politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » This week’s PB/Polling Matters TV show looks at the Sanders

Alanbrooke said:

AlastairMeeks said:

nigel4england said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

Plato_Says said:

He's great box office

Steve Hawkes
Jacob Rees Mogg wonders re Nicky Morgan's mad inter-railing claim.."how Phileas Fogg managed to get around the world in 80 days without EU"

So he wants to know how a fictional character went around the world in less than 80 days?

Think he is just highlighting her ludicrous claim, Remainers seem more demented every day.

Schrodinger's Leavers seem to want to abandon freedom of movement and retain it simultaneously.

For most people in this country the cherished freedom of movement simply means standing at a customs post for 15-20 minutes longer on their annual holiday.

Any regular traveller over the last 10 years has accepted much longer waits without problems due to heightened security.

TheScreamingEagles said:

Huzzah for the awesomeness of Osborne.

Q4 GDP revised upwards from 0.5% to 0.6%

Alanbrooke said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

Huzzah for the awesomeness of Osborne.

Q4 GDP revised upwards from 0.5% to 0.6%

ROFL

you mean our national statistics which always underrecord activity show an increase and that's good news ?

Good news would be he's put some money into getting the statistics correct instead of driving the economy with half the windscreen blocked.

AlastairMeeks said:

nigel4england said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

Plato_Says said:

He's great box office

Steve Hawkes
Jacob Rees Mogg wonders re Nicky Morgan's mad inter-railing claim.."how Phileas Fogg managed to get around the world in 80 days without EU"

So he wants to know how a fictional character went around the world in less than 80 days?

Think he is just highlighting her ludicrous claim, Remainers seem more demented every day.

Schrodinger's Leavers seem to want to abandon freedom of movement and retain it simultaneously.

Morris_Dancer said:

A fly-over in India has collapsed:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-35933452

Is Kolkata just Calcutta by another spelling?

Charles said:

TOPPING said:

Alanbrooke said:

I've just entered a parallel universe.

Listened to Len McCluskey on R4 on the way in to work and he actually not only made sense but had more of a grasp on life than most of the government ministers I've heard. Somebody should just tell Anna Soubry to stay away from a microphone.

I need a drink.

Just had one, more like.

I was scouring PP for odds of Soubry for next Cons leader. Len, meanwhile, on the one hand bemoaned "low quality cheap steel imports" displacing our own, presumably equally low quality steel, while on the other pointed out that we were a high quality producer.

There is a reasonable case that the Chinese are currently engaged in price dumping.

Tariffs are permitted in this circumstance under WTO rules. They shouldn't be maintained permanently (because that creates structural inefficiencies) but neither should another country be permitted to export the consequences of their policy errors

TheScreamingEagles said:

Alanbrooke said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

Huzzah for the awesomeness of Osborne.

Q4 GDP revised upwards from 0.5% to 0.6%

ROFL

you mean our national statistics which always underrecord activity show an increase and that's good news ?

Good news would be he's put some money into getting the statistics correct instead of driving the economy with half the windscreen blocked.

Was pure clickbait for you.

Charles said:

A/S levels always existed, but were ramped up because the NUT complained that it was outrageous to have a single pass/fail test for children.

Basically the NUT don't want any way to objectively monitor the performance of their members. That's probably in the interests of their members (don't forget they also reject rewarding the best teachers) but not in the best interests of the children.

dugarbandier said:

Charles said:

A/S levels always existed, but were ramped up because the NUT complained that it was outrageous to have a single pass/fail test for children.

Basically the NUT don't want any way to objectively monitor the performance of their members. That's probably in the interests of their members (don't forget they also reject rewarding the best teachers) but not in the best interests of the children.

A/S levels were introduced in the early 90s, as far as I remember.

AlastairMeeks said:

The response of the headbanger Leavers to Nicky Morgan's entirely reasonable point was an indication of how loosely tethered some of them are to reality.

dugarbandier said:

Charles said:

A/S levels always existed, but were ramped up because the NUT complained that it was outrageous to have a single pass/fail test for children.

Basically the NUT don't want any way to objectively monitor the performance of their members. That's probably in the interests of their members (don't forget they also reject rewarding the best teachers) but not in the best interests of the children.

A/S levels were introduced in the early 90s, as far as I remember.

