Tuesday 2nd January 2018.

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PaulfromYorkshire
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Re: Tuesday 2nd January 2018.

Post by PaulfromYorkshire »

SpinningHugo wrote:I was very grateful for your link on this.

One of the problems is governments have been using the franchise's as a buffer. People blame Virgin, or whoever, and don't realise that most are either directly or indirectly regulated.

That makes "nationalisation" a cheap win for Labour, even though the system works well.
You're like Captain Rum in Blackadder.

Opinion is divided on the subject.

Everyone else says the system is crap.

I says it isn't.
SpinningHugo
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Re: Tuesday 2nd January 2018.

Post by SpinningHugo »

Rail work is scheduled at the least busy times.

That tends to be holidays.
HindleA
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Re: Tuesday 2nd January 2018.

Post by HindleA »

Didn't exactly take long and I did "half" of it ie.either luggage or w/c push/pull(subject to having ramp ready)
Last edited by HindleA on Tue 02 Jan, 2018 1:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Tubby Isaacs
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Re: Tuesday 2nd January 2018.

Post by Tubby Isaacs »

howsillyofme1 wrote:Good afternoon and Happy new Year

Just back from one of my trips to the UK - as normal travelled everywhere by train....all trains were late (when actually on a train and not on a bus - funny the price is never reduced for the reduced speed and convenience) and everything was expensive....couldn't buy advanced tickets unfortunately

I know you are a proponent of UK trains Tubby but my experience of them is nothing other than bad and expensive. Also, the number of replacement buses is ridiculous.....I know that work has to be done, but surely it can be done without this level of disruption every holiday period when people want to go and see family - disrupted leisure trips are always particularly painful and some people may only takes trains then so it is not good PR either

The price of season tickets is nothing short of abominable....there is no justification
I think they've definitely got too high (though the latest rise is only RPI, compared to RPI plus in previous years). If Labour commits to making tickets cheaper, I'll support that. I also support their commitment to rail investment. I think the stuff NR postponed (letting VTEC off the hook, if you like) would have been less likely with Corbyn as PM.

Unlike Hugo, I've no ideological objection to fares being subsidized from taxes at all. As things stand, the fares actually make a chunky surplus now.
PaulfromYorkshire
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Re: Tuesday 2nd January 2018.

Post by PaulfromYorkshire »

Tubby Isaacs wrote:Fares of course are set according to RPI. Now why might that have gone up this year?!

Doubtless I'll find ferocious opposition to Hard Brexit from Laura Pidcock when I look her up, right? I'm certainly sympathetic to Labour's political predicament on Brexit, and they carry my hopes, but the fact is that as things stand, she and they are currently supporting the main thing raising train fares.
Tubby with all due respect this is tenuous in the extreme.

The job of the Opposition is to bloody well oppose.

People said Corbyn was weak and would never be able to hold the Government to account. But here they are pushing hard on public transport and the NHS.

The Tories are nowhere to be seen other than appointing Toby Young in the early hours of New Year's Day.

I'm sure not every aspect of Labour policy will withstand rigorous scrutiny, but for me this is the most effective opposition I've seen for a long time from either main party.

I'd have to go back to Blair ripping Major to shreds really.
Tubby Isaacs
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Re: Tuesday 2nd January 2018.

Post by Tubby Isaacs »

I think charging full whack for journeys done partly by buses is a bit much. It gives a bad impression of rail to people who likely only use it at weekends and holidays, as HSOM says.
howsillyofme1
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Re: Tuesday 2nd January 2018.

Post by howsillyofme1 »

Tubby Isaacs wrote:Fares of course are set according to RPI. Now why might that have gone up this year?!

Doubtless I'll find ferocious opposition to Hard Brexit from Laura Pidcock when I look her up, right? I'm certainly sympathetic to Labour's political predicament on Brexit, and they carry my hopes, but the fact is that as things stand, she and they are currently supporting the main thing raising train fares.

fares are ridiculous without any increase to be honest......we cannot keep blaming everything on Brexit - it is disingenuous....train services, and transport in general, are subject to Government decisions and mainly by the Tories
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Re: Tuesday 2nd January 2018.

