Hampstead Homes Left To Rot On Billionaires’ Row
The title of this post is the same as this article in today’s copy of The Times.
The article talks how multi-million pound houses in The Bishops Avenue ae being left to go to rack and ruin by their owners, who tend to be rich foreign nationals.
I hate waste and if a house is allowed to decay like this it should be a criminal offence, except in certain limited circumstances.
The Bishops Avenue is in the London Borough of Barnet and like most London Boroughs, Barnet needs more housing.
I hope the next Government brings in legislation to make sure our housing stock is kept up to standard.
President Putin To Set Up Russian Web Encyclopaedia To Rival ‘Unreliable’ Wikipedia
An article with this title, was published in yesterday’s Times.
The title is a very good summary.
A Use For John McDonnell
Of all of today’s crop of politicians with crackpot policies, the one I like least is John McDonnell!
Today, though, he appeared on the BBC, as I was prevaricating about going to get my newspaper and some other shopping.
I left with all the speed of a rat up a drainpipe.
Thinking about it, I do rather look down on people who treat mathematics as fiction.
Record Drop In Coal Use As Rich Nations Go Green
This is an article in today’s Times.
More Expensive Promises From The New Monster Raving Loony Party
Every day we get more expensive promises from Corbyn and his loony friends.
Are they intending to get over a message that they will bankrupt the country?
But we’ve not seen the last big money promise from Corbyn’s Department of Silly Ideas.
It is so sad, that Screaming Lord Sutch has passed on, because he would be having fun at Corbyn’s expense to our delight! Now he did believe in silly policies.
- Lowering of the voting age.
- Abolition of dog licences
- Passports for pets.
- Longer pub opening hours.
This election is being fought by one party with a promise of Get Brexit Done and the other with a promise of Spend Spend Spend.
Unfortunately, the Labour Party might find government in the real world more difficult, than in their silly fantasies.
Evereybody should prepare themselves for Ed Milliband’s mansion tax and a wealth tax.
The New Mr. Creosote
The front page headline on today’s copy of The Times is Corbyn ‘Neutal’ On Brexit.
Is this a good idea?
- Strong Remainers or strong leavers will surely be unlikely to back Corbyn or the Labour Party in the General Election on December 12th.
- It also contrasts sharply with his strong definite views on the direction of the economy.
It is a weak decision and is fence-sitting of the highest order.
I Live In An Election Poster-Free Area
I gaven’t seen a poster for the election yet.
Although, I did see one St. George’s Cross, but England were playing that night.
Boris And A National Insurance Cut
This article on the BBC is entitled Boris Johnson Pledges Cut To National Insurance.
This is the introductory paragraph.
Boris Johnson aims to change National Insurance rules so workers will not have to pay it until they earn £12,500.
I can just about remember my first real pay packet.
- I was 16 and it was only a vacation job from school.
- It was notes and coins in a brown envelope.
- I was working in a factory designing and building electronics to automate heavy machinery.
- In the pay packet was a payslip, which included a small deduction for National Insurance.
- I was a bit miffed at the deduction, as I wasn’t earning much.
What I like about Boris’s plan, is that so many of those employed in lower-paid jobs will now not see a deduction for Income Tax or National Insurance.
What reaction will that bring in those employed in those lower-paid jobs?
- I doubt anybody would object.
- It could be a powerful motivator, as they would keep more of the fruits of their labours.
It would also be a very difficult policy to reverse. Imagine a future government breaking the link between Income Tax and National Insurance!
Thoughts On The Liberal Democrats Manifesto
This article on the BBC is entitled Liberal Democrats Manifesto: 12 Key Policies Explained.
I feel that there is some scientifically incorrect thinking on both the part of the Liberal Democrats and the BBC.
Here are my thoughts.
Note that the numbers are those in the BBC article.
4. Generate 80% Of Electricity From Renewables By 2030
The BBC article says this about this proposal.
We are already on a path of rapid decarbonisation – with 40% of our electricity produced by wind, solar and biomass in the third quarter of this year.
And recent government projections suggest that contribution is set to rise to just under 50% over the next decade.
So the Liberal Democrats’ plan for 80% would mean the extremely rapid construction of many more solar farms and wind turbines on land and out at sea.
I think that the BBC are underestimating the City of London and especially, the big pension providers and insurance companies like Aviva, Aberdeen Standard, L & G and lots of others.
These companies need safe long-term investments and offshore wind, soplar farms and energy storage, fit the bill extremely well. In World’s Largest Wind Farm Attracts Huge Backing From Insurance Giant, I discuss how Aviva are backing renewable energy.
If the Government doesn’t annoy the City, it may well be possible to persuade companies to invest in renewable energy projects.
5. Tax Frequent Flyers
This will have various effects.
- A family, who fly regularly to their weekend house in Bordeaux would take the train. This is beneficial.
- More people will use their cars on short trips to the Continent. This is not beneficial.
- Long haul passengers might find it cheaper to fly to say Australia, by taking a train to Paris or Schipol airports. This is not beneficial and already happens in Europe, where people drive to Schipol.
I am all for discouraging people not to fly, but I do feel that it fight be better to plant trees to offset the carbon.
7. Legalise Cannabis
Cannabis is a difficult problem.
- I believe that we don’t know enough about the long term effects of taking cannabis.
- I also think we don’t know enough about itsw theraupeutic uses.
- I wouldn’t take it now, but if I was dying a painful death, I might try anything.
I also feel that my son was coeliac like me and his heavy use of cannabis and gluten ruined his immune system, which meant his body didn’t fight the early stages of the pancreatic cancer, that killed him.
8. Freeze Train Fares
This is one of those policies, that looks good on paper and goes down well with voters.
But look what happened on the North London Line, when new trains and more frequent services were introduced nearly ten years ago.
Passenger numbers increased dramatically and since then, the number of trains has been increased to match.
On many routes, a fare freeze would create a similar rise in passengers, so make sure the numbers are correct and the necessary new trains are ordered, refurbished or sourced.
Conclusion
Politicians never think out their policies fully!
China’s Biggest Worry Is Pork Not Protests
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article in The Times.
In the year of the Pig, apparently swine flu is rampant in China and half the pig population has gone in the last fifteen months.
It’s a thoughtful article by |Edward Lucas.
Over the years crises like this have brought governments down and with the price of pork rising fast China may see some serious unrest.
This situation is one to watch!
The Anonymous Widower 