that?)
She almost literally, literally has the world at her feet
That was a very different era. He won the French Open at the same time as the Tiananmen Square massacre was upfolding.
That's what I thought, but didn't want to rule him out as he was the only major winning Chinese origin player I could think of. But I don't know tennis very well.
Interesting to read last night that only Truss had the smarts / balls to object to Rishi’s tax bomb by suggesting we borrow more.
You don't borrow money to fund day to day spending which is what Truss was suggesting there.
There are a whole pile of things a Government can borrow money for (infrastructure, unexpected one off shocks) but ongoing day to day expenditure needs to be funded from day to day income which for a Government means taxation
Only social care is day to day spending.
The NHS backlog - which seems set to absorb most if not all of the tax rise - is not.
Valneva SA said the U.K. government is canceling a supply contract for Covid-19 vaccines, a blow to the French drugmaker’s attempt to develop an alternative to existing shots.
The company said Monday it contests allegations by the U.K. government that it’s in breach of its obligations under the agreement.
The money involved is small, it's good to be seen to be a good partners, the vaccine is promising, and the more different arrows we have in our quiver, the better.
Novavax will be shitting bricks this morning as well. Definitely agree that we need to ensure a wide vaccine purchase strategy rather than bet the house on Pfizer.
Where are we with Sanofi (?). Did that contract get cancelled?
Interesting to read last night that only Truss had the smarts / balls to object to Rishi’s tax bomb by suggesting we borrow more.
You don't borrow money to fund day to day spending which is what Truss was suggesting there.
There are a whole pile of things a Government can borrow money for (infrastructure, unexpected one off shocks) but ongoing day to day expenditure needs to be funded from day to day income which for a Government means taxation
Only social care is day to day spending.
The NHS backlog - which seems set to absorb most if not all of the tax rise - is not.
How exactly do you fix a backlog with limited resources (already fully stretched) and no means of increasing supply.
The reality is that the quickest fix to the NHS backlog would be to start improving community care immediately which would reduce the number of beds blocked by people with no care home to continue their convalescence in
Valneva SA said the U.K. government is canceling a supply contract for Covid-19 vaccines, a blow to the French drugmaker’s attempt to develop an alternative to existing shots.
The company said Monday it contests allegations by the U.K. government that it’s in breach of its obligations under the agreement.
The money involved is small, it's good to be seen to be a good partners, the vaccine is promising, and the more different arrows we have in our quiver, the better.
Novavax will be shitting bricks this morning as well. Definitely agree that we need to ensure a wide vaccine purchase strategy rather than bet the house on Pfizer.
Where are we with Sanofi (?). Did that contract get cancelled?
Aiui Sanofi is a pay on delivery type of contract and the government doesn't believe they will deliver in time so no need to do anything.
The next vaccines are going to be Novavax, which has been submitted for full approval in parts of Asia and should be submitted here any day now, and CureVac/GSK which is a gen 2 vaccine aimed at the delta variant. Both have shown modelled infection efficacy above 90% against delta which is about the same as Moderna and above Pfizer and AZ by a reasonable margin.
Morning all! Shopping tip - buy big bags of pasta this week before the news of the impending pasta availability crunch becomes well known. TBH may as well buy anything you like that has long dates on it as the price inflation tsunami is about to crash into supermarkets.
Shortages are followed by glut.
Last autumn ASDA were selling bags of pasta for 10p.
Rayner replies three times now to the question of exactly how Labour would pay for social care with “those with the broadest shoulders.” Wait, four times now. That’s not an answer.
Interesting to read last night that only Truss had the smarts / balls to object to Rishi’s tax bomb by suggesting we borrow more.
You don't borrow money to fund day to day spending which is what Truss was suggesting there.
There are a whole pile of things a Government can borrow money for (infrastructure, unexpected one off shocks) but ongoing day to day expenditure needs to be funded from day to day income which for a Government means taxation
Only social care is day to day spending.
The NHS backlog - which seems set to absorb most if not all of the tax rise - is not.
How exactly do you fix a backlog with limited resources (already fully stretched) and no means of increasing supply.
The reality is that the quickest fix to the NHS backlog would be to start improving community care immediately which would reduce the number of beds blocked by people with no care home to continue their convalescence in
No the best way would be to commission the private sector to take on NHS patients for 2-3 years so we can run at annual capacity of 130-140% of what the NHS can normally do. That brings down waiting lists in the near term and is a one off cost/investment rather than permanently expanding the size of the NHS.
Interesting to read last night that only Truss had the smarts / balls to object to Rishi’s tax bomb by suggesting we borrow more.
You don't borrow money to fund day to day spending which is what Truss was suggesting there.
There are a whole pile of things a Government can borrow money for (infrastructure, unexpected one off shocks) but ongoing day to day expenditure needs to be funded from day to day income which for a Government means taxation
Only social care is day to day spending.
The NHS backlog - which seems set to absorb most if not all of the tax rise - is not.
How exactly do you fix a backlog with limited resources (already fully stretched) and no means of increasing supply.
The reality is that the quickest fix to the NHS backlog would be to start improving community care immediately which would reduce the number of beds blocked by people with no care home to continue their convalescence in
Ok, but what’s that got to do with whether you find it via deficit or a tax rise.
Rayner replies three times now to the question of exactly how Labour would pay for social care with “those with the broadest shoulders.” Wait, four times now. That’s not an answer.
Interesting to read last night that only Truss had the smarts / balls to object to Rishi’s tax bomb by suggesting we borrow more.
You don't borrow money to fund day to day spending which is what Truss was suggesting there.
There are a whole pile of things a Government can borrow money for (infrastructure, unexpected one off shocks) but ongoing day to day expenditure needs to be funded from day to day income which for a Government means taxation
In one statement Truss switches from being reasonable sane to rather stupid.
If, as claimed by some, we believe that we have already given the NHS a boost more than the £18.2bn a year off the bus, that money can only have come from borrowing. There was only ever £10.4bn to save and this year the number is around £3.4bn (as we're paying £7bn to the EU). So if that bus cash has indeed gone to the NHS it must have been borrowed.
So its either a lie that we can't borrow to fix the NHS (as we already have) or its a lie that the bus cash has been injected already. Either way, Truss isn't the stupid one in the cabinet.
Microsoft has published a study of WFH patterns based on its own 60,000 American workers. They found a reduction in communication between teams (quality and quantity) making it harder for employees to share or acquire knowledge, and which may lead to a reduction in productivity and innovation.
Our results show that firm-wide remote work caused the collaboration network of workers to become more static and siloed, with fewer bridges between disparate parts. Furthermore, there was a decrease in synchronous communication and an increase in asynchronous communication. Together, these effects may make it harder for employees to acquire and share new information across the network.
Our results suggest that shifting to firm-wide remote work caused the collaboration network to become more heavily siloed—with fewer ties that cut across formal business units or bridge structural holes in Microsoft’s informal collaboration network—and that those silos became more densely connected. Furthermore, the network became more static, with fewer ties added and deleted per month. Previous research suggests that these changes in collaboration patterns may impede the transfer of knowledge and reduce the quality of workers’ output. Our results also indicate that the shift to firm-wide remote work caused synchronous communication to decrease and asynchronous communication to increase. Not only were the communication media that workers used less synchronous, but they were also less ‘rich’ (for example, email and IM). These changes in communication media may have made it more difficult for workers to convey and process complex information
We expect that the effects we observe on workers’ collaboration and communication patterns will impact productivity and, in the long-term, innovation. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-021-01196-4
Given the know phenomenon relating to out sourcing and remote working, this isn't a surprise. Static structures and activities are often improved, dynamic ones become less productive.
People have been trying to make electronic communication as good as face-to-face since the year... well, it reminds me of a scene in
Interesting to read last night that only Truss had the smarts / balls to object to Rishi’s tax bomb by suggesting we borrow more.
You don't borrow money to fund day to day spending which is what Truss was suggesting there.
There are a whole pile of things a Government can borrow money for (infrastructure, unexpected one off shocks) but ongoing day to day expenditure needs to be funded from day to day income which for a Government means taxation
Only social care is day to day spending.
The NHS backlog - which seems set to absorb most if not all of the tax rise - is not.
