Support NeoGAF

[Deleted member 231381]

Maybe if May called another election we could have a strong and stable government in the national interest.

You can either vote for strong and stable leadership lead by Jeremy Corbyn's team that can negotiate Brexit in the national interest, or a Conservative coalition of chaos with Theresa May in the pocket of the DUP. The choice is clear.

I've never known anything in my life to have been so heavily dosed up on irony as the last few months of British politics. It puts Greek tragedies to shame, and they invented the damn concept!

 

[Burai]

Just checked Jeremy hunts vote share, how the fuck is he so high?

How anyone can look at the NHS and think 'yeah, bang up job mate' I don't understand.

"Because it's layers of unnecessary, overpaid managers, greedy junior doctors, the health tourists and immigrants that are ruining the NHS, not Hunt."

 

[Spuck-uk]

You can either vote for strong and stable leadership lead by Jeremy Corbyn's team that can negotiate Brexit in the national interest, or a Conservative coalition of chaos with Theresa May in the pocket of the DUP. The choice is clear.

I've never known anything in my life to have been so heavily dosed up on irony as the last few months of British politics. It puts Greek tragedies to shame, and they invented the damn concept!

It's genuinely warmed my blackened heart to see such a hilarious self-own play out before me.

 

[pswii60]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-40528977

UK manufacturing output fell unexpectedly in May, with the sector hit by a drop in car production, according to official figures.

Manufacturing output fell by 0.2% compared with April, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Car production fell by 4.4%, the ONS said, the biggest fall since February last year
Separate data from the ONS showed that the UK's trade deficit widened in May.

The UK's total trade deficit in goods and services widened by £1bn to £3.1bn between April and May 2017 following an increase in imports from non-EU countries and a fall in the export of services.
In the three months to the end of May, the deficit widened to £8.9bn from £6.9bn in the previous quarter.

The fall in the pound after the decision by voters to leave the European Union has driven up the cost of imports, which has helped to push up inflation.
'Losing momentum'

The latest construction figures from the ONS were also much worse than expected.
In the three months to May, construction output was down 1.2%, the sharpest such drop since October 2015.

Peter Dixon, an economist at Commerzbank, said: "It's all building up a pattern here that says the economy is clearly losing momentum.

Things are looking pretty good.

That's interesting and a little gloomy.

Why would car production fall though?

 

[Deleted member 231381]

Why would car production fall though?

They'll be drawing down production earlier to spread out the costs of having to let workers go, find alternate sites of production, sell off capital in parts, etc.

 

[StayDead]

At some point they just have to cut their losses, though. Like, on the poll above, the list of ousted Conservatives would include:

Iain Duncan Smith
Amber Rudd
Nicky Morgan
Stephen Crabb
Justine Greening
Zac Goldsmith
David Davies
and Boris Johnson

That's half the talent obliterated!

I love how you use the word talent to describe them, that's how sad UK politics is.

 

[War Peaceman]

Amber Rudd and Nicky Morgan are the only talent on that list. The rest are assholes of varying degrees. If Boris was voted out it would be a tremendous achievement.

 

[pswii60]

May still going on about a free trade deal with the EU. Delusional much.

Given the countries around the world that already have free trade deals with the EU, it's certain that the UK can have a free trade deal with the EU if they are happy to agree to the necessary terms. What's not certain is getting a free trade deal agreed by March 2019, which is pretty much impossible.

Of course it's certainly possible that the UK would be able to agree a free trade deal with the EU much more quickly than other countries (with no existing EU relationship), due to the fact that it's already in the EU now so the full compatibility and associated laws and legislation is already there. However, as the UK government still doesn't seem to have a clue with regards to what they want the UK to look like after Brexit, they'll still have absolutely no idea what concessions to make as part of any agreement. Which will just keep on delaying things.

 

[CCS]

UK businesses ‘not positive enough’ about huge meteor heading towards London

 

[Uzzy]

UK businesses ‘not positive enough’ about huge meteor heading towards London

The Sky at Night is talking Britain down. Sir Patrick Moore confirmed to be rolling in his grave.

 

[Theonik]

I've never known anything in my life to have been so heavily dosed up on irony as the last few months of British politics. It puts Greek tragedies to shame, and they invented the damn concept!

Eh, it's the standard tragic model of Hubris, Nemesis, Tisis. (Insult, Divine Wrath, Punishment) This is exactly how it works!

That's interesting and a little gloomy.

Why would car production fall though?

