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Emrys
Emrys's Journal
Emrys's Journal
February 23, 2020
Pentagon reveals deal with Britain to replace Trident
MPs dismayed after US defence officials leak news of nuclear weapons deal before parliament is told
Britain has committed itself to buying a new generation of nuclear warheads to replace Trident, which will be based on US technology. The decision was revealed by Pentagon officials who disclosed it before an official announcement has been made by the government.
The revelation has dismayed MPs and experts who question why they have learned of the move – which will cost the UK billions of pounds – only after the decision has apparently been made. It has also raised questions about the UK’s commitment to staunching nuclear proliferation and the country’s reliance on the US for a central plank of its defence strategy.
Earlier this month, Pentagon officials confirmed that its proposed W93 sea-launched warhead, the nuclear tip of the next generation of submarine-launched ballistic missiles, would share technology with the UK’s next nuclear weapon, implying that a decision had been taken between the two countries to work on the programme.
In public, the UK has not confirmed whether it intends to commission a new nuclear warhead. The Ministry of Defence’s annual update to parliament, published just before Christmas, says only: “Work also continues to develop the evidence to support a government decision when replacing the warhead.”
But last week Admiral Charles Richard, commander of the US strategic command, told the Senate defence committee that there was a requirement for a new warhead, which would be called the W93 or Mk7. Richard said: “This effort will also support a parallel replacement warhead programme in the United Kingdom, whose nuclear deterrent plays an absolutely vital role in Nato’s overall defence posture.”
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/feb/22/pentagon-gaffe-reveals-uk-deal-replace-trident-nuclear-weapon
Britain has committed itself to buying a new generation of nuclear warheads to replace Trident, which will be based on US technology. The decision was revealed by Pentagon officials who disclosed it before an official announcement has been made by the government.
The revelation has dismayed MPs and experts who question why they have learned of the move – which will cost the UK billions of pounds – only after the decision has apparently been made. It has also raised questions about the UK’s commitment to staunching nuclear proliferation and the country’s reliance on the US for a central plank of its defence strategy.
Earlier this month, Pentagon officials confirmed that its proposed W93 sea-launched warhead, the nuclear tip of the next generation of submarine-launched ballistic missiles, would share technology with the UK’s next nuclear weapon, implying that a decision had been taken between the two countries to work on the programme.
In public, the UK has not confirmed whether it intends to commission a new nuclear warhead. The Ministry of Defence’s annual update to parliament, published just before Christmas, says only: “Work also continues to develop the evidence to support a government decision when replacing the warhead.”
But last week Admiral Charles Richard, commander of the US strategic command, told the Senate defence committee that there was a requirement for a new warhead, which would be called the W93 or Mk7. Richard said: “This effort will also support a parallel replacement warhead programme in the United Kingdom, whose nuclear deterrent plays an absolutely vital role in Nato’s overall defence posture.”
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/feb/22/pentagon-gaffe-reveals-uk-deal-replace-trident-nuclear-weapon
February 11, 2020
And now the good news:
The identity of the minister is as yet unknown, but Chris Grayling has to be in the running.
Meanwhile, Johnson seems intent on spaffing £20 billion and counting on a bridge from the middle of nowhere to the middle of nowhere (with apologies to those who live in the middle of nowhere, as I've done at various times in my life).
Slated to link Portpatrick in south-west Scotland and Larne on the east coast of Northern Ireland as the currently favoured route, the progress of the bridge (or tunnel, tunnel/bridge, details, details ...) will apparently be unhindered by the facts that the infrastructure at either end as it stands would have no chance of coping with increased traffic flows by road, the Irish and mainland UK rail gauges are incompatible, the current ferry services seem to have no problem coping with traffic, and whatever might eventually be cobbled together would have to span Beaufort's Dyke - a 30-mile by 2-mile chasm up to 1,000 feet deep that's been used in the past as a messy and ill-bounded massive dumping ground for incalculable amounts of surplus munitions (MoD estimates run at a million tons or more, but record-keeping has been patchy to non-existent), nuclear waste and anything else governments of the time felt like ditching out of sight and out of mind, which periodically throws up items such as old incendiary bombs to litter the Irish and Scottish coasts.
Evidence to the Scottish Parliament in 2000 found that:
Now that's what I call Project Fear.
Brexit - UK loses 6.6 billion a quarter since referendum, S&P says
LONDON (Reuters) - The United Kingdom has lost £6.6 billion in economic activity every quarter since it voted to leave the European Union, according to S&P Global Ratings, the latest company to estimate the damage from Brexit.
