OT. The futures Bright, the Futures Brexit!!!

[mistaram]

Mista: the good old network southeast that used to run my line (now taken over by Thameslink) ran it so abysmally under its franchise agreement, blamed performance on not having money to invest and also constant operating losses, that they were threatened with having the franchise taken away at renewal every year for about 5 years. They basically laughed at these fines since they knew the government could not give the franchise to anyone else because the issues were so bad that no-one else would take it on!

AND - the service was still better under network southeast than under the predecessor nationalised British Rail.

BUT lets not heap all the blame on the privatised franchise holders for ****ing up the railway system. Lets also look at the rail unions who were constantly on and off strike for several years (and still are on southwest trains) about the evolution of "smart trains" and one man operator trains. They have, via protectionism for their members, sought to block any form of technological improvement in the rail industry. Opportunities to improve services, reliability and cut costs to the passenger have been blocked at every opportunity by the rail unions, who have the ability to cause unlimited damage to individual passengers and the economy. Technological advances have put people out of work across the country ever since mechanisation and computerisation as far back as the Victorian age - but the rail unions still cripple services with regular disputes about their job protection. In some ways I feel sorry for the rail industry, trying to swim with a broken arm.

Geoff obviously the union's actions do affect the way the railways operate But to try and blame them for all the ills of the railways is stretching it a bit When management force changes to working practises without full consultation with the workforce then trouble will occur The fare paying passengers may be inconvenienced But no more than the driver or guard being told from next week your roster is change your now doing six night's on and three off. Doesn't matter they have a family and other commitments than work As for your technical improvements I think striking about removing guards hardly falls in that category

[ramAnag]

Well a world as you define there isn't a meritocracy but rather more socialist than communist. I cannot justify your footballer earning more than a nurse etc. Its a function of scarce resource high demand footballocracy.

However before you go too far on your levelling down of wealth, remember that a comfortably off retired, professional class, homeowner Is (globally) probably in the top 0.01%ile of wealth. So be prepared to lose 80+% of that wealth and income to help ISIS refugees or starving Africans. Still keen?

You do seem a little obsessed with ISIS this week and you are immediately taking the debate to it’s extreme.

I recognise how complex the whole issue is and that there will ultimately always be haves and have nots...in some cases deservedly so.

To jump however to suggest that people such as myself - circumstantially comfortable but by no means wealthy - would have to lose ‘80+%’ of our wealth is little more than scaremongering bollux imo.

I don’t believe you to be a selfish man, although you maybe do work in one of the more selfish professions, but at national level we do need a transition to a more sharing, compassionate and less selfish society.
At Global level there needs to be some joined up thought shown by World leaders as to how to handle what is only likely to become a growing refugee crisis.
The wealthy world needs to act together to help those living in war or climate related poverty, not just because it is the decent thing to do but because failure to recognise Third World problems will ultimately only lead to an increase in resentment and terrorism.
That I think is the reality but I won’t hold my breath.

[AdiSalisbury]

It makes me laugh all this electioneering about closing the gender pay gap by 2030.

A good example of being totally out of touch, or just a plain old lie.

A decent Labour party might actually be worth voting for, but this current shambles leave people with the choice of Boris and his Brexit, or Lib Dems who are really Tories but will stop Brexit. Unless you swallow the crap from Corbyn.

[Geoff Parkstone]

"To jump however to suggest that people such as myself - circumstantially comfortable but by no means wealthy - would have to lose ‘80+%’ of our wealth is little more than scaremongering bollux imo."

Pol Pot would have had you in the rice paddies.....

[ramAnag]

"To jump however to suggest that people such as myself - circumstantially comfortable but by no means wealthy - would have to lose ‘80+%’ of our wealth is little more than scaremongering bollux imo."

Pol Pot would have had you in the rice paddies.....

Possibly so, but the last time I looked we weren’t in Cambodia and a Marxist-Leninist dictator isn’t my recommended route to a fairer and more equitable society.

[Geoff Parkstone]

Yet you'd consider voting for Corbyn?

[ramAnag]

Yet you'd consider voting for Corbyn?

The comparison between Corbyn - decent man, good MP but ineffective leader promoted beyond his ability imo - and Pol Pot escapes me GP and I’m doing more than ‘considering’ voting for him.
It’s almost certain that I’ll vote Labour but it has more to do with the local candidate and the fact that, where I live, the likeliest (still unlikely) way of defeating what Johnson’s Tory Party stands for is to vote Labour.

I voted Liberal in the local elections last Spring...it proved a wasted vote.

[AdiSalisbury]

Well let's see what crap he comes out with today then. Free kittens for all I expect.

[Trickytreesreds]

Decent man?
Is this the same guy who calls IRA terrorists freedom fighters?
Yet the British squaddie is a murderer?
Will have lunch with HAMAS and Hezbollah, but refuses tea with the queen?

I think some folks definition of decent is off the scale of moralistic to most.

[Geoff Parkstone]

Well let's see what crap he comes out with today then. Free kittens for all I expect.

Presumably this would go some way to help feed the homeless. Kitten on a stick....?