The UK Politics & Brexit Thread

[ChipChop]

"Cameras identify a Caucasian face in Chinese city!" Shock Horror!

Yep no difference between a box brownie and a network of AI powered facial recognition cameras at all.

 

[BIGDOG]

Interesting, I have Welsh relations, when I asked why Plaid Cymru don't get more votes, the answer was that the Welsh dislike the English but they don't subscribe to Plaid Cymru's agenda of independence from the UK.

Some of my best friends are English.

 

[colinallcars]

He would need to change the constitution of the UK , which would be a HUGE step , to alter what is currently one of our fundamental and inalienable freedoms .

Still , anything that helps the case for independence of Scotland , Ireland and Wales ...

Careful what you wish for. I can see the SNP adopting this as a policy.

 

[m80]

"Cameras identify a Caucasian face in Chinese city!" Shock Horror!

Why do they need cameras for that?

I could spot a Caucasion like that anywhere.

 

[st13phil]

Frankfurt airport was temporarily closed this morning by Last Generation climate protestors.

This was part of a coordinated act by different eco-loon groups across a number of European countries including the UK.

The Met Police reported that they had arrested a number of JSO menaces trying to get through Heathrow's perimeter fence yesterday, thus foiling their latest effort at major disruption.

 

[colinallcars]

The Welsh trick being that while they're happy to be part of the UK, there's a whole range of things that can be done to stop the English entering or staying in Wales.

The language, cuisine, cafes, the restaurants, the tourist sites, the road network, the closing hours.....

That welcoming "You'll have had your tea," that they borrowed from Hamish and Dougal.

'Loony' measures putting off people coming to Wales, says tourism chief

A visitor levy has been proposed, which has has not gone down well with many in tourism sector

www.walesonline.co.uk

To narrow it down further, that’s regarded as an Edinburgh expression.

 

[colinallcars]

Exactly.

So why doesn't Kahn come clean and be honest about the purpose of the camera infrastructure?

Because he knows that there would be huge objection to it that would kill it dead in the water. So instead he persists with the fiction that it's about "making the streets safer" which allows him to get the thing built and rolled out. Once it his, he'll introduce pay-per-mile road charging on the basis that there's a huge infrastructure investment to be paid for.

"It's easier to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission". The oldest trick in the book.

You don’t need technology for pay per mile. Do away with road tax and charge via price per litre.

 

[Tonye]

Only time I go to Wales is, hang on i don't go. Only time I go Scotland is to pick up a yatch. Only time i go Ireland is to park said yatch overnight.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Exactly.

So why doesn't Kahn come clean and be honest about the purpose of the camera infrastructure?

Because he knows that there would be huge objection to it that would kill it dead in the water. So instead he persists with the fiction that it's about "making the streets safer" which allows him to get the thing built and rolled out. Once it his, he'll introduce pay-per-mile road charging on the basis that there's a huge infrastructure investment to be paid for.

"It's easier to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission". The oldest trick in the book.

How do you tell if a politician is lying?

His lips move.

At the risk of being kicked to death on here...we know how cities and their urban sprawl are getting increasingly crowded. We're two years away from a population of 70 million, and a decade away from 75 million, and everyone wants access to our city centres.

Road taxation is crying out to be made more sophisticated and based on use, rather than annual ownership (RFL) and fossil fuel or electricity consumed. A global thing, not just London.

It's inevitable that Government will introduce pay per mile to both raise revenue and to "stratify" tax revenues on volume and area.

We have to move on beyond taxing income, So it'll be taxes on activity and spending.

 

[GeeJayW]

Glad you agree with me.

Yes, for Putin, Ukraine became an Open Goal for a Russian invasion after they elected somebody not appointed by the Kremlin to run the country.

FIFY…

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

You don’t need technology for pay per mile. Do away with road tax and charge via price per litre.

A mile in Glencoe on a Tuesday night isn't as much of an environment and social cost as a mile on the Edgware Road at 8am on a Monday.

 

[Dryce]

You don’t need technology for pay per mile. Do away with road tax and charge via price per litre.

Logical.

But that goes to HMG and not to London.

 

[Dryce]

A mile in Glencoe on a Tuesday night isn't as much of an environment and social cost as a mile on the Edgware Road at 8am on a Monday.

I tend to find I consume significantly less fuel travelling through Glencoe than London - so with a traditional ICE vehicle it maybe works out.

I think a point I had just missed though when responding about the adding to the cost of fuel is that only affects ICE operation. So the cameras have a long term advantage for charging all vehicles rather than just a particular type.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Logical.

But that goes to HMG and not to London.

That goes for all of Europe, as well as London.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

I tend to find I consume significantly less fuel travelling through Glencoe than London - so with a traditional ICE vehicle it maybe works out.

I think a point I had just missed though when responding about the adding to the cost of fuel is that only affects ICE operation. So the cameras have a long term advantage for charging all vehicles rather than just a particular type.

No missing out was involved. The environmental and social costs of congestion are about the way that people travel.

We'll make no progress if we "simply" make petrol £5 a litre, if the public responds by switching to electric bicycles, motorbikes and EV's, charged from a three pin plug connected to The Grid or to a Tesla battery in a garage filled with solar power from the roof.

If only there was a way of encouraging employees, employers and even Governments to regionalise rather than run to the South East.

 

[markjay]

Some of my best friends are English.

 

[markjay]

No missing out was involved. The environmental and social costs of congestion are about the way that people travel.

We'll make no progress if we "simply" make petrol £5 a litre, if the public responds by switching to electric bicycles, motorbikes and EV's, charged from a three pin plug connected to The Grid or to a Tesla battery in a garage filled with solar power from the roof.

It funny when you think that there were fuel protesters around the country when the price of fuel hit..... 80p per L.

Blair had to cave in at the time because people said that they could not make ends meet if the price of fuel went above 80p.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

It funny when you think that there were fuel protesters around the country when the price of fuel hit..... 80p per L.
Blair had to cave in at the time because people said that they could not make ends meet if the price of fuel went above 80p.

It's true. I know people who have struggled to pay £350 for a Glastonbury ticket this year.

And Paris is still struggling to sell tickets for the Olympics Opening ceremony on Friday. (€3,000 for a good one, if anyone needs a few)

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

It funny when you think that there were fuel protesters around the country when the price of fuel hit..... 80p per L.
Blair had to cave in at the time because people said that they could not make ends meet if the price of fuel went above 80p.

I was shocked to hear The Sainted Matt Prior of Autocar say that he'd never bought petrol by the gallon.

It was three gallons for a quid when I first bought freedom at a fuel pump.

 

[Tonye]

Olympics Opening ceremony on Friday

Can be seen on a tv if you have one , fees will apply