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Poll suggests that the LAB lead would be just 3% with PM Sunak – politicalbetting.com

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  • dixiedean said:

    dixiedean said:

    dixiedean said:

    dixiedean said:

    dixiedean said:

    As a Yorkshire man, I grew up with cricket in my blood, inherited from my father. I spent all of my childhood summers either playing cricket or wandering around Headingley.

    But as a parent, I've failed miserably. I've never got my children remotely interested in cricket. They won't even know the Ashes is over today. Nothing but football. I've got them voting Labour, being decent folk, drinking beer etc. - all the things I love. Except cricket. I guess it's a generational thing, sadly.

    Football is a behemoth crowding every other sport out, I'm afraid.
    Just been back to Wigan. Football is taking over there too.
    Rugby League, now there is a sport in trouble. While cricket still gets sell outs for all the tests, the ODIs, decent numbers for the Hundred / T20, and 5 million watched England in the WC cricket final, rugby league is a shadow of its former self, poor attendances and very poor tv viewership.
    Agreed. Except in Oz where it is the big bad Pat TV bully crowding others out.
    Worst run sport in the country here. Product, especially live, is still great.
    Big problem is Rugby Union in the England has become a much better product and attracts lots of top talent. Internationals less so, but Gallagher Premiership is really exciting.
    Yes. However, dip below the Premiership, and it is in a parlous state too.
    Clubs and players disappearing. Huge losses and pitiful crowds at Championship level.
    Again I think it comes down to a shift where there are now so many competing things for people's spare time and money. Gone are the days where you joined a cricket club or a rugby club because basically it was the local social club with some sport thrown in.

    People will pay for top notch sport be it something like NFL, but aren't willing to go and hang out and watch second tier rugby or cricket.
    Broadly agree.
    Although, was just wondering about football at lower level. There were some impressive attendances in non-league yesterday. This seems to be more popular than for many decades.
    Yes that is an interesting point, lower league football appears to still remain strong. I have been to some conference north and conference south matches the past few years and been quite surprised how well attended they are.

    If I had to guess it is because big boy football is really expensive. Even "my team", Crewe, known for being family oriented club (yes we don't talk about the scandal), its something silly like £23 for a match day ticket that last time I went pre-pandemic when I was back in the area to see family. That's an expensive day out for a family. And I think there average attendance is well down on 10 years ago.

    Where as I went to a non-league game and I think it cost me £7 and £1 for the my mates kids that I took. And a £1 for some chips and 50p for coffee. I think the afternoon for me and 3 of my mates kids was £15.

    It might well be that there is displacement going on, where some people are going to further down the pyramid because of the cost. EPL is obviously fine because demand massively exceeds supply.
    Yes. All good points. Course, it isn't possible to watch EPL at all on a short notice whim without paying absolutely stupid money.
    I also like a wander around the ground, which you can't really do anymore. Except at non-league.

    £23 to watch Crewe?
    £6 a month Netflix.

    No surprise crowds aren't flocking to Gresty Road. That and bottom of the league too.
    Crewe is in a right old mess. Their business model of developing talent, bringing them into the team and getting ~3 years of good football, with the unwritten rule that if / when a big club comes in, everybody is on the same page and they get a good deal for everybody has all fallen away.

    Some of the best talent had played literally a season in the first team and immediately told the club they aren't resigning any contract ever, I want to leave....and they get transferred too quickly sideways and never go anywhere.
    Plus the way they've handled the Barry Bennell issue must have also put off any parent letting their kids join Crewe's academy.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,719

    maaarsh said:

    On Topic.

    I predict at least one Tory poll lead before the end of January.

    And a return to more Tory poll leads than Labour ones in the 30 days prior to Easter.

    May 2022 Local Elections will be the best test of the relative strength of the 2 main parties. I see widespread gains for the LDs and not much movement otherwise.

    Clearly its possible but it feels unlikely. What in your view would be the drivers to prompt such a poll reversal?
    Well Labour & the SNP are banking on just being more locked down than Boris, and assuming no one will remember when it likely proves to be unnecessarily damaging. But given England is having a New Years whilst the Celts aren't, there is a risk that people spot it.
    But as the public have been almost universally supporting of Covid mitigation strategies I can;t see why that would help the Tories even if they did.
    The polling now is anti lockdown and anti heavy restrictions, the tide has turned post vaccination
  • Very small base size, but encouraging:

    A new study shows Omicron infection ENHANCES neutralizing immunity against Delta, ESPECIALLY in those who are vaccinated, suggesting that Omicron will help push Delta out, as it should DECREASE likelihood that someone infected with Omicron will get re-infected with Delta.

    https://twitter.com/sailorrooscout/status/1475827859407228934?s=20
  • OT

    Annoyingly, and just like my daughter, almost exactly 80 days after having Covid I have now developed Parosmia. Everything I eat to some degree has the taste of ashes or coal smoke. Even walking in the foggy weather of the last few days leaves me with a burnt taste in my mouth - indeed I thought at first I was tasting a return to the smogs of a bygone age. Chocolate, coffee, most meats, onions and garlic and a host of other stuff all tastes foul. based on the experience of my daughter and research online it looks like I could be in for several months of this before it fades.

    I do wonder if there might be some genetic component involved given that my daughter and I have both developed the issue.
  • OT

    Annoyingly, and just like my daughter, almost exactly 80 days after having Covid I have now developed Parosmia. Everything I eat to some degree has the taste of ashes or coal smoke. Even walking in the foggy weather of the last few days leaves me with a burnt taste in my mouth - indeed I thought at first I was tasting a return to the smogs of a bygone age. Chocolate, coffee, most meats, onions and garlic and a host of other stuff all tastes foul. based on the experience of my daughter and research online it looks like I could be in for several months of this before it fades.

    I do wonder if there might be some genetic component involved given that my daughter and I have both developed the issue.

    Surely this is long Covid - that is the shared component. Hope you bother recover!
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,719

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    It's good to be able to choose meat with that extra added savour of ill treatment, right?


    Good to see all that Scottish Nationalist hate for our Aussie cousins.
    The Scottish Farmer is a Scottish Nationalist organ now?

    Good to see you blithely accepting that your bunch of dislikeable, untrustworthy weaklings are losing natural Tory voters at a rate of knots. Eventually there'll only be a battered head left mouthing 'tis but a flesh wound' and 'the don't knows are right behind us'.
    Farmers now have more markets to export to thanks to the new trade deals we have
    That you can post this with a straight face demonstrates how clueless you are. DOn't worry, you aren't alone. The lickspittle David Duguid keeps telling local farmers and fishermen how much better off they now are. As they know (a) they are worse off and (b) he is a prannock the seat is now chalked up as an SNP gain next time.

    You can say "more markets to export to" as much as you like. As it isn't true you *will* get caught out.
    Fishermen now out of CFP as promised
  • GIN1138GIN1138 Posts: 20,697

    Very small base size, but encouraging:

    A new study shows Omicron infection ENHANCES neutralizing immunity against Delta, ESPECIALLY in those who are vaccinated, suggesting that Omicron will help push Delta out, as it should DECREASE likelihood that someone infected with Omicron will get re-infected with Delta.

    https://twitter.com/sailorrooscout/status/1475827859407228934?s=20

    I have a feeling Omicron is the start of the virus becoming endemic but (generally) not very deadly in the same way the Spanish Flu eventually did.

    If so, we might finally be coming out of this nightmare in 2022
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,719
    kjh said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    It's good to be able to choose meat with that extra added savour of ill treatment, right?


    Good to see all that Scottish Nationalist hate for our Aussie cousins.
    The Scottish Farmer is a Scottish Nationalist organ now?

    Good to see you blithely accepting that your bunch of dislikeable, untrustworthy weaklings are losing natural Tory voters at a rate of knots. Eventually there'll only be a battered head left mouthing 'tis but a flesh wound' and 'the don't knows are right behind us'.
    Farmers now have more markets to export to thanks to the new trade deals we have.

    The SNP it seems would whack up tariffs and protectionism however on imports from any country outside the EU.

    Nationalists and authoritarian Covid restriction imposers at home and protectionist abroad, the SNP in a nutshell
    Do you actually know any of the details of these trade deals? How they are better than before, for specific products, that people actually want to buy for the price we can supply them at? Last time this was up for discussion I believe you were proposing selling carrots to Australia.

    We can sign a trade deal with the moon but it doesn't generate a single sale
    So much for being a Peelite, Gladstone free trade Liberal. Seems like you too are very much in the protectionist, high tariff, Joseph Chamberlain mould if it comes to any trade outside the EU
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,274
    edited December 2021

    dixiedean said:

    dixiedean said:

    dixiedean said:

    dixiedean said:

    dixiedean said:

    As a Yorkshire man, I grew up with cricket in my blood, inherited from my father. I spent all of my childhood summers either playing cricket or wandering around Headingley.

    But as a parent, I've failed miserably. I've never got my children remotely interested in cricket. They won't even know the Ashes is over today. Nothing but football. I've got them voting Labour, being decent folk, drinking beer etc. - all the things I love. Except cricket. I guess it's a generational thing, sadly.

    Football is a behemoth crowding every other sport out, I'm afraid.
    Just been back to Wigan. Football is taking over there too.
    Rugby League, now there is a sport in trouble. While cricket still gets sell outs for all the tests, the ODIs, decent numbers for the Hundred / T20, and 5 million watched England in the WC cricket final, rugby league is a shadow of its former self, poor attendances and very poor tv viewership.
    Agreed. Except in Oz where it is the big bad Pat TV bully crowding others out.
    Worst run sport in the country here. Product, especially live, is still great.
    Big problem is Rugby Union in the England has become a much better product and attracts lots of top talent. Internationals less so, but Gallagher Premiership is really exciting.
    Yes. However, dip below the Premiership, and it is in a parlous state too.
    Clubs and players disappearing. Huge losses and pitiful crowds at Championship level.
    Again I think it comes down to a shift where there are now so many competing things for people's spare time and money. Gone are the days where you joined a cricket club or a rugby club because basically it was the local social club with some sport thrown in.

    People will pay for top notch sport be it something like NFL, but aren't willing to go and hang out and watch second tier rugby or cricket.
    Broadly agree.
    Although, was just wondering about football at lower level. There were some impressive attendances in non-league yesterday. This seems to be more popular than for many decades.
    Yes that is an interesting point, lower league football appears to still remain strong. I have been to some conference north and conference south matches the past few years and been quite surprised how well attended they are.

    If I had to guess it is because big boy football is really expensive. Even "my team", Crewe, known for being family oriented club (yes we don't talk about the scandal), its something silly like £23 for a match day ticket that last time I went pre-pandemic when I was back in the area to see family. That's an expensive day out for a family. And I think there average attendance is well down on 10 years ago.

    Where as I went to a non-league game and I think it cost me £7 and £1 for the my mates kids that I took. And a £1 for some chips and 50p for coffee. I think the afternoon for me and 3 of my mates kids was £15.

    It might well be that there is displacement going on, where some people are going to further down the pyramid because of the cost. EPL is obviously fine because demand massively exceeds supply.
    Yes. All good points. Course, it isn't possible to watch EPL at all on a short notice whim without paying absolutely stupid money.
    I also like a wander around the ground, which you can't really do anymore. Except at non-league.

    £23 to watch Crewe?
    £6 a month Netflix.

    No surprise crowds aren't flocking to Gresty Road. That and bottom of the league too.
    Crewe is in a right old mess. Their business model of developing talent, bringing them into the team and getting ~3 years of good football, with the unwritten rule that if / when a big club comes in, everybody is on the same page and they get a good deal for everybody has all fallen away.

    Some of the best talent had played literally a season in the first team and immediately told the club they aren't resigning any contract ever, I want to leave....and they get transferred too quickly sideways and never go anywhere.
    Plus the way they've handled the Barry Bennell issue must have also put off any parent letting their kids join Crewe's academy.
    I don't know about that to be honest. None of the individuals from that time are involved any more and the facilities that Crewe have are far better than clubs of a similar level. I would say the loss of Steve Holland and a number of other top quality coaches over the past 10 years probably more of an impact if you were choosing where your kids would go.

    That all been said, they still appear to be getting loads of talent through the youth ranks, but as I say, they play a season in the first team and their agent then immediately fills their head full of nonsense that they need to leave to go to another League One club, from which they will be a Premier League star.

    I would guess off the top of my head they have lost a full first eleven of home grown stars over the past 3 seasons.
  • AslanAslan Posts: 1,673

    dixiedean said:

    dixiedean said:

    dixiedean said:

    dixiedean said:

    dixiedean said:

    As a Yorkshire man, I grew up with cricket in my blood, inherited from my father. I spent all of my childhood summers either playing cricket or wandering around Headingley.

    But as a parent, I've failed miserably. I've never got my children remotely interested in cricket. They won't even know the Ashes is over today. Nothing but football. I've got them voting Labour, being decent folk, drinking beer etc. - all the things I love. Except cricket. I guess it's a generational thing, sadly.

    Football is a behemoth crowding every other sport out, I'm afraid.
    Just been back to Wigan. Football is taking over there too.
    Rugby League, now there is a sport in trouble. While cricket still gets sell outs for all the tests, the ODIs, decent numbers for the Hundred / T20, and 5 million watched England in the WC cricket final, rugby league is a shadow of its former self, poor attendances and very poor tv viewership.
    Agreed. Except in Oz where it is the big bad Pat TV bully crowding others out.
    Worst run sport in the country here. Product, especially live, is still great.
    Big problem is Rugby Union in the England has become a much better product and attracts lots of top talent. Internationals less so, but Gallagher Premiership is really exciting.
    Yes. However, dip below the Premiership, and it is in a parlous state too.
    Clubs and players disappearing. Huge losses and pitiful crowds at Championship level.
    Again I think it comes down to a shift where there are now so many competing things for people's spare time and money. Gone are the days where you joined a cricket club or a rugby club because basically it was the local social club with some sport thrown in.

    People will pay for top notch sport be it something like NFL, but aren't willing to go and hang out and watch second tier rugby or cricket.
    Broadly agree.
    Although, was just wondering about football at lower level. There were some impressive attendances in non-league yesterday. This seems to be more popular than for many decades.
    Yes that is an interesting point, lower league football appears to still remain strong. I have been to some conference north and conference south matches the past few years and been quite surprised how well attended they are.

    If I had to guess it is because big boy football is really expensive. Even "my team", Crewe, known for being family oriented club (yes we don't talk about the scandal), its something silly like £23 for a match day ticket that last time I went pre-pandemic when I was back in the area to see family. That's an expensive day out for a family. And I think there average attendance is well down on 10 years ago.

    Where as I went to a non-league game and I think it cost me £7 and £1 for the my mates kids that I took. And a £1 for some chips and 50p for coffee. I think the afternoon for me and 3 of my mates kids was £15.

    It might well be that there is displacement going on, where some people are going to further down the pyramid because of the cost. EPL is obviously fine because demand massively exceeds supply.
    Yes. All good points. Course, it isn't possible to watch EPL at all on a short notice whim without paying absolutely stupid money.
    I also like a wander around the ground, which you can't really do anymore. Except at non-league.

    £23 to watch Crewe?
    £6 a month Netflix.

    No surprise crowds aren't flocking to Gresty Road. That and bottom of the league too.
    Crewe is in a right old mess. Their business model of developing talent, bringing them into the team and getting ~3 years of good football, with the unwritten rule that if / when a big club comes in, everybody is on the same page and they will drive stick together to drive a good deal for the club, has totally gone to pot.

    Some of the best talent had played literally a season in the first team and immediately told the club they aren't re-signing any contract ever, I want to leave....and they get transferred too quickly sideways and never go anywhere as they find their new club isn't quite so understanding of their slip-ups and naivety.

    And they also be the go to destination for upcoming and coming players from big clubs like Liverpool to go out on loan, but again that has all gone now. If they are lucky they get some youth team player who isn't going to make anyway on loan for a season, only to find they will be lucky to even make it at League One level.
    Worth pointing out that these problems all originated with the Bosman ruling, which we were required to implement due to EU law. Now we are no longer bound by EU law, parliament could easily overturn the judgement with legislation and rescue small clubs to develop talent.
  • OT

    Annoyingly, and just like my daughter, almost exactly 80 days after having Covid I have now developed Parosmia. Everything I eat to some degree has the taste of ashes or coal smoke. Even walking in the foggy weather of the last few days leaves me with a burnt taste in my mouth - indeed I thought at first I was tasting a return to the smogs of a bygone age. Chocolate, coffee, most meats, onions and garlic and a host of other stuff all tastes foul. based on the experience of my daughter and research online it looks like I could be in for several months of this before it fades.

    I do wonder if there might be some genetic component involved given that my daughter and I have both developed the issue.

    Surely this is long Covid - that is the shared component. Hope you bother recover!
    Yep but I was interested from a scientific perspective as to why only certain people get this symptom. It is apparently most common amongst females under the age of 30 - this accounts for 70% of the cases. But since I am neither female nor, regrettably, under 30, I was wondering what other factors beyond pure chance played a part in the causes. Apparently it will take between 3 and 6 months to disappear.
  • GIN1138GIN1138 Posts: 20,697
    I take it all the freedom and liberty lovers of PB are pleased with Boris for once? :D
  • algarkirkalgarkirk Posts: 10,351

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    It's good to be able to choose meat with that extra added savour of ill treatment, right?


    Good to see all that Scottish Nationalist hate for our Aussie cousins.
    The Scottish Farmer is a Scottish Nationalist organ now?

    Good to see you blithely accepting that your bunch of dislikeable, untrustworthy weaklings are losing natural Tory voters at a rate of knots. Eventually there'll only be a battered head left mouthing 'tis but a flesh wound' and 'the don't knows are right behind us'.
    Farmers now have more markets to export to thanks to the new trade deals we have
    That you can post this with a straight face demonstrates how clueless you are. DOn't worry, you aren't alone. The lickspittle David Duguid keeps telling local farmers and fishermen how much better off they now are. As they know (a) they are worse off and (b) he is a prannock the seat is now chalked up as an SNP gain next time.

