Brexit and the waning days of the United Kingdom

[Razgovory]

Corbyn re-elected... really 

Labour voters signalling they aren't ready to have their party in charge of a country.

That appears to be a wholly accurate and correct statement.

[Valmy]

Corbyn re-elected... really 

Labour voters signalling they aren't ready to have their party in charge of a country.

That appears to be a wholly accurate and correct statement.

[Josquius]

Yet another article on inequality in the uk highlighting what anyone who looks at the data has known for a while: much of the uk is on an eastern European level of development

http://www.citymetric.com/business/vast-majority-british-cities-are-less-productive-european-average-2457

What is cool about it is this rather snazzy map comparing uk cities to their continental "twin".
Sunderland=Stettin




One positive side effect of this debacle I'm (probably vainly) hoping for is recognition of the problem at the higher levels and actual action to decentralise the economy.

Corbyn and gang are part of the brexit "crap", the left wing of the Labour party has never liked the EU, too much of a capitalist club.

Indeed. They're truly deluded.

[Tamas]

Sounds like an awful lot of risky effort to "decentralise" though.

What can the rest of the country offer? Not production, you can get the same level of skill far cheaper and with far less regulations in the 3rd world. And what  services if there is nobody to service?

[Richard Hakluyt]

There was an interesting article in the Economist this week about the situation in Manchester and Birmingham :

http://www.economist.com/news/britain/21707582-britains-second-cities-also-suffer-property-problems-little-londons


These cities are starting to do well, but already the usual constraint of expensive housing is starting to make itself felt. Meanwhile the public transport (at least into the centre of Manchester) is lamentable and terribly overcrowded. I'm in favour of extensive infrastructure investment in these areas, both to promote the decentralisation of the country and to help avoid brexit-induced recession. Of course such policies would require a Tory government to invest heavily in areas where they have little electoral support 

[Josquius]

I'm hopeful for the metro mayors (though as per usual the north east councils are bitching amongst themselves so we wot get one). Not quite the true regional devolution we need but should hopefully get something done -just have to hope they don't become too entrenched, then in the future they can still be merged into broader regions.

Sounds like an awful lot of risky effort to "decentralise" though.

What can the rest of the country offer? Not production, you can get the same level of skill far cheaper and with far less regulations in the 3rd world. And what  services if there is nobody to service?

What does anywhere offer?
3/4 of the population lives outside London.  It's the job of the government to look after all its people,.

[Zanza]

Theresa May announced that Britain will trigger Article 50 by March next year, will repeal the European Communities Act of 1972 and transfer all current EU law into British law pending further review.

[Admiral Yi]

What does anywhere offer?

Cheap, productive labor, cheap energy, network affects, proximity to R&D centers, proximity to raw materials, rule of law, preferential tariff treatment, etc., etc., etc.

[garbon]

How many times can Nigel return to lead UKIP?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-37561065

Nigel Farage 'steps back in at UKIP' as Diane James quits

[garbon]

[Zanza]

 

[garbon]

How many times can Nigel return to lead UKIP?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-37561065

Nigel Farage 'steps back in at UKIP' as Diane James quits

What is going on in UKIP?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/10/06/ukip-leadership-favorite-steven-woolfe-collapses-outside-europea/

Ukip leadership favourite Steven Woolf collapses after 'being punched by colleague'

[Josquius]

Most worrying is may seemingly trying to out ukip ukip.
Time for the lib Dems to shine again?

[Syt]

Speaking of UKIP

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/oct/06/ukip-leadership-favourite-steven-woolfe-collapses-in-european-parliament

Steven Woolfe in 'serious condition' after altercation at Ukip meeting

Sources say MEP, who is favourite for the party's leadership, was punched and subsequently collapsed at the European parliament

The Ukip leadership favourite, Steven Woolfe, has been taken to hospital in a serious condition after collapsing following an altercation during a meeting of the party's MEPs in Strasbourg.

The North West England MEP is said to have been taken ill at the parliament in Strasbourg on Thursday.

Ukip's interim leader, Nigel Farage, said: "I deeply regret that following an altercation that took place at a meeting of Ukip MEPs this morning that Steven Woolfe subsequently collapsed and was taken to hospital. His condition is serious."

Later Farage told the Telegraph: "Things are mildly better. I have just spoken to Mr Woolfe and I will be going to visit him later this afternoon. We are still waiting for the results. I will be going go visit him in hospital."

Raheem Kassam, Farage's former adviser, had earlier said Woolfe's condition was believed to be "life-threatening".

Sources familiar with the incident said that Woolfe had been punched during the meeting of MEPs, but was not immediately taken ill. He subsequently collapsed as they went in to vote at the European parliament.

Ukip's MEPs were invited to come and "clear the air" amid the crisis sparked by Diane James's resignation as leader and Woolfe's admission he had considered defecting to the Tories.

After an angry discussion, Woolfe is said to have asked a colleague to move the discussion outside the meeting, and to have been punched shortly afterwards.

The source told the Guardian that Farage was not the person who threw the punch.

After the incident, Woolfe reportedly told colleagues it had been "difficult" but did not tell them exactly what had happened and appeared well until he collapsed after going in to vote.

Neil Hamilton, Ukip's leader in the Welsh assembly, said he had been told by colleagues in the European parliament that Woolfe had "picked a fight with one of them and came off worse".

Hamilton told the BBC he had heard from a witness that Woolfe had bleeding on the brain, after he was knocked over and hit his head. "He toppled over and hit his head on a glass window so it must have been quite a wallop," said Hamilton.

It is understood Woolfe, Farage and other MEPs had been meeting James, who left her post on Tuesday just 18 days after being elected.

Ukip spokesman Gawain Towler said: "Steven Woolfe MEP was taken suddenly ill in the European parliament building in Strasbourg this morning. He has been taken to hospital in the city and he is undergoing tests."

Suzanne Evans, Ukip's former deputy chair who is said to be considering her own leadership bid, tweeted: "Shocked to hear Steven Woolfe has apparently collapsed in the European Parliament in Strasbourg. Wishing him well for a speedy recovery."

Kassam, who is also running to be Ukip leader, said he was dropping out of an appearance on the BBC's Daily Politics out of respect for Woolfe. "I really hope Steven-Woolfe is okay. Plz send him your best wishes."

Woolfe announced on Wednesday that he was reviving his bid to become Ukip leader after James quit. James had cited a lack of support from colleagues as she plunged the party into turmoil.

Woolfe was blocked from running in the previous contest to succeed Farage – for which he was the favourite – after submitting his forms 17 minutes late.

There had long been rumours Woolfe was poised to defect to the Tories, which he addressed in a statement released on Wednesday. "I have been enthused by the start to Theresa May's premiership," he said. "Her support of new grammar schools, her words on social mobility and the growing evidence that she is committed to a clean Brexit prompted me, as it did many of my friends and colleagues, to wonder whether our future was within her new Conservative party.

"However, having watched the prime minister's speech on Sunday, I came to the conclusion that only a strong Ukip can guarantee Brexit is delivered in full, and only our party can stand up for the communities of the Midlands and the north."

[Richard Hakluyt]

Too much Adnam's Olde Brexit Bulldog Bastard Bitter I expect, what a complete shower they are.