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Unapproved thoughts. The government and free speech – politicalbetting.com

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  • HYUFD said:

    This Conservative majority was elected with a majority partly to ensure conservative views and values got a fair hearing, including in academia

    But that's the question.
    Even if you think that right wing views aren't expressed enough in academia, how can you get students listen to them?
    Or is this principally about the punctured egos of a few professional opinionmongers, who are upset that they're not getting the audiences they think they deserve?
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 61,563

    eek said:

    MaxPB said:

    Err, that would be civil servants complaining that the post went to someone unelected rather than an unelected civil servant?
    He's taken on most of Gove's responsibilities, an elected politician.
    What's Gove doing then?

    But it's been common in the past that people have been appointed a Lord to deal with areas in their expertise.
    This maybe the harbinger of a cabinet reshuffle.

    There has been talk of Gove going to Health or Education.

    Personally I'd love to see him back at Justice, those 14 months he did there was the signs of some rather brilliant thinking and policies, rather than the hang them and flog them brigade, with the exception of Ken Clarke, seem to the type of Tory Justice Secretaries picked.
    I think Gove gets results wherever you put him.

    The trouble is he doesn't take any prisoners.
    I hope Ydoethur isn't here to read that. He'll need a lie down.
    You can’t deny he gets results.
    Good/bad, intended/unintended ... whatever.
  • flizzyflizzy Posts: 11

    eek said:

    MaxPB said:

    Err, that would be civil servants complaining that the post went to someone unelected rather than an unelected civil servant?
    He's taken on most of Gove's responsibilities, an elected politician.
    What's Gove doing then?

    But it's been common in the past that people have been appointed a Lord to deal with areas in their expertise.
    This maybe the harbinger of a cabinet reshuffle.

    There has been talk of Gove going to Health or Education.

    Personally I'd love to see him back at Justice, those 14 months he did there was the signs of some rather brilliant thinking and policies, rather than the hang them and flog them brigade, with the exception of Ken Clarke, seem to the type of Tory Justice Secretaries picked.
    I think Gove gets results wherever you put him.

    The trouble is he doesn't take any prisoners.
    I hope Ydoethur isn't here to read that. He'll need a lie down.
    Not taking any prisoners seems rather a draw back in a justice secretary.
  • ozymandiasozymandias Posts: 1,503
    Corporate affairs boss at Welsh-based fast food giant Iceland is SACKED from £102,000-a-year job after calling nation's language 'gibberish' and saying it sounds 'like bad catarrh'

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9269499/Iceland-apologises-insulting-Welsh-people-amid-threats-boycott.html
  • Corporate affairs boss at Welsh-based fast food giant Iceland is SACKED from £102,000-a-year job after calling nation's language 'gibberish' and saying it sounds 'like bad catarrh'

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9269499/Iceland-apologises-insulting-Welsh-people-amid-threats-boycott.html

    I've publicly stated that the Welsh language was invented by someone crap at scrabble.

    Which is probably the nicest thing I've said about the Welsh.
  • ozymandiasozymandias Posts: 1,503

    Corporate affairs boss at Welsh-based fast food giant Iceland is SACKED from £102,000-a-year job after calling nation's language 'gibberish' and saying it sounds 'like bad catarrh'

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9269499/Iceland-apologises-insulting-Welsh-people-amid-threats-boycott.html

    I've publicly stated that the Welsh language was invented by someone crap at scrabble.

    Which is probably the nicest thing I've said about the Welsh.
    That's your plum job at Iceland scuppered right there.
  • Corporate affairs boss at Welsh-based fast food giant Iceland is SACKED from £102,000-a-year job after calling nation's language 'gibberish' and saying it sounds 'like bad catarrh'

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9269499/Iceland-apologises-insulting-Welsh-people-amid-threats-boycott.html

    "Still, I take pride in never visiting Scotland despite having a home within sight of the border."
  • Corporate affairs boss at Welsh-based fast food giant Iceland is SACKED from £102,000-a-year job after calling nation's language 'gibberish' and saying it sounds 'like bad catarrh'

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9269499/Iceland-apologises-insulting-Welsh-people-amid-threats-boycott.html

    I've publicly stated that the Welsh language was invented by someone crap at scrabble.

    Which is probably the nicest thing I've said about the Welsh.
    That's your plum job at Iceland scuppered right there.
    As if I'd ever work for or shop in Iceland.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,274
    edited February 2021
    The Iceland story...he made the worst comment 12 year ago...a reminder that putting stuff on the internet lasts forever. But his recent comment at the Scots make it look like his dislike of the non-English parts of the UK is still prominent.
  • dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 27,835

    eek said:

    MaxPB said:

    Err, that would be civil servants complaining that the post went to someone unelected rather than an unelected civil servant?
    He's taken on most of Gove's responsibilities, an elected politician.
    What's Gove doing then?

    But it's been common in the past that people have been appointed a Lord to deal with areas in their expertise.
    This maybe the harbinger of a cabinet reshuffle.

    There has been talk of Gove going to Health or Education.

    Personally I'd love to see him back at Justice, those 14 months he did there was the signs of some rather brilliant thinking and policies, rather than the hang them and flog them brigade, with the exception of Ken Clarke, seem to the type of Tory Justice Secretaries picked.
    I think Gove gets results wherever you put him.

    The trouble is he doesn't take any prisoners.
    I hope Ydoethur isn't here to read that. He'll need a lie down.
    Tbf he didn't say he got good results.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 43,608
    edited February 2021

    First Indian female president of Oxford University students' union QUITS amid backlash after she made 'pun' about the Holocaust, posted picture of her in Malaysia with words 'Ching Chang' and said trans women are not women

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9269815/First-Indian-female-president-Oxford-University-students-union-QUITS.html

    First we must rid the revolution of all the Trotskites and Bukharinists!

    When we have achieved a society of only the pure Ikarrans, we can then proceed to paradise..
  • FlatlanderFlatlander Posts: 3,853
    edited February 2021

    First Indian female president of Oxford University students' union QUITS amid backlash after she made 'pun' about the Holocaust, posted picture of her in Malaysia with words 'Ching Chang' and said trans women are not women

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9269815/First-Indian-female-president-Oxford-University-students-union-QUITS.html

    OUSU? Did anyone notice (except the Daily Mail)?
  • dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 27,835

    HYUFD said:

    This Conservative majority was elected with a majority partly to ensure conservative views and values got a fair hearing, including in academia

    But that's the question.
    Even if you think that right wing views aren't expressed enough in academia, how can you get students listen to them?
    Or is this principally about the punctured egos of a few professional opinionmongers, who are upset that they're not getting the audiences they think they deserve?
    The latter.
    However, a bit more lecturing from elderly, Daily Mail columnists is sure to persuade the young to see sense.
  • Corporate affairs boss at Welsh-based fast food giant Iceland is SACKED from £102,000-a-year job after calling nation's language 'gibberish' and saying it sounds 'like bad catarrh'

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9269499/Iceland-apologises-insulting-Welsh-people-amid-threats-boycott.html

    I've publicly stated that the Welsh language was invented by someone crap at scrabble.

    Which is probably the nicest thing I've said about the Welsh.
    That's your plum job at Iceland scuppered right there.
    As if I'd ever work for or shop in Iceland.
    You never know what might happen....I once worked in Pizza Hut, making all those pineapple topped pizzas.
  • dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 27,835

    Corporate affairs boss at Welsh-based fast food giant Iceland is SACKED from £102,000-a-year job after calling nation's language 'gibberish' and saying it sounds 'like bad catarrh'

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9269499/Iceland-apologises-insulting-Welsh-people-amid-threats-boycott.html

    Maybe they need a free speech Champion in corporate board rooms?
  • eekeek Posts: 24,797

    eek said:

    MaxPB said:

    Err, that would be civil servants complaining that the post went to someone unelected rather than an unelected civil servant?
    He's taken on most of Gove's responsibilities, an elected politician.
    What's Gove doing then?

    But it's been common in the past that people have been appointed a Lord to deal with areas in their expertise.
    This maybe the harbinger of a cabinet reshuffle.

    There has been talk of Gove going to Health or Education.

