I am just finishing a journey from Kent to Berkshire and back to the island, and things look as bad as at the weekend
Petrol is fine in South Yorkshire where I've been for a few days. Completely normal. Also noticeable is a big difference in mask wearing. They've pretty much ditched them up here.
Here in the Midlands petrol still massive issue - "no fuel" signs still present.
Masks only really encountered in any number in health care settings.
In health care settings plus the tools on the Labour benches in the Commons. Turns my stomach, but I'd be interested in your *honest* opinion of that @kinabalu - you were always with me on the Freedom Day thing after all.
I'd be happy to see the back of masks now but it doesn't really bug me to see them and I'm still wearing them in places where it's the norm, poodle that I am.
I am just finishing a journey from Kent to Berkshire and back to the island, and things look as bad as at the weekend
Petrol is fine in South Yorkshire where I've been for a few days. Completely normal. Also noticeable is a big difference in mask wearing. They've pretty much ditched them up here.
Here in the Midlands petrol still massive issue - "no fuel" signs still present.
Masks only really encountered in any number in health care settings.
In health care settings plus the tools on the Labour benches in the Commons. Turns my stomach, but I'd be interested in your *honest* opinion of that @kinabalu - you were always with me on the Freedom Day thing after all.
I'd be happy to see the back of masks now but it doesn't really bug me to see them and I'm still wearing them in places where it's the norm, poodle that I am.
I had a trial yesterday where a 17 year old black girl (who had committed NO crime and has no criminal record) was grabbed and wrestled to the floor and handcuffed by two officers for “talking back” when she (correctly) said to them “you can’t do this” and asked them to step back
The officers were caught on CCTV stepping up to her right in her face (August last year - height of the pandemic) with no masks on and loudly telling her off (for something that isn’t a crime). After she backed off the third time whilst repeatedly saying “back off” they pounced.
This happened in broad daylight in Birmingham New Street station and everyone assumed the officers were in the right and a member of the public even came over to help the two officers who were sitting on top of her to restrain her.
She screamed out in pain and asked 21 times either “Why are you doing this to me?” or “What have I done?” and they didn’t reply to tell her why they were doing it or what she was said to have done.
Eventually one of them says she’s under arrest for assaulting them.
They lied throughout their evidence and said she had moved towards them aggressively and tried to hit one of them.
Two separate angles on the video show she does no such thing and is continuously backing off from them and looks scared.
Thankfully the case against her was thrown out, but quite frankly it’s theofficers who should’ve been prosecuted for assault. Had I not been able to get CCTV camera footage from the station it would’ve been her word against theirs and she would no doubt have been convicted.....
...The officers continued to assert throughout the trial that their actions were justified.
This is the problem.
This is the culture we have to deal with.
THIS IS WHY I GET SICK OF PEOPLE ASKING ME HOW I CAN “DEFEND CRIMINALS”.
P.S. A good illustration of the level of arrogance of one of the officers and their feeling that they are above the law: the Judge had to warn the officer about their conduct IN COURT and it continued so the Judge THREATENED TO LOCK THE OFFICER UP FOR CONTEMPT OF COURT.
The prosecutor, the clerk, the Judge, me - and several of my colleagues I spoke to - all of us with over 20 years experience in criminal trials - have NEVER seen an officer behave so badly that they were threatened with contempt.
Yet they are on patrol in New Street again today
If it’s any consolation our civil team are now going to take action against the police and I suspect one or both of them won’t be officers for much longer but hey - we represented the De Menezes family and no fucker lost their job when they killed a lad.
To think the police used to be widely respected in this country, not that long ago.
And then we had cctv and mobile phone cameras....
Since the advent of ubiquitous video camera ownership we've had no greater evidence of Big Foot or Nessie but amazingly a massive increase in the evidence of Police Brutality and Illegality.
Oh, I don't know.
In my youth we had the entertainment of the West Midland Serious Crime Squad.
Who turned out to be committing a serious proportion of the Serious Crimes in the West Midlands.
"By God, this police unit is well-named" as Sir Harry Esson might have said...
And interestingly the judge in the Couzens case was directly involved in the WMSCS. According to his wiki page.
I am just finishing a journey from Kent to Berkshire and back to the island, and things look as bad as at the weekend
Petrol is fine in South Yorkshire where I've been for a few days. Completely normal. Also noticeable is a big difference in mask wearing. They've pretty much ditched them up here.
Here in the Midlands petrol still massive issue - "no fuel" signs still present.
Masks only really encountered in any number in health care settings.
In health care settings plus the tools on the Labour benches in the Commons. Turns my stomach, but I'd be interested in your *honest* opinion of that @kinabalu - you were always with me on the Freedom Day thing after all.
I'd be happy to see the back of masks now but it doesn't really bug me to see them and I'm still wearing them in places where it's the norm, poodle that I am.
I had a trial yesterday where a 17 year old black girl (who had committed NO crime and has no criminal record) was grabbed and wrestled to the floor and handcuffed by two officers for “talking back” when she (correctly) said to them “you can’t do this” and asked them to step back
The officers were caught on CCTV stepping up to her right in her face (August last year - height of the pandemic) with no masks on and loudly telling her off (for something that isn’t a crime). After she backed off the third time whilst repeatedly saying “back off” they pounced.
This happened in broad daylight in Birmingham New Street station and everyone assumed the officers were in the right and a member of the public even came over to help the two officers who were sitting on top of her to restrain her.
She screamed out in pain and asked 21 times either “Why are you doing this to me?” or “What have I done?” and they didn’t reply to tell her why they were doing it or what she was said to have done.
Eventually one of them says she’s under arrest for assaulting them.
They lied throughout their evidence and said she had moved towards them aggressively and tried to hit one of them.
Two separate angles on the video show she does no such thing and is continuously backing off from them and looks scared.
Thankfully the case against her was thrown out, but quite frankly it’s theofficers who should’ve been prosecuted for assault. Had I not been able to get CCTV camera footage from the station it would’ve been her word against theirs and she would no doubt have been convicted.....
...The officers continued to assert throughout the trial that their actions were justified.
This is the problem.
This is the culture we have to deal with.
THIS IS WHY I GET SICK OF PEOPLE ASKING ME HOW I CAN “DEFEND CRIMINALS”.
P.S. A good illustration of the level of arrogance of one of the officers and their feeling that they are above the law: the Judge had to warn the officer about their conduct IN COURT and it continued so the Judge THREATENED TO LOCK THE OFFICER UP FOR CONTEMPT OF COURT.
The prosecutor, the clerk, the Judge, me - and several of my colleagues I spoke to - all of us with over 20 years experience in criminal trials - have NEVER seen an officer behave so badly that they were threatened with contempt.
Yet they are on patrol in New Street again today
If it’s any consolation our civil team are now going to take action against the police and I suspect one or both of them won’t be officers for much longer but hey - we represented the De Menezes family and no fucker lost their job when they killed a lad.
That is the key. The bad cops have to lose their jobs and be open to both civil and criminal prosecution. And their bosses, if they serially fail to attend to such failures, should lose their jobs and, depending on their own level of negligence, be open to similar prosecution.
A part of the problem runs thus -
The cops on the ground are convinced that if something goes wrong, their superiors will stitch them up. There is no trust in the Senior Management Team.
In turn there is a widespread belief that there is no way that a senior officer would end up carrying the can - that they would pass the buck to junior officers.
In the case of De Mendes, the odd bit is that the police on the ground, who actually shot him were blameless. They were carrying out orders which they had reason to believe were lawful and necessary. It was the fuck up with the surveillance and the control of the operation which was the problem.
Which comes back to the doctrine of command responsibility. Where someone in authority can be guilty, but the subordinates who carried out what they thought were lawful orders are not.
The problem is that the police have been convinced that either they all hang together or they all hang separately. Hence the omertà...
How to deal with that?
Wholesale removal of the top commanders who are ultimately responsible for their command's culture.
I had a trial yesterday where a 17 year old black girl (who had committed NO crime and has no criminal record) was grabbed and wrestled to the floor and handcuffed by two officers for “talking back” when she (correctly) said to them “you can’t do this” and asked them to step back
The officers were caught on CCTV stepping up to her right in her face (August last year - height of the pandemic) with no masks on and loudly telling her off (for something that isn’t a crime). After she backed off the third time whilst repeatedly saying “back off” they pounced.
This happened in broad daylight in Birmingham New Street station and everyone assumed the officers were in the right and a member of the public even came over to help the two officers who were sitting on top of her to restrain her.
She screamed out in pain and asked 21 times either “Why are you doing this to me?” or “What have I done?” and they didn’t reply to tell her why they were doing it or what she was said to have done.
Eventually one of them says she’s under arrest for assaulting them.
They lied throughout their evidence and said she had moved towards them aggressively and tried to hit one of them.
Two separate angles on the video show she does no such thing and is continuously backing off from them and looks scared.
Thankfully the case against her was thrown out, but quite frankly it’s theofficers who should’ve been prosecuted for assault. Had I not been able to get CCTV camera footage from the station it would’ve been her word against theirs and she would no doubt have been convicted.....
...The officers continued to assert throughout the trial that their actions were justified.
This is the problem.
This is the culture we have to deal with.
THIS IS WHY I GET SICK OF PEOPLE ASKING ME HOW I CAN “DEFEND CRIMINALS”.
P.S. A good illustration of the level of arrogance of one of the officers and their feeling that they are above the law: the Judge had to warn the officer about their conduct IN COURT and it continued so the Judge THREATENED TO LOCK THE OFFICER UP FOR CONTEMPT OF COURT.
The prosecutor, the clerk, the Judge, me - and several of my colleagues I spoke to - all of us with over 20 years experience in criminal trials - have NEVER seen an officer behave so badly that they were threatened with contempt.
Yet they are on patrol in New Street again today
If it’s any consolation our civil team are now going to take action against the police and I suspect one or both of them won’t be officers for much longer but hey - we represented the De Menezes family and no fucker lost their job when they killed a lad.
That is the key. The bad cops have to lose their jobs and be open to both civil and criminal prosecution. And their bosses, if they serially fail to attend to such failures, should lose their jobs and, depending on their own level of negligence, be open to similar prosecution.
A part of the problem runs thus -
The cops on the ground are convinced that if something goes wrong, their superiors will stitch them up. There is no trust in the Senior Management Team.
In turn there is a widespread belief that there is no way that a senior officer would end up carrying the can - that they would pass the buck to junior officers.
In the case of De Mendes, the odd bit is that the police on the ground, who actually shot him were blameless. They were carrying out orders which they had reason to believe were lawful and necessary. It was the fuck up with the surveillance and the control of the operation which was the problem.
Which comes back to the doctrine of command responsibility. Where someone in authority can be guilty, but the subordinates who carried out what they thought were lawful orders are not.
The problem is that the police have been convinced that either they all hang together or they all hang separately. Hence the omertà...
How to deal with that?
Wholesale removal of the top commanders who are ultimately responsible for their command's culture.
If that includes the PM, Home Secretary and Mayor of London as well, I second that.
Upwards: - Deterioration of weather since around 20/9 increasing R rate. Long range forecast is for temperatures probably to be stable around current level during October. - 5-10 year old rate still curving upwards - University returns and relatively low current rates in core cities that have potential to increase - Trickle return of office workers continuing (I've been back on a part time basis since 20/9).
To early to tell: - Case rate trajectories in English small town and rural areas, has been up, may be slowing -Scotland and NI still trending downwards, but could be troughing -Whether levels can remain suppressed in higher immunity non-city areas, esp SE Lancs, N Kent. - Whether levels can stay moderate in Southern England - Will older cohorts start to curve upwards as in previous waves: the critical factor in whether the current hospitalisation reduction will reverse
Downwards: - 10-15 year old cohorts, which is the driver of current increases, clearly cresting.
Of course, much interrelatedness between these. Week on weeks still slightly up by reporting date and by sample date at best level for the days whose numbers have filled out.
I think we'll hit school half term holidays with around 40-60% higher case rates than current, hospitalisations 10-20% higher and rising and deaths 10-20% lower than current but level.
Mainly due to lagging rather than booster / secondary school vaccination - the effects of that will come through later.
PB brains trust query: We're currently getting quotes for building work, substantial extension, probably be towards £100k, so we want it done right. Just had someone round to quote who is doing work down the road. A bit of Googling has revealed the company in question was incorporated in 2020 and the person we spoke to (owner) had a previous building company which underwent creditors voluntary liquidation in 2020 at around the same time. We'll obviously ask about this if we consider going further, but is it - on the face of it - sketchy? Or might there be quite innocuous explanations?
