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Can that elusive CON poll lead come in June or July? – politicalbetting.com

SystemSystem Posts: 11,002
edited June 2022 in General
imageCan that elusive CON poll lead come in June or July? – politicalbetting.com

With the most recent Opinium survey having the CON lead down to just 2% it opens up a chance that a CON lead in June or July might just be worth a punt.

Read the full story here

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Comments

  • IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830
    LAB lead

    Depends on Honiton
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,614
    Suspend fuel duty, Mr Chancellor, if you want to see a Conservative poll lead.
  • So, do nurses and doctors deserve a good pay rise? Are we suddenly sympathetic to them striking?
  • Not surprised to see more anti-Semitism support from the usual suspects.
  • EXCL: Ministers will this week change the law to allow striking workers to be replaced temporarily by agency staff.

    Too late for this week’s RMT strike but likely to be in force by mid-July
  • JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 38,517

    EXCL: Ministers will this week change the law to allow striking workers to be replaced temporarily by agency staff.

    Too late for this week’s RMT strike but likely to be in force by mid-July

    I do wonder how many agency staff would have suitable training and skills to work on the railways. One of the problems the privatised companies made in the mid-1990s was getting rid of drivers, thinking they could just be transferred around as they did with bus drivers. Sadly for them, railways require much more route knowledge than bus drivers....
  • MikeSmithsonMikeSmithson Posts: 7,382

    EXCL: Ministers will this week change the law to allow striking workers to be replaced temporarily by agency staff.

    Too late for this week’s RMT strike but likely to be in force by mid-July

    Do they need to change the law to do that? This is just a PR device to make it appear that they are doing something. I
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 25,165

    EXCL: Ministers will this week change the law to allow striking workers to be replaced temporarily by agency staff.

    Too late for this week’s RMT strike but likely to be in force by mid-July

    I do wonder how many agency staff would have suitable training and skills to work on the railways. One of the problems the privatised companies made in the mid-1990s was getting rid of drivers, thinking they could just be transferred around as they did with bus drivers. Sadly for them, railways require much more route knowledge than bus drivers....
    Arguably, bus drivers should be treated the same way as train drivers!


  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 32,739
    "Interesting [that the] PM is only thinking of moving the loyal ministers who go out to bat for him and don’t want his job."

    Quite the briefing here from an ally of Trade Sec Anne-Marie Trevelyan on reports she could be for the chop in a future reshuffle.

    From @g_lanktree
    https://twitter.com/e_casalicchio/status/1538783112582373377/photo/1
  • Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 60,933
    FPT: Good morning, everyone.

    It's important to remember, however, that my Sainz bet came off yesterday.

    [Only a tiny bit green, but I'll take it].

    Had the safety car been 5-6 laps later I think he would've had the win.

    Edited extra bit: also, pre-weekend, he was 16 for the win, each way available. had a tiny sum on that.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,614
    tlg86 said:

    EXCL: Ministers will this week change the law to allow striking workers to be replaced temporarily by agency staff.

    Too late for this week’s RMT strike but likely to be in force by mid-July

    I do wonder how many agency staff would have suitable training and skills to work on the railways. One of the problems the privatised companies made in the mid-1990s was getting rid of drivers, thinking they could just be transferred around as they did with bus drivers. Sadly for them, railways require much more route knowledge than bus drivers....
    Arguably, bus drivers should be treated the same way as train drivers!


    They should be ‘type rated’ on their bus, so they don’t drive single-deck, double-deck and bendy busses on consecutive days. Buses should be signed out of the depot by a qualified dispatcher, who knows which bus types are suitable for which routes.

    This is how trains and planes work, the rules in those industries being written in blood over many years.
  • EXCL: Ministers will this week change the law to allow striking workers to be replaced temporarily by agency staff.

    Too late for this week’s RMT strike but likely to be in force by mid-July

    I do wonder how many agency staff would have suitable training and skills to work on the railways. One of the problems the privatised companies made in the mid-1990s was getting rid of drivers, thinking they could just be transferred around as they did with bus drivers. Sadly for them, railways require much more route knowledge than bus drivers....
    I feel like this is a one-way ticket to another disaster.
  • OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 31,718

    EXCL: Ministers will this week change the law to allow striking workers to be replaced temporarily by agency staff.

    Too late for this week’s RMT strike but likely to be in force by mid-July

    Blackleg's charter? Given full employment, where are these staff to come from?
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,614

    EXCL: Ministers will this week change the law to allow striking workers to be replaced temporarily by agency staff.

    Too late for this week’s RMT strike but likely to be in force by mid-July

    I do wonder how many agency staff would have suitable training and skills to work on the railways. One of the problems the privatised companies made in the mid-1990s was getting rid of drivers, thinking they could just be transferred around as they did with bus drivers. Sadly for them, railways require much more route knowledge than bus drivers....
    You won’t find agency train drivers or signalmen, at least not at short notice, but you might be able to find them for other roles within the railway. A lot of NR work can also be done by a number of private companies, as can basic customer service roles at stations.
  • eekeek Posts: 24,797
    edited June 2022

    EXCL: Ministers will this week change the law to allow striking workers to be replaced temporarily by agency staff.

    Too late for this week’s RMT strike but likely to be in force by mid-July

    Blackleg's charter? Given full employment, where are these staff to come from?
    When are the agency workers going to do the minimum 3 months training (mainly on site, in situ) before taking over the signal boxes?

    And come the next round of strikes with that law in place the problem will become Bozo’s rather than anyone elses - after all Bozo said this law fixes the problem..
  • RochdalePioneersRochdalePioneers Posts: 27,013

    EXCL: Ministers will this week change the law to allow striking workers to be replaced temporarily by agency staff.

    Too late for this week’s RMT strike but likely to be in force by mid-July

    I do wonder how many agency staff would have suitable training and skills to work on the railways. One of the problems the privatised companies made in the mid-1990s was getting rid of drivers, thinking they could just be transferred around as they did with bus drivers. Sadly for them, railways require much more route knowledge than bus drivers....
    Route knowledge has once again become a big problem. Geniuses at the DfT have driven through new driver practices. Instead of having a driver who does a long run, they instead restrict drivers at any given depot to only sign part of the route.

    So your Transpennine Express service from Newcastle to Manchester will need several driver changes along the route.

    With the inevitable consequences...
  • turbotubbsturbotubbs Posts: 14,878

    EXCL: Ministers will this week change the law to allow striking workers to be replaced temporarily by agency staff.

    Too late for this week’s RMT strike but likely to be in force by mid-July

    I do wonder how many agency staff would have suitable training and skills to work on the railways. One of the problems the privatised companies made in the mid-1990s was getting rid of drivers, thinking they could just be transferred around as they did with bus drivers. Sadly for them, railways require much more route knowledge than bus drivers....
    I feel like this is a one-way ticket to another disaster.
    I think it depends on which jobs the temp staff do. No one is getting killed if they get sold the wrong ticket, or given tea rather than coffee. But safety critical roles such as driving and signalling - you’d have to be mad as a company to take a risk that could cause deaths.
  • turbotubbsturbotubbs Posts: 14,878

    EXCL: Ministers will this week change the law to allow striking workers to be replaced temporarily by agency staff.

