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Just 13 of the 31 local seats in Hartlepool on Westminster by-election day have Tory contenders – po

SystemSystem Posts: 12,433
edited April 2021 in General
imageJust 13 of the 31 local seats in Hartlepool on Westminster by-election day have Tory contenders – politicalbetting.com

As we all know the Hartlepool Westminster by-election is taking place on May 6th – the same day as the locals throughout England and the Scottish and Welsh Parliament elections.

Read the full story here

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Comments

  • MikeSmithsonMikeSmithson Posts: 7,382
    1st
  • Intriguing.

    However with a lack of ground game an issue during the plague impacting all parties this might not be so damaging to the Tories.
  • EndillionEndillion Posts: 4,976
    Who do the markets rate as having the remaining -1% chance?
  • Mind you back in 2015 the Tories took a few seats from the Lib Dems where the Tories had minimal councillors, let alone council candidates.

    I think Eastleigh was the most famous where at the run up to GE 2015 the Lib Dems held 40 out of the 44 council seats in Eastleigh, the blue meanies held the other four.
  • QuincelQuincel Posts: 4,042
    edited April 2021
    Snip
  • How many independents are standing who could loosely be conservatives
  • algarkirkalgarkirk Posts: 14,012
    https://www.hartlepoolmail.co.uk/news/politics/108-candidates-standing-in-may-6-election-for-seats-on-hartlepool-borough-council-3194528

    I think this is the full list of candidates. Make of it what you will. So far as I can see the monkey is not standing.
  • williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 54,859
    From an Irish professor:

    "@MichaelMDowling
    As English pubs open today, we should recognise they achieved this by risking the health of their population by vaccinating too early with vaccines they didn't understand.

    The EU approach is testing new medicine is vastly superior to the early chance to pop into Weatherspoons."


    https://twitter.com/MichaelMDowling/status/1381596226639036417
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 73,572
    It’s turnout that will be key.

    Tories need Brexit voters to (a) turn out and (b) vote for them.

    If they can do that, they’re laughing.

    If not, Labour will hold.

    It really is that easy.
  • eekeek Posts: 29,741
    edited April 2021
    It's actually worth looking at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_Hartlepool_Borough_Council_election which breaks down who is standing in each seats.

    All the wards have 3 seats in them and the Tories have 1 candidate in all wards except for Throston (no candidate) and Rural West (3 candidates)

    So there is a Tory candidate (albeit only 1) in all wards they have a chance of winning and 3 in the ward they are likely to win all the seats and don't have independents.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 98,601
    algarkirk said:

    https://www.hartlepoolmail.co.uk/news/politics/108-candidates-standing-in-may-6-election-for-seats-on-hartlepool-borough-council-3194528

    I think this is the full list of candidates. Make of it what you will. So far as I can see the monkey is not standing.

    One of the seats is called Foggy Furze. God I love local elections.

    That does seem a very low number of Conservatives, even assuming some number of pretty conservative Independents or local parties.
  • BalrogBalrog Posts: 207
    edited April 2021
    Having layed labour when the betfair market went up, I've just cashed out. Just under 20% return so not too bad but it does sound like they will win.
  • From an Irish professor:

    "@MichaelMDowling
    As English pubs open today, we should recognise they achieved this by risking the health of their population by vaccinating too early with vaccines they didn't understand.

    The EU approach is testing new medicine is vastly superior to the early chance to pop into Weatherspoons."


    https://twitter.com/MichaelMDowling/status/1381596226639036417

    To be fair even the EU supporters must be embarrassed and ashamed of such nonsense comments

    What do you think @Scott_P
  • turbotubbsturbotubbs Posts: 18,630

    From an Irish professor:

    "@MichaelMDowling
    As English pubs open today, we should recognise they achieved this by risking the health of their population by vaccinating too early with vaccines they didn't understand.

    The EU approach is testing new medicine is vastly superior to the early chance to pop into Weatherspoons."


    https://twitter.com/MichaelMDowling/status/1381596226639036417

    Clearly an idiot. We are in Phase 4 of clinical testing - where the very rare side effects come out. If you have 10,000 in your trial and a 1 in 100,000 side effect, you'd never know from the Phase III trial. It seems likely that there are treatments/interventions for the rare side effect so that even fewer will die from blood clots.