    You can say "more markets to export to" as much as you like. As it isn't true you *will* get caught out.
    Just imagine, the former seat of Alex Salmond falling to the SNP. Who could have ever thought such a thing imaginable? 😱
    Sure! But YakiDa keeps saying how brilliant Brexit has been for farmers and fisherman, a line copied by Duguid. As it palpably isn't reality, they are going to get punished if they keep saying Don't Look Up.
    I do strongly believe that you make the mistake of failing to differentiate between the act of Brexit in itself and the way in which it has been interpreted and enacted by this specific Government. I think this is a difference that a lot of politicians - not least Keir Starmer - understand far better than you seem to.

    It was, and still is, possible to have a Brexit that does not result in the issues we are currently seeing. It is the Brexit that I and others advocated for and still believe will eventually occur once this current shower are out of power. The problems we face now are not because of Brexit but because of who we have in charge of the country.

    If you want to play a little thought experiment then just imagine what would have happened had the vote gone the other way. Cameron would still have been gone by now and most likely replaced either by Corbyn or Johnson. So we would still have been suffering from disastrously bad governance but now in a far more fractured country, with the EU issue still rampant and in all likelihood with the one shining success of the last 2 years - the vaccine rollout - having been as much a failure here as it has been in other parts of the EU.

    The reason I make this point is not, as it happens, in support of Brexit as such. I am still firmly of the view that that is done in its raw form but in urgent need of redirection. But it is to point out that your belief that opposition will continue to grow is probably ill founded. Much of that opposition rests on the shoulders of Johnson as the current figurehead and as the man who is making such a mess of almost everything, not just Brexit. Replace him with a more pragmatic and less ideological person in charge - whether that is Starmer, Sunak or Truss amongst others - and the whole mood music changes. Indeed you might well find that the sort of Brexit I was after is much easier to sell after the mess Johnson has made of things so far.
    Mostly agree with this; Brexit is not only two questions but two sorts of question. Doing Brexit in itself is a basic question, beyond day to day politics; it's about constitutional groundwork.

    How to do it is a political question of the more day to day sort.

    It doesn't matter in the first sense what a mess we have made. We are out, and it's down to us.

    FWIW I don't think we can really think it through anew until there is a Labour led government. This problem will make it genuinely interesting, politically and intellectually.

    For a very exact parallel with the 'two sorts of question' view, about which everyone is in denial about it being an exact parallel: Scottish independence.

  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 39,157
    nico679 said:

    HYUFD said:

    It's good to be able to choose meat with that extra added savour of ill treatment, right?


    Good to see all that Scottish Nationalist hate for our Aussie cousins.
    Where’s the hate. The article is just delivering the facts about farming practices in Australia . So UK farmers are now going to be at a disadvantage and it’s yet another Vote Leave promise which bites the dust ! Bizarrely the UK is perhaps the only country in the world which managed to sign a trade deal which the government figures conclude could end up negatively effecting GDP!

    I suppose as long as no 10 sticks a Global Britain rosette on any trade deal some of the low information leave voters will think its marvelous !
    Also, look at this recent SF piece reporting the Scottish NFU as well -

    https://www.thescottishfarmer.co.uk/news/19788718.farmer-frustration-year-old-brexit-problems/

    The Trade and Cooperation Agreement signed on December 30, 2020, was heralded as a new era of tariff-free and quota-free trade between the UK and the EU – but the NFUS said it had turned out not to be friction-free.

    Union director of policy Jonnie Hall said: “Trade with the EU in the first 12 months of Brexit has been far from smooth. The friction at border controls for Scottish producers exporting to the EU, however, has been compounded by the UK Government continuing to grant ‘grace periods’ to imports from the EU from similar controls.

    "That asymmetric trade remains ongoing and is a damaging consequence of the UK’s lack of practical preparation for Brexit," said Mr Hall. [...] He added: “It remains disappointing that, as we go into 2022, there remains so many Brexit unknowns. As things stand, the potential threats to Scottish agriculture continue to vastly outweigh the potential opportunities."
  • HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    It's good to be able to choose meat with that extra added savour of ill treatment, right?


    Good to see all that Scottish Nationalist hate for our Aussie cousins.
    The Scottish Farmer is a Scottish Nationalist organ now?

    Good to see you blithely accepting that your bunch of dislikeable, untrustworthy weaklings are losing natural Tory voters at a rate of knots. Eventually there'll only be a battered head left mouthing 'tis but a flesh wound' and 'the don't knows are right behind us'.
    Farmers now have more markets to export to thanks to the new trade deals we have
    That you can post this with a straight face demonstrates how clueless you are. DOn't worry, you aren't alone. The lickspittle David Duguid keeps telling local farmers and fishermen how much better off they now are. As they know (a) they are worse off and (b) he is a prannock the seat is now chalked up as an SNP gain next time.

    You can say "more markets to export to" as much as you like. As it isn't true you *will* get caught out.
    Fishermen now out of CFP as promised
    Yes. And the purpose of leaving the CFP was....?

    Find out why CAP and CFP were unpopular and you'll discover what farmers and fishermen were hoping to achieve by leaving things like the CFP.

    I'll give you a clue. It isn't what you have given them. And patronising them by lines like "Fishermen now out of CFP as promised" will just make them more determined to vote you out of office.
  • pm215pm215 Posts: 926


    Also, 22% apparently said something else. "They'd both be great at it, impossible to choose which I like more"? Maybe not.

    It's "Don't know", presumably, which puts the uncommitted total up to 50%.

    I think if I were going to answer seriously rather than as a proxy for "this government are rubbish at everything so they're probably mucking this up too", I'd have to give strong consideration to "don't know". Surely a lot of economic performance is out of the government's hands and much of the rest is detail managed by the same set of Treasury civil servants regardless of who's in Number 10 and 11? Since we can't do handy side-by-side simulations of the various options, I'm definitely not competent to judge what tax or policy changes might boost or stuff the economy...
  • kjhkjh Posts: 10,468
    HYUFD said:

    kjh said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    It's good to be able to choose meat with that extra added savour of ill treatment, right?


    Good to see all that Scottish Nationalist hate for our Aussie cousins.
    The Scottish Farmer is a Scottish Nationalist organ now?

    Good to see you blithely accepting that your bunch of dislikeable, untrustworthy weaklings are losing natural Tory voters at a rate of knots. Eventually there'll only be a battered head left mouthing 'tis but a flesh wound' and 'the don't knows are right behind us'.
    Farmers now have more markets to export to thanks to the new trade deals we have.

    The SNP it seems would whack up tariffs and protectionism however on imports from any country outside the EU.

    Nationalists and authoritarian Covid restriction imposers at home and protectionist abroad, the SNP in a nutshell
    Do you actually know any of the details of these trade deals? How they are better than before, for specific products, that people actually want to buy for the price we can supply them at? Last time this was up for discussion I believe you were proposing selling carrots to Australia.

    We can sign a trade deal with the moon but it doesn't generate a single sale
    So much for being a Peelite, Gladstone free trade Liberal. Seems like you too are very much in the protectionist, high tariff, Joseph Chamberlain mould if it comes to any trade outside the EU
    Nope I am all for free trade. We had a free trade agreement inside the EU. Negotiating free trade agreements that don't actually generate sales or more than we had before is in reality net negative free trade agreements.

    So how about actually answering the question I put to you.
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 39,157
    kjh said:

    HYUFD said:

    kjh said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    It's good to be able to choose meat with that extra added savour of ill treatment, right?


    Good to see all that Scottish Nationalist hate for our Aussie cousins.
    The Scottish Farmer is a Scottish Nationalist organ now?

    Good to see you blithely accepting that your bunch of dislikeable, untrustworthy weaklings are losing natural Tory voters at a rate of knots. Eventually there'll only be a battered head left mouthing 'tis but a flesh wound' and 'the don't knows are right behind us'.
    Farmers now have more markets to export to thanks to the new trade deals we have.

    The SNP it seems would whack up tariffs and protectionism however on imports from any country outside the EU.

    Nationalists and authoritarian Covid restriction imposers at home and protectionist abroad, the SNP in a nutshell
    Do you actually know any of the details of these trade deals? How they are better than before, for specific products, that people actually want to buy for the price we can supply them at? Last time this was up for discussion I believe you were proposing selling carrots to Australia.

    We can sign a trade deal with the moon but it doesn't generate a single sale
    So much for being a Peelite, Gladstone free trade Liberal. Seems like you too are very much in the protectionist, high tariff, Joseph Chamberlain mould if it comes to any trade outside the EU
    Nope I am all for free trade. We had a free trade agreement inside the EU. Negotiating free trade agreements that don't actually generate sales or more than we had before is in reality net negative free trade agreements.

    So how about actually answering the question I put to you.
    Good luck with that. It'sd easier scraping dried shite off a blanket. I could never get HYUFD to answer my question as to whether he thought it a good thing that the UK had given India (as it was then) independence - he woudl only blame Attlee as I recall.
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 39,157
    GIN1138 said:

    I take it all the freedom and liberty lovers of PB are pleased with Boris for once? :D

    What's he done?
  • pigeonpigeon Posts: 4,089
    HYUFD said:

    maaarsh said:

    On Topic.

    I predict at least one Tory poll lead before the end of January.

    And a return to more Tory poll leads than Labour ones in the 30 days prior to Easter.

    May 2022 Local Elections will be the best test of the relative strength of the 2 main parties. I see widespread gains for the LDs and not much movement otherwise.

    Clearly its possible but it feels unlikely. What in your view would be the drivers to prompt such a poll reversal?
    Well Labour & the SNP are banking on just being more locked down than Boris, and assuming no one will remember when it likely proves to be unnecessarily damaging. But given England is having a New Years whilst the Celts aren't, there is a risk that people spot it.
    But as the public have been almost universally supporting of Covid mitigation strategies I can;t see why that would help the Tories even if they did.
    The polling now is anti lockdown and anti heavy restrictions, the tide has turned post vaccination
    There's also the small matter of whether or not the extra restrictions are accomplishing anything useful. Certainly the Welsh case rate isn't that far behind England's and the rate of increase there was still accelerating rather than easing before Christmas.

    Especially given the disruption caused by the holiday more data is needed, but there's not much sign yet that clobbering businesses is helping.
  • GIN1138 said:

    I take it all the freedom and liberty lovers of PB are pleased with Boris for once? :D

    I would suggest relieved is a more accurate description than pleased.
  • spudgfshspudgfsh Posts: 1,300

    dixiedean said:

    dixiedean said:

    dixiedean said:

    dixiedean said:

    dixiedean said:

    As a Yorkshire man, I grew up with cricket in my blood, inherited from my father. I spent all of my childhood summers either playing cricket or wandering around Headingley.

    But as a parent, I've failed miserably. I've never got my children remotely interested in cricket. They won't even know the Ashes is over today. Nothing but football. I've got them voting Labour, being decent folk, drinking beer etc. - all the things I love. Except cricket. I guess it's a generational thing, sadly.

    Football is a behemoth crowding every other sport out, I'm afraid.
    Just been back to Wigan. Football is taking over there too.
    Rugby League, now there is a sport in trouble. While cricket still gets sell outs for all the tests, the ODIs, decent numbers for the Hundred / T20, and 5 million watched England in the WC cricket final, rugby league is a shadow of its former self, poor attendances and very poor tv viewership.
    Agreed. Except in Oz where it is the big bad Pat TV bully crowding others out.
    Worst run sport in the country here. Product, especially live, is still great.
    Big problem is Rugby Union in the England has become a much better product and attracts lots of top talent. Internationals less so, but Gallagher Premiership is really exciting.
    Yes. However, dip below the Premiership, and it is in a parlous state too.
    Clubs and players disappearing. Huge losses and pitiful crowds at Championship level.
    Again I think it comes down to a shift where there are now so many competing things for people's spare time and money. Gone are the days where you joined a cricket club or a rugby club because basically it was the local social club with some sport thrown in.

    People will pay for top notch sport be it something like NFL, but aren't willing to go and hang out and watch second tier rugby or cricket.
    Broadly agree.
    Although, was just wondering about football at lower level. There were some impressive attendances in non-league yesterday. This seems to be more popular than for many decades.
    Yes that is an interesting point, lower league football appears to still remain strong. I have been to some conference north and conference south matches the past few years and been quite surprised how well attended they are.

    If I had to guess it is because big boy football is really expensive. Even "my team", Crewe, known for being family oriented club (yes we don't talk about the scandal), its something silly like £23 for a match day ticket that last time I went pre-pandemic when I was back in the area to see family. That's an expensive day out for a family. And I think there average attendance is well down on 10 years ago.

    Where as I went to a non-league game and I think it cost me £7 and £1 for the my mates kids that I took. And a £1 for some chips and 50p for coffee. I think the afternoon for me and 3 of my mates kids was £15.

    It might well be that there is displacement going on, where some people are going to further down the pyramid because of the cost. EPL is obviously fine because demand massively exceeds supply.
    Yes. All good points. Course, it isn't possible to watch EPL at all on a short notice whim without paying absolutely stupid money.
    I also like a wander around the ground, which you can't really do anymore. Except at non-league.

    £23 to watch Crewe?
    £6 a month Netflix.

    No surprise crowds aren't flocking to Gresty Road. That and bottom of the league too.
    Crewe is in a right old mess. Their business model of developing talent, bringing them into the team and getting ~3 years of good football, with the unwritten rule that if / when a big club comes in, everybody is on the same page and they will drive stick together to drive a good deal for the club, has totally gone to pot.

    Some of the best talent had played literally a season in the first team and immediately told the club they aren't re-signing any contract ever, I want to leave....and they get transferred too quickly sideways and never go anywhere as they find their new club isn't quite so understanding of their slip-ups and naivety.

    And they also be the go to destination for upcoming and coming players from big clubs like Liverpool to go out on loan, but again that has all gone now. If they are lucky they get some youth team player who isn't going to make anyway on loan for a season, only to find they will be lucky to even make it at League One level.
    some of this is indirect fallout from the abuse scandal but mostly caused by the way that academies have been re-organised. there are a lot less of the cast-off players getting down to the crewe academy than would have before.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,719
    kjh said:

    HYUFD said:

    kjh said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    It's good to be able to choose meat with that extra added savour of ill treatment, right?


    Good to see all that Scottish Nationalist hate for our Aussie cousins.
    The Scottish Farmer is a Scottish Nationalist organ now?

    Good to see you blithely accepting that your bunch of dislikeable, untrustworthy weaklings are losing natural Tory voters at a rate of knots. Eventually there'll only be a battered head left mouthing 'tis but a flesh wound' and 'the don't knows are right behind us'.
    Farmers now have more markets to export to thanks to the new trade deals we have.

    The SNP it seems would whack up tariffs and protectionism however on imports from any country outside the EU.

    Nationalists and authoritarian Covid restriction imposers at home and protectionist abroad, the SNP in a nutshell
    Do you actually know any of the details of these trade deals? How they are better than before, for specific products, that people actually want to buy for the price we can supply them at? Last time this was up for discussion I believe you were proposing selling carrots to Australia.

    We can sign a trade deal with the moon but it doesn't generate a single sale
    So much for being a Peelite, Gladstone free trade Liberal. Seems like you too are very much in the protectionist, high tariff, Joseph Chamberlain mould if it comes to any trade outside the EU
    Nope I am all for free trade. We had a free trade agreement inside the EU. Negotiating free trade agreements that don't actually generate sales or more than we had before is in reality net negative free trade agreements.

    So how about actually answering the question I put to you.
    You are obviously not all for free trade otherwise you would not be opposing any trade deals we have negotiated beyond the EU like with Australia. Deals which also offer opportunities to UK exporters.

    So in reality you are more an EUphile protectionist than a genuine liberal free trader
  • OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 31,724
    algarkirk said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    It's good to be able to choose meat with that extra added savour of ill treatment, right?


    Good to see all that Scottish Nationalist hate for our Aussie cousins.
    The Scottish Farmer is a Scottish Nationalist organ now?

    Good to see you blithely accepting that your bunch of dislikeable, untrustworthy weaklings are losing natural Tory voters at a rate of knots. Eventually there'll only be a battered head left mouthing 'tis but a flesh wound' and 'the don't knows are right behind us'.
    Farmers now have more markets to export to thanks to the new trade deals we have
    That you can post this with a straight face demonstrates how clueless you are. DOn't worry, you aren't alone. The lickspittle David Duguid keeps telling local farmers and fishermen how much better off they now are. As they know (a) they are worse off and (b) he is a prannock the seat is now chalked up as an SNP gain next time.

    You can say "more markets to export to" as much as you like. As it isn't true you *will* get caught out.
    Just imagine, the former seat of Alex Salmond falling to the SNP. Who could have ever thought such a thing imaginable? 😱
    Sure! But YakiDa keeps saying how brilliant Brexit has been for farmers and fisherman, a line copied by Duguid. As it palpably isn't reality, they are going to get punished if they keep saying Don't Look Up.
    I do strongly believe that you make the mistake of failing to differentiate between the act of Brexit in itself and the way in which it has been interpreted and enacted by this specific Government. I think this is a difference that a lot of politicians - not least Keir Starmer - understand far better than you seem to.

    It was, and still is, possible to have a Brexit that does not result in the issues we are currently seeing. It is the Brexit that I and others advocated for and still believe will eventually occur once this current shower are out of power. The problems we face now are not because of Brexit but because of who we have in charge of the country.

    If you want to play a little thought experiment then just imagine what would have happened had the vote gone the other way. Cameron would still have been gone by now and most likely replaced either by Corbyn or Johnson. So we would still have been suffering from disastrously bad governance but now in a far more fractured country, with the EU issue still rampant and in all likelihood with the one shining success of the last 2 years - the vaccine rollout - having been as much a failure here as it has been in other parts of the EU.

