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Defence of the realm – politicalbetting.com

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  • Mrs J made a comment about the Greggggg's 'excuse' that interested me. The reason why the complaints might be coming from middle-class women of a 'certain age' might be because they had had decades of putting up with this sort of shite from men, and may have the finances and support to survive if they never work in the industry again.

    Younger women might be much more frightened of what a backlash might do to their formative careers to speak out.

    I reckon there might be something to that.

    Maybe but mostly not in this case. Gregg has no power over former Masterchef contestants, or Masterchef Professional contestants, and nor do the BBC or production company because they do not work in television. We need to wait and see if there are more complaints from these groups.

    Mrs J is probably right about production staff. Even most of the celebrities on Celebrity Masterchef are bigger names than Gregg Wallace.
  • AlsoLeiAlsoLei Posts: 1,505
    HYUFD said:

    Farage wants tax cuts but spending increases? He wants to scrap net zero targets which would be a big saving and scrap HS2, another big spending cut and also Farage is on record wanting to move away from a state funded NHS and increasingly fund healthcare by insurance instead. That would be a massive saving and a huge spending cut compared to this current Labour government or even the last Tory government

    https://www.facebook.com/TheLondonEconomic/videos/film-shows-nigel-farage-calling-for-move-away-from-state-funded-nhs/438201792335167/
    Most of the HS2 money has already been spent, the tunnels have been dug, contracts have been let, and the production line for the rolling stock is being built. By the time of the next election, it'll have progressed so far that cancellation will cost money, not save it. This is the opposite of sunk cost fallacy.

    Net zero is a similar picture - what, does he want to tear down the ten thousand or so new wind turbines that will have been built by then? Remove solar panels from people's roofs? Build new coal power stations? All the money needed to meet our 2030 NDCs will already have been invested by the next election, and there'll be firm contracts in place covering the 2035 NDCs. Reversing any of this will cost money and leave us worse off.

    As for ending the single payer NHS model, that would indeed be a huge saving. Has anyone asked the voters what they think of it?
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 30,212
    viewcode said:

    No, it's treason.

    You have to imagine me pulling out a blackboard, with "British" on one side and "Not British" on the other, holding up cards with faces, and pointing with a pointer. Musk is not British. It's not difficult.
    UK politicians are sponsored and financed in various ways by foreign entities - usually 'entirely unrelated' gigs years after they have filled those corporations' pockets with money. I don’t want our politics run by Elon Musk, but there's something quite refreshingly honest about his seeking to influence it in such a public way.
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 44,317

    UK politicians are sponsored and financed in various ways by foreign entities - usually 'entirely unrelated' gigs years after they have filled those corporations' pockets with money. I don’t want our politics run by Elon Musk, but there's something quite refreshingly honest about his seeking to influence it in such a public way.
    From the same stable as "at least Trump lies to your face".
  • JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 44,885

    (Snip)

    I might have an ounce more respect for you if you said something about those issues every now and again, rather than your constant harrassment campaigns on behalf of 'PB morale'.

    I responded to this bit separately as it is quite interesting. I do speak about such issues, but I realise it's a much more complex situation than you make out, and certainly not as one-sided. For instance, I have commented many times about the closure of Butterley, a rather unique speciality steelmaker than went unremarked anywhere. And on the fact we really, really need to keep Sheffield Forgemasters open. And I've hardly been silent on energy policy. But again, I realise that it is complex.

    So you are wrong. Utterly and hopelessly wrong.

    But I also point out that you have promoted Russian talking points again and again, and constantly do-down this country of ours. If you are not actively a Russian agent, then you really are a useful fool.
  • JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 44,885

    It's not confined to you but I do find it an odd argument that because the Royal Navy is stretched we should cut it even further.

    We are an island nation that is highly globalised and very sensitive to global instability.

    A strong blue water navy is not a luxury if we want to be both safe and secure.
    I agree. Defence is one reason I've consistently said taxes should go up. But I also say that knowing that most of any increase would go to health and education, and very little to defence...
  • JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 44,885
    A picture allegedly from outside the Georgian parliament.

    https://x.com/LukeDCoffey/status/1862990587692986879

    But would Georgian police have riot shields with 'POLICE' on them in English?
  • RobDRobD Posts: 60,285

    A picture allegedly from outside the Georgian parliament.

    https://x.com/LukeDCoffey/status/1862990587692986879

    But would Georgian police have riot shields with 'POLICE' on them in English?

    Yes: https://www.dw.com/en/georgia-police-arrest-scores-amid-ongoing-pro-eu-protests/a-70926985
  • A picture allegedly from outside the Georgian parliament.

    https://x.com/LukeDCoffey/status/1862990587692986879

    But would Georgian police have riot shields with 'POLICE' on them in English?

    AI done messed up imo.
  • bondegezoubondegezou Posts: 13,075
    AlsoLei said:

    Most of the HS2 money has already been spent, the tunnels have been dug, contracts have been let, and the production line for the rolling stock is being built. By the time of the next election, it'll have progressed so far that cancellation will cost money, not save it. This is the opposite of sunk cost fallacy.

    Net zero is a similar picture - what, does he want to tear down the ten thousand or so new wind turbines that will have been built by then? Remove solar panels from people's roofs? Build new coal power stations? All the money needed to meet our 2030 NDCs will already have been invested by the next election, and there'll be firm contracts in place covering the 2035 NDCs. Reversing any of this will cost money and leave us worse off.

    As for ending the single payer NHS model, that would indeed be a huge saving. Has anyone asked the voters what they think of it?
    Moving from the NHS to an insurance model would reduce tax, but land everyone or their employer with massive premiums to pay. Total costs would probably go up.
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 54,031
    AlsoLei said:

    Tricky. Making it a separate move would be painted as a partisan act, allowing Refuk to play at being the victims once again.