    Personally I'd love to see him back at Justice, those 14 months he did there was the signs of some rather brilliant thinking and policies, rather than the hang them and flog them brigade, with the exception of Ken Clarke, seem to the type of Tory Justice Secretaries picked.
    A Cabinet reshuffle? But surely, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it"
    Gove can't be heading back to Education so it must be Health or Social Security.

    As for why it won't be Education, the exam boards are trying to fix the mess he made of GCSEs by scrapping them while introducing a set of core skill exams be leaving some timetable for actual fun subjects rather than a 1950s memory test.
  • Corporate affairs boss at Welsh-based fast food giant Iceland is SACKED from £102,000-a-year job after calling nation's language 'gibberish' and saying it sounds 'like bad catarrh'

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9269499/Iceland-apologises-insulting-Welsh-people-amid-threats-boycott.html

    I've publicly stated that the Welsh language was invented by someone crap at scrabble.

    Which is probably the nicest thing I've said about the Welsh.
    That's your plum job at Iceland scuppered right there.
    As if I'd ever work for or shop in Iceland.
    You never know what might happen....I once worked in Pizza Hut, making all those pineapple topped pizzas.
    :bawling:
  • ozymandiasozymandias Posts: 1,503

    Corporate affairs boss at Welsh-based fast food giant Iceland is SACKED from £102,000-a-year job after calling nation's language 'gibberish' and saying it sounds 'like bad catarrh'

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9269499/Iceland-apologises-insulting-Welsh-people-amid-threats-boycott.html

    I've publicly stated that the Welsh language was invented by someone crap at scrabble.

    Which is probably the nicest thing I've said about the Welsh.
    That's your plum job at Iceland scuppered right there.
    As if I'd ever work for or shop in Iceland.
    You never know what might happen....I once worked in Pizza Hut, making all those pineapple topped pizzas.
    If I found my own religion whereby the consumption of Hawaiian pizza is the sole route to everlasting salvation, could I make any criticism of pineapple-topped pizza a hate-crime?
  • eek said:

    eek said:

    MaxPB said:

    Err, that would be civil servants complaining that the post went to someone unelected rather than an unelected civil servant?
    He's taken on most of Gove's responsibilities, an elected politician.
    What's Gove doing then?

    But it's been common in the past that people have been appointed a Lord to deal with areas in their expertise.
    This maybe the harbinger of a cabinet reshuffle.

    There has been talk of Gove going to Health or Education.

    Personally I'd love to see him back at Justice, those 14 months he did there was the signs of some rather brilliant thinking and policies, rather than the hang them and flog them brigade, with the exception of Ken Clarke, seem to the type of Tory Justice Secretaries picked.
    A Cabinet reshuffle? But surely, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it"
    Gove can't be heading back to Education so it must be Health or Social Security.

    As for why it won't be Education, the exam boards are trying to fix the mess he made of GCSEs by scrapping them while introducing a set of core skill exams be leaving some timetable for actual fun subjects rather than a 1950s memory test.
    Fun? At school? Who thought that was a good idea!?
  • eekeek Posts: 24,797
    edited February 2021
    Offtopic but given news that Arconic (a French firm) concealed failed product tests when seeking certification how many billion do you think they are going to be sued for when the Grenfell enquiry finally finishes. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-56101186
  • AlistairM said:

    For over a month now we have consistently seen weekly falls of 20 to 30% in cases. The last 2 days give cause for concern as they are the first days where the fall was less than 15% (other than a one day anomaly a month ago) and in the case of today just -2.3%. Tomorrow's numbers are going to be revealing as to whether it is an anomaly or the downward trend starting to reverse. 3 days in a row would be too much to be a coincidence. Given the data today from the Zoe App I am concerned it is the latter.


    The big increases in December and decreases in 2021 have been very much a London and surrounding areas thing.

    Further north the increases and decreases have been much smaller and slower.

    What we are seeing now is that the scope for the big decreases is much reduced.

    Plus the effect of the new variants moving into areas further north.

    Falls in infections and hospitalisations will now depend upon the vaccines rather than on lockdown.
  • Corporate affairs boss at Welsh-based fast food giant Iceland is SACKED from £102,000-a-year job after calling nation's language 'gibberish' and saying it sounds 'like bad catarrh'

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9269499/Iceland-apologises-insulting-Welsh-people-amid-threats-boycott.html

    I've publicly stated that the Welsh language was invented by someone crap at scrabble.

    Which is probably the nicest thing I've said about the Welsh.
    That's your plum job at Iceland scuppered right there.
    As if I'd ever work for or shop in Iceland.
    You never know what might happen....I once worked in Pizza Hut, making all those pineapple topped pizzas.
    If I found my own religion whereby the consumption of Hawaiian pizza is the sole route to everlasting salvation, could I make any criticism of pineapple-topped pizza a hate-crime?
    Probably not, or teetotalism would be a hate-crime to anyone who goes to communion.
  • eek said:

    eek said:

    MaxPB said:

    Err, that would be civil servants complaining that the post went to someone unelected rather than an unelected civil servant?
    He's taken on most of Gove's responsibilities, an elected politician.
    What's Gove doing then?

    But it's been common in the past that people have been appointed a Lord to deal with areas in their expertise.
    This maybe the harbinger of a cabinet reshuffle.

    There has been talk of Gove going to Health or Education.

    Personally I'd love to see him back at Justice, those 14 months he did there was the signs of some rather brilliant thinking and policies, rather than the hang them and flog them brigade, with the exception of Ken Clarke, seem to the type of Tory Justice Secretaries picked.
    A Cabinet reshuffle? But surely, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it"
    Gove can't be heading back to Education so it must be Health or Social Security.

    As for why it won't be Education, the exam boards are trying to fix the mess he made of GCSEs by scrapping them while introducing a set of core skill exams be leaving some timetable for actual fun subjects rather than a 1950s memory test.
    Fun? At school? Who thought that was a good idea!?
    There wont be a reshuffle until July imho.
  • eek said:

    eek said:

    MaxPB said:

    Err, that would be civil servants complaining that the post went to someone unelected rather than an unelected civil servant?
    He's taken on most of Gove's responsibilities, an elected politician.
    What's Gove doing then?

    But it's been common in the past that people have been appointed a Lord to deal with areas in their expertise.
    This maybe the harbinger of a cabinet reshuffle.

    There has been talk of Gove going to Health or Education.

    Personally I'd love to see him back at Justice, those 14 months he did there was the signs of some rather brilliant thinking and policies, rather than the hang them and flog them brigade, with the exception of Ken Clarke, seem to the type of Tory Justice Secretaries picked.
    A Cabinet reshuffle? But surely, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it"
    Gove can't be heading back to Education so it must be Health or Social Security.

    As for why it won't be Education, the exam boards are trying to fix the mess he made of GCSEs by scrapping them while introducing a set of core skill exams be leaving some timetable for actual fun subjects rather than a 1950s memory test.
    Health? "Mr Hancock is very tired, so we sent him to live on a farm. He is very happy there."
    Seems a bit harsh.
  • eekeek Posts: 24,797

    eek said:

    eek said:

    MaxPB said:

    Err, that would be civil servants complaining that the post went to someone unelected rather than an unelected civil servant?
    He's taken on most of Gove's responsibilities, an elected politician.
    What's Gove doing then?

    But it's been common in the past that people have been appointed a Lord to deal with areas in their expertise.
    This maybe the harbinger of a cabinet reshuffle.

    There has been talk of Gove going to Health or Education.

    Personally I'd love to see him back at Justice, those 14 months he did there was the signs of some rather brilliant thinking and policies, rather than the hang them and flog them brigade, with the exception of Ken Clarke, seem to the type of Tory Justice Secretaries picked.
    A Cabinet reshuffle? But surely, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it"
    Gove can't be heading back to Education so it must be Health or Social Security.

    As for why it won't be Education, the exam boards are trying to fix the mess he made of GCSEs by scrapping them while introducing a set of core skill exams be leaving some timetable for actual fun subjects rather than a 1950s memory test.
    Fun? At school? Who thought that was a good idea!?
    There wont be a reshuffle until July imho.
    I suspect as much which is why I asked my question earlier.

    Gove has a job that is very much roving and can basically be anything that doesn't directly step on a single cabinet minister's area.

