Not The Politics Thread.

[bovril]

23 hours ago, Finnaldo said:

Seems a bit odd to put someone fairly controversial in a trade envoy role, is there no inoffensive half-celeb to roll out and smile quaintly for photo ops? 

He has stated on the record that "England is an island" so I can only assume he's been chosen less for being a half-celeb and more for his excellent grasp of geography. 

[Brizzle Fox]

16 minutes ago, Cardiff_Fox said:

Well if you are a good looking lass, he will happily show his nob to ya 

Oh his social media was hacked you know. Amazing how many hackers just like to do a bit of hacking, then just randomly send a single nob shot. No imagination 

[Sampson]

Not thoroughly clued up, so forgive me if I'm being ignorant, but I do know our warehouse at work is struggling to find forklift drivers because they were a lot of Eastern European drivers, a lot of whom went home in December before Brexit and several more who've gradually gone home in the months since and it's only gotten worse and worse.

Now I've been listening to 5Live debates the past few days where they've talked about lorry driver shortages, shortages in building material and shortages in chicken and milkshakes even now. They always say something along the lines of "it's a complex issue resulting from a number of factors including covid and brexit" (always putting covid first) and it does feel a bit like people are trying to muddy the waters and use covid as an excuse and saying "it's complicated" for all these shortages, which as a layman, look like they're very much largely related to Brexit.

I do wonder why Ireland is having none of these shortages and their supermarket shelves are completely full if covid was really that big a factor, despite them going through the same pandemic and them being our closest cultural and economic neighbours.

Edited 25 August 2021 by Sampson

[Guest Kopfkino]

2 hours ago, Sampson said:

Not thoroughly clued up, so forgive me if I'm being ignorant, but I do know our warehouse at work is struggling to find forklift drivers because they were a lot of Eastern European drivers, a lot of whom went home in December before Brexit and several more who've gradually gone home in the months since and it's only gotten worse and worse.

Now I've been listening to 5Live debates the past few days where they've talked about lorry driver shortages, shortages in building material and shortages in chicken and milkshakes even now. They always say something along the lines of "it's a complex issue resulting from a number of factors including covid and brexit" (always putting covid first) and it does feel a bit like people are trying to muddy the waters and use covid as an excuse and saying "it's complicated" for all these shortages, which as a layman, look like they're very much largely related to Brexit.

I do wonder why Ireland is having none of these shortages and their supermarket shelves are completely full if covid was really that big a factor, despite them going through the same pandemic and them being our closest cultural and economic neighbours.

This was a decent article on it from the FT yesterday

Link

 

Edited 25 August 2021 by Kopfkino

[oxford blue]

45 minutes ago, Kopfkino said:

This was a decent article on it from the FT yesterday

https://www.ft.com/content/5f832d86-827e-4596-999d-e0618364dbe3
 

Unfortunately, this is behind a paywall. This one isn't:

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/aug/24/uk-retailers-stock-supply-shortages-covid-pingdemic

 

I think there are two separate issues: supply problems related to shortage of lorry drivers (which particularly impact supermarket deliveries) and shortages of supplies generally. Most western economies are coming through the worst of Covid crisis and all seeking similar goods at the same time (and of course, many of these suppliers have had to shut down also). Just to quote one sentence from the article "Toyota said last week that it would cut global production by 40% as a result of a worldwide shortage of microchips and other components." Clearly nothing to with Brexit (but does explain shortage of new electronic goods and impact this has to car production across all manufacturers).

[Towelie]

The microchips thing is kind of separate although it is covid related.

 

There's only one or two Taiwanese companies that produce the microchips, Covid hit and all car manufacturers were expecting to see a lot fewer sales so cut back on the orders for microchips.

 

There was still plenty of other non automotive manufacturers who still needed the chips and they are basically in front of the car manufacturers in the queue and the car sales didn't drop as much as expected which is why they are now struggling.

