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politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » It’s not just Manchester where there’ll be 2017 directly elect

SystemSystem Posts: 11,002
edited December 2016 in General

imagepoliticalbetting.com » Blog Archive » It’s not just Manchester where there’ll be 2017 directly elections for the mayors of newly created combined authorities

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Comments

  • First! And nothing to say except all shopping done and now in front of fire with a drink.
  • Another brilliant Osborne idea.
  • Sheffield seemed larger last time I was there?
  • Afternoon all.

    Do devolved powers and elected Mayors generally work in other countries, eg the US ?
  • SpeedySpeedy Posts: 12,100
    Another level of bureaucratic nonsense from Osborne, East Anglia doesn't even have a city that needs a mayor.

    Worse chancellor since Brown, or worse than Brown depending on the subject.
  • CookieCookie Posts: 11,182
    Those figures for Sheffield and West of England look like they could be missing a few zeroes...

    Also I'm sure Sheffield City Region is bigger than Greater Manchester in area.

    What area does 'west of England' cover?
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,838
    @David_herdson We all own victorian piles on 10 acres here.
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 49,952
    Previous thread header: "The biggest election, in terms of the one involving the most number of voters, planned for 2017 is the May contest for the elected Mayor of Greater Manchester."

    This thread header? The greatest number of voters is West Midlands.

    Has pb.com become a false news site?

  • JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 38,517
    FPT:
    Off-topic, but as we were talking about history:

    The lovely Alice Roberts is currently presenting the latest series of 'Digging for Britain', going through some of the best discoveries in UK archaeology in 2016. The next episode is at 20.00 tonight on BBC Four. The first episode should be on iPlayer.

    As always, a very interesting program.

    I'm hoping they'll find the Ed Stone covering the grave of Ed Miliband's career ...
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,838
    Nice to have no traffic on the roads in Sheffield, given our 3 person/km^2 population density too.

    Clear run every morning.
  • Corrections. The Lincolnshire deal collapsed when several of the Districts withdrew. The East Anglia deal was split into (1) Cambridgeshire and Peterborough and (2) Norfolk and Suffolk. The latter (2) has also collapsed as five of the seven Norfolk Districts withdrew. There will thus be a Mayoral election for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough only in May 2017 and not in Lincolnshire, Norfolk or Suffolk.
  • SpeedySpeedy Posts: 12,100

    Previous thread header: "The biggest election, in terms of the one involving the most number of voters, planned for 2017 is the May contest for the elected Mayor of Greater Manchester."

    This thread header? The greatest number of voters is West Midlands.

    Has pb.com become a false news site?

    Depends on your personal view of George Osborne and if you are a LD.

    Since I'm not a fan of either I tend to disregard the threads as more fictional (or wishcasting ) than real.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,838
    ♫ We're dreaming of 3 people per kilometre squared ♫
  • Are there any areas which might spring a surprise here? I don't know the detail and as Mike says, some of the 'city' areas go well beyond. The stupidly and self-aggrandisingly named West of England (i.e. Greater Bristol) looks the most likely to be closely fought to me. The rest ought to fall fairly naturally into Con/Lab columns, unless disrupted by strong independents.
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 49,952
    Pulpstar: @David_herdson We all own victorian piles on 10 acres here.

    Mine is only 9 acres.

    Am I entitled to welfare?
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,838
    @MarqueeMark Sounds like relative poverty to me !
  • SpeedySpeedy Posts: 12,100
    Old_Hand said:

    Corrections. The Lincolnshire deal collapsed when several of the Districts withdrew. The East Anglia deal was split into (1) Cambridgeshire and Peterborough and (2) Norfolk and Suffolk. The latter (2) has also collapsed as five of the seven Norfolk Districts withdrew. There will thus be a Mayoral election for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough only in May 2017 and not in Lincolnshire, Norfolk or Suffolk.

