UK Politics Thread IX: Try turning the UK off and on again.

[The Free Joy State]

Good luck to you all in your voting tomorrow. I must sit and watch from across the Irish Sea unable to vote for another year.

And good luck to you in Northern Ireland, especially vis-a-vis the DUP's selection of Arlene Foster's replacement.

And also wishing all those voting, regardless of which party you will be voting for, a safe election tomorrow

On election news, this morning, I finally received my first piece of electoral material. A bit late, IMO...

[Palcania]

Italian is better.

[The Nihilistic view]

France threatens to cut off power to Jersey

The French government could cut off the electricity supply to Jersey in an escalating row over post-Brexit fishing rights, a French minister has suggested.

Responding to questions in the national assembly, Annick Girardin, the minister for maritime affairs, said she was “revolted” by the UK government’s behaviour over its waters and France was ready to retaliate.

The British crown dependency of Jersey, the largest of the Channel Islands, relies on “the transmission of electricity by underwater cable”, Girardin said as she was questioned by assembly members, raising the supply as a point of leverage.

“I would regret it if we were to get there,” the minister said, but “we will do so if we have to.” The comments mark a major escalation in a row over claims by French fishers that they are being denied access to UK waters.

David Frost, the former chief Brexit negotiator who is now the minister responsible for relations with the EU, held scheduled talks with the French minister of European affairs, Clément Beaune, on Tuesday afternoon.

It is claimed that the UK government is using red tape to limit the operations of French fishing vessels, in contravention of the trade and cooperation agreement struck with the EU on Christmas Eve. The UK government denies the claim, saying Jersey alone is responsible for the management of its waters.

On Friday, 41 ships equipped with Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) technology, which allows ships to be located, were authorised to fish in waters off Jersey, which is a self-governing dependency.

Girardin told the French parliament that the list of approved ships had come with new rules “which were not arranged or discussed [with France], and which we were not notified about”.

One assembly member, Bertrand Sorre, said a fisher from Granville, who fishes for scallops and whelks “on average 40 days a year” in Jersey waters, had been told he would only have access for 11 days. “The anger is roaring and the desire to do battle is palpable,” Sorre said.

Girardin responded that the French government would act. “It is completely unacceptable,” she said. “If we accept it in Jersey, it is dangerous for our access everywhere.”

France has described the UK’s provisions, which it says dictate where vessels can and cannot go and specify how many days vessels may spend in the waters and what equipment they may use, as “null and void”. The UK government has been told it needs to open discussions with the European Commission on the details.

Dimitri Rogoff, the president of the Normandy regional fisheries committee, told Agence France-Presse there “will need to be a response to what the Jersey authorities have done in relation to fishing authorisations. We hope that the state will take retaliatory measures.”

A Defra spokesperson said: “We are clear that Jersey is responsible for its own territorial waters. The UK government is constitutionally responsible for the international relations of the crown dependencies. As such, we have been working closely with the EU and the government of Jersey on fisheries access provisions following the end of the transition period for licensing.”

Last week Beaune threatened to stand in the way of access for UK-based financial companies to the EU market if issues over fishing rights persisted.

“We are asking for the whole agreement, nothing but the agreement, and as long as it is not implemented we will take retaliatory measures in other sectors if necessary,” Beaune said. “The UK is expecting a number of authorisations from us on financial services. We will not give any until we have guarantees that on fisheries and other issues, the UK respects its commitments. It’s give and take. Each side should respect its commitments, otherwise we will be as brutal and difficult as necessary.”

French fishers recently blockaded the port of Boulogne-sur-Mer, claiming that only 22 of the 120 boats that usually worked from the Hauts-de-France had been given access to the zone six to 12 miles from the UK coast.

The UK government has denied the claim. It said the UK Single Issuing Authority had issued licences to fish in the six to 12 nautical mile zone to all 87 French vessels that had applied for them and met the qualifying criteria. About 40 additional applications required further information and checks, the government added.

Bu-but...easiest deal in history?

Most people would condem France not cheer them on or brush over it. Although I think a fair few people want to ignore it because it probably makes them uncomfortable.

[Philjia]

The French didn't even want us in the EU in the first place.

[The New California Republic]

I think it's odd that Jersey relies so much on France for its electricity, a whopping 95% of it comes from undersea cables from France.

[The Huskar Social Union]

I think it's odd that Jersey relies so much on France for its electricity, a whopping 95% of it comes from undersea cables from France.

Well i mean... its right next door to France. Probably a hell of a lot easier to just have it be part of their grid.

[The New California Republic]

I think it's odd that Jersey relies so much on France for its electricity, a whopping 95% of it comes from undersea cables from France.

Well i mean... its right next door to France. Probably a hell of a lot easier to just have it be part of their grid.

Yeah I know, I just thought that they'd be a bit more independent in their energy generation than that. That token 5% is likely just a few solar panels on the roofs of a few houses.

[The Free Joy State]

I think it's odd that Jersey relies so much on France for its electricity, a whopping 95% of it comes from undersea cables from France.

This is a fact we -- or rather our government -- should probably have thought of before we left the EU.

I mean, whether you wanted to leave the EU or not (and I make no secret of what side I was on), it becomes increasingly apparent that our government failed to thoroughly pre-empt all the possible things that could go wrong and have a back-up plan.

Threatening the power supply on Jersey -- risking suffering to nearly 98,000 people (who, overwhelmingly had no say in the decision) -- is not acceptable. Yes, it is said our own government is behaving badly (contravening their own agreement), which I would believe (based on their prior willingness to break international law "in a specific and limited way") but lashing out against communities is not the way forward.

