POLITICS CORNER

[Big Kev]

I believe the NHS are counting down the last week of underfunding, they should get their promised £350million a week at the end of January

[PanBiker]

They might be able to afford the price of a stamp to send me my MRI results from last October.

[Tizer]

I seem to recall someone calculating that the Boris Bounty we are promised will be less than the Brexit Loss we've made over the last 3.5 years.

[Stanley]

I would have thought that was a given Tiz!
I think we may all have reason to remember the old saying; "You never miss the water 'til the well runs dry!". Am I right in thinking there is an automatic 12 month transition before anything actually changes?
One thing is certain, when it finally does bite, the howls of outrage will far exceed the good news stories about Brexit Bonuses! We shall see if I was right about the effects of the Law of Unintended Consequences. I suspect that we will find that many of them will have not been foreseen.

[Tizer]

Am I right in thinking there is an automatic 12 month transition before anything actually changes?

BBC article, 20 December 2019: `..Assuming the European Parliament also gives the green light, the UK will formally leave the EU on 31 January with a withdrawal deal. But that will not be the end of the Brexit story. The UK will enter a period, known as the transition, until 31 December 2020. Mr Johnson has said this date will not be extended. Although the UK will cease to be an EU member, the trading relationship will remain the same and it will continue to follow the EU's rules, such as accepting rulings from the European Court of Justice. The transition also means the UK will continue to contribute to the EU's budget for the duration...' LINK

This makes interesting reading...
`Labour Party sees surge in membership amid leadership race' LINK
`..The intentions of all the new members this time is not certain - there are simply too many of them to be sure. However, sources within local parties are confident many if not most had joined to vote against the left-wing candidate, a reversal of what happened four years ago. One MP, in a CLP that now numbers nearly 3,000 members, told Newsnight: "We're just trying to figure it out, but it seems that overwhelmingly the new joiners since the election are moderates who want to vote against Rebecca Long-Bailey in some form...'.

[plaques]

`Labour Party sees surge in membership amid leadership race' LINK
`..The intentions of all the new members this time is not certain - there are simply too many of them to be sure. However, sources within local parties are confident many if not most had joined to vote against the left-wing candidate, a reversal of what happened four years ago. One MP, in a CLP that now numbers nearly 3,000 members, told Newsnight: "We're just trying to figure it out, but it seems that overwhelmingly the new joiners since the election are moderates who want to vote against Rebecca Long-Bailey in some form...'.

I'm not qualified to comment on who should or shouldn't be chosen as the new Labour Party leader but the quoted article is making assumptions with no real justification. Corbyn has refused to comment on his preferred successor, Rebecca Long-Bailey, or otherwise. Keir Starmer has always professed a inclination to remain in the EU so this may be attracting people who don't care for Johnson's right-wing conservatism and don't see the Lib-Dems as being a true opposition. These new members could be the floating 'thinking group' that aren't easily swayed by three word propaganda slogans and simply don't like the way the UK is going. Politics is far more complicated than saying 'I don't like dictator Trump therefore all Americans are bad'. Similarly, should we refuse to buy Putin's cheap Russian gas and oil because of what went on in the Stalin era? Hopefully people will look at all the manifestos and make their own minds up and not allow the newspapers to do it for them.

[PanBiker]

Hopefully people will look at all the manifestos and make their own minds up and not allow the newspapers to do it for them.

Indeed, the policies themselves were not the problem. In my view it was too many and not put over well enough. We need to drip feed the populace with radical changes, (which is what is required) but not all at once.

[Stanley]

No point speculating, that's what all interviewers and commentators are doing because it's their job to seek out the scare headlines. Just as valid to say that any increase in membership is down to hatred of the Tories as a Party. I shall follow Ian's lead and wait and see....
US pressure is increasing, notice that it has been suggested we can have a trade deal with them before end of 2020. This is a trap and should be avoided. In this respect T May could have been right. No deal is better than a bad deal.

[Tizer]

...the public meeting I went to before the election when all our local candidates were asked by a member of the public if they would back the gender identity demands (e.g. a man decides he prefers to be considered as a woman and therefore can go into women's `safe places' etc). Every one of them, including the independent, said yes. Not one of them said no and pointed to the fact that if you are genetically a man with a man's anatomy and physiology you can't be a woman.

This news story illustrates the abuse faced by people who stand up and deny the concept of gender identifying...
`Oxford professor given protection following threats from trans activists' LINK

[Stanley]

Why should anyone be forced to have a view on something they know nothing about? That would be my answer if I was asked. Too many people express opinions on matters on which they have no direct knowledge, this includes many of the 'experts' and 'pundits' we hear being interviewed on news programmes.
Much comment and activity around Coronovirus. It's proving to be a useful distraction from real political news. Expect a flood of triumphalism and jingoism on Friday.
Later... As usual the Brexit news comes from outside the UK. See THIS BBC report of an interview with Leo Varadkar the Irish Taoiseach who has a harsh message for the UK. Leo Varadkar compared the two sides to football teams, suggesting the EU would have the "stronger team" due to its larger population and market. He also suggested that Britain misjudged the first phase of Brexit.
I tend to agree with him, there is far too much gung-ho optimism in Number 10.

[plaques]

Reflecting back to what Hitler said in Mein Kampf about plebiscites and elections.

1) 60% of people believe everything they read.
2) 30% of people believe nothing they read.
3) 10% of people think about what they have read and then make a judgement.

