Howdy, Stranger!

It looks like you're new here. Sign in or register to get started.

Keir has a net approval lead over Boris – but where it matters least – politicalbetting.com

123457»

Comments

  • Oh really? Who's going short of food already and why?

    Full shelves today at my Aldi. If people's preferred supermarket can't manage its stock properly, maybe try one that can.
    You misunderstand I think. The context was about people having the money for food what with the energy bills and the UC cut.

  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 58,848
    BigRich said:

    That statement excludes new coal power stations in China itself, which is where most chines built power station are, so not that big.
    China has been shutting more coal plants than it's been opening. Not because of CO2 or global warming, but because terrible pollution in Chinese cities is a major problem.
  • justin124 said:

    Maybe - but a lot of commentators and Tory MPs appear to expect a 2023 election. There is also serious doubt that this time the boundaries will actually confer any benefit on the Tories - a perverse effect of their 2019 red wall success. If so , why wait? Particularly if the economic outlook looks darker further ahead.
    If the polling is still reasonable for Johnson we will have a Spring 2023 election.
  • turbotubbsturbotubbs Posts: 18,354

    Bit "crisis, what crisis", from Johnson on that BBC News at 10 report.

    "No one will go short of food".

    They are already are.

    Really? Gaps on a few shelves are not people going short of food. The main loss seems to be bottled water. Lucky we’ve got safe drinking water out of the fecking tap then...
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 58,848
    edited September 2021

    Philippines throws support squarely behind Aukus, welcoming Aust's decision to establish security partnership w US, UK and pointing out ASEAN states "singly and collectively, do not possess military wherewithal to maintain peace and security in SE Asia"

    https://twitter.com/hodgeamanda/status/1440149781590917126

    Trade confederation not great at defence shocker.
  • Leon said:

    It looks good! Definite echoes of the JLE, which is no bad thing
    And here is Nine Elms, much more of an open plan:

    https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?search=Sunil060902+Nine+Elms&title=Special:MediaSearch&go=Go&type=image
  • BigRichBigRich Posts: 3,492
    justin124 said:

    Maybe - but a lot of commentators and Tory MPs appear to expect a 2023 election. There is also serious doubt that this time the boundaries will actually confer any benefit on the Tories - a perverse effect of their 2019 red wall success. If so , why wait? Particularly if the economic outlook looks darker further ahead.
    I had wondered about that, particular if the add in the 'New Incumbency Bonus' (there's an expression you can use on PB and its understood but use with anybody else and they will look blank back at you)
  • BigRich said:

    That statement excludes new coal power stations in China itself, which is where most chines built power station are, so not that big.
    I understand 43 new coal fired stations inside China are planned
  • MortimerMortimer Posts: 14,177

    If the polling is still reasonable for Johnson we will have a Spring 2023 election.
    Very unlikely IMO. Autumn 2023 maybe.
  • MattWMattW Posts: 25,771
    edited September 2021
    Scott_xP said:

    Government has agreed to subsidise CO2 production by CF Fertilisers for just THREE WEEKS. What on earth happens after that? https://twitter.com/Peston/status/1440417969142579201/photo/1

    Peston is being dim, or stirring.

    Based on past experience, wind power will have significantly recovered going into the autumn. The deep dip at this point is unusual.

    Also, the projections for repair of the interconnector were "mid October". Though that is perhaps some capacity restored by October, and full repair over a longer period. National Grid said 1000MW is due to come back on by Sept 25, and the other 1000MW by March,

    The Frenchies will be keen for repair, as 1 Gw of lost capacity is £10 million per week. Ish. At a wholesale price of £70 per MWh.

    The two together will be worth about 5-7% capacity in the elec market if wind returns to it's autumn average. So electricity prices may have stabilised by then.

    Plus I guess Vladimir may have stopped throttling the gas supply.

    How that feeds through to fertiliser and CO2 depends on what balance of elec and gas are used in the process.

    They will take a check and extend it if they need to.
  • gealbhangealbhan Posts: 2,362

    Perfect pair together @Scott_P and Peston
    It will be interesting to see what the government does do and how it reacts.

