Taxed on distance driven?
https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/cars/article-13746431/Pay-mile-road-tax-introduced-replacing-VED-EV-Switch-October-budget.html
“Pressure is said to be mounting on the new Chancellor of the Exchequer to announce details of the scheme in the October Budget, after it was revealed the Treasury was keen for the former government to introduce the highly controversial measure.
In an interview with the Telegraph, former Chancellor Jeremy Hunt's chief adviser Adam Smith – who worked under Mr Hunt from 2022 to 2024 – said Downing Street staff under his time wanted to 'start preparatory work on a road pricing scheme' because of declining fuel duty coffers.
The policy was popular off the back of the Transport Committee recommending the introduction in a 2022 report, with Treasury officials 'eager' to bring in the tax change as the switch to EVs ramped up.
The Treasury rakes in around £25billion a year in fuel duty and £8billion from VED.
With more EVs entering the roads – there's now over a million in use in the UK – fuel duty will soon be a far less lucrative revenue for the Treasury.”
Sometimes Vox hits the nail on the head
“China, like Russia and a number of other countries both in and out of BRICS, are beginning to recognize the true costs of engagement with Clown World. They see the degeneracy, they observe the material decline in morals, wealth, native birth rates, average IQ, and population demographics, and they rightly don’t want any part of it. What Clown World calls “freedom” and “democracy” is actually a slow-motion societal suicide. No matter what economic costs they might face, or foreign investments they might lose, no price is too high in exchange for removing themselves from the baleful influence of the Clown World cancer.”
Just some jazz
TCW (blogrolls)
TDS (blogrolls)
From the TPA
https://www.taxpayersalliance.com
“£38.5 billion. That’s the amount the UK borrows every 101 days. It’s also the amount raised in the last year by council tax.
Analysis from the TPA eggheads this week revealed that the money being raised by councils each year has rocketed from £12.2 billion in 2000-01 to £38.5 billion in 2023-24, a whopping 214 per cent increase! In the last ten years alone, receipts have increased by over 61 per cent, with the 7.5 per cent increase in 2021-22 the largest in almost 20 years. Across the country, councils recorded mega increases in the amount they raised in the first quarter of 2024-25 compared to the previous year. In Durham, receipts were up 34.2 per cent, Wiltshire by 19.9 per cent, and Liverpool by 17.8 per cent.
These new revelations went down a storm in the media, with write-ups in the Times, Telegraph, Daily Mail, and GB News, as well as dozens of local papers. I made it perfectly clear to reporters just where the problem lies: “As household budgets are squeezed, local authorities squander cash on pet projects, pointless non-jobs, and risky property speculation, all the while leaving residents with the bill.”
While households struggle to make ends meet and cough up more and more, bin collections are missed and potholes go unfilled. Throw in the enormous pay packetsbeing doled out to staff and it’s no surprise people have had enough.”
TV film in three parts
An old regular from 1984, this, to me, falls into the category of “quite superior”, “ages like a good wine”. The setting, tone, cinematography, era … all are right up there during a TV golden era … the acting is simply superlative imho.
I look at films run here at N.O from both sides of the pond and some have indeed grown with time … for example The Italian Job, The Birds, Three Days of the Condor, Rebecca … so many really A grade films … but then there are (cough) … well all right, no need to go on.
Apart from Joan Hickson, other standouts for me include Gwen Watford, Moray Watson, Anthony Smee, Raymond Francis … more controversial is David Horovitch (Inspector Slack) who plays “find someone and nail it on him plod” a bit too present day for comfort but a great actor in general. They pulled out all stops in this three-parter.
And it really has not dated as it was already dated at inception. 80s production values, that brownish colouring? A bit, yes.
Straight of the bat … first review I saw:
The sleepy peaceful home of the Bantry's is woken to the shattering news that the body of a young platinum blond woman has been found in the Library. Somehow she seems unreal, Dolly Bantry seeks the help of her friend Jane Marple, and the pair seek to unravel the mystery, enquiries lead them to the seaside.
This version mirrors the book in so many ways, it's a truly faithful adaptation, as the saying goes 'if it ain't broke don't fix it.' I understand that a few elements are missed, but it would have been impractical to attempt to squeeze it all in.
Straight away Joan Hickson shows us why she is the definitive Miss Marple, endorsed by Agatha Christie herself, she'd play the role from 1984 - 1992 and make it her own. She is truly wonderful, even after her introduction you just know that she is Miss Marple.
Other performances I liked, firstly Gwen Watford, she is delightful as the ditsy Dolly Bantry, so excited that a body has been found, she clearly loved a bit of drama, I'm so glad she returned in the final episode too. David Horovitch played Slack so well, I can see why he was made a recurring character, I'm sure he was overused but I get why. Trudie Styler is a brilliant Josie Turner, she helps to make the ending quite brilliant, all in a look.
It is very long, they certainly put as much of the book in it as possible, it's very faithful, possibly guilty of being a little slow in parts. That somehow seems not to matter, it's a gorgeous production and well worth watching. 8/10
There it is to my mind. Hoping you enjoy it again this afternoon. Quick word to DM and AKH … afraid I have no jazz ready, at least none good enough … I’ll search around a bit, all right?
The final part of my review of this three-parter …
… is not here, it’s over at UHC … if you’re anything like me, even if it says “Spoilers”, you’ll not be able to resist scrolling down. So, in the spirit of packing the chocolate away in the top cupboard so that’s an effort to get to it … the part of my review where I look at plot holes … is over there.
14. excellent, all good for me again, but I particularly enjoyed no.1.