I think that a 30 year recession can be safely discounted.
Brexit even on the worst terms can NEVER be as bad as the remainers portray it. They have gone to every extreme possible gloomsday and banked it as nailed on, Nothing ever is.
Since this is all a game of expectation management the promise wont match the result so the "experts" will simply debase their status again.
I might have thought that after the Osborne doom fiasco someone would have proposed changing the approach, instead theyve doubled down and ramped up the volume.
crazy.
Indeed. The bar for no-deal is now so low, that people not starving, dying for want of medicine or rioting in the street will mean it's a success.
Both of you are, as usual, quite wrong. The public is not expecting trouble, it is discounting all the warnings. Any disruption is going to be a big shock for them:
What we are seeing in practice is a doubling down of the Project Fear from the original referendum. In 2016 it was Stuart Rose who was caught saying that wages would go up if we left the EU, last week it was the Airbus executive letting slip on TV that the government put her up to warning of job losses if there's no deal.
People have just switched off to it, and don't think the government will in practice allow a shortage of basic supplies to happen. Agreements to keep ports open and planes flying in the event of no deal have already been made, the assumption is that if we crash out we'll immediately start talking to the EU from a mutual (as opposed to one-sided) standpoint, to resolve quickly any significant obstacles to trade.
What do you think happens in practice in April if there's no deal?
Christ knows. But the way that the death cult discount the possibility of serious disruption when the government itself does not and where such Einsteins as Chris Grayling and Matt Hancock are in charge of critical departments illustrates the way in which faith trumps reason.
If there are avoidable deaths as a result of no-deal Brexit, there will be blood on the hands of all that were willing to accept that outcome.
You do realise that ministers doing get involved in the detail of policy?
Their involvement will be “go and plan” and the civil service will get on with it.
Her name is Elizabeth, one of the few we both loved and as ardent monarchists and huge fans of HMQ we could think of no better and it suits her perfectly.
That's fabulous - many congratulations, and a very happy life for her. (No need to acknowledge as all, but we all wish you well.)
Maybe it might seem like the end of the world for Tarquin in Hoxton that he can't get avocados for a week or two, but it really isn't.
It will seem more like the end of the world for Tiffany in Hartlepool that the all-you-can-eat buffet is closed and that the offie has run out of Lambrini.
Might be the fish and chips that sends Middle England into riots.
Yes, I understand that you don't think there will be any "real" shortages, and I understand that other people think the same.
What I don't understand is what the basis is for that belief. I just don't see much point in repeated assertions about these things, unless they're accompanied by some kind of reasoning or evidence to back them up.
To be honest, on a site about betting, I'd expect something a bit less blunt than "I don't think there will be a problem". Something more along the lines of looking at probabilities and consequences.
Okay, numbers.
ONS 2017 - 50% of food consumed in the UK is produced in the UK. 30% is imported from the EU and 20% imported from the RoW. 10% of the value of UK food consumption is exported.
So, if trade in food with the EU stops completely, and we stop exporting, we can cover 80% of current domestic demand without any other changes.
That's not going to lead to general shortages, as opposed to on specific lines - unless people start panicking.
If we can only cover 80% of consumption, there will be rioting, looting and widespread malnutrition.
Now, I don't think it will come to that (it's just not going to happen), but your answer shows a complete lack of understanding of how quickly food gets turned over in a supermarket.
If everyone ate 80% of what they do now, we'd be a fitter and healthier nation, not starving and rioting.
The problems will come from people panicking rather than trusting the supply chains to sort themselves out.
Of course if half the EU food arrived, then we'd be on 95% even before the supermarkets go shopping in the rest of the world.
There's plenty of risks associated with Brexit, but food shortages really isn't one of them. Maybe it might seem like the end of the world for Tarquin in Hoxton that he can't get avocados for a week or two, but it really isn't.
Off you go again with your fake "we's". I doubt food supply in Dubai will be significantly affected, other than perhaps that the Marmite and HP Sauce might not be getting through.
The most likely scenario is that if people continue to shop normally there won't be shortages, but if people start panic buying then the shelves could empty very quickly - so the advise needs to be to continue shopping normally rather than to panic and start hoarding.
Of course, if there's a genuine risk of widespread food shortages then that's a different scenario that IMO is unlikely - but governments and supermarkets need to be able to plan without the fact of their planning being used to cause further panic.
Yes, I understand that you don't think there will be any "real" shortages, and I understand that other people think the same.
What I don't understand is what the basis is for that belief. I just don't see much point in repeated assertions about these things, unless they're accompanied by some kind of reasoning or evidence to back them up.
To be honest, on a site about betting, I'd expect something a bit less blunt than "I don't think there will be a problem". Something more along the lines of looking at probabilities and consequences.
Okay, numbers.
ONS 2017 - 50% of food consumed in the UK is produced in the UK. 30% is imported from the EU and 20% imported from the RoW. 10% of the value of UK food consumption is exported.
So, if trade in food with the EU stops completely, and we stop exporting, we can cover 80% of current domestic demand without any other changes.
That's not going to lead to general shortages, as opposed to on specific lines - unless people start panicking.
If we can only cover 80% of consumption, there will be rioting, looting and widespread malnutrition.
Now, I don't think it will come to that (it's just not going to happen), but your answer shows a complete lack of understanding of how quickly food gets turned over in a supermarket.
widespread malnutrition
were one of the fattest nations anywhere, HMG WANTS us to eat less.
Maybe it might seem like the end of the world for Tarquin in Hoxton that he can't get avocados for a week or two, but it really isn't.
It will seem more like the end of the world for Tiffany in Hartlepool that the all-you-can-eat buffet is closed and that the offie has run out of Lambrini.
Might be the fish and chips that sends Middle England into riots.
iirc most of the cod is imported.
Yes. Our British govt exercised their sovereign authority and flogged the rights to one dutch fishing boat that lands 25% of the cod.
Maybe it might seem like the end of the world for Tarquin in Hoxton that he can't get avocados for a week or two, but it really isn't.
It will seem more like the end of the world for Tiffany in Hartlepool that the all-you-can-eat buffet is closed and that the offie has run out of Lambrini.
Might be the fish and chips that sends Middle England into riots.
iirc most of the cod is imported.
Yes. Our British govt exercised their sovereign authority and flogged the rights to one dutch fishing boat that lands 25% of the cod.
So in Leaver-land, that makes it the EU's fault.
Where do they land it? If it has to come via Dover, then we can expect trouble.
