Do you want to discuss boring politics? (15 Viewers)

[Brighton Sky Blue]

Energy was the main initial driver for most of the other big jumps this instance*. Energy is higher so it costs more to run machines to make stuff (food, products etc), transport it etc. Due to climate I guess they can grow more than us without additional heat/light costs involved.

Then if inflation remains high, people need to be paid more (secondary affect), this then feeds though to higher production costs pushing up prices. And round we go

If everyone had carried on buying cheap oil and gas from Russia, wholesale prices would’ve stayed low and I’d imagine inflation would be a fraction of what it is now

*also supply side issues post covid but that was more goods and high transport costs (due to demand) immediately post pandemic

And the current government’s bright idea is to look in to opening more coal mines and oil fields.

 

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[CCFCSteve]

I think japans biggest problem over the last couple of decades has been a growing older population while growth in the working population has stagnated meaning that the economy has stagnated too. Saw something not that long ago (might have been a despatches report on C4) that Japan is actively seeking immigration to combat it from other Asian countries, specifically Vietnam. China is also facing similar issues with its population balance, hence an end to the one long standing one child policy.

Yeah, it’s a major problem but recent yen issues is due to debt to gdp of 250%, everyone else has had to suck up higher interest rates to get inflation down. Japan can’t do this as debt servicing costs (and in turn debt) will spiral, so central bank/government have carried on buying bonds (I presume by printing money) to keep rates low in the hope that inflation eventually disappears. I’m sure there’s more to it all but that’s my basic knowledge of it

 

[CCFCSteve]

And the current government’s bright idea is to look in to opening more coal mines and oil fields.

Oil and gas will be needed for a while yet. Problem is it just gets sold on the wholesale market so I’m not sure we’re going to directly benefit much. The alternative at the moment and for a while is buying LNG/fracked gas from USA or elsewhere…not sure that’s better

In more positive news. Biggest offshore in the world

First turbines being installed at world’s biggest offshore windfarm in North Sea | Energy industry | The Guardian

Energy firm SSE hopes first turbines at Dogger Bank windfarm off Yorkshire coast will be installed by weekend

amp.theguardian.com

edit - I know people want to always be on a downer when it comes to U.K. but we are doing our bit (and it’s costing us a fair bit of financial pain). We need the big boys like US, India and lesser extent China to step up

 

[Sky Blue Pete]

Yep known him for years.

Paul is wonderful!!!

You been involved for long? My lad started at 6 and stayed till 11 but he’s 16 now

Love you do that!

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

Paul is wonderful!!!

You been involved for long? My lad started at 6 and stayed till 11 but he’s 16 now

Love you do that!

Been involved for 7 years and run the sessions in his absence, know your lad well from that, a bundle of energy.

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

Oil and gas will be needed for a while yet. Problem is it just gets sold on the wholesale market so I’m not sure we’re going to directly benefit much. The alternative at the moment and for a while is buying LNG/fracked gas from USA or elsewhere…not sure that’s better

In more positive news. Biggest offshore in the world

First turbines being installed at world’s biggest offshore windfarm in North Sea | Energy industry | The Guardian

Energy firm SSE hopes first turbines at Dogger Bank windfarm off Yorkshire coast will be installed by weekend

amp.theguardian.com

edit - I know people want to always be on a downer when it comes to U.K. but we are doing our bit (and it’s costing us a fair bit of financial pain). We need the big boys like US, India and lesser extent China to step up

I have long believed in using nuclear power and the expertise we have in it here instead of fossil fuels. Long term the world’s best hope is likely using solar for energy and hydrogen, made by splitting water, for fuel.

 

[clint van damme]

Sorry it was old data. Spain is now in 2023 33.3% - guess that’s why the conservatives made large gains in the last election

So just slightly higher than ours.
I wonder who'll have the most success reducing it given the measures they've put in place and ours which seems to be keep putting up interest rates and get kids to play chess.

As an aside, the child poverty rates in Europe are a disgrace across the board really for so called developed countries.

 

[clint van damme]

I have long believed in using nuclear power and the expertise we have in it here instead of fossil fuels. Long term the world’s best hope is likely using solar for energy and hydrogen, made by splitting water, for fuel.

I read recently about the possibility of harnessing solar in the Sahara desert to provide all the world's energy, is it true or a load of bollocks?