He considered it a waste of effort targeting groups 2,& 3, concentrate on number one. Keep the message simple, it doesn't matter if its not quite true, and repeat it over and over again until it becomes fact.

This approach worked well for our referendum and recent election so no doubt it will be used again when talking about EU or American trade deals. Superlatives and hyperbole will be used ad nauseam but whatever you do don't start people thinking.

Priti Patel complaining that industry haven't invested enough and have relied on cheap labour to get them through. What else are they going to do when they have no idea what the future trading will be?
Having said that, I can see examples where the local car wash has invested in three new buckets and a pressure washer.

[Tizer]

..1) 60% of people believe everything they read...

I've just been reading (for the 3rd time) Terry Pratchett's Discworld fantasy novel `The Truth' about the newspaper industry. Every time I read it the book becomes closer to reality. `A lie will circle the world before the truth gets its boots on'!

[Stanley]

Very perceptive as usual P. I have been watching all the arguments about Huawei and what strikes me is that everyone seems to have assumed that in order to interfere with another country's 5G network it is necessary to have your equipment embedded in the network. I think it might be a bit more complicated than that! The present arguments with the US hinge more on other matters like exerting leverage about trade than cyber security.
Your comments about cheap labour are spot on and the government has aided them by low wage legislation allowing wage subsidies and lousy employment contracts. Short term advantage has been traded for neglecting traditional methods like proper skills training which is expensive and has little political advantage. Why does this not surprise me?
Nice quote Tiz and of course right.

[PanBiker]

Nice to see the Tories using a Labour Party and socialist policy for a fix for Northern Rail.

[Tripps]

You have to smile at that don't you?

Interesting difference in headlines

BBC headline - Northern: Rail firm brought under government control
Guardian headline - Northern rail franchise to be renationalised

[Stanley]

The same thought struck me and I suspect millions of others when I heard the news.
Apropos announcements about reopening railway lines. Skipton-Colne got a mention as well.

[plaques]

Apropos announcements about reopening railway lines. Skipton-Colne got a mention as well.

For the majority of the line reconstruction to Skipton it just takes money. but the most contentious point will be crossing Vivery Way in Colne. The line itself could be replaced at minimum cost but this would cut the road into two. Depending on the original agreement to build the road it could be a case of 'over to you Lancashire County Council'. A practical solution to this problem would probably take over ten years. Don't hold your breath.

[cloghopper]

Apropos announcements about reopening railway lines. Skipton-Colne got a mention as well.

For the majority of the line reconstruction to Skipton it just takes money. but the most contentious point will be crossing Vivery Way in Colne. The line itself could be replaced at minimum cost but this would cut the road into two. Depending on the original agreement to build the road it could be a case of 'over to you Lancashire County Council'. A practical solution to this problem would probably take over ten years. Don't hold your breath.

So I won't get another ride on the Barlick Spudroaster then?
cloggy.

[PanBiker]

Unfortunately Cloggy there is no plan to re-instate the branch line up to Barlick so never an option.

[Tripps]

I'm watching Parliament live. The 'debate' (sic) is on Global Britain'.

On the Labour side there are just a cluster of 5 MP's All are women the lady speaking is Bell Ribeiro Addy MP. A striking woman with a striking multi coloured scarf. An intervention by Rupa Huq MP, concerned micro finance in Bangladesh. A cause which is important to me. There is just one lone soul on the front bench . Looks from a distance a bit like the ubiquitous whistler Barry Gardener?

I see that one of the five was making her maiden speech. She said she did not come to the Commons by the usual route of wealth and influence. I read that she is Bell Rebeiro Addy, who was elected last December 12th, and was appointed Shadow Secretary of State for Immigration.
after being an MP for just six weeks. She must have exceptional qualities. A BSc graduate of Bradford University, like my own young lad. Maybe not elected by wealth, but as for influence, being Chief of Staff to Diane Abbott is perhaps the Labour equivalent to being an Old Etonian?

The whole process seems a waste of time , the support cluster (duty done) has now gone to the tea room, and seem to agree. It's not as if there are any urgent matters to consider.

Mr Peter Bone MP has just pointed out that their is now not a single Labour, Liberal Democrat or SNP back bencher in the chamber. Good judges I'd say.

[Stanley]

David, in the run up to B day you'd think there would be more going on.....
In case it has escaped your attention, Today's the day, tonight's the night.....
Will it all end with a bang or a whimper?

[PanBiker]

A bit of light relief, you can't fool the kids:



My youngest granddaughters impression.

[Tizer]

A good likeness, especially the colour!

With all the fuss about Brexit today I think back how so many people blamed the EU for all the East Europeans that came here after the 2004 enlargement. `It's the EU wot did it'. In fact it was the UK government's choice to go ahead with full freedom of movement in 2004. Only Ireland and Sweden did the same.

[Tripps]

I like the picture - it has really captured his modest charm and stable genius.

[Stanley]

You can't fool kids, they home in on the truth.....
Hours and hours of crap on the radio yesterday as the news rooms milked Brexit for all it was worth. I refused to listen to any of it. They can all say what they like but it is the most fundamental Foreign Policy mistake in my lifetime. The only thing I can think of that transcends it is Versailles in 1919.
Time will tell if I am right, but my forecast is that we will live to regret it, and very soon.
(One tiny thought that occurred to me yesterday. How much 'sovereignty' does a family facing eviction because benefits that paid the rent have been capped or withheld in the transition to Universal Credit Have?)