How is the Tory government doing?

Interesting set of measures announced by Sunak today to try to stem the tide of rising unemployment, especially youth unemployment. Seems like a lot of money thrown at the problem but every unemployed person becomes a cost so on balance it seems OK, however the question is whether or not they are the right measures? I'm concerned that they are offering to pay employers for offering work placements to people who will receive nothing financially or academically from the experience - so it's going to be interested to see how many take it up. And in not offering further support for proper apprenticeships it does suggest a shift in thinking.

wanderlust wrote:Story of the week for me was the 12,000 job losses in just two days. Fairly sure the 'high street" is well and truly f***** now and that will lead to social change - which may inadvertently turn out to be a blessing for the environment.

Another 5300 jobs go at Boots and John Lewis despite Sunak's measures. Retail on it's arse and if a critical mass of retailers doesn't make it the rest will struggle as shopping trips will become less worthwhile and we'll retrench in our houses.

wanderlust wrote:

wanderlust wrote:Story of the week for me was the 12,000 job losses in just two days. Fairly sure the 'high street" is well and truly f***** now and that will lead to social change - which may inadvertently turn out to be a blessing for the environment.

Another 5300 jobs go at Boots and John Lewis despite Sunak's measures. Retail on it's arse and if a critical mass of retailers doesn't make it the rest will struggle as shopping trips will become less worthwhile and we'll retrench in our houses.

I don't think that is the case, I just think it is a major social 'step' change to move to on-line shopping rather than a trip out to the shops - and therefore less footfall/spending in the traditional High Street - which of course have high overheads - rents and staff wages - and impact on profitability/loss.

As for a blessing for the environment I suspect there will be a load more delivery vans and the roads going to all of these millions of households now shopping online, so maybe not as much as one would hope?

It's been going on over the last few years but has gained huge boost recently whilst everybody has been locked down and many more have thus joined them by changing their shopping habits to online too.

It wouldn't surprise me that one of the next things resulting from lockdown is a major shift from office based working to home working/Zoom type networking and a load of office buildings falling empty when company leases on them expire.

Sluffy wrote:

I don't think that is the case, I just think it is a major social 'step' change to move to on-line shopping rather than a trip out to the shops - and therefore less footfall/spending in the traditional High Street - which of course have high overheads - rents and staff wages - and impact on profitability/loss.

As for a blessing for the environment I suspect there will be a load more delivery vans and the roads going to all of these millions of households now shopping online, so maybe not as much as one would hope?

It's been going on over the last few years but has gained huge boost recently whilst everybody has been locked down and many more have thus joined them by changing their shopping habits to online too.

It wouldn't surprise me that one of the next things resulting from lockdown is a major shift from office based working to home working/Zoom type networking and a load of office buildings falling empty when company leases on them expire.

Which bit don't you think is the case? Nothing you've written appears to contradict anything I wrote..?

As for more vans on the road, one van doing 10 targeted deliveries per trip seems a better option than 10 individual trips to town and back i.e. good for the environment.

wanderlust wrote:

Sluffy wrote:

I don't think that is the case, I just think it is a major social 'step' change to move to on-line shopping rather than a trip out to the shops - and therefore less footfall/spending in the traditional High Street - which of course have high overheads - rents and staff wages - and impact on profitability/loss.

As for a blessing for the environment I suspect there will be a load more delivery vans and the roads going to all of these millions of households now shopping online, so maybe not as much as one would hope?

It's been going on over the last few years but has gained huge boost recently whilst everybody has been locked down and many more have thus joined them by changing their shopping habits to online too.

It wouldn't surprise me that one of the next things resulting from lockdown is a major shift from office based working to home working/Zoom type networking and a load of office buildings falling empty when company leases on them expire.

Which bit don't you think is the case? Nothing you've written appears to contradict anything I wrote..?

As for more vans on the road, one van doing 10 targeted deliveries per trip seems a better option than 10 individual trips to town and back i.e. good for the environment.

This bit -

wanderlust wrote:Retail on it's arse

High Street retail I agree with but online - amazon etc - is absolutely booming.

As for 10 individual trips to town and back, some of those 10 would use public transport (such as the Tube into London, or the tram into Manchester, etc) and no matter how targeted the deliveries are, there's always going to be additional mileage going from delivery to delivery depending on what is in stock and on the roster to be delivered on that certain day - ie someone could have gone into town and bought 10 items during their trip but by ordering them online and waiting for them to be in stock could mean 10 vans delivering an item a day for 10 days to the same house - certainly seems like it anyway with the number of delivery drivers constantly turning up daily at Sluffy Towers!

Then you have the issue of the 'returns' which seems like 99% of what is ordered because people seem to want to order the same thing in three different sizes and four different colours to find the one they actually want and send the rest back!

Maybe when we get to the point of electric vans or drones or something doing the deliveries we might see a positive environmental impact but I really can't see much improvement until then.

So much for listening to expert advice:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-53348246

xmiles wrote:So much for listening to expert advice:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-53348246

Ah - but is it science?

How very convenient.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/chris-grayling-intelligence-security-committee-boris-johnson-russia-a9611036.html

Is "puppet's puppet" an actual job title?

If you want a job done badly then Grayling is your man.

They are comparing BoJo to Hitler. At least Hitler put the hours in.

sunlight wrote:They are comparing BoJo to Hitler. At least Hitler put the hours in.

Do you think that's funny?

Natasha Whittam wrote:

Do you think that's funny?

I am not comparing him to Hitler, that was someone else. I am only comparing them in terms of days of absence.
Its like he has those dodge books like the character out of the Beano and he gets out of everything.
He isnt anything like Hitler. He is more like Roger the Dodger.

sunlight wrote:
 He is more like Roger the Dodger.

More like Roger any woman daft enough to fall for his bullshit.
7 kids and counting.

Well, in his dodge book number 7 it told him to hide in a fridge to avoid a possible contretemps with irate people.
I imagine he has a password that you have to say to have access into number 10 and only his chums know it. You have to say it through the letterbox.
Its all a jolly wheeze.

Has he really got 7 kids?

gloswhite wrote:Has he really got 7 kids?

No-one knows. When asked he evades any direct answer with deliberate bumbling and avoidance. Just like when he is running the country.
If asked he puts on one of his Burlesque and Vaudevillian acts to distract people from wanting an answer.

Boris and his amazing dancing teeth circa 1902.

gloswhite wrote:Has he really got 7 kids?

 He's not sure either to be fair.

it helps to have friends in high places if you are a Tory councillor.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-53361167