    Too late for this week’s RMT strike but likely to be in force by mid-July

    Blackleg's charter? Given full employment, where are these staff to come from?
    Fancy coming out of retirement?
  • StuartinromfordStuartinromford Posts: 14,087
    Scott_xP said:

    "Interesting [that the] PM is only thinking of moving the loyal ministers who go out to bat for him and don’t want his job."

    Quite the briefing here from an ally of Trade Sec Anne-Marie Trevelyan on reports she could be for the chop in a future reshuffle.

    From @g_lanktree
    https://twitter.com/e_casalicchio/status/1538783112582373377/photo/1

    Rational to extend BoJo's personal survival for a bit longer.

    He can't move Rishi, Liz or any other biggish beast. He's on thinnish ice with the party as it is, and he can't really afford to have any more of those bastards out there. So if he wants to reward his new stooges, it can only be at the expense of his current stooges.

    Couldn't happen to a nicer group of people.
  • EXCL: Ministers will this week change the law to allow striking workers to be replaced temporarily by agency staff.

    Too late for this week’s RMT strike but likely to be in force by mid-July

    I do wonder how many agency staff would have suitable training and skills to work on the railways. One of the problems the privatised companies made in the mid-1990s was getting rid of drivers, thinking they could just be transferred around as they did with bus drivers. Sadly for them, railways require much more route knowledge than bus drivers....
    I feel like this is a one-way ticket to another disaster.
    I think it depends on which jobs the temp staff do. No one is getting killed if they get sold the wrong ticket, or given tea rather than coffee. But safety critical roles such as driving and signalling - you’d have to be mad as a company to take a risk that could cause deaths.
    IMHO this is probably why they can't/won't change it but for tickets etc yes I see the value in that. Albeit they seem to get paid sod all anyway
  • The 'missing story' (pulled by Times after no10 call Fri night) is true. Walters repeatedly published accurate stories, e.g on illegal donations. Times pathetic to have folded & shd reverse ferret. Truth is worse! 🛒 wanted to appoint girlfriend to gvt job in Q3 2020 too

    I hate Cummings but whenever I see the trolley emoji I laugh haha
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 61,574
    Scott_xP said:
    The FT is running a similar article.

    https://mobile.twitter.com/ChrisGiles_/status/1538772071920152583
    The economic evidence of the harms of Brexit are mounting

    No one wants to talk about it

    Big read with ⁦@GeorgeWParker

  • JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 38,517
    Sandpit said:

    tlg86 said:

    EXCL: Ministers will this week change the law to allow striking workers to be replaced temporarily by agency staff.

    Too late for this week’s RMT strike but likely to be in force by mid-July

    I do wonder how many agency staff would have suitable training and skills to work on the railways. One of the problems the privatised companies made in the mid-1990s was getting rid of drivers, thinking they could just be transferred around as they did with bus drivers. Sadly for them, railways require much more route knowledge than bus drivers....
    Arguably, bus drivers should be treated the same way as train drivers!


    They should be ‘type rated’ on their bus, so they don’t drive single-deck, double-deck and bendy busses on consecutive days. Buses should be signed out of the depot by a qualified dispatcher, who knows which bus types are suitable for which routes.

    This is how trains and planes work, the rules in those industries being written in blood over many years.
    My sister drives busses as a hobby, as a fill-in driver for school runs and the like. Although she lives in a rural area, there are still things you need to be very careful about. I believe diversions due to roadworks and the like causes stress levels to increase rapidly.

    And it must be much worse for drivers in inner-city areas, with lots of low bridges.

    (I believe one of these double-decker versus low bridge incidents a few years ago was due to roadworks, and the signed diversion not being suitable for all vehicles, and the signage not saying so. The driver was still at fault, as the bridge was signed, although not clearly, but the council were also seen as being culpable. One of these cases where there were many causal factors.)
  • EXCL: Boris Johnson could usher in a new generation of grammar schools later this year.

    David Canzini among No 10 staff pushing for more selective schools.

    “There’s more of an open door on grammars than there has been in years,” a minister said.

    Out. Of. Ideas.
  • eekeek Posts: 24,797

    The 'missing story' (pulled by Times after no10 call Fri night) is true. Walters repeatedly published accurate stories, e.g on illegal donations. Times pathetic to have folded & shd reverse ferret. Truth is worse! 🛒 wanted to appoint girlfriend to gvt job in Q3 2020 too

    I hate Cummings but whenever I see the trolley emoji I laugh haha

    The story is one of the main items in Lord Ashcroft's book on Carrie and covered in the Daily Mail as one of the core bits https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10480695/Carrie-Johnson-uncovered-Book-LORD-ASHCROFT-thats-set-Westminster-alight.html

    Quoting 2 paragraphs

    In late 2017, civil servants at the Foreign Office advised Johnson to appoint a chief of staff. Installing somebody of the highest competence would, they believed, ease their collective post-Brexit burden. This suggestion seemed at first to fall on deaf ears.

    But by the beginning of the following year, Johnson seemed keener on the plan. The person he had in mind for the plum, six-figure role? Carrie Symonds.
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 25,165
    If you want a chuckle, have a read of this...

    https://stainestownfootballclub.co.uk/club-statement-june-2022/

    STFC had been provided with vast amounts of evidence, that Downing LLP, were involved through some of its holdings, in the financing of Environmental Crimes, Price Fixing, Deforestation, Forced Evictions, Human Rights Abuses, Child Labour, Slavery, Gender Discrimination and Murder.
  • eekeek Posts: 24,797

    EXCL: Ministers will this week change the law to allow striking workers to be replaced temporarily by agency staff.

    Too late for this week’s RMT strike but likely to be in force by mid-July

    I do wonder how many agency staff would have suitable training and skills to work on the railways. One of the problems the privatised companies made in the mid-1990s was getting rid of drivers, thinking they could just be transferred around as they did with bus drivers. Sadly for them, railways require much more route knowledge than bus drivers....
    Route knowledge has once again become a big problem. Geniuses at the DfT have driven through new driver practices. Instead of having a driver who does a long run, they instead restrict drivers at any given depot to only sign part of the route.

    So your Transpennine Express service from Newcastle to Manchester will need several driver changes along the route.

    With the inevitable consequences...
    Drivers aren't however on strike in the UK and from speaking to my brother they aren't particular interested in striking at the moment.

    The others however are striking and those strikes will continue - the announcement of ticket office closures will ensure the strikes continue all summer..
  • bigjohnowlsbigjohnowls Posts: 21,723
    edited June 2022

    EXCL: Boris Johnson could usher in a new generation of grammar schools later this year.

    David Canzini among No 10 staff pushing for more selective schools.

    “There’s more of an open door on grammars than there has been in years,” a minister said.

    Out. Of. Ideas.

    Vote loser when proposed by TM

    Remember massive opposition when we canvassed on proposal
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 32,739
    https://www.ft.com/content/7a209a34-7d95-47aa-91b0-bf02d4214764

    Pro-Brexit cabinet member to @GeorgeWParker @ChrisGiles_ on fixing #brexit damage. “we’ve got to find a way of doing it without it looking like we’re running up the white flag and we’re compromising on sovereignty.”

    Still 🦄 hunting then.
  • eekeek Posts: 24,797
    edited June 2022
    Sandpit said:

    EXCL: Ministers will this week change the law to allow striking workers to be replaced temporarily by agency staff.

