Monday 4th March 2019

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refitman
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Monday 4th March 2019

Post by refitman »

Morning all.
PorFavor
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Re: Monday 4th March 2019

Post by PorFavor »

Good morfternoon.
Brexit: Minister [James Brokenshire] admits £1.6bn for poorer towns to be spent over next seven years (Politics Live, Guardian)
Compared with the £2.7 billion wasted by Chris Grayling (whose birthday, I've discovered, falls on 1 April).

(For what it's worth, the BBC says that the £1.6 billion will be spent over the next six years.)
gilsey
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Re: Monday 4th March 2019

Post by gilsey »

We'd likely have received £13bn from the EU regional development fund.

https://cpmr.org/cohesion/cpmr-analysis ... xit/20525/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
This increase can largely be explained by the fact many areas of the UK are falling behind the EU average in terms of regional prosperity.
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Re: Monday 4th March 2019

Post by gilsey »

Stick that on the side of a bus.
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AnatolyKasparov
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Re: Monday 4th March 2019

Post by AnatolyKasparov »

Labour MPs don't seem terribly impressed by this bribe anyway......
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Re: Monday 4th March 2019

Post by gilsey »

A couple of things for comparative purposes.

Martin Howe: It is far better to risk extending Article 50 than to accept May’s bad deal

Here's a thread from a CBI person wanting MPs to sign up for May's deal asap, like most business commentary I've seen. I don't see how transition gives them any more certainty than extension.
" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Re: Monday 4th March 2019

Post by PorFavor »

Theresa May was tweeting about Salisbury this morning. But, as my colleague Jim Waterson points out, she used the wrong picture. (Politics Live, Guardian)
She (or her staff) "Tweeted" a nice picture of a cathedral. Bath Cathedral.
PaulfromYorkshire
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Re: Monday 4th March 2019

Post by PaulfromYorkshire »

Think filet smacked up for recently deceased rock star (5,5).
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adam
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Re: Monday 4th March 2019

Post by adam »

PaulfromYorkshire wrote:Think filet smacked up for recently deceased rock star (5,5).
What will they play at the cremation? (adam is very sorry)
I still believe in a town called Hope
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Willow904
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Re: Monday 4th March 2019

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gilsey wrote:A couple of things for comparative purposes.

Martin Howe: It is far better to risk extending Article 50 than to accept May’s bad deal

Here's a thread from a CBI person wanting MPs to sign up for May's deal asap, like most business commentary I've seen. I don't see how transition gives them any more certainty than extension.
" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
As soon as the WA is agreed, businesses will have absolute certainty of the trading environment for the next 2 years plus a good sense of where we are headed (which will be heavily influenced by the legal nature of the backstop).

An extension is just prolonged uncertainty, and with no sign of a majority emerging in parliament for either Norway+ or a further referendum, I can perfectly understand why businesses just want to get on with May's deal now rather than faff around for another few months before ending up in the same place anyway.
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Willow904
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Re: Monday 4th March 2019

Post by Willow904 »

Incidentally there's some interesting polling here which suggests that although there's no majority for any Brexit option, there is least outright objection to the option least talked about by politicians and the media - leaving the EU but staying in the single market. What MPs dismiss as being rule takers, not rule makers isn't as objectionable to Joe Public. Possibly because Joe Public aren't the ones facing a reduction in power, we're used to being rule takers already.

https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/ar ... and-brexit" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Re: Monday 4th March 2019

Post by AnatolyKasparov »

Yes, that is a very interesting point.
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adam
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Re: Monday 4th March 2019

Post by adam »

They need us more than we need them, and industry will never allow this to happen, part the nth - guardian today
The head of the German federation of industries has claimed the British are “lost” and has thrown doubt on Berlin’s backing for a short Brexit extension, claiming an “economy can live better with bad conditions than with uncertainty”. Dieter Kempf, the chairman of the Bundesverbandes der Deutschen Industrie, said the 100,000 companies he represents and their 8 million employees have prepared for a no-deal scenario in March, not in May.
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Re: Monday 4th March 2019

Post by PorFavor »

For some reason, I just thought that I'd check. Bath hasn't even got a catherdral. It's got an abbey and sundry churches - but if I can be bothered to do the research, why can't . . . ? Oh, never mind.
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adam
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Re: Monday 4th March 2019

Post by adam »

Willow904 wrote:
As soon as the WA is agreed, businesses will have absolute certainty of the trading environment for the next 2 years plus a good sense of where we are headed (which will be heavily influenced by the legal nature of the backstop).snip
If you look at the political declaration that sits alongside the withdrawal agreement, one of the first things it says is 'both sides recognise the EUs red lines - no dividing up the four freedoms of movement, no evading ECJ oversight, rule based system with no say for non-members - and the UK's red lines - outside the custom's union and single market, no ECJ oversight, no free movement of labour'.

