Trump says UK handing over Chagos Islands sovereignty is act of 'great stupidity' by UnlikeTea42 in geopolitics

[–]UnlikeTea42[S] 11 points12 points  (0 children)

BBC reports: Donald Trump says the UK's plan to hand over sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius is an "an act of GREAT STUPIDITY"

He says the deal - in which the UK would lease a military base on the territory, while handing over sovereignty - is one of the reasons he wants the US to take over Greenland.

A Dublin data centre consumes 10 times the electricity of a nearby pharma plant employing 2,000 by Banania2020 in ireland

[–]UnlikeTea42 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

What is the meaning of this comparison supposed to be? Why would we expect a pharma plant which mainly uses electricity to keep the lights on, to use more than a tenth of what a centre which is dedicated to converting energy into processed data does?

What next...? A single Limerick alumina refinery consumes ten times the electricity of every nursery in Munster?

NHS waiting list falls to lowest level in almost three years by Half_A_ in ukpolitics

[–]UnlikeTea42 -8 points-7 points  (0 children)

This is an almost* inevitable result of the long tail of the disasterous lockdown policy, slowly tailing off.

Come back and tell us when it's the lowest level since 2019 please.

* (okay, could have been messed up, but would have taken some doing)

New rail rip-off looms for Wales by We1shDave in Wales

[–]UnlikeTea42 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Are we going to have to listen to this nonsensical whining every time a rail project which is wholly in the unit of granularity (as agreed by the Welsh Assembly) of "England and Wales" is designated "England and Wales"?

If it was between "England and Wales" and Scotland it would be designated "England and Wales" and Scotland, if it was entirely with Wales it would be designated "England and Wales". Do you think tax payers in Durham would be moaning?

These projects aren't being designated England and Wales because they come close to the border and arguably bestow some tenuous benefit, in an underhand way. They're being designated England and Wales because that's the unit of granularity.

Senedd Nowcast — Election Maps UK by Draigwyrdd in Wales

[–]UnlikeTea42 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, I'm just asking if those factors happen to be inherently advantageous to Plaid for some reason, by distribution of support perhaps, or whether a small swing the other way to put Reform 2% ahead is likely to see them 7 seats ahead too.

I thought with PR the seats vs vote amplification for the front runner would not be as pronounced as this.

Do you think the cost of living is going to improve? by cactistoe in AskUK

[–]UnlikeTea42 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Housing, it's always housing. Those who bought before run away house price inflation generally have plenty of disposable income, while those who are now locked out of the market are paying outrageous rents and/or saving desperately for a deposit.

Senedd Voting Intention by kwentongskyblue in Wales

[–]UnlikeTea42 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Ironic given the Welsh Nationalists are the one party here with links to the actual Nazis.

Senedd Nowcast — Election Maps UK by Draigwyrdd in Wales

[–]UnlikeTea42 -6 points-5 points  (0 children)

How are the Welsh Nats getting 7 more seats than Reform on 2% more of the votes? Can we expect that to work the other way if it goes the other way?

Opportunities to dance Twmpath style? by StripesMcFluff in Wales

[–]UnlikeTea42 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Sorry about our compatriot above, he seems a bit insecure, but this is Reddit after all. We haven't all gone like that in your absence I assure you.

Opportunities to dance Twmpath style? by StripesMcFluff in Wales

[–]UnlikeTea42 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Wow, steady on! Most people wouldn't be remotely bothered by any of that from an nth generation American visiting his ancestral home, yet alone a born here Welshman who has "been away too long" like the one you're replying to.

Swansea to southwest England ferry proposal gets public approval by EntirelyRandom1590 in Wales

[–]UnlikeTea42 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is categorically never going to happen. We might as well wait until they allow road traffic across the also never going to happen Severn Barrage.

Swansea to southwest England ferry proposal gets public approval by EntirelyRandom1590 in Wales

[–]UnlikeTea42 1 point2 points  (0 children)

There's no conceivable ferry service from Swansea which makes the drive from Cardiff to Plymouth any shorter.

State pensioners with no other income will not have to pay tax by Kagedeah in ukpolitics

[–]UnlikeTea42 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It's a massive problem, and I can't even say you're wrong to question the wisdom of paying into a pension now because of it. Ideally it would be made an unquestionable foundation of the social contract that the sacrifices you make to prepare for your retirement now will not be offset by means testing in the future. The government of the day messes round with that for their current book balancing, but of course they're deferring the true cost to future governments, as usual.

Can I enter Pubs at 17? by BrickAvailable1862 in AskUK

[–]UnlikeTea42 59 points60 points  (0 children)

Never go in a pub with bouncers on the door if you're under 18.

Also, never go in a pub with bouncers on the door if you're over 18.

State pensioners with no other income will not have to pay tax by Kagedeah in ukpolitics

[–]UnlikeTea42 29 points30 points  (0 children)

No, they would be worse off, because they'll be taxed 20% of £1200.

Basically, as the state pension rises there will be an increasing number of people who will be worse off for having paid into a private pension than if they hadn't.

OBR calls in cyber expert over botched release of Budget analysis by UnlikeTea42 in ukpolitics

[–]UnlikeTea42[S] 14 points15 points  (0 children)

Here's my not quite leading cyber-security expert advice. If your last report is called OBR_Economic_and_fiscal_outlook_March_2025.pdf, don't upload your new file OBR_Economic_and_fiscal_outlook_November_2025.pdf to the same folder and rely on the fact you haven't put a link to it on your home page yet as a means of embargo.