    We have also undoubtedly saved many more lives than have sadly been lost from the vaccine. As ever though. you cannot ever show who has been saved, only the dead are known.
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 44,824
    I'm very happy with my bet at evens on the Tories to win Hartlepool. It's much shorter now but I'm not laying back. The party of Brexit are quite rightly the clear betting favourites to win this most Brexity of seats. I'll also be delighted if I'm wrong and Labour pull off the upset since this will mean the Tory hold on the WWC Leave political identity is starting to fade already - despite a Brexit so recent in the memory and looking very good because of vaccines - which will bode well for Labour's longer term prospects at GE24. So it's a win/win as far as I'm concerned. Course by the same token it's also a lose/lose.
  • algarkirkalgarkirk Posts: 14,012
    eek said:

    It's actually worth looking at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_Hartlepool_Borough_Council_election which breaks down who is standing in each seats.

    All the wards have 3 seats in them and the Tories have 1 candidate in all wards except for Throston (no candidate) and Rural West (3 candidates)

    I can hear a Dimbleby or a Naughtie saying 'It's going to be a long night in Foggy Furze'

  • eekeek Posts: 29,741

    From an Irish professor:

    "@MichaelMDowling
    As English pubs open today, we should recognise they achieved this by risking the health of their population by vaccinating too early with vaccines they didn't understand.

    The EU approach is testing new medicine is vastly superior to the early chance to pop into Weatherspoons."


    https://twitter.com/MichaelMDowling/status/1381596226639036417

    On his basis the EU shouldn't be vaccinating anyone for the next 20 years but he is a professor of finance so I don't think his opinion is worth much
  • contrariancontrarian Posts: 5,818

    How many independents are standing who could loosely be conservatives

    Could be.

    I counted seven Reform and goodness knows how many 'Veteran and People's Party....??
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 31,338
    Off topic.

    Sad to see the passing of Baroness Shirley Williams. Someone for whom I would ditch the BBC schedules to celebrate her life.
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 65,570

    Off topic.

    Sad to see the passing of Baroness Shirley Williams. Someone for whom I would ditch the BBC schedules to celebrate her life.

    RIP. Sad news indeed.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 73,572

    From an Irish professor:

    "@MichaelMDowling
    As English pubs open today, we should recognise they achieved this by risking the health of their population by vaccinating too early with vaccines they didn't understand.

    The EU approach is testing new medicine is vastly superior to the early chance to pop into Weatherspoons."


    https://twitter.com/MichaelMDowling/status/1381596226639036417

    That tweet appears to have been deleted.

    Maybe he engaged his brain after opening his Twitter feed?
  • kinabalu said:

    I'm very happy with my bet at evens on the Tories to win Hartlepool. It's much shorter now but I'm not laying back. The party of Brexit are quite rightly the clear betting favourites to win this most Brexity of seats. I'll also be delighted if I'm wrong and Labour pull off the upset since this will mean the Tory hold on the WWC Leave political identity is starting to fade already - despite a Brexit so recent in the memory and looking very good because of vaccines - which will bode well for Labour's longer term prospects at GE24. So it's a win/win as far as I'm concerned. Course by the same token it's also a lose/lose.

    Good bit of expectations management there. Seat the tories have never had and didnt get in the brexit landslide of 2019, if they still dont get it in this by election shows quite clearly that theyve lost the hold on the WWC.

    ??
  • RobDRobD Posts: 60,364

    From an Irish professor:

    "@MichaelMDowling
    As English pubs open today, we should recognise they achieved this by risking the health of their population by vaccinating too early with vaccines they didn't understand.

    The EU approach is testing new medicine is vastly superior to the early chance to pop into Weatherspoons."


    https://twitter.com/MichaelMDowling/status/1381596226639036417

    The tweet was deleted. Thanks for preserving his stupidity for us. The UK's strategy is the correct one. A shame he can't admit that.
  • FloaterFloater Posts: 14,207

    From an Irish professor:

    "@MichaelMDowling
    As English pubs open today, we should recognise they achieved this by risking the health of their population by vaccinating too early with vaccines they didn't understand.

    The EU approach is testing new medicine is vastly superior to the early chance to pop into Weatherspoons."


    https://twitter.com/MichaelMDowling/status/1381596226639036417

    We really have upset them haven't we

    What a load of rubbish - as it seems he has deleted the tweet I think he realises how stupid he looks by posting such crap
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 65,570
    ydoethur said:

    It’s turnout that will be key.

    Tories need Brexit voters to (a) turn out and (b) vote for them.

    If they can do that, they’re laughing.

    If not, Labour will hold.

    It really is that easy.