    So what is he going to be doing in his pseudo Cummings role until July...
  • eekeek Posts: 24,797
    edited February 2021

    eek said:

    eek said:

    MaxPB said:

    Err, that would be civil servants complaining that the post went to someone unelected rather than an unelected civil servant?
    He's taken on most of Gove's responsibilities, an elected politician.
    What's Gove doing then?

    But it's been common in the past that people have been appointed a Lord to deal with areas in their expertise.
    This maybe the harbinger of a cabinet reshuffle.

    There has been talk of Gove going to Health or Education.

    Personally I'd love to see him back at Justice, those 14 months he did there was the signs of some rather brilliant thinking and policies, rather than the hang them and flog them brigade, with the exception of Ken Clarke, seem to the type of Tory Justice Secretaries picked.
    A Cabinet reshuffle? But surely, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it"
    Gove can't be heading back to Education so it must be Health or Social Security.

    As for why it won't be Education, the exam boards are trying to fix the mess he made of GCSEs by scrapping them while introducing a set of core skill exams be leaving some timetable for actual fun subjects rather than a 1950s memory test.
    Health? "Mr Hancock is very tired, so we sent him to live on a farm. He is very happy there."
    Seems a bit harsh.
    Hancock is probably off to another department - say Education. The issue is that you can't move Gove back there - that's one post where his return would have interesting consequences given the reforms that are required now most children have lost a year of education.

    Binning the none essential GCSE's (i.e. everything except Maths and English) is a likely fix to that problem now everyone has to stay in education to 18.
  • kamskikamski Posts: 4,199

    Nigelb said:

    .

    Williamson also put in the foreword that Britain gave sanctuary to Salman Rushdie.

    Quite how you give sanctuary to someone who had been living here since he went to school I'm unclear.

    Spending a million pounds a week protecting him rather than letting him take his chances with those who wanted his head.
    That is protection. Sanctuary is something quite different.
    Sancturary, noun, "refuge or safety from pursuit, persecution, or other danger."

    The country paid for refuge or safety for him from the danger against his life. Seems a distinction without a difference to me.

    UK citizens are not offered sanctuary by the state when their lives are credibly threatened, they are given protection. The former is arbitrary, the latter is a right.

    No people are not given that level of protection generally. Name anyone before or since who's had the same level of protection as he was.

    There are abuse victims and others who are denied anything like that level of protection. It was pretty unique.
    Perhaps also worth considering what sanctuary actually used to mean.

    It's didn't actually mean that you were literally holding onto the alter. It meant that the Church put it's official power behind protecting you. You could actually live a chunk of your life, even leaving the sanctuary area.

    The UK government didn't merely let Rushdie stay in the country. The government made it clear to the Iranians and others that if any attempt was made to kill Rushdie, that would be taken as an attack by the UK state. The terminal on Kharg Island was mentioned in this context....
    Precisely. It was sanctuary in the classic sense.

    There is nothing formally "outside" about sanctuary. The Church didn't simply offer sanctuary to those who were "outsiders" from the Church. People are adding something to it that doesn't exist.
    OK I've searched Google news and there are only examples of it being used in the sense of giving sanctuary to refugees or people fleeing abroad from persecution.
    You guys must be able to find loads of examples of it being used in your sense if that is how it is often used?
  • AlistairAlistair Posts: 23,670
    Keep an eye on Kent. It has reached infection levels similar to scotland. Will it too plateau or keep declining.
  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 47,080
    On new case numbers, we are still above almost everywhere in Europe each day, despite our progress toward vaccination. The second wave seems to be ebbing away everywhere, vaccinations or not.
  • Corporate affairs boss at Welsh-based fast food giant Iceland is SACKED from £102,000-a-year job after calling nation's language 'gibberish' and saying it sounds 'like bad catarrh'

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9269499/Iceland-apologises-insulting-Welsh-people-amid-threats-boycott.html

    "Still, I take pride in never visiting Scotland despite having a home within sight of the border."
    Possibly a place in the new Union Directorate open for him, if sight of the Scottish border isn’t counted as too much knowledge of Scotland.

    'Knowledge of Scotland not essential for government’s new ‘union unit’ jobs'

    https://tinyurl.com/jmu687s2
  • algarkirkalgarkirk Posts: 10,341

    algarkirk said:

    Andy_JS said:

    FPT:

    Season dates IMO, (totally unscientific):

    Spring: c. 1st March to c. 15th May
    Summer: c. 15th May to c. 10th Sep
    Autumn: c. 10th Sep to c. 10th Nov
    Winter: c. 10th Nov to c. 28th/29th Feb

    Spring: 2 Feb-11 June
    Summer: 11 June-29 September
    Autumn: 29 September - 21 December
    Winter: 21 December- 2 Feb

    You get much better weather when spring is long and winter short. September is often a wonderful month so belongs to summer. Winter is confined to the 40 days of Christmas (no dry January if Christmas lasts 40 days, an ancient custom). Spring starts with crocuses. Simples. Works every time.


    February the 2nd is the middle of winter.
    Not if you are a crocus.

  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 31,272
    Vaccinations: 7 day rolling average continues to decline. Does anyone know the cause?

    (Presumably supply issues, hopefully temporary.)
  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 37,603

    Vaccinations: 7 day rolling average continues to decline. Does anyone know the cause?

    (Presumably supply issues, hopefully temporary.)

    I expect the government are holding supplies back to build up a stock for the 2nd jab programme so that it has a buffer in case of an external shock and second jabs aren't disrupted.
  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 37,603
    IanB2 said:

    On new case numbers, we are still above almost everywhere in Europe each day, despite our progress toward vaccination. The second wave seems to be ebbing away everywhere, vaccinations or not.

    We test around 3-7x as many people as most other European countries. Those numbers aren't really comparable.
  • contrariancontrarian Posts: 5,818
    IanB2 said:

    On new case numbers, we are still above almost everywhere in Europe each day, despite our progress toward vaccination. The second wave seems to be ebbing away everywhere, vaccinations or not.

    Isn't it true we test far, far more than most countries though?
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 25,042
    edited February 2021

    Corporate affairs boss at Welsh-based fast food giant Iceland is SACKED from £102,000-a-year job after calling nation's language 'gibberish' and saying it sounds 'like bad catarrh'

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9269499/Iceland-apologises-insulting-Welsh-people-amid-threats-boycott.html

    I've publicly stated that the Welsh language was invented by someone crap at scrabble.

    Which is probably the nicest thing I've said about the Welsh.
    That's your plum job at Iceland scuppered right there.
    As if I'd ever work for or shop in Iceland.
    And also, being in the plum department can't be that senior - they do hardly any fresh produce.
  • eek said:

    eek said:

    eek said:

    MaxPB said:

    Err, that would be civil servants complaining that the post went to someone unelected rather than an unelected civil servant?
    He's taken on most of Gove's responsibilities, an elected politician.
    What's Gove doing then?

    But it's been common in the past that people have been appointed a Lord to deal with areas in their expertise.
    This maybe the harbinger of a cabinet reshuffle.

    There has been talk of Gove going to Health or Education.

    Personally I'd love to see him back at Justice, those 14 months he did there was the signs of some rather brilliant thinking and policies, rather than the hang them and flog them brigade, with the exception of Ken Clarke, seem to the type of Tory Justice Secretaries picked.
    A Cabinet reshuffle? But surely, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it"
    Gove can't be heading back to Education so it must be Health or Social Security.

    As for why it won't be Education, the exam boards are trying to fix the mess he made of GCSEs by scrapping them while introducing a set of core skill exams be leaving some timetable for actual fun subjects rather than a 1950s memory test.
    Fun? At school? Who thought that was a good idea!?
    There wont be a reshuffle until July imho.
    I suspect as much which is why I asked my question earlier.

    Gove has a job that is very much roving and can basically be anything that doesn't directly step on a single cabinet minister's area.

    So what is he going to be doing in his pseudo Cummings role until July...
    Worrying a lot about a looming independent Scotland I would guess.
  • TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 113,957
    edited February 2021

    Vaccinations: 7 day rolling average continues to decline. Does anyone know the cause?

    (Presumably supply issues, hopefully temporary.)

