The Westminster Arms

[DustyDiamond]

As requested, I have contacted MNHQ via the contact provided in the deletion message

Welcome to The Westminster Arms!

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A non-partisan politics pub thread for political chit chat....!!

Please stick within MN talk guidelines - any posts which you think may have crossed the line, please report rather than getting into scraps on thread 😠

Political punch-ups are soooo last decade - ain't nobody got time for that 🥊❌

Be nice! Be respectful!

S'ok to slag off politicians, but not other posters 🍻

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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...

🍷 for those still finding us!!

Does the @ thing work even if you're not in the thread then??!!

My brain is also too fried to think of names we've lost 😳😳

Thanks for that article Scary.

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

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.

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?

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.

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

Singing Just a bit of chocolate, and some beer to make carbonnade with. Two of my biggest food misses wouldn't make it home....individual frozen cakes of dauphinoise potatoes, and almond ice cream. I bought loads of mayo for ds though, and flavours of cat food unavailable here for the imperial overlords.

If money is to be invested in rail, then sorting out the line at Dawlish would help, as would building a branch line from Tavi into Plymouth.

individual frozen cakes of dauphinoise potatoes

Try Ocado - Picardy brand. Highly recommended by this household

My feline overlord would be jealous about the cat food though...

On another thread, someone posted a railway map of Ireland in history (I didn't hoist in the date) compared to today's rail map of Ireland. And the loss of connection was appalling.

Good article from Bild, Scary. I thought the banker's comment that we wanted to align with higher growth economies, without fetters, rang true.

Copper thank you for that 😂

Just popping in to tidy up the bar ready for tomorrow and looking in the till, I can see old receipts from @MeganBacon and @Dapplegrey as well as @TheWorldturnedUpsideDown. Wonder how they are doing?

It has been a good day and takings are up so I'm having a non-alcoholic mojito - an absolutely epic drink - as a nightcap and leaving another on the bar for later.

Hasta mañana, por la mañana.

I used to buy non alcoholic mojito syrup

Wonder if this will get a cinema showing. Also wonder if it’s annoying 😂
www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/shows/death-of-england

Hello Singing here I am enjoying the banter.
Looking forward to the chat here on Jan 31st.

Enjoyed reading that Bild article Scary, thanks. It's such a change to read positive thoughts on post brexit matters.

Barry Gardiner in the dream team? I'm with Lily there with the headache. That man does not know when to stop with the verbal diarrhoea. I absolutely cringe when he sounds the h in 'wHat'. Was it on Andrew Neil when he got the rage?

Autumn In Belgium one could buy a non alcoholic mojito; fresh juice, lemon/lime and mint. Dh got through stacks of it, and ds added rum!

Here you all are . thanks for the tag smiling or I wouldn't have found you. I've been amazed how all the frenzy and unpleasantness died down and frankly enjoying things being normal again. Read the article fromBild editor - I wouldn't generally trust the Bild or the mail but I hear those sentiments from German friends and colleagues all the time.