A couple of factors. 1) Demand has fallen due to uncertainty which affects the domestic market and the main export market (europe) 2) Businesses are trying to lower dependence on British business expecting a major change in circumstances. It is better to do it now as planning needs to be done years in advance which is why factories aren't simply moved the day of the vote but companies will be gradually shifting focus to the continent until the day the UK leaves. For many service industries they just stopped hiring altogether and are expanding the European branches instead. Later they might start offering relocation to existing staff and laying off others.

 

[tuxfool]

Given the countries around the world that already have free trade deals with the EU, it's certain that the UK can have a free trade deal with the EU if they are happy to agree to the necessary terms. What's not certain is getting a free trade deal agreed by March 2019, which is pretty much impossible.

Of course it's certainly possible that the UK would be able to agree a free trade deal with the EU much more quickly than other countries (with no existing EU relationship), due to the fact that it's already in the EU now so the full compatibility and associated laws and legislation is already there. However, as the UK government still doesn't seem to have a clue with regards to what they want the UK to look like after Brexit, they'll still have absolutely no idea what concessions to make as part of any agreement. Which will just keep on delaying things.

And none of this touches the most important issue, which is FTAs don't typically deal with services.

(do they ever?)

 

[Theonik]

Given the countries around the world that already have free trade deals with the EU, it's certain that the UK can have a free trade deal with the EU if they are happy to agree to the necessary terms. What's not certain is getting a free trade deal agreed by March 2019, which is pretty much impossible.

Of course it's certainly possible that the UK would be able to agree a free trade deal with the EU much more quickly than other countries (with no existing EU relationship), due to the fact that it's already in the EU now so the full compatibility and associated laws and legislation is already there. However, as the UK government still doesn't seem to have a clue with regards to what they want the UK to look like after Brexit, they'll still have absolutely no idea what concessions to make as part of any agreement. Which will just keep on delaying things.

The problem with this line of reasoning is that the current compromise the UK enjoys is based on the concessions the UK has already made. If the UK doesn't want to keep making these concessions then a new status quo would need to be re-negotiated that will take time. The bigger issue here is the UK actually wants a set of benefits only offered to EU members right now and not covered by any FTA the EU has presently. But they don't want freedom of movement, or EU budget contributions or any of that.

 

[Audioboxer]

Just checked Jeremy hunts vote share, how the fuck is he so high?

How anyone can look at the NHS and think 'yeah, bang up job mate' I don't understand.

At over 50% of the vote...

 

[Uzzy]

Worry not, the prince that was promised, Jeremy Corbyn, will soon rally the faithful and drive back the long night.

 

[Royal_Phalanx]

Some places really will vote blue no matter what. That constituency must be full of rich old people.

 

[Psychotext]

Some places really will vote blue no matter what. That constituency must be full of rich old people.

I've cycled near there a few times. It's wall to wall Range Rovers.

 

[Mr. Sam]

I've cycled near there a few times. It's wall to wall Range Rovers.

It's been a long day at work and I read this as "wall to wall Power Rangers" at first. I was wondering what the fuck was going on in Surrey.

 

[Deleted member 231381]

You didn't hear this from me, but my uncle's brother's wife's daughter's brother has some contacts in the Boundary Commission, and the final revision is apparently an enormous backfire on the Conservatives - proportionally, it's actually worse for them than it is Labour as a result of the revision process. Should hit the papers I think tomorrow.

 

[CCS]

You didn't hear this from me, but my uncle's brother's wife's daughter's brother has some contacts in the Boundary Commission, and the final revision is apparently an enormous backfire on the Conservatives - proportionally, it's actually worse for them than it is Labour as a result of the revision process. Should hit the papers I think tomorrow.

Loooooooooooooooooooool

 

[Coriolanus]

The main thing I learn from any episode of QT is that small business owners are fucking idiots.

Well yeah, otherwise they'd be large business owners.

To add to this, we've a real estate agency for some four decades now, mostly rent buildings to small businesses. After a while you can't help but look at stats like "close to 50% of businesses fail within two years of creation" and go "...thats a bit lower than expected", because seriously, dear fucking gods are most people simply unfit to be their own bosses. Things like medium and long term business plans are goddamn nonexistent, and keeping accurate books? sod off.

 

[Spaghetti]

"I put up tuition fees. It’s now clear they have to be scrapped", opinion piece in The Guardian by (surprisingly) Lord Adonis.

Very interesting points about University Vice Chancellors lobbying for a higher cap on tuition fees, and then most Universities then charging the maximum by default; while not improving standards.

It hits home to me quite a bit. I graduated last year, and recently got my statement from the Student Loans Company detailing how much I owed (the compound interest rates made my head spin, holy shit).