    Too late for this week’s RMT strike but likely to be in force by mid-July

    I do wonder how many agency staff would have suitable training and skills to work on the railways. One of the problems the privatised companies made in the mid-1990s was getting rid of drivers, thinking they could just be transferred around as they did with bus drivers. Sadly for them, railways require much more route knowledge than bus drivers....
    You won’t find agency train drivers or signalmen, at least not at short notice, but you might be able to find them for other roles within the railway. A lot of NR work can also be done by a number of private companies, as can basic customer service roles at stations.
    You won't find agency train drivers or signalmen full stop. And it's the signalmen who are creating the disruption here because they have been treated badly compared to train drivers for decades.

    (train drivers are paid by the train companies who have an incentive to pay their staff to work). Network rail didn't have the same incentive to increase the wages of other staff...
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 58,038

    EXCL: Boris Johnson could usher in a new generation of grammar schools later this year.

    David Canzini among No 10 staff pushing for more selective schools.

    “There’s more of an open door on grammars than there has been in years,” a minister said.

    Out. Of. Ideas.

    Fecking desperate.

  • eekeek Posts: 24,797

    EXCL: Ministers will this week change the law to allow striking workers to be replaced temporarily by agency staff.

    Too late for this week’s RMT strike but likely to be in force by mid-July

    I do wonder how many agency staff would have suitable training and skills to work on the railways. One of the problems the privatised companies made in the mid-1990s was getting rid of drivers, thinking they could just be transferred around as they did with bus drivers. Sadly for them, railways require much more route knowledge than bus drivers....
    I feel like this is a one-way ticket to another disaster.
    It's a Bozo solution to a problem - we must do something.

    Clown B comes up with solution that doesn't work but implements it.

    Two months later strikes continue and the solution turns out to be crap...
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 91,392
    tlg86 said:

    If you want a chuckle, have a read of this...

    https://stainestownfootballclub.co.uk/club-statement-june-2022/

    STFC had been provided with vast amounts of evidence, that Downing LLP, were involved through some of its holdings, in the financing of Environmental Crimes, Price Fixing, Deforestation, Forced Evictions, Human Rights Abuses, Child Labour, Slavery, Gender Discrimination and Murder.

    Interesting to place gender discrimination between slavery and murder. I mean, it's bad, but still.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 91,392
    edited June 2022
    eek said:

    EXCL: Ministers will this week change the law to allow striking workers to be replaced temporarily by agency staff.

    Too late for this week’s RMT strike but likely to be in force by mid-July

    Blackleg's charter? Given full employment, where are these staff to come from?
    When are the agency workers going to do the minimum 3 months training (mainly on site, in situ) before taking over the signal boxes?

    And come the next round of strikes with that law in place the problem will become Bozo’s rather than anyone elses - after all Bozo said this law fixes the problem..
    Its an oven ready solution.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 61,574
    Scott_xP said:

    https://www.ft.com/content/7a209a34-7d95-47aa-91b0-bf02d4214764

    Pro-Brexit cabinet member to @GeorgeWParker @ChrisGiles_ on fixing #brexit damage. “we’ve got to find a way of doing it without it looking like we’re running up the white flag and we’re compromising on sovereignty.”

    Still 🦄 hunting then.

    I see government ministers have adopted @Leon type abuse in response.
    ...Critics of government Brexit policy are routinely derided. Suella Braverman, attorney-general, last week accused the ITV presenter Robert Peston of “Remainiac make-believe” after he challenged her over the government’s unilateral plan to rip up the Brexit treaty relating to Northern Ireland. Braverman claimed the so-called Northern Ireland protocol had left the region “lagging behind the rest of the UK”. In fact, Northern Ireland (the only area of the UK to remain in the EU’s single market for goods) is the best performing part of the country, apart from London...
  • StillWatersStillWaters Posts: 6,763
    eek said:

    EXCL: Ministers will this week change the law to allow striking workers to be replaced temporarily by agency staff.

    Too late for this week’s RMT strike but likely to be in force by mid-July

    Blackleg's charter? Given full employment, where are these staff to come from?
    When are the agency workers going to do the minimum 3 months training (mainly on site, in situ) before taking over the signal boxes?

    And come the next round of strikes with that law in place the problem will become Bozo’s rather than anyone elses - after all Bozo said this law fixes the problem..
    Someone who’s in strike in X goes to Y as an agency work?
  • Big_G_NorthWalesBig_G_NorthWales Posts: 60,002
    Good Morning

    As some of you will know we have spent the weekend in Leeds viewing our granddaughter's new student accommodation and moving her into it

    We left on Saturday from Llandudno and travelled via the A55, M6, M62, and M60, and the traffic was dreadful throughout most of the journey. The area around the Thelwall Viaduct and interchange with the M62, in both directions, and especially southbound was near complete standstill and for most every road sign the rail strike dates with warnings not to travel were perfectly clear and in Wales were bilingual as you would expect

    Coming home yesterday was better as we returned by the east and south of Manchester along the M56 avoiding the Thelwell viaduct

    However, if this is how our motorways were last Saturday, how on earth the country avoids total travel paralysis this week I really do not know

    On the strikes themselves, it is at a time like this that I support a conservative government to look after taxpayers interests and not buckle to the strength of the public sector unions who will need to settle for a sensible pay increase which will no doubt be in the region of 4% or we face a summer of discontent which I believe may well strengthen HMG position

    We really do not need a class war and as I have said before, with the exception of the lower paid and vulnerable who do need support the rest of us are simply going to be poorer

  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 39,145
    edited June 2022
    Sandpit said:

    EXCL: Ministers will this week change the law to allow striking workers to be replaced temporarily by agency staff.

    Too late for this week’s RMT strike but likely to be in force by mid-July

    I do wonder how many agency staff would have suitable training and skills to work on the railways. One of the problems the privatised companies made in the mid-1990s was getting rid of drivers, thinking they could just be transferred around as they did with bus drivers. Sadly for them, railways require much more route knowledge than bus drivers....
    You won’t find agency train drivers or signalmen, at least not at short notice, but you might be able to find them for other roles within the railway. A lot of NR work can also be done by a number of private companies, as can basic customer service roles at stations.
    The trouble with that - apart from the HMG motivation so obviously being one of contracts for one's chums - is that 'customer service' needs a fair bit of training. They're on their own in a critical passenger facing role with complex ticketing systems and potential problems. The TOCs could very quickly lose goodwill that way by providing crap staff.
  • moonshinemoonshine Posts: 5,226
    https://twitter.com/timothydsnyder/status/1538588728393973765?s=21&t=foUOmD51CNGHylRJ_08IVw

    “Russia has now forcibly deported 300,000 Ukrainian children to its own territory in order to assimilate them.”

    This is Hitler-esque in terms of evil intent. One can only shudder at what is intended for the parents and extended families.

    Hard not to draw some pretty unpalatable historic parallels for those dragging their heels on weapons shipments and sanctions. Or those like Kissinger, calling for a “negotiated settlement”.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,614
    edited June 2022

    Sandpit said:

    tlg86 said:

    EXCL: Ministers will this week change the law to allow striking workers to be replaced temporarily by agency staff.

