New Coal Plant in Cumbria

[Incandenza]

State of this: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/oct/02/first-new-deep-coalmine-in-uk-for-30-years-gets-green-light

Jenrick has put a pause on it, have just written to him stressing disgust etc.

One of the councillors who passed it apparently heard to say "I wasn't elected to do global issues, I was elected to do Cumbria issues"

[idunnosomename]

Another u turn on thatchers britain

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

Fostering the conditions for economic necessity allows these cunts freedom to destroy the environment to make another few bucks.

What XR/The Left should do is create a global movement to increase democratic power to a level where this couldn't happen, because they wouldn't dare. Currently the only ways to hurt the corporations and their stooges in government as individuals are withdrawing from tax, mass boycotts, perhaps strikes until each nation agrees to crack down on financial crime and environmental corruption. To bolster its chances of success this needs to reach a co-ordinated lift-off globally. Ergo, create a global environmental solidarity fund, leveraging the support and financial backing of green-friendly businesses where possible, create a social media tool to keep people interested and together and obviously push for a UBI, the most democratising policy we have.

[bgmnts]

Holy shit we've literally been making jokes about getting back down into the mines prolescum.

Beautiful.

One of the councillors who passed it apparently heard to say "I wasn't elected to do global issues, I was elected to do Cumbria issues"

Wait til he realises that Cumbria is actually part of the globe.

[Bernice]

It's called a mine you latte sniffing jessie

[idunnosomename]

get in mine

[zomgmouse]

butthole

[Better Midlands]

First look at the Teletubbies home as it gets a dark, gritty update for 2020.

[Sebastian Cobb]

The cumbrian interests line is weird. Coal mining didn't just destroy the global environment, it caused the local environment to sink. It was horrific to the health of people who went down them and a good accident could wipe out all the husbands in a street. The only people  open to going back to it (outside people standing to make a lot of money - businesses and bent politicians) are people on sink estates who were inexcusably left to rot once the mines were shut and given no options to do anything else.

[The Culture Bunker]

The cumbrian interests line is weird. Coal mining didn't just destroy the global environment, it caused the local environment to sink. It was horrific to the health of people who went down them and a good accident could wipe out all the husbands in a street. The only people  open to going back to it (outside people standing to make a lot of money - businesses and bent politicians) are people on sink estates who were inexcusably left to rot once the mines were shut and given no options to do anything else.

It's a tough one. This place in question is in my hometown, the men in my mother's family were pretty much all involved in working down the mines up until the last one closed in 1986. Two of my Uncles got laid off, but were lucky to pick up work at Sellafield that saw them through to retirement, but a lot of families never recovered and the old cliché of generations of unemployed does hold some truth there. There's pretty much fuck all opportunity there now, and any kid with anything about them gets out as soon as they can - via going to university or joining the armed forces.

I don't agree with the quote from the councillor above, because, yeah, environment, but I understand why they've said it. It's town that's completely died on it's arse and to walk round there now can be a depressing experience - it was hardly a boom town when I was a kid in the 80s, but compared to now, it was thriving back then.

[Sebastian Cobb]

That's down to successive governments not giving a shit. Spain wants to shut their mines and they're giving older people enough to be set for their retirement and younger people money and access to learning a new trade that'll set them for life. There's plenty of things that could've been done to save these people that didn't involve opening a mine.

[Buelligan]

It's a tough one. This place in question is in my hometown, the men in my mother's family were pretty much all involved in working down the mines up until the last one closed in 1986. Two of my Uncles got laid off, but were lucky to pick up work at Sellafield that saw them through to retirement, but a lot of families never recovered and the old cliché of generations of unemployed does hold some truth there. There's pretty much fuck all opportunity there now, and any kid with anything about them gets out as soon as they can - via going to university or joining the armed forces.

I don't agree with the quote from the councillor above, because, yeah, environment, but I understand why they've said it. It's town that's completely died on it's arse and to walk round there now can be a depressing experience - it was hardly a boom town when I was a kid in the 80s, but compared to now, it was thriving back then.

