[Boiler]

However...

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/202 ... rds-trains

Have they finalised the route towards Cambridge yet? I still think it was a dumb idea not to electrify the line from the start, but that'd probably upset the Nimbys in Tempsford even more.

[Tubby Isaacs]

You beat me to it. This is so spectacularly depressing.

I have had more than enough of these Lexit goons in the RMT and ASLEF. It all feeds into "nothing the government does ever works".

[The Weeping Angel]

In more positive news.

[The Weeping Angel]

Janan Ganesh has thoughts.

[mattomac]

Consider this…

The Tories for those last 4 years seemed forever by breathless commentators on the verge of a possible comeback even though the polls said for about 3 years they were finished. In fact Johnson’s hold over the country seemed complete as one commentator opined he sat squat across the political spectrum of this country. A year later he was scrambling around to find an MP to sit in his cabinet before resigning.

Meanwhile

Labour were unproven
Labour had to seal the deal
Labour had a lot of convincing to do

This now seems a given for Reform even though their big first test at running councils they are looking at best woefully prepared, they lost a seat in Wales that seemed foregone and only just took Runcorn another formality.

Perhaps a bit more focus should go on that…why do I feel like most political analysis it will end up forgotten within 12 months. Labour might not recover but it has opportunities to do so.

[The Weeping Angel]

I'd also add that, considering this is supposed to be the worst government ever, the polling has, on the whole, remained relatively stable. Reform is in the lead, but not to the extent that Labour had over the Tories.

[The Weeping Angel]

Talking of amateur social science a lot of people have suddenly noticed that the Social Democrats in Denmark aren't polling very well, and that's proof of idiot Starmer. A moment's research shows they've been in power since 2011. I would assume they copped a fair bit of backlash from inflation, like Biden, Sunak, Macron, and everyone else. So it's not clear to me from the outline facts (which is after all what loads of commentators just have) that there's electoral oblivion for the centre-left in what Starmer's doing. There's still a route to a decent Labour performance and coalition with other parties who do run on a more liberal programme. That would be a good result.

I saw Nadia Whitome highlighting this; it's an example of 4-D Chess, apparently.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Labour just bang on about immigration, says bloke who I've never seen show any interest in the other stuff they do. Anyway, it's also been open season on Reeves. Isn't that relevant?

It's understandable that the public get this impression of the government, that it's just ranting about immigration, and that's something to do with Labour's comms. But journalists need to do better.

[Tubby Isaacs]

The changes to jury trials is coming, as recommended by Leveson. I read the Institute of Government report on this, and it's summed up by The Guardian here.

The Institute for Government’s Cassia Rowland said in a recent report the government and Leveson’s report had thus far failed to make the case for the changes and that many of the issues identified by Leveson would be solved by increased court productivity – fewer trials are being scheduled, but more are being cancelled at the last minute.

Not quite right, she said that the Government had only made a pragmatic case for them, rather than a principled case. Which, you and I might think, is making a case for them in an important way. She did say about improving productivity via eg better technology and hiring a load of extra lawyers, but that is going to be expensive up front. The Government doesn't have any money for that, so the "pragmatism" makes a fair bit of sense to me.

[The Weeping Angel]

Labour just bang on about immigration, says bloke who I've never seen show any interest in the other stuff they do. Anyway, it's also been open season on Reeves. Isn't that relevant?

It's understandable that the public get this impression of the government, that it's just ranting about immigration, and that's something to do with Labour's comms. But journalists need to do better.

In my experience Bluesky bangs on about immigration a lot.

[Tubby Isaacs]

It does, but immigration is news. Most people on Bluesky aren't journalists though, who surely have a wider responsibility.

More news.

Reeves to back £1.7bn extension of London’s Docklands Light Railway
Funding announcement expected in next week’s budget as part of attempt to secure thousands of new homes

This is only about 2 miles, albeit with a tunnel under the Thames, so is pretty expensive. I would think the Mayor and developers may have to chuck in for this.

C"est magnifique mais ce n'est pas Levelling Up.

[Killer Whale]

I hate to bang on about infrastructure investment unfairness, but the railway that runs through my town doesn't even have continuously-welded rails, let alone a £1.7bn, 2 mile extension.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Well indeed. That's what I was getting in my twattish last sentence.

[Tubby Isaacs]

From the other day. This would be another tax raising power for the Mayor of London. Hard to see this funding this extension though. At the end of the day, it's hard to disagree about regional unfairness.

Tourist tax set to be introduced in London with visitors charged levy for hotel and Airbnb stays
Rachel Reeves is expected to give London mayor Sir Sadiq Khan the power to impose a levy on an overnight stay

[mattomac]

London is actually a bit of a oddity in not having this already.

Also 2 miles in London is like 20 in Cornwall.

[Tubby Isaacs]

It would be all regional mayors. not just London, to be clear. The Mayor of York/ North Yorks reckons that a £2 a night levy would raise £52m. That's a few youth groups and playgrounds.

I paid it very happily when I went to Italy on my foreign holiday this year, but it'll be presented in the media as a tax on the poor who can't afford to go to posho Europe.

[kreuzberger]

The same thing happened in Berlin in 2022. Fluppence a night and the hoteliers' sector lost their shit. Bed nights with my side-hustle clients still rose by 8%, even if the admin is a pain in the tits.

[davidjay]

It would be all regional mayors. not just London, to be clear. The Mayor of York/ North Yorks reckons that a £2 a night levy would raise £52m. That's a few youth groups and playgrounds.

I paid it very happily when I went to Italy on my foreign holiday this year, but it'll be presented in the media as a tax on the poor who can't afford to go to posho Europe.

Even though it's the poor who go abroad.