    There's an in-progress review of 'Electoral Registration and Conduct', based on the manifesto commitment to widening participation, but perhaps something could be added on to whatever results from that?
    Fuck 'em. Rather they were poor "victims".
  • JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 44,885
    RobD said:

    Yes: https://www.dw.com/en/georgia-police-arrest-scores-amid-ongoing-pro-eu-protests/a-70926985
    Ah, thanks. I wonder why? Second-hand gear from the UK or US, or is 'POLICE' actually the word for it?
  • HYUFD said:

    Farage wants tax cuts but spending increases? He wants to scrap net zero targets which would be a big saving and scrap HS2, another big spending cut and also Farage is on record wanting to move away from a state funded NHS and increasingly fund healthcare by insurance instead. That would be a massive saving and a huge spending cut compared to this current Labour government or even the last Tory government

    https://www.facebook.com/TheLondonEconomic/videos/film-shows-nigel-farage-calling-for-move-away-from-state-funded-nhs/438201792335167/
    Farage wants big increases in spending on police and military.

    Reform also wants to reinstate winter fuel allowance.

    https://www.facebook.com/TheReformPartyUK/posts/reform-mps-are-backing-the-daily-express-campaign-to-restore-winter-fuel-payment/1059138038900272/

    Given that there is zero chance that a Farage government would reduce spending on health or welfare.

    Reform supports actual spending increases.
  • DecrepiterJohnLDecrepiterJohnL Posts: 29,649
    edited December 2024

    Moving from the NHS to an insurance model would reduce tax, but land everyone or their employer with massive premiums to pay. Total costs would probably go up.
    An insurance model for the NHS might not even reduce tax. The government would still need to underwrite a large section of the population, but now at inflated prices.
  • TazTaz Posts: 16,920

    Fuck 'em. Rather they were poor "victims".
    It’s not just about Reform surely it has to be about any political party receiving such a gift. Cannot see how it can be deemed a partisan act when it could affect any other political party at a future date as well.
  • FrankBoothFrankBooth Posts: 10,022

    It's not confined to you but I do find it an odd argument that because the Royal Navy is stretched we should cut it even further.

    We are an island nation that is highly globalised and very sensitive to global instability.

    A strong blue water navy is not a luxury if we want to be both safe and secure.
    The Red Sea chaos ought to be a reminder of the importance of global sea lanes. I do wonder what Saudi and Egypt are doing though.
  • AlsoLeiAlsoLei Posts: 1,505

    Moving from the NHS to an insurance model would reduce tax, but land everyone or their employer with massive premiums to pay. Total costs would probably go up.
    Yes, and any savings to individuals (specifically: the young, healthy, and well-off who are already paying for private health cover) are those who are least likely to vote Refuk.

    Their offer is nonsensical fantasy. They can get away with it for now because people aren't seriously considering them as a party of government, but if they're to become successful they'll need to face the same economic realities that confront the Tories and Labour.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 126,292
    edited December 2024

    Moving from the NHS to an insurance model would reduce tax, but land everyone or their employer with massive premiums to pay. Total costs would probably go up.
    It might do for employers and individuals paying the private health insurance premiums but it would not be the government funding most of the NHS anymore
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 126,292
    edited December 2024

    Farage wants big increases in spending on police and military.

    Reform also wants to reinstate winter fuel allowance.

    https://www.facebook.com/TheReformPartyUK/posts/reform-mps-are-backing-the-daily-express-campaign-to-restore-winter-fuel-payment/1059138038900272/

    Given that there is zero chance that a Farage government would reduce spending on health or welfare.

    Reform supports actual spending increases.
    Every opposition party wants to reinstate winter fuel allowance, it is a drop in the ocean compared to axing most NHS spending and slashing the welfare state and axing state funded solar panels and windfarms as Farage has suggested he wants to do.

    Trump and Meloni and Milei want increased defence and police spending but it certainly hasn't crashed the market there
  • bondegezoubondegezou Posts: 13,075
    HYUFD said:

    It might do for employers and individuals paying the private health insurance premiums but it would not be the government funding most of the NHS anymore
    If it’s still coming out of your wages, are you that bothered?
  • bondegezoubondegezou Posts: 13,075
    HYUFD said:

    Every opposition party wants to reinstate winter fuel allowance, it is a drop in the ocean compared to axing most NHS spending and slashing the welfare state and axing state funded solar panels and windfarms as Farage has suggested he wants to do.

    Trump and Meloni and Milei want increased defence and police spending but it certainly hasn't crashed the market there
    We’re yet to see how the markets react to Trump 2.0. Milei is having problems.
  • FairlieredFairliered Posts: 5,415

    Under my UnDictatorship, management consultants will be a reserved military occupation.

    Reserved for marching, arms locked, in formation, into minefields. At gun point.
    They would be massacred by the advancing enemy while they were standing still reading their risk assessments.
  • FairlieredFairliered Posts: 5,415

    On Greg Wallace, perhaps you could explain away the comments but does anyone want to have a go at saying being at work naked with a sock covering your penis is acceptable?

    I wouldn’t want him in my kitchen dressed like that.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 53,476

    Ah, thanks. I wonder why? Second-hand gear from the UK or US, or is 'POLICE' actually the word for it?
    Google translate claims that the Georgian for police is

    პოლიცია
    Politsia
  • JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 44,885

    Google translate claims that the Georgian for police is

    პოლიცია
    Politsia
    So my guess is that it's all second=hand gear from an English=speaking country.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 75,246

    Well, the RAF tried moving Australia. That didn't work. So they get listened to less.

    The difference in combat radius for F35A and F35C is 150 miles. Which is one drop tank, essentially.

    The reason that the RAF wanted F35A was the worry that a future politicians would simply move any carrier capable aircraft to the FAA, to tidy up the administration.
    Er, no.
    The A version carries nearly 40% more file internally. Like many modern fighter aircraft, it has a relatively small combat radius; the difference between the versions is quite significant in an air defence role.
    Not just range, but the capacity to operate at max speed/power for longer matters a lot.
    (It also has a higher g rating.)
  • JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 44,885

    I wouldn’t want him in my kitchen dressed like that.
    I wouldn't want him (or Torode) in my kitchen. Or at least, if they were, they would end up covered in the contents of the pan he moment they *dared* to criticise my cooking. ;)

    (I am not a good cook).

    I was not an avid watcher, but my impression is that Loyd-Grossman was a 'kinder' critic.
  • williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 54,173

    So my guess is that it's all second=hand gear from an English=speaking country.
    Police is a French word.
  • HYUFD said:

    Every opposition party wants to reinstate winter fuel allowance, it is a drop in the ocean compared to axing most NHS spending and slashing the welfare state and axing state funded solar panels and windfarms as Farage has suggested he wants to do.