 

[clint van damme]

And the current government’s bright idea is to look in to opening more coal mines and oil fields.

I could get on board a bit more with this if we'd ended with a Norwegian style oil fund but we all know where the money will end up.

 

[jimmyhillsfanclub]

The EU nations rush to fill their storage facilities to the brim with Russian oil and gas in months after the invasion of Ukraine pumped up the prices significantly.
Morally bankrupt.... until their tanks were overflowing.

 

[skybluetony176]

Oil and gas will be needed for a while yet. Problem is it just gets sold on the wholesale market so I’m not sure we’re going to directly benefit much. The alternative at the moment and for a while is buying LNG/fracked gas from USA or elsewhere…not sure that’s better

In more positive news. Biggest offshore in the world

First turbines being installed at world’s biggest offshore windfarm in North Sea | Energy industry | The Guardian

Energy firm SSE hopes first turbines at Dogger Bank windfarm off Yorkshire coast will be installed by weekend

amp.theguardian.com

edit - I know people want to always be on a downer when it comes to U.K. but we are doing our bit (and it’s costing us a fair bit of financial pain). We need the big boys like US, India and lesser extent China to step up

Also the UK can’t produce enough gas on its own to affect the wholesale price in a positive way for any consumer let alone the UK consumer. Unless of course we nationalise oil and gas production and sell to the home market first. I also feel that the announcement of new licenses was a red herring and part of the phoney culture war. He’s appealing to the lunatics, the climate change deniers that see the green cause as a wokeraty, blob, anti growth alliance conspiracy theory so the WEF can complete its world domination. Most of these new licenses don’t even come into effect for another 50 years by which time oil production will be largely irrelevant as newer greener energy sources become more viable and dominant.

 

[Grendel]

And the current government’s bright idea is to look in to opening more coal mines and oil fields.

we could just buy it from Russia

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

I read recently about the possibility of harnessing solar in the Sahara desert to provide all the world's energy, is it true or a load of bollocks?

It is true but it would probably just be enough for Europe and Africa combined. A few challenges though:

1. It would require developed nations to work hand in hand with African ones to develop the infrastructure. To date most are still just exploiting the continent.

2. A lot of the desert is lawless and home to lovely people like Al Qaeda and Maghreb IS, so you’d need to eliminate them first

3. Covering the desert with panels would have undesirable side effects. So the way to do it instead would be with beacons rather than panels, and this technology is in its infancy.

If the world really backed it as a strategy we could do it, but I doubt it will come to fruition.

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

we could just buy it from Russia

He could just leave Ukraine

 

[Sky Blue Pete]

Been involved for 7 years and run the sessions in his absence, know your lad well from that, a bundle of energy.

Thanks for doing it
Some absolute genius came after Sam moved on
He really enjoyed it though

 

[Grendel]

He could just leave Ukraine

We could just buy the oil and not be involved at all

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

We could just buy the oil and not be involved at all

We could but then remain dependent on foreign oil

 

[Grendel]

We could but then remain dependent on foreign oil

Well we are in reality anyway - as someone else pointed out the EU bloated the reserves before they finger wagged. At least Spain have been honest and carried on buying I suppose

 

[fernandopartridge]

Here comes the stealth privatisation:

Elective recovery taskforce: implementation plan

www.gov.uk

 

[skybluetony176]

I read recently about the possibility of harnessing solar in the Sahara desert to provide all the world's energy, is it true or a load of bollocks?

As far as Europe is concerned it’s a possibility with Morocco and Morocco is already investing in becoming a green energy powerhouse exporter. Morocco also has a massive coastline perfect for offshore wind power. It’s also already tapped into the European grid with Spain.

Aside from Morocco I think there are very real plans to charge oil tanker size battery ships from green African electricity sail them to other parts of the world and discharge them into a grid. No different to shipping oil around the world if you think about it.

 

[skybluetony176]

He could just leave Ukraine

Yeah but where would the win be for the nut cases?

