st albans fox Posted 4 June 2025 Posted 4 June 2025 16 minutes ago, leicsmac said: Nah, just throwing out a barb regarding the Beebs fact-checking and adjusting stories as new factual information comes in. Height of hypocrisy of course, seeing as this administration has a lot of form on both not bothering to fact check and then doubling down when they're shown to be wrong. The hypocrisy is incredible they have a point about the media - it’s just that they don’t have a basis to be making it ! 2
Torquay Gunner Posted 4 June 2025 Posted 4 June 2025 6 hours ago, Jon the Hat said: 6 hours ago, Jon the Hat said: An excellent article, which also explains why not having guns on your person or indeed readily available to grab reduces the gun related deaths stat so much. Knives also kill, but getting up close and personal to someone, especially if they are running away is a lot harder imo. On the point of "informal social control" I was talking about this the other day with a friend - the benefit of a small cafe opening on the corner, of an arts & craft co-op market opening in an empty shop. Suddenly people care about the area, there are people around and it becomes less scary to be there. As a direct result crime drops and interactions - even ones which might have resulted in a violent crime in the past - become a few words and get ignored, or others step in. Good article, but hardly groundbreaking. Part of the article talks about ‘community cleanups’ for want of a better term and yes if an area looks cared for, it’s likely to reduce anti social behaviour /crime. That ‘theory’ is well established. Ludwig the author of the book argues that neither Brown the original aggressor or Hood the killer were evil. Well yes, although Brown was a clearly violent man and had no compunction in hitting women. That such a man met his end through violent means was hardly surprising. Ludwig seemed to suggest that a tighter community might have resulted in Brown being ‘talked down’ from his violent intent. Maybe and maybe not , although it is understandable that people would not want to intervene in a country awash with guns. Most of what he wrote made sense, but sadly it really just equates to so much ‘pie in the sky’.
davieG Posted 4 June 2025 Posted 4 June 2025 Looks like Leicester & Leicestershire misses out again. Jennifer McKiernan BBC political reporter @_JennyMcKiernan Published 4 June 2025, 04:00 BST Updated 1 hour ago Billions of pounds of investment in transport infrastructure in England are set to be announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves on Wednesday. The money will be spent on tram, train and bus projects in mayoral authorities across the Midlands, the North and the West Country. The move comes before the government's spending review next week, which will determine how much money each Whitehall department gets over the next three to four years. Reeves has been under pressure from Labour MPs to spend money following criticism of relentless economic gloom, particularly around disability and benefit cuts, as the chancellor tries to stick to her fiscal rules in difficult circumstances. Trams form the backbone of the investment plans, with Greater Manchester getting £2.5bn to extend its network to Stockport and add stops in Bury, Manchester and Oldham, and the West Midlands getting £2.4bn to extend services from Birmingham city centre to the new sports quarter. There will also be £2.1bn to start building the West Yorkshire Mass Transit programme by 2028, and build new bus stations in Bradford and Wakefield. Six more metro mayors will receive transport investments: £1.5bn for South Yorkshire to renew the tram network as well as bus services across Sheffield, Doncaster and Rotherham by 2027 £1.6bn for Liverpool city region with faster connections to Liverpool John Lennon Airport, Everton stadium and Anfield, and a new bus fleet in St Helens and the Wirral next year £1.8bn for the North East to extend the Newcastle to Sunderland Metro via Washington £800m for West of England to improve rail infrastructure, provide more frequent trains between the Brabazon industrial estate in Bristol and the city centre, and develop mass transit between Bristol, Bath, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset £1bn for Tees Valley including a £60m platform extension programme for Middlesbrough station £2bn for the East Midlands to improve road, rail and bus connections between Derby and Nottingham. The transport investment marks Reeves' first open move away from the stringent rules in the Treasury's Green Book, external, which is used by officials to calculate the value for money of major projects. The book has been criticised for favouring London and the south-east. Labour MP Jeevun Sandher, a member of the Treasury Committee, complained of its "hardwired London bias" in April. In a speech in Manchester later, the chancellor is expected to say that sticking to book's rules has meant "growth created in too few places, felt by too few people and wide gaps between regions, and between our cities and towns". Changing the rules will also mean more money for areas of the North and Midlands, including the so-called "Red Wall", where Labour MPs face an electoral challenge from Reform UK. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said the announcement "marks a watershed moment on our journey to improving transport across the North and Midlands - opening up access to jobs, growing the economy and driving up quality of life". North East Mayor Kim McGuinness said the £1.8bn funding for her area was a "game changer", while Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram said the investment was a "massive vote of confidence in our region". But shadow chancellor Mel Stride said Labour's promises on transport "lack any serious plan". "They've betrayed pensioners, farmers, and hardworking families, all while making empty tax promises that simply don't add up," Stride said. "Between Labour and Reform, it's a race to promise everything to everyone - with no way to pay for it." Liberal Democrat Treasury spokeswoman Daisy Cooper warned the chancellor must now deliver, because "these communities have heard these same promises before, only to be left with phantom transport networks". "We must not see people led up the garden path once again," she said. "Extra investment in public transport must also focus on cutting fares for hard-pressed families being clobbered by a cost of living crisis." Reeves is not the first chancellor to review the Treasury's investment rules; former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also reviewed the book as part of the Conservatives' Levelling up agenda. Sunak had also announced some of these same projects, including the development of a mass transit network in West Yorkshire, in his Network North plan, intended to compensate for the decision to scrap the HS2 line north of Birmingham. Labour reviewed these projects when they came to power in July, arguing they had not been fully funded. Reeves' £15.6bn regional transport announcements are part of a five-year funding allocation from 2027/28 to 2031/32, which a Treasury spokesman confirmed would double the current £1.14bn spending allocation for 2024-25 to £2.9bn by 2029-30.
The boy Linacre Posted 4 June 2025 Posted 4 June 2025 On 27/05/2025 at 18:50, Md9 said: Sure putin is really worried about this orange plum Doesn't the writer sound about 12????
kenny Posted 4 June 2025 Posted 4 June 2025 10 minutes ago, davieG said: Looks like Leicester & Leicestershire misses out again. Jennifer McKiernan BBC political reporter @_JennyMcKiernan Published 4 June 2025, 04:00 BST Updated 1 hour ago Billions of pounds of investment in transport infrastructure in England are set to be announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves on Wednesday. The money will be spent on tram, train and bus projects in mayoral authorities across the Midlands, the North and the West Country. The move comes before the government's spending review next week, which will determine how much money each Whitehall department gets over the next three to four years. Reeves has been under pressure from Labour MPs to spend money following criticism of relentless economic gloom, particularly around disability and benefit cuts, as the chancellor tries to stick to her fiscal rules in difficult circumstances. Trams form the backbone of the investment plans, with Greater Manchester getting £2.5bn to extend its network to Stockport and add stops in Bury, Manchester and Oldham, and the West Midlands getting £2.4bn to extend services from Birmingham city centre to the new sports quarter. There will also be £2.1bn to start building the West Yorkshire Mass Transit programme by 2028, and build new bus stations in Bradford and Wakefield. Six more metro mayors will receive transport investments: £1.5bn for South Yorkshire to renew the tram network as well as bus services across Sheffield, Doncaster and Rotherham by 2027 £1.6bn for Liverpool city region with faster connections to Liverpool John Lennon Airport, Everton stadium and Anfield, and a new bus fleet in St Helens and the Wirral next year £1.8bn for the North East to extend the Newcastle to Sunderland Metro via Washington £800m for West of England to improve rail infrastructure, provide more frequent trains between the Brabazon industrial estate in Bristol and the city centre, and develop mass transit between Bristol, Bath, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset £1bn for Tees Valley including a £60m platform extension programme for Middlesbrough station £2bn for the East Midlands to improve road, rail and bus connections between Derby and Nottingham. The transport investment marks Reeves' first open move away from the stringent rules in the Treasury's Green Book, external, which is used by officials to calculate the value for money of major projects. The book has been criticised for favouring London and the south-east. Labour MP Jeevun Sandher, a member of the Treasury Committee, complained of its "hardwired London bias" in April. In a speech in Manchester later, the chancellor is expected to say that sticking to book's rules has meant "growth created in too few places, felt by too few people and wide gaps between regions, and between our cities and towns". Changing the rules will also mean more money for areas of the North and Midlands, including the so-called "Red Wall", where Labour MPs face an electoral challenge from Reform UK. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said the announcement "marks a watershed moment on our journey to improving transport across the North and Midlands - opening up access to jobs, growing the economy and driving up quality of life". North East Mayor Kim McGuinness said the £1.8bn funding for her area was a "game changer", while Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram said the investment was a "massive vote of confidence in our region". But shadow chancellor Mel Stride said Labour's promises on transport "lack any serious plan". "They've betrayed pensioners, farmers, and hardworking families, all while making empty tax promises that simply don't add up," Stride said. "Between Labour and Reform, it's a race to promise everything to everyone - with no way to pay for it." Liberal Democrat Treasury spokeswoman Daisy Cooper warned the chancellor must now deliver, because "these communities have heard these same promises before, only to be left with phantom transport networks". "We must not see people led up the garden path once again," she said. "Extra investment in public transport must also focus on cutting fares for hard-pressed families being clobbered by a cost of living crisis." Reeves is not the first chancellor to review the Treasury's investment rules; former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also reviewed the book as part of the Conservatives' Levelling up agenda. Sunak had also announced some of these same projects, including the development of a mass transit network in West Yorkshire, in his Network North plan, intended to compensate for the decision to scrap the HS2 line north of Birmingham. Labour reviewed these projects when they came to power in July, arguing they had not been fully funded. Reeves' £15.6bn regional transport announcements are part of a five-year funding allocation from 2027/28 to 2031/32, which a Treasury spokesman confirmed would double the current £1.14bn spending allocation for 2024-25 to £2.9bn by 2029-30. Marginal areas always get investment over safer ones. They are targetting the red wall, Leicester is reasonably safe Leicester seats with reasonably safe tory seats in the county so its not worth any effort or cash. Boris/Goves levelling up fund was used in this way as well.
Torquay Gunner Posted 4 June 2025 Posted 4 June 2025 1 hour ago, The boy Linacre said: Doesn't the writer sound about 12???? I have an 11 year nephew who has a better vocab than him. 1
Trav Le Bleu Posted 4 June 2025 Posted 4 June 2025 16 minutes ago, Torquay Gunner said: I have an 11 year nephew who has a better vocab than him. Fake news
Torquay Gunner Posted 4 June 2025 Posted 4 June 2025 14 minutes ago, Trav Le Bleu said: Fake news Yeah ok, he’s more like 11 and a half. 1
OntarioFox Posted 4 June 2025 Posted 4 June 2025 (edited) 1 hour ago, davieG said: Looks like Leicester & Leicestershire misses out again. Jennifer McKiernan BBC political reporter @_JennyMcKiernan Published 4 June 2025, 04:00 BST Updated 1 hour ago Billions of pounds of investment in transport infrastructure in England are set to be announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves on Wednesday. The money will be spent on tram, train and bus projects in mayoral authorities across the Midlands, the North and the West Country. The move comes before the government's spending review next week, which will determine how much money each Whitehall department gets over the next three to four years. Reeves has been under pressure from Labour MPs to spend money following criticism of relentless economic gloom, particularly around disability and benefit cuts, as the chancellor tries to stick to her fiscal rules in difficult circumstances. Trams form the backbone of the investment plans, with Greater Manchester getting £2.5bn to extend its network to Stockport and add stops in Bury, Manchester and Oldham, and the West Midlands getting £2.4bn to extend services from Birmingham city centre to the new sports quarter. There will also be £2.1bn to start building the West Yorkshire Mass Transit programme by 2028, and build new bus stations in Bradford and Wakefield. Six more metro mayors will receive transport investments: £1.5bn for South Yorkshire to renew the tram network as well as bus services across Sheffield, Doncaster and Rotherham by 2027 £1.6bn for Liverpool city region with faster connections to Liverpool John Lennon Airport, Everton stadium and Anfield, and a new bus fleet in St Helens and the Wirral next year £1.8bn for the North East to extend the Newcastle to Sunderland Metro via Washington £800m