[Guest Kopfkino]

22 minutes ago, oxford blue said:

Unfortunately, this is behind a paywall. This one isn't:

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/aug/24/uk-retailers-stock-supply-shortages-covid-pingdemic

 

I think there are two separate issues: supply problems related to shortage of lorry drivers (which particularly impact supermarket deliveries) and shortages of supplies generally. Most western economies are coming through the worst of Covid crisis and all seeking similar goods at the same time (and of course, many of these suppliers have had to shut down also). Just to quote one sentence from the article "Toyota said last week that it would cut global production by 40% as a result of a worldwide shortage of microchips and other components." Clearly nothing to with Brexit (but does explain shortage of new electronic goods and impact this has to car production across all manufacturers).

Updated to include new link if you want to read it but I think it only works a handful of times

[UpTheLeagueFox]

This could've gone in the Funny Photos thread... unintentionally hilarious reply from a ghastly woman.

 

 

[MustardTiger]

6 hours ago, UpTheLeagueFox said:

This could've gone in the Funny Photos thread... unintentionally hilarious reply from a ghastly woman.

 

 

What-ah mistake-ah to make-ah

Edited 26 August 2021 by MustardTiger

[UpTheLeagueFox]

3 hours ago, MustardTiger said:

What-ah mistake-ah to make-ah

Wait until she hears about the Fallen Madonna with the big boobies!

[Lionator]

Is anybody going to post the Kantar poll from today?

[Buce]

1 minute ago, Lionator said:

Is anybody going to post the Kantar poll from today?

 

That depends on whether it shows a Tory lead or not.

[The People's Hero]

I believe the children are our future. Teach them well and let them lead the way.

[UpTheLeagueFox]

34 minutes ago, Lionator said:

Is anybody going to post the Kantar poll from today?

Two polls today, so here you go!

 

 

 

[UpTheLeagueFox]

Last 10 polls, average Tory lead 6.4%

Previous 10 polls, average Tory lead 5.8%

[David Guiza]

Delighted that TTOI is back, but they've really dumbed down Sweaty Swain. 

[Claridge]

On 25/08/2021 at 14:25, Sampson said:

Not thoroughly clued up, so forgive me if I'm being ignorant, but I do know our warehouse at work is struggling to find forklift drivers because they were a lot of Eastern European drivers, a lot of whom went home in December before Brexit and several more who've gradually gone home in the months since and it's only gotten worse and worse.

Now I've been listening to 5Live debates the past few days where they've talked about lorry driver shortages, shortages in building material and shortages in chicken and milkshakes even now. They always say something along the lines of "it's a complex issue resulting from a number of factors including covid and brexit" (always putting covid first) and it does feel a bit like people are trying to muddy the waters and use covid as an excuse and saying "it's complicated" for all these shortages, which as a layman, look like they're very much largely related to Brexit.

I do wonder why Ireland is having none of these shortages and their supermarket shelves are completely full if covid was really that big a factor, despite them going through the same pandemic and them being our closest cultural and economic neighbours.

and you wonder why most of western Europe is having the same problems, lots of lorry drivers here have gone to Germany as the wages have rocketed

[Carl the Llama]

12 hours ago, David Guiza said:

Delighted that TTOI is back, but they've really dumbed down Sweaty Swain. 

That's genuinely nauseating to watch, that poor woman trying to talk about a very serious matter with those sociopaths.

[Buce]

 

[Phil Bowman]

On 25/08/2021 at 14:25, Sampson said:

I do wonder why Ireland is having none of these shortages and their supermarket shelves are completely full if covid was really that big a factor, despite them going through the same pandemic and them being our closest cultural and economic neighbours.

I don’t doubt for a minute that you’re right, and that it has a lot more to do with Brexit than some are willing to admit. But also Ireland’s government isn’t made up entirely of talentless liars, crooks, spivs and charlatans. That’ll probably help.

[ealingfox]

2 hours ago, Buce said:

 

 

I've got as little time for Michael Gove as anyone, but I have to say I don't agree with this. If you go out to a club you should be able to let loose and enjoy yourself without worrying about being documented, and I don't agree with people filming/photographing other punters in clubs generally. If you're not doing anything wrong you should be able to have fun and go with the flow. I'd hate to think somebody was filming me in that situation.