    My theory, we're now trying to vaccinate people who think Covid-19 doesn't impact them, so they think they don't need to be vaccinated.
  • stodgestodge Posts: 12,741

    HYUFD said:

    This Conservative majority was elected with a majority partly to ensure conservative views and values got a fair hearing, including in academia

    But that's the question.
    Even if you think that right wing views aren't expressed enough in academia, how can you get students listen to them?
    Or is this principally about the punctured egos of a few professional opinion mongers, who are upset that they're not getting the audiences they think they deserve?
    The only thing more boring than academics or opinion formers opposing the Government is academics and opinion formers supporting the Government.
  • stodgestodge Posts: 12,741
    MaxPB said:

    Vaccinations: 7 day rolling average continues to decline. Does anyone know the cause?

    (Presumably supply issues, hopefully temporary.)

    I expect the government are holding supplies back to build up a stock for the 2nd jab programme so that it has a buffer in case of an external shock and second jabs aren't disrupted.
    Once again, I'm forced to question what seems to be uneven progress in the vaccination programme. In some areas, those over 50 seem to be vaccinated but in others those over 65 are still waiting for appointments.

    In order for restrictions to be eased, I'd have thought we'd need to see similar levels of vaccination across the whole country otherwise we'll be back to Tiers.
  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 31,272
    algarkirk said:

    Andy_JS said:

    FPT:

    Season dates IMO, (totally unscientific):

    Spring: c. 1st March to c. 15th May
    Summer: c. 15th May to c. 10th Sep
    Autumn: c. 10th Sep to c. 10th Nov
    Winter: c. 10th Nov to c. 28th/29th Feb

    Spring: 2 Feb-11 June
    Summer: 11 June-29 September
    Autumn: 29 September - 21 December
    Winter: 21 December- 2 Feb

    You get much better weather when spring is long and winter short. September is often a wonderful month so belongs to summer. Winter is confined to the 40 days of Christmas (no dry January if Christmas lasts 40 days, an ancient custom). Spring starts with crocuses. Simples. Works every time.
    Short winter? The weather is not going to pay any attention to that.

    Spring: March, April, May
    Summer: June, July, August
    Autumn: September, October, November
    Winter: December, January, February.

    Simple.
  • stodgestodge Posts: 12,741
    HYUFD said:

    This Conservative majority was elected with a majority partly to ensure conservative views and values got a fair hearing, including in academia

    I've no problem with a "fair hearing" as long as we all understand what that means. I welcome a plurality of voices and opinions - it's an integral part of the democratic process.

    I wouldn't like to think Oliver Dowden was seeking to suppress opinions and historical interpretations which didn't match his or the Government's political viewpoint but he has every right to point out interpretations supported by the Government have as much right to be heard as those opposed by the Government.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 53,766

    First Indian female president of Oxford University students' union QUITS amid backlash after she made 'pun' about the Holocaust, posted picture of her in Malaysia with words 'Ching Chang' and said trans women are not women

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9269815/First-Indian-female-president-Oxford-University-students-union-QUITS.html

    When I was at University, 1992 to 1995, a magazine I was involved in (called Judas) ran an interview I did with the leader of the BNP. Said magazine also ran an article by a man called Justin King called "White Pride", where he recounted the tale of a girlfriend of his who had dated a non-white.

    This led to the front page of Varsity running the story "BNP Cell Active at Trinity" and led to a motion at CUSU calling for myself, the editor of Judas, and Justin King to be expelled from the University.

    Fortunately, (a) I had a very good (Indian) friend who was on the board of CUSU, and (b) someone realised that Justin King was actually Chinese and the White Pride article was a delicious act of satire.

    Nevertheless, Trinity did cut off funding for Judas (that the editor kept exactly zero records of expenditure may also have played a role).

    So, I'm not 100% convinced that things are really radically different from 1994.
  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 31,272

    Vaccinations: 7 day rolling average continues to decline. Does anyone know the cause?

    (Presumably supply issues, hopefully temporary.)

    My theory, we're now trying to vaccinate people who think Covid-19 doesn't impact them, so they think they don't need to be vaccinated.
    I don't know anyone who doesn't want to be vaccinated asap.
  • DougSealDougSeal Posts: 11,059
    edited February 2021
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 43,608

    Vaccinations: 7 day rolling average continues to decline. Does anyone know the cause?

    (Presumably supply issues, hopefully temporary.)

    My theory, we're now trying to vaccinate people who think Covid-19 doesn't impact them, so they think they don't need to be vaccinated.
    I don't know anyone who doesn't want to be vaccinated asap.
    https://www.thenational.scot/news/19084653.scotland-scale-back-covid-vaccine-roll-out-fortnight-uk-supplies-dip/
  • FishingFishing Posts: 4,555

    Fishing said:

    Omnium said:

    A double dose of Alastair for all his adoring PB fans.

    https://twitter.com/AlastairMeeks/status/1362089693890940932?s=20

    Mr Meeks is outstanding. I've not agreed with him much at any time, but I really want to hear what he says.
    I've yet to hear a good argument why somebody arriving from New Zealand or Taiwan should be imprisoned for ten days without charge or trial at extortionate expense.
    That's only the case for arrivals into Scotland (and as we saw on Monday interconnecting passengers are switching from Edinburgh to Manchester...), arrivals into England only quarantine if they are from "Red List" countries.
    That's right. Should I write to Nicola then?
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 53,766
    rcs1000 said:

    First Indian female president of Oxford University students' union QUITS amid backlash after she made 'pun' about the Holocaust, posted picture of her in Malaysia with words 'Ching Chang' and said trans women are not women

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9269815/First-Indian-female-president-Oxford-University-students-union-QUITS.html

    When I was at University, 1992 to 1995, a magazine I was involved in (called Judas) ran an interview I did with the leader of the BNP. Said magazine also ran an article by a man called Justin King called "White Pride", where he recounted the tale of a girlfriend of his who had dated a non-white.

    This led to the front page of Varsity running the story "BNP Cell Active at Trinity" and led to a motion at CUSU calling for myself, the editor of Judas, and Justin King to be expelled from the University.

    Fortunately, (a) I had a very good (Indian) friend who was on the board of CUSU, and (b) someone realised that Justin King was actually Chinese and the White Pride article was a delicious act of satire.

    Nevertheless, Trinity did cut off funding for Judas (that the editor kept exactly zero records of expenditure may also have played a role).

    So, I'm not 100% convinced that things are really radically different from 1994.
    I would also suggest rereading Malcolm Bradbury's The History Man, which is all about the academic persecution by right on (woke) Professors of a right wing student.

    If you added a few reference to iPhones, anyone would think it was written in 2020 not 1980, and would bemoan it as presenting an accurate portrayal of how academia now stifled right wing voices, and how it never used to be the case.
  • GaussianGaussian Posts: 793
    Alistair said:

    Keep an eye on Kent. It has reached infection levels similar to scotland. Will it too plateau or keep declining.

    Likely to decline further I think, due to a combination of higher immunity and more caution caused by the recent experience.

    Areas that didn't have it so bad might be more problematic now.
  • ozymandiasozymandias Posts: 1,503
    Who wants news that’s upside down anyway.
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 38,847
    edited February 2021
    HYUFD said:

    This Conservative majority was elected with a majority partly to ensure conservative views and values got a fair hearing, including in academia

    If progressive minded students are to be forcibly exposed to conservative ideas it's only fair if it applies the other way too. All over 55s outside the big cities to be strapped to an armchair every weekday evening and pointed towards a TV tuned to Ch4. I can't see how anybody could possibly object.
  • Vaccinations: 7 day rolling average continues to decline. Does anyone know the cause?

    (Presumably supply issues, hopefully temporary.)

    My theory, we're now trying to vaccinate people who think Covid-19 doesn't impact them, so they think they don't need to be vaccinated.
    I don't know anyone who doesn't want to be vaccinated asap.
    Not so long ago the polls had a third of Brits saying that they didn't want the vaccine.
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 26,279
    Seyi Omooba: Actress sacked over anti-gay post loses legal fight

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-56089759
  • stodge said:

    MaxPB said:

    Vaccinations: 7 day rolling average continues to decline. Does anyone know the cause?

    (Presumably supply issues, hopefully temporary.)

    I expect the government are holding supplies back to build up a stock for the 2nd jab programme so that it has a buffer in case of an external shock and second jabs aren't disrupted.
    Once again, I'm forced to question what seems to be uneven progress in the vaccination programme. In some areas, those over 50 seem to be vaccinated but in others those over 65 are still waiting for appointments.