In a report published on Thursday, the ratings agency’s senior economist, Boris Glass, said the world’s fifth-biggest economy would have been about 3 percent larger by the end of 2018 if the country had not voted in a June 2016 referendum to leave the EU.
...
“Immediately after the referendum, the pound fell by about 18 percent. This was the single most pertinent indicator of the impact of the vote and the drag it created, via inflation, has been spreading through the economy,” he said.
...
The estimate is slightly lower than an assessment by Goldman Sachs earlier this week, which pegged the cost to the economy at about 600 million pounds per week. That equates to 7.8 billion pounds a quarter, according to Reuters calculations.
https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-eu-s-p-idUSKCN1RG0QW
In a report published on Thursday, the ratings agency’s senior economist, Boris Glass, said the world’s fifth-biggest economy would have been about 3 percent larger by the end of 2018 if the country had not voted in a June 2016 referendum to leave the EU.
...
“Immediately after the referendum, the pound fell by about 18 percent. This was the single most pertinent indicator of the impact of the vote and the drag it created, via inflation, has been spreading through the economy,” he said.
...
The estimate is slightly lower than an assessment by Goldman Sachs earlier this week, which pegged the cost to the economy at about 600 million pounds per week. That equates to 7.8 billion pounds a quarter, according to Reuters calculations.
https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-eu-s-p-idUSKCN1RG0QW
And now the good news:
HS2 go-ahead controversial and difficult, admits Boris Johnson
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced that the controversial HS2 high-speed rail link will be built.
The first phase of the route will travel between London and Birmingham, with a second phase going to Manchester and Leeds.
"It has been a controversial and difficult decision," Mr Johnson said.
The prime minister added he was going to appoint a full-time minister to oversee the project and criticised the HS2 company's management of the scheme.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-51461597
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced that the controversial HS2 high-speed rail link will be built.
The first phase of the route will travel between London and Birmingham, with a second phase going to Manchester and Leeds.
"It has been a controversial and difficult decision," Mr Johnson said.
The prime minister added he was going to appoint a full-time minister to oversee the project and criticised the HS2 company's management of the scheme.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-51461597
The identity of the minister is as yet unknown, but Chris Grayling has to be in the running.
Meanwhile, Johnson seems intent on spaffing £20 billion and counting on a bridge from the middle of nowhere to the middle of nowhere (with apologies to those who live in the middle of nowhere, as I've done at various times in my life).
Slated to link Portpatrick in south-west Scotland and Larne on the east coast of Northern Ireland as the currently favoured route, the progress of the bridge (or tunnel, tunnel/bridge, details, details ...) will apparently be unhindered by the facts that the infrastructure at either end as it stands would have no chance of coping with increased traffic flows by road, the Irish and mainland UK rail gauges are incompatible, the current ferry services seem to have no problem coping with traffic, and whatever might eventually be cobbled together would have to span Beaufort's Dyke - a 30-mile by 2-mile chasm up to 1,000 feet deep that's been used in the past as a messy and ill-bounded massive dumping ground for incalculable amounts of surplus munitions (MoD estimates run at a million tons or more, but record-keeping has been patchy to non-existent), nuclear waste and anything else governments of the time felt like ditching out of sight and out of mind, which periodically throws up items such as old incendiary bombs to litter the Irish and Scottish coasts.
Evidence to the Scottish Parliament in 2000 found that:
exhaustive investigations into exactly what munitions were present eventually revealed that alongside the everyday variety of bombs, grenades, rockets, bullets and explosives might lie a bewildering cocktail of canisters of sarin, tabun, mustard gas, cyanide, phosgene and anthrax. Phosphorus bombs abound and, in June 1997, it was finally revealed that radioactive waste containing both caesium 137 and radium 226 had been systematically dumped in Beaufort's dyke in the 1950s. It has now been freely admitted that some of that waste was thrown overboard in 40-gallon steel drums encased in concrete.
Now that's what I call Project Fear.
February 3, 2020
...
Allies of Javid have accused Cummings of plotting to get him sacked at the looming cabinet reshuffle — expected in the next seven days — and replaced with a more junior minister such as chief secretary to the Treasury Rishi Sunak, or another figure more amenable to Johnson’s senior aides.
The attempt failed and the prime minister has privately assured the chancellor that his position is safe, with Johnson and Javid maintaining a strong personal and working relationship, a Whitehall source said.
The bruising fight between the chancellor and Johnson’s chief aide — and Cummings’ struggle to convince the prime minister, cabinet and senior civil servants of the merits of some of his proposals — have been the early themes behind the scenes in Downing Street since the Tories won an 86-seat majority in December.