    Too late for this week’s RMT strike but likely to be in force by mid-July

    I do wonder how many agency staff would have suitable training and skills to work on the railways. One of the problems the privatised companies made in the mid-1990s was getting rid of drivers, thinking they could just be transferred around as they did with bus drivers. Sadly for them, railways require much more route knowledge than bus drivers....
    Arguably, bus drivers should be treated the same way as train drivers!


    They should be ‘type rated’ on their bus, so they don’t drive single-deck, double-deck and bendy busses on consecutive days. Buses should be signed out of the depot by a qualified dispatcher, who knows which bus types are suitable for which routes.

    This is how trains and planes work, the rules in those industries being written in blood over many years.
    My sister drives busses as a hobby, as a fill-in driver for school runs and the like. Although she lives in a rural area, there are still things you need to be very careful about. I believe diversions due to roadworks and the like causes stress levels to increase rapidly.

    And it must be much worse for drivers in inner-city areas, with lots of low bridges.

    (I believe one of these double-decker versus low bridge incidents a few years ago was due to roadworks, and the signed diversion not being suitable for all vehicles, and the signage not saying so. The driver was still at fault, as the bridge was signed, although not clearly, but the council were also seen as being culpable. One of these cases where there were many causal factors.)
    Oh indeed. And planes still take off and land on taxiways or wrong runways, despite all the checks put in place over the years.

    Most of the problems come when something out of the ordinary happens, and the people in the loop don’t think it through properly. Maybe it’s an unserviceable vehicle, or a diversion to the route. Maybe a route is only ever used by single-decker buses, and the very occasional, perhaps unofficial, double-decker in an emergency - but the diversion plan for the closed road forgot that both types of buses *might* run that route, and forgot that the double-deckers couldn’t.

    Then the holes in the cheese line up one day, and an unusual double-decker bus, driven by someone who usually drives single-deckers, gets sent on a diversion to the usual route, misses the dirty sign on the approach to the bridge - and we end up with a tourist bus conversion!
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 26,279
    20/1 seems about right.
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 39,145
    edited June 2022

    eek said:

    EXCL: Ministers will this week change the law to allow striking workers to be replaced temporarily by agency staff.

    Too late for this week’s RMT strike but likely to be in force by mid-July

    Blackleg's charter? Given full employment, where are these staff to come from?
    When are the agency workers going to do the minimum 3 months training (mainly on site, in situ) before taking over the signal boxes?

    And come the next round of strikes with that law in place the problem will become Bozo’s rather than anyone elses - after all Bozo said this law fixes the problem..
    Someone who’s in strike in X goes to Y as an agency work?
    Distance. Complicated by shift work and travel disruption.
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 39,145

    Good Morning

    As some of you will know we have spent the weekend in Leeds viewing our granddaughter's new student accommodation and moving her into it

    We left on Saturday from Llandudno and travelled via the A55, M6, M62, and M60, and the traffic was dreadful throughout most of the journey. The area around the Thelwall Viaduct and interchange with the M62, in both directions, and especially southbound was near complete standstill and for most every road sign the rail strike dates with warnings not to travel were perfectly clear and in Wales were bilingual as you would expect

    Coming home yesterday was better as we returned by the east and south of Manchester along the M56 avoiding the Thelwell viaduct

    However, if this is how our motorways were last Saturday, how on earth the country avoids total travel paralysis this week I really do not know

    On the strikes themselves, it is at a time like this that I support a conservative government to look after taxpayers interests and not buckle to the strength of the public sector unions who will need to settle for a sensible pay increase which will no doubt be in the region of 4% or we face a summer of discontent which I believe may well strengthen HMG position

    We really do not need a class war and as I have said before, with the exception of the lower paid and vulnerable who do need support the rest of us are simply going to be poorer

    You do have such confidence in the "Conservative" Government. Have you not noticed they are the ones wanting a class war for electoral reasons?

    Compare Scotland where there has been an agreement of about that level.
  • Big_G_NorthWalesBig_G_NorthWales Posts: 60,002
    Carnyx said:

    Good Morning

    As some of you will know we have spent the weekend in Leeds viewing our granddaughter's new student accommodation and moving her into it

    We left on Saturday from Llandudno and travelled via the A55, M6, M62, and M60, and the traffic was dreadful throughout most of the journey. The area around the Thelwall Viaduct and interchange with the M62, in both directions, and especially southbound was near complete standstill and for most every road sign the rail strike dates with warnings not to travel were perfectly clear and in Wales were bilingual as you would expect

    Coming home yesterday was better as we returned by the east and south of Manchester along the M56 avoiding the Thelwell viaduct

    However, if this is how our motorways were last Saturday, how on earth the country avoids total travel paralysis this week I really do not know

    On the strikes themselves, it is at a time like this that I support a conservative government to look after taxpayers interests and not buckle to the strength of the public sector unions who will need to settle for a sensible pay increase which will no doubt be in the region of 4% or we face a summer of discontent which I believe may well strengthen HMG position

    We really do not need a class war and as I have said before, with the exception of the lower paid and vulnerable who do need support the rest of us are simply going to be poorer

    You do have such confidence in the "Conservative" Government. Have you not noticed they are the ones wanting a class war for electoral reasons?

    Compare Scotland where there has been an agreement of about that level.
    It has not prevented the paralysis of Scotland's railways this week
  • 4%, so in other words a real terms pay cut.
  • noneoftheabovenoneoftheabove Posts: 20,454

    EXCL: Ministers will this week change the law to allow striking workers to be replaced temporarily by agency staff.

    Too late for this week’s RMT strike but likely to be in force by mid-July

    Blackleg's charter? Given full employment, where are these staff to come from?
    All a bit bonkers. The govt aggressively cheerleading and claiming credit for private sector pay increases whilst simultaneously saying workers must exercise pay restraint.

    What on earth did they expect would happen?
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,842
    edited June 2022

    FPT: Good morning, everyone.

    It's important to remember, however, that my Sainz bet came off yesterday.

    [Only a tiny bit green, but I'll take it].

    Had the safety car been 5-6 laps later I think he would've had the win.

    Edited extra bit: also, pre-weekend, he was 16 for the win, each way available. had a tiny sum on that.

    Sainz seem to be able to get plenty of fastest laps, and had the benefit of DRS but Verstappen always was ahead. How was that managed ?

    Also how does relative tyre wear work. If a driver pits 7 laps after another, they'll have tyres

    1 lap older vs 8 laps
    10 vs 17
    20 vs 27 etc

    Does the gap between older and newer tyres increase or decrease ?
  • Big_G_NorthWalesBig_G_NorthWales Posts: 60,002

    4%, so in other words a real terms pay cut.

    Yes indeed
  • OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 31,718

    EXCL: Ministers will this week change the law to allow striking workers to be replaced temporarily by agency staff.

    Too late for this week’s RMT strike but likely to be in force by mid-July

    Blackleg's charter? Given full employment, where are these staff to come from?
    Fancy coming out of retirement?
    No chance of me strike-breaking! Even if I was physically able to do much!
  • LostPasswordLostPassword Posts: 14,772

    On the strikes themselves, it is at a time like this that I support a conservative government to look after taxpayers interests and not buckle to the strength of the public sector unions who will need to settle for a sensible pay increase which will no doubt be in the region of 4% or we face a summer of discontent which I believe may well strengthen HMG position

    We really do not need a class war and as I have said before, with the exception of the lower paid and vulnerable who do need support the rest of us are simply going to be poorer

    My understanding is that the government aren't allowing employers to offer any pay increase, let alone 4%.