    In order for restrictions to be eased, I'd have thought we'd need to see similar levels of vaccination across the whole country otherwise we'll be back to Tiers.
    Must be hard to get balance of supply right if there are some areas where there is a larger no-vaxx brigade than expected?

    But I must admit is getting a bit galling to read of fit 60 year olds getting the vaccine in some postcodes whilst I have family who are clinically vulnerable who are still waiting.
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 49,957
    kinabalu said:

    HYUFD said:

    This Conservative majority was elected with a majority partly to ensure conservative views and values got a fair hearing, including in academia

    If progressive minded students are to be forcibly exposed to conservative ideas it's only fair if it applies the other way too. All over 55s outside the big cities to be strapped to an armchair every weekday evening and pointed towards a TV tuned to Ch4. I can't see how you could possibly object.
    8 out of 10 Cats?
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 26,279
    Facebook takes on the worlds 14th largest economy. Interesting battle.
  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 31,272
    MaxPB said:

    Vaccinations: 7 day rolling average continues to decline. Does anyone know the cause?

    (Presumably supply issues, hopefully temporary.)

    I expect the government are holding supplies back to build up a stock for the 2nd jab programme so that it has a buffer in case of an external shock and second jabs aren't disrupted.
    Makes no sense.

    Just 1m people had their 1st dose before 27 December.

    560k have already had their 2nd dose, so only another 440k need to have their 2nd dose before 21 March (27/12/20 + 12 weeks). That's just one day's jabbing.

    The time to slow down 1st doses is 21 March not point in slowing down before.
  • kinabalu said:

    HYUFD said:

    This Conservative majority was elected with a majority partly to ensure conservative views and values got a fair hearing, including in academia

    If progressive minded students are to be forcibly exposed to conservative ideas it's only fair if it applies the other way too. All over 55s outside the big cities to be strapped to an armchair every weekday evening and pointed towards a TV tuned to Ch4. I can't see how anybody could possibly object.
    You're on your Last Leg with that idea.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 53,766
    Andy_JS said:

    Seyi Omooba: Actress sacked over anti-gay post loses legal fight

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-56089759

    That's an interesting case.

    Now, she is free to post what she likes.

    But at the same time, if having her on stage causes ticket receipts to drop or makes it harder to raise money from donors because people don't want to be seen to be supporting a homophobic actress, then isn't that the Theatre company's prerogative?

    The theatre company has to make the decisions that are best for it; it's directors or trustees have moral and fiduciary responsibilities. They don't have a broader remit to support people whose private views result in lower revenues.
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 26,279
    rcs1000 said:

    rcs1000 said:

    First Indian female president of Oxford University students' union QUITS amid backlash after she made 'pun' about the Holocaust, posted picture of her in Malaysia with words 'Ching Chang' and said trans women are not women

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9269815/First-Indian-female-president-Oxford-University-students-union-QUITS.html

    When I was at University, 1992 to 1995, a magazine I was involved in (called Judas) ran an interview I did with the leader of the BNP. Said magazine also ran an article by a man called Justin King called "White Pride", where he recounted the tale of a girlfriend of his who had dated a non-white.

    This led to the front page of Varsity running the story "BNP Cell Active at Trinity" and led to a motion at CUSU calling for myself, the editor of Judas, and Justin King to be expelled from the University.

    Fortunately, (a) I had a very good (Indian) friend who was on the board of CUSU, and (b) someone realised that Justin King was actually Chinese and the White Pride article was a delicious act of satire.

    Nevertheless, Trinity did cut off funding for Judas (that the editor kept exactly zero records of expenditure may also have played a role).

    So, I'm not 100% convinced that things are really radically different from 1994.
    I would also suggest rereading Malcolm Bradbury's The History Man, which is all about the academic persecution by right on (woke) Professors of a right wing student.

    If you added a few reference to iPhones, anyone would think it was written in 2020 not 1980, and would bemoan it as presenting an accurate portrayal of how academia now stifled right wing voices, and how it never used to be the case.
    Im in the middle of reading it at the moment. Ive heard that some people say the main character is based on BBC radio presenter Laurie Taylor.
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 50,761
    Andy_JS said:

    Facebook takes on the worlds 14th largest economy. Interesting battle.

    Well Facebook is no doubt the larger economically but who is the more nimble?
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 53,766
    Andy_JS said:

    rcs1000 said:

    rcs1000 said:

    First Indian female president of Oxford University students' union QUITS amid backlash after she made 'pun' about the Holocaust, posted picture of her in Malaysia with words 'Ching Chang' and said trans women are not women

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9269815/First-Indian-female-president-Oxford-University-students-union-QUITS.html

    When I was at University, 1992 to 1995, a magazine I was involved in (called Judas) ran an interview I did with the leader of the BNP. Said magazine also ran an article by a man called Justin King called "White Pride", where he recounted the tale of a girlfriend of his who had dated a non-white.

    This led to the front page of Varsity running the story "BNP Cell Active at Trinity" and led to a motion at CUSU calling for myself, the editor of Judas, and Justin King to be expelled from the University.

    Fortunately, (a) I had a very good (Indian) friend who was on the board of CUSU, and (b) someone realised that Justin King was actually Chinese and the White Pride article was a delicious act of satire.

    Nevertheless, Trinity did cut off funding for Judas (that the editor kept exactly zero records of expenditure may also have played a role).

    So, I'm not 100% convinced that things are really radically different from 1994.
    I would also suggest rereading Malcolm Bradbury's The History Man, which is all about the academic persecution by right on (woke) Professors of a right wing student.

    If you added a few reference to iPhones, anyone would think it was written in 2020 not 1980, and would bemoan it as presenting an accurate portrayal of how academia now stifled right wing voices, and how it never used to be the case.
    Im in the middle of reading it at the moment. Ive heard that some people say the main character is based on BBC radio presenter Laurie Taylor.
    He is a spectacularly unsympathetic character.
  • ozymandiasozymandias Posts: 1,503
    kinabalu said:

    HYUFD said:

    This Conservative majority was elected with a majority partly to ensure conservative views and values got a fair hearing, including in academia

    If progressive minded students are to be forcibly exposed to conservative ideas it's only fair if it applies the other way too. All over 55s outside the big cities to be strapped to an armchair every weekday evening and pointed towards a TV tuned to Ch4. I can't see how anybody could possibly object.
    Not really. Students are supposed to be in “education”. They are there to learn - oddly enough. If that education is to be as broad and encompassing as possible they need exposure to a broad as possible spectrum of views - be that be in politics or anything else. Including the subject they are studying.

    Over 55’s tend not to be in education. They can think what they wish. As can the students when they cease to be - well - students. The clue is in their description. Are the students there to learn or just have their pre-disposition to “progressive” (whatever the hell that term means) ideas reinforced without challenge?
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 44,052
    eek said:

    eek said:

    MaxPB said:

    Err, that would be civil servants complaining that the post went to someone unelected rather than an unelected civil servant?
    He's taken on most of Gove's responsibilities, an elected politician.
    What's Gove doing then?

    But it's been common in the past that people have been appointed a Lord to deal with areas in their expertise.
    This maybe the harbinger of a cabinet reshuffle.

    There has been talk of Gove going to Health or Education.

    Personally I'd love to see him back at Justice, those 14 months he did there was the signs of some rather brilliant thinking and policies, rather than the hang them and flog them brigade, with the exception of Ken Clarke, seem to the type of Tory Justice Secretaries picked.
    A Cabinet reshuffle? But surely, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it"
    Gove can't be heading back to Education so it must be Health or Social Security.

    As for why it won't be Education, the exam boards are trying to fix the mess he made of GCSEs by scrapping them while introducing a set of core skill exams be leaving some timetable for actual fun subjects rather than a 1950s memory test.
    It will be Scotland, in practice if not in name.
  • eekeek Posts: 24,797

    kinabalu said:

    HYUFD said:

    This Conservative majority was elected with a majority partly to ensure conservative views and values got a fair hearing, including in academia

    If progressive minded students are to be forcibly exposed to conservative ideas it's only fair if it applies the other way too. All over 55s outside the big cities to be strapped to an armchair every weekday evening and pointed towards a TV tuned to Ch4. I can't see how anybody could possibly object.
    Not really. Students are supposed to be in “education”. They are there to learn - oddly enough. If that education is to be as broad and encompassing as possible they need exposure to a broad as possible spectrum of views - be that be in politics or anything else. Including the subject they are studying.