Charles said:

AlastairMeeks said:

nigel4england said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

Plato_Says said:

He's great box office

Steve Hawkes
Jacob Rees Mogg wonders re Nicky Morgan's mad inter-railing claim.."how Phileas Fogg managed to get around the world in 80 days without EU"

So he wants to know how a fictional character went around the world in less than 80 days?

Think he is just highlighting her ludicrous claim, Remainers seem more demented every day.

Schrodinger's Leavers seem to want to abandon freedom of movement and retain it simultaneously.

I'm not aware of any particular Leave who wants both.

Leavers are not fungible.

dugarbandier said:

Charles said:

AlastairMeeks said:

nigel4england said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

Plato_Says said:

He's great box office

Steve Hawkes
Jacob Rees Mogg wonders re Nicky Morgan's mad inter-railing claim.."how Phileas Fogg managed to get around the world in 80 days without EU"

So he wants to know how a fictional character went around the world in less than 80 days?

Think he is just highlighting her ludicrous claim, Remainers seem more demented every day.

Schrodinger's Leavers seem to want to abandon freedom of movement and retain it simultaneously.

I'm not aware of any particular Leave who wants both.

Leavers are not fungible.

"Schroedinger's Leavers" implies we have to kill them in order to find out their preference. seems a little harsh

Charles said:

TOPPING said:

Charles said:

TOPPING said:

Alanbrooke said:

I've just entered a parallel universe.

Listened to Len McCluskey on R4 on the way in to work and he actually not only made sense but had more of a grasp on life than most of the government ministers I've heard. Somebody should just tell Anna Soubry to stay away from a microphone.

I need a drink.

Just had one, more like.

I was scouring PP for odds of Soubry for next Cons leader. Len, meanwhile, on the one hand bemoaned "low quality cheap steel imports" displacing our own, presumably equally low quality steel, while on the other pointed out that we were a high quality producer.

There is a reasonable case that the Chinese are currently engaged in price dumping.

Tariffs are permitted in this circumstance under WTO rules. They shouldn't be maintained permanently (because that creates structural inefficiencies) but neither should another country be permitted to export the consequences of their policy errors

According to Len, we used Swedish steel to build our RN ships. Not sure they were dumping. I get the issues of responding to dumping but it seems (and IANAE) that we don't stack up at all well to other global providers, not just the Chinese.

I am by no means an expert in steel production, but my understanding is that not all steels are comparable: for something like high performance ships you will need a difference mix of alloys or a different manufacturing process, etc. Whether the UK produces that, or not, I don't know. So I'm not sure you can argue "we used Swedish steel in this specific case" as a compelling argument. (Even ignoring pan-European procurement rules).

TheScreamingEagles said:

Alanbrooke said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

Alanbrooke said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

Huzzah for the awesomeness of Osborne.

Q4 GDP revised upwards from 0.5% to 0.6%

ROFL

you mean our national statistics which always underrecord activity show an increase and that's good news ?

Good news would be he's put some money into getting the statistics correct instead of driving the economy with half the windscreen blocked.

Was pure clickbait for you.

It worked :-)

I've got a clickbaity thread coming up soon, contains the question

'Is Nicola Sturgeon stupid?'*

As I combine two PB favourites, What does Brexit really mean for Scottish Independence.

*Answer is no

Charles said:

"always existed" was a turn of phrase. Not a literal statement.

rcs1000 said:

TCPoliticalBetting said:

foxinsoxuk said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

foxinsoxuk said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

I'm also on team Jeremy Hunt because Tissue Price and I are on him as next PM at 66/1he's been firm with the Doctors.

Always good when a Tory Minister puts the public sector in their place.

Their place being the plane to Australia?

But they tell us they love the NHS, nor is this about money.

They really love the NHS if they are heading for Australia.

Retention rates in Medicine are at an all time low, at least until this years figures are published, but despite my jest it is not Australia that is the destination. There are the same numbers heading there as in 2013 (about 8%) the big increase is in people quitting medicine entirely. This is probably worse as Doctors in Australia may return if conditions improve, but those who quit for other careers will most likely never return.

Retention rates were always likely to go down with the shift to more female trained doctors. Soon after completing university a significant number start having children with an inevitable decline in full time doctors. We have lots of part time female GPs for example. Others just step away for 10+ years.

While that is certainly true, retention rates in some specialties ( like A&E) are appalling.

Alanbrooke said:

Charles said:

TOPPING said:

Charles said:

TOPPING said:

Alanbrooke said:

I've just entered a parallel universe.