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

Well we are in reality anyway - as someone else pointed out the EU bloated the reserves before they finger wagged. At least Spain have been honest and carried on buying I suppose

I'd rather we build a few nuclear plants across the country and if anything sell energy to other places

 

[Grendel]

I'd rather we build a few nuclear plants across the country and if anything sell energy to other places

Not happening in the near future though is it whatever the intent might be

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

Not happening in the near future though is it whatever the intent might be

Point is it should be

 

[Grendel]

Point is it should be

Point it it isn’t and you need another solution

 

[shmmeee]

Japan’s problem is also a global one. Birth rate slowing down because of economic pressure and societal changes, while people live longer due to improved living standards and medicine. Granted Japan is experiencing this sooner because they have generally healthier lifestyles in the first place.

And lots of xenophobia meaning no immigrants to do the care shit work. There’s a reason they’re so into robotics and it isn’t Gundam.

 

[shmmeee]

Point it it isn’t and you need another solution

LK-99

 

[skybluetony176]

Here comes the stealth privatisation:

Elective recovery taskforce: implementation plan

www.gov.uk

The BMA warned of this in their opposition to Brexit. Just saying. And I quote

• In it, the BMA warns that international trade deals could:
  open the NHS up to further creeping privatisation if healthcare service provision is outsourced to private companies based abroad
• limit the UK’s future ability to improve public health if private companies are allowed to block policies and initiatives that would negatively affect their investments

 

[fernandopartridge]

The BMA warned of this in their opposition to Brexit. Just saying. And I quote

• In it, the BMA warns that international trade deals could:
  open the NHS up to further creeping privatisation if healthcare service provision is outsourced to private companies based abroad
• limit the UK’s future ability to improve public health if private companies are allowed to block policies and initiatives that would negatively affect their investments

It's got nothing whatsoever to do with brexit

Sent from my Pixel 7 using Tapatalk

 

[skybluetony176]

It's got nothing whatsoever to do with brexit

Sent from my Pixel 7 using Tapatalk

Hasn’t it? When Sunak launched the The Elective Recovery Taskforce last year didn’t he say it will help unlock the benefits of Brexit?

 

[fernandopartridge]

Hasn’t it? When Sunak launched the The Elective Recovery Taskforce last year didn’t he say it will help unlock the benefits of Brexit?

The BMA are surely aware that the existing Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (implementing the EU Directive on Public Procurement) required that healthcare service contracts worth over £663k were advertised across Europe, and still does as PCR2015 remains in force.

This is a result of chronic and deliberate underfunding of the state providers (NHS Trusts and Foundation Trusts), all by the 3-4 Tory governments you voted for.

 

[skybluetony176]

The BMA are surely aware that the existing Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (implementing the EU Directive on Public Procurement) required that healthcare service contracts worth over £663k were advertised across Europe, and still does as PCR2015 remains in force.

This is a result of chronic and deliberate underfunding of the state providers (NHS Trusts and Foundation Trusts), all by the 3-4 Tory governments you voted for.

I’ve only voted for one of the last 3-4 Tory governments. I voted Labour at the last 2 GE’s. Which means I’m old enough to remember Jeremy Corbyn’s dossier at the last GE showing that the Brexit Tories you rolled out the red carpet for by voting leave planned to use the NHS as a bargaining tool in trade deals. Just like the BMA warned they would. They even brought in the Brexit (you voted for) legislation the internal market bill to make sure they could by pass the devolved governments of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to bargain the entire NHS.

 

[Deleted member 5849]

The BMA warned of this in their opposition to Brexit. Just saying. And I quote

• In it, the BMA warns that international trade deals could:
  open the NHS up to further creeping privatisation if healthcare service provision is outsourced to private companies based abroad
• limit the UK’s future ability to improve public health if private companies are allowed to block policies and initiatives that would negatively affect their investments

Thing is, TTIP was one of the few things I could get behind as a valid reason for voting for Brexit, so it wasn't a bed of roses to start with.

 

[Sky_Blue_Dreamer]

I have long believed in using nuclear power and the expertise we have in it here instead of fossil fuels. Long term the world’s best hope is likely using solar for energy and hydrogen, made by splitting water, for fuel.

I feel sure tidal will become an important element in the mix. We've got shitloads of coastlines and the tide never stops so don't have as much of an issue with storage.

 

[skybluetony176]

Thing is, TTIP was one of the few things I could get behind as a valid reason for voting for Brexit, so it wasn't a bed of roses to start with.

Nothing ever is NW, but as Stewart Lee put in it if there’s shit in the bed you don’t fix it by taking another shit in the bed.