Interesting vox pop on leavers on Channel 4 last night. Thoughtful if not especially happy bunch of people. The false premises behind the Leave campaign are going to unwind very painfully.
Dan Hannan his usual disingenuous self.
Wakefielders are a confused bunch politically - just ask @David_Herdson.
The interesting thing is they are neither changing their minds on their vote, nor accepting things don't always work out as promised. Basically they are saying to the Leave politicians, you promised extra money for the NHS, more immigration from the Commonwealth, an easy transition to our own laws - what are you doing about it? Good on them, I say. If politicians campaign on taking back control, excuses on not doing stuff are not going to fly.
Surely an end to "The EU says we have to do X" is one positive aspect of Brexit everyone can get behind?
Not really, there's thousands of busybodies in Whitehall and our town halls to fill the gap in telling us what to do left by the EU. The Khan edict on woodburners being a good example of a typical bit of EUery from a non EU source.
I'm not talking about ending everything that the EU has done. I'm talking about removing the ability of politicians to blame the EU for every unpopular decision, whether it is responsible for it or not. It's about a return to accountability.
The interesting thing is they are neither changing their minds on their vote, nor accepting things don't always work out as promised. Basically they are saying to the Leave politicians, you promised extra money for the NHS, more immigration from the Commonwealth, an easy transition to our own laws - what are you doing about it? Good on them, I say. If politicians campaign on taking back control, excuses on not doing stuff are not going to fly.
Voters ain't gonna blame themselves for the consequences of their choices, that's for sure.
Hear-hear!
And hear-hear with gold plate and diamonds on. The politicians lie to the electorate which stupidly buys the lies. And neither are grown-up enough to admit to deceit and stupidity.
We have the politicians we deserve, and the politicians have the public they deserve.
The ridiculous artificial privatised electricity 'market' we have now penalises those without the wherewithal to be switching supplier every year, diminishes our national productivity because of the effort wasted enouraging and administering switching, and in the main syphons off any profits abroad. A complete farce in pursuit of neoliberal dogma!
Evidence?
1. Some examples: my mother and my father-in-law are both in their 80s, neither have internet access and are consequently shut out of the route to the best deals. Both unsurprisingly are on standard rates subsidising the many of us who can and do switch. They are not untypical; very few of the more vulnerable in society will be working this particular system to good effect. If everybody was of course there would be no upside for those of who can and do switch regularly.
2. The administration of switching - the call-centres, web sites, advertising (oh and don't forget Ofgem!) - add nothing to the efficient production and delivery of electricity and indeed are an unnecessary overhead. As a result, operating costs are continuing to increase as a proportion of bills (see below). https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/data-portal/retail-market-indicators#thumbchart-c7770745751913637-n84514
So my question is, how has electricity privatisation and the creation of a 'market' helped the general UK population at large?
On point 2, no idea why switching takes so long. All you need is are the switch point meter readings (You can interpolate if exact date values aren't given), then the balancing debit or credit to the account. Done, over.
The interesting thing is they are neither changing their minds on their vote, nor accepting things don't always work out as promised. Basically they are saying to the Leave politicians, you promised extra money for the NHS, more immigration from the Commonwealth, an easy transition to our own laws - what are you doing about it? Good on them, I say. If politicians campaign on taking back control, excuses on not doing stuff are not going to fly.
Voters ain't gonna blame themselves for the consequences of their choices, that's for sure.
Hear-hear!
And hear-hear with gold plate and diamonds on. The politicians lie to the electorate which stupidly buys the lies. And neither are grown-up enough to admit to deceit and stupidity.
We have the politicians we deserve, and the politicians have the public they deserve.
The ridiculous artificial privatised electricity 'market' we have now penalises those without the wherewithal to be switching supplier every year, diminishes our national productivity because of the effort wasted enouraging and administering switching, and in the main syphons off any profits abroad. A complete farce in pursuit of neoliberal dogma!
Evidence?
