How long....

[Johnsons Red Army]

https://www.theguardian.com/society/201 ... ns-un-says" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

"The UK government has inflicted “great misery” on its people with “punitive, mean-spirited, and often callous” austerity policies driven by a political desire to undertake social re-engineering rather than economic necessity, the United Nations poverty envoy has found.

Philip Alston, the UN’s rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, ended a two-week fact-finding mission to the UK with a stinging declaration that levels of child poverty were “not just a disgrace, but a social calamity and an economic disaster”, even though the UK is the world’s fifth largest economy,

About 14 million people, a fifth of the population, live in poverty and 1.5 million are destitute, being unable to afford basic essentials, he said, citing figures from the Institute for Fiscal Studies and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. He highlighted predictions that child poverty could rise by 7% between 2015 and 2022, possibly up to a rate of 40%.

“It is patently unjust and contrary to British values that so many people are living in poverty,” he said, adding that compassion had been abandoned during almost a decade of austerity policies that had been so profound that key elements of the postwar social contract, devised by William Beveridge more than 70 years ago, had been swept away.

In an excoriating 24-page report, which will be presented to the UN human rights council in Geneva next year, the eminent human rights lawyer said that in the UK “poverty is a political choice”."




And this is what happens when the Tories run the country....

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

https://www.theguardian.com/society/201 ... ns-un-says

"The UK government has inflicted “great misery” on its people with “punitive, mean-spirited, and often callous” austerity policies driven by a political desire to undertake social re-engineering rather than economic necessity, the United Nations poverty envoy has found.

Philip Alston, the UN’s rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, ended a two-week fact-finding mission to the UK with a stinging declaration that levels of child poverty were “not just a disgrace, but a social calamity and an economic disaster”, even though the UK is the world’s fifth largest economy,

About 14 million people, a fifth of the population, live in poverty and 1.5 million are destitute, being unable to afford basic essentials, he said, citing figures from the Institute for Fiscal Studies and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. He highlighted predictions that child poverty could rise by 7% between 2015 and 2022, possibly up to a rate of 40%.

“It is patently unjust and contrary to British values that so many people are living in poverty,” he said, adding that compassion had been abandoned during almost a decade of austerity policies that had been so profound that key elements of the postwar social contract, devised by William Beveridge more than 70 years ago, had been swept away.

In an excoriating 24-page report, which will be presented to the UN human rights council in Geneva next year, the eminent human rights lawyer said that in the UK “poverty is a political choice”."

And this is what happens when the Tories run the country....

My manifesto.

Abolish corporation tax: more businesses and jobs.

Increase the minimum wage: affordable to employers due to no corporation tax. Decent wages mean huge reduction in benefits (most benefits go to people in work to make up for poverty wages) and some increase in income tax so fiscally neutral.

Build houses: force developers to start building much sooner after acquiring land.

Cap rents: no one should be in a situation where they have a job but can’t afford anywhere to live.

You don’t need the UN to tell you that if someone has a job, but has to use a food bank and housing benefit to live then the system is not working. Decreasing demand (due to poverty) and increased price pressure (from online businesses) means a lot of firms can’t physically their workers enough money to live on.

Abolish business tax (20%) increase minimum wages (10%) and both businesses and people are better off.

Reduce housing costs and other costs of living (energy, transport) and people have fewer outgoings with their increased salary. So they spend more, boosting demand, or save more, increasing bank funding for businesses.

It won’t ever happen because Labour are ideologically against cutting business taxation or reducing tax and spend, whilst the Conservatives deliberately create inequality and poverty.

Was ever thus, and unless people are prepared to vote for a non-ideological technocrat and team of experts it will never change.

[ctfc-fan]

https://www.theguardian.com/society/201 ... ns-un-says

"The UK government has inflicted “great misery” on its people with “punitive, mean-spirited, and often callous” austerity policies driven by a political desire to undertake social re-engineering rather than economic necessity, the United Nations poverty envoy has found.

Philip Alston, the UN’s rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, ended a two-week fact-finding mission to the UK with a stinging declaration that levels of child poverty were “not just a disgrace, but a social calamity and an economic disaster”, even though the UK is the world’s fifth largest economy,

About 14 million people, a fifth of the population, live in poverty and 1.5 million are destitute, being unable to afford basic essentials, he said, citing figures from the Institute for Fiscal Studies and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. He highlighted predictions that child poverty could rise by 7% between 2015 and 2022, possibly up to a rate of 40%.

