Brexit and the waning days of the United Kingdom

[The Brain]

One guy and his two hundred animals got waved into the airport when there's clearly lots of people - who'd I'd argue are more at risk - waiting outside. Also from my understanding the public raised the funds for a charter and so their view was that it wasn't impacting anyone because they had theyir own plane. But that ignores the amount of official time by FCDO and MoD officials to coordinate the rescue with Pen Farthing (which I think could have been better spent) and from what I understand the real issue isn't the number of planes but getting them fueled, supported by ground crew and there are limited slots to take off - one of those slots was taken by a plane with Pen and his two hundred animals.

Who approved the flight? Or did they just show up?

[Sheilbh]

UK government - apparently PM over-ruled the Defence Secretary to make it happen

[HisMajestyBOB]

Do they not have animals in the UK?

[The Brain]

UK government - apparently PM over-ruled the Defence Secretary to make it happen

You may not have top men at the top.

[Sheilbh]

But Neil is kind of right on fox-hunting. You'll get more traction from saying "we'll ban fox hunting" than from "the Tories hate the poor". Similarly I've read somewhere that by far the most engaged with social media campaigns in 2017, when Labour did surprisingly well, were the negative posts about Theresa May's proposal to allow a free vote on fox hunting. I think Tory strategists and party figures put that up there as one of the biggest things that hurt them in that election.

[viper37]

Edit: Also - I don't think it's appropriate to call that love.

True.  Given that disturbing movie trailer you posted not so long ago, obsession would be a better word.

[Sheilbh]

And part of the reason why I imagine government sources are pissed at Pen Farthing, in addition to leaving WhatsApp messages telling advisors he'd "fucking destroy" them by naming them in interviews - his social media supporters are pretty vile - this is some of the WhatsApps:

[The Larch]

Seems to be a charming fellow indeed.

[Sheilbh]

Seems to be a charming fellow indeed.

He gave an interview on Sky just a couple of days ago about how he would not be leaving without the Afghan staff. He left without the Afghan staff.

I'm furious about the whole situation and I can see why government sources are calling him "odious" to journos. But it shows what you can do with social media, then getting onto mainstream media, plus some celebrity supporters (Ricky Gervais has tweeted about little else for the last fortnight).

Edit: And as the operation ends - I am pleased that apparently over 15,000 people have been airlifted because that is far above my expectation at the start of the crisis (and I think operationally the MoD/military have done a good job in incredibly difficult circumstances). But there's still according to Johnson 1,100 British citizens and Afghans who need to be evacuated who will be left behind - I suspect that's an underestimate. And time will have been wasted with this man

Edit: Oh and the latest twist is that as these are rescue animals from Afghanistan there is a not insignificant risk they are riddled with disease and will be examined by DEFRA. So worst case scenario is they all end up having to be put down anyway - which will be so many times more controversial than Geronimo the alpaca

[Sheilbh]

Oh also - not Afghanistan - but one for Tamas. There's a story in the Sunday Times about banks buying up properties and renting them out as this is now a better source of income than mortgages. Obviously it's also driving up prices and an unhelpful competition for first-time-buyers.

[Josquius]

Sheilbh is going to start poisoning the neighbourhood cats isn't he

And yes. Saw that on the banks. Lloyd's aiming to be one of the country's biggest landlords I believe.
I do wonder whether we are irreversibly sliding in a Swiss sort of direction where buying a house just isn't something that is done. People don't aspire to it as it's for the rich. People rent forever and that's fine....
As awfully as it works there when with some regulation.
i

[Tamas]

Sheilbh is going to start poisoning the neighbourhood cats isn't he

And yes. Saw that on the banks. Lloyd's aiming to be one of the country's biggest landlords I believe.
I do wonder whether we are irreversibly sliding in a Swiss sort of direction where buying a house just isn't something that is done. People don't aspire to it as it's for the rich. People rent forever and that's fine....
As awfully as it works there when with some regulation.
i

Lovely.

Problem is, apart from. It being able to afford rent during retirement, is that laws and regulations consider rented homes little more than hotel rooms. If I have the estate agents come and take photos of our home ever quarter throughout my life to ensure we are behaving, at some point I will lose my shit.

[Tonitrus]

Sheilbh is going to start poisoning the neighbourhood cats isn't he

And yes. Saw that on the banks. Lloyd's aiming to be one of the country's biggest landlords I believe.
I do wonder whether we are irreversibly sliding in a Swiss sort of direction where buying a house just isn't something that is done. People don't aspire to it as it's for the rich. People rent forever and that's fine....
As awfully as it works there when with some regulation.
i

Lovely.

Problem is, apart from. It being able to afford rent during retirement, is that laws and regulations consider rented homes little more than hotel rooms. If I have the estate agents come and take photos of our home ever quarter throughout my life to ensure we are behaving, at some point I will lose my shit.

Don't worry, soon technology and the law will allow them to save the trip and just install cameras inside flats that they can monitor remotely at any time.

[Syt]

Problem is, apart from. It being able to afford rent during retirement, is that laws and regulations consider rented homes little more than hotel rooms. If I have the estate agents come and take photos of our home ever quarter throughout my life to ensure we are behaving, at some point I will lose my shit.

Wait, what? In Germany and Austria landlords have no right to enter your rented space except in severe emergencies (gas leaks or similarly serious), and you have no obligation to let them in while you rent from them.

[Tamas]

Problem is, apart from. It being able to afford rent during retirement, is that laws and regulations consider rented homes little more than hotel rooms. If I have the estate agents come and take photos of our home ever quarter throughout my life to ensure we are behaving, at some point I will lose my shit.

Wait, what? In Germany and Austria landlords have no right to enter your rented space except in severe emergencies (gas leaks or similarly serious), and you have no obligation to let them in while you rent from them.

Here the contract makes us allow "reasonable entry". They still need to request permission but if we refused I am not sure what would happen. During lockdown we were asked to upload pictures every quarter and verify we tested the smoke alarm.