    Trump and Meloni and Milei want increased defence and police spending but it certainly hasn't crashed the market there
    So Reform are unwilling to accept the 'drop in the ocean' WFA cut but you think they'd manage to axe most NHS spending and slash pensions.

    I don't know what's more deluded - thinking that Reform would promise to do that or thinking that Reform would manage to do that even if they were elected.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 126,292
    edited December 2024

    So Reform are unwilling to accept the 'drop in the ocean' WFA cut but you think they'd manage to axe most NHS spending and slash pensions.

    I don't know what's more deluded - thinking that Reform would promise to do that or thinking that Reform would manage to do that even if they were elected.
    If they were elected of course. Farage is clear his agenda includes replacing a taxpayer funded NHS with a largely private insurance healthcare system US style. He would also likely scrap UC and replace it with contributions based unemployment benefits only. If we had a Farage government it would likely be Thatcherism with bells on plus deportation of immigrants and fanatically anti woke. Left liberals would soon even wish they could have the Tories back.

    State pensions would remain although they are in part contributions based anyway based on NI contributions and credits
  • JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 44,885

    Police is a French word.
    Thanks.

    My housemaster was also my French teacher. He said to me one day: "Jessop (*), you can't even speak English properly. How the hell am I expected to teach you French?"

    My parents spent a lot of money for me to get that sort of abuse. ;)

    (*) He used my real name. obvs. He had no idea I would use a pseudonym of an 19th Century engineer two decades in the future...
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 53,476
    Nigelb said:

    Er, no.
    The A version carries nearly 40% more file internally. Like many modern fighter aircraft, it has a relatively small combat radius; the difference between the versions is quite significant in an air defence role.
    Not just range, but the capacity to operate at max speed/power for longer matters a lot.
    (It also has a higher g rating.)
    The 150 mile radius difference is the specification, as tested.
  • FairlieredFairliered Posts: 5,415

    The UK government has been accused of undermining the foundations of the economy with its autumn budget, after business confidence plunged to its lowest level since the early months of the Covid-19 pandemic.

    The Institute of Directors’ economic confidence index, which measures business leader optimism in prospects for the UK economy, fell to -65 in November from -52 in October, the fourth monthly fall in a row.

    That is the lowest reading since the record low of -69 in April 2020, and the second worst since the index began in July 2016.

    Anna Leach, the chief economist at the Institute of Directors (IoD), warned that the extent of the hit to the private sector through tax rises in the budget would undermine growth and ultimately the public finances as well.


    https://www.theguardian.com/business/2024/dec/01/uk-business-confidence-at-lowest-level-since-pandemic-after-tax-raising-budget

    Reeves seems to have found the sour spot of causing most economic damage, raising the least amount of tax and investing the lowest amount of money.

    I hope her possible replacements will be better prepared.

    Starmer needs to find Haigh’s phone in Reeves’ desk.
  • Taz said:

    Well he’s giving it a go

    https://x.com/keir_starmer/status/1863174257821245951?s=61
    I challenge ANY PM to build a narrative when 90% of the MSM Print and TV media will steadfastly refuse to report it let alone pass impartial comment on it..

    For those who ARE discecting fact from Fiction Labour are in the process of some significant improvements and enhancements across all of the main Sectors of State

    Immigration, Health, Transport, Defence, Environment, Economy, etc

    Meanwhile MSM are fixated on suits, Tickets and lost phones.
  • I wouldn't want him (or Torode) in my kitchen. Or at least, if they were, they would end up covered in the contents of the pan he moment they *dared* to criticise my cooking. ;)

    (I am not a good cook).

    I was not an avid watcher, but my impression is that Loyd-Grossman was a 'kinder' critic.
    Loyd Grossman's Masterchef was about who could host the best dinner party. The new format operates at a far higher standard, aiming to turn cooks into chefs, and several winners have opened restaurants.
  • FairlieredFairliered Posts: 5,415

    I've just read a headline on the Sky News website that refers to a "train station".

    I despair.

    You catch trains from a train... station.
    You catch trains from a railway station. A train station sounds like a section of a gymnasium.
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 30,585
    edited December 2024
    ...

    But if Musk employs Farage as an "advisor" on £20m a year, on the private understanding he funds Reform with £19m of that?
    And worth every penny I am sure.

    Perhaps the sooner we get Prime Minister Farage in and then out of the way the sooner we can return to the post war consensus. Although as Trump buries the US there will be no money for a Marshall Plan.

    Musky Baby appears to be taking a leaf out of Putin's playbook. Try to destablise 'enemy' regimes using their political systems and traitors within that system.

    He's found a party in Reform, and a traitor in the shape of Farage.

    It's worked for Putin in several places: Belarus and Hungary being two. It may be working in Romania.

    The question is who is Musk doing this for?

    This time next year you will be able to assess whether the destabilisation programme is working in the US.

    I don't believe he is operating on behalf of any national flag so take your pick Smersh or Spectre,
  • Can any Reform apologist actually explain how they could possibly fill a 20 Seat Cabinet and similar number of key Deputies from the rag bag 4 Mps they currently have and candidate list.

    Can someone explain when Farage actually did a full day of meaningful work.

    Spivving is not a profession.
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 30,585

    Can any Reform apologist actually explain how they could possibly fill a 20 Seat Cabinet and similar number of key Deputies from the rag bag 4 Mps they currently have and candidate list.

    Can someone explain when Farage actually did a full day of meaningful work.

    Spivving is not a profession.

    He's a real grafter*.

    * I blame autocorrect.
  • You catch trains from a railway station. A train station sounds like a section of a gymnasium.
    You catch trains from a station. It is only other sorts that need modifiers, such as bus station or petrol station.
  • MonkeysMonkeys Posts: 759
    Results and discussion: The physician is centrally involved in PAS and euthanasia, and the emotional and psychological effects on the participating physician can be substantial. The shift away from the fundamental values of medicine to heal and promote human wholeness can have significant effects on many participating physicians. Doctors describe being profoundly adversely affected, being shocked by the suddenness of the death, being caught up in the patient's drive for assisted suicide, having a sense of powerlessness, and feeling isolated. There is evidence of pressure on and intimidation of doctors by some patients to assist in suicide. The effect of countertransference in the doctor-patient relationship may influence physician involvement in PAS and euthanasia.