Listened to Len McCluskey on R4 on the way in to work and he actually not only made sense but had more of a grasp on life than most of the government ministers I've heard. Somebody should just tell Anna Soubry to stay away from a microphone.

I need a drink.

Just had one, more like.

I was scouring PP for odds of Soubry for next Cons leader. Len, meanwhile, on the one hand bemoaned "low quality cheap steel imports" displacing our own, presumably equally low quality steel, while on the other pointed out that we were a high quality producer.

There is a reasonable case that the Chinese are currently engaged in price dumping.

Tariffs are permitted in this circumstance under WTO rules. They shouldn't be maintained permanently (because that creates structural inefficiencies) but neither should another country be permitted to export the consequences of their policy errors

According to Len, we used Swedish steel to build our RN ships. Not sure they were dumping. I get the issues of responding to dumping but it seems (and IANAE) that we don't stack up at all well to other global providers, not just the Chinese.

I am by no means an expert in steel production, but my understanding is that not all steels are comparable: for something like high performance ships you will need a difference mix of alloys or a different manufacturing process, etc. Whether the UK produces that, or not, I don't know. So I'm not sure you can argue "we used Swedish steel in this specific case" as a compelling argument. (Even ignoring pan-European procurement rules).

There are lots of different grades of steels. Most European mills will produce high grades which are tailored for specific applications such as automotive. The more bog standardy stuff used in mainstream construction and non performance critical engineering is what's coming in from China.

Pulpstar said:

JosiasJessop said:

JackW said:

You've not reached your third birthday then ??

My back aches like it's in its ninetieth year (*), my body feels like it's in its fiftieth, and my brain in its third. Too much Mr Tumble rots the brain.

A consequence of looking after an active toddler ...

(*) So still a youngster compared to your venerable self.

I was reading before I was walking. That's unusual, apparently.

Philip_Thompson said:

Alanbrooke said:

Philip_Thompson said:

Alanbrooke said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

Huzzah for the awesomeness of Osborne.

Q4 GDP revised upwards from 0.5% to 0.6%

ROFL

you mean our national statistics which always underrecord activity show an increase and that's good news ?

Good news would be he's put some money into getting the statistics correct instead of driving the economy with half the windscreen blocked.

More government spending is good news in your eyes? That's one way to look at it Gordon ...

If it means the facts we run the economy are more accurate yes.

Would you refuse to spend money in your business to upgrade your IT ?

If I wasn't convinced that the upgrade would be worth it then yes.

"IT upgrades" are the great failed money drain of successive governments. We need more skepticism over them not less.

Charles said:

Plato_Says said:

I thought my classmates did them in the 80s when trying to be extra swottish/applying to Oxbridge.

dugarbandier said:

Charles said:

A/S levels always existed, but were ramped up because the NUT complained that it was outrageous to have a single pass/fail test for children.

Basically the NUT don't want any way to objectively monitor the performance of their members. That's probably in the interests of their members (don't forget they also reject rewarding the best teachers) but not in the best interests of the children.

A/S levels were introduced in the early 90s, as far as I remember.

I suspect you are thinking of 'S' levels which were dropped in 2001

TOPPING said:

Charles said:

TOPPING said:

Charles said:

TOPPING said:

Alanbrooke said:

I've just entered a parallel universe.

Listened to Len McCluskey on R4 on the way in to work and he actually not only made sense but had more of a grasp on life than most of the government ministers I've heard. Somebody should just tell Anna Soubry to stay away from a microphone.

I need a drink.

Just had one, more like.

I was scouring PP for odds of Soubry for next Cons leader. Len, meanwhile, on the one hand bemoaned "low quality cheap steel imports" displacing our own, presumably equally low quality steel, while on the other pointed out that we were a high quality producer.

There is a reasonable case that the Chinese are currently engaged in price dumping.

Tariffs are permitted in this circumstance under WTO rules. They shouldn't be maintained permanently (because that creates structural inefficiencies) but neither should another country be permitted to export the consequences of their policy errors

According to Len, we used Swedish steel to build our RN ships. Not sure they were dumping. I get the issues of responding to dumping but it seems (and IANAE) that we don't stack up at all well to other global providers, not just the Chinese.

