Election Year or Fear!

[MadAmster]

Currently, the Birmingham International to Derby return, off peak, train tickets I buy when I'm over for a game are now £26 and that's including a reserved seat. Personally, I don't think that's excessive. Peak time, reserved seat returns are £52 and I do find that excessive.

[Geoff Parkstone]

Currently, the Birmingham International to Derby return, off peak, train tickets I buy when I'm over for a game are now £26 and that's including a reserved seat. Personally, I don't think that's excessive. Peak time, reserved seat returns are £52 and I do find that excessive.

If I need to go to London off-peak return it'll set me back about a tenner. Fair price.

If I needed to be there to start work at 9pm, then £30. (Although with an annual season ticket maybe 10-15% less)

On peak, no reserveable seats and more often than not, standing room only. Then there are the delays, busted connections and around 1 in 4 cancelled - and over a year of industrial action by selfish Luddite drivers still going on.

Thank the Lord I stopped the daily commute many moons ago.

[SithHappens]

On the subject of small boats, it's absolutely tragic that so many have died today. Whatever the rights or wrong they must be totally desperate to escape the lives they had to try and get a better future to put themselves at such risk.

Must be awful to be in that position.

[Trickytreesreds]

Jeez, in other words, having no answers to the identification of his pet project, Brexit, as a complete failure and having had his claim that immigration is the nation’s number one concern exposed as nonsense, Tricky swaps to his other hobby horse…Islamophobia.
Here we go again!

Oh no you don't. This thread is about the election and the now current government. You loved bringing up every topic you could find on the Tories. Islamophobia is being banded about like mad at the moment and this government has now backed itself into a corner over it. I get you don't want to talk about it, as it makes you twitch. But explain themselves they will.
Funny how up to yet, Government priorities seem to be Paying out to their union paymasters/ having a go at smokers/ picking on pensioners and now the latest rants are sorting out islamophobia and having a go at the Israeli, government
The truth always outs itself. Tick tock.

[Trickytreesreds]

IMO, it's the lack of the possibility to apply for asylum whilst abroad, in most cases is what triggers the supply of people willing to pay the "small boat owners". It would appear, according to some on here, that there is still the odd possibility of posting an asylum claim from abroad.

Those claimants will have their fingerprints and photo taken. If turned down and they still want to come, and most will, surely they will go down the small boat route.

This would suggest that, even with asylum offices "open in the region", the supply of "small boat customers" wouldn't dry up but would only reduce. Those successful with their claim would come here legally. Those whose claims were turned down would still come by boat.

Reopening the asylum offices would possibly reduce immigration in the short term but long term, I now think that successful asylum seekers plus the boat people would roughly equal the current numbers of boat people.

Basically, those determined to come here, will find a way, come hell or high water. A new thought to me as I previously thought reopening asylum offices abroad would solve the boat problem. I now think that it would work short term but those refused would find, when they got to Blighty, that their fingerprints and mugshots are in the "system" and they'd be immediately sent back. Others who know they have little chance of asylum would decide against applying and simply go down the boat route and throw all ID away...

Maybe bring in a rule of "no ID, it's straight back to France with you"...

I would agree with most of that. They come by boat, knowing damned well they wouldn't qualify through any usual route. They throw their ID papers away, making it nearly impossible to remove them by legal channels.
So, doing what you suggest, then yes let them apply abroad. If accepted , full ID registration. Anyone not coming this way, gets deported immediately . No reprieve/ legal card played.
This bonkers government has to do something fast. The projected bill for this lot, is expected to surpass £10 B by next year.
He removed Rwanda, yet has still done nothing in his "smash the gangs plan" . Not appointed his immigration guru, nor set up his task foce either.

[Trickytreesreds]

On the subject of small boats, it's absolutely tragic that so many have died today. Whatever the rights or wrong they must be totally desperate to escape the lives they had to try and get a better future to put themselves at such risk.

Must be awful to be in that position.

I agree and don't.