    Any action taken to stop food manufacture depending on two factories puts all “crisis what crisis” and “it’s no big deal” and other pro government spin into perspective.
  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 39,689
    rcs1000 said:

    Trade confederation not great at defence shocker.
    You may want to inform the EU leadership in that case.

    Though I figure the Philippines were referring to the collective military strength of the nations with I that bloc.
  • Really? Gaps on a few shelves are not people going short of food. The main loss seems to be bottled water. Lucky we’ve got safe drinking water out of the fecking tap then...
    It seems strange too that the reported stock problems seem to be concentrated in Waitrose especially.

    Is that because they're awful at stock management? Or because their customers are whiny people on Twitter who'll complain if their brand of bottled water is missing from the shelves?
  • If the polling is still reasonable for Johnson we will have a Spring 2023 election.
    Summer or Autumn 2023 allows it to still be 2023, while also allowing the new constituencies.
  • dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 29,824
    theProle said:

    The present difficulty for those of us who usually vote Tory is finding any party to vote for with broadly conservative policies.
    You mean Thatcherite.
    This is a conservative government in the 45-79 tradition.
  • It seems strange too that the reported stock problems seem to be concentrated in Waitrose especially.

    Is that because they're awful at stock management? Or because their customers are whiny people on Twitter who'll complain if their brand of bottled water is missing from the shelves?
    My Lidl had few items left in the freezer cabinets.

    Clearly a temporary problem now as the CO2 will soon be flowing again thanks to the fertilizer people.
  • Farooq said:

    Look, I don't want to get into this too much because there are alternatives. But every time I've been to a supermarket lately there have been noticeable gaps. One shop I wanted ingredients for a stew, beef or lamb, didn't mind which. Whole shop was out of BOTH, fresh and frozen.
    Not the end of the world since I was able to get chicken, so that's why I've not pitched in to moan about this before, but you have to get over the idea that it's just bottled water.
    I haven't seen either missing in my shop. I wonder what it is about your shop that made it so much worse at its stock management?

    Which brand was it, out of curiosity?
  • BigRichBigRich Posts: 3,492
    rcs1000 said:

    China has been shutting more coal plants than it's been opening. Not because of CO2 or global warming, but because terrible pollution in Chinese cities is a major problem.
    I thought they were mostly shutting small and old ones that are now surrounded by urban areas and replacing them with bigger more efficient ones a bit further away. but I have to admit I am no expert so maybe not
  • Farooq said:

    I... don't really care where Starmer is.
    All we know is he's not in your bathroom.
    I have no idea why you thought he was

    He is HM leader of the official opposition and with everything that is going on he is absent without leave

  • Allie Hodgkins-Brown
    @AllieHBNews
    ·
    1m
    Wednesday’s Daily TELEGRAPH: “Macron may offer up UN seat in push for EU army” #TomorrowsPapersToday

    ==


    Definitely trying to lose the presidential race next year me thinks
  • turbotubbsturbotubbs Posts: 18,354
    Farooq said:

    Look, I don't want to get into this too much because there are alternatives. But every time I've been to a supermarket lately there have been noticeable gaps. One shop I wanted ingredients for a stew, beef or lamb, didn't mind which. Whole shop was out of BOTH, fresh and frozen.
    Not the end of the world since I was able to get chicken, so that's why I've not pitched in to moan about this before, but you have to get over the idea that it's just bottled water.
    I didn’t say it’s just bottled water. I replied to a post about people going without food. No evidence of that. I’ve not really seen much impact in the bid supermarket I use, but our campus coop was a bit low at times last week. But people going without food? No.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 58,848

    I understand 43 new coal fired stations inside China are planned
    Yes, but the Chinese are net closers of coal fired plants. Basically, smaller, older, and less efficient plants are being closed down. The consequence of which is that China is (improbably enough) about to become a coal exporter.
  • gealbhangealbhan Posts: 2,362

    Oh really? Who's going short of food already and why?