    So this thread is mostly false.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,838
    @Speedy Not true, I can categorically tell you that everyone has 10 acre gardens in and around Sheffield, and there is no traffic on the roads.
  • Several of these areas are more populous than northern Ireland. These are potentially substantial independent power bases for the successful candidates. The Mayor of East Anglia, for example, might soon be saying:

    "Were I in my Castle of Bungay
    Upon the river of Waveney,
    I would ne care for the King of Cockney."
  • Pulpstar said:

    ♫ We're dreaming of 3 people per kilometre squared ♫

    That would be 9 people per square kilometre?
  • I think the table formatting has gone wrong
  • felixfelix Posts: 15,122
    Speedy said:

    Old_Hand said:

    Corrections. The Lincolnshire deal collapsed when several of the Districts withdrew. The East Anglia deal was split into (1) Cambridgeshire and Peterborough and (2) Norfolk and Suffolk. The latter (2) has also collapsed as five of the seven Norfolk Districts withdrew. There will thus be a Mayoral election for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough only in May 2017 and not in Lincolnshire, Norfolk or Suffolk.

    So this thread is mostly false.
    Not more fake news! We hope for better on PB.
  • I believe that the Labour candidate in the West Midlands is Sion Simon.

    Does anyone have any scholarly works by him so we can judge his political nous?
  • HurstLlamaHurstLlama Posts: 9,098
    @Jossias_Jessup

    The discovery of the bronze age village at Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire must surely the the most exciting find in 2016, and possibly since Sutton Hoo in the 1930s. An amazing archeological treasure trove that stands to overthrow our conceptions of life in the UK 5,000 years ago.
  • Bloody daft. An English Parliament is the devolution we need.
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 50,753
    I do think that these are significant and beneficial changes. There will be a single voice for a range of areas of England which does not exist at the moment with its own mandate and which is able to make a lot of noise for the area concerned. I think that greatly improves the chances of the concerns of these areas being heard and reduces the dominance that London has over the rest of the country.

    Once these are up and running there is going to be a real question what the point of the DCLG and its 11 (!) associated agencies is. Hopefully it will be largely wound up.

  • TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 113,956
    edited December 2016
    Asking for a friend.

    Would it be illegal to vote in both the Manchester and Sheffield City Region Mayoral elections?

    I has addresses in both areas
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 50,753

    @Jossias_Jessup

    The discovery of the bronze age village at Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire must surely the the most exciting find in 2016, and possibly since Sutton Hoo in the 1930s. An amazing archeological treasure trove that stands to overthrow our conceptions of life in the UK 5,000 years ago.

    And what insights did it give us on Brexit?
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 50,753

    Pulpstar: @David_herdson We all own victorian piles on 10 acres here.

    Mine is only 9 acres.

    Am I entitled to welfare?

    You are deemed homeless according to the Shelter criteria and are a subject of national shame.
  • @TSE

    I understand there will shortly be an election in the West Midlands, in which Labour will increase its majority and in so doing utterly shatter the glass paradigm of cyclical politics which has contained us for the century since 1906.
  • Also @TSE

    Since you can vote for two Borough elections as they are "different elections" I would have thought you were entitled to vote twice.
  • Bloody daft. An English Parliament is the devolution we need.

    No, these city states are awesome.
  • AndyJSAndyJS Posts: 29,395
    edited December 2016
    O/T:

    What do PBers think of the 13 year sentence handed to the 101 year old today?
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 50,753
    edited December 2016

    Several of these areas are more populous than northern Ireland. These are potentially substantial independent power bases for the successful candidates. The Mayor of East Anglia, for example, might soon be saying:

    "Were I in my Castle of Bungay
    Upon the river of Waveney,
    I would ne care for the King of Cockney."

    "King of the north east! King of the north east!"

    I recall that went well.
  • dr_spyndr_spyn Posts: 11,279
    Noticed this on West of England mess.

    http://www.tfa-ltd.co.uk/blog/who-will-become-the-2017-west-of-england-metro-mayor

    I had thought that I had seen a short list for Labour, but will have another looks shortly. I have a feeling that none of the listed candidates were MPs.

    The Metro Mayor would be directly elected but so too is the Bristol Mayor. Just as well Bath told Osborne to go and whistle otherwise there would be another of these wretches.
  • Mr. Eagles, it feels like a first step towards Balkanising England.

    The only way England can have equality is for an English Parliament.
  • Also @TSE

    Since you can vote for two Borough elections as they are "different elections" I would have thought you were entitled to vote twice.

