FlyTheNest

Morning all.

refitman wrote:Morning all.

Morning!

I found yesterday's Evening Standard editorial to be an interesting commentary on Brexit

https://www.standard.co.uk/comment/comm ... 18091.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

One by one, the brittle positions on Brexit set out by the Prime Minister over the past year are crumbling.

Morning all.

Long term migration figures out.

https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulation ... august2017

Net long-term international migration was estimated to be +246,000 in year ending (YE) March 2017, down 81,000 from +327,000 in YE March 2016; immigration was 588,000, down 50,000, and emigration was 342,000, up 31,000 (all statistically significant changes).

More than half of the change in net migration can be accounted for by a decrease in net migration of EU citizens (down 51,000); this was driven by an increase (33,000) in emigration for EU citizens (in particular EU8 emigration up 17,000 (both statistically significant)) and a 19,000 decrease in immigration (not statistically significant).

I heard Nick Gibb still using that "tens of thousands" target this morning. I guess they have to do that to keep their Kipper imports onside...

The last line of the ES editorial is spot on IMHO

As Britain struggles to replicate what we already have, perhaps the Brexiteer slogan should have read: Take Back the Appearance of Control.

I downloaded the full stats and the net migration figure for y/3 June 2010 was...244k.

So in 7 years they've managed to increase it by 2k.

Lots of journalists shouting loudly in the last 24 hours that "traingate doesn't matter and I don't care about it".

Strange how that wasn't the attitude of many of them a year ago.......

http://webtv.un.org/live-now/watch/18th ... 6901922001" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Yesterday also saw, yet again, Michael Dugher revealing himself to be a totally obnoxious arse with no redeeming features.

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultat ... ction-plan" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Open consultation
Draft transport accessibility action plan

Seeks views on a draft accessibility action plan which sets out proposals to improve the travel experience for people with disabilities.


(Not sure if you have to be middle class to contribute to rail)

AnatolyKasparov wrote:Yesterday also saw, yet again, Michael Dugher revealing himself to be a totally obnoxious arse with no redeeming features.

Indeed. Horrible behaviour.

As for the usual media suspects, well they're displaying their true colours yet again. The amount of coverage that this was given originally. And now?

Guardian economics writer Phillip Inman says the lack of an export surge in the latest GDP figures to counter higher priced imports has left Britain with a trade problem:

"A significant depreciation of sterling in the wake of the Brexit vote was expected to boost exports. It has a little, but not enough to offset the extra cost from more expensive raw materials.

It means that the latest figures for second quarter GDP show that net trade was zero, putting a drag on GDP growth. And it has dragged since sterling first began to depreciate at the end of 2015.

As Samuel Tombs, UK economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics points out, this contrasts with the boost to GDP from net trade that has followed every depreciation in the pound since the second world war.

The reason could be that Brexit uncertainty has encouraged a degree of reticence among exporters. But more likely, the explanation lies in the changing nature of supply chains that send parts all over the world and back again, turning almost every component in a manufactured good into an import at some stage of the process."

https://www.theguardian.com/business/li ... iness-live" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The above is a really significant observation. A lot of the economic arguments coming from Brexiters are based on old assumptions not modern practices. There are going to be a lot more U-turns, if the Tories don't want to be lumbered with a reputation for crashing the economy.

https://cymru-wales.unison.org.uk/news/ ... situation/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


UNISON comment on Powys care situation

AnatolyKasparov wrote:Yesterday also saw, yet again, Michael Dugher revealing himself to be a totally obnoxious arse with no redeeming features.

I like to meet the children of people I don't like at all whenever possible or appropriate. If I'm unable to meet them in person, I'll look at their Christmas portraits taken together as a family or something innocuous like that. Never been able to sustain my loathing of their parent from then on. If the person hasn't children they've got other family I can know. Works the same and isn't an altogether agreeable process, I grant you. I got to figure out some way to get on with them afterwards. It can make successful project completion more challenging. But it makes it possible

Good-afternoon, everyone

HindleA wrote:https://www.gov.uk/government/consultat ... ction-plan


Open consultation
Draft transport accessibility action plan

Seeks views on a draft accessibility action plan which sets out proposals to improve the travel experience for people with disabilities.


(Not sure if you have to be middle class to contribute to rail)

We're all Homo sapiens
I think

On building a tree-house when we were seven years old. Finding the exterior part of an electrical socket. Dismay when plugging things into it didn't make the lamp work. It's a little embarrassing for me writing about it now. What we're not taught or experience we're not likely to understand.

StephenDolan wrote:

AnatolyKasparov wrote:Yesterday also saw, yet again, Michael Dugher revealing himself to be a totally obnoxious arse with no redeeming features.

Indeed. Horrible behaviour.

As for the usual media suspects, well they're displaying their true colours yet again. The amount of coverage that this was given originally. And now?

