UK General Discussion Thread: mayy lmao

[politicus]

[Insert article about the Scottish Government banning the production of GM foods here]

The measured, responsible, and level-headed government of Scotland under the SNP hits it out of the ball park again with another fact-based measure!

GMO foods is generally seen as a more complex issue in Europe with a potential risk of unintended consequences from modified genes spreading to other plants. So there is substantial support for a "better safe than sorry" approach. The mainstream American position that "you are anti-science if you do not wholeheartedly embrace any new technology" (because we all know scientists never make mistakes..) is seen as a fanatical view by many this side of the pond (have you ever read Ulrich Becks "Risk society"? No coincidence it was written by a German) And a pro-science/anti-science dichotomy is considered flawed and primitive - and unhelpful in making public policy decisions.

From a purely economic POV this also makes good sense. Whatever you think of GMO foods Scotland does not really need them and depends on an "all natural" brand which allows them to charge a premium price for many products.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I think if you're surprised that the SNP put forward a populist policy then I don't think you've been paying attention.

[afleitch]

Scotland's soil and weather is only suitable to grow crops that have already been bred to be 'hardy' enough to actually grow here in the first instance. Most commercial GM crops (maize, oilseed rape etc) aren't grown in any great measure anyway. The ban isn't against the research, just growing them commercially. There's nothing gained or lost through GM (and I say that as a supporter) in Scotland so there's no damage in taking what is rightly seen as a 'populist' measure against it.

[politicus]

I say that as a supporter.

GMO should not be something people were either supporters or opponents of, but something you had a critical approach to and wanted evalued on a case by case basis.

[Silent Hunter]

Scotland's soil and weather is only suitable to grow crops that have already been bred to be 'hardy' enough to actually grow here in the first instance. Most commercial GM crops (maize, oilseed rape etc) aren't grown in any great measure anyway. The ban isn't against the research, just growing them commercially. There's nothing gained or lost through GM (and I say that as a supporter) in Scotland so there's no damage in taking what is rightly seen as a 'populist' measure against it.

How did Scotland cope in the olden days i.e. before 1603?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Staple food was oats of course.

[afleitch]

Staple food was oats of course.

Oats and rye (which is hardly grown now). Wheat could be grown in the marches, but it could be easily ruined. Beef and fish were the main meats.

[Silent Hunter]

OK, thanks.

[afleitch]

This:

http://mashable.com/2015/08/20/banksy-dismaland/

[Phony Moderate]

Danny Alexander is being knighted. No, I'm not joking.

Vince Cable also knighted. Peerages given to Hague, Ming Campbell, Beith, Blunkett, Darling, Jowell, Hain, Livermore and others.

[Leftbehind]

Abolish the f**king place.

[afleitch]

It's 'Better Together's' payday.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Full list here. The name that leaps out is Douglas 'moat' Hogg...

But mostly its the standard list of retired and/or defeated politicians plus government placemen.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Turns out that the LibDems put David Laws forward for a peerage but his name was rejected by the Appointments Commission. Hahahahaha.

[politicus]

TED HEATH

“I’d like to put it straight that he’s not a paedophile. He’s just an old, sad, gay man.”

So putting it straight that he was gay, though not gay enough not to be sad..

[doktorb]

TED HEATH

“I’d like to put it straight that he’s not a paedophile. He’s just an old, sad, gay man.”

So putting it straight that he was gay, though not gay enough not to be sad..

Described as "asexual" in some circles......

[Blair]

I'm most concerned about london having a baroness for our major

[ObserverIE]

Turns out that the LibDems put David Laws forward for a peerage but his name was rejected by the Appointments Commission. Hahahahaha.

According to today's Irish News, the DUP also had a peerage nomination rejected by the Appointments Commission, and didn't nominate a replacement. The speculation is that the original nomination was Boxcar Willie McCrea.

[Phony Moderate]

So if one still had any doubts that Cameron's old fluffy liberal-green Toryism was anything more than an act...

[Silent Hunter]

The speculation is that the original nomination was Boxcar Willie McCrea.

He makes the late Rev Paisley seem moderate.

[Angel of Death]

How significant is this latest defeat of Cameron concerning the EU referendum? Seems like quite an early occurrence this term.

[Phony Moderate]

How significant is this latest defeat of Cameron concerning the EU referendum? Seems like quite an early occurrence this term.

Earliest defeat for a government since 1945 apparently.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Almost certainly the government is used to having a comfortable majority (even if it was made up of two parties) and has yet to adjust to the realities of having a narrow one. Fact is that if there's a non-tiny Tory rebellion then the government will lose any given vote so long as all the Opposition parties turn up and vote the same way.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

What the hell?!

[Silent Hunter]

That is the equivalent of two skunks calling each other smelly.