    Conclusion: Many doctors who have participated in euthanasia and/or PAS are adversely affected emotionally and psychologically by their experiences.

    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16676767/
  • HYUFD said:

    If they were elected of course. Farage is clear his agenda includes replacing a taxpayer funded NHS with a largely private insurance healthcare system US style. He would also likely scrap UC and replace it with contributions based unemployment benefits only. If we had a Farage government it would likely be Thatcherism with bells on plus deportation of immigrants and fanatically anti woke. Left liberals would soon even wish they could have the Tories back.

    State pensions would remain although they are in part contributions based anyway based on NI contributions and credits
    That Reform are promising to reinstate WFA shows that wouldn't do any of that.

    Reform might claim to want spending cuts but actually promises spending increases.
  • JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 44,885
    Russians being Russian:

    "Russian air strikes have killed five people near Aleppo's University Hospital, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), which monitors the death toll in the country.

    Russian fighter jets carried out four strikes on the hospital, SOHR says."

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cy5l50y76k3t

    This is one of the reasons @HYUFD is wrong; instead of striking valid military targets such as military convoys, the Russian strategy is to go after civilian infrastructure such as schools and hospitals.
  • FairlieredFairliered Posts: 5,415

    I wouldn't want him (or Torode) in my kitchen. Or at least, if they were, they would end up covered in the contents of the pan he moment they *dared* to criticise my cooking. ;)

    (I am not a good cook).

    I was not an avid watcher, but my impression is that Loyd-Grossman was a 'kinder' critic.
    We have stopped watching Masterchef, apart from the Professional version, because it seems that Torode only wants spicy Asian and Caribbean food, and that chefs specialising in e.g. classical French food are at a disadvantage.
  • AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 25,756

    I challenge ANY PM to build a narrative when 90% of the MSM Print and TV media will steadfastly refuse to report it let alone pass impartial comment on it..

    For those who ARE discecting fact from Fiction Labour are in the process of some significant improvements and enhancements across all of the main Sectors of State

    Immigration, Health, Transport, Defence, Environment, Economy, etc

    Meanwhile MSM are fixated on suits, Tickets and lost phones.
    You're simply complaining that SKS is a total twat.

    I was pointed out on here that running a campaign where he said zilch, would come to bite him in the arse as he had built no positions on which to define his government. He still hasn't and has no ideas.

    So unsurprisingly the media run with the story SKS is an arse.
  • MattWMattW Posts: 25,756
    edited December 2024
    Musings.

    Does a US President have the authority to issue an Executive Decision declaring himself to be tax exempt?

    (It worked for Hitler. Someone in the Reich HMRC sent him a tax assessment in 1934, and the reply was a declaration that he was tax-exempt:

    He was given only eight days to pay off this debt. Hitler responded by ordering a state secretary of the ministry of finance to intervene, and became tax-exempt. The head of the Munich tax office declared: "All tax reports delivering substance for a tax obligation by the Führer are annulled from the start.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolf_Hitler's_wealth_and_income#:~:text=Tax evasion,-Throughout his rise&text=He was given only eight,are annulled from the start.

    Hitler was wealthier than Trump.)
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 30,585

    I wouldn’t want him in my kitchen dressed like that.
    Imagine how that breaches the The Health and Safety etc at Work Act 1974 in a kitchen full of sharp cleavers. And within the Hierarchy of Control I don't think a tiny cotton sock counts as PPE.

    Anyway what's with the sock? I thought his boast was he always operated full commando.
  • viewcodeviewcode Posts: 23,780
    edited December 2024
    To: @ydoethur @bondegezou @JosiasJessop @Nigelb @Casino_Royale @Malmesbury @HYUFD @TOPPING @OldKingCole @theProle @IanB2 @TOPPING @algarkirk @AugustusCarp2 @NickPalmer @kinabalu @maxh @kle4 @kicorse @northern_monkey

    Thank you all for your comments, both pro and con. I can't deal with all of them, but some I can and they are:

    @Nigelb: I'm sorry my para "THE ROLE OF THE STATE" did not communicate my intent: it started off badly, then had a double negative, and attempts to change it before it was published only made it worse. I'll rewrite it later today
    @Malmesbury. Your point about how the rich are treated differently. I understand your point but better enforcement doesn't work: Michael Gove was never arrested nor punished for his cocaine use, and the use of drugs and prostitutes by politicians is known and unpunished. If a law is easily bypassed by the rich, is it a good idea?
    @Topping: the risks outweigh the benefits. Possibly true.
    @Topping: you said you suspected we would see Parliament at its best. I think we did, but "best" does not equal "good enough". People gave examples and used sentimentality: they did so in a reasonable and impressive manner, but that's not the best way of arguing. I think it was Diane Abbott who argued from first principles "the State should not kill", and I thought that was better. But I think we can all say that most MPs tried hard.
    @theProle. thank you for your arguments with citations from the Bible. I note your "But death because of a sinful act of one's own doing is not automatically unforgivable." I'm not sure that's enough but it's a good start, thank you
    @algarkirk, @AugustusCarp2, @kinabalu: many people answered one question, but few attempted to answer most, which included you. This was not required but I was informed by your responses and thank you.

    As ever, thank you all for your responses
  • I agree. Defence is one reason I've consistently said taxes should go up. But I also say that knowing that most of any increase would go to health and education, and very little to defence...
    I set out on here last week how that could be achieved, by a mixture of tax rises and spending cuts.

    I'd also consider time-limiting sickness benefit to 52 weeks, just as it is in the private sector.
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 44,317
    Monkeys said:

    Results and discussion: The physician is centrally involved in PAS and euthanasia, and the emotional and psychological effects on the participating physician can be substantial. The shift away from the fundamental values of medicine to heal and promote human wholeness can have significant effects on many participating physicians. Doctors describe being profoundly adversely affected, being shocked by the suddenness of the death, being caught up in the patient's drive for assisted suicide, having a sense of powerlessness, and feeling isolated. There is evidence of pressure on and intimidation of doctors by some patients to assist in suicide. The effect of countertransference in the doctor-patient relationship may influence physician involvement in PAS and euthanasia.

    Conclusion: Many doctors who have participated in euthanasia and/or PAS are adversely affected emotionally and psychologically by their experiences.

