The Dictatorship of the Etonariat

[Dave2002]

Not sure how I will vote in the forthcoming General Election.

A GE may be imminent, but hasn't been announced yet surely.

As usual, there isn't going to be much point in my voting, unless there's a truly huge seismic shift. I do vote, because I think it's important, and probably for historical reasons - "people have died or suffered for me to have the right to vote" - but the reality is that almost always this has been, by most measures, a waste of my time. One might hope that a butterfly effect might apply in voting, and indeed I suspect it does occasionally, but for the most part my votes by themselves have not been effective as far as I'm concerned, at a national level.

Voting in local elections has been apparently more effective, but as pundits always remind us after the events when trying to excuse the outcomes, local elections are often not strongly indicative of the outcome at GEs.

Not all MPs are bad, however, and I have had good treatment from some, even though they were in the "wrong" party.

[Serial_Apologist]

And what is more, it is important to remember something that politicians often like to avoid mentioning, which is that in modem mixed economies , relationships between the private and public sectors are very complex, opaque, and often not at all what they seem.

Naomi Klein was on Today arguing much the same points in a plug for her new book:

http://naomiklein.org/on-fire/

These seem to be the hottest ideas going at the moment (no pun intended!) - one is not usually given to thinking of Canada as first intellectual port-of-call, but we have two remarkable Canadian women here at the moment.

[Bryn]

Naomi Klein was on Today arguing much the same points in a plug for her new book:

http://naomiklein.org/on-fire/

These seem to be the hottest ideas going at the moment (no pun intended!) - one is not usually given to thinking of Canada as first intellectual port-of-call, but we have two remarkable Canadian women here at the moment.

Looks like a daily shop of around £6 in Waitrose and Partners will be called for.

[MrGongGong]

It's going swimmingly well today

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-politics-49714338/brexit-press-conference-goes-on-without-johnson

[Boilk]

Looks like a daily shop of around £6 in Waitrose and Partners will be called for.

Waitrose & Partners [sic] have, IMO, the most environmentally unfriendly of receipts - their receipts use considerably more paper than most others I get, despite my buying less from them than other supermarkets. Purchase and transaction details are printed on one side only (unlike most supermarkets) whilst the pre-printed reverse side includes information about their green credentials... I think the paradox* is lost on them, even if it is FSC paper.

* perhaps I mean irony.

[Bryn]

Waitrose & Partners [sic] have, IMO, the most environmentally unfriendly of receipts - their receipts use considerably more paper than most others I get, despite my buying less from them than other supermarkets. Purchase and transaction details are printed on one side only (unlike most supermarkets) whilst the pre-printed reverse side includes information about their green credentials... I think the paradox* is lost on them, even if it is FSC paper.

* perhaps I mean irony.

Have you taken this criticism up with them?

[Boilk]

Have you taken this criticism up with them?

Yes, several months back. An initial email got an auto reply, with a case number no less, but was never followed up. I later called their 0800 customer service helpline. The polite lady put me on hold a while but returned to say that the "John Lewis Partnership" had no current plans to review its receipt policy, but did stress that receipts were from recycled FSC paper as printed on the rear.

I guess its what you call a quality receipt, rather like the M&S one!

[Nevilevelis]

It's going swimmingly well today

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-pol...ithout-johnson

Diddums. Which superhero is he today? The Great Invisi-Bo?

[Bryn]

Re. the current Supreme Court coverage, what an ill-prepared hearing in terms of documents made available in printed and electronic versions.

[Richard Barrett]

Re. the current Supreme Court coverage, what an ill-prepared hearing in terms of documents made available in printed and electronic versions.

Indeed. Not something that inspires confidence in any of the participants.

[Barbirollians]

Indeed. Not something that inspires confidence in any of the participants.

It is unfortunate but most Supreme Court cases are prepared way in advance and you have several weeks to sort out bundles. This has had to be done in an extreme rush and these things happen.

The idea that because a trainee solicitor for example made a mistake in a bundle index means you cannot have confidence in the lawyers and judges arguing and deciding the case is nonsense. Embarrassing yes but no more.

[Bryn]

It is unfortunate but most Supreme Court cases are prepared way in advance and you have several weeks to sort out bundles. This has had to be done in an extreme rush and these things happen.

The idea that because a trainee solicitor for example made a mistake in a bundle index means you cannot have confidence in the lawyers and judges arguing and deciding the case is nonsense. Embarrassing yes but no more.

Fair enough. However, failing to make sure the electronic version reflects the page layout and numbering of the printed version is pretty ham-fisted at best.

[Barbirollians]

Normally however that is handed over to Oyez to sort out so that could be their cock up and nobody picked it up.

The MS ( electronic ) numbering is printed on the bottom of the page in the Supreme Court so normally one would cite the MS number first and then the bundle page number. The MS numbers run consecutively through all the different bundles.

[eighthobstruction]

....very interesting....I see up to 90,000 folk watching these discourses....interesting ref Boris Johnson has not made a witness statement explaining why he advised the Queen to prorogue Parliament....as that could end up meaning BJ might have to appear as a witness at this session, and could purjure himself.....

[muzzer]

Agree, it’s embarrassing, but not wholly unexpected given the time pressures.