Thought Id start this one going because its rather dead on this board at the moment and I suppose all my usual muckers are either at the Stella tennis event watching Dim Tim (lose again) or at Henly Regatta eating cucumber sandwiches (they wish,...NOT).

Anyway please feel free to just talk to yourself blast away and let it go on any company or subject you wish. Just wish Id thought of this one before.

cheers GF.

"Haystack - 21 Oct 2015 16:04 - 64011 of 64012

It creates upto 25,000 jobs and guarantees energy supply at a fixed price in the future."

But at the same time creates enormous loses long term on the disposal of waste, not to mention other negatives.. maybe you forgot to mention that.

Body of type deleted.. could have sworn that my original post did not appear.

It is good or bad depending on your view of nuclear power. We have decided to go the nuclear route anyway, so that it would be happening irrespective of China's involvement. China is just the vehicle for some of the investment (20%).

No H/S it's not anyone's individual opinion of nuclear that counts, the long term cost of decommissioning and safety record of nuclear is far to serious to leave just to peoples "opinions", afraid thats just a short term abrogation of responsibility by irresponsible government.

Jeremy Corbyn's appointment of Seumas Milne is 'morally and ethically wrong'

A former parliamentary Labour candidate has attacked Jeremy Corbyn's decision to appoint the 'fascism-apologist' Seumas Milne as his top advisor



By Laura Hughes, Political Correspondent

12:19PM BST 21 Oct 2015





Jeremy Corbyn's decision to appoint Seumas Milne as his strategy and communications chief is "morally and ethically wrong", a former parliamentary Labour candidate has said.


Kate Godfrey, a former UN adviser who stood as an MP in the last election, has written a strongly worded statement in which she says the appointment of a man who has defended terrorism, "devalues everything that Labour stands for."


Mr Milne, an associate editor at the Guardian, has suggested the murder of Fusilier Lee Rigby "wasn't terrorism in the normal sense" because the soldier had served in Afghanistan.



Responding to mr Corbyn's decision, Miss Godfrey wrote: "So Mr Corbyn, what made you appoint fascism-apologist Seumas Milne? How could you? How bloody could you? How could you appoint Seumas Milne to be your voice, your eyes, your hands?


"These are the truths that only Seumas Milne upholds. Mr Corbyn, these are the truths that you have bought into. These are the stocks that the leader of the Labour Party has seen, and shouted, ‘buy!’

"We are ashamed in front of the world. It is morally and ethically wrong. Seumas Milne might act for you, Mr Corbyn. He might speak for you. He does not speak for me."


So Mr Corbyn, what made you appoint facism-apologist Seumas Milne? https://t.co/NCoqfuD9A3
— Kate Godfrey (@KateVotesLabour) October 20, 2015


In an article written in 2013, after the murder of Fusilier Lee Rigby, Mr Milne said such attacks were "the predicted consequence of an avalanche of violence unleashed by the US, Britain and others in eight direct military interventions in Arab and Muslim countries that have left hundreds of thousands of dead.

"Only the wilfully blind or ignorant can be shocked when there is blowback from that onslaught at home. The surprise should be that there haven't been more such atrocities."

Just two days after terrorists destroyed the Twin Towers, he wrote that Americans couldn't "see why they're hated".

Labour MPs have described the appointment, which Mr Milne will take up next week, as "totally bizarre".



John Woodcock MP has described Mr Milne's appointment as "insane", posting on Twitter: "Yes, am sure this can't be true. Just right wing papers making mischief.

"Its hard to see how this appointment can be seen as valid unless he renounces his documented sympathy for terrorism."



Simon Danczuk told The Sun: "This is a totally bizarre appointment of a man more likely to become the story rather than control our party's message."

Mr Milne has said he doesn't believe "Western bombs won't defeat Isis" and accused Labour MPs who voted for military action Syria of "defying" the new Labour leader.

A Guardian News & Media spokesperson has confirmed: "Seumas will be taking a period of unpaid leave from the Guardian to take up the role of executive director of strategy and communications at the Labour Party."

By hiring Seumas Milne, Jeremy Corbyn shows his utter contempt for real Labour voters

Real Labour voters read tabloids, love the Queen and join the Army. They don't relate to Guardianista apologias for terrorism


“You think I’m going to compromise my views just to be popular? Just to be elected? Well, look who I’ve just hired!”



By Tom Harris

11:40AM BST 21 Oct 2015

CommentsComments





Jeremy Corbyn doesn’t make it easy for himself, does he?


He could have chosen as his new "Executive Director of Strategy and Communications" someone whose skills in media management were better known than his personal political views.


Instead he chose Seumas Milne, a hate figure for the right of the Labour Party and pretty much everyone else to the right of that. A man whose strongly expressed views on terrorism, Israel and the United States align him precisely with the long-held views of the Labour leader.


In this appointment, Corbyn has stuck two fingers up at his detrators. “You think I’m going to compromise my views just to be popular? Just to be elected? Well, look who I’ve just hired!”



The problem is that he’s also stuck two fingers up at the only people still (perhaps) willing to give him a chance: voters who stuck with Labour in May 2015.

Corbyn (and Milne) would have a hard time relating to these voters. They would struggle to understand people who regularly buy tabloids such as The Sun or the Mail. They would shake their heads in bewilderment on realising that such people, real Labour voters, are more likely to read Richard Littlejohn than open up a Twitter account.

These Labour voters are rather fond of the Queen, or at the most can’t summon the energy to get much exercised about an unelected monarchy either way. Their sons and daughters join the Army and risk their lives in foreign lands. In doing so, these young people fight with the blessing, not the contempt, of their proud families.

These people, many of whom probably voted Labour in May through gritted teeth, would be appalled to read – as they will now certainly do – the opinions on such matters of the man to whom Corbyn has entrusted the task of communicating Labour’s message.

They will view Milne’s explanation of Islamist terrorism at home and abroad as an apologia for such acts. They will recoil at Milne’s view that the murder of Fusilier Lee Rigby “was not terrorism in the normal sense” and at his glowing descriptions of Iraqi insurgents attempting to blow up those voters’ sons and daughters wearing British army uniforms.



Corbyn has chosen unwisely. Milne, so contemptuous of traditional working class attitudes to Queen and country and to the newspaper mediums by which such attitudes are reinforced, will serve only to remind voters that his boss’s views are exactly the same.

Tom Harris is a former Labour MP and now runs his own lobbying company.

Too good for the neo-cons party!






8-)

Scots voters consider Labour ‘irrelevant’





published14:40 Wednesday 21 October 2015


8 comments



Have your say


LABOUR is seen as “irrelevant” and “part of the past” by voters in Scotland who have deserted the party, research using focus groups into the party’s heavy General Election defeat in May has found.

The focus groups conducted in Edinburgh and Glasgow for the party found that Labour was seen as “indistinguishable from the Tories” and “an incompetent version” of the them.


Read more: http://www.scotsman.com/news/uk/scots-voters-consider-labour-irrelevant-1-3923469#ixzz3pDjn4xq1
Follow us: @TheScotsman on Twitter | TheScotsmanNewspaper on Facebook

sorry for the distress': Tom Watson apologises to Leon Brittan's widow after top cop brands rape slurs 'a baseless witch hunt'
Labour MP Tom Watson today apologised for the 'distress' caused to Leon Brittan's family by referring to him as 'evil' after he died in January
But deputy leader said he had a 'duty' to stand up for sex abuse victims
It came after a police detective said the case against Brittan was 'baseless'
DCI Settle ruled the case against the Brittan 'should not proceed' in 2013
But Lord Brittan was questioned after Tom Watson wrote to prosecutors

By Tom McTague, Deputy Political Editor for MailOnline

Published: 15:03, 21 October 2015 | Updated: 17:18, 21 October 2015


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3282669/Police-interrogation-Leon-Brittan-unfounded-sex-smears-unlawful-detective-charge-case-tells-MPs.html#ixzz3pDl4Ycz1
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook


comments

We want Watson out of politcs simply because he's seriously nasty human being if he can be described as that.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3282669/Police-interrogation-Leon-Brittan-unfounded-sex-smears-unlawful-detective-charge-case-tells-MPs.html#ixzz3pDlU6l9O
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook



Given, according to this highly professional and experienced police officer, the questioning of Leon Brittan was unlawful, it strikes me that some criminal prosecutions for misconduct in public office should follow.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3282669/Police-interrogation-Leon-Brittan-unfounded-sex-smears-unlawful-detective-charge-case-tells-MPs.html#ixzz3pDlhxSEz
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook



What a despicable tub of lard.Just a big bullyboy

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3282669/Police-interrogation-Leon-Brittan-unfounded-sex-smears-unlawful-detective-charge-case-tells-MPs.html#ixzz3pDm12aji
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

Stan
The point is that we are going nuclear and all parties agree on it. Therefore it is irrelevant whether the Chinese are involved. Personally, I am happy to use nuclear power and I guess you are not.

Edit
Forgot the crazy Greens. They probably won't like it.

How are the new nuclear plants that are planned, eventually going to be shut down?
Does anyone know?
Will there be any problematical nuclear waste?

I thought I'd have a go at answering my own questions...

I found this site: World Nuclear Org - Nuclear-Basics - What are nuclear wastes

Exec,

I have favoured development of Nuclear Energy for close on 60years. It seems sensible power source alongside other "energy" sources and production.

I would be happy to have cancellation of Trident Submarines as they are outdated and the cash going into the nuclear power stations controlled fully by the "government" of this country and more conventional defence military weapons (include nuclear weapons of the present age).

I hope the nuclear waste we have is disposed of in the Witney area.

cadence ..... it has many subtleties all related to rhythm and similar - including when pedalling a bicycle!

"striking a chord" was sort of the meaning intended, but that wasn't right either

===========

did fred ever answer the question as to whether he had similar objections to Tata, an indian conglomerate, taking over the steel works in the first place, as he now does to the chinese participation in building this power station?

past record suggest not

With Fred it is more like banging a drum than striking a chord.... gives a headache.

Manuel,

I did and still have some questions about "outsourcing" UK large basic industries outside the UK.

It "felt" a bit like having one's water supply and controlled by an overseas country which is OK until the water stops flowing.

Or having a foreign legion forming your "Defence" force.

Get back to your kitchen and DYOH.
==-======

It,

I would suggest a quick and cheap decapitation would solve your headache problem.

Drop me a line and I will see what can be arranged for you.

Well done Dave.

I suppose he could sell the English Rugby team to them. Though I don't suppose he would get much for them.





What is Bejing like for a weekend break?

A message from George Soros


Dear Friends and Colleagues,

As many of you know George has been deeply engaged in promoting a more humane and effective response to the refugee crisis in Europe. He recently wrote an op-ed “Rebuilding the Asylum System” , which so far has been published in a dozen countries. To stay informed, George asked his staff to put together a periodic update on the most recent developments related to the crisis. The material is compiled from internal sources and news reports. I have copied the most recent edition below. If you would like to continue to receiving these updates, please send an email to my colleague Lara Ryan lara.ryan@soros.com.

Sincerely,

Michael Vachon

EUROPEAN CRISIS: Key Developments of the Past 48 Hours
October 21, 2015

POLITICS

EU calls emergency meeting on Balkans: Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission, has called an emergency meeting on Sunday in Brussels of EU and Balkan leaders as those fleeing the Middle East and Africa continue to arrive in the western Balkans. Juncker stated the need for greater cooperation among countries dealing with the migrant crisis. The heads of state of ten countries, including non-EU members Macedonia and Serbia, are invited.

Slovenia

The meeting was in part triggered by developments in Slovenia where 4,000 migrants and refugees, including many babies and young children, arrived Tuesday from Croatia in addition to about 8,000 who arrived Monday, forcing the country to deal with a surge of nearly 20,000 in a few days on its southern border.

Slovenia has called in the army to help it manage the situation. The parliament has approved new powers for Slovenian soldiers so that they can assist police in patrolling the border, detain people and hand them over to police, and issue orders to civilians in the border area. The government also intends on asking for financial support from the EU to deal with this latest upsurge. In Slovenia, migrants and refugees angry at how they are being treated set fire to tents at a transit camp in Brezice, complaining of a lack of food, water and blankets. (News report)

Germany

Merkel under pressure: German cabinet ministers warned on Tuesday that right-wing radicalism and xenophobia are on the rise in Germany after the anti-Islam PEGIDA movement held its biggest rally in months, spurred on by the arrival of thousands of migrants and refugees. SPD Justice Minister Heiko Maas referred to a radicalizing atmosphere he called "extraordinarily alarming."

A group of 188 MPs including many from Chancellor Merkel’s own Christian Democrat party have prepared laws to fence off sections of the border. They say they will pursue these plans if Merkel does not come up with a solution to the refugee crisis within weeks. “We must stop the flow of refugees. Considering a border fence should not be a taboo,” Christian von Stetten, the leader of the rebels and a member of Merkel's party, commented.

An INSA poll released on Monday showed support for Merkel's conservative bloc at a two and a half year low of 37 percent and the right-wing AfD at 7.5 percent, a seven-month high.

Cyprus

Four boats carrying 114 refugees from Syria landed at Britain’s military base in Cyprus. This represents a potential new frontline in the refugee crisis. The refugees (including 19 women and 28 children) were transferred to a temporary reception area in the sovereign base at Akrotiri on the southern coast of the Mediterranean island. A spokesperson for the UK Ministry of Defense stated that an agreement is in place with the Republic of Cyprus since 2003 “to ensure that the Cypriot authorities take responsibility in circumstances like this.”

European Public Opinion

Eurobarometer poll finds support for EU policies: Immigration and terrorism are some of the fasting growing concerns of Europeans, according to the latest Eurobarometer poll. Immigration is the greatest challenge facing the EU and its member states for 47 percent of respondents, up from 14 percent in 2013. Concerns about terrorism were cited by 26 percent of respondents, up from 11 percent in 2013. The survey, commissioned by the European Parliament, has sought the opinion of 28,150 Europeans aged over 15. It was conducted between September 19 and 29.

An average of 66 percent of respondents across the EU said that more decisions on migration should be taken at EU level, rather than by national governments alone.

EU citizens were more widely divided on the issue of receiving asylum-seekers. An EU average of 78 percent of respondents said they should be shared among EU countries. Of the 78 percent who favored distributing asylum-seekers among EU countries, 75 percent also favored doing so according to binding quotas decided by the EU, the survey showed. Germans led the group of those most in favor with at 97 percent; those least in favor were the Slovaks and the Czechs with 31 percent.

Gallup poll: A new Gallup poll shows 52 percent of Europeans would like immigration levels decreased, while 8 percent would like them increased.

Other findings:

• Adults who live in countries with the highest unemployment rates are the most negative toward immigration to their countries;

• Nearly half of adults in countries with unemployment rates higher than 15 percent believe immigration should decrease;

• Residents of high-income economies—generally advanced, developed countries —overall are much more likely to say immigrants take jobs citizens do not want (58 percent) than say they take jobs that citizens want (18 percent). In all other economies, residents are more likely to say immigrants take the jobs that citizens want;

• In all top ten migrant destination countries—which are also all high-income economies—many more respondents say that immigrants take jobs that residents do not want than say they take jobs that residents want;

• Those younger than age 44 are likely to have an opinion about immigration, and they are more likely to favor increasing immigration levels.

EPP Congress

According to a draft of an “Emergency Resolution” to be tabled at EPP’s congress in Madrid on Thursday, the party calls on the EU to return those who are not granted asylum; fight traffickers; oppose “ideologies that inspire jihadist terrorism;” make it harder for people to bring along their families, and insist that EU countries at the external borders fulfill their duties.

Arrivals in Greece cross 500,000, 27,500 on islands: UNHCR reports that 27,500 people remain in transit on Greek islands near Turkey. Many are fearful that routes in northern Europe will close. “We have reached another dramatic milestone, with the arrival yesterday (Monday) of 8,000 people, bringing the total to 502,500. Obviously we knew this was coming, but we do see a spike in arrivals in Greece,” a spokeswoman said. More than 643,000 refugees and migrants from the Middle East, Africa and Asia have crossed the Mediterranean to Europe this year and at least 3,135 have died en route.

EU asylum agency chief’s resignation: Robert Visser, the executive director of the European Asylum Support Office will unexpectedly leave his position at the end of October. Visser’s departure leaves a key EU agency without permanent leadership as Europe confronts its worst refugee crisis since World War II. EASO drafts instruction manuals and gathers statistical data from EU members on asylum questions, and sets up teams of experts from different countries to assist in countries dealing with a sudden high influx of asylum-seekers.

United States

A New York Times articles reports that since the Syrian conflict began four years ago, just 1,854 Syrian refugees have been admitted to the United States. The refugees, some of the most vulnerable people in the war, have been placed in 130 towns and cities. Most have been sent to affordable, medium-size cities rather than larger cities by the nine voluntary agencies that handle refugee resettlement.

CIVIL SOCIETY

Greece

Tensions in Lesvos: The inauguration of the hot-spot mechanism at the Moria facility in Lesvos coincided with a milestone in the refugee crisis: a half million arrivals of third country nationals in Greece during 2015. The hot spot is not fully functioning and this has led to tension between police and refugees, and also amongst refugees. A black market offering services to refugees is still thriving.

Police abuses in Greece: Reports of police abuse are on the rise. An official investigation has been launched based on NGO reports of about 15 to 20 incidents of alleged theft by police officers against people on the move in the wider region of Evros, at the land border between Greece and Turkey. In the meantime, worsening weather conditions are leading to a gradual rise in people using new routes via the Greek -Turkish and Bulgarian -Turkish land borders.

Solidarity Now opens a presence on the Greek-Macedonian border: In response to the onset of winter and the anticipated transformation of Idomeni as an exit-entry point, SolidarityNow (an Open Society initiative) has secured funding and is planning (pending approval) to establish a satellite Solidarity Center next to the UNHCR transit camp.

Populism on the rise across Europe: The clear win of the Swiss People’s Party in Federal elections is not the only populist victory in Europe. In Austria FPÖ, the party once lead by Jörg Haider, is leading the polls. In Sweden the Demokraterna (who are more radical than similar parties like the Norwegian Progress Party, the Danish People’s Party and the Finns Party) are also polling at over 20 percent. In Poland the Law and Justice party, which has been asking for a tough line on refugees, leads the polls for the elections on October 25.

Violent attacks on refugee housing in Sweden: Four refugee homes in Sweden have been attacked in recent days. After these fire attacks, the location of refugee homes is not being revealed in some instances so as to avoid future attacks.

Hungary seals the Croatian Border: According to the police data, 870 refugees arrived in Hungary on Saturday, 41 on Sunday and 22 on Monday. In keeping with the framework of the Visegrad Four cooperation 50 Slovak policemen arrived in Hungary to participate in border protection and assist their Hungarian colleagues. The Minister of the Interior personally welcomed them.

Croatia:

• A total of 210,000 refugees have entered Croatia since September 15, almost all of them leaving the country within 24 hours. Since the recent closure of the border with Hungary the refugees are being transported to Slovenia through the northwest crossing in the Međimurje region as well as the western crossing close to the towns of Bregana and Zaprešić. Austria and Slovenia have been limiting the number of refugees that are allowed to enter and Croatia is gradually following suit, a domino effect which is making things worse for refugees.

• During the last week rain and cold have created additional problems. During the night of October 20 as much as 4,400 people crossed into Croatia in seven hours and up to 3,000 spent most of the night by the roads in bad conditions as the numbers were too much for the police to handle. These events have lead the initiative Welcome to publicly call for speeding up the process of restructuring a former industrial complex for incoming refugees near the town of Slavonski Brod. The capacity will be around 5,000 people and the government has pledged to complete this in ten days.

• Efforts at cross-border cooperation among activists are increasing. On Wednesday October 21 a public discussion was held in Zagreb entitled One month of humanitarian crisis where the initiative Welcome invited activists from Serbia and Slovenia. A Slovenian Croatian activist exchange (supported by the Open Society Initiative for Europe) will take place from October 22 to 25 in Pula and one of the main themes will be the refugee crisis. Hungarian activists will also participate.

• Activists are exploring ways to improve joint cross-border actions against repressive policies towards refugees and migrants. The initiative Welcome has received support from the Open Society Initiative for Europe for their planned public communications campaign and advocacy activities. The initiative has recently upgraded its web site with a series of new tools for activists and refugees. The refugee issue is dominating the pre-election campaign in Croatia; regular parliamentary elections will take place on Sunday, November 8.

Exec,

You seem to have a touchy finger.


-=-=-=-=-=


Exec,

You seem to have a touchy finger.

-=-=-=-=-=

"An average of 66 percent of respondents across the EU said that more decisions on migration should be taken at EU level, rather than by national governments alone."


It would seem to me to be a UN responsibility as much as the EU.

Also, a larger responsibility for the present problem is down to the USA and UK's unwanted interferences in Iraq and the M.E..

oh do shut up fred with your monotonous sniping!

==========

my younger son has just come back from a few days in lesbos and found it a very moving experience
as he rightly pointed out, when meeting with real humans on the ground, you cannot and do not want to differentiate between those who are legit political refugees and the economic migrants ....... all are equally dispirited and worse