(We just got this guy in as an 'extra' quote really - already had builder round who did a big extension for sister-in-law and have a couple more reccommended by architect, but they're proving hard to pin down. We want at least a few quotes to compare, but would most likely go for the guy we know most about unless there are good reasons to choose someone else)
I'm not that experienced but thats a warning sign in case things go wrong. Double glazing companies (for instance) can offer long guarantees, then the company (Turbotubbs Glazing) folds, so null and void. Next week you get a flyer from Tubbsturbo Glazing...
Yep. Hopefully academic, assuming we (a) manage to get a quote fom someone else reputable and (b) it doesn't make us faint. The backup plan is moving house - should in principle cost a similar amount or even more, but given the prices of materials at the moment, maybe not... If it wasn't for our unusually large garden and views over open fields* (trigger warning for Philip ) we'd probably just move, but similar benefits are rare in our budget and within cycling distance of work, very near family etc.
*Actually the open fields are likely to get built on in the next year or two, but the new houses will still be a flood plain and river away, which means 100m from our garden and 150m or so from the house, so it will still be a nice spot. I don't even really object to the houses per se, but it is a shame that it looks to be just houses - add a school, park, decent footpaths/cyclepaths into town and I'd be in favour.
I had a trial yesterday where a 17 year old black girl (who had committed NO crime and has no criminal record) was grabbed and wrestled to the floor and handcuffed by two officers for “talking back” when she (correctly) said to them “you can’t do this” and asked them to step back
The officers were caught on CCTV stepping up to her right in her face (August last year - height of the pandemic) with no masks on and loudly telling her off (for something that isn’t a crime). After she backed off the third time whilst repeatedly saying “back off” they pounced.
This happened in broad daylight in Birmingham New Street station and everyone assumed the officers were in the right and a member of the public even came over to help the two officers who were sitting on top of her to restrain her.
She screamed out in pain and asked 21 times either “Why are you doing this to me?” or “What have I done?” and they didn’t reply to tell her why they were doing it or what she was said to have done.
Eventually one of them says she’s under arrest for assaulting them.
They lied throughout their evidence and said she had moved towards them aggressively and tried to hit one of them.
Two separate angles on the video show she does no such thing and is continuously backing off from them and looks scared.
Thankfully the case against her was thrown out, but quite frankly it’s theofficers who should’ve been prosecuted for assault. Had I not been able to get CCTV camera footage from the station it would’ve been her word against theirs and she would no doubt have been convicted.....
...The officers continued to assert throughout the trial that their actions were justified.
This is the problem.
This is the culture we have to deal with.
THIS IS WHY I GET SICK OF PEOPLE ASKING ME HOW I CAN “DEFEND CRIMINALS”.
P.S. A good illustration of the level of arrogance of one of the officers and their feeling that they are above the law: the Judge had to warn the officer about their conduct IN COURT and it continued so the Judge THREATENED TO LOCK THE OFFICER UP FOR CONTEMPT OF COURT.
The prosecutor, the clerk, the Judge, me - and several of my colleagues I spoke to - all of us with over 20 years experience in criminal trials - have NEVER seen an officer behave so badly that they were threatened with contempt.
Yet they are on patrol in New Street again today
If it’s any consolation our civil team are now going to take action against the police and I suspect one or both of them won’t be officers for much longer but hey - we represented the De Menezes family and no fucker lost their job when they killed a lad.
That is the key. The bad cops have to lose their jobs and be open to both civil and criminal prosecution. And their bosses, if they serially fail to attend to such failures, should lose their jobs and, depending on their own level of negligence, be open to similar prosecution.
A part of the problem runs thus -
The cops on the ground are convinced that if something goes wrong, their superiors will stitch them up. There is no trust in the Senior Management Team.
In turn there is a widespread belief that there is no way that a senior officer would end up carrying the can - that they would pass the buck to junior officers.
In the case of De Mendes, the odd bit is that the police on the ground, who actually shot him were blameless. They were carrying out orders which they had reason to believe were lawful and necessary. It was the fuck up with the surveillance and the control of the operation which was the problem.
Which comes back to the doctrine of command responsibility. Where someone in authority can be guilty, but the subordinates who carried out what they thought were lawful orders are not.
The problem is that the police have been convinced that either they all hang together or they all hang separately. Hence the omertà...
How to deal with that?
Wholesale removal of the top commanders who are ultimately responsible for their command's culture.
There's a real "Children and their parents" vibe appearing the heat maps of the hardest hit places in England at the moment. Intense purple across 5-19 then a gap before 35-55 lights up in purple.
They must be lying. Philip_Thompson assured us that it'd all be over in 2-3 days.
Both appear to be right. Things have improved overall. Things have not improved with some independents especially BP ones.
"improved overall" != "all over"
Sure it is. There's always been some stations at some times without fuel which is why this mass hysteria over a few not having it was so utterly irresponsible.
Largely stations are back to normal and anyone who wants fuel can get it.
According the the PRA, over a quarter of their members are still without fuel. That is not a normal situation, and it's weird of you to make out that it is. Every other country in the world is pointing and laughing at us.
Are you sure you are not over egging it, every country in the world !!!
True, some have a little more consideration. They are merely smirking behind their hands.
You don't think other countries have their own issues they ought to be concerned about rather than worrying about us? Yours seems rather an egocentric viewpoint.
They're not worrying about us; they're laughing at us. We provide a little light relief from their own problems. You can't tell me you wouldn't be doing the same if it were French drivers queuing for petrol.
I absolutely can say that.
The French have issues and protests and violence on a weekly violence with the Gilets Jaunes etc
I don't mention them at all, its none of my business and I don't especially care. Let them sort their own issues out and we can sort our own out.
You seem rather obsessed though. Not me.
I'm merely pointing out your detachment from the reality that the rest of the world can see. We are not, as you seem to imagine, back to normal. A quarter of our petrol stations still have no fuel. This is not normal and it's delusional for you to claim otherwise.
The people who get angry at others wearing masks === the people who get angry at someone doing 30 in a 30 zone.
Not sure that quite works. People shouldn't get mad at people choosing to wear masks, but presumably it is ok to express that it is, in one's own opinion, the wrong choice (though it is a bit dickish), whereas being mad at someone for following the law is just entirely irrational.
But it insists that apart from this it will not require government subsidy or financing, and will still be able to deliver electricity at the £48/MWh CfD – below the central forecast for energy prices proposed by the UK Department for Business, Energy & Strategy (BEIS).
The aptly named Morocco – UK Power Project will, in addition to its 3,800km HVDC sub-sea cable, build its wind and solar capacity across an area of approximately 1,500 square km in Morocco’s Guelmim Oued Noun region.
“Xlinks is a Morocco – British first,” said Sir Dave Lewis, the the executive chair of Xlinks and a former Tesco CEO. “Using proven technology, it will deliver clean power to over 7 million British homes in this decade....
There's a real "Children and their parents" vibe appearing the heat maps of the hardest hit places in England at the moment. Intense purple across 5-19 then a gap before 35-55 lights up in purple.
Worth remembering that the parents will often be tested more, when the children LFTs light up and say "tilt"
They must be lying. Philip_Thompson assured us that it'd all be over in 2-3 days.
Both appear to be right. Things have improved overall. Things have not improved with some independents especially BP ones.
"improved overall" != "all over"
Sure it is. There's always been some stations at some times without fuel which is why this mass hysteria over a few not having it was so utterly irresponsible.
Largely stations are back to normal and anyone who wants fuel can get it.
According the the PRA, over a quarter of their members are still without fuel. That is not a normal situation, and it's weird of you to make out that it is. Every other country in the world is pointing and laughing at us.
Are you sure you are not over egging it, every country in the world !!!
True, some have a little more consideration. They are merely smirking behind their hands.
You don't think other countries have their own issues they ought to be concerned about rather than worrying about us? Yours seems rather an egocentric viewpoint.
They're not worrying about us; they're laughing at us. We provide a little light relief from their own problems. You can't tell me you wouldn't be doing the same if it were French drivers queuing for petrol.
I absolutely can say that.
The French have issues and protests and violence on a weekly violence with the Gilets Jaunes etc
I don't mention them at all, its none of my business and I don't especially care. Let them sort their own issues out and we can sort our own out.
You seem rather obsessed though. Not me.
I'm merely pointing out your detachment from the reality that the rest of the world can see. We are not, as you seem to imagine, back to normal. A quarter of our petrol stations still have no fuel. This is not normal and it's delusional for you to claim otherwise.
That was due to a scare leading to panic buying though. Not a shortage.
The people who get angry at others wearing masks === the people who get angry at someone doing 30 in a 30 zone.
Not sure that quite works. People shouldn't get mad at people choosing to wear masks, but presumably it is ok to express that it is, in one's own opinion, the wrong choice (though it is a bit dickish), whereas being mad at someone for following the law is just entirely irrational.
Where I live, wearing face masks in shops etc. is still the law.
They must be lying. Philip_Thompson assured us that it'd all be over in 2-3 days.
Both appear to be right. Things have improved overall. Things have not improved with some independents especially BP ones.
"improved overall" != "all over"
Sure it is. There's always been some stations at some times without fuel which is why this mass hysteria over a few not having it was so utterly irresponsible.
Largely stations are back to normal and anyone who wants fuel can get it.
According the the PRA, over a quarter of their members are still without fuel. That is not a normal situation, and it's weird of you to make out that it is. Every other country in the world is pointing and laughing at us.
Are you sure you are not over egging it, every country in the world !!!
True, some have a little more consideration. They are merely smirking behind their hands.
You don't think other countries have their own issues they ought to be concerned about rather than worrying about us? Yours seems rather an egocentric viewpoint.
They're not worrying about us; they're laughing at us. We provide a little light relief from their own problems. You can't tell me you wouldn't be doing the same if it were French drivers queuing for petrol.
I absolutely can say that.
The French have issues and protests and violence on a weekly violence with the Gilets Jaunes etc
I don't mention them at all, its none of my business and I don't especially care. Let them sort their own issues out and we can sort our own out.
You seem rather obsessed though. Not me.
I'm merely pointing out your detachment from the reality that the rest of the world can see. We are not, as you seem to imagine, back to normal. A quarter of our petrol stations still have no fuel. This is not normal and it's delusional for you to claim otherwise.
That was due to a scare leading to panic buying though. Not a shortage.
There was a shortage of drivers AIUI. Or was that just fake news.
They must be lying. Philip_Thompson assured us that it'd all be over in 2-3 days.
Both appear to be right. Things have improved overall. Things have not improved with some independents especially BP ones.
"improved overall" != "all over"
Sure it is. There's always been some stations at some times without fuel which is why this mass hysteria over a few not having it was so utterly irresponsible.
Largely stations are back to normal and anyone who wants fuel can get it.
According the the PRA, over a quarter of their members are still without fuel. That is not a normal situation, and it's weird of you to make out that it is. Every other country in the world is pointing and laughing at us.
Are you sure you are not over egging it, every country in the world !!!
True, some have a little more consideration. They are merely smirking behind their hands.
You don't think other countries have their own issues they ought to be concerned about rather than worrying about us? Yours seems rather an egocentric viewpoint.
They're not worrying about us; they're laughing at us. We provide a little light relief from their own problems. You can't tell me you wouldn't be doing the same if it were French drivers queuing for petrol.
I absolutely can say that.
The French have issues and protests and violence on a weekly violence with the Gilets Jaunes etc
I don't mention them at all, its none of my business and I don't especially care. Let them sort their own issues out and we can sort our own out.
You seem rather obsessed though. Not me.
I'm merely pointing out your detachment from the reality that the rest of the world can see. We are not, as you seem to imagine, back to normal. A quarter of our petrol stations still have no fuel. This is not normal and it's delusional for you to claim otherwise.
That was due to a scare leading to panic buying though. Not a shortage.
There was a shortage of drivers AIUI. Or was that just fake news.
They must be lying. Philip_Thompson assured us that it'd all be over in 2-3 days.
Both appear to be right. Things have improved overall. Things have not improved with some independents especially BP ones.
"improved overall" != "all over"
Sure it is. There's always been some stations at some times without fuel which is why this mass hysteria over a few not having it was so utterly irresponsible.
Largely stations are back to normal and anyone who wants fuel can get it.
According the the PRA, over a quarter of their members are still without fuel. That is not a normal situation, and it's weird of you to make out that it is. Every other country in the world is pointing and laughing at us.
Are you sure you are not over egging it, every country in the world !!!
True, some have a little more consideration. They are merely smirking behind their hands.
You don't think other countries have their own issues they ought to be concerned about rather than worrying about us? Yours seems rather an egocentric viewpoint.
