[Tubby Isaacs]

I’m wondering if the wording was carefully chosen to guage reaction? So far, all seems positive and Farage etc. seem more focused on being hurt at Trump snubbing them (nothing proves who’s really on his speed dial than Boris getting an inauguration invite and none of the fawning mob getting a sniff).

I really, really hope they do it and do it ASAP. There’s no downside other than the inevitable bitching from people who would be bitching regardless, and U.K. businesses need this.

It doesn't matter what they call it or how real the proposal is, Continuity Remain will act like Starmer's turning down easy 10% growth by Easter. Sounds very sensible to join it, but it's not going to be a massive booster in itself.

[Tubby Isaacs]

I don't know if we saw this before, from last month. Good news, I think.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/e ... 58406.html

Four of UK’s five nuclear power stations to be extended beyond planned closure

[Tubby Isaacs]

A good Guardian BTLer posted this.

David Henig on UK/EU relations

Interesting stuff on BlueSky from the EU and trade expert. Basically suggesting that UK/EU matters are moving on.

He says today:

I believe that informal talks have already started on linking EU and UK Emissions Trading Schemes. This has looked like an obvious step in deepening relations since July not least as time is running out with EU CBAM charges starting in January

Noting:

So, good news that ETS linkage is firmly on the UK-EU negotiating table (that lest we forget, some people think hardly exists).

Also note
- (that there is) "the spring summit, expected in March or April". Possibly in the UK.

Government is now in full preparation mode, not before time. There's lots of interest to both sides not least as this will set the agenda for this Parliament and Commission

And concludes:
If the UK-EU Summit outcome was a security deal, start of formal negotiations on ETS linkage, talks on a mobility package, perhaps a scoping exercise on SPS and other goods alignment, and enhanced cooperation in various areas that would definitely feel like a success.

So - in reality - that's the sort of pace a change to and a reset of UK/EU relations might take.

As Henig notes also:

I don't expect the 'only a customs union is good enough' or the 'EU won't negotiate anything' folk to agree, still less the geography deniers in the Conservative Party, but outlines of a realistic UK-EU reset are beginning to get clearer

[Abernathy]

Sounds very promising. Realistically, it’s shaping up more or less as I thought it would.

[davidjay]

We're going to have to get used to proper politicians doing proper policies.

[The Weeping Angel]

[Youngian]

A good idea but doesn't it happen in practice anyway?
Andy Burnham has done a bit of work on this so it'll be interesting to see how that's turned out.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Burnham is cited as the inspiration for it. It’s pretty easy to find undeveloped land near stations in the South East from a quick scan of the maps.

[Abernathy]

Listening to Rachel's big speech. This feels like something to me.
Lots and lots of real and imaginative initiatives and developments, in multiple sectors. This is a government that really means business. At last, real delivery.

[Tubby Isaacs]

They definitely mean business, The problem is that infrastructure, even housebuilding, is a slow burner in terms of growth, especially without Bulgarian builders. I can only hope there are plenty of visas in the immigration white paper.

Part of what's going on, I think, is trying to talk the economy out of the slump that everybody apart from Labour seems to want to talk it into.

[Youngian]

The third runway will be jetting off salmon to emerging markets. Does Reeves see the UK increase goods to Asia to German levels? As the wheels are coming off that ostpolitik strategy, German growth is stagnant even compared to its former DM zone neighbours.

[Tubby Isaacs]

The airport will takes yonks to build, even with much simpler planning. There's not even a proper design for it yet. Hopefully the EU trade situation will be substantially improved by then.

[Youngian]

80 percent of international freight is moved by ship, flights may get perishables to their destination quicker but it would be nice if millions of Brits currently on the bread line could afford to provide growth in salmon sales in the coming decade.

[Abernathy]

The airport will takes yonks to build, even with much simpler planning. There's not even a proper design for it yet. Hopefully the EU trade situation will be substantially improved by then.

It isn’t a whole new airport, though, is it ? Just another runway in an existing airport. I get that they might need to build some support structures, etc, but isn’t building a runway a lot like building a bypass road ?

Bit of tarmac, bish bash bosh, job done.

[Killer Whale]

"And the contract has been awarded to Abernathy Civil Engineering, with their very competitive tender of £1483.69 plus all the tea they can drink. Construction begins a week on Monday with an estimated finishing date of the following Thursday lunchtime, as long as Irish Sean can source the tarmac."

[Tubby Isaacs]

The original plans involved a lot of demolition. The new ones may be less dramatic, but I would guess that it's harder than just sticking a new airport on open space.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Hilariously Kemi represented workers rights as something only good for lawyers, and tied that in with 'you're a lawyer!"

Absolutely juvenile stuff. The Thatcher Government to its credit passed the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (1984). Did Neil Kinnock do this "Oi, Lawyer!" stuff in response?

[RedSparrows]

"And the contract has been awarded to Abernathy Civil Engineering, with their very competitive tender of £1483.69 plus all the tea they can drink. Construction begins a week on Monday with an estimated finishing date of the following Thursday lunchtime, as long as Irish Sean can source the tarmac."

Mr Abernathy ('the guv' to his crew) appeared early Monday morning, rubbing his hands and demanding the lads 'git goin''. 'Nae ye mind, Missy,' he said to Reeves. 'Be done in a flash.'

Unfortunately, by 11am Abernathy had had to report to Reeves that he 'had to go somewhere' and 'should be back later.'

Mr Abernathy is still unavailable for comment.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Shabana Mahmood may have pulled a cunning stroke. There was a ludicrous plan to force the guilty to attend their sentencing in person. That may have been downgraded to enshrine in law the rights of the judge to force it. They actually have these powers already, apparently, but don't use them because the guilty include lots of appalling people who'd do things like threaten victims and attack the guards.

If she's really pulled a smart u-turn here, all credit to her.

[davidjay]

Shabana Mahmood may have pulled a cunning stroke. There was a ludicrous plan to force the guilty to attend their sentencing in person. That may have been downgraded to enshrine in law the rights of the judge to force it. They actually have these powers already, apparently, but don't use them because the guilty include lots of appalling people who'd do things like threaten victims and attack the guards.

If she's really pulled a smart u-turn here, all credit to her.

Try getting a six foot-odd twenty stone psycho out of their cell, into a cramped prison van, out of there, through reception, into a holding cell, up the stairs of an antiquated court, into the dock and the same in reverse.