    Over 55’s tend not to be in education. They can think what they wish. As can the students when they cease to be - well - students. The clue is in their description. Are the students there to learn or just have their pre-disposition to “progressive” (whatever the hell that term means) ideas reinforced without challenge?
    It's fine to dictate what you are being taught and how when you aren't paying for it.

    If I'm paying £9k I year I would expect my opinion to be worth something...
  • Northern_AlNorthern_Al Posts: 7,458
    rcs1000 said:

    rcs1000 said:

    First Indian female president of Oxford University students' union QUITS amid backlash after she made 'pun' about the Holocaust, posted picture of her in Malaysia with words 'Ching Chang' and said trans women are not women

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9269815/First-Indian-female-president-Oxford-University-students-union-QUITS.html

    When I was at University, 1992 to 1995, a magazine I was involved in (called Judas) ran an interview I did with the leader of the BNP. Said magazine also ran an article by a man called Justin King called "White Pride", where he recounted the tale of a girlfriend of his who had dated a non-white.

    This led to the front page of Varsity running the story "BNP Cell Active at Trinity" and led to a motion at CUSU calling for myself, the editor of Judas, and Justin King to be expelled from the University.

    Fortunately, (a) I had a very good (Indian) friend who was on the board of CUSU, and (b) someone realised that Justin King was actually Chinese and the White Pride article was a delicious act of satire.

    Nevertheless, Trinity did cut off funding for Judas (that the editor kept exactly zero records of expenditure may also have played a role).

    So, I'm not 100% convinced that things are really radically different from 1994.
    I would also suggest rereading Malcolm Bradbury's The History Man, which is all about the academic persecution by right on (woke) Professors of a right wing student.

    If you added a few reference to iPhones, anyone would think it was written in 2020 not 1980, and would bemoan it as presenting an accurate portrayal of how academia now stifled right wing voices, and how it never used to be the case.
    Yes, this sort of stuff has been going on in academia for over 50 years. The only thing that's new is that it's now played out on social media in real time, rather than in odd newspaper articles and journals like the New Left Review and the New Statesman.

    Starting in the late 60s, culture wars in academia started over feminism, and took on board stuff like the Vietnam War, Paris in 1968, and all the 'woke' legislation of the late 60s and into the 70s. Such 'woke' legislation - on homosexuality, abortion, equal pay, race relations and so on - has of course become commonplace and accepted now even by the right. Deservedly, on these matters, the 'woke' won hands down.

    Culture wars are really nothing new. I'm not persuaded that the government's effort to reignite them is a winner in the medium term, despite the short-term profits.
  • eekeek Posts: 24,797
    DavidL said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Facebook takes on the worlds 14th largest economy. Interesting battle.

    Well Facebook is no doubt the larger economically but who is the more nimble?
    Facebook aren't taking on the 14th largest economy in the world, they are reacting to a request made by that economy.

    Just not in the way that country's economy was hoping for.
  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 37,603

    MaxPB said:

    Vaccinations: 7 day rolling average continues to decline. Does anyone know the cause?

    (Presumably supply issues, hopefully temporary.)

    I expect the government are holding supplies back to build up a stock for the 2nd jab programme so that it has a buffer in case of an external shock and second jabs aren't disrupted.
    Makes no sense.

    Just 1m people had their 1st dose before 27 December.

    560k have already had their 2nd dose, so only another 440k need to have their 2nd dose before 21 March (27/12/20 + 12 weeks). That's just one day's jabbing.

    The time to slow down 1st doses is 21 March not point in slowing down before.
    It's not 12 weeks later, it's between 10 and 11 weeks later that people will be invited for their second appointment and the rate slowdown isn't massive but setting aside 40-50k Pfizer jabs per day for the next 20-30 days gives the government a reliable buffer to ensure that they always have enough Pfizer supply available from current and held back stocks. In the meantime AZ deliveries will continue to ramp up allowing the first dose programme to continue to stay at the desired level.

    What I'm really looking forwards to is for the Moderna deliveries to start in April, that will give us a new supplier and allow for a third delivery programme to be commenced and Novavax in April allows for a fourth with the existing AZ delivery network. Ideally 0.8-1m doses per day will be being delivered throughout April once we get these new vaccine supplies.
  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 37,603
    eek said:

    DavidL said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Facebook takes on the worlds 14th largest economy. Interesting battle.

    Well Facebook is no doubt the larger economically but who is the more nimble?
    Facebook aren't taking on the 14th largest economy in the world, they are reacting to a request made by that economy.

    Just not in the way that country's economy was hoping for.
    On the flip side Google has agreed to pay News Corp. a fee for their content so it will be interesting to see if the two differing strategies will pay off for Google by having the content.
  • Northern_AlNorthern_Al Posts: 7,458
    Andy_JS said:

    rcs1000 said:

    rcs1000 said:

    First Indian female president of Oxford University students' union QUITS amid backlash after she made 'pun' about the Holocaust, posted picture of her in Malaysia with words 'Ching Chang' and said trans women are not women

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9269815/First-Indian-female-president-Oxford-University-students-union-QUITS.html

    When I was at University, 1992 to 1995, a magazine I was involved in (called Judas) ran an interview I did with the leader of the BNP. Said magazine also ran an article by a man called Justin King called "White Pride", where he recounted the tale of a girlfriend of his who had dated a non-white.

    This led to the front page of Varsity running the story "BNP Cell Active at Trinity" and led to a motion at CUSU calling for myself, the editor of Judas, and Justin King to be expelled from the University.

    Fortunately, (a) I had a very good (Indian) friend who was on the board of CUSU, and (b) someone realised that Justin King was actually Chinese and the White Pride article was a delicious act of satire.

    Nevertheless, Trinity did cut off funding for Judas (that the editor kept exactly zero records of expenditure may also have played a role).

    So, I'm not 100% convinced that things are really radically different from 1994.
    I would also suggest rereading Malcolm Bradbury's The History Man, which is all about the academic persecution by right on (woke) Professors of a right wing student.

    If you added a few reference to iPhones, anyone would think it was written in 2020 not 1980, and would bemoan it as presenting an accurate portrayal of how academia now stifled right wing voices, and how it never used to be the case.
    Im in the middle of reading it at the moment. Ive heard that some people say the main character is based on BBC radio presenter Laurie Taylor.
    I think that's correct. In his York days, Laurie Taylor had a reputation with both staff and students as an outrageous philanderer, whose seductive charms were irresistible. Strange to think that he's 84 now.
  • European car.
    Shouldn't it be 'Trying to get the Metro to start'?
  • ozymandiasozymandias Posts: 1,503
    eek said:

    kinabalu said:

    HYUFD said:

    This Conservative majority was elected with a majority partly to ensure conservative views and values got a fair hearing, including in academia

    If progressive minded students are to be forcibly exposed to conservative ideas it's only fair if it applies the other way too. All over 55s outside the big cities to be strapped to an armchair every weekday evening and pointed towards a TV tuned to Ch4. I can't see how anybody could possibly object.
    Not really. Students are supposed to be in “education”. They are there to learn - oddly enough. If that education is to be as broad and encompassing as possible they need exposure to a broad as possible spectrum of views - be that be in politics or anything else. Including the subject they are studying.

    Over 55’s tend not to be in education. They can think what they wish. As can the students when they cease to be - well - students. The clue is in their description. Are the students there to learn or just have their pre-disposition to “progressive” (whatever the hell that term means) ideas reinforced without challenge?
    It's fine to dictate what you are being taught and how when you aren't paying for it.

    If I'm paying £9k I year I would expect my opinion to be worth something...
    You choose what you are being taught by your subject. You are “taught” history for example. But does that mean you are only taught the views, opinions and conclusions of one historian who happens to have “acceptable” views at that time or are you taught different views of different historians, and it’s your role - as a student - to read, assess and agree/disagree with those historians conclusions and importantly provide your reasoning WHY.

    You don’t go to university to reinforce what you already know. You go there to, once again, learn.
  • eek said:

    eek said:

    MaxPB said:

    Err, that would be civil servants complaining that the post went to someone unelected rather than an unelected civil servant?
    He's taken on most of Gove's responsibilities, an elected politician.
    What's Gove doing then?