Post by PorFavor »

I couldn't find out what Chris Grayling is actually doing in Qatar - so I popped in to Politics Live (Guardian) only to find this from Andrew Sparrow -
I’ve called the transport department to ask what Grayling is actually doing in Qatar. Someone is meant to be getting back to me with a response. I’ll post it when I get it.
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Re: Tuesday 2nd January 2018.

Post by PaulfromYorkshire »

PorFavor wrote:I couldn't find out what Chris Grayling is actually doing in Qatar - so I popped in to Politics Live (Guardian) only to find this from Andrew Sparrow -
I’ve called the transport department to ask what Grayling is actually doing in Qatar. Someone is meant to be getting back to me with a response. I’ll post it when I get it.
:lol: :lol: :lol:
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Re: Tuesday 2nd January 2018.

Post by RogerOThornhill »

Meanwhile...
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3h3 hours ago
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Labour MP Kate Hoey writes in today's Telegraph: "Labour must stop the farce of pretending to accept the referendum result while doing everything possible to sabotage it."
If I were a Labour MP I'd be ashamed of that. Time for Labour to tell her to go.
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Tubby Isaacs
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Re: Tuesday 2nd January 2018.

Post by Tubby Isaacs »

Brexit's forced up the costs for the railway.

I take the point about banging on too much about Brexit- Corbyn made a virtue of not doing that at the election, and it worked well. But I think to kill of Hard Brexit, we need to start tying Brexit's effect in with falling living standards. So "Brexit fares rise"? Like you, I'd prefer taxes not fares to pay the extra cost. So "Brexit tax rise"?
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Re: Tuesday 2nd January 2018.

Post by howsillyofme1 »

The problem with trains, as I see it, and I am repeating myself to be honest is that the whole thing is an absolute mess and very expensive

It is the typical attitude we see in all privatisations - the end is to privatise no matter what the service at the end - rather than seeing it as a means to the end

This is where the ideology comes in - and is wrong from both sides but we see more criticism of Labour for wanting to nationalise than we do of the Tories for selling off anything

In the end we need an integrated, efficient and affordable public transport system - with trains being the best way to deliver the long-distance part of this

The disaster with trains was that the Tories completely messed up this privatisation because they were only interested in using it as a political statement rather than trying to improve anything

Everything since then has been a bit cobbled together to work within this dysfunctional framework - and it will not be easy to get it back on track again because of this
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Re: Tuesday 2nd January 2018.

Post by PorFavor »

PaulfromYorkshire wrote:
PorFavor wrote:I couldn't find out what Chris Grayling is actually doing in Qatar - so I popped in to Politics Live (Guardian) only to find this from Andrew Sparrow -
I’ve called the transport department to ask what Grayling is actually doing in Qatar. Someone is meant to be getting back to me with a response. I’ll post it when I get it.
:lol: :lol: :lol:
You'd think they'd know - as in having an instant answer to the question - wouldn't you? I can imagine them all sitting there saying to one another, "Yeah. What is he actually doing there?"
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Re: Tuesday 2nd January 2018.

Post by howsillyofme1 »

RogerOThornhill wrote:Meanwhile...
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Labour MP Kate Hoey writes in today's Telegraph: "Labour must stop the farce of pretending to accept the referendum result while doing everything possible to sabotage it."
If I were a Labour MP I'd be ashamed of that. Time for Labour to tell her to go.

Quite agree but how do we do that? I would like to see her deselected....but she would not be the only one - on this subject and others.

I find Jess Phillips appalling as well and so would like to see her thrown out

Mandatory reselection anyone? Perhaps not
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Re: Tuesday 2nd January 2018.