    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16676767/

    There's no obligation to participate.
  • Russians being Russian:

    "Russian air strikes have killed five people near Aleppo's University Hospital, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), which monitors the death toll in the country.

    Russian fighter jets carried out four strikes on the hospital, SOHR says."

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cy5l50y76k3t

    This is one of the reasons @HYUFD is wrong; instead of striking valid military targets such as military convoys, the Russian strategy is to go after civilian infrastructure such as schools and hospitals.

    Contrast with Israel's air force in Gaza attacking hospitals; contrast with scepticism about Gazan casualty figures; contrast with the complete lack of London marchers for Syrian peace.
  • viewcodeviewcode Posts: 23,780
    edited December 2024
    The Hell article is the latest in a series of articles by me. They fall into three broad camps: the Measurement Series, about how we measure political concepts, the Ideas series, about current political concepts, and the Chronicle of a Bet Foretold series, about the logistics of betting wrt specific elections. Some were lost after the reorganisation, but those that are recoverable include the following (the numbers are the number of comments)


    Chronicle of a Bet Foretold
    CBF1_EUDEPARTURE https://www1.politicalbetting.com/index.php/archives/2019/03/24/viewcode-on-the-chronicle-of-a-bet-foretold/ 539
    CBF2_ALTERNATES https://www1.politicalbetting.com/index.php/archives/2019/09/22/chronicle-of-a-bet-foretold-part-2/ 490
    CBF3_FINLAND https://www1.politicalbetting.com/index.php/archives/2024/01/21/finland/ 383
    CBF4_THINGRUEL https://www1.politicalbetting.com/index.php/archives/2024/07/02/chronicle-of-a-bet-foretold-thin-gruel/ 726

    The Ideas series
    IDE1_UKRAINE https://www1.politicalbetting.com/index.php/archives/2022/05/02/why-ukraine-was-particularly-vulnerable/ 555
    IDE2_INTERMARIUM https://www1.politicalbetting.com/index.php/archives/2023/01/29/the-intermarium/ 372
    IDE3_CEREMONIES https://www1.politicalbetting.com/index.php/archives/2023/05/06/ceremonies/ 811
    IDE4_TRANSHUMANISM https://www1.politicalbetting.com/index.php/archives/2024/04/07/transhumanism/ 501
    IDE5_HISTORY https://www1.politicalbetting.com/index.php/archives/2024/04/21/the-history-of-gambling/ 359
    IDE5_SOLARPUNK https://www1.politicalbetting.com/index.php/archives/2024/05/12/solarpunk/ 271
    IDE6_BLOB https://www1.politicalbetting.com/index.php/archives/2024/09/28/the-blob/ 346
    IDE7_HELL https://www1.politicalbetting.com/index.php/archives/2024/11/29/hell/ 559

    The Measurement series
    MEA1_CLASSIFICATION https://www1.politicalbetting.com/index.php/archives/2024/01/07/classification/ 369
    MEA2_ELITES https://www1.politicalbetting.com/index.php/archives/2024/01/13/elites/ 511
    MEA3_PARTIES https://www1.politicalbetting.com/index.php/archives/2024/06/05/parties/ 2078

    Other
    REV1_BADBOYS https://www1.politicalbetting.com/index.php/archives/2019/09/15/the-bad-boys-of-brexit-a-review/ 500
    REV2_NATIONALPOPULISM https://www1.politicalbetting.com/index.php/archives/2019/10/06/national-populism-the-revolt-against-liberal-democracy-a-review/ 264
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 44,317
    HYUFD said:

    Every opposition party wants to reinstate winter fuel allowance, it is a drop in the ocean compared to axing most NHS spending and slashing the welfare state and axing state funded solar panels and windfarms as Farage has suggested he wants to do.

    Trump and Meloni and Milei want increased defence and police spending but it certainly hasn't crashed the market there
    Odd that Trump wants even more US military spending whilst also wanting to disengage from the global policeman role.
  • Moving from the NHS to an insurance model would reduce tax, but land everyone or their employer with massive premiums to pay. Total costs would probably go up.
    I find myself increasingly impatient with the State in this country. We are basically crap at pricing and managing risk properly, and this is causing most of our problems.

    There are straightforward structural reforms that might be politically challenging to implement, but would free up an awful lot of money at very little detriment to our quality of life, if not improve it.

    Ending triple lock for an inflation lock, time-limiting and qualifying sickness benefit, implementing social care reform with a cap and new insurance market, raising the retirement age earlier - whilst making age discrimination much harder - creating two to three new top end council tax bands, and supplementing the core NHS with social health insurance are all such examples.

    We could make our defence and economy strong with the proceeds, and set-ourselves up well for the long-term.
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 30,585

    Russians being Russian:

    "Russian air strikes have killed five people near Aleppo's University Hospital, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), which monitors the death toll in the country.

    Russian fighter jets carried out four strikes on the hospital, SOHR says."

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cy5l50y76k3t

    This is one of the reasons @HYUFD is wrong; instead of striking valid military targets such as military convoys, the Russian strategy is to go after civilian infrastructure such as schools and hospitals.

    "What is your name?" "Don't tell him Jessop!"

    If anyone hasn't yet realised Putin is an amoral, callous c*** who is happy to attack vulnerable civilian targets I still have that invisible garden bridge I can sell them.

  • MattW said:

    Musings.

    Does a US President have the authority to issue an Executive Decision declaring himself to be tax exempt?

    (It worked for Hitler. Someone in the Reich HMRC sent him a tax assessment in 1934, and the reply was a declaration that he was tax-exempt:

    He was given only eight days to pay off this debt. Hitler responded by ordering a state secretary of the ministry of finance to intervene, and became tax-exempt. The head of the Munich tax office declared: "All tax reports delivering substance for a tax obligation by the Führer are annulled from the start.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolf_Hitler's_wealth_and_income#:~:text=Tax evasion,-Throughout his rise&text=He was given only eight,are annulled from the start.

    Hitler was wealthier than Trump.)

    Winston Churchill was regularly bailed out by wealthy donors, sometimes foreign. He was very much the Boris Johnson of his day.
  • kinabalu said:

    Odd that Trump wants even more US military spending whilst also wanting to disengage from the global policeman role.
    Not odd at all. The standard American trope has always been that Republicans want a vast army but are isolationist, while Democrats want a small army but to intervene around the world.
  • DecrepiterJohnLDecrepiterJohnL Posts: 29,649
    edited December 2024

    I set out on here last week how that could be achieved, by a mixture of tax rises and spending cuts.