“It is patently unjust and contrary to British values that so many people are living in poverty,” he said, adding that compassion had been abandoned during almost a decade of austerity policies that had been so profound that key elements of the postwar social contract, devised by William Beveridge more than 70 years ago, had been swept away.

In an excoriating 24-page report, which will be presented to the UN human rights council in Geneva next year, the eminent human rights lawyer said that in the UK “poverty is a political choice”."

And this is what happens when the Tories run the country....

My manifesto.

Abolish corporation tax: more businesses and jobs.

Increase the minimum wage: affordable to employers due to no corporation tax. Decent wages mean huge reduction in benefits (most benefits go to people in work to make up for poverty wages) and some increase in income tax so fiscally neutral.

Build houses: force developers to start building much sooner after acquiring land.

Cap rents: no one should be in a situation where they have a job but can’t afford anywhere to live.

You don’t need the UN to tell you that if someone has a job, but has to use a food bank and housing benefit to live then the system is not working. Decreasing demand (due to poverty) and increased price pressure (from online businesses) means a lot of firms can’t physically their workers enough money to live on.

Abolish business tax (20%) increase minimum wages (10%) and both businesses and people are better off.

Reduce housing costs and other costs of living (energy, transport) and people have fewer outgoings with their increased salary. So they spend more, boosting demand, or save more, increasing bank funding for businesses.

It won’t ever happen because Labour are ideologically against cutting business taxation or reducing tax and spend, whilst the Conservatives deliberately create inequality and poverty.

Was ever thus, and unless people are prepared to vote for a non-ideological technocrat and team of experts it will never change.

Trouble is if you remove corporation tax there will be those companies that just cream off the extra money for the directors and shareholders, there’s no guarantee that they will pass that money down as wages.

By increasing the minimum wage, a business needs to increase its charges and then it’s a vicious circle as people need to pay more out and so on.

Capping rent, how would you make that work? Whilst the value of property skyrockets, the landlords have to increase the rent to cover the costs of the property. There are some people who don’t want to buy so will always rent.

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

Re arguments above.

Not all income can be creamed if higher minimum wage is law. And a business doesn’t need to increase it’s charges to pay minimum wages as they are not paying taxes so no impact on bottom line. If they do increase prices, customers can switch elsewhere.

Capping rents; can’t be done in isolation from building more houses. New York City has rent control. Singapore has 80% of citizens living in controlled rental properties. They aren’t exactly cheap housing markets are they.

And the landlord argument doesn’t make sense anyway. If they buy a house for £300k with a good yield and a 25 yr mortgage, then even if the house increases to £600k the mortgage stays the same so their cost has not increased at all. Actually quite a bizarre argument - seems more like someone trying to argue for the sake of ideology rather than thinking about how the failing market can be rectified.

[ctfc-fan]

Re arguments above.

Not all income can be creamed if higher minimum wage is law. And a business doesn’t need to increase it’s charges to pay minimum wages as they are not paying taxes so no impact on bottom line. If they do increase prices, customers can switch elsewhere.

Capping rents; can’t be done in isolation from building more houses. New York City has rent control. Singapore has 80% of citizens living in controlled rental properties. They aren’t exactly cheap housing markets are they.

And the landlord argument doesn’t make sense anyway. If they buy a house for £300k with a good yield and a 25 yr mortgage, then even if the house increases to £600k the mortgage stays the same so their cost has not increased at all. Actually quite a bizarre argument - seems more like someone trying to argue for the sake of ideology rather than thinking about how the failing market can be rectified.

OK, it’s all so simple isn’t it...? How would it affect your business?

A property can increase in value without affecting rental, of course, but interest rates and banks do affect costs.

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

Re arguments above.

Not all income can be creamed if higher minimum wage is law. And a business doesn’t need to increase it’s charges to pay minimum wages as they are not paying taxes so no impact on bottom line. If they do increase prices, customers can switch elsewhere.