1. Some examples: my mother and my father-in-law are both in their 80s, neither have internet access and are consequently shut out of the route to the best deals. Both unsurprisingly are on standard rates subsidising the many of us who can and do switch. They are not untypical; very few of the more vulnerable in society will be working this particular system to good effect. If everybody was of course there would be no upside for those of who can and do switch regularly.
2. The administration of switching - the call-centres, web sites, advertising (oh and don't forget Ofgem!) - add nothing to the efficient production and delivery of electricity and indeed are an unnecessary overhead. As a result, operating costs are continuing to increase as a proportion of bills (see below). https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/data-portal/retail-market-indicators#thumbchart-c7770745751913637-n84514
So my question is, how has electricity privatisation and the creation of a 'market' helped the general UK population at large?
But what does the shareholder list of E.On look like?
It's a bit simplistic to think that it's foreign and that British Gas is not. It's entirely possible the British pensioner is more exposed to the German firm.
The ridiculous artificial privatised electricity 'market' we have now penalises those without the wherewithal to be switching supplier every year, diminishes our national productivity because of the effort wasted enouraging and administering switching, and in the main syphons off any profits abroad. A complete farce in pursuit of neoliberal dogma!
Evidence?
1. Some examples: my mother and my father-in-law are both in their 80s, neither have internet access and are consequently shut out of the route to the best deals. Both unsurprisingly are on standard rates subsidising the many of us who can and do switch. They are not untypical; very few of the more vulnerable in society will be working this particular system to good effect. If everybody was of course there would be no upside for those of who can and do switch regularly.
2. The administration of switching - the call-centres, web sites, advertising (oh and don't forget Ofgem!) - add nothing to the efficient production and delivery of electricity and indeed are an unnecessary overhead. As a result, operating costs are continuing to increase as a proportion of bills (see below). https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/data-portal/retail-market-indicators#thumbchart-c7770745751913637-n84514
Salmond's two constituencies were next door to each other, and indeed had a small overlap IIRC. Davidson's problem is that if she is to be installed as an MP there is nowhere in Scotland where a by-election could realistically be engineered and the Tories would have a 90% plus chance of holding the seat. That would mean a safe seat having to be found for her somewhere in middle England, where an ageing centrist incumbent is willing to make way (incidentally I could envisage my own MP Soames in Mid Sussex making way for her in return for a peerage). But that would reflect exceptionally badly on both the Scottish Tories and Davidson herself....and of course there's no guarantee either of winning the by-election or the leadership contest. I don't think there's any realistic way around Davidson stepping down as an MSP and standing as an MP at the next GE.
If she did they would be getting a prize turkey. Useless windbag.
Repair costs for the Elizabeth Tower in the Palace of Westminster have now doubled to an estimated £61m, parliamentary authorities have said.
Time for the tories to shake the magic money tree.
Labour would have just let it collapse or something?
Dunno.
My approach would be to move parliament to stoke/sheffield/glasgow - or somewhere - and let the private sector do its thing with Westminster on a 50 year lease.
Most legislation can be done effectively, remotely, openly (and securely) by wiki.
The savings - especially in security costs - would be huge.
Its interesting that over 20% of people want to nationalise the car factories.
Considering how successful the UK's car factories have been for the last decade and what the memory of British Leyland is that does suggest that 20% of people would like to nationalise EVERYTHING.
And I wonder where these 20% are socioeconomically - public sector workers ? the highly deprived ? the under-intelligent ?
Its interesting that over 20% of people want to nationalise the car factories.
Considering how successful the UK's car factories have been for the last decade and what the memory of British Leyland is that does suggest that 20% of people would like to nationalise EVERYTHING.
And I wonder where these 20% are socioeconomically - public sector workers ? the highly deprived ? the under-intelligent ?
I would guess former rover workers are probably still a tad pissed.
But not the fines. So no big deal really. They don't take corporate malpractice seriously when it is committed by a German company. Just another form of protectionism I guess.