    Full shelves today at my Aldi. If people's preferred supermarket can't manage its stock properly, maybe try one that can.
    You have already trashed your own post previously Phil by posting the importance of CO2 in food supply, 4 day life to transport display and sell without it - you say things are stacked today, rather meaninglessly because it’s widely accepted the stocks are too low to cope in coming weeks.
  • Andy_JS said:

    Nice photos. I decided to be a one-off train spotter and was on the first train yesterday morning at 5:28am along with the likes of Simon Calder and Geoff Marshall. Amazingly about 150 people turned up outside the station at about 5am before it had even been opened. I wasn't expecting more than about 20 or 30 people. Nearly everyone did the same thing, which was to go from Battersea to Kennington, back to Battersea, and then to Nine Elms to have a look at the station.
    I wanted to avoid any crowds, so I went today. Not too many people at all, at midday-ish. I took the bus from Gants Hill to Ilford, then TfL Rail from Ilford to Liverpool Street, walked to Moorgate to get the Northern Line, then changed at Kennington for Battersea. Went to Battersea first, then stopped at Nine Elms on the return leg before continuing back to Kennington and Moorgate. Was my first trip on the underground sections of the deep level tube since February last year! Also the new branch was my first new bit of railway territory I traversed since Aberdeen to Inverness on 6th March last year!
  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 39,689


    Allie Hodgkins-Brown
    @AllieHBNews
    ·
    1m
    Wednesday’s Daily TELEGRAPH: “Macron may offer up UN seat in push for EU army” #TomorrowsPapersToday

    ==


    Definitely trying to lose the presidential race next year me thinks

    Wow that's a really mental step from France. Will they be handing over the nuclear codes to Brussels as well?!
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 58,848
    BigRich said:

    I thought they were mostly shutting small and old ones that are now surrounded by urban areas and replacing them with bigger more efficient ones a bit further away. but I have to admit I am no expert so maybe not
    Oh, they have been opening new coal (larger, more efficient) coal fired plants. But overall coal consumption in China peaked in 2019 at about 82 exojoules, and will probably be a smidgen under 80 this year.
  • I have no idea why you thought he was

    He is HM leader of the official opposition and with everything that is going on he is absent without leave
    There's a four page interview with him in last week's NewStatesman, so he's not being doing nothing.

    Apparently the leaders speech will be "surprisingly bold".

  • Allie Hodgkins-Brown
    @AllieHBNews
    ·
    1m
    Wednesday’s Daily TELEGRAPH: “Macron may offer up UN seat in push for EU army” #TomorrowsPapersToday

    ==


    Definitely trying to lose the presidential race next year me thinks

    I don't believe that at all but its a massive, massive step if that is done.

    And its something that could only have been facilitated post-Brexit. The idea of Britain giving up its seat to the EU was unthinkable, and the idea of two seats going to one was also pretty unthinkable. But one going up to its next federal level - that just makes sense.
  • MattWMattW Posts: 25,771
    edited September 2021

    My Lidl had few items left in the freezer cabinets.

    Clearly a temporary problem now as the CO2 will soon be flowing again thanks to the fertilizer people.
    In my Co-op tonight some sandwich cabinets were completely empty.

    They had taken the expiring sandwiches to the foodbank. Just like every day.

    (Not having a go at you; just pissed off with all the photos of empty shelves before stocking time, and FBPE twats trying to pretend it is therefore the Euro-apocalypse.)
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 58,848
    MaxPB said:

    Wow that's a really mental step from France. Will they be handing over the nuclear codes to Brussels as well?!
    It's like a jilted partner's desperate and doomed attempts attempts to keep a relationship alive.
  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 39,689

    There's a four page interview with him in last week's NewStatesman, so he's not being doing nothing.

    Apparently the leaders speech will be "surprisingly bold".
    Talking to the New Statesman will win Labour precisely zero new voters. Blair would have got his interview with The Times or Telegraph.
  • turbotubbsturbotubbs Posts: 18,354
    Farooq said:

    Both Tesco and Asda, those are the only two supermarkets I've got near me. The lamb & beef was Tesco.
    Do you have a butchers? Ours is superb. Used to have two, now down to one, and really hoping it keeps going. Also have a greengrocer most days. Both seem to have no stock issues.
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 50,454
    BigRich said:

    That statement excludes new coal power stations in China itself, which is where most chines built power station are, so not that big.
    China has cancelled a lot of domestic projects too.