Post by Tubby Isaacs »

PaulfromYorkshire wrote:
Tubby Isaacs wrote:Fares of course are set according to RPI. Now why might that have gone up this year?!

Doubtless I'll find ferocious opposition to Hard Brexit from Laura Pidcock when I look her up, right? I'm certainly sympathetic to Labour's political predicament on Brexit, and they carry my hopes, but the fact is that as things stand, she and they are currently supporting the main thing raising train fares.
Tubby with all due respect this is tenuous in the extreme.

The job of the Opposition is to bloody well oppose.

People said Corbyn was weak and would never be able to hold the Government to account. But here they are pushing hard on public transport and the NHS.

The Tories are nowhere to be seen other than appointing Toby Young in the early hours of New Year's Day.

I'm sure not every aspect of Labour policy will withstand rigorous scrutiny, but for me this is the most effective opposition I've seen for a long time from either main party.

I'd have to go back to Blair ripping Major to shreds really.
I think it's opposing on the wrong stuff, on rail, that's all. I'm fine with the other stuff.

And I accept politicians cut corners on Twitter etc. But rail's safety is excellent- nationalized Network Rail make sure it's so. So that's very bad by Pidcock.

And as I say, there's a good Corbynite case (ie strongly for public investment) to be made on VTEC. Postponing investment costs the state money. Why not go for that instead of implying "£2bn" has somehow gone missing on a stroke of Grayling's pen.
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Re: Tuesday 2nd January 2018.

Post by PaulfromYorkshire »

Tubby Isaacs wrote:Brexit's forced up the costs for the railway.

I take the point about banging on too much about Brexit- Corbyn made a virtue of not doing that at the election, and it worked well. But I think to kill of Hard Brexit, we need to start tying Brexit's effect in with falling living standards. So "Brexit fares rise"? Like you, I'd prefer taxes not fares to pay the extra cost. So "Brexit tax rise"?
Yes I would wholeheartedly agree with that approach.

I've always hoped when people started to see the impact of Brexit on their own pocket the tide would turn.
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Re: Tuesday 2nd January 2018.

Post by PaulfromYorkshire »

Tubby Isaacs wrote:
PaulfromYorkshire wrote:
Tubby Isaacs wrote:Fares of course are set according to RPI. Now why might that have gone up this year?!

Doubtless I'll find ferocious opposition to Hard Brexit from Laura Pidcock when I look her up, right? I'm certainly sympathetic to Labour's political predicament on Brexit, and they carry my hopes, but the fact is that as things stand, she and they are currently supporting the main thing raising train fares.
Tubby with all due respect this is tenuous in the extreme.

The job of the Opposition is to bloody well oppose.

People said Corbyn was weak and would never be able to hold the Government to account. But here they are pushing hard on public transport and the NHS.

The Tories are nowhere to be seen other than appointing Toby Young in the early hours of New Year's Day.

I'm sure not every aspect of Labour policy will withstand rigorous scrutiny, but for me this is the most effective opposition I've seen for a long time from either main party.

I'd have to go back to Blair ripping Major to shreds really.
I think it's opposing on the wrong stuff, on rail, that's all. I'm fine with the other stuff.

And I accept politicians cut corners on Twitter etc. But rail's safety is excellent- nationalized Network Rail make sure it's so. So that's very bad by Pidcock.

And as I say, there's a good Corbynite case (ie strongly for public investment) to be made on VTEC. Postponing investment costs the state money. Why not go for that instead of implying "£2bn" has somehow gone missing on a stroke of Grayling's pen.
Thanks for the reply. I accept your interpretation of the detail (e.g. Piddock's mistake on safety), but I think overall this has been a highly effective broadside tied into the overall message that the Tories are for the few (Richard Branson et al) not the many.
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Re: Tuesday 2nd January 2018.

Post by RogerOThornhill »

For anyone not knowing the derivation of the picture on the right, the question asked was "Hands up who likes me"...

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Re: Tuesday 2nd January 2018.

