The BBC seem to have put up a paywall on its standard news site for audiences in the U.S.
So I don’t know why police are closing off Primrose Hill on NYE.
Another daft idea; the BBC should aim to be the global Wikipedia of news, not try to “compete” with Bloomberg or whatever.
It's described as "dynamic" and "selective".
Breaking news, World Service Radio, and podcasts are still free, I am told.
If we want a global wikipedia of news (an aspiration with which I agree), then we need to fund it properly. We do not because purblind little Englanders are offended, and Mr Starmer pays them too much attention.
At present, the Foreign Office (-25% on headcount), the British Council (withdrawing from ~40 countries), and the BBC World Service (no numbers to hand), are amongst areas of funding which aiui are being gutted, alongside overseas development aid (down to 0.3% of GDP plus billions diverted to asylum hotels etc).
I think this may be one of Mr Starmer's biggest strategic mistakes, and where he should have reversed the previous Government direction - at whatever cost, because this policy will cost more long-term than the alternative.
The central problem of our times, which nobody is anywhere near answering.
Numerically, we're richer than previous generations of Britons. We're richer overall than this time last year, not that anyone says that out loud. Yet we don't feel rich, and we keep concluding that we can only keep warm is by chucking another but of furniture on the fire. See all the soft power cuts you mention, then continue from there.
And yes, a lot of that is because we're increasingly a pension system with a country attached, and those pensions should have been paid for decades ago but weren't. But that can't be the entire story... can it?
It can't be the entire story, because in funding of pension systems we are pretty much right at the bottom of the league both by expenditure amongst developed countries (with the Anglosphere and some Asians - though I do not see that latter holding given demograhics), and by how said expenditure is increasing.
It's a debate unfortunately dominated by shouting
We do have the state pension triple lock though and we have a higher percentage with private pensions than the OECD average
That's correct.
However, as a fraction of average (mean) earnings, the State Pension - even the New State Pension - is still below what it was in 1980. The New State pension (ie the increased one brought in in 2016) on a full contribution record is still below 25% of that figure.
That's whilst the retirement age has gone from 60/65 to 67 from 2028.
What it has done has recovered the % of average income to what it was when Geoffrey Howe removed the Earnings Link, though that is as much caused by flatlining of average earnings.
As an aside - for a double lock, which one would you remove?
In general, however, pensioners have done extremely well, financially, over that period. That is why the triple lock should go.
Yes it should. I am sure they could sell it as a reform without much consequence. Either an average of the 3 or link it to wages (excl bonuses).
It should be means tested not replaced, state pensioners on just state pension now have an income below minimum wage
That’s a thought. Should minimum wage and minimum pension be equal?
It might make the future creation of a universal basic income more comprehensible and concentrate the minds of younger people on the realities of aging on a limited income.
Basic state pension of £230 per week is equivalent to a 18.8 hour week on minimum wage
yes fecking peanuts
Equivalent to a £250k pension pot.
According to Google AI the average *household* pays £571k in income tax over their lifetime.
Assuming that’s typically 2 adults that means that they are basically getting it all back in pension income
I am not typical
Does that mean there are more than 2 people in your household? Or that you are rich so can afford to be generous? The system doesn’t work if the wealthy don’t pay in more.
2 people and I pay in a shedload, have done for over 50 years
Perhaps the years have fogged my memory but I don't remember fireworks being a big part of New Year celebrations when I was a young Stodge. We missed the start of 2025 here as we were in New Zealand where they let 20 fireworks off from the top of Sky City in Auckland.
Last night or rather earlier this morning, we were treated, here in downtown East London, to a series of displays which surpassed both Diwali and Guy Fawkes in terms of longevity and noise. There were people out on the local streets in the freezing temperatures letting off fireworks.
So much for that blundering nincompoop Nigel Farage who tells me Britain has "never been gloomier". Not much evidence of this as many seemed only too pleased to welcome in another year in what I am reliably informed is Starmer's Communist Purgatory.
I put that up as a strong contender for the "first use of the word nincompoop in a PB post in 2026" award.
Back to less substantive matters, I am British, not a "Brit" (that's a personal irritation). To be fair, the 2021 Census did reveal the emergence of "British" as a sub-national identity particularly among those not born here and I don't see why we couldn't extend the Six Nations Rugby to include a seventh team, the British, made up of players not born in the UK but who are UK citizens.
