Do The British Like Marxism?
If the Exit Poll produced by the BBC, ITV and Sky is correct, the Tories will have a majority of 86.
In the General Election of 1983, Michael Foot, who was not as far to the left as Jeremy Corbyn won 209 seats.
The Exit Poll is showing that Corbyn will win only 191 seats.
I don’t think the British public like Marxism, especially when it comes from someone in London, who went to a posh school.
A Curious Election
I voted early this morning about 09:30
Because, the usual Polling Station in a school was unavailable, two stations had been combined in a local community hall.
Usually, Labour Party supporters are busy outside making sure that they maximise the vote for Meg Hillier.
But today there was no-one outside and the only greeting was from the Poll Clerk.
There didn’t seem to be too many people voting either. I don’t think it was as busy as 2017. And I always vote early!
Was it the weather, was I too early or was it some other reason?
All very curious.
The betting odds seem carious too! Both Tories and Labour seem to be dropping, with the others steady.
Does this say that the LibDems and others are getting squeezed?
Action This Day!
This was Churchill’s famous phrase and you can read all about it here.
I am getting sick of the indecision of Brexit and I suspect many in this country feel the same.
As I’m retired, it doesn’t make any difference to my business and those that I employ, as there is no business and no employees.
To my mind, Brexit must be sorted by the end of January at the latest, so that we can all move on.
- If we vote in Boris Johnson with a large majority, we might leave, although I suspect there will be challenges in Parliament, the Courts and on the streets.
- If we vote in Jo Swinson with a large majority, she will revoke article 50 and that could be the end of Brexit for at least a few years and hopefully for ever.
- If we vote in Jeremy Corbyn with a large majority, he will dither and prevaricate for a few years years, before we get another close referendum, which gives us more of what we’ve had for the last few years.
As someone, who voted Remain and now quite frankly doesn’t care, I believe the only way to get us out of this mess made by David Cameron, is to hope that Johnson or Swinson get a majority large enough to carry out their stated policies on Brexit.
As for Corbyn, who has a Push-Me-Pull-You policy on Brexit, everybody should make sure, that whoever they vote for, consigns Corbyn, his apparatchiks and their crack-pot policies to the dustbin of history.
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.
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.
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!
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?
Boris Johnson Vows New Life For High Streets And Axed Rail Lines
The title of this post is the same as that of this article in The Times.
This is the introductory paragraph.
Boris Johnson is promising to revitalise “left behind” high streets through tax cuts for pubs and shops and reversing some of the Beeching rail cuts to branch lines.
The article gives a map of the lines and here is a list of them.
- Newcastle and Ashington/Blyth.
- Bristol and Portishead
- Camp Hill Line
- Willenhall and Darlaston
- Thornton-Cleveleys and Fleetwood
- Okehampton and Exeter
- March and Wisbech
- Uckfield and Lewes
- A new station he building of a station at Skelmersdale.
I will suggest other possibilities and add them here.
- West Hampstead and Hounslow – Part of the West London Orbital Railway
- Brent Cross and Kew – Part of the West London Orbital Railway
- Cirencester – See Could Cirencester Be Reconnected To The Rail Network?
There could be several!
The Technology Is With Us!
Anyone who follows railway technology, as I do, knows that technology coming on stream will ease the creation of these routes.
- Modern digital in-cab signalling, as already used on Thameslink.
- Battery-electric trains.
- Innovative charging for battery-electric trains.
- Hydrogen-powered trains.
- Tram-trains
- Automatic train control
- Remote services in simple depots.
- Better bridge-raising and other construction techniques.
Many of these new routes will be able to use a standard train.
The Anonymous Widower 