    Perhaps if they'd actually talk to the Union an agreement along that lines might be possible.
  • SouthamObserverSouthamObserver Posts: 38,879
    You are going to need a hell of a lot of agency staff to keep the railways running. And, given the current employment situation, the agencies are going to need a hell of a lot of money to find them or divert them from elsewhere. It’s a headline, not a strategy. Par for the course with this government.
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 26,279
    It'll be fascinating to see the effects of the strike on the by-election results.
  • The question is, are the public sympathetic to any pay rise or is it a pay rise in general they don't like?
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 61,574
    Pulpstar said:

    FPT: Good morning, everyone.

    It's important to remember, however, that my Sainz bet came off yesterday.

    [Only a tiny bit green, but I'll take it].

    Had the safety car been 5-6 laps later I think he would've had the win.

    Edited extra bit: also, pre-weekend, he was 16 for the win, each way available. had a tiny sum on that.

    Sainz seem to be able to get plenty of fastest laps, and had the benefit of DRS but Verstappen always was ahead. How was that managed ?

    Also how does relative tyre wear work. If a driver pits 7 laps after another, they'll have tyres

    1 lap older vs 8 laps
    10 vs 17

    Does the gap between older and newer tyres increase or decrease ?
    The Red Bull is faster in the straights; the Ferrari through the corners, where you can't overtake.
    In this case DRS had insufficient effect.

    Note even Leclerc, probably more accomplished than Sainz at clearing traffic, had his own struggles at times.

    The Ferrari is set up to be a front runner - fastest over a lap, but somewhat handicapped in traffic. Works when you're on pole ...
  • eekeek Posts: 24,797

    Good Morning

    As some of you will know we have spent the weekend in Leeds viewing our granddaughter's new student accommodation and moving her into it

    We left on Saturday from Llandudno and travelled via the A55, M6, M62, and M60, and the traffic was dreadful throughout most of the journey. The area around the Thelwall Viaduct and interchange with the M62, in both directions, and especially southbound was near complete standstill and for most every road sign the rail strike dates with warnings not to travel were perfectly clear and in Wales were bilingual as you would expect

    Coming home yesterday was better as we returned by the east and south of Manchester along the M56 avoiding the Thelwell viaduct

    However, if this is how our motorways were last Saturday, how on earth the country avoids total travel paralysis this week I really do not know

    On the strikes themselves, it is at a time like this that I support a conservative government to look after taxpayers interests and not buckle to the strength of the public sector unions who will need to settle for a sensible pay increase which will no doubt be in the region of 4% or we face a summer of discontent which I believe may well strengthen HMG position

    We really do not need a class war and as I have said before, with the exception of the lower paid and vulnerable who do need support the rest of us are simply going to be poorer

    Early in the year to be moving into Student accommodation - I hope it's a Unipol managed property (Unipol are a charity that works as manager for most decent student accommodation in Leeds).

    I've never heard of problems when Unipol are involved - I've heard a lot of nightmares from Leeds when other firms are used.
  • Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 60,933
    Mr. Pulpstar, there's a great advantage for the first few laps on a new set of tyres, after which the relative performance advantage diminishes. This excepts if the tyres fall off a cliff due to either wear or a graining phase (after which they can often recover, whereas wear means the tyre is doing).

    The Red Bull is mighty in a straight line and the Ferrari is not, which is why Leclerc struggled at times to pass cars, such as the Alpine of Ocon, despite being clearly faster.
  • Big_G_NorthWalesBig_G_NorthWales Posts: 60,002

    On the strikes themselves, it is at a time like this that I support a conservative government to look after taxpayers interests and not buckle to the strength of the public sector unions who will need to settle for a sensible pay increase which will no doubt be in the region of 4% or we face a summer of discontent which I believe may well strengthen HMG position

    We really do not need a class war and as I have said before, with the exception of the lower paid and vulnerable who do need support the rest of us are simply going to be poorer

    My understanding is that the government aren't allowing employers to offer any pay increase, let alone 4%.

    Perhaps if they'd actually talk to the Union an agreement along that lines might be possible.
    HMG have set the parameters for the companies to negotiate but in that negotiation I understand 3% has been offered but it is subject to agreeing voluntary redundancies and introducing new technology and closing ticket offices

    This is the future and for the RMT to demand no redundancies and object to increased use of technology and practices fit for the new post covid environment then there is little HMG can agree to
  • bigjohnowlsbigjohnowls Posts: 21,723

    The question is, are the public sympathetic to any pay rise or is it a pay rise in general they don't like?

    Probably not.

    Thatcher changed the culture Successive Governments have championed that change.
  • SouthamObserverSouthamObserver Posts: 38,879

    EXCL: Ministers will this week change the law to allow striking workers to be replaced temporarily by agency staff.

    Too late for this week’s RMT strike but likely to be in force by mid-July

    Blackleg's charter? Given full employment, where are these staff to come from?
    All a bit bonkers. The govt aggressively cheerleading and claiming credit for private sector pay increases whilst simultaneously saying workers must exercise pay restraint.

    What on earth did they expect would happen?
    Yep, if you proclaim a new era of higher wages and better employment conditions for the working class - as this government has very loudly done - it’s kind of incumbent on you to deliver it.

  • StuartinromfordStuartinromford Posts: 14,087

    EXCL: Ministers will this week change the law to allow striking workers to be replaced temporarily by agency staff.

    Too late for this week’s RMT strike but likely to be in force by mid-July

    Blackleg's charter? Given full employment, where are these staff to come from?
    All a bit bonkers. The govt aggressively cheerleading and claiming credit for private sector pay increases whilst simultaneously saying workers must exercise pay restraint.

    What on earth did they expect would happen?
    They probably didn't expect anything- thinking more than one move ahead is not the government's strength.

    I fully understand that the government wants to buck the market, and effectively say that they are going to pay 8 - 10 percent less in real terms for the staff it employs, whether directly or indirectly. They have a fair bit of power to set prices in most public sector fields.

    But that power isn't infinite. The government can keep these services going, but it's gonna cost 'em.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,842
    Andy_JS said:

    It'll be fascinating to see the effects of the strike on the by-election results.

    I don't think it'll have much effect on the by-elections. But it helps the government move on from the results.

    My par expectations for both right now are a 13% swing in Wakefield, and a 5000 LD majority in T&H.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 61,574
    Btw, what is the plan for this winter should Russia cut off gas supplies completely for a couple of months ?
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,614
    Nigelb said:

    Btw, what is the plan for this winter should Russia cut off gas supplies completely for a couple of months ?