ONS 2017 - 50% of food consumed in the UK is produced in the UK. 30% is imported from the EU and 20% imported from the RoW. 10% of the value of UK food consumption is exported.
So, if trade in food with the EU stops completely, and we stop exporting, we can cover 80% of current domestic demand without any other changes.
That's not going to lead to general shortages, as opposed to on specific lines - unless people start panicking.
If we can only cover 80% of consumption, there will be rioting, looting and widespread malnutrition.
Now, I don't think it will come to that (it's just not going to happen), but your answer shows a complete lack of understanding of how quickly food gets turned over in a supermarket.
If everyone ate 80% of what they do now, we'd be a fitter and healthier nation, not starving and rioting.
The problems will come from people panicking rather than trusting the supply chains to sort themselves out.
Of course if half the EU food arrived, then we'd be on 95% even before the supermarkets go shopping in the rest of the world.
There's plenty of risks associated with Brexit, but food shortages really isn't one of them. Maybe it might seem like the end of the world for Tarquin in Hoxton that he can't get avocados for a week or two, but it really isn't.
Off you go again with your fake "we's". I doubt food supply in Dubai will be significantly affected, other than perhaps that the Marmite and HP Sauce might not be getting through.
It's the bacon I'm really worried about - the Danish crap isn't the same.
I'll be one fewer mouth for the UK to feed on the day we actually leave, doing my personal bit to keep the shortages to a minimum
The most likely scenario is that if people continue to shop normally there won't be shortages, but if people start panic buying then the shelves could empty very quickly - so the advise needs to be to continue shopping normally rather than to panic and start hoarding.
Of course, if there's a genuine risk of widespread food shortages then that's a different scenario that IMO is unlikely - but governments and supermarkets need to be able to plan without the fact of their planning being used to cause further panic.
Yes, I understand that you don't think there will be any "real" shortages, and I understand that other people think the same.
Wlities and consequences.
Okay, numbers.
ONS 2017 - 50% of food consumed in the UK is producof UK food consumption is exported.
So, if trade in food with the EU stops completely, and we stop exporting, we can cover 80% of current domestic demand without any other changes.
That's not going to lead to general shortages, as opposed to on specific lines - unless people start panicking.
If we can only cover 80% of consumption, there will be rioting, looting and widespread malnutrition.
Now, I don't think it will come to that (it's just not going to happen), but your answer shows a complete lack of understanding of how quickly food gets turned over in a supermarket.
widespread malnutrition
were one of the fattest nations anywhere, HMG WANTS us to eat less.
Mr. kinabalu, in your example the gift of a nice place to live would come with a fee, and the rights of your parents to set house rules. It also remains to be seen whether living without those constraints would enable you to acquire a better home and actually be able to live how one wants to.
Even if the parents did not set the house rules, or take any money, there could be the psychological drag of feeling smothered and thus somewhat diminished.
We thus arrive at the crux of the matter. Or question rather.
For the people who say that membership of the EU involves an unacceptable loss of 'sovereignty', is this ... (i) what they think? ... or (ii) what they feel?
IMO it is a lot of (ii) and very little (i).
And, yes, ditto for me. the 'IMO' there is what I feel rather than what I think.
Because leaving the EU is such an exotic call that I don't know what to think.
Maybe it might seem like the end of the world for Tarquin in Hoxton that he can't get avocados for a week or two, but it really isn't.
It will seem more like the end of the world for Tiffany in Hartlepool that the all-you-can-eat buffet is closed and that the offie has run out of Lambrini.
Might be the fish and chips that sends Middle England into riots.
iirc most of the cod is imported.
Yes, most of the fish that goes across the counter of fish & chip shops is imported, mostly from the EU, and most of our catch exported, much to the EU.
On trade deals, as in many aspects of life, there is a value in fending for oneself rather than relying on others. OK, so it might take many years of effort and focus to end up with a set of trade deals that are not as good as those we had to start with but we will have done them ourselves.
I can buy a toaster in Tescos for a few quid. It is made thanks to the expertise of others. Alternatively I can spend thousands of pounds and hundreds of hours building my own, less efficient version
The reason we are were we are is because we cooperate and specialise. I am amazed by this attitude, which seems more prevalent on the right, that we must be self-reliant and depend on others less and do more stuff for ourselves.
Sometimes I wish they would live by that attitude. The internet would quieten down for a bit whilst they start mining the ores needed to build their own silicon chip furnaces to allow construction of computers to allow them to access the internet.
De-lurking again to fix this horrible wrong: chips are made in foundries, but not in furnaces. Instead of heat, you need a really clean light source - and in future ones extreme UV light. Oh, and lots of different acids and chemicals to etch and clean the wafers.
If they want a home project, they're much more likely to do something like this: http://www.megaprocessor.com/index.html Of course, there's bit of a problem with the room required.
I still have no idea where we're going to end up. That's more worrying than if any one particular outcome were guaranteed.
Yes, a lot of businesses feel that, I think - I remember talking to the CEO of Novartis (by some measures the largest pharma company in the world), and asking what made him want to invest in a country. He said good education levels and stability. EVERYTHING else - level of taxes, strictness of regulation, competition - could be given an estimated cost tag and allowed for. But with uncertainty all that went out of the window and even an attractive proposition was not worth considering because it could change before the investment was complete. (He also said that a lack of well-educated workforce was a deal-breaker for anything other than a basic production/distribution plant.)
Investing in Britain at the moment for anything relating to imports or exports is a complete gamble.
What do people expect with Tommy Yaxley-Lennon running the party now.
I'll just have to bear their displeasure at my "treason" as well as I can.
Clearly supporting the stated foreign policy aims of Vladimir Putin and receiving his help indirectly and possibly directly is not treacherous according to those in UKIP/BNP.
1. There will be much more to come out. The story so far doesn’t quite make sense to me. Made up refurbishment invoices suggests someone was creaming off money or possible money laundering style activities. That is not the sort of stuff you do to make something look more profitable than it is but it may be if you’re trying to hide unprofitability. But if so, how often can you do it? Stores don’t get refurbished every week. [snip]
I agree it doesn't make sense. If the fraud was based on fake invoices (made-up refurbishments etc), then the company's cash position as stated in the accounts would still have accurately reflected the cash in the bank.
Her name is Elizabeth, one of the few we both loved and as ardent monarchists and huge fans of HMQ we could think of no better and it suits her perfectly.
Hats off! Try and keep her off instagram for a few months at least.
As students, our local pizza place offered a bottle of Lambrini or Coke with every large pizza (on a Monday night, I think). As students, repeat students, we went with the coke every time*. Lambrini is that bad.