    The reason I make this point is not, as it happens, in support of Brexit as such. I am still firmly of the view that that is done in its raw form but in urgent need of redirection. But it is to point out that your belief that opposition will continue to grow is probably ill founded. Much of that opposition rests on the shoulders of Johnson as the current figurehead and as the man who is making such a mess of almost everything, not just Brexit. Replace him with a more pragmatic and less ideological person in charge - whether that is Starmer, Sunak or Truss amongst others - and the whole mood music changes. Indeed you might well find that the sort of Brexit I was after is much easier to sell after the mess Johnson has made of things so far.
    Mostly agree with this; Brexit is not only two questions but two sorts of question. Doing Brexit in itself is a basic question, beyond day to day politics; it's about constitutional groundwork.

    How to do it is a political question of the more day to day sort.

    It doesn't matter in the first sense what a mess we have made. We are out, and it's down to us.

    FWIW I don't think we can really think it through anew until there is a Labour led government. This problem will make it genuinely interesting, politically and intellectually.

    For a very exact parallel with the 'two sorts of question' view, about which everyone is in denial about it being an exact parallel: Scottish independence.

    The delicious irony would be the Tories recovering their Macmillan/Heath Europeanism and berating a Labour government doing it's best outside the EU, with the question "Why don't we just Rejoin?"

    The petty nationalism which is destroying cooperation at so many levels..... school trips for example.... is shameful.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,719

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    It's good to be able to choose meat with that extra added savour of ill treatment, right?


    Good to see all that Scottish Nationalist hate for our Aussie cousins.
    The Scottish Farmer is a Scottish Nationalist organ now?

    Good to see you blithely accepting that your bunch of dislikeable, untrustworthy weaklings are losing natural Tory voters at a rate of knots. Eventually there'll only be a battered head left mouthing 'tis but a flesh wound' and 'the don't knows are right behind us'.
    Farmers now have more markets to export to thanks to the new trade deals we have
    That you can post this with a straight face demonstrates how clueless you are. DOn't worry, you aren't alone. The lickspittle David Duguid keeps telling local farmers and fishermen how much better off they now are. As they know (a) they are worse off and (b) he is a prannock the seat is now chalked up as an SNP gain next time.

    You can say "more markets to export to" as much as you like. As it isn't true you *will* get caught out.
    Fishermen now out of CFP as promised
    Yes. And the purpose of leaving the CFP was....?

    Find out why CAP and CFP were unpopular and you'll discover what farmers and fishermen were hoping to achieve by leaving things like the CFP.

    I'll give you a clue. It isn't what you have given them. And patronising them by lines like "Fishermen now out of CFP as promised" will just make them more determined to vote you out of office.
    Fishermen have control of their own waters, as they voted for ie to get out of the CFP and EU
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,274
    edited December 2021
    Aslan said:

    dixiedean said:

    dixiedean said:

    dixiedean said:

    dixiedean said:

    dixiedean said:

    As a Yorkshire man, I grew up with cricket in my blood, inherited from my father. I spent all of my childhood summers either playing cricket or wandering around Headingley.

    But as a parent, I've failed miserably. I've never got my children remotely interested in cricket. They won't even know the Ashes is over today. Nothing but football. I've got them voting Labour, being decent folk, drinking beer etc. - all the things I love. Except cricket. I guess it's a generational thing, sadly.

    Football is a behemoth crowding every other sport out, I'm afraid.
    Just been back to Wigan. Football is taking over there too.
    Rugby League, now there is a sport in trouble. While cricket still gets sell outs for all the tests, the ODIs, decent numbers for the Hundred / T20, and 5 million watched England in the WC cricket final, rugby league is a shadow of its former self, poor attendances and very poor tv viewership.
    Agreed. Except in Oz where it is the big bad Pat TV bully crowding others out.
    Worst run sport in the country here. Product, especially live, is still great.
    Big problem is Rugby Union in the England has become a much better product and attracts lots of top talent. Internationals less so, but Gallagher Premiership is really exciting.
    Yes. However, dip below the Premiership, and it is in a parlous state too.
    Clubs and players disappearing. Huge losses and pitiful crowds at Championship level.
    Again I think it comes down to a shift where there are now so many competing things for people's spare time and money. Gone are the days where you joined a cricket club or a rugby club because basically it was the local social club with some sport thrown in.

    People will pay for top notch sport be it something like NFL, but aren't willing to go and hang out and watch second tier rugby or cricket.
    Broadly agree.
    Although, was just wondering about football at lower level. There were some impressive attendances in non-league yesterday. This seems to be more popular than for many decades.
    Yes that is an interesting point, lower league football appears to still remain strong. I have been to some conference north and conference south matches the past few years and been quite surprised how well attended they are.

    If I had to guess it is because big boy football is really expensive. Even "my team", Crewe, known for being family oriented club (yes we don't talk about the scandal), its something silly like £23 for a match day ticket that last time I went pre-pandemic when I was back in the area to see family. That's an expensive day out for a family. And I think there average attendance is well down on 10 years ago.

    Where as I went to a non-league game and I think it cost me £7 and £1 for the my mates kids that I took. And a £1 for some chips and 50p for coffee. I think the afternoon for me and 3 of my mates kids was £15.

    It might well be that there is displacement going on, where some people are going to further down the pyramid because of the cost. EPL is obviously fine because demand massively exceeds supply.
    Yes. All good points. Course, it isn't possible to watch EPL at all on a short notice whim without paying absolutely stupid money.
    I also like a wander around the ground, which you can't really do anymore. Except at non-league.

    £23 to watch Crewe?
    £6 a month Netflix.

    No surprise crowds aren't flocking to Gresty Road. That and bottom of the league too.
    Crewe is in a right old mess. Their business model of developing talent, bringing them into the team and getting ~3 years of good football, with the unwritten rule that if / when a big club comes in, everybody is on the same page and they will drive stick together to drive a good deal for the club, has totally gone to pot.

    Some of the best talent had played literally a season in the first team and immediately told the club they aren't re-signing any contract ever, I want to leave....and they get transferred too quickly sideways and never go anywhere as they find their new club isn't quite so understanding of their slip-ups and naivety.

    And they also be the go to destination for upcoming and coming players from big clubs like Liverpool to go out on loan, but again that has all gone now. If they are lucky they get some youth team player who isn't going to make anyway on loan for a season, only to find they will be lucky to even make it at League One level.
    Worth pointing out that these problems all originated with the Bosman ruling, which we were required to implement due to EU law. Now we are no longer bound by EU law, parliament could easily overturn the judgement with legislation and rescue small clubs to develop talent.
    Yes and no in the case of Crewe.....Bosman gives the players that power, but until recently there seemed to be an understanding between the players that they got where they are today because of Crewe academy and in order to continue Crewe academy they need to be sold at the right time and for the right money.

    Thus they trusted their development with the club and what was the right time for their career to leave. This meant 2-3 seasons on poorer wages now, but a bigger move in the future. A long list of players in the past could have pulled a Bosman, instead re-signed contracts just to ensure Crewe would get paid.

    Instead what seems to be happening is even those not eligible for Bosman are demanding to leave for clubs in the same division as soon as they get in the first team. One player has even gone on strike for 6 months rather than play.
  • IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830
    GIN1138 said:

    I take it all the freedom and liberty lovers of PB are pleased with Boris for once? :D

    Or pleased with the 101 headbangers holding a gun to his head
  • MattWMattW Posts: 18,100

    MattW said:



    I can't remember where you are based (Woking?), but it is probably somewhere near the heart of it.

    Godalming, south of Guildford. Interesting to read about it, thanks. I went to a live race years ago and was put off by an afternoon seeing the cars go round and round with overtaking very rare and no real sense of who was winning, unlike say horseracing. I can see that if you get into it and understand the engineering and the rules then it's a lot more interesting.
    McLaren are in Woking.

    https://www.google.com/maps/place/McLaren+Technology+Centre,+Woking+GU21+4YH/@51.3452566,-0.5480081,689m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x487677e28048e827:0xcb860bf3af5f1787!8m2!3d51.345833!4d-0.548333?hl=en
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,274
    edited December 2021
    spudgfsh said:

    dixiedean said:

    dixiedean said:

    dixiedean said:

    dixiedean said:

    dixiedean said:

    As a Yorkshire man, I grew up with cricket in my blood, inherited from my father. I spent all of my childhood summers either playing cricket or wandering around Headingley.

    But as a parent, I've failed miserably. I've never got my children remotely interested in cricket. They won't even know the Ashes is over today. Nothing but football. I've got them voting Labour, being decent folk, drinking beer etc. - all the things I love. Except cricket. I guess it's a generational thing, sadly.

    Football is a behemoth crowding every other sport out, I'm afraid.
    Just been back to Wigan. Football is taking over there too.
    Rugby League, now there is a sport in trouble. While cricket still gets sell outs for all the tests, the ODIs, decent numbers for the Hundred / T20, and 5 million watched England in the WC cricket final, rugby league is a shadow of its former self, poor attendances and very poor tv viewership.
    Agreed. Except in Oz where it is the big bad Pat TV bully crowding others out.
    Worst run sport in the country here. Product, especially live, is still great.
    Big problem is Rugby Union in the England has become a much better product and attracts lots of top talent. Internationals less so, but Gallagher Premiership is really exciting.
    Yes. However, dip below the Premiership, and it is in a parlous state too.
    Clubs and players disappearing. Huge losses and pitiful crowds at Championship level.
    Again I think it comes down to a shift where there are now so many competing things for people's spare time and money. Gone are the days where you joined a cricket club or a rugby club because basically it was the local social club with some sport thrown in.

    People will pay for top notch sport be it something like NFL, but aren't willing to go and hang out and watch second tier rugby or cricket.
    Broadly agree.
    Although, was just wondering about football at lower level. There were some impressive attendances in non-league yesterday. This seems to be more popular than for many decades.
    Yes that is an interesting point, lower league football appears to still remain strong. I have been to some conference north and conference south matches the past few years and been quite surprised how well attended they are.

    If I had to guess it is because big boy football is really expensive. Even "my team", Crewe, known for being family oriented club (yes we don't talk about the scandal), its something silly like £23 for a match day ticket that last time I went pre-pandemic when I was back in the area to see family. That's an expensive day out for a family. And I think there average attendance is well down on 10 years ago.

    Where as I went to a non-league game and I think it cost me £7 and £1 for the my mates kids that I took. And a £1 for some chips and 50p for coffee. I think the afternoon for me and 3 of my mates kids was £15.

    It might well be that there is displacement going on, where some people are going to further down the pyramid because of the cost. EPL is obviously fine because demand massively exceeds supply.
    Yes. All good points. Course, it isn't possible to watch EPL at all on a short notice whim without paying absolutely stupid money.
    I also like a wander around the ground, which you can't really do anymore. Except at non-league.

    £23 to watch Crewe?
    £6 a month Netflix.

    No surprise crowds aren't flocking to Gresty Road. That and bottom of the league too.
    Crewe is in a right old mess. Their business model of developing talent, bringing them into the team and getting ~3 years of good football, with the unwritten rule that if / when a big club comes in, everybody is on the same page and they will drive stick together to drive a good deal for the club, has totally gone to pot.

    Some of the best talent had played literally a season in the first team and immediately told the club they aren't re-signing any contract ever, I want to leave....and they get transferred too quickly sideways and never go anywhere as they find their new club isn't quite so understanding of their slip-ups and naivety.

    And they also be the go to destination for upcoming and coming players from big clubs like Liverpool to go out on loan, but again that has all gone now. If they are lucky they get some youth team player who isn't going to make anyway on loan for a season, only to find they will be lucky to even make it at League One level.
    some of this is indirect fallout from the abuse scandal but mostly caused by the way that academies have been re-organised. there are a lot less of the cast-off players getting down to the crewe academy than would have before.
    Again yes and no....I can run off a pretty long list of talent that has come through in the past 5-6 years. Crewe was actually pretty good for attracting talent that didn't want to go to a Man Utd, not because of being a cast off, but because their parents could see their kid getting a chance in the first team at 16-17.

    The likes of Danny Murphy, Dean Ashton, Neil Lennon, Ashley Westwood, etc did 4-5 years at Crewe before moving up, when it was absolutely clear they were way too good for lower league football, but they also made the odd howler. What it allowed them to do is develop into really good pros before they went and played with the big boys.

    Certainly that mentality has changed, especially as if you can earn big money at Man Utd even if you don't get in the first team and I am sure there are less cast offs. But far too recent Crewe players rushed for the exit after just a season or two in the team and their development immediately stalled.
  • OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 31,724
    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    It's good to be able to choose meat with that extra added savour of ill treatment, right?


    Good to see all that Scottish Nationalist hate for our Aussie cousins.
    The Scottish Farmer is a Scottish Nationalist organ now?

    Good to see you blithely accepting that your bunch of dislikeable, untrustworthy weaklings are losing natural Tory voters at a rate of knots. Eventually there'll only be a battered head left mouthing 'tis but a flesh wound' and 'the don't knows are right behind us'.
    Farmers now have more markets to export to thanks to the new trade deals we have
    That you can post this with a straight face demonstrates how clueless you are. DOn't worry, you aren't alone. The lickspittle David Duguid keeps telling local farmers and fishermen how much better off they now are. As they know (a) they are worse off and (b) he is a prannock the seat is now chalked up as an SNP gain next time.

    You can say "more markets to export to" as much as you like. As it isn't true you *will* get caught out.
    Fishermen now out of CFP as promised
    Yes. And the purpose of leaving the CFP was....?

    Find out why CAP and CFP were unpopular and you'll discover what farmers and fishermen were hoping to achieve by leaving things like the CFP.

    I'll give you a clue. It isn't what you have given them. And patronising them by lines like "Fishermen now out of CFP as promised" will just make them more determined to vote you out of office.
    Fishermen have control of their own waters, as they voted for ie to get out of the CFP and EU
    But, thanks to the deal your lot 'negotiated' they can't sell the fish they catch!
  • ClippP said:

    On Topic.

    I predict at least one Tory poll lead before the end of January.

    And a return to more Tory poll leads than Labour ones in the 30 days prior to Easter.

    May 2022 Local Elections will be the best test of the relative strength of the 2 main parties. I see widespread gains for the LDs and not much movement otherwise.

    The timing of the local elections with Rishi's NI Tax Rise could hardly be worse for the Conservatives.
    But surely they planned for that? I mean, the Tories are experts at winning elections and they do everything in their power to make sure they fight elections under the most favourable circumstances possible. Always.

    But if they are actually planning to lose seats this spring, it has to be a very deep game indeed.....
    Potentially it's better to get the bad economic decisions out of the way earlier in the term so that the good ones can be done before the next real election?

    Actually that doesn't seem deep at all. Positivilely mundane in fact.
  • FarooqFarooq Posts: 10,775
    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    It's good to be able to choose meat with that extra added savour of ill treatment, right?


    Good to see all that Scottish Nationalist hate for our Aussie cousins.
    The Scottish Farmer is a Scottish Nationalist organ now?

    Good to see you blithely accepting that your bunch of dislikeable, untrustworthy weaklings are losing natural Tory voters at a rate of knots. Eventually there'll only be a battered head left mouthing 'tis but a flesh wound' and 'the don't knows are right behind us'.
    Farmers now have more markets to export to thanks to the new trade deals we have
    That you can post this with a straight face demonstrates how clueless you are. DOn't worry, you aren't alone. The lickspittle David Duguid keeps telling local farmers and fishermen how much better off they now are. As they know (a) they are worse off and (b) he is a prannock the seat is now chalked up as an SNP gain next time.

    You can say "more markets to export to" as much as you like. As it isn't true you *will* get caught out.
    Fishermen now out of CFP as promised
    Yes. And the purpose of leaving the CFP was....?

    Find out why CAP and CFP were unpopular and you'll discover what farmers and fishermen were hoping to achieve by leaving things like the CFP.

    I'll give you a clue. It isn't what you have given them. And patronising them by lines like "Fishermen now out of CFP as promised" will just make them more determined to vote you out of office.
    Fishermen have control of their own waters, as they voted for ie to get out of the CFP and EU
    "Fishermen" don't control the waters, the UK government does.
  • FarooqFarooq Posts: 10,775

    ClippP said:

    On Topic.

    I predict at least one Tory poll lead before the end of January.

    And a return to more Tory poll leads than Labour ones in the 30 days prior to Easter.

    May 2022 Local Elections will be the best test of the relative strength of the 2 main parties. I see widespread gains for the LDs and not much movement otherwise.

    The timing of the local elections with Rishi's NI Tax Rise could hardly be worse for the Conservatives.
    But surely they planned for that? I mean, the Tories are experts at winning elections and they do everything in their power to make sure they fight elections under the most favourable circumstances possible. Always.

    But if they are actually planning to lose seats this spring, it has to be a very deep game indeed.....
    Potentially it's better to get the bad economic decisions out of the way earlier in the term so that the good ones can be done before the next real election?

    Actually that doesn't seem deep at all. Positivilely mundane in fact.
    Why make bad economic decisions at all?
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,274
    edited December 2021

    spudgfsh said:

    dixiedean said:

    dixiedean said:

    dixiedean said:

    dixiedean said:

    dixiedean said:

    As a Yorkshire man, I grew up with cricket in my blood, inherited from my father. I spent all of my childhood summers either playing cricket or wandering around Headingley.

    But as a parent, I've failed miserably. I've never got my children remotely interested in cricket. They won't even know the Ashes is over today. Nothing but football. I've got them voting Labour, being decent folk, drinking beer etc. - all the things I love. Except cricket. I guess it's a generational thing, sadly.

