hambalapa

hambalapa

21p

17 comments posted · 1 followers · following 0

3 years ago @ http://www.conservativ... - Gareth Lyon: We need a... · 1 reply · +1 points

And vice versa. Shouldn't it be then illegal for politicians to lean on public servants to produce statistics, reports, charts etc that "shape" data to reflect a particular political view, and/or save government (local and national) from embarrassment? A Neutrality Act should be even-handed.

3 years ago @ http://www.conservativ... - Christopher Pincher: T... · 2 replies · +1 points

What happens if localism is not rational? Last week Richmond Council unanimously rejected a proposal by developers London Square to build 116 homes, forty percent "affordable", and some industrial units, on a 5.29 acre estate (formerly Greggs Bakery) which is in the middle of a mixed residential/industrial area in Twickenham. The site has been largely empty since December 2016.

One of the Councillors said in reply to an email "The Planning Committee is obliged to follow our regulations. The loss of space that has been providing employment requires evidence that it has been thoroughly marketed for replacement employment opportunities before a change to residential status."

This decision seemingly ignores the fact that the reality of the Covid world is that many people in employment are now working from home, so in effect the 116 proposed new houses with good broadband would double up as employment units.

The Councillor also makes the point "We are bound by the Local Plan approved in 2018. A new one is being produced, but the approval process is long and not simply under the Borough’s control. It also has to conform to the overall London Plan."

What is surprising is that the consultation with local area residents has been going on since 2017, so why did Richmond Council apparently not alert them to fundamental legal obstacles to residential builds at an earlier stage?

In a practical sense how can central Government cut though all this?

I have no connection with the developers but they seem to think that the planning reforms will address this type of situation. Will it? https://richmond.nub.news/n/116-home-plan-on-form...

3 years ago @ http://www.conservativ... - Algorithm or no algori... · 0 replies · +1 points

It is unclear to me whether the algorithm even after tweaking will overcome obstacles within local authorities.

In Twickenham for example last week the council unanimously rejected a proposal to build 116 homes, some "affordable", and some industrial units, on a 5.29 acre estate (formerly Greggs Bakery) which is in the middle of a residential area and which has been empty since December 2016.

One of the Councillors said in reply to an email "The Planning Committee is obliged to follow our regulations. The loss of space that has been providing employment requires evidence that it has been thoroughly marketed for replacement employment opportunities before a change to residential status."

This decision seemingly ignores the fact that the reality of the Covid world is that many people in employment are now working from home, so in effect the 116 proposed new houses with good broadband would double up as employment units.

The Councillor also makes the point "We are bound by the Local Plan approved in 2018. A new one is being produced, but the approval process is long and not simply under the Borough’s control. It also has to conform with the overall London Plan."

In a practical sense how can central Government cut though all this?

3 years ago @ http://www.conservativ... - These BBC Bourbons who... · 8 replies · +1 points

Perhaps someone could gently point out to the relevant BBC office holders that thanks to Theresa May "The Modern Slavery Act 2015 is the first of its kind in Europe, and one of the first in the world, to specifically address slavery and trafficking in the 21st century."

In this forward looking context is the offending lyric in Rule Britannia still offensive?

3 years ago @ http://www.conservativ... - Sunder Katwala: Gandhi... · 1 reply · +1 points

"We should recognise that there are no flawless heroes." I think there may be one - Seretse Khama - who was exiled by the British Government, from the land of his birth, Bechuanaland, now Botswana, for his marriage to Ruth Williams. He had to renounce his tribal throne in order to return to his country with his wife, and in time he became the elected Prime Minister there, and a year later the first President of the newly independent Botswana. He is without question a political and personal exemplar. He was at Balliol College Oxford for a year and then the Inner Temple London but as far as I know there is no statue of him in the UK, which is disappointing. There is not even a blue plaque to commemorate where he lived while in the UK.

3 years ago @ http://www.conservativ... - Mark Pengelly and Ayes... · 0 replies · +1 points

My wife and I are retired and approaching the age of vulnerability, so took the lockdown seriously. The quietness of the pavements, the stilling of traffic, the reappearance of birdsong, cleaner air, and an opportunity tackle the "to do" list in house and garden has been good. My daughter, who has a busy and demanding job, has been furloughed and has got to know her 22 month daughter, in way that wasn't possible before, and this baby in a few weeks has leapt forward in language and intellect.

Going forward, with this experience, I really wish year on year the country could adopt the continental model of a shutdown for 4 weeks every August.

4 years ago @ http://www.conservativ... - Anthony Browne: Sunak ... · 2 replies · +1 points

I am pleased to read this article but I concerned about a lack of consistency through all tiers of Torydom.

For example on 28th December 2019 in Conservative Home, Susan Hall, Leader of the Conservative Group on the London Assembly, expressed her opposition to the proposed expansion of the London Ultra Low Emission Zone, writing

"The General Election showed that at a national level the Labour Party has lost touch with its working class voters. The ULEZ extension demonstrates that the Mayor of London suffers from the same problem."

And earlier in 2019 Shaun Bailey, Conservative mayoral candidate, stated his opposition as well. Unless he is prepared to do a U-turn on this, I am afraid I cannot vote for him. On a daily basis as I walk to the station in Wimbledon I see, smell and feel the effects of vehicle pollution and believe that immediate and decisive action is now necessary. The long term health effects of this pollution affects everyone regardless of class or political affiliation.

4 years ago @ http://www.conservativ... - Will Sweet: As a Wands... · 1 reply · +1 points

I would be interested to know what "we need to lessen the effect of ULEZ expansion" means?

Following a particularly vicious bronchial flu at the beginning of October I have become hypersensitive to traffic fumes.

Why wouldn't it be desirable to have a phased extension for the ULEZ to include the North/South Circular, through Wandsworth, Merton and Richmond?

This is not a rhetorical question, I am genuinely interested.

5 years ago @ http://www.conservativ... - Tom Bennett: A new, li... · 2 replies · +1 points

I am quite surprised, indeed a bit shocked, that the Youth Mobility Scheme does not cover any of the Commonwealth countries in Africa. This may be a bit off topic, but I would really like to read an accurate analysis of the impact of 45 years of EU membership on these African countries. Does anyone know of such a publication?

6 years ago @ http://www.conservativ... - What should Tories tax... · 0 replies · +1 points

I understand that the United States taxes its citizens on their world wide income, regardless of whether they are resident in the USA or not. I imagine this is because citizenship of the United States is presumed to have value, and US citizens enjoy the protection of the US government across the globe, and if/when they return to the US they benefit from the infrastructure that they have contributed to.

Why doesn't UK legislate a similar policy for UK citizens, obviously taking into account double taxation treaties?

Perhaps this kind of thinking is already taking place. According to the Financial Times (25 March 2017) there was a change in the law with respect to non-doms "Thousands of British expats face significant bills if they return to the UK after new non-dom tax rules come into force in April".

Does this go far enough?