*To be topped up with cash-and-carry generic vodka.
I still have no idea where we're going to end up. That's more worrying than if any one particular outcome were guaranteed.
Yes, a lot of businesses feel that, I think - I remember talking to the CEO of Novartis (by some measures the largest pharma company in the world), and asking what made him want to invest in a country. He said good education levels and stability. EVERYTHING else - level of taxes, strictness of regulation, competition - could be given an estimated cost tag and allowed for. But with uncertainty all that went out of the window and even an attractive proposition was not worth considering because it could change before the investment was complete. (He also said that a lack of well-educated workforce was a deal-breaker for anything other than a basic production/distribution plant.)
Investing in Britain at the moment for anything relating to imports or exports is a complete gamble.
Agreed up to a point. Most CEOs I have spoken to would not see the prospect of your friend Corbyn as something "that could be allowed for". Many if not all see him as a bigger concern than Brexit. The combination of the two makes Britain something of a basket case.
1. There will be much more to come out. The story so far doesn’t quite make sense to me. Made up refurbishment invoices suggests someone was creaming off money or possible money laundering style activities. That is not the sort of stuff you do to make something look more profitable than it is but it may be if you’re trying to hide unprofitability. But if so, how often can you do it? Stores don’t get refurbished every week.
2. You cannot manage by looking at one or two sources of information - your accounts or spreadsheets. You need to visit shops and compare with your rivals and with what is happening in the market and the economy generally. You need to sense check and look at what is often hiding in plain sight in front of you. This is something that people at the top of organisations, often very clever people are often very bad at doing. Asking basic, obvious questions is rarer than it should be.
3. If things are going well, that is what you planned for and expected, it is very easy to see only what confirms what you want to be true and ignore the rest. Lots of people had an interest in Valerie doing welll and congratulating themselves for being part of a seeming success story. That can make it very difficult for people to admit to problems or for potential whistleblowers to speak up. Or for others to respond to concerns eg the questions HMRC raised about forged documents.
4. Auditors are not investigators. They check things. They don’t ask questions or look for oddities. Companies often assume auditors are the same as investigators and can do the same job. They aren’t and can’t.
5. The human element - what went wrong was down to individuals. At the heart of this story will be people who did the wrong thing and others who failed to do the right thing and others who did not understand or manage effectively the people they hired and employed so that a number of people ending up behaving badly and others stood by and let them get away with it.
All good points and I would not argue with any of them. All I would say is that over the years, people have become lazier more trusting on what it says on screens in front of them rather than what they see in front of them. It is so much easier to push a button to get the answers you want rather than to suffer the inconvenience of getting off your backside and going somewhere and digging in-depth to find out what is going on and maybe getting answers you did not want to face.
I think it is a pervasive thing and happening across society in general. I wonder what other computer generated fantasies are being accepted as facts in other businesses and enterprises. What will happen when reality diverges sufficiently that it cannot be ignored?
As students, our local pizza place offered a bottle of Lambrini or Coke with every large pizza (on a Monday night, I think). As students, repeat students, we went with the coke every time*. Lambrini is that bad.
*To be topped up with cash-and-carry generic vodka.
Lambrini, for those that think boxed wine is for special occasions and probably put milk in first when making tea...
On trade deals, as in many aspects of life, there is a value in fending for oneself rather than relying on others. OK, so it might take many years of effort and focus to end up with a set of trade deals that are not as good as those we had to start with but we will have done them ourselves.
I can buy a toaster in Tescos for a few quid. It is made thanks to the expertise of others. Alternatively I can spend thousands of pounds and hundreds of hours building my own, less efficient version
The reason we are were we are is because we cooperate and specialise. I am amazed by this attitude, which seems more prevalent on the right, that we must be self-reliant and depend on others less and do more stuff for ourselves.
Sometimes I wish they would live by that attitude. The internet would quieten down for a bit whilst they start mining the ores needed to build their own silicon chip furnaces to allow construction of computers to allow them to access the internet.
De-lurking again to fix this horrible wrong: chips are made in foundries, but not in furnaces. Instead of heat, you need a really clean light source - and in future ones extreme UV light. Oh, and lots of different acids and chemicals to etch and clean the wafers.
If they want a home project, they're much more likely to do something like this: http://www.megaprocessor.com/index.html Of course, there's bit of a problem with the room required.
(initiate lurking mode)
No need to build a toaster. A toasting fork and an open fire and you can have all the delicious toast you want.
And wouldn’t the world be a nicer place if we wrote elegant notes to each other on paper with pens and ink in italic handwriting?
I've just bought an R35 GTR with two blown turbos if anyone wants to congratulate me.
Two blown turbos, as opposed to two turbo blowers?
Both completely fucked - more shaft play than Kevin Spacey on Clapham Common. I'm going to put HKS GT800s in it.
Genuine LOL at your metaphor, my wife now asks what's so funny...
Cool car the R35, and the GT800s should give it about that many horses.
It's my new track car. I've had to come to terms with the fact that 996 values are following 993s and are on the way up so it's stupid to risk destroying it. I've embraced the spirit of Brexit and Global Britain by going Japanese and buying a clapped R35,
BBC news top story has a picture of boris. Maybe just a bad picture, but in it he looks seriously aged all of a sudden.
So much lying and duplicitousness would take its toll on anyone. It must be a real effort to remember which fibs he has told to whomever, and how not to contradict what one has previously said. Very stressful way to run your life.
On trade deals, as in many aspects of life, there is a value in fending for oneself rather than relying on others. OK, so it might take many years of effort and focus to end up with a set of trade deals that are not as good as those we had to start with but we will have done them ourselves.
I can buy a toaster in Tescos for a few quid. It is made thanks to the expertise of others. Alternatively I can spend thousands of pounds and hundreds of hours building my own, less efficient version
The reason we are were we are is because we cooperate and specialise. I am amazed by this attitude, which seems more prevalent on the right, that we must be self-reliant and depend on others less and do more stuff for ourselves.
Sometimes I wish they would live by that attitude. The internet would quieten down for a bit whilst they start mining the ores needed to build their own silicon chip furnaces to allow construction of computers to allow them to access the internet.
De-lurking again to fix this horrible wrong: chips are made in foundries, but not in furnaces. Instead of heat, you need a really clean light source - and in future ones extreme UV light. Oh, and lots of different acids and chemicals to etch and clean the wafers.
If they want a home project, they're much more likely to do something like this: http://www.megaprocessor.com/index.html Of course, there's bit of a problem with the room required.
