Category Archives: Political

High Speed Rail looks like being approved

HS2 the high speed rail link between London, Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds looks like it will be approved next week. As usual the rest of the UK will be waiting for investment in London rail to peak before work begins. … Continue reading

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British Gas to simplify tariffs

Interesting that British Gas are to create just two tariffs.  Not sure they’re genuine in their concerns about customer welfare. Although the energy business is a bit dog eat dog so some clouding of the issues probably seems inevitable, and … Continue reading

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EU Euro – UK Breakdown

Did the UK fall or were they pushed out to create the new Euro core group. As a strong supporter of the EU it is not an enjoyable scene. Yet the Tobin Tax seemed a bridge too far.  It doesn’t … Continue reading

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Bring on High Speed Rail and East London Airport

Last week there were two bright thoughts on transport. The first was to start HS2 in the north and build it towards the south. The second was to build a new London Airport in the Thames Estuary on the Isle … Continue reading

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Leave the EU! You must be joking.

Hard to imagine how the UK can benefit from being outside the EU. Surely we’ll have to implement their rules to trade with them. They will introduce rules that could harm us and we’ll have no say. They’re our biggest … Continue reading

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Inflation over 4% misery, inflation below 4% happiness

Rumour has it that inflation will be over 4% in September so my pension will take a knock. Lucky Public Service workers get full inflation proofing but those with company and private pensions are often capped, with mine being 4%. … Continue reading

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Elderly care. What’s new!

Some 20 years ago I found my elderly relative naked on the bed in hospital and later found her jammed in the bedrail. More recently another elderly relative was repeatedly given a semi-topless nightdress even though I complained about it … Continue reading

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Bring in the Cavalry, we’re heading for the fan

The impression this week is that the west is heading for a train crash and the driver has jumped overboard. All hope lies with the guard who is frantically blowing his whistle, shouting danger ahead, with no effect. Although could … Continue reading

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Amazon’s slow tax delivery

As a big fan of Amazon it was disappointing to read an article in today’s Daily Telegraph, tweeted by Rober Peston, about there being no evidence that Amazon pay any UK Corporation Tax. Now maybe they claim they’ve just opened a new … Continue reading

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Opinion Polls since the election

In the months after the election Labour increased their share of the vote and the Coalition parties lost theirs until it stabilised early this year.  It is now fairly common to see Labour 42%, Cons 36%, LibDems 9%. It can be fairly … Continue reading

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Economic Crisis II

Don’t panic, keep calm and carry on here comes Economic Crisis II to hit our already damaged economies. This time it stars the US, Italy and Spain along with the original cast of Ireland, Greece and Portugal. Somehow we expect … Continue reading

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Sorry Sir only Hacking and Police Payments on the menu today

It’s becoming increasingly irritating that for the last 2 weeks all news has focussed on a little corner of London little known to most, Wapping. Some journalists at News International are accused of ’hacking’ into the voicemail of certain people and to … Continue reading

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Greece is the word

All eyes on Greece.  Debt, austerity budget, fighting in the streets, bail-out. Who pays? Seems like only last week that Greece was in this same situation with huge debts, borrowing costs rising, who’ll pay. Here we are again with the … Continue reading

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Vince Cable talks sense to the Guardian

Vince Cable spoke a lot of sense to the Guardian this week.  His statement was about how difficult it will be to recover the economy and that we are now a poorer country with no influence on world prices. Also … Continue reading

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Alternative Vote? Haven’t a clue.

In early May we are to be asked in a referendum whether we want to change our voting system from First Past the Post to the Alternative Voting System, or words to that effect. From a Liberal Democrat perspective its … Continue reading

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Nuclear Power or not

If you were to imagine a worst case scenario you might say a nuclear power station would be hit by an earthquake, followed quickly by a tsunami. People would say don’t be ridiculous how is that going to happen. But … Continue reading

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Coalition in a hurry

Is the Coalition moving too fast? Not thinking ahead well enough?  It is certainly moving fast and making big changes. It can therefore probably be said they won’t foresee every eventuality.  David Cameron has been reading Tony Blair’s book and … Continue reading

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Prince Andrew, isn’t that bad a chap

Prince Andrew has been taking a lot of flak from the media this week. It is said that if you cross the media they will come back and get you later. This must be later. The story has been building … Continue reading

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Pensions, tax thresholds plus, Woodlands, Libya minus

A couple of weeks with mixed waters for the Coalition. Ian Duncan Smith announcing a non-means tested old age pension increase of about £50 a week must be great news for many old age pensioners who don’t claim all they … Continue reading

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Prisoners to vote or not to vote

Parliament voted to defy the European Court of Human Rights (non-EU) who had judged that European States should offer prisoners the right to vote.  Parliament appears to have massive support for their decision from the public in the UK. Even … Continue reading

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