Capping rents; can’t be done in isolation from building more houses. New York City has rent control. Singapore has 80% of citizens living in controlled rental properties. They aren’t exactly cheap housing markets are they.

And the landlord argument doesn’t make sense anyway. If they buy a house for £300k with a good yield and a 25 yr mortgage, then even if the house increases to £600k the mortgage stays the same so their cost has not increased at all. Actually quite a bizarre argument - seems more like someone trying to argue for the sake of ideology rather than thinking about how the failing market can be rectified.

OK, it’s all so simple isn’t it...? How would it affect your business?

A property can increase in value without affecting rental, of course, but interest rates and banks do affect costs.

The business I am at - it is high skill so no one close to a minimum wage, so there would be no increased costs. I am only talking about increasing minimum wage. Given our business views staff as an asset to earn money from, not a cost to minimise, and we always have more work on than time available, the 19% saving from having zero tax would mean we’d either hire an extra body to boost capacity or better computers to boost productivity. For businesses with staff on minimum wage, no change to the status quo as bottom line the same or marginally more profit.

Interest rates affect costs and that is the role of the central bank. Remember of course that this is a package of measures. Rent controls in conjunction with more building and increased supply. The broken market is a lack of supply of both houses for sale and PRS, so increasing supply is key.

And it is simple. Just need to be less stuck in the mud and be more forward thinking. As I said earlier in the thread, no wonder Britain is suffering a productivity crisis if business have the limited thought you are demonstrating.

And I don’t even understand why you are arguing. My whole agenda is pro-business and pro-functioning free-markets. I literally spend every day helping businesses make more money more easily.

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

And same question to you. Minimum wage is akin to about £15,300 per year for an adult over 25 working 37.5 hours a week.

Thinking about your £2million t/o. If minimum wage was increased to £17,000 a year for full-time workers, and you no longer had to pay corporation tax, how would that impact your net profit?

And if it makes you more money, I am interested to know your motivations - you are currently arguing against 0% tax rates but in favour of not allowing domestic abuse victims sick leave. Surely the reverse is more preferable?

[ctfc-fan]

It wouldn’t affect us as everyone is paid in excess of the minimum wage and national living wage so the reduced CT would be kept in the company for a safety net as you never know when the s#!t might hit the fan and you need to call on that capital.

Years ago the government used to reimburse companies for SSP but that is no longer. We get a £3000 allowance that now has to cover this so if we have one person off for not a long time, we are worse off. Make that two or more people and that money doesn’t last long at all.

Forget the domestic abuse thing, that was just an example as I initially pointed out, however employers are told we have to give employees this and that (including the fairly new pension contributions) and all this makes it more difficult to run a successful business and smaller businesses are the life blood. We’re not allowed to operate owing millions in debt unlike the ‘big boys’ who all operate on borrowed debt and then get knighthoods for it!

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

It wouldn’t affect us as everyone is paid in excess of the minimum wage and national living wage so the reduced CT would be kept in the company for a safety net as you never know when the s#!t might hit the fan and you need to call on that capital.

Years ago the government used to reimburse companies for SSP but that is no longer. We get a £3000 allowance that now has to cover this so if we have one person off for not a long time, we are worse off. Make that two or more people and that money doesn’t last long at all.

Forget the domestic abuse thing, that was just an example as I initially pointed out, however employers are told we have to give employees this and that (including the fairly new pension contributions) and all this makes it more difficult to run a successful business and smaller businesses are the life blood. We’re not allowed to operate owing millions in debt unlike the ‘big boys’ who all operate on borrowed debt and then get knighthoods for it!

Yes I sympathise with that disparity between small business and big business. Carillion obviously the best example - under bidding to win contracts denying better smaller businesses the chance to win contracts, under delivering for clients, and going bust. And the big accountancy firms who gave the green light to their books to boot.

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

And there was me thinking it was. UK referendum or do you intend to break down the UK electoral area by electoral area and give them special status. Your mad comment re passport controls shows how out of touch with reality you are. That is the exact point. The EU is saying there is no need for passport controls or any kind of visible border either for people or traffic between GB and n. Seems you miss the whole nuance of the debate.
As for your other question. Right or wrong, you again make a mistake. Those are devolved powers and that choice is for NI to make. Has nothing to do with them picking and choosing UK laws, because it is not a UK wide ruling. That should be simple enough to understand? And has nothing to do with brexit

Businesses in Northern Ireland getting frustrated with the DUP brextremist non-compromising stance.