I am by no means an expert in steel production, but my understanding is that not all steels are comparable: for something like high performance ships you will need a difference mix of alloys or a different manufacturing process, etc. Whether the UK produces that, or not, I don't know. So I'm not sure you can argue "we used Swedish steel in this specific case" as a compelling argument. (Even ignoring pan-European procurement rules).

So we don't do the high performance stuff (or we would have used it, presumably) and whatever the cost of production of Chinese steel makers, I'm guessing it is lower than ours. so we can't compete on "mass market" steel.

Which leaves....?

I hadn't expected you (and @Alanbrooke) and Len to be on the same side of the argument but you all seem to be saying we should keep PT because it is a high cost producer of low grade steel.

Alanbrooke said:

Charles said:

TOPPING said:

Charles said:

TOPPING said:

Alanbrooke said:

I've just entered a parallel universe.

Listened to Len McCluskey on R4 on the way in to work and he actually not only made sense but had more of a grasp on life than most of the government ministers I've heard. Somebody should just tell Anna Soubry to stay away from a microphone.

I need a drink.

Just had one, more like.

I was scouring PP for odds of Soubry for next Cons leader. Len, meanwhile, on the one hand bemoaned "low quality cheap steel imports" displacing our own, presumably equally low quality steel, while on the other pointed out that we were a high quality producer.

There is a reasonable case that the Chinese are currently engaged in price dumping.

Tariffs are permitted in this circumstance under WTO rules. They shouldn't be maintained permanently (because that creates structural inefficiencies) but neither should another country be permitted to export the consequences of their policy errors

According to Len, we used Swedish steel to build our RN ships. Not sure they were dumping. I get the issues of responding to dumping but it seems (and IANAE) that we don't stack up at all well to other global providers, not just the Chinese.

I am by no means an expert in steel production, but my understanding is that not all steels are comparable: for something like high performance ships you will need a difference mix of alloys or a different manufacturing process, etc. Whether the UK produces that, or not, I don't know. So I'm not sure you can argue "we used Swedish steel in this specific case" as a compelling argument. (Even ignoring pan-European procurement rules).

There are lots of different grades of steels. Most European mills will produce high grades which are tailored for specific applications such as automotive. The more bog standardy stuff used in mainstream construction and non performance critical engineering is what's coming in from China.

TCPoliticalBetting said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

peter_from_putney said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

Hertsmere_Pubgoer said:

Sunil_Prasannan said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

https://twitter.com/TSEofPB/status/715286949741858817

Personally, my vote would go to TSE!

So would mine.
TSE for PM!

About a decade ago, someone suggested I put myself forward as a Tory candidates list to be an MP, I said no.

I never regretted that decision until recently.

Not wishing to understate your prospects, but unless by now you have made conspicuous progress in local government or at Tory HQ or as a ministerial advisor, then your chances of your making it onto the candidates list look pretty remote, far less any ambitions you may harbour of then actually getting elected as an MP. This is especially so at a time when there is likely to be a significant reduction in the number of MPs in the HoC and therefore quite a number of ex-MPs looking for a return.
Your best chance is probably to keep plugging away on the media side of things and hoping thereby to get noticed and fast-tracked. Perhaps taking on something like Kieran Pedley has done on PB.comTV would be a good idea, so that you become known as a personality in your own right rather than simply a very effective thread writer and blogger in chief alongside OGH.

Thanks to my stint as editor of PB, I've managed to meet/get to know very well a few people in the Tory Party/CCHQ in the last few years.

They were the ones who recently suggested I become an MP.

But I realised that ship has sailed.

But I revel in the glory they said, I was the only one in British politics who spotted the potential for Corbyn making a complete idiot of himself at the Battle of Britain ceremony.

TSE I disagree. The problem with our political class is their lack of working in the private sector. Also the lack of management experience in particular. Which is why and Andrea Leadsom are streets ahead of others in their ability to manage the civil service.

Pulpstar said:

Alanbrooke said:

Charles said:

TOPPING said:

Charles said:

TOPPING said:

Alanbrooke said:

I've just entered a parallel universe.

Listened to Len McCluskey on R4 on the way in to work and he actually not only made sense but had more of a grasp on life than most of the government ministers I've heard. Somebody should just tell Anna Soubry to stay away from a microphone.

I need a drink.

Just had one, more like.

I was scouring PP for odds of Soubry for next Cons leader. Len, meanwhile, on the one hand bemoaned "low quality cheap steel imports" displacing our own, presumably equally low quality steel, while on the other pointed out that we were a high quality producer.