While I actually really, really valued the majority of the lecturers and what they taught me, the facilities and equipment were absolutely not up to standard and definitely not worth the £9000 a year in tuition fees. It was so bad I felt I had to invest in my own audio/visual equipment because I genuinely couldn't trust the University's equipment to provide the desired quality, and in some cases, actually be functional.

 

[pswii60]

And none of this touches the most important issue, which is FTAs don't typically deal with services.

(do they ever?)

Perhaps Brexit could be a testbed for TiSA.

 

[Theonik]

You didn't hear this from me, but my uncle's brother's wife's daughter's brother has some contacts in the Boundary Commission, and the final revision is apparently an enormous backfire on the Conservatives - proportionally, it's actually worse for them than it is Labour as a result of the revision process. Should hit the papers I think tomorrow.

I'm guessing that equalising constituency size thing ends up creating lots of new seats in urban centres that labour's newly galvanised support makes quite interesting lol

Tories were hoping they could take some of their larger rural constituencies and break them up/shift them to make decent gains and labour's urban strength at the time meant that while it benefit them in some seats it didn't to such an extent that the redraw didn't benefit them but now that seems dodgy. Also unlikely to pass. Except if these proposals are published I can see labour getting behind it!

 

[WhateverItTakes]

You didn't hear this from me, but my uncle's brother's wife's daughter's brother has some contacts in the Boundary Commission, and the final revision is apparently an enormous backfire on the Conservatives - proportionally, it's actually worse for them than it is Labour as a result of the revision process. Should hit the papers I think tomorrow.

Don't play with my heart Crab, I wanna see this happen!

 

[CCS]

For a slightly alternative take, I'm at Pride in London tomorrow if anyone fancies hanging out. We even have a bus...

 

[Theonik]

For a slightly alternative take, I'm at Pride in London tomorrow if anyone fancies hanging out. We even have a bus...

A gay bus?! Will you write 'We send the DUP £750m a year, let's give that money to pride instead' on it?

 

[CCS]

A gay bus?! Will you write 'We send the DUP £750m a year, let's give that money to pride instead' on it?

I'm not responsible for the decor, but I will pass on your suggestion

 

[Maledict]

For a slightly alternative take, I'm at Pride in London tomorrow if anyone fancies hanging out. We even have a bus...

Who is the bus with? I was going to attend but am so shattered with dealing from the fallout from Grenfell I may just use the afternoon to sneak a visit to the sci-fi exhibition at the Barbican and get my hair & beard cut.

<<-- officially old.

 

[CyclopsRock]

People talk about Hunt as though he isn't just applying the Tory Health policy. It's not like he's some mad scientist going off piste with his experiments. If you'd vote Conservative somewhere else, why wouldn't you vote for Hunt?

 

[Theonik]

I'm not responsible for the decor, but I will pass on your suggestion

The rainbow coloured bus of sweet gay lies.

 

[CCS]

Who is the bus with? I was going to attend but am so shattered with dealing from the fallout from Grenfell I may just use the afternoon to sneak a visit to the sci-fi exhibition at the Barbican and get my hair & beard cut.

<<-- officially old.

So, prepare to have your mind blown by how much of a party bus this sounds like:

It's the public sector financial services institutions bus

 

[Camp Freddie]

So, prepare to have your mind blown by how much of a party bus this sounds like:

It's the public sector financial services institutions bus

Well it's about time people accepted accountants as equal and valued members of modern society.

I've nothing against them personally, and I don't care what they get up to between the spreadsheets. Just so long as they don't try to evaluate my assets.

 

[Jackpot]

Thought this was amusing.

Previously:

She said: "The Government is getting on with the job of delivering on the various issues and challenges which this country faces.

"One of them of course is the Brexit negotiations, those have started formally today, so we put in place the work to enable us to reach that deep and special partnership with the European Union that we believe is not just in our interests but also the interests of the European Union for the future. So I and the Government are getting on with that job."

She said: ”What I'm feeling is actually there is a job to be done and I think what the public want is to ensure that the Government is getting on with that job.

And today:

”I'm doing absolutely what I always do which is getting on with the job, which is delivering a stable government for the United Kingdom, ensuring that we focus on the key issue of getting those Brexit negotiations right," she said.

The Conservative leader, who has earned the nickname of the Maybot, was asked by Channel 4's Matt Frei whether critics who called her robotic and heartless had misunderstood her.