So we're moving towards a basic free trade agreement in goods but that's all, and a permanent use of the 'backstop' on the Irish border, with NI economically removed from the rest of the UK. I say this fairly flippantly as though it isn't a really big deal, but I can't see that there's any other way forward unless the EU move - which seems hugely and overwhelmingly unlikely at all - or the UK moves - which seems hugely and overwhelmingly unlikely at the moment.
I still believe in a town called Hope
PorFavor
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Re: Monday 4th March 2019

Post by PorFavor »

There are three urgent questions in the Commons today, two of which are from Labour frontbenchers attacking decisions taken Chris Grayling, who is now transport secretary. But Grayling won’t be replying to either of them. (Politics Live, Guardian)
Full confidence, eh?
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Re: Monday 4th March 2019

Post by AnatolyKasparov »

PorFavor wrote:For some reason, I just thought that I'd check. Bath hasn't even got a catherdral. It's got an abbey and sundry churches - but if I can be bothered to do the research, why can't . . . ? Oh, never mind.
Something I genuinely did not know, its been long established that some places with cathedrals are not cities - but how often is the opposite true?
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adam
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Re: Monday 4th March 2019

Post by adam »

AnatolyKasparov wrote:
PorFavor wrote:For some reason, I just thought that I'd check. Bath hasn't even got a catherdral. It's got an abbey and sundry churches - but if I can be bothered to do the research, why can't . . . ? Oh, never mind.
Something I genuinely did not know, its been long established that some places with cathedrals are not cities - but how often is the opposite true?
Cities without (Anglican) cathedrals - Ermine St West (12)
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adam
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Re: Monday 4th March 2019

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PorFavor wrote:For some reason, I just thought that I'd check. Bath hasn't even got a catherdral. It's got an abbey and sundry churches - but if I can be bothered to do the research, why can't . . . ? Oh, never mind.
It's part of the bishopric of Bath and Wells, although the cathedral is in Wells - the 'cathedra' - the Bishop's Seat - has been in Bath in the past. Can you lose city status? Maybe it's a city because it used to have a cathedral... (although there are a good number of cities that don't have them and never have had...)
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Willow904
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Re: Monday 4th March 2019

Post by Willow904 »

AnatolyKasparov wrote:
PorFavor wrote:For some reason, I just thought that I'd check. Bath hasn't even got a catherdral. It's got an abbey and sundry churches - but if I can be bothered to do the research, why can't . . . ? Oh, never mind.
Something I genuinely did not know, its been long established that some places with cathedrals are not cities - but how often is the opposite true?
The cathedral is in Wells, as in the bishopric of Bath and Wells.

I'm not certain what the building in the picture is, but the setting definitely looks more like Bath than Salisbury. Salisbury cathedral does have a tall spire, but part of a far more imposing building. A bit of a mystery tbh.

Edited to add adam beat me to it. Probably because I spent too long mulling over exactly where it is.
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PaulfromYorkshire
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Re: Monday 4th March 2019

Post by PaulfromYorkshire »

adam wrote:
PaulfromYorkshire wrote:Think filet smacked up for recently deceased rock star (5,5).
What will they play at the cremation? (adam is very sorry)
LOL I read somewhere that when he ran his pub he had a real fire that he lit himself. Anyone making that joke had to add to his swear box!
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Re: Monday 4th March 2019

Post by PaulfromYorkshire »

adam wrote:
PorFavor wrote:For some reason, I just thought that I'd check. Bath hasn't even got a catherdral. It's got an abbey and sundry churches - but if I can be bothered to do the research, why can't . . . ? Oh, never mind.
It's part of the bishopric of Bath and Wells, although the cathedral is in Wells - the 'cathedra' - the Bishop's Seat - has been in Bath in the past. Can you lose city status? Maybe it's a city because it used to have a cathedral... (although there are a good number of cities that don't have them and never have had...)
The Anglican cathedral for Leeds is in Ripon!
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Willow904
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Re: Monday 4th March 2019

Post by Willow904 »

I think it might be St Johns church in Bath, viewed from the canal, but I can't find any corroborating pics on bing. The spire is very similar though.
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Re: Monday 4th March 2019

Post by PorFavor »

Re the Salisbury "Tweet" -

Thanks for everyone's informative and interesting input!