Haven't you got the memo?? IT DOESN'T MATTER AND NEVER DID!!

AnatolyKasparov wrote:

StephenDolan wrote:

AnatolyKasparov wrote:Yesterday also saw, yet again, Michael Dugher revealing himself to be a totally obnoxious arse with no redeeming features.

Indeed. Horrible behaviour.

As for the usual media suspects, well they're displaying their true colours yet again. The amount of coverage that this was given originally. And now?

Haven't you got the memo?? IT DOESN'T MATTER AND NEVER DID!!

It mattered to me then and it matters to me now. My post in response to this news from you contained levity (at least, I hope it did) as well as real helpful hints I've learned over the years. I haven't read or heard what Dugher has lately said. I admit I've got other things going on. You know Dugher is younger than my little sister? Damn. Where does the time go, you know?

Overall for the UK as a whole, the proportion of the non-British population was 9.3% (6.0 million of 64.7 million).
Of this, 3.6 million were EU nationals, and 2.4 million were non-EU nationals.

http://visual.ons.gov.uk/migration-leve ... your-area/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

91% of those living in the UK are British nationals

citizenJA wrote:

Overall for the UK as a whole, the proportion of the non-British population was 9.3% (6.0 million of 64.7 million).
Of this, 3.6 million were EU nationals, and 2.4 million were non-EU nationals.

http://visual.ons.gov.uk/migration-leve ... your-area/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

91% of those living in the UK are British nationals

Out of curiosity, I tried to find similar stats for other countries, but it wasn't very easy. So far I've discovered that 91.5% of those living in Germany are German nationals, so very similar, and that France has a deliberate policy of not collecting such data.

I need a new encyclopedic atlas, mine's 15 years old. Back then 93% were German nationals. Ireland 94% Irish, Greece 98% Greek, France still not counting, Italy 94% Italian and the UK, for some reason, 94% white.

All I've really learned from the above is that the Germans are very efficient and consistent at collecting population stats.

OK, I've now found an up to date figure for Italy, which is 92% Italian nationals, so a slight drop in 15 years. Still pretty similar to the UK.

Top tip

"I know a short cut"
From non drivers to drivers probably best ignored.
It was only one one way street,the fence was falling down anyway and there should have been a give way sign to ease passage of various cattle.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/201 ... in-england" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Report highlights failings of home care services in England



http://www.healthwatch.co.uk/news/Home- ... ealthwatch" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.healthwatch.co.uk/responses- ... -home-care" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

HindleA wrote:Top tip

"I know a short cut"
From non drivers to drivers probably best ignored.
It was only one one way street,the fence was falling down anyway and there should have been a give way sign to ease passage of various cattle.

I'm putting all my effort into a safe and functional tesseract system
I can't wait for global leadership to sort out pollution and road fatalities

AnatolyKasparov wrote:

StephenDolan wrote:

AnatolyKasparov wrote:Yesterday also saw, yet again, Michael Dugher revealing himself to be a totally obnoxious arse with no redeeming features.

Indeed. Horrible behaviour.

As for the usual media suspects, well they're displaying their true colours yet again. The amount of coverage that this was given originally. And now?

Haven't you got the memo?? IT DOESN'T MATTER AND NEVER DID!!

Correction. It doesn't matter and the people that have put together the video are linked to The Left therefore those individuals are the story. The NS piece, deary deary me.....
http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/me ... -traingate" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.shapingourlives.org.uk/resou ... ugust-2017" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Government’s VAT attack ‘sends out mixed messages on independent living’

Cheshire Centre for Independent Living (CCIL) is having to take HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to the first-tier tribunal to fight off its attempt to force it to charge disabled service-users 20 per cent VAT on top of their monthly fee for using its popular payroll service.


CCIL insists that its payroll service – which is used by nearly 3,000 disabled people across the north-west of England who use direct payments to employ personal assistants – should not be subject to VAT under HMRC’s “welfare” exemption.


And Hendrie warned that a victory for HMRC “could undermine the whole notion of the welfare exemption for VAT”, and could affect many other charities and the services they provide to disabled people.


: “It’s a tax on independent living. It goes completely against promoting independent living and trying to keep people at home as long as possible, so the government is sending out really mixed messages.

"Business"

StephenDolan wrote:

AnatolyKasparov wrote: Haven't you got the memo?? IT DOESN'T MATTER AND NEVER DID!!

Correction. It doesn't matter and the people that have put together the video are linked to The Left therefore those individuals are the story. The NS piece, deary deary me.....
http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/me ... -traingate" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Apart from Stephen Bush, is there *anybody* worth the proverbial pitcher of warm spit writing there??

Good morfternoon.

Harriet Harman: I would have beaten Ed Miliband to Labour leadership

Former deputy Labour leader says she was never seen as leadership material
(Guardian, my emphasis)

I wonder why that could possibly have been?