Edited 29 August 2021 by ealingfox

[FoxyPV]

1 hour ago, Phil Bowman said:

I don’t doubt for a minute that you’re right, and that it has a lot more to do with Brexit than some are willing to admit. But also Ireland’s government isn’t made up entirely of talentless liars, crooks, spivs and charlatans. That’ll probably help.

Hahahahahahahhahahahhahhahahhahahhahahhahahahhahahhahahah

The Irish govt is made up of entirely this.

 

NOBODY does corruption like FF/ FG

 

It's because they're still in the EU as is Northern Ireland.

 

[Voll Blau]

Raab getting a grilling from MPs on Afghanistan right now. Worth a watch.

[Buce]

 

When the Tories say 'levelling up' they really mean levelling down:

 

Scrapping free prescriptions for over-60s ‘could have devastating impact’

 

Scrapping free prescription charges for people over 60 and raising the qualifying age to 66 could have a devastating impact on the health of tens of thousands of older people, new analysis by Age UK suggests.

In a joint open letter urging the government to reconsider proposals to scrap free prescriptions for over-60s in England, 20 healthcare organisations expressed “deep shared concerns” that the move would leave many patients unable to afford medication, intensifying existing health inequalities and having a devastating impact on some older people’s health.

 

A Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) consultation on proposals to raise the qualifying age for free NHS prescriptions in England from 60 to 66, in line with the state pension age, will close on Thursday after generating more than 32,000 responses.

Signatories of the letter, including Age UK, the Royal College of GPs (RCGP), and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS), warn the proposals would be likely to “have a lasting adverse affect on the half (52%) of 60- to 64-year-olds with one or more long term conditions”, hitting those who are poorly and on low incomes the hardest.

The Office for National Statistics estimates there are more than 3.7 million 60- to 65-year-olds in the UK. The letter highlights that, by the DHSC’s own impact analysis, two-thirds – 66% – would be rendered ineligible for free prescriptions, and 15% wouldn’t fully adhere to taking their prescribed medicine as a result.

Caroline Abrahams, the charity’s director, warned some would be patients reluctant to act on symptoms or get a diagnosis, for fear of being unable to afford long-term, symptom-relieving or, in some cases, life-saving medication.

Prof Martin Marshall, RCGP’s chair of council, said introducing an additional cost for over-60s managing long-term health conditions would “disproportionately affect a large group of patients who are on low incomes but just above the threshold for financial help with the costs of their medication”.

Patients who are less financially well-off would be discouraged from managing their health proactively, Marshall said, and could mean they only present to their GP when their problems are far worse. This is compounded by the long wait for treatment many patients have already experienced because of the challenges of the last 18 months, he added.

While the DHSC estimates the proposals could add up to £300m to the NHS budget by 2027, the letter warns this figure represents “a tiny fraction of the NHS £212.1bn budget for 2020/21” and fails to take into account the impact on local health services. “The money the government raises if it goes ahead with this proposal will be easily outweighed by the additional costs to the NHS if, as is predictable, some people fail to take their medication and become sicker, more quickly,” Abrahams said. “Tens of thousands may require hospital treatment due to rationing what they take.”

Thorrun Govind, chair of the RPS English pharmacy board, said the proposal amounted to a “tax on the sick at exactly the time [in their lives] at which they may be needing more medicines” and called for prescription charges in England to be scrapped for all age groups, as is the case in Scotland and Wales.

A DHSC spokesperson said: “90% of community prescriptions in England are free of charge, and people don’t pay if they are on a low income, over 60, or have certain medical conditions.

“The upper age exemption has not changed since 1995 and that is why we are consulting on restoring the link between this and the state pension age. No final decisions have been made and we will publish the consultation response in due course.”

