Yet again the Oxford stranglehold on No.10 continues – politicalbetting.com

Need to shut the dump down....

My goodness, an OGH Oxford PMs thread, what a rarity! Seriously though the most pleased tonight will probably be Sir Keir, especially if Truss wins the membership vote.

If Starmer wins the next general election Leeds University gets its first ever graduate as PM (albeit with Sir Keir also doing postgraduate at Oxford so Oxford still will share 50% of the glory).

After Mordaunt's elimination Reading missed its first ever chance to get a PM.

In terms of colleges, although both Oxford, Truss will be the first ever PM from Merton College and Sunak the first PM from Lincoln College. Balliol and Christ Church Oxford and Trinity Cambridge typically the grandest colleges providing the most PMs.

Rishi would also be the first Wykehamist PM since Addison in the early 19th century

Mrs Sandpit: “I miss Boris” 🇺🇦

Let’s hope the new PM, no matter who, continues our wholehearted support for the Ukrainians.

FrancisUrquhart said:

Apple has agreed to pay $50m (£41.6m) to settle a legal action by claimants in the US, over its MacBook keyboards.

Customers in seven states claimed the technology giant had sold the "butterfly" keyboards, on MacBook, MacBook Air and MacBook Pro laptops, from 2015 to 2019, knowing they had unresponsive and sticky keys that could be damaged by dust or debris.

https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-62236778

Those keyboards were rubbish! First iteration of what’s good now, but should have spent another year in QA first.

Third rate dump.

Proper universities focus on winning Nobel prizes.

Nigel_Foremain said:

MaxPB said:

Gardenwalker said:

My read on the Aus/NZ trade deals is less that Liz “rolled over” to get a deal, but rather that she actually believes that cheaper meat for consumers is worth damaging UK agricultural interests.

I don’t agree, but see MaxPB and surely BartyBobbins for details.

Certain UK agricultural interests, beef and lamb mostly. NZ lamb is incredible, happy to have it replace Welsh lamb if they can't keep up in price and quality, same for Aussie beef. In both cases the product is better and potentially cheaper. It's a wake up call to our agribusinesses to begin a big round of consolidation to scale up and to start investing in better technology to cut costs rather than just throw a bunch of Bulgarian labourers at it.

The Ukraine war ought to be a wake up call to those who think we should import even more of our foodstuff from overseas. We should be looking at how to increase food security, not reduce it. UK agriculture has been heavily investing in technology for many years. You wouldn't know this because you prefer to talk out of your arse on a subject that you have no knowledge of. You are @BartholomewRoberts and I claim my £5

Food security means increasing volumes of grain, dairy and sunflower/rapeseed output - in a very basic sense.

It also means subsidies for the above three areas because, once again, UK agribusinesses have been very, very lazy for the last 20 years and not invested properly to keep up with other countries.

kle4 said:

What a curious rule to include.

While ballots will be sent out immediately, members will be able to vote both online or by post. Crucially, only the last ballot received by CCHQ will count...This means any member who votes early and then experiences buyer’s remorse will have the option to override it. This is no doubt a positive revelation for Sunak’s team. Every little helps…

https://order-order.com/2022/07/20/cchq-members-with-buyers-remorse-can-change-their-minds/

This sounds like a recipe for confusion and chaos.

They should have just stuck to a paper postal ballot IMO.

FPT

Cyclefree said:

Is it too soon to say "I told you so"?

https://www2.politicalbetting.com/index.php/archives/2021/09/20/one-current-leader-and-one-future-one/

Probably. But never mind.

I really don't get why Truss is so hated. Nor why Sunak is.

One is slick and thinks more of himself than is justified. The other is weird but canny. Are they notably worse than other party leaders? Why the hatred? Strong disagreement with policies I understand. But to listen to some it's as if we were facing a choice between Mussolini and Franco.

Rish is a multi-millionaire tax dodger. Liz is a woman that think's dressing up like Margaret Thatcher in 1980 is a good idea.

Not Musolini and Franco... but not great!

Out of the two I would vote for Rishi if I had a vote because at least he's rational which is always a good starting point.

kle4 said:

What a curious rule to include.

While ballots will be sent out immediately, members will be able to vote both online or by post. Crucially, only the last ballot received by CCHQ will count...This means any member who votes early and then experiences buyer’s remorse will have the option to override it. This is no doubt a positive revelation for Sunak’s team. Every little helps…

https://order-order.com/2022/07/20/cchq-members-with-buyers-remorse-can-change-their-minds/

That’s weird.

Last time out, 80% of ballots were back at CCHQ within a week, most members not waiting for the public hustings.

FrancisUrquhart said:

JosiasJessop said:

An interesting little anecdote about diversity. Who do you side with? The interviewee or interviewer?

https://twitter.com/PosenIzzy/status/1549736122682580992

(My own view: the question was poorly phrased. The interviewee gave a perfectly sensible answer.)

"they might not know about the holocaust".....

That response in itself reveals a very patronising attitude. She's basically saying that you can't expect them to have any basic historical knowledge or empathy with people who don't look like them.

kle4 said:

What a curious rule to include.

While ballots will be sent out immediately, members will be able to vote both online or by post. Crucially, only the last ballot received by CCHQ will count...This means any member who votes early and then experiences buyer’s remorse will have the option to override it. This is no doubt a positive revelation for Sunak’s team. Every little helps…

https://order-order.com/2022/07/20/cchq-members-with-buyers-remorse-can-change-their-minds/

That's asking for trouble!

williamglenn said:

FrancisUrquhart said:

JosiasJessop said:

An interesting little anecdote about diversity. Who do you side with? The interviewee or interviewer?

https://twitter.com/PosenIzzy/status/1549736122682580992

(My own view: the question was poorly phrased. The interviewee gave a perfectly sensible answer.)

"they might not know about the holocaust".....

That response in itself reveals a very patronising attitude. She's basically saying that you can't expect them to have any basic historical knowledge or empathy with people who don't look like them.

“Don’t mention the war!”

Sandpit said:

Mrs Sandpit: “I miss Boris” 🇺🇦

Let’s hope the new PM, no matter who, continues our wholehearted support for the Ukrainians.

Probably. Oxford graduates have a record of standing up to dictators, unlike Cambridge men who spy for them.

Bold talk, or worrying sign they could actually act on it?

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said.

In an interview with Russian state media, he implied Moscow's strategy had changed after the West supplied Ukraine with longer-range weapons.

Russia would now have to push Ukrainian forces further from the front line to ensure its own security, he explained.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-62231936

FrancisUrquhart said:

JosiasJessop said:

An interesting little anecdote about diversity. Who do you side with? The interviewee or interviewer?

https://twitter.com/PosenIzzy/status/1549736122682580992

(My own view: the question was poorly phrased. The interviewee gave a perfectly sensible answer.)

"they might not know about the holocaust".....

Ah, a graduate of the Whoopi Goldberg school of Holocaust studies.

More evidence of the insane situation in local authority recruitment
This advert is looking for a planning officer at £48-£58 per hour, 12 month contract (maternity cover).
This would be outside IR35, so it would yield about £100k company income per year.
This is in the north west of England, where the wage for a permanent member of staff would be about £25 - £35k per year.

https://jobs.planningresource.co.uk/job/363424/urgent-outside-ir35-planning-officer-and-senior-planning-officer-/

HYUFD said:

My goodness, an OGH Oxford PMs thread, what a rarity! Seriously though the most pleased tonight will probably be Sir Keir, especially if Truss wins the membership vote.

If Starmer wins the next general election Leeds University gets its first ever graduate as PM (albeit with Sir Keir also doing postgraduate at Oxford so Oxford still will share 50% of the glory).

After Mordaunt's elimination Reading missed its first ever chance to get a PM.

In terms of colleges, although both Oxford, Truss will be the first ever PM from Merton College and Sunak the first PM from Lincoln College. Balliol and Christ Church Oxford and Trinity Cambridge typically the grandest colleges providing the most PMs.

Rishi would also be the first Wykehamist PM since Addison in the early 19th century

Whereas Liz would be the seventeenth prime minister from Roundhay Comprehensive School in Leeds.

IshmaelZ said:

HYUFD said:

HYUFD said:

My goodness, an OGH Oxford PMs thread, what a rarity! Seriously though the most pleased tonight will probably be Sir Keir, especially if Truss wins the membership vote.

If Starmer wins the next general election Leeds University gets its first ever graduate as PM (albeit with Sir Keir also doing postgraduate at Oxford so Oxford still will share 50% of the glory).

After Mordaunt's elimination Reading missed its first ever chance to get a PM.

In terms of colleges, although both Oxford, Truss will be the first ever PM from Merton College and Sunak the first PM from Lincoln College. Balliol and Christ Church Oxford and Trinity Cambridge typically the grandest colleges providing the most PMs.

Rishi would also be the first Wykehamist PM since Addison in the early 19th century

Apologies, Addington not Addison

Pitt is to Addington
As London is to Paddington

Quoted in the last issue of the LRB!

MaxPB said:

Nigel_Foremain said:

MaxPB said:

Gardenwalker said:

My read on the Aus/NZ trade deals is less that Liz “rolled over” to get a deal, but rather that she actually believes that cheaper meat for consumers is worth damaging UK agricultural interests.

I don’t agree, but see MaxPB and surely BartyBobbins for details.

Certain UK agricultural interests, beef and lamb mostly. NZ lamb is incredible, happy to have it replace Welsh lamb if they can't keep up in price and quality, same for Aussie beef. In both cases the product is better and potentially cheaper. It's a wake up call to our agribusinesses to begin a big round of consolidation to scale up and to start investing in better technology to cut costs rather than just throw a bunch of Bulgarian labourers at it.

The Ukraine war ought to be a wake up call to those who think we should import even more of our foodstuff from overseas. We should be looking at how to increase food security, not reduce it. UK agriculture has been heavily investing in technology for many years. You wouldn't know this because you prefer to talk out of your arse on a subject that you have no knowledge of. You are @BartholomewRoberts and I claim my £5

Food security means increasing volumes of grain, dairy and sunflower/rapeseed output - in a very basic sense.

It also means subsidies for the above three areas because, once again, UK agribusinesses have been very, very lazy for the last 20 years and not invested properly to keep up with other countries.

As we have now left the CAP we have the opportunity to make some fresh decisions. You say that agri hasn't invested - there seems to be an awful lot of big equipment on the farms up here which isn't cheap. But as we know farming can be deeply unprofitable. You can only invest if you either have the cash or can borrow.

Which brings us back to business plans. The market price of things like a sheep carcass are so low as to make it not worth bothering with. There is no tech investment to make costs significantly lower, so either the sale price rises or there is no business.

What we need is a UK CAP. The French had the right idea, but implemented it for their own benefit to the detriment of everyone else. The problem for the UK is that we have this government, and their response to the end of EU subsidies is to not replace them with UK subsidies. So a bad position becomes impossible for so many of these producers.

Is the Tory Party membership ready for someone who went to Lincoln.....?

UK food is extraordinarily good quality and sold very competitively.

Not many people seem to know this.

Anyone who wants to muddle with it for ideological reasons needs to show their working.

MaxPB said:

Nigel_Foremain said:

MaxPB said:

Gardenwalker said:

My read on the Aus/NZ trade deals is less that Liz “rolled over” to get a deal, but rather that she actually believes that cheaper meat for consumers is worth damaging UK agricultural interests.

I don’t agree, but see MaxPB and surely BartyBobbins for details.

Certain UK agricultural interests, beef and lamb mostly. NZ lamb is incredible, happy to have it replace Welsh lamb if they can't keep up in price and quality, same for Aussie beef. In both cases the product is better and potentially cheaper. It's a wake up call to our agribusinesses to begin a big round of consolidation to scale up and to start investing in better technology to cut costs rather than just throw a bunch of Bulgarian labourers at it.

The Ukraine war ought to be a wake up call to those who think we should import even more of our foodstuff from overseas. We should be looking at how to increase food security, not reduce it. UK agriculture has been heavily investing in technology for many years. You wouldn't know this because you prefer to talk out of your arse on a subject that you have no knowledge of. You are @BartholomewRoberts and I claim my £5

Food security means increasing volumes of grain, dairy and sunflower/rapeseed output - in a very basic sense.

It also means subsidies for the above three areas because, once again, UK agribusinesses have been very, very lazy for the last 20 years and not invested properly to keep up with other countries.

Please tell my extended farming family what technologies they ought to be investing in. Any particular insights into crop varieties? Crop rotations? Are you an advocate of double cropping? How about types of machinery? Do you prefer using GPS systems for combines or are there other systems of automation that you think are even better? Do you think all farms should use an agronomist? What are the best systems for picking root vegetables and also cash crops. Give us your wisdom? Please do.

While you do that, and anyone who knows anything about the countryside has to desoil themselves, I will see if I can find a tractor driver to give you an opinion on derivatives or some other area of the financial world. After all, the world of finance is full of overpaid mummies' boys who mainly got there because they went to the right school but couldn't get in the right university. Or is that a generalisation would you say?

Gardenwalker said:

UK food is extraordinarily good quality and sold very competitively.

Not many people seem to know this.

Anyone who wants to muddle with it for ideological reasons needs to show their working.

And if you can buy local food from local producers, do so. The quality is amazing, you directly support local farmers and food businesses and retailers, its a virtuous circle.

Gardenwalker said:

MaxPB said:

Nigel_Foremain said:

MaxPB said:

Gardenwalker said:

My read on the Aus/NZ trade deals is less that Liz “rolled over” to get a deal, but rather that she actually believes that cheaper meat for consumers is worth damaging UK agricultural interests.

I don’t agree, but see MaxPB and surely BartyBobbins for details.

Certain UK agricultural interests, beef and lamb mostly. NZ lamb is incredible, happy to have it replace Welsh lamb if they can't keep up in price and quality, same for Aussie beef. In both cases the product is better and potentially cheaper. It's a wake up call to our agribusinesses to begin a big round of consolidation to scale up and to start investing in better technology to cut costs rather than just throw a bunch of Bulgarian labourers at it.

The Ukraine war ought to be a wake up call to those who think we should import even more of our foodstuff from overseas. We should be looking at how to increase food security, not reduce it. UK agriculture has been heavily investing in technology for many years. You wouldn't know this because you prefer to talk out of your arse on a subject that you have no knowledge of. You are @BartholomewRoberts and I claim my £5

Food security means increasing volumes of grain, dairy and sunflower/rapeseed output - in a very basic sense.

It also means subsidies for the above three areas because, once again, UK agribusinesses have been very, very lazy for the last 20 years and not invested properly to keep up with other countries.

You need to show evidence for this complaint about UK agribusiness.
There’s a general whiff that you are pulling it out of your arse.

Note too that UK farmers have much less propitious soil than most European farmers and also can’t get the scale attained by US and American competitors.

I honestly don’t know how efficient UK farmers again, but I tell you that US supermarkets are a negative revelation.
UK produce is high quality in my opinion.

Not at all sure about "British soil" being worse than most in Europe

Parts of the UK are amongst the most fertile anywhere, there's just a limited amount of it


“With over 2,500 soil tests now performed by Yara, when you compare UK averages with the rest of the world, the UK does have very fertile soils – a result of good climate and good farming practice.”

https://www.anglianwater.co.uk/news/anglian-water-tests-reveal-uk-has-very-fertile-soil/

It's one of the reasons England was much coveted by invaders, despite the hassles of it being an island

Yet again you reveal your lack of knowledge of Britain, but that's perhaps unsurprising in someone not born in Britain, who doesn't live in Britain, who despises Britain, and who has no intention of returning to Britain

Endillion said:

Well, I'll be voting Sunak (assuming no massive revelations about his wife's tax affairs), and I confidently expect to the on the losing side. Again.

With the next GE giving you another such opportunity…

Leon said:

Gardenwalker said:

MaxPB said:

Nigel_Foremain said:

MaxPB said:

Gardenwalker said:

My read on the Aus/NZ trade deals is less that Liz “rolled over” to get a deal, but rather that she actually believes that cheaper meat for consumers is worth damaging UK agricultural interests.

I don’t agree, but see MaxPB and surely BartyBobbins for details.

Certain UK agricultural interests, beef and lamb mostly. NZ lamb is incredible, happy to have it replace Welsh lamb if they can't keep up in price and quality, same for Aussie beef. In both cases the product is better and potentially cheaper. It's a wake up call to our agribusinesses to begin a big round of consolidation to scale up and to start investing in better technology to cut costs rather than just throw a bunch of Bulgarian labourers at it.

The Ukraine war ought to be a wake up call to those who think we should import even more of our foodstuff from overseas. We should be looking at how to increase food security, not reduce it. UK agriculture has been heavily investing in technology for many years. You wouldn't know this because you prefer to talk out of your arse on a subject that you have no knowledge of. You are @BartholomewRoberts and I claim my £5

Food security means increasing volumes of grain, dairy and sunflower/rapeseed output - in a very basic sense.

It also means subsidies for the above three areas because, once again, UK agribusinesses have been very, very lazy for the last 20 years and not invested properly to keep up with other countries.

You need to show evidence for this complaint about UK agribusiness.
There’s a general whiff that you are pulling it out of your arse.

Note too that UK farmers have much less propitious soil than most European farmers and also can’t get the scale attained by US and American competitors.

I honestly don’t know how efficient UK farmers again, but I tell you that US supermarkets are a negative revelation.
UK produce is high quality in my opinion.

Not at all sure about "British soil" being worse than most in Europe

Parts of the UK are amongst the most fertile anywhere, there's just a limited amount of it


“With over 2,500 soil tests now performed by Yara, when you compare UK averages with the rest of the world, the UK does have very fertile soils – a result of good climate and good farming practice.”

https://www.anglianwater.co.uk/news/anglian-water-tests-reveal-uk-has-very-fertile-soil/

It's one of the reasons England was much coveted by invaders, despite the hassles of it being an island

Yet again you reveal your lack of knowledge of Britain, but that's perhaps unsurprising in someone not born in Britain, who doesn't live in Britain, who despises Britain, and who has no intention of returning to Britain

Leon you were banned the other day for continuing your xenophobic nonsense.

Don’t be a bigot.
And really, seek help. You are clearly grieving something.

Gardenwalker said:

Leon said:

Gardenwalker said:

MaxPB said:

Nigel_Foremain said:

MaxPB said:

Gardenwalker said:

My read on the Aus/NZ trade deals is less that Liz “rolled over” to get a deal, but rather that she actually believes that cheaper meat for consumers is worth damaging UK agricultural interests.

I don’t agree, but see MaxPB and surely BartyBobbins for details.

Certain UK agricultural interests, beef and lamb mostly. NZ lamb is incredible, happy to have it replace Welsh lamb if they can't keep up in price and quality, same for Aussie beef. In both cases the product is better and potentially cheaper. It's a wake up call to our agribusinesses to begin a big round of consolidation to scale up and to start investing in better technology to cut costs rather than just throw a bunch of Bulgarian labourers at it.

The Ukraine war ought to be a wake up call to those who think we should import even more of our foodstuff from overseas. We should be looking at how to increase food security, not reduce it. UK agriculture has been heavily investing in technology for many years. You wouldn't know this because you prefer to talk out of your arse on a subject that you have no knowledge of. You are @BartholomewRoberts and I claim my £5

Food security means increasing volumes of grain, dairy and sunflower/rapeseed output - in a very basic sense.

It also means subsidies for the above three areas because, once again, UK agribusinesses have been very, very lazy for the last 20 years and not invested properly to keep up with other countries.

You need to show evidence for this complaint about UK agribusiness.
There’s a general whiff that you are pulling it out of your arse.

Note too that UK farmers have much less propitious soil than most European farmers and also can’t get the scale attained by US and American competitors.

I honestly don’t know how efficient UK farmers again, but I tell you that US supermarkets are a negative revelation.
UK produce is high quality in my opinion.

Not at all sure about "British soil" being worse than most in Europe

Parts of the UK are amongst the most fertile anywhere, there's just a limited amount of it


“With over 2,500 soil tests now performed by Yara, when you compare UK averages with the rest of the world, the UK does have very fertile soils – a result of good climate and good farming practice.”

https://www.anglianwater.co.uk/news/anglian-water-tests-reveal-uk-has-very-fertile-soil/

It's one of the reasons England was much coveted by invaders, despite the hassles of it being an island

Yet again you reveal your lack of knowledge of Britain, but that's perhaps unsurprising in someone not born in Britain, who doesn't live in Britain, who despises Britain, and who has no intention of returning to Britain

Leon you were banned the other day for continuing your xenophobic nonsense.

Don’t be a bigot.
And really, seek help. You are clearly grieving something.

I'm not being rude, just stating a fact. You are remarkably ignorant of Britain, and I am wondering why and positing an answer

I will not ask you to butt out, as that seems to upset the mods


"The well drained but often thin soil formed on the chalk and
limestone plateaux of southern and eastern England and
the Paris Basin form some of the most extensively exploited
cereal growing areas of Europe and, until recently, produced
more grain than Canada"

https://esdac.jrc.ec.europa.eu/projects/Soil_Atlas/Download/20.pdf

RochdalePioneers said:

Sandpit said:

kle4 said:

What a curious rule to include.

While ballots will be sent out immediately, members will be able to vote both online or by post. Crucially, only the last ballot received by CCHQ will count...This means any member who votes early and then experiences buyer’s remorse will have the option to override it. This is no doubt a positive revelation for Sunak’s team. Every little helps…

https://order-order.com/2022/07/20/cchq-members-with-buyers-remorse-can-change-their-minds/

That’s weird.

Last time out, 80% of ballots were back at CCHQ within a week, most members not waiting for the public hustings.

Do have to ask why they need 7 weeks to vote. Even old giffers can vote online. Even my dad, and he thinks little people live inside the telly.

They don't need to, but the Commons is in recess after tomorrow and there's not much point declaring the result with the Commons not sitting.

IshmaelZ said:

Leon said:

Gardenwalker said:

MaxPB said:

Nigel_Foremain said:

MaxPB said:

Gardenwalker said:

My read on the Aus/NZ trade deals is less that Liz “rolled over” to get a deal, but rather that she actually believes that cheaper meat for consumers is worth damaging UK agricultural interests.

I don’t agree, but see MaxPB and surely BartyBobbins for details.

Certain UK agricultural interests, beef and lamb mostly. NZ lamb is incredible, happy to have it replace Welsh lamb if they can't keep up in price and quality, same for Aussie beef. In both cases the product is better and potentially cheaper. It's a wake up call to our agribusinesses to begin a big round of consolidation to scale up and to start investing in better technology to cut costs rather than just throw a bunch of Bulgarian labourers at it.

The Ukraine war ought to be a wake up call to those who think we should import even more of our foodstuff from overseas. We should be looking at how to increase food security, not reduce it. UK agriculture has been heavily investing in technology for many years. You wouldn't know this because you prefer to talk out of your arse on a subject that you have no knowledge of. You are @BartholomewRoberts and I claim my £5

Food security means increasing volumes of grain, dairy and sunflower/rapeseed output - in a very basic sense.

It also means subsidies for the above three areas because, once again, UK agribusinesses have been very, very lazy for the last 20 years and not invested properly to keep up with other countries.

You need to show evidence for this complaint about UK agribusiness.
There’s a general whiff that you are pulling it out of your arse.

Note too that UK farmers have much less propitious soil than most European farmers and also can’t get the scale attained by US and American competitors.

I honestly don’t know how efficient UK farmers again, but I tell you that US supermarkets are a negative revelation.
UK produce is high quality in my opinion.

Not at all sure about "British soil" being worse than most in Europe

Parts of the UK are amongst the most fertile anywhere, there's just a limited amount of it


“With over 2,500 soil tests now performed by Yara, when you compare UK averages with the rest of the world, the UK does have very fertile soils – a result of good climate and good farming practice.”

https://www.anglianwater.co.uk/news/anglian-water-tests-reveal-uk-has-very-fertile-soil/

It's one of the reasons England was much coveted by invaders, despite the hassles of it being an island

Yet again you reveal your lack of knowledge of Britain, but that's perhaps unsurprising in someone not born in Britain, who doesn't live in Britain, who despises Britain, and who has no intention of returning to Britain

You know what happened last time...

I am refraining from anything nasty. Just making a point

Don't you live in Devon? The redlands of Devon are famously fertile

CorrectHorseBattery said:

Gardenwalker said:

Leon said:

Gardenwalker said:

MaxPB said:

Nigel_Foremain said:

MaxPB said:

Gardenwalker said:

My read on the Aus/NZ trade deals is less that Liz “rolled over” to get a deal, but rather that she actually believes that cheaper meat for consumers is worth damaging UK agricultural interests.

I don’t agree, but see MaxPB and surely BartyBobbins for details.

Certain UK agricultural interests, beef and lamb mostly. NZ lamb is incredible, happy to have it replace Welsh lamb if they can't keep up in price and quality, same for Aussie beef. In both cases the product is better and potentially cheaper. It's a wake up call to our agribusinesses to begin a big round of consolidation to scale up and to start investing in better technology to cut costs rather than just throw a bunch of Bulgarian labourers at it.

The Ukraine war ought to be a wake up call to those who think we should import even more of our foodstuff from overseas. We should be looking at how to increase food security, not reduce it. UK agriculture has been heavily investing in technology for many years. You wouldn't know this because you prefer to talk out of your arse on a subject that you have no knowledge of. You are @BartholomewRoberts and I claim my £5

Food security means increasing volumes of grain, dairy and sunflower/rapeseed output - in a very basic sense.

It also means subsidies for the above three areas because, once again, UK agribusinesses have been very, very lazy for the last 20 years and not invested properly to keep up with other countries.

You need to show evidence for this complaint about UK agribusiness.
There’s a general whiff that you are pulling it out of your arse.

Note too that UK farmers have much less propitious soil than most European farmers and also can’t get the scale attained by US and American competitors.

I honestly don’t know how efficient UK farmers again, but I tell you that US supermarkets are a negative revelation.
UK produce is high quality in my opinion.

Not at all sure about "British soil" being worse than most in Europe

Parts of the UK are amongst the most fertile anywhere, there's just a limited amount of it


“With over 2,500 soil tests now performed by Yara, when you compare UK averages with the rest of the world, the UK does have very fertile soils – a result of good climate and good farming practice.”

https://www.anglianwater.co.uk/news/anglian-water-tests-reveal-uk-has-very-fertile-soil/

It's one of the reasons England was much coveted by invaders, despite the hassles of it being an island

Yet again you reveal your lack of knowledge of Britain, but that's perhaps unsurprising in someone not born in Britain, who doesn't live in Britain, who despises Britain, and who has no intention of returning to Britain

Leon you were banned the other day for continuing your xenophobic nonsense.

Don’t be a bigot.
And really, seek help. You are clearly grieving something.

What’s the point? He’ll just rejoin as somebody else anyway

I’m not sure why he thinks it necessary to deliver personal attacks. He doesn’t try it on with other foreign-living posters, so I have to assume it is because of where I was born.

Unsurprisingly Lady Nugee is all over tea-gate photo....good job there wasn't a flag as well. Strange time to be getting all funny about a photo with an ethnic minority Tory woman, when the same Tory MPs have just put forward an ethnic minority and a woman as the options for next PM.

GIN1138 said:

Northern_Al said:

GIN1138 said:

FPT

Cyclefree said:

Is it too soon to say "I told you so"?

https://www2.politicalbetting.com/index.php/archives/2021/09/20/one-current-leader-and-one-future-one/

Probably. But never mind.

I really don't get why Truss is so hated. Nor why Sunak is.

One is slick and thinks more of himself than is justified. The other is weird but canny. Are they notably worse than other party leaders? Why the hatred? Strong disagreement with policies I understand. But to listen to some it's as if we were facing a choice between Mussolini and Franco.

Rish is a multi-millionaire tax dodger. Liz is a woman that think's dressing up like Margaret Thatcher in 1980 is a good idea.

Not Musolini and Franco... but not great!

Out of the two I would vote for Rishi if I had a vote because at least he's rational which is always a good starting point.

Excellent. So Rishi is a rational multi-millionaire tax dodger.

I'm enjoying those not normally sympathetic to Labour feeding us ideas for lines to take.

LOL! I call it as I see it.

Whilst I have supported Con during the time I've been on PB I've always said I might vote Labour one day (I voted Lab in 97 and Lib in 05)

Rish is a rational tax dodger. Liz is just mad. Out of the two I'd vote for Rish as he is sane, which is the starting point I suppose (Penny was the candidate I'd have preferred but Dacre and Con MPs got rid of her) but Election 24/25 will probably see me voting Labour whether it Rish or Liz. I'll be very surprised if I vote Con next time.

Good news, and welcome to the light side. Just a few more million needed now.

So the next debate is on Monday? Smarmy vs Barmy, I wonder how many will bother tuning in!

FrancisUrquhart said:

Unsurprisingly Lady Nugee is all over tea-gate photo....good job there wasn't a flag as well.

What is tea gate photo?

I've been busy today so only been online since 3.55pm.

TheScreamingEagles said:

FrancisUrquhart said:

Unsurprisingly Lady Nugee is all over tea-gate photo....good job there wasn't a flag as well.

What is tea gate photo?

I've been busy today so only been online since 3.55pm.

1922 committee put out a photo of them having tea and Nus Ghani was the one pouring it. And of course certain parts of lefty twitter have got all funny about it the fact an ethnic minority woman was the one doing it.

Driver said:

Jonathan said:

It is great to see Labour up for it. The new Tory logo is genius.

https://twitter.com/uklabour/status/1549337977704402954?s=21&t=EsDatPhf6r-X3XY7Y9_yZw

Great, they can criticise the government.

Why should I vote for them?

It’s delightful that Labour are getting their act together. Not before time.

What are the chances of Truss enacting economic policies that actually make the situation worse re. Inflation?

Pretty likely if she goes in head first on tax cuts, no?

Nigel_Foremain said:

Leon said:

Gardenwalker said:

Leon said:

Gardenwalker said:

MaxPB said:

Nigel_Foremain said:

MaxPB said:

Gardenwalker said:

My read on the Aus/NZ trade deals is less that Liz “rolled over” to get a deal, but rather that she actually believes that cheaper meat for consumers is worth damaging UK agricultural interests.

I don’t agree, but see MaxPB and surely BartyBobbins for details.

Certain UK agricultural interests, beef and lamb mostly. NZ lamb is incredible, happy to have it replace Welsh lamb if they can't keep up in price and quality, same for Aussie beef. In both cases the product is better and potentially cheaper. It's a wake up call to our agribusinesses to begin a big round of consolidation to scale up and to start investing in better technology to cut costs rather than just throw a bunch of Bulgarian labourers at it.

The Ukraine war ought to be a wake up call to those who think we should import even more of our foodstuff from overseas. We should be looking at how to increase food security, not reduce it. UK agriculture has been heavily investing in technology for many years. You wouldn't know this because you prefer to talk out of your arse on a subject that you have no knowledge of. You are @BartholomewRoberts and I claim my £5

Food security means increasing volumes of grain, dairy and sunflower/rapeseed output - in a very basic sense.

It also means subsidies for the above three areas because, once again, UK agribusinesses have been very, very lazy for the last 20 years and not invested properly to keep up with other countries.

You need to show evidence for this complaint about UK agribusiness.
There’s a general whiff that you are pulling it out of your arse.

Note too that UK farmers have much less propitious soil than most European farmers and also can’t get the scale attained by US and American competitors.

I honestly don’t know how efficient UK farmers again, but I tell you that US supermarkets are a negative revelation.
UK produce is high quality in my opinion.

Not at all sure about "British soil" being worse than most in Europe

Parts of the UK are amongst the most fertile anywhere, there's just a limited amount of it


“With over 2,500 soil tests now performed by Yara, when you compare UK averages with the rest of the world, the UK does have very fertile soils – a result of good climate and good farming practice.”

https://www.anglianwater.co.uk/news/anglian-water-tests-reveal-uk-has-very-fertile-soil/

It's one of the reasons England was much coveted by invaders, despite the hassles of it being an island

Yet again you reveal your lack of knowledge of Britain, but that's perhaps unsurprising in someone not born in Britain, who doesn't live in Britain, who despises Britain, and who has no intention of returning to Britain

Leon you were banned the other day for continuing your xenophobic nonsense.

Don’t be a bigot.
And really, seek help. You are clearly grieving something.

I'm not being rude, just stating a fact. You are remarkably ignorant of Britain, and I am wondering why and positing an answer

I will not ask you to butt out, as that seems to upset the mods


"The well drained but often thin soil formed on the chalk and
limestone plateaux of southern and eastern England and
the Paris Basin form some of the most extensively exploited
cereal growing areas of Europe and, until recently, produced
more grain than Canada"

https://esdac.jrc.ec.europa.eu/projects/Soil_Atlas/Download/20.pdf

You are selectively quoting what he said, old chap. He was responding to @MaxPB who was talking out of his arse about British farming, and suggesting that it was out of date and that British farmers are lazy. Both of which is total bollox. The main areas of cereal farming in UK are very fertile, but they still have disadvantages in terms of field size compared to, say, the US prairies and the Ukraine. It is very difficult for UK farmers to produce grain at the same cost as those areas due to input costs and disproportionate government subsidy in the US. UK farming is amongst the most technologically advanced in terms of production, crop breading and mechanisation.

Yes, thank-you.

Leon will perhaps now pull-out the bit where I said that British soil was less propitious than European competitors, but more basically I just mean that they can grow quite a lot of produce in Europe that the UK cannot.

And when I say UK, I mean the whole country not just the Thames Valley, Kent and East Anglia.

Gardenwalker said:

UK food is extraordinarily good quality and sold very competitively.

Not many people seem to know this.

Anyone who wants to muddle with it for ideological reasons needs to show their working.

It's a shock to visit American supermarkets and see how expensive and difficult it is to get what would count as standard food in the UK.

AugustusCarp2 said:

Is the Tory Party membership ready for someone who went to Lincoln.....?

Only if they went to St Mark's. Student's who lived at Gateway made the wrong choice when they were 18.

Razedabode said:

What are the chances of Truss enacting economic policies that actually make the situation worse re. Inflation?

Pretty likely if she goes in head first on tax cuts, no?

Given the tax cut she is planning to make the impact will be on corporate investment which will be binned by companies in a desire to maximise short term profits.