OT - who is it to be, next to lead the country....

[ramAnag]

Confirmed by a BBC expert on Beeb Brekkie in Downing Street this morning (pleasant young lady in a yellow coat). When explaining the current state of affairs, she acknowledged that things like Covid and Ukraine had a negative effect on finances but said very clearly that Brexit was the main reason. Anyone arguing with that position, speak to her, not me, I'm only the messenger.

Shhhh! You’re not allowed to say that...not even to just repeat it...it’s just not true...mere coincidence...nothing to do with Brexit...nothing at all...and you’ve got to give it a chance...you’re just being negative...early days...we’re only on our fifth Prime Minister since the Referendum...better get your tin hat out, MA.

[Trickytreesreds]

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh the BBC, the neutral news corporation that received a few millions of EU money, that doesn't anymore.

Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar,

[ramAnag]

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh the BBC, the neutral news corporation that received a few millions of EU money, that doesn't anymore.

Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar,

Hmmm...you might need to reload and do a bit of fact checking on that one Tricky. In the great scheme of things the EU contributed a tiny amount (about the cost of a half decent League One midfielder) to the BBC...but you blame the ‘beeb’ if it makes you feel better.

[MadAmster]

Believe it or not, I've actually found something positive to say about Rishi. He can pronounce "our" correctly. None of his 4 predecessors as PM could. Most MPs can't. Most newsreaders/presenters/correspondents can't. Maybe he will nudge one or two into copying him and pronouncing "are" language properly

[Geoff Parkstone]

Confirmed by a BBC expert on Beeb Brekkie in Downing Street this morning (pleasant young lady in a yellow coat). When explaining the current state of affairs, she acknowledged that things like Covid and Ukraine had a negative effect on finances but said very clearly that Brexit was the main reason. Anyone arguing with that position, speak to her, not me, I'm only the messenger.

Not going to dismiss that argument and I think most people would accept that those are the three factors influencing our current malaise. The differences of opinion lie in the percentage blame attaching to each facet. A hardcore remainer might say Brexit 80%, Ukraine 10%, COVID 10% whilst a Brexiteer might blame Ukraine and COVID 50% each. The truth robably lies somewhere in between those polarised perspectives.

Who was this yellow jacketted princess and what is her provenance? If an experienced economist Id give her more credibility than if she were a social media influencer!

[ramAnag]

Not going to dismiss that argument and I think most people would accept that those are the three factors influencing our current malaise. The differences of opinion lie in the percentage blame attaching to each facet. A hardcore remainer might say Brexit 80%, Ukraine 10%, COVID 10% whilst a Brexiteer might blame Ukraine and COVID 50% each. The truth robably lies somewhere in between those polarised perspectives.

That’s fair. Was expecting you to say, rA would probably suggest a 50/30/30 split!

Seriously though...wearing your accountant’s hat...how do you identify the ‘percentage blame’?

[Geoff Parkstone]

I can't, that's why I didn't try as they are all interlaced as well as individual factors. If we hadn't done Brexit, would COVID had been less disruptive? If there wasn't COVID would Putin have invaded sooner. If Putin had invaded sooner, would we have still done Brexit etc etc. Its a rock, paper, scissors moment or two

I don't think you-d go 50-30-30, although the principal of innumeracy is sound: more likely you'd go 80:20:20. Swale of course would go 110:-5:-5 and Tricky 0:45:55

[MadAmster]

Who was this yellow jacketted princess and what is her provenance? If an experienced economist Id give her more credibility than if she were a social media influencer!

Don't know GP. She was outside number 10 with another BBC "expert" (x being an unknown quantity and spurt being a drip under pressure ) and a BBC brekkie presenter

[MadAmster]

PS - why would she need provenance? Nobody else seems to need it

I'll go Bregzit 50% and the other 2, 25% each. When will the winner of this guessing game be announced?

[Trickytreesreds]

Hmmm...you might need to reload and do a bit of fact checking on that one Tricky. In the great scheme of things the EU contributed a tiny amount (about the cost of a half decent League One midfielder) to the BBC...but you blame the ‘beeb’ if it makes you feel better.

It's millions.
Perhaps you might like to add the soft loans as well to that, because thats hundreds of millions.

So for a state broadcastor that is supposed to be neutral, there will obviously be no bias there then?