for West of England to improve rail infrastructure, provide more frequent trains between the Brabazon industrial estate in Bristol and the city centre, and develop mass transit between Bristol, Bath, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset £1bn for Tees Valley including a £60m platform extension programme for Middlesbrough station £2bn for the East Midlands to improve road, rail and bus connections between Derby and Nottingham. The transport investment marks Reeves' first open move away from the stringent rules in the Treasury's Green Book, external, which is used by officials to calculate the value for money of major projects. The book has been criticised for favouring London and the south-east. Labour MP Jeevun Sandher, a member of the Treasury Committee, complained of its "hardwired London bias" in April. In a speech in Manchester later, the chancellor is expected to say that sticking to book's rules has meant "growth created in too few places, felt by too few people and wide gaps between regions, and between our cities and towns". Changing the rules will also mean more money for areas of the North and Midlands, including the so-called "Red Wall", where Labour MPs face an electoral challenge from Reform UK. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said the announcement "marks a watershed moment on our journey to improving transport across the North and Midlands - opening up access to jobs, growing the economy and driving up quality of life". North East Mayor Kim McGuinness said the £1.8bn funding for her area was a "game changer", while Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram said the investment was a "massive vote of confidence in our region". But shadow chancellor Mel Stride said Labour's promises on transport "lack any serious plan". "They've betrayed pensioners, farmers, and hardworking families, all while making empty tax promises that simply don't add up," Stride said. "Between Labour and Reform, it's a race to promise everything to everyone - with no way to pay for it." Liberal Democrat Treasury spokeswoman Daisy Cooper warned the chancellor must now deliver, because "these communities have heard these same promises before, only to be left with phantom transport networks". "We must not see people led up the garden path once again," she said. "Extra investment in public transport must also focus on cutting fares for hard-pressed families being clobbered by a cost of living crisis." Reeves is not the first chancellor to review the Treasury's investment rules; former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also reviewed the book as part of the Conservatives' Levelling up agenda. Sunak had also announced some of these same projects, including the development of a mass transit network in West Yorkshire, in his Network North plan, intended to compensate for the decision to scrap the HS2 line north of Birmingham. Labour reviewed these projects when they came to power in July, arguing they had not been fully funded. Reeves' £15.6bn regional transport announcements are part of a five-year funding allocation from 2027/28 to 2031/32, which a Treasury spokesman confirmed would double the current £1.14bn spending allocation for 2024-25 to £2.9bn by 2029-30. The results of Emperor Soulsby deciding for himself that Leicester wanted no part in a combined East Midlands authority, folks. We will continue to rot while Derby gets the benefits of working with, rather than against, Nottingham being the centre of investment. As for @kenny's claim, that doesn't hold up when the morons in Leicester East gave the Tories their single electoral gain from Labour in the entire country at the last election, and they also lost Leicester South to a single-issue muppet. Make no mistake, the stubbornness of the people in charge here is why we can't have nice things. There's a complete lack of acknowledgement of how things have moved on, and while others are getting with the times we're left with power-hungry nepotists doing nothing of note to benefit the place. It's scarily similar to the football club when you think about it. Edited 4 June 2025 by OntarioFox 4
Md9 Posted 4 June 2025 Posted 4 June 2025 1 hour ago, The boy Linacre said: Doesn't the writer sound about 12???? Bit harsh on 12 years olds 😂
Trav Le Bleu Posted 4 June 2025 Posted 4 June 2025 Bill Gates to give away $200 billion to Africa in will - BBC News Genuine philanthropist. If only governments were less self-interest ed. Having said that I've no great hope it won't be misused. Expect to see Presidential palaces springing up throughout the Dark Continent. 2
st albans fox Posted 4 June 2025 Posted 4 June 2025 1 hour ago, Trav Le Bleu said: Bill Gates to give away $200 billion to Africa in will - BBC News Genuine philanthropist. If only governments were less self-interest ed. Having said that I've no great hope it won't be misused. Expect to see Presidential palaces springing up throughout the Dark Continent. Hopefully British architects can get most of the contracts !