They're not worrying about us; they're laughing at us. We provide a little light relief from their own problems. You can't tell me you wouldn't be doing the same if it were French drivers queuing for petrol.
I absolutely can say that.
The French have issues and protests and violence on a weekly violence with the Gilets Jaunes etc
I don't mention them at all, its none of my business and I don't especially care. Let them sort their own issues out and we can sort our own out.
You seem rather obsessed though. Not me.
I'm merely pointing out your detachment from the reality that the rest of the world can see. We are not, as you seem to imagine, back to normal. A quarter of our petrol stations still have no fuel. This is not normal and it's delusional for you to claim otherwise.
That was due to a scare leading to panic buying though. Not a shortage.
There was a shortage of drivers AIUI. Or was that just fake news.
But enough fuel.
There was a shortage of drivers, but not a collapse in the system.
The when everyone tried to fill their tanks at once...
I had a trial yesterday where a 17 year old black girl (who had committed NO crime and has no criminal record) was grabbed and wrestled to the floor and handcuffed by two officers for “talking back” when she (correctly) said to them “you can’t do this” and asked them to step back
The officers were caught on CCTV stepping up to her right in her face (August last year - height of the pandemic) with no masks on and loudly telling her off (for something that isn’t a crime). After she backed off the third time whilst repeatedly saying “back off” they pounced.
This happened in broad daylight in Birmingham New Street station and everyone assumed the officers were in the right and a member of the public even came over to help the two officers who were sitting on top of her to restrain her.
She screamed out in pain and asked 21 times either “Why are you doing this to me?” or “What have I done?” and they didn’t reply to tell her why they were doing it or what she was said to have done.
Eventually one of them says she’s under arrest for assaulting them.
They lied throughout their evidence and said she had moved towards them aggressively and tried to hit one of them.
Two separate angles on the video show she does no such thing and is continuously backing off from them and looks scared.
Thankfully the case against her was thrown out, but quite frankly it’s theofficers who should’ve been prosecuted for assault. Had I not been able to get CCTV camera footage from the station it would’ve been her word against theirs and she would no doubt have been convicted.....
...The officers continued to assert throughout the trial that their actions were justified.
This is the problem.
This is the culture we have to deal with.
THIS IS WHY I GET SICK OF PEOPLE ASKING ME HOW I CAN “DEFEND CRIMINALS”.
P.S. A good illustration of the level of arrogance of one of the officers and their feeling that they are above the law: the Judge had to warn the officer about their conduct IN COURT and it continued so the Judge THREATENED TO LOCK THE OFFICER UP FOR CONTEMPT OF COURT.
The prosecutor, the clerk, the Judge, me - and several of my colleagues I spoke to - all of us with over 20 years experience in criminal trials - have NEVER seen an officer behave so badly that they were threatened with contempt.
Yet they are on patrol in New Street again today
If it’s any consolation our civil team are now going to take action against the police and I suspect one or both of them won’t be officers for much longer but hey - we represented the De Menezes family and no fucker lost their job when they killed a lad.
Pretty sure if I make it that far I won't have the energy or capacity to make a break for it like this
A former secretary at a Nazi concentration camp has been captured after trying to flee before her trial in northern Germany.
Irmgard Furchner, 96, was due to stand trial for complicity in 11,000 murders, but she failed to turn up and the judge issued a warrant for her arrest.
The defendant was detained by police hours after disappearing from a nursing home in the town of Quickborn.
Time to appoint me Commissioner of the Met (or possibly Cyclefree).
Either way we'd ensure proper reform of the rozzers.
No possibly about it. I know about investigations and whistleblowing and why organizations go wrong and the immensely hard work involved in culture change.
I did apply to be a non-executive director of the IOPC. Got on the shortlist but no further. Not surprised. The police do not want outsiders let alone women who'll take no shit from anyone. And that's why they're in the shit, frankly.
Many of your posts on this concern the failings within the police force for what must have clearly been a bad apple the ranks were closed around? But is there not a problem in wider society outside the police, making this horrendous crime by man on woman far from a one of?
So what is our way forward cyclefree? You likely have every single man in the country other than Wayne Couzens upset and angry toward this most warped, most selfish and brutal man. What effective action can now be taken, or education and guidance taken on board?
If he is just a rotten apple in a barrel, a bad egg, do we regard it as important still for boys to be allowed to be boys, and girls should welcome what is hardcoded into their DNA too? As per the current and traditional teaching, To become a man a boy needs to know how to have a presence, how to have a power - and their courage must never be demeaned by anybody?
I have been blessed in my life to have had men in my family who behaved like gentlemen - in the proper sense of that word. They were not in any sense lesser men for behaving with decency and respect. And yet they had authority and courage and presence too and, if necessary, did fight. to defend country and family.
There are people who are evil but most of us have the capacity to be both bad and good and what we constantly have to do is to try and reinforce the good side of us and minimise the bad. I think often that bad side is praised or indulged or treated as a bit of a joke or boys being boys etc. And when that is the prevailing culture are we really surprised that some take this to a level which results in harm?
There is a pornification of our society which I find deeply troubling. Women are seen as objects to be used, as something to be screwed, in that revolting phrase, as if sex was like screwing a nail to a wall, something that is done repetitively and brutally to a woman, not with her. I will be told that some women like porn. And maybe some do.
But let me leave you with one thought. Maybe women say they like porn because that is what they think the man wants them to say, because that is how they get the man. They feel they need to say this. They are stroking his ego not expressing their own desires. Watch that Panorama programme about attacks on girls in school. Girls want to be loved and desired by boys so they will do stuff that boys ask. And where are boys getting their ideas from? There is a violence in porn which, to me, seems anathema to what really satisfying sex is like.
Perhaps I am hopelessly old-fashioned in saying this. But it needs saying. In the 12 months to August in London alone the police recorded 8,222 rapes. Whatever "respect" training we've been giving people clearly isn't working.
They must be lying. Philip_Thompson assured us that it'd all be over in 2-3 days.
Both appear to be right. Things have improved overall. Things have not improved with some independents especially BP ones.
"improved overall" != "all over"
Sure it is. There's always been some stations at some times without fuel which is why this mass hysteria over a few not having it was so utterly irresponsible.
Largely stations are back to normal and anyone who wants fuel can get it.
According the the PRA, over a quarter of their members are still without fuel. That is not a normal situation, and it's weird of you to make out that it is. Every other country in the world is pointing and laughing at us.
Are you sure you are not over egging it, every country in the world !!!
True, some have a little more consideration. They are merely smirking behind their hands.
You don't think other countries have their own issues they ought to be concerned about rather than worrying about us? Yours seems rather an egocentric viewpoint.
They're not worrying about us; they're laughing at us. We provide a little light relief from their own problems. You can't tell me you wouldn't be doing the same if it were French drivers queuing for petrol.
I absolutely can say that.
The French have issues and protests and violence on a weekly violence with the Gilets Jaunes etc
I don't mention them at all, its none of my business and I don't especially care. Let them sort their own issues out and we can sort our own out.
You seem rather obsessed though. Not me.
I'm merely pointing out your detachment from the reality that the rest of the world can see. We are not, as you seem to imagine, back to normal. A quarter of our petrol stations still have no fuel. This is not normal and it's delusional for you to claim otherwise.
That was due to a scare leading to panic buying though. Not a shortage.
There was a shortage of drivers AIUI. Or was that just fake news.
But enough fuel.
Yes. At the refineries. Do you accept there was a shortage of drivers? And if you do, do you think that a shortage of drivers might cause a shortage of fuel at the pumps.
Time to appoint me Commissioner of the Met (or possibly Cyclefree).
Either way we'd ensure proper reform of the rozzers.
women who'll take no shit from anyone.
Shouldn't put that on your business cards, scares 'em off.
On the more serious point, I'm not sure how one addresses 'pornification'. In some ways we're more prudish in mainstream materials, but extreme things are more accessible and equally its more common to hear the 'right' things being said, you mention respect training, but it doesn't seem to eliminate specific trends growing.
But it insists that apart from this it will not require government subsidy or financing, and will still be able to deliver electricity at the £48/MWh CfD – below the central forecast for energy prices proposed by the UK Department for Business, Energy & Strategy (BEIS).
The aptly named Morocco – UK Power Project will, in addition to its 3,800km HVDC sub-sea cable, build its wind and solar capacity across an area of approximately 1,500 square km in Morocco’s Guelmim Oued Noun region.
“Xlinks is a Morocco – British first,” said Sir Dave Lewis, the the executive chair of Xlinks and a former Tesco CEO. “Using proven technology, it will deliver clean power to over 7 million British homes in this decade....
Interesting. How much does that cable cost per km, I wonder?
Also, I appreciate the middle of the Bay of Biscay is deep but why do they choose to lay the cable around the coast, why not in a direct line from Morroco to Finisterre to Cornwall?
But it insists that apart from this it will not require government subsidy or financing, and will still be able to deliver electricity at the £48/MWh CfD – below the central forecast for energy prices proposed by the UK Department for Business, Energy & Strategy (BEIS).
The aptly named Morocco – UK Power Project will, in addition to its 3,800km HVDC sub-sea cable, build its wind and solar capacity across an area of approximately 1,500 square km in Morocco’s Guelmim Oued Noun region.
“Xlinks is a Morocco – British first,” said Sir Dave Lewis, the the executive chair of Xlinks and a former Tesco CEO. “Using proven technology, it will deliver clean power to over 7 million British homes in this decade....
Interesting. How much does that cable cost per km, I wonder?
Also, I appreciate the middle of the Bay of Biscay is deep but why do they choose to lay the cable around the coast, why not in a direct line from Morroco to Finisterre to Cornwall?
My first thought was I don't know how useful such a zoomed out map is of such a route, as if its main purpose was just to remind us all where Morocco and the UK are in relation to each other.
Which surely isn't necessary now Raab is not Foreign Minister.
I see the map is not touching on the Western Sahara controversy.
HTF can an ambulance driver be legal for an HGV tanker
Because ambulences are big and heavy and require the same license as a HGV? It doesn't say anything about tankers.
I have yet to see a fuel tanker the size of an ambulance. Also an ambulance is not even the size of a Luton if that , it is in no way comparable to a fuel tanker and to boot you need special licence to handle fuel into the bargain. Sounds like any white van man can start driving ambulances.
Again, no mention of fuel tankers. This is just about HGVs, for which ambulance drivers have the necessary license to drive.
Bollox , they have LGV C1 nowhere near HGV licences
Indeed. But you can get dinky little 12 ton fuel tankers which you could drive with a C1 licence, so maybe they have a stack of those parked up somewhere?
HTF can an ambulance driver be legal for an HGV tanker
Because ambulences are big and heavy and require the same license as a HGV? It doesn't say anything about tankers.
I have yet to see a fuel tanker the size of an ambulance. Also an ambulance is not even the size of a Luton if that , it is in no way comparable to a fuel tanker and to boot you need special licence to handle fuel into the bargain. Sounds like any white van man can start driving ambulances.
Again, no mention of fuel tankers. This is just about HGVs, for which ambulance drivers have the necessary license to drive.
Bollox , they have LGV C1 nowhere near HGV licences
Indeed. But you can get dinky little 12 ton fuel tankers which you could drive with a C1 licence, so maybe they have a stack of those parked up somewhere?
They must be lying. Philip_Thompson assured us that it'd all be over in 2-3 days.
Both appear to be right. Things have improved overall. Things have not improved with some independents especially BP ones.
"improved overall" != "all over"
Sure it is. There's always been some stations at some times without fuel which is why this mass hysteria over a few not having it was so utterly irresponsible.
Largely stations are back to normal and anyone who wants fuel can get it.
According the the PRA, over a quarter of their members are still without fuel. That is not a normal situation, and it's weird of you to make out that it is. Every other country in the world is pointing and laughing at us.
Are you sure you are not over egging it, every country in the world !!!
True, some have a little more consideration. They are merely smirking behind their hands.
You don't think other countries have their own issues they ought to be concerned about rather than worrying about us? Yours seems rather an egocentric viewpoint.
They're not worrying about us; they're laughing at us. We provide a little light relief from their own problems. You can't tell me you wouldn't be doing the same if it were French drivers queuing for petrol.
I absolutely can say that.
The French have issues and protests and violence on a weekly violence with the Gilets Jaunes etc
I don't mention them at all, its none of my business and I don't especially care. Let them sort their own issues out and we can sort our own out.
You seem rather obsessed though. Not me.
I'm merely pointing out your detachment from the reality that the rest of the world can see. We are not, as you seem to imagine, back to normal. A quarter of our petrol stations still have no fuel. This is not normal and it's delusional for you to claim otherwise.