Post by Tubby Isaacs »

One thing very striking with railways is that professionals involved with them don't seem to see nationalization as a priority. My impression is that in Health, it's the opposite- there's very little enthusiasm for Virgin Care etc.
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Re: Tuesday 2nd January 2018.

Post by Tubby Isaacs »

Paul, yeah, the campaigning force is impressive. It augurs well for campaigns on other stuff.

A few academy chains won't fancy that force directed their way. Bring that on.
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AngryAsWell
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Re: Tuesday 2nd January 2018.

Post by AngryAsWell »

RogerOThornhill wrote:Meanwhile...
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3h3 hours ago
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Labour MP Kate Hoey writes in today's Telegraph: "Labour must stop the farce of pretending to accept the referendum result while doing everything possible to sabotage it."
If I were a Labour MP I'd be ashamed of that. Time for Labour to tell her to go.
They should remove the whip from her.
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Re: Tuesday 2nd January 2018.

Post by PorFavor »

1m ago 14:23

The department for transport has put out a statement about Chris Grayling’s visit to Qatar. A spokesperson said:

The secretary of state is currently on a pre-planned visit to Qatar to promote the UK overseas, support British jobs and strengthen the important relationship between the two countries.

This trip has been specifically arranged to take place outside of parliamentary time. The secretary of state has repeatedly answered questions on [the rail fare increase] ever since fare increases were first announced by the industry in August. (Politics Live, Guardian)
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Re: Tuesday 2nd January 2018.

Post by howsillyofme1 »

AngryAsWell wrote:
RogerOThornhill wrote:Meanwhile...
CCHQ Press Office
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3h3 hours ago
More
Labour MP Kate Hoey writes in today's Telegraph: "Labour must stop the farce of pretending to accept the referendum result while doing everything possible to sabotage it."
If I were a Labour MP I'd be ashamed of that. Time for Labour to tell her to go.
They should remove the whip from her.
on what basis?
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RogerOThornhill
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Re: Tuesday 2nd January 2018.

Post by RogerOThornhill »

PorFavor wrote:
1m ago 14:23

The department for transport has put out a statement about Chris Grayling’s visit to Qatar. A spokesperson said:

The secretary of state is currently on a pre-planned visit to Qatar to promote the UK overseas, support British jobs and strengthen the important relationship between the two countries.

This trip has been specifically arranged to take place outside of parliamentary time. The secretary of state has repeatedly answered questions on [the rail fare increase] ever since fare increases were first announced by the industry in August. (Politics Live, Guardian)
So which bit of our transport infrastructure is he planning to sell to them now I wonder?
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Re: Tuesday 2nd January 2018.

Post by PaulfromYorkshire »

Peter Biddlecombe@Horseytalk
15m15 minutes ago
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BBC News: Transport Minister Chris Grayling spotted heading to Qatar...Now. Now. Don't criticise him. It probably cost less than a day-return to Tunbridge Wells.

:lol:
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Re: Tuesday 2nd January 2018.

Post by gilsey »

PorFavor wrote:
1m ago 14:23

The department for transport has put out a statement about Chris Grayling’s visit to Qatar. A spokesperson said:

The secretary of state is currently on a pre-planned visit to Qatar to promote the UK overseas, support British jobs and strengthen the important relationship between the two countries.

This trip has been specifically arranged to take place outside of parliamentary time. The secretary of state has repeatedly answered questions on [the rail fare increase] ever since fare increases were first announced by the industry in August. (Politics Live, Guardian)
A jolly, in other words.
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gilsey
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Re: Tuesday 2nd January 2018.

Post by gilsey »

Re rail, from someone who sounds like he knows what he's talking about?

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Re: Tuesday 2nd January 2018.