    Yep. GOTV is crucial in this one. I am on Labour on BF.
  • AlistairMAlistairM Posts: 2,005
    RIP Shirley Williams

    It looks like vaccines will be opened to 45+ very shortly (unless they do it in smaller age bands).

    https://twitter.com/HugoGye/status/1381627929331953664
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 83,550
    AlistairM said:

    RIP Shirley Williams

    It looks like vaccines will be opened to 45+ very shortly (unless they do it in smaller age bands).

    https://twitter.com/HugoGye/status/1381627929331953664

    Don't get too excited yet...

    https://twitter.com/HugoGye/status/1381629685281488908?s=20
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 30,846
    Selebian said:

    I think the issue (and this may be what ydoethur is saying) is not that the regional parliaments are of different sizes, but how that is squared at the federal level. Do you have a Westminster with similar allocations to now (population based) in which case the England UK MPs can easily outvote MPs from other nations - i.e. they could pork barrel UK spending/siting of infrastructure for England? Or do you have each nation with an equal weight in the UK parliament, in which case the smaller nations, with a tiny part of the overall population, could dictate the UK's direction?

    It's not easy, but if the UK is to survive then I think we need to work out the answer. It might be an upper/lower house combo with one population weighted and the other at least more equal say for each nation.

    Edit: And if we can't adequately resolve this question, then it's probably an indication that the UK should not survive as a single entity.
    I'd envisage still having WM as the UK Parliament. The issue you mention with England having more representatives there would not be any more severe than they are now.

  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 59,426

    Been too busy with work lately to spend any time on PB but just wanted to come on and pay my respects to Baroness Shirley Williams.

    As with many politicians I did not agree with many of the things she believed in and promoted but she was of a generation which saw politics as a a matter of public service and undoubtedly worked for the public good. After Mrs Thatcher she was, to my mind, the most powerful female politician of post war Britain and outshone most of her male contemporaries. A powerful speaker, a fearsome intellect and someone who you always felt was working to make life better for people.

    As I said I may have disagreed with many of her political positions but that does not mean she did not have the good of the country and the people at heart.

    A good age but still a sad loss.

    RIP

    It is worth remembering that Ms Williams was still performing for the LibDems on TV as recently as the 2017 General Election.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 83,550
    edited April 2021
    One thing worth noting, in the past the NHS nationwide booking site gets a sneaky backend database update a few days before they make the announcement, opening up to the next group that they are going to announce.

    It wouldn't surprise me if you are late 40s and you go on there now if you can't book.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 73,572
    edited April 2021

    Yep. GOTV is crucial in this one. I am on Labour on BF.
    My instinct is shouting Labour too. I don’t see the Tories managing both of those things.

    If they do - and do so in Wales as well - Labour are in deep, deep shit.

    Outside Hartlepool and North Wales, the places to watch are the Monmouthshire seats - both seats in Newport, and Torfaen. If the Brexit voters switch en bloc there, Labour are in massive trouble.
  • AlistairMAlistairM Posts: 2,005
    Big jump in number of cases today. Up about 30% on the number last week. Although last Monday was obviously a bank holiday.

    The specimen date numbers don't look too bad but it seems odd nonethless.
  • eekeek Posts: 29,741
    edited April 2021

    One thing worth noting, in the past the NHS nationwide booking site gets a sneaky backend database update a few days before they make the announcement, opening up to the next group that they are going to announce.

    It wouldn't surprise me if you are late 40s and you go on there now if you can't book.

    I've just tried,(I'm definitely in the next group to be done) and it's still a No from the website.

    Will try again tomorrow as it won't be long away if they are talking about it.
  • algarkirkalgarkirk Posts: 14,012
    edited April 2021

    Could be.

    I counted seven Reform and goodness knows how many 'Veteran and People's Party....??
    Local knowledge essential! Two big factors in small town/rural areas; the Independents who are basically Tories/centre right; and the degree to which the vote is not party but personal. (I vote Labour in some local elections, and anyone but the Tory in another but this is 100% about people not party and is no guide at all to general elections!)
  • Jesus fecking Christ.

    A blog post alleging that the SNP has channelled public funding to voluntary groups that advocate lowering the age of consent to 10 has provoked controversy on social media.

    The post on the Wings Over Scotland blog amplified comments attributed to Alba Party candidate for Central Scotland, Margaret Lynch.

    A tweet on Saturday 10 April by another party supporter claimed Lynch had argued in an online party forum for women that LGBT+ groups in Scotland were lobbying to reduce the age of consent to 10.

    Although the tweet was subsequently deleted, screen grabs of it continued to be shared online and Lynch has subsequently re-shared other tweets making similar arguments from her Twitter account.

    The author of the Wings Over Scotland blog developed the claims further. In a post he described a document said to provide evidence for the claims as a ‘paedophile charter,’ and concluded the SNP are “paying lobby groups with your money to try to reduce the age of consent in Scotland to 10”.

    This blog post was subsequently shared on Twitter by Alba Party MP and Scottish Parliamentary candidate, Neale Hanvey. It was also shared repeatedly on Twitter, and in a number of Facebook groups.

