Brexit and the waning days of the United Kingdom

[Richard Hakluyt]

I have been pretty impressed by the supermarket supply chains, no shortages at all despite both brexit and covid. Needless to say it seems the bulk of british people dislike our supermarkets despite them being cheap, efficient and effective 

[Tonitrus]

From my yankee perspective, there are many things I like about your grocery stores that we should import to America...but things I miss as well.  But also, in the States, I think that overall level of quality can be greatly impacted by which region of the US one is on.

[Tamas]

I have been pretty impressed by the supermarket supply chains, no shortages at all despite both brexit and covid. Needless to say it seems the bulk of british people dislike our supermarkets despite them being cheap, efficient and effective 

I think we discussed previously that it is probably just lip service to fight the "big guys" "ruining everything". In Hungary at least, it used to be in fashion to look down on the supermarkets but they used to be (and still are) crammed full in most time of the day regardless.

[HVC]

The YouTube rabbit hole brought me to some clips of farmers who voted brexit and are now surprised they can't hire cheap farm labour. Also, apparently Australian beef is going to poison you all

[garbon]

I can't believe the great Tory retort regarding the 19th is "if not now, when?"

[Tamas]

I can't believe the great Tory retort regarding the 19th is "if not now, when?"

Yeah I know what they want to mean but how about "once X% have gotten their second shots"?

[Tamas]

It seems likely the high level (although not nearly complete) vaccination has made the "we need to open up for the economy, let it was through us then it'll be done" group win the internal arguments.

I understand the thinking of wanting the inevitable spike now than in the winter, but a month or two more could make a big difference in terms of second doses administered, while still we'd not be at the worst time of the year. It feels like we'll add a few thousand avoidable deaths at least.

[Sheilbh]

Yeah I know what they want to mean but how about "once X% have gotten their second shots"?

Yeah I agree. If you're making that argument I think you need to explain what the factors are that are the triggers for "if not now, when" - not least to try and force clarity from Labour of what their triggers are (because I think keeping restrictions until all publicly accessible buildings have new ventilation fitted is an absurd position and I can only assume they're being paid off by the construction industry/big windows).

In the abstract it's meaningless.

It seems likely the high level (although not nearly complete) vaccination has made the "we need to open up for the economy, let it was through us then it'll be done" group win the internal arguments.

I understand the thinking of wanting the inevitable spike now than in the winter, but a month or two more could make a big difference in terms of second doses administered, while still we'd not be at the worst time of the year. It feels like we'll add a few thousand avoidable deaths at least.

Yeah I also get the point of re-opening just ahead of the school holidays instead of when schools are re-opening.

And I think the key is the Hancock scandal. Javid is a bone dry Tory when it comes to things like public service spending and economics, so he will want to re-open. I think Hancock was more cautious/conservative on re-opening.

[Tamas]

Makes me think that maybe the release of the camera footage was a plot by the nihilistic brigade of the Tories.

[garbon]

Big windows?

[Sheilbh]

Big windows?

The global ventilation lobby

Makes me think that maybe the release of the camera footage was a plot by the nihilistic brigade of the Tories.

Maybe - I think it is as likely that it was filmed and released by someone disgruntled about Hancock from within DHSC (from my viewing of that video it looked like someone recroded it on their phone from the CCTV).

[garbon]

I just liked that as say a counterpoint to Big Tobacco or Big Pharma.

[Tamas]

Bank of England keeping its fingers on the pulse of the world, calling out trends in a timely fashion:

There are signs of "increased risk taking" in global financial markets and "some asset prices look stretched", the Bank of England warns this morning

In its latest Financial Stability Report, just released, the BoE flags up that asset prices have risen sharply in the last six months, with major equity indices up around 15% on average and corporate bond spreads tightening over the same period.

This increase in risk-taking behaviour creates the danger of "a sharp correction in asset valuations", the Bank warns, if investors re-evaluate the prospects for growth or inflation, and therefore interest rates.

I mean, that has to be the most "duh!" at least one year late revelation I have ever read in a central bank statement.

[Sheilbh]

So this is interesting - report published in the Herald (Scottish paper) that acording to UK government emails from 1997 when the devolution referendum and legislation was being passed, that the Scottish Parliament has the power to hold an independence referendum without Westminster's consent. This is from certain documents released in the National Archives.

They've pulled the story because it's based on another paper's reports and the underlying information is embargoed by the National Archives until 21 July.

It wouldn't necessarily matter from a legal perspective but it would possibly transform the debate politically.

[The Brain]

Secret emails say that Scotland has that right, based on what?