Everyone loves rugby even though it's a game for thugs played by gentlemen (as I was once told).
The good news is it looks as though all day's horse race meetings will go ahead so while the weather may not be encouraging, I get an early chance to lose a shirt this year. I may do some selections later but you're mostly all nice people and why should I inflict poverty on any of you though I would point out my each way play on BANBRIDGE helped with the Christmas expenses and had Bowen got the horse's head down on the jamstick, Mrs Stodge would have enjoyed a New Year's steak supper.
Several of those flags don’t look quite right, so it’s probably cockup rather than conspiracy.
Which won’t stop the rumours, especially given the mayor’s past history.
I hope it's a cockup. Do you have an example of one of the other flags looking wrong?
As far as I can see the Manx, Korean, Canadian, Argentine, Georgian and Sri Lankan flags are all fine, and they're all at least as complicated as the Israeli flag.
Of course the other possibility is that the image was adjusted to remove the Star of David in order to post it to twitter as rage bait.
no, that's absurd, the alt-right would never adjust images to get outrage clicks
Several of those flags don’t look quite right, so it’s probably cockup rather than conspiracy.
Which won’t stop the rumours, especially given the mayor’s past history.
I hope it's a cockup. Do you have an example of one of the other flags looking wrong?
As far as I can see the Manx, Korean, Canadian, Argentine, Georgian and Sri Lankan flags are all fine, and they're all at least as complicated as the Israeli flag.
Of course the other possibility is that the image was adjusted to remove the Star of David in order to post it to twitter as rage bait.
Apparently Indian flag is missing its wheel, and a couple of minor nations aren’t quite right either.
But if you’re going to make a pitch on diversity with an array of flags, it’s the sort of thing you need to do correctly, especially at a time of hightened tensions in certain communities.
Somewhat more likely to be Russians. But terrorism is now ruled out.
..There have also been unconfirmed reports that fireworks, or pyrotechnics, might have been a cause.
The investigation is ongoing, police say, and they cannot confirm any details, but remain confident it was not a terrorist attack due to the nature of the blaze.
It was not an explosive device that caused the fire..
It sounds as though many fatalities were from the resulting fire.
Though Hannukah was specifically mentioned in the dialogue accompanying the display.
I am not surprised the fun with flegs mob were upset by reclaiming the flag and celebrating unity and diversity.
Not that they need an excuse to hate, its their only emotion.
A bit of manufactured outrage? There's a series of national flags which lost their symbols in the projection: Argentina, Egypt, Jordan at a cursory glance. I'm sure we will find out, and one of Mr Trump's minions will have a go at Islamist London.
But I'm looking at a media image enlarged.
I need a blogger in their shed to buy a high quality artwork and spend New Years Day going through it; I can't even tell what the sorting order is so I'm having to flag-spot, at which I am not a nerd. I thought alphabetical order, with home nation flags central, but there are several flags between Israel and the Isle of Man "Jake the Peg" *.
Are there flags of "Island" or "Isles of ..." amongst our territories?
Though Hannukah was specifically mentioned in the dialogue accompanying the display.
I am not surprised the fun with flegs mob were upset by reclaiming the flag and celebrating unity and diversity.
Not that they need an excuse to hate, its their only emotion.
A bit of manufactured outrage? There's a series of national flags which lost their symbols in the projection: Argentina, Egypt, Jordan at a cursory glance. I'm sure we will find out, and one of Mr Trump's minions will have a go at Islamist London.
But I'm looking at a media image enlarged.
I need a blogger in their shed to buy a high quality artwork and spend New Years Day going through it; I can't even tell what the sorting order is so I'm having to flag-spot, at which I am not a nerd. I thought alphabetical order, with home nation flags central, but there are several flags between Israel and the Isle of Man "Jake the Peg" *.
Are there flags of "Island" or "Isles of ..." amongst our territories?
Of all the conspiracy theories out there, this has to be in the bottom 2% of utter drivel it's not worth spending time over category.
Though Hannukah was specifically mentioned in the dialogue accompanying the display.
I am not surprised the fun with flegs mob were upset by reclaiming the flag and celebrating unity and diversity.
Not that they need an excuse to hate, its their only emotion.