How exactly do you fix a backlog with limited resources (already fully stretched) and no means of increasing supply.
The reality is that the quickest fix to the NHS backlog would be to start improving community care immediately which would reduce the number of beds blocked by people with no care home to continue their convalescence in
No the best way would be to commission the private sector to take on NHS patients for 2-3 years so we can run at annual capacity of 130-140% of what the NHS can normally do. That brings down waiting lists in the near term and is a one off cost/investment rather than permanently expanding the size of the NHS.
That suggestion would be great except for the fact the senior private sector people are moonlighting NHS workers and I suspect are already running at capacity.
Equally round here the private hospitals are already full of NHS patients having whatever surgery is straightforward enough to not potentially require emergency care were things to go wrong.
Now it's a great idea but from what Foxy has stated in the past (and my knowledge from past work at NHS Improvement (albeit that is 5 years or so out of date)) the spare capacity isn't there in the way you seem to think it is. Granted there may still be free capacity in London but I don't think it really exists elsewhere.
Interesting to read last night that only Truss had the smarts / balls to object to Rishi’s tax bomb by suggesting we borrow more.
You don't borrow money to fund day to day spending which is what Truss was suggesting there.
There are a whole pile of things a Government can borrow money for (infrastructure, unexpected one off shocks) but ongoing day to day expenditure needs to be funded from day to day income which for a Government means taxation
Only social care is day to day spending.
The NHS backlog - which seems set to absorb most if not all of the tax rise - is not.
How exactly do you fix a backlog with limited resources (already fully stretched) and no means of increasing supply.
The reality is that the quickest fix to the NHS backlog would be to start improving community care immediately which would reduce the number of beds blocked by people with no care home to continue their convalescence in
No the best way would be to commission the private sector to take on NHS patients for 2-3 years so we can run at annual capacity of 130-140% of what the NHS can normally do. That brings down waiting lists in the near term and is a one off cost/investment rather than permanently expanding the size of the NHS.
As rather a lot of private capacity surgery, for example, is carried out by moonlighting NHS surgeons how will that work?
Interesting to read last night that only Truss had the smarts / balls to object to Rishi’s tax bomb by suggesting we borrow more.
You don't borrow money to fund day to day spending which is what Truss was suggesting there.
There are a whole pile of things a Government can borrow money for (infrastructure, unexpected one off shocks) but ongoing day to day expenditure needs to be funded from day to day income which for a Government means taxation
Only social care is day to day spending.
The NHS backlog - which seems set to absorb most if not all of the tax rise - is not.
How exactly do you fix a backlog with limited resources (already fully stretched) and no means of increasing supply.
The reality is that the quickest fix to the NHS backlog would be to start improving community care immediately which would reduce the number of beds blocked by people with no care home to continue their convalescence in
Indeed. So the question is why the government have announced a fix for social care which does literally nothing for 2 years and even then relies on a future Health Secretary cutting the NHS budget to pay for it.
Morning all! Shopping tip - buy big bags of pasta this week before the news of the impending pasta availability crunch becomes well known. TBH may as well buy anything you like that has long dates on it as the price inflation tsunami is about to crash into supermarkets.
Getting stuff for your Christmas dinner already?
Bit early for that. But there is definitely trouble ahead: Global commodity prices sky high Global shipping prices even higher Poor harvests (wheat in Canada creating the pasta fubar) Lack of staff in the food industry Lack of drivers
So when the CEO of the Food and Drink Federation warns that the growing chaos is going to settle into being normal without government intervention, and the government dismisses him by saying that we have a resilient supply chain so no threat to Christmas, remember this.
The FDF is the supply chain. I know that we've all had enough of experts, but there is nothing in it for the industry to create a fake crisis that imperils the Christmas payday large parts of it relies on.
If you are right, it is hard not to see it feeding into politics, and hence betting, for next year?
I've heard "winter of discontent" already used to describe one scenario this coming winter. I don't think people will blame another round of food problems directly on the government, though at one point some canny broadcaster will get some know-nothing minister and a higher up from the industry on the same show, have the minister say vacuous guff about the industry and have the industry chief tear them apart as clueless and arrogant.
Combine that with another skyrocket in pox cases from the current sustained high, the reimposition of restrictions, the effects of the "fuck the working poor" UC cut and an NHS on its knees, and yes this scenario wouldn't be good for Worzel. It is just a scenario though - they might ride it out.
Another point of interest. Observe the narrowing gap between supermarket and branded fuel prices. Supermarkets are shouldering food price inflation by cutting their usual subsidy of the fuel price. And so many of the bigger cost price rises on food are about to land as retailers have finally accepted that the choice is pay the rise or don't get products. In some cases because the manufacturer either passes it or on goes out of business.
The political challenge is going to be to join the dots, or to ensure that the dots remain unjoined.
Remember how a few weeks ago, the problems were down to the pingdemic? That's clearly over, and yet the problems persist.
Many of the issues that seem to be coming down the line look like being caused by "X and/magnified by Brexit". And Brexit will magnify, if only because the invisible hand only has a GB market to operate in, rather than the larger EEA space.
But some will want to talk a lot more about all the different X's, rather than the common factor.
Morning.
I'm not very inclined to listen particularly to the boss of the FDF when he is being rentaquoted on Brexit things.
He's a former spin doctor for Nick Clegg, and ardent anti-Brexiteer.
Even leaving aside the more important point that his previous spin on trade statistics fell to pieces.
Morning all! Shopping tip - buy big bags of pasta this week before the news of the impending pasta availability crunch becomes well known. TBH may as well buy anything you like that has long dates on it as the price inflation tsunami is about to crash into supermarkets.
Shortages are followed by glut.
Last autumn ASDA were selling bags of pasta for 10p.
Trust in your boy Boris. If there's a shortage he will head off down to the Buitoni factory in his hi-viz and hairnet and make up the shortfall.
Valneva SA said the U.K. government is canceling a supply contract for Covid-19 vaccines, a blow to the French drugmaker’s attempt to develop an alternative to existing shots.
The company said Monday it contests allegations by the U.K. government that it’s in breach of its obligations under the agreement.
The money involved is small, it's good to be seen to be a good partners, the vaccine is promising, and the more different arrows we have in our quiver, the better.
Novavax will be shitting bricks this morning as well. Definitely agree that we need to ensure a wide vaccine purchase strategy rather than bet the house on Pfizer.
It's also a straw in the wind that when we approach endemicity, which I think we will this winter after boosters and additional infections, that the government is looking to turn its back on COVID domestically and internationally.
I'm in favour of boosters and getting ourselves into a good position with COVID as we can, but amongst all the financial demands, keeping a focus on COVID, fully playing our part in funding further production capacity and being active in the fight against COVID until global steady state is reached is in our self interest. Not cancelling loads of contracts is one way of doing this.
But this government is not strong on the realpolitik of economic interdependence, so I guess it's par for the course.
Ooh, just thought of another Raducanu hypothetical..
If Emma said tomorrow that she hated Brexit, and me for supporting it, I'll still support her as strongly as I am now.
If she were to come out in support for Brexit could Remainers (or whatever you call yourselves) say the same?
I love to make it all about Brexit. In case Scott takes a day off
I thought cheering her on would primarily be about her tennis and perhaps secondarily her representing Blighty (potentially dangerous territory granted).
If she were to attend the Tory Party Conference and blow smoke up Johnson's Brexity ****, I believe it would be an error of judgement (best to remain neutral in these matters) nonetheless, it wouldn't stop me from cheering her on against her "foreign foes".
She's eighteen, she's now a millionairess, I suspect Brexit is the least of her worries. In a year or two's time as she looks across at the ocean from her mansion in Newport Beach, she'll barely remember Bromley or Brexit.
Newport Beach? nah - Number 10. Safe seat, then replace Boris as PM...in about 12 years.
Interesting to read last night that only Truss had the smarts / balls to object to Rishi’s tax bomb by suggesting we borrow more.
You don't borrow money to fund day to day spending which is what Truss was suggesting there.
There are a whole pile of things a Government can borrow money for (infrastructure, unexpected one off shocks) but ongoing day to day expenditure needs to be funded from day to day income which for a Government means taxation
Only social care is day to day spending.