    But it's been common in the past that people have been appointed a Lord to deal with areas in their expertise.
    This maybe the harbinger of a cabinet reshuffle.

    There has been talk of Gove going to Health or Education.

    Personally I'd love to see him back at Justice, those 14 months he did there was the signs of some rather brilliant thinking and policies, rather than the hang them and flog them brigade, with the exception of Ken Clarke, seem to the type of Tory Justice Secretaries picked.
    A Cabinet reshuffle? But surely, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it"
    Gove can't be heading back to Education so it must be Health or Social Security.

    As for why it won't be Education, the exam boards are trying to fix the mess he made of GCSEs by scrapping them while introducing a set of core skill exams be leaving some timetable for actual fun subjects rather than a 1950s memory test.
    I'd pick Health. He'd do well there.

    I think Therese Coffey is doing excellently at DWP. She's been a solid and loyal grafter for the Conservative Party for decades, and is widely liked and respected.

    She doesn't see the need to wave her dick around. Probably because she harbours no leadership ambitions and is just content to serve the party.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 43,608
    MaxPB said:

    MaxPB said:

    Vaccinations: 7 day rolling average continues to decline. Does anyone know the cause?

    (Presumably supply issues, hopefully temporary.)

    I expect the government are holding supplies back to build up a stock for the 2nd jab programme so that it has a buffer in case of an external shock and second jabs aren't disrupted.
    Makes no sense.

    Just 1m people had their 1st dose before 27 December.

    560k have already had their 2nd dose, so only another 440k need to have their 2nd dose before 21 March (27/12/20 + 12 weeks). That's just one day's jabbing.

    The time to slow down 1st doses is 21 March not point in slowing down before.
    It's not 12 weeks later, it's between 10 and 11 weeks later that people will be invited for their second appointment and the rate slowdown isn't massive but setting aside 40-50k Pfizer jabs per day for the next 20-30 days gives the government a reliable buffer to ensure that they always have enough Pfizer supply available from current and held back stocks. In the meantime AZ deliveries will continue to ramp up allowing the first dose programme to continue to stay at the desired level.

    What I'm really looking forwards to is for the Moderna deliveries to start in April, that will give us a new supplier and allow for a third delivery programme to be commenced and Novavax in April allows for a fourth with the existing AZ delivery network. Ideally 0.8-1m doses per day will be being delivered throughout April once we get these new vaccine supplies.
    "Downing Street said it has confidence over vaccine supply and hitting its priority groups target after the Scottish Government said it would be scaling back its vaccination programme as jab supplies to the UK dip.

    Scottish Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said there will be a drop in vaccine supply across all four nations of the UK, caused by work being carried out by Pfizer - the manufacturer of one of the approved coronavirus vaccines.

    She said Scotland should hit its target of vaccinating 400,000 adults a week ahead of schedule this week, but the programme will then "need to scale back a bit".

    Pfizer is having to temporarily reduce output as part of an overall effort to increase manufacturing capacity amid worldwide demand for vaccines."

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/coronavirus-news-oxford-vaccine-covid-variants-uk-cases-deaths/
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 50,761
    Alistair said:
    In fairness if you campaigned for election in Texas committed to spending a lot of money on snow ploughs you might struggle just a tad.
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 32,733
    How do we get rid of these unelected bureaucrats?

    https://twitter.com/seanjonesqc/status/1362109208762740738
  • AlistairAlistair Posts: 23,670
    DougSeal said:
    My wife was complain about how they didn't have a good way of segregating vaccine side effects in the app.
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 49,957

    Vaccinations: 7 day rolling average continues to decline. Does anyone know the cause?

    (Presumably supply issues, hopefully temporary.)

    My theory, we're now trying to vaccinate people who think Covid-19 doesn't impact them, so they don't need to be vaccinated.
    Almost all the group 5s I know are really keen to get jabbed ASAP.

    Yours truly got jabbed today (AZ).
    Last pb-er to get jabbed has to get the drinks in.....
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 44,052
    rcs1000 said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Seyi Omooba: Actress sacked over anti-gay post loses legal fight

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-56089759

    That's an interesting case.

    Now, she is free to post what she likes.

    But at the same time, if having her on stage causes ticket receipts to drop or makes it harder to raise money from donors because people don't want to be seen to be supporting a homophobic actress, then isn't that the Theatre company's prerogative?

    The theatre company has to make the decisions that are best for it; it's directors or trustees have moral and fiduciary responsibilities. They don't have a broader remit to support people whose private views result in lower revenues.
    I have long been a supporter of the Curve Theatre, and Fox Jr was an enthusiastic member of their youth theatre.

    Once this actors views came to light, the production became untenable for her. Other cast members and staff were refusing to work the production, and it looked like there would be a boycott and pickets.

    In some ways it reminded me of how Tim Farron was hounded, and I think that there is also a whiff of indirect discrimination in that Black churches often take a rather old fashioned approach to such attitudes.

    It is one of those areas where there is a clash of interests. I am glad that she lost, but mostly because I want the Theatre to survive!
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 50,761

    eek said:

    eek said:

    MaxPB said:

    Err, that would be civil servants complaining that the post went to someone unelected rather than an unelected civil servant?
    He's taken on most of Gove's responsibilities, an elected politician.
    What's Gove doing then?

    But it's been common in the past that people have been appointed a Lord to deal with areas in their expertise.
    This maybe the harbinger of a cabinet reshuffle.

    There has been talk of Gove going to Health or Education.

    Personally I'd love to see him back at Justice, those 14 months he did there was the signs of some rather brilliant thinking and policies, rather than the hang them and flog them brigade, with the exception of Ken Clarke, seem to the type of Tory Justice Secretaries picked.
    A Cabinet reshuffle? But surely, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it"
    Gove can't be heading back to Education so it must be Health or Social Security.

    As for why it won't be Education, the exam boards are trying to fix the mess he made of GCSEs by scrapping them while introducing a set of core skill exams be leaving some timetable for actual fun subjects rather than a 1950s memory test.
    I'd pick Health. He'd do well there.

    I think Therese Coffey is doing excellently at DWP. She's been a solid and loyal grafter for the Conservative Party for decades, and is widely liked and respected.

    She doesn't see the need to wave her dick around. Probably because she harbours no leadership ambitions and is just content to serve the party.
    Surely the people? ed.
  • AlistairAlistair Posts: 23,670

    MaxPB said:

    MaxPB said:

    Vaccinations: 7 day rolling average continues to decline. Does anyone know the cause?

    (Presumably supply issues, hopefully temporary.)

    I expect the government are holding supplies back to build up a stock for the 2nd jab programme so that it has a buffer in case of an external shock and second jabs aren't disrupted.
    Makes no sense.

    Just 1m people had their 1st dose before 27 December.

    560k have already had their 2nd dose, so only another 440k need to have their 2nd dose before 21 March (27/12/20 + 12 weeks). That's just one day's jabbing.

    The time to slow down 1st doses is 21 March not point in slowing down before.
    It's not 12 weeks later, it's between 10 and 11 weeks later that people will be invited for their second appointment and the rate slowdown isn't massive but setting aside 40-50k Pfizer jabs per day for the next 20-30 days gives the government a reliable buffer to ensure that they always have enough Pfizer supply available from current and held back stocks. In the meantime AZ deliveries will continue to ramp up allowing the first dose programme to continue to stay at the desired level.

    What I'm really looking forwards to is for the Moderna deliveries to start in April, that will give us a new supplier and allow for a third delivery programme to be commenced and Novavax in April allows for a fourth with the existing AZ delivery network. Ideally 0.8-1m doses per day will be being delivered throughout April once we get these new vaccine supplies.
    "Downing Street said it has confidence over vaccine supply and hitting its priority groups target after the Scottish Government said it would be scaling back its vaccination programme as jab supplies to the UK dip.

    Scottish Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said there will be a drop in vaccine supply across all four nations of the UK, caused by work being carried out by Pfizer - the manufacturer of one of the approved coronavirus vaccines.

    She said Scotland should hit its target of vaccinating 400,000 adults a week ahead of schedule this week, but the programme will then "need to scale back a bit".

