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!
Will Business Trust Ultra-Marxist Labour?
This is a paragraph from an article in today’s copy of the Times, which is entitled Labour’s Big Call Has BT Hanging By A Wire.
Only two weeks ago Mr Jansen, 52, had dismissed the threat of Labour nationalisation, saying that BT was “not on the list” and taking comfort from comments from John McDonnell over the summer and made personally. Labour’s shadow chancellor had said in an interview in July that there were “no tricks up my sleeve” and that the “limit of our ambition” was taking the power networks, Royal Mail, rail and water companies into state ownership.
It appears John MacDonnell has either changed his mind, or was doing something rather devious.
Will business at any level from the smallest corner shop to the largest FTSE 500 company ever trust what this ultra-Marxist Labour party says?
Nationalised British Broadband
Labour’s plans to nationalise broadband and provide it free to homes and small business is a cracker!
Advantages For Labour
It would have one big advantage for Labour!
It’s a great way of listening in to all their political opponents. They only have to ask the Chinese how to do it!
How for instance, would another political party, with a radical agenda organise?
But!
Consider these points.
- Mobile phone traffic uses the same Internet backbone as broadband.
- Internet tech giants like Amazon, Facebook and Google wouldn’t pay up without a fight
- Everybody’s pension fund would suffer, as BT is often there and shares would be replaced by junk bonds.
- Virgin Media and other broadband suppliers would be nationalised as well or could become worthless.
- A lot of American Internet companies would go running to the US President and just as Trump has applied tariffs willy-nilly in his trade war with China, a future President wouldn’t take it lying down.
- The high-tech industry has already said they don’t like it.
The biggest problem is that Internet usage will grow exponentially with 5G broadband and all the connected devices, like
- Driverless cars.
- Automated warehouses and delivery systems.
- Connected smart household and other appliances.
- Connected massive screens, which every business, school or home will have.
- Every child watching content on mobile devices.
- Collectinbg operating data from cars, trucks and trains to make them more reliable.
- Automated care assistance for the ill, frail and elderly.
Can any government afford the cost of continual upgrading of capacity, which will not be like anything seen before?
It certainly, is a cracker!
And if it is implemented, it will blow up in the ultra-Marxists’ faces.
Piers Corbyn
I’ve just read Piers Corbyn’s entry in Wikipedia.
It is the sort of short light reading, that you need to pass the time on a bus, train or toilet.
Galliard Homes To Develop £140m Luxury Flat Complex Above Crossrail Station
The title of this post is the same as that of this article on City AM.
This is yet another Crossrail related development.
One Liverpool Street: City Of London Approves Crossrail Entrance Office Block
The title of this post is the same as that as this article on City AM.
This paragraph describes the financial structure of the development.
One Liverpool Street will be run by asset managers Aviva Investors, through a joint venture with Transport for London (TfL), and will replace an existing six-storey office block.
It is yet another development along the Crossrail route.
Eden Project Morecambe Now ‘Certain’
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the Westmoreland Gazette.
I’ve always liked the Eden Project Morecambe and can’t see why it will not be as big a success, as its Cornish sister.
- It has good transport links.
- It could be served by battery electric trams or trains from the West Coast Main Line.
- It is within an two hours ,of the large population centres of Blackpool, Liverpool, Manchester and North Lancashire.
- It is a complimentary attraction to the Lake District.
But above all, it catches the mood of today’s world.
Rescued By Timpsons
Putting my boots back to go to the Football at around five, one of the laces gave up the ghost.
Timpsons? Surely, they could help.
But I would have to hurry, as it shut at six o’clock. I suppose the good peoiple of Manchester have to get up early to work in the satanic mills, so shops close early.
I eventually found a Timpsons in the Arndale Centre and for a few pounds, I got some new laces.
As the price included fitting, that must be three cheers for Timpsons!
As I left the Arndale Centre, many shops were closing.
Could the decline in High Street sales be partly because opening hours no longer fit the times, when the public now want to shop?
I regularly shop for everyday needs in the evening, if the television is rubbish and will go out for a snack supper to say a Leon or Carluccio’s and then perhaps pop-in to a Marks and Spencer to get food for a few days or perhaps some clothes from Eastfield. Usually shops in Inner London close at nine or ten.
My local M & S foodhall in Dalston, which is shutting at ten tonight, is just two bus stops away.
Perhaps, more people need to live in City Centres to revive them?
And Now Drones Reunited!
This article on the BBC is entitled UK Drone Pilots Have 25 Days To Register With Regulator.
This is an extract.
CAA spokesman Jonathan Nicholson said: “Our aim is for the Drones Reunited platform to become an essential service for the drone community – the first port of call for anyone who has lost, or found, a drone.”
I like the name and the concept!
It might even encourage drone owners to register!
The Anonymous Widower 