    Buy a diesel generator now, while you can still get your hands on one.
  • Big_G_NorthWalesBig_G_NorthWales Posts: 60,002
    edited June 2022
    eek said:

    Good Morning

    As some of you will know we have spent the weekend in Leeds viewing our granddaughter's new student accommodation and moving her into it

    We left on Saturday from Llandudno and travelled via the A55, M6, M62, and M60, and the traffic was dreadful throughout most of the journey. The area around the Thelwall Viaduct and interchange with the M62, in both directions, and especially southbound was near complete standstill and for most every road sign the rail strike dates with warnings not to travel were perfectly clear and in Wales were bilingual as you would expect

    Coming home yesterday was better as we returned by the east and south of Manchester along the M56 avoiding the Thelwell viaduct

    However, if this is how our motorways were last Saturday, how on earth the country avoids total travel paralysis this week I really do not know

    On the strikes themselves, it is at a time like this that I support a conservative government to look after taxpayers interests and not buckle to the strength of the public sector unions who will need to settle for a sensible pay increase which will no doubt be in the region of 4% or we face a summer of discontent which I believe may well strengthen HMG position

    We really do not need a class war and as I have said before, with the exception of the lower paid and vulnerable who do need support the rest of us are simply going to be poorer

    Early in the year to be moving into Student accommodation - I hope it's a Unipol managed property (Unipol are a charity that works as manager for most decent student accommodation in Leeds).

    I've never heard of problems when Unipol are involved - I've heard a lot of nightmares from Leeds when other firms are used.
    Actually it is her second year in September and she has moved into a one bedroom apartment on a 12 month lease, as she intends staying in Leeds permanently

    Thank you for your advice though
  • noneoftheabovenoneoftheabove Posts: 20,454
    Andy_JS said:

    It'll be fascinating to see the effects of the strike on the by-election results.

    How would we do that?
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,842
    Nigelb said:

    Btw, what is the plan for this winter should Russia cut off gas supplies completely for a couple of months ?

    The UK doesn't use much Russian gas I think ? Wasn't it 3% - I'd have thought we could live without it. Continental europe OTOH..
  • Wakefield's Tories fear the writing is on the Red Wall.

    Perhaps they should try doing something, they seem to assume that Brexit and Johnson is what wins them elections. I am not convinced with Corbyn gone
  • EXCL: Keir Starmer preparing immigration speech ruling out return of free movement w/ Europe

    A Labour source said: “Keir recognises that it’s time to put a line in the sand and stop any speculation about what our position on immigration might be.”

    And the Red Wall returns
  • Big_G_NorthWalesBig_G_NorthWales Posts: 60,002

    The question is, are the public sympathetic to any pay rise or is it a pay rise in general they don't like?

    I would expect the public would see a settlement in the region of 4% as fair, and certainly not that the public sector should not receive any pay rise
  • LeonLeon Posts: 46,248
    moonshine said:

    https://twitter.com/timothydsnyder/status/1538588728393973765?s=21&t=foUOmD51CNGHylRJ_08IVw

    “Russia has now forcibly deported 300,000 Ukrainian children to its own territory in order to assimilate them.”

    This is Hitler-esque in terms of evil intent. One can only shudder at what is intended for the parents and extended families.

    Hard not to draw some pretty unpalatable historic parallels for those dragging their heels on weapons shipments and sanctions. Or those like Kissinger, calling for a “negotiated settlement”.

    Apparently, one of the clear but unstated aims of the Putin Invasion is to absorb millions of white Ukrainian Christians into Russia, thus helping with Moscow’s demographic timebomb (at least for a while) and also balancing out the relatively growing number of darker-skinned Muslims/Asians inside Russia

    As you say, it is perfectly Hitlerian. Hitler did exactly the same to blonde “Aryan” Polish kids. Simply stole them

    Like you, I do not see how we can ever compromise with this, in the medium-long term
  • HeathenerHeathener Posts: 5,096
    edited June 2022
    As soon as Margaret Thatcher became Prime Minister she gave the Armed Forces and Police a pay rise of 32%.

    That was the average as it varied between19-38% (averaging 32%). It commenced in 1979 and was fully implemented by April 1980.
  • noneoftheabovenoneoftheabove Posts: 20,454

    EXCL: Ministers will this week change the law to allow striking workers to be replaced temporarily by agency staff.

    Too late for this week’s RMT strike but likely to be in force by mid-July

    Blackleg's charter? Given full employment, where are these staff to come from?
    All a bit bonkers. The govt aggressively cheerleading and claiming credit for private sector pay increases whilst simultaneously saying workers must exercise pay restraint.

    What on earth did they expect would happen?
    They probably didn't expect anything- thinking more than one move ahead is not the government's strength.

    I fully understand that the government wants to buck the market, and effectively say that they are going to pay 8 - 10 percent less in real terms for the staff it employs, whether directly or indirectly. They have a fair bit of power to set prices in most public sector fields.

    But that power isn't infinite. The government can keep these services going, but it's gonna cost 'em.
    With in work benefits paid for by the government anyway, and tax threshold limits worth more to the govt with the high inflation, how much is actually being saved by not offering realistic pay rises to those below median wage anyway? It can't be that much.
  • HeathenerHeathener Posts: 5,096

    The question is, are the public sympathetic to any pay rise or is it a pay rise in general they don't like?

    Probably not.

    Thatcher changed the culture.
    I refer the gentleman to the answer I gave a moment ago.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 61,574
    I note both the Guardian and BBC ran the Carrie £100k Foreign Office job story again this morning, without eliciting any on the record denial from No.10.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,842
    Heathener said:

    As soon as Margaret Thatcher became Prime Minister she gave the Armed Forces and Police a pay rise of 32%.

    That was the average as it varied between19-38% (averaging 32%). It commenced in 1979 and was fully implemented by April 1980.

    Pay in the lower ranks of the forces seems to be absolubtely appalling for the job they do. They probably need another 32% rise in all honesty.
  • eekeek Posts: 24,797

    EXCL: Boris Johnson could usher in a new generation of grammar schools later this year.

    David Canzini among No 10 staff pushing for more selective schools.

    “There’s more of an open door on grammars than there has been in years,” a minister said.

    Out. Of. Ideas.

    Fecking desperate.

    Again another policy designed for their core demographic

    Gabriel Milland
    @gabrielmilland
    Support for more grammar schools among the general population: 29%.

    Among over 65s: 46%

    Among those of the most common parenting age (25-49): 24%

    https://twitter.com/gabrielmilland/status/1538790827899596800
  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 20,398

    Good Morning

    As some of you will know we have spent the weekend in Leeds viewing our granddaughter's new student accommodation and moving her into it

    We left on Saturday from Llandudno and travelled via the A55, M6, M62, and M60, and the traffic was dreadful throughout most of the journey. The area around the Thelwall Viaduct and interchange with the M62, in both directions, and especially southbound was near complete standstill and for most every road sign the rail strike dates with warnings not to travel were perfectly clear and in Wales were bilingual as you would expect

    Coming home yesterday was better as we returned by the east and south of Manchester along the M56 avoiding the Thelwell viaduct

    However, if this is how our motorways were last Saturday, how on earth the country avoids total travel paralysis this week I really do not know

    On the strikes themselves, it is at a time like this that I support a conservative government to look after taxpayers interests and not buckle to the strength of the public sector unions who will need to settle for a sensible pay increase which will no doubt be in the region of 4% or we face a summer of discontent which I believe may well strengthen HMG position

    We really do not need a class war and as I have said before, with the exception of the lower paid and vulnerable who do need support the rest of us are simply going to be poorer

    Good for nothing bankers get their bonuses, workers in safety-critical roles providing essential public services get a real-terms pay cut. Yes, that's the Conservative way.
  • LostPasswordLostPassword Posts: 14,772
    Nigelb said:

    Btw, what is the plan for this winter should Russia cut off gas supplies completely for a couple of months ?

