Brexit and the waning days of the United Kingdom

[crazy canuck]

Though they don't always collect ID as I discover every time I buy booze and the supermarket and they click the, frankly hurtful, "visibly over 25" button

Edit: Although I did get IDed by someone in Sainsbury's last year and texted everyone I know about it.

 

[garbon]

I wonder if people feel the same way about age restrictions on things like tobacco and alcohol.

Authoritarian dystopia?

I wouldn't but that doesn't seem comparable. I don't need VPNs or handover private data to unknown verification data to buy alcohol online or in person.

That is interesting.  How does the seller know they are not selling alcohol to minors?

They don't. I've bought alcohol online and it's the delivery person makes sure you're an adult when they deliver it.

Knives... Its something I've seen cropping up in the news every so often. Kids getting knives delivered.

So what does the delivery person do if the delivery is to kids?

Back in the day, I am told by a friend, that underage teens could get taxi drivers to get their beer. So I guess saying delivery drivers are the safeguard means there are no safeguards.

They're meant to take it back to the depot I think?

They've always been pretty strict on it I've found. I answer the door clearly someone who hasn't been 18 for quite some time and they still ask for ID.

I only get asked my birth year which they type in.

[HVC]

And having banned all the specific types of knives we're now at the point of the Home Secretary having to say she's considering Idris Elba's campaign to ban kitchen knives with points.

Only sporks for those under 18! We must protect the children.

[Tonitrus]

I still think it is weird that we/society get all spun up over sex/pr0n, but violence/gore?  That's fine.

[HVC]

I still think it is weird that we/society get all spun up over sex/pr0n, but violence/gore?  That's fine.

Europe used to be  more lax on sex. Maybe still are and this is a Britain thing? Didn't get rid of enough Puritans?

[Sheilbh]

In fairness there's specific stricter rules on porn - and I do get that. But the OSA rules generally apply to "content and activity that is harmful to children" and to content that is illegal - and in the UK we have film classifications (which cover gore and violence). So there's age verification there too - particularly streaming services.

Porn was a bit of a focus and one that's developing (I've met and worked with a peer who is very big on this stuff), but I think it's actually that lots of the law is still to be implemented/commenced and this was the first big change that was very obvious to....many Brits

[garbon]

This is certainly a choice.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3ez3v9v8jqo

Civil service interns must be working class, government says

The government will restrict civil service internships to students from poorer families as part of a drive from ministers to make Whitehall more working class.

The main internship scheme designed to attract university students to the civil service will now only be available for students from "lower socio-economic backgrounds", judged by what jobs their parents did when they were 14.

Those who are successful on the internship will then be prioritised for entry to the Fast Stream, the main graduate programme for entry to the civil service.

The change has been driven by Pat McFadden, who as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster is responsible for civil service reform.

He told the BBC: "We need to get more working class young people into the Civil Service so it harnesses the broadest range of talent and truly reflects the country.

"Government makes better decisions when it represents and understands the people we serve."

Currently around a quarter of higher education students are from a lower socio-economic background, but the group represented only 12% of successful applicants to the Fast Stream in 2024.

Some Labour ministers have come to believe in their first year in office that parts of the civil service are too privileged, with people who have come from similar backgrounds.

A summer internship programme already exists. The programme is for undergraduates in their final two years of university, lasts six to eight weeks and is paid.

Under the changes, which will take effect for the summer of 2026, the intake will be restricted only to students from poorer backgrounds.

The programme will give them experience including planning events, writing briefings for ministers, shadowing senior civil servants and carrying out research for policy development.

Those deemed to have performed well will then be fast-tracked to the final stages of the Fast Stream selection process if they decide to apply to work in the civil service after graduation.

The government is also trying to establish more career paths into the senior ranks of the civil service outside of London, announcing earlier this year that by 2030 half of the placements on the Fast Stream will be located outside of the capital.

The Labour government has been strikingly critical of some of the practices of the civil service since coming to office in July last year. In December, Sir Keir Starmer said that "too many people in Whitehall are comfortable in the tepid bath of managed decline," incurring criticism from civil service unions.

The prime minister has also said he wants to "rewire" the way the state works.

Conservative shadow cabinet office minister Mike Wood said the UK's public services "deserve talent chosen on ability".

In a statement Wood said: "We believe in opportunity based on what you can do, not where you come from.

"We all want to see greater opportunity for working-class young people. But this scheme sends the message that unless you fit a particular social profile, you're no longer welcome.

"No young person should be told they're not welcome based solely on leftist social engineering."

[Syt]

Generally I'm in favor of increasing the options for social mobility. Speaking for Austria/Germany, the parents' background is an overwhelming predictor for life trajectory.

However, this seems a bit much.

[HVC]

I mean if you're going to go the DEI route economic factors seem fairer, but this goes way too far.

[Josquius]

It's always been the case that EDI covers working class people. Highlighting this fact and strengthening it even does go some way to battling the "omg woke DEI makes being a white man the hardest thing in the world" nonsense.
But making it an absolute must.... Pff. That really plays into the hands of the kneejerk nonsense.

[garbon]

No alliance between Greens and the Corbyn party as he says they aren't left wing enough.

[crazy canuck]

It's always been the case that EDI covers working class people. Highlighting this fact and strengthening it even does go some way to battling the "omg woke DEI makes being a white man the hardest thing in the world" nonsense.
But making it an absolute must.... Pff. That really plays into the hands of the kneejerk nonsense.

How has DEI always covered white working class people?

[Josquius]

It's always been the case that EDI covers working class people. Highlighting this fact and strengthening it even does go some way to battling the "omg woke DEI makes being a white man the hardest thing in the world" nonsense.
But making it an absolute must.... Pff. That really plays into the hands of the kneejerk nonsense.

How has DEI always covered white working class people?

I don't get the question.
The way it states. If your parents didn't go to university and/or they worked in working class professions you get a boost.
My university offer required lower grades than it would have done for a middle class kid.
Even still when applying for jobs this is often a question asked.

[crazy canuck]

It's always been the case that EDI covers working class people. Highlighting this fact and strengthening it even does go some way to battling the "omg woke DEI makes being a white man the hardest thing in the world" nonsense.
But making it an absolute must.... Pff. That really plays into the hands of the kneejerk nonsense.

How has DEI always covered white working class people?

I don't get the question.
The way it states. If your parents didn't go to university and/or they worked in working class professions you get a boost.
My university offer required lower grades than it would have done for a middle class kid.
Even still when applying for jobs this is often a question asked.

OK, so does the DEI in your country cover white working class people?  You didn't seem to actually answer that question.

[Josquius]

It's always been the case that EDI covers working class people. Highlighting this fact and strengthening it even does go some way to battling the "omg woke DEI makes being a white man the hardest thing in the world" nonsense.
But making it an absolute must.... Pff. That really plays into the hands of the kneejerk nonsense.

How has DEI always covered white working class people?

I don't get the question.
The way it states. If your parents didn't go to university and/or they worked in working class professions you get a boost.
My university offer required lower grades than it would have done for a middle class kid.
Even still when applying for jobs this is often a question asked.

OK, so does the DEI in your country cover white working class people?

Yes. As I said I benefited from it 20 years ago with university application and probably still do with some job applications as its often asked about in EDI forms.