The Westminster Arms

I know it's naughty but I thought it was funny.
Sorry

Re the HS2 estimates. The failsafe methods of increasing costs as high as you like till you change opinion is to push out the delivery date and marginally flex the discount rates. You can also pad out the contingency fund and assume a bit / loads more for contentious compulsory purchases and legal reviews. The whole discussion smacks of kicking to the long grass and pivoting - may well be the right decision if quicker short term fixes for the North are available and changing tech is risking building a white elephant.

If you really want to do something otoh you do it double quick and magic up some offsetting future income streams.

I thought I'd try the @ thing, Dusty, and happily it did. Will also rack my brain when it's had a chance to recover.

Completely off topic, Amazon is offering me two free audible books - always a sign that said books have already been consigned to the bargain bin and still they won't shift.

One is David Cameron's autobiography.

All that time spent ruminating in the shepherd's hut was in vain.

Or has something increased in price since the original estimate?

Walking, consultancy fees.

About HS2, I am all in favour. I reckon when its built we will wonder how we did without it. But in terms of the costs ballooning, what has actually changed? Was it always this expensive but the 'experts' just didn't realise. Or has something increased in price since the original estimate?

Good to see you Holly and Larry.

It's quiet and calm in here and there is plenty of room in the snug by the fire.

Thanks for that article Scary.

The editor of Bilt clearly thinks we will be fine.
He agrees with me.😉

A warm welcome back to Holly and Larry. I'm sure there are a few more we are missing but my brain is frazzled from a full day in the kitchen (RL, not in here!)

Also glad to hear you are safely home, Scary. Hope you brought a serious amount of chocolate.

But I'm for because it will create extra capacity in the existing network etc

That's the strongest argument for HS2, IMO, but it was painted as an expensive way of shaving minutes off the London to Birmingham journey and since then, costs have spiralled. As they tend to do with government contracts. We need some tough negotiators in the infrastructure contract department...

I am another one who wonders if it would be possible to do HS2 from North to South.

I really don't like the current trend for politicians retiring into academia. I do think it is great for students to be able to pick the brains of former front liners but that could equally well be served, as it was in my day, by open guest lectures.

Kezia is now poacher turned gamekeeper at Glasgow Uni and some of her output does have the whiff of the Institution being captured.

So glad to have finally found you all - I have been reading the Arms thread for some time and have been looking for you all. Now to catch up on what has been going on.

*Foreign parts (not including anywhere over the Tamar, which whilst being foreign, doesn't require a passport!)

www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-7927123/ALEXANDER-VON-SCHOENBURG-says-Germany-fears-Britain-face-reality-Brexit.html

Interesting article in the DM by the editor of Bild...I was reminded of the immortal words of Lance Corporal Jones.

Back home, having done a silly amount of miles in 3 days. No plans for any more foreign parts for a bit - need to get the passport renewed and the driving licence back to a UK one.

Copper Ds (an RHUL alumni), says the Dept for which Bercow is supposedly working hasn't covered itself in glory in recent times. Something to do with a Corbyn outrider not having been entirely honest about his PhD thesis.

I had not thought of starting in the north. Nothing to stop them starting in the north now and joking up in the middle like they did with the channel tunnel.

Another vote in favour of HS2 but DH is dead against it. But I thought they should have started in the North and worked south... it's not as if the London-Birmingham trip is sooo slow. Any rail upgrades are eye-wateringly expensive and slow, and always have been.

I get the impression they are working like mad behind the scenes.

The next big events for me will be the reshuffle. Conservative Home are quoting the times that the 5 women Secretaries of State will go in the reshuffle but a lot of junior women will be promoted. We will see.

And then the budget. Which will give us an indication of whether Boris is serious about the North.

I hope we continue with HS2 but I suspect that I am in a minority of 1.

Afternoon all, just wanted to pop in to the new location.

Thanks lily for the nudge on the thread to remind me to post, I’ve gotten a bit behind since Christmas but it’s great to see the discussion still continuing.

The most interesting thing for me is that politics has got so much more quiet since the election. Things moving through Parliament, proper chairmanship by Sir Lindsay Hoyle. Can’t help but think it’s better for everyone’s mental health to see traction on brexit and now the ability to get stuck into solutions for other matters.
Although Friday might be interesting, I wonder if there will be any news specials etc?

Love Gisela - thank you. Will listen later when my cooking chores are done.

I emailed Gisela Stuart on the morning of 23 June 2016 to thank her for everything she had done for Leave and was thrilled to get a reply from her about ten minutes later. She must have been mad busy but she took the time and was so happy to be part of "this great day for democracy".

Now if there was a spare seat in the overcrowded Upper Chamber for a properly deserving person, Gisela would be my pick.

For anyone in search of a Podcast this is a fantastic 45 minutes with Gisela Stuart.

podcast.app/gisela-stuart-my-brexit-journey-e84429029/?utm_source=ios&utm_medium=share

Love the memes and cartoons.
Just called in a strong coffee.
Interesting how things change. All the moderates joining labour to vote for Starmer.

And the BBC being so remain hasn't changed.
They need to be afraid of Dom

Yep Dusty It is really striking how quickly the landscape and the narrative has moved on. Media still struggling to catch up or would be if they could actually get their heads out their own rear ends long enough to try.

I'm pretty sure the UK can muster up 500,000 Off the page nuts for all the political parties - sadly the SNP can manage that from a population of 5m to march all over the joint in all weathers.

The problem for the Labour Party is that their ideology insists no-one's feelings are ever offended. Thus the loudest voices drown out all semblance of reason and are constantly pandered to.

You are all completely missing the point of Deputy Burgon. The Deputy's job is surely absolute loyalty to the Leader and Party and Membership in the style of Whitelaw or Prescott. The odd "faux pas" in this context is not only forgivable but sometimes essential.

Contrast with Watson who spent his time undermining the Leader, the Party and the Membership - total disaster.

Caption competition: Is it Wrong to dream Daily?