There is a reasonable case that the Chinese are currently engaged in price dumping.

Tariffs are permitted in this circumstance under WTO rules. They shouldn't be maintained permanently (because that creates structural inefficiencies) but neither should another country be permitted to export the consequences of their policy errors

According to Len, we used Swedish steel to build our RN ships. Not sure they were dumping. I get the issues of responding to dumping but it seems (and IANAE) that we don't stack up at all well to other global providers, not just the Chinese.

I am by no means an expert in steel production, but my understanding is that not all steels are comparable: for something like high performance ships you will need a difference mix of alloys or a different manufacturing process, etc. Whether the UK produces that, or not, I don't know. So I'm not sure you can argue "we used Swedish steel in this specific case" as a compelling argument. (Even ignoring pan-European procurement rules).

There are lots of different grades of steels. Most European mills will produce high grades which are tailored for specific applications such as automotive. The more bog standardy stuff used in mainstream construction and non performance critical engineering is what's coming in from China.

Bright, Mild, Stainless, 304, 310, 316, 321, schedule 40

Bar, plate, flat, round, angle, pipe.

In all dimensions.

watford30 said:

TOPPING said:

Charles said:

TOPPING said:

Alanbrooke said:

I've just entered a parallel universe.

Listened to Len McCluskey on R4 on the way in to work and he actually not only made sense but had more of a grasp on life than most of the government ministers I've heard. Somebody should just tell Anna Soubry to stay away from a microphone.

I need a drink.

Just had one, more like.

I was scouring PP for odds of Soubry for next Cons leader. Len, meanwhile, on the one hand bemoaned "low quality cheap steel imports" displacing our own, presumably equally low quality steel, while on the other pointed out that we were a high quality producer.

There is a reasonable case that the Chinese are currently engaged in price dumping.

Tariffs are permitted in this circumstance under WTO rules. They shouldn't be maintained permanently (because that creates structural inefficiencies) but neither should another country be permitted to export the consequences of their policy errors

According to Len, we used Swedish steel to build our RN ships. Not sure they were dumping. I get the issues of responding to dumping but it seems (and IANAE) that we don't stack up at all well to other global providers, not just the Chinese.

It was interesting to hear Remainian Len try and steer his interviewer away from any mention of the EU, but the gist of the conversation suggested that the French and Germans dodge the rules, whilst we stick to them like limpets. And there's one of the problems.

Patrick said:

Is it not the case that low grade steel such as concrete rebar is an out and out commodity? You just want to get the best priced stuff from wherever - and if Chinese taxpayers are subsidising your purchases well more fool them.

High grade speciality steels - are these not the products most at risk of materials technology advances? Vehicles, aircraft, etc are all starting to see significantly higher use of carbonfibres or aramids. I don't think steel is nearly the strategic thing it once was.

Pulpstar said:

Alanbrooke said:

Charles said:

TOPPING said:

Charles said:

TOPPING said:

Alanbrooke said:

I've just entered a parallel universe.

Listened to Len McCluskey on R4 on the way in to work and he actually not only made sense but had more of a grasp on life than most of the government ministers I've heard. Somebody should just tell Anna Soubry to stay away from a microphone.

I need a drink.

Just had one, more like.

I was scouring PP for odds of Soubry for next Cons leader. Len, meanwhile, on the one hand bemoaned "low quality cheap steel imports" displacing our own, presumably equally low quality steel, while on the other pointed out that we were a high quality producer.

There is a reasonable case that the Chinese are currently engaged in price dumping.

Tariffs are permitted in this circumstance under WTO rules. They shouldn't be maintained permanently (because that creates structural inefficiencies) but neither should another country be permitted to export the consequences of their policy errors

According to Len, we used Swedish steel to build our RN ships. Not sure they were dumping. I get the issues of responding to dumping but it seems (and IANAE) that we don't stack up at all well to other global providers, not just the Chinese.

I am by no means an expert in steel production, but my understanding is that not all steels are comparable: for something like high performance ships you will need a difference mix of alloys or a different manufacturing process, etc. Whether the UK produces that, or not, I don't know. So I'm not sure you can argue "we used Swedish steel in this specific case" as a compelling argument. (Even ignoring pan-European procurement rules).

