To put this into context, this is the same "Scoop" Mason who, as BBC political correspondent, deliberately ignored the Mone scandal for 18 months even after the Fraud Squad had raided her homes, and the story was in the public domain for all that time because both Byline Times and the Guardian had reported on it. And, the BBC also decided not to report on the actual fact that the high court had found the VIP Covid contracts lane to be illegal. Proof positive that the BBC hierarchy is infested with Tufton St alumni such as Gibb, Davie, and Turness. And don't get me going on that ****ing train wreck of an appearance on Question Time last night by Cameron's sister-in-law. The BBC is not taking being in Opposition very well. But yeah, Starmer's wife borrowed a frock.
Is it not British politics? There's been a huge discussion about Labour cronyism, supposedly on the same level as the Tories. I'm merely expressing my exasperation at the BBC's role in this whilst, by-and-large, they turned a blind eye to at least the last five years of Tory governments, if not the whole 14 years. Just think about every scandal the Tories were involved in, and it's hard to find any of them that were broken by the BBC, and in fact, as in the case of Mone and VIP lanes, were actively buried by Newsnight and Question Time.
No you are starting to spam the prem board in the same way you did GC, so fook off back to GC. I've already politely asked you previously on another thread, but you seem one of these people that can't help himself so best I just bin you off from here.
To be fair mate, I think it's difficult to link to a story without posting the source, even if that is twitter. We've all been having the conversation about free speech, and how this place is one of those spaces where we can enjoy it. I know you get exasperated with the twitter links, but I think the place is better when people can have their say, even Sucky with his brainwashed Tommy Robinson ****e.
To drop the ban, suggestions are the hospitality sector are behind persuading Keir to not go ahead with it. They said they spent a lot of money on infrastructure accommodating smokers outside, to save their businesses, what with the duty on alcohol and business rates, they don't think they can carry on with anymore changes that affect their customers. Personally I'm seeing pubs closing at an alarming rate now, I've also seen a report that suggests clubs are disappearing as well - people won't be going out socialising anymore before long if we keep on like this.
I don;t mind sources mate, even I do that in links, and the ocassional twitter link, he does it to cause animosity, he was warned on the war thread, he really just can;t help himself. I voted Labour, I support Keir, but I don't need Tory crap keep being posted from twitter to here, he did that on GC, if he wants to do that then he needs to stay there, anyway I've made the decision now, he knows how I operate, but constantly wants to challenge that, so I'm tired of him now.
That's good to hear, because from a public health perspective, he would have been under a lot of pressure to put a ban in place. But these things are rarely black and white, and like you say, the hospitality sector has taken a walloping since Covid, then inflation and cost of living crisis., plus the increased costs associated with running pubs, cafes, restaurants etc. Electricity, gas, ingredients etc have all gone up **** loads. All of which have put a huge strain on keeping these businesses viable. Anything that can help these businesses is a good thing, because they are the heart and soul of towns and cities and the owners are small business people, who will spend their money with other local businesses and keep that circular economy strong.
Yeah you are right about the walloping, hospitality have said people are just not going out anymore, surely that can't be healthy either, especially for mental health, and no longer having meeting places, whether that be a pub, club or even a restaurant and cafe, we need to change this tide and get people socialising again, rather than being stuck indoors on cheap supermarket booze and smoking like troopers in their back gardens instead.
You sure that's not you taking it the wrong way though ? I don't mean that to cause a rift, but loads of people post stuff on here that we don't always agree with. I'm not sure any of it is directed at anybody personally ? I remember Saf posting loads of negative stuff from twitter about Labour during the election, and calling people lefty lunatics and anti-semites etc, but I just take that as part of the rough and tumble of this place.
Read what he said to Duggie, I know Duggie is thick skinned but he's turning this thread into GC, we all get along and argue our points with a bit banter, he don't do banter, so even if I'm taking it the wrong way, I'm not changing my mind he's an intelligent enough lad to know what he was doing was going to piss me off.
Yeah 100% agree. Our worlds have become increasingly turned inwards with the mass of information, entertainment with a billion TV channels and the internet etc. And like you say, the high price of eating out, more and more folk are 'entertaining' at home. This summer was a really difficult one for me for trade. A lot of people I spoke to were saying that after they'd paid for the cost of their accommodation, they had very little left for eating our etc. So loads of them were going to Lidl, and buying cheap booze and BBQ stuff to cook themselves.
Yup. I really think the government need to put up the price of supermarket booze, I saw an advert the other day, 2 pick and mix large cases of booze for something like £17, if they really are worried about people's health, people stuck indoors is a quick way to put pressure on the NHS.
What did he say to Duggie ? Duggie can dish it out too when he wants, so I'm not sure he'd be offended ? You're saying he's pissed you off, so that is kind of taking it personally lol, when maybe it's just part of the dynamics of these sorts of threads ? Anyway, I'm probably the last person you're gonna listen to when asking for a bargaining plea but let him back on here mate, he does actually offer some decent conversation and thought provoking posts.
Tufton surf or something Like I said he's an intelligent lad, he's better than this, he could argue anyone under the table without the need of animosity and the aid of twitter. Btw No!
Wasn't there talk of a booze tax at one point ? Maybe that was in Scotland ? I dunno, I'll have a dig and see if I can find it. But I agree, the supermarkets make huge profits anyway, which is why they can afford to sell cheap booze. A lot of those margins are absorbed by the suppliers too.
The industry have got round the tax by reducing the strength of beers they bottle and can. So something that was 4%+ is now 3.6% or whatever. If it was 5%+ it is now 4. something. Only in the UK though, to get round UK taxation
Oh Tufton St lol. Yeah the seat of unaccountable policy direction from shady donors for years under the Tories.
I noticed it a week or so back, I thought I'm sure these beers use to be stronger than this, then funnily enough I came across an article by pure chance a few days later explaining what the industry was doing. Mind you, I don't actually mind them dropping the strength, I can't think what anyone wants a 6-8% beer for, do you really enjoy it, there's a few I might, but generally no. So by them dropping the percentage, would actually encourage me to drink more, you really couldn't make this shhite up sometimes.
