[davidjay]

It's interesting to look at a map and see why we acquired those seemingly unimportant bits of pink. Gibraltar - control of the Med, Falklands - coaling station, Hong Kong - keeping an eye on China. Those Victorisn and earlier diplomats weren't daft.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Over £69 billion confirmed for council budgets
Final Settlement confirms over £69 billion government funding for councils, a 6.8% cash-terms increase in Core Spending Power

Same as the Tories, I don't notice any differences in my day to day life etc

This assumes all councils will raise council tax by the maximum without referendum, so it'll probably be a bit less. But positive, even if the result is that fewer things fall over.

[Youngian]

I understand the purpose of a global network of staging posts when Britain was a global thalassocracy but what is the geopolitical rationale in the 21st century?
These islands aren't near the Horn of Africa and anti piracy vessels would be moored in Gulf states like Oman.
The days of needing giant golf ball listening station to monitor shipping are gone and it's one hell of a detour for a refueling station to send military planes and ships to Australia for bizarre unspecified reasons.
Of course Farage and Bozo cream their pants at a revived East of Suez strategy but even the slightly annoyed Chinese mainly found Johnson's speeches on the subject an eccentric joke.

[Tubby Isaacs]

It's a US base. Say what you like about them, they have an East of Suez strategy.

[Youngian]

Mauritius wants the UK to pay the lease on the US Diego Garcia base?
I'm all at sea now, better do some reading up.

[Andy McDandy]

It's interesting to look at a map and see why we acquired those seemingly unimportant bits of pink. Gibraltar - control of the Med, Falklands - coaling station, Hong Kong - keeping an eye on China. Those Victorisn and earlier diplomats weren't daft.

The Med's a case in point - Gibraltar, Malta, Cyprus, Suez.

Then there's Belize, close to Panama. Singapore and Hong Kong effectively bookending south east Asia. Falklands for the Drake Passage, islands up the Atlantic, across the Pacific, Aden watching the other end of the Red Sea, and the Indian Ocean our private paddling pool.

[Tubby Isaacs]

6 more regional mayors coming.

I used to follow a few people on devolution but got fed up with the "it's meaninglesss because the Treasury" all the time.