    Pfizer is having to temporarily reduce output as part of an overall effort to increase manufacturing capacity amid worldwide demand for vaccines."

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/coronavirus-news-oxford-vaccine-covid-variants-uk-cases-deaths/
    Does anyone have a copy of the Scottish vaccine plan that had delivery numbers in it before it got yanked down?
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 49,957
    Scott_xP said:

    How do we get rid of these unelected bureaucrats?

    https://twitter.com/seanjonesqc/status/1362109208762740738

    Vote out the Government making those appointments - in 2024 (latest).

    How does that compare with the timetable for voting out UvdL?
  • Black_RookBlack_Rook Posts: 8,905

    Vaccinations: 7 day rolling average continues to decline. Does anyone know the cause?

    (Presumably supply issues, hopefully temporary.)

    My theory, we're now trying to vaccinate people who think Covid-19 doesn't impact them, so they don't need to be vaccinated.
    Almost all the group 5s I know are really keen to get jabbed ASAP.

    Yours truly got jabbed today (AZ).
    Last pb-er to get jabbed has to get the drinks in.....
    That could be expensive. I gain the impression that the under 50s are scarce round these parts...
  • eekeek Posts: 24,797
    DavidL said:

    Alistair said:
    In fairness if you campaigned for election in Texas committed to spending a lot of money on snow ploughs you might struggle just a tad.
    Surely your typical Texas candidate should know how to hide essential expenditure in more politically insensitive category.
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 50,761

    Vaccinations: 7 day rolling average continues to decline. Does anyone know the cause?

    (Presumably supply issues, hopefully temporary.)

    My theory, we're now trying to vaccinate people who think Covid-19 doesn't impact them, so they don't need to be vaccinated.
    Almost all the group 5s I know are really keen to get jabbed ASAP.

    Yours truly got jabbed today (AZ).
    Last pb-er to get jabbed has to get the drinks in.....
    That could be expensive. I gain the impression that the under 50s are scarce round these parts...
    And alcoholism almost ubiquitous. Hic!
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,841

    Vaccinations: 7 day rolling average continues to decline. Does anyone know the cause?

    (Presumably supply issues, hopefully temporary.)

    My theory, we're now trying to vaccinate people who think Covid-19 doesn't impact them, so they don't need to be vaccinated.
    Almost all the group 5s I know are really keen to get jabbed ASAP.

    Yours truly got jabbed today (AZ).
    Last pb-er to get jabbed has to get the drinks in.....
    I think me, Max, Alistair, Phil Thompson, Casino are the live runners on this one.
  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 37,603
    https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/ministers-wont-give-up-covid-powers-easily-nw0g0mbpt

    Of interest @TOPPING, very much on the lines of what we've been discussing.
  • stodgestodge Posts: 12,741

    stodge said:


    Once again, I'm forced to question what seems to be uneven progress in the vaccination programme. In some areas, those over 50 seem to be vaccinated but in others those over 65 are still waiting for appointments.

    In order for restrictions to be eased, I'd have thought we'd need to see similar levels of vaccination across the whole country otherwise we'll be back to Tiers.

    Must be hard to get balance of supply right if there are some areas where there is a larger no-vaxx brigade than expected?

    But I must admit is getting a bit galling to read of fit 60 year olds getting the vaccine in some postcodes whilst I have family who are clinically vulnerable who are still waiting.
    Indeed and these anomalies or logistical failings or whatever you want to call them need to be addressed urgently. Simply counting up the vaccinations and assuming everything is going well is foolish - there are problems, not huge problems I would guess but clearly the numbers vaccinated and the speed the vulnerable groups are being contacted and vaccinated is starting to vary.

    All of this compromises the debate over the easing of restrictions - those areas with all in Groups 1-9 vaccinated (or more accurately those not refusing the vaccination) will be champing at the bit to unlock but that's no use if large numbers of unvaccinated people are just a few miles away because in that area the logistics haven't performed so well.

  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 53,766
    edited February 2021

    Vaccinations: 7 day rolling average continues to decline. Does anyone know the cause?

    (Presumably supply issues, hopefully temporary.)

    My theory, we're now trying to vaccinate people who think Covid-19 doesn't impact them, so they don't need to be vaccinated.
    Almost all the group 5s I know are really keen to get jabbed ASAP.

    Yours truly got jabbed today (AZ).
    Last pb-er to get jabbed has to get the drinks in.....
    That could be expensive. I gain the impression that the under 50s are scarce round these parts...
    I'm under 50! (And jabbed.)
  • Northern_AlNorthern_Al Posts: 7,458

    eek said:

    eek said:

    MaxPB said:

    Err, that would be civil servants complaining that the post went to someone unelected rather than an unelected civil servant?
    He's taken on most of Gove's responsibilities, an elected politician.
    What's Gove doing then?

    But it's been common in the past that people have been appointed a Lord to deal with areas in their expertise.
    This maybe the harbinger of a cabinet reshuffle.

    There has been talk of Gove going to Health or Education.

    Personally I'd love to see him back at Justice, those 14 months he did there was the signs of some rather brilliant thinking and policies, rather than the hang them and flog them brigade, with the exception of Ken Clarke, seem to the type of Tory Justice Secretaries picked.
    A Cabinet reshuffle? But surely, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it"
    Gove can't be heading back to Education so it must be Health or Social Security.

    As for why it won't be Education, the exam boards are trying to fix the mess he made of GCSEs by scrapping them while introducing a set of core skill exams be leaving some timetable for actual fun subjects rather than a 1950s memory test.
    I'd pick Health. He'd do well there.

    I think Therese Coffey is doing excellently at DWP. She's been a solid and loyal grafter for the Conservative Party for decades, and is widely liked and respected.

    She doesn't see the need to wave her dick around. Probably because she harbours no leadership ambitions and is just content to serve the party.
    In respect of your last paragraph, I wasn't aware that Coffey was in transition and has had the operation.
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 44,052

    eek said:

    kinabalu said:

    HYUFD said:

    This Conservative majority was elected with a majority partly to ensure conservative views and values got a fair hearing, including in academia

    If progressive minded students are to be forcibly exposed to conservative ideas it's only fair if it applies the other way too. All over 55s outside the big cities to be strapped to an armchair every weekday evening and pointed towards a TV tuned to Ch4. I can't see how anybody could possibly object.
    Not really. Students are supposed to be in “education”. They are there to learn - oddly enough. If that education is to be as broad and encompassing as possible they need exposure to a broad as possible spectrum of views - be that be in politics or anything else. Including the subject they are studying.

    Over 55’s tend not to be in education. They can think what they wish. As can the students when they cease to be - well - students. The clue is in their description. Are the students there to learn or just have their pre-disposition to “progressive” (whatever the hell that term means) ideas reinforced without challenge?
    It's fine to dictate what you are being taught and how when you aren't paying for it.

    If I'm paying £9k I year I would expect my opinion to be worth something...
    You choose what you are being taught by your subject. You are “taught” history for example. But does that mean you are only taught the views, opinions and conclusions of one historian who happens to have “acceptable” views at that time or are you taught different views of different historians, and it’s your role - as a student - to read, assess and agree/disagree with those historians conclusions and importantly provide your reasoning WHY.

    You don’t go to university to reinforce what you already know. You go there to, once again, learn.
    I think that you misunderstand the commercial and consumerist nature of modern university life. Higher education is now a consumer product, and students want to get a good experience, which means high marks for modules that they like. Increasingly these are taught by a casualised University workforce whose contracts are at the whim of the senior management.

    So students get taught what they want, not what they need. Universities are not Ivory towers of dreaming academics, they are degree factories with exploited workers selling cheap tat to the fashionably gullible.
  • European car.
    Shouldn't it be 'Trying to get the Metro to start'?
    'Get Allegra in the Allegro'
  • TimTTimT Posts: 6,328

    IshmaelZ said:

    rcs1000 said:

    On seasons, in Los Angeles we have the following:

    Summer March 1 to Nov 30
    Almost Summer Dec 1 to Feb 28/29

    I have just ruined California Dreamin' for myself for all time, by watching the video

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-aK6JnyFmk&ab_channel=MarkScawkes
    Read the allegations about the late John Phillips and you will like it even less.
    I think Michelle Phillips was one of my very first celebrity crushes - I was probably all of 8.
This discussion has been closed.