Back in London for my partner's birthday weekend. We're in Kensington for the weekend, I don't know he area very well other than going for steak in Hawksmoor down the road. Anywhere else worth trying out?
Its interesting that over 20% of people want to nationalise the car factories.
Considering how successful the UK's car factories have been for the last decade and what the memory of British Leyland is that does suggest that 20% of people would like to nationalise EVERYTHING.
And I wonder where these 20% are socioeconomically - public sector workers ? the highly deprived ? the under-intelligent ?
My first car was a BL mini clubman, but that is because I am incredibly old. "The memory of British Leyland" suggests you are too. People are no more going to be motivated by that argument than by trying to tie Corbyn in with the IRA.
I can (try to) forgive Rudd her hectoring smug performances in the run up to the referendum, but her behaviour since, periodically coming out with something racist or braindead in the mistaken belief that it is what Leave voters want is the real killer.
Its interesting that over 20% of people want to nationalise the car factories.
Considering how successful the UK's car factories have been for the last decade and what the memory of British Leyland is that does suggest that 20% of people would like to nationalise EVERYTHING.
And I wonder where these 20% are socioeconomically - public sector workers ? the highly deprived ? the under-intelligent ?
My theory for these bizarre poll-findings is that most people, now, are too young to even UNDERSTAND what "nationalising" means. It just sounds like "the government making companies a bit fairer".
The majority don't have a clue that it actually means the government forcibly taking over entire industries (at vast public expense) and then running them as a monopoly, with no incentive to make a profit.
On the same point of people not really understanding what they are supporting, apparently more than one poll over here found that 20% of young people think it's acceptable to use violence against somebody who says something with which you disagree. Whither the first amendment?
Its interesting that over 20% of people want to nationalise the car factories.
Considering how successful the UK's car factories have been for the last decade and what the memory of British Leyland is that does suggest that 20% of people would like to nationalise EVERYTHING.
And I wonder where these 20% are socioeconomically - public sector workers ? the highly deprived ? the under-intelligent ?
My first car was a BL mini clubman, but that is because I am incredibly old. "The memory of British Leyland" suggests you are too. People are no more going to be motivated by that argument than by trying to tie Corbyn in with the IRA.
My first car was a 1966 mini. It was fun to drive so long as nothing overtook you in the rain, as the water would go straight through the radiator grille and onto the spark plug wiring, and the car would immediately sputter to a halt.
The engineering fix was to put a curved piece of plastic covered cardboard behind the grille in the next year's model. British made cars were absolutely terrible in those days.
Now I'm confused. The train was going to St Pancras but his daughter is called Victoria!?!
I much prefer the Lee Nelson gag about doing a Posh & Becks and naming his son Stairwell.
Bonnet was the version I heard.
I have always wondered about people named Otis.
Otis has his ups and downs
Bravo. That comment gave me a lift.
Some 20 years ago in Bradford I was visiting a client, and we had to go up in the elevator. The manufacturer plaque said "Schindler". So I said "ah! Schindlers Lift!". There were blank looks until I explained it, and then everyone was sheepish as they admitted they should have got it.
But not the fines. So no big deal really. They don't take corporate malpractice seriously when it is committed by a German company. Just another form of protectionism I guess.
Its interesting that over 20% of people want to nationalise the car factories.
Considering how successful the UK's car factories have been for the last decade and what the memory of British Leyland is that does suggest that 20% of people would like to nationalise EVERYTHING.
And I wonder where these 20% are socioeconomically - public sector workers ? the highly deprived ? the under-intelligent ?
My first car was a BL mini clubman, but that is because I am incredibly old. "The memory of British Leyland" suggests you are too. People are no more going to be motivated by that argument than by trying to tie Corbyn in with the IRA.
My first car was a 1966 mini. It was fun to drive so long as nothing overtook you in the rain, as the water would go straight through the radiator grille and onto the spark plug wiring, and the car would immediately sputter to a halt.