Post by howsillyofme1 »

The trouble with blaming everything on Brexit is that it can easily be muddied or contradicted by other data

If we say train price fares are due to Brexit because of the fall in the pound then we have to look at exchange rates over time and the pound has been as low, or lower, against the Euro in the past

https://www.poundsterlinglive.com/bank- ... 008#charts" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Inflation is also still pretty low in historic terms - we can remember the 10+% and so 3-4% doesn't phase those who remember the 90s - in fact inflation of 3-4% would normally be considered good rather than bad

There are clearly problems with Brexit but the scattergun approach leads to rapid loss in power of the argument with those we need to persuade to change their minds

Most British problems are not caused either by Brexit or the EU - they are due to the fact people are poorer due to the economic and political incompetence of the Tory Government since 2010 - Brexit is having problems now but it is more a chronic issue rather than acute

By blaming Brexit for everything we let the true villains shift the blame
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Re: Tuesday 2nd January 2018.

Post by Tubby Isaacs »

In Grayling's absence, this bloke seems to have got the job of defending policy.
Paul Plummer, chief executive of industry trade body the Rail Delivery Group, said fare changes would provide cash for better services and investment, including the Thameslink and Great Northern rail upgrades.

Speaking from London Bridge station, where five new platforms have been opened, he said "no one" wants to pay more for tickets.

But he added: "Fares are actually underpinning massively required investment".
This is all correct as far as it goes, but he really doesn't need to be doing the government's job for them.
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Re: Tuesday 2nd January 2018.

Post by Tubby Isaacs »

howsillyofme1 wrote:The trouble with blaming everything on Brexit is that it can easily be muddied or contradicted by other data

If we say train price fares are due to Brexit because of the fall in the pound then we have to look at exchange rates over time and the pound has been as low, or lower, against the Euro in the past

https://www.poundsterlinglive.com/bank- ... 008#charts" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Inflation is also still pretty low in historic terms - we can remember the 10+% and so 3-4% doesn't phase those who remember the 90s - in fact inflation of 3-4% would normally be considered good rather than bad

There are clearly problems with Brexit but the scattergun approach leads to rapid loss in power of the argument with those we need to persuade to change their minds

Most British problems are not caused either by Brexit or the EU - they are due to the fact people are poorer due to the economic and political incompetence of the Tory Government since 2010 - Brexit is having problems now but it is more a chronic issue rather than acute

By blaming Brexit for everything we let the true villains shift the blame
Yeah, there's certainly a danger of that. But I don't think I'm being scattergun, it's specifically inflation in question here. And I think Labour could (no general election being on the horizon) put forward a policy now that would help- Soft Brexit.
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Re: Tuesday 2nd January 2018.

Post by Tubby Isaacs »

One reason I disagree with Hugo on fares is that, however you price them, there will be a massive need for straightforward taxpayer funding of infrastructure. I think that if rail is seen as unaffordable, there'll be a reaction against taxpayers funding the infrastructure.
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Re: Tuesday 2nd January 2018.

Post by howsillyofme1 »

Tubby Isaacs wrote:
howsillyofme1 wrote:The trouble with blaming everything on Brexit is that it can easily be muddied or contradicted by other data

If we say train price fares are due to Brexit because of the fall in the pound then we have to look at exchange rates over time and the pound has been as low, or lower, against the Euro in the past

https://www.poundsterlinglive.com/bank- ... 008#charts" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Inflation is also still pretty low in historic terms - we can remember the 10+% and so 3-4% doesn't phase those who remember the 90s - in fact inflation of 3-4% would normally be considered good rather than bad

There are clearly problems with Brexit but the scattergun approach leads to rapid loss in power of the argument with those we need to persuade to change their minds

Most British problems are not caused either by Brexit or the EU - they are due to the fact people are poorer due to the economic and political incompetence of the Tory Government since 2010 - Brexit is having problems now but it is more a chronic issue rather than acute

By blaming Brexit for everything we let the true villains shift the blame
Yeah, there's certainly a danger of that. But I don't think I'm being scattergun, it's specifically inflation in question here. And I think Labour could (no general election being on the horizon) put forward a policy now that would help- Soft Brexit.

