Patch

That'd be the same Green Party who oppose nuclear energy, whose local politicians oppose solar farms due to NIMBY issues, who opposed HS2...

They talk a good talk, and they've got the branding down, but their actual track record on genuine environmental policies is pretty blotchy.

As a trade union official myself, I'd just like to say that that is some seriously good shit. It's practically a wishlist of all the things I feel would make my job of representing people in distress easier.

I know Unite are critical, but other unions are less so. I'd suggest that Unite's criticisms are more about the strength of the pledges (i.e. how committed Labour are to implementing this stuff quickly) rather than the content of what's being promised. While they could always go further, this is nonetheless a really solid set of reforms.

If anyone is wondering, these aren't (really) new pledges, they're just a voter-friendly glossy repackaging of material that they've already published in greater detail elsewhere. So for anyone saying "this is all so vague, what does it all mean?", you can dive into the full detail at the links below.

The website for all their policies is here:
https://labour.org.uk/missions/

The high-level mini-manifesto is here:
https://labour.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Lets-Get-Britains-Future-Back.pdf

There are specific policy packs on each of their areas too.

The economy:
https://labour.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Mission-Economy.pdf

Energy:
https://labour.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Make-Britain-a-Clean-Energy-Superpower.pdf

NHS and related:
https://labour.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Mission-Public-Services.pdf

Crime:
https://labour.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Mission-Safety.pdf

Education and related:
https://labour.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Mission-breaking-down-barriers.pdf

I think everything in these new "pledges" was already in the policy documents above with the possible exception of the "Border Security Command" thing, which is compatible with what they already announced but with a different name and a slightly different spin. That was announced properly last week, and the press release for it with a bit more detail is here:
https://labour.org.uk/updates/stories/labours-immigration-and-border-policy-stop-small-boats/

A "rival operator" in the sense of route duplication seems utterly pointless. Assuming finite capacity and demand for tunnel crossings, that'll mean halving the customers for each operator carries, reducing opportunity for economies of scale, increasing complexity for ticketing etc. Unless there's some suggestion that Eurostar is price gouging (and they're hardly wildly profitable compared to other operators) it won't do much.

What we do need is more diverse routes with different destinations (so that not everything is a transfer at Paris or Brussels). There probably is capacity for that, but Eurostar (and other operators who have dipped their toes in) have generally concluded that the demand isn't there to make the routes sustainable (at any price).

Well, if she does then Starmer can just kick her out again. He gets to have his cake and eat it that way; all of the embarrassment for Sunak of having an MP cross the floor, and the chance to performatively sack an MP that crosses a line.

A small set-top box (essentially a Steam Deck with the screen, controls and batteries removed, and with components that don't have the space restrictions that come with a mobile device) would still be an interesting proposition. Particularly if they partnered with the main video streaming services to port their apps across, and implemented Chromecast/AirPlay support.

I can see a market for it, as a "Chromecast and Apple TV competitor that also plays all your games".

Quits at the next election. Always an important distinction. No by-election this time, alas.

Aye. She's a bit old for swaddling now (almost 8 months), and she doesn't seem that bothered by white noise or the like.

In fact she resettles for me super quickly; asleep within a few seconds of me going to her. She just doesn't stay asleep very long...

Greens have said that they're looking forward to negotiating a new agreement with the SNP once they've selected a new leader (providing they select one who will negotiate with them, of course). With that in mind, the Greens may be willing to avoid Labour's VONC on the basis that they want to give the SNP a chance to select their new leader first.

If they're doing it the same as unpaid postage, paying them is still optional as a recipient. They'll just only give you the item of post if you pay what's owed.

To send things in the post?

Doner kebab is actually twice removed from the original; British doner kebabs are based on the German doner kebabs created by Germany's own Turkish population.