    Ferret Fact Service looked at this claim and rated it FFS.


    https://theferret.scot/claim-snp-funding-paedophile-charter-groups-ffs/
  • BromBrom Posts: 3,760
    rcs1000 said:

    What an utterly ridiculous comment.

    Now deleted. Never trust a man who cant spell Wetherspoons though.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 73,572

    Jesus fecking Christ.

    A blog post alleging that the SNP has channelled public funding to voluntary groups that advocate lowering the age of consent to 10 has provoked controversy on social media.

    The post on the Wings Over Scotland blog amplified comments attributed to Alba Party candidate for Central Scotland, Margaret Lynch.

    A tweet on Saturday 10 April by another party supporter claimed Lynch had argued in an online party forum for women that LGBT+ groups in Scotland were lobbying to reduce the age of consent to 10.

    Although the tweet was subsequently deleted, screen grabs of it continued to be shared online and Lynch has subsequently re-shared other tweets making similar arguments from her Twitter account.

    The author of the Wings Over Scotland blog developed the claims further. In a post he described a document said to provide evidence for the claims as a ‘paedophile charter,’ and concluded the SNP are “paying lobby groups with your money to try to reduce the age of consent in Scotland to 10”.

    This blog post was subsequently shared on Twitter by Alba Party MP and Scottish Parliamentary candidate, Neale Hanvey. It was also shared repeatedly on Twitter, and in a number of Facebook groups.

    Ferret Fact Service looked at this claim and rated it FFS.


    https://theferret.scot/claim-snp-funding-paedophile-charter-groups-ffs/

    Alex Salmond’s band continues to test to destruction the expression ‘they’ve totally lost it in every sense.’
  • ChrisChris Posts: 11,922

    From an Irish professor:

    "@MichaelMDowling
    As English pubs open today, we should recognise they achieved this by risking the health of their population by vaccinating too early with vaccines they didn't understand.

    The EU approach is testing new medicine is vastly superior to the early chance to pop into Weatherspoons."


    https://twitter.com/MichaelMDowling/status/1381596226639036417

    Look. We all hate Wetherspoons (and some of us can even spell the word).

    But let's try to rise above our prejudices.
  • TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 121,688
    edited April 2021
    I'm screwed if being condescending, offensive, and focussing on language are seen as being problematic by the judiciary and others.

    A litigant-in-person has been hit with a bill of almost £100,000 in costs, after the court slammed him for being "difficult to deal with, condescending" and "offensive".

    Sir Henry Royce Memorial, a charitable foundation, brought a claim in the High Court for costs on an indemnity basis against former finance director Mark Hardy. The claim followed a previous trial where Hardy had accused Sir Henry Royce Memorial and its directors of fraud and false accounting.

    Hardy's accusations of wrongdoing by the directors were unproven. And the court ruled that his request for inspection of documents under the Companies Act was invalid, and not made for a proper purpose.

    Judge Paul Matthews ruled that Hardy had a "rather condescending manner" and exhibited "unnecessary" behaviour when dealing with the other side, which resulted in "more time and resources" being spent on the "problems of tone and language than in addressing the real issues in the case."

    The judge said the matter did not require "such disproportionate efforts" from Hardy, and highlighted his "excessive correspondence", which ran to two lever arch files for the trial bundle. Hardy had also exhibited a 500 page transcript of a particular meeting, which the judge noted was not "more than remotely relevant to the issues in the case".

    Hardy had "vigorously" insisted that a remote trial of his claim should be live streamed on the internet because there would be a great public interest with "possibly hundreds of requests to join". However, no more than 14 members of the public requested the link.

    The judge said Hardy should not be excused for his behaviour just because he was a litigant-in-person. The problem was that Hardy had "no sense of responsibility to the system" and "no duty of the kind that would be owed by a lawyer to the court," said the judge.

    The claimant sought to recover costs estimated at around £163,000 on an indemnity basis. The judge said the size of the costs was "significant" and while they may be justified, "are somewhat larger than I would have expected for what is essentially a short point under the Companies Act."

    The judge ordered Hardy to pay 60% of the costs upfront, with the remainder going for detailed assessment.


    https://www.rollonfriday.com/news-content/litigant-person-hit-ps100k-bill

    Never, never, ever be a LIP.
  • justin124justin124 Posts: 11,527
    Sad to hear of the passing of Shirley Williams. Difficult to think of her as being 90 years old in that it seems no time at all since she was being talked about as one of 'the bright up and coming MPs to look out for.'.
    I have also just been informed that my own former MP for Norwich North - Ian Gibson - has died at 82.
  • AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 23,795
    The Covid Daily Update is late coming out.