[Alf Bentley]

1 hour ago, Buce said:

 

When the Tories say 'levelling up' they really mean levelling down:

 

Scrapping free prescriptions for over-60s ‘could have devastating impact’

 

Scrapping free prescription charges for people over 60 and raising the qualifying age to 66 could have a devastating impact on the health of tens of thousands of older people, new analysis by Age UK suggests.

In a joint open letter urging the government to reconsider proposals to scrap free prescriptions for over-60s in England, 20 healthcare organisations expressed “deep shared concerns” that the move would leave many patients unable to afford medication, intensifying existing health inequalities and having a devastating impact on some older people’s health.

 

A Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) consultation on proposals to raise the qualifying age for free NHS prescriptions in England from 60 to 66, in line with the state pension age, will close on Thursday after generating more than 32,000 responses.

Signatories of the letter, including Age UK, the Royal College of GPs (RCGP), and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS), warn the proposals would be likely to “have a lasting adverse affect on the half (52%) of 60- to 64-year-olds with one or more long term conditions”, hitting those who are poorly and on low incomes the hardest.

The Office for National Statistics estimates there are more than 3.7 million 60- to 65-year-olds in the UK. The letter highlights that, by the DHSC’s own impact analysis, two-thirds – 66% – would be rendered ineligible for free prescriptions, and 15% wouldn’t fully adhere to taking their prescribed medicine as a result.

Caroline Abrahams, the charity’s director, warned some would be patients reluctant to act on symptoms or get a diagnosis, for fear of being unable to afford long-term, symptom-relieving or, in some cases, life-saving medication.

Prof Martin Marshall, RCGP’s chair of council, said introducing an additional cost for over-60s managing long-term health conditions would “disproportionately affect a large group of patients who are on low incomes but just above the threshold for financial help with the costs of their medication”.

Patients who are less financially well-off would be discouraged from managing their health proactively, Marshall said, and could mean they only present to their GP when their problems are far worse. This is compounded by the long wait for treatment many patients have already experienced because of the challenges of the last 18 months, he added.

While the DHSC estimates the proposals could add up to £300m to the NHS budget by 2027, the letter warns this figure represents “a tiny fraction of the NHS £212.1bn budget for 2020/21” and fails to take into account the impact on local health services. “The money the government raises if it goes ahead with this proposal will be easily outweighed by the additional costs to the NHS if, as is predictable, some people fail to take their medication and become sicker, more quickly,” Abrahams said. “Tens of thousands may require hospital treatment due to rationing what they take.”

Thorrun Govind, chair of the RPS English pharmacy board, said the proposal amounted to a “tax on the sick at exactly the time [in their lives] at which they may be needing more medicines” and called for prescription charges in England to be scrapped for all age groups, as is the case in Scotland and Wales.

A DHSC spokesperson said: “90% of community prescriptions in England are free of charge, and people don’t pay if they are on a low income, over 60, or have certain medical conditions.

“The upper age exemption has not changed since 1995 and that is why we are consulting on restoring the link between this and the state pension age. No final decisions have been made and we will publish the consultation response in due course.”

 

Great! I'd only just realised that prescriptions are currently free for the over-60s - which will include me in just under a year.

 

It won't have a devastating impact on me as I currently only get 2 prescriptions per month and I'm not poor. I'm certainly not rich either but it would just make my budget a bit tighter or I'd have to run down savings more.

 

But, if this is confirmed, it really will be devastating for some people. Just imagine if you're on half a dozen medications (as some people are), are working on a low wage and have little in the way of savings.... It could cost some people an extra £50+ per month that they don't have, with the risk that some will not acquire essential medication thereby risking their health, while others get the medication but get into debt or struggle to pay for other essentials like rent/mortgage, bills, food etc.

 

Yet there are countless billions available for mates-of-ministers to obtain lucrative govt procurement contracts.....and, of course, we mustn't over-tax the billionaires or they'll take their money away to tax havens.... 

 

I'd be interested to hear the views of some of the more reasonable Tories or current Tory voters. @Izzy @Jon the Hat @Strokes