As the cost of living crisis grows, there is little sign that the government is taking effective action to help those who are in real need. In a pre-election interview on ITV’s Good Morning Britain, the Prime Minister failed to articulate what help may be available to a pensioner struggling to make ends meet. Shortly after, […]
On the 3 February 2022, plans for a multi-million pound expansion of one of the area’s biggest airports got approval from the Department of Transport after Bristol Airport appealed against the local council’s refusal. These plans look to increase the number of flights (in-bound by 97,000 a year and outgoing by 23,800), as well as […]
Jacob Rees Mogg wants to learn about the Opportunities of Brexit. Bit late perhaps, but let’s tell him
Too many people in our society live insecure and precarious lives as a result of low incomes, few opportunities to improve their situation and vulnerability to changes in circumstances which more affluent citizens can barely imagine. Soaring food costs and the energy bill crisis drove inflation to 5.4% in the 12 months to December 2021, […]
Despite all the screamingly obvious evidence to the contrary, most of us hoped that by some miracle Brexit would turn out well. We still live in hope, but the chances are diminishing by the day. Some of what is happening was foreseeable, and some goes even further than the worst predictions of “project fear”
Based in Birmingham and forming part of the very epicentre of UK high-end engineering, GKN Automotive has more than 500 jobs at stake
My “ethical and responsible” financial adviser, Philip Hanley, posts a blog most weeks to help his clients see the wood for the trees in matters financial, as well as passing a critical if occasionally sceptical view on Brexit, Covid and the world. Here’s an extract from his latest blog: So this time last year I […]
In spite of some ropey internet connection and little chance to give a full speech, Luke Pollard MP stated very clearly that food must become more political. Pollard is the Labour MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport and the Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. He was speaking at the forward-looking […]
My “ethical and responsible” financial adviser, Philip Hanley, posts a blog most Mondays which always causes me to smile and sometimes offers sound financial advice. Here’s a sample from this week. If it gets some attention, I may make it a regular feature. Advice doesn’t have to be dull! I was told this week that […]
When a major crime is committed in plain sight, it is a very British thing to walk past with a “nothing to see here, let’s move along” look on the face. We simply don’t want to get involved.
A socially-distanced public protest organized by Oxford for Europe took place at the BMW Mini Plant, Cowley on Thursday 8 October 2020. Key city figures back protest calling for deal to save Cowley. Key figures in Oxford’s community, academia, local government, Labour and business have welcomed UNITE’s new campaign for a Brexit deal. Several major […]
“For thousands more years the mighty ships tore across the empty wastes of space and finally dived screaming on to the first planet they came across – which happened to be the Earth – where due to a terrible miscalculation of scale the entire battle fleet was accidentally swallowed by a small dog.”Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker’s Guide […]
Further to his analysis of the current state-of-play regarding EU-UK trade negotiations , Ian Bartle argues that any deal will be a hard Brexit – but still not as bad as a catastrophic no-deal As the UK and European Union resume negotiations over a trade deal, one thing is abundantly clear: even if there’s a […]
Much has happened in the past two months, though the overall picture remains the same: the deal/no-deal question hangs in the balance – the moment of truth will come sometime in the Autumn. Although any deal in prospect will be a hard and very damaging, it will be significantly better than a catastrophic no-deal (West […]
After much obfuscation, Brexit has finally revealed itself to be a choice between Europe and America. Britain suffers with over confidence and under confidence simultaneously. There is a repetitive theme in British culture of superciliousness – “we are better than everyone else” – which runs in parallel with a constant hankering to be like other […]
So, 30 June 2020 has passed, we have not asked for an extension to the Brexit Transition Agreement, and we now have until this coming October to finalise the terms of our relationship with the European Union. If we fail to agree a deal, suppliers across the land will be deeply affected – not least […]
Gloucestershire has a rich history of sheep farming and Brexit is already putting it at risk. From the Cotswolds to the Forest of Dean, sheep farming is not only a major industry but it also supports many subsectors, including the processing of the meat, animal foodstuffs, transport firms and tourism. Brexit is already having a […]
Currently some 11 million people, around one-third of the UK workforce, are being supported by one or other of the Government’s job-related funding schemes. But everyone understands that such support can only be temporary, and that job losses will mount as the schemes are wound down. The rate of recovery of the economy and the […]