(initiate lurking mode)
No need to build a toaster. A toasting fork and an open fire and you can have all the delicious toast you want.
And wouldn’t the world be a nicer place if we wrote elegant notes to each other on paper with pens and ink in italic handwriting?
Quills please. And the ink to be made by waiting for autumn for some berries to crush and strain. The wait for autumn can be passed by initiating the Strainer Project so that you do not have to stoop to act of buying a strainer and thus losing all self-respect!
1. There will be much more to come out. The story so far doesn’t quite make sense to me. Made up refurbishment invoices suggests someone was creaming off money or possible money laundering style activities. That is not the sort of stuff you do to make something look more profitable than it is but it may be if you’re trying to hide unprofitability. But if so, how often can you do it? Stores don’t get refurbished every week. [snip]
I agree it doesn't make sense. If the fraud was based on fake invoices (made-up refurbishments etc), then the company's cash position as stated in the accounts would still have accurately reflected the cash in the bank.
Yes, this is precisely how it works with fake invoice fraud. Cash in the bank should be absolubtely as stated - and suggests a VERY severe audit failure, the fraud as you've detailed can be more difficult to spot and isn't neccesarily something an auditor would pick up (The company's statements would still be accurate !)
Going back to betting for a moment, I am still struggling to make sense of Betfair's implied probabilities.
Deal not to pass Commons by 29 March: 65% No Deal on 29 March: 14% Referendum this year: 28%
Apparently that leaves 23% covering revocation by 29 March or an extension without the deal having passed the Commons and without a referendum.
It seems the betting markets are allowing for a substantial probability of the EU allowing an extension for no particular reason (or perhaps for a general election, but there's no Betfair market for a general election being called before 29 March). Do people think that's right?
On trade deals, as in many aspects of life, there is a value in fending for oneself rather than relying on others. OK, so it might take many years of effort and focus to end up with a set of trade deals that are not as good as those we had to start with but we will have done them ourselves.
I can buy a toaster in Tescos for a few quid. It is made thanks to the expertise of others. Alternatively I can spend thousands of pounds and hundreds of hours building my own, less efficient version
The reason we are were we are is because we cooperate and specialise. I am amazed by this attitude, which seems more prevalent on the right, that we must be self-reliant and depend on others less and do more stuff for ourselves.
Sometimes I wish they would live by that attitude. The internet would quieten down for a bit whilst they start mining the ores needed to build their own silicon chip furnaces to allow construction of computers to allow them to access the internet.
De-lurking again to fix this horrible wrong: chips are made in foundries, but not in furnaces. Instead of heat, you need a really clean light source - and in future ones extreme UV light. Oh, and lots of different acids and chemicals to etch and clean the wafers.
If they want a home project, they're much more likely to do something like this: http://www.megaprocessor.com/index.html Of course, there's bit of a problem with the room required.
(initiate lurking mode)
No need to build a toaster. A toasting fork and an open fire and you can have all the delicious toast you want.
Very good. All that effort could have been saved if someone had given him a pile of wood containing at least one sharp stick.
You do realise that ministers doing get involved in the detail of policy?
Their involvement will be “go and plan” and the civil service will get on with it.
I think you meant to say "don't get involved"? If so, I think you're sort of mistaken on an issue like this. The civil service will assess and set out the choices, not just for the main direction but also the details. Ministers will feel the need to understand the choices and make some quite detailed decisions. (My experience here is partly from PPSing in two departments - a bag-carrier, but a vlose view of what was happening - and partly as a lobbyist for detailed policy in one department.)
On trade deals, as in many aspects of life, there is a value in fending for oneself rather than relying on others. OK, so it might take many years of effort and focus to end up with a set of trade deals that are not as good as those we had to start with but we will have done them ourselves.
I can buy a toaster in Tescos for a few quid. It is made thanks to the expertise of others. Alternatively I can spend thousands of pounds and hundreds of hours building my own, less efficient version
The reason we are were we are is because we cooperate and specialise. I am amazed by this attitude, which seems more prevalent on the right, that we must be self-reliant and depend on others less and do more stuff for ourselves.
Sometimes I wish they would live by that attitude. The internet would quieten down for a bit whilst they start mining the ores needed to build their own silicon chip furnaces to allow construction of computers to allow them to access the internet.
De-lurking again to fix this horrible wrong: chips are made in foundries, but not in furnaces. Instead of heat, you need a really clean light source - and in future ones extreme UV light. Oh, and lots of different acids and chemicals to etch and clean the wafers.
If they want a home project, they're much more likely to do something like this: http://www.megaprocessor.com/index.html Of course, there's bit of a problem with the room required.
(initiate lurking mode)
No need to build a toaster. A toasting fork and an open fire and you can have all the delicious toast you want.
And wouldn’t the world be a nicer place if we wrote elegant notes to each other on paper with pens and ink in italic handwriting?
De-lurking again to fix this horrible wrong: chips are made in foundries, but not in furnaces. Instead of heat, you need a really clean light source - and in future ones extreme UV light. Oh, and lots of different acids and chemicals to etch and clean the wafers.
If they want a home project, they're much more likely to do something like this: http://www.megaprocessor.com/index.html Of course, there's bit of a problem with the room required.
(initiate lurking mode)
Furnaces.. foundries.... mere word play.
[Waves hand airly...] Back to wherever you lurk!!!!
the national figures have certainly stabilised with AKK getting a bit of a bounce if anything
the interest will move now to the East West split where voting patterns have diverged. There was a poll at the weekend which showed only 40% of Ossis thought democracy was the best form of government. Scary.
1. There will be much more to come out. The story so far doesn’t quite make sense to me. Made up refurbishment invoices suggests someone was creaming off money or possible money laundering style activities.
2. You cannot manage by looking at one or two sources of information - your accounts or spreadsheets. You need to visit shops and compare with your rivals and with what is happening in the market and the economy generally. You need to sense check and look at what is often hiding in plain sight in front of you. This is something that people at the top of organisations, often very clever people are often very bad at doing. Asking basic, obvious questions is rarer than it should be.
3. If things are going well, that is what you planned for and expected, it is very easy to see only what confirms what you want to be true and ignore the rest. Lots of people had an interest in Valerie doing welll and congratulating themselves for being part of a seeming success story. That can make it very difficult for people to admit to problems or for potential whistleblowers to speak up. Or for others to respond to concerns eg the questions HMRC raised about forged documents.
4. Auditors are not investigators. They check things. They don’t ask questions or look for oddities. Companies often assume auditors are the same as investigators and can do the same job. They aren’t and can’t.
