[Tubby Isaacs]

The Lib Dem strategy is nice things without any of us paying any more tax. It's the same as Nick Clegg era, with this hypothetical Customs Union doing the job of scrapping ID cards and IT projects, They've entirely dishonestly banked a high estimate of this customs union to scrap the entire NI rise, and it's already being invoked to pay for freezing rail fares and no doubt much else besides.

It does work as a long term signal to voters, but business wouldn't take this very seriously if they were the Government.

[Youngian]

If interest rates on government bonds falls then you have more public spending slack. Bond rates haven't been rising because Reeves is a reckless gambler.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Bond rates aren't going to be helped by having all the spending and opposing all the taxes, with some talk about a customs union that the EU probably can't be bothered to negotiate.

[Tubby Isaacs]

https://www.theguardian.com/environment ... tations-uk

A coalition of civil society groups is warning of the dangers of cutting safety regulations as the government pushes to “rip up the rules” to accelerate the construction of new nuclear power stations.

The 25 groups from communities neighbouring nuclear sites have submitted a joint response to a consultation by the nuclear regulatory taskforce, saying its proposals lack “both credibility and rigour”.

People who live near proposed nuclear power stations in "Don't want to make it easier to build nuclear power stations" shock. What are their views on large solar farms and housing estates near them? I think we shouldn't be told.

This sort of article basically writes itself An article on how nuclear power is approved in other countries on the other hand wouldn't.

Killer arguments like this.

The UK’s nuclear watchdog system has worked well for 60 years to ensure the relative safety of a high-hazard industrial sector. In our view, the system is not broken and does not need fixing, and it would be madness to rip up tried and tested nuclear safety rules that have kept the public safe for a lifetime.

Anything else that can't be changed after 60 years?

[Tubby Isaacs]

Clive here channelling the spirit of all those self-promoting Maastricht rebels who fucked John Major up.

The only MPto go public in saying Starmer should go is Clive Lewis, a regular critic of the government from the left of the party.

The Norwich South MP told BBC’s The Week In Westminster programme that Starmer had “lost control within the first year”, adding: “We don’t have the luxury of carrying on this way with someone who I think increasingly, I’m sorry to say, just doesn’t seem up to the job.”

[Tubby Isaacs]

Here's Clive in February, in philosopher king mode. It's basically an excuse to work in everything he believes anyway. Water nationalisation isn't a security issue but he mentions it,

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfr ... ign-policy

Britain must see being ditched by Donald Trump for what it really is: a great opportunity
Clive Lewis

Opportunity, per Clive's article, seems to involve spending a lot more money on Defence when we're already funding Net Zero and trying to stop public services collapsing. Donald Trump is an immense nuisance, not an opportunity. Run the tax increases past the electorate, see how much of an opportunity they think it is.

Some clever sounding stuff about integrating Defence and industrial strategy. The Government was already doing that when he was writing, and still is. One of my big irritants with the Left is that they purported for years to be interested in this stuff, but mostly ignore it now.

With the US pursuing its self interests without hesitation, does it make sense for the UK to rely on a nuclear capability dependent upon it? What use is a weapon system that could be switched off, repurposed or used as leverage by an American administration with its own agenda?

This is plain wrong. The US can't "switch off Trident".

https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/no-the- ... r-weapons/

[The Weeping Angel]

I'm not sure how liking some posts on Linkedin is a sign she may have helped wreck the planning bill. Also her advice can be ignored if she keeps saying no

[Andy McDandy]

Go to Heysham or West Cumbria and ask people there what they think about nuclear power stations.

Broadly positive, I think you'll find. Good jobs and they look out for the local community.

[The Weeping Angel]

Something to look forward to.

https://www.theguardian.com/education/2 ... AN6iu6z_Yg

Special needs reforms for children in England could turn into “welfare reforms mark 2” unless the government can convince parents that it is not aiming to save money, according to a report by the Institute for Fiscal Studies.

The thinktank said any changes to the current system of education, health and care plans (EHCPs), which mandate tailored support for children with special needs, will be highly controversial among parents, but said reform was “long overdue” as the number of EHCPs issued has ballooned by 80% since 2018.

About one in 20 school-age children and young people in England currently have an EHCP.

Earlier this year the government was forced to U-turn on changes to disability and health-related benefits after a huge backbench MPs’ rebellion, and the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) suggests that botching reforms to special educational needs and disability (Send) provision could provoke a similar backlash.

In a briefing entitled England’s Send Crisis, the IFS said: “Any reforms are likely to generate controversy. If the focus is on reducing legal rights to cut short-term costs, this could easily turn into welfare reforms mark 2.

“To avoid this, the government needs to be candid: the current system is failing many of the children it is meant to support, despite billions in additional spending and a complex framework of legal entitlements.

[Malcolm Armsteen]

WTF is a fish disco?

[The Weeping Angel]

WTF is a fish disco?

https://www.theguardian.com/business/20 ... lear-plant

The project, which was reportedly informally dubbed “the fish disco” among former ministers, would require almost 300 underwater speakers to boom noise louder than a jumbo jet 24 hours a day for 60 years.

But the plan was later scrapped by EDF over concerns for the safety of divers who would need to maintain the speakers in dangerous conditions. There are also questions over its effectiveness.

Without the deterrent an estimated 18 to 46 tonnes of fish could be killed every year, according to estimates provided by EDF.

The company dismayed local farmers and landowners last year by suggesting plans to turn 340 hectares (840 acres) of land along the River Severn into a salt marsh to compensate for the number of fish forecast to be killed by the reactor every year.

After a growing outcry, it said earlier this month it would delay the formal consultation on its salt marsh plan, which it says would provide safe habitats for fish and animals, from the end of this month until later this year.

Mark Lloyd, the chief executive of the Rivers Trust, said any fish deterrent was vital. “The water intakes will suck in an Olympic swimming pool’s worth of water every 12 seconds, more than the normal flow of all the rivers flowing into the Severn estuary, and without a deterrent mechanism will cause a vast slaughter of millions of fish every year for the next 60 years.

[kreuzberger]

WTF is a fish disco?

Stop carping and just dance to Pike and Tinna Tuna ...

River deep etc, etc.

[Andy McDandy]

They play a lot of sole.

[soulboy]

They play a lot of sole.

I think that was Salmon Dave.

[Malcolm Armsteen]

It's only Rock and Chips, but I like it...

[kreuzberger]

Pure disco ...

Ooh, see that gill, watch that sea,
Diggin' the dancing bream.