The engineering fix was to put a curved piece of plastic covered cardboard behind the grille in the next year's model. British made cars were absolutely terrible in those days.
True, and nationalisation didn't help one iota... but let's forget that the British car industry became the biggest producer of crap cars before it was nationalised, i.e. under the auspices of free enterprise.
Its interesting that over 20% of people want to nationalise the car factories.
Considering how successful the UK's car factories have been for the last decade and what the memory of British Leyland is that does suggest that 20% of people would like to nationalise EVERYTHING.
And I wonder where these 20% are socioeconomically - public sector workers ? the highly deprived ? the under-intelligent ?
My theory for these bizarre poll-findings is that most people, now, are too young to even UNDERSTAND what "nationalising" means. It just sounds like "the government making companies a bit fairer".
The majority don't have a clue that it actually means the government forcibly taking over entire industries (at vast public expense) and then running them as a monopoly, with no incentive to make a profit.
That would suggest that the number of under 40s who want to nationalise everything is much higher.
Which is a real indictment of the political and business establishment.
An interesting stat from Experian (that well managed and trustworthy Atlanta based company!) :
Home ownership percentages are falling. The reasons for home ownership delay among millennials are:
1 affordability and flexibility 2 too few homes or too expensive 3 43% turned down for a loan 4 67% denied a mortgage due to poor credit or limited credit history
Its interesting that over 20% of people want to nationalise the car factories.
Considering how successful the UK's car factories have been for the last decade and what the memory of British Leyland is that does suggest that 20% of people would like to nationalise EVERYTHING.
And I wonder where these 20% are socioeconomically - public sector workers ? the highly deprived ? the under-intelligent ?
My first car was a BL mini clubman, but that is because I am incredibly old. "The memory of British Leyland" suggests you are too. People are no more going to be motivated by that argument than by trying to tie Corbyn in with the IRA.
I'm not THAT old there were still news reports being led by Leyland strikes over their tea break washing up time in the 1980s.
And do you ever hear people moaning about cars the way they used to ?
Its interesting that over 20% of people want to nationalise the car factories.
Considering how successful the UK's car factories have been for the last decade and what the memory of British Leyland is that does suggest that 20% of people would like to nationalise EVERYTHING.
And I wonder where these 20% are socioeconomically - public sector workers ? the highly deprived ? the under-intelligent ?
My first car was a BL mini clubman, but that is because I am incredibly old. "The memory of British Leyland" suggests you are too. People are no more going to be motivated by that argument than by trying to tie Corbyn in with the IRA.
I'm not THAT old there were still news reports being led by Leyland strikes over their tea break washing up time in the 1980s.
And do you ever hear people moaning about cars the way they used to ?
When I was a kid (the early 1980s), the concept of the 'Friday afternoon car' was often mentioned.
Its interesting that over 20% of people want to nationalise the car factories.
Considering how successful the UK's car factories have been for the last decade and what the memory of British Leyland is that does suggest that 20% of people would like to nationalise EVERYTHING.
And I wonder where these 20% are socioeconomically - public sector workers ? the highly deprived ? the under-intelligent ?
My first car was a BL mini clubman, but that is because I am incredibly old. "The memory of British Leyland" suggests you are too. People are no more going to be motivated by that argument than by trying to tie Corbyn in with the IRA.
I'm not THAT old there were still news reports being led by Leyland strikes over their tea break washing up time in the 1980s.
And do you ever hear people moaning about cars the way they used to ?
It was 6 years old when I got it! In the 60s and 70s it was just assumed that you'd spend the first year with a new car getting the doors bonnet and boot hung correctly and all the windows and door leaks fixed. When I bought my brand new Capri GT in the late 70s I took care to order a German made model as the british made ones were awful for quality.
Its interesting that over 20% of people want to nationalise the car factories.
Considering how successful the UK's car factories have been for the last decade and what the memory of British Leyland is that does suggest that 20% of people would like to nationalise EVERYTHING.