“One farmer, Hugh Maguire, said the DUP was playing politics with people’s livelihoods. “The DUP are backing themselves into a corner. They are not going to agree unless it’s their way or no way. They are holding the government to ransom,” Maguire said.”

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... mers-union" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Johnsons Red Army]

https://news.sky.com/story/top-eu-law-o ... 0-11571293" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Confirmation that Brexit can be halted.

Bring on the second referendum!

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

We have the Contempt of Parliament debate to get through first after the Govt ignored the legally binding instruction from Parliament to make the Brexit legal advice available to MPs to review before they vote on the deal. Lamentable that the PM is trying to ask MPs to vote for her whilst withholding important information to inform their decision!

[kora]

We live in hope JRA, but I'm not holding my breath. Leaving with no deal would be an economic disaster area, accepting the offered deal would be better but still not good and a second referendum might swing towards sense being restored. I've met a few "leavers" who have changed their minds now they realise the blatant lies told to them by Farage, Johnson et al; I don't know if there would be enough to swing it to restore the most successful time for the British economy for a long time, or if the racists and dickheads would still carry the vote. We will know in a week.

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

We live in hope JRA, but I'm not holding my breath. Leaving with no deal would be an economic disaster area, accepting the offered deal would be better but still not good and a second referendum might swing towards sense being restored. I've met a few "leavers" who have changed their minds now they realise the blatant lies told to them by Farage, Johnson et al; I don't know if there would be enough to swing it to restore the most successful time for the British economy for a long time, or if the racists and dickheads would still carry the vote. We will know in a week.

Be funny to see the look on their faces when we start replacing 250k white EU immigrants with Asians and Africans...

[Johnsons Red Army]

Hopefully I will be more accurate with this than my football tips , however I'm pretty certain that we will get a second referendum because I don't see what other options there are.

The first step will happen next week when the deal is voted down.

Donald Tusk came out last week and said that there would be no re-negotiation, it's either May's deal or no deal. So that eliminates the option of going back to the EU for an improved deal (unless they are bluffing, of course, however I don't believe they are).

Theresa May has already proved countless times in her leadership thus far that she will not step down, so I can't see her resigning next week either, which would almost certainly lead to a General Election if she did. Furthermore, I cannot see that she would risk her position by putting her neck on the line again with another General Election if she doesn't resign.

Which then leads to one of two options remaining. Either a second referendum (to see if the public want May's deal passed, no deal at all or simply to stay in the EU) or straight up no deal.

No deal is economic suicide, and I think all parties (Remainers and Brexiteers) know that and can see that. Which is why I don't think anyone in their right mind, Theresa May and her Government included, will allow no deal to happen.

Therefore, the only realistic outcome after all of these events have happened is for a second referendum to take place.

If I had to guess what way I thought a second referendum would go, I would suspect that we'd end up staying in the EU after all.

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

Hopefully I will be more accurate with this than my football tips , however I'm pretty certain that we will get a second referendum because I don't see what other options there are.

The first step will happen next week when the deal is voted down.

Donald Tusk came out last week and said that there would be no re-negotiation, it's either May's deal or no deal. So that eliminates the option of going back to the EU for an improved deal (unless they are bluffing, of course, however I don't believe they are).

Theresa May has already proved countless times in her leadership thus far that she will not step down, so I can't see her resigning next week either, which would almost certainly lead to a General Election if she did. Furthermore, I cannot see that she would risk her position by putting her neck on the line again with another General Election if she doesn't resign.

Which then leads to one of two options remaining. Either a second referendum (to see if the public want May's deal passed, no deal at all or simply to stay in the EU) or straight up no deal.

No deal is economic suicide, and I think all parties (Remainers and Brexiteers) know that and can see that. Which is why I don't think anyone in their right mind, Theresa May and her Government included, will allow no deal to happen.

Therefore, the only realistic outcome after all of these events have happened is for a second referendum to take place.

If I had to guess what way I thought a second referendum would go, I would suspect that we'd end up staying in the EU after all.

