COP21

[quilp]

16 minutes ago, Anyone said:

Scotland has not been a country in the proper sense of the meaning since 1707. Might not happen in yours , it will in mine. The SNP have not destroyed anything. Least not as much as the English Labour and Tory governments of the 70’s and 80’s did. Lots of smaller countries thrive once they escape the constraints of a larger partner whose interests always come first. 

In the unlikely event that independence is granted anytime soon, what would be next for Scotland? Re-entry into the EU? Join the queue and then there's legal arrangements, the paperwork, meetings and deal-breaking, how long would that take? Would it leave Scotland in limbo for a couple of years? How would it affect trade? Where will the resources come from? Has Sturgeon the political longevity to see it through? 

[CallMeCurious]

8 hours ago, quilp said:

In the unlikely event that independence is granted anytime soon, what would be next for Scotland? Re-entry into the EU? Join the queue and then there's legal arrangements, the paperwork, meetings and deal-breaking, how long would that take? Would it leave Scotland in limbo for a couple of years? How would it affect trade? Where will the resources come from? Has Sturgeon the political longevity to see it through? 

Would the EU entertain the idea (apart from sh*t stirring) when you have the likes of Catalonia, Basque and other regions across the rest of Europe looking for their own independce from the larger nation. The  

Presumbaly UK would charge a toll on roads and rail at the border to cover the cost of administering and external border, customs and excise, immigration etc. Not to mention every single business having to handle accounts in euros and pounds sterling if they buy anything across the border.

Remove all scottish MP's from UK parliment or any other UK statutory body on utilities like national grid, NHS...etc.

Also withdraw all British armed forces bases and personell from Scottish lands and waters. Likewise the Coastguard, RNLI, British Olympic team. 

Scotland at 5.4M population is 8% of UK population so wouldn't be missed. And if they got into EU would be 1.2% of the EU population so good luck with getting anyhting they want. But none of that applies when Queen Nicola wants what she wants.

After all, Ireland had several referendums until they voted the right way. Rejected the Nice Treaty in 2001, so ran it again in 2002 and got the right answer. Then rejected the Lisbon treaty 2008 so ran it again in 2009 and got the right answer.  

[Non-Believer]

This...

How will the Govt square the TT, motorsport heritage and coal-burning trains, for instance, with now being signed up to a legally binding emissions reductions agreement? Even if TT etc. emissions are negligible in the great scheme of things, it will surely send out the wrong signal?

 

 

[SleepyJoe]

With little development work going on in the world of combustion engines they should be transferred to the Festival of Motorcycling, & the TT concentrate on renewable energy powered bikes

[Non-Believer]

Do we think that the Treasury's reluctance to introduce a cut in APD in line with the UK announcement is based on

a) environmental concerns or

b) a cut in all that lovely incoming lolly?

 

 

[Roger Mexico]

2 minutes ago, Non-Believer said:

Do we think that the Treasury's reluctance to introduce a cut in APD in line with the UK announcement is based on

a) environmental concerns or

b) a cut in all that lovely incoming lolly?

 

 

Well they've got more than a year to make a decision if the UK cut isn't coming in till 2023.  Whether it happens at all is another issue, given the constant u-turns of the British government.  The idea is to support domestic aviation and flights and had been trailed for some time, but these have actually been in decline for years and I can't see a tiny cut reversing it.

Josem is wrong incidentally.  APD is based on departure per flight, so someone flying to the Isle of Man from the UK will get the UK cut whatever.

[2112]

Daphne Caine and the Gang of Civil Servants have been grabbing headline news on the Nations Propaganda Mouthpiece, in particular about Wind Farms. My concern is the article is making out as though she is actively seeking wind farm operations. Is her remit (a) to seek out operators and (b) to negotiate them setting up a wind farm with sufficient capacity to replace the power station and fuel the islands needs in conjunction with other renewable energy? Other Ministers in the past have certainly caused serious damage to the island in terms of their negotiating skills. I would say that surely Manx Utilities would have a say?

[Non-Believer]

I wonder if our representatives have any real grasp of what it will take to achieve a reduction of 68% in emissions in just 8 years? The effect it will have on our economy and lifestyles will be unequalled in modern times in order to meet this target?

[Roger Mexico]

28 minutes ago, 2112 said:

Other Ministers in the past have certainly caused serious damage to the island in terms of their negotiating skills. I would say that surely Manx Utilities would have a say?

Until at least very recently the MUA and the MEA before it have been completely opposed to wind farms or any other form of renewable energy.  Apparently because it would have shown up their power station to be the white elephant it had always been.  If Caine is pushing to get them now she's only doing what Manx ministers should have been doing 30 years ago.  Keeping the MUA out of it might be sensible.

And frankly most of the recent negotiation disasters seem to have been down to our 'expert' civil servants rather than politicians.  And the whole MEA power station mess was caused by manager brought in from outside, supervised by a Board of top businessmen.  So she can hardly do any worse.

[Ramseyboi]

1 minute ago, Roger Mexico said:

So she can hardly do any worse.

I have visions of her reading that!

 

[SleepyJoe]

If this the extension of the existing windfarms around Heysham/Morecambe Bay into Manx waters, or is it something on or nearer to the island?

My impression was that it's the former, but I'd welcome something much closer to home

If it's on island then I hope they start early next year rather than wait a decade

[Non-Believer]

39 minutes ago, Roger Mexico said:

Until at least very recently the MUA and the MEA before it have been completely opposed to wind farms or any other form of renewable energy.  Apparently because it would have shown up their power station to be the white elephant it had always been.  If Caine is pushing to get them now she's only doing what Manx ministers should have been doing 30 years ago.  Keeping the MUA out of it might be sensible.

And frankly most of the recent negotiation disasters seem to have been down to our 'expert' civil servants rather than politicians.  And the whole MEA power station mess was caused by manager brought in from outside, supervised by a Board of top businessmen.  So she can hardly do any worse.

This was the independent generation capacity that was the flagship of our independent nation status of course.

In sharp contrast of our having to have our application to be signatories to the Paris Agreement vetted and approved by the UK Govt.

[thommo2010]

Too funny

[CallMeCurious]

4 hours ago, Non-Believer said:

Do we think that the Treasury's reluctance to introduce a cut in APD in line with the UK announcement is based on

a) environmental concerns or

b) a cut in all that lovely incoming lolly?

 

 

Maybe it's a postive tax haven story.... look we are paying twice as much as UK to save the planet! Still hear the BS about Lewis Hamilton and VAT. Total ignoramuses don't get that the only reason he came here (unles he had a suitcase of cash) was because IOM Customs could certify in one day what it would take the UK Customs a week to do. It was for exactly the same reason, into exactly the same common purse and for exactly the same amount and the same rules as the UK.

Where it was dodgy was LH claiming the jet was a necessary form of transport for his business as an F1 driver and then using it for jollies with his mates and family and posting it on social media. That was jsut dumb.

Much in the same way if you have a company vehicle and use it for personal use it needs to be declared as a benefit in kind unless you paid the mileage use back to the company at a sutiable rate.

The trouble is very few if any of our MHK's et al understand tax well enough to actually stand up to the press and call them out. HMRC would not be permitted to disclose or defend themselves directly in the press.

Even with coal fired trains and gas fired power stations... the IOM produces 0.0025% of the worlds CO2. That's probably less than the margin of error for China who really do not give a stuff. So what is the point? Really?

I wait to see Extinction Rebellion and Greta try a protest in China.   

 

   

[CallMeCurious]

[duplicate]

Edited November 5, 2021 by CallMeCurious