UK Politics Thread

[Catfish]

I read the "fact check" beforehand, and it is bullsh!t.

[Skybird]

https://economy2030.resolutionfounda...he-big-brexit/

Downloadable PDF there.

Leaving the EU represents the largest change in the UK’s relationship with the rest of the world in nearly half a century. It is a profound change in economic governance, that will reorient production and trade away from the EU and towards the domestic market, impacting people, places and firms across the UK. Understanding the scale and nature of this change, and the extent of the adjustment so far, is crucial for to policy makers looking to reset the country’s economic strategy. That is the focus of this report, part of the Economy 2030 Inquiry.
This report provides the most detailed assessment to date of the long-run impacts of the final deal agreed with the EU. It finds that the long-run impacts will mean significant change for some sectors of our economy – for example, fishing – but that the aggregate effect will be to reduce household incomes as a result of a weaker pound, and lower investment and trade. This adjustment will be substantial, but we should not expect it to fundamentally alter the nature of our economy, including the UK’s overall services focus and export specialisation.
(...)
Executive Summary

Leaving the EU represents the largest change in the UK’s relationship with the rest of the world in nearly half a century. It is a profound change in economic governance that will reorient production away from trade with the EU and towards the domestic market, impacting people, places and firms across the UK.
The public discourse, as well as the pre-referendum economic modelling, has focussed on describing the anticipated overall economic effects of Brexit, creating the impression that it will have a discrete, and relatively rapid, one-off impact. But the reality is that the impact will be different from that anticipated in a number of important ways. Crucially, it will take time to fully materialise, and will occur in three distinct phases. First, in the immediate aftermath of the referendum, and in anticipation of permanent impacts, household incomes and business investment were affected. Second, trade itself responded following the implementation of the new Trade and Cooperation Agreement and the new barriers that this introduced. And third, structural changes to the UK economy will take place over the long-term, as capital and labour adjust to the new trading arrangements.
Overall, we find that the long-run impacts will mean significant change for some sectors of our economy –for example, fishing – but the aggregate effect will be to reduce household incomes as a result of a weaker pound, and lower investment and trade. This adjustment will be substantial, but we should not expect it to fundamentally alter the nature of our economy, including the UK’s overall services focus and export specialisation. Understanding the scale and nature of this change, and the extent of progress so far, is crucial for policy makers looking to reset the country’s economic strategy. That is the focus of this report, part of the Economy 2030 Inquiry.

I am not sure whether its possible to really calculate the effects of Corona affecting the going of the Brexit aftermath.

[Jimbuna]

Conservative co-chair Oliver Dowden has resigned following two by-election losses for the party to Labour and the Liberal Democrats.

The Lib Dems overturned a huge Tory majority in Tiverton and Honiton, Devon, their third by-election victory over Boris Johnson's party in a year.

And Labour retook the seat of Wakefield, West Yorkshire, which it lost at the 2019 general election.

The prime minister said he would "keep going" and address people's concerns.

In a letter to Mr Johnson, Mr Dowden said Tory supporters were "distressed and disappointed".

He wrote: "We cannot carry on with business as usual. Somebody must take responsibility and I have concluded that, in these circumstances, it would not be right for me to remain in office."

Mr Dowden also called his resignation "a deeply personal decision that I have taken alone" following a "run of very poor results for our party".

[Jimbuna]

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he was looking forward to visiting Rwanda on Thursday to help people shed their "condescending attitudes" to Rwanda after criticism of the government's plans to deport asylum seekers to the country.

Johnson will meet with Prince Charles in Kigali on Friday on the sidelines of a meeting of Commonwealth leaders, after media reports the heir to the throne privately described the government's plans as "appalling".

I was hoping that he would be trying out Priti Awful Patel's Rwandan hospitality for a good while. After all there are so many wonderful opportunities that modern day Rwanda has to offer.

[Jimbuna]

[Skybird]

[Moonlight]

I've put this in here as recent political outpourings by Charles have left himself open to attack by some political figures, if they do drag themselves down into the abyss that Charles habitates lets hope they don't come back up.

Bags stuffed with money like a scene from Only Fools and Horses. Prince Charles has jeopardised his reign
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/a...fed-money.html

Queenie must be wondering what the hell she has done to deserve these awful offspring of hers, and awful is not the word being used around here today.
If even half of this is true Prince Charles has surrounded himself with the worst aides possible, even though they may have had the greatest of intentions regarding these charities it's not how things are done and they know that. It's not how a future king should behave and also leave himself open to accusations of appalling bad judgment either, we in the real world would call that corruption on a royal scale Charlie boy.
You Plonker.