There is a tabled amendment to be voted on between now and the 11th to insert a clause that Parliament will not sanction a no deal no matter what. If this amendment passes, then a No vote on May’s Deal cannot leaf to a no deal.

[Johnsons Red Army]

Be interesting to see how that fares. My gut feeling is that it won't pass, but I'm not really sure to be honest.

If it does pass, then second referendum becomes the only viable option (assuming May's deal is voted down).

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

Be interesting to see how that fares. My gut feeling is that it won't pass, but I'm not really sure to be honest.

If it does pass, then second referendum becomes the only viable option (assuming May's deal is voted down).

I would not rule the EU being open to a Norway+ deal.

[Johnsons Red Army]

Norway+ is a terrible option though (compared to the status quo).

May as well just stay in on our current terms if that is the type of deal people are looking for.

However I do believe you are correct. Earlier in the negotiations, the EU did state that the Canada and Norway options were on the table (whether or not that remains the case I don't know).

[asl]

Norway pay into the EU and abide by the free movement of people agreement. Ergo, no Norway lookilikee would be acceptable.

Personally, much as I would like to stay in and think leaving is a disaster for the economy, I'm a firm believer in democracy and a second ref would be political suicide and bugger the entire ethos of that democracy. 'We' voted to leave and Parliament should now enable that wish, whatever the consequences. That nobody had enough FACTS from either camp from which to make an informed decision at the ballot box is the fault of the two campaigns.

Consequently, seeing as May's deal is the only deal on the table, I think we have to take it. The other parties are using it for political gain and so I expect it to be voted down and the nuclear winter of a no-deal Brexit is the bed we made that we will have to lie in. In 10-20 years time, the leavers might be able to say: "see? Told you it'd be alright" and we can start recovering.

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

But Nigel said being like Norway would be great: https://www.reddit.com/r/ukpolitics/com ... way_to_be/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

So surely we have to assume some people voted for that?

I wouldn’t say another vote is undemocratic; it will be three years between the votes. So was it undemocratic for May to call a GE in 2017 just two years after 2015?

The first vote was a tangible option - the status quo - vs an unknown change. People chose change, and now it is more clear what that change is, then surely it strengthens the democratic mandate for people to say whether that change is adequate?

I would set a minimum turnout threshold and minimum majority requirement. So another close vote would see the deal approved, with No Brexit or No Deal both needing 55%+ in the final round (in a three option transferable vote system) to win. That would show a much more clear indication from the public of what they want.

[Johnsons Red Army]

BREAKING: Government found in contempt of parliament

MPs vote by 311 to 293 to find ministers in contempt of parliament over their failure to publish the full legal advice on the Brexit deal.

It is the first time in history a government has been found in contempt of parliament.

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

BREAKING: Government found in contempt of parliament

MPs vote by 311 to 293 to find ministers in contempt of parliament over their failure to publish the full legal advice on the Brexit deal.

It is the first time in history a government has been found in contempt of parliament.

Well that is remarkable. We live in historic times!

Democracy in action. MPs are elected by us to represent us. The Governing Cabinet tried to run roughshod over that fundamental bedrock of our democratic system and MPs from all seven sitting parties have made it clear that is not an option.

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

And Grieve’s amendment passes! Lame Duck May takes to the lectern with her pre-programmed catchphrases after losing three votes in a day. Not long left for her now.

[ctfc-fan]

We live in hope JRA, but I'm not holding my breath. Leaving with no deal would be an economic disaster area, accepting the offered deal would be better but still not good and a second referendum might swing towards sense being restored. I've met a few "leavers" who have changed their minds now they realise the blatant lies told to them by Farage, Johnson et al; I don't know if there would be enough to swing it to restore the most successful time for the British economy for a long time, or if the racists and dickheads would still carry the vote. We will know in a week.

Just because someone voted ‘out’ it doesn’t make them a racist or a dickhead....

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

We live in hope JRA, but I'm not holding my breath. Leaving with no deal would be an economic disaster area, accepting the offered deal would be better but still not good and a second referendum might swing towards sense being restored. I've met a few "leavers" who have changed their minds now they realise the blatant lies told to them by Farage, Johnson et al; I don't know if there would be enough to swing it to restore the most successful time for the British economy for a long time, or if the racists and dickheads would still carry the vote. We will know in a week.