BuzzFeed News can also reveal that:
* Javid’s allies have complained that Johnson’s advisers were responsible for “poison pen” briefings to the newspapers criticising the chancellor, as Number 10 aides blasted Treasury officials for unauthorised briefings against them.
* A longtime friend said Javid’s relationship with Cummings had broken down “irrevocably”.
* Ministers worried about losing their jobs during the reshuffle have been holding “new pizza club” meetings to discuss how to combat the “control freakery” of Johnson’s de facto chief of staff.
* Even some of Cummings’ closest allies have started to question his decisions, in the first sign of dissent among the Vote Leave faction of advisers.
* Number 10 aides have lost internal arguments on a range of decisions from High Speed 2 to knocking down walls inside Downing Street.
https://www.buzzfeed.com/alexwickham/sajid-javids-war-with-dominic-cummings
Oh dear oh dear oh dear.
During the election, the very reasonable assumption was that anything reported by Laura Kuenssberg et al. as coming from a "No. 10 source" was something Cummings wanted reported. That may no longer be such a certainty, judging by a comment later in the article:
"One minister told BuzzFeed News that they have been playing a game where they send journalists anonymous quotes in the unique style of Cummings in order to see if they can make him look ridiculous in the media."
Maybe they've been at it for ages, because I've always thought Cummings has looked ridiculous in the media.
The article goes on to point out that there are ministerial concerns that there's been a lot of hot air from the government so far, but very little of the sort of "substantive activity" that might be expected with such a sizeable majority. I'm not sure I'm unhappy about that, given what they could get up to.
Sajid Javid's At War With Dominic Cummings Over The "Control Freakery" Of Boris Johnson's Top Aide
...
Allies of Javid have accused Cummings of plotting to get him sacked at the looming cabinet reshuffle — expected in the next seven days — and replaced with a more junior minister such as chief secretary to the Treasury Rishi Sunak, or another figure more amenable to Johnson’s senior aides.
The attempt failed and the prime minister has privately assured the chancellor that his position is safe, with Johnson and Javid maintaining a strong personal and working relationship, a Whitehall source said.
The bruising fight between the chancellor and Johnson’s chief aide — and Cummings’ struggle to convince the prime minister, cabinet and senior civil servants of the merits of some of his proposals — have been the early themes behind the scenes in Downing Street since the Tories won an 86-seat majority in December.
BuzzFeed News can also reveal that:
* Javid’s allies have complained that Johnson’s advisers were responsible for “poison pen” briefings to the newspapers criticising the chancellor, as Number 10 aides blasted Treasury officials for unauthorised briefings against them.
* A longtime friend said Javid’s relationship with Cummings had broken down “irrevocably”.
* Ministers worried about losing their jobs during the reshuffle have been holding “new pizza club” meetings to discuss how to combat the “control freakery” of Johnson’s de facto chief of staff.
* Even some of Cummings’ closest allies have started to question his decisions, in the first sign of dissent among the Vote Leave faction of advisers.
* Number 10 aides have lost internal arguments on a range of decisions from High Speed 2 to knocking down walls inside Downing Street.
https://www.buzzfeed.com/alexwickham/sajid-javids-war-with-dominic-cummings
Oh dear oh dear oh dear.
During the election, the very reasonable assumption was that anything reported by Laura Kuenssberg et al. as coming from a "No. 10 source" was something Cummings wanted reported. That may no longer be such a certainty, judging by a comment later in the article:
"One minister told BuzzFeed News that they have been playing a game where they send journalists anonymous quotes in the unique style of Cummings in order to see if they can make him look ridiculous in the media."
Maybe they've been at it for ages, because I've always thought Cummings has looked ridiculous in the media.
The article goes on to point out that there are ministerial concerns that there's been a lot of hot air from the government so far, but very little of the sort of "substantive activity" that might be expected with such a sizeable majority. I'm not sure I'm unhappy about that, given what they could get up to.
January 14, 2020
Follow-up article:
Meanwhile ...
https://twitter.com/christopherhope/status/1217096337935781894
https://twitter.com/christopherhope/status/1217096340347543554
Christopher Hope📝 ✔
@christopherhope
Richard Tice: "If not, we will provide the sound of the famous bell tolling from our excellent speaker system. This will, of course, be watched and listened to around the world."
The Greater London Assembly is yet to give permission for the party. 4/4 https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2020/01/14/brexit-news-latest-boris-johnson-labour-leadership-liam-fox/ …
Boris Johnson wants Brits to crowdfund 500,000 pounds to bong Big Ben on Brexit night
The Prime Minister admitted it'd cost a small fortune to ring out the bell at 11pm during restoration work - so he has a plan for the public to 'bung a bob' to pay for it instead
...
