UK General Discussion II

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

Non-pornograhic news! We just got the last Autumn Statement ("pre-Budget budget") before the election where we, the people, get lots of sweeteners so we forget everything that didn't go as planned in the last few years. This year, we're getting:

Stamp Duty reform - will be made more progressive, rather than the current bonkers system. The Daily Mail has just run a headline saying this will be "a kick in the guts" to estate agents and the mega-rich homeowners. Those poor babies

£5 billion worth of taxes from easy villains like banks and megacorps - the centrepiece is a 25% tax on profits from tax-avoiders, in what is being called a "Google Tax", but might more approproiately be called a "F*** you, Google" Tax.

£2 billion injected into NHS (The health service has recently requested £8 billion though)

Review on the (admittedly very odd) business rates system (a property tax that only applies to non-domestic property) in a desperate (and fruitless) attempt to save the High Street from the internet.

Rise in the highest threshold of income tax

Fuel duty freeze

Investment to create a "Northern powerhouse"

VAT knocked on a few things like air ambulances

And we're going to MARS!!!


In less fun Autumn Statement news, Osborne conveniently hid the stinger in the report. Overall public spending still was too high, and thus 60% of his planned austerity measures would have to be saved for next parliament in order to achieve a balanced budget by the end of the decade.

[Silent Hunter]

Also procuring new trains for the North to replace the unpopular Class 142/143 Pacers.

[Oakvale]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/a-long-list-of-sex-acts-just-got-banned-in-uk-porn-9897174.html

Horrible.

Good lord, there are people who get off on whipping and strangulation? Ugh.

Yes!

[You kip if you want to...]

Also procuring new trains for the North to replace the unpopular Class 142/143 Pacers.

Apparently the book is a bit more nuanced in its wording that George O said. The gov will encourage bidders for the franchisers to replace the trains. Not exactly a cast-iron promise.

But I'm happy with their announcement on post-grad loans, as long as they extend it to all subject areas, so credit where credit's due. It's something students have been crying out for for a long time and I hope Labour can match it.

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

The idea that the Osborne is able to cut public spending to 1930's levels, in an environment with far less working-aged people, while simultaneously cutting immigration as the Tory right are demanding, seems somewhat insane.

[You kip if you want to...]

The idea that the Osborne is able to cut public spending to 1930's levels, in an environment with far less working-aged people, while simultaneously cutting immigration as the Tory right are demanding, seems somewhat insane.

Not to mention quitting the EU.

[Phony Moderate]

Jeremy Thorpe is dead.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Strange man.

Meanwhile, Shropshire MP Mark Pritchard has been arrested on rape charges.

[YL]

Jeremy Thorpe is dead.

Guardian obituary

One for the alternative history fans: what would have happened if he had gone into coalition with Heath after February 1974?

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Sad to hear about Thorpe, but I frankly was unaware he was still alive.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Regarding Jeremy Thorpe, I recommend watching this classic.

[Silent Hunter]

Oddly enough, he did became PM in Doctor Who:

http://tardis.wikia.com/wiki/Jeremy_Thorpe

[YL]

A judge says something particularly stupid and offensive:
http://www.theguardian.com/law/2014/dec/07/judge-resigns-racist-remark-about-victim-richard-hollingworth

[Nhoj]

A judge says something particularly stupid and offensive:
http://www.theguardian.com/law/2014/dec/07/judge-resigns-racist-remark-about-victim-richard-hollingworth

An "immigrant judge" with a name like Holligworth, does that mean he is black?

I think you just misread it hes a immigration judge not a immigrant himself.

[politicus]

According to the Daily Mail Grace Mugabe's campaign to become President is bankrolled by cartoonishly evil British criminal Nicholas van Hoogstraten:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2870376/Nicholas-van-Hoogstraten-bankrolls-Grace-Mugabe-s-bid-power-Zimbabwe.html

[joevsimp]

According to the Daily Mail Grace Mugabe's campaign to become President is bankrolled by cartoonishly evil British criminal Nicholas van Hoogstraten:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2870376/Nicholas-van-Hoogstraten-bankrolls-Grace-Mugabe-s-bid-power-Zimbabwe.html

i thought he was in jail in Zimbabwe?

[politicus]

According to the Daily Mail Grace Mugabe's campaign to become President is bankrolled by cartoonishly evil British criminal Nicholas van Hoogstraten:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2870376/Nicholas-van-Hoogstraten-bankrolls-Grace-Mugabe-s-bid-power-Zimbabwe.html

i thought he was in jail in Zimbabwe?

Not exactly. He lives in a mansion using a detachment of Mugabe's Secret Service as guards.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

According to the Daily Mail Grace Mugabe's campaign to become President is bankrolled by cartoonishly evil British criminal Nicholas van Hoogstraten:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2870376/Nicholas-van-Hoogstraten-bankrolls-Grace-Mugabe-s-bid-power-Zimbabwe.html

ahahahahaha

[joevsimp]

According to the Daily Mail Grace Mugabe's campaign to become President is bankrolled by cartoonishly evil British criminal Nicholas van Hoogstraten:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2870376/Nicholas-van-Hoogstraten-bankrolls-Grace-Mugabe-s-bid-power-Zimbabwe.html

i thought he was in jail in Zimbabwe?

Not exactly. He lives in a mansion using a detachment of Mugabe's Secret Service as guards.

ah, I just looked it up, was arrested a few years ago for dodgy foreign currency dealings and possessing pornography, then it all magically went away....

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Eric Joyce again!

[afleitch]

A lot of rumours flying about today about a potential Christmas abdication announcement.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

A lot of rumours flying about today about a potential Christmas abdication announcement.

I doubt that Charles will abdicate the Princedom of Wales in favor of his son William, but we can always hope.

[afleitch]

A lot of rumours flying about today about a potential Christmas abdication announcement.

I doubt that Charles will abdicate the Princedom of Wales in favor of his son William, but we can always hope.

Abdication is a very modern solution to what happens when royality 'just won't die.' The Queen in 88. Charles is 66 and William is 32. If the Queen lives as long as her mother, Charles will himself be 79 when he becomes king. The potential for a succession of geriatric monarchs is a potential problem because despite what people often think, the monarch has things to do in a constitutional sense. It makes sense for the Queen to step down and Charles to reign for a decade before handing down to William.

I quite like Charles, but that aside handing over straight to William would be problematic but also unfair on the man who can at least have the luxury of raising a family before he steps into the role. It also helps the process of disestablishment re the CofE if that is opted.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

I have a feeling that this is the real deal. But who knows?

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

A lot of rumours flying about today about a potential Christmas abdication announcement.

I doubt that Charles will abdicate the Princedom of Wales in favor of his son William, but we can always hope.

Abdication is a very modern solution to what happens when royality 'just won't die.' The Queen in 88. Charles is 66 and William is 32. If the Queen lives as long as her mother, Charles will himself be 79 when he becomes king. The potential for a succession of geriatric monarchs is a potential problem because despite what people often think, the monarch has things to do in a constitutional sense. It makes sense for the Queen to step down and Charles to reign for a decade before handing down to William.

I quite like Charles, but that aside handing over straight to William would be problematic but also unfair on the man who can at least have the luxury of raising a family before he steps into the role. It also helps the process of disestablishment re the CofE if that is opted.

Elizabeth has indicated in the past she has no intent of abdicating, and as far as I am aware, there is no reason to think she is incapable yet of doing things a monarch must do.  That's why I joked that if anyone were to abdicate, it would be Charles.