    Football is a behemoth crowding every other sport out, I'm afraid.
    Just been back to Wigan. Football is taking over there too.
    Rugby League, now there is a sport in trouble. While cricket still gets sell outs for all the tests, the ODIs, decent numbers for the Hundred / T20, and 5 million watched England in the WC cricket final, rugby league is a shadow of its former self, poor attendances and very poor tv viewership.
    Agreed. Except in Oz where it is the big bad Pat TV bully crowding others out.
    Worst run sport in the country here. Product, especially live, is still great.
    Big problem is Rugby Union in the England has become a much better product and attracts lots of top talent. Internationals less so, but Gallagher Premiership is really exciting.
    Yes. However, dip below the Premiership, and it is in a parlous state too.
    Clubs and players disappearing. Huge losses and pitiful crowds at Championship level.
    Again I think it comes down to a shift where there are now so many competing things for people's spare time and money. Gone are the days where you joined a cricket club or a rugby club because basically it was the local social club with some sport thrown in.

    People will pay for top notch sport be it something like NFL, but aren't willing to go and hang out and watch second tier rugby or cricket.
    Broadly agree.
    Although, was just wondering about football at lower level. There were some impressive attendances in non-league yesterday. This seems to be more popular than for many decades.
    Yes that is an interesting point, lower league football appears to still remain strong. I have been to some conference north and conference south matches the past few years and been quite surprised how well attended they are.

    If I had to guess it is because big boy football is really expensive. Even "my team", Crewe, known for being family oriented club (yes we don't talk about the scandal), its something silly like £23 for a match day ticket that last time I went pre-pandemic when I was back in the area to see family. That's an expensive day out for a family. And I think there average attendance is well down on 10 years ago.

    Where as I went to a non-league game and I think it cost me £7 and £1 for the my mates kids that I took. And a £1 for some chips and 50p for coffee. I think the afternoon for me and 3 of my mates kids was £15.

    It might well be that there is displacement going on, where some people are going to further down the pyramid because of the cost. EPL is obviously fine because demand massively exceeds supply.
    Yes. All good points. Course, it isn't possible to watch EPL at all on a short notice whim without paying absolutely stupid money.
    I also like a wander around the ground, which you can't really do anymore. Except at non-league.

    £23 to watch Crewe?
    £6 a month Netflix.

    No surprise crowds aren't flocking to Gresty Road. That and bottom of the league too.
    Crewe is in a right old mess. Their business model of developing talent, bringing them into the team and getting ~3 years of good football, with the unwritten rule that if / when a big club comes in, everybody is on the same page and they will drive stick together to drive a good deal for the club, has totally gone to pot.

    Some of the best talent had played literally a season in the first team and immediately told the club they aren't re-signing any contract ever, I want to leave....and they get transferred too quickly sideways and never go anywhere as they find their new club isn't quite so understanding of their slip-ups and naivety.

    And they also be the go to destination for upcoming and coming players from big clubs like Liverpool to go out on loan, but again that has all gone now. If they are lucky they get some youth team player who isn't going to make anyway on loan for a season, only to find they will be lucky to even make it at League One level.
    some of this is indirect fallout from the abuse scandal but mostly caused by the way that academies have been re-organised. there are a lot less of the cast-off players getting down to the crewe academy than would have before.
    Again yes and no....I can run off a pretty long list of talent that has come through in the past 5-6 years. Crewe was actually pretty good for attracting talent that didn't want to go to a Man Utd, not because of being a cast off, but because their parents could see their kid getting a chance in the first team at 16-17.

    The likes of Danny Murphy, Dean Ashton, Neil Lennon, Ashley Westwood, etc did 4-5 years at Crewe before moving up, when it was absolutely clear they were way too good for lower league football, but they also made the odd howler. What it allowed them to do is develop into really good pros before they went and played with the big boys.

    Certainly that mentality has changed, especially as if you can earn big money at Man Utd even if you don't get in the first team and I am sure there are less cast offs. But far too recent Crewe players rushed for the exit after just a season or two in the team and their development immediately stalled.
    The academy reorganisation is an interesting one, because it does seem like it has helped pool talent, find the best of the best and ultimately make a better England team, but at the same time it has chopped the legs out of the traditional route of play for a Crewe, then sign for an EPL team. Now you have to do League One -> Championship -> EPL.

    I think I read a stat somewhere that last season (or the season before) only 10 players were signed from lower league teams by EPL clubs.

    And there is a definitely a problem that if you have been at an EPL academy since 7 years old, then you don't make it and a Grimsby come calling, you can only be massively disappointed by the quality of the facilities, the ground, etc etc etc.

    My friends kid is with a top flight academy and they get absolutely everything, I can't imagine them being keen on earning £40-50k a year playing crappy League Two football if they don't make it after living the high life all their teenage years. Also the idea you can go there, play well and couple of seasons come back up is a real pip dream these days.
  • Farooq said:

    ClippP said:

    On Topic.

    I predict at least one Tory poll lead before the end of January.

    And a return to more Tory poll leads than Labour ones in the 30 days prior to Easter.

    May 2022 Local Elections will be the best test of the relative strength of the 2 main parties. I see widespread gains for the LDs and not much movement otherwise.

    The timing of the local elections with Rishi's NI Tax Rise could hardly be worse for the Conservatives.
    But surely they planned for that? I mean, the Tories are experts at winning elections and they do everything in their power to make sure they fight elections under the most favourable circumstances possible. Always.

    But if they are actually planning to lose seats this spring, it has to be a very deep game indeed.....
    Potentially it's better to get the bad economic decisions out of the way earlier in the term so that the good ones can be done before the next real election?

    Actually that doesn't seem deep at all. Positivilely mundane in fact.
    Why make bad economic decisions at all?
    The Tories don't make bad economic decisions, they run a strong economy
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,719

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    It's good to be able to choose meat with that extra added savour of ill treatment, right?


    Good to see all that Scottish Nationalist hate for our Aussie cousins.
    The Scottish Farmer is a Scottish Nationalist organ now?

    Good to see you blithely accepting that your bunch of dislikeable, untrustworthy weaklings are losing natural Tory voters at a rate of knots. Eventually there'll only be a battered head left mouthing 'tis but a flesh wound' and 'the don't knows are right behind us'.
    Farmers now have more markets to export to thanks to the new trade deals we have
    That you can post this with a straight face demonstrates how clueless you are. DOn't worry, you aren't alone. The lickspittle David Duguid keeps telling local farmers and fishermen how much better off they now are. As they know (a) they are worse off and (b) he is a prannock the seat is now chalked up as an SNP gain next time.

    You can say "more markets to export to" as much as you like. As it isn't true you *will* get caught out.
    Fishermen now out of CFP as promised
    Yes. And the purpose of leaving the CFP was....?

    Find out why CAP and CFP were unpopular and you'll discover what farmers and fishermen were hoping to achieve by leaving things like the CFP.

    I'll give you a clue. It isn't what you have given them. And patronising them by lines like "Fishermen now out of CFP as promised" will just make them more determined to vote you out of office.
    Fishermen have control of their own waters, as they voted for ie to get out of the CFP and EU
    But, thanks to the deal your lot 'negotiated' they can't sell the fish they catch!
    They can, to the UK market and beyond the EU.

    They are also not banned from selling their expanded catch to the EU either
  • moonshinemoonshine Posts: 5,226
    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/12/28/scrap-self-isolation-easter-covid-becomes-common-cold-says-scientist/

    This is pretty much as I posted earlier. Drop self isolation and treat as a common cold. Don’t know how long it will take but everyone here will agree with this eventually. It’s just going to take some longer than others to get over the fear.
  • JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 38,547
    MattW said:

    MattW said:



    I can't remember where you are based (Woking?), but it is probably somewhere near the heart of it.

    Godalming, south of Guildford. Interesting to read about it, thanks. I went to a live race years ago and was put off by an afternoon seeing the cars go round and round with overtaking very rare and no real sense of who was winning, unlike say horseracing. I can see that if you get into it and understand the engineering and the rules then it's a lot more interesting.
    McLaren are in Woking.

    https://www.google.com/maps/place/McLaren+Technology+Centre,+Woking+GU21+4YH/@51.3452566,-0.5480081,689m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x487677e28048e827:0xcb860bf3af5f1787!8m2!3d51.345833!4d-0.548333?hl=en
    I love the way they have Google Streetview inside the McLaren Technology Centre, allowing you to see the 'classic' cars inside...

    It's also the first place I've seen floor numbers in Streetview, allowing you to go between the ground floor and the suspended walkway.
  • Farooq said:

    ClippP said:

    On Topic.

    I predict at least one Tory poll lead before the end of January.

    And a return to more Tory poll leads than Labour ones in the 30 days prior to Easter.

    May 2022 Local Elections will be the best test of the relative strength of the 2 main parties. I see widespread gains for the LDs and not much movement otherwise.

    The timing of the local elections with Rishi's NI Tax Rise could hardly be worse for the Conservatives.
    But surely they planned for that? I mean, the Tories are experts at winning elections and they do everything in their power to make sure they fight elections under the most favourable circumstances possible. Always.

    But if they are actually planning to lose seats this spring, it has to be a very deep game indeed.....
    Potentially it's better to get the bad economic decisions out of the way earlier in the term so that the good ones can be done before the next real election?

    Actually that doesn't seem deep at all. Positivilely mundane in fact.
    Why make bad economic decisions at all?
    LOL. I meant politically bad news economic decisions rather than a purely bad decision.

    But on NI I feel it's both.
  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 37,603
    Good news from Chris Hopson on overall bed occupancy not being a worry at the moment, that is probably what has driven the government decision to not have any extra restrictions (or protections lol).

    Every day the Cabinet decision to tell the scientists to go and do their sums properly is being vindicated and everyday the decision of the DoH to not use the correct vaccine efficacy and correct average case severity is being shown to be stupid.

    I wonder whether the scientific models will ever have any credibility with the cabinet, we're in a bit of a bind now because of that unethical practice of using only the worst modelled inputs has shot their credibility to pieces and yet we still need scientific input into the decision making process.

    It might be time for the government to start looking at non-government sourced models as inputs into the decision making process. Aiui, the JP Morgan model has performed very well against real world data and it had a significant influence on the cabinet rejection of lockdown over Christmas. Might be time to formalise that and get other modelled data to get a better consensus view rather than just using whatever DoH decides SAGE should put out.
  • spudgfshspudgfsh Posts: 1,300

    The academy reorganisation is an interesting one, because it does seem like it has helped pool talent, find the best of the best and ultimately make a better England team, but at the same time it has chopped the legs out of the traditional route of play for a Crewe, then sign for an EPL team. Now you have to do League One -> Championship -> EPL.

    I think I read a stat somewhere that last season (or the season before) only 10 players were signed from lower league teams by EPL clubs.

    And there is a definitely a problem that if you have been at an EPL academy since 7 years old, then you don't make it and a Grimsby come calling, you can only be massively disappointed by the quality of the facilities, the ground, etc etc etc. My friends kid is with a top flight academy and they get absolutely everything, I can't imagine them being keen on earning £40-50k a year playing crappy League Two football if they don't make it after living the high life all their teenage years.

    as a Norwich fan, I know that since they obtained category 1 status they've managed to poach a load of good young players from lower league teams that they couldn't have before. they also have the advantage that they've got little competition from similar academies north of London and west of birmingham (only Leicester and Derby really).
  • algarkirkalgarkirk Posts: 10,351
    edited December 2021

    algarkirk said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    It's good to be able to choose meat with that extra added savour of ill treatment, right?


    Good to see all that Scottish Nationalist hate for our Aussie cousins.
    The Scottish Farmer is a Scottish Nationalist organ now?

    Good to see you blithely accepting that your bunch of dislikeable, untrustworthy weaklings are losing natural Tory voters at a rate of knots. Eventually there'll only be a battered head left mouthing 'tis but a flesh wound' and 'the don't knows are right behind us'.
    Farmers now have more markets to export to thanks to the new trade deals we have
    That you can post this with a straight face demonstrates how clueless you are. DOn't worry, you aren't alone. The lickspittle David Duguid keeps telling local farmers and fishermen how much better off they now are. As they know (a) they are worse off and (b) he is a prannock the seat is now chalked up as an SNP gain next time.

    You can say "more markets to export to" as much as you like. As it isn't true you *will* get caught out.
    Just imagine, the former seat of Alex Salmond falling to the SNP. Who could have ever thought such a thing imaginable? 😱
    Sure! But YakiDa keeps saying how brilliant Brexit has been for farmers and fisherman, a line copied by Duguid. As it palpably isn't reality, they are going to get punished if they keep saying Don't Look Up.
    I do strongly believe that you make the mistake of failing to differentiate between the act of Brexit in itself and the way in which it has been interpreted and enacted by this specific Government. I think this is a difference that a lot of politicians - not least Keir Starmer - understand far better than you seem to.

    It was, and still is, possible to have a Brexit that does not result in the issues we are currently seeing. It is the Brexit that I and others advocated for and still believe will eventually occur once this current shower are out of power. The problems we face now are not because of Brexit but because of who we have in charge of the country.

    If you want to play a little thought experiment then just imagine what would have happened had the vote gone the other way. Cameron would still have been gone by now and most likely replaced either by Corbyn or Johnson. So we would still have been suffering from disastrously bad governance but now in a far more fractured country, with the EU issue still rampant and in all likelihood with the one shining success of the last 2 years - the vaccine rollout - having been as much a failure here as it has been in other parts of the EU.

    The reason I make this point is not, as it happens, in support of Brexit as such. I am still firmly of the view that that is done in its raw form but in urgent need of redirection. But it is to point out that your belief that opposition will continue to grow is probably ill founded. Much of that opposition rests on the shoulders of Johnson as the current figurehead and as the man who is making such a mess of almost everything, not just Brexit. Replace him with a more pragmatic and less ideological person in charge - whether that is Starmer, Sunak or Truss amongst others - and the whole mood music changes. Indeed you might well find that the sort of Brexit I was after is much easier to sell after the mess Johnson has made of things so far.
    Mostly agree with this; Brexit is not only two questions but two sorts of question. Doing Brexit in itself is a basic question, beyond day to day politics; it's about constitutional groundwork.

    How to do it is a political question of the more day to day sort.

    It doesn't matter in the first sense what a mess we have made. We are out, and it's down to us.

    FWIW I don't think we can really think it through anew until there is a Labour led government. This problem will make it genuinely interesting, politically and intellectually.

    For a very exact parallel with the 'two sorts of question' view, about which everyone is in denial about it being an exact parallel: Scottish independence.

    The delicious irony would be the Tories recovering their Macmillan/Heath Europeanism and berating a Labour government doing it's best outside the EU, with the question "Why don't we just Rejoin?"

    The petty nationalism which is destroying cooperation at so many levels..... school trips for example.... is shameful.
    Wondering what, in detail, will the (actual world, non unicorn) Lab/centre left alliance policy be on post -Brexit at the next election is a genuinely interesting question. In fact so interesting that I don't think they will risk letting us know until afterwards. If then.

  • IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830
    moonshine said:

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/12/28/scrap-self-isolation-easter-covid-becomes-common-cold-says-scientist/

    This is pretty much as I posted earlier. Drop self isolation and treat as a common cold. Don’t know how long it will take but everyone here will agree with this eventually. It’s just going to take some longer than others to get over the fear.

    Just So stories breaking out all over. It's what one might call the Nativity Play fallacy: the belief that if a story is heartwarming, life-affirming, comforting etc, that sidesteps the issue of whether it is true or not.

    Spanish flu got a fk of a lot worse before it got better.

    You can probably tell how paralysed by terror I am.
  • JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 38,547
    edited December 2021

    I find it interesting that cricket is so widely discussed on here. In real life the only person I ever knew who followed it my was, now departed, Grandad. And I’m in Yorkshire. I just don’t know anyone who plays or follows cricket. These people must be out there, there are small local clubs dotted about clinging on. I just don’t know anybody who gives a shit.

    Just driven past a mobile Covid testing lab in a car park. The car park wasn’t huge, about 20 spaces, but with the van and all the people wanting to get tested it was rammed. Cars queuing on the road. Talking to people, lots and lots of people are testing positive. It’s ripping through the population but everyone seems resigned to it. Perhaps that’s where we are as a nation now. Get your jabs, get it and feel crap for a few days. Don’t get jabbed, it’s your own bloody fault if you die.

    Anecdote alert: my mum, a keen Leave voter said, admittedly with a couple of gins inside her on Boxing Day, that Brexit is crap, we were lied to, she wishes she’d voted Remain.

    Re cricket, I guess it depends on upbringing, where you live etc. I was raised in a village, started playing aged 12 for the village side. I’ve played all my life since. I’ve played for four clubs in that time, plus some beer matches. It’s thoroughly in my blood.
    The club I play for now is a well to do village on the wilts/Gloucestershire boundary, and forms the heart of the village community. The bar is open on match days and is well used by the village. The youth section is huge, the ladies team is thriving.
    Local club cricket has tended to contract from lots of small sides in every village, to fewer, but bigger clubs that run at least three if not more league teams.
    Anecdotally people have a lot more ways to spend their leisure time. Computer gaming is a big one. Why play in Wilts div 8 with a bunch of boring old guys, when you can bat as Joe Root at the MCG?
    Cricket does not to be on terrestrial. The greatest test series was the 2005 Ashes, shown in full on channel 4. Without that exposure, kids won’t be interested unless they come from a cricket background.
    One of PB's charms is that it gives a look at other ways to live, isn't it? The only cricket fan I know is my 80-year-old uncle, but I've never understood the appeal of Formula 1 either, yet have friends who are totally into it, as nearly everyone here seems to be.

