FlyTheNest

Morning all.

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/ ... -of-brexit" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Ladybird book authors make light work of Brexit

One for the Christmas present list?!

https://amp.theguardian.com/society/201 ... ssion=true" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Britain's equality efforts overshadowed by 'backwards steps', EHRC warns

Early death rate in deprived Blackpool 'twice that of the most affluent areas'

More backward steps.

Paid visits to Blackpool fairly regularly from the mid-90s until earlier this decade. Its decline even in that period was fairly obvious.

Prime Minister Theresa May and Chancellor Philip Hammond will next week meet around 120 CEOs and chairs, as well as international investors, to discuss Brexit and the budget.

The charm offensive will take place on Wednesday, two days after the budget according to reports.

'Charm' isn't a word you'd associate with either of them. I hope they get a very frosty reception.

Thank heavens somebody posted

Kudos to Stella Creasy yesterday btw, proof you can be a Labour MP not entirely in sympathy with the present leadership and still get useful stuff done.

Rather than just sulking and gossiping.

good-afternoon, everyone

Good morfternoon.

23m ago 15:12
Sir Philip Green named in Parliament as businessman at centre of Britain's #MeToo scandal

Sir Philip Green has been named in Parliament as the businessman at the centre of Britain’s #MeToo scandal.

Lord Peter Hain, the former Leader of the House of Commons, revealed the name under parliamentary privilege, saying it was his ‘duty’. (Politics Live, Guardian)

PorFavor wrote:Good morfternoon.

23m ago 15:12
Sir Philip Green named in Parliament as businessman at centre of Britain's #MeToo scandal

Sir Philip Green has been named in Parliament as the businessman at the centre of Britain’s #MeToo scandal.

Lord Peter Hain, the former Leader of the House of Commons, revealed the name under parliamentary privilege, saying it was his ‘duty’. (Politics Live, Guardian)

yowza

Well, isn't that a shock.

(actually, not at all)

Where's that RogerOThornhill fellow?

Maybe work/study has intervened as is sometimes the case there? I have noticed that PfY has been quiet lately, though.........

AnatolyKasparov wrote:Maybe work/study has intervened as is sometimes the case there? I have noticed that PfY has been quiet lately, though.........

Very busy generally and currently in Norway

Hi there

Its been quiet here today as you can see, maybe get a few observations posted up. For instance what it might be like outside the EU

One thing I have noticed is that next week's Budget is apparently on *Monday*. Never known that before, any reason I wonder?

PaulfromYorkshire wrote:

AnatolyKasparov wrote:Maybe work/study has intervened as is sometimes the case there? I have noticed that PfY has been quiet lately, though.........

Very busy generally and currently in Norway

Is it wonderful? I'd love to visit.

Some written statements from government ministers and information on their Brexit webpages alarm me
Here's something from yesterday on the Lords' Parliamentary select committee

Brexit secretary refuses to give evidence to Parliament
https://www.parliament.uk/business/comm ... -scrutiny/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The Committee wrote the Secretary of State for Exiting the EU on 5 September 2018 inviting him to appear before the Committee as soon as possible after the October European Council, after the Secretary of State gave a Commitment in a letter of the 17 July "to give evidence on a regular basis".

The Committee was told on Tuesday 23 October that the Secretary of State for Exiting the EU will be unable to attend or give evidence to the Committee until after a deal with the EU has been finalised. The Committee describes this as "unacceptable… [it] inhibits the Committee in fulfilling its obligations in scrutinising the progress of Brexit negotiations".

(dJA emphasis)
the Secretary of State gave his word he'd provide information and then decided no
It feels like a kind of war

AnatolyKasparov wrote:Hi there

Its been quiet here today as you can see, maybe get a few observations posted up. For instance what it might be like outside the EU

One thing I have noticed is that next week's Budget is apparently on *Monday*. Never known that before, any reason I wonder?

What are your thoughts?

PorFavor wrote:Where's that RogerOThornhill fellow?

Here I am - I was in the library until 8pm.

Having two libraries on the go does take its toll elsewhere...

Anyone?

