There are checks and then there are checks, as in the right colour ink! We all know bad faith when we see it. Correction: some of us.

+1

Cabinet should have the best skills available, bar none. That is at the discretion and in the gift of the (elected) PM.
"yesterday's war" wins the prize as the most naive comment of the week. Congratulations.

Indeed. Perfect opportunity for another EU own goal. We might even force the issue by reverting to WTO rules wef 1st March and reclaiming 100% control of our coastal waters. It has a lovely symmetry to it. Then we can get the WTO to investigate all the restrictive practices applied to our exports at their borders.

Gove had the right idea on education but ruffled teaching unions' feathers and was thrown to the wolves by Cameron. What has changed?
I hope Gove is not given Health, even though we desperately need a minister there with a brain cell. Unfortunately, he is too pro-lockdown and it looks as though that policy car crash will be with us for the rest 2021.
His oleagenous diplomatic skills would be better deployed on reform of the constitutional structure of the UK such as the House of Lords, (replace with elected 2nd chamber) the Supreme Court (de-politicise) constituency boundaries reform (currently on the back burner). Enough meat on those bones for his intellect!

We should not overlook the massive cost of a change of system. It is equivalent to a new Domesday Book. Then parameters have to be set and trials done to iron out all the idiosyncracies in the new tax vs the old tax(es) if there not to be riots a la Poll Tax.
I believe one way to validate this exercise would be to address planning laws at the same time, such that current brownfield sites are discounted when they are re-cycled with new permanent building, whereas greenfield development would attract a loading.
If the gov't relaxed current planning consent on existing structures - as envisaged - that would maximise the existing housing stock before greenfield sites are approved. We need to preserve green belts which are generally beneficial to living conditions and pragmatic planning and pricing would ensure that.

I agree that in the SW, the second home phenomenon has inflated property prices with little gain for community life and local business. however, if second home owners were to be replaced with first home owners, local services would have to be ramped up to cope, not least of which the NHS in retirement country.

LVT on the face of it could make second homes more prohibitive, but if demand remains strong, then prices will inflate even more - a two edged sword. There is already additional Stamp Duty and CGT on sale, and so presumably there would have to be a second residence loading of some kind?

The advantage of local is that via local elections, property holders can influence application of the rate. However, would the levy remain local or a portion be collected / re-distributed elsewhere?
If the parameters of the tax were decided centrally, it might appear more like "levelling up".

We are living in a new age of intolerance. In the West, a major contributor is the poor quality of modern "education", much of which is itself doctrinaire (viz the recent Eton teacher fiasco). The young are no longer being taught how to think for themselves and so distinguish the value of information or an argument. How are they then to immunise themselves against disinformation?
Twitter is not a "forum for debate". A word limit is incompatible with formulation of reasoned argument and that is not Twitter's purpose. It has become a platform for illiterate hysteria about whatever topic is prevalent in the last ten minutes - an illusion of self-expression to satisfy attention seekers - the ultimate frivolity.
What is far more serious in this de-enlightened age is who can censor and who cannot. Recent events around the Presidential succession in the USA typify what happens when censorship is arbitrary or preceived to be exercised by partial entities. This is the stuff of revolution and the overturn of established precedent and, as the invaders of the Capitol warned, "we shall not go away".
There is a parallel here with "censorship" of personal freedoms, which is why Covid regulation and advice are coming more and more into question in our country. We fear losing something even more precious than our health; the right to self-determination.

+1