That was due to a scare leading to panic buying though. Not a shortage.
There was a shortage of drivers AIUI. Or was that just fake news.
But enough fuel.
Yes. At the refineries. Do you accept there was a shortage of drivers? And if you do, do you think that a shortage of drivers might cause a shortage of fuel at the pumps.
It might be the case that if they were deployed optimally that there are enough drivers and tankers to provide fuel for everyone at normal consumption rates, but some individual companies are struggling.
So you'd have been able to get fuel at Esso, or Tesco, say, but not always at BP, and there would have been capacity to absorb the extra demand.
The (media) panic ended any chance of managing it.
They must be lying. Philip_Thompson assured us that it'd all be over in 2-3 days.
Both appear to be right. Things have improved overall. Things have not improved with some independents especially BP ones.
"improved overall" != "all over"
Sure it is. There's always been some stations at some times without fuel which is why this mass hysteria over a few not having it was so utterly irresponsible.
Largely stations are back to normal and anyone who wants fuel can get it.
According the the PRA, over a quarter of their members are still without fuel. That is not a normal situation, and it's weird of you to make out that it is. Every other country in the world is pointing and laughing at us.
Are you sure you are not over egging it, every country in the world !!!
True, some have a little more consideration. They are merely smirking behind their hands.
You don't think other countries have their own issues they ought to be concerned about rather than worrying about us? Yours seems rather an egocentric viewpoint.
They're not worrying about us; they're laughing at us. We provide a little light relief from their own problems. You can't tell me you wouldn't be doing the same if it were French drivers queuing for petrol.
I absolutely can say that.
The French have issues and protests and violence on a weekly violence with the Gilets Jaunes etc
I don't mention them at all, its none of my business and I don't especially care. Let them sort their own issues out and we can sort our own out.
You seem rather obsessed though. Not me.
I'm merely pointing out your detachment from the reality that the rest of the world can see. We are not, as you seem to imagine, back to normal. A quarter of our petrol stations still have no fuel. This is not normal and it's delusional for you to claim otherwise.
That was due to a scare leading to panic buying though. Not a shortage.
There was a shortage of drivers AIUI. Or was that just fake news.
But enough fuel.
Yes. At the refineries. Do you accept there was a shortage of drivers? And if you do, do you think that a shortage of drivers might cause a shortage of fuel at the pumps.
There was no shortage of fuel at the pumps, for normal sales. BP had problems servicing a small number of petrol stations. Had people bought normally, there would have no problem, other than for BP, who would have lost sales. The shortage is entirely due to panic-buying.
But it insists that apart from this it will not require government subsidy or financing, and will still be able to deliver electricity at the £48/MWh CfD – below the central forecast for energy prices proposed by the UK Department for Business, Energy & Strategy (BEIS).
The aptly named Morocco – UK Power Project will, in addition to its 3,800km HVDC sub-sea cable, build its wind and solar capacity across an area of approximately 1,500 square km in Morocco’s Guelmim Oued Noun region.
“Xlinks is a Morocco – British first,” said Sir Dave Lewis, the the executive chair of Xlinks and a former Tesco CEO. “Using proven technology, it will deliver clean power to over 7 million British homes in this decade....
Interesting. How much does that cable cost per km, I wonder?
Also, I appreciate the middle of the Bay of Biscay is deep but why do they choose to lay the cable around the coast, why not in a direct line from Morroco to Finisterre to Cornwall?
My first thought was I don't know how useful such a zoomed out map is of such a route, as if its main purpose was just to remind us all where Morocco and the UK are in relation to each other.
Which surely isn't necessary now Raab is not Foreign Minister.
I see the map is not touching on the Western Sahara controversy.
The map very clearly shows that the route hugs the coast and is mentioned as being 3,800km. It would only be about 2,300km if it took the shortest sea route.
This morning there was a queue at the Saltaire Shell despite there being no fuel on sale. The reason being that there was a tanker parked up making a delivery.
On an unrelated note, I'm typing this from a hotel bedroom in North Wales. Our first holiday in 2 years. Just a pity they still have the mask theatre this side of the border, but we are enjoying it.
Got to say this Chinese F**king Vegan Virus* is pretty shit. I am bloody glad I got double jabbed because even with that it is hard going so far. Not exactly 'hit by bus' but at least 'chased by a lunatic on a unicycle'. My wife, thankfully, is unaffected even though we both tested positive yesterday.
*Chinese F**king Vegan Virus is black humour from my daughter. She had Covid back in July and unfortunately is one of the increasingly large number of people who now have Parosmia - her smell and taste have been damaged so that most things she eats, particularly meat, taste very strongly of rotted meat. She has had to adopt an effective vegetarian diet just to get enough calories and is extremely pissed off about it. We are hoping it passes but no one seems to know any cure as yet.
But it insists that apart from this it will not require government subsidy or financing, and will still be able to deliver electricity at the £48/MWh CfD – below the central forecast for energy prices proposed by the UK Department for Business, Energy & Strategy (BEIS).
The aptly named Morocco – UK Power Project will, in addition to its 3,800km HVDC sub-sea cable, build its wind and solar capacity across an area of approximately 1,500 square km in Morocco’s Guelmim Oued Noun region.
“Xlinks is a Morocco – British first,” said Sir Dave Lewis, the the executive chair of Xlinks and a former Tesco CEO. “Using proven technology, it will deliver clean power to over 7 million British homes in this decade....
Interesting. How much does that cable cost per km, I wonder?
Also, I appreciate the middle of the Bay of Biscay is deep but why do they choose to lay the cable around the coast, why not in a direct line from Morroco to Finisterre to Cornwall?
My first thought was I don't know how useful such a zoomed out map is of such a route, as if its main purpose was just to remind us all where Morocco and the UK are in relation to each other.
Which surely isn't necessary now Raab is not Foreign Minister.
I see the map is not touching on the Western Sahara controversy.
The map very clearly shows that the route hugs the coast and is mentioned as being 3,800km. It would only be about 2,300km if it took the shortest sea route.
I wasn't disputing any of that, its just that there's probably a lot of fine detail in exactly how to hug the coast, so I'm not sure how much is gained in understanding from the diagram.
But it insists that apart from this it will not require government subsidy or financing, and will still be able to deliver electricity at the £48/MWh CfD – below the central forecast for energy prices proposed by the UK Department for Business, Energy & Strategy (BEIS).
The aptly named Morocco – UK Power Project will, in addition to its 3,800km HVDC sub-sea cable, build its wind and solar capacity across an area of approximately 1,500 square km in Morocco’s Guelmim Oued Noun region.
“Xlinks is a Morocco – British first,” said Sir Dave Lewis, the the executive chair of Xlinks and a former Tesco CEO. “Using proven technology, it will deliver clean power to over 7 million British homes in this decade....
Interesting. How much does that cable cost per km, I wonder?
Also, I appreciate the middle of the Bay of Biscay is deep but why do they choose to lay the cable around the coast, why not in a direct line from Morroco to Finisterre to Cornwall?
My first thought was I don't know how useful such a zoomed out map is of such a route, as if its main purpose was just to remind us all where Morocco and the UK are in relation to each other.
Which surely isn't necessary now Raab is not Foreign Minister.
I see the map is not touching on the Western Sahara controversy.
They must be lying. Philip_Thompson assured us that it'd all be over in 2-3 days.
Both appear to be right. Things have improved overall. Things have not improved with some independents especially BP ones.
"improved overall" != "all over"
Sure it is. There's always been some stations at some times without fuel which is why this mass hysteria over a few not having it was so utterly irresponsible.
Largely stations are back to normal and anyone who wants fuel can get it.
According the the PRA, over a quarter of their members are still without fuel. That is not a normal situation, and it's weird of you to make out that it is. Every other country in the world is pointing and laughing at us.
Are you sure you are not over egging it, every country in the world !!!
True, some have a little more consideration. They are merely smirking behind their hands.
You don't think other countries have their own issues they ought to be concerned about rather than worrying about us? Yours seems rather an egocentric viewpoint.
They're not worrying about us; they're laughing at us. We provide a little light relief from their own problems. You can't tell me you wouldn't be doing the same if it were French drivers queuing for petrol.
I absolutely can say that.
The French have issues and protests and violence on a weekly violence with the Gilets Jaunes etc
I don't mention them at all, its none of my business and I don't especially care. Let them sort their own issues out and we can sort our own out.
You seem rather obsessed though. Not me.
I'm merely pointing out your detachment from the reality that the rest of the world can see. We are not, as you seem to imagine, back to normal. A quarter of our petrol stations still have no fuel. This is not normal and it's delusional for you to claim otherwise.
That was due to a scare leading to panic buying though. Not a shortage.
There was a shortage of drivers AIUI. Or was that just fake news.
But enough fuel.
Yes. At the refineries. Do you accept there was a shortage of drivers? And if you do, do you think that a shortage of drivers might cause a shortage of fuel at the pumps.
Affecting less than 100 petrol stations out of 8300 (and all of those BP) and with only 5 having to actually shut.
Until some fuckwit in the media decided to turn it into a crisis.
Taking back control, respecting the will of the electorate and definitely not just handing out jobs to people who have bunged you some cash... British democracy at its best.
"Malcolm Offord, who runs a private equity firm in Scotland and who has donated more than £100,000 to the Conservative party, has been given a peerage and will join the government as a minister in the Scotland Office. Earlier this year he was a candidate for the Scottish Conservatives in the regional list section of the election, but he was not elected."
But it insists that apart from this it will not require government subsidy or financing, and will still be able to deliver electricity at the £48/MWh CfD – below the central forecast for energy prices proposed by the UK Department for Business, Energy & Strategy (BEIS).
The aptly named Morocco – UK Power Project will, in addition to its 3,800km HVDC sub-sea cable, build its wind and solar capacity across an area of approximately 1,500 square km in Morocco’s Guelmim Oued Noun region.
“Xlinks is a Morocco – British first,” said Sir Dave Lewis, the the executive chair of Xlinks and a former Tesco CEO. “Using proven technology, it will deliver clean power to over 7 million British homes in this decade....
Interesting. How much does that cable cost per km, I wonder?
Also, I appreciate the middle of the Bay of Biscay is deep but why do they choose to lay the cable around the coast, why not in a direct line from Morroco to Finisterre to Cornwall?
This is good, but there are downsides. It makes us reliant on another country (essentially swapping Saudi Arabia and Russia for Morocco), and that cable is one heck of a tempting target in times of war.
But as part of a balanced energy mix, it's a positive.
Taking back control, respecting the will of the electorate and definitely not just handing out jobs to people who have bunged you some cash... British democracy at its best.
"Malcolm Offord, who runs a private equity firm in Scotland and who has donated more than £100,000 to the Conservative party, has been given a peerage and will join the government as a minister in the Scotland Office. Earlier this year he was a candidate for the Scottish Conservatives in the regional list section of the election, but he was not elected."
But it insists that apart from this it will not require government subsidy or financing, and will still be able to deliver electricity at the £48/MWh CfD – below the central forecast for energy prices proposed by the UK Department for Business, Energy & Strategy (BEIS).
The aptly named Morocco – UK Power Project will, in addition to its 3,800km HVDC sub-sea cable, build its wind and solar capacity across an area of approximately 1,500 square km in Morocco’s Guelmim Oued Noun region.
“Xlinks is a Morocco – British first,” said Sir Dave Lewis, the the executive chair of Xlinks and a former Tesco CEO. “Using proven technology, it will deliver clean power to over 7 million British homes in this decade....
Interesting. How much does that cable cost per km, I wonder?
Also, I appreciate the middle of the Bay of Biscay is deep but why do they choose to lay the cable around the coast, why not in a direct line from Morroco to Finisterre to Cornwall?
Taking back control, respecting the will of the electorate and definitely not just handing out jobs to people who have bunged you some cash... British democracy at its best.
"Malcolm Offord, who runs a private equity firm in Scotland and who has donated more than £100,000 to the Conservative party, has been given a peerage and will join the government as a minister in the Scotland Office. Earlier this year he was a candidate for the Scottish Conservatives in the regional list section of the election, but he was not elected."
House of Lords = House of Unelected Has-Beens!
I'm not sure this guy is even a has-been, more of a never-was by the sounds of things.
Taking back control, respecting the will of the electorate and definitely not just handing out jobs to people who have bunged you some cash... British democracy at its best.
"Malcolm Offord, who runs a private equity firm in Scotland and who has donated more than £100,000 to the Conservative party, has been given a peerage and will join the government as a minister in the Scotland Office. Earlier this year he was a candidate for the Scottish Conservatives in the regional list section of the election, but he was not elected."