    That's what I was thinking, but always remember it is illegal to vote in more than one constituency in a general election, one thing I am sure of, I would not do well in prison.
  • JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 38,517

    @Jossias_Jessup

    The discovery of the bronze age village at Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire must surely the the most exciting find in 2016, and possibly since Sutton Hoo in the 1930s. An amazing archeological treasure trove that stands to overthrow our conceptions of life in the UK 5,000 years ago.

    There was a superb program about that a while back, and I think it's being repeated soon. The quality of the cloth they found was amazing - ISTR 30+ threads per centimetre.

    http://www.mustfarm.com/bronze-age-settlement/

    Our ancient ancestors may not have been as primitive as we were taught at school. They were almost certainly more cultured: none of them ever bought an iPhone. ;)
  • Asking for a friend.

    Would it be illegal to vote in both the Manchester and Sheffield City Region Mayoral elections?

    I has addresses in both areas

    I believe it should be OK for your "friend". Somewhat to my surprise, I found out not long ago that if you're legitimately registered at more than one property then you can vote in two local elections providing that they don't overlap (i.e. if both houses were within the same council area, even if in a different ward, it would be either/or).

    However, this is what we pay election agents for and your "friend" would be best to check with someone who's properly trained.

    Or just to stay schtum as it's almost inconceivable that anyone would find out unless, say, they were daft enough to advertise the fact on a widely-read website.
  • Mr. Eagles, it feels like a first step towards Balkanising England.

    The only way England can have equality is for an English Parliament.

    Nah, this and proper EV4EL will do the job.
  • wasdwasd Posts: 276
    2.7 million people living in 1.7 km^2? Manchester is far more crowded than I remember.
  • JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 38,517
    edited December 2016
    DavidL said:

    @Jossias_Jessup

    The discovery of the bronze age village at Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire must surely the the most exciting find in 2016, and possibly since Sutton Hoo in the 1930s. An amazing archeological treasure trove that stands to overthrow our conceptions of life in the UK 5,000 years ago.

    And what insights did it give us on Brexit?
    It was only a few thousand years after the Brexit: when ancient Britons got so fed up with their overbearing European partners they flooded Doggerland. :)

    Edit: whilst some parts of coastal Essex are now Doggingland.
  • AndyJS said:

    O/T:

    What do PBers think of the 13 year sentence handed to the 101 year old today?

    I believe the sentence is in line with guidelines, and he was over the age of majority when the crimes were committed, so his current age shouldn't excuse him jail time, even if prisons are ill equipped to deal with OAP prisoners
  • The table grows and shrinks a dozen times before settling down each time I reload. It's a bit weird.

    Mr. Eagles, so only English MPs will be setting the English income tax rate by voting on the Budget?
  • wasd said:

    2.7 million people living in 1.7 km^2? Manchester is far more crowded than I remember.

    Greater Manchester might be, Manchester the city isn't.
  • felixfelix Posts: 15,122

    Asking for a friend.

    Would it be illegal to vote in both the Manchester and Sheffield City Region Mayoral elections?

    I has addresses in both areas

    has you? :)
  • HurstLlamaHurstLlama Posts: 9,098
    @DavidL

    "And what insights did it give us on Brexit?"

    Interestingly, the dig so far has shown that thousands of years ago the people of the UK traded freely with continental Europe despite not being tied into their political structures. Not that comes as much of a revelation considering we have known that to be the case from time immemorial.

    I realise that this might come as shock to some on this site but the UK was trading with, and people were moving between, continental Europe before 1973.
  • dr_spyndr_spyn Posts: 11,279
    Who, who, who?

    http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/labour-reveals-three-hopefuls-who-will-fight-to-become-the-party-s-candidate-for-metro-mayor/story-29907457-detail/story.html

    Not sure that any one of these three has much of a profile or chance to be honest. Manchester and Liverpool have current MPs Mr Burnham, and Miss Berger, yet Bristol, BANES & S Gloucs have ex councillors.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,838
    edited December 2016
    I now see that everyone has a shoebox to live in in Greater Manchester.

