According to various commentators this week will set the course for the good ship "HMS DomBo" over the next five years. Two massive decisions must be made and the ramifications are 'yuuuuuuuuuuge'! First, what to do about that colossal waste of time and money known as HS2? As in so many other examples of government indecision, the answer is, to quote the old London expression, "bleedin' obvious" to me - get rid!
The other is whether or not to invite a hostile country to design and build the controlling software to our new national network? Frankly, I would rather go without than allow the Commissars of Communist China to stick their malevolent fingers into our most sensitive spots.
As far as 'DomBo' goes, this is the acid test which will tell us all what sort of an administration they are going to inflict on us. I hope but fear the worst!
The signs are not good, D.
Remember that Boris appointed the arch-remainer Mark Carney to a sinecure about "climate change"; note also the huge amount of official kite-flying going on around both HS2 and Huawei.
Seems to be he's setting us up for the wrong decisions on both, and it isn't a good sign at all. Where now is the radical reformer?
Like you I hope for the best but expect and fear the worst.
Posted by: Andrew Duffin | Monday, 27 January 2020 at 17:43
Boris Johnson is just the froth on top of the civil service machine. Underneath everything is the same as it was before.
Posted by: Backofanenvelope | Monday, 27 January 2020 at 19:09
Be afraid, be very afraid ...
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2020/01/27/nissan-reverse-uk/
If everything I said would happen due to Brexit happens you know you're never going to hear the last of it, don't you?
SoD
Posted by: Loz | Monday, 27 January 2020 at 20:46
Here in Oz the Chinese lot from Huawe have been banned from having anything to do with our communications systems other than selling mobile phones to people. Even then those in Government of sensitive positions have been advised not to use their mobile/cell phones.
An unusually wise move from our "Gummint"
Posted by: AussieD | Monday, 27 January 2020 at 21:08
And the usual dumb move by ours.
SoD
Posted by: Loz | Tuesday, 28 January 2020 at 18:18
Update: well that’s one wrong decision announced. Now bracing for the second one.
Posted by: Andrew Duffin | Wednesday, 29 January 2020 at 09:27
You have to admire our rulers! Their decision upsets the Chinese and Americans with one blow.
Posted by: Backofanenvelope | Wednesday, 29 January 2020 at 14:24
The £106bn white elephant gets Sajid David's backing. Only DomBo to go and it'll law. I'll wager it rises to £250bn.
Come back Junck-the-drunk, all is forgiven.
SoD
Posted by: Loz | Thursday, 30 January 2020 at 07:21
Nigel at his best:
https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2020/01/nigel-farage-bids-farewell-to-the-eu.php
Posted by: Whitewall | Thursday, 30 January 2020 at 11:59
Dumb Motorways killing Brits to add to the 10,000 a year killed by NHS negligence, £106bn of your money to be torched on an infrastructure white elephant, enemies given a backdoor to Blighty's comms infrastructure and friends fobbed off, and we haven't even exited January yet.
And everything that follows that would have had the review and I oversight of 27 other states is your handiwork, Gaffer and co! You voted to hand Westminster exclusivity on the controls of the train set!
I hope you reflect on that when you raise your glass tomorrow at 11pm.
SoD
Posted by: Loz | Thursday, 30 January 2020 at 12:06
SoD,
I know it is a nearly lost concept but after tomorrow night, You-collectively- take control and oversight of the Westminster operators. You force the media to do its proper job of reporting on government.
A docile public will get owned by government. Docile needs to end at midnight tomorrow. Make some noise and act like you won't be owned. It might be a tad "unBritish" but vigilance is the price of liberty.
Posted by: Whitewall | Thursday, 30 January 2020 at 12:22
At least the Chinese won't own your information system much more than the EU's:
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-eu-huawei-tech-exclusive/exclusive-eu-to-drop-threat-of-huawei-ban-but-wants-5g-risks-monitored-sources-idUSKCN1R32K3
This is what happens when the US loses respect and becomes an unreliable partner. Buckle up for the Brave New World.
Posted by: Bob | Thursday, 30 January 2020 at 13:11
Bob, the US, like any other nation, is, was and always and forever will be "unreliable" because of that irritating factor called "national interest"! Do try to stop being so naïve and preachy! Or, as you put it 'over there', "Get real!"
Posted by: David Duff | Thursday, 30 January 2020 at 15:47
Naïve, David? Do you think nothing has changed lately?
Posted by: Bob | Thursday, 30 January 2020 at 15:57
Not much, no!
Posted by: David Duff | Thursday, 30 January 2020 at 17:04
You-collectively- take control and oversight of the Westminster operators.
You haven't gone all Marxist on us in your dotage, have you, Whiters?! That's a death wish if ever I heard it.
You force the media to do its proper job of reporting on government.
Do we need to hire Goebbels or Molotov then? Expand the BBC maybe? "Ve haf vays off making you tell ze troos!"
A docile public will get owned by government. Docile needs to end at midnight tomorrow. Make some noise and act like you won't be owned.
The Rooskie public weren't docile in 1919 and the Froggies weren't in 1792, but they both got thoroughly owned.
65m Captain Mainwarings or VI Lenin's is the last thing we need.
What we need is a system to keep Westminster in check while we get on with our ordinary lives not being Captain Mainwarings or VI Lenins. What would that be I wonder? Oh yes, we're leaving it 11pm this evening.
It might be a tad "unBritish" but vigilance is the price of liberty.
Thanks for the heads up, Whiters, but not being able to spot something in plain view is a trait of Brits. Just look at the NHS, Social Services, State Education, and Jimmy Saville, for example.
We ditch a tool of vigilance at 11pm tonight. Ask the Poles about their pols trying to ditch the enlightenment principle of separation of powers and who saved them. Ask the Irish and Greeks about their fiscally incontinent pols and who saved them. Ask all 28 states about their pols who tariffed and quoted the life out of Europe's economy until the single market came along.
But don't bother asking the Brits.
SoD
Posted by: Loz | Friday, 31 January 2020 at 09:07
SoD,
Well I tried. Self government can be a bitch.
Posted by: Whitewall | Friday, 31 January 2020 at 10:48