(Obviously, I meant "cathedral" - and not "catherdral". But the damage is done. Sorry about that.)
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Re: Monday 4th March 2019

Post by PorFavor »

No link between knife crime and police cuts, says Theresa May


Theresa May has dismissed claims that an increase in police numbers will help solve knife crime, insisting that there is “no direct correlation” between the two.

Speaking after a spate of knife violence, the prime minister said on Monday that she would tackle the root causes of the crisis. However, as police officers and politicians called for more help to deal with the violence, May said it was not a question of resources.

There was “no direct correlation between certain crimes and police numbers”, the former home secretary said. “What matters is how we ensure that police are responding to these criminal acts when they take place, that people are brought to justice.”

May’s remarks will frustrate critics who say cuts to police and youth services are a key factor in knife crime. The Metropolitan police said they could not “magic officers out of thin air” to tackle the problem.(Guardian)
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/201 ... heresa-may
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Re: Monday 4th March 2019

Post by PorFavor »

Theresa May seems to be saying that it doesn't matter how many people get stabbed provided the perpetrators get caught after the event.


Edited to add -

Ditto Matt Hancock

And again to make sense (added "perpetrators"). I also see that the
Police Federation claims May is 'delusional' in denying link between officer numbers and knife crime (Politics Live, Guardian)
How many official bodies does that make now that think she's delusional?
Last edited by PorFavor on Mon 04 Mar, 2019 5:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Monday 4th March 2019

Post by Willow904 »

dsc00185_1.jpg
dsc00185_1.jpg (225.47 KiB) Viewed 5937 times
Found it! It's a view of South Parade from the River Avon. No wonder it looked so familiar, it's just down from the weir by Pulteney Bridge. Can't believe I didn't recognise it straight away, really.

Doh! :smack:
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Re: Monday 4th March 2019

Post by gilsey »

adam wrote:
Willow904 wrote:
As soon as the WA is agreed, businesses will have absolute certainty of the trading environment for the next 2 years plus a good sense of where we are headed (which will be heavily influenced by the legal nature of the backstop).snip
If you look at the political declaration that sits alongside the withdrawal agreement, one of the first things it says is 'both sides recognise the EUs red lines - no dividing up the four freedoms of movement, no evading ECJ oversight, rule based system with no say for non-members - and the UK's red lines - outside the custom's union and single market, no ECJ oversight, no free movement of labour'.

So we're moving towards a basic free trade agreement in goods but that's all, and a permanent use of the 'backstop' on the Irish border, with NI economically removed from the rest of the UK. I say this fairly flippantly as though it isn't a really big deal, but I can't see that there's any other way forward unless the EU move - which seems hugely and overwhelmingly unlikely at all - or the UK moves - which seems hugely and overwhelmingly unlikely at the moment.
There's no long term stability from the UK side is there, any future UK govt can change direction. I think this should be worrying businesses more than it seems to be. In the short term any move is likely to be closer, but then that offers scope for moving away again later. It's only recently I've started to appreciate how unstable it could be.

Re NI economically removed from the rest of the UK, many think that'll be beneficial for NI so it might not be so controversial once the DUP aren't holding the balance of power here.
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Re: Monday 4th March 2019

Post by citizenJA »

Good-afternoon, everyone
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Re: Monday 4th March 2019

Post by PorFavor »

Sir Ivan Rogers, the former UK ambassdor to the EU, has said Britain is not ready to face Brussels in the massively complex trade negotiations that will begin if Theresa May gets her Brexit deal through parliament. Speaking at the Institute for Government, he said:

[The future trade negotiation] is a much bigger task for London - for Whitehall and Westminster - than the negotiation we have just been through. It’s going to involve every department of state in depth from the top of those departments right down through the system ...

You’ve got to have confidence as chief trade negotiator, both at an official and ministerial level, that you have got a highly competent set of people in every area from aviation to energy to phytosanitary to competition to employment. In every area, you’ve got to have vetted that team, know it’s got the capabilities, know it’s got the resources, know it’s got the legal framework and the background and be at least as good as the team on the opposite side of the table. It isn’t the case. We are not in that position. (Politics Live, Guardian)
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Re: Monday 4th March 2019

Post by AnatolyKasparov »

Commons business hastily rearranged this afternoon - couldn't possibly be that the government were about to lose a key vote (on tax havens) could it?
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Re: Monday 4th March 2019

Post by RogerOThornhill »

Excellent critique on one of the most dire of politicians...