    Double checking extremely low death numbers maybe?
  • Brom said:

    Now deleted. Never trust a man who cant spell Wetherspoons though.
    I always wonder what people's problems with Wetherspoons is. I guess its more about the type of people who use them.
  • MaffewMaffew Posts: 235

    The Covid Daily Update is late coming out.

    Double checking extremely low death numbers maybe?

    The sub-pages for cases and deaths seem to have updated separately, even though the main update page hasn't. Apparently 3,568 cases (seems a lot higher than recent numbers) and 13 deaths.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 98,601

    I'm screwed if being condescending, offensive, and focussing on language are seen as being problematic by the judiciary and others.

    A litigant-in-person has been hit with a bill of almost £100,000 in costs, after the court slammed him for being "difficult to deal with, condescending" and "offensive".

    Sir Henry Royce Memorial, a charitable foundation, brought a claim in the High Court for costs on an indemnity basis against former finance director Mark Hardy. The claim followed a previous trial where Hardy had accused Sir Henry Royce Memorial and its directors of fraud and false accounting.

    Hardy's accusations of wrongdoing by the directors were unproven. And the court ruled that his request for inspection of documents under the Companies Act was invalid, and not made for a proper purpose.

    Judge Paul Matthews ruled that Hardy had a "rather condescending manner" and exhibited "unnecessary" behaviour when dealing with the other side, which resulted in "more time and resources" being spent on the "problems of tone and language than in addressing the real issues in the case."

    The judge said the matter did not require "such disproportionate efforts" from Hardy, and highlighted his "excessive correspondence", which ran to two lever arch files for the trial bundle. Hardy had also exhibited a 500 page transcript of a particular meeting, which the judge noted was not "more than remotely relevant to the issues in the case".

    Hardy had "vigorously" insisted that a remote trial of his claim should be live streamed on the internet because there would be a great public interest with "possibly hundreds of requests to join". However, no more than 14 members of the public requested the link.

    The judge said Hardy should not be excused for his behaviour just because he was a litigant-in-person. The problem was that Hardy had "no sense of responsibility to the system" and "no duty of the kind that would be owed by a lawyer to the court," said the judge.

    The claimant sought to recover costs estimated at around £163,000 on an indemnity basis. The judge said the size of the costs was "significant" and while they may be justified, "are somewhat larger than I would have expected for what is essentially a short point under the Companies Act."

    The judge ordered Hardy to pay 60% of the costs upfront, with the remainder going for detailed assessment.


    https://www.rollonfriday.com/news-content/litigant-person-hit-ps100k-bill

    Never, never, ever be a LIP.

    I have known many, many occasions where someone is truculent and difficult, through some wrongheaded notion of being thorough and officious, and cause things to be investigated which otherwise probably would not be, or caused far more work, time or cost than they wanted (and usually complained about), so that sort of story does not surprise me in the slightest.

    It's hard to know where to draw the line, but some people intentionally or not take the piss when they play barrack room lawyer out of a misplaced sense of thoroughness, and a hyper focus on tone and language, and arguing over trivial matters, is a common sign of it.
  • StockyStocky Posts: 10,279
    Back from pub lunch. Sunny but bloody freezing but had to be done.

    Very busy, no-one wearing masks except staff. Prices hiked a fair bit but I don't begrudge that given the torrid time hospitality has had. I reckon they have done 250-300 covers over lunch time (it's a big pub) and if average £25 a head that's approx £7k takings.

    Good for them.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 73,572

    Been too busy with work lately to spend any time on PB but just wanted to come on and pay my respects to Baroness Shirley Williams.

    As with many politicians I did not agree with many of the things she believed in and promoted but she was of a generation which saw politics as a a matter of public service and undoubtedly worked for the public good. After Mrs Thatcher she was, to my mind, the most powerful female politician of post war Britain and outshone most of her male contemporaries. A powerful speaker, a fearsome intellect and someone who you always felt was working to make life better for people.

    As I said I may have disagreed with many of her political positions but that does not mean she did not have the good of the country and the people at heart.

    A good age but still a sad loss.