One wonders what party Mr Johnson thinks all those right-wing unionist MPs for Scottish constituencies and MSPs belong to. And he already had an oven ready peer-to-Cabinet recipe in Dame Davidson.
Maybe being handpicked by Ms Davidson-as-as-then-was was not a good career move.
They must be lying. Philip_Thompson assured us that it'd all be over in 2-3 days.
Both appear to be right. Things have improved overall. Things have not improved with some independents especially BP ones.
"improved overall" != "all over"
Sure it is. There's always been some stations at some times without fuel which is why this mass hysteria over a few not having it was so utterly irresponsible.
Largely stations are back to normal and anyone who wants fuel can get it.
According the the PRA, over a quarter of their members are still without fuel. That is not a normal situation, and it's weird of you to make out that it is. Every other country in the world is pointing and laughing at us.
Are you sure you are not over egging it, every country in the world !!!
True, some have a little more consideration. They are merely smirking behind their hands.
You don't think other countries have their own issues they ought to be concerned about rather than worrying about us? Yours seems rather an egocentric viewpoint.
They're not worrying about us; they're laughing at us. We provide a little light relief from their own problems. You can't tell me you wouldn't be doing the same if it were French drivers queuing for petrol.
I absolutely can say that.
The French have issues and protests and violence on a weekly violence with the Gilets Jaunes etc
I don't mention them at all, its none of my business and I don't especially care. Let them sort their own issues out and we can sort our own out.
You seem rather obsessed though. Not me.
I'm merely pointing out your detachment from the reality that the rest of the world can see. We are not, as you seem to imagine, back to normal. A quarter of our petrol stations still have no fuel. This is not normal and it's delusional for you to claim otherwise.
That was due to a scare leading to panic buying though. Not a shortage.
There was a shortage of drivers AIUI. Or was that just fake news.
But enough fuel.
Yes. At the refineries. Do you accept there was a shortage of drivers? And if you do, do you think that a shortage of drivers might cause a shortage of fuel at the pumps.
Affecting less than 100 petrol stations out of 8300 (and all of those BP) and with only 5 having to actually shut.
Until some fuckwit in the media decided to turn it into a crisis.
There was a shortage of fuel at the pumps. 100 stations if that's what it was. Who knew it wouldn't be 500 within the week?
Got to say this Chinese F**king Vegan Virus* is pretty shit. I am bloody glad I got double jabbed because even with that it is hard going so far. Not exactly 'hit by bus' but at least 'chased by a lunatic on a unicycle'. My wife, thankfully, is unaffected even though we both tested positive yesterday.
*Chinese F**king Vegan Virus is black humour from my daughter. She had Covid back in July and unfortunately is one of the increasingly large number of people who now have Parosmia - her smell and taste have been damaged so that most things she eats, particularly meat, taste very strongly of rotted meat. She has had to adopt an effective vegetarian diet just to get enough calories and is extremely pissed off about it. We are hoping it passes but no one seems to know any cure as yet.
Hope you all get better soon. Friends of ours have had it recently: their young kids had hayfever-like symptoms, whilst the parents were fairly badly off for a week. And they're ten/fifteen years younger than me ...
As a matter of interest, any idea how and where you caught it?
But it insists that apart from this it will not require government subsidy or financing, and will still be able to deliver electricity at the £48/MWh CfD – below the central forecast for energy prices proposed by the UK Department for Business, Energy & Strategy (BEIS).
The aptly named Morocco – UK Power Project will, in addition to its 3,800km HVDC sub-sea cable, build its wind and solar capacity across an area of approximately 1,500 square km in Morocco’s Guelmim Oued Noun region.
“Xlinks is a Morocco – British first,” said Sir Dave Lewis, the the executive chair of Xlinks and a former Tesco CEO. “Using proven technology, it will deliver clean power to over 7 million British homes in this decade....
Interesting. How much does that cable cost per km, I wonder?
Also, I appreciate the middle of the Bay of Biscay is deep but why do they choose to lay the cable around the coast, why not in a direct line from Morroco to Finisterre to Cornwall?
My first thought was I don't know how useful such a zoomed out map is of such a route, as if its main purpose was just to remind us all where Morocco and the UK are in relation to each other.
Which surely isn't necessary now Raab is not Foreign Minister.
I see the map is not touching on the Western Sahara controversy.
The map very clearly shows that the route hugs the coast and is mentioned as being 3,800km. It would only be about 2,300km if it took the shortest sea route.
I wasn't disputing any of that, its just that there's probably a lot of fine detail in exactly how to hug the coast, so I'm not sure how much is gained in understanding from the diagram.
Ok but if the map is to be believed a decision has been taken that it's more advantageous to add 1,500km to the length in order to avoid dropping the cable to depths of greater than circa 300m. Maybe it's to do with the ablility to repair and future breaks or damage?
Got to say this Chinese F**king Vegan Virus* is pretty shit. I am bloody glad I got double jabbed because even with that it is hard going so far. Not exactly 'hit by bus' but at least 'chased by a lunatic on a unicycle'. My wife, thankfully, is unaffected even though we both tested positive yesterday.
*Chinese F**king Vegan Virus is black humour from my daughter. She had Covid back in July and unfortunately is one of the increasingly large number of people who now have Parosmia - her smell and taste have been damaged so that most things she eats, particularly meat, taste very strongly of rotted meat. She has had to adopt an effective vegetarian diet just to get enough calories and is extremely pissed off about it. We are hoping it passes but no one seems to know any cure as yet.
Oh sorry to hear that. At least you won't be needing your car for the moment.
But it insists that apart from this it will not require government subsidy or financing, and will still be able to deliver electricity at the £48/MWh CfD – below the central forecast for energy prices proposed by the UK Department for Business, Energy & Strategy (BEIS).
The aptly named Morocco – UK Power Project will, in addition to its 3,800km HVDC sub-sea cable, build its wind and solar capacity across an area of approximately 1,500 square km in Morocco’s Guelmim Oued Noun region.
“Xlinks is a Morocco – British first,” said Sir Dave Lewis, the the executive chair of Xlinks and a former Tesco CEO. “Using proven technology, it will deliver clean power to over 7 million British homes in this decade....
Interesting. How much does that cable cost per km, I wonder?
Also, I appreciate the middle of the Bay of Biscay is deep but why do they choose to lay the cable around the coast, why not in a direct line from Morroco to Finisterre to Cornwall?
My first thought was I don't know how useful such a zoomed out map is of such a route, as if its main purpose was just to remind us all where Morocco and the UK are in relation to each other.
Which surely isn't necessary now Raab is not Foreign Minister.
I see the map is not touching on the Western Sahara controversy.
The map very clearly shows that the route hugs the coast and is mentioned as being 3,800km. It would only be about 2,300km if it took the shortest sea route.
I wasn't disputing any of that, its just that there's probably a lot of fine detail in exactly how to hug the coast, so I'm not sure how much is gained in understanding from the diagram.
Ok but if the map is to be believed a decision has been taken that it's more advantageous to add 1,500km to the length in order to avoid dropping the cable to depths of greater than circa 300m. Maybe it's to do with the ablility to repair and future breaks or damage?
Maybe in territorial waters to discourage, erm, hostile activity?
But it insists that apart from this it will not require government subsidy or financing, and will still be able to deliver electricity at the £48/MWh CfD – below the central forecast for energy prices proposed by the UK Department for Business, Energy & Strategy (BEIS).
The aptly named Morocco – UK Power Project will, in addition to its 3,800km HVDC sub-sea cable, build its wind and solar capacity across an area of approximately 1,500 square km in Morocco’s Guelmim Oued Noun region.
“Xlinks is a Morocco – British first,” said Sir Dave Lewis, the the executive chair of Xlinks and a former Tesco CEO. “Using proven technology, it will deliver clean power to over 7 million British homes in this decade....
Interesting. How much does that cable cost per km, I wonder?
Also, I appreciate the middle of the Bay of Biscay is deep but why do they choose to lay the cable around the coast, why not in a direct line from Morroco to Finisterre to Cornwall?
The Bay of Biscay is over 15,000ft deep across the middle. I suspect that is a whole magnitude of different when it comes to laying undersea transmission cables. Laying in the 'shallower' depths also helps to avoid the possibility of damage from turbidite flows - undersea avalanches where huge volumes of mud flow down the slopes of the abyssal plains and can cut undersea cables. It has happened in the past on the Newfoundland Banks to transatlantic cables.
Taking back control, respecting the will of the electorate and definitely not just handing out jobs to people who have bunged you some cash... British democracy at its best.
"Malcolm Offord, who runs a private equity firm in Scotland and who has donated more than £100,000 to the Conservative party, has been given a peerage and will join the government as a minister in the Scotland Office. Earlier this year he was a candidate for the Scottish Conservatives in the regional list section of the election, but he was not elected."
One wonders what party Mr Johnson thinks all those right-wing unionist MPs for Scottish constituencies and MSPs belong to. And he already had an oven ready peer-to-Cabinet recipe in Dame Davidson.
Maybe being handpicked by Ms Davidson-as-as-then-was was not a good career move.
Edit: Mr Offord, sorry Lord-to-be Offord, was selected by RD so that can't be it.
The National says he donated almost 150K to the Tories. 2.5K to Mr Gove. Leaver.And he was the chap who ran Vote No Borders in 2014.
Got to say this Chinese F**king Vegan Virus* is pretty shit. I am bloody glad I got double jabbed because even with that it is hard going so far. Not exactly 'hit by bus' but at least 'chased by a lunatic on a unicycle'. My wife, thankfully, is unaffected even though we both tested positive yesterday.
*Chinese F**king Vegan Virus is black humour from my daughter. She had Covid back in July and unfortunately is one of the increasingly large number of people who now have Parosmia - her smell and taste have been damaged so that most things she eats, particularly meat, taste very strongly of rotted meat. She has had to adopt an effective vegetarian diet just to get enough calories and is extremely pissed off about it. We are hoping it passes but no one seems to know any cure as yet.
Oh sorry to hear that. At least you won't be needing your car for the moment.
Very true. To be honest I have been driving very little recently anyway and only leave the village maybe twice week to see my Mum.
Got to say this Chinese F**king Vegan Virus* is pretty shit. I am bloody glad I got double jabbed because even with that it is hard going so far. Not exactly 'hit by bus' but at least 'chased by a lunatic on a unicycle'. My wife, thankfully, is unaffected even though we both tested positive yesterday.
*Chinese F**king Vegan Virus is black humour from my daughter. She had Covid back in July and unfortunately is one of the increasingly large number of people who now have Parosmia - her smell and taste have been damaged so that most things she eats, particularly meat, taste very strongly of rotted meat. She has had to adopt an effective vegetarian diet just to get enough calories and is extremely pissed off about it. We are hoping it passes but no one seems to know any cure as yet.
Hope you all get better soon. Friends of ours have had it recently: their young kids had hayfever-like symptoms, whilst the parents were fairly badly off for a week. And they're ten/fifteen years younger than me ...
As a matter of interest, any idea how and where you caught it?
Son bought it home from school. He contracted it last weekend and passed it to us. Around 40% of his school are now in isolation with positive tests.
But it insists that apart from this it will not require government subsidy or financing, and will still be able to deliver electricity at the £48/MWh CfD – below the central forecast for energy prices proposed by the UK Department for Business, Energy & Strategy (BEIS).
The aptly named Morocco – UK Power Project will, in addition to its 3,800km HVDC sub-sea cable, build its wind and solar capacity across an area of approximately 1,500 square km in Morocco’s Guelmim Oued Noun region.
“Xlinks is a Morocco – British first,” said Sir Dave Lewis, the the executive chair of Xlinks and a former Tesco CEO. “Using proven technology, it will deliver clean power to over 7 million British homes in this decade....
Interesting. How much does that cable cost per km, I wonder?
Also, I appreciate the middle of the Bay of Biscay is deep but why do they choose to lay the cable around the coast, why not in a direct line from Morroco to Finisterre to Cornwall?
My first thought was I don't know how useful such a zoomed out map is of such a route, as if its main purpose was just to remind us all where Morocco and the UK are in relation to each other.
Which surely isn't necessary now Raab is not Foreign Minister.
I see the map is not touching on the Western Sahara controversy.
The map very clearly shows that the route hugs the coast and is mentioned as being 3,800km. It would only be about 2,300km if it took the shortest sea route.
I wasn't disputing any of that, its just that there's probably a lot of fine detail in exactly how to hug the coast, so I'm not sure how much is gained in understanding from the diagram.
Ok but if the map is to be believed a decision has been taken that it's more advantageous to add 1,500km to the length in order to avoid dropping the cable to depths of greater than circa 300m. Maybe it's to do with the ablility to repair and future breaks or damage?