    "China is a constituent bloc in its own right. However, even with its continued pursuit of coal, its pipeline is now 74% smaller, including 484GW of planned capacity that has been cancelled since Paris – more than double the amount that went into operation over that period (198GW)."

    https://www.carbonbrief.org/guest-post-how-worlds-coal-power-pipeline-has-shrunk-by-three-quarters

    Still a long way to go, but Xi, for all his many faults, seems to get climate change.

  • Allie Hodgkins-Brown
    @AllieHBNews
    ·
    1m
    Wednesday’s Daily TELEGRAPH: “Macron may offer up UN seat in push for EU army” #TomorrowsPapersToday

    ==


    Definitely trying to lose the presidential race next year me thinks

    Telegraph, so unlikely to be remotely true.
  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 39,689
    rcs1000 said:

    It's like a jilted partner's desperate and doomed attempts attempts to keep a relationship alive.
    Feels more like Bender building his own casino with hookers and blackjack tbh.
  • MattWMattW Posts: 25,771
    edited September 2021


    Allie Hodgkins-Brown
    @AllieHBNews
    ·
    1m
    Wednesday’s Daily TELEGRAPH: “Macron may offer up UN seat in push for EU army” #TomorrowsPapersToday

    ==


    Definitely trying to lose the presidential race next year me thinks

    I wonder if he's considered whether they might say yes.

    "I'll shoot myself !!!!!"

    "Go on then."
  • gealbhangealbhan Posts: 2,362

    I didn’t say it’s just bottled water. I replied to a post about people going without food. No evidence of that. I’ve not really seen much impact in the bid supermarket I use, but our campus coop was a bit low at times last week. But people going without food? No.
    I have been unable to get tinned Pilchards in tomato sauce. The government has lost my vote.
  • I don't believe that at all but its a massive, massive step if that is done.

    And its something that could only have been facilitated post-Brexit. The idea of Britain giving up its seat to the EU was unthinkable, and the idea of two seats going to one was also pretty unthinkable. But one going up to its next federal level - that just makes sense.
    I wonder if Macron's plan is to get the UK kicked out in favour of India.
  • BigRichBigRich Posts: 3,492
    Farooq said:

    Look, I don't want to get into this too much because there are alternatives. But every time I've been to a supermarket lately there have been noticeable gaps. One shop I wanted ingredients for a stew, beef or lamb, didn't mind which. Whole shop was out of BOTH, fresh and frozen.
    Not the end of the world since I was able to get chicken, so that's why I've not pitched in to moan about this before, but you have to get over the idea that it's just bottled water.
    I don't do a lot of shopping (Mrs BigRich wont let me as I get the wrong things) but a few times I've asked her if there are any gaps on shelves or things not in stock, and she looks at me as if I'm an idiot, saying that everything is normal. (that's Sainsburys if anybody is tabulating) I also dropped it in to conversation at work and got a similar response.

    I'm not saying that there are no gaps, there will always be some gaps, somewhere, there may well be slightly more at the moment. I have no way of assessing that. but, but I suspect there is a big dollop of confirmation bias here, i.e. politically aware people see gaps on shelves trending on twitter, then walk passed a shelf and decide that's all the confederation they need. where as pre pandemic, it would not have even registered, or just been dismissed as a one off. I'm not ruling out that there are a few more gaps than normal, or that things may get worse, but until I here at least one person who is not a political junky talk about it I don't think its serious.
  • Bit "crisis, what crisis", from Johnson on that BBC News at 10 report.

    "No one will go short of food".

    They are already are.

    Specify.
  • MaxPB said:

    Talking to the New Statesman will win Labour precisely zero new voters. Blair would have got his interview with The Times or Telegraph.
    It's pre-conference stuff for the faithful.

    I am assuming the big media interviews will come when Labour conference kicks off in a couple of days or so.
  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 39,689

    I wonder if Macron's plan is to get the UK kicked out in favour of India.
    How could that ever happen? We have a veto on being ejected. It's why the 5 permanent members are permanent. I'm actually not sure is there's a mechanism to give the French one to the EU. All 5 members have to vote the EU into it and then all 6 then need to vote France out, and the EU isn't a recognised sovereign state so can it even hold a SC seat? What they're really saying is that they'll keep the seat but allow some EU input into votes.
  • I don't believe that at all but its a massive, massive step if that is done.