There are lots of different grades of steels. Most European mills will produce high grades which are tailored for specific applications such as automotive. The more bog standardy stuff used in mainstream construction and non performance critical engineering is what's coming in from China.

Bright, Mild, Stainless {304, 310, 316, 321}, schedule 40

Bar, plate, flat, round, angle, pipe.

In all dimensions.

Philip_Thompson said:

Alanbrooke said:

Philip_Thompson said:

Alanbrooke said:

Philip_Thompson said:

Alanbrooke said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

Huzzah for the awesomeness of Osborne.

Q4 GDP revised upwards from 0.5% to 0.6%

ROFL

you mean our national statistics which always underrecord activity show an increase and that's good news ?

Good news would be he's put some money into getting the statistics correct instead of driving the economy with half the windscreen blocked.

More government spending is good news in your eyes? That's one way to look at it Gordon ...

If it means the facts we run the economy are more accurate yes.

Would you refuse to spend money in your business to upgrade your IT ?

If I wasn't convinced that the upgrade would be worth it then yes.

"IT upgrades" are the great failed money drain of successive governments. We need more skepticism over them not less.

The counter to that being that you WOULD spend it if it gave you benefits. Which is where the inital point started.

Oh yes I sure would. My objection was not to benefits but to the turn of phrase "Good news would be he's put some money into getting the statistics correct ..." - simply putting money in does not by itself get the stats correct. It reminded me of Brown whose answer to any problem was "put more money in".

You could very easily spend more money to get the statistics correct and end up with the statistics no better but in more debt. Given successive governments track record that's what I'd expect to happen too.

Charles said:

HurstLlama said:

Charles said:

Alanbrooke said:

Charles said:

TOPPING said:

Charles said:

TOPPING said:

Alanbrooke said:

I've just entered a parallel universe.

Listened to Len McCluskey on R4 on the way in to work and he actually not only made sense but had more of a grasp on life than most of the government ministers I've heard. Somebody should just tell Anna Soubry to stay away from a microphone.

I need a drink.

Just had one, more like.

I was scouring PP for odds of Soubry for next Cons leader. Len, meanwhile, on the one hand bemoaned "low quality cheap steel imports" displacing our own, presumably equally low quality steel, while on the other pointed out that we were a high quality producer.

There is a reasonable case that the Chinese are currently engaged in price dumping.

Tariffs are permitted in this circumstance under WTO rules. They shouldn't be maintained permanently (because that creates structural inefficiencies) but neither should another country be permitted to export the consequences of their policy errors

According to Len, we used Swedish steel to build our RN ships. Not sure they were dumping. I get the issues of responding to dumping but it seems (and IANAE) that we don't stack up at all well to other global providers, not just the Chinese.

I am by no means an expert in steel production, but my understanding is that not all steels are comparable: for something like high performance ships you will need a difference mix of alloys or a different manufacturing process, etc. Whether the UK produces that, or not, I don't know. So I'm not sure you can argue "we used Swedish steel in this specific case" as a compelling argument. (Even ignoring pan-European procurement rules).

There are lots of different grades of steels. Most European mills will produce high grades which are tailored for specific applications such as automotive. The more bog standardy stuff used in mainstream construction and non performance critical engineering is what's coming in from China.

I was sure there'd be a metal basher who knew the answer somewhere on the site...

Whatever the question there is always at least one person on here who genuinely knows about the subject. It is what keeps PB an interesting place to hang out. It also means we can have those discussions on history, trains education, finance, engineering etc. that drive one or two of our correspondents up the wall.

I've never talked about "trains education" before. What do you have to teach them?

TOPPING said:

Pulpstar said:

Alanbrooke said:

Charles said:

TOPPING said:

Charles said:

TOPPING said:

Alanbrooke said:

I've just entered a parallel universe.

Listened to Len McCluskey on R4 on the way in to work and he actually not only made sense but had more of a grasp on life than most of the government ministers I've heard. Somebody should just tell Anna Soubry to stay away from a microphone.

I need a drink.

Just had one, more like.

I was scouring PP for odds of Soubry for next Cons leader. Len, meanwhile, on the one hand bemoaned "low quality cheap steel imports" displacing our own, presumably equally low quality steel, while on the other pointed out that we were a high quality producer.

There is a reasonable case that the Chinese are currently engaged in price dumping.