It may be to avoid shallowish areas where seabed trawling goes on. Also, we've had 150 years experience of repairing communication cables in massively deep oceanic waters. I *assume* the power cables will be thicker, and have greater armour, but the same tech should work.
HTF can an ambulance driver be legal for an HGV tanker
Because ambulences are big and heavy and require the same license as a HGV? It doesn't say anything about tankers.
I have yet to see a fuel tanker the size of an ambulance. Also an ambulance is not even the size of a Luton if that , it is in no way comparable to a fuel tanker and to boot you need special licence to handle fuel into the bargain. Sounds like any white van man can start driving ambulances.
Again, no mention of fuel tankers. This is just about HGVs, for which ambulance drivers have the necessary license to drive.
Bollox , they have LGV C1 nowhere near HGV licences
Indeed. But you can get dinky little 12 ton fuel tankers which you could drive with a C1 licence, so maybe they have a stack of those parked up somewhere?
But it insists that apart from this it will not require government subsidy or financing, and will still be able to deliver electricity at the £48/MWh CfD – below the central forecast for energy prices proposed by the UK Department for Business, Energy & Strategy (BEIS).
The aptly named Morocco – UK Power Project will, in addition to its 3,800km HVDC sub-sea cable, build its wind and solar capacity across an area of approximately 1,500 square km in Morocco’s Guelmim Oued Noun region.
“Xlinks is a Morocco – British first,” said Sir Dave Lewis, the the executive chair of Xlinks and a former Tesco CEO. “Using proven technology, it will deliver clean power to over 7 million British homes in this decade....
Interesting. How much does that cable cost per km, I wonder?
Also, I appreciate the middle of the Bay of Biscay is deep but why do they choose to lay the cable around the coast, why not in a direct line from Morroco to Finisterre to Cornwall?
The Bay of Biscay is over 15,000ft deep across the middle. I suspect that is a whole magnitude of different when it comes to laying undersea transmission cables. Laying in the 'shallower' depths also helps to avoid the possibility of damage from turbidite flows - undersea avalanches where huge volumes of mud flow down the slopes of the abyssal plains and can cut undersea cables. It has happened in the past on the Newfoundland Banks to transatlantic cables.
Ok thanks . I couldn't think why the depth per se would be an issue - the cable is not going to get crushed by the pressure after all. I'd not hear of turbidite flows, that may be the reason.
Sorry to hear about your covid btw. If it's that bad with the vaccines you might have been in serious trouble when unvaccinated. Get well soon!
They must be lying. Philip_Thompson assured us that it'd all be over in 2-3 days.
Both appear to be right. Things have improved overall. Things have not improved with some independents especially BP ones.
"improved overall" != "all over"
Sure it is. There's always been some stations at some times without fuel which is why this mass hysteria over a few not having it was so utterly irresponsible.
Largely stations are back to normal and anyone who wants fuel can get it.
According the the PRA, over a quarter of their members are still without fuel. That is not a normal situation, and it's weird of you to make out that it is. Every other country in the world is pointing and laughing at us.
Are you sure you are not over egging it, every country in the world !!!
True, some have a little more consideration. They are merely smirking behind their hands.
You don't think other countries have their own issues they ought to be concerned about rather than worrying about us? Yours seems rather an egocentric viewpoint.
They're not worrying about us; they're laughing at us. We provide a little light relief from their own problems. You can't tell me you wouldn't be doing the same if it were French drivers queuing for petrol.
I absolutely can say that.
The French have issues and protests and violence on a weekly violence with the Gilets Jaunes etc
I don't mention them at all, its none of my business and I don't especially care. Let them sort their own issues out and we can sort our own out.
You seem rather obsessed though. Not me.
I'm merely pointing out your detachment from the reality that the rest of the world can see. We are not, as you seem to imagine, back to normal. A quarter of our petrol stations still have no fuel. This is not normal and it's delusional for you to claim otherwise.
That was due to a scare leading to panic buying though. Not a shortage.
There was a shortage of drivers AIUI. Or was that just fake news.
But enough fuel.
Yes. At the refineries. Do you accept there was a shortage of drivers? And if you do, do you think that a shortage of drivers might cause a shortage of fuel at the pumps.
Affecting less than 100 petrol stations out of 8300 (and all of those BP) and with only 5 having to actually shut.
Until some fuckwit in the media decided to turn it into a crisis.
There was a shortage of fuel at the pumps. 100 stations if that's what it was. Who knew it wouldn't be 500 within the week?
500 petrol stations out of 8300 isn't a shortage either.
I had a trial yesterday where a 17 year old black girl (who had committed NO crime and has no criminal record) was grabbed and wrestled to the floor and handcuffed by two officers for “talking back” when she (correctly) said to them “you can’t do this” and asked them to step back
The officers were caught on CCTV stepping up to her right in her face (August last year - height of the pandemic) with no masks on and loudly telling her off (for something that isn’t a crime). After she backed off the third time whilst repeatedly saying “back off” they pounced.
This happened in broad daylight in Birmingham New Street station and everyone assumed the officers were in the right and a member of the public even came over to help the two officers who were sitting on top of her to restrain her.
She screamed out in pain and asked 21 times either “Why are you doing this to me?” or “What have I done?” and they didn’t reply to tell her why they were doing it or what she was said to have done.
Eventually one of them says she’s under arrest for assaulting them.
They lied throughout their evidence and said she had moved towards them aggressively and tried to hit one of them.
Two separate angles on the video show she does no such thing and is continuously backing off from them and looks scared.
Thankfully the case against her was thrown out, but quite frankly it’s theofficers who should’ve been prosecuted for assault. Had I not been able to get CCTV camera footage from the station it would’ve been her word against theirs and she would no doubt have been convicted.....
...The officers continued to assert throughout the trial that their actions were justified.
This is the problem.
This is the culture we have to deal with.
THIS IS WHY I GET SICK OF PEOPLE ASKING ME HOW I CAN “DEFEND CRIMINALS”.
P.S. A good illustration of the level of arrogance of one of the officers and their feeling that they are above the law: the Judge had to warn the officer about their conduct IN COURT and it continued so the Judge THREATENED TO LOCK THE OFFICER UP FOR CONTEMPT OF COURT.
The prosecutor, the clerk, the Judge, me - and several of my colleagues I spoke to - all of us with over 20 years experience in criminal trials - have NEVER seen an officer behave so badly that they were threatened with contempt.
Yet they are on patrol in New Street again today
If it’s any consolation our civil team are now going to take action against the police and I suspect one or both of them won’t be officers for much longer but hey - we represented the De Menezes family and no fucker lost their job when they killed a lad.
That is the key. The bad cops have to lose their jobs and be open to both civil and criminal prosecution. And their bosses, if they serially fail to attend to such failures, should lose their jobs and, depending on their own level of negligence, be open to similar prosecution.
A part of the problem runs thus -
The cops on the ground are convinced that if something goes wrong, their superiors will stitch them up. There is no trust in the Senior Management Team.
In turn there is a widespread belief that there is no way that a senior officer would end up carrying the can - that they would pass the buck to junior officers.
In the case of De Mendes, the odd bit is that the police on the ground, who actually shot him were blameless. They were carrying out orders which they had reason to believe were lawful and necessary. It was the fuck up with the surveillance and the control of the operation which was the problem.
Which comes back to the doctrine of command responsibility. Where someone in authority can be guilty, but the subordinates who carried out what they thought were lawful orders are not.
The problem is that the police have been convinced that either they all hang together or they all hang separately. Hence the omertà...
How to deal with that?
Wholesale removal of the top commanders who are ultimately responsible for their command's culture.
Prosecute those police who commit crimes. Fire their superiors (and their superior's superiors).
That should encourage them to take a greater interest in how their subordinates behave.
But it insists that apart from this it will not require government subsidy or financing, and will still be able to deliver electricity at the £48/MWh CfD – below the central forecast for energy prices proposed by the UK Department for Business, Energy & Strategy (BEIS).
The aptly named Morocco – UK Power Project will, in addition to its 3,800km HVDC sub-sea cable, build its wind and solar capacity across an area of approximately 1,500 square km in Morocco’s Guelmim Oued Noun region.
“Xlinks is a Morocco – British first,” said Sir Dave Lewis, the the executive chair of Xlinks and a former Tesco CEO. “Using proven technology, it will deliver clean power to over 7 million British homes in this decade....
Interesting. How much does that cable cost per km, I wonder?
Also, I appreciate the middle of the Bay of Biscay is deep but why do they choose to lay the cable around the coast, why not in a direct line from Morroco to Finisterre to Cornwall?
What are the terrorism risks?
None if everyone thinks it's going to be built hugging the coast when it's already built with a direct cable ...
They must be lying. Philip_Thompson assured us that it'd all be over in 2-3 days.
Both appear to be right. Things have improved overall. Things have not improved with some independents especially BP ones.
"improved overall" != "all over"
Sure it is. There's always been some stations at some times without fuel which is why this mass hysteria over a few not having it was so utterly irresponsible.
Largely stations are back to normal and anyone who wants fuel can get it.
According the the PRA, over a quarter of their members are still without fuel. That is not a normal situation, and it's weird of you to make out that it is. Every other country in the world is pointing and laughing at us.
Are you sure you are not over egging it, every country in the world !!!
True, some have a little more consideration. They are merely smirking behind their hands.
You don't think other countries have their own issues they ought to be concerned about rather than worrying about us? Yours seems rather an egocentric viewpoint.
They're not worrying about us; they're laughing at us. We provide a little light relief from their own problems. You can't tell me you wouldn't be doing the same if it were French drivers queuing for petrol.
I absolutely can say that.
The French have issues and protests and violence on a weekly violence with the Gilets Jaunes etc
I don't mention them at all, its none of my business and I don't especially care. Let them sort their own issues out and we can sort our own out.
You seem rather obsessed though. Not me.
I'm merely pointing out your detachment from the reality that the rest of the world can see. We are not, as you seem to imagine, back to normal. A quarter of our petrol stations still have no fuel. This is not normal and it's delusional for you to claim otherwise.
That was due to a scare leading to panic buying though. Not a shortage.
There was a shortage of drivers AIUI. Or was that just fake news.
But enough fuel.
Yes. At the refineries. Do you accept there was a shortage of drivers? And if you do, do you think that a shortage of drivers might cause a shortage of fuel at the pumps.
Affecting less than 100 petrol stations out of 8300 (and all of those BP) and with only 5 having to actually shut.
Until some fuckwit in the media decided to turn it into a crisis.
I was only saying yesterday, "How come every petrol station round here seems to be a BP?" In my day they were Shell and Esso normally. Anyway, explains why the queues have been so big in Essex
But it insists that apart from this it will not require government subsidy or financing, and will still be able to deliver electricity at the £48/MWh CfD – below the central forecast for energy prices proposed by the UK Department for Business, Energy & Strategy (BEIS).
The aptly named Morocco – UK Power Project will, in addition to its 3,800km HVDC sub-sea cable, build its wind and solar capacity across an area of approximately 1,500 square km in Morocco’s Guelmim Oued Noun region.
“Xlinks is a Morocco – British first,” said Sir Dave Lewis, the the executive chair of Xlinks and a former Tesco CEO. “Using proven technology, it will deliver clean power to over 7 million British homes in this decade....
Interesting. How much does that cable cost per km, I wonder?
Also, I appreciate the middle of the Bay of Biscay is deep but why do they choose to lay the cable around the coast, why not in a direct line from Morroco to Finisterre to Cornwall?
What are the terrorism risks?
None if everyone thinks it's going to be built hugging the coast when it's already built with a direct cable ...
Certainly all those terrorists reading PB will have been fooled!
This debate over HGV drivers made me look up the salary limits for other jobs. It turns out that we are letting in people for a huge range of jobs at close to minimum wage as long as you are under 26.
Some of them are as low as 10k! And for clearly non-critical jobs like fitness instructor. This seems completely nuts. Partially this is because we are setting these numbers at 70% of the "going rate" for UK workers, which is explicitly letting companies undercut the market rate with foreign labour.
But it insists that apart from this it will not require government subsidy or financing, and will still be able to deliver electricity at the £48/MWh CfD – below the central forecast for energy prices proposed by the UK Department for Business, Energy & Strategy (BEIS).
The aptly named Morocco – UK Power Project will, in addition to its 3,800km HVDC sub-sea cable, build its wind and solar capacity across an area of approximately 1,500 square km in Morocco’s Guelmim Oued Noun region.