    And its something that could only have been facilitated post-Brexit. The idea of Britain giving up its seat to the EU was unthinkable, and the idea of two seats going to one was also pretty unthinkable. But one going up to its next federal level - that just makes sense.
    Not going to happen would be my strong guess.
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 33,924
    edited September 2021


    Allie Hodgkins-Brown
    @AllieHBNews
    ·
    1m
    Wednesday’s Daily TELEGRAPH: “Macron may offer up UN seat in push for EU army” #TomorrowsPapersToday

    ==


    Definitely trying to lose the presidential race next year me thinks

    How will the idea of an EU army play with the German Greens who are very likely to enter government in a matter of days? I guess they're not big fans.
  • I have no idea why you thought he was

    He is HM leader of the official opposition and with everything that is going on he is absent without leave
    You could just, check on the internet...

    https://twitter.com/Keir_Starmer/status/1439953221078994950?s=20

    You are a splendid chap, BigG. But there are times when your curtain-twitching and stirring are really tedious.
  • MaxPB said:

    How could that ever happen? We have a veto on being ejected. It's why the 5 permanent members are permanent. I'm actually not sure is there's a mechanism to give the French one to the EU. All 5 members have to vote the EU into it and then all 6 then need to vote France out, and the EU isn't a recognised sovereign state so can it even hold a SC seat? What they're really saying is that they'll keep the seat but allow some EU input into votes.
    Yes, but that would allow him to pose as a reformer and champion of the countries who think they should be permanent members now.
  • MattWMattW Posts: 25,771
    gealbhan said:

    I have been unable to get tinned Pilchards in tomato sauce. The government has lost my vote.
    Your poor cat.
  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 39,689

    It's pre-conference stuff for the faithful.

    I am assuming the big media interviews will come when Labour conference kicks off in a couple of days or so.
    Let's hope. Sure he needs to get non-Labour people interested. An interview with The Sun telling people he's going to stab Jez love on stage would generate a fair bit of interest, I'd wager.
  • Not going to happen would be my strong guess.
    Absolutely agreed - but I have to say I don't think its a bad idea if there were to be an EU army this is entirely logical. To be honest its time to say 'crap or get off the pan'.

    If there's to be an EU army then all nations of the EU should decide to they want to be in a country called Europe and if so then get on with it. If they don't, they should invoke Article 50 themselves. Sort it out and get on with it.
  • FishingFishing Posts: 5,411
    MaxPB said:

    How could that ever happen? We have a veto on being ejected. It's why the 5 permanent members are permanent. I'm actually not sure is there's a mechanism to give the French one to the EU. All 5 members have to vote the EU into it and then all 6 then need to vote France out, and the EU isn't a recognised sovereign state so can it even hold a SC seat? What they're really saying is that they'll keep the seat but allow some EU input into votes.
    Also the Americans wouldn't want it.

    And I'm sure that even the French would eventually realise that kicking us out, while leaving Russia and China in, wouldn't be in their interests, however annoyed they are with us at the moment..
  • gealbhangealbhan Posts: 2,362

    Strikes me Labour might be better with the Tory system of MPs picking two leader candidates to go through to the membership vote.

    Pulling the unions back into the leadership race takes them back to exactly the f*ck up that elected the wrong brother.
    There’s three constituencies in the Labour Party marriage. MPs need a Parliamentary leader. That effectively is what the Role of Labour Party leader is. Allowing members a say is only okay in a college system, otherwise there is too much risk the leader is not backed by enough of the PLP. Electing the wrong brother was not a f up, because it’s absolutely right they have a college vote as the financiers of the party. Miliband should never have tampered with it. Look how many MPs the party has today because of it.
  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 39,689

    Yes, but that would allow him to pose as a reformer and champion of the countries who think they should be permanent members now.
    But surely the first question is "why are you asking for the UK to give us their seat when you can give is your seat?" from any nation with whom they try that idea. Nah, this is more likely to try and get German support for the fabled EU army.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 98,063
    gealbhan said:

    There’s three constituencies in the Labour Party marriage. MPs need a Parliamentary leader. That effectively is what the Role of Labour Party leader is. Allowing members a say is only okay in a college system, otherwise there is too much risk the leader is not backed by enough of the PLP. Electing the wrong brother was not a f up, because it’s absolutely right they have a college vote as the financiers of the party. Miliband should never have tampered with it. Look how many MPs the party has today because of it.
    Corbyn didn't happen because of the system in place. He happened because MPs ignored their concerns to let him run, making a mockery of the point of the system.
  • turbotubbsturbotubbs Posts: 18,354
    Farooq said:

    No, I live in a pretty small place, just a pub and newsagent. Probably a butchers somewhere in one of the bigger towns but I haven't looked for one. Probably worth checking out what's about, good idea.
    Our butchers meat is excellent and locally sourced. Vastly better than our Waitrose.
  • gealbhangealbhan Posts: 2,362
    MaxPB said:

    Let's hope. Sure he needs to get non-Labour people interested. An interview with The Sun telling people he's going to stab Jez love on stage would generate a fair bit of interest, I'd wager.
    Starmer needs to use the coming mics, camera’s and stage to do the most important thing he can do this autumn - address his disastrous Lexit problem by talking directly to this particular group and winning them back from Boris.

    Everything else right now, fluff.
  • You could just, check on the internet...

    https://twitter.com/Keir_Starmer/status/1439953221078994950?s=20

    You are a splendid chap, BigG. But there are times when your curtain-twitching and stirring are really tedious.
    I am only passing an opinion that seems to be circulating generally in the media

    However, if labour supporters are happy with the situation then fine
  • MaxPB said:

    How could that ever happen? We have a veto on being ejected. It's why the 5 permanent members are permanent. I'm actually not sure is there's a mechanism to give the French one to the EU. All 5 members have to vote the EU into it and then all 6 then need to vote France out, and the EU isn't a recognised sovereign state so can it even hold a SC seat? What they're really saying is that they'll keep the seat but allow some EU input into votes.
    The UK being kicked out is [next to] impossible*.

    The French one going to the EU is easily done, if the French are happy with it. Just recognise the EU as a sovereign state and the continuation of the French state and it takes the French place. But then the French [and the other 26] all leave the UN altogether, which would only be right if this is happening.

    If this happens it won't be the first exchange it'd be the third. Republic of China (Taiwan) was replaced as a permanent member by [People's Republic of] China. The USSR was replaced as a permanent member by Russia. And if the UK ever dissolved the UK would be replaced with England. There's no reason France can't be replaced with the EU if they make a federal unified country official.

    * Its technically possible but its not going to happen.
  • It's pre-conference stuff for the faithful.

    I am assuming the big media interviews will come when Labour conference kicks off in a couple of days or so.
    He is on Marr this next Sunday
  • gealbhangealbhan Posts: 2,362
    kle4 said:

    Corbyn didn't happen because of the system in place. He happened because MPs ignored their concerns to let him run, making a mockery of the point of the system.
    Right in terms of the Beckets who thought it fair the left should have skin in the contest to represent their fringe views, without that he couldn’t have won.

    Wrong, because you are missing main point here. He could only have won because of Millibands disastrous OMOV. Without OMOV he would not have won.
  • gealbhan said:

    There’s three constituencies in the Labour Party marriage. MPs need a Parliamentary leader. That effectively is what the Role of Labour Party leader is. Allowing members a say is only okay in a college system, otherwise there is too much risk the leader is not backed by enough of the PLP. Electing the wrong brother was not a f up, because it’s absolutely right they have a college vote as the financiers of the party. Miliband should never have tampered with it. Look how many MPs the party has today because of it.
    We have SLAB and Len McCluskey to thank for that particular rule change given what happened in Falkirk. Given the 'transitivity' of causation, you can basically blame SLAB for us leaving the EU if you believe - as Vote Leave do - the referendum would have gone differently if Labour had actually had a pro-EU leader at the time.
  • theProletheProle Posts: 1,290
    Farooq said:

    Look, I don't want to get into this too much because there are alternatives. But every time I've been to a supermarket lately there have been noticeable gaps. One shop I wanted ingredients for a stew, beef or lamb, didn't mind which. Whole shop was out of BOTH, fresh and frozen.
    Not the end of the world since I was able to get chicken, so that's why I've not pitched in to moan about this before, but you have to get over the idea that it's just bottled water.
    It is gradually getting worse too. My local Morrisons has a pretty thin selection of fruit and veg, hasn't had fruit juice (fresh or carton) for around a month, and the fresh meat section can be patchy. The staff seem to have given up on spreading stuff thinly and are just leaving shelves empty.