Inflation of 3-4% is not a problem - actually, it is quite desirable

What is the problem is the productivity and lack of wage growth, coupled with the inability to raise interest rates away from the pitifully low levels due to the high levels of private date and the inability to countenance the deflation of the house price bubble that is the source of the feeling of wealth in the UK

None of the underlying problems are due to Brexit - it is due to the appalling record of this Government and the problem with continually blaming the Brexit vote is that it allows the Tories to say 'it was the will of the people' and to an extent they are right and it provides them with good cover
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Re: Tuesday 2nd January 2018.

Post by Tubby Isaacs »

Real wages are a problem, and Brexit knocked up inflation. May properly messed up by calling an election with falling real wages, apparently that's very unusual for a government to choose to do that.

Old Osborne got lucky in 2015, didn't he?

Image
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Re: Tuesday 2nd January 2018.

Post by Tubby Isaacs »

He got lucky by missing out on a double dip recession too. Averted by a period being revised to zero, IIRC.
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Re: Tuesday 2nd January 2018.

Post by PaulfromYorkshire »

Have we done this?

Westminster voting intention:

LAB: 42% (+1)
CON: 40% (-2)
LDEM: 7% (-)
UKIP: 4% (-)
GRN: 1% (-1)

via @YouGov, 19 - 20 Dec
howsillyofme1
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Re: Tuesday 2nd January 2018.

Post by howsillyofme1 »

It did knock up inflation - but not to that high a level really (we had 5% only a few years ago) and if you look at that graph you would not pick the time since Brexit vote as being a significantly bad period of time

Brexit will cause significant long-term economic effects to the UK but few of them have been seen yet except the upturn in inflation

The problem is the Tory Government and its policies that have led to the economic predicament we are in - they decided on austerity, they decided on this nonsense about running a surplus by a fixed date and then provided some short-term whit snorting powder prior to 2015 election

The British economy requires rising house prices and private debt to keep it going
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Re: Tuesday 2nd January 2018.

Post by PaulfromYorkshire »

Interesting point in the BTL on the Britain Elects Tweet

The Tories seriously cannot lead on the SNP coalition scare story again to damage Labour. The DUP arrangement has put that one firmly to bed :twisted:
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Re: Tuesday 2nd January 2018.

Post by AngryAsWell »

Another gem from Tobs

(((Dawn Butler MP)))‏Verified account
@DawnButlerBrent
Following Following @DawnButlerBrent

As the Shadow Minister for Women and Equalities and as a key member of the governments working group on sexual harrassement and bullying may we have a serious chat about this latest appointment please? @theresa_may @andrealeadsom


" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

(You have to click to see this one....)
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adam
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Re: Tuesday 2nd January 2018.

Post by adam »

Davies' piece on cherrypicking this morning - he is suggesting that the EU give us a 'deep and frictionless free trade deal' on everything which, because we'd be outside the regulatory and enforcement ambit of the ECJ, is better than the deal the EU nations have with each other.

It is so, so stupid.
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Re: Tuesday 2nd January 2018.

Post by AnatolyKasparov »

gilsey wrote:
refitman wrote:Looks like things are going great for Toby Young.
What were they thinking?
Entirely predictable.
They weren't?
"IS TONTY BLAIR BEHIND THIS???!!!!111???!!!"
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Re: Tuesday 2nd January 2018.

Post by Tubby Isaacs »

Grayling clearing off today just about sums this bunch of lazy fools up. They've got a defensible record on rail, much more so than on social security. But because defending it involves more than a soundbite for the base, they can't be arsed to make it.

See also Cameron on the EU. Didn't make any case for it.
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Re: Tuesday 2nd January 2018.