    I'm sure you're right about the subtle influence of computer games, and indeed the internet generally. Apparently it's impacted dating too, as playing computer games and watching porn are an unchallenging alternative to actually mixing with real people in the flesh, with all the ups and downs which that involves. I spend a few hours a day on computer games when I've nothing else to do, so I totally get that (I had 3 books published on games so there's an excuse), while recognising that it's a bit sad!
    It is good when one gets ones eyes opened as happens regularly on PB. Until Northern Monkey's posting this morning it had never really struck me before that cricket was not at least in the background of people's lives in some way. It is certainly the most popular and talked about sport in my group of friends and acquaintances. Far more important to them than football for example. My Sister and Brother in Law are petrol heads but otherwise, cricket seems to be the dominant followed sport amongst my peer group. There is also a very strong cricket club in the village with most players in the 20-40 age group as opposed to the 'old men' mentioned earlier.
    No-one in my family, and no-one in my immediate circle of acquaintances, is in the last bit interested in cricket.

    I did go to school with Jeremy Snape when he was ?captain of England's Under-18s? (*) though.

    Each to their own. Wouldn't it be boring if we all liked the same activities?

    (*)I thought so little of cricket that I can't even remember what he was captain of.

    Edit: and I hope you get your sense of smell/taste back soon.
  • pigeonpigeon Posts: 4,089
    moonshine said:

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/12/28/scrap-self-isolation-easter-covid-becomes-common-cold-says-scientist/

    This is pretty much as I posted earlier. Drop self isolation and treat as a common cold. Don’t know how long it will take but everyone here will agree with this eventually. It’s just going to take some longer than others to get over the fear.

    There's at least a theoretical possibility that the number of Omicron cases in circulation will become so huge, and the testing system (even given the exceptionally high capacity that the UK has) will grow so overstretched, that the isolation rules will have to be waived to prevent the country from grinding to a halt.

    But hopefully we are either at or close to reaching peak Omicron (as per the South African pattern) so it won't come to that.

    I'm not sure whether or not the Government or its advisers will be ready to let go of the Covid public health infrastructure without at least one more Winter "just to be on the safe side." This likely means that we'll also have to go through at least one more big variant panic before there's any real prospect of putting this episode behind us. Time will tell.
  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 31,289
    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    It's good to be able to choose meat with that extra added savour of ill treatment, right?


    Good to see all that Scottish Nationalist hate for our Aussie cousins.
    The Scottish Farmer is a Scottish Nationalist organ now?

    Good to see you blithely accepting that your bunch of dislikeable, untrustworthy weaklings are losing natural Tory voters at a rate of knots. Eventually there'll only be a battered head left mouthing 'tis but a flesh wound' and 'the don't knows are right behind us'.
    Farmers now have more markets to export to thanks to the new trade deals we have
    That you can post this with a straight face demonstrates how clueless you are. DOn't worry, you aren't alone. The lickspittle David Duguid keeps telling local farmers and fishermen how much better off they now are. As they know (a) they are worse off and (b) he is a prannock the seat is now chalked up as an SNP gain next time.

    You can say "more markets to export to" as much as you like. As it isn't true you *will* get caught out.
    Fishermen now out of CFP as promised
    Yes. And the purpose of leaving the CFP was....?

    Find out why CAP and CFP were unpopular and you'll discover what farmers and fishermen were hoping to achieve by leaving things like the CFP.

    I'll give you a clue. It isn't what you have given them. And patronising them by lines like "Fishermen now out of CFP as promised" will just make them more determined to vote you out of office.
    Fishermen have control of their own waters, as they voted for ie to get out of the CFP and EU
    Not so 'blessed are the cheesemakers' under Brexit, it seems:

    https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/dec/27/brexit-the-biggest-disaster-that-any-government-has-ever-negotiated

  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 31,289

    Farooq said:

    ClippP said:

    On Topic.

    I predict at least one Tory poll lead before the end of January.

    And a return to more Tory poll leads than Labour ones in the 30 days prior to Easter.

    May 2022 Local Elections will be the best test of the relative strength of the 2 main parties. I see widespread gains for the LDs and not much movement otherwise.

    The timing of the local elections with Rishi's NI Tax Rise could hardly be worse for the Conservatives.
    But surely they planned for that? I mean, the Tories are experts at winning elections and they do everything in their power to make sure they fight elections under the most favourable circumstances possible. Always.

    But if they are actually planning to lose seats this spring, it has to be a very deep game indeed.....
    Potentially it's better to get the bad economic decisions out of the way earlier in the term so that the good ones can be done before the next real election?

    Actually that doesn't seem deep at all. Positivilely mundane in fact.
    Why make bad economic decisions at all?
    The Tories don't make bad economic decisions, they run a strong economy

    ... and Boris Johnson is an honourable man.
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 24,601
    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    It's good to be able to choose meat with that extra added savour of ill treatment, right?


    Good to see all that Scottish Nationalist hate for our Aussie cousins.
    The Scottish Farmer is a Scottish Nationalist organ now?

    Good to see you blithely accepting that your bunch of dislikeable, untrustworthy weaklings are losing natural Tory voters at a rate of knots. Eventually there'll only be a battered head left mouthing 'tis but a flesh wound' and 'the don't knows are right behind us'.
    Farmers now have more markets to export to thanks to the new trade deals we have
    That you can post this with a straight face demonstrates how clueless you are. DOn't worry, you aren't alone. The lickspittle David Duguid keeps telling local farmers and fishermen how much better off they now are. As they know (a) they are worse off and (b) he is a prannock the seat is now chalked up as an SNP gain next time.

    You can say "more markets to export to" as much as you like. As it isn't true you *will* get caught out.
    Fishermen now out of CFP as promised
    Yes. And the purpose of leaving the CFP was....?

    Find out why CAP and CFP were unpopular and you'll discover what farmers and fishermen were hoping to achieve by leaving things like the CFP.

    I'll give you a clue. It isn't what you have given them. And patronising them by lines like "Fishermen now out of CFP as promised" will just make them more determined to vote you out of office.
    Fishermen have control of their own waters, as they voted for ie to get out of the CFP and EU
    Why are the carping (did you see what I did there?) on that they are more disatisfied at what they have now after Johnson's oven ready deal, compared to what they had in the EU?
  • IshmaelZ said:

    moonshine said:

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/12/28/scrap-self-isolation-easter-covid-becomes-common-cold-says-scientist/

    This is pretty much as I posted earlier. Drop self isolation and treat as a common cold. Don’t know how long it will take but everyone here will agree with this eventually. It’s just going to take some longer than others to get over the fear.

    Just So stories breaking out all over. It's what one might call the Nativity Play fallacy: the belief that if a story is heartwarming, life-affirming, comforting etc, that sidesteps the issue of whether it is true or not.

    Spanish flu got a fk of a lot worse before it got better.

    You can probably tell how paralysed by terror I am.
    Alpha/Delta variants last winter was as "worse" as it was going to get for us.

    Would Spanish flu have gotten worse had we had everyone vaccinated before it did?

    Post-vaccination was the time to 'let it rip', its taking people time to catch up with reality but it is reality.

    Its good to see the media and scientists begin to take the notion that isolation is doing more harm than good, and that its time to end isolation even for the infected seriously.
  • sladeslade Posts: 1,921

    As a Yorkshire man, I grew up with cricket in my blood, inherited from my father. I spent all of my childhood summers either playing cricket or wandering around Headingley.

    But as a parent, I've failed miserably. I've never got my children remotely interested in cricket. They won't even know the Ashes is over today. Nothing but football. I've got them voting Labour, being decent folk, drinking beer etc. - all the things I love. Except cricket. I guess it's a generational thing, sadly.

    As another Yorkshireman I had the same experience. My father played for a local club in his youth. My first serious game was for Huddersfield and District Master Painters against Halifax and District Master Painters. Then cricket at Grammar School followed by University of Manchester with lots of Lancashire League Players. When I moved to London I played for an Old Boys team which ran 5 teams on Saturday and 2 on Sunday. I finally retired to the pavilion when I was 58.
  • moonshinemoonshine Posts: 5,226
    pigeon said:

    moonshine said:

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/12/28/scrap-self-isolation-easter-covid-becomes-common-cold-says-scientist/

    This is pretty much as I posted earlier. Drop self isolation and treat as a common cold. Don’t know how long it will take but everyone here will agree with this eventually. It’s just going to take some longer than others to get over the fear.

    There's at least a theoretical possibility that the number of Omicron cases in circulation will become so huge, and the testing system (even given the exceptionally high capacity that the UK has) will grow so overstretched, that the isolation rules will have to be waived to prevent the country from grinding to a halt.

    But hopefully we are either at or close to reaching peak Omicron (as per the South African pattern) so it won't come to that.

    I'm not sure whether or not the Government or its advisers will be ready to let go of the Covid public health infrastructure without at least one more Winter "just to be on the safe side." This likely means that we'll also have to go through at least one more big variant panic before there's any real prospect of putting this episode behind us. Time will tell.
    Before omicron it was said that the approach I advocate was pencilled in for March 2022. I fear you are right that they’ll shift this another year now. It’s why I think it’s more likely going to be the back end of 2023 or even into 2024 before it’s all put to bed.

    Unless of course something else forces its way onto the agenda sooner than that. Which it well might.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,719
    edited December 2021

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    It's good to be able to choose meat with that extra added savour of ill treatment, right?


    Good to see all that Scottish Nationalist hate for our Aussie cousins.
    The Scottish Farmer is a Scottish Nationalist organ now?

    Good to see you blithely accepting that your bunch of dislikeable, untrustworthy weaklings are losing natural Tory voters at a rate of knots. Eventually there'll only be a battered head left mouthing 'tis but a flesh wound' and 'the don't knows are right behind us'.
    Farmers now have more markets to export to thanks to the new trade deals we have
    That you can post this with a straight face demonstrates how clueless you are. DOn't worry, you aren't alone. The lickspittle David Duguid keeps telling local farmers and fishermen how much better off they now are. As they know (a) they are worse off and (b) he is a prannock the seat is now chalked up as an SNP gain next time.

    You can say "more markets to export to" as much as you like. As it isn't true you *will* get caught out.
    Fishermen now out of CFP as promised
    Yes. And the purpose of leaving the CFP was....?

    Find out why CAP and CFP were unpopular and you'll discover what farmers and fishermen were hoping to achieve by leaving things like the CFP.

    I'll give you a clue. It isn't what you have given them. And patronising them by lines like "Fishermen now out of CFP as promised" will just make them more determined to vote you out of office.
    Fishermen have control of their own waters, as they voted for ie to get out of the CFP and EU
    Why are the carping (did you see what I did there?) on that they are more disatisfied at what they have now after Johnson's oven ready deal, compared to what they had in the EU?
    Where are they saying that? Nowhere.

    Already the EU is now only allowed to catch 75% of what its boats were before in UK waters. Once the transition period ends in 2026 the UK government can cut quotas and exclude boats within 6 to 12 nautical miles
  • OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 31,724
    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    It's good to be able to choose meat with that extra added savour of ill treatment, right?


    Good to see all that Scottish Nationalist hate for our Aussie cousins.
    The Scottish Farmer is a Scottish Nationalist organ now?

    Good to see you blithely accepting that your bunch of dislikeable, untrustworthy weaklings are losing natural Tory voters at a rate of knots. Eventually there'll only be a battered head left mouthing 'tis but a flesh wound' and 'the don't knows are right behind us'.
    Farmers now have more markets to export to thanks to the new trade deals we have
    That you can post this with a straight face demonstrates how clueless you are. DOn't worry, you aren't alone. The lickspittle David Duguid keeps telling local farmers and fishermen how much better off they now are. As they know (a) they are worse off and (b) he is a prannock the seat is now chalked up as an SNP gain next time.

    You can say "more markets to export to" as much as you like. As it isn't true you *will* get caught out.
    Fishermen now out of CFP as promised
    Yes. And the purpose of leaving the CFP was....?

    Find out why CAP and CFP were unpopular and you'll discover what farmers and fishermen were hoping to achieve by leaving things like the CFP.

    I'll give you a clue. It isn't what you have given them. And patronising them by lines like "Fishermen now out of CFP as promised" will just make them more determined to vote you out of office.
    Fishermen have control of their own waters, as they voted for ie to get out of the CFP and EU
    But, thanks to the deal your lot 'negotiated' they can't sell the fish they catch!
    They can, to the UK market and beyond the EU.

    They are also not banned from selling their expanded catch to the EU either
    They sell to the UK market, but IN PRACTICE, thanks to the deal, sale to the EU is, or certainly was, very difficult. Fish and invertebrate marine animals are not easy to transport.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,274
    edited December 2021

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    It's good to be able to choose meat with that extra added savour of ill treatment, right?


    Good to see all that Scottish Nationalist hate for our Aussie cousins.
    The Scottish Farmer is a Scottish Nationalist organ now?

    Good to see you blithely accepting that your bunch of dislikeable, untrustworthy weaklings are losing natural Tory voters at a rate of knots. Eventually there'll only be a battered head left mouthing 'tis but a flesh wound' and 'the don't knows are right behind us'.
    Farmers now have more markets to export to thanks to the new trade deals we have
    That you can post this with a straight face demonstrates how clueless you are. DOn't worry, you aren't alone. The lickspittle David Duguid keeps telling local farmers and fishermen how much better off they now are. As they know (a) they are worse off and (b) he is a prannock the seat is now chalked up as an SNP gain next time.

    You can say "more markets to export to" as much as you like. As it isn't true you *will* get caught out.
    Fishermen now out of CFP as promised
    Yes. And the purpose of leaving the CFP was....?

    Find out why CAP and CFP were unpopular and you'll discover what farmers and fishermen were hoping to achieve by leaving things like the CFP.

    I'll give you a clue. It isn't what you have given them. And patronising them by lines like "Fishermen now out of CFP as promised" will just make them more determined to vote you out of office.
    Fishermen have control of their own waters, as they voted for ie to get out of the CFP and EU
    Not so 'blessed are the cheesemakers' under Brexit, it seems:

    https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/dec/27/brexit-the-biggest-disaster-that-any-government-has-ever-negotiated

    I take what that specific individual says with a pound of salt. He is a long time anti-Brexit, anti-Tory ranter.

    That isn't to say Brexit hasn't placed extra barriers to exports like him, but he is first to be in the Graudian saying Brexit is absolutely the end of the world and the "Johnson Variant" is responsible. He is the Brexit equivalent of Zero Covid Pagel.
  • HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    It's good to be able to choose meat with that extra added savour of ill treatment, right?


    Good to see all that Scottish Nationalist hate for our Aussie cousins.
    The Scottish Farmer is a Scottish Nationalist organ now?

    Good to see you blithely accepting that your bunch of dislikeable, untrustworthy weaklings are losing natural Tory voters at a rate of knots. Eventually there'll only be a battered head left mouthing 'tis but a flesh wound' and 'the don't knows are right behind us'.
    Farmers now have more markets to export to thanks to the new trade deals we have
    That you can post this with a straight face demonstrates how clueless you are. DOn't worry, you aren't alone. The lickspittle David Duguid keeps telling local farmers and fishermen how much better off they now are. As they know (a) they are worse off and (b) he is a prannock the seat is now chalked up as an SNP gain next time.

    You can say "more markets to export to" as much as you like. As it isn't true you *will* get caught out.
    Fishermen now out of CFP as promised
    Yes. And the purpose of leaving the CFP was....?

    Find out why CAP and CFP were unpopular and you'll discover what farmers and fishermen were hoping to achieve by leaving things like the CFP.

    I'll give you a clue. It isn't what you have given them. And patronising them by lines like "Fishermen now out of CFP as promised" will just make them more determined to vote you out of office.
    Fishermen have control of their own waters, as they voted for ie to get out of the CFP and EU
    Not so 'blessed are the cheesemakers' under Brexit, it seems:

    https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/dec/27/brexit-the-biggest-disaster-that-any-government-has-ever-negotiated

    The Truss myth is surely in tatters. She staked her reputation on a Renaissance for British cheese.
  • algarkirkalgarkirk Posts: 10,351
    IshmaelZ said:

    moonshine said:

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/12/28/scrap-self-isolation-easter-covid-becomes-common-cold-says-scientist/

    This is pretty much as I posted earlier. Drop self isolation and treat as a common cold. Don’t know how long it will take but everyone here will agree with this eventually. It’s just going to take some longer than others to get over the fear.

    Just So stories breaking out all over. It's what one might call the Nativity Play fallacy: the belief that if a story is heartwarming, life-affirming, comforting etc, that sidesteps the issue of whether it is true or not.

    Spanish flu got a fk of a lot worse before it got better.

    You can probably tell how paralysed by terror I am.
    The idea that the heartwarming etc nature of a story sidesteps the question of truth (you seem to be meaning truth in the sense of historicity here) is heartwarming and comforting but untrue. Do you think everyone thinks Pride and Prejudice, Aladdin, or A Christmas Carol is historically true?

  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,274
    edited December 2021
    Mr Cheese man makes some big claims. Looking at this accounts, he is a one man band who has never turned over vast sums in 5 years of trading, but all of a sudden Brexit has cost him mega bucks. I think he may just be exaggerating for effect slightly.

    Next year, we will be millionaires Rodney....if only it wasn't for that damn Brexit.
  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 31,289

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    It's good to be able to choose meat with that extra added savour of ill treatment, right?


    Good to see all that Scottish Nationalist hate for our Aussie cousins.
    The Scottish Farmer is a Scottish Nationalist organ now?

    Good to see you blithely accepting that your bunch of dislikeable, untrustworthy weaklings are losing natural Tory voters at a rate of knots. Eventually there'll only be a battered head left mouthing 'tis but a flesh wound' and 'the don't knows are right behind us'.
    Farmers now have more markets to export to thanks to the new trade deals we have
    That you can post this with a straight face demonstrates how clueless you are. DOn't worry, you aren't alone. The lickspittle David Duguid keeps telling local farmers and fishermen how much better off they now are. As they know (a) they are worse off and (b) he is a prannock the seat is now chalked up as an SNP gain next time.