Bellend Sebastian Posted 4 June 2025 Posted 4 June 2025 17 minutes ago, Super_horns said: Classic Government u turn on the WFA issue ? Not a full u turn as they're adamant it's not coming back as a universal benefit (which makes sense as why should my parents and parents in law be sat on a million quid of property between them and no small amount of other assets and get a non means tested benefit on top of their pensions?). The whole thing was a coms disaster, a Malcolm Tucker would never have stood for it 2
leicsmac Posted 4 June 2025 Posted 4 June 2025 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgq0gy82wjo Gaza has become worse than hell on earth, the head of the International Committee of the Red Cross has told the BBC. In an interview at the ICRC's headquarters in Geneva, the organisation's president Mirjana Spoljaric said "humanity is failing" as it watched the horrors of the Gaza war. Speaking in a room close to a case displaying the ICRC's three Nobel Peace Prizes, I asked Ms Spoljaric about remarks she made in April, that Gaza was "hell on earth", and if anything had happened since to change her mind. "It has become worse… We cannot continue to watch what is happening. It's surpassing any acceptable, legal, moral, and humane standard. The level of destruction, the level of suffering. "More importantly, the fact that we are watching a people entirely stripped of its human dignity. It should really shock our collective conscience." Powerful words, powerful interview. 3
Lionator Posted 4 June 2025 Posted 4 June 2025 12 minutes ago, leicsmac said: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgq0gy82wjo Gaza has become worse than hell on earth, the head of the International Committee of the Red Cross has told the BBC. In an interview at the ICRC's headquarters in Geneva, the organisation's president Mirjana Spoljaric said "humanity is failing" as it watched the horrors of the Gaza war. Speaking in a room close to a case displaying the ICRC's three Nobel Peace Prizes, I asked Ms Spoljaric about remarks she made in April, that Gaza was "hell on earth", and if anything had happened since to change her mind. "It has become worse… We cannot continue to watch what is happening. It's surpassing any acceptable, legal, moral, and humane standard. The level of destruction, the level of suffering. "More importantly, the fact that we are watching a people entirely stripped of its human dignity. It should really shock our collective conscience." Powerful words, powerful interview. I just cannot get my head around the cognitive dissonance in how we let this happen. It struck me the other day when I read an article of a Russian MP saying they need to start giving Ukraine the Israel treatment. Knowing how violent that war has been, it shows just how horrific conditions in Gaza must be. 1
Parafox Posted 4 June 2025 Author Posted 4 June 2025 7 hours ago, OntarioFox said: The results of Emperor Soulsby deciding for himself that Leicester wanted no part in a combined East Midlands authority, folks. We will continue to rot while Derby gets the benefits of working with, rather than against, Nottingham being the centre of investment. As for @kenny's claim, that doesn't hold up when the morons in Leicester East gave the Tories their single electoral gain from Labour in the entire country at the last election, and they also lost Leicester South to a single-issue muppet. Make no mistake, the stubbornness of the people in charge here is why we can't have nice things. There's a complete lack of acknowledgement of how things have moved on, and while others are getting with the times we're left with power-hungry nepotists doing nothing of note to benefit the place. It's scarily similar to the football club when you think about it. But... but... we've got exceptional anti-motorist cycle lanes (road narrowing) and traffic calming (road narrowing) and bus lanes (road narrowing, income generating) schemes. Don't we?