Liz ‘the Truss’: truly a politician for our times

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfr ... ician-tory
Plainly, something peculiar happened to this wing of the Conservative party at the turn of this decade: they became transfixed by Ayn Randian notions of choice, freedom and fulfilment of individual destiny; they adopted that curious wide-legged stance; they made up names for themselves. It was all too much of a coincidence – when a bunch of people starts talking like the Mont Pèlerin set and standing like So Solid Crew, you can only surmise that they’ve all been on a course somewhere in Vermont, which ends with them chewing the bark of the Galbulimima and branding their buttocks with the initials of Friedrich Hayek.
:D
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Re: Monday 4th March 2019

Post by PorFavor »

Fame at last! Well done!
How Does He Survive? The Curious Case of ‘Failing Grayling’ (New York Times)
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/03/worl ... es-uk.html
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Re: Monday 4th March 2019

Post by PorFavor »

@RogerOThornhill

I had to look up Galbulimima.
Galbulimima is a genus of flowering plants and the sole genus of the family Himantandraceae.[1] Members of the family are found in the tropical zones of eastern Malaysia, the Moluccas, the Celebes, New Guinea, northern Australia and the Solomon Islands.[3][4]

Being classified in the magnoliids, this family is part of neither the monocots nor the eudicots and is related to families such as the Annonaceae, the Degeneriaceae, the Eupomatiaceae and the Magnoliaceae.

The genus comprises from 1 to 3 species, according to different authorities. (Wikipedia)
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Re: Monday 4th March 2019

Post by PaulfromYorkshire »

PaulfromYorkshire wrote:
adam wrote:
PorFavor wrote:For some reason, I just thought that I'd check. Bath hasn't even got a catherdral. It's got an abbey and sundry churches - but if I can be bothered to do the research, why can't . . . ? Oh, never mind.
It's part of the bishopric of Bath and Wells, although the cathedral is in Wells - the 'cathedra' - the Bishop's Seat - has been in Bath in the past. Can you lose city status? Maybe it's a city because it used to have a cathedral... (although there are a good number of cities that don't have them and never have had...)
The Anglican cathedral for Leeds is in Ripon!
Actually it's more complicated than that!
The diocese is led by the Anglican Bishop of Leeds and has three cathedrals of equal status: Ripon, Wakefield, and Bradford. There are five episcopal areas within the diocese, each led by an area bishop: Leeds, Ripon, Wakefield, Bradford and Huddersfield.
Wikipedia.
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Re: Monday 4th March 2019

Post by PaulfromYorkshire »

All of which means poor Huddersfield gets neither a full Bishop, nor a cathedral.
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Re: Monday 4th March 2019

Post by PaulfromYorkshire »

Which may be a good thing.

Perhaps we could have a catherdral instead ;-)
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Re: Monday 4th March 2019

Post by PaulfromYorkshire »

PaulfromYorkshire wrote:Which may be a good thing.

Perhaps we could have a catherdral instead ;-)
It would be like herding cats trying to get a congregation in though....
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Re: Monday 4th March 2019

Post by Willow904 »

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/ ... ssion=true" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Twitter 'suspends' Rachael Swindon's anti-Tory account
I used to quite like this account to begin with. Lot's of factual stuff about Tory policies and positive support for Labour but I stopped following after a while because it was so prolific, with retweets as well, it was taking over my timeline. There was a bit of a "to do" just after Christmas when the account was temporarily suspended and so I had a look at what she had been tweeting and I have to say the tone of the account had gone downhill a bit since I'd stopped following, with a lot more ill-tempered exchanges. It's a shame, I think, because the factual stuff was quite good, but being rude and aggressive isn't a helpful image for the party, however justified and provoked it might seem at the time.

Still, it would be interesting to know what caused the suspension. The things that get pulled up versus the things that get a free pass don't always make sense, but my husband has reported racism and stuff that has led to action by twitter so they definitely aren't just targeting lefties. It's all about what gets reported.
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Re: Monday 4th March 2019

Post by PorFavor »

I wonder where HindleA is, today? He's doing his Scarlet Pimpernel thing.
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Re: Monday 4th March 2019

Post by PorFavor »

PaulfromYorkshire wrote:All of which means poor Huddersfield gets neither a full Bishop, nor a cathedral.
Is a full bishop similar to a half-Nelson?
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Re: Monday 4th March 2019

Post by PaulfromYorkshire »

PorFavor wrote:
PaulfromYorkshire wrote:All of which means poor Huddersfield gets neither a full Bishop, nor a cathedral.
Is a full bishop similar to a half-Nelson?
We may be in Frankie Howerd territory here!
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