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  • https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/n...-37108625.html
    Brexit: Government plan for electricity barges in Irish sea should Northern Ireland be cut off

    Government officials fear thousands of electricity generators may need to be requisitioned from the Army and put on barges in the Irish Sea to keep Northern Ireland's lights on in the event of a 'no deal' Brexit.

    A document drawn up by officials said the plan would see equipment commandeered from the military and flown back from Nato-led operations in countries such as Afghanistan, according to a report in the Financial Times.

    The 'worst-case scenario' is part of a private Government paper outlining negative consequences of the UK leaving the European Union without any deal.

    Northern Ireland and the Republic share a single energy market but UK officials fear leaving the EU without an exit deal would lead to energy providers in the south cutting off power to the north because Britain would no longer be part of Europe's electricity market.

    To avoid blackouts, the outlandish plan would see thousands of generators taken from the military. One official told the FT that the idea of electricity barges in the Irish Sea was one of the most "gob-smacking" elements of the contingency planning.

    "I can't believe this hasn't really been noticed by the wider world," he told the newspaper.

    A Government source also told the paper: "We are working hard on a solution.

    "We have made good progress on this and a number of other issues during recent negotiations… however, as a responsible Government we will continue to prepare for all scenarios, including the highly unlikely outcome that we leave the EU without any deal next March."

    [...]

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    • Army 'on standby' to handle food and medicines shortages in event of 'no deal' Brexit

      Plans for the military to help in the event of civil emergencies are reportedly dusted off as part of preparations for "no deal".


      The army is on standby to help deliver food, medicines and fuels if there are shortages in the wake of a "no deal" Brexit, it has been reported.

      Plans for the armed forces to help civilian authorities in the event of civil emergencies have been dusted off as part of contingency preparations for Britain leaving the EU without an agreement, according to Sunday Times.

      This would see helicopters and army trucks being used to get supplies to vulnerable people outside the South East who were having difficulties getting the medicines they require, according to the newspaper.

      An unnamed minister told the Sunday Times that the military would be drafted in if problems at Britain's ports caused shortages of food, fuel and medicines.

      They said: "There is a lot of civil contingency planning around the prospect of no deal. That's not frightening the horses, that's just being utterly realistic."

      A Ministry of Defence source said there had been "no formal request" to supply aid, but acknowledged there is a "blueprint for us supporting the civilian authorities that can be dusted off".

      The newspaper's report also said there would be a significant impact on the NHS, with the health service moving onto a year-round "winter crisis footing".

      Prime Minister Theresa May - who has repeatedly said no Brexit deal is better than a bad deal - said earlier this week that the British public should feel "reassurance and comfort" over the government's preparations for a no deal scenario.

      Mrs May did not deny stockpiling was taking place, but said Downing Street was being "responsible and sensible" whilst simultaneously trying to strike a good deal with Brussels.

      She told 5 News: "Far from being worried about preparations that we are making, I would say that people should take reassurance and comfort from the fact that the government is saying we are in a negotiation, we are working for a good deal - I believe we can get a good deal - but... because we don't know what the outcome is going to be... let's prepare for every eventuality.

      "This is not just about stockpiling.

      "That concept, what it is, is about making sure that we will be able to continue to do the things that are necessary once we have left the European Union, if we leave without a deal."

      Chancellor Philip Hammond echoed the PM's words, saying it was "sensible and responsible" for the government to be working in conjunction with industry to stockpile certain vital supplies for the event of no deal.

      He said: "That's a sensible and responsible thing for a Government to do and large businesses who are importing or exporting large volumes of products or produce will be making contingency plans, and we would encourage them to do so and work closely with them as they are putting those plans together."

      Health Secretary Matt Hancock told MPs on Tuesday he had asked officials to "work up options for stockpiling" by the pharmaceutical industry, while Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab said the government would be taking steps to make sure there is an "adequate food supply".
      https://news.sky.com/story/army-on-s...rexit-11453093

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        • Originally posted by Bigfella View Post
          The British Labour party isn't in 'recovery', it is eating itself. The only reason it hasn't descended into civil war is because the Tories are in such a godawful mess that Labour is competitive in the polls. I say competitive because despite the Tories spending a year doing their impression of a rotting corpse Labour is still only level. If, as expected. may gets knifed after the Brexit negotiations & replaced with someone more competent then the 'recovery' may come to a grinding halt.
          That is what "recovery" means for a party like this. Doesn't get any better. Look at the US Dems. The Progressives (such as Ocasio Cortez) are needlessly butting heads against the establishment
          "Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?" ~ Epicurus

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          • Doesn't get any better. Look at the US Dems. The Progressives (such as Ocasio Cortez) are needlessly butting heads against the establishment
            difference between Labour and the Dems is that the Dems have a larger base in general and philosophically a much broader tent. also, the intraparty difference is not as great-- Bernie Sanders and Ocasio Cortez ain't Corbyn.

            i think the experience of 2016 demonstrates why trying to tamp down intraparty debates is not a good idea, at least not for the state of Democratic Party as it is now. the Democratic Party is essentially a coalition and not a "army party" (ie centralized), trying to run it as such will be extraordinarily difficult absent a leader of charisma and that particular intention.