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... leadership

AnatolyKasparov wrote:

StephenDolan wrote:

AnatolyKasparov wrote: Haven't you got the memo?? IT DOESN'T MATTER AND NEVER DID!!

Correction. It doesn't matter and the people that have put together the video are linked to The Left therefore those individuals are the story. The NS piece, deary deary me.....
http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/me ... -traingate" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Apart from Stephen Bush, is there *anybody* worth the proverbial pitcher of warm spit writing there??

The actual scandal was about the Guardian.

I expect political parties to try and create stories. Corbyn tried to make one about a busy train (he admitted he walked past single seats because he wanted to sit next to his wife, and not booking in advance looks incompetent). All fair play really. Just politics, as is Branson's pointing out that there were some seats on a busy train. The "new" video omits some of the most damning footage of Corbyn walking past empty seats in order to "prove" its point. I don't really care much (sorry) as it is yesterday's news, despite AK wanting to feel outraged.

(some of the pics omitted are here if interested

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/ho ... 06936.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

)

But why the Graun decided to run a video produced by Corbyn's team as a news report on its frontpage is very odd. The Graun is a truly terrible newspaper, dominated by clickbait. Far, far below the standards at the FT.

Maybe we'll need even more capacity after HS2. Maybe rail infrastructure is a bad long term bet because of the imminence of driverless cars in 15 years or so. Difficult. I am sure we need a great deal more infrastructure investment in the UK, but I am not at all sure that rail is a good bet (Heathrow is, but the Labour leadership oppose that.)

None of the interesting transport issues are about nationalisation as Labour seems to think. Rail is already largely nationalised. The profit margins of the franchises are tiny. The issues are difficult and require evidence, judgement and thought. But I don't think most people are interested in that. They're more comfortable thinking nationalisation is the "left" solution, and so plumping for that. Lazy.

Hugo

You called him a liar and many in the media were not far from doing so either

I am interested to see if you can provide a photo of him walking past 'lots of empty seats' as the one you called him a liar for is the one debunked yesterday

You were very keen to defend Virgin with some sarcastic sneers at Corbyn

You were wrong on both counts

Of course you dont care anymore because the lie worked and the rebuttal will get much less airing

Perhaps you will learn something from how your simplistic view of the world and naive acceptence of misleading information can lead to mistakes

and you are supposed to be a lawyer.....wow!

FWIW I view it rather like if we filmed our experience,sometimes when travelling,luggage in w/c space,,me having to stand,communication breakdown,where I am running about trying to get assistance before I stay in Leeds whilst better half goes onwards to Edinburgh or some such.You could film/use CCTV and edit accordingly to suit your points/difficulties or to counter.

And we booked,it doesn't always "work"

http://www.disabilitywales.org/blog/aus ... tastrophe/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Austerity policies have created a “human catastrophe” – UN Committee Chair condemns the UK’s record on human rights.

"Evidence before us now and in our Inquiry procedure as published in our 2016 report reveals that social cut policies has led to human catastrophe in your country, totally neglecting the vulnerable situation people with disabilities find themselves in.”
The Committee condemned the UK’s attempts to misrepresent the impact of policies through unanswered questions, misused statistics and a smoke screen of statements on policies and legislation which fail to implement the rights of disabled people in reality."

"Want to see you come back as a world leader which at the moment, I’m afraid you are not, but DPOs I congratulate. [They] are in fact, the world leaders in your country.”"

They wanted to go further of course and only jusf atarted on some purposeful targeted regression.

Or fascistic intention,views differ.Repeatedly proven to be discriminatory and harmful,regardless.

I've just seen more from Laura Pidcock. Not going to be friendly with any Tory MPs. Lucky we're trying to build a cross party alliance on an important issue or anything. She's been there 5 minutes and already done interviews with Sqwawkbox and Russia Today.

"I'm here for my class". And, er, your constituents of all kinds.

Corbyn tried to make one about a busy train (he admitted he walked past single seats because he wanted to sit next to his wife, and not booking in advance looks incompetent)

It doesn't to me. Whatever you think of him, he's a busy man. Buy a ticket in advance, get held up, and that's money down the drain. Somebody at his pay grade is within their rights to want the flexibility of an Anytime ticket. He's got a Senior Railcard too, so he can keep the cost down.

None of the interesting transport issues are about nationalisation as Labour seems to think. Rail is already largely nationalised. The profit margins of the franchises are tiny. The issues are difficult and require evidence, judgement and thought. But I don't think most people are interested in that. They're more comfortable thinking nationalisation is the "left" solution, and so plumping for that. Lazy.

I agree with this, it is comfortable thinking, based on a misconception of why train tickets are generally expensive. Nationalisation is also (wrongly) thought to be cost free, when you'd have to buy the rolling stock companies.