    The UK has a lot of LNG import capacity, and appears to have restricted pipeline capacity to export that gas to Europe. So as long as we can continue to pay the global spot price for LNG imports the UK should be okay.

    People are talking about rationing in Europe. Not sure what the practicalities of that are.
  • malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 41,674
    edited June 2022

    EXCL: Ministers will this week change the law to allow striking workers to be replaced temporarily by agency staff.

    Too late for this week’s RMT strike but likely to be in force by mid-July

    Blackleg's charter? Given full employment, where are these staff to come from?
    OKC, full employment is a fanatasy. More on benefits than working almost.
    Millions on zero hours crap with no guarantee of work also.
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 24,585

    EXCL: Keir Starmer preparing immigration speech ruling out return of free movement w/ Europe

    A Labour source said: “Keir recognises that it’s time to put a line in the sand and stop any speculation about what our position on immigration might be.”

    And the Red Wall returns

    Dumping FOM? Well in that case he's an idiot, bring on the FPN!
  • Big_G_NorthWalesBig_G_NorthWales Posts: 60,002

    Good Morning

    As some of you will know we have spent the weekend in Leeds viewing our granddaughter's new student accommodation and moving her into it

    We left on Saturday from Llandudno and travelled via the A55, M6, M62, and M60, and the traffic was dreadful throughout most of the journey. The area around the Thelwall Viaduct and interchange with the M62, in both directions, and especially southbound was near complete standstill and for most every road sign the rail strike dates with warnings not to travel were perfectly clear and in Wales were bilingual as you would expect

    Coming home yesterday was better as we returned by the east and south of Manchester along the M56 avoiding the Thelwell viaduct

    However, if this is how our motorways were last Saturday, how on earth the country avoids total travel paralysis this week I really do not know

    On the strikes themselves, it is at a time like this that I support a conservative government to look after taxpayers interests and not buckle to the strength of the public sector unions who will need to settle for a sensible pay increase which will no doubt be in the region of 4% or we face a summer of discontent which I believe may well strengthen HMG position

    We really do not need a class war and as I have said before, with the exception of the lower paid and vulnerable who do need support the rest of us are simply going to be poorer

    Good for nothing bankers get their bonuses, workers in safety-critical roles providing essential public services get a real-terms pay cut. Yes, that's the Conservative way.
    I am afraid that most everyone is facing a real term pay cut with inflation rising to 11%

    That is the reality of where we are
  • HeathenerHeathener Posts: 5,096
    Pulpstar said:

    Heathener said:

    As soon as Margaret Thatcher became Prime Minister she gave the Armed Forces and Police a pay rise of 32%.

    That was the average as it varied between19-38% (averaging 32%). It commenced in 1979 and was fully implemented by April 1980.

    Pay in the lower ranks of the forces seems to be absolubtely appalling for the job they do. They probably need another 32% rise in all honesty.
    Yes I'm not necessarily criticising it. It's just amusing when people talk about Thatcher's public sector restraint, which did follow.

    But a 32% pay rise given to public sector workers would be make even a socialist's eyes water.
  • noneoftheabovenoneoftheabove Posts: 20,454
    eek said:

    EXCL: Boris Johnson could usher in a new generation of grammar schools later this year.

    David Canzini among No 10 staff pushing for more selective schools.

    “There’s more of an open door on grammars than there has been in years,” a minister said.

    Out. Of. Ideas.

    Fecking desperate.

    Again another policy designed for their core demographic

    Gabriel Milland
    @gabrielmilland
    Support for more grammar schools among the general population: 29%.

    Among over 65s: 46%

    Among those of the most common parenting age (25-49): 24%

    https://twitter.com/gabrielmilland/status/1538790827899596800
    They should just be called the 1950s party rather than Conservative.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 61,574
    .
    Leon said:

    moonshine said:

    https://twitter.com/timothydsnyder/status/1538588728393973765?s=21&t=foUOmD51CNGHylRJ_08IVw

    “Russia has now forcibly deported 300,000 Ukrainian children to its own territory in order to assimilate them.”

    This is Hitler-esque in terms of evil intent. One can only shudder at what is intended for the parents and extended families.

    Hard not to draw some pretty unpalatable historic parallels for those dragging their heels on weapons shipments and sanctions. Or those like Kissinger, calling for a “negotiated settlement”.

    Apparently, one of the clear but unstated aims of the Putin Invasion is to absorb millions of white Ukrainian Christians into Russia, thus helping with Moscow’s demographic timebomb (at least for a while) and also balancing out the relatively growing number of darker-skinned Muslims/Asians inside Russia

    As you say, it is perfectly Hitlerian. Hitler did exactly the same to blonde “Aryan” Polish kids. Simply stole them

    Like you, I do not see how we can ever compromise with this, in the medium-long term
    Another report in that vein.
    https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2022/06/putin-russian-history-nationalism-kyrgyzstan/661214/

    Have you ever visited ?
  • mwadamsmwadams Posts: 3,089
    edited June 2022

    EXCL: Ministers will this week change the law to allow striking workers to be replaced temporarily by agency staff.

    Too late for this week’s RMT strike but likely to be in force by mid-July

    More a tactic to provoke picketers, than a realistic chance of replacing skilled workers at short notice, I suspect. With a fig leaf of "keeping essential services running".

    As it happens, I don't think this kind of strike, where the objectives are very poorly defined in the public messaging, has any effect on a government (and by extension the operators) who don't give a fig about providing the actual service.

    ETA: two figs in one post. A rare confection.
  • northern_monkeynorthern_monkey Posts: 1,493

    Good Morning

    As some of you will know we have spent the weekend in Leeds viewing our granddaughter's new student accommodation and moving her into it

    We left on Saturday from Llandudno and travelled via the A55, M6, M62, and M60, and the traffic was dreadful throughout most of the journey. The area around the Thelwall Viaduct and interchange with the M62, in both directions, and especially southbound was near complete standstill and for most every road sign the rail strike dates with warnings not to travel were perfectly clear and in Wales were bilingual as you would expect

    Coming home yesterday was better as we returned by the east and south of Manchester along the M56 avoiding the Thelwell viaduct

    However, if this is how our motorways were last Saturday, how on earth the country avoids total travel paralysis this week I really do not know

    On the strikes themselves, it is at a time like this that I support a conservative government to look after taxpayers interests and not buckle to the strength of the public sector unions who will need to settle for a sensible pay increase which will no doubt be in the region of 4% or we face a summer of discontent which I believe may well strengthen HMG position

    We really do not need a class war and as I have said before, with the exception of the lower paid and vulnerable who do need support the rest of us are simply going to be poorer

    You were unlucky, I drove from Abergavenny to Knottingley (15 miles east of Leeds) on Saturday morning. Left at 9am, which no doubt helped, but the 200 miles took me three and a bit hours, pretty much 70 all the way.
  • LostPasswordLostPassword Posts: 14,772
    edited June 2022
    Pulpstar said:

    Nigelb said:

    Btw, what is the plan for this winter should Russia cut off gas supplies completely for a couple of months ?