    @ThescreamingEagles Why have you taken away our lebensraum in Sheffield :open_mouth: ?

    Manchester definitely more crowded than I recall ;)
  • Asking for a friend.

    Would it be illegal to vote in both the Manchester and Sheffield City Region Mayoral elections?

    I has addresses in both areas

    I believe it should be OK for your "friend". Somewhat to my surprise, I found out not long ago that if you're legitimately registered at more than one property then you can vote in two local elections providing that they don't overlap (i.e. if both houses were within the same council area, even if in a different ward, it would be either/or).

    However, this is what we pay election agents for and your "friend" would be best to check with someone who's properly trained.

    Or just to stay schtum as it's almost inconceivable that anyone would find out unless, say, they were daft enough to advertise the fact on a widely-read website.
    Cheers. I'm definitely voting in the Sheffield one, but a friend is standing in the Manchester one, might be my excuse to say why I can't vote for him, he's the Kipper candidate, and I really don't want to vote UKIP.
  • The table grows and shrinks a dozen times before settling down each time I reload. It's a bit weird.

    Mr. Eagles, so only English MPs will be setting the English income tax rate by voting on the Budget?

    They could if they wanted to do so.

    I've asked Mr Smithson to look at the table.
  • DeClareDeClare Posts: 483


    AndyJS said:


    O/T:

    What do PBers think of the 13 year sentence handed to the 101 year old today?

    He should have got life.
  • The first task of Manchester's mayor will be to tackle chronic overcrowding according to that table.
  • dr_spyndr_spyn Posts: 11,279
    @pulpstar

    Cardboard box?

    Aye.

    You were lucky. We lived for three months in a brown paper bag in a septic tank
  • Mr. Eagles, cheers (scrolling up to look at it reduces the number of times it occurs).

    We'll see how the Budget goes.
  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 20,392
    Let's not forget:

    The Newcastle/North East (whatever they want to call it) Mayoralty has been thrown into chaos when most of the authorities south of the Tyne pulled out.

    The Leeds / West Riding (again whatever they want to call it) Mayoralty still hasn't figured out which areas it ought to cover.

    As soon as the areas don't fit with established authority boundaries (and not just for councils, but for police and fire too) the whole thing becomes a total shambles.

    Why not just go back to the old metropolitan county councils to give Tyne & Wear, West / South Yorks, Greater Manc, Merseyside and West Mids more regional clout?
  • CookieCookie Posts: 11,182
    While we're complaining about the table, can I point out it's 'Greater Manchester', not 'Manchester'?
  • DeClareDeClare Posts: 483
    The area of Manchester is 115.6 km2 not 1.76
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 50,753

    DavidL said:

    @Jossias_Jessup

    The discovery of the bronze age village at Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire must surely the the most exciting find in 2016, and possibly since Sutton Hoo in the 1930s. An amazing archeological treasure trove that stands to overthrow our conceptions of life in the UK 5,000 years ago.

    And what insights did it give us on Brexit?
    It was only a few thousand years after the Brexit: when ancient Britons got so fed up with their overbearing European partners they flooded Doggerland. :)
    So close the Channel Tunnel? It's a thought.

    I always thought it was positively strange that the Arthurian legends had such an emphasis on lands that had been lost to the sea when such things did not really form a part of our recorded history. Maybe a folk memory built into the legend?
  • CharlesCharles Posts: 35,758
    Pulpstar said:

    @David_herdson We all own victorian piles on 10 acres here.

    Given you can buy them for tuppence ha'penny...
  • Plato - in the absence of a quote function, it's hard to link but ...

    Jonathan Haidt talk you might have watched and if you haven't, it's good.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gatn5ameRr8
  • AndyJSAndyJS Posts: 29,395
    edited December 2016
    Russian ambasaddor to Turkey injured in attack, possibly shot — BBC News.

    twitter.com/BBCBreaking/status/810882385478881281
  • williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 47,786
    AndyJS said:

    Russian ambasaddor to Turkey injured in attack, possibly shot — BBC News.

    twitter.com/DivonMichelle/status/810881934788358144

    Hopefully not an Archduke Ferdinand moment.
  • Sean_FSean_F Posts: 35,755
    Completely O/T, but I'm representing a beneficiary in the sort of case lawyers dream of.