The NHS backlog - which seems set to absorb most if not all of the tax rise - is not.
How exactly do you fix a backlog with limited resources (already fully stretched) and no means of increasing supply.
The reality is that the quickest fix to the NHS backlog would be to start improving community care immediately which would reduce the number of beds blocked by people with no care home to continue their convalescence in
No the best way would be to commission the private sector to take on NHS patients for 2-3 years so we can run at annual capacity of 130-140% of what the NHS can normally do. That brings down waiting lists in the near term and is a one off cost/investment rather than permanently expanding the size of the NHS.
That suggestion would be great except for the fact the senior private sector people are moonlighting NHS workers and I suspect are already running at capacity.
Equally round here the private hospitals are already full of NHS patients having whatever surgery is straightforward enough to not potentially require emergency care were things to go wrong.
Now it's a great idea but from what Foxy has stated in the past (and my knowledge from past work at NHS Improvement (albeit that is 5 years or so out of date)) the spare capacity isn't there in the way you seem to think it is. Granted there may still be free capacity in London but I don't think it really exists elsewhere.
The capacity-limiting factor in health care is resources - not the manner in which they are administered (private/public). Throwing money at the NHS will simply raise the prices those scarce resources can command. There is no short-term fix for a lack of doctors or nurses except to entice them here from abroad.
Who cares what she thinks about Brexit? As with celebs giving their opinions I am honestly not interested. If a celeb starts acting to do something practical (like Marcus Rashford) then that's relevant as its not just an opinion. Otherwise, concentrate on the day job.
I watched an NFL game last night on Gamepass which gives you the American adverts.
One of them is a Levi's add. The pitch is "Levi's are better quality than other brands, so they last longer, so you can buy less"
It is voiced by a rainbow cast of various ethnicities and gender, including Marcus Rashford.
Morning all! Shopping tip - buy big bags of pasta this week before the news of the impending pasta availability crunch becomes well known. TBH may as well buy anything you like that has long dates on it as the price inflation tsunami is about to crash into supermarkets.
Getting stuff for your Christmas dinner already?
Bit early for that. But there is definitely trouble ahead: Global commodity prices sky high Global shipping prices even higher Poor harvests (wheat in Canada creating the pasta fubar) Lack of staff in the food industry Lack of drivers
So when the CEO of the Food and Drink Federation warns that the growing chaos is going to settle into being normal without government intervention, and the government dismisses him by saying that we have a resilient supply chain so no threat to Christmas, remember this.
The FDF is the supply chain. I know that we've all had enough of experts, but there is nothing in it for the industry to create a fake crisis that imperils the Christmas payday large parts of it relies on.
If you are right, it is hard not to see it feeding into politics, and hence betting, for next year?
I've heard "winter of discontent" already used to describe one scenario this coming winter. I don't think people will blame another round of food problems directly on the government, though at one point some canny broadcaster will get some know-nothing minister and a higher up from the industry on the same show, have the minister say vacuous guff about the industry and have the industry chief tear them apart as clueless and arrogant.
Combine that with another skyrocket in pox cases from the current sustained high, the reimposition of restrictions, the effects of the "fuck the working poor" UC cut and an NHS on its knees, and yes this scenario wouldn't be good for Worzel. It is just a scenario though - they might ride it out.
Another point of interest. Observe the narrowing gap between supermarket and branded fuel prices. Supermarkets are shouldering food price inflation by cutting their usual subsidy of the fuel price. And so many of the bigger cost price rises on food are about to land as retailers have finally accepted that the choice is pay the rise or don't get products. In some cases because the manufacturer either passes it or on goes out of business.
The political challenge is going to be to join the dots, or to ensure that the dots remain unjoined.
Remember how a few weeks ago, the problems were down to the pingdemic? That's clearly over, and yet the problems persist.
Many of the issues that seem to be coming down the line look like being caused by "X and/magnified by Brexit". And Brexit will magnify, if only because the invisible hand only has a GB market to operate in, rather than the larger EEA space.
But some will want to talk a lot more about all the different X's, rather than the common factor.
There's a potential political challenge to Johnson, though, of keeping people engaged with the dots at all. The current music is that Johnson will go into the next election with a message of "Only we can be trusted to maintain Brexit". As he clearly cannot be trusted on anything else, he's investing a lot in that message. But suppose the lack of any Brexit success ultimately cuts through, erstwhile Leavers may just want to change the subject, which wouldn't be to Johnson's advantage. He would literally lose the argument because those Leavers no longer want to engage, not because Remainers have won them over.
It is beyond depressing to see the usual crowd on here attempt to co-opt Raducanu into their tiresome Remain / globalist culture war. Perhaps they think they are being amusing or clever.
Can’t we just recognise and celebrate a young girl who appears an excellent role model and that has injected optimism into the tail end of summer?
Interesting to read last night that only Truss had the smarts / balls to object to Rishi’s tax bomb by suggesting we borrow more.
You don't borrow money to fund day to day spending which is what Truss was suggesting there.
There are a whole pile of things a Government can borrow money for (infrastructure, unexpected one off shocks) but ongoing day to day expenditure needs to be funded from day to day income which for a Government means taxation
Only social care is day to day spending.
The NHS backlog - which seems set to absorb most if not all of the tax rise - is not.
How exactly do you fix a backlog with limited resources (already fully stretched) and no means of increasing supply.
The reality is that the quickest fix to the NHS backlog would be to start improving community care immediately which would reduce the number of beds blocked by people with no care home to continue their convalescence in
That is far too sensible for any politician to consider
OT. After a particularly inept performance on R4 this morning I looked uo Therese Coffey who I knew little about to see whose back she'd been scratching to have achieved her recent advancement. I came across this. A finer example of a blue rinse you'd struggle to find
Morning all! Shopping tip - buy big bags of pasta this week before the news of the impending pasta availability crunch becomes well known. TBH may as well buy anything you like that has long dates on it as the price inflation tsunami is about to crash into supermarkets.
Getting stuff for your Christmas dinner already?
Bit early for that. But there is definitely trouble ahead: Global commodity prices sky high Global shipping prices even higher Poor harvests (wheat in Canada creating the pasta fubar) Lack of staff in the food industry Lack of drivers
So when the CEO of the Food and Drink Federation warns that the growing chaos is going to settle into being normal without government intervention, and the government dismisses him by saying that we have a resilient supply chain so no threat to Christmas, remember this.
The FDF is the supply chain. I know that we've all had enough of experts, but there is nothing in it for the industry to create a fake crisis that imperils the Christmas payday large parts of it relies on.
If you are right, it is hard not to see it feeding into politics, and hence betting, for next year?
I've heard "winter of discontent" already used to describe one scenario this coming winter. I don't think people will blame another round of food problems directly on the government, though at one point some canny broadcaster will get some know-nothing minister and a higher up from the industry on the same show, have the minister say vacuous guff about the industry and have the industry chief tear them apart as clueless and arrogant.
Combine that with another skyrocket in pox cases from the current sustained high, the reimposition of restrictions, the effects of the "fuck the working poor" UC cut and an NHS on its knees, and yes this scenario wouldn't be good for Worzel. It is just a scenario though - they might ride it out.
Another point of interest. Observe the narrowing gap between supermarket and branded fuel prices. Supermarkets are shouldering food price inflation by cutting their usual subsidy of the fuel price. And so many of the bigger cost price rises on food are about to land as retailers have finally accepted that the choice is pay the rise or don't get products. In some cases because the manufacturer either passes it or on goes out of business.
The political challenge is going to be to join the dots, or to ensure that the dots remain unjoined.
Remember how a few weeks ago, the problems were down to the pingdemic? That's clearly over, and yet the problems persist.
Many of the issues that seem to be coming down the line look like being caused by "X and/magnified by Brexit". And Brexit will magnify, if only because the invisible hand only has a GB market to operate in, rather than the larger EEA space.
But some will want to talk a lot more about all the different X's, rather than the common factor.
Morning.
I'm not very inclined to listen particularly to the boss of the FDF when he is being rentaquoted on Brexit things.
He's a former spin doctor for Nick Clegg, and ardent anti-Brexiteer.
Even leaving aside the more important point that his previous spin on trade statistics fell to pieces.
