[Oboogie]

labour costs are less of a factor, a robot's weekly wage is the same in Sunderland as it is in Shanghai, zero. And that's where manufacturing nostalgists are in cuckoo land.

True but the costs of the electricity that powers the robot and the land that factory is built on are higher in Sunderland than they are in Shanghai.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Indeed. Which you might be able to get away with if you've got a very high end product, but you're not bringing back anything like the amount of manufacturing that people are being led to expect by Burnham. A good job is a good job, whether it's in a university or a factory.

Does John Healey, or Wes Streeting, or John McDonnell or anyone else really believe this stuff? Well done for pushing Starmer out, chaps. Not to say Starmer was going to be there forever, but someone else could have perhaps made a pitch over time.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Talking of universities, Burnham might be able to do some good here and admit some more foreign students. I think Starmer can do sums on student income as well as the next man, but it's easy to get where you worry too much about immigration numbers. Burnham can surely have more confidence now that they will come down considerably, and can maybe do the right thing.

[Youngian]

China has crazy real estate booms as well but the massive gap in electricity prices is certainly a factor. Partly becuase of state subsidies which is essentially product dumping. States are entitled to erect tarrifs to level the playing field in this situation under WTO rules. I assume wider considerations above my paygrade are at play as to why they don't.
Nevertheless China's transition to an electric economy is tremendously exciting and positive for the world.

[Tubby Isaacs]

I agree.

Sad to be all totalitarian, but I've more faith in the Chinese Communist Party to deliver on that front than whoever the Great British Public choose to represent them in the near future.

[Tubby Isaacs]

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfr ... ir-starmer

Andy Burnham presents his new government as more leftwing than Keir Starmer’s. In reality, it’s barely moved at all
Owen Jones

Fair point in itself about Burnham's self-presentation, which will bite him on the arse. But perhaps Starmer wasn't "far right" or "milquetoast" or whatever the preferred insult of the day was.

On the other hand, Burnham's been there one and a half months, and is facing (if not a crisis) a very tricky situation with borrowing costs. But I'm sure announcing he was going to chuck a load more money would help.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Where might "growth in every postcode, manufacturing renaissance" Andy look for inspiration?

How about Coventry? I'd only just heard of this. It sounds very impressive, so much so that I thought it must be a different Coventry, given that investment only happened in London under neoliberal Starmer.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c15dn99x7xeo

Batteries are essential for modern life, powering everything from cars to drones and homes. The government is now making a £200m investment in a Coventry factory to help companies create the batteries of the future and avoid the costly mistakes of the past.

Factory is a bit of an understatement, it's huge. Gigafactory is the preferred government term. This sounds like exactly the sort of industrial policy that nearly everyone agrees with. I'm more skeptical than lots about government direct involvement, but even I'm very happy with it. Doubtless it'll turn out a bit smaller than announced and may cost the government a bit more, because it always does, but it's still an excellent idea.

Coventry, you say? Well, actually just over the border in Kenilworth and Southam, but it'll be good for Coventry. Particularly Coventry South, immediately adjacent. Labour will have an MP there, banging the drum for this blue collar boldness, right?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zarah_Sultana

Actually, in fairness, she has supported the project for years. But I'll take a wild guess that she's spent more time calling for Lammy to be dragged to The Hague than supporting it recently.

[The Weeping Angel]

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfr ... ir-starmer

Andy Burnham presents his new government as more leftwing than Keir Starmer’s. In reality, it’s barely moved at all
Owen Jones

Fair point in itself about Burnham's self-presentation, which will bite him on the arse. But perhaps Starmer wasn't "far right" or "milquetoast" or whatever the preferred insult of the day was.

On the other hand, Burnham's been there one and a half months, and is facing (if not a crisis) a very tricky situation with borrowing costs. But I'm sure announcing he was going to chuck a load more money would help.

Yep, according to Sam Freedman, their options are an early election or big spending cuts.

[Andy McDandy]

The sooner people understand that political commentary is basically fan fiction, the better.

[Tubby Isaacs]

I find some of the "he's just a mayor" stuff a bit patronizing, but this is what we used to call a gaffe.

Downing Street has ruled out allowing another Scottish independence referendum – even though Andy Burnham implied at PMQs that the Scots could have one if a majority were in favour.

In response to a question from the SNP MP Chris Law, Burnham said the situation in Scotland was “exactly the same” as in Northern Ireland, where the law says a referendum on leaving the UK and joining a united Ireland should take place if that’s what people want.

But later No 10 suggested Burnham mis-spoke.

The Good Friday Agreement is nothing to do with Scotland. It's a treaty with another country, Ireland. Scotland is part of the UK, and secession is like secession from any other country in Europe. ie a matter for the existing state, not devolved parliaments, opinion polls or anything else. Of course the latter can put pressure on the existing state, but we're not near that stage yet.

[Abernathy]

Andy Burnham implied at PMQs that the Scots could have one if a majority were in favour.

Burnham said the situation in Scotland was “exactly the same” as in Northern Ireland, where the law says a referendum on leaving the UK and joining a united Ireland should take place if that’s what people want.

But later No 10 suggested Burnham mis-spoke.

I don’t really get that. How would you measure whether people wanted another referendum ? Have a referendum on whether to have a referendum ?

[Tubby Isaacs]

Most likely scenario is sustained support for one in polls.

Summary of those here

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_p ... dependence

There are some poorly regarded pollsters here, but also small majorities with credible ones, plus a large majority with a credible one (Norstat) which looks like an outlier.

So there's some support there, but surely not enough to call a referendum. And it looks less good when you factor in that lots of people saying Yes don't see it as a priority.

[Abernathy]

Trying to recall the circumstances in which Cameron agreed to the 2014 referendum. I think it was after Salmond’s SNP had a landslide victory in the 2011 Holyrood elections, which left Cameron thinking he had no choice but to agree to it.

Can’t really envisage a similar scenario involving Burnham & Swinney.

[Youngian]

Cameron thought it would be a free hit to promise his swivel eyed back benchers an EURef because he banked that the coalition would be returned. Not only did the left of centre tactical vote desert the LDs in 2015 (especially students) but the Tories ran an active campaign against the LDs. Claiming a vote for the LDs was a back door to the Red Ed's coalition of chaos.
I'm sure Dave's moved on from the geopolitical catastrophe his nation is still a prisoner of and no longer has a care in the world.

[Yug]

Time to reprise this'n

[Tubby Isaacs]

Cameron thought it would be a free hit to promise his swivel eyed back benchers an EURef because he banked that the coalition would be returned. Not only did the left of centre tactical vote desert the LDs in 2015 (especially students) but the Tories ran an active campaign against the LDs. Claiming a vote for the LDs was a back door to the Red Ed's coalition of chaos.
I'm sure Dave's moved on from the geopolitical catastrophe his nation is still a prisoner of and no longer has a care in the world.

Was it the left of centre vote who deserted the Lib Dems or the dustbin voters going to UKIP? Dave's clever strategy of running hard against the Lib Dems was quite the thing though.

[Abernathy]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c68xkddgnd47o


Burnham cancels engagements after death of father

Dementia. What an absolute fucking abomination of an affliction.

[Youngian]

Memorable recent interview in which Andy describes how the care home sat his dad in front of the telly when he entered No 10

[Boiler]

Birmingham Live might possibly be the worst website in the world. Luckily much of it is now paywalled so it's even less-read.

Seems the bollocks that are Reach PLC's "<insert name> Live" websites have attracted the ire of others:

Reach PLC’s “Live” Websites Are Flooding Google Discover With Recycled Fake Clickbait!

I just don't use Google...