”I think what's important is that we get on with the job and getting on with the job is about delivering for people," she replied.

https://www.theguardian.com/politic...he-has-no-regrets-about-calling-snap-election

 

[Zaph]

Can't help but read this as "protest me in London if you dare"

 

[Moosichu]

Also, now China is using Brexit as stick to beat us with to make sure we don't stand up for the citizens of Hong Kong.

It's disgusting.

 

[Mr. Sam]

Can't help but read this as "protest me in London if you dare"

I can't believe I'm having to point this out but: Trump is so fickle, his current view on anything is that of the last person he spoke to. I'd take a shit on the bonnet of his car if I wasn't so horribly allergic to bullets.

 

[kmag]

Can't help but read this as "protest me in London if you dare"

The 'deal' isn't an FTA, it's replicating the current EU/US bilateral agreements (Euratom/US treaty, the Mutual Recognition Agreements, and Open Skies that sort of stuff). There's very little possibility of any trade deal getting through Congress at the moment.

 

[jelly]

Can't help but read this as "protest me in London if you dare"

Never going to happen and if it somehow goes through, worst deal ever for the UK.

 

[Theonik]

I can't believe I'm having to point this out but: Trump is so fickle, his current view on anything is that of the last person he spoke to. I'd take a shit on the bonnet of his car if I wasn't so horribly allergic to bullets.

Putin is that you?

 

[Uzzy]

Even assuming that we can take Trump at his word, it's unlikely it'll be that quick. We can't negotiate until March 2019, and if we have a transitional arrangement with the EU that'll delay things even further, past the next US presidential election. Hopefully we won't even have Trump to deal with then.

If we don't get a transitional arrangement we'll only have a short period of time before the US politicians have to start their re-election campaigns, which would obviously be a priority for them and greatly reduce the chance of us getting anything resembling a good deal from the US, as they can't be seen to make concessions.

 

[CCS]

Well it's about time people accepted accountants as equal and valued members of modern society.

I've nothing against them personally, and I don't care what they get up to between the spreadsheets. Just so long as they don't try to evaluate my assets.

I'm actually a banker, not an accountant.

I'm not helping my case am I?

 

[Abelard]

Can't help but read this as "protest me in London if you dare"

Anyone else think Donald and Theresa look cute together? Like with that picture where they are holding hands.

 

[Uzzy]

May to invite Labour to help deliver Brexit and support her policies.

Theresa May will move to bolster her precarious position in Downing Street with an unprecedented invitation to Labour to help her create policies for a post-Brexit Britain as she attempts to quell a Tory plot to replace her.

Speaking on the anniversary of her first week in Downing Street and amid talk of a Conservative bid to oust her before the end of the year, the prime minister will on Monday seek to draw a line under a disastrous election result that saw her government lose its majority.

Despite having taken her party backwards at the election, May will insist her vision for the country is correct, saying she is “convinced that the path that I set out in that first speech outside No 10 and upon which we have set ourselves as a government remains the right one”.

 

[-Plasma Reus-]

It's her mess.
Let her be removed. Call for an election.

 

[Theonik]

Labour has a manifesto. In government or not they will be looking to make them a reality. If the Tories are willing to work with us to reach our goals then so be it. This is how the political system should work tbh.

 

[Dougald]

Labour has a manifesto. In government or not they will be looking to make them a reality. If the Tories are willing to work with us to reach our goals then so be it. This is how the political system should work tbh.

Hey if the Tories want to end austerity, drop their silly "no deal" Brexit mantra, and renationalise key UK industries while paying for it by taxing the richest their fair share I'm all for it

 

[Theonik]

Hey if the Tories want to end austerity, drop their silly "no deal" Brexit mantra, and renationalise key UK industries while paying for it by taxing the richest their fair share I'm all for it

Exactly!

 

[theaface]

May will insist her vision for the country is correct

Yeah but, like, it isn't.

 

[KarneeKarnay]

While I actually really, really valued the majority of the lecturers and what they taught me, the facilities and equipment were absolutely not up to standard and definitely not worth the £9000 a year in tuition fees. It was so bad I felt I had to invest in my own audio/visual equipment because I genuinely couldn't trust the University's equipment to provide the desired quality, and in some cases, actually be functional.

I got in before the cap was raised and this. The classes and lectures were the only thing I valued. I like learning with others and being in person has always helped me. Outside of that...Not worth it. Plus every university hypes on about how they know connections that will get you a placement year and a job after uni. Not one person I know got one with the help of the Uni.

Considering the advancements made with web based seminars and services vs the cost of Uni courses, I'm considering telling my kids when I have them, to study online and pay for the qualification at 1/10 the price. (Depends on what they want to do of course.)