    I'd also consider time-limiting sickness benefit to 52 weeks, just as it is in the private sector.
    Is it? I worked in the private sector and I'm fairly sure there were a couple of people on very long term sick leave.

    ETA although probably they would have been managed out in other firms.
  • williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 54,173

    I challenge ANY PM to build a narrative when 90% of the MSM Print and TV media will steadfastly refuse to report it let alone pass impartial comment on it..

    For those who ARE discecting fact from Fiction Labour are in the process of some significant improvements and enhancements across all of the main Sectors of State

    Immigration, Health, Transport, Defence, Environment, Economy, etc

    Meanwhile MSM are fixated on suits, Tickets and lost phones.
    Starmer would be better off hiring the marketing team from Jaguar to work on his relaunch.
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 44,317

    Not odd at all. The standard American trope has always been that Republicans want a vast army but are isolationist, while Democrats want a small army but to intervene around the world.
    But neither position is logical. If the US are going to become more isolationist they should at least get a dividend in reduced military spending. Perhaps when you get to €1 trillion a year it just assumes a life of its own.
  • JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 44,885

    Contrast with Israel's air force in Gaza attacking hospitals; contrast with scepticism about Gazan casualty figures; contrast with the complete lack of London marchers for Syrian peace.
    There is hypocrisy everywhere. But I'd quibble about the Gaza comparison: the claim for the number of dead in that Gazan strike were preposterous. The claim for the number killed in this strike were all to believable. If you lie about the numbers, what else are you lying about?

    Also: it is a well-known Russian tactic to go after civilian infrastructure, as they have in Ukraine many, many times.
  • MattWMattW Posts: 25,756
    edited December 2024

    They are actually weighing bundles of votes in Cavan-Monaghan. I always thought that was a joke.

    https://x.com/SeaninGraham22/status/1863184150666092887

    Those are postal scales.

    An eg A5 sheet of 100gsm paper is 2^5 = 32 sheets per 100g (A0 is 0.9995 sqm), so it is a good weigh (sorry) to measure. And being therefore 3g each at that size, it is a big enough margin to judge quantity on cheapish scales.

    And every Council in the land has them by the dozen.

    Pity the left over Imperial countries measuring Junior Tabloid voting slips in Pounds and Ounces.
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 50,450

    I wouldn’t want him in my kitchen dressed like that.
    Particularly if making sausage casserole...
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 44,317
    edited December 2024

    Winston Churchill was regularly bailed out by wealthy donors, sometimes foreign. He was very much the Boris Johnson of his day.
    Johnson certainly thinks he's the Churchill of his day.
  • LostPasswordLostPassword Posts: 19,119
    MattW said:

    Those are postal scales.

    An eg A5 sheet of 100gsm paper is 2^5 = 32 sheets per 100g (A0 is 0.9995 sqm), so it is a good weigh (sorry) to measure. And being therefore 3g each at that size, it is a big enough margin to judge quantity on cheapish scales.

    And every Council in the land has them by the dozen.

    Pity the left over Imperial countries measuring Junior Tabloid voting slips in Pounds and Ounces.
    The ballot papers aren't A5. In Cavan-Monaghan they had 20 candidates, and the ballot papers have a photo for every one of them.

    But, yes. It's probably surprisingly practical.
  • bondegezoubondegezou Posts: 13,075

    I find myself increasingly impatient with the State in this country. We are basically crap at pricing and managing risk properly, and this is causing most of our problems.

    There are straightforward structural reforms that might be politically challenging to implement, but would free up an awful lot of money at very little detriment to our quality of life, if not improve it.

    Ending triple lock for an inflation lock, time-limiting and qualifying sickness benefit, implementing social care reform with a cap and new insurance market, raising the retirement age earlier - whilst making age discrimination much harder - creating two to three new top end council tax bands, and supplementing the core NHS with social health insurance are all such examples.

    We could make our defence and economy strong with the proceeds, and set-ourselves up well for the long-term.
    I agree with five out of seven of those.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 75,246

    Farage wants big increases in spending on police and military.

    Reform also wants to reinstate winter fuel allowance.

    https://www.facebook.com/TheReformPartyUK/posts/reform-mps-are-backing-the-daily-express-campaign-to-restore-winter-fuel-payment/1059138038900272/

    Given that there is zero chance that a Farage government would reduce spending on health or welfare.

    Reform supports actual spending increases.
    Great British owls for everyone.
  • MattWMattW Posts: 25,756
    Barnesian said:

    Yes that's right. In 2008. She is a charmer.
    I mean that in the nicest possible way. :smile:
    Persuaded politicians.

    Snake charmer :smile: .
  • RobDRobD Posts: 60,285

    I challenge ANY PM to build a narrative when 90% of the MSM Print and TV media will steadfastly refuse to report it let alone pass impartial comment on it..

    For those who ARE discecting fact from Fiction Labour are in the process of some significant improvements and enhancements across all of the main Sectors of State

    Immigration, Health, Transport, Defence, Environment, Economy, etc

    Meanwhile MSM are fixated on suits, Tickets and lost phones.
    This is the kind of balanced analysis that I come to PB for.
  • Is it? I worked in the private sector and I'm fairly sure there were a couple of people on very long term sick leave.

    ETA although probably they would have been managed out in other firms.
    Sickness benefit via contributory ESA is already limited to 52 weeks, unless you are placed in the higher category known as 'support group'. Getting into that group is being made harder.
  • LostPasswordLostPassword Posts: 19,119
    edited December 2024
    Gerard "The Monk" Hutch is 124 votes ahead of the last remaining competing candidate, Labour's Marie Sherlock, with 1,518 surplus votes from Fine Gael's Paschal Donohoe to redistribute in Dublin Central.