On "winter of discontent" I think it depends mainly level on inflation, though agree that yes there are some pirce rises coming through.
Suspect we will see another reverse-ferret on Universal Credit.
The last day or two watching near one-per-centers on around £100k a year jumping around demanding that it is evil or 'unfair' that a full state pensioner who now gets £25.66 a day should have a 64p increase to £26.30 a day is just embarrassing as a human being.
Interesting to read last night that only Truss had the smarts / balls to object to Rishi’s tax bomb by suggesting we borrow more.
You don't borrow money to fund day to day spending which is what Truss was suggesting there.
There are a whole pile of things a Government can borrow money for (infrastructure, unexpected one off shocks) but ongoing day to day expenditure needs to be funded from day to day income which for a Government means taxation
Only social care is day to day spending.
The NHS backlog - which seems set to absorb most if not all of the tax rise - is not.
How exactly do you fix a backlog with limited resources (already fully stretched) and no means of increasing supply.
The reality is that the quickest fix to the NHS backlog would be to start improving community care immediately which would reduce the number of beds blocked by people with no care home to continue their convalescence in
No the best way would be to commission the private sector to take on NHS patients for 2-3 years so we can run at annual capacity of 130-140% of what the NHS can normally do. That brings down waiting lists in the near term and is a one off cost/investment rather than permanently expanding the size of the NHS.
I can see that as an answer to a degree but just how much spare capacity does the private sector have at present
Interesting to read last night that only Truss had the smarts / balls to object to Rishi’s tax bomb by suggesting we borrow more.
You don't borrow money to fund day to day spending which is what Truss was suggesting there.
There are a whole pile of things a Government can borrow money for (infrastructure, unexpected one off shocks) but ongoing day to day expenditure needs to be funded from day to day income which for a Government means taxation
Only social care is day to day spending.
The NHS backlog - which seems set to absorb most if not all of the tax rise - is not.
How exactly do you fix a backlog with limited resources (already fully stretched) and no means of increasing supply.
The reality is that the quickest fix to the NHS backlog would be to start improving community care immediately which would reduce the number of beds blocked by people with no care home to continue their convalescence in
No the best way would be to commission the private sector to take on NHS patients for 2-3 years so we can run at annual capacity of 130-140% of what the NHS can normally do. That brings down waiting lists in the near term and is a one off cost/investment rather than permanently expanding the size of the NHS.
As rather a lot of private capacity surgery, for example, is carried out by moonlighting NHS surgeons how will that work?
What you are not supposed to talk about is relative efficiency, in certain areas. Literally higher productivity.
Ooh, just thought of another Raducanu hypothetical..
If Emma said tomorrow that she hated Brexit, and me for supporting it, I'll still support her as strongly as I am now.
If she were to come out in support for Brexit could Remainers (or whatever you call yourselves) say the same?
I love to make it all about Brexit. In case Scott takes a day off
I thought cheering her on would primarily be about her tennis and perhaps secondarily her representing Blighty (potentially dangerous territory granted).
If she were to attend the Tory Party Conference and blow smoke up Johnson's Brexity ****, I believe it would be an error of judgement (best to remain neutral in these matters) nonetheless, it wouldn't stop me from cheering her on against her "foreign foes".
She's eighteen, she's now a millionairess, I suspect Brexit is the least of her worries. In a year or two's time as she looks across at the ocean from her mansion in Newport Beach, she'll barely remember Bromley or Brexit.
Newport Beach? nah - Number 10. Safe seat, then replace Boris as PM...in about 12 years.
Why on earth would she want to be PM when she can earn far more money on the tennis court and avoid alienating half her fan base which she would do if she led a political party?
Boris is prime minister. They are not. He will be PM for years to come. I doubt he gives a living fuck who shows up, especially Cameron
Invitations declined by Blair, Brown and Cameron. No wonder Boris hates the BBC. Apparently Boris left it too late to invite them, suggesting he only recently noticed the Chequers centenary. It is a small thing yet consistent with Boris's reputation as a chaotic Prime Minister with no grasp of detail.
The invitations were issued by the Chequers Trust - why is Johnson responsible for their being "late" (one month's notice - given the uncertainty over COVID, is that surprising)?
Goodness knows there's plenty of stuff of substance to criticise Johnson over.....
So looks like only Sir John Major and Theresa May will be joining Boris for dinner next weekend, which will be interesting as they both can't stand him
Interesting to read last night that only Truss had the smarts / balls to object to Rishi’s tax bomb by suggesting we borrow more.
You don't borrow money to fund day to day spending which is what Truss was suggesting there.
There are a whole pile of things a Government can borrow money for (infrastructure, unexpected one off shocks) but ongoing day to day expenditure needs to be funded from day to day income which for a Government means taxation
Only social care is day to day spending.
The NHS backlog - which seems set to absorb most if not all of the tax rise - is not.
How exactly do you fix a backlog with limited resources (already fully stretched) and no means of increasing supply.
The reality is that the quickest fix to the NHS backlog would be to start improving community care immediately which would reduce the number of beds blocked by people with no care home to continue their convalescence in
No the best way would be to commission the private sector to take on NHS patients for 2-3 years so we can run at annual capacity of 130-140% of what the NHS can normally do. That brings down waiting lists in the near term and is a one off cost/investment rather than permanently expanding the size of the NHS.
I can see that as an answer to a degree but just how much spare capacity does the private sector have at present
A better starting point would be how much private capacity exists full stop (I suspect it won't be higher than 20% of NHS capacity, if that).
And then check if there are any constraints / co-dependencies that might impact any increase in that capacity.
I suspect (as I've seen very often when dealing with grand plans from senior management) that the reality will require some politely explaining that XYZ can't be done because of some fundamental misunderstanding...
German leaders' debate (top 3 only) doesn't seem to have changed much - Baebbock (Green) most likeable, Scholz (SPD) most competent, Laschet (CDU) decent figures but mostly 3rd. Competence is the key factor for most Germans.
Laschet mainly attacked on the possible SPD/Green/Left government - Scholz said it'd be difficult, and commitment to NATO and the EU would be essential. The Greens (who are pro-Ukrainian) and the Left (who are soft on Putin) are at odds over attitudes to Russia, too. The Left leader gave a separate interview saying everything was on the table, no red lines over any of this. A possible SPD/Green/FDP government (which still seems the most likely to me) doesn't seem to have come up much, probably because it doesn't suit any of them to talk about it - Laschet wants to play the Red Menace card, the others don't want to lose votes on their left by flirting with the centre-right FDP. Both outcomes look viable according to all the polls, but the FDP variant would have a huge majority and solidly occupy the centre ground.
I think I'm right in saying that most Germans vote by post and will have done so by now? If so, Scholz can start measuring the curtains.
Valneva SA said the U.K. government is canceling a supply contract for Covid-19 vaccines, a blow to the French drugmaker’s attempt to develop an alternative to existing shots.
The company said Monday it contests allegations by the U.K. government that it’s in breach of its obligations under the agreement.
The money involved is small, it's good to be seen to be a good partners, the vaccine is promising, and the more different arrows we have in our quiver, the better.
Novavax will be shitting bricks this morning as well. Definitely agree that we need to ensure a wide vaccine purchase strategy rather than bet the house on Pfizer.
It's also a straw in the wind that when we approach endemicity, which I think we will this winter after boosters and additional infections, that the government is looking to turn its back on COVID domestically and internationally.
I'm in favour of boosters and getting ourselves into a good position with COVID as we can, but amongst all the financial demands, keeping a focus on COVID, fully playing our part in funding further production capacity and being active in the fight against COVID until global steady state is reached is in our self interest. Not cancelling loads of contracts is one way of doing this.
But this government is not strong on the realpolitik of economic interdependence, so I guess it's par for the course.
On the other hand - If mRNA is the future, investing in the traditional technology may be a sub optional. Better to put the money towards the work at Imperial?
It is beyond depressing to see the usual crowd on here attempt to co-opt Raducanu into their tiresome Remain / globalist culture war. Perhaps they think they are being amusing or clever.
Can’t we just recognise and celebrate a young girl who appears an excellent role model and that has injected optimism into the tail end of summer?
