The UK Government has backtracked on plans for the Ministry of Defence to pay the full cost of a proposed £200million+ “superyacht” – which would be used for trade missions.
The UK Government has since said the Ministry of Defence’s famously highly-efficient-and-not-at-all-wasteful procurement service would be used initially with the rest of the bill being met from elsewhere.
“Frankly the narrative around this has been really poor. And the designs I’ve seen – I wouldn’t go to sea in that – it looks like an oligarch’s yacht.
“The only way you can justify the MoD paying, is if it can also fulfil an operational role in addition to its ceremonial and commercial roles. It can’t just go round the seas as a permanent plaything exhibition space. “
– Rear Admiral, Chris Parry
Now, it always seemed strange to me why the UK Government would opt for a yacht to promote trade when quite a few of the world’s capitals and major financial centres are located nowhere near the coast.
For the sake of having some fun with the idea, there are some interesting entirely fictional scenarios.
For example, the yacht turns up at a port, take dignitaries on board, sails out to international waters for a day or two of “no limits” socialising (maybe presenting the opportunity to bag some kompromat), all protected by diplomatic immunity, a crew who’ve signed the Official Secrets Act and the Royal Marines. Prince Andrew is available to act as compère.
Though given Boris Johnson’s poor record when it comes to delivering the major new projects he announces or backs, odds are the yacht will never set sail.
Janet Finch-Saunders MS (Con, Aberconwy) takes a characteristically strong and hysterical line against plans for a universal basic income pilot in Wales:
“….every single penny that is invested and minute of time spent by officials on this pursuit of a socialist utopia is simply quite unjustifiable. In fact, Wales would be a step closer to being a communist state should your concept of giving every person a fixed amount of money every month become a reality.”
– Janet Finch-Saunders MS
Of course, some of the biggest proponents for a universal basic income include famous communists Milton Friedman, (Ronald Reagan’s former Treasury Secretary) James Baker, Elon Musk, Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg.
Given some of the names who’ve come out in favour of UBI, it would be surprising if you could find many communists who back it.
“On #WindrushDay let’s celebrate this amazing generation – and their descendants – who have made such a positive impact on society. Thank you to each and every one of you.”
– UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson
“….now GET AHT!!!”
Although Wales’ exit from Euro 2020 by Denmark was rather disappointing (more the manner of the defeat than the defeat itself – which was deserved), here are a series of football-related items, starting with Ben Winter in The Guardian:
“Anthem lessons: how Wales bed in their players born outside the country.
“Of the Wales players who sealed passage to the last 16 in Italy on Sunday, five were born in England. It is thought Moore could even have played for China. So how does (Robbie) Page, who was born in the Rhondda valley and won 41 Wales caps, go about inculcating what it means to play for the nation to those born in, in Chris Mepham’s case, Hammersmith, or, in Ethan Ampadu’s case, Exeter?”
It was originally entitled “how Wales are assimilating their non-Welsh players” (quickly changed):
The article was interesting in detailing how the FAW spots talent and build squads. As for the rest of it: anyone who represents Wales, or considers themselves to be Welsh, is Welsh – no ifs or buts about it. I include anyone who considers themselves British and Welsh and wouldn’t touch independence with a barge pole in that too.
Now, it’s standard practice for many online outlets in England to snidely bait the Welsh to get more clicks – particularly over the summer. It usually works because absolutely everyone on Welsh Twitter is determined to offer their hot take and win Twitter points by retweeting, quoting and paraphrasing the article. I’m guilty of doing that now.
But it’s worth picking out this piece from Eni Aluko on why dual nationalities should be respected – in The Guardian, naturally. Maybe dual nationalities are only truly respected and legitimised in the UK press if you choose England.
Nevertheless, I look forward to The Guardian’s next piece on how (Jamaican-born to Jamaican parents) Raheem Sterling was integrated into the English national team – or would that cause too many problems? Can’t think why. Maybe because it would come across as chauvinistic at best, racist at worst.
Following a row over whether Munich’s Allianz Arena would be lit up in rainbow colours before the Germany vs Hungary Euro 2020 group game – part to mark Pride Month, part in protest at Hungary’s anti-LGBTQ+ laws – UEFA said:
“(The rainbow) is a symbol that embodies our core values, promoting everything that we believe in – a more just and egalitarian society, tolerant of everyone, regardless of their background belief and gender.”
– UEFA
This is the same UEFA that fines clubs 50p and a packet of Monster Munch for persistent racist abuse of players. They continue (digging):
“Some people have interpreted UEFA’s decision to turn down the city of Munich’s request to illuminate the Munich stadium in rainbow colours for a Euro 2020 match as ‘political’. On the contrary, the request itself was political, linked to the Hungarian football team’s presence in the stadium for the evening’s match with Germany.”
– UEFA
So displaying the rainbow symbol is OK as long as you’re not playing against a nation with anti-LGBTQ+ laws, or hosting matches in nations with historically poor LGBTQ+ rights like Azerbaijan, Russia, Romania and Hungary.
Last but not least, Henry Hill takes a shit with his trousers on in The Spectator:
“Not even the most muscular….unionists would try to consolidate the four (UK national) teams into a British national side, of course….But….even without a national team, there must surely be ways to lend a greater British dimension to the beautiful game?
“(UK Secretary of State for Culture, Oliver Dowden) could….ring-fence some funding to ensure that Team GB regularly fields a football team at the Olympics and ensure talented young athletes from all four home nations have the opportunity to try out and compete.”
– Henry Hill, The Spectator
I doubt that many professional footballers – particularly in Europe – go into the game dreaming of winning Olympic gold. The Olympics should be reserved for sports where winning a medal is that sport’s pinnacle. Until things are different, there’s no issue with Welsh athletes competing as part of Team GB on those terms.
Anyone with even a passing knowledge of football knows that the Olympic football tournament is junk. It’s an under-23s competition that since the 1990s only African and South American nations have taken seriously for the men and the US and Nordic countries for the women. You still have to qualify for it too.
It’s also known to cause mysterious back pains.