    The UK doesn't use much Russian gas I think ? Wasn't it 3% - I'd have thought we could live without it. Continental europe OTOH..
    One disruption that I think we would face is the likely diversion of some of the Norwegian supply we receive to continental Europe. But I think we have the LNG import capacity to compensate if we can pay the increased prices.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,614
    Nigelb said:

    I note both the Guardian and BBC ran the Carrie £100k Foreign Office job story again this morning, without eliciting any on the record denial from No.10.

    If that story can be genuinely stood up, then the PM is in real trouble. Trying to get your mistress into a public-funded job for which she’s in no way qualified, is out of order. Far more significant than birthday cake.
  • noneoftheabovenoneoftheabove Posts: 20,454

    Good Morning

    As some of you will know we have spent the weekend in Leeds viewing our granddaughter's new student accommodation and moving her into it

    We left on Saturday from Llandudno and travelled via the A55, M6, M62, and M60, and the traffic was dreadful throughout most of the journey. The area around the Thelwall Viaduct and interchange with the M62, in both directions, and especially southbound was near complete standstill and for most every road sign the rail strike dates with warnings not to travel were perfectly clear and in Wales were bilingual as you would expect

    Coming home yesterday was better as we returned by the east and south of Manchester along the M56 avoiding the Thelwell viaduct

    However, if this is how our motorways were last Saturday, how on earth the country avoids total travel paralysis this week I really do not know

    On the strikes themselves, it is at a time like this that I support a conservative government to look after taxpayers interests and not buckle to the strength of the public sector unions who will need to settle for a sensible pay increase which will no doubt be in the region of 4% or we face a summer of discontent which I believe may well strengthen HMG position

    We really do not need a class war and as I have said before, with the exception of the lower paid and vulnerable who do need support the rest of us are simply going to be poorer

    Good for nothing bankers get their bonuses, workers in safety-critical roles providing essential public services get a real-terms pay cut. Yes, that's the Conservative way.
    I am afraid that most everyone is facing a real term pay cut with inflation rising to 11%

    That is the reality of where we are
    Workers will be. We are not almost everyone.
  • HeathenerHeathener Posts: 5,096
    edited June 2022

    EXCL: Keir Starmer preparing immigration speech ruling out return of free movement w/ Europe

    A Labour source said: “Keir recognises that it’s time to put a line in the sand and stop any speculation about what our position on immigration might be.”

    And the Red Wall returns

    Dumping FOM? Well in that case he's an idiot, bring on the FPN!
    I've no idea what FPN stands for and can't be arsed to google it. I'm guessing FOM is Freedom of Movement.

    Starmer is showing the kind of political nous which will win him power.

    He could always alter the policy later. After all, lying is now apparently part and parcel of the job.
  • Big_G_NorthWalesBig_G_NorthWales Posts: 60,002

    EXCL: Keir Starmer preparing immigration speech ruling out return of free movement w/ Europe

    A Labour source said: “Keir recognises that it’s time to put a line in the sand and stop any speculation about what our position on immigration might be.”

    And the Red Wall returns

    Dumping FOM? Well in that case he's an idiot, bring on the FPN!
    Judging by Stella Creasy's comments this weekend about re-joining the single market and the clear remain make up of labour that is very brave, indeed some would say foolish
  • noneoftheabovenoneoftheabove Posts: 20,454
    Sandpit said:

    Nigelb said:

    I note both the Guardian and BBC ran the Carrie £100k Foreign Office job story again this morning, without eliciting any on the record denial from No.10.

    If that story can be genuinely stood up, then the PM is in real trouble. Trying to get your mistress into a public-funded job for which she’s in no way qualified, is out of order. Far more significant than birthday cake.
    And he will be held to account by.......?
  • Big_G_NorthWalesBig_G_NorthWales Posts: 60,002

    Good Morning

    As some of you will know we have spent the weekend in Leeds viewing our granddaughter's new student accommodation and moving her into it

    We left on Saturday from Llandudno and travelled via the A55, M6, M62, and M60, and the traffic was dreadful throughout most of the journey. The area around the Thelwall Viaduct and interchange with the M62, in both directions, and especially southbound was near complete standstill and for most every road sign the rail strike dates with warnings not to travel were perfectly clear and in Wales were bilingual as you would expect

    Coming home yesterday was better as we returned by the east and south of Manchester along the M56 avoiding the Thelwell viaduct

    However, if this is how our motorways were last Saturday, how on earth the country avoids total travel paralysis this week I really do not know

    On the strikes themselves, it is at a time like this that I support a conservative government to look after taxpayers interests and not buckle to the strength of the public sector unions who will need to settle for a sensible pay increase which will no doubt be in the region of 4% or we face a summer of discontent which I believe may well strengthen HMG position

    We really do not need a class war and as I have said before, with the exception of the lower paid and vulnerable who do need support the rest of us are simply going to be poorer

    You were unlucky, I drove from Abergavenny to Knottingley (15 miles east of Leeds) on Saturday morning. Left at 9am, which no doubt helped, but the 200 miles took me three and a bit hours, pretty much 70 all the way.
    I assume you did not travel over the Thelwall Viaduct
  • Daveyboy1961Daveyboy1961 Posts: 3,336

    Pulpstar said:

    Nigelb said:

    Btw, what is the plan for this winter should Russia cut off gas supplies completely for a couple of months ?

    The UK doesn't use much Russian gas I think ? Wasn't it 3% - I'd have thought we could live without it. Continental europe OTOH..
    One disruption that I think we would face is the likely diversion of some of the Norwegian supply we receive to continental Europe. But I think we have the LNG import capacity to compensate if we can pay the increased prices.
    It's whether the UK government wants to bite the bullet and re-exploit the storage capacity of LNG which we did have (Milford Haven etc), which were then ran down due to keeping costs down.
  • Big_G_NorthWalesBig_G_NorthWales Posts: 60,002
    Heathener said:

    EXCL: Keir Starmer preparing immigration speech ruling out return of free movement w/ Europe

    A Labour source said: “Keir recognises that it’s time to put a line in the sand and stop any speculation about what our position on immigration might be.”

    And the Red Wall returns

    Dumping FOM? Well in that case he's an idiot, bring on the FPN!
    I've no idea what FPN stands for and can't be arsed to google it. I'm guessing FOM is Freedom of Movement.

    Starmer is showing the kind of political nous which will win him power.

    He could always alter the policy later. After all, lying is now apparently part and parcel of the job.
    Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN)
  • rkrkrkrkrkrk Posts: 7,881
    Nigelb said:

    I note both the Guardian and BBC ran the Carrie £100k Foreign Office job story again this morning, without eliciting any on the record denial from No.10.

    Feels so creepy that the story was run and then vanished as if it never happened...
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,842
    Heathener said:

    Pulpstar said:

    Heathener said:

    As soon as Margaret Thatcher became Prime Minister she gave the Armed Forces and Police a pay rise of 32%.

    That was the average as it varied between19-38% (averaging 32%). It commenced in 1979 and was fully implemented by April 1980.

    Pay in the lower ranks of the forces seems to be absolubtely appalling for the job they do. They probably need another 32% rise in all honesty.
    Yes I'm not necessarily criticising it. It's just amusing when people talk about Thatcher's public sector restraint, which did follow.

    But a 32% pay rise given to public sector workers would be make even a socialist's eyes water.
    As the police and forces can't strike she must have given the award on perceived merits rather than rewarding who makes the most nuisance.
This discussion has been closed.