Parafox Posted 4 June 2025 Author Posted 4 June 2025 3 hours ago, st albans fox said: Hopefully British architects can get most of the contracts ! And the scaffolders. 1
leicsmac Posted 4 June 2025 Posted 4 June 2025 20 minutes ago, Lionator said: I just cannot get my head around the cognitive dissonance in how we let this happen. It struck me the other day when I read an article of a Russian MP saying they need to start giving Ukraine the Israel treatment. Knowing how violent that war has been, it shows just how horrific conditions in Gaza must be. The cognitive dissonance of those who stand by and let it happen, and also the sheer monstrous sociopathy of those who carry out out (whatever the justification) and those who look at it and want to emulate it for their own self interest . Our species has to do better. 1
Lionator Posted 4 June 2025 Posted 4 June 2025 Just now, leicsmac said: The cognitive dissonance of those who stand by and let it happen, and also the sheer monstrous sociopathy of those who carry out out (whatever the justification) and those who look at it and want to emulate it for their own self interest . Our species has to do better. Netanyahu has to be up there in terms of most evil post-1945. The Franco’s, Stalin’s, Amin’s would be proud. We’ve seen in the 90’s that the Israeli state can be led by people that want peace but unfortunately hurdles and barriers (or bullets) seem to always get in the way of those.
leicsmac Posted 4 June 2025 Posted 4 June 2025 6 minutes ago, Lionator said: Netanyahu has to be up there in terms of most evil post-1945. The Franco’s, Stalin’s, Amin’s would be proud. We’ve seen in the 90’s that the Israeli state can be led by people that want peace but unfortunately hurdles and barriers (or bullets) seem to always get in the way of those. In terms of raw numbers he lags behind, but yes, it's certainly not for lack of ambition. It's so deeply depressing to see people like that aspire to power in so many places and at so many points throughout history. 1
MattFox Posted 4 June 2025 Posted 4 June 2025 8 hours ago, OntarioFox said: The results of Emperor Soulsby deciding for himself that Leicester wanted no part in a combined East Midlands authority, folks. We will continue to rot while Derby gets the benefits of working with, rather than against, Nottingham being the centre of investment. As for @kenny's claim, that doesn't hold up when the morons in Leicester East gave the Tories their single electoral gain from Labour in the entire country at the last election, and they also lost Leicester South to a single-issue muppet. Make no mistake, the stubbornness of the people in charge here is why we can't have nice things. There's a complete lack of acknowledgement of how things have moved on, and while others are getting with the times we're left with power-hungry nepotists doing nothing of note to benefit the place. It's scarily similar to the football club when you think about it. Soulsby a Labour politician refused to join an authority dominated by two other Labour councils (Derby and Nottingham) whilst the Tory led district councils and county council in Leics were all in favour So we now have a situation where the biggest city in the East Midlands isn’t represented in its own regional authority
Trav Le Bleu Posted 4 June 2025 Posted 4 June 2025 4 hours ago, st albans fox said: Hopefully British architects can get most of the contracts ! Are you a British architect? 1
Parafox Posted 4 June 2025 Author Posted 4 June 2025 40 minutes ago, Trav Le Bleu said: Are you a British architect? Let's hope not. Carbuncle Cup: London tower crowned UK’s worst building | CNN
Trav Le Bleu Posted 4 June 2025 Posted 4 June 2025 1 minute ago, Parafox said: Let's hope not. Carbuncle Cup: London tower crowned UK’s worst building | CNN One of @st albans fox's best!
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