    You can say "more markets to export to" as much as you like. As it isn't true you *will* get caught out.
    Fishermen now out of CFP as promised
    Yes. And the purpose of leaving the CFP was....?

    Find out why CAP and CFP were unpopular and you'll discover what farmers and fishermen were hoping to achieve by leaving things like the CFP.

    I'll give you a clue. It isn't what you have given them. And patronising them by lines like "Fishermen now out of CFP as promised" will just make them more determined to vote you out of office.
    Fishermen have control of their own waters, as they voted for ie to get out of the CFP and EU
    Not so 'blessed are the cheesemakers' under Brexit, it seems:

    https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/dec/27/brexit-the-biggest-disaster-that-any-government-has-ever-negotiated

    I take what that specific individual says with a pound of salt. He is a long time anti-Brexit, anti-Tory ranter.

    That isn't to say Brexit hasn't placed extra barriers to exports like him, but he is first to be in the Graudian saying Brexit is absolutely the end of the world and the "Johnson Variant" is responsible. He is the Brexit equivalent of Zero Covid Pagel.
    Pick out the positives in this then...

    https://www.fwi.co.uk/business/markets-and-trends/how-uk-trade-has-fared-since-withdrawal-from-the-eu
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,274
    edited December 2021

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    It's good to be able to choose meat with that extra added savour of ill treatment, right?


    Good to see all that Scottish Nationalist hate for our Aussie cousins.
    The Scottish Farmer is a Scottish Nationalist organ now?

    Good to see you blithely accepting that your bunch of dislikeable, untrustworthy weaklings are losing natural Tory voters at a rate of knots. Eventually there'll only be a battered head left mouthing 'tis but a flesh wound' and 'the don't knows are right behind us'.
    Farmers now have more markets to export to thanks to the new trade deals we have
    That you can post this with a straight face demonstrates how clueless you are. DOn't worry, you aren't alone. The lickspittle David Duguid keeps telling local farmers and fishermen how much better off they now are. As they know (a) they are worse off and (b) he is a prannock the seat is now chalked up as an SNP gain next time.

    You can say "more markets to export to" as much as you like. As it isn't true you *will* get caught out.
    Fishermen now out of CFP as promised
    Yes. And the purpose of leaving the CFP was....?

    Find out why CAP and CFP were unpopular and you'll discover what farmers and fishermen were hoping to achieve by leaving things like the CFP.

    I'll give you a clue. It isn't what you have given them. And patronising them by lines like "Fishermen now out of CFP as promised" will just make them more determined to vote you out of office.
    Fishermen have control of their own waters, as they voted for ie to get out of the CFP and EU
    Not so 'blessed are the cheesemakers' under Brexit, it seems:

    https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/dec/27/brexit-the-biggest-disaster-that-any-government-has-ever-negotiated

    I take what that specific individual says with a pound of salt. He is a long time anti-Brexit, anti-Tory ranter.

    That isn't to say Brexit hasn't placed extra barriers to exports like him, but he is first to be in the Graudian saying Brexit is absolutely the end of the world and the "Johnson Variant" is responsible. He is the Brexit equivalent of Zero Covid Pagel.
    Pick out the positives in this then...

    https://www.fwi.co.uk/business/markets-and-trends/how-uk-trade-has-fared-since-withdrawal-from-the-eu
    As the article says there are lots of factors, and as I said that isn't to say Brexit hasn't placed extra barriers. You know I own a business in the EU right?

    My point is that bloke is a billy bullshitter, but the Guardian swallow his claims regardless. He has this micro cheese business that has been going for 5+ years, but all of a sudden Brexit has costs his massive amounts of money. He is hardly flogging any cheese in the UK, such that it has 1 employee, but we are supposed to believe he is being inundated right after Brexit with all these massive orders that that damn Brexit has stopped him.
  • MattWMattW Posts: 18,100
    edited December 2021

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    It's good to be able to choose meat with that extra added savour of ill treatment, right?


    Good to see all that Scottish Nationalist hate for our Aussie cousins.
    The Scottish Farmer is a Scottish Nationalist organ now?

    Good to see you blithely accepting that your bunch of dislikeable, untrustworthy weaklings are losing natural Tory voters at a rate of knots. Eventually there'll only be a battered head left mouthing 'tis but a flesh wound' and 'the don't knows are right behind us'.
    Farmers now have more markets to export to thanks to the new trade deals we have
    That you can post this with a straight face demonstrates how clueless you are. DOn't worry, you aren't alone. The lickspittle David Duguid keeps telling local farmers and fishermen how much better off they now are. As they know (a) they are worse off and (b) he is a prannock the seat is now chalked up as an SNP gain next time.

    You can say "more markets to export to" as much as you like. As it isn't true you *will* get caught out.
    Fishermen now out of CFP as promised
    Yes. And the purpose of leaving the CFP was....?

    Find out why CAP and CFP were unpopular and you'll discover what farmers and fishermen were hoping to achieve by leaving things like the CFP.

    I'll give you a clue. It isn't what you have given them. And patronising them by lines like "Fishermen now out of CFP as promised" will just make them more determined to vote you out of office.
    Fishermen have control of their own waters, as they voted for ie to get out of the CFP and EU
    Not so 'blessed are the cheesemakers' under Brexit, it seems:

    https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/dec/27/brexit-the-biggest-disaster-that-any-government-has-ever-negotiated

    The Truss myth is surely in tatters. She staked her reputation on a Renaissance for British cheese.
    The Norway UK trade deal only came into force on 1 December, so it's a touch difficult to see how the chap could have done all of this in 3 weeks:

    Spurrell said he had pursued new business in Norway and Canada but post-Brexit trade deals sealed by the government had put barriers in place.

    ...

    “And now we’ve also lost Norway since the trade deal, as duty for wholesale is 273%. Then we tried Canada but what the government didn’t tell us is that duty of 244% is applied on any consignment over $20 [£15].”

    ...

    Norwegian duty on a £30 cheese pack amounted to £190 extra, he said.


    Looks like he is talking to the situation before the trade deal was in force.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,719

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    It's good to be able to choose meat with that extra added savour of ill treatment, right?


    Good to see all that Scottish Nationalist hate for our Aussie cousins.
    The Scottish Farmer is a Scottish Nationalist organ now?

    Good to see you blithely accepting that your bunch of dislikeable, untrustworthy weaklings are losing natural Tory voters at a rate of knots. Eventually there'll only be a battered head left mouthing 'tis but a flesh wound' and 'the don't knows are right behind us'.
    Farmers now have more markets to export to thanks to the new trade deals we have
    That you can post this with a straight face demonstrates how clueless you are. DOn't worry, you aren't alone. The lickspittle David Duguid keeps telling local farmers and fishermen how much better off they now are. As they know (a) they are worse off and (b) he is a prannock the seat is now chalked up as an SNP gain next time.

    You can say "more markets to export to" as much as you like. As it isn't true you *will* get caught out.
    Fishermen now out of CFP as promised
    Yes. And the purpose of leaving the CFP was....?

    Find out why CAP and CFP were unpopular and you'll discover what farmers and fishermen were hoping to achieve by leaving things like the CFP.

    I'll give you a clue. It isn't what you have given them. And patronising them by lines like "Fishermen now out of CFP as promised" will just make them more determined to vote you out of office.
    Fishermen have control of their own waters, as they voted for ie to get out of the CFP and EU
    Not so 'blessed are the cheesemakers' under Brexit, it seems:

    https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/dec/27/brexit-the-biggest-disaster-that-any-government-has-ever-negotiated

    The Truss myth is surely in tatters. She staked her reputation on a Renaissance for British cheese.
    Ben Wallace, the Defence Secretary, now up to 2nd in ConHome Cabinet approval ratings. Could be a dark horse to watch, quietly getting on with the job, ex army and a safe pair of hands

    https://www.conservativehome.com/thetorydiary/2021/12/our-cabinet-league-table-johnson-falls-to-his-lowest-ever-negative-rating.html
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 39,157
    MattW said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    It's good to be able to choose meat with that extra added savour of ill treatment, right?


    Good to see all that Scottish Nationalist hate for our Aussie cousins.
    The Scottish Farmer is a Scottish Nationalist organ now?

    Good to see you blithely accepting that your bunch of dislikeable, untrustworthy weaklings are losing natural Tory voters at a rate of knots. Eventually there'll only be a battered head left mouthing 'tis but a flesh wound' and 'the don't knows are right behind us'.
    Farmers now have more markets to export to thanks to the new trade deals we have
    That you can post this with a straight face demonstrates how clueless you are. DOn't worry, you aren't alone. The lickspittle David Duguid keeps telling local farmers and fishermen how much better off they now are. As they know (a) they are worse off and (b) he is a prannock the seat is now chalked up as an SNP gain next time.

    You can say "more markets to export to" as much as you like. As it isn't true you *will* get caught out.
    Fishermen now out of CFP as promised
    Yes. And the purpose of leaving the CFP was....?

    Find out why CAP and CFP were unpopular and you'll discover what farmers and fishermen were hoping to achieve by leaving things like the CFP.

    I'll give you a clue. It isn't what you have given them. And patronising them by lines like "Fishermen now out of CFP as promised" will just make them more determined to vote you out of office.
    Fishermen have control of their own waters, as they voted for ie to get out of the CFP and EU
    Not so 'blessed are the cheesemakers' under Brexit, it seems:

    https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/dec/27/brexit-the-biggest-disaster-that-any-government-has-ever-negotiated

    The Truss myth is surely in tatters. She staked her reputation on a Renaissance for British cheese.
    The Norway UK trade deal only came into force on 1 December, so it's a touch difficult to see how the chap could have done all of this in 3 weeks:

    Spurrell said he had pursued new business in Norway and Canada but post-Brexit trade deals sealed by the government had put barriers in place.

    ...

    “And now we’ve also lost Norway since the trade deal, as duty for wholesale is 273%. Then we tried Canada but what the government didn’t tell us is that duty of 244% is applied on any consignment over $20 [£15].”

    ...

    Norwegian duty on a £30 cheese pack amounted to £190 extra, he said.


    Looks like he is talking to the situation before the trade deal was in force.
    "since the trade deal" surely?
  • EabhalEabhal Posts: 5,794
    Anyone know what the current mortality rate for a boosted person (say 60 years old) is for Omichron, compared with someone who gets flu (having had the vaccine for that)?

    I'd like to use that comparison as a benchmark for lifting restrictions.
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 39,157

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    It's good to be able to choose meat with that extra added savour of ill treatment, right?


    Good to see all that Scottish Nationalist hate for our Aussie cousins.
    The Scottish Farmer is a Scottish Nationalist organ now?

    Good to see you blithely accepting that your bunch of dislikeable, untrustworthy weaklings are losing natural Tory voters at a rate of knots. Eventually there'll only be a battered head left mouthing 'tis but a flesh wound' and 'the don't knows are right behind us'.
    Farmers now have more markets to export to thanks to the new trade deals we have
    That you can post this with a straight face demonstrates how clueless you are. DOn't worry, you aren't alone. The lickspittle David Duguid keeps telling local farmers and fishermen how much better off they now are. As they know (a) they are worse off and (b) he is a prannock the seat is now chalked up as an SNP gain next time.

    You can say "more markets to export to" as much as you like. As it isn't true you *will* get caught out.
    Fishermen now out of CFP as promised
    Yes. And the purpose of leaving the CFP was....?

    Find out why CAP and CFP were unpopular and you'll discover what farmers and fishermen were hoping to achieve by leaving things like the CFP.

    I'll give you a clue. It isn't what you have given them. And patronising them by lines like "Fishermen now out of CFP as promised" will just make them more determined to vote you out of office.
    Fishermen have control of their own waters, as they voted for ie to get out of the CFP and EU
    But, thanks to the deal your lot 'negotiated' they can't sell the fish they catch!
    They can, to the UK market and beyond the EU.

    They are also not banned from selling their expanded catch to the EU either
    They sell to the UK market, but IN PRACTICE, thanks to the deal, sale to the EU is, or certainly was, very difficult. Fish and invertebrate marine animals are not easy to transport.
    https://www.itv.com/news/border/2021-01-12/major-seafood-company-more-or-less-finished-by-brexit

    What I can't find is an update, but I don't know that the situation has changed much.
  • MattWMattW Posts: 18,100
    edited December 2021

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    It's good to be able to choose meat with that extra added savour of ill treatment, right?


    Good to see all that Scottish Nationalist hate for our Aussie cousins.
    The Scottish Farmer is a Scottish Nationalist organ now?

    Good to see you blithely accepting that your bunch of dislikeable, untrustworthy weaklings are losing natural Tory voters at a rate of knots. Eventually there'll only be a battered head left mouthing 'tis but a flesh wound' and 'the don't knows are right behind us'.
    Farmers now have more markets to export to thanks to the new trade deals we have
    That you can post this with a straight face demonstrates how clueless you are. DOn't worry, you aren't alone. The lickspittle David Duguid keeps telling local farmers and fishermen how much better off they now are. As they know (a) they are worse off and (b) he is a prannock the seat is now chalked up as an SNP gain next time.

    You can say "more markets to export to" as much as you like. As it isn't true you *will* get caught out.
    Fishermen now out of CFP as promised
    Yes. And the purpose of leaving the CFP was....?

    Find out why CAP and CFP were unpopular and you'll discover what farmers and fishermen were hoping to achieve by leaving things like the CFP.

    I'll give you a clue. It isn't what you have given them. And patronising them by lines like "Fishermen now out of CFP as promised" will just make them more determined to vote you out of office.
    Fishermen have control of their own waters, as they voted for ie to get out of the CFP and EU
    But, thanks to the deal your lot 'negotiated' they can't sell the fish they catch!
    They can, to the UK market and beyond the EU.

    They are also not banned from selling their expanded catch to the EU either
    They sell to the UK market, but IN PRACTICE, thanks to the deal, sale to the EU is, or certainly was, very difficult. Fish and invertebrate marine animals are not easy to transport.
    Not really convinced that that is 'thanks to the deal'.

    More thanks to Brussels deciding to build a wall around fortress EU, and making trade with the wider world difficult.

    I'm sure that will change with time.

    I'm picking up that trade Third Country to Third Country is easier than Third Country to EU; that situation will not last.

    That RSPCA grid is interesting; turning subtle differences into black and white distinctions - for example hormone treated beef is only a minority of the Ozzie stick - in an effort to obtain an effective veto on what goes in UK trade deals.
  • IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830

    IshmaelZ said:

    moonshine said:

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/12/28/scrap-self-isolation-easter-covid-becomes-common-cold-says-scientist/

    This is pretty much as I posted earlier. Drop self isolation and treat as a common cold. Don’t know how long it will take but everyone here will agree with this eventually. It’s just going to take some longer than others to get over the fear.

    Just So stories breaking out all over. It's what one might call the Nativity Play fallacy: the belief that if a story is heartwarming, life-affirming, comforting etc, that sidesteps the issue of whether it is true or not.

    Spanish flu got a fk of a lot worse before it got better.

    You can probably tell how paralysed by terror I am.
    Alpha/Delta variants last winter was as "worse" as it was going to get for us.

    Would Spanish flu have gotten worse had we had everyone vaccinated before it did?

    Post-vaccination was the time to 'let it rip', its taking people time to catch up with reality but it is reality.

    Its good to see the media and scientists begin to take the notion that isolation is doing more harm than good, and that its time to end isolation even for the infected seriously.
    Yes, great to see thye experts catching up with you.

    Despite your best narrative efforts, variant pi/rho/sigma is on its way and it is almost a coin flip whether it is better or worse than delta, and likely to be worse than omicron because omicron is so mild.
  • IshmaelZ said:

    IshmaelZ said:

    moonshine said:

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/12/28/scrap-self-isolation-easter-covid-becomes-common-cold-says-scientist/

    This is pretty much as I posted earlier. Drop self isolation and treat as a common cold. Don’t know how long it will take but everyone here will agree with this eventually. It’s just going to take some longer than others to get over the fear.

    Just So stories breaking out all over. It's what one might call the Nativity Play fallacy: the belief that if a story is heartwarming, life-affirming, comforting etc, that sidesteps the issue of whether it is true or not.

    Spanish flu got a fk of a lot worse before it got better.

    You can probably tell how paralysed by terror I am.
    Alpha/Delta variants last winter was as "worse" as it was going to get for us.

    Would Spanish flu have gotten worse had we had everyone vaccinated before it did?

    Post-vaccination was the time to 'let it rip', its taking people time to catch up with reality but it is reality.

    Its good to see the media and scientists begin to take the notion that isolation is doing more harm than good, and that its time to end isolation even for the infected seriously.
    Yes, great to see thye experts catching up with you.

    Despite your best narrative efforts, variant pi/rho/sigma is on its way and it is almost a coin flip whether it is better or worse than delta, and likely to be worse than omicron because omicron is so mild.
    So what if it's the same, better or worse than Delta? We have vaccines!

    Restrictions on civil liberties were barely justifiable pre vaccinations but afterwards what exactly are you waiting for before you decide to "live with it"?
  • IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830

    IshmaelZ said:

    IshmaelZ said:

    moonshine said:

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/12/28/scrap-self-isolation-easter-covid-becomes-common-cold-says-scientist/

    This is pretty much as I posted earlier. Drop self isolation and treat as a common cold. Don’t know how long it will take but everyone here will agree with this eventually. It’s just going to take some longer than others to get over the fear.

    Just So stories breaking out all over. It's what one might call the Nativity Play fallacy: the belief that if a story is heartwarming, life-affirming, comforting etc, that sidesteps the issue of whether it is true or not.

    Spanish flu got a fk of a lot worse before it got better.

    You can probably tell how paralysed by terror I am.
    Alpha/Delta variants last winter was as "worse" as it was going to get for us.

    Would Spanish flu have gotten worse had we had everyone vaccinated before it did?

    Post-vaccination was the time to 'let it rip', its taking people time to catch up with reality but it is reality.