    This should see Sherlock home comfortably, but it depends how many preferences the voters gave. I went down to my 5th preference. My wife went to 8. Many voters might do a lot fewer.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 75,246

    You catch trains from a station. It is only other sorts that need modifiers, such as bus station or petrol station.
    Not from the stations of the Cross - with the possible exception of Kings Cross.
  • williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 54,173
    kinabalu said:

    Johnson certainly thinks he's the Churchill of his day.
    Ukraine and the West lucked out that he was in office at the start of 2022.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 75,246

    There is hypocrisy everywhere. But I'd quibble about the Gaza comparison: the claim for the number of dead in that Gazan strike were preposterous. The claim for the number killed in this strike were all to believable. If you lie about the numbers, what else are you lying about?

    Also: it is a well-known Russian tactic to go after civilian infrastructure, as they have in Ukraine many, many times.
    Which Gaza strike ?

    There have been dozens on hospitals.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 75,246

    The 150 mile radius difference is the specification, as tested.
    I was arguing with your (wrong) conclusion, not that bit of data.
    150m of combat radius equates to a good deal of combat manoeuvring. Which is essential in engagements, including at distance with missiles.
  • LostPasswordLostPassword Posts: 19,119
    Reportedly the haggling has already begun on the ministries Fine Gael would get in compensation for Martin being Taoiseach throughout the coalition. Latest estimates have FF with as many as 48 TDs and 38 for Fine Gael. That's roughly a 5:4 ratio.
  • You catch trains from a railway station. A train station sounds like a section of a gymnasium.
    A train is what you catch. You don't catch a railway.
  • Reportedly the haggling has already begun on the ministries Fine Gael would get in compensation for Martin being Taoiseach throughout the coalition. Latest estimates have FF with as many as 48 TDs and 38 for Fine Gael. That's roughly a 5:4 ratio.

    Thanks to whoever tipped Martin as next Taoiseach. Could turn out to be a winning bet. Would be nice to see more of that on here.
  • MattWMattW Posts: 25,756
    edited December 2024
    Eabhal said:

    Does anyone know the story behind Lawrence Newport and "crush crime"? All over my social media feeds the last few weeks, and now doing a piece on bicycle theft in the Telegraph. He has history as a campaigner on XL Bully attacks, been on GB News a few times.

    I think crime is a serious weakness for Labour, and I wonder if something is going on here.

    He had a very populist tone, and seems to exaggerate his statistics considerably - even when they generally support the trend he is observing.

    GB News, Talk TV or the Telegraph are his natural locus, with red flag attached. A Michael Howard in short trousers for the 2020s. It's "prison works, lock-em-up" rhetoric, with no evaluation of proposed prison population or other implications done afaics.

    The 492k prolific criminals number suggests it will be a lot more than the 85-90k we have in prison now, of whom just under 20% are on remand. For politics, I'd say someone is planning to use it to go for the Rehabilitation initiatives.

    My counter would be along the lines of "this guy is a bullshit artist", were I to want to make one.

    eg:
    We suffer under the thumb of a few career criminals – with just one-tenth of offenders generating most crime. With fairer, tougher sentences for this tiny number of career criminals we can crush crime rates by 90%.
    https://crushcrime.org/about-us/

    Whereas, this police paper has the 10% prolific offenders doing 45% of crime, not 90%.

    As reported in the last prolific offender analytical paper, there were around 492,000 offenders that meet the relevant criteria of a prolific offender during 2000 to 20161. These offenders were responsible for around 9.5 million crimes during their criminal pathway, an average of 19 offences per prolific offender.

    This compares with the non-prolific population during the same period (around 4.9 million offenders) who were responsible for about 12 million crimes during their criminal pathway, an average of 2 offences per non-prolific offender


    https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5bec4af8e5274a0838df55c9/prolific-offenders-experimental-statistics.pdf
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 44,317

    Ukraine and the West lucked out that he was in office at the start of 2022.
    William.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 75,246
    From the guys who want to abolish regulation.

    Robert F. Kennedy Jr. allegedly intends to require Coca-Cola to begin using Cane Sugar instead of High-Fructose Syrup as HHS Secretary.
    https://x.com/realTrumpNewsX/status/1862630636126687702

    Note that the HFCS used in Coke is barely different in chemical terms from cane sugar extract. They're both around 50/50 fructose/glucose.

    Coke (including the diet version, though that's nit quite as bad) is just bad for you, and will be just as bad after Kennedy's bit of nonsense.

    The problem with HFCS is not that it's worse than cane sugar; it's that the US food industry put it in almost everything.
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 54,031

    Starmer would be better off hiring the marketing team from Jaguar to work on his relaunch.
    That would be fun.

    For us.
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 54,031

    The ballot papers aren't A5. In Cavan-Monaghan they had 20 candidates, and the ballot papers have a photo for every one of them.

    But, yes. It's probably surprisingly practical.
    Given that politics is show business for ugly people - is it wise to have photos of them on the ballot papers?
  • MattWMattW Posts: 25,756

    Well, the RAF tried moving Australia. That didn't work. So they get listened to less.

    The difference in combat radius for F35A and F35C is 150 miles. Which is one drop tank, essentially.

    The reason that the RAF wanted F35A was the worry that a future politicians would simply move any carrier capable aircraft to the FAA, to tidy up the administration.
    It sounds an abstruse issue but it's important. The FAA was left with second or third rate aircraft for perhaps half of WW2, not enough and insufficiently capable - due to demands for total production by the RAF.

    Cost us heavily in carriers and merchant ships when we sent them on the Med convoys under equipped when the FAA were short, and the Luftwaffe turned up.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 53,476
    MattW said:

    He had a very populist tone, and seems to exaggerate his statistics considerably - even when they generally support the trend he is observing.

    GB News, Talk TV or the Telegraph are his natural locus, with red flag attached. A Michael Howard in short trousers for the 2020s. It's "prison works, lock-em-up" rhetoric, with no evaluation of proposed prison population or other implications done afaics.

    The 492k prolific criminals number suggests it will be a lot more than the 85-90k we have in prison now, of whom just under 20% are on remand. For politics, I'd say someone is planning to use it to go for the Rehabilitation initiatives.

    My counter would be along the lines of "this guy is a bullshit artist", were I to want to make one.

    eg:
    We suffer under the thumb of a few career criminals – with just one-tenth of offenders generating most crime. With fairer, tougher sentences for this tiny number of career criminals we can crush crime rates by 90%.
    https://crushcrime.org/about-us/

    Whereas, this police paper has the 10% prolific offenders doing 45% of crime, not 90%.