Just because someone voted ‘out’ it doesn’t make them a racist or a dickhead....

True. Just because someone wants to damage the UK economy overnight doesn’t make them a dickhead, they might just be stupid*. (*joke).

Plenty of people left behind by an underfunded and politically interfered education system, low pay and inequality due to poverty wages and exploitative businesses, and high cost of living due to failing transport and housing markets have a genuine reason to want change, even if undefined change. Just unfortunate they have been duped into blaming the EU and immigrants by the very people who benefit from our broken markets - the ultra elite establishment of Farage, Johnson and Rees-Mogg.

Now if leaving the EU means an end to free trade, corrections to the failed housing market, the end of monopolies, stopping awarding contracts to Capita and G4S etc, and an increase in wages to slag the benefits bill and reduce taxes then great. Trouble is none of those things have anything to do with the EU.

So when people still need benefits on top of poverty wages to afford a damp flat a slow and overpriced train ride away from work they’ll be entitled to wonder why nothing has changed.

Hopefully some of the new breed of Tories like Heidi Allen who care about people and businesses rather than the family estate and school tie corruption will come through and sort it out. The younger newer Tories are the best in Parliament, and want to take back control from the other EU - the Eton Union - who want to maintain their hereditary right to rule over a nation they are detached from.

[ctfc-fan]

My biggest concern with the EU is not immigration but their way of doing things that we have no control over, such as the TTIP system which leaves our NHS open to legal action by foreign companies.

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

My biggest concern with the EU is not immigration but their way of doing things that we have no control over, such as the TTIP system which leaves our NHS open to legal action by foreign companies.

And TTIP is collapsing as no members back it. Better that than Johnson and Rees-Mogg giving it away to foreign companies!

[Malabus]

I have just read this thread and none of you have no idea, RCS especially.

[Johnsons Red Army]

I have just read this thread and none of you have no idea, RCS especially.

Says the right-wing extremist

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

I have just read this thread and none of you have no idea, RCS especially.

So you disagree with my views on free-markets and low taxation?

[SHANDY VOR]

Even her name implies weakness and uncertainty. If there's a candidate named Fist then I'll be voting for them.

[kora]

I won't change my terminology, CTFC-FAN. I include nationalists and xenophobes in my racist list, and if you can come up with a more suitable word than dickhead for someone who votes to screw the economy of their own country for this and future generations, please let me know what it is.

[ctfc-fan]

I won't change my terminology, CTFC-FAN. I include nationalists and xenophobes in my racist list, and if you can come up with a more suitable word than dickhead for someone who votes to screw the economy of their own country for this and future generations, please let me know what it is.

Nice. So as a remainer your thoughts and opinions are the correct ones....

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

I won't change my terminology, CTFC-FAN. I include nationalists and xenophobes in my racist list, and if you can come up with a more suitable word than dickhead for someone who votes to screw the economy of their own country for this and future generations, please let me know what it is.

Nice. So as a remainer your thoughts and opinions are the correct ones....

Not sure of your respective ages, but the point about future generations stands regardless of your respective opinions. Overwhelmingly, those under 40 voted a particular way, and increasingly so the younger people get. In fact, the longer people have to live with impact of the decision, the more they were against the decision. From a moral perspective, or from an economic perspective of maximising utility of the population over the next 80 years it doesn’t make sense. Even if everyone alive voted the same as they did before, a referendum today would have a different outcome due to a new wave of people reaching voting age and others sadly passing away; but the former have 80 years to live with something they didn’t decide whereas some of those who chose for them two years ago are dead already. That’s the problem with ‘once in a generation’ referenda, especially ones where the vote is based intangible emotion rather than tangible evidence.

My only surviving grandparent, to paraphrase, came to and my cousins (some older some ten or more years younger than me) and asked “I only have a few years left, you have the rest of your lives - how do you want me to vote?” Regardless of our opinions, we appreciated that.

(P.s. I would add, that the comment re economy isn’t so much Kora’s view or opinion, but that of both the Treasury, Bank of England and a range of economic research institutions. So we’ll see wha happens. In fact if a) the Deal happens and b) we ever leave transition / backstop this will be a good test of those forecasting methods.)