I was disappointed this morning to see this 'tiresome' political play for her
For goodness sake leave her alone and celebrate a new star has been born who is a credit to us all
Ooh, just thought of another Raducanu hypothetical..
If Emma said tomorrow that she hated Brexit, and me for supporting it, I'll still support her as strongly as I am now.
If she were to come out in support for Brexit could Remainers (or whatever you call yourselves) say the same?
I love to make it all about Brexit. In case Scott takes a day off
She is (a) young, (b) from a very pro-EU part of the world (Wimbledon), and (c) has a parent with an EU citizenship (I expect). Plus I suspect she will also be rightly insulted that the leader of the Brexit campaign said he wouldn't like Romanians living next door.
So, I suspect she will be inherently Brexit-sceptical.
But I also suspect that she's going to have quite a lot on her plate for the next decade. So I'm not going to worry about it.
I agree with all you've said, and still have no idea or care for what she thinks about Brexit.
The point is I would still support her if she does get all anti Brexit on us (I don't expect any politics from her at all, it was posed as hypothetical). If she got all pro-Brexit would Remainers feel the same about her? I doubt it
I wonder, though, if we do that because (given her background) you'd expect her to be anti-Brexit.
If she came from a tough working class background in Grimsby, and was pro-Remain, I think we might think a bit differently.
It's always "class traitors" that people have the biggest issue with.
I do so hope she doesn't actually descend to any politics (at least until she wants to be PM!)
She can be a bit greener than Hamilton, but can't be a tennis superstar without flying everywhere, and so will still similarly be a bit of a hypocrite if she tries to be all green.
Given how ridiculously talented she is - A* in maths at A Level, fluent Chinese, Kent Lawn Tennis Player of the Year 2021 - surely being PM would be within her reach
Ahem. Talent (and certainly not of an intellectual sort) isn’t actually one of the requirements.
Arguably the opposite. Since 1900 there have been three properly intellectual PMs - Balfour, Wilson and Brown. (Some others have been very clever, e.g. Lloyd George and John Major, without having been trained to high academic standards. Or went into a career straight from uni like Thatcher or Attlee.)
Of those three PMs, they won three elections between them - two by narrow margins. And all three were won by Wilson.
Obviously you need some intellectuals and people of high intelligence in the Cabinet or Shadow Cabinet but to win general elections it is more important for the PM and party leader to be charismatic than intellectual.
Most of our postwar general election majority winning PMs have been charismatic, certainly in the TV age, only a few have been intellectuals and had first class degrees
Valneva SA said the U.K. government is canceling a supply contract for Covid-19 vaccines, a blow to the French drugmaker’s attempt to develop an alternative to existing shots.
The company said Monday it contests allegations by the U.K. government that it’s in breach of its obligations under the agreement.
The money involved is small, it's good to be seen to be a good partners, the vaccine is promising, and the more different arrows we have in our quiver, the better.
Novavax will be shitting bricks this morning as well. Definitely agree that we need to ensure a wide vaccine purchase strategy rather than bet the house on Pfizer.
It's also a straw in the wind that when we approach endemicity, which I think we will this winter after boosters and additional infections, that the government is looking to turn its back on COVID domestically and internationally.
I'm in favour of boosters and getting ourselves into a good position with COVID as we can, but amongst all the financial demands, keeping a focus on COVID, fully playing our part in funding further production capacity and being active in the fight against COVID until global steady state is reached is in our self interest. Not cancelling loads of contracts is one way of doing this.
But this government is not strong on the realpolitik of economic interdependence, so I guess it's par for the course.
On the other hand - If mRNA is the future, investing in the traditional technology may be a sub optional. Better to put the money towards the work at Imperial?
I suspect we are missing some information here - like initial results are not as effective as expected or manufacturing / licensing issues
“As is now abundantly clear, the trade and future relationship agreement struck with the EU was a terrible deal for Britain that imposes multiple different obstructions on trade and seriously damaged the integrity of the union with Northern Ireland”.
Telegraph full of one eyed writers and readers just like the Daily Mail.
F1: when the markets appear next week I may check Bottas' odds on winning the next race. He tends to do well at Sochi. And I wonder if he'd throw away a win for Hamilton's sake.
German leaders' debate (top 3 only) doesn't seem to have changed much - Baebbock (Green) most likeable, Scholz (SPD) most competent, Laschet (CDU) decent figures but mostly 3rd. Competence is the key factor for most Germans.
Laschet mainly attacked on the possible SPD/Green/Left government - Scholz said it'd be difficult, and commitment to NATO and the EU would be essential. The Greens (who are pro-Ukrainian) and the Left (who are soft on Putin) are at odds over attitudes to Russia, too. The Left leader gave a separate interview saying everything was on the table, no red lines over any of this. A possible SPD/Green/FDP government (which still seems the most likely to me) doesn't seem to have come up much, probably because it doesn't suit any of them to talk about it - Laschet wants to play the Red Menace card, the others don't want to lose votes on their left by flirting with the centre-right FDP. Both outcomes look viable according to all the polls, but the FDP variant would have a huge majority and solidly occupy the centre ground.
I think I'm right in saying that most Germans vote by post and will have done so by now? If so, Scholz can start measuring the curtains.
Valneva SA said the U.K. government is canceling a supply contract for Covid-19 vaccines, a blow to the French drugmaker’s attempt to develop an alternative to existing shots.
The company said Monday it contests allegations by the U.K. government that it’s in breach of its obligations under the agreement.
The money involved is small, it's good to be seen to be a good partners, the vaccine is promising, and the more different arrows we have in our quiver, the better.
Novavax will be shitting bricks this morning as well. Definitely agree that we need to ensure a wide vaccine purchase strategy rather than bet the house on Pfizer.
Where are we with Sanofi (?). Did that contract get cancelled?
Aiui Sanofi is a pay on delivery type of contract and the government doesn't believe they will deliver in time so no need to do anything.
The next vaccines are going to be Novavax, which has been submitted for full approval in parts of Asia and should be submitted here any day now, and CureVac/GSK which is a gen 2 vaccine aimed at the delta variant. Both have shown modelled infection efficacy above 90% against delta which is about the same as Moderna and above Pfizer and AZ by a reasonable margin.
So I wonder what Plan B is for Livingston?
I also wonder about the hundreds of other vaccine candidates worldwide.
Dame Vaccine-Task-Force's strategy was "best on many criteria from across the board". That's 2 out of 6/7 gone now - Sanofi / Valneva.
Are we now freeing up capacity for the next generation of vaccines?
German leaders' debate (top 3 only) doesn't seem to have changed much - Baebbock (Green) most likeable, Scholz (SPD) most competent, Laschet (CDU) decent figures but mostly 3rd. Competence is the key factor for most Germans.
Laschet mainly attacked on the possible SPD/Green/Left government - Scholz said it'd be difficult, and commitment to NATO and the EU would be essential. The Greens (who are pro-Ukrainian) and the Left (who are soft on Putin) are at odds over attitudes to Russia, too. The Left leader gave a separate interview saying everything was on the table, no red lines over any of this. A possible SPD/Green/FDP government (which still seems the most likely to me) doesn't seem to have come up much, probably because it doesn't suit any of them to talk about it - Laschet wants to play the Red Menace card, the others don't want to lose votes on their left by flirting with the centre-right FDP. Both outcomes look viable according to all the polls, but the FDP variant would have a huge majority and solidly occupy the centre ground.
I think I'm right in saying that most Germans vote by post and will have done so by now? If so, Scholz can start measuring the curtains.
I agree, Scholz as Chancellor with the FDP and Greens as coalition partners for the SPD looks almost certain to be the result.
If so it will not only be the first time the Union has been in opposition since 2005, it will be the first time the Union has been in opposition with the FDP in government with the SPD not them since 1982
Morning all! Shopping tip - buy big bags of pasta this week before the news of the impending pasta availability crunch becomes well known. TBH may as well buy anything you like that has long dates on it as the price inflation tsunami is about to crash into supermarkets.
Getting stuff for your Christmas dinner already?