Tariffs are permitted in this circumstance under WTO rules. They shouldn't be maintained permanently (because that creates structural inefficiencies) but neither should another country be permitted to export the consequences of their policy errors

According to Len, we used Swedish steel to build our RN ships. Not sure they were dumping. I get the issues of responding to dumping but it seems (and IANAE) that we don't stack up at all well to other global providers, not just the Chinese.

I am by no means an expert in steel production, but my understanding is that not all steels are comparable: for something like high performance ships you will need a difference mix of alloys or a different manufacturing process, etc. Whether the UK produces that, or not, I don't know. So I'm not sure you can argue "we used Swedish steel in this specific case" as a compelling argument. (Even ignoring pan-European procurement rules).

There are lots of different grades of steels. Most European mills will produce high grades which are tailored for specific applications such as automotive. The more bog standardy stuff used in mainstream construction and non performance critical engineering is what's coming in from China.

Bright, Mild, Stainless, 304, 310, 316, 321, schedule 40

Bar, plate, flat, round, angle, pipe.

In all dimensions.

So can you tell us what's happening at PT?

@Charles - agree.

Theuniondivvie said:

Othering alert..

'Scots are to the left of the rest of Britain on almost every issue'

http://tinyurl.com/gpxecus

FrancisUrquhart said:

And BS EU Leave story of the day.....

Brexit could have 'big effect' on football

http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/35919247

You have to get two thirds of the way through the article until a law professor basically says yeah, but the UK would just change the law to adjust.

TheScreamingEagles said:

YouGov have rebutted Matt Singh's analysis

Why YouGov has the upper hand in EU referendum polling. The anonymity of online polls makes it easier for people to give their real opinions – while convenience makes them better at reaching social liberals

https://yougov.co.uk/news/2016/03/31/analysis-why-yougov-has-upper-hand-eu-referendum-p/

Patrick said:

Some of the alternative materials are very expensive.

Hmm...sounds like steel is going to become uncompetitive altogether to me. Mining the ore, moving it, melting it - it's all inherently and unavoidably energy intensive. Plastics and advanced materials are expensive(ish) because they don't have economies of scale. Look at the price of carbon fibre or Kevlar - they've been on a sort of Moore's Law reduction over recent years as their usage explodes. C60 Buckminsterfullerene looks set to become a viable super-material. And it's easy to make. Industrial demand for bronze collapsed when a better material (iron / steel) came along. Steel has had its day. Almost all engineering applications will be better served with cheaper, lighter, stronger materials.

Pulpstar said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

YouGov have rebutted Matt Singh's analysis

Why YouGov has the upper hand in EU referendum polling. The anonymity of online polls makes it easier for people to give their real opinions – while convenience makes them better at reaching social liberals

https://yougov.co.uk/news/2016/03/31/analysis-why-yougov-has-upper-hand-eu-referendum-p/

Does one trust Matt Singh or Peter Kellner. Boy that's a TOUGH one.

No, really, don't laugh too hard !

TheScreamingEagles said:

Pulpstar said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

YouGov have rebutted Matt Singh's analysis

Why YouGov has the upper hand in EU referendum polling. The anonymity of online polls makes it easier for people to give their real opinions – while convenience makes them better at reaching social liberals

https://yougov.co.uk/news/2016/03/31/analysis-why-yougov-has-upper-hand-eu-referendum-p/

Does one trust Matt Singh or Peter Kellner. Boy that's a TOUGH one.

No, really, don't laugh too hard !

But really, we've got JackW and Matt Singh going for a Remain victory.

I know where my money is going

dugarbandier said:

kingbongo said:

re 1980s exams - The S level was an extension paper for A level students and very different to the post 2000 A/S level exams. Some exam boards used to offer an O/A level which was similar to the AS being a 1 year course but obviously exam rather than coursework based - I have one in geology from 1984! I can still talk schists and can recognise haematite at a 100 paces

bloody hell, yes I have an O/A in maths I'd entirely forgotten about!

nigel4england said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

Plato_Says said:

He's great box office

Steve Hawkes
Jacob Rees Mogg wonders re Nicky Morgan's mad inter-railing claim.."how Phileas Fogg managed to get around the world in 80 days without EU"

So he wants to know how a fictional character went around the world in less than 80 days?

Think he is just highlighting her ludicrous claim, Remainers seem more demented every day.

FrancisUrquhart said:

I see the Telegraph has updated the look of their website...and it is UGGGGLLLLYYYY...what is it with all the newspaper websites looking like total messes.