John Wright

They’ve increased crossing time, and so reduced speed, by 15 minutes since 2018 timetable was introduced. Ben normally averages 16knts to Heysham. To knock an hour off would mean 22, faster in middle because it’s slower at departure and arrival etc. Yes, speed v economy is difficult. BmC3 1907 the fastest ever conventional steam Packet boat was so disastrously expensive to run that she only operated when it could be guaranteed she’d be full

Same 2 hours 45 quoted for yesterday overnight as well. Don’t think she’s capable of that speed

From FB Steam Packet page 13/12/18 2 hours 45? Really! Who needs a fast craft. Greetings from MV Cap Finistere crossing a rough Bay of Biscay en route to Bilbao, running an hour behind schedule, and she does 28knts ( ex Superfast Ferry )

EU has just approved the EU Japan Free Trade Deal. Removes all tariffs, both ways. Comes into effect 2019. Covers 1/3rd total world GDP. lots of potential for U.K. there, then. Wait, no, they’re walking away from that, and the others, such as Australasia, in the pipeline.

But the withdrawal agreement doesn’t tell you what’s coming, so you still aren’t getting a choice on the deal.

I read it and understood it. I’m pointing out that what you suggest could never work because under Art 50 you have to leave before you negotiate the future deal. So what you suggest as preferable can never happen. The current deal is just an exit deal and transition. But no one knows what it’s a transition to, because negotiations have not yet begun.

There was a thriving gay scene, pubs and bars. Things were surprisingly open. The problems started with the nastiness around the law change debate ( Warning this is not a Gay Bar Queers Keep Out - in a pub window in Victoria Street )and a bible thumping, fundamentalist, evangelical chief constable ( with a lesbian daughter ) who set up CCTV in public loos, used pretty Police entrapment techniques, etc. Many men who had sex with men in public loos were married and didn’t identify as gay, homosexual or queer.

S.10 is about sex with underage persons. Can you quote or link to the section you mean. I don’t think there’s an artificial privacy ( or two or more ) restriction anymore or in the draft, but it’s such a mess at present, we’ve amended and reamended, and gone ahead of England in some areas, but lag behind in others.

The fundamental flaw is that once you are out, you are out, and you leave before the new deal option is known. So it can only ever be in or out.

Irony, irony. Anyone else love the irony of JRM and other ERG members wanting a vote on the conservative leadership, when they only voted on it in 2016. Seems if you’re a conservative and you landed yourself with a leader who is a crock of shit, it’s democratic to vote and change your mind ( or not - as the case May be ) but if you’re a voter and voted in the referendum for something which now looks like a crock of shit then having a second vote is antidemocratic.

The only problem with that is that even after the end of the Art 50 period, which isn’t 1 year, but two, or longer, you still don’t know what the deal is, either with EU or other trading partners ( and the latter depend on the former - if staying in a single market or custom union arrangement ), because the clever drafters of Art 50 ( a Brit ) drafted it so you can’t actually negotiate new deals until you’re out. That’s why a transition period is required and the Irish back stop. Otherwise it’s only ever going to be hard Brexit and start from scratch.

No one has ever been convicted of being gay, it’s not an offence Thommo

Every democracy has democratic deficits. Different ways of doing things. They change over time. And every one of them a. Was designed that way for altruistic perceived democratic reasons, and a bit of accidentally grew up that way b. Thinks it’s version is 100% purer and better and more representative than any other.

OK. There are more than that, including, in reality, Corbyn. But it hasn’t riven the party like the Conservatives have. The labour anti brigade tended to be the older lot like Benn and Peter Shore. The problem labour has is that it’s MP’s, outside London, represent Brexit leaning constituencies who’ve been sold a false picture of the EU by the British right wing, expat, tax dodging owned tabloid MSM and see European workers and common standards as a threat... until it affects travel, roaming, food prices, jobs etc. But by then it’s too late

One of whom has left Labour, crypto Tory from Birkenhead, Frank Field