Boris's Brain is missing

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Jdsk
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Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by Jdsk »

Oldjohnw wrote: 20 Jun 2021, 1:04pm Big question: where should the houses be built if Not in My Backyard?
As with so many of these subjects there aren't simple answers to single questions. In this case the absence of a regional policy and of a housing policy totally obstruct sensible proposals.

But the general direction of travel should include regional regeneration, brownfield rather than greenfield sites, higher density housing, enormously higher building standards, and acceptance that many people don't generate enough wealth to build or buy individual "houses".

Jonathan
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661-Pete
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Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by 661-Pete »

Psamathe wrote: 20 Jun 2021, 12:07pm Labour actual vote down by 6500'ish (11%) vs Conservatives down by 17300'ish (20%); if how bad the results are for a party determines leader stepping down then Johnson should be stepping down before Starmer (though I wont hold my breath on Johnson even accepting "the message").
Although we usually agree on things, I feel I must contradict the figures you've quoted - much as it gives me pain... :cry:

You are referring to the drops as percentages of the overall votes cast. If you look at the drop as a percentage of the previous votes cast for that party, it looks far more alarming for Labour.
Con: 30850 -> 13489 - drop 56.3%
Lab: 7166 -> 622 - drop 91.3%
LibDem: 14627 -> 21517 - rise 47.1%

As I've said before, I fell 'out of love' with Labour many years ago. But I have no wish to see them annihilated. Wait and see.
Suppose that this room is a lift. The support breaks and down we go with ever-increasing velocity.
Let us pass the time by performing physical experiments...
--- Arthur Eddington (creator of the Eddington Number).
thirdcrank
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Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by thirdcrank »

But the general direction of travel should include regional regeneration, brownfield rather than greenfield sites, higher density housing, enormously higher building standards, and acceptance that many people don't generate enough wealth to build or buy individual "houses". (My emphasis.)
And above all not in my backyard. Does the bit I've highlighted mean that new social housing should only consist of flats? Should people who do generate enough wealth be free of the dreaded red-tape?
Oldjohnw
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Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by Oldjohnw »

thirdcrank wrote: 20 Jun 2021, 1:07pm
Oldjohnw wrote: 20 Jun 2021, 1:04pm Big question: where should the houses be built if Not in My Backyard?
Part of the ideology is that if you prevent immigration, you don't need more houses.
I'm sure you don't swallow that one!
John
Psamathe
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Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by Psamathe »

Oldjohnw wrote: 20 Jun 2021, 1:04pm Big question: where should the houses be built if Not in My Backyard?
For me it isn't so much "not in my back yard" but rather in more appropriate places. I live edge of tiny village (population 400 spread throughout the parish) and there is a trend these days for "industrialisation of the countryside". We seem to be getting more and more industrial units built middle of countryside with no relationship with the countryside (e.g. not connected to farming or anything). Just some farmer has decided they want the money from losing a bit of a field and the magic "employment opportunities" is quoted (which means below minimum wage bussed in daily from 10+ miles away) and we end-up with articulated lorries along roads that are hardly two way for Range Rovers! (One Conservative District councillor said he would support any planning application for "business").

Ian
thirdcrank
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Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by thirdcrank »

Oldjohnw wrote: 20 Jun 2021, 2:27pm
thirdcrank wrote: 20 Jun 2021, 1:07pm
Oldjohnw wrote: 20 Jun 2021, 1:04pm Big question: where should the houses be built if Not in My Backyard?
Part of the ideology is that if you prevent immigration, you don't need more houses.
I'm sure you don't swallow that one!
Mentioning something doesn't imply I believe it to be right. I thought my reference to ideology made that clear.
Oldjohnw
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Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by Oldjohnw »

thirdcrank wrote: 20 Jun 2021, 3:34pm
Oldjohnw wrote: 20 Jun 2021, 2:27pm
thirdcrank wrote: 20 Jun 2021, 1:07pm
Part of the ideology is that if you prevent immigration, you don't need more houses.
I'm sure you don't swallow that one!
Mentioning something doesn't imply I believe it to be right. I thought my reference to ideology made that clear.
Sorry - i thought that was what I was saying.
John
Jdsk
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Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by Jdsk »

thirdcrank wrote: 20 Jun 2021, 1:47pm
But the general direction of travel should include regional regeneration, brownfield rather than greenfield sites, higher density housing, enormously higher building standards, and acceptance that many people don't generate enough wealth to build or buy individual "houses". (My emphasis.)
Does the bit I've highlighted mean that new social housing should only consist of flats?
State-supported housing should be designed according to need. And should take into account the environmental impact of the building, the energy efficiency of the homes, and the impact of the density of housing.