It is tragic, but lets get this right. They are escaping from France. No one made them take that journey and pay that money.
It is cherry picking at any cost, for the most gain. As I said, they are tightening up the leaks in Europe and saying no to hand outs. These crossings will get more intense and frequent, as they scramble for the best slice of pie.

[SithHappens]

I agree and don't.

It is tragic, but lets get this right. They are escaping from France. No one made them take that journey and pay that money.
It is cherry picking at any cost, for the most gain. As I said, they are tightening up the leaks in Europe and saying no to hand outs. These crossings will get more intense and frequent, as they scramble for the best slice of pie.

True no one made them, but no one made those billionaires get on a yacht in adverse weather conditions or those who got in a tin can to visit the titanic, but both of those recieved far more coverage than these incidents do. tragic accidents yes but no more tragic than these incidents.

They are human beings after all and I don't think any of us who post on here can possibly imagine the desperation.

I agree something needs to be done but I don't know the answer, it's a mess because people need help but how do you offer it other than provide a safe haven.

[ramAnag]

Oh no you don't. This thread is about the election and the now current government. You loved bringing up every topic you could find on the Tories. Islamophobia is being banded about like mad at the moment and this government has now backed itself into a corner over it. I get you don't want to talk about it, as it makes you twitch. But explain themselves they will.
Funny how up to yet, Government priorities seem to be Paying out to their union paymasters/ having a go at smokers/ picking on pensioners and now the latest rants are sorting out islamophobia and having a go at the Israeli, government
The truth always outs itself. Tick tock.

Oh no I don’t what? You’ve raised issues and when they’re proved incorrect or unfounded you run back to your anti Islamic stance to create more bother.
The whole of your post is hopelessly flawed. This current government hasn’t yet been in power for two months. The Tories were in power for 14(!) years, including about three where they were led by, at best, an unashamed liar and at worst, a crook.
Another way of describing ‘paying out their Union paymasters’ might be - settling long running pay disputes, ‘having a go at smokers’ - continuing the previous government’s policy in a way many, including AF, agree with, ‘picking on pensioners’ getting rid of a policy which GP described as unsustainable and which penalises those (like me!) who can most afford it but not those in real need, ‘having a go at Israel’ - name a government which has, over the last eleven months, managed to find a solution or encourage the Israelis to seek a peaceful solution.

This government may be far from perfect but you are just sh1t stirring at every opportunity.

[Andy_Faber]

True no one made them, but no one made those billionaires get on a yacht in adverse weather conditions or those who got in a tin can to visit the titanic, but both of those recieved far more coverage than these incidents do. tragic accidents yes but no more tragic than these incidents.

I think from what I've read that you like me think every life lost in whatever circumtance is an equal loss/tragedy. IMO its the media that decide which ones are more 'important' than others, and they do it just to generate interest in their allocated timeslots and the gullible public lap it up.

[Trickytreesreds]

Oh no I don’t what? You’ve raised issues and when they’re proved incorrect or unfounded you run back to your anti Islamic stance to create more bother.
The whole of your post is hopelessly flawed. This current government hasn’t yet been in power for two months. The Tories were in power for 14(!) years, including about three where they were led by, at best, an unashamed liar and at worst, a crook.
Another way of describing ‘paying out their Union paymasters’ might be - settling long running pay disputes, ‘having a go at smokers’ - continuing the previous government’s policy in a way many, including AF, agree with, ‘picking on pensioners’ getting rid of a policy which GP described as unsustainable and which penalises those (like me!) who can most afford it but not those in real need, ‘having a go at Israel’ - name a government which has, over the last eleven months, managed to find a solution or encourage the Israelis to seek a peaceful solution.

This government may be far from perfect but you are just sh1t stirring at every opportunity.

What you say about the Tories I won't deny. Though when it comes to **** stirring a government, you win the gold sunshine

But look at what you've said.
Liars, crooks.

I think in 8 weeks the pattern has already been set for a repeat of that. If you want to deny that, and need a list , I'll gladly give it.