Bit early for that. But there is definitely trouble ahead: Global commodity prices sky high Global shipping prices even higher Poor harvests (wheat in Canada creating the pasta fubar) Lack of staff in the food industry Lack of drivers
So when the CEO of the Food and Drink Federation warns that the growing chaos is going to settle into being normal without government intervention, and the government dismisses him by saying that we have a resilient supply chain so no threat to Christmas, remember this.
The FDF is the supply chain. I know that we've all had enough of experts, but there is nothing in it for the industry to create a fake crisis that imperils the Christmas payday large parts of it relies on.
Shopping update. No huge shortages in my Waitrose (still), but frozen goods a bit patchy. No Birds Eye frozen peas, so settled on Petits Pois instead (not as good, according to wife). Could have had Waitrose own versions, but have been informed not as good by the wife). Will continue eating runner beans from the free veg shop (allotment) for a few more weeks. However - our Uni Co-Op is struggling, notably for sandwiches and lunch goods. I can't shake the suspicion that it is not a favoured shop at the moment as the students are yet to return.
Rayner replies three times now to the question of exactly how Labour would pay for social care with “those with the broadest shoulders.” Wait, four times now. That’s not an answer.
Rayner replies three times now to the question of exactly how Labour would pay for social care with “those with the broadest shoulders.” Wait, four times now. That’s not an answer.
Morning all! Shopping tip - buy big bags of pasta this week before the news of the impending pasta availability crunch becomes well known. TBH may as well buy anything you like that has long dates on it as the price inflation tsunami is about to crash into supermarkets.
Shortages are followed by glut.
Last autumn ASDA were selling bags of pasta for 10p.
Trust in your boy Boris. If there's a shortage he will head off down to the Buitoni factory in his hi-viz and hairnet and make up the shortfall.
It will be years before my 10p pasta pile is used up.
I'll top it up six months after any panic buying shortages - when it will be 10p again.
No one gives a fcuk about men’s tennis any longer it appears.
Very telling. Gey few tennis fans around here. But BritNat Central.
Blimey. Andy Murray's been eclipsed as Britain's tennis star for less than 48 hours.
Murray's time has gone, and he know's it. He broke himself working hard to reach world number 1, did it, but could never sustain that level in the face of three more gifted players. He was unlucky to be in the era of the big three, but ironically they also probably drove him to be a better player - he had to be to compete.
Morning all! Shopping tip - buy big bags of pasta this week before the news of the impending pasta availability crunch becomes well known. TBH may as well buy anything you like that has long dates on it as the price inflation tsunami is about to crash into supermarkets.
Getting stuff for your Christmas dinner already?
Bit early for that. But there is definitely trouble ahead: Global commodity prices sky high Global shipping prices even higher Poor harvests (wheat in Canada creating the pasta fubar) Lack of staff in the food industry Lack of drivers
So when the CEO of the Food and Drink Federation warns that the growing chaos is going to settle into being normal without government intervention, and the government dismisses him by saying that we have a resilient supply chain so no threat to Christmas, remember this.
The FDF is the supply chain. I know that we've all had enough of experts, but there is nothing in it for the industry to create a fake crisis that imperils the Christmas payday large parts of it relies on.
If you are right, it is hard not to see it feeding into politics, and hence betting, for next year?
I've heard "winter of discontent" already used to describe one scenario this coming winter. I don't think people will blame another round of food problems directly on the government, though at one point some canny broadcaster will get some know-nothing minister and a higher up from the industry on the same show, have the minister say vacuous guff about the industry and have the industry chief tear them apart as clueless and arrogant.
Combine that with another skyrocket in pox cases from the current sustained high, the reimposition of restrictions, the effects of the "fuck the working poor" UC cut and an NHS on its knees, and yes this scenario wouldn't be good for Worzel. It is just a scenario though - they might ride it out.
Another point of interest. Observe the narrowing gap between supermarket and branded fuel prices. Supermarkets are shouldering food price inflation by cutting their usual subsidy of the fuel price. And so many of the bigger cost price rises on food are about to land as retailers have finally accepted that the choice is pay the rise or don't get products. In some cases because the manufacturer either passes it or on goes out of business.
You may have missed that England only cases of Covid-19 seem to be declining, despite the full opening of the English economy, and with schools gone back (at least a week, and more for some).
Boris is prime minister. They are not. He will be PM for years to come. I doubt he gives a living fuck who shows up, especially Cameron
Invitations declined by Blair, Brown and Cameron. No wonder Boris hates the BBC. Apparently Boris left it too late to invite them, suggesting he only recently noticed the Chequers centenary. It is a small thing yet consistent with Boris's reputation as a chaotic Prime Minister with no grasp of detail.
The invitations were issued by the Chequers Trust - why is Johnson responsible for their being "late" (one month's notice - given the uncertainty over COVID, is that surprising)?
Goodness knows there's plenty of stuff of substance to criticise Johnson over.....
So looks like only Sir John Major and Theresa May will be joining Boris for dinner next weekend, which will be interesting as they both can't stand him
If you think about it, how many people are there who have worked with Boris *can* stand him?
Interesting to read last night that only Truss had the smarts / balls to object to Rishi’s tax bomb by suggesting we borrow more.
You don't borrow money to fund day to day spending which is what Truss was suggesting there.
There are a whole pile of things a Government can borrow money for (infrastructure, unexpected one off shocks) but ongoing day to day expenditure needs to be funded from day to day income which for a Government means taxation
Only social care is day to day spending.
The NHS backlog - which seems set to absorb most if not all of the tax rise - is not.
How exactly do you fix a backlog with limited resources (already fully stretched) and no means of increasing supply.
The reality is that the quickest fix to the NHS backlog would be to start improving community care immediately which would reduce the number of beds blocked by people with no care home to continue their convalescence in
No the best way would be to commission the private sector to take on NHS patients for 2-3 years so we can run at annual capacity of 130-140% of what the NHS can normally do. That brings down waiting lists in the near term and is a one off cost/investment rather than permanently expanding the size of the NHS.
As rather a lot of private capacity surgery, for example, is carried out by moonlighting NHS surgeons how will that work?
What you are not supposed to talk about is relative efficiency, in certain areas. Literally higher productivity.
I’m taking my 90yo father to a private consultation next week. He needs a knee operation - he’s been told the NHS wait is 42+ weeks, but it can be done privately by the same surgeon in 3 weeks for £14k.
Rayner replies three times now to the question of exactly how Labour would pay for social care with “those with the broadest shoulders.” Wait, four times now. That’s not an answer.
Murray's time has gone, and he know's it. He broke himself working hard to reach world number 1, did it, but could never sustain that level in the face of three more gifted players. He was unlucky to be in the era of the big three, but ironically they also probably drove him to be a better player - he had to be to compete.
Matthew Syed in the The Times today on Raducanu opines that at no point in the tournament was she in "the red zone". Her opponents had to work harder and faster to keep up. This also implies she has levels we have not seen yet. Murray sent his whole career in the red and paid the price.
Interesting to read last night that only Truss had the smarts / balls to object to Rishi’s tax bomb by suggesting we borrow more.
You don't borrow money to fund day to day spending which is what Truss was suggesting there.
There are a whole pile of things a Government can borrow money for (infrastructure, unexpected one off shocks) but ongoing day to day expenditure needs to be funded from day to day income which for a Government means taxation
Only social care is day to day spending.
The NHS backlog - which seems set to absorb most if not all of the tax rise - is not.
How exactly do you fix a backlog with limited resources (already fully stretched) and no means of increasing supply.
The reality is that the quickest fix to the NHS backlog would be to start improving community care immediately which would reduce the number of beds blocked by people with no care home to continue their convalescence in
No the best way would be to commission the private sector to take on NHS patients for 2-3 years so we can run at annual capacity of 130-140% of what the NHS can normally do. That brings down waiting lists in the near term and is a one off cost/investment rather than permanently expanding the size of the NHS.
As rather a lot of private capacity surgery, for example, is carried out by moonlighting NHS surgeons how will that work?
What you are not supposed to talk about is relative efficiency, in certain areas. Literally higher productivity.
I’m taking my 90yo father to a private consultation next week. He needs a knee operation - he’s been told the NHS wait is 42+ weeks, but it can be done privately by the same surgeon in 3 weeks for £14k.
And?