    My client is one of several beneficiaries of a very large estate, where the personal representatives have broken every rule in the book. The personal representatives have had an award of £800,000 damages made against them, and have had costs awards totalling about £450,000 made against them during the proceedings (which have lasted about 10 years).

    Clearly, the personal representatives are very charitable people who wish to keep members of the legal profession in gainful employment.
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 50,753
    DeClare said:



    AndyJS said:


    O/T:

    What do PBers think of the 13 year sentence handed to the 101 year old today?

    He should have got life.

    Its a very high probability that he did and that he will die behind bars. Which serves him right of course.
  • JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 38,517
    DavidL said:

    DavidL said:

    @Jossias_Jessup

    The discovery of the bronze age village at Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire must surely the the most exciting find in 2016, and possibly since Sutton Hoo in the 1930s. An amazing archeological treasure trove that stands to overthrow our conceptions of life in the UK 5,000 years ago.

    And what insights did it give us on Brexit?
    It was only a few thousand years after the Brexit: when ancient Britons got so fed up with their overbearing European partners they flooded Doggerland. :)
    So close the Channel Tunnel? It's a thought.

    I always thought it was positively strange that the Arthurian legends had such an emphasis on lands that had been lost to the sea when such things did not really form a part of our recorded history. Maybe a folk memory built into the legend?
    I am far from being an expert, and I bet someone on here is, but aren't the Arthurian legends almost all bogus? Invented by a Geoffrey de someone, and mostly copied from legends in Wales and Brittany?
  • EssexitEssexit Posts: 1,956
    TSE, I voted in two sets of local/PCC elections (using a proxy vote for one) whilst at university, it's definitely allowable.
  • EssexitEssexit Posts: 1,956
    Oh, and please sort the table. It's difficult to be subtle about reading PB at work when the screen is jumping up and down.
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 50,753

    @DavidL

    "And what insights did it give us on Brexit?"

    Interestingly, the dig so far has shown that thousands of years ago the people of the UK traded freely with continental Europe despite not being tied into their political structures. Not that comes as much of a revelation considering we have known that to be the case from time immemorial.

    I realise that this might come as shock to some on this site but the UK was trading with, and people were moving between, continental Europe before 1973.

    “Say it ain’t so, Joe.”
  • Zerohedge has a rather grpahic picture of the attack on the Ambassador
  • HurstLlamaHurstLlama Posts: 9,098
    @JossiasJessup

    The discoveries at Whittlesey certainly throw considerable doubt about the different levels of sophistication between the native Brits and the Romans during their invasion a millennium or so later. The Romans may have jacked up their engineering beyond anything the ancient Brits felt necessary but I am not sure they had much more going for them.
  • AndyJS said:

    O/T:

    What do PBers think of the 13 year sentence handed to the 101 year old today?

    I believe the sentence is in line with guidelines, and he was over the age of majority when the crimes were committed, so his current age shouldn't excuse him jail time, even if prisons are ill equipped to deal with OAP prisoners
    I think it's exceptionally harsh - the prison regime is very much more difficult for someone of his age to deal with and this aspect doesn't appear to have been fully taken into account.
    The truth is however, that even if his sentence had been half of that imposed, he is unlikely to ever see the light of day again, in a manner of speaking.
  • Scott_P said:
    First staying in the customs union now this, it's Brexit In Name Only
  • williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 47,786

    Interestingly, the dig so far has shown that thousands of years ago the people of the UK traded freely with continental Europe despite not being tied into their political structures.

    How much relationship did the political structures of Britain in those days have with the modern era? Unless you're advocating going back to that it's a pretty meaningless point.
  • JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 38,517

    AndyJS said:

    Russian ambasaddor to Turkey injured in attack, possibly shot — BBC News.

    twitter.com/DivonMichelle/status/810881934788358144

    Hopefully not an Archduke Ferdinand moment.
    The last thing Turkey or the region needs.