The biggest advantage I see to the privatization of train companies is that they can be much more aggressive in raising business and peak time and first class fares, bringing much more investment to the railway than would otherwise be the case. There's no reason that a state railway couldn't be priced like this, if so desired. There's similar "airline" pricing in other countries.

Comments just closed on the Abi Wilkinson article on immigration statistics
Factual evidence contradicting beliefs does nothing more than antagonise further
It's scarier than hell, that
How is negotiation and cooperation possible?

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfr ... warp-truth" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Rail fares are of course not an advantage to people who have to pay through the nose for them. I recognize that it's easy for me to be detached about very high fares that others can't avoid paying.

Somebody called Sebastian Payne in the FT talking about exam results "vindicating Gove's reforms". I can't read the article.

What's the logic? Exams got a bit harder? Hardly sounds like 4 years work. And I'm not forgetting about all those billions overspent.

http://schoolsweek.co.uk/urgent-action- ... ms-expert/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

GCSE entries to modern foreign languages continued to fall this year, in a dropoff that could even see some subjects becoming “extinct” in schools, according to one expert.
Overall, MFL entries were down by 7.3 per cent this year at around 300,000 in total, while the drop in the population of 16-year-olds in England sat at 2.62 per cent.

Wasn't this supposed to be a Gove priority?

Tubby Isaacs wrote:

None of the interesting transport issues are about nationalisation as Labour seems to think. Rail is already largely nationalised. The profit margins of the franchises are tiny. The issues are difficult and require evidence, judgement and thought. But I don't think most people are interested in that. They're more comfortable thinking nationalisation is the "left" solution, and so plumping for that. Lazy.

I agree with this, it is comfortable thinking, based on a misconception of why train tickets are generally expensive. Nationalisation is also (wrongly) thought to be cost free, when you'd have to buy the rolling stock companies.

The biggest advantage I see to the privatization of train companies is that they can be much more aggressive in raising business and peak time and first class fares, bringing much more investment to the railway than would otherwise be the case. There's no reason that a state railway couldn't be priced like this, if so desired.

Completely disagree with you here
I don't think I even agree with Labour's position, let me see if I can explain
Think about transportation differently
Government is responsible for the health, safety, protection and integrity of a nation and people
National investment in a comprehensive, integrated, reliable, frequent, easy-to-use and safe national public transportation infrastructure project helps protect our degraded environment due to inefficient motor vehicle usage. Less pollution, people healthier, less stress, public thoroughfares open up to children and other people. Rural areas served by a functional system just like any other area of the UK makes that area competitive for businesses, tourism rises, genuinely greater mobility for all, for everyone. Free at point of use. Lots of high-quality jobs keeping the national public transportation system operational.
Automotive industry ain't going to dig it. In strictly monetary terms, the amount of revenue government and businesses make out of selling everyone at least one car might be more than the revenue generated from...not.

The reason why rail nationalisation is pretty popular (and to be fair there are a lot of nationalised or pseudo-nationalised rail systems in the world) is that for a lot of people the service is shite, and expensive

Paying £120 one way for a ticket on a crowded, smelly and dirty train outside peak hours is not the sign of a good service

A complicated ticketing system where many people, particularly tourist, far too easily buy the wrong ticket

The fact that people travelling on single tickets subsidise those who travel on returns

I am sure not all of that is the fault of privatisation but the system is pretty dire when compared to other rail services on the continent.....and I travel frequently on those in the UK, CH, Italy, France and Germany

I can buy a first class ticket that I can use on pretty much all trains/boats/buses anywhere in this country for just a bit more (and that is even using the crap pound exchange rate) than a 2nd class season ticket from Bracknell to Waterloo......

Edited to add that the British train conductors I have seen are very, very tough on any person who has bought the right ticket - even when it is obvious that is was linked to the point above on complicated ticket offerings at the station (few windows to actually buy from now, mainly machines). More so than I have seen elsewhere

Tubby Isaacs wrote:http://schoolsweek.co.uk/urgent-action- ... ms-expert/

GCSE entries to modern foreign languages continued to fall this year, in a dropoff that could even see some subjects becoming “extinct” in schools, according to one expert.
Overall, MFL entries were down by 7.3 per cent this year at around 300,000 in total, while the drop in the population of 16-year-olds in England sat at 2.62 per cent.

Wasn't this supposed to be a Gove priority?

Isn't Chinese and Spanish as diplomatically/economically important as English?
I don't feel very good having written it like that
am trying to envision it through the eyes of business or government
I don't understand the rationale, why isn't acquiring another language greatly encouraged?

https://labourlist.org/2017/08/debbie-a ... te-action/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Debbie Abrahams: With the UN talking about the “human catastrophe” of Tory disability cuts, we need immediate action