In the news

That ONS data is a product of two things...

That the UK is unique among developed nations in the centralisation of its economic decision making and lack of regional autonomy.
That public spending in the south east is vastly more likely to be investment in prosperity-raising projects with a high multiplier effect rather than dead money used to meagrely compensate for lack of prior investment.

Just look at literally everything to do with Crossrail and compare to the Transpennine rail service.

The south east is rich because that's where powerful rich people live and that's how they like it.

Yes, part of my point is that he's consistently voted for successive governments that have maintained this status quo.

Yes, what Malaconotus said. I've always been quite shocked at the weakness of local government and the almost complete absence of regional government in this country. I mainly know how federalism (not a prerequisite for regional government, but a good mechanism) works from the comparison with Germany, and while it's not perfect, it's certainly far superior to the UK's 'system'. As a reform, it's urgently needed to strengthen regional identity.

Look at the map of German "Länder":

This is a map that's used constantly, in the news, in education, etc. Pretty much every map (apart from most weather maps) shows these administrative boundaries. I really think it strengthens people's grasp of geography and identity. You rarely see that in Britain. Obviously, maps of the counties are available, but off the top of my head I can't remember the shape of any of them except that of Greater London.

So now it seems that Patel even travelled to the Golan Heights, despite Britain not recognising Israel's claim to authority over them:

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2017/nov/08/priti-patel-secret-israel-meetings-politics-live?page=with:block-5a02d3e4ccc8f906eab78b56#block-5a02d3e4ccc8f906eab78b56

Needless to say, she needs to be sacked immediately.

Good timing!

https://twitter.com/PA/status/928221257090379783

I bet that's too lively a likeness.

A small piece of good news which masks that the limit is set far too high and some extremely large ships can still go through there:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/nov/08/venice-cruise-ship-traffic-restricted-amid-concerns-over-damage-to-buildings

It’s really accurate. Just stands there and does nothing!

lol

Does it cough?

True. You end up with a chicken and egg situation though in that these places have low populations, in part, because they have such poor public transport.

And then everybody complains the cities are getting too crowded and people leave the countryside and traffic is so bad... :)

It explains why she hasn’t been sacked yet.

This is true.
One of the remits of the Docklands Light Railway was to extend to those 'forgotten' areas in order to promote their regeneration.

That could work elsewhere in the UK, but one of the reasons it worked for the DLR is that the people who lived there (or might be persuaded to) still wanted to get to other DLR stations on a regular basis (e.g. Bank, Canary Wharf). I'm not sure what you do when not enough people want to go to anywhere on the line.

So the conversation shortly along the lines of 'We knew we both knew but I'll have to sack you anyway, because, you know, will of the people'?
O tempora, o mores, as another cabinet member might retort.

Harvey Weinstein has now been named in the Paradise Papers - there's a poor guy who just can't catch a break...

Watching a Government stuffed to the gills with mendacious gits slowly disintegrating is great fun. The only shame is that they will genuinely fuck the country before it all comes crashing down.

Was just idly wondering if the PM was thinking of resigning this afternoon... necking from a decanter while shouting that the cabinet can sort it out themselves.

Yes, yet another downside to Article 50. It would be otherwise relatively cheery viewing watching this lot get busted repeated for literally criminal behaviour - it doesn't come around often.

I would literally laugh my arse off if, instead of sacking Patel, she fires Johnson and gives his old job to Patel, saying “she was already doing most of it for him anyway.’

Priti Patel's flight is just coming into land

https://www.flightradar24.com/KQA100/f76cdcf

fight is just coming

I guess

She appears to have landed.

Hold the front page.

PLANE LANDS AT AIRPORT

there's a fucking cancer of a guy who just can't stop grabbing pussy...

ftfy

your license fee at work.

Could be an hour or more until she's back in Downing St (unless there's a motorcade)