You are paying £14k to switch to a different list. Assuming he does 5 a week and 1 private operation, if you didn't pay to leap the list you would still otherwise be waiting 35 weeks for the operation.
Morning all! Shopping tip - buy big bags of pasta this week before the news of the impending pasta availability crunch becomes well known. TBH may as well buy anything you like that has long dates on it as the price inflation tsunami is about to crash into supermarkets.
Shortages are followed by glut.
Last autumn ASDA were selling bags of pasta for 10p.
Trust in your boy Boris. If there's a shortage he will head off down to the Buitoni factory in his hi-viz and hairnet and make up the shortfall.
It will be years before my 10p pasta pile is used up.
I'll top it up six months after any panic buying shortages - when it will be 10p again.
When I first came to London, living in a semi-squat, dinner was a 10p tin of chopped tomatoes and a 38p packet of spaghetti, both from Tesco’s Basics range.
Murray's time has gone, and he know's it. He broke himself working hard to reach world number 1, did it, but could never sustain that level in the face of three more gifted players. He was unlucky to be in the era of the big three, but ironically they also probably drove him to be a better player - he had to be to compete.
Matthew Syed in the The Times today on Raducanu opines that at no point in the tournament was she in "the red zone". Her opponents had to work harder and faster to keep up. This also implies she has levels we have not seen yet. Murray sent his whole career in the red and paid the price.
I think that was the most remarkable thing about this tournament. It will be interesting to see if the same holds true for the next few tournaments...
“As is now abundantly clear, the trade and future relationship agreement struck with the EU was a terrible deal for Britain that imposes multiple different obstructions on trade and seriously damaged the integrity of the union with Northern Ireland”.
He sounds like a Telegraph version of Simon Jenkins.
Morning all! Shopping tip - buy big bags of pasta this week before the news of the impending pasta availability crunch becomes well known. TBH may as well buy anything you like that has long dates on it as the price inflation tsunami is about to crash into supermarkets.
Shortages are followed by glut.
Last autumn ASDA were selling bags of pasta for 10p.
Trust in your boy Boris. If there's a shortage he will head off down to the Buitoni factory in his hi-viz and hairnet and make up the shortfall.
It will be years before my 10p pasta pile is used up.
I'll top it up six months after any panic buying shortages - when it will be 10p again.
When I first came to London, living in a semi-squat, dinner was a 10p tin of chopped tomatoes and a 38p packet of spaghetti, both from Tesco’s Basics range.
Morning all! Shopping tip - buy big bags of pasta this week before the news of the impending pasta availability crunch becomes well known. TBH may as well buy anything you like that has long dates on it as the price inflation tsunami is about to crash into supermarkets.
Shortages are followed by glut.
Last autumn ASDA were selling bags of pasta for 10p.
Trust in your boy Boris. If there's a shortage he will head off down to the Buitoni factory in his hi-viz and hairnet and make up the shortfall.
It will be years before my 10p pasta pile is used up.
I'll top it up six months after any panic buying shortages - when it will be 10p again.
When I first came to London, living in a semi-squat, dinner was a 10p tin of chopped tomatoes and a 38p packet of spaghetti, both from Tesco’s Basics range.
That's a lot of pasta for a single meal...
No wonder I got fat.
Actually I wonder if this was actually a shared meal.
It must have been. A whole tin of tomato for one person is too much as well.
Morning all! Shopping tip - buy big bags of pasta this week before the news of the impending pasta availability crunch becomes well known. TBH may as well buy anything you like that has long dates on it as the price inflation tsunami is about to crash into supermarkets.
Getting stuff for your Christmas dinner already?
Bit early for that. But there is definitely trouble ahead: Global commodity prices sky high Global shipping prices even higher Poor harvests (wheat in Canada creating the pasta fubar) Lack of staff in the food industry Lack of drivers
So when the CEO of the Food and Drink Federation warns that the growing chaos is going to settle into being normal without government intervention, and the government dismisses him by saying that we have a resilient supply chain so no threat to Christmas, remember this.
The FDF is the supply chain. I know that we've all had enough of experts, but there is nothing in it for the industry to create a fake crisis that imperils the Christmas payday large parts of it relies on.
If you are right, it is hard not to see it feeding into politics, and hence betting, for next year?
I've heard "winter of discontent" already used to describe one scenario this coming winter. I don't think people will blame another round of food problems directly on the government, though at one point some canny broadcaster will get some know-nothing minister and a higher up from the industry on the same show, have the minister say vacuous guff about the industry and have the industry chief tear them apart as clueless and arrogant.
Combine that with another skyrocket in pox cases from the current sustained high, the reimposition of restrictions, the effects of the "fuck the working poor" UC cut and an NHS on its knees, and yes this scenario wouldn't be good for Worzel. It is just a scenario though - they might ride it out.
Another point of interest. Observe the narrowing gap between supermarket and branded fuel prices. Supermarkets are shouldering food price inflation by cutting their usual subsidy of the fuel price. And so many of the bigger cost price rises on food are about to land as retailers have finally accepted that the choice is pay the rise or don't get products. In some cases because the manufacturer either passes it or on goes out of business.
The political challenge is going to be to join the dots, or to ensure that the dots remain unjoined.
Remember how a few weeks ago, the problems were down to the pingdemic? That's clearly over, and yet the problems persist.
Many of the issues that seem to be coming down the line look like being caused by "X and/magnified by Brexit". And Brexit will magnify, if only because the invisible hand only has a GB market to operate in, rather than the larger EEA space.
But some will want to talk a lot more about all the different X's, rather than the common factor.
Morning.
I'm not very inclined to listen particularly to the boss of the FDF when he is being rentaquoted on Brexit things.
He's a former spin doctor for Nick Clegg, and ardent anti-Brexiteer.
Even leaving aside the more important point that his previous spin on trade statistics fell to pieces.
Indeed. He knows nothing about either Food or Drink. Best ignore him.
Comments
Combine that with another skyrocket in pox cases from the current sustained high, the reimposition of restrictions, the effects of the "fuck the working poor" UC cut and an NHS on its knees, and yes this scenario wouldn't be good for Worzel. It is just a scenario though - they might ride it out.
Another point of interest. Observe the narrowing gap between supermarket and branded fuel prices. Supermarkets are shouldering food price inflation by cutting their usual subsidy of the fuel price. And so many of the bigger cost price rises on food are about to land as retailers have finally accepted that the choice is pay the rise or don't get products. In some cases because the manufacturer either passes it or on goes out of business.
Remember how a few weeks ago, the problems were down to the pingdemic? That's clearly over, and yet the problems persist.
Many of the issues that seem to be coming down the line look like being caused by "X and/magnified by Brexit". And Brexit will magnify, if only because the invisible hand only has a GB market to operate in, rather than the larger EEA space.
But some will want to talk a lot more about all the different X's, rather than the common factor.
If she's as intelligent as you seem to think she is, and appears to be, then she can make up her own mind on these issues. And it might be a very different view from the one you say she should have.
To be frank, I hope no-one asks her: if they do, she just side-steps it. There are too many traps for her.
"Doesn't matter, hospitalisation and death rates are relatively low". Indeed - which helps no-one when a member of your team has caught Covid and several others are now also off having gone for a test and awaiting results, or actually have symptoms (which are just as likely to be seasonal hate colds etc).
As example, the dire service those of us who have business contracts with couriers are receiving is partly a lack of drivers and partly covid.
getting a gsx-r1000r instead next week. chavtastic
“As is now abundantly clear, the trade and future relationship agreement struck with the EU was a terrible deal for Britain that imposes multiple different obstructions on trade and seriously damaged the integrity of the union with Northern Ireland”.
The money involved is small, it's good to be seen to be a good partners, the vaccine is promising, and the more different arrows we have in our quiver, the better.
That said, there aren't many out Leaver celebrities who haven't Ratnered their brand by coming out for Leave are there?
Plus, of course, Valneva's vaccine works in a different way to the other vaccines. It's not just targeting the spike protein, and could be an incredibly effective booster shot.
She really should ditch the tennis and start that law degree.
She's an amazing tennis talent. I think she's done a great job. I neither like nor dislike her as I don't know her. I don't care about her politics any more than I care about Lewis Hamilton's, Andy Murray's or Adam Peaty's. Why should I?