Why has it been left to rot?  What have the Cumbria-focused councilors been doing in the 35 year interim?

[The Culture Bunker]

Why has it been left to rot?  What have the Cumbria-focused councilors been doing in the 35 year interim?

A big part of it, I think, is the lack of decent transport connections. The railway to Whitehaven is pretty low-grade, single track in parts with speed limits of 30mph. I doubt it could handle all really heavy use. The road's aren't much better - from the M6 to the coast is mainly single carriageway. There's no major ports or airports nearby.

The area (Whitehaven and other towns on the West Cumbrian coast) was basically only really set up for heavy industry and after that's all gone, it didn't serve much point except a handy place to plonk a nuclear site.

Presumably same reason the area (Copeland, Allerdale, Barrow) all switched from Labour to Tory - a feeling of "well, what did Labour do for us all those years?"

[BlodwynPig]

Cumbria should just be given over to wild boar and musk ox.

[Sebastian Cobb]

There's quite a heartwarming article from Bernard Hare who grew up in a mining town about how his dad was a miner and pulled a load of strings to get his him down there as a child and scare the shit out of him so he would strive not to go down there. It really was shitty gruelling work... sure the people doing it had lots of pride but it's not really conditions the modern world should be putting people under.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-32961309

[Poirots BigGarlickyCorpse]

ah yeah hasten the death of the planet go on go on

One of the councillors who passed it apparently heard to say "I wasn't elected to do global issues, I was elected to do Cumbria issues"

That sounds about right.

[Buelligan]

A big part of it, I think, is the lack of decent transport connections. The railway to Whitehaven is pretty low-grade, single track in parts with speed limits of 30mph. I doubt it could handle all really heavy use. The road's aren't much better - from the M6 to the coast is mainly single carriageway. There's no major ports or airports nearby.

The area (Whitehaven and other towns on the West Cumbrian coast) was basically only really set up for heavy industry and after that's all gone, it didn't serve much point except a handy place to plonk a nuclear site.

Presumably same reason the area (Copeland, Allerdale, Barrow) all switched from Labour to Tory - a feeling of "well, what did Labour do for us all those years?"

And it's true, what did Labour do?  What did all those years of Blair do for the people of Cumbria?  Well, they convinced them that they don't deserve or at least, can't have, anything better.  It convinced them to vote for the cunts that did it to them, that are doing it to them.  And it convinced them that digging another pit would save them in the face of global climate catastrophe. 

And we talk about winning back the Red Wall.

[honeychile]

A coal mine in Cumbria turning itself into a gun

[Sebastian Cobb]

ah yeah hasten the death of the planet go on go on

That sounds about right.

"people can't see it when they're driving" amazing.

[zomgmouse]

haemorrhoids

[dissolute ocelot]

It's much more environmentally friendly to import steel from China than to make it in the UK with British carbon, and it helps the British economy and promotes human rights too. Hurray!

[The Culture Bunker]

And it's true, what did Labour do?  What did all those years of Blair do for the people of Cumbria?  Well, they convinced them that they don't deserve or at least, can't have, anything better.  It convinced them to vote for the cunts that did it to them, that are doing it to them.  And it convinced them that digging another pit would save them in the face of global climate catastrophe. 

And we talk about winning back the Red Wall.

The MP we had when I was growing up was this non-entity called Jack Cunningham - I remember my dad loathed him as he felt he had no real interest in the area beyond backhanders from BNFL (whether that bit was true or not, I can't say). His replacement, Jamie Reed, was local but was one of those who sacked it off because "Corbyn" - he also admitted he did fuck all to convince his constituents about the benefits of the UK being in the EU, hence an easy win for Brexit.

I remember getting in an argument with someone on a trip back home about "what's the EU done for this town?" and when I pointed out the lovely new harbour area that was part funded by EU cