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Starmer v Truss – the first PMQs – politicalbetting.com

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  • StockyStocky Posts: 9,653
    ydoethur said:

    ydoethur said:

    OK, so here is a question:

    I'm trying to find an account for my new business. It's proving tricky for all sorts of reasons. I've been working with Virgin Money to open an account so far but I'm seriously unimpressed - they keep losing correspondence and their emails are masterpieces in missing the point, which is why a month in they still haven't opened an account.

    Is there any reasonably good, preferably free or very cheap, business account out there suitable for a start up? I'm not looking for anything very elaborate although the ability to pay cheques in would be an advantage.

    My advice is not to go for cheap. Banking should probably be one of your lowest overheads, and you certainly don't want to be wasting hours with cheap solutions that generally are not much cheaper than the more "expensive". I have used Barclays for quite a few of the years I have been in business. I don't have any complaints.
    Barclays appear not to be taking new small business accounts at the moment for some reason.
    Have you set up as a ltd company or as self-employed? If the latter just don't bother with a business account.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 43,624
    carnforth said:

    ydoethur said:

    OK, so here is a question:

    I'm trying to find an account for my new business. It's proving tricky for all sorts of reasons. I've been working with Virgin Money to open an account so far but I'm seriously unimpressed - they keep losing correspondence and their emails are masterpieces in missing the point, which is why a month in they still haven't opened an account.

    Is there any reasonably good, preferably free or very cheap, business account out there suitable for a start up? I'm not looking for anything very elaborate although the ability to pay cheques in would be an advantage.

    Barclays charge me £7.50 a quarter for an account for a limited company, which I think allows me to pay in some number of cheques for free, although I never have.

    Will you be handling cash too? Especially coins?
    My experience with Barclays business banking has been very poor. No “service” apart from an idiot who seemed disappointed that I didn’t want to borrow money at credit card like rates….
  • OnboardG1OnboardG1 Posts: 1,272
    edited September 2022
    In very unrelated news, I'm finding the experience of Covid extremely boring. I'm feeling a bit sinusy and achy but otherwise not too bad (wouldn't have known about it if I'd not tested). However, I tried to drink a can of Irn Bru like a good Scotsman as I have done many times before and now I feel very sick. This is a cruel, cruel virus...
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,614
    OnboardG1 said:

    Sandpit said:

    Sandpit said:

    AlistairM said:

    Looks like training the Ukrainian army is paying off...

    Russian sources report that Ukrainian forces are using effective NATO style combined arms attacks on their positions and they are totally overwhelmed in some areas.
    https://twitter.com/WarMonitor3/status/1567474654310277120

    There’s definitely a book or two to be written, on how the Ukranian army managed to go from Soviet military doctrine, to NATO doctrine, in only a few short years since 2014. This sort of thing usually takes several generations, requiring everyone from the top down to get with the program.
    Their heavy defeat in 2014 seems to have had the effect it sometimes has on armies - all the vested interests were on the table, and all the bullshit reasons for not changing we’re swept away.

    It must have been a combination of willingness to change and the external support offered.

    That and the Ukrainians have taken things further than the West in some areas. If the reports are correct, their target designation and allocation database system is something that has been talked about but not implemented in Western militaries. Because “doctrine”….
    Yes, absolutely. There’s also been a lot of innovative uses of technology seen for the first time in a land war, things like using almost invisible consumer drones for reconnaissance, and as spotters for artillery.
    And sticking bricks of semtex to them and flying them into ammunition depots.
    Yes, with 3D-printed fins to turn a grenade into a bomb.
    https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-cheap-grenades-expensive-tanks/31835434.html
  • paulyork64paulyork64 Posts: 2,461
    MISTY said:

    ......Brent crude breaks 90 on the downside...

    Today I saw petrol at sub £1.60 for the first time since i'm not sure when. Not in a supermarket but a main road Jet station near Ferryhill.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,758
    Stocky said:

    ydoethur said:

    ydoethur said:

    OK, so here is a question:

    I'm trying to find an account for my new business. It's proving tricky for all sorts of reasons. I've been working with Virgin Money to open an account so far but I'm seriously unimpressed - they keep losing correspondence and their emails are masterpieces in missing the point, which is why a month in they still haven't opened an account.

    Is there any reasonably good, preferably free or very cheap, business account out there suitable for a start up? I'm not looking for anything very elaborate although the ability to pay cheques in would be an advantage.

    My advice is not to go for cheap. Banking should probably be one of your lowest overheads, and you certainly don't want to be wasting hours with cheap solutions that generally are not much cheaper than the more "expensive". I have used Barclays for quite a few of the years I have been in business. I don't have any complaints.
    Barclays appear not to be taking new small business accounts at the moment for some reason.
    Have you set up as a ltd company or as self-employed? If the latter just don't bother with a business account.
    Ltd Co. That was desirable from several points of view.
  • BigRichBigRich Posts: 3,489

    I've just watched one of Owen Jones's latest missives on Twitter (the one posted two days ago). And, my goodness, can someone send for the RNLI? He's drowning in salty, salty tears.

    Here's an idea for him: if he's so irate, then stand for election for Labour. Then he might actually do something for people.

    Carfull what you wish for,
  • LeonLeon Posts: 46,252
    edited September 2022
    Look at this beach. 3 people on it. In perfect weather. 26C and a faint cooling breeze

    Hard to believe this exists in Western Europe. It’s more like Namibia or Western Australia

    This is an unbelievable coast


  • PhilPhil Posts: 1,919
    ydoethur said:

    OK, so here is a question:

    I'm trying to find an account for my new business. It's proving tricky for all sorts of reasons. I've been working with Virgin Money to open an account so far but I'm seriously unimpressed - they keep losing correspondence and their emails are masterpieces in missing the point, which is why a month in they still haven't opened an account.

    Is there any reasonably good, preferably free or very cheap, business account out there suitable for a start up? I'm not looking for anything very elaborate although the ability to pay cheques in would be an advantage.

    Just open an account with one of the better high street operations & accept that it costs money? Free current accounts for consumers are loss makers for banks - businesses get charged something closer to the actual cost of providing the service.
  • MoonRabbitMoonRabbit Posts: 12,415

    Jonathan said:

    Interesting PMQs. Truss did well. New PMs always do. Curious new Tory concept to borrow billions to lower taxes. Will be interesting to see how that goes, but Thatcherite economics this is not.

    If the economy tanks, she’s out. If she manages to engineer a boom, she might hang on.

    I just can't see how she engineers a boom. Neither can Norman Lamont.
    You don’t tax your way to growth, you borrow your way to growth was my main take out from her messaging - and it seems like that will be the defining message of her tenure.
  • AlistairMAlistairM Posts: 2,004
    Ukrainian advance seems to be accelerating.

    Ukrainian forces have entered Shevchenkove heaviest fighting continues.
    This is a huge advance!
    https://twitter.com/WarMonitor3/status/1567508891193286656
  • kle4 said:

    Pro_Rata said:

    Thought an interesting question today was Peter Bottomley's on local planning control over bigger projects.

    Truss was all spades in the ground yesterday, yet seemed quite warm towards the local control thing.

    They are not direct opposite statements but they do point in somewhat different directions, be interesting how that plays out.

    I cannot at present figure out how she will marry those two together. The 'more local control' is generally a cover for NIMBYs in the shires so went down well with the members (though issues of specific targets can indeed be unfair on localities), but government policy has long been trying to make things easier, not harder, hence the proposals that got Jenrick fired.

    Honestly, giving locals more control over smaller projects but less on bigger projects seems more the way to go - when the country really needs the big stuff, holding it up locally forever just stores up problems, so you need to shortcut that, but the tradeoff is the much more common local stuff they have greater say over than now.
    One possible squaring of the circle - local control of aspects of development. So central government says “build x homes in the area” and locally “… in this way/style to fit in”
    They should do that with electricity generation as well. "I require that you bring me a gigawatt. I don't care how you do it, just get it done".
    Local councils can't build nuclear power stations or offshore wind farms unfortunately. Only choice would be onshore wind or solar farms. They could put solar panels on all council buildings, schools etc.
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 39,149
    edited September 2022
    OnboardG1 said:

    In very unrelated news, I'm finding the experience of Covid extremely boring. I'm feeling a bit sinusy and achy but otherwise not too bad (wouldn't have known about it if I'd not tested). However, I tried to drink a can of Irn Bru like a good Scotsman as I have done many times before and now I feel very sick. This is a cruel, cruel virus...

    Commiserations. It's a vile experience (and my theory is that Auchentoshan made the way it is to go with Irn-Bru, being where it is). Covid, not so much.
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 24,587

    Jonathan said:

    Interesting PMQs. Truss did well. New PMs always do. Curious new Tory concept to borrow billions to lower taxes. Will be interesting to see how that goes, but Thatcherite economics this is not.

    If the economy tanks, she’s out. If she manages to engineer a boom, she might hang on.

    I just can't see how she engineers a boom. Neither can Norman Lamont.
    You don’t tax your way to growth, you borrow your way to growth was my main take out from her messaging - and it seems like that will be the defining message of her tenure.
    I accept that. I just don't see it working. Barty will be along in a moment to put me right.
  • BigRichBigRich Posts: 3,489
    OnboardG1 said:

    In very unrelated news, I'm finding the experience of Covid extremely boring. I'm feeling a bit sinusy and achy but otherwise not too bad (wouldn't have known about it if I'd not tested). However, I tried to drink a can of Irn Bru like a good Scotsman as I have done many times before and now I feel very sick. This is a cruel, cruel virus...

    Best wishes and, Get well soon. :)
  • wooliedyedwooliedyed Posts: 6,841
    edited September 2022
    PB as a microcosm of the electorate experiment.
    Based on the cautiously and fairly positive reaction so far from a number of our right leaning and centrist (unionist) posters it suggests, extrapolated to the wider world, a bounce. To be impacted by tomorrows announcements of course.
    Thunder greets this post in Norwich.........
  • PhilPhil Posts: 1,919
    Stocky said:

    ydoethur said:

    ydoethur said:

    OK, so here is a question:

    I'm trying to find an account for my new business. It's proving tricky for all sorts of reasons. I've been working with Virgin Money to open an account so far but I'm seriously unimpressed - they keep losing correspondence and their emails are masterpieces in missing the point, which is why a month in they still haven't opened an account.

    Is there any reasonably good, preferably free or very cheap, business account out there suitable for a start up? I'm not looking for anything very elaborate although the ability to pay cheques in would be an advantage.

    My advice is not to go for cheap. Banking should probably be one of your lowest overheads, and you certainly don't want to be wasting hours with cheap solutions that generally are not much cheaper than the more "expensive". I have used Barclays for quite a few of the years I have been in business. I don't have any complaints.
    Barclays appear not to be taking new small business accounts at the moment for some reason.
    Have you set up as a ltd company or as self-employed? If the latter just don't bother with a business account.
    It makes the accounting much, much easier if you maintain separate bank accounts. Also helps if the IR come knocking, assuming you haven’t been fiddling the books & everything is above board in the first place of course.
  • StockyStocky Posts: 9,653
    Leon said:

    Look at this beach. 3 people on it. In perfect weather. 26C and a faint cooling breeze

    Hard to believe this exists in Western Europe. It’s more like Namibia or Western Australia

    This is an unbelievable coast


    Praia da Adraga?
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 39,149
    IshmaelZ said:

    Carnyx said:

    Hmm..

    A small step forward, and it would have been a terrible look to deny the SNP the right to intervene even in these 'make the Nats illegal' times.

    What does 'intervene' mean in this case?
    'The party had applied to be allowed to submit its own arguments to the court in early August, despite the Scottish Government’s top law officer – Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain – already having submitted a case.

    The UK Government has also submitted and published its own arguments in the indyref2 case.

    On Wednesday, the Supreme Court said that the SNP would be allowed to intervene and submit a third written case – but it had to be limited to 20 pages and must avoid “repetition of the Lord Advocate’s arguments”.'

    Obvs there will be an element of response to the UKG arguments, I should think.

    https://www.thenational.scot/news/21137558.supreme-court-says-snp-can-intervene-scottish-indyref2-case/
    Feels like SCon should be in there for balance
    Free world - they can ask if they want. Courts don't do balance otherwise, as far as I understand matters. (They might have already: I haven't been following in detail).
  • wooliedyedwooliedyed Posts: 6,841

    Jonathan said:

    Interesting PMQs. Truss did well. New PMs always do. Curious new Tory concept to borrow billions to lower taxes. Will be interesting to see how that goes, but Thatcherite economics this is not.

    If the economy tanks, she’s out. If she manages to engineer a boom, she might hang on.

    I just can't see how she engineers a boom. Neither can Norman Lamont.
    You don’t tax your way to growth, you borrow your way to growth was my main take out from her messaging - and it seems like that will be the defining message of her tenure.
    Very Brownian economics. Very 2008.
  • MoonRabbitMoonRabbit Posts: 12,415

    PB as a microcosm of the electorate experiment.
    Based on the cautiously and fairly positive reaction so far from a number of our right leaning and centrist (unionist) posters it suggests, extrapolated to the wider world, a bounce. To be impacted by tomorrows announcements of course.
    Thunder greets this post in Norwich.........

    On PB, not answerable to the voters, not catastrophic if you u turn, you can say what you are thinking today, if asked “will you use a bit of windfall tax extension to help pay” you can say no.

    But that was so dumb for Truss to do at PMQs. She should have listed the reasons why not, and not given the opposition the straight answer they wanted. What you are calling here good was actually so dumb, she allowed her opponents to completely box her in and take that option off the table. That’s why she was bluntly asked it, and then she gave them what they wanted.

    Can you not see that, how she blundered her way through this session making these dreadful mistakes, of letting her opponents paint her and her policies how they want them to be known?

    She got a great hair cut, but there is nothing but air inside it.
  • OnboardG1OnboardG1 Posts: 1,272
    Carnyx said:

    OnboardG1 said:

    In very unrelated news, I'm finding the experience of Covid extremely boring. I'm feeling a bit sinusy and achy but otherwise not too bad (wouldn't have known about it if I'd not tested). However, I tried to drink a can of Irn Bru like a good Scotsman as I have done many times before and now I feel very sick. This is a cruel, cruel virus...

    Commiserations. It's a vile experience (and my theory is that Auchentoshan made the way it is to go with Irn-Bru, being where it is). Covid, not so much.
    The biggest issue is that it might, yet again, derail my desire to go to the Battle of Britain Airshow. I've been trying to go for five years but something always buggers up my plans just before. Last year it sold out just as I confirmed I could make it. The year before it was cancelled. The year before I couldn't get leave and so on.
  • BigRich said:

    I've just watched one of Owen Jones's latest missives on Twitter (the one posted two days ago). And, my goodness, can someone send for the RNLI? He's drowning in salty, salty tears.

    Here's an idea for him: if he's so irate, then stand for election for Labour. Then he might actually do something for people.

    Carfull what you wish for,
    Heck, he would go up in my estimation a lot. I admire people who put themselves up for election - whether they win or lose. It requires guts and a self-confidence that I simply do not have.

    But talking heads like Jones have a power that is utterly unbacked by any real talent or compromise. What has he done in life? Write a book?
  • StockyStocky Posts: 9,653
    Phil said:

    Stocky said:

    ydoethur said:

    ydoethur said:

    OK, so here is a question:

    I'm trying to find an account for my new business. It's proving tricky for all sorts of reasons. I've been working with Virgin Money to open an account so far but I'm seriously unimpressed - they keep losing correspondence and their emails are masterpieces in missing the point, which is why a month in they still haven't opened an account.

    Is there any reasonably good, preferably free or very cheap, business account out there suitable for a start up? I'm not looking for anything very elaborate although the ability to pay cheques in would be an advantage.

    My advice is not to go for cheap. Banking should probably be one of your lowest overheads, and you certainly don't want to be wasting hours with cheap solutions that generally are not much cheaper than the more "expensive". I have used Barclays for quite a few of the years I have been in business. I don't have any complaints.
    Barclays appear not to be taking new small business accounts at the moment for some reason.
    Have you set up as a ltd company or as self-employed? If the latter just don't bother with a business account.
    It makes the accounting much, much easier if you maintain separate bank accounts. Also helps if the IR come knocking, assuming you haven’t been fiddling the books & everything is above board in the first place of course.
    Sure, separate bank account needed I agree. But it can be a non-business account if you are just self employed.
  • eekeek Posts: 24,797

    kle4 said:

    Pro_Rata said:

    Thought an interesting question today was Peter Bottomley's on local planning control over bigger projects.

    Truss was all spades in the ground yesterday, yet seemed quite warm towards the local control thing.

    They are not direct opposite statements but they do point in somewhat different directions, be interesting how that plays out.

    I cannot at present figure out how she will marry those two together. The 'more local control' is generally a cover for NIMBYs in the shires so went down well with the members (though issues of specific targets can indeed be unfair on localities), but government policy has long been trying to make things easier, not harder, hence the proposals that got Jenrick fired.

    Honestly, giving locals more control over smaller projects but less on bigger projects seems more the way to go - when the country really needs the big stuff, holding it up locally forever just stores up problems, so you need to shortcut that, but the tradeoff is the much more common local stuff they have greater say over than now.
    One possible squaring of the circle - local control of aspects of development. So central government says “build x homes in the area” and locally “… in this way/style to fit in”
    They should do that with electricity generation as well. "I require that you bring me a gigawatt. I don't care how you do it, just get it done".
    Local councils can't build nuclear power stations or offshore wind farms unfortunately. Only choice would be onshore wind or solar farms. They could put solar panels on all council buildings, schools etc.
    Not currently but when Rolls Royce's mini nuclear stations start appearing....

    And we probably do need local power generation if only to stop the need for ever larger cables elsewhere...
  • eekeek Posts: 24,797
    Phil said:

    ydoethur said:

    OK, so here is a question:

    I'm trying to find an account for my new business. It's proving tricky for all sorts of reasons. I've been working with Virgin Money to open an account so far but I'm seriously unimpressed - they keep losing correspondence and their emails are masterpieces in missing the point, which is why a month in they still haven't opened an account.

    Is there any reasonably good, preferably free or very cheap, business account out there suitable for a start up? I'm not looking for anything very elaborate although the ability to pay cheques in would be an advantage.

    Just open an account with one of the better high street operations & accept that it costs money? Free current accounts for consumers are loss makers for banks - businesses get charged something closer to the actual cost of providing the service.
    Current issue is that as @RochdalePioneers will point out getting a high street bank to open a business account takes years...
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 61,575
    Some strong evidence that the originalist approach to the US Constitution means making shit up.

    I would like to inform @FoxNews and @foxandfriends that James Madison was NOT the third president of the United States and also did NOT sign the Declaration of Independence.
    https://twitter.com/travisakers/status/1567179093606645761
  • kinabalu said:

    I've just watched one of Owen Jones's latest missives on Twitter (the one posted two days ago). And, my goodness, can someone send for the RNLI? He's drowning in salty, salty tears.

    Here's an idea for him: if he's so irate, then stand for election for Labour. Then he might actually do something for people.

    He wouldn't get on a shortlist under Starmer.
    Well he won't now, will he!

    Screeching "You're a liar!!!!" at the party leader (whilst backtracking from your comments ("Hey, I shop at Waitrose" and "He knows me, but we've only met a few times aside from one of my best mates who works for him" etc etc) will not enamour him to the saner parts of the party.
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 39,149
    OnboardG1 said:

    Carnyx said:

    OnboardG1 said:

    In very unrelated news, I'm finding the experience of Covid extremely boring. I'm feeling a bit sinusy and achy but otherwise not too bad (wouldn't have known about it if I'd not tested). However, I tried to drink a can of Irn Bru like a good Scotsman as I have done many times before and now I feel very sick. This is a cruel, cruel virus...

    Commiserations. It's a vile experience (and my theory is that Auchentoshan made the way it is to go with Irn-Bru, being where it is). Covid, not so much.
    The biggest issue is that it might, yet again, derail my desire to go to the Battle of Britain Airshow. I've been trying to go for five years but something always buggers up my plans just before. Last year it sold out just as I confirmed I could make it. The year before it was cancelled. The year before I couldn't get leave and so on.
    Duxford? Oh dear.
  • PhilPhil Posts: 1,919
    carnforth said:

    ydoethur said:

    OK, so here is a question:

    I'm trying to find an account for my new business. It's proving tricky for all sorts of reasons. I've been working with Virgin Money to open an account so far but I'm seriously unimpressed - they keep losing correspondence and their emails are masterpieces in missing the point, which is why a month in they still haven't opened an account.

    Is there any reasonably good, preferably free or very cheap, business account out there suitable for a start up? I'm not looking for anything very elaborate although the ability to pay cheques in would be an advantage.

    Barclays charge me £7.50 a quarter for an account for a limited company, which I think allows me to pay in some number of cheques for free, although I never have.

    Will you be handling cash too? Especially coins?
    For relatively light use, a NatWest business account is very cheap. No standing charge, just charges for payments: 35p / electronic debit or deposit, 70p per cheque. If your business only makes a few transactions a month it has to be one of the cheapest business account around?
  • eekeek Posts: 24,797

    MISTY said:

    ......Brent crude breaks 90 on the downside...

    Today I saw petrol at sub £1.60 for the first time since i'm not sure when. Not in a supermarket but a main road Jet station near Ferryhill.
    The Jet garage at J59 of the A1M is the same £1.599
  • BigRichBigRich Posts: 3,489
    AlistairM said:

    Ukrainian advance seems to be accelerating.

    Ukrainian forces have entered Shevchenkove heaviest fighting continues.
    This is a huge advance!
    https://twitter.com/WarMonitor3/status/1567508891193286656

    They have also taken or at least in Yakovenkove, hear is a video of there tanks being welcomed by the locals.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cWWri3hz2M
  • wooliedyedwooliedyed Posts: 6,841
    Von Der Leyen proposing peak time energy use targets to 'flatten the curve' of demand
    Hmmmmmm.
  • PhilPhil Posts: 1,919
    edited September 2022
    eek said:

    Phil said:

    ydoethur said:

    OK, so here is a question:

    I'm trying to find an account for my new business. It's proving tricky for all sorts of reasons. I've been working with Virgin Money to open an account so far but I'm seriously unimpressed - they keep losing correspondence and their emails are masterpieces in missing the point, which is why a month in they still haven't opened an account.

    Is there any reasonably good, preferably free or very cheap, business account out there suitable for a start up? I'm not looking for anything very elaborate although the ability to pay cheques in would be an advantage.

    Just open an account with one of the better high street operations & accept that it costs money? Free current accounts for consumers are loss makers for banks - businesses get charged something closer to the actual cost of providing the service.
    Current issue is that as @RochdalePioneers will point out getting a high street bank to open a business account takes years...
    Is that a post-covid thing? NatWest did it for me in 24 hours, but I did have a long standing current account with them.

    I think a lot depends on whether you already have an account with the bank or not. If they have to go through a full KYC process in order to open an account then it’s going to be painful.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 46,252
    Stocky said:

    Leon said:

    Look at this beach. 3 people on it. In perfect weather. 26C and a faint cooling breeze

    Hard to believe this exists in Western Europe. It’s more like Namibia or Western Australia

    This is an unbelievable coast


    Praia da Adraga?
    Praia dos Machados

    But there are so many of them. Totally unspoiled. For fifty miles. Sensational
  • eek said:

    kle4 said:

    Pro_Rata said:

    Thought an interesting question today was Peter Bottomley's on local planning control over bigger projects.

    Truss was all spades in the ground yesterday, yet seemed quite warm towards the local control thing.

    They are not direct opposite statements but they do point in somewhat different directions, be interesting how that plays out.

    I cannot at present figure out how she will marry those two together. The 'more local control' is generally a cover for NIMBYs in the shires so went down well with the members (though issues of specific targets can indeed be unfair on localities), but government policy has long been trying to make things easier, not harder, hence the proposals that got Jenrick fired.

    Honestly, giving locals more control over smaller projects but less on bigger projects seems more the way to go - when the country really needs the big stuff, holding it up locally forever just stores up problems, so you need to shortcut that, but the tradeoff is the much more common local stuff they have greater say over than now.
    One possible squaring of the circle - local control of aspects of development. So central government says “build x homes in the area” and locally “… in this way/style to fit in”
    They should do that with electricity generation as well. "I require that you bring me a gigawatt. I don't care how you do it, just get it done".
    Local councils can't build nuclear power stations or offshore wind farms unfortunately. Only choice would be onshore wind or solar farms. They could put solar panels on all council buildings, schools etc.
    Not currently but when Rolls Royce's mini nuclear stations start appearing....

    And we probably do need local power generation if only to stop the need for ever larger cables elsewhere...
    They could do energy from waste. It's renewable, and makes a lot more sense than putting it in landfill and letting the greenhouse gases leach out anyway, or exporting the waste. It's also less of an eyesore than windmills and a lot more reliable than windmills or solar.
  • ChrisChris Posts: 11,009
    edited September 2022

    PB as a microcosm of the electorate experiment.
    Based on the cautiously and fairly positive reaction so far from a number of our right leaning and centrist (unionist) posters it suggests, extrapolated to the wider world, a bounce. To be impacted by tomorrows announcements of course.
    Thunder greets this post in Norwich.........

    On PB, not answerable to the voters, not catastrophic if you u turn, you can say what you are thinking today, if asked “will you use a bit of windfall tax extension to help pay” you can say no.

    But that was so dumb for Truss to do at PMQs. She should have listed the reasons why not, and not given the opposition the straight answer they wanted. What you are calling here good was actually so dumb, she allowed her opponents to completely box her in and take that option off the table. That’s why she was bluntly asked it, and then she gave them what they wanted.

    Can you not see that, how she blundered her way through this session making these dreadful mistakes, of letting her opponents paint her and her policies how they want them to be known?

    She got a great hair cut, but there is nothing but air inside it.
    It is astonishing how addicted both she and Johnson have been to boxing themselves in - and usually entirely unnecessarily, because they were either bound to win whatever election they were fighting or (as things are now) had just won an election, and so should have been under no pressure whatsoever to hamper their own freedom of action.
  • GallowgateGallowgate Posts: 19,072
    eek said:

    kle4 said:

    Pro_Rata said:

    Thought an interesting question today was Peter Bottomley's on local planning control over bigger projects.

    Truss was all spades in the ground yesterday, yet seemed quite warm towards the local control thing.

    They are not direct opposite statements but they do point in somewhat different directions, be interesting how that plays out.

    I cannot at present figure out how she will marry those two together. The 'more local control' is generally a cover for NIMBYs in the shires so went down well with the members (though issues of specific targets can indeed be unfair on localities), but government policy has long been trying to make things easier, not harder, hence the proposals that got Jenrick fired.

    Honestly, giving locals more control over smaller projects but less on bigger projects seems more the way to go - when the country really needs the big stuff, holding it up locally forever just stores up problems, so you need to shortcut that, but the tradeoff is the much more common local stuff they have greater say over than now.
    One possible squaring of the circle - local control of aspects of development. So central government says “build x homes in the area” and locally “… in this way/style to fit in”
    They should do that with electricity generation as well. "I require that you bring me a gigawatt. I don't care how you do it, just get it done".
    Local councils can't build nuclear power stations or offshore wind farms unfortunately. Only choice would be onshore wind or solar farms. They could put solar panels on all council buildings, schools etc.
    Not currently but when Rolls Royce's mini nuclear stations start appearing....

    And we probably do need local power generation if only to stop the need for ever larger cables elsewhere...
    Also prevents a single point of failure.
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 24,587

    PB as a microcosm of the electorate experiment.
    Based on the cautiously and fairly positive reaction so far from a number of our right leaning and centrist (unionist) posters it suggests, extrapolated to the wider world, a bounce. To be impacted by tomorrows announcements of course.
    Thunder greets this post in Norwich.........

    On PB, not answerable to the voters, not catastrophic if you u turn, you can say what you are thinking today, if asked “will you use a bit of windfall tax extension to help pay” you can say no.

    But that was so dumb for Truss to do at PMQs. She should have listed the reasons why not, and not given the opposition the straight answer they wanted. What you are calling here good was actually so dumb, she allowed her opponents to completely box her in and take that option off the table. That’s why she was bluntly asked it, and then she gave them what they wanted.

    Can you not see that, how she blundered her way through this session making these dreadful mistakes, of letting her opponents paint her and her policies how they want them to be known?

    She got a great hair cut, but there is nothing but air inside it.
    Whereas you are right on her having fully ruled out screwing the energy companies, which the public quite like, you are being unfair on her general performance which was pretty good.
  • FrankBoothFrankBooth Posts: 9,005
    This is a remarkable statement regards the British Bill Of Rights.

    'Furthermore, it would mean that we would own it. When the deportation of a foreign national offender gets blocked it would no longer have because of 'Labour's Human Rights Act' but instead it would be because of the 'Tories Bill of Rights'

    Do our leaders want responsibility or not? It suits them to have decisions made by judges far away who they can blame. And then they worry that people want an authoritarian leader.......
  • LeonLeon Posts: 46,252
    Now I’m avin’ me another pingado with medronho

    I’ve worked out it’s the only way to do these Stakhanovite hikes. You stop every 90 minutes for “pingado with medronho”
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 24,587

    Von Der Leyen proposing peak time energy use targets to 'flatten the curve' of demand
    Hmmmmmm.

    Thank God we left the EU. No rationing or blackouts for us this winter. Liz has said so.
  • JonathanJonathan Posts: 20,901
    eek said:

    MISTY said:

    ......Brent crude breaks 90 on the downside...

    Today I saw petrol at sub £1.60 for the first time since i'm not sure when. Not in a supermarket but a main road Jet station near Ferryhill.
    The Jet garage at J59 of the A1M is the same £1.599
    In March, when the price of oil was similar the price was £1.48/litre. And that was before a fuel duty cut. Even accounting for a lag, someone is making a few quid out of this. Prices remain high.
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 24,587

    PB as a microcosm of the electorate experiment.
    Based on the cautiously and fairly positive reaction so far from a number of our right leaning and centrist (unionist) posters it suggests, extrapolated to the wider world, a bounce. To be impacted by tomorrows announcements of course.
    Thunder greets this post in Norwich.........

    I thought she did OK at PMQs. I wouldn't vote for her.
  • SlackbladderSlackbladder Posts: 9,704
    edited September 2022

    Von Der Leyen proposing peak time energy use targets to 'flatten the curve' of demand
    Hmmmmmm.

    I wonder how the remainers will spin that... and we're only in September!
  • wooliedyedwooliedyed Posts: 6,841

    PB as a microcosm of the electorate experiment.
    Based on the cautiously and fairly positive reaction so far from a number of our right leaning and centrist (unionist) posters it suggests, extrapolated to the wider world, a bounce. To be impacted by tomorrows announcements of course.
    Thunder greets this post in Norwich.........

    On PB, not answerable to the voters, not catastrophic if you u turn, you can say what you are thinking today, if asked “will you use a bit of windfall tax extension to help pay” you can say no.

    But that was so dumb for Truss to do at PMQs. She should have listed the reasons why not, and not given the opposition the straight answer they wanted. What you are calling here good was actually so dumb, she allowed her opponents to completely box her in and take that option off the table. That’s why she was bluntly asked it, and then she gave them what they wanted.

    Can you not see that, how she blundered her way through this session making these dreadful mistakes, of letting her opponents paint her and her policies how they want them to be known?

    She got a great hair cut, but there is nothing but air inside it.
    A windfall tax has already been taken, extending its scope to fund 4% of the proposed action is a sideline at best, especially as that extension is at the expense of incentives to invest in green energy.
    Long term levies. Thats your puppy.
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 26,282

    I've just watched one of Owen Jones's latest missives on Twitter (the one posted two days ago). And, my goodness, can someone send for the RNLI? He's drowning in salty, salty tears.

    Here's an idea for him: if he's so irate, then stand for election for Labour. Then he might actually do something for people.

    What's he irate about? Couldn't find the tweet.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 46,252
    The TRULY great thing about this coast is that it’s all protected. It’s a national park AND a series of regional parks. Fiercely maintained. You can’t build a small garden shed without permission

    So this - the last great totally-unspoiled coast in southwest Europe, will remain unspoiled

    Well done Portugal
  • Leon said:

    Now I’m avin’ me another pingado with medronho

    I’ve worked out it’s the only way to do these Stakhanovite hikes. You stop every 90 minutes for “pingado with medronho”

    Just make sure nobody sees you ffs.
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 39,149

    Von Der Leyen proposing peak time energy use targets to 'flatten the curve' of demand
    Hmmmmmm.

    I wonder how the remainers will spin that... and we're only in September!
    Squashing sombreros comes to mind.
  • StockyStocky Posts: 9,653
    ydoethur said:

    Stocky said:

    ydoethur said:

    ydoethur said:

    OK, so here is a question:

    I'm trying to find an account for my new business. It's proving tricky for all sorts of reasons. I've been working with Virgin Money to open an account so far but I'm seriously unimpressed - they keep losing correspondence and their emails are masterpieces in missing the point, which is why a month in they still haven't opened an account.

    Is there any reasonably good, preferably free or very cheap, business account out there suitable for a start up? I'm not looking for anything very elaborate although the ability to pay cheques in would be an advantage.

    My advice is not to go for cheap. Banking should probably be one of your lowest overheads, and you certainly don't want to be wasting hours with cheap solutions that generally are not much cheaper than the more "expensive". I have used Barclays for quite a few of the years I have been in business. I don't have any complaints.
    Barclays appear not to be taking new small business accounts at the moment for some reason.
    Have you set up as a ltd company or as self-employed? If the latter just don't bother with a business account.
    Ltd Co. That was desirable from several points of view.
    Banks have been lousy for businesses, trusts and the like for years. Our Parish Council had a shocking time with bank account opening attempts a while back. Money laundering rules are a pain on top of general inefficiencies. In the end they went to Unity Trust bank and they have been excellent. I'm guessing it won't be free though.
  • eekeek Posts: 24,797
    ydoethur said:

    Stocky said:

    ydoethur said:

    ydoethur said:

    OK, so here is a question:

    I'm trying to find an account for my new business. It's proving tricky for all sorts of reasons. I've been working with Virgin Money to open an account so far but I'm seriously unimpressed - they keep losing correspondence and their emails are masterpieces in missing the point, which is why a month in they still haven't opened an account.

    Is there any reasonably good, preferably free or very cheap, business account out there suitable for a start up? I'm not looking for anything very elaborate although the ability to pay cheques in would be an advantage.

    My advice is not to go for cheap. Banking should probably be one of your lowest overheads, and you certainly don't want to be wasting hours with cheap solutions that generally are not much cheaper than the more "expensive". I have used Barclays for quite a few of the years I have been in business. I don't have any complaints.
    Barclays appear not to be taking new small business accounts at the moment for some reason.
    Have you set up as a ltd company or as self-employed? If the latter just don't bother with a business account.
    Ltd Co. That was desirable from several points of view.
    I suspect you would be better of treating the organ playing, cheque generating business as self employment and use your limited company for everything else

    Multiple reasons for that 1 of which is NI contributions are lower if you need to pay for years down the line...
  • MoonRabbitMoonRabbit Posts: 12,415
    edited September 2022

    Jonathan said:

    Interesting PMQs. Truss did well. New PMs always do. Curious new Tory concept to borrow billions to lower taxes. Will be interesting to see how that goes, but Thatcherite economics this is not.

    If the economy tanks, she’s out. If she manages to engineer a boom, she might hang on.

    I just can't see how she engineers a boom. Neither can Norman Lamont.
    You don’t tax your way to growth, you borrow your way to growth was my main take out from her messaging - and it seems like that will be the defining message of her tenure.
    Very Brownian economics. Very 2008.
    Meaning anyone supporting it is turning into a socialist - or new Labour socialist-lite - in front our eyes?

    I’m asking myself, 1 day in this is already very odd. Do socialist price controls and imprudent borrow and spending policies match the liberal market capitalism rhetoric from a politician?

    What’s actually missing here, the “impersonator” lacking even an ounce of the courage of the “original”?
  • Andy_JS said:

    I've just watched one of Owen Jones's latest missives on Twitter (the one posted two days ago). And, my goodness, can someone send for the RNLI? He's drowning in salty, salty tears.

    Here's an idea for him: if he's so irate, then stand for election for Labour. Then he might actually do something for people.

    What's he irate about? Couldn't find the tweet.
    He did a video where he lambasted Starmer and his supporters. Starmer was then asked about it on the Vine show, and he responded calmly and relatively eloquently, which appears to have just enraged Jones all the more.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 43,624

    Von Der Leyen proposing peak time energy use targets to 'flatten the curve' of demand
    Hmmmmmm.

    My first thought is that must be a shit idea. Since every other idea in her entire career has been wrong.
  • wooliedyedwooliedyed Posts: 6,841
    edited September 2022

    PB as a microcosm of the electorate experiment.
    Based on the cautiously and fairly positive reaction so far from a number of our right leaning and centrist (unionist) posters it suggests, extrapolated to the wider world, a bounce. To be impacted by tomorrows announcements of course.
    Thunder greets this post in Norwich.........

    I thought she did OK at PMQs. I wouldn't vote for her.
    No, but im not expecting her to get 60% miraculously or anything like that. If the initial impact is broadly positive or more positive than negative tgen the uncertains starrt to climb back on board and she bounces (without neefing a single switcher). Does she get tory WNV reengaged is the key
  • MISTYMISTY Posts: 1,594
    Pound touches lowest since 1985.

    Hi Liz, markets say hello.
  • PB as a microcosm of the electorate experiment.
    Based on the cautiously and fairly positive reaction so far from a number of our right leaning and centrist (unionist) posters it suggests, extrapolated to the wider world, a bounce. To be impacted by tomorrows announcements of course.
    Thunder greets this post in Norwich.........

    On PB, not answerable to the voters, not catastrophic if you u turn, you can say what you are thinking today, if asked “will you use a bit of windfall tax extension to help pay” you can say no.

    But that was so dumb for Truss to do at PMQs. She should have listed the reasons why not, and not given the opposition the straight answer they wanted. What you are calling here good was actually so dumb, she allowed her opponents to completely box her in and take that option off the table. That’s why she was bluntly asked it, and then she gave them what they wanted.

    Can you not see that, how she blundered her way through this session making these dreadful mistakes, of letting her opponents paint her and her policies how they want them to be known?

    She got a great hair cut, but there is nothing but air inside it.
    A windfall tax has already been taken, extending its scope to fund 4% of the proposed action is a sideline at best, especially as that extension is at the expense of incentives to invest in green energy.
    Long term levies. Thats your puppy.
    Downing Street has confirmed the windfall tax already agreed remains so any windfall tax from labour can only marginally increase revenue if they close the so called loopholes

  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,758
    edited September 2022

    Andy_JS said:

    I've just watched one of Owen Jones's latest missives on Twitter (the one posted two days ago). And, my goodness, can someone send for the RNLI? He's drowning in salty, salty tears.

    Here's an idea for him: if he's so irate, then stand for election for Labour. Then he might actually do something for people.

    What's he irate about? Couldn't find the tweet.
    He did a video where he lambasted Starmer and his supporters. Starmer was then asked about it on the Vine show, and he responded calmly and relatively eloquently, which appears to have just enraged Jones all the more.
    As the great Murray Watts said:

    'If somebody speaks angrily to you, do not reply in kind, but give him a soft answer. It is commanded by the Holy Writ, and furthermore, it makes him far madder than anything else you could say.'
  • WhisperingOracleWhisperingOracle Posts: 8,480
    edited September 2022
    Leon said:

    The TRULY great thing about this coast is that it’s all protected. It’s a national park AND a series of regional parks. Fiercely maintained. You can’t build a small garden shed without permission

    So this - the last great totally-unspoiled coast in southwest Europe, will remain unspoiled

    Well done Portugal

    If only Greece was doing the same, and Italy before had done. There's still miles of coastline in Greece like this, but the way things are going, in 20 years there won't be.
  • CookieCookie Posts: 11,184
    To counter any feeling of 'Truss might not be so bad', there has been an absolute torrent of invective about her on the chat at my public sector workplace - complaining about 'British workers need more graft' (the irony of British workers spending their worktime gossiping on Teams was not commented on); complaining about her unsoundness on trans rights, complaining about her unsoundness on climate change, complaining meanwhile about Keir Starmer's uselessness and pining instead for Angela Rayner. All par for the course in a public sector workplace and probably has been for a decade or more, but she clearly hasn't changed the landscape yet.
    Meanwhile another colleague is enthusiastically looking forward to Scotland leaving the UK so he can move to Scotland and rejoin the EU. I raised doubts about how Scotland would do economically, which he countered with 'well there are a lot of small, poor countries in the EU - Bulgaria and Portugal seem to do ok.' I thought this was maybe a bit of a steep price to pay for rejoining the promised land, but there you go.
  • TimSTimS Posts: 9,167

    eek said:

    kle4 said:

    Pro_Rata said:

    Thought an interesting question today was Peter Bottomley's on local planning control over bigger projects.

    Truss was all spades in the ground yesterday, yet seemed quite warm towards the local control thing.

    They are not direct opposite statements but they do point in somewhat different directions, be interesting how that plays out.

    I cannot at present figure out how she will marry those two together. The 'more local control' is generally a cover for NIMBYs in the shires so went down well with the members (though issues of specific targets can indeed be unfair on localities), but government policy has long been trying to make things easier, not harder, hence the proposals that got Jenrick fired.

    Honestly, giving locals more control over smaller projects but less on bigger projects seems more the way to go - when the country really needs the big stuff, holding it up locally forever just stores up problems, so you need to shortcut that, but the tradeoff is the much more common local stuff they have greater say over than now.
    One possible squaring of the circle - local control of aspects of development. So central government says “build x homes in the area” and locally “… in this way/style to fit in”
    They should do that with electricity generation as well. "I require that you bring me a gigawatt. I don't care how you do it, just get it done".
    Local councils can't build nuclear power stations or offshore wind farms unfortunately. Only choice would be onshore wind or solar farms. They could put solar panels on all council buildings, schools etc.
    Not currently but when Rolls Royce's mini nuclear stations start appearing....

    And we probably do need local power generation if only to stop the need for ever larger cables elsewhere...
    They could do energy from waste. It's renewable, and makes a lot more sense than putting it in landfill and letting the greenhouse gases leach out anyway, or exporting the waste. It's also less of an eyesore than windmills and a lot more reliable than windmills or solar.
    I'm very supportive of energy from waste and relieved to know that my black bin waste goes to the local incinerator in Bermondsey rather than landfill, but I can confirm it's objectively much more of an eyesore than a landscape of wind turbines. It doesn't generate a huge amount of electricity either, though it does do the nifty thing of community water heating, which is very common in parts of Northern Europe yet almost unheard of in Britain.
  • RazedabodeRazedabode Posts: 2,973
    MISTY said:

    Pound touches lowest since 1985.

    Hi Liz, markets say hello.

    Hmmm.. slightly worrying
  • wooliedyedwooliedyed Posts: 6,841
    edited September 2022

    Von Der Leyen proposing peak time energy use targets to 'flatten the curve' of demand
    Hmmmmmm.

    I wonder how the remainers will spin that... and we're only in September!
    She could at least have used a non 2020 script for her garbage.
    Energy lockdowns next. Stay home, save energy, protect the NPower
  • Phil said:

    carnforth said:

    ydoethur said:

    OK, so here is a question:

    I'm trying to find an account for my new business. It's proving tricky for all sorts of reasons. I've been working with Virgin Money to open an account so far but I'm seriously unimpressed - they keep losing correspondence and their emails are masterpieces in missing the point, which is why a month in they still haven't opened an account.

    Is there any reasonably good, preferably free or very cheap, business account out there suitable for a start up? I'm not looking for anything very elaborate although the ability to pay cheques in would be an advantage.

    Barclays charge me £7.50 a quarter for an account for a limited company, which I think allows me to pay in some number of cheques for free, although I never have.

    Will you be handling cash too? Especially coins?
    For relatively light use, a NatWest business account is very cheap. No standing charge, just charges for payments: 35p / electronic debit or deposit, 70p per cheque. If your business only makes a few transactions a month it has to be one of the cheapest business account around?
    Tide, Starling or if you want branches where you can talk to people who can do things, then Metro. Avoid the big banks imo.
  • Jonathan said:

    Interesting PMQs. Truss did well. New PMs always do. Curious new Tory concept to borrow billions to lower taxes. Will be interesting to see how that goes, but Thatcherite economics this is not.

    If the economy tanks, she’s out. If she manages to engineer a boom, she might hang on.

    I just can't see how she engineers a boom. Neither can Norman Lamont.
    You don’t tax your way to growth, you borrow your way to growth was my main take out from her messaging - and it seems like that will be the defining message of her tenure.
    Very Brownian economics. Very 2008.
    Brown's main focus was always on redistribution, so very different to Trussonomics.
  • Dura_AceDura_Ace Posts: 12,880
    The pb.com tories are going to be in danger of ripping their glanses right off when Jizzy Lizzy launches her CoL/Energy bullshit. Fantastic or brilliant? The voters will decide.
  • So apparently the "British workers need more graft", goes down very badly in focus groups.
  • BREAKING: Scotland's Deputy FM John Swinney announces £500million of cuts to start paying for £700m of increased public sector pay rises (council workers, ScotRail) including £52m cut for employability schemes. Swinney says it's "just the beginning of hard choices"

    https://twitter.com/chrismusson/status/1567514624454451203
  • wooliedyedwooliedyed Posts: 6,841
    Cookie said:

    To counter any feeling of 'Truss might not be so bad', there has been an absolute torrent of invective about her on the chat at my public sector workplace - complaining about 'British workers need more graft' (the irony of British workers spending their worktime gossiping on Teams was not commented on); complaining about her unsoundness on trans rights, complaining about her unsoundness on climate change, complaining meanwhile about Keir Starmer's uselessness and pining instead for Angela Rayner. All par for the course in a public sector workplace and probably has been for a decade or more, but she clearly hasn't changed the landscape yet.
    Meanwhile another colleague is enthusiastically looking forward to Scotland leaving the UK so he can move to Scotland and rejoin the EU. I raised doubts about how Scotland would do economically, which he countered with 'well there are a lot of small, poor countries in the EU - Bulgaria and Portugal seem to do ok.' I thought this was maybe a bit of a steep price to pay for rejoining the promised land, but there you go.

    Any 'shes planning to sell the NHS' bullshit making an early appearance?
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 39,149
    Dura_Ace said:

    The pb.com tories are going to be in danger of ripping their glanses right off when Jizzy Lizzy launches her CoL/Energy bullshit. Fantastic or brilliant? The voters will decide.

    Glandes, glandes ...
  • JonathanJonathan Posts: 20,901
    MISTY said:

    Pound touches lowest since 1985.

    Hi Liz, markets say hello.

    Market not a fan of borrowing to fund for tax cuts? I can't say I would be hugely surprised.
  • Von Der Leyen proposing peak time energy use targets to 'flatten the curve' of demand
    Hmmmmmm.

    Thank God we left the EU. No rationing or blackouts for us this winter. Liz has said so.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1TOXSACsuA
    TLDR, EU ok for gas this winter, UK not so much.
  • FrankBoothFrankBooth Posts: 9,005
    What's the all time record on Sterling? 1.13 is the lowest I can see.
  • DynamoDynamo Posts: 651

    Sandpit said:

    AlistairM said:

    Looks like training the Ukrainian army is paying off...

    Russian sources report that Ukrainian forces are using effective NATO style combined arms attacks on their positions and they are totally overwhelmed in some areas.
    https://twitter.com/WarMonitor3/status/1567474654310277120

    There’s definitely a book or two to be written, on how the Ukranian army managed to go from Soviet military doctrine, to NATO doctrine, in only a few short years since 2014. This sort of thing usually takes several generations, requiring everyone from the top down to get with the program.
    Their heavy defeat in 2014 seems to have had the effect it sometimes has on armies - all the vested interests were on the table, and all the bullshit reasons for not changing we’re swept away.

    It must have been a combination of willingness to change and the external support offered.

    That and the Ukrainians have taken things further than the West in some areas. If the reports are correct, their target designation and allocation database system is something that has been talked about but not implemented in Western militaries. Because “doctrine”….
    That sounds much more believable than the Ukrainian side using standard NATO doctrine and the Russian side not being prepared to meet it.
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 39,149
    TimS said:

    eek said:

    kle4 said:

    Pro_Rata said:

    Thought an interesting question today was Peter Bottomley's on local planning control over bigger projects.

    Truss was all spades in the ground yesterday, yet seemed quite warm towards the local control thing.

    They are not direct opposite statements but they do point in somewhat different directions, be interesting how that plays out.

    I cannot at present figure out how she will marry those two together. The 'more local control' is generally a cover for NIMBYs in the shires so went down well with the members (though issues of specific targets can indeed be unfair on localities), but government policy has long been trying to make things easier, not harder, hence the proposals that got Jenrick fired.

    Honestly, giving locals more control over smaller projects but less on bigger projects seems more the way to go - when the country really needs the big stuff, holding it up locally forever just stores up problems, so you need to shortcut that, but the tradeoff is the much more common local stuff they have greater say over than now.
    One possible squaring of the circle - local control of aspects of development. So central government says “build x homes in the area” and locally “… in this way/style to fit in”
    They should do that with electricity generation as well. "I require that you bring me a gigawatt. I don't care how you do it, just get it done".
    Local councils can't build nuclear power stations or offshore wind farms unfortunately. Only choice would be onshore wind or solar farms. They could put solar panels on all council buildings, schools etc.
    Not currently but when Rolls Royce's mini nuclear stations start appearing....

    And we probably do need local power generation if only to stop the need for ever larger cables elsewhere...
    They could do energy from waste. It's renewable, and makes a lot more sense than putting it in landfill and letting the greenhouse gases leach out anyway, or exporting the waste. It's also less of an eyesore than windmills and a lot more reliable than windmills or solar.
    I'm very supportive of energy from waste and relieved to know that my black bin waste goes to the local incinerator in Bermondsey rather than landfill, but I can confirm it's objectively much more of an eyesore than a landscape of wind turbines. It doesn't generate a huge amount of electricity either, though it does do the nifty thing of community water heating, which is very common in parts of Northern Europe yet almost unheard of in Britain.
    There's one of those complete with water heating not far from Edinburgh.

    The other reason to recycle/burn waste is that we are running out of holes in the ground anyway, so good to reduce the amount of stuff to put in the hole.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 61,575
    Leon said:

    Now I’m avin’ me another pingado with medronho

    I’ve worked out it’s the only way to do these Stakhanovite hikes. You stop every 90 minutes for “pingado with medronho”

    Is the beach-crawl already a thing, or did you just invent it ?
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 24,587

    PB as a microcosm of the electorate experiment.
    Based on the cautiously and fairly positive reaction so far from a number of our right leaning and centrist (unionist) posters it suggests, extrapolated to the wider world, a bounce. To be impacted by tomorrows announcements of course.
    Thunder greets this post in Norwich.........

    I thought she did OK at PMQs. I wouldn't vote for her.
    No, but im not expecting her to get 60% miraculously or anything like that. If the initial impact is broadly positive or more positive than negative tgen the uncertains starrt to climb back on board and she bounces (without neefing a single switcher). Does she get tory WNV reengaged is the key
    I am sure she engages some who were repelled by Johnson, but then Johnson's shouty appeal was such that Truss's calmness may well encourage some Johnsonians to stay at home or vote Labour. I don't know?

    I doubt whether her package of measures to alleviate the energy crisis is the magic electoral bullet some on here expect. Some people are already up Sh1t Street. Bernard Jenkin said yesterday that she was simultaneously facing the Five Horseman of the Apocalypse. Let's assume she has faced down one of them (which I doubt) she still has four more to go. On today's performance she deserves a bounce, but I am sceptical it will last.
  • TimS said:

    eek said:

    kle4 said:

    Pro_Rata said:

    Thought an interesting question today was Peter Bottomley's on local planning control over bigger projects.

    Truss was all spades in the ground yesterday, yet seemed quite warm towards the local control thing.

    They are not direct opposite statements but they do point in somewhat different directions, be interesting how that plays out.

    I cannot at present figure out how she will marry those two together. The 'more local control' is generally a cover for NIMBYs in the shires so went down well with the members (though issues of specific targets can indeed be unfair on localities), but government policy has long been trying to make things easier, not harder, hence the proposals that got Jenrick fired.

    Honestly, giving locals more control over smaller projects but less on bigger projects seems more the way to go - when the country really needs the big stuff, holding it up locally forever just stores up problems, so you need to shortcut that, but the tradeoff is the much more common local stuff they have greater say over than now.
    One possible squaring of the circle - local control of aspects of development. So central government says “build x homes in the area” and locally “… in this way/style to fit in”
    They should do that with electricity generation as well. "I require that you bring me a gigawatt. I don't care how you do it, just get it done".
    Local councils can't build nuclear power stations or offshore wind farms unfortunately. Only choice would be onshore wind or solar farms. They could put solar panels on all council buildings, schools etc.
    Not currently but when Rolls Royce's mini nuclear stations start appearing....

    And we probably do need local power generation if only to stop the need for ever larger cables elsewhere...
    They could do energy from waste. It's renewable, and makes a lot more sense than putting it in landfill and letting the greenhouse gases leach out anyway, or exporting the waste. It's also less of an eyesore than windmills and a lot more reliable than windmills or solar.
    I'm very supportive of energy from waste and relieved to know that my black bin waste goes to the local incinerator in Bermondsey rather than landfill, but I can confirm it's objectively much more of an eyesore than a landscape of wind turbines. It doesn't generate a huge amount of electricity either, though it does do the nifty thing of community water heating, which is very common in parts of Northern Europe yet almost unheard of in Britain.
    There's a plentiful supply too. 30% of our non-recyclable waste doesn't currently get used in this way. What a waste. Of waste.
  • New appointments:
    Robert Jenrick MP as a Minister of State in the Department of Health and Social Care;
    Rachel Maclean MP as a Minister of State in the Ministry of Justice;
    Victoria Prentis MP as a Minister of State in the Department for Work and Pensions
    https://bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-politics-62812442


    https://twitter.com/ChrisMasonBBC/status/1567519718843588609

  • MoonRabbitMoonRabbit Posts: 12,415
    edited September 2022

    PB as a microcosm of the electorate experiment.
    Based on the cautiously and fairly positive reaction so far from a number of our right leaning and centrist (unionist) posters it suggests, extrapolated to the wider world, a bounce. To be impacted by tomorrows announcements of course.
    Thunder greets this post in Norwich.........

    On PB, not answerable to the voters, not catastrophic if you u turn, you can say what you are thinking today, if asked “will you use a bit of windfall tax extension to help pay” you can say no.

    But that was so dumb for Truss to do at PMQs. She should have listed the reasons why not, and not given the opposition the straight answer they wanted. What you are calling here good was actually so dumb, she allowed her opponents to completely box her in and take that option off the table. That’s why she was bluntly asked it, and then she gave them what they wanted.

    Can you not see that, how she blundered her way through this session making these dreadful mistakes, of letting her opponents paint her and her policies how they want them to be known?

    She got a great hair cut, but there is nothing but air inside it.
    Whereas you are right on her having fully ruled out screwing the energy companies, which the public quite like, you are being unfair on her general performance which was pretty good.
    Fair enough if you like the “Maggie inside a Dalek” style, but the substance we are getting is pretty bizarre and second rate.

    I don’t just mean there will be devil in the detail behind the “£190B of support for families and businesses” newspaper front pages actually means regressive package of bungs to people who don’t need it, still too much hardship for the poor, and in the case of furlough £30B handed over to organised crime due to slack management all ultimately failing the VFM judgement - there will be plenty of that for opponents to get stuck into. No, I’m talking about the art to politics, where whatever you do it is never known for how good it is, it’s only known for how you allowed your opponents to define it. On that measurement it was a blundering PMQs, and awful start for Liz Truss.
  • PB as a microcosm of the electorate experiment.
    Based on the cautiously and fairly positive reaction so far from a number of our right leaning and centrist (unionist) posters it suggests, extrapolated to the wider world, a bounce. To be impacted by tomorrows announcements of course.
    Thunder greets this post in Norwich.........

    On PB, not answerable to the voters, not catastrophic if you u turn, you can say what you are thinking today, if asked “will you use a bit of windfall tax extension to help pay” you can say no.

    But that was so dumb for Truss to do at PMQs. She should have listed the reasons why not, and not given the opposition the straight answer they wanted. What you are calling here good was actually so dumb, she allowed her opponents to completely box her in and take that option off the table. That’s why she was bluntly asked it, and then she gave them what they wanted.

    Can you not see that, how she blundered her way through this session making these dreadful mistakes, of letting her opponents paint her and her policies how they want them to be known?

    She got a great hair cut, but there is nothing but air inside it.

    Yep, Labour got what they wanted out of PMQ - a firm commitment from Truss not to levy a windfall tax on energy companies. When the announcement is made tomorrow that will now be a major talking point and the Tories will have to explain why they think it is a bad idea.
  • TimSTimS Posts: 9,167

    MISTY said:

    Pound touches lowest since 1985.

    Hi Liz, markets say hello.

    Hmmm.. slightly worrying
    I was discussing with our chief economist earlier and we couldn't think of any government worldwide with a platform that combines full on Thatcherite supply-side policies with an intensely relaxed attitude to fiscal balance and the deficit. MMT combined with monetarism.
  • Why has the Pound dropped? Borrowing fears?
  • pm215 said:

    Phil said:

    Ah, to be clear: the military understanding of the term “foraging” at the time meant the taking of food stores built up by the peasantry. This is why military campaigns tended to be timed so that you ran out of your initial food stocks shortly after the first harvest of the year - you rode in, took as much of the harvest as you deemed appropriate & moved on to the next village. No military operated by actually harvesting the crops themselves: that’s far too slow & leaves you vulnerable to counter-attack.

    I suspect they would just as happily have taken potato stocks as they would wheat, barley or oat stocks. Anything portable and resistant to rot would do. The potato’s effect on society was more down to its enormously improved calorie yield per acre compared with other crops, plus the fact that you could grow them almost anywhere.

    You don’t have to dig and store potatoes - they could be kept underground until the army had passed… (or the peasants were hungry)
    I imagine armies would have adapted to the idea of having to dig up a potato crop. The Roman army apparently issued its soldiers with sickles, so its foraging parties were capable of taking standing grain from the fields, threshing it in camp and then hand-milling it to bake into bread. In comparison, digging up potatoes is fairly straightforward, so even armies without the discipline of the Romans could I guess have managed it if necessary.
    (Source: https://acoup.blog/2022/07/29/collections-logistics-how-did-they-do-it-part-ii-foraging/ )
    It’s not efficient - not in big fields but grown in gardens and clearings. If you don’t know what the leaves look like…

    Interestingly when France and Austria marched through Prussia and saw the benefits (Frederik had handed out free potato plants to the population) they copied the strategy… so it must have worked
  • CyclefreeCyclefree Posts: 25,074
    edited September 2022

    Interesting thread on dropping the bill of rights:

    https://twitter.com/RajivShah90/status/1567493045532213249

    I was a spad in MOJ under @RobertBuckland and, until yesterday, in the No 10 Policy Unit where I worked on constitutional issues for the past three years.

    🧵on this important announcement 👇

    TL;DR: This is great news but would be a mistake to see it from a left v right pov

    Ultimately, the Bill of Rights sought to provide a domestic solution to a problem that only had an international solution. When you look at it, it has a number of provisions that look like red meat, but actually, it is a vegan steak

    To Liz Truss's credit, it looks like she wants to focus on effective reforms and so has wisely chosen to drop this Bill even if it might cause a backlash from the right of the party

    Alternatively, this is a bit of a power grab by the Home Office which will try to pass the stuff they want to do rather than have a big Bill of Rights with a target on its back. It may be worth holding back on the cheering until we see what they might replace it with.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,614
    Dynamo said:

    Sandpit said:

    AlistairM said:

    Looks like training the Ukrainian army is paying off...

    Russian sources report that Ukrainian forces are using effective NATO style combined arms attacks on their positions and they are totally overwhelmed in some areas.
    https://twitter.com/WarMonitor3/status/1567474654310277120

    There’s definitely a book or two to be written, on how the Ukranian army managed to go from Soviet military doctrine, to NATO doctrine, in only a few short years since 2014. This sort of thing usually takes several generations, requiring everyone from the top down to get with the program.
    Their heavy defeat in 2014 seems to have had the effect it sometimes has on armies - all the vested interests were on the table, and all the bullshit reasons for not changing we’re swept away.

    It must have been a combination of willingness to change and the external support offered.

    That and the Ukrainians have taken things further than the West in some areas. If the reports are correct, their target designation and allocation database system is something that has been talked about but not implemented in Western militaries. Because “doctrine”….
    That sounds much more believable than the Ukrainian side using standard NATO doctrine and the Russian side not being prepared to meet it.
    The Russian side still seem to be in the mindset of keep feeding men into the mincing machine. 50,000 comrades so far, that’s 50,000 wives and mothers who have pointlessly lost a loved one, to keep Putin’s imperialist ambitions alive.
  • TimSTimS Posts: 9,167

    TimS said:

    eek said:

    kle4 said:

    Pro_Rata said:

    Thought an interesting question today was Peter Bottomley's on local planning control over bigger projects.

    Truss was all spades in the ground yesterday, yet seemed quite warm towards the local control thing.

    They are not direct opposite statements but they do point in somewhat different directions, be interesting how that plays out.

    I cannot at present figure out how she will marry those two together. The 'more local control' is generally a cover for NIMBYs in the shires so went down well with the members (though issues of specific targets can indeed be unfair on localities), but government policy has long been trying to make things easier, not harder, hence the proposals that got Jenrick fired.

    Honestly, giving locals more control over smaller projects but less on bigger projects seems more the way to go - when the country really needs the big stuff, holding it up locally forever just stores up problems, so you need to shortcut that, but the tradeoff is the much more common local stuff they have greater say over than now.
    One possible squaring of the circle - local control of aspects of development. So central government says “build x homes in the area” and locally “… in this way/style to fit in”
    They should do that with electricity generation as well. "I require that you bring me a gigawatt. I don't care how you do it, just get it done".
    Local councils can't build nuclear power stations or offshore wind farms unfortunately. Only choice would be onshore wind or solar farms. They could put solar panels on all council buildings, schools etc.
    Not currently but when Rolls Royce's mini nuclear stations start appearing....

    And we probably do need local power generation if only to stop the need for ever larger cables elsewhere...
    They could do energy from waste. It's renewable, and makes a lot more sense than putting it in landfill and letting the greenhouse gases leach out anyway, or exporting the waste. It's also less of an eyesore than windmills and a lot more reliable than windmills or solar.
    I'm very supportive of energy from waste and relieved to know that my black bin waste goes to the local incinerator in Bermondsey rather than landfill, but I can confirm it's objectively much more of an eyesore than a landscape of wind turbines. It doesn't generate a huge amount of electricity either, though it does do the nifty thing of community water heating, which is very common in parts of Northern Europe yet almost unheard of in Britain.
    There's a plentiful supply too. 30% of our non-recyclable waste doesn't currently get used in this way. What a waste. Of waste.
    Energy from waste with CCS would be carbon neutral or possibly carbon-negative as some of the waste (that doesn't go to composting) is biomass.
  • GhedebravGhedebrav Posts: 2,995
    Speaking of Alan Garner earlier - he's now the oldest Booker shortlisted author (and the book is the shortest nominee).
  • IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830
    TimS said:

    eek said:

    kle4 said:

    Pro_Rata said:

    Thought an interesting question today was Peter Bottomley's on local planning control over bigger projects.

    Truss was all spades in the ground yesterday, yet seemed quite warm towards the local control thing.

    They are not direct opposite statements but they do point in somewhat different directions, be interesting how that plays out.

    I cannot at present figure out how she will marry those two together. The 'more local control' is generally a cover for NIMBYs in the shires so went down well with the members (though issues of specific targets can indeed be unfair on localities), but government policy has long been trying to make things easier, not harder, hence the proposals that got Jenrick fired.

    Honestly, giving locals more control over smaller projects but less on bigger projects seems more the way to go - when the country really needs the big stuff, holding it up locally forever just stores up problems, so you need to shortcut that, but the tradeoff is the much more common local stuff they have greater say over than now.
    One possible squaring of the circle - local control of aspects of development. So central government says “build x homes in the area” and locally “… in this way/style to fit in”
    They should do that with electricity generation as well. "I require that you bring me a gigawatt. I don't care how you do it, just get it done".
    Local councils can't build nuclear power stations or offshore wind farms unfortunately. Only choice would be onshore wind or solar farms. They could put solar panels on all council buildings, schools etc.
    Not currently but when Rolls Royce's mini nuclear stations start appearing....

    And we probably do need local power generation if only to stop the need for ever larger cables elsewhere...
    They could do energy from waste. It's renewable, and makes a lot more sense than putting it in landfill and letting the greenhouse gases leach out anyway, or exporting the waste. It's also less of an eyesore than windmills and a lot more reliable than windmills or solar.
    I'm very supportive of energy from waste and relieved to know that my black bin waste goes to the local incinerator in Bermondsey rather than landfill, but I can confirm it's objectively much more of an eyesore than a landscape of wind turbines. It doesn't generate a huge amount of electricity either, though it does do the nifty thing of community water heating, which is very common in parts of Northern Europe yet almost unheard of in Britain.
    It's a complete bugger to be on at the moment because your heat producer is commercial not residential and unlikely to be covered by caps.
  • paulyork64paulyork64 Posts: 2,461
    Jonathan said:

    eek said:

    MISTY said:

    ......Brent crude breaks 90 on the downside...

    Today I saw petrol at sub £1.60 for the first time since i'm not sure when. Not in a supermarket but a main road Jet station near Ferryhill.
    The Jet garage at J59 of the A1M is the same £1.599
    In March, when the price of oil was similar the price was £1.48/litre. And that was before a fuel duty cut. Even accounting for a lag, someone is making a few quid out of this. Prices remain high.
    Has Sterling fallen since then?
  • Cookie said:

    To counter any feeling of 'Truss might not be so bad', there has been an absolute torrent of invective about her on the chat at my public sector workplace - complaining about 'British workers need more graft' (the irony of British workers spending their worktime gossiping on Teams was not commented on); complaining about her unsoundness on trans rights, complaining about her unsoundness on climate change, complaining meanwhile about Keir Starmer's uselessness and pining instead for Angela Rayner. All par for the course in a public sector workplace and probably has been for a decade or more, but she clearly hasn't changed the landscape yet.
    Meanwhile another colleague is enthusiastically looking forward to Scotland leaving the UK so he can move to Scotland and rejoin the EU. I raised doubts about how Scotland would do economically, which he countered with 'well there are a lot of small, poor countries in the EU - Bulgaria and Portugal seem to do ok.' I thought this was maybe a bit of a steep price to pay for rejoining the promised land, but there you go.

    That certainly doesn't counter my feeling of 'Truss might not be so bad'.
  • wooliedyedwooliedyed Posts: 6,841
    edited September 2022

    PB as a microcosm of the electorate experiment.
    Based on the cautiously and fairly positive reaction so far from a number of our right leaning and centrist (unionist) posters it suggests, extrapolated to the wider world, a bounce. To be impacted by tomorrows announcements of course.
    Thunder greets this post in Norwich.........

    I thought she did OK at PMQs. I wouldn't vote for her.
    No, but im not expecting her to get 60% miraculously or anything like that. If the initial impact is broadly positive or more positive than negative tgen the uncertains starrt to climb back on board and she bounces (without neefing a single switcher). Does she get tory WNV reengaged is the key
    I am sure she engages some who were repelled by Johnson, but then Johnson's shouty appeal was such that Truss's calmness may well encourage some Johnsonians to stay at home or vote Labour. I don't know?

    I doubt whether her package of measures to alleviate the energy crisis is the magic electoral bullet some on here expect. Some people are already up Sh1t Street. Bernard Jenkin said yesterday that she was simultaneously facing the Five Horseman of the Apocalypse. Let's assume she has faced down one of them (which I doubt) she still has four more to go. On today's performance she deserves a bounce, but I am sceptical it will last.
    Oh i agree, it lasting is another thing entirely. She needs to get us through in better shape than the EU/US etc to have hope of maintaining support but that will still be shite for millions.
    Its bleak everywhere rn
  • Why has the Pound dropped? Borrowing fears?

    In the spring the penny was dropping about Boris. However, now it has been adjusted for 2022 inflation it is time for the pound to drop.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 61,575
    French government inquiry confirms (as reported earlier by investigative media) that the initial IHU-Marseille hydroxychloroquine study was faked, with different criteria for +ve/-ve PCR tests being applied to the two groups. This is straight-up scientific fraud.
    https://twitter.com/sTeamTraen/status/1567180972268871680
  • wooliedyedwooliedyed Posts: 6,841

    PB as a microcosm of the electorate experiment.
    Based on the cautiously and fairly positive reaction so far from a number of our right leaning and centrist (unionist) posters it suggests, extrapolated to the wider world, a bounce. To be impacted by tomorrows announcements of course.
    Thunder greets this post in Norwich.........

    On PB, not answerable to the voters, not catastrophic if you u turn, you can say what you are thinking today, if asked “will you use a bit of windfall tax extension to help pay” you can say no.

    But that was so dumb for Truss to do at PMQs. She should have listed the reasons why not, and not given the opposition the straight answer they wanted. What you are calling here good was actually so dumb, she allowed her opponents to completely box her in and take that option off the table. That’s why she was bluntly asked it, and then she gave them what they wanted.

    Can you not see that, how she blundered her way through this session making these dreadful mistakes, of letting her opponents paint her and her policies how they want them to be known?

    She got a great hair cut, but there is nothing but air inside it.

    Yep, Labour got what they wanted out of PMQ - a firm commitment from Truss not to levy a windfall tax on energy companies. When the announcement is made tomorrow that will now be a major talking point and the Tories will have to explain why they think it is a bad idea.
    They will just say 'we have already levied a windfall tax 3 months ago'
  • Interesting observation: they are both running at similar levels of “don’t knows”.

    About a third of people don’t have a view on the woman who has been in the government for a decade or the man who has been leader of the opposition for two and a half years.

    https://twitter.com/mattchorley/status/1567521212200271874

    Good result for Starmer
  • PhilPhil Posts: 1,919

    Phil said:

    carnforth said:

    ydoethur said:

    OK, so here is a question:

    I'm trying to find an account for my new business. It's proving tricky for all sorts of reasons. I've been working with Virgin Money to open an account so far but I'm seriously unimpressed - they keep losing correspondence and their emails are masterpieces in missing the point, which is why a month in they still haven't opened an account.

    Is there any reasonably good, preferably free or very cheap, business account out there suitable for a start up? I'm not looking for anything very elaborate although the ability to pay cheques in would be an advantage.

    Barclays charge me £7.50 a quarter for an account for a limited company, which I think allows me to pay in some number of cheques for free, although I never have.

    Will you be handling cash too? Especially coins?
    For relatively light use, a NatWest business account is very cheap. No standing charge, just charges for payments: 35p / electronic debit or deposit, 70p per cheque. If your business only makes a few transactions a month it has to be one of the cheapest business account around?
    Tide, Starling or if you want branches where you can talk to people who can do things, then Metro. Avoid the big banks imo.
    Some friends went with Metro for their small company. They were OK I think, but again it did take a while to get sorted out.
This discussion has been closed.