UK Politics Thread

[Jimbuna]

Tory leadership hopeful Sajid Javid has ruled out a second referendum, a general election and revoking Article 50 if he becomes the next PM.

Writing in Saturday's Daily Mail, the home secretary said another vote "would be disastrous for trust in politics".

He said he planned to negotiate an amendment to the Irish backstop "directly with Ireland" to get a deal that could pass through Parliament.

And he also said the UK "must prepare fully" for a no-deal Brexit.

In his article, he said after Tory defeats in local and European elections "the British people's frustration and the need to make good on the referendum have never been greater".
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-48482762

Now we have another of the 'hopeful' setting out their stall.

[MGR1]

An interesting little essay from BBC Scotland's Business and Economy Editor, Douglas Fraser:

Holyrood tax: the devil's in the data

To plug looming gaps, the Scottish government has borrowing powers, but these are constrained within the terms of the new devolution arrangements. Even if they were not, they would be constrained by the operations of the bond markets - as the SNP's Sustainable Growth Commission sought to explain to gung-ho enthusiasts for winning independence and going on a borrowing spree.
The current borrowing powers are being deployed, for capital projects. They can't cover the scale of the gap in spending that results from these block grant adjustments, or consolidations.
So tough decisions lie ahead - tax increases, spending cuts, spending postponements, or a firmer push on public sector efficiency through reform.
Is this a special problem for Scotland? It's clearly new, and within the UK's financial set-up, it's got unusual dimensions. But it's more about Scotland joining the world in which governments have to make choices about taxation and to live with the consequences.
At 20 years of age, the Scottish Parliament may not have reached the independence some wish for it, but it is reaching the age of far greater maturity.

More of his recent reports: LINK.

He's actually quite good when it comes to these sorts of analyses and he makes them easy to understand from a laymans perspective.

The biggest impression I've had is that when it comes to determining how much revenue each region of the UK actually generates, the Treasury seems to rely on an awful lot of informed guesswork rather than solid data......

Mike.

[Catfish]

I do not quite undrestand why Scotland's economy is as it is. Low unemployment, oil (still, yes) – or is the latter being outsourced by non-scottish companies?

[MGR1]

A more complicated question than might be expected, tbh. I don't work in the oil and gas sector so I cant give any more information than what's publicly available.

Wikipedia

Old BBC report from 2013, before the first Scottish Independence Referendum: LINK.

In simple terms the UK Government issues licences to various consortiums so they can conduct both the exploration for and extraction of the UK's oil and gas reserves.

Very, very few of these are British in their entirety. Infact the majority of the exploitation of the UK's oil and gas reserves is carried out by non-UK based companies and consortiums.

This is becoming more pronounced as the big oil companies divest themselves of their stakes in the North Sea:

ConocoPhillips sells off UK North Sea assets for £2bn

Chevron to become second firm to pull out of North Sea exploration

Currently the largest company involved in the industry is China's CNOOC: LINK.

Mike.

[em2nought]

Originally Posted by Catfish

I do not quite undrestand why Scotland's economy is as it is.

Too much rain and liquor, plus the only culinary dish of note is haggis.

[STEED]

Tory leadership candidates so far (Updated)

Boris Johnson 70%
Esther McVey 20%
Jeremy Hunt 50%
Rory Stewart 45%
Matt Hancock 40%
Dominic Raab 50%
Andrea Leadsom 45%
Michael Gove 65%
Sajid Javid 75%
Kit Malthouse 30%
James Cleverly 50%
Mark Harper 10%
Sam Gyimah 10%
(% is my predictions so far)

This is now getting silly, how many more are going to throw their hats into the ring?

[Jimbuna]

So tough decisions lie ahead - tax increases, spending cuts, spending postponements, or a firmer push on public sector efficiency through reform.

I'm certainly no authority on the matter but the above is also how I understand the position to be.

[Jimbuna]

Meanwhile, down at the ranch...

Nigel Farage should be involved in the government's Brexit negotiations and the UK should be prepared to leave the EU with no deal, Donald Trump has said.

In a Sunday Times interview, the US president was critical of government's Brexit negotiations, saying it left the EU "with all the cards."

The interview comes before his state visit to the UK begins on Monday.

On Saturday Mr Trump also said Boris Johnson would be an "excellent" Conservative Party leader.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-48487973

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by STEED

Tory leadership candidates so far (Updated)

Boris Johnson 70%
Esther McVey 20%
Jeremy Hunt 50%
Rory Stewart 45%
Matt Hancock 40%
Dominic Raab 50%
Andrea Leadsom 45%
Michael Gove 65%
Sajid Javid 75%
Kit Malthouse 30%
James Cleverly 50%
Mark Harper 10%
Sam Gyimah 10%
(% is my predictions so far)

This is now getting silly, how many more are going to throw their hats into the ring?

The answer to your problems is Jürgen Klopp!

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Skybird

The answer to your problems is Jürgen Klopp!

I think his brother Clippity would be a much better fit.

[STEED]

^^^

Nigel Farage should be involved in the government's Brexit negotiations

What Brexit negotiations? The EU has made it so bloody clear you have to be dead not to see where they stand on the issue. The Tories hate Nigel's guts and do not want to have anything to do with him.

So President Trump please post your comment.

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by STEED

This is now getting silly, how many more are going to throw their hats into the ring?

You'd need to go way back for an answer to that.

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/show...ostcount=10022

[Catfish]

Originally Posted by STEED

^^^
What Brexit negotiations? The EU has made it so bloody clear you have to be dead not to see where they stand on the issue. The Tories hate Nigel's guts and do not want to have anything to do with him.
So President Trump please post your comment.

Ask Trump what to do WTO rules!
"Nigel's guts"? What does he even risk? It is a game for him, and he is even paid by the EU.

Farage will hold no negotiations, he will try to get a hard brexit and this does not involve 'negotiations'.
I doubt whether Scotland or the Irelands or Wales want a 'hard brexit', or even the english people. Sure some, but not the majority. How about a referendum asking the people that?

And indeed i do not think 27 other nations with their agreed conceptions about certain values and trade laws will change their point of view. It is not England "against the EU", it is Farage and Johnson against 27 nations. A bit of a difference.

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Catfish

Ask Trump what to do WTO rules!
"Nigel's guts"? What does he even risk? It is a game for him, and he is even paid by the EU.

Farage will hold no negotiations, he will try to get a hard brexit and this does not involve 'negotiations'.
I doubt whether Scotland or the Irelands or Wales want a 'hard brexit', or even the english people. Sure some, but not the majority. How about a referendum asking the people that?

And indeed i do not think 27 other nations with their agreed conceptions about certain values and trade laws will change their point of view. It is not England "against the EU", it is Farage and Johnson against 27 nations. A bit of a difference.

Certainly beginning to look that way

[STEED]

Jezzer snubs Trump but when it comes to meeting members of terrorist organizations its hand shacks and all the trimmings. BLOODY DISGRACE JEZZER!


Snubs the Queen and the Royals shows he is unfit to be PM.