Princess Anne has had her moments over the years but she stands head and shoulders above the rest of her siblings when it comes down to decency and decorum, "Girls Rule, Boys Drool" should be her new mantra from now on.

Prince William should be next in line to the throne and be crowned king, Charles' behaviour over the years is not becoming of a future king and he should either abdicate now or be forced to. He has garnered too many enemies over the years with his privileged and arrogant attitude to have a smooth reign, especially the political ones and all I see ahead is one controversey after another.

None of this will come to pass though, too many favours will be called in and everything will be swept under the carpet and given the "Establishment Whitewash" as usual, those prospective knighthoods dangled in front of their eyes are a powerful incentive to do the right thing.

[Jimbuna]

The Prince of Wales accepted a suitcase containing a million euros in cash from a former Qatari prime minister, the Sunday Times has reported.

The paper says this was one of three cash donations from Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim totalling three million euros.

Clarence House said donations from the sheikh were passed immediately to one of the prince's charities and all the correct processes were followed.

There is no suggestion the payments were illegal.

According to the Sunday Times, Prince Charles received the three cash donations in person from the former prime minister between 2011 and 2015.

It is claimed that on one occasion the money was handed over in a holdall at a meeting at Clarence House. On another, the paper reported the cash was contained in carrier bags from the department store Fortnum and Mason.

In a statement, Clarence House said: "Charitable donations received from Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim were passed immediately to one of the prince's charities, who carried out the appropriate governance and have assured us that all the correct processes were followed."
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-61941113

[Jimbuna]

Government plans to "level up" cities around the UK will cost billions more than thought, a think tank has said.

Research by the Resolution Foundation found differences in income across the UK were "significant" and "persistent".

The government's levelling up agenda is designed to close economic gaps between different parts of the UK.

But only traditionally poorer areas of London such as Hackney and Newham have seen significant improvement over the last 25 years, the new report found.

The think tank said levelling up will require investment that goes "far beyond anything currently being contemplated" by the government.

The government welcomed the report which it said showed the vital importance and urgency of "levelling up all parts of the UK".
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-61946037

[Jimbuna]

Nicola Sturgeon will explain later how she plans to hold a second referendum on Scottish independence.

The first minister will make a statement in the Scottish Parliament shortly after 14:00 BST.

She is expected to lay out her plan for holding a lawful vote in October next year, with or without the formal consent of UK ministers.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said ahead of the statement that the UK was "stronger working together".

The UK government has held firm its view that "now is not the time" for another referendum.

In the 2014 referendum on Scottish independence, the "no" side won with 55% of the vote.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotla...itics-61954331

[Catfish]

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

Nicola Sturgeon will explain later how she plans to hold a second referendum on Scottish independence. [...]
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said ahead of the statement that the UK was "stronger working together". [...]

[Jimbuna]

If the break up of the Union goes ahead it will make Brexit look like small change.

[Moonlight]

Sturgeon has been a millstone around the necks of the English taxpayers and our Westminster government for years, it's time Scotland had their independence back and went it alone, it won't be an easy win for her as those free university tuition fees and free health prescriptions will be a huge incentive for some of the Scottish citizens to give her the finger.
If she gets her way in this new independence referendum stunt of hers it might be time for this government to lay down the terms of just what Scotland will be losing.
No more Barnett formula money, create your own Scottish currency and also pay your fair share of the National debt to name but three of them, if they agree to that and the many other side effects of this unsanctioned vote of hers the UK should grant them their wish and state in a legally binding document that there's no way back into the UK when it all goes sour.

The Barnett formula

The Barnett formula is a mechanism used by the Treasury in the United Kingdom to automatically adjust the amounts of public expenditure allocated to Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales to reflect changes in spending levels allocated to public services in England, Scotland and Wales, as appropriate.

If only we in England could vote on this matter, the SNP would have been sent packing from England in 2014 with howls of laughter ringing in their ears.

[Catfish]

Scotland here or there, it should be their decision..

I just had to laugh:

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

[...] Prime Minister Boris Johnson said ahead of the statement that the UK was "stronger working together". [...]

[MGR1]

Originally Posted by Moonlight

If only we in England could vote on this matter, the SNP would have been sent packing from England in 2014 with howls of laughter ringing in their ears.

Depends on how badly English nationalism wishes to weaken English national security in order to save a bit of money.

Ultimately the union has been of debatable economic advantage to England, but it has been of major strategic and security advantage as it's allowed England to control a much greater percentage of it's surroundings without having to negotiate with it's immediate neighbours.

Hypothetically, a united Ireland and an independant Scotland would leave England surrounded by territory it has no control over on all 4 points of the compass.

Arguably it's a perennial problem with English Conservatism, it knows the cost of everything and the value of nothing.

Mike.