O/T:- ⚠️Impressed with the leadership [The UK Party Politics Thread]

[i961pie]

Maybe not. Imagine having to pay hush money to 72 virgins!

😂

[drillerpie]

There were two peace deals put forward to broker a peace.

One was backed by Biden's team and was seen by Israel as weak in terms of what Israel was getting out of it and the fact that it left Hamas in control of Gaza.

Israel would slowly get the hostages returned - both the dead and the living ones.

Hamas was fully supportive of this agreement, but it was highly unlikely that Israel would agree.

Israel wanted Hamas removed from any control of Gaza as well as Israel reserving the right to re-enter Gaza if there was a resurrection of Hamas. There was no way Hamas was going to agree to that.

Along comes Trump and his team and lets it be known that they were fully behind Israel and will give them all means necessary to destroy Hamas. It seemed to make Hamas think again on what Israel was offering and come back with a revised offer, nearer to Israel's terms.

Pete Hegseth said in his hearing, held by the Senate Committee on Armed Services that he would "support Israel destroying and killing every last member of Hamas". There's no ambiguity there.

I don't really think that Hamas had many options anymore.

This could be the first example of peace through strength if it works. Next stop Ukraine.

It might not be as simple as that. It's not like the USA under Biden hasn't given Israel weapons to destroy Hamas. Not sure how much more they can destroy it short of nuking it to be honest.

According to this Israeli newspaper both Hamas and Netanyahu have at various times scuppered deals. This article quotes sources saying that Trump put more pressure on Netanyahu in one meeting (via an envoy) than Biden did in over a year.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/on-a-deadline-how-biden-and-trump-brokered-hostage-deal-before-all-hell-broke-loose/

On Jan 7th Trump also posted a less than flattering video of someone describing Netanyahu as a 'dark son of a bitch' and 'obsessive' and basically accusing Netanyahu of influencing US foreign policy to do Israel's dirty work for him.

https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/113789043423746072

[bule1]

Not going to blame 1 party above the other, but I see Severn Trent are planning to increase bills by 47% in next 5 years but will pay increased dividends going forwards. Sod prioritising renationalisation of the railways, this has to take priority as it is a true monopoly situation that businesses are taking clear advantage of whilst OFFWAT does nothing.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvge6d1dx6mo

[SmiffyPie]

Not going to blame 1 party above the other, but I see Severn Trent are planning to increase bills by 47% in next 5 years but will pay increased dividends going forwards. Sod prioritising renationalisation of the railways, this has to take priority as it is a true monopoly situation that businesses are taking clear advantage of whilst OFFWAT does nothing.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvge6d1dx6mo

Agree with that, I can get from A - B by a variety of means (or not go) but I need power and water to survive. All the utility companies are taking the wazz and should be brought under control so that the consumer gets a fair deal and not be milked for the sake of some investor (whether they are pension companies or not!).

[Old_pie]

Agree with that, I can get from A - B by a variety of means (or not go) but I need power and water to survive. All the utility companies are taking the wazz and should be brought under control so that the consumer gets a fair deal and not be milked for the sake of some investor (whether they are pension companies or not!).

So kill off the dividends, no more investment funds, higher bills to raise even more money. If it were still government owned then taxes would have to rise and the government is beyond its borrowing limit already.

In my view the government did very well in selling off an outdated underfunded resource, a bit like RT buying Notts post-Munto. There was more to be fixed than met the eye. Similarly with rail - outdated, dramatically requiring major infrastructure upgrades but the government opted out for decades of doing the necessary work. Personally I do not understand any business wanting these enterprises and the chickens are now coming home to roost except the directors get some good bonuses out of being unable to deliver.

[SmiffyPie]

So kill off the dividends, no more investment funds, higher bills to raise even more money. If it were still government owned then taxes would have to rise and the government is beyond its borrowing limit already.

In my view the government did very well in selling off an outdated underfunded resource, a bit like RT buying Notts post-Munto. There was more to be fixed than met the eye. Similarly with rail - outdated, dramatically requiring major infrastructure upgrades but the government opted out for decades of doing the necessary work. Personally I do not understand any business wanting these enterprises and the chickens are now coming home to roost except the directors get some good bonuses out of being unable to deliver.

We are talking now not 30+ years ago when the unions pulled all the strings.

[i961pie]

We are talking now not 30+ years ago when the unions pulled all the strings.