In many cases that will mean that it isn't a collection of closely packed detached or semidetached houses.

What it shouldn't be optimised for is developers' profit or capital accumulation by the resident. Or the party political effects of home ownership.

Jonathan
Jdsk
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Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by Jdsk »

thirdcrank wrote: 20 Jun 2021, 1:47pm
But the general direction of travel should include regional regeneration, brownfield rather than greenfield sites, higher density housing, enormously higher building standards, and acceptance that many people don't generate enough wealth to build or buy individual "houses". (My emphasis.)
Should people who do generate enough wealth be free of the dreaded red-tape?
No new housing should be exempt from assessment of environmental impact whoever builds it.

But the political changes I'd like to see include increased taxation on wealth, land and property. That would include addressing selective treatment on inheritance, reducing the barriers to moving, ownership by foreign non-residents, second and multiple ownership, and the problems of locals and incomers.

Incremental changes to each of those can help. but as always, impact will be limited without an integrated policy.

Jonathan
Oldjohnw
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Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by Oldjohnw »

As things are, people are able to have as many housing assets (they can't all be homes) as they want. Holiday homes, second homes, property for Air b and b. All pushing other people out.
John
Jdsk
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Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by Jdsk »

"Government plans to change law to restrict demonstrations breach human right to protest, says JCHR"
https://committees.parliament.uk/commit ... says-jchr/

"The Government's Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill (Part 3) would curb non-violent protest in a way that is inconsistent with our human rights and is deeply concerning, says the Joint Committee on Human Rights."

Explainer by Rozenberg:
https://rozenberg.substack.com/p/bill-r ... man-rights

Jonathan
Last edited by Jdsk on 22 Jun 2021, 10:32am, edited 1 time in total.
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simonineaston
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Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by simonineaston »

This government is taking advantage of the current drift towards right-wing populist attitiudes to put place all sorts of crappy projects that we are later going to regret big-time. My personal bee-in-bonnet is the health service. There are players out there who are sharply focused on changing the ground rules towards privatisation and an insurance-based system, with an express view to monetise the nation's health for personal gain. To stay on topic (BJ's brain is missing), it's key to this whole endevour that BJ is effectively, a minor player - he is in effect just the wrapping around the package . All the dirty work is being carried out well under the surface. While he remains popular (how does he do it??), the real players like Hopeless Hancock - not so hopeless it turns out, when it comes to the on-going project to privatise elements of the NHS - get on with persuing their own agenda, not necessarily by legislation but rather, by business arrangments. England will rue the day that Harding takes over NHS England... Meanhwile BJ swerves the difficult stuff yet again, by postponing the top-level social services rethink meeting.
S
(on the look out for Armageddon, on board a Brompton nano & ever-changing Moultons)
thirdcrank
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Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by thirdcrank »

While he remains popular (how does he do it??)
I've been amazed at the speed with which Boris Johnson has managed to squander the personal political capital he gained through the vaccination programme.
Psamathe
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Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by Psamathe »

simonineaston wrote: 22 Jun 2021, 10:29am ..... Meanhwile BJ swerves the difficult stuff yet again, by postponing the top-level social services rethink meeting.
He has no intention of addressing Social Care. He pledged "cross-party" but you don't get "cross-party" agreements from meeting between Johnson, Hancock and Sunak (2 other senior Conservative ministers) - cross party would likely involve more than one party!
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/boris-johnson-u-turns-on-pledge-to-deliver-cross-party-social-care-reforms/ar-AALhh7P?pfr=1 wrote:Boris Johnson has u-turned on his pledge to produce cross-party social care reforms with talks now due to start once the Government’s proposals have been published.
So Gov. will publish its flawed plans and then completely ignore all the criticism from those impacted Johnson blustering about he is right and everybody else wrong (again - gosh it must be nice to be right all the time!)

Ian
Psamathe
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Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by Psamathe »

simonineaston wrote: 22 Jun 2021, 10:29am .... Meanhwile BJ swerves the difficult stuff yet again, by postponing the top-level social services rethink meeting.
I can't understand why there is delay openng Johnson to further valid criticism. He has already explicitly stated he has a plan
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/aug/01/promising-to-fix-social-care-could-cost-boris-johnson-dearly wrote:“And so I am announcing now – on the steps of Downing Street – that we will fix the crisis in social care once and for all, and with a clear plan we have prepared to give every older person the dignity and security they deserve.”
So why not publish that plan and get other parties involved to get the necessary cross-party consensus. Unless of course he was lying (yet again) about already having a plan.

Ian
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