            IE LBJ and FDR could do it, with the caveats that the Dem coalition and party structure was much more tightly woven back then.

            Obama did a very good job of fostering a consensus driven party; his main issue was that (contrary to the GOP scare tactics) he was not ruthless enough in driving that consensus -against- the other party.
            There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there has always been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that "My ignorance is just as good as your knowledge."- Isaac Asimov

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            • Originally posted by antimony View Post
              That is what "recovery" means for a party like this. Doesn't get any better. Look at the US Dems. The Progressives (such as Ocasio Cortez) are needlessly butting heads against the establishment
              Different parties, different systems. There isn't a ready US comparison to Corbyn's takeover of Labour. In many ways its closer to Trump & the GOP, with the parliamentary party & 'establishment' opposed to him but being overridden by others. The differences, however, are much bigger. Trump has the consistent support of 80%+ of GOP voters, in part because voters put him there. Corbyn has the support of Labour members, largely because activists have flooded the party. Labour voters have never been as enthusiastic and the Parliamentary party would ditch him in a heartbeat if they could.

              There is nothing foreordained about Labour struggling like this. Under a different leader it would be leading the charge to remain in the EU - the position of an overwhelming majority of members and voters - and slaughtering a truly awful government in the polls. Unfortunately it put in place a leader who is 1) opposed to EU membership; 2) has been celebrated for his 'ideological consistency' and is impossible to remove as leader, so feels no need to change; and 3) is disliked & distrusted by the electorate to an extent that he is a drag on the party vote.

              If Labour hadn't changed its system for electing leaders a few years back there would currently be a more boring, more electable leader taking advantage of Tory infighting. That is currently the case in Australia - an unloved but unthreatening leader poised to take government. As long as Labour is controlled by an activist membership more interested in ideological purity than governing it starts the race well behind.
              sigpic

              Win nervously lose tragically - Reds C C

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              • An example of the sort of problem unique to Corbyn that is threatening civil war in the Labour Party at a time when the Tories are in disarray.

                https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/10/o...ol-left-region
                sigpic

                Win nervously lose tragically - Reds C C

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                • "If Britain were to withdraw, we might imagine we could regain complete national sovereignty. But it would, in fact be an illusion. Our lives would increasingly be increasingly influenced by the EEC, yet we would have no say in decisions which would vitally affect us"

                  Thatcher

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                  • No deal on the cards ,,,after 2 years paying in billions for junkers booze uk is set to walk away ,,should have done it 2 years ago and saved billions imho. And May is as much use as tits on fish .

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                    • The sooner the better Tankie.

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                      • Originally posted by Pedicabby View Post
                        The sooner the better Tankie.
                        Its a yes from me m8

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                        • Can't think of a quicker way to get a Corbyn government than to go for no deal.

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                          • Shouldnt worry you zara as el al ira supporting commy cor.bin wants to stay in the eu , same as May does ,,, oh dear warra conunfrum , oops a condremu oops ,, i mean a fuck up eh . But either way democracy is in jeopardy here but heyyyyyyyyy who gives a fuck if unelected alkies win .Snouts in troughs win but it will bite em on the arse as a certain yamamoto once said ,,, i think we have awoken a sleeping giant ,,, hopefully thats the ones who voted out . TTFN .

                            But imo tories are ruined , the whole uk political scene ist kaput .

                            Have you relocated to Spain now zara ?
                            Last edited by tankie; 24 Sep 18,, 19:46.

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                            • don't worry, everything will be fine guys

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                              • Originally posted by tankie View Post
                                Shouldnt worry you zara as el al ira supporting commy cor.bin wants to stay in the eu , same as May does ,,, oh dear warra conunfrum , oops a condremu oops ,, i mean a fuck up eh . But either way democracy is in jeopardy here but heyyyyyyyyy who gives a fuck if unelected alkies win .Snouts in troughs win but it will bite em on the arse as a certain yamamoto once said ,,, i think we have awoken a sleeping giant ,,, hopefully thats the ones who voted out . TTFN .

                                But imo tories are ruined , the whole uk political scene ist kaput .

                                Have you relocated to Spain now zara ?

                                Don't think Corbyn or McDonald want to stay in the EU, think they are just pretending so as to keep remainers on board to get them over the line.
                                McDonald said it all yesterday when he said 'The more of a mess the government make of brexit, the more radical our policies will be'. They want a messy WTO crash out because it will sweep them to power and they can attempt to overturn capitalism in the UK. I'm pretty sure this is a standard Marxist technique. If there is no deal (looking highly likely) I think the UK is in deep trouble.

                                Yeppo, we're settled in Barcelona now, but I go back to Manchester and Derry once a month.

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