    It's very much at the "first world problems" level, I'm not going to die of starvation any time soon, but it's gradually getting from "trivial" to "annoying" as it goes on longer.
  • BigRichBigRich Posts: 3,492


    Allie Hodgkins-Brown
    @AllieHBNews
    ·
    1m
    Wednesday’s Daily TELEGRAPH: “Macron may offer up UN seat in push for EU army” #TomorrowsPapersToday

    ==


    Definitely trying to lose the presidential race next year me thinks

    My thoughts:

    if it happens, its more lily to be a halfway step, i.e. the other nations will keep there seats on the GA, but and France only sort of gives its SC seat, i.e. It will speak on behalf of the 500 million people when it suits them, but for France only when it souts France.


    But, its probably only 'kite flying' looking for supportive comments, form the rest of the EU of France/macron in the run up to the French GE.
  • paulyork64paulyork64 Posts: 2,507

    Ideally we shouldn't have basic and higher rates, the rate should be flat rather than creating issues with thresholds that makes it change.

    Obviously need to work on numbers to make it work but something along the lines of a UBI of £8,000 per adult over 18, £4,000 per dependent under 18, with a single unitary flat tax rate of 40%

    For a 2 adult, 2 child household that would be a UBI of £24,000. If both parents had a £30k salary on average then that would be the breakeven point so there would be not a penny in benefits and not a penny in tax either. Take home pay would be £60k.

    Change the numbers to suit to make it work, but the tax rate should never as a matter of principle to me be over 50%.
    I'm all in favour of a flat rate tax. Not so sure about UBI. I'd like to see another country try it out first to see if it worked. But I cant see any system where a couple earning 60k pays no tax at all. If their UBI allowance was 24k under your numbers shouldn't they start paying tax from 24001 up?
  • gealbhangealbhan Posts: 2,362

    We have SLAB and Len McCluskey to thank for that particular rule change given what happened in Falkirk. Given the 'transitivity' of causation, you can basically blame SLAB for us leaving the EU if you believe - as Vote Leave do - the referendum would have gone differently if Labour had actually had a pro-EU leader at the time.
    Yes.
  • CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 60,281
    edited September 2021
    Carnyx said:

    SCUP voters are against independence referenda, democracy, etc.? Who knew?

    Incidentally that shows how it is futile to assume that all Labour voters are pro-union.
    Or that all SNP or Green voters are pro-independence
  • turbotubbsturbotubbs Posts: 18,354
    Farooq said:

    I think my nearest Waitrose is more than 100 miles away. Struggling to think of a time I've ever been in one. Maybe on holiday somewhere. Are they only in posh places?
    The south?😀 Best shop for me is Booths, but only encounter them in the Lake District.
  • gealbhangealbhan Posts: 2,362

    Our butchers meat is excellent and locally sourced. Vastly better than our Waitrose.
    How much more expensive is local butchers v supermarket?
  • paulyork64paulyork64 Posts: 2,507
    New thread
  • Where the COVID cases are coming from:
    Age-sex pyramid today (left) compared to 4 weeks ago (right)


    https://twitter.com/kallmemeg/status/1440415496042528772?s=20
  • gealbhangealbhan Posts: 2,362

    New thread

    You mean THIS THREAD HAS PICKED A FIGHT WITH ITSELF RATHER THE SCORE INTO OPEN NET.
  • HeathenerHeathener Posts: 7,085
    rcs1000 said:

    @Chris???

    Where are you???

    Come to mention it... @Heathener, where are you too???
    Hi I'm here. Watching figures with caution and neither pessimism nor optimism.
This discussion has been closed.