5. The human element - what went wrong was down to individuals. At the heart of this story will be people who did the wrong thing and others who failed to do the right thing and others who did not understand or manage effectively the people they hired and employed so that a number of people ending up behaving badly and others stood by and let them get away with it.
All good points and I would not argue with any of them. All I would say is that over the years, people have become lazier more trusting on what it says on screens in front of them rather than what they see in front of them. It is so much easier to push a button to get the answers you want rather than to suffer the inconvenience of getting off your backside and going somewhere and digging in-depth to find out what is going on and maybe getting answers you did not want to face.
I think it is a pervasive thing and happening across society in general. I wonder what other computer generated fantasies are being accepted as facts in other businesses and enterprises. What will happen when reality diverges sufficiently that it cannot be ignored?
Curiosity is a much undervalued virtue.
The story of the little boy and the Emperor’s new clothes is a fable that explains much about modern life.
On trade deals, as in many aspects of life, there is a value in fending for oneself rather than relying on others. OK, so it might take many years of effort and focus to end up with a set of trade deals that are not as good as those we had to start with but we will have done them ourselves.
I can buy a toaster in Tescos for a few quid. It is made thanks to the expertise of others. Alternatively I can spend thousands of pounds and hundreds of hours building my own, less efficient version
The reason we are were we are is because we cooperate and specialise. I am amazed by this attitude, which seems more prevalent on the right, that we must be self-reliant and depend on others less and do more stuff for ourselves.
Sometimes I wish they would live by that attitude. The internet would quieten down for a bit whilst they start mining the ores needed to build their own silicon chip furnaces to allow construction of computers to allow them to access the internet.
De-lurking again to fix this horrible wrong: chips are made in foundries, but not in furnaces. Instead of heat, you need a really clean light source - and in future ones extreme UV light. Oh, and lots of different acids and chemicals to etch and clean the wafers.
If they want a home project, they're much more likely to do something like this: http://www.megaprocessor.com/index.html Of course, there's bit of a problem with the room required.
(initiate lurking mode)
No need to build a toaster. A toasting fork and an open fire and you can have all the delicious toast you want.
And wouldn’t the world be a nicer place if we wrote elegant notes to each other on paper with pens and ink in italic handwriting?
Or an Aga /middleclass
A quill would surely be more appropriate for those in favour of Brexit. And it damn well better be from a British bird, not some damned migrant.
Her name is Elizabeth, one of the few we both loved and as ardent monarchists and huge fans of HMQ we could think of no better and it suits her perfectly.
Many congrats. Best wishes to you, your partner and your brand new mini casino.
Mr Meeks, AGA is originally a Swedish invention, and indeed mean "oven" in Swedish. It therefore does not qualify for those people who believe in the Brexit religion as it originates from the damn foreigners.
On trade deals, as in many aspects of life, there is a value in fending for oneself rather than relying on others. OK, so it might take many years of effort and focus to end up with a set of trade deals that are not as good as those we had to start with but we will have done them ourselves.
I can buy a toaster in Tescos for a few quid. It is made thanks to the expertise of others. Alternatively I can spend thousands of pounds and hundreds of hours building my own, less efficient version
The reason we are were we are is because we cooperate and specialise. I am amazed by this attitude, which seems more prevalent on the right, that we must be self-reliant and depend on others less and do more stuff for ourselves.
Sometimes I wish they would live by that attitude. The internet would quieten down for a bit whilst they start mining the ores needed to build their own silicon chip furnaces to allow construction of computers to allow them to access the internet.
De-lurking again to fix this horrible wrong: chips are made in foundries, but not in furnaces. Instead of heat, you need a really clean light source - and in future ones extreme UV light. Oh, and lots of different acids and chemicals to etch and clean the wafers.
If they want a home project, they're much more likely to do something like this: http://www.megaprocessor.com/index.html Of course, there's bit of a problem with the room required.
(initiate lurking mode)
No need to build a toaster. A toasting fork and an open fire and you can have all the delicious toast you want.
And wouldn’t the world be a nicer place if we wrote elegant notes to each other on paper with pens and ink in italic handwriting?
Or an Aga /middleclass
A quill would surely be more appropriate for those in favour of Brexit. And it damn well better be from a British bird, not some damned migrant.
Sorry just realised Beverley had beaten me to the quill suggestion!
I can buy a toaster in Tescos for a few quid. It is made thanks to the expertise of others. Alternatively I can spend thousands of pounds and hundreds of hours building my own, less efficient version
The reason we are were we are is because we cooperate and specialise. I am amazed by this attitude, which seems more prevalent on the right, that we must be self-reliant and depend on others less and do more stuff for ourselves.
Sometimes I wish they would live by that attitude. The internet would quieten down for a bit whilst they start mining the ores needed to build their own silicon chip furnaces to allow construction of computers to allow them to access the internet.
I agree with you, but I like to get into the heads of those who think otherwise - as in empathize, I mean, not annoy and irritate them.
And this idea - fending for ourselves rather than being nannied around by the EU - we are going to make our own bed and damn well lie in it - I sense is a powerful driver of Leave sentiment.
It comes with a belief in British exceptionalism, i.e. that free of the EU shackles, or indeed any shackles, we are the sort of people who will soar high - and if we don't, we are also the sort of tough nut stoics who can not only cope with a bit of hardship but will thoroughly enjoy doing so (as long as it is white european hardship not the other variety).
and yet we survived last year when the rain in the first half stopped access to fields in Spain and there was the great courgette shortage. Later in the year drought hit our own farmers and yields plummeted. Im sure well survive since behind it all we throw out something like 30% of all the fresh food we buy. People have been campaigning aginst food waste for years to no great effect
45% of all salads bought get thrown away uneaten !
How long before Mark Francois starts suggesting we can all "Dig For Victory/Brexit". Fuck business, fuck foreigners, get an allotment.
Another policy win for Corbyn, courtesy of the ERG
It is interesting how the ERG does seem to be working for Corbyn. It is similar to the topsy-turvy world where right wingers who claim to be patriots and call other people traitors are actually doing the bidding of Putin.
Mr Meeks, AGA is originally a Swedish invention, and indeed mean "oven" in Swedish. It therefore does not qualify for those people who believe in the Brexit religion as it originates from the damn foreigners.
I totally agree. Dig a hole in the back garden, throw some damp twigs in and light a fire over which we can boil a pot of oats. Potatoes, tomatoes and turnips are all of foreign origin and thus cannot be eaten by the pure!