    As reported in the last prolific offender analytical paper, there were around 492,000 offenders that meet the relevant criteria of a prolific offender during 2000 to 20161. These offenders were responsible for around 9.5 million crimes during their criminal pathway, an average of 19 offences per prolific offender.

    This compares with the non-prolific population during the same period (around 4.9 million offenders) who were responsible for about 12 million crimes during their criminal pathway, an average of 2 offences per non-prolific offender


    https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5bec4af8e5274a0838df55c9/prolific-offenders-experimental-statistics.pdf
    IIRC under the coalition there was a collapse in certain crimes for a while. This was caused by ending the practise of giving bail for people who who had been given bail, reoffended, given bail…

    Instantly the number on remand jumped.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 53,476
    Nigelb said:

    I was arguing with your (wrong) conclusion, not that bit of data.
    150m of combat radius equates to a good deal of combat manoeuvring. Which is essential in engagements, including at distance with missiles.
    Being able to get to the target helps. Being carrier capable means being able to pick your distance.

    Which is why the RAF argument that they just need a bit more range, to replace carriers (decades old) is wrong.
  • MattWMattW Posts: 25,756

    AI done messed up imo.
    I think so. The piccie on the Georgia Police wiki article has "Police" on the back of their tunics.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_enforcement_in_Georgia_(country)
  • LostPasswordLostPassword Posts: 19,119
    edited December 2024

    Given that politics is show business for ugly people - is it wise to have photos of them on the ballot papers?
    My wife did say that the photo of one of the independent candidates ruled him out straight away. He ended up with 29 votes.

    But for some candidates it will help voters see the all-important familial resemblance.
  • Nigelb said:

    From the guys who want to abolish regulation.

    Robert F. Kennedy Jr. allegedly intends to require Coca-Cola to begin using Cane Sugar instead of High-Fructose Syrup as HHS Secretary.
    https://x.com/realTrumpNewsX/status/1862630636126687702

    Note that the HFCS used in Coke is barely different in chemical terms from cane sugar extract. They're both around 50/50 fructose/glucose.

    Coke (including the diet version, though that's nit quite as bad) is just bad for you, and will be just as bad after Kennedy's bit of nonsense.

    The problem with HFCS is not that it's worse than cane sugar; it's that the US food industry put it in almost everything.

    Trump 2.0 plans to take on the mightiest parts of corporate america?

    This should be a hoot.

  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 44,617

    A train is what you catch. You don't catch a railway.
    But you don't catch crabs etc at a prophylactic station.

    (Sorry. Currently reading Ellis 'The sharp end of war' on the rather miserable and sometimes short life of the Allied squaddie in ww2.)
  • kjhkjh Posts: 12,317
    kjh said:

    I'm getting drunk in a pub called the Free Press in Cambridge. A real old fashioned pub. Full of eccentrics. Great chats talking utter nonsense to locals. Real characters. Need to sober up before my formal dinner tonight.

    Just to add I terrified a 3 year old who picked up my beer thinking it was his apple juice shouting 'Nooooo'. Ended up chatting to his mum for about an hour. It took her boy about half an hour to recover from the shock. I think I have traumatised him for life. Mum seems happy though.
  • RobDRobD Posts: 60,285
    MattW said:

    I think so. The piccie on the Georgia Police wiki article has "Police" on the back of their tunics.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_enforcement_in_Georgia_(country)
    No: https://www.dw.com/en/georgia-police-arrest-scores-amid-ongoing-pro-eu-protests/a-70926985
  • MattWMattW Posts: 25,756
    Taz said:

    He’s moved his campaign to crime and the Police.

    His latest wheeze.

    He’s got a point too. In many areas it feels like some serious crimes are just decriminalised. I’ve mentioned here before my own town where anti social behaviour by a gang of youths on Fridays and Saturdays has been a real problem for businesses and residents alike in the town centre and the Police have been totally ineffective in dealing with it.

    I doubt my area is unique. This really could run and run and put political pressure on the govt.
    https://x.com/pursuitofprog/status/1863167979019473383?s=61
    I partly agree there.

    The police were pithed by about 15% of numbers in the mid 2010s, which would have lost "decades of experience" officers - like a Western army losing a big chunk of it's senior squaddies and NCOs. That takes one to two decades to recover from.

    We also lost a lot of local knowledge such as specials and PCSOs, who were key for intelligence led policing and catching low end crime / petty crime.

    Earlier we also lost things like a lot of specialist traffic officers.

    And all of those together are the ones who catch car theft and crimes that follow from that, youth ASB who turn into more serious criminals if not interdicted.

    But I think that the tone of Lawrence Newport is too simplistic.
  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 50,835
    kjh said:

    I'm getting drunk in a pub called the Free Press in Cambridge. A real old fashioned pub. Full of eccentrics. Great chats talking utter nonsense to locals. Real characters. Need to sober up before my formal dinner tonight.

    I remember that, from my student days. A great place to take visiting parents.

  • Bill Kristol
    @BillKristol
    ·
    12h
    If you care about constitutional government and the rule of law in the United States, you should be alarmed. Very alarmed.

    https://x.com/BillKristol
  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 22,563
    AlsoLei said:

    Most of the HS2 money has already been spent, the tunnels have been dug, contracts have been let, and the production line for the rolling stock is being built. By the time of the next election, it'll have progressed so far that cancellation will cost money, not save it. This is the opposite of sunk cost fallacy.

    Net zero is a similar picture - what, does he want to tear down the ten thousand or so new wind turbines that will have been built by then? Remove solar panels from people's roofs? Build new coal power stations? All the money needed to meet our 2030 NDCs will already have been invested by the next election, and there'll be firm contracts in place covering the 2035 NDCs. Reversing any of this will cost money and leave us worse off.

    As for ending the single payer NHS model, that would indeed be a huge saving. Has anyone asked the voters what they think of it?
    The £22 billion for carbon capture and storage is still resting in Ed Miliband's account. No contracts have been sign4d yet. No projects have made their Final Investment Decision.

    And remember, that just covers a slimmed-down version of the two "Track 1" CCS clusters. To deliver Track 1 in full, plus Track 1 expansion and Track 2, we are probably looking at over £50 billion of taxpayers money.

    And remember where it is going - BP, ENI, etc.

This discussion has been closed.