The Big Fat Positive Brexit Thread

[Lambert Simnel]

2) This is going to consume so much of the government's and the civil service's time over the next few years that there will precious little opportunity for any other radical shake-up (a la poll tax) in that period.

[sal]

OK, nowt to do with the EU, but...

HS2 is a High Speed rail line which will pretty much provide InterCity service along what is currently the West Coast Main Line corridor. It is well known that the WCML is at full capacity, there is no more capacity to run more trains on that line. And at peak times, those Virgin Trains services are pretty packed.

So we need more capacity along that corridor. We could do another incremental update on the existing WCML (remember the years of pain 15 years ago?) or we could run another link which isn't High Speed. But I cannot imagine the cost differential of 'regular speed' and 'high speed' in construction to be much different. And fresh rail is going to be less disruptive than upgrades to the existing rail.

Years of neglect and poor planning meant nobody considered that it would be massively overcapacity. That's why we cannot easily have longer, faster trains. That's why it would be nigh on impossible to increase capacity with double decker trains.

So if we were to not build HS2, how would you instead address the capacity issues on the WCML?

The root cause is too much focus is put on London which requires bigger and bigger workforce, commuting from further away, HS2 will only compound the problem. If those billions are instead focused on developing other regions like the so called Northern powerhouse less people will have to travel to London and the demand on the WCML will drop.

Not to mention that a massive amount of HS2 money are spent on obscure stuff. For instance UCL are already getting millions from HS2 for a Datacenter migration as the Euston station expansion will knock down one of their existing DCs.

Back the original topic, the only real "benefit" i can think of, is that Brexit will expose (it's already happening) the level of degradation in the UK politics and might lead to some much needed reforms.

[BrilloPad]

At least the Wimbedon twunts will not get their strawberries this year: -

https://www.theguardian.com/politics...staff-shortage

[sal]

At least the Wimbedon twunts will not get their strawberries this year: -

https://www.theguardian.com/politics...staff-shortage

The schemes allowing for East europeans (mostly students) to work seasonal jobs in the UK existed (and were abused) long before the countries joined the EU. I don't imagine their reintroduction to be that big of a deal. The problem remains with the non-seasonal jobs like NHS, child care, engineers, builders, shelf stackers, burger flippers. Jobs that Brits either lack the skill to perform or pay less than cosy life on benefits, enjoyed by 2nd and 3rd generation of benefit scroungers.

[TestMangler]

There will be massive opportunities to get the old women from the WRI into sweatshops to make jam for export to Ghana.

[Guesstimator]

The root cause is too much focus is put on London which requires bigger and bigger workforce, commuting from further away, HS2 will only compound the problem. If those billions are instead focused on developing other regions like the so called Northern powerhouse less people will have to travel to London and the demand on the WCML will drop.

Not to mention that a massive amount of HS2 money are spent on obscure stuff. For instance UCL are already getting millions from HS2 for a Datacenter migration as the Euston station expansion will knock down one of their existing DCs.

Back the original topic, the only real "benefit" i can think of, is that Brexit will expose (it's already happening) the level of degradation in the UK politics and might lead to some much needed reforms.

A thousand times this. HS2 is delivering a solution in fifteen years time with ideas from fifteen years ago. Advances in technology will make it redundant before a single train runs on it.

Business have been one of the driving forces for HS2, stating they need to move people between Birmingham and London.
When the fare structure comes in, you can bet your bum few businesses will bother sending people on HS2 instead of VC (more realistically VR).

Chuck in that the DoT despairs of HS2 Ltd and the complete **** up they're making of it from top to bottom and I wouldn't be remotely surprised to see it canned.

Positive Brexit - we won't be able to afford to waste money on HS2

[SueEllen]

There will be massive opportunities to get the old women from the WRI into sweatshops to make jam for export to Ghana.

Then our qualified dentists can emigrate over their to sort out their rotten teeth and have a better lifestyle.

[Cirrus]

Zip

Obviously I suspected people would struggle to come up with any tangible benefits of Brexit but I have to say I am rather shocked - in fact stunned - that nobody can thing of anything - even barmy or contentious items.

Why the hell did they vote for...

... nothing?

[TestMangler]

Obviously I suspected people would struggle to come up with any tangible benefits of Brexit but I have to say I am rather shocked - in fact stunned - that nobody can thing of anything - even barmy or contentious items.

Why the hell did they vote for...

... nothing?

Taking back control (of things they already controlled) and £350m a week for the NHS, apparently.

[vetran]

winners don't have to explain to losers