    RIP

    A truly gracious tribute. Oddly, not very far from in some respects from her own tribute to Thatcher.

    https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/shirley-williams-how-margaret-thatcher-changed-britain-8564673.html
  • eekeek Posts: 29,741
    algarkirk said:

    Local knowledge essential! Two big factors in small town/rural areas; the Independents who are basically Tories/centre right; and the degree to which the vote is not party but personal. (I vote Labour in some local elections, and anyone but the Tory in another but this is 100% about people not party and is no guide at all to general elections!)
    I think you can pick things up by looking at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hartlepool_Borough_Council and https://www.hartlepool.gov.uk/councillors/specificWard/

    The current leadership is made up of Independent union, Conservatives + Vetrans with Independents supporting them

    Burn Valley - 2 independents standing again
    De Bruce - Labour
    Fens - 2 Independent Union both standing again
    Foggy - was socialist labour so probably Labour
    Hart - Independent is standing down - Tory won the the seat last time round
    Headland - the 3 Hartlepool Independent Candidates will win again (they are all mad around there)
    Manor House - was Socialist Labour so probably Labour
    Rural West - 3 Tories all standing again
    Seaton - It will be the 2 independents that won last time
    Throston (was Jesmond) was 1 Hartlepool people, 1 labour, 1 reform UK - not a clue
    Victoria - 3 seats were Labour will be again

    So yes are a lot of independent candidates who are really Tory
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 54,243
    UK cases by specimen date

    image
  • contrariancontrarian Posts: 5,818

    I always wonder what people's problems with Wetherspoons is. I guess its more about the type of people who use them.
    The good thing about 'spoons is it stops retired boxers from going back into the ring.

    Why pay to watch middle aged men fighting on a Saturday night, when you go to a spoons and watch it for free?
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 54,243
    UK cases by specimen date and scaled to 100K population

    image
  • BluestBlueBluestBlue Posts: 4,556

    Even if he can't get to Wetherspoons, he's obviously not short of bitter.
    He should be interviewed at once by the national media, just so that he can be asked the essential question:

    Has anything amusing ever happened to you in connection with a 'spoons?
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 54,243
    UK case summary

    image

    vs Yesterday

    image
  • AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 23,795
    Maffew said:

    The sub-pages for cases and deaths seem to have updated separately, even though the main update page hasn't. Apparently 3,568 cases (seems a lot higher than recent numbers) and 13 deaths.

    That's a terrible number for positive tests, if it's right. As you say, seems completely out of whack with recent trends.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 54,243
    UK positivity

    image
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 54,243
    UK hospitals

    image
    image
    image
    image
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 54,243
    UK deaths

    image
    image
    image
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 54,243
    UK R

    from cases

    image
    image

    from hospitalisations

    image
  • turbotubbsturbotubbs Posts: 18,630
    Maffew said:

    The sub-pages for cases and deaths seem to have updated separately, even though the main update page hasn't. Apparently 3,568 cases (seems a lot higher than recent numbers) and 13 deaths.
    I suspect lateral flow tests for school kids coming back into the system (you can check the make up of the different type of tests if you restrict to England under cases). Also substantially less that two weeks ago, so Easter effect will be there last monday.
  • RobDRobD Posts: 60,364
    Wasn't there a Tory MP who had "Tory Scum" painted in black paint all over her car? It's the same attitude.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 54,243
    Age related data

    image
    image
    image
  • turbotubbsturbotubbs Posts: 18,630


    That's a terrible number for positive tests, if it's right. As you say, seems completely out of whack with recent trends.
    See my post - lateral flow tests for kids coming back to school. PCR confirmed is still very low.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 54,243
    Age related data scaled to 100K per age group

    image
    image
    image
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 59,426

    I always wonder what people's problems with Wetherspoons is. I guess its more about the type of people who use them.
    Large corporate pushing out small independent firms while engaging in aggressive tax measures to keep costs low. They're the Amazon of the pub space.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 54,243
    UK vaccinations

    image
    image
    image
    image
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 54,243
    England CFR

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  • eekeek Posts: 29,741
    edited April 2021
    You know we were talking about Deliveroo last week

    Well Uber has published new figures and it is on target to delivery $52bn of food over the next year worldwide

    https://twitter.com/benedictevans/status/1381632619004235779

    Uber’s delivery business is at a run-rate of $52bn. 🤯 (Though total 2019 US restaurant spending was $770bn) https://d18rn0p25nwr6d.cloudfront.net/CIK-0001543151/84bcb1ae-108c-493b-a622-c8fcd2bb29b7.pdf

    It also says there will be an impact due to the Employment tribunal result and there are other tax issues in the UK (which is the VAT case we talked about on Friday).

  • AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 23,795

    See my post - lateral flow tests for kids coming back to school. PCR confirmed is still very low.
    The children are still off school though? Unless some places have different holidays maybe?
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 54,243

    I suspect lateral flow tests for school kids coming back into the system (you can check the make up of the different type of tests if you restrict to England under cases). Also substantially less that two weeks ago, so Easter effect will be there last monday.
    See Pillar 1 & 2 positivity (PCR only)

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  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 59,426
    ydoethur said:

    A truly gracious tribute. Oddly, not very far from in some respects from her own tribute to Thatcher.

    https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/shirley-williams-how-margaret-thatcher-changed-britain-8564673.html
    From that piece:

    "President Mitterrand used to bring her flowers when they met. In private, he admitted to his friends that he found her very attractive. She had, he said, the eyes of Caligula, but the mouth of Marilyn Monroe."
  • AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 23,795

    I always wonder what people's problems with Wetherspoons is. I guess its more about the type of people who use them.
    They are shit pubs.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 98,601
    rcs1000 said:

    Large corporate pushing out small independent firms while engaging in aggressive tax measures to keep costs low. They're the Amazon of the pub space.
    That seem a bit esoteric as far as man in the street complaints go.

    But I think a lot of the public don't think rationally about pubs anyway, given the sorts of reactions to closures and conversions of pubs which people simply are not going to enough to keep open.
  • turbotubbsturbotubbs Posts: 18,630

    The children are still off school though? Unless some places have different holidays maybe?
    Not everywhere. Some are back I think.
  • eekeek Posts: 29,741

    The children are still off school though? Unless some places have different holidays maybe?
    Catholic schools will be back this week as they usually have the week before and after Easter off. https://www.hcpt.org.uk head to Lourdes for the week after Easter so a lot of schools organise their school year around that week.
  • StockyStocky Posts: 10,279

    Not everywhere. Some are back I think.
    State schools round here all started today.
  • eekeek Posts: 29,741

    They are shit pubs.
    https://twitter.com/christhebarker/status/1381638592729116672

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  • StuartinromfordStuartinromford Posts: 18,375

    He should be interviewed at once by the national media, just so that he can be asked the essential question:

    Has anything amusing ever happened to you in connection with a 'spoons?
    I believe the canonical answer is "no".
  • rcs1000 said:

    Large corporate pushing out small independent firms while engaging in aggressive tax measures to keep costs low. They're the Amazon of the pub space.
    You really think that? I would describe them more of the lidl/aldi of the pub trade. Cheap and cheerful, staff paid and treated no worse than your gastro pub with a bill 3x the size. A pint and lunch for less than a £5.

  • turbotubbsturbotubbs Posts: 18,630

    They are shit pubs.
    Possibly the McDonalds effect - generic pub, all the same no matter where in the country you are. Just as a McDonalds can hit the spot when hungry and needing quick food, so a Wetherspoons can suffice for a quick pint, but for a meal out or a decent drinking experience there are better choices...
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 54,572
    eek said:

    I think you can pick things up by looking at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hartlepool_Borough_Council and https://www.hartlepool.gov.uk/councillors/specificWard/

    The current leadership is made up of Independent union, Conservatives + Vetrans with Independents supporting them

    Burn Valley - 2 independents standing again
    De Bruce - Labour
    Fens - 2 Independent Union both standing again
    Foggy - was socialist labour so probably Labour
    Hart - Independent is standing down - Tory won the the seat last time round
    Headland - the 3 Hartlepool Independent Candidates will win again (they are all mad around there)
    Manor House - was Socialist Labour so probably Labour
    Rural West - 3 Tories all standing again
    Seaton - It will be the 2 independents that won last time
    Throston (was Jesmond) was 1 Hartlepool people, 1 labour, 1 reform UK - not a clue
    Victoria - 3 seats were Labour will be again

    So yes are a lot of independent candidates who are really Tory
    I love Headland - if only for the rare birds that turn up there. And the unfailingly polite locals.

    Hartlepool was always a place to fill up the car for the return journey - for some unknown reason, it had the cheapest petrol in the country.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 54,243

    Not everywhere. Some are back I think.
    Yes, my children are going through another stack of lateral flow tests. For returning to school later....
  • eekeek Posts: 29,741

    I love Headland - if only for the rare birds that turn up there. And the unfailingly polite locals.

    Hartlepool was always a place to fill up the car for the return journey - for some unknown reason, it had the cheapest petrol in the country.
    I like Headland it just takes a very long time to get there - even after you've battled through Hartlepool its still another 10 minutes drive.
  • BromBrom Posts: 3,760
    rcs1000 said:

    Large corporate pushing out small independent firms while engaging in aggressive tax measures to keep costs low. They're the Amazon of the pub space.
    On the flipside they're also affordable for a lot of people and bring custom back to high streets.
    The problem isn't with Wetherspoons it's with other large breweries charging ridiculous rent and not allowing pubs to choose their own beer or prices.
  • turbotubbsturbotubbs Posts: 18,630
    edited April 2021

    Not everywhere. Some are back I think.
    Further to my point on testing - many more tests yesterday than 7 days ago -
    https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/details/testing

    1,218.037 vs 913,693.