    As an aside, the following story about possible Russian assassins operating in Turkey is interesting:
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-38294204
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 50,753

    Zerohedge has a rather grpahic picture of the attack on the Ambassador

    It's amazing that site is still going. Surely the world came to an end years ago in accordance with all its predictions? This is all a dream (or, in the case of the England cricket squad, a bit of a nightmare).
  • AndyJS said:

    O/T:

    What do PBers think of the 13 year sentence handed to the 101 year old today?

    I believe the sentence is in line with guidelines, and he was over the age of majority when the crimes were committed, so his current age shouldn't excuse him jail time, even if prisons are ill equipped to deal with OAP prisoners
    I think it's exceptionally harsh - the prison regime is very much more difficult for someone of his age to deal with and this aspect doesn't appear to have been fully taken into account.
    The truth is however, that even if his sentence had been half of that imposed, he is unlikely to ever see the light of day again, in a manner of speaking.
    All things being equal, he'll serve half his sentence in jail.
  • Contributions too

    May refuses to rule out UK paying money to EU after it leaves

    Philip Davies, a Conservative, asks for an assurance that the UK will not pay money to the EU when we leave.

    May says, after the UK leaves, it is important for people to know that it is the British government that decides how British money is spent.

    May refuses to rule out UK paying money to EU after it leaves.
  • I did not have Article 50 relations with that organisation, Miss European Union
  • Scott_PScott_P Posts: 51,453
    Paging Southam

    @faisalislam: Philip Davies says "betrayal" for money to be continued to be paid into EU Budget, PM response that UK Gov will control money it spends
  • JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 38,517

    Zerohedge has a rather grpahic picture of the attack on the Ambassador

    A few more details;
    http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/russian-ambassador-to-turkey-karlov-shot-in-ankara.aspx?pageID=238&nID=107512&NewsCatID=341
  • Mr. Eagles, it's certainly looking to make my decision of how to vote next time more interesting than it needed to be.

    Paying money depends on the sum involved and the deal achieved.
  • williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 47,786

    I did not have Article 50 relations with that organisation, Miss European Union

    As we leave the European Union, we are delighted to join the new United States of Europe, and we're going to make a success of it...
  • My comments page is jumping up and down by approx 1cm every couple of seconds ..... anyone else having the same problem?
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 50,753

    @JossiasJessup

    The discoveries at Whittlesey certainly throw considerable doubt about the different levels of sophistication between the native Brits and the Romans during their invasion a millennium or so later. The Romans may have jacked up their engineering beyond anything the ancient Brits felt necessary but I am not sure they had much more going for them.

    Surely that assumes that they were at the same level or better? I think that is a very modernist approach based upon our assumptions of continued progress. Much of history before the industrial revolution does not really support that theory and there is no reason to assume that 1000 years on the locals were at the same level as they had been.

    Brits near the south coast were highly influenced by Rome and Roman civilisation long before the Romans actually got here. Bit like prior to 1973 in fact. It's been a perennial problem.
  • Apparently the shooter said it was for Aleppo.

    Fortunately we've got Trump to calm things down.
  • Mr. Putney, yes (and stop using metric). Scroll up, look at the table for a moment, and it'll stop.
  • Mr. Eagles, it's certainly looking to make my decision of how to vote next time more interesting than it needed to be.

    Paying money depends on the sum involved and the deal achieved.

    The deal will be the best for the United Kingdom, suck it up is the phrase that is so beloved of Leavers.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,838

    Apparently the shooter said it was for Aleppo.

    Fortunately we've got Trump to calm things down.

    I assume the shooter is still alive judging by that statement. I wonder what method of execution awaits him ?
  • VerulamiusVerulamius Posts: 1,429
    So far we have only 5 statutory instruments made for the forthcoming mayoral elections.

    http://www.legislation.gov.uk/all?title=Mayor

    West Midlands
    Greater Sheffield
    Tees Valley
    Greater Liverpool
    Greater Manchester

    My presumption that these elections will be under SV by the application of s42 Local Government Act 2000
  • JobabobJobabob Posts: 3,807
    Speedy said:

    Another level of bureaucratic nonsense from Osborne, East Anglia doesn't even have a city that needs a mayor.

    Worse chancellor since Brown, or worse than Brown depending on the subject.

    What is 'bureaucratic nonsense' was the insane existing 'system' in metropolitan areas where several local authorities which essentially comprise the same city-region were bound together by fundamentally weak voluntary local partnerships rather than sensible administrative structures.

    Witness the pathetic parochialism in Greater Newcastle where Gateshead continues to refuse to work with the City Council despite being just over the river, and is the same city for all intents and purposes. Salford once had a similar little brother complex with the City of Manchester when the rest of the world shrugged its shoulders.

    Why London should be the only city-region to have sensible government has always been a mystery. Well done George Osborne for imposing this on the petty minds of local councillors and creating units that make sense.

    I agree that an East Anglia Combined Authority is a bridge too far – these super mayors should have been limited to metros.
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 50,753

    AndyJS said:

    O/T:

    What do PBers think of the 13 year sentence handed to the 101 year old today?

    I believe the sentence is in line with guidelines, and he was over the age of majority when the crimes were committed, so his current age shouldn't excuse him jail time, even if prisons are ill equipped to deal with OAP prisoners
    I think it's exceptionally harsh - the prison regime is very much more difficult for someone of his age to deal with and this aspect doesn't appear to have been fully taken into account.
    The truth is however, that even if his sentence had been half of that imposed, he is unlikely to ever see the light of day again, in a manner of speaking.
    Doing everything to him that he did to his victims would be harsh. Not necessarily unreasonable but harsh.
  • JobabobJobabob Posts: 3,807

    Are there any areas which might spring a surprise here? I don't know the detail and as Mike says, some of the 'city' areas go well beyond. The stupidly and self-aggrandisingly named West of England (i.e. Greater Bristol) looks the most likely to be closely fought to me. The rest ought to fall fairly naturally into Con/Lab columns, unless disrupted by strong independents.

    Greater Bristol and Greater Birmingham should have been called exactly that. Their chosen names smack of pathetic compromise – it doesn't bode well for their future.

    Manchester, Liverpool and Sheffield have at least settled on sensible names.
  • So far we have only 5 statutory instruments made for the forthcoming mayoral elections.

    http://www.legislation.gov.uk/all?title=Mayor

    West Midlands
    Greater Sheffield
    Tees Valley
    Greater Liverpool
    Greater Manchester

    My presumption that these elections will be under SV by the application of s42 Local Government Act 2000

    Huzzah, I'll do a thread on the supplementary vote in the new year, as I know how much PBers love threads on voting systems
  • AndyJS said:

    O/T:

    What do PBers think of the 13 year sentence handed to the 101 year old today?

    I believe the sentence is in line with guidelines, and he was over the age of majority when the crimes were committed, so his current age shouldn't excuse him jail time, even if prisons are ill equipped to deal with OAP prisoners
    I think it's exceptionally harsh - the prison regime is very much more difficult for someone of his age to deal with and this aspect doesn't appear to have been fully taken into account.
    The truth is however, that even if his sentence had been half of that imposed, he is unlikely to ever see the light of day again, in a manner of speaking.
    All things being equal, he'll serve half his sentence in jail.
    That's really my point ..... in reality he probably won't.
  • JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 38,517

    @JossiasJessup

    The discoveries at Whittlesey certainly throw considerable doubt about the different levels of sophistication between the native Brits and the Romans during their invasion a millennium or so later. The Romans may have jacked up their engineering beyond anything the ancient Brits felt necessary but I am not sure they had much more going for them.

    I chatted to an archaeologist friend (*) about this a while back, and she said that in her view the problem is that wood was so plentiful in most of the UK back then. She reckons there was writing, but little if anything has survived. Little survives of the wooden structures except shadows in the ground, whereas other climates had more stone buildings and writing on other substances.

    I mean, just look at the Brochs in Scotland, or the Orkney houses, and think they were just local structures. It's obvious that our distant ancestors were not as primitive as I was taught at school.

    (*) Three archaeologists live on two adjoining streets in my village, and two had babies within a few weeks of each other ...
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 50,753
    edited December 2016

    Delete. Duplicated.
  • My comments page is jumping up and down by approx 1cm every couple of seconds ..... anyone else having the same problem?

    I did, but rolling my mouse pointer over that chart in the header seems to fix it.
This discussion has been closed.