    Its good to see the media and scientists begin to take the notion that isolation is doing more harm than good, and that its time to end isolation even for the infected seriously.
    Yes, great to see thye experts catching up with you.

    Despite your best narrative efforts, variant pi/rho/sigma is on its way and it is almost a coin flip whether it is better or worse than delta, and likely to be worse than omicron because omicron is so mild.
    So what if it's the same, better or worse than Delta? We have vaccines!

    Restrictions on civil liberties were barely justifiable pre vaccinations but afterwards what exactly are you waiting for before you decide to "live with it"?
    There's two different issues here, what will happen and what to do about it. You are shoutily demanding a master strategy for the rest of time, more sensible people like frinstance the government, the opposition and their scientific advisors, are taking things a week at a time. We don't know how bad rho will be, we don't know how effective vaccines will be against it, and whereof we cannot speak...
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 24,601
    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    It's good to be able to choose meat with that extra added savour of ill treatment, right?


    Good to see all that Scottish Nationalist hate for our Aussie cousins.
    The Scottish Farmer is a Scottish Nationalist organ now?

    Good to see you blithely accepting that your bunch of dislikeable, untrustworthy weaklings are losing natural Tory voters at a rate of knots. Eventually there'll only be a battered head left mouthing 'tis but a flesh wound' and 'the don't knows are right behind us'.
    Farmers now have more markets to export to thanks to the new trade deals we have
    That you can post this with a straight face demonstrates how clueless you are. DOn't worry, you aren't alone. The lickspittle David Duguid keeps telling local farmers and fishermen how much better off they now are. As they know (a) they are worse off and (b) he is a prannock the seat is now chalked up as an SNP gain next time.

    You can say "more markets to export to" as much as you like. As it isn't true you *will* get caught out.
    Fishermen now out of CFP as promised
    Yes. And the purpose of leaving the CFP was....?

    Find out why CAP and CFP were unpopular and you'll discover what farmers and fishermen were hoping to achieve by leaving things like the CFP.

    I'll give you a clue. It isn't what you have given them. And patronising them by lines like "Fishermen now out of CFP as promised" will just make them more determined to vote you out of office.
    Fishermen have control of their own waters, as they voted for ie to get out of the CFP and EU
    Why are the carping (did you see what I did there?) on that they are more disatisfied at what they have now after Johnson's oven ready deal, compared to what they had in the EU?
    Where are they saying that? Nowhere.

    Already the EU is now only allowed to catch 75% of what its boats were before in UK waters. Once the transition period ends in 2026 the UK government can cut quotas and exclude boats within 6 to 12 nautical miles
    Anyone whose livelihood was reliant on "Kirkella" for starters.
  • NickPalmerNickPalmer Posts: 21,265
    MattW said:


    That RSPCA grid is interesting; turning subtle differences into black and white distinctions - for example hormone treated beef is only a minority of the Ozzie stick - in an effort to obtain an effective veto on what goes in UK trade deals.

    I'm biased, of course, but in this case I think it's fair enough. Hormone treatment is given for a reason (to promote "unnaturally" rapid growth, arguably with risks to welfare and health) and it's probably the most profitable way if it's permitted. Trade treaties are in practice almost impossible to undo, so the RSPCA is right to point out that the treaty allows it - it's quite likely that it will gradually become the norm where permitted. Moreover, the label is most unlikely to indicate whether it was hormone-treated or not, so those consumers who care about it will be unable to make an informed choice.

    To defend it and the associated lack of labelling, one really needs to say either "all the concerns are irrational and should be disregarded" or "I don't mind about these issues and nobody else should be allowed to mind either".
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 61,590

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    It's good to be able to choose meat with that extra added savour of ill treatment, right?


    Good to see all that Scottish Nationalist hate for our Aussie cousins.
    The Scottish Farmer is a Scottish Nationalist organ now?

    Good to see you blithely accepting that your bunch of dislikeable, untrustworthy weaklings are losing natural Tory voters at a rate of knots. Eventually there'll only be a battered head left mouthing 'tis but a flesh wound' and 'the don't knows are right behind us'.
    Farmers now have more markets to export to thanks to the new trade deals we have
    That you can post this with a straight face demonstrates how clueless you are. DOn't worry, you aren't alone. The lickspittle David Duguid keeps telling local farmers and fishermen how much better off they now are. As they know (a) they are worse off and (b) he is a prannock the seat is now chalked up as an SNP gain next time.

    You can say "more markets to export to" as much as you like. As it isn't true you *will* get caught out.
    Just imagine, the former seat of Alex Salmond falling to the SNP. Who could have ever thought such a thing imaginable? 😱
    Sure! But YakiDa keeps saying how brilliant Brexit has been for farmers and fisherman, a line copied by Duguid. As it palpably isn't reality, they are going to get punished if they keep saying Don't Look Up.
    I do strongly believe that you make the mistake of failing to differentiate between the act of Brexit in itself and the way in which it has been interpreted and enacted by this specific Government. I think this is a difference that a lot of politicians - not least Keir Starmer - understand far better than you seem to.

    It was, and still is, possible to have a Brexit that does not result in the issues we are currently seeing. It is the Brexit that I and others advocated for and still believe will eventually occur once this current shower are out of power. The problems we face now are not because of Brexit but because of who we have in charge of the country.

    If you want to play a little thought experiment then just imagine what would have happened had the vote gone the other way. Cameron would still have been gone by now and most likely replaced either by Corbyn or Johnson. So we would still have been suffering from disastrously bad governance but now in a far more fractured country, with the EU issue still rampant and in all likelihood with the one shining success of the last 2 years - the vaccine rollout - having been as much a failure here as it has been in other parts of the EU.

    The reason I make this point is not, as it happens, in support of Brexit as such. I am still firmly of the view that that is done in its raw form but in urgent need of redirection. But it is to point out that your belief that opposition will continue to grow is probably ill founded. Much of that opposition rests on the shoulders of Johnson as the current figurehead and as the man who is making such a mess of almost everything, not just Brexit. Replace him with a more pragmatic and less ideological person in charge - whether that is Starmer, Sunak or Truss amongst others - and the whole mood music changes. Indeed you might well find that the sort of Brexit I was after is much easier to sell after the mess Johnson has made of things so far.
    That’s possible, Richard - but is it likely to happen under this government ?

    Point being that disillusion with what’s been delivered is likely to continue growing among those who voted for it.
    We’re not rejoining any time soon, or even not so soon, but that just makes the likelihood of disillusion even greater.
  • MoonRabbitMoonRabbit Posts: 12,415

    On Topic.

    I predict at least one Tory poll lead before the end of January.

    And a return to more Tory poll leads than Labour ones in the 30 days prior to Easter.

    May 2022 Local Elections will be the best test of the relative strength of the 2 main parties. I see widespread gains for the LDs and not much movement otherwise.

    nostraknowlsus
  • MoonRabbitMoonRabbit Posts: 12,415
    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    It's good to be able to choose meat with that extra added savour of ill treatment, right?


    Good to see all that Scottish Nationalist hate for our Aussie cousins.
    The Scottish Farmer is a Scottish Nationalist organ now?

    Good to see you blithely accepting that your bunch of dislikeable, untrustworthy weaklings are losing natural Tory voters at a rate of knots. Eventually there'll only be a battered head left mouthing 'tis but a flesh wound' and 'the don't knows are right behind us'.
    Farmers now have more markets to export to thanks to the new trade deals we have
    That you can post this with a straight face demonstrates how clueless you are. DOn't worry, you aren't alone. The lickspittle David Duguid keeps telling local farmers and fishermen how much better off they now are. As they know (a) they are worse off and (b) he is a prannock the seat is now chalked up as an SNP gain next time.

    You can say "more markets to export to" as much as you like. As it isn't true you *will* get caught out.
    Fishermen now out of CFP as promised
    Yes. And the purpose of leaving the CFP was....?

    Find out why CAP and CFP were unpopular and you'll discover what farmers and fishermen were hoping to achieve by leaving things like the CFP.

    I'll give you a clue. It isn't what you have given them. And patronising them by lines like "Fishermen now out of CFP as promised" will just make them more determined to vote you out of office.
    Fishermen have control of their own waters, as they voted for ie to get out of the CFP and EU
    Not so 'blessed are the cheesemakers' under Brexit, it seems:

    https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/dec/27/brexit-the-biggest-disaster-that-any-government-has-ever-negotiated

    The Truss myth is surely in tatters. She staked her reputation on a Renaissance for British cheese.
    Ben Wallace, the Defence Secretary, now up to 2nd in ConHome Cabinet approval ratings. Could be a dark horse to watch, quietly getting on with the job, ex army and a safe pair of hands

    https://www.conservativehome.com/thetorydiary/2021/12/our-cabinet-league-table-johnson-falls-to-his-lowest-ever-negative-rating.html
    And comes across as human. 👍🏻

    Where number 10 seemed to be playing silly buggers with Afghanistan airlift, Wally you feel was pushing back with sanity?
  • Nigelb said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    It's good to be able to choose meat with that extra added savour of ill treatment, right?


    Good to see all that Scottish Nationalist hate for our Aussie cousins.
    The Scottish Farmer is a Scottish Nationalist organ now?

    Good to see you blithely accepting that your bunch of dislikeable, untrustworthy weaklings are losing natural Tory voters at a rate of knots. Eventually there'll only be a battered head left mouthing 'tis but a flesh wound' and 'the don't knows are right behind us'.
    Farmers now have more markets to export to thanks to the new trade deals we have
    That you can post this with a straight face demonstrates how clueless you are. DOn't worry, you aren't alone. The lickspittle David Duguid keeps telling local farmers and fishermen how much better off they now are. As they know (a) they are worse off and (b) he is a prannock the seat is now chalked up as an SNP gain next time.

    You can say "more markets to export to" as much as you like. As it isn't true you *will* get caught out.
    Just imagine, the former seat of Alex Salmond falling to the SNP. Who could have ever thought such a thing imaginable? 😱
    Sure! But YakiDa keeps saying how brilliant Brexit has been for farmers and fisherman, a line copied by Duguid. As it palpably isn't reality, they are going to get punished if they keep saying Don't Look Up.
    I do strongly believe that you make the mistake of failing to differentiate between the act of Brexit in itself and the way in which it has been interpreted and enacted by this specific Government. I think this is a difference that a lot of politicians - not least Keir Starmer - understand far better than you seem to.

    It was, and still is, possible to have a Brexit that does not result in the issues we are currently seeing. It is the Brexit that I and others advocated for and still believe will eventually occur once this current shower are out of power. The problems we face now are not because of Brexit but because of who we have in charge of the country.

    If you want to play a little thought experiment then just imagine what would have happened had the vote gone the other way. Cameron would still have been gone by now and most likely replaced either by Corbyn or Johnson. So we would still have been suffering from disastrously bad governance but now in a far more fractured country, with the EU issue still rampant and in all likelihood with the one shining success of the last 2 years - the vaccine rollout - having been as much a failure here as it has been in other parts of the EU.

    The reason I make this point is not, as it happens, in support of Brexit as such. I am still firmly of the view that that is done in its raw form but in urgent need of redirection. But it is to point out that your belief that opposition will continue to grow is probably ill founded. Much of that opposition rests on the shoulders of Johnson as the current figurehead and as the man who is making such a mess of almost everything, not just Brexit. Replace him with a more pragmatic and less ideological person in charge - whether that is Starmer, Sunak or Truss amongst others - and the whole mood music changes. Indeed you might well find that the sort of Brexit I was after is much easier to sell after the mess Johnson has made of things so far.
    That’s possible, Richard - but is it likely to happen under this government ?

    Point being that disillusion with what’s been delivered is likely to continue growing among those who voted for it.
    We’re not rejoining any time soon, or even not so soon, but that just makes the likelihood of disillusion even greater.
    Under this Government? Not a chance. To make any change to the perception of Brexit - indeed to have any chance of making Brexit work as it should - it is a prerequisite that we need Johnson gone. I genuinely believe we would not be in this position under, for example, Hunt.
  • MattW said:


    That RSPCA grid is interesting; turning subtle differences into black and white distinctions - for example hormone treated beef is only a minority of the Ozzie stick - in an effort to obtain an effective veto on what goes in UK trade deals.

    I'm biased, of course, but in this case I think it's fair enough. Hormone treatment is given for a reason (to promote "unnaturally" rapid growth, arguably with risks to welfare and health) and it's probably the most profitable way if it's permitted. Trade treaties are in practice almost impossible to undo, so the RSPCA is right to point out that the treaty allows it - it's quite likely that it will gradually become the norm where permitted. Moreover, the label is most unlikely to indicate whether it was hormone-treated or not, so those consumers who care about it will be unable to make an informed choice.

    To defend it and the associated lack of labelling, one really needs to say either "all the concerns are irrational and should be disregarded" or "I don't mind about these issues and nobody else should be allowed to mind either".
    Why would the label not indicate it, if people actually give a damn?

    Labels indicate organic for anyone who gives a crap about that BS, I don't but others clearly do. There's also the Red Tractor label which I do look for.

    Let people choose.
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 44,082
    nico679 said:

    HYUFD said:

    It's good to be able to choose meat with that extra added savour of ill treatment, right?


    Good to see all that Scottish Nationalist hate for our Aussie cousins.
    Where’s the hate. The article is just delivering the facts about farming practices in Australia . So UK farmers are now going to be at a disadvantage and it’s yet another Vote Leave promise which bites the dust ! Bizarrely the UK is perhaps the only country in the world which managed to sign a trade deal which the government figures conclude could end up negatively effecting GDP!

    I suppose as long as no 10 sticks a Global Britain rosette on any trade deal some of the low information leave voters will think its marvelous !
    It's almost as if a Bad Deal is worse than No Deal!

  • pm215pm215 Posts: 926
    edited December 2021
    Eabhal said:

    Anyone know what the current mortality rate for a boosted person (say 60 years old) is for Omichron, compared with someone who gets flu (having had the vaccine for that)?

    I'd like to use that comparison as a benchmark for lifting restrictions.

    I have no idea of the figures either way, but should we not also factor in the prevalence of the two diseases? That is, I would favour looking at "As a 60 year old going about my business over a year, what is my % chance of dying of the flu / covid ?". It's not much consolation to know that the mortality rate for one is half that of the other if you're ten times as likely to catch it...
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,274
    edited December 2021
    Eabhal said:

    Anyone know what the current mortality rate for a boosted person (say 60 years old) is for Omichron, compared with someone who gets flu (having had the vaccine for that)?

    I'd like to use that comparison as a benchmark for lifting restrictions.

    Nobody will know yet, there won't be anywhere near enough data yet.
  • EndillionEndillion Posts: 4,960
    On topic:

    His name is Sunak
    Oh, Rishi Sunak
    You do quite well in
    Opinion Polls.
    As Boris Johnson
    Goes through his swansong,
    At least he's
    Stopped scoring
    Own goals.
  • Carnyx said:

    MattW said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    It's good to be able to choose meat with that extra added savour of ill treatment, right?


    Good to see all that Scottish Nationalist hate for our Aussie cousins.
    The Scottish Farmer is a Scottish Nationalist organ now?

    Good to see you blithely accepting that your bunch of dislikeable, untrustworthy weaklings are losing natural Tory voters at a rate of knots. Eventually there'll only be a battered head left mouthing 'tis but a flesh wound' and 'the don't knows are right behind us'.
    Farmers now have more markets to export to thanks to the new trade deals we have
    That you can post this with a straight face demonstrates how clueless you are. DOn't worry, you aren't alone. The lickspittle David Duguid keeps telling local farmers and fishermen how much better off they now are. As they know (a) they are worse off and (b) he is a prannock the seat is now chalked up as an SNP gain next time.

    You can say "more markets to export to" as much as you like. As it isn't true you *will* get caught out.
    Fishermen now out of CFP as promised
    Yes. And the purpose of leaving the CFP was....?

    Find out why CAP and CFP were unpopular and you'll discover what farmers and fishermen were hoping to achieve by leaving things like the CFP.

    I'll give you a clue. It isn't what you have given them. And patronising them by lines like "Fishermen now out of CFP as promised" will just make them more determined to vote you out of office.
    Fishermen have control of their own waters, as they voted for ie to get out of the CFP and EU
    Not so 'blessed are the cheesemakers' under Brexit, it seems:

    https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/dec/27/brexit-the-biggest-disaster-that-any-government-has-ever-negotiated

    The Truss myth is surely in tatters. She staked her reputation on a Renaissance for British cheese.
    The Norway UK trade deal only came into force on 1 December, so it's a touch difficult to see how the chap could have done all of this in 3 weeks:

    Spurrell said he had pursued new business in Norway and Canada but post-Brexit trade deals sealed by the government had put barriers in place.

    ...

    “And now we’ve also lost Norway since the trade deal, as duty for wholesale is 273%. Then we tried Canada but what the government didn’t tell us is that duty of 244% is applied on any consignment over $20 [£15].”

    ...

    Norwegian duty on a £30 cheese pack amounted to £190 extra, he said.


    Looks like he is talking to the situation before the trade deal was in force.
    "since the trade deal" surely?
    Why would anyone agree a trade deal with 273% duty? Surely they should be as far as possible, tariff-free.
  • EabhalEabhal Posts: 5,794
    pm215 said:

    Eabhal said:

    Anyone know what the current mortality rate for a boosted person (say 60 years old) is for Omichron, compared with someone who gets flu (having had the vaccine for that)?

    I'd like to use that comparison as a benchmark for lifting restrictions.

    I have no idea of the figures either way, but should we not also factor in the prevalence of the two diseases? That is, I would favour looking at "As a 60 year old going about my business over a year, what is my % chance of dying of the flu / covid ?". It's not much consolation to know that the mortality rate for one is half that of the other if you're ten times as likely to catch it...
    Not suggesting it would be the only metric.
  • MoonRabbitMoonRabbit Posts: 12,415
    kjh said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    It's good to be able to choose meat with that extra added savour of ill treatment, right?