They are starting to pull them again.

[Med Pie]

Agree with that, I can get from A - B by a variety of means (or not go) but I need power and water to survive. All the utility companies are taking the wazz and should be brought under control so that the consumer gets a fair deal and not be milked for the sake of some investor (whether they are pension companies or not!).

People should rebel as with tv licence, not sure how many people know that because water is so ***** to life, they cannot cut you off for not paying your bill.

[Med Pie]

So kill off the dividends, no more investment funds, higher bills to raise even more money. If it were still government owned then taxes would have to rise and the government is beyond its borrowing limit already.

In my view the government did very well in selling off an outdated underfunded resource, a bit like RT buying Notts post-Munto. There was more to be fixed than met the eye. Similarly with rail - outdated, dramatically requiring major infrastructure upgrades but the government opted out for decades of doing the necessary work. Personally I do not understand any business wanting these enterprises and the chickens are now coming home to roost except the directors get some good bonuses out of being unable to deliver.

Many peoples pension, investment portfolios, depend heavily or at least in part, on utilities because they're such a guaranteed, cash cow.

[Old_pie]

We are talking now not 30+ years ago when the unions pulled all the strings.

Do you really believe that the current, or even near recent, governments have the finances, or financial will, to fix the decades of underinvestment in national infrastructure?

Bliar had plenty of opportunity and years in which to reverse much that Thatcher introduced.

Let's put it another way; name one government enterprise that is really working well. You can introduce local government in that list if you wish.

[Med Pie]

Do you really believe that the current, or even near recent, governments have the finances, or financial will, to fix the decades of underinvestment in national infrastructure?

Bliar had plenty of opportunity and years in which to reverse much that Thatcher introduced.

Let's put it another way; name one government enterprise that is really working well. You can introduce local government in that list if you wish.

I can't understand why local government and councils, have been averse to the construction of council estates. They are self, financing, bringing in income and creating jobs by way of maintenance.

On a separate note, Starmer has prevented the allocation of a whole, life, tariff for the crimes of the Southport monster because in the eyes of the law and under a UN (non binding) resolution, he was a child when he committed the crime and yet, Starmer is keen on giving votes to those aged six****, double standard at play. How can people who are not held, fully accountable to the law because of their immaturity, be allowed to influence the political, direction of the nation, any chance that it's because Starmer knows they are more likely to vote Labour? Similarly, he won't rock the boat with the Muslim voters by calling out certain, cultural incompatibilities.

[Med Pie]

Well that's that then, all three are nailed on to happen! We'll get everything they said, wouldn't happen but with different names which will slip us in the back door.

'The government has promised the UK will not re-join the EU's single market or customs union, or sign up to freedom of movement.'

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0e4rv2rw4eo

Here's one

'Plenty in the EU are keen on a youth mobility scheme allowing young people from the UK and the EU to travel much more easily.

But such a scheme will sound to some rather like freedom of movement, albeit for a narrow chunk of the population and so may be a hard sell for the UK politically. It is also likely, given the respective sizes of the EU and the UK, that more young people from the EU would come to the UK than vice versa. 'Ministers have rejected the idea so far.'

and here's another


The EU has also floated the UK joining what is known as the Pan-Euro-Mediterranean Convention.

The Convention isn't quite a customs union but removes customs on the components that go into a product that are sourced from the other countries signed up to it.

Notably, the UK has not ruled out signing up to this and it is not seen by the government as a breach of its red lines.'

[SmiffyPie]

The second is a trade agreement between the parties mentioned, something we have been saying is a benefit of Brexit. Can't see an issue with that.

[Med Pie]

The second is a trade agreement between the parties mentioned, something we have been saying is a benefit of Brexit. Can't see an issue with that.

It's another name for a customs union, something they said wouldn't happen and which I said would, with a different name et volia.

[The Dug Out]

Another gravy train

Another few trillion ?'s being loaded up in the sidings as we watch GB being ripped another one. This time by our very own lefty lunatic lammy, the Foreign Secretary, cough, cough.

The gravy train will be rolling into GB in April from all over the Caribbean with lammy the engine driver thowing trillions of our money like confetti.

So all of the British taxpayers better roll up their sleeves earn more,and pay more towards it as the "Flying Repatriation Express" gets up a head of steam.



[Threads merged - SwalePie]