We’ve got a busy day ahead, here at Liberal Democrat Voice. There are a wide range of views regarding the General Election Review, as you might guess, and they’re still coming in, so you can expect a number of articles today and tomorrow…
2 big stories
The Immigration Bill has had its Second Reading in the Commons and, unsurprisingly, was passed by a majority of 99 votes. It’s a pretty shoddy, rather unpleasant piece of work from a Home Secretary who clearly believes in pulling up the drawbridge that her own family (and mine) used not so long ago. But, given that the trending mood amongst British voters is, apparently, towards a more tolerant view of migrants, it may damage both the country and Conservative prospects going forward. Frankly, I hope for the latter, and not the former.
News comes from Europe of an agreement between President Macron and Chancellor Merkel on a fiscal recovery package for the European Union offering €500 billion in support. Alright, the bows and ribbons aren’t attached yet, but you sense that it’s only a matter of time. Here’s what Dutch analysts from ING Bank think about it all…
2 social media posts
I’ve found Anne Appelbaum to be an extraordinarily knowledgeable author and commentator on Eastern Europe, and her history of the Gulags made powerful, if rather difficult, reading. But her recent tweet shows the power of political satire…
Everything gets stupider: Polish state radio censors the top-30 pop list because a song mocking the ruling party leader hit number one https://t.co/ac7Xx0npUx
— Anne Applebaum (@anneapplebaum) May 18, 2020
Rumour has it that the programme of restoration and renewal of the Palace of Westminster is fated to be abandoned. Stephen Bush has a rather sardonic view of the matter…
Really looking forward to the inquiry after the Palace of Westminster burns down. https://t.co/kGaRuDg3Fk
— Stephen Bush (@stephenkb) May 18, 2020
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7 Comments
Patel stated that her bill will ensure,,,“A firmer, fairer and simpler system that will attract the people we need to drive our country forward through the recovery stage of coronavirus laying the foundation for a high wage, high skill, productive economy.”…..
Well that must be good news for care workers. No-one can deny their contribution during this crisis so, obviously, their wages will rise to the £25,600 ‘threshold’ salary required in Patel’s bill,,,,
Why on can’t they renovate Westminster and turn it over to the tourist Industry and charge to enter. In the meantime build a New Westminster in,as near as possible, to the CENTRE of the UK.
Yes. It would be a good idea to raise care workers wage to 25,600. It would raise the standing of the job as shown with Covid 19. This could be a campaign issue
News comes from Europe of an agreement between President Macron and Chancellor Merkel …. offering €500 billion in support. Alright, the bows and ribbons aren’t attached yet……..
Congratulations on at least a mention of a story which is about the EU but isn’t about the UK’s membership, or ex-membership, of it. This is an important topic which will decide if there is going to be an EU to have any sort of relationship with in the next few years.
€500 billion sounds a lot but we have to appreciate that there are 27 countries in the EU of which at least half will need more than a little financial support. I would say this is approximately what might have been needed to cure the problems of the EZ prior to Covid 19 outbreak. There’s going to be much more needed if we include that too. Plus it’s never going to be a one off payment. As with any other common currency union there is a permanent need for fiscal transfers to balance up the EZ economy generally.
Still it’s an important first step but there isn’t a one step solution.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-52717232
@ n hunter
“….. a New Westminster in,as near as possible, to the CENTRE of the UK.”
Just on a point of information: the centre of the UK is located in Morecambe Bay. I know that because its close to where I live! I’m not sure how I feel about the possible influx of lots of politicans and government depts?
Maybe its a good idea but – not in my back yard! 🙂
Peter Martin,
Rest assured Morecambe Bay can stay peaceful:
“ The town of Haltwhistle in Northumberland has banners stating that it is the “Centre of Britain”.
I think it may depend on including Orkney and Shetland, which I’m sure Alastair Carmichael would agree to!
(Just realised I missed NI, whoops).
Perhaps the Isle of Man is the centre of the UK. Oh dear! It isn’t actually in the UK!
One thing a Brasilia or Canberra for the UK really would need is a major railway station, preferably on Crossrail 2.
And the question is still to be resolved: Does Brexit mean the end of the UK (no Northern Ireland – no UK)?
There are various methods of calculating the centre of the UK. You’ll get a different answer if you do it by population density, but geographically it is in:
“A position in the middle of Morecambe Bay, approximately 1.5 miles (2.4 km) off the coast at Morecambe , Lancashire, at Ordnance Survey grid reference SD4157566760.”
Fame and fortune for Morecambe at last? 🙂
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centre_points_of_the_United_Kingdom