Grant Shapps who might be Mr.Banality, has deemed our transport system so brilliant that he can now look at the detail. He has commissioned a report into announcements on trains. Forget the horrific price rises and poor train service north of Birmingham, the potholes appearing in our roads, the Minister for Banalaty has said less announcements would improve the rail system. “Mind the gap – it’s between your ears”. Plonker.
£896,681 SPAFFED
The cost to taxpayers of a study commissioned by Johnson into the the farcical idea of a bridge or tunnel to Northern Ireland. presumably the results were published on his staggeringly expensive wall paper?
Seriously why did it cost this much? Anyone with any knowledge of the Irish Sea knows about the trench with 1m tonnes of unexploded munitions – thus making the whole thing ridiculous to all but the deluded narcissist who thought of it in the first place. They even costed a tunnel at £209 billion and a bridge at £335bn. The investigation was led by the chair of Network Rail as he does not have enough to do.
WILLIAM WRAGG
Ministers attempting to blackmail colleagues who might oppose PM, alleges Tory MP.
Many tories have said we should let them get on with governing the country – I agree if we have someone/people of ability and capability to do so. Johnson resign and take cabinet with you.
The full details of Wragg’s from the Guardian. “The intimidation of a member of parliament is a serious matter,” he said. “Moreover, the reports of which I’m aware would seem to constitute blackmail. As such it would be my general advice to colleagues to report these matters to the Speaker of the House of Commons and the commissioner of the Metropolitan police. And they are also welcome to contact me at any time.”
GARDENS
A study in the Journal of Applied Ecology has found that regardless of size – gardens in Bristol contributed massively to the production of nectar for insects. Get rid of the lawn, or part of it, plant flowers and herbs (especially useful in cooking and well-being).
SURELY NOT IF, BUT WHEN?
Have the tory rebels lost their bottle, or are they biding their time? The crossing the House of Christian Wakeford will not create a stampede, but will cause many to consider other options. Quite understandably from MP’s point of view awaiting Sue Gray’s report is probably sensible. From Johnson’s position it is morally indefensible – he knows his actions have not been legal, although he seems to place himself above the law. He does not need to wait for Gray to tell him what he did. By delaying he may become the first Prime Minister of the UK in situ to be the subject of a criminal investigation.
PATHETIC
His latest excuse is “I cannot believe we would have gone ahead with an event that was against the rules – nobody warned me it was against the rules”. How pathetic and note the blame game of inserting the word ‘we’ into his excuse. Johnson – you are, at present. PM. You should known the rules all by your self as it was your cabinet that made them – and You were there.
BAKING
Maybe it is the cold weather but cheese and walnut loaf has been followed up by madeleines and tomorrow will be garibaldi’s. Cheese and walnut loaf on Sunday with marmite has been requested.
CHAOS
Magistrates are to be able to sentence convicted people to longer in prison to relieve pressure on Crown Courts. Lack of lawyers, and prison places will undermine Raab’s latest cock up. Most educated commentators (Thus eliminating readers of Mail and Telegraph) agree that short prison sentences are counterproductive. Underfunding for years is coming home to roost.
MORE NEW HOUSES IN SANDFORD
Plans are being promoted for more new houses in Sandford. I am not a NIMBY and was vaguely supportive of new Strongvox estate. However there is a limit to growth. So the arguments are :-
Sandford is not ideally located for commuters – rather tortuous bus journeys to Bristol and W-s-M. No new job opportunities have developed in the village over the 20 years I have been here.
Whilst traffic is not a real problem at present, it soon will be if the Banwell By-pass goes ahead with eastern terminus at TowerHead. And the associated housing that will goo with it. It is not rocket science to suggest that each new property will create at least one commuter journey per day.
No new facilities have been created in Sandford other than a fenced off football pitch for the Primary School. I am aware that incompetence may have been behind the lack of a new village hall.
The village school I believe is at capacity and I would be interested to see how projections to include the new houses impact on the school. Churchill Academy will probably love it with their new facilities which is a positive.
A bit of geography! Sandford is a linear settlement at the foot of the northern slope of the Mendips. It has no focal point – the pub is at the western limit of the village, the church reasonably central/west, the shop and school central, and the ski slope to the east end. The swing park is tucked away to the south west. the council had an opportunity to create a cohesive village but have missed it. They should compulsory purchase land by the school to create a viable social hub which includes a new village hall – if needed? I am sure this will cause a few chokes! But is it financially viable? Would new facilities for the school be able to double up? Maybe a hall which is used by the school for gym, lunch and assemblies and the public the rest of the time?
The shop could also benefit from refurbishment?
DAILY MAIL MISINFORMATION
They must be getting worried as todays headline was ‘British Troops sent to Ukraine’ and talks of imminent invasion and a bloodbath. The truth is we have sold some defensive anti-tank weapons to them and are providing some soldiers to train them how to use them. As for invasion – it remains a possibility rather than probability at the moment. The real reason for the headline is that Cummings has offered to testify under oath , along with others, that Johnson authorised the drinks party during lockdown. Tory donors are also calling for him to go.