“Xlinks is a Morocco – British first,” said Sir Dave Lewis, the the executive chair of Xlinks and a former Tesco CEO. “Using proven technology, it will deliver clean power to over 7 million British homes in this decade....
Interesting. How much does that cable cost per km, I wonder?
Also, I appreciate the middle of the Bay of Biscay is deep but why do they choose to lay the cable around the coast, why not in a direct line from Morroco to Finisterre to Cornwall?
My first thought was I don't know how useful such a zoomed out map is of such a route, as if its main purpose was just to remind us all where Morocco and the UK are in relation to each other.
Which surely isn't necessary now Raab is not Foreign Minister.
I see the map is not touching on the Western Sahara controversy.
The map very clearly shows that the route hugs the coast and is mentioned as being 3,800km. It would only be about 2,300km if it took the shortest sea route.
I wasn't disputing any of that, its just that there's probably a lot of fine detail in exactly how to hug the coast, so I'm not sure how much is gained in understanding from the diagram.
Ok but if the map is to be believed a decision has been taken that it's more advantageous to add 1,500km to the length in order to avoid dropping the cable to depths of greater than circa 300m. Maybe it's to do with the ablility to repair and future breaks or damage?
It may be to avoid shallowish areas where seabed trawling goes on. Also, we've had 150 years experience of repairing communication cables in massively deep oceanic waters. I *assume* the power cables will be thicker, and have greater armour, but the same tech should work.
Reading the article, that 600mW cable weighs 55kg per metre and had to be laid in two sections and joined in the middle because no ship is big enough to carry the full length (250km in this case - which if my maths is right would be 13,750 tonnes). 13,750 t doesn't sound that huge for a ship but as a single reel maybe that's too big?
But the Morocco – UK Power Project cale is 10.5gW over 3,800km. If the weight per m is proportional to the capacity that's nearly a ton per metre so presumably it's just made up of multiple small cables (e.g. 18 x the 55kg/m cable). But the weight of a single 2,300km cable (for the direct route) even at 55kg/m would be over 125,000 tonnes... So quite a lot!
Hence I reckon thats the reason they hug the coast: to join the multiple sections.
It's in the sliding approval figures, e.g. approval of the Government down to 32%, vs 45% disapproving. The Conservative lead is actually just 1% point with normal weighting, but goes up to 5 when weighted for likelihood to vote, for the usual age-related factors.
This debate over HGV drivers made me look up the salary limits for other jobs. It turns out that we are letting in people for a huge range of jobs at close to minimum wage as long as you are under 26.
Some of them are as low as 10k! And for clearly non-critical jobs like fitness instructor. This seems completely nuts. Partially this is because we are setting these numbers at 70% of the "going rate" for UK workers, which is explicitly letting companies undercut the market rate with foreign labour.
On the list is Senior Police Officers (Chief Superintendent) at £17.95 per hour! Err, what planet are they on? For a start they are never in their twenties let alone under 26.....
They must be lying. Philip_Thompson assured us that it'd all be over in 2-3 days.
Both appear to be right. Things have improved overall. Things have not improved with some independents especially BP ones.
"improved overall" != "all over"
Sure it is. There's always been some stations at some times without fuel which is why this mass hysteria over a few not having it was so utterly irresponsible.
Largely stations are back to normal and anyone who wants fuel can get it.
According the the PRA, over a quarter of their members are still without fuel. That is not a normal situation, and it's weird of you to make out that it is. Every other country in the world is pointing and laughing at us.
Are you sure you are not over egging it, every country in the world !!!
True, some have a little more consideration. They are merely smirking behind their hands.
You don't think other countries have their own issues they ought to be concerned about rather than worrying about us? Yours seems rather an egocentric viewpoint.
They're not worrying about us; they're laughing at us. We provide a little light relief from their own problems. You can't tell me you wouldn't be doing the same if it were French drivers queuing for petrol.
I absolutely can say that.
The French have issues and protests and violence on a weekly violence with the Gilets Jaunes etc
I don't mention them at all, its none of my business and I don't especially care. Let them sort their own issues out and we can sort our own out.
You seem rather obsessed though. Not me.
I'm merely pointing out your detachment from the reality that the rest of the world can see. We are not, as you seem to imagine, back to normal. A quarter of our petrol stations still have no fuel. This is not normal and it's delusional for you to claim otherwise.
That was due to a scare leading to panic buying though. Not a shortage.
There was a shortage of drivers AIUI. Or was that just fake news.
But enough fuel.
Yes. At the refineries. Do you accept there was a shortage of drivers? And if you do, do you think that a shortage of drivers might cause a shortage of fuel at the pumps.
Affecting less than 100 petrol stations out of 8300 (and all of those BP) and with only 5 having to actually shut.
Until some fuckwit in the media decided to turn it into a crisis.
I was only saying yesterday, "How come every petrol station round here seems to be a BP?" In my day they were Shell and Esso normally. Anyway, explains why the queues have been so big in Essex
I think the tie in with M&S food worked well for BP, that is when they seemed to become dominant. Esso and Shell have shit food, and not that much cheaper.
They must be lying. Philip_Thompson assured us that it'd all be over in 2-3 days.
Both appear to be right. Things have improved overall. Things have not improved with some independents especially BP ones.
"improved overall" != "all over"
Sure it is. There's always been some stations at some times without fuel which is why this mass hysteria over a few not having it was so utterly irresponsible.
Largely stations are back to normal and anyone who wants fuel can get it.
According the the PRA, over a quarter of their members are still without fuel. That is not a normal situation, and it's weird of you to make out that it is. Every other country in the world is pointing and laughing at us.
Are you sure you are not over egging it, every country in the world !!!
True, some have a little more consideration. They are merely smirking behind their hands.
You don't think other countries have their own issues they ought to be concerned about rather than worrying about us? Yours seems rather an egocentric viewpoint.
They're not worrying about us; they're laughing at us. We provide a little light relief from their own problems. You can't tell me you wouldn't be doing the same if it were French drivers queuing for petrol.
I absolutely can say that.
The French have issues and protests and violence on a weekly violence with the Gilets Jaunes etc
I don't mention them at all, its none of my business and I don't especially care. Let them sort their own issues out and we can sort our own out.
You seem rather obsessed though. Not me.
I'm merely pointing out your detachment from the reality that the rest of the world can see. We are not, as you seem to imagine, back to normal. A quarter of our petrol stations still have no fuel. This is not normal and it's delusional for you to claim otherwise.
That was due to a scare leading to panic buying though. Not a shortage.
There was a shortage of drivers AIUI. Or was that just fake news.
But enough fuel.
Yes. At the refineries. Do you accept there was a shortage of drivers? And if you do, do you think that a shortage of drivers might cause a shortage of fuel at the pumps.
Affecting less than 100 petrol stations out of 8300 (and all of those BP) and with only 5 having to actually shut.
Until some fuckwit in the media decided to turn it into a crisis.
There was a shortage of fuel at the pumps. 100 stations if that's what it was. Who knew it wouldn't be 500 within the week?
500 petrol stations out of 8300 isn't a shortage either.
So you maintain there was no fuel shortage at the pumps.
They must be lying. Philip_Thompson assured us that it'd all be over in 2-3 days.
Both appear to be right. Things have improved overall. Things have not improved with some independents especially BP ones.
"improved overall" != "all over"
Sure it is. There's always been some stations at some times without fuel which is why this mass hysteria over a few not having it was so utterly irresponsible.
Largely stations are back to normal and anyone who wants fuel can get it.
According the the PRA, over a quarter of their members are still without fuel. That is not a normal situation, and it's weird of you to make out that it is. Every other country in the world is pointing and laughing at us.
Are you sure you are not over egging it, every country in the world !!!
True, some have a little more consideration. They are merely smirking behind their hands.
You don't think other countries have their own issues they ought to be concerned about rather than worrying about us? Yours seems rather an egocentric viewpoint.
They're not worrying about us; they're laughing at us. We provide a little light relief from their own problems. You can't tell me you wouldn't be doing the same if it were French drivers queuing for petrol.
I absolutely can say that.
The French have issues and protests and violence on a weekly violence with the Gilets Jaunes etc
I don't mention them at all, its none of my business and I don't especially care. Let them sort their own issues out and we can sort our own out.
You seem rather obsessed though. Not me.
I'm merely pointing out your detachment from the reality that the rest of the world can see. We are not, as you seem to imagine, back to normal. A quarter of our petrol stations still have no fuel. This is not normal and it's delusional for you to claim otherwise.
That was due to a scare leading to panic buying though. Not a shortage.
There was a shortage of drivers AIUI. Or was that just fake news.
But enough fuel.
Yes. At the refineries. Do you accept there was a shortage of drivers? And if you do, do you think that a shortage of drivers might cause a shortage of fuel at the pumps.
Affecting less than 100 petrol stations out of 8300 (and all of those BP) and with only 5 having to actually shut.
Until some fuckwit in the media decided to turn it into a crisis.
There was a shortage of fuel at the pumps. 100 stations if that's what it was. Who knew it wouldn't be 500 within the week?
500 petrol stations out of 8300 isn't a shortage either.
So you maintain there was no fuel shortage at the pumps.
It's in the sliding approval figures, e.g. approval of the Government down to 32%, vs 45% disapproving. The Conservative lead is actually just 1% point with normal weighting, but goes up to 5 when weighted for likelihood to vote, for the usual age-related factors.
I noticed that but labour are not closing yet, but as I said earlier the polls that may indicate a change will only show after Boris's conference speech next week and the budget on the 27th, though we will then be heading into COP26
But it insists that apart from this it will not require government subsidy or financing, and will still be able to deliver electricity at the £48/MWh CfD – below the central forecast for energy prices proposed by the UK Department for Business, Energy & Strategy (BEIS).
The aptly named Morocco – UK Power Project will, in addition to its 3,800km HVDC sub-sea cable, build its wind and solar capacity across an area of approximately 1,500 square km in Morocco’s Guelmim Oued Noun region.
“Xlinks is a Morocco – British first,” said Sir Dave Lewis, the the executive chair of Xlinks and a former Tesco CEO. “Using proven technology, it will deliver clean power to over 7 million British homes in this decade....
Interesting. How much does that cable cost per km, I wonder?
Also, I appreciate the middle of the Bay of Biscay is deep but why do they choose to lay the cable around the coast, why not in a direct line from Morroco to Finisterre to Cornwall?
My first thought was I don't know how useful such a zoomed out map is of such a route, as if its main purpose was just to remind us all where Morocco and the UK are in relation to each other.
Which surely isn't necessary now Raab is not Foreign Minister.
I see the map is not touching on the Western Sahara controversy.
The map very clearly shows that the route hugs the coast and is mentioned as being 3,800km. It would only be about 2,300km if it took the shortest sea route.
I wasn't disputing any of that, its just that there's probably a lot of fine detail in exactly how to hug the coast, so I'm not sure how much is gained in understanding from the diagram.
Ok but if the map is to be believed a decision has been taken that it's more advantageous to add 1,500km to the length in order to avoid dropping the cable to depths of greater than circa 300m. Maybe it's to do with the ablility to repair and future breaks or damage?
It may be to avoid shallowish areas where seabed trawling goes on. Also, we've had 150 years experience of repairing communication cables in massively deep oceanic waters. I *assume* the power cables will be thicker, and have greater armour, but the same tech should work.
Reading the article, that 600mW cable weighs 55kg per metre and had to be laid in two sections and joined in the middle because no ship is big enough to carry the full length (250km in this case - which if my maths is right would be 13,750 tonnes). 13,750 t doesn't sound that huge for a ship but as a single reel maybe that's too big?
But the Morocco – UK Power Project cale is 10.5gW over 3,800km. If the weight per m is proportional to the capacity that's nearly a ton per metre so presumably it's just made up of multiple small cables (e.g. 18 x the 55kg/m cable). But the weight of a single 2,300km cable (for the direct route) even at 55kg/m would be over 125,000 tonnes... So quite a lot!
Hence I reckon thats the reason they hug the coast: to join the multiple sections.
Might be a volume thing: you have to fit in the reel, or a file of reels, into the ship with space to work around and deploy the cable. Some ships are limited by the mass of their load (e.g. iron ore carriers, Dreadnoughts with their armour and gun turrets). Others are limited by the volume of their upper works (e.g. car ferries, pax ships, modern warships with lots of lightweight electronics and comfort for the matelots).
@dwnews Russia's Foreign Ministry reports massive troop deployments by Tajikistan and Afghanistan along their shared border and has called on both sides to de-escalate.
This debate over HGV drivers made me look up the salary limits for other jobs. It turns out that we are letting in people for a huge range of jobs at close to minimum wage as long as you are under 26.