Re the budget...the numbers are supposed to be based on OBR predictions for the economy based on what the current thinking is ofn to pluck an example completely at random, Brexit.

Now, if it is increasingly likely that we'll crash out without a deal, those numbers could give Brexiteers one hell of a shock.

Look out for "OBR Remoaners" and similar.

citizenJA wrote:Anyone?

I really have no idea why, that's the reason for asking!

According to Metro -

Why is the Budget on a Monday, not a Wednesday in 2018? (Metro)

https://metro.co.uk/2018/10/24/why-is-t ... 8-8071045/

Goodnight, everyone
love,
cJA

I rarely use my first Twitter account having set up a new one but just noticed this...

New Schools Network boss resigned after PTE merger rebuffed

https://schoolsweek.co.uk/new-schools-n ... ent-141396

NSN interim director Mark Lehain proposed that the charity – which promotes and helps people set up free schools – merge with Parents and Teachers for Excellence, a campaign organisation set up by Vote Leave and Conservative party donor Jon Moynihan and Inspiration Trust director Dame Rachel de Souza.

But the move was rejected by the NSN’s board, which is chaired by Carphone Warehouse founder and academy trust boss David Ross.

It was announced this week that Lehain, who is also director of the PTE campaign group, is quitting as the NSN’s interim director, a role he has held since March. It is understood his decision to leave was prompted in-part by the rejection of the merger proposal.

Merging two outwardly Tory orgs and one that is simply a lobbying group might well have had the Charity Commission stepping in.

Question Time Report.

Out on the North West coast tonight in Barrow in Furness where our latest nuclear submarines are being built. So inevitably there was talk of Corbyn not pressing 'the button' and whether Labour under him would continue the contract to build said submarines. The audience, besides a couple of lone gammons, seemed remarkably unbothered about it and were more concerned as to the reason why (as Paul Mason pointed out) all the money ploughed into BAE systems didn't seem to be making its way into their town.

For the Conservatives we had Andrea Jenkyns, you might recognise Andrea's name as she's called for Theresa May's resignation to be replaced by a proper brexiter. Now Barrow voted for brexit, there were clearly many brexiters in the audience but Andrea Jenkyns went down like a particularly rancid shit sandwich. And when pressed to explain who she'd like to replace May her choices of David Davis or Boris Johnson were both booed and laughed at by the audience. This is in a place where 60% voted to leave. Will this cause her to pause for a bit of reflection? Of course not. But it does demonstrate that she and her pitiful little cabal of hard right brexiters are living in a fantasy land if they think they speak for brexit voters. Most of them were telling her she was a disgrace.

For Labour we had Lisa Nandy, now I can't remember the last time I said this of a Labour MP but Lisa was superb. She took absolutely no shit from anybody be it from the panel or the audience or Dimbleby, she ably defended principled positions she'd taken on Trident and Brexit despite potentially having a hostile audience while making her own points with a heartfelt honesty that even an old cynic like me couldn't fail to be impressed by. She put in by far and away the most impressive Labour performance I've seen in a long time. Perhaps that's why Corbynistas apparently hate her.

Also for Labour (sort of) we had Paul Mason. As I mentioned earlier he did well in pointing out that in walking down Barrow high street he couldn't see where all the money pumped into BAE systems has gone, demonstrating that you can plough billions into private companies but without proper public spending communities will suffer regardless of how many little bubbles of private enterprise there are. Essentially he was saying Thatcher and her demon spawn are talking shite and I agree with him, as did the audience.

From the Financial Times we had Brains from Thunderbirds when he was about 12...no sorry it was Sebastian Payne apparently. I can't remember Sebastian offering anything more than you'd expect from a soft brexiter on the centre right. Everything he offered was predictable and immediately forgetable after a bottle of Chilean red.

And Finally Hannah Bardell for the SNP, I'm not sure what the SNP were doing on a show in Barrow in Furness. I mean I know the border plunges south as you go west but not that far. Consequently much of what she said left the audience bemused as it wasn't really intended for them. It's funny how Scots keep up with and understand English politics but go a few miles south of the border and the English can't be arsed to reciprocate. A sentiment the Irish might agree with.