[Odd fact - the tomato was unknown in Europe before the 16th Century. How did the Italians manage?]
Wollaston says parliament should not accept the Brady amendment because it is in conflict with the Withdrawal Agreement. Does she think that the UK is bound by the WA just because the EU accepts it?
1. There will be much more to come out. The story so far doesn’t quite make sense to me. Made up refurbishment invoices suggests someone was creaming off money or possible money laundering style activities. That is not the sort of stuff you do to make something look more profitable than it is but it may be if you’re trying to hide unprofitability. But if so, how often can you do it? Stores don’t get refurbished every week.
2. You cannot manage by looking at one or two sources of information - your accounts or spreadsheets. You need to visit shops and compare with your rivals and with what is happening in the market and the economy generally. You need to sense check and look at what is often hiding in plain sight in front of you. This is something that people at the top of organisations, often very clever people are often very bad at doing. Asking basic, obvious questions is rarer than it should be.
3. If things are going well, that is what you planned for and expected, it is very easy to see only what confirms what you want to be true and ignore the rest. Lots of people had an interest in Valerie doing welll and congratulating themselves for being part of a seeming success story. That can make it very difficult for people to admit to problems or for potential whistleblowers to speak up. Or for others to respond to concerns eg the questions HMRC raised about forged documents.
4. Auditors are not investigators. They check things. They don’t ask questions or look for oddities. Companies often assume auditors are the same as investigators and can do the same job. They aren’t and can’t.
5. The human element - what went wrong was down to individuals. At the heart of this story will be people who did the wrong thing and others who failed to do the right thing and others who did not understand or manage effectively the people they hired and employed so that a number of people ending up behaving badly and others stood by and let them get away with it.
Good summary, but on point 4, can I ask (genuinely) what an auditor is actually for?
BTW, when a company suddenly hits the headlines (Carillion, Pat Val - which in reality means RCP) and is in trouble, I check the calibre of the board. You'd be amazed at how often there is a lack of diversity at the top (gender, ethnicity, etc). This isn't just a PC observation: if you hire people who are not in your natural network, they will challenge your most basic assumptions and help you spot your, er, blind spots. Unfortunately, most companies that have had success are more likely to have a yes-man culture (gender deliberate) that chimes completely with point 5.
On trade deals, as in many aspects of life, there is a value in fending for oneself rather than relying on others. OK, so it might take many years of effort and focus to end up with a set of trade deals that are not as good as those we had to start with but we will have done them ourselves.
I can buy a toaster in Tescos for a few quid. It is made thanks to the expertise of others. Alternatively I can spend thousands of pounds and hundreds of hours building my own, less efficient version
The reason we are were we are is because we cooperate and specialise. I am amazed by this attitude, which seems more prevalent on the right, that we must be self-reliant and depend on others less and do more stuff for ourselves.
Sometimes I wish they would live by that attitude. The internet would quieten down for a bit whilst they start mining the ores needed to build their own silicon chip furnaces to allow construction of computers to allow them to access the internet.
De-lurking again to fix this horrible wrong: chips are made in foundries, but not in furnaces. Instead of heat, you need a really clean light source - and in future ones extreme UV light. Oh, and lots of different acids and chemicals to etch and clean the wafers.
If they want a home project, they're much more likely to do something like this: http://www.megaprocessor.com/index.html Of course, there's bit of a problem with the room required.
(initiate lurking mode)
No need to build a toaster. A toasting fork and an open fire and you can have all the delicious toast you want.
And wouldn’t the world be a nicer place if we wrote elegant notes to each other on paper with pens and ink in italic handwriting?
Or an Aga /middleclass
A quill would surely be more appropriate for those in favour of Brexit. And it damn well better be from a British bird, not some damned migrant.
Sorry just realised Beverley had beaten me to the quill suggestion!
True, but I forgot to specify the Britishness of the bird!
Wollaston says parliament should not accept the Brady amendment because it is in conflict with the Withdrawal Agreement. Does she think that the UK is bound by the WA just because the EU accepts it?
Going back to betting for a moment, I am still struggling to make sense of Betfair's implied probabilities.
Deal not to pass Commons by 29 March: 65% No Deal on 29 March: 14% Referendum this year: 28%
Apparently that leaves 23% covering revocation by 29 March or an extension without the deal having passed the Commons and without a referendum.
It seems the betting markets are allowing for a substantial probability of the EU allowing an extension for no particular reason (or perhaps for a general election, but there's no Betfair market for a general election being called before 29 March). Do people think that's right?
I'd have the referendum a shade higher but I don't think that's *too* far off. Making 23% with numbers out of bum (not an offer to bet): * Extension for GE: 10% * Extension for new negotiation ditching some of TMay's other red lines: 5% * Extension for general faffing - I know they said they wouldn't allow it but see my post way up-thread for why I still think they might: 5% * Extension for black-swan / left-field reason - Death of monarch, suicide of PM, Mueller implicates Farage and brings referendum into question requiring new investigation etc: 3%
1. There will be much more to come out. The story so far doesn’t quite make sense to me. Made up refurbishment invoices suggests someone was creaming off money or possible money laundering style activities.
2. You cannot manage by looking at one or two sources oare often very bad at doing. Asking basic, obvious questions is rarer than it should be.
3. If things are going well, that is what you planned for and expected, it is very easy to see only what confirms what you want to be true and ignore the rest. Lots of people had an interest in Valerie doing welll and congratulating themselves for being part of a seeming success story. That can make it very difficult for people to admit to problems or for potential whistleblowers to speak up. Or for others to respond to concerns eg the questions HMRC raised about forged documents.
4. Auditors are not investigators. They check things. They don’t ask questions or look for oddities. Companies often assume auditors are the same as investigators and can do the same job. They aren’t and can’t.
5. The human element - what went wrong was down to indi
All good points and I would not argue with any of them. All I would say is that over the years, people have become lazier more trusting on what it says on screens in front of them rather than what they see in front of them. It is so much easier to push a button to get the answers you want rather than to suffer the inconvenience of getting off your backside and going somewhere and digging in-depth to find out what is going on and maybe getting answers you did not want to face.
I think it is a pervasive thing and happening across society in general. I wonder what other computer generated fantasies are being accepted as facts in other businesses and enterprises. What will happen when reality diverges sufficiently that it cannot be ignored?
Curiosity is a much undervalued virtue.
The story of the little boy and the Emperor’s new clothes is a fable that explains much about modern life.
