UK News and Discussions

[wjfox]

It's a huge problem! I think the only real solution is an anti-fat pill that Kurzweil was prophecising back in the 1990s. I see more and more overweight people. They are unfortunately unable to control themselves. A real shame, only science can save us. Being obese is also more taxing on environment. It's bad through and through.

There are solutions that don't involve miraculous technologies though. There are tons of things the government could be doing, but isn't. It's a complex issue and I don't think it's quite as simple as people being unable to control themselves.

[Lorem Ipsum]

How the hell has Britain, supposedly one of the world's richest countries, got to this state in the 21st century??????

Well they were the largest empire in history

[Vakanai]

It's a huge problem!

There are tons of things

Well they were the largest

I mean, I like puns too but really...(And if that wasn't intentional it damn well is a heck of a coincidence.)

[wjfox]

[weatheriscool]

@PaulBrandITV

BREAKING: Tory rebels expect Sir Graham Brady to make a statement this morning announcing that there will be a vote of no confidence in Boris Johnson.

Only Brady knows the exact details, but this is as certain as anyone has sounded that a vote is on

[wjfox]

@PaulBrandITV

BREAKING: Tory rebels expect Sir Graham Brady to make a statement this morning announcing that there will be a vote of no confidence in Boris Johnson.

Only Brady knows the exact details, but this is as certain as anyone has sounded that a vote is on

It's been rumoured for several days now. Looks like it's really happening then.

I'm in two minds about this. On the one hand, Johnson is – by far – the worst, most corrupt, dishonest, incompetent, hard-right sociopathic fiend to ever hold office in the UK. He is the man most responsible for Brexit, our bungled response to Covid that killed 150,000, and the general malaise that has turned this country into a crushing dystopia.

On the other hand, him being in office is the best possible thing for Labour's chances in the next election.

[wjfox]

Anyway, I predict he'll survive this vote.

[weatheriscool]

Boris Johnson's anti-corruption tsar resigns over partygate and will vote for PM to go
Source: Sky News

The prime minister's anti-corruption tsar has resigned over Boris Johnson's response to the Sue Gray report into partygate - and will vote for him to go tonight. John Penrose sent his resignation letter to the PM just hours after it was announced a confidence vote in Mr Johnson's leadership will take place between 6pm and 8pm today.

The MP for Weston-super-Mare has been the UK's anti-corruption champion at the Home Office since 2017 but said he could no longer be in his post as Mr Johnson had not addressed the "failures of leadership and judgment" Ms Gray said had taken place over lockdown-breaking parties in Downing Street.

He said Mr Johnson has therefore breached "a fundamental principle of the Ministerial Code - a clear resigning matter" but said the PM's letter to Lord Geidt, the PM's independent adviser on the code, "ignores this absolutely central, non-negotiable issue completely". Mr Penrose confirmed to Sky News he will be voting against the PM this evening and said this is "the beginning of the end". "I think it's over [for the PM], it feels like it's when not if," he told Sky News.

Read more: https://news.sky.com/story/boris-johnso ... o-12628772

[weatheriscool]

Boris Johnson vote live: Voting on PM's future under way
Source: Sky News

It's 6pm and Conservative MPs are now able to vote on whether they have confidence in Boris Johnson's leadership or not.

The PM's backbench MPs have two hours to vote, with the secret ballot closing at 8pm this evening.

The result is expected around an hour after voting has closed.

For the prime minister to be ousted, half of Tory MPs plus one would need to vote against him, which is currently 180 MPs

Read more: https://news.sky.com/story/boris-johnso ... y-12593360

[Cyber_Rebel]

[wjfox]

[wjfox]

And... Johnson survives. For now.

I think this greatly increases the chances of a Labour/Lib Dem/Green victory in the next General Election.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-politics-60289386

[wjfox]

[Vakanai]

And... Johnson survives. For now.

I think this greatly increases the chances of a Labour/Lib Dem/Green victory in the next General Election.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-politics-60289386

For those of us unfamiliar with UK politics, what would a Labour/Lib Dem/Green victory mean for that country?

[Nero]

The UK's public services would likely see a lot more funding.

There would be an increase in benefits for those unable to work.

There would likely be a more pro Europe stance taken by the UK and some elements of Brexit may be removed.

The SNP would lose a drastic amount of power within Scotland.

There would be a shift away from ICE car manufacturing to EV manufacturing within the UK.

[Vakanai]

The UK's public services would likely see a lot more funding.

There would be an increase in benefits for those unable to work.

There would likely be a more pro Europe stance taken by the UK and some elements of Brexit may be removed.

The SNP would lose a drastic amount of power within Scotland.

There would be a shift away from ICE car manufacturing to EV manufacturing within the UK.

So like the Democrats if they could actually get stuff done then? Sounds good.
What's the SNP?

[Lorem Ipsum]

What's the SNP?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_National_Party
The Scottish National Party (SNP; Scots: Scots National Pairty, Scottish Gaelic: Pàrtaidh Nàiseanta na h-Alba [ˈpʰaːrˠʃtʲi ˈn̪ˠaːʃən̪ˠt̪ə nə ˈhal̪ˠapə]) is a Scottish nationalist and social democratic political party in Scotland. The SNP supports and campaigns for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom and for membership of the European Union,[11][23][24] with a platform based on civic nationalism.[25][26] The SNP is the largest political party in Scotland, where it has the most seats in the Scottish Parliament and 45 out of the 59 Scottish seats in the House of Commons at Westminster, and it is the third-largest political party by membership in the United Kingdom, behind the Labour Party and the Conservative Party.

[Cyber_Rebel]

what would a Labour/Lib Dem/Green victory mean for that country?

So basically, the Brit version of Germany's "traffic light" coalition. Wish America had one, multi-party parliamentary democracy truly is superior for getting more legislation done by requiring blocs to work together in order to pass it. The two-party duopoly simply encourages obstruction, and all too often all it takes are a literally few corrupt elements (Manchin, McConnel, etc) to ruin it. Of course, it's that way by design & ignorance of the electorate.

It also helps that Prime Ministers have more actual domestic power than the POTUS does, who in comparison has more of a foreign power influence.

[wjfox]

[Time_Traveller]

Electric 'flying boat' launched in Belfast

2 hours ago



A Belfast-based company aims to take a major step in the development of zero-emissions marine technology with the launch of an electric-powered workboat.

As part of a government-backed initiative, Artemis Technologies has developed an eFoiler propulsion system for its workboats.

A six-passenger vessel - with a range of 60 miles - will be officially launched later.

A 12-passenger boat was also designed and built in Belfast.

The company says the workboats can be recharged in one hour, create little wake and are the first commercially-viable crafts of their kind.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-61731943