Only one person's Brexit views have changed my view of them as a person and in that case it wasn't the views themselves, but the obnoxious putting down of anyone with a different view, including his wife. That person happened to be a Brexiter, but it could just as easily have been a remainer, with a Brexiter wife - he simply rvealed himself to be a chauvinistic tosser of te highest order. Looking back, the signs were there pre-Brexit too.
*might have vague concerns for her mental health, but so too if she had posters of Starmer or Johnson!
But says other powers would allow "flexibility"
@BBCr4today
https://twitter.com/nickeardleybbc/status/1437314498445074432?s=20
https://twitter.com/MrHarryCole/status/1437309269037273088?s=20
Even if you honestly thought Covid was over in the UK (and it isn't) we still need to innoculate the world. So even if the only reason is selfish (in that we don't want a Djibuti variant developing and getting round the existing vaccines) we should be buying thesse and distributing them to the parts of the world who can't afford them.
If she were to attend the Tory Party Conference and blow smoke up Johnson's Brexity ****, I believe it would be an error of judgement (best to remain neutral in these matters) nonetheless, it wouldn't stop me from cheering her on against her "foreign foes".
She's eighteen, she's now a millionairess, I suspect Brexit is the least of her worries. In a year or two's time as she looks across at the ocean from her mansion in Newport Beach, she'll barely remember Bromley or Brexit.
We saw this also with shy Tories.
Turns out lecturing people for thinking wrong and forcing them to shut up due to peer pressure isn't the same as persuading them.
More respect for the opinions of those who think differently is beneficial for people seeking to persuade. Preaching to the choir won't win you new converts.
I think Miss Raducanu has been way more interested in finishing her A levels and improving her tennis in the last couple of years.
Harry Cole is not very reliable.
At some point all the PPE purchasing will be shifted back to China to save a few million more.
He guessing to some third parties, rather than explaining to ER.
Leaving aside that mansplaining is really a gendered word aiming to silence men from expressing opinions, anyway
There are a whole pile of things a Government can borrow money for (infrastructure, unexpected one off shocks) but ongoing day to day expenditure needs to be funded from day to day income which for a Government means taxation
In one statement Truss switches from being reasonable sane to rather stupid.
The NHS backlog - which seems set to absorb most if not all of the tax rise - is not.
The reality is that the quickest fix to the NHS backlog would be to start improving community care immediately which would reduce the number of beds blocked by people with no care home to continue their convalescence in
The next vaccines are going to be Novavax, which has been submitted for full approval in parts of Asia and should be submitted here any day now, and CureVac/GSK which is a gen 2 vaccine aimed at the delta variant. Both have shown modelled infection efficacy above 90% against delta which is about the same as Moderna and above Pfizer and AZ by a reasonable margin.
Last autumn ASDA were selling bags of pasta for 10p.
See the interview itself.
So its either a lie that we can't borrow to fix the NHS (as we already have) or its a lie that the bus cash has been injected already. Either way, Truss isn't the stupid one in the cabinet.
People have been trying to make electronic communication as good as face-to-face since the year... well, it reminds me of a scene in
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tunnel_(1935_film)
...where the hero is shouting into a video phone on an airplane....
Equally round here the private hospitals are already full of NHS patients having whatever surgery is straightforward enough to not potentially require emergency care were things to go wrong.
Now it's a great idea but from what Foxy has stated in the past (and my knowledge from past work at NHS Improvement (albeit that is 5 years or so out of date)) the spare capacity isn't there in the way you seem to think it is. Granted there may still be free capacity in London but I don't think it really exists elsewhere.
I'm not very inclined to listen particularly to the boss of the FDF when he is being rentaquoted on Brexit things.
He's a former spin doctor for Nick Clegg, and ardent anti-Brexiteer.
Even leaving aside the more important point that his previous spin on trade statistics fell to pieces.
All they need to do now is promise a tax cut for bald people.
I'm in favour of boosters and getting ourselves into a good position with COVID as we can, but amongst all the financial demands, keeping a focus on COVID, fully playing our part in funding further production capacity and being active in the fight against COVID until global steady state is reached is in our self interest. Not cancelling loads of contracts is one way of doing this.
But this government is not strong on the realpolitik of economic interdependence, so I guess it's par for the course.
Have there been appraisals of the connection between Brexit and Covidiocy?
One of them is a Levi's add. The pitch is "Levi's are better quality than other brands, so they last longer, so you can buy less"
It is voiced by a rainbow cast of various ethnicities and gender, including Marcus Rashford.
I thought it was an interesting choice
So Labour has a policy of going after power lifters, swimmers etc while leaving the long distance runners etc all their ill gotten gains?
How can that be fair?
Can’t we just recognise and celebrate a young girl who appears an excellent role model and that has injected optimism into the tail end of summer?
https://inews.co.uk/news/amber-rudd-resignation-work-and-pensions-secretary-who-is-therese-coffey-335928
I'm not very inclined to listen particularly to the boss of the FDF when he is being rentaquoted on Brexit things.
He's a former spin doctor for Nick Clegg, and ardent anti-Brexiteer.
Even leaving aside the more important point that his previous spin on trade statistics fell to pieces.
On "winter of discontent" I think it depends mainly level on inflation, though agree that yes there are some pirce rises coming through.
Suspect we will see another reverse-ferret on Universal Credit.
The last day or two watching near one-per-centers on around £100k a year jumping around demanding that it is evil or 'unfair' that a full state pensioner who now gets £25.66 a day should have a 64p increase to £26.30 a day is just embarrassing as a human being.
https://twitter.com/normanjam671/status/1437137240774303749?s=21
And then check if there are any constraints / co-dependencies that might impact any increase in that capacity.
I suspect (as I've seen very often when dealing with grand plans from senior management) that the reality will require some politely explaining that XYZ can't be done because of some fundamental misunderstanding...
https://www.tagesschau.de/inland/btw21/triell-kanzlerkandidaten-105.html (in German)
Laschet mainly attacked on the possible SPD/Green/Left government - Scholz said it'd be difficult, and commitment to NATO and the EU would be essential. The Greens (who are pro-Ukrainian) and the Left (who are soft on Putin) are at odds over attitudes to Russia, too. The Left leader gave a separate interview saying everything was on the table, no red lines over any of this. A possible SPD/Green/FDP government (which still seems the most likely to me) doesn't seem to have come up much, probably because it doesn't suit any of them to talk about it - Laschet wants to play the Red Menace card, the others don't want to lose votes on their left by flirting with the centre-right FDP. Both outcomes look viable according to all the polls, but the FDP variant would have a huge majority and solidly occupy the centre ground.
I think I'm right in saying that most Germans vote by post and will have done so by now? If so, Scholz can start measuring the curtains.
The problem is they keep on building roads and paths in this area. I think I've finished a village, and suddenly a new concessionary path appears ...
I'll vote for whoever orders a moratorium on creating roads and footpaths in this area....
For goodness sake leave her alone and celebrate a new star has been born who is a credit to us all
Most of our postwar general election majority winning PMs have been charismatic, certainly in the TV age, only a few have been intellectuals and had first class degrees
Which is probably 50% of the actual votes.
I also wonder about the hundreds of other vaccine candidates worldwide.
Dame Vaccine-Task-Force's strategy was "best on many criteria from across the board". That's 2 out of 6/7 gone now - Sanofi / Valneva.
Are we now freeing up capacity for the next generation of vaccines?
If so it will not only be the first time the Union has been in opposition since 2005, it will be the first time the Union has been in opposition with the FDP in government with the SPD not them since 1982
However - our Uni Co-Op is struggling, notably for sandwiches and lunch goods. I can't shake the suspicion that it is not a favoured shop at the moment as the students are yet to return.
Tax on weightlifters.
I'll top it up six months after any panic buying shortages - when it will be 10p again.
New Thread
3rd place is available if you are quick.You are paying £14k to switch to a different list. Assuming he does 5 a week and 1 private operation, if you didn't pay to leap the list you would still otherwise be waiting 35 weeks for the operation.
Actually I wonder if this was actually a shared meal.
It must have been.
A whole tin of tomato for one person is too much as well.