I hope both governments will stop behaving in such a childish manner.

[An Alan Smithee Nation]

I think it's odd that Jersey relies so much on France for its electricity, a whopping 95% of it comes from undersea cables from France.

Flamanville nuclear power station is very convenient. Otherwise it meant importing a lot of coal, oil or gas to power the generators on both Guernsey and Jersey. On Sark they still believe electricity is magic.

[CoraSpia]

Going bald early? The man is approaching 70!

Also, in pictures where he's not wearing a hat, there is no obvious scarring anywhere that a hat would cover. Are you just trying to make people feel bad for an objectively awful person?

I started going bald in my thirties, and it revealed scars from my childhood head injuries. The man is not only an asshole, but a vain asshole.

George Galloway is a highly principled man who I have had the pleasure of meeting on a number of occasions. I don't agree with his politics 100 %, however I have always found him to be dedicated, unwavering and genuine unlike the majority of politicians. I have defended him on here before and I will continue to do so.

[The New California Republic]

I think it's odd that Jersey relies so much on France for its electricity, a whopping 95% of it comes from undersea cables from France.

Flamanville nuclear power station is very convenient. Otherwise it meant importing a lot of coal, oil or gas to power the generators on both Guernsey and Jersey. On Sark they still believe electricity is magic.

I would say more solar or wind turbines, but I think that folk wouldn't generally support the wind turbines because of them spoiling the look of the place or whatever, despite there being talk of using them to bring down the cost of energy.

[SD_Film Artists]

Well i mean... its right next door to France. Probably a hell of a lot easier to just have it be part of their grid.

Yeah I know, I just thought that they'd be a bit more independent in their energy generation than that. That token 5% is likely just a few solar panels on the roofs of a few houses.

The Channal Islands are historically a part of Normandie. Perhaps the energy dependency is all part of the plan to rejoin it with the mainland.

[An Alan Smithee Nation]

Flamanville nuclear power station is very convenient. Otherwise it meant importing a lot of coal, oil or gas to power the generators on both Guernsey and Jersey. On Sark they still believe electricity is magic.

I would say more solar or wind turbines, but I think that folk wouldn't generally support the wind turbines because of them spoiling the look of the place or whatever, despite there being talk of using them to bring down the cost of energy.

They were struggling to meet demand when I left in the late 1970's. The stranglehold of the finance industry on Jersey is based on stability, so energy security by having undersea cables to French nuclear power was a good idea - until some idiot came up with the idea of Brexit. Jersey and Guernsey have population densities twice that of the UK, and all the hotels, restaurants, and financial firms use a lot of power. Relying on France is really the only option.

[The Huskar Social Union]

DUP: Dodds will not bid for re-election as deputy leader

Lord Dodds has said he will not bid to remain deputy leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) in its leadership elections next week.

It means the party's top two roles are being vacated after leader Arlene Foster said she would resign on 28 May.

Lord Dodds has been the party's deputy leader for 13 years.

The peer and ex-North Belfast MP said he had always planned to step back as deputy leader "whenever the next election cycle occurred".

Probably because he lost his seat in 2019 and there has been supposed pressure to remove him alongside Foster.

[Vassenor]

Guessing that biomass plant outside St Hellier isn't quite enough on it's own then.

[Celritannia]

[Fartsniffage]

I started going bald in my thirties, and it revealed scars from my childhood head injuries. The man is not only an asshole, but a vain asshole.

George Galloway is a highly principled man who I have had the pleasure of meeting on a number of occasions. I don't agree with his politics 100 %, however I have always found him to be dedicated, unwavering and genuine unlike the majority of politicians. I have defended him on here before and I will continue to do so.

He also likes dressing up as a cat.

[The Notorious Mad Jack]

Ending homelessness would cost, according to the national charity for homeless people Crisis, £10 billion. Not sure that yacht is gonna cut it.

[Kowani]

UK sending two Royal Navy vessels to patrol Jersey as a precaution after as many as 60 French fishing boats are threatening to blockade Jersey's main port

[The New California Republic]

UK sending two Royal Navy vessels to patrol Jersey as a precaution after as many as 60 French fishing boats are threatening to blockade Jersey's main port

Lol this is getting so out of hand...

[An Alan Smithee Nation]

UK sending two Royal Navy vessels to patrol Jersey as a precaution after as many as 60 French fishing boats are threatening to blockade Jersey's main port

Guerre de la morue deux: boogaloo électrique

[The Huskar Social Union]

Michel Barnier reveals 'frustrations' with DUP during Brexit talks

Big Michel and his Pan Nationalist agenda.

[Philjia]

Right, it's the night before election day, time to predict winners and losers. I reckon:
Winners:
Conservatives
SNP
Greens/Scottish Greens
Plaid Cymru?

Losers:
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
UKIP

[An Alan Smithee Nation]

Right, it's the night before election day, time to predict winners and losers. I reckon:
Winners:
Conservatives
SNP
Greens/Scottish Greens
Plaid Cymru?

Losers:
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
UKIP

You forgot Alba

[Philjia]

Right, it's the night before election day, time to predict winners and losers. I reckon:
Winners:
Conservatives
SNP
Greens/Scottish Greens
Plaid Cymru?

Losers:
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
UKIP

You forgot Alba

So did everyone else.
But yeah they're almost certainly going to make no impact.