A bit of manufactured outrage? There's a series of national flags which lost their symbols in the projection: Argentina, Egypt, Jordan at a cursory glance. I'm sure we will find out, and one of Mr Trump's minions will have a go at Islamist London.
But I'm looking at a media image enlarged.
I need a blogger in their shed to buy a high quality artwork and spend New Years Day going through it; I can't even tell what the sorting order is so I'm having to flag-spot, at which I am not a nerd. I thought alphabetical order, with home nation flags central, but there are several flags between Israel and the Isle of Man "Jake the Peg" *.
Are there flags of "Island" or "Isles of ..." amongst our territories?
Of all the conspiracy theories out there, this has to be in the bottom 2% of utter drivel it's not worth spending time over category.
Though Hannukah was specifically mentioned in the dialogue accompanying the display.
I am not surprised the fun with flegs mob were upset by reclaiming the flag and celebrating unity and diversity.
Not that they need an excuse to hate, its their only emotion.
A bit of manufactured outrage? There's a series of national flags which lost their symbols in the projection: Argentina, Egypt, Jordan at a cursory glance. I'm sure we will find out, and one of Mr Trump's minions will have a go at Islamist London.
But I'm looking at a media image enlarged.
I need a blogger in their shed to buy a high quality artwork and spend New Years Day going through it; I can't even tell what the sorting order is so I'm having to flag-spot, at which I am not a nerd. I thought alphabetical order, with home nation flags central, but there are several flags between Israel and the Isle of Man "Jake the Peg" *.
Are there flags of "Island" or "Isles of ..." amongst our territories?
Of all the conspiracy theories out there, this has to be in the bottom 2% of utter drivel it's not worth spending time over category.
Indeedy-doody. It has already made the Mail, the Express, and GB News.
Though GB News are more exercised by people saying that diversity is a good thing, and they like living in the same society. They think displaying any range of flags is virtue signalling !
Comments
Perhaps the years have fogged my memory but I don't remember fireworks being a big part of New Year celebrations when I was a young Stodge. We missed the start of 2025 here as we were in New Zealand where they let 20 fireworks off from the top of Sky City in Auckland.
Last night or rather earlier this morning, we were treated, here in downtown East London, to a series of displays which surpassed both Diwali and Guy Fawkes in terms of longevity and noise. There were people out on the local streets in the freezing temperatures letting off fireworks.
So much for that blundering nincompoop Nigel Farage who tells me Britain has "never been gloomier". Not much evidence of this as many seemed only too pleased to welcome in another year in what I am reliably informed is Starmer's Communist Purgatory.
I put that up as a strong contender for the "first use of the word nincompoop in a PB post in 2026" award.
Back to less substantive matters, I am British, not a "Brit" (that's a personal irritation). To be fair, the 2021 Census did reveal the emergence of "British" as a sub-national identity particularly among those not born here and I don't see why we couldn't extend the Six Nations Rugby to include a seventh team, the British, made up of players not born in the UK but who are UK citizens.
Everyone loves rugby even though it's a game for thugs played by gentlemen (as I was once told).
The good news is it looks as though all day's horse race meetings will go ahead so while the weather may not be encouraging, I get an early chance to lose a shirt this year. I may do some selections later but you're mostly all nice people and why should I inflict poverty on any of you though I would point out my each way play on BANBRIDGE helped with the Christmas expenses and had Bowen got the horse's head down on the jamstick, Mrs Stodge would have enjoyed a New Year's steak supper.
But terrorism is now ruled out.
..There have also been unconfirmed reports that fireworks, or pyrotechnics, might have been a cause.
The investigation is ongoing, police say, and they cannot confirm any details, but remain confident it was not a terrorist attack due to the nature of the blaze.
It was not an explosive device that caused the fire..
It sounds as though many fatalities were from the resulting fire.
But I'm looking at a media image enlarged.
I need a blogger in their shed to buy a high quality artwork and spend New Years Day going through it; I can't even tell what the sorting order is so I'm having to flag-spot, at which I am not a nerd. I thought alphabetical order, with home nation flags central, but there are several flags between Israel and the Isle of Man "Jake the Peg" *.
Are there flags of "Island" or "Isles of ..." amongst our territories?
Though GB News are more exercised by people saying that diversity is a good thing, and they like living in the same society. They think displaying any range of flags is virtue signalling !