    Good to see all that Scottish Nationalist hate for our Aussie cousins.
    The Scottish Farmer is a Scottish Nationalist organ now?

    Good to see you blithely accepting that your bunch of dislikeable, untrustworthy weaklings are losing natural Tory voters at a rate of knots. Eventually there'll only be a battered head left mouthing 'tis but a flesh wound' and 'the don't knows are right behind us'.
    Farmers now have more markets to export to thanks to the new trade deals we have.

    The SNP it seems would whack up tariffs and protectionism however on imports from any country outside the EU.

    Nationalists and authoritarian Covid restriction imposers at home and protectionist abroad, the SNP in a nutshell
    Do you actually know any of the details of these trade deals? How they are better than before, for specific products, that people actually want to buy for the price we can supply them at? Last time this was up for discussion I believe you were proposing selling carrots to Australia.

    We can sign a trade deal with the moon but it doesn't generate a single sale
    “ Do you actually know any of the details of these trade deals? How they are better than before, for specific products “

    More than that, will we ever know? No I suspect, unless you can convince me otherwise.

    As the 2016 election proved to us, it’s hard to weigh and measure an existing thing with something else that isn’t fully fledged. It’s very much this header, the controversy of weighing PM Boris against someone not a PM.

    Truss is completely in the clear and will be her entire political career. There will always be ‘stories’ attacking her trade work, but never a smoking gun and plenty headlines for those who want to believe her brand of global Britain is working to applaud at conference.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,274
    edited December 2021
    NHS struggles to offer walk-in slots after ministers give go-ahead to events

    The NHS site also indicated that there were no walk-in LFT or PCR tests available anywhere in England on Tuesday morning. By early afternoon the site was indicating availability of PCR tests in most parts of England, although some areas were close to running out.

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/dec/28/covid-test-shortages-threaten-new-years-eve-celebrations-in-england

    I am not sure how many times they need to be told, that is how the PCR system works. If the slots fill up, they release more in the afternoon.....they is still availability everywhere....but it gets them a good headline.

    This is becoming a daily thing now, people tweeting out there are no PCR slots anywhere, its a disaster, arhhhhhh....
  • IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830
    Endillion said:

    On topic:

    His name is Sunak
    Oh, Rishi Sunak
    You do quite well in
    Opinion Polls.
    As Boris Johnson
    Goes through his swansong,
    At least he's
    Stopped scoring
    Own goals.

    Has he?

    Temporary ceasefire over winterval, is all.
  • MattWMattW Posts: 18,100
    edited December 2021
    Carnyx said:

    MattW said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    It's good to be able to choose meat with that extra added savour of ill treatment, right?


    Good to see all that Scottish Nationalist hate for our Aussie cousins.
    The Scottish Farmer is a Scottish Nationalist organ now?

    Good to see you blithely accepting that your bunch of dislikeable, untrustworthy weaklings are losing natural Tory voters at a rate of knots. Eventually there'll only be a battered head left mouthing 'tis but a flesh wound' and 'the don't knows are right behind us'.
    Farmers now have more markets to export to thanks to the new trade deals we have
    That you can post this with a straight face demonstrates how clueless you are. DOn't worry, you aren't alone. The lickspittle David Duguid keeps telling local farmers and fishermen how much better off they now are. As they know (a) they are worse off and (b) he is a prannock the seat is now chalked up as an SNP gain next time.

    You can say "more markets to export to" as much as you like. As it isn't true you *will* get caught out.
    Fishermen now out of CFP as promised
    Yes. And the purpose of leaving the CFP was....?

    Find out why CAP and CFP were unpopular and you'll discover what farmers and fishermen were hoping to achieve by leaving things like the CFP.

    I'll give you a clue. It isn't what you have given them. And patronising them by lines like "Fishermen now out of CFP as promised" will just make them more determined to vote you out of office.
    Fishermen have control of their own waters, as they voted for ie to get out of the CFP and EU
    Not so 'blessed are the cheesemakers' under Brexit, it seems:

    https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/dec/27/brexit-the-biggest-disaster-that-any-government-has-ever-negotiated

    The Truss myth is surely in tatters. She staked her reputation on a Renaissance for British cheese.
    The Norway UK trade deal only came into force on 1 December, so it's a touch difficult to see how the chap could have done all of this in 3 weeks:

    Spurrell said he had pursued new business in Norway and Canada but post-Brexit trade deals sealed by the government had put barriers in place.

    ...

    “And now we’ve also lost Norway since the trade deal, as duty for wholesale is 273%. Then we tried Canada but what the government didn’t tell us is that duty of 244% is applied on any consignment over $20 [£15].”

    ...

    Norwegian duty on a £30 cheese pack amounted to £190 extra, he said.


    Looks like he is talking to the situation before the trade deal was in force.
    "since the trade deal" surely?
    Is the reference to the EU-UK FTA, which came into force on Jan 1 2021, or to the UK-Iceland-Liechenstein-Norway trade deal, signed on 1st June 2021 (ish), which came into force on Dec 1 2021?

    The latter is the one that affects the UK-Norway cheese trade afaics, and I don't see how he has had time to do his claimed activities since then.

    He may have something even without the time, as afaics the reduction in tariff from 273% to 25% applies to Protected Name cheeses. The wider cheese trade will depend on whether that default quota reduction is wider than that. Rabbit hole map here:
    https://tradebetablog.wordpress.com/2021/06/08/rabbit-hole-wensleydale-norway/

    I'll concur that the trade deal is not as beneficial as the EEA internal market. Next version of the trade deal needs to move close to that.

    For the UK, the biggie in the trade with Norway (of which we do a lot - £26bn a year) is services.
  • MoonRabbitMoonRabbit Posts: 12,415
    Endillion said:

    On topic:

    His name is Sunak
    Oh, Rishi Sunak
    You do quite well in
    Opinion Polls.
    As Boris Johnson
    Goes through his swansong,
    At least he's
    Stopped scoring
    Own goals.

    Jingle Jabs jingle jabs
    Jabbing all the way
    How much fun to see thousands jabbed
    On their Christmas Day
  • jonny83jonny83 Posts: 1,261
    Eabhal said:

    Anyone know what the current mortality rate for a boosted person (say 60 years old) is for Omichron, compared with someone who gets flu (having had the vaccine for that)?

    I'd like to use that comparison as a benchmark for lifting restrictions.

    Too early to say as its the younger population that is getting Omicron right now. Boosters are doing their job for now protecting the older and more vulnerable.

    If we start to see over 60s in large numbers become infected it will become clear enough how 'mild' Omicron really is. The current studies won't show that yet as there isn't enough of a sample size in these demographics.
  • maaarshmaaarsh Posts: 3,391
    jonny83 said:

    Eabhal said:

    Anyone know what the current mortality rate for a boosted person (say 60 years old) is for Omichron, compared with someone who gets flu (having had the vaccine for that)?

    I'd like to use that comparison as a benchmark for lifting restrictions.

    Too early to say as its the younger population that is getting Omicron right now. Boosters are doing their job for now protecting the older and more vulnerable.

    If we start to see over 60s in large numbers become infected it will become clear enough how 'mild' Omicron really is. The current studies won't show that yet as there isn't enough of a sample size in these demographics.
    The current studies adjust for age, and the South African studies showed equal improvements vs delta for all age groups.

    I know it's bad news, but Omicron really is milder.
  • MattWMattW Posts: 18,100
    edited December 2021

    MattW said:


    That RSPCA grid is interesting; turning subtle differences into black and white distinctions - for example hormone treated beef is only a minority of the Ozzie stick - in an effort to obtain an effective veto on what goes in UK trade deals.

    I'm biased, of course, but in this case I think it's fair enough. Hormone treatment is given for a reason (to promote "unnaturally" rapid growth, arguably with risks to welfare and health) and it's probably the most profitable way if it's permitted. Trade treaties are in practice almost impossible to undo, so the RSPCA is right to point out that the treaty allows it - it's quite likely that it will gradually become the norm where permitted. Moreover, the label is most unlikely to indicate whether it was hormone-treated or not, so those consumers who care about it will be unable to make an informed choice.

    To defend it and the associated lack of labelling, one really needs to say either "all the concerns are irrational and should be disregarded" or "I don't mind about these issues and nobody else should be allowed to mind either".
    Absolutely. Thanks for the reply.

    I'm biased as well :smile: .

    I would very much be with you on strict labelling, but I'm not with with the efforts of the farming lobby to break the legs of open trade before it had even started. My views tend to start from the other end.
  • Covid dashboard - Because of a delay in receiving deaths data for England, today's update is delayed. The current estimate for release is 5:30pm. Further updates will be provided here.
  • IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830
    maaarsh said:

    jonny83 said:

    Eabhal said:

    Anyone know what the current mortality rate for a boosted person (say 60 years old) is for Omichron, compared with someone who gets flu (having had the vaccine for that)?

    I'd like to use that comparison as a benchmark for lifting restrictions.

    Too early to say as its the younger population that is getting Omicron right now. Boosters are doing their job for now protecting the older and more vulnerable.

    If we start to see over 60s in large numbers become infected it will become clear enough how 'mild' Omicron really is. The current studies won't show that yet as there isn't enough of a sample size in these demographics.
    The current studies adjust for age, and the South African studies showed equal improvements vs delta for all age groups.

    I know it's bad news, but Omicron really is milder.
    Why is it bad news that omicron is milder?
  • HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    It's good to be able to choose meat with that extra added savour of ill treatment, right?


    Good to see all that Scottish Nationalist hate for our Aussie cousins.
    The Scottish Farmer is a Scottish Nationalist organ now?

    Good to see you blithely accepting that your bunch of dislikeable, untrustworthy weaklings are losing natural Tory voters at a rate of knots. Eventually there'll only be a battered head left mouthing 'tis but a flesh wound' and 'the don't knows are right behind us'.
    Farmers now have more markets to export to thanks to the new trade deals we have
    That you can post this with a straight face demonstrates how clueless you are. DOn't worry, you aren't alone. The lickspittle David Duguid keeps telling local farmers and fishermen how much better off they now are. As they know (a) they are worse off and (b) he is a prannock the seat is now chalked up as an SNP gain next time.

    You can say "more markets to export to" as much as you like. As it isn't true you *will* get caught out.
    Fishermen now out of CFP as promised
    Yes. And the purpose of leaving the CFP was....?

    Find out why CAP and CFP were unpopular and you'll discover what farmers and fishermen were hoping to achieve by leaving things like the CFP.

    I'll give you a clue. It isn't what you have given them. And patronising them by lines like "Fishermen now out of CFP as promised" will just make them more determined to vote you out of office.
    Fishermen have control of their own waters, as they voted for ie to get out of the CFP and EU
    Not so 'blessed are the cheesemakers' under Brexit, it seems:

    https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/dec/27/brexit-the-biggest-disaster-that-any-government-has-ever-negotiated

    I take what that specific individual says with a pound of salt. He is a long time anti-Brexit, anti-Tory ranter.

    That isn't to say Brexit hasn't placed extra barriers to exports like him, but he is first to be in the Graudian saying Brexit is absolutely the end of the world and the "Johnson Variant" is responsible. He is the Brexit equivalent of Zero Covid Pagel.
    Pick out the positives in this then...

    https://www.fwi.co.uk/business/markets-and-trends/how-uk-trade-has-fared-since-withdrawal-from-the-eu
    As the article says there are lots of factors, and as I said that isn't to say Brexit hasn't placed extra barriers. You know I own a business in the EU right?

    My point is that bloke is a billy bullshitter, but the Guardian swallow his claims regardless. He has this micro cheese business that has been going for 5+ years, but all of a sudden Brexit has costs his massive amounts of money. He is hardly flogging any cheese in the UK, such that it has 1 employee, but we are supposed to believe he is being inundated right after Brexit with all these massive orders that that damn Brexit has stopped him.
    I must admit it is quite fun doing a bit of research and picking out the bullshit from these stories. This is not the first time the Guardian has featured this particular gentleman. Back in January he was splashed all over the paper making complaints.

    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/jan/23/cheshire-cheesemaker-says-business-left-with-250000-brexit-hole

    He claims his company employs 25 people and yet his own company returns show he only has 3 employees - including himself and his wife.
  • EabhalEabhal Posts: 5,794
    edited December 2021

    Covid dashboard - Because of a delay in receiving deaths data for England, today's update is delayed. The current estimate for release is 5:30pm. Further updates will be provided here.

    Maxed out the excel sheets
  • stodgestodge Posts: 12,745

    Covid dashboard - Because of a delay in receiving deaths data for England, today's update is delayed. The current estimate for release is 5:30pm. Further updates will be provided here.

    MY guess is 15 million cases.

    I got a million page book for Christmas about exaggeration - it cost £100,000.
  • pm215pm215 Posts: 926


    I am not sure how many times they need to be told, that is how the PCR system works. If the slots fill up, they release more in the afternoon.....they is still availability everywhere....but it gets them a good headline.

    If that's how the system works it's broken. If the website says "sorry, you can't get a test" how many of those people are going to come back in the afternoon and try again? At least some of them are going to say "sod this, let's not bother". The system needs to release more slots *before* anybody gets told to go away, not afterwards. (Fixing this would also be a PR improvement, but that matters less...)
  • RobDRobD Posts: 58,941

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    It's good to be able to choose meat with that extra added savour of ill treatment, right?


    Good to see all that Scottish Nationalist hate for our Aussie cousins.
    The Scottish Farmer is a Scottish Nationalist organ now?

    Good to see you blithely accepting that your bunch of dislikeable, untrustworthy weaklings are losing natural Tory voters at a rate of knots. Eventually there'll only be a battered head left mouthing 'tis but a flesh wound' and 'the don't knows are right behind us'.
    Farmers now have more markets to export to thanks to the new trade deals we have
    That you can post this with a straight face demonstrates how clueless you are. DOn't worry, you aren't alone. The lickspittle David Duguid keeps telling local farmers and fishermen how much better off they now are. As they know (a) they are worse off and (b) he is a prannock the seat is now chalked up as an SNP gain next time.

    You can say "more markets to export to" as much as you like. As it isn't true you *will* get caught out.
    Fishermen now out of CFP as promised
    Yes. And the purpose of leaving the CFP was....?

    Find out why CAP and CFP were unpopular and you'll discover what farmers and fishermen were hoping to achieve by leaving things like the CFP.

    I'll give you a clue. It isn't what you have given them. And patronising them by lines like "Fishermen now out of CFP as promised" will just make them more determined to vote you out of office.
    Fishermen have control of their own waters, as they voted for ie to get out of the CFP and EU
    Not so 'blessed are the cheesemakers' under Brexit, it seems:

    https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/dec/27/brexit-the-biggest-disaster-that-any-government-has-ever-negotiated

    I take what that specific individual says with a pound of salt. He is a long time anti-Brexit, anti-Tory ranter.

    That isn't to say Brexit hasn't placed extra barriers to exports like him, but he is first to be in the Graudian saying Brexit is absolutely the end of the world and the "Johnson Variant" is responsible. He is the Brexit equivalent of Zero Covid Pagel.
    Pick out the positives in this then...

    https://www.fwi.co.uk/business/markets-and-trends/how-uk-trade-has-fared-since-withdrawal-from-the-eu
    As the article says there are lots of factors, and as I said that isn't to say Brexit hasn't placed extra barriers. You know I own a business in the EU right?

    My point is that bloke is a billy bullshitter, but the Guardian swallow his claims regardless. He has this micro cheese business that has been going for 5+ years, but all of a sudden Brexit has costs his massive amounts of money. He is hardly flogging any cheese in the UK, such that it has 1 employee, but we are supposed to believe he is being inundated right after Brexit with all these massive orders that that damn Brexit has stopped him.
    I must admit it is quite fun doing a bit of research and picking out the bullshit from these stories. This is not the first time the Guardian has featured this particular gentleman. Back in January he was splashed all over the paper making complaints.

    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/jan/23/cheshire-cheesemaker-says-business-left-with-250000-brexit-hole

    He claims his company employs 25 people and yet his own company returns show he only has 3 employees - including himself and his wife.
    Have the figures in his latest piece been fact checked yet?
  • maaarshmaaarsh Posts: 3,391

    Covid dashboard - Because of a delay in receiving deaths data for England, today's update is delayed. The current estimate for release is 5:30pm. Further updates will be provided here.

    Hospital data available on NHS stats page as usual. Headline figures on number in hospital rising quite fast now, but still looks pretty consistent with extra incidentals as indeed some in the health service are starting to acknowledge. Clearly also low discharge numbers on weekends and bank holidays so should be an adjustment on Thurday's figures.
  • MattWMattW Posts: 18,100

    Covid dashboard - Because of a delay in receiving deaths data for England, today's update is delayed. The current estimate for release is 5:30pm. Further updates will be provided here.

    When I looked earlier there were about 5 cautionary notes on the data.
  • maaarshmaaarsh Posts: 3,391
    IshmaelZ said:

    maaarsh said:

    jonny83 said:

    Eabhal said:

    Anyone know what the current mortality rate for a boosted person (say 60 years old) is for Omichron, compared with someone who gets flu (having had the vaccine for that)?

    I'd like to use that comparison as a benchmark for lifting restrictions.

    Too early to say as its the younger population that is getting Omicron right now. Boosters are doing their job for now protecting the older and more vulnerable.

    If we start to see over 60s in large numbers become infected it will become clear enough how 'mild' Omicron really is. The current studies won't show that yet as there isn't enough of a sample size in these demographics.
    The current studies adjust for age, and the South African studies showed equal improvements vs delta for all age groups.

    I know it's bad news, but Omicron really is milder.
    Why is it bad news that omicron is milder?
    That poster seems quite upset by the thought.
This discussion has been closed.