And I wonder where these 20% are socioeconomically - public sector workers ? the highly deprived ? the under-intelligent ?
My first car was a BL mini clubman, but that is because I am incredibly old. "The memory of British Leyland" suggests you are too. People are no more going to be motivated by that argument than by trying to tie Corbyn in with the IRA.
I'm not THAT old there were still news reports being led by Leyland strikes over their tea break washing up time in the 1980s.
And do you ever hear people moaning about cars the way they used to ?
It was 6 years old when I got it! In the 60s and 70s it was just assumed that you'd spend the first year with a new car getting the doors bonnet and boot hung correctly and all the windows and door leaks fixed. When I bought my brand new Capri GT in the late 70s I took care to order a German made model as the british made ones were awful for quality.
Its interesting that over 20% of people want to nationalise the car factories.
Considering how successful the UK's car factories have been for the last decade and what the memory of British Leyland is that does suggest that 20% of people would like to nationalise EVERYTHING.
And I wonder where these 20% are socioeconomically - public sector workers ? the highly deprived ? the under-intelligent ?
My first car was a BL mini clubman, but that is because I am incredibly old. "The memory of British Leyland" suggests you are too. People are no more going to be motivated by that argument than by trying to tie Corbyn in with the IRA.
I'm not THAT old there were still news reports being led by Leyland strikes over their tea break washing up time in the 1980s.
And do you ever hear people moaning about cars the way they used to ?
It was 6 years old when I got it! In the 60s and 70s it was just assumed that you'd spend the first year with a new car getting the doors bonnet and boot hung correctly and all the windows and door leaks fixed. When I bought my brand new Capri GT in the late 70s I took care to order a German made model as the british made ones were awful for quality.
A late 70s Capri ?
So who did you want to be - Bodie or Doyle ?
Neither - I actually had to google them to find out about The Professionals.
Comments
We have the politicians we deserve, and the politicians have the public they deserve.
https://arstechnica.com/cars/2017/09/former-vw-engine-chief-arrested-as-emissions-scandal-hits-2-year-anniversary/#p3
All you need is are the switch point meter readings (You can interpolate if exact date values aren't given), then the balancing debit or credit to the account. Done, over.
Hopefully a few more to end up in jail this time though, as the transgression was deliberate and premeditated.
It's a bit simplistic to think that it's foreign and that British Gas is not. It's entirely possible the British pensioner is more exposed to the German firm.
Do you have the current account balances of the G7 to hand ?
I find trading economics a bit vague.
My approach would be to move parliament to stoke/sheffield/glasgow - or somewhere - and let the private sector do its thing with Westminster on a 50 year lease.
Most legislation can be done effectively, remotely, openly (and securely) by wiki.
The savings - especially in security costs - would be huge.
Considering how successful the UK's car factories have been for the last decade and what the memory of British Leyland is that does suggest that 20% of people would like to nationalise EVERYTHING.
And I wonder where these 20% are socioeconomically - public sector workers ? the highly deprived ? the under-intelligent ?
It's been discussed on here a few times.
The engineering fix was to put a curved piece of plastic covered cardboard behind the grille in the next year's model. British made cars were absolutely terrible in those days.
That does show how unbalanced Germany's economy is - I've read several comments here about Germany looking rather tatty these days.
I'm surprised that Japan's surplus is still so high - I thought with their ageing population their trade surplus had been lost.
Is Canada's deficit a result of falling commodity prices ?
Which is a real indictment of the political and business establishment.
Home ownership percentages are falling. The reasons for home ownership delay among millennials are:
1 affordability and flexibility
2 too few homes or too expensive
3 43% turned down for a loan
4 67% denied a mortgage due to poor credit or limited credit history
NEW THREAD
And do you ever hear people moaning about cars the way they used to ?
So who did you want to be - Bodie or Doyle ?
I wanted a fun, reliable car.