Post by Tubby Isaacs »

AngryAsWell wrote:Another gem from Tobs

(((Dawn Butler MP)))‏Verified account
@DawnButlerBrent
Following Following @DawnButlerBrent

As the Shadow Minister for Women and Equalities and as a key member of the governments working group on sexual harrassement and bullying may we have a serious chat about this latest appointment please? @theresa_may @andrealeadsom


" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

(You have to click to see this one....)
That won't be the last of these, he's spent donkeys years trying to shock people.

I don't think he'll last long. Replaced by Policy Exchange chap who looks sensible in comparison.
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Re: Tuesday 2nd January 2018.

Post by AngryAsWell »

A&E doctor sorry for 'third world conditions' as NHS winter crisis bites
Tweet by Dr Richard Fawcett of Royal Stoke throws spotlight on rising number of hospitals struggling despite NHS winter planning

https://www.theguardian.com/society/201 ... ?CMP=fb_gu" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Tubby Isaacs
Prime Minister
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Re: Tuesday 2nd January 2018.

Post by Tubby Isaacs »

Pidcock's tweet hasn't gone unnoticed. "Dan" is a train driver. Nigel Harris editor of Rail.
Dan‏
@RailRunnerDan
Follow Follow @RailRunnerDan
More Dan Retweeted Laura Pidcock MP
I’m sure @RAIL will be disappointed to hear our elected officials spouting such tripe? Safety standards are not lower, ask @IanProsser7
As for nationalisation, the government controls more of today’s rail industry than most people are aware. This is the real issue - ignorance
Nigel Harris‏
@RAIL
Follow Follow @RAIL
More Nigel Harris Retweeted Dan
Incensed would be a better word Dan. Sure we must all always try harder on safety but with no pax fatality since 2007 and a safety factor 4x better than rest of Europe she’s plain wrong, wrong, wrong. She should withdraw and apologise.
gilsey
Prime Minister
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Re: Tuesday 2nd January 2018.

Post by gilsey »

AnatolyKasparov wrote:
gilsey wrote:
refitman wrote:Looks like things are going great for Toby Young.
What were they thinking?
Entirely predictable.
They weren't?
A split second of thought would have ruled it out. How can that be too much? Beggars belief.
One world, like it or not - John Martyn
AnatolyKasparov
Prime Minister
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Re: Tuesday 2nd January 2018.

Post by AnatolyKasparov »

PaulfromYorkshire wrote:Interesting point in the BTL on the Britain Elects Tweet

The Tories seriously cannot lead on the SNP coalition scare story again to damage Labour. The DUP arrangement has put that one firmly to bed :twisted:
I expect they will still make some half arsed attempt to, though.
"IS TONTY BLAIR BEHIND THIS???!!!!111???!!!"
gilsey
Prime Minister
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Joined: Thu 28 Aug, 2014 10:51 am

Re: Tuesday 2nd January 2018.

Post by gilsey »

PCO Cartoon Review of 2017
https://procartoonists.org/pco-cartoon-review-of-2017/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
One world, like it or not - John Martyn
Tubby Isaacs
Prime Minister
Posts: 9949
Joined: Mon 25 Aug, 2014 11:18 pm

Re: Tuesday 2nd January 2018.

Post by Tubby Isaacs »

Baroness Randerson
‏@jennyranderson
9h9 hours ago
More
Massive rail fare increases can be stopped if government freezes fares in same way that they have frozen fuel duty year after year. If it’s ok to help motorists it should be ok to help passengers!
Yep, The IFS say something like £6bn a year is being pissed away by not having raised fuel duty to a sensible level while the oil price has been cheap.
Tubby Isaacs
Prime Minister
Posts: 9949
Joined: Mon 25 Aug, 2014 11:18 pm

Re: Tuesday 2nd January 2018.

Post by Tubby Isaacs »

Actually, it's even worse than that. The Chancellor himself said not raising fuel duty since 2010 had saved £46bn.

That's HS2 likely completed with a few billion of change.
PorFavor
Prime Minister
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Re: Tuesday 2nd January 2018.

Post by PorFavor »

PTO
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