Some of them are as low as 10k! And for clearly non-critical jobs like fitness instructor. This seems completely nuts. Partially this is because we are setting these numbers at 70% of the "going rate" for UK workers, which is explicitly letting companies undercut the market rate with foreign labour.
Reading a bit more it seems you have to be studying for a degree at the same time. So will be paying many thousands to UK plc and unlikely to have a full time job, whereas might be able to do a few hours as a fitness instructor.
PB brains trust query: We're currently getting quotes for building work, substantial extension, probably be towards £100k, so we want it done right. Just had someone round to quote who is doing work down the road. A bit of Googling has revealed the company in question was incorporated in 2020 and the person we spoke to (owner) had a previous building company which underwent creditors voluntary liquidation in 2020 at around the same time. We'll obviously ask about this if we consider going further, but is it - on the face of it - sketchy? Or might there be quite innocuous explanations?
(We just got this guy in as an 'extra' quote really - already had builder round who did a big extension for sister-in-law and have a couple more reccommended by architect, but they're proving hard to pin down. We want at least a few quotes to compare, but would most likely go for the guy we know most about unless there are good reasons to choose someone else)
Hmmmmm
Not especially good sounding - how long was the previous company running for?
Yes, constructive bankruptcies are a standard operating procedure for a certain type.
I once arguably blackmailed a company for doing that - curious to know whether people feel I was overstepping the mark. A constituent came to me to say that a company, call them ABC Builders, had done shoddy work and but was refusing to put it right. I contacted them for comment, and they said that they were no longer ABC, they were ABD, and accepted no responsibility for what ABC might or might not have done. They were at the same address, with the same telephone number, but the managing director had changed from Mr X to Mrs X.
I said that I was planning to write an article in the Nottingham Post about companies who evaded their responsibilities by changing their legal status, and it occurred to me that this would make an excellent example. Would they like to talk to my constituent about addressing his problems before I wrote it?
I received a solicitor's letter, saying that I appeared to be trying to blackmail their client and they were prepared to take legal action against me. I told them to bring it on (calculating that they were unlikely to win and tmy constituents would be on my side). They caved.
There's no doubt that I was pressuring them to take action that they had no legal requirement to do, and that MPs should in general not use their access to the press to pressure people, however much they feel justified. On the other hand, morally my constituent was entirely in the right and they didn't even bother to argue about it. I don't really have any regrets.
Comments
Upwards:
- Deterioration of weather since around 20/9 increasing R rate. Long range forecast is for temperatures probably to be stable around current level during October.
- 5-10 year old rate still curving upwards
- University returns and relatively low current rates in core cities that have potential to increase
- Trickle return of office workers continuing (I've been back on a part time basis since 20/9).
To early to tell:
- Case rate trajectories in English small town and rural areas, has been up, may be slowing
-Scotland and NI still trending downwards, but could be troughing
-Whether levels can remain suppressed in higher immunity non-city areas, esp SE Lancs, N Kent.
- Whether levels can stay moderate in Southern England
- Will older cohorts start to curve upwards as in previous waves: the critical factor in whether the current hospitalisation reduction will reverse
Downwards:
- 10-15 year old cohorts, which is the driver of current increases, clearly cresting.
Of course, much interrelatedness between these. Week on weeks still slightly up by reporting date and by sample date at best level for the days whose numbers have filled out.
I think we'll hit school half term holidays with around 40-60% higher case rates than current, hospitalisations 10-20% higher and rising and deaths 10-20% lower than current but level.
Mainly due to lagging rather than booster / secondary school vaccination - the effects of that will come through later.
*Actually the open fields are likely to get built on in the next year or two, but the new houses will still be a flood plain and river away, which means 100m from our garden and 150m or so from the house, so it will still be a nice spot. I don't even really object to the houses per se, but it is a shame that it looks to be just houses - add a school, park, decent footpaths/cyclepaths into town and I'd be in favour.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ui4iWdqG3_A
This autumn's fun and games in the energy markets might just provide the impetus.
https://reneweconomy.com.au/massive-10-5gw-wind-solar-and-battery-project-in-morocco-to-send-power-to-uk/
...Xlinks is hoping to secure its capacity into Great Britain via the UK Government’s Contracts for Difference (CfD) mechanism – which this month unveiled that it would support a range of technologies in its fourth round.
But it insists that apart from this it will not require government subsidy or financing, and will still be able to deliver electricity at the £48/MWh CfD – below the central forecast for energy prices proposed by the UK Department for Business, Energy & Strategy (BEIS).
The aptly named Morocco – UK Power Project will, in addition to its 3,800km HVDC sub-sea cable, build its wind and solar capacity across an area of approximately 1,500 square km in Morocco’s Guelmim Oued Noun region.
“Xlinks is a Morocco – British first,” said Sir Dave Lewis, the the executive chair of Xlinks and a former Tesco CEO. “Using proven technology, it will deliver clean power to over 7 million British homes in this decade....
A system to manipulate the outcome of boxing matches by officials was in place at the Rio 2016 Olympics, an independent investigation has found.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/boxing/58747880
The when everyone tried to fill their tanks at once...
A former secretary at a Nazi concentration camp has been captured after trying to flee before her trial in northern Germany.
Irmgard Furchner, 96, was due to stand trial for complicity in 11,000 murders, but she failed to turn up and the judge issued a warrant for her arrest.
The defendant was detained by police hours after disappearing from a nursing home in the town of Quickborn.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-58747082
I did apply to be a non-executive director of the IOPC. Got on the shortlist but no further. Not surprised. The police do not want outsiders let alone women who'll take no shit from anyone. And that's why they're in the shit, frankly. I do not have any easy answers. I made some suggestions here - https://www2.politicalbetting.com/index.php/archives/2021/03/14/one-womans-perspective/.
I have been blessed in my life to have had men in my family who behaved like gentlemen - in the proper sense of that word. They were not in any sense lesser men for behaving with decency and respect. And yet they had authority and courage and presence too and, if necessary, did fight. to defend country and family.
There are people who are evil but most of us have the capacity to be both bad and good and what we constantly have to do is to try and reinforce the good side of us and minimise the bad. I think often that bad side is praised or indulged or treated as a bit of a joke or boys being boys etc. And when that is the prevailing culture are we really surprised that some take this to a level which results in harm?
There is a pornification of our society which I find deeply troubling. Women are seen as objects to be used, as something to be screwed, in that revolting phrase, as if sex was like screwing a nail to a wall, something that is done repetitively and brutally to a woman, not with her. I will be told that some women like porn. And maybe some do.
But let me leave you with one thought. Maybe women say they like porn because that is what they think the man wants them to say, because that is how they get the man. They feel they need to say this. They are stroking his ego not expressing their own desires. Watch that Panorama programme about attacks on girls in school. Girls want to be loved and desired by boys so they will do stuff that boys ask. And where are boys getting their ideas from? There is a violence in porn which, to me, seems anathema to what really satisfying sex is like.
Perhaps I am hopelessly old-fashioned in saying this. But it needs saying. In the 12 months to August in London alone the police recorded 8,222 rapes. Whatever "respect" training we've been giving people clearly isn't working.
On the more serious point, I'm not sure how one addresses 'pornification'. In some ways we're more prudish in mainstream materials, but extreme things are more accessible and equally its more common to hear the 'right' things being said, you mention respect training, but it doesn't seem to eliminate specific trends growing.
Also, I appreciate the middle of the Bay of Biscay is deep but why do they choose to lay the cable around the coast, why not in a direct line from Morroco to Finisterre to Cornwall?
Which surely isn't necessary now Raab is not Foreign Minister.
I see the map is not touching on the Western Sahara controversy.
Survation.
NEW – Westminster Voting Intention:
CON 41% (+1)
LAB 36% (+1)
LD 8% (-)
GRN 5% (+1)
SNP 5% (+1)
OTH 4% (-4)
https://survation.com/political-polling-30-september-2021/
So you'd have been able to get fuel at Esso, or Tesco, say, but not always at BP, and there would have been capacity to absorb the extra demand.
The (media) panic ended any chance of managing it.
This morning there was a queue at the Saltaire Shell despite there being no fuel on sale. The reason being that there was a tanker parked up making a delivery.
On an unrelated note, I'm typing this from a hotel bedroom in North Wales. Our first holiday in 2 years. Just a pity they still have the mask theatre this side of the border, but we are enjoying it.
*Chinese F**king Vegan Virus is black humour from my daughter. She had Covid back in July and unfortunately is one of the increasingly large number of people who now have Parosmia - her smell and taste have been damaged so that most things she eats, particularly meat, taste very strongly of rotted meat. She has had to adopt an effective vegetarian diet just to get enough calories and is extremely pissed off about it. We are hoping it passes but no one seems to know any cure as yet.
Until some fuckwit in the media decided to turn it into a crisis.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/sep/30/activist-duped-into-sexual-relationship-with-spy-wins-case-against-met-police
"Malcolm Offord, who runs a private equity firm in Scotland and who has donated more than £100,000 to the Conservative party, has been given a peerage and will join the government as a minister in the Scotland Office. Earlier this year he was a candidate for the Scottish Conservatives in the regional list section of the election, but he was not elected."
But as part of a balanced energy mix, it's a positive.
Maybe being handpicked by Ms Davidson-as-as-then-was was not a good career move.
As a matter of interest, any idea how and where you caught it?
Open to hear the contestant's answer:
https://twitter.com/ZainudeenT/status/1443601264655441925
The National says he donated almost 150K to the Tories. 2.5K to Mr Gove. Leaver.And he was the chap who ran Vote No Borders in 2014.
https://www.thenational.scot/news/19616794.malcolm-offord-tory-donor-failed-msp-bid-scotland-office-minister/
Also, we've had 150 years experience of repairing communication cables in massively deep oceanic waters. I *assume* the power cables will be thicker, and have greater armour, but the same tech should work.
I've just found the following, which is interesting:
https://www.youris.com/energy/gallery/undersea-hvdc-cables-discovering-some-of-the-worlds-top-power-interconnections.kl
Sorry to hear about your covid btw. If it's that bad with the vaccines you might have been in serious trouble when unvaccinated. Get well soon!
Is it Common Wealth?
That should encourage them to take a greater interest in how their subordinates behave.
Apparently the deepest in the world is the SA.PE.I. at 1650 m, between Italy and Sardinia.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/skilled-worker-visa-eligible-salary-if-youre-under-26-studying-training-or-in-a-postdoctoral-role/skilled-worker-visa-minimum-salary-if-youre-under-26-studying-training-or-in-a-postdoctoral-role
Some of them are as low as 10k! And for clearly non-critical jobs like fitness instructor. This seems completely nuts. Partially this is because we are setting these numbers at 70% of the "going rate" for UK workers, which is explicitly letting companies undercut the market rate with foreign labour.
Reading the article, that 600mW cable weighs 55kg per metre and had to be laid in two sections and joined in the middle because no ship is big enough to carry the full length (250km in this case - which if my maths is right would be 13,750 tonnes). 13,750 t doesn't sound that huge for a ship but as a single reel maybe that's too big?
But the Morocco – UK Power Project cale is 10.5gW over 3,800km. If the weight per m is proportional to the capacity that's nearly a ton per metre so presumably it's just made up of multiple small cables (e.g. 18 x the 55kg/m cable). But the weight of a single 2,300km cable (for the direct route) even at 55kg/m would be over 125,000 tonnes... So quite a lot!
Hence I reckon thats the reason they hug the coast: to join the multiple sections.
Perhaps it would be more entertaining to guess which species would be appropriate to the different political parties.
An alliance of ferrets.
A plaid of goats.
A ukip of dinosaurs.
A reform of chameleons.
And so on.
I note that in Survation, Johnson and Starmer are now equal on favourability, -12 for both
Russia's Foreign Ministry reports massive troop deployments by Tajikistan and Afghanistan along their shared border and has called on both sides to de-escalate.
https://www.dw.com/en/russia-says-tajiks-afghans-amassing-troops-at-shared-border-urges-solution/a-59367291
I said that I was planning to write an article in the Nottingham Post about companies who evaded their responsibilities by changing their legal status, and it occurred to me that this would make an excellent example. Would they like to talk to my constituent about addressing his problems before I wrote it?
I received a solicitor's letter, saying that I appeared to be trying to blackmail their client and they were prepared to take legal action against me. I told them to bring it on (calculating that they were unlikely to win and tmy constituents would be on my side). They caved.
There's no doubt that I was pressuring them to take action that they had no legal requirement to do, and that MPs should in general not use their access to the press to pressure people, however much they feel justified. On the other hand, morally my constituent was entirely in the right and they didn't even bother to argue about it. I don't really have any regrets.