Brexit, for once some facts.
- Thread starter flecc
- Start date
Indeed, Grant Shapps as Transport Minister first announced this in 2019 after the election success. He nationalised Northern Rail, said they won't be the last by any means and confirmed that the other networks being run by government such as Eastern Rail would continue to be.
Hard on his heels came former chancellor Sajid Javid announcing a huge increase in investment in growth, the second plank of Corbyn's policy.
All that's needed now is the re-nationalisation of Water and a Russian style flat cap for Boris to become Corbyn mark 2.
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Often appears that despite their classical educations, the tories have no idea of history. Ancient or more recent.
The changes between huge numbers of separately owned and operated railway companies, loads of mergers and takeovers - and company failures, through to grouping, were pretty much inevitable. The establishment of British Rail possibly somewhat less so until WW2.
The government now seems to totally fail to see the military importance of rail. Despite the absolutely huge and vital contribution it made to Falklands preparations.
When are they going to add Snark hunting to their manifesto?
They sought it with thimbles, they sought it with care;
They pursued it with forks and hope;
They threatened its life with a railway-share;
They charmed it with smiles and soap.
I doubt we'll ever embark on such a foolish operation as the Falklands war again. We would dearly love to get rid of the hugely expensive Falklands to Argentina now, but can't sell this move to the public for at least another fifty years.
The lack of wisdom behind the Suez war and the Falklands war and our embarrassing failings in the Balkans war, the second Gulf war and Afghanistan have I think ended any ambitions for war on other soil now, as our shrunken army shows. So perhaps the military importance of rail in Britain isn't what it once was.
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I hope we don't. We are stuck with the legacy of Thatcher's wars in the Falklands and against "drugs".
Nonetheless, the ability to transport large quantities of heavy goods, safely, is a vital part of defence. Rail was able to do that. Indeed, munitions storage facilities even have their own railways!
Well got second jab of Pfizer bang on schedule, 4 weeks and even less disturbance to my arm..slight tenderness. And a rare digestive malfunction, probably Paracetamol induced and I am all sorted ...
I think our defence strategy now is made up of three components, the nuclear submarine missile deterrent, air and land launched missiles, and drones. We don't have the numbers to have a large scale conventional land war, nor even enough to train a new army in time, so it's technology to the rescue or wave a white flag. In truth with defence we are no longer an individual effective nation, more a component in NATO, making contributions like our two new aircaft carriers and nuclear submarines.
So although still having some importance, rail is unlikely to be carrying hundreds of tanks and many thousands of tons of shells in the way it once did.
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Even number 10 has had to admit failings of test and trace re Indian variant.
The clearest illustration of this I came across was a visit to a French Cruiser ..I think it was the Clemenceau in I think Bordeaux about 20 years ago. When first commissioned it had if I recall a crew of 2500. It would have had about 800 bunks. Within 5 years they brought it back, ripped out all its armaments and installed missiles. The holds and dormatories were turned into bandoliers of missiles .. Like belt driven machine guns, but with bullets 40 ft long. The crew was reduced to somewhere about 100.
I'm sorry but it just tickles me
We don't really need an army,navy or air force, we can't even keep civilians out!!
And to be honest we wouldn't notice if anyone invaded (as long as they were polite)
We could send Priti Patel and the "Night Gestapo" round and pack them off home one by one...
Or enslave them for the fruit picking season first?
(Glasgow excepted) terms and conditions apply
We don't really need an army,navy or air force, we can't even keep civilians out!!
And to be honest we wouldn't notice if anyone invaded (as long as they were polite)
We could send Priti Patel and the "Night Gestapo" round and pack them off home one by one...
Or enslave them for the fruit picking season first?
(Glasgow excepted) terms and conditions apply
Is this possible?
Elon Musk UK visit drives Tesla factory rumours - BBC News
Elon Musk UK visit drives Tesla factory rumours - BBC News
As I read it, maybe. But if all it does is assemble, and probably only for UK sales, maybe not as important as is being shouted.
After all, people like Musk are manipulators. How much will the we taxpayers end up paying for him to come here? And how much will we get out of the whole shebang?
Maybe not. The UK and Germany were in Musk's sights for his European battery factory and he settled on Berlin for it, being in the EU important of course.
Since the newest Tesla, the still quite large Model 3, has been selling well in Europe, Musk is considering building smaller e-cars more suited to Europe and is thinking of a factory and design centre in Europe to achieve that. The rumours in the USA are that it will again be in Germany, but who knows given Musk's individuality.
As Oyster says, it would cost us to get it here in England.
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I thought of you as I typed it, but it was deliberate.Or even here in the UK.
While the fight for Scottish independance continues and political stability has question marks elsewhere, the government is likely to restrict discussion on such grants to England. As the regions mentioned clearly show.
The fact that they've been swinging to the Tories is purely coincidental of course.
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The problem as I see it is that we have too many people that get "Concerned" about things happening in other countries and demand that we take action.
They get egged on by a moribund press desperate for anything that will sell newspapers and off we go again.
Truly, all the trouble in the world is brought about by Priests, poets, politicians, teachers and sundry air headed reformers, not to mention the media,
Why can't we just mind our own business?
Agreed,
But it was a rhetorical question, it always means that some soldiers and civilians have to die.
In our own interests we should howl down anyone who suggests another foreign adventure.
Why should parents who have spent their lives lovingly raising children allow some ding head to suggest taking them and using them as cannon fodder?
And not just suggest, compel:
Between 1947 and 1963, a total of 395 National Servicemen were killed on active service.
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I see Johnson is delighted with the Diana/BBC/Bashir issue. Much better to spout on that than the rise in R number and worrying Indian variant.