Scores of Tory MPs have been calling for the bell to toll to celebrate the moment Britain legally becomes the first nation to leave the EU.
But so far no plan has been revealed because the Elizabeth Tower, which holds the Great Bell known as Big Ben, is being restored.
The issue was discussed at a meeting of the House of Commons Commission on Monday. But the cost was estimated at £500,000 - so the idea was ditched.
...
Yet in an interview with BBC Breakfast, Boris Johnson said the Government was working up a plan to fund the costs.
...
Commons authorities said for the Bell to ring on 31 January, the temporary striking mechanism used for Remembrance Sunday and New Year’s Eve would need to be reattached and tested to ensure the timing is correct.
A temporary floor of the belfry would also need to be installed as "extensive work is currently taking place in this area." The total costs of this would be £120,000.
But it would in turn push back the works by two to four weeks, and with delays costing £100,000 a week, the total cost would come to between £320,000 and £500,000.
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/boris-johnson-wants-brits-crowdfund-21276444
...
Scores of Tory MPs have been calling for the bell to toll to celebrate the moment Britain legally becomes the first nation to leave the EU.
But so far no plan has been revealed because the Elizabeth Tower, which holds the Great Bell known as Big Ben, is being restored.
The issue was discussed at a meeting of the House of Commons Commission on Monday. But the cost was estimated at £500,000 - so the idea was ditched.
...
Yet in an interview with BBC Breakfast, Boris Johnson said the Government was working up a plan to fund the costs.
...
Commons authorities said for the Bell to ring on 31 January, the temporary striking mechanism used for Remembrance Sunday and New Year’s Eve would need to be reattached and tested to ensure the timing is correct.
A temporary floor of the belfry would also need to be installed as "extensive work is currently taking place in this area." The total costs of this would be £120,000.
But it would in turn push back the works by two to four weeks, and with delays costing £100,000 a week, the total cost would come to between £320,000 and £500,000.
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/boris-johnson-wants-brits-crowdfund-21276444
Follow-up article:
Boris' bonkers 'bung a bob for Big Ben Brexit bongs' bid bombs
Prime Minister Boris Johnson's plan to crowdfund £500,000 cost of ringing the country's most famous bell has unravelled less than five hours after he suggested it
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/boris-bonkers-bung-bob-big-21278133
Prime Minister Boris Johnson's plan to crowdfund £500,000 cost of ringing the country's most famous bell has unravelled less than five hours after he suggested it
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/boris-bonkers-bung-bob-big-21278133
Meanwhile ...
https://twitter.com/christopherhope/status/1217096337935781894
Christopher Hope📝 ✔
Christopher Hope📝 ✔
@christopherhope
Richard Tice, the chairman of Leave Means Leave, says he will arrange for the bongs to sound through his "excellent speaker system" to the estimated 15,000 Brexiteers who have applied for tickets for their Brexit night celebration. 2/4 https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2020/01/14/brexit-news-latest-boris-johnson-labour-leadership-liam-fox/ …
@christopherhope
Big Ben Brexit bongs latest:
EXCLUSIVE
Brexit Party founders @Nigel_Farage and @TiceRichard are planning to play Big Ben's bongs through loud speakers on Parliament Square on Brexit night, I am told. 1/4
More at our live blog: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2020/01/14/brexit-news-latest-boris-johnson-labour-leadership-liam-fox/ …
Christopher Hope📝 ✔
@christopherhope
Richard Tice, the chairman of Leave Means Leave, says he will arrange for the bongs to sound through his "excellent speaker system" to the estimated 15,000 Brexiteers who have applied for tickets for their Brexit night celebration. 2/4 https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2020/01/14/brexit-news-latest-boris-johnson-labour-leadership-liam-fox/ …
https://twitter.com/christopherhope/status/1217096340347543554
Christopher Hope📝 ✔
@christopherhope
· 8h
Replying to @christopherhope
He tells The Telegraph: "We find it disappointing that Big Ben will not be allowed to ring out on this momentous night, despite recently chiming for New Year's Eve.
"However, we still hope common sense can prevail... 3/4 https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2020/01/14/brexit-news-latest-boris-johnson-labour-leadership-liam-fox/ …
Christopher Hope📝 ✔
@christopherhope
Richard Tice: "If not, we will provide the sound of the famous bell tolling from our excellent speaker system. This will, of course, be watched and listened to around the world."
The Greater London Assembly is yet to give permission for the party. 4/4 https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2020/01/14/brexit-news-latest-boris-johnson-labour-leadership-liam-fox/ …
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