It shames me to recall that I once worked for a company that was effectively insolvent. We managed to sell it at a scandalously high price to a cash rich water company. The due diligence was perfectly thorough, orthodox and intense. But none of the visiting accountants and consultants thought to ask basic common sense questions. Had they asked, for example, when we last paid the milkman the answer would have been '12 months ago' because we never paid anybody we didn't have to. We had no cash. To us, it was obvious the company was broke, but it didn't become obvious to the buyer until a few days after the sale was completed.
Wollaston says parliament should not accept the Brady amendment because it is in conflict with the Withdrawal Agreement. Does she think that the UK is bound by the WA just because the EU accepts it?
The proportion of those items which are imported must be even higher in early April, before many UK crops are ready.
well just stop throwing half of them away help the BoP too :-)
We'll be throwing away more if there are delays in transport.
No we just wont be eating them, well be eating something else.
Yes, cockles, winkles, offal - all those items farmers and fishermen will be dumping on the UK market because they won't be able to sell them to the EU, until they go bust and stop producing altogether, of course.
Wollaston says parliament should not accept the Brady amendment because it is in conflict with the Withdrawal Agreement. Does she think that the UK is bound by the WA just because the EU accepts it?
The whole point of the Brady Amendment is to indicate to the EU what changes to the WA might be acceptable to the UK, in order for it to pass.
Dr Wollaston might have noted that the WA as currently written was defeated massively a couple of weeks ago. She may even recall that she voted against it herself.
It shames me to recall that I once worked for a company that was effectively insolvent. We managed to sell it at a scandalously high price to a cash rich water company. The due diligence was perfectly thorough, orthodox and intense. But none of the visiting accountants and consultants thought to ask basic common sense questions. Had they asked, for example, when we last paid the milkman the answer would have been '12 months ago' because we never paid anybody we didn't have to. We had no cash. To us, it was obvious the company was broke, but it didn't become obvious to the buyer until a few days after the sale was completed.
I always read the bank statements. Cashflow is king. Always.
Yes, I understand that you don't think there will be any "real" shortages, and I understand that other people think the same.
What I don't understand is what the basis is for that belief. I just don't see much point in repeated assertions about these things, unless they're accompanied by some kind of reasoning or evidence to back them up.
To be honest, on a site about betting, I'd expect something a bit less blunt than "I don't think there will be a problem". Something more along the lines of looking at probabilities and consequences.
Okay, numbers.
ONS 2017 - 50% of food consumed in the UK is produced in the UK. 30% is imported from the EU and 20% imported from the RoW. 10% of the value of UK food consumption is exported.
So, if trade in food with the EU stops completely, and we stop exporting, we can cover 80% of current domestic demand without any other changes.
That's not going to lead to general shortages, as opposed to on specific lines - unless people start panicking.
If we can only cover 80% of consumption, there will be rioting, looting and widespread malnutrition.
Now, I don't think it will come to that (it's just not going to happen), but your answer shows a complete lack of understanding of how quickly food gets turned over in a supermarket.
If everyone ate 80% of what they do now, we'd be a fitter and healthier nation, not starving and rioting.
The problems will come from people panicking rather than trusting the supply chains to sort themselves out.
Of course if half the EU food arrived, then we'd be on 95% even before the supermarkets go shopping in the rest of the world.
There's plenty of risks associated with Brexit, but food shortages really isn't one of them. Maybe it might seem like the end of the world for Tarquin in Hoxton that he can't get avocados for a week or two, but it really isn't.
Off you go again with your fake "we's". I doubt food supply in Dubai will be significantly affected, other than perhaps that the Marmite and HP Sauce might not be getting through.
Why should geographic location determine whether you are a member of a community or not?
The proportion of those items which are imported must be even higher in early April, before many UK crops are ready.
well just stop throwing half of them away help the BoP too :-)
We'll be throwing away more if there are delays in transport.
No we just wont be eating them, well be eating something else.
Yes, cockles, winkles, offal - all those items farmers and fishermen will be dumping on the UK market because they won't be able to sell them to the EU, until they go bust and stop producing altogether, of course.
you have something against fish ? We import much more than we export so if youre telling me Ill have to suck it up and eat fresh scallops or langoustines, Ill put up with it.
meantime the UK overeats by 20% and compounds this by buying a further 30% of foodstuffs it chucks in the bin. We are a long way off starvation.
On trade deals, as in many aspects of life, there is a value in fending for oneself rather than relying on others. OK, so it might take many years of effort and focus to end up with a set of trade deals that are not as good as those we had to start with but we will have done them ourselves.
I can buy a toaster in Tescos for a few quid. It is made thanks to the expertise of others. Alternatively I can spend thousands of pounds and hundreds of hours building my own, less efficient version
The reason we are were we are is because we cooperate and specialise. I am amazed by this attitude, which seems more prevalent on the right, that we must be self-reliant and depend on others less and do more stuff for ourselves.
Sometimes I wish they would live by that attitude. The internet would quieten down for a bit whilst they start mining the ores needed to build their own silicon chip furnaces to allow construction of computers to allow them to access the internet.
De-lurking again to fix this horrible wrong: chips are made in foundries, but not in furnaces. Instead of heat, you need a really clean light source - and in future ones extreme UV light. Oh, and lots of different acids and chemicals to etch and clean the wafers.
If they want a home project, they're much more likely to do something like this: http://www.megaprocessor.com/index.html Of course, there's bit of a problem with the room required.
(initiate lurking mode)
No need to build a toaster. A toasting fork and an open fire and you can have all the delicious toast you want.
And wouldn’t the world be a nicer place if we wrote elegant notes to each other on paper with pens and ink in italic handwriting?
Looks as if there is a possibilty that non of the amendments tomorrow will pass
Downing Street saying they recognise the backstop has to change and JRM has just gone into no 10
Seems few if any want to compromise their positions as we head to no deal
If it happens all 498 mps who voted for A50 have the responsibilty
A possibility but more likely the Cooper and Spelman amendments will pass, Cooper certainly has the numbers according to Rentoul, which means the Commons will have voted to extend Article 50 and against No Deal and possibly the Brady amendment will pass too though unless the EU shift on the backstop in reality that means little
you have something against fish ? We import much more than we export so if youre telling me Ill have to suck it up and eat fresh scallops or langoustines, Ill put up with it.
meantime the UK overeats by 20% and compounds this by buying a further 30% of foodstuffs it chucks in the bin. We are a long way off starvation.
You are right, a no-deal Brexit won't lead to starvation. That's OK, then, the government can stop worrying.
Yes, I understand that you don't think there will be any "real" shortages, and I understand that other people think the same.
