bluebynature

bluebynature

53p

136 comments posted · 4 followers · following 0

6 years ago @ http://www.conservativ... - A "No Deal" Brexit is ... · 1 reply · +1 points

The old "less educated" remark. You know that society was completely different in previous decades, right? And most of the degrees people have now do nothing significant for people's education? I know, because I went back to university myself in 2006 - most degrees are purely a box-ticking exercise; many are a complete waste of time and money.

Not to mention that the European Commission does an annual survey of people's general knowledge of the EU. Guess what: our under-25s consistently score amongst the worst in the EU, and always worse than older UK citizens.

6 years ago @ http://www.conservativ... - A "No Deal" Brexit is ... · 0 replies · +1 points

That's a terrible list. There were plenty of dodgy things said on both sides but that list is awful. It's got things like Scotland not wanting independence as a lie, when they gave the SNP a major kicking in the election. Most of the other things on it can't be proven or disproven for years. Ridiculous. Not to mention that things aren't always linked. Not every bad thing that happens mean that people were lying, and not every good thing means that they weren't. For example, if the public sector pay freeze ends this year then we wouldn't say that's because of Brexit.

Also, it's very difficult to take anything seriously that doesn't include a balanced view on the things both sides said.

6 years ago @ http://www.conservativ... - James Elles: Oblivious... · 1 reply · +1 points

Cameron, Osbourne and many others said during the campaign the leaving the EU meant leaving the single market and customs union: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dghdvVbtowM&f...

It was absolutely clear what we were voting for. EFTA was never mentioned by the government in positive terms (let's not forget that the Leave campaign were not and are not the government).

6 years ago @ http://www.conservativ... - James Elles: Oblivious... · 1 reply · +1 points

The problem I found when looking into positive things about the EU is that the vast majority could be and are obtainable outside a political union all around the world, e.g. security collaboration, education exchanges, science collaboration, defence collaboration, environmental collaboration, free-trade agreements. I could go on. So from my personal perspective, we get all the negatives from being in when hardly any benefits we couldn't get from outside.....when dealing with any kind of rational organisation / body / country.

6 years ago @ http://www.conservativ... - James Elles: Oblivious... · 1 reply · +1 points

I agree. I was convinced that single thing would cost Leave the referendum. I am certain it significantly impacted the vote. The general theme was the country was significantly more leave-leaning than I expected.

6 years ago @ http://www.conservativ... - James Elles: Oblivious... · 2 replies · +1 points

I don't agree. Cameron and Osbourne both said publicly on several occasions that leaving the EU meant leaving the single market and customs union. I really do get tired of people saying it was unclear - it is actually one of the most clear things from the campaign. Cameron and Osbourne were blunt about it.

Watch this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dghdvVbtowM&f...

6 years ago @ http://www.conservativ... - WATCH: May at PMQs –... · 0 replies · +1 points

I totally agree. It is self-defeating and deeply unpleasant on all fronts.

6 years ago @ http://www.conservativ... - WATCH: May at PMQs –... · 0 replies · +1 points

It is beyond disgraceful. My poor nephew had to stay on the phone to them for over an hour the other week. If he'd got off the line he almost certainly would have no money and be homeless and was landed with a massive phone bill.

The rate for calling is both morally reprehensible and politically asinine.

6 years ago @ http://www.conservativ... - Chris Grayling: There'... · 0 replies · +1 points

A much higher priority and infinitely better ROI would be improving the often appalling quality of broadband speed in this country. I live in London and this year have had faster speeds on a public bus in the middle of nowhere in Iceland (in a snowstorm), as well as in Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan - both relatively poor countries. That expenditure will benefit most, if not all, of the UK and help people to start and grow businesses more easily; it would also allow more people to work from home as seamlessly as possible and therefore also reduce the numbers of commuters.

HS2 is such a conservative (small 'c') and unimaginative waste of money compared to being more bold and creative to get much better ROI for taxpayers' money.

We should also spend on looking into more effective and innovative modes of transport than train which, as right pointed out on this site many times, is a Victorian technology. It's beyond ridiculous that we don't have a clear vision for something much better than this yet.

6 years ago @ http://www.conservativ... - Chloe Smith: My experi... · 0 replies · +1 points

I'd like to add my respect for Chloe to the other tributes above. It really does put in perspective the relatively small challenges that most of us face compared to her and other people with significant disabilities.

As for the specific recommendations made in the piece, I bow to her superior experience in this area but will also be looking into it further, as it is an important and under-covered topic.

Never mind Chloe speaking to senior civil servants, am I the only one thinking that with her attitude and aptitude she'd make a better MP than most.