    As ever, it pays to look into the details.
  • Sean_FSean_F Posts: 38,521
    rcs1000 said:

    Large corporate pushing out small independent firms while engaging in aggressive tax measures to keep costs low. They're the Amazon of the pub space.
    There are two really good Wetherspoons that I know of, The Water End Barn in St. Albans, and the Grand Electric Hall, in Spennymoor.
  • eekeek Posts: 29,741
    Sean_F said:

    There are two really good Wetherspoons that I know of, The Water End Barn in St. Albans, and the Grand Electric Hall, in Spennymoor.
    Nothing much else in Spennymoor except for Scorpio Shoes
  • squareroot2squareroot2 Posts: 7,012
    edited April 2021
    Deleted .its already been posted
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 26,538
    Sean_F said:

    There are two really good Wetherspoons that I know of, The Water End Barn in St. Albans, and the Grand Electric Hall, in Spennymoor.
    The Woking one is very good. I think Spoons coexists very well with independent pubs.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 73,572

    I suspect lateral flow tests for school kids coming back into the system (you can check the make up of the different type of tests if you restrict to England under cases). Also substantially less that two weeks ago, so Easter effect will be there last monday.
    They were meant to keep testing all the way through the holidays, although I doubt if many bothered.
    Stocky said:

    State schools round here all started today.
    Depends on the county. Lancs I think went back today. Staffs broke up a week later, we go back next Monday. Although I have spent all afternoon marking.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 59,426
    Sean_F said:

    There are two really good Wetherspoons that I know of, The Water End Barn in St. Albans, and the Grand Electric Hall, in Spennymoor.
    I always used to very much like the Metropolitan Bar by Baker Street tube station.

    Nevertheless, they are pretty aggressive on the tax side, and I can't blame small pub owners being put out by them.
  • algarkirkalgarkirk Posts: 14,012

    I'm screwed if being condescending, offensive, and focussing on language are seen as being problematic by the judiciary and others.

    A litigant-in-person has been hit with a bill of almost £100,000 in costs, after the court slammed him for being "difficult to deal with, condescending" and "offensive".

    Sir Henry Royce Memorial, a charitable foundation, brought a claim in the High Court for costs on an indemnity basis against former finance director Mark Hardy. The claim followed a previous trial where Hardy had accused Sir Henry Royce Memorial and its directors of fraud and false accounting.

    Hardy's accusations of wrongdoing by the directors were unproven. And the court ruled that his request for inspection of documents under the Companies Act was invalid, and not made for a proper purpose.

    Judge Paul Matthews ruled that Hardy had a "rather condescending manner" and exhibited "unnecessary" behaviour when dealing with the other side, which resulted in "more time and resources" being spent on the "problems of tone and language than in addressing the real issues in the case."

    The judge said the matter did not require "such disproportionate efforts" from Hardy, and highlighted his "excessive correspondence", which ran to two lever arch files for the trial bundle. Hardy had also exhibited a 500 page transcript of a particular meeting, which the judge noted was not "more than remotely relevant to the issues in the case".

    Hardy had "vigorously" insisted that a remote trial of his claim should be live streamed on the internet because there would be a great public interest with "possibly hundreds of requests to join". However, no more than 14 members of the public requested the link.

    The judge said Hardy should not be excused for his behaviour just because he was a litigant-in-person. The problem was that Hardy had "no sense of responsibility to the system" and "no duty of the kind that would be owed by a lawyer to the court," said the judge.

    The claimant sought to recover costs estimated at around £163,000 on an indemnity basis. The judge said the size of the costs was "significant" and while they may be justified, "are somewhat larger than I would have expected for what is essentially a short point under the Companies Act."

    The judge ordered Hardy to pay 60% of the costs upfront, with the remainder going for detailed assessment.


    https://www.rollonfriday.com/news-content/litigant-person-hit-ps100k-bill

    Never, never, ever be a LIP.

    SFAICS the bloke lost the case; costs follow the event so he was liable for costs anyway. Judges are entitled to form views about how people (LIPs and lawyers) have conducted themselves. See for example R vFarooqi for a fascinating judgement in the Court of Appeal arising from this

    https://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/JCO/Documents/Judgments/r-v-farooqi-others.pdf

  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 54,243
    DavidL said:

    Ok, I have been jabbed. It was the Pfizer one that was being handed out today. Obviously not as clever as the Oxford vaccine but I am sure that it will do the job. 21 days until I am relatively safe.

    One possible side effect of proximity to the vaccine seemed to be a tendency to move in slow motion. Some of the NHS staff seemed particularly badly affected. Something to look out for.

    If Chow Yun Fat walks by, be worried. If some white doves start flying in slow motion..... Pray. Just pray....
This discussion has been closed.