What I don't understand is what the basis is for that belief. I just don't see much point in repeated assertions about these things, unless they're accompanied by some kind of reasoning or evidence to back them up.
To be honest, on a site about betting, I'd expect something a bit less blunt than "I don't think there will be a problem". Something more along the lines of looking at probabilities and consequences.
Okay, numbers.
ONS 2017 - 50% of food consumed in the UK is produced in the UK. 30% is imported from the EU and 20% imported from the RoW. 10% of the value of UK food consumption is exported.
So, if trade in food with the EU stops completely, and we stop exporting, we can cover 80% of current domestic demand without any other changes.
That's not going to lead to general shortages, as opposed to on specific lines - unless people start panicking.
If we can only cover 80% of consumption, there will be rioting, looting and widespread malnutrition.
Now, I don't think it will come to that (it's just not going to happen), but your answer shows a complete lack of understanding of how quickly food gets turned over in a supermarket.
If everyone ate 80% of what they do now, we'd be a fitter and healthier nation, not starving and rioting.
The problems will come from people panicking rather than trusting the supply chains to sort themselves out.
Of course if half the EU food arrived, then we'd be on 95% even before the supermarkets go shopping in the rest of the world.
There's plenty of risks associated with Brexit, but food shortages really isn't one of them. Maybe it might seem like the end of the world for Tarquin in Hoxton that he can't get avocados for a week or two, but it really isn't.
Off you go again with your fake "we's". I doubt food supply in Dubai will be significantly affected, other than perhaps that the Marmite and HP Sauce might not be getting through.
Why should geographic location determine whether you are a member of a community or not?
It shouldn't. All views and perspectives are welcome. What isn't on is to go talking about a subject like potential food shortages in the UK with "we this" and "we that" when he isn't going to be affected at all.
Comments
Congratulations! It only gets better from here
Their involvement will be “go and plan” and the civil service will get on with it.
I have no idea what you have bought, but if it makes you happy....
iirc most of the cod is imported.
No Deal
Have a nice day
So in Leaver-land, that makes it the EU's fault.
Cool car the R35, and the GT800s should give it about that many horses.
I'll be one fewer mouth for the UK to feed on the day we actually leave, doing my personal bit to keep the shortages to a minimum
Terrific.
We thus arrive at the crux of the matter. Or question rather.
For the people who say that membership of the EU involves an unacceptable loss of 'sovereignty', is this ... (i) what they think? ... or (ii) what they feel?
IMO it is a lot of (ii) and very little (i).
And, yes, ditto for me. the 'IMO' there is what I feel rather than what I think.
Because leaving the EU is such an exotic call that I don't know what to think.
If they want a home project, they're much more likely to do something like this:
http://www.megaprocessor.com/index.html
Of course, there's bit of a problem with the room required.
(initiate lurking mode)
Investing in Britain at the moment for anything relating to imports or exports is a complete gamble.
(also, congratulations CR!)
http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/
*To be topped up with cash-and-carry generic vodka.
I think it is a pervasive thing and happening across society in general. I wonder what other computer generated fantasies are being accepted as facts in other businesses and enterprises. What will happen when reality diverges sufficiently that it cannot be ignored?
And wouldn’t the world be a nicer place if we wrote elegant notes to each other on paper with pens and ink in italic handwriting?
He’s overweight, balding, going through a divorce and turning out to be a professional failure. Is it a surprise?
Deal not to pass Commons by 29 March: 65%
No Deal on 29 March: 14%
Referendum this year: 28%
Apparently that leaves 23% covering revocation by 29 March or an extension without the deal having passed the Commons and without a referendum.
It seems the betting markets are allowing for a substantial probability of the EU allowing an extension for no particular reason (or perhaps for a general election, but there's no Betfair market for a general election being called before 29 March). Do people think that's right?
[Waves hand airly...] Back to wherever you lurk!!!!
the interest will move now to the East West split where voting patterns have diverged. There was a poll at the weekend which showed only 40% of Ossis thought democracy was the best form of government. Scary.
The story of the little boy and the Emperor’s new clothes is a fable that explains much about modern life.
I now keep a tasting bucket on hand for such experiments
https://twitter.com/AllieHBNews/status/1089855705174163456
And this idea - fending for ourselves rather than being nannied around by the EU - we are going to make our own bed and damn well lie in it - I sense is a powerful driver of Leave sentiment.
It comes with a belief in British exceptionalism, i.e. that free of the EU shackles, or indeed any shackles, we are the sort of people who will soar high - and if we don't, we are also the sort of tough nut stoics who can not only cope with a bit of hardship but will thoroughly enjoy doing so (as long as it is white european hardship not the other variety).
45% of all salads bought get thrown away uneaten !
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_waste_in_the_United_Kingdom
Lettuce eating surrender monkeys.
Downing Street saying they recognise the backstop has to change and JRM has just gone into no 10
Seems few if any want to compromise their positions as we head to no deal
If it happens all 498 mps who voted for A50 have the responsibilty
[Odd fact - the tomato was unknown in Europe before the 16th Century. How did the Italians manage?]
BTW, when a company suddenly hits the headlines (Carillion, Pat Val - which in reality means RCP) and is in trouble, I check the calibre of the board. You'd be amazed at how often there is a lack of diversity at the top (gender, ethnicity, etc). This isn't just a PC observation: if you hire people who are not in your natural network, they will challenge your most basic assumptions and help you spot your, er, blind spots. Unfortunately, most companies that have had success are more likely to have a yes-man culture (gender deliberate) that chimes completely with point 5.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/annapowers/2018/06/27/a-study-finds-that-diverse-companies-produce-19-more-revenue/
* Extension for GE: 10%
* Extension for new negotiation ditching some of TMay's other red lines: 5%
* Extension for general faffing - I know they said they wouldn't allow it but see my post way up-thread for why I still think they might: 5%
* Extension for black-swan / left-field reason - Death of monarch, suicide of PM, Mueller implicates Farage and brings referendum into question requiring new investigation etc: 3%
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6639473/Russell-Howard-says-BBC-told-write-joke-case-offended-ISIS.html
Thing is they are both inaccurate.
Dr Wollaston might have noted that the WA as currently written was defeated massively a couple of weeks ago. She may even recall that she voted against it herself.
meantime the UK overeats by 20% and compounds this by buying a further 30% of foodstuffs it chucks in the bin. We are a long way off starvation.
When i were a lad a stick was all you needed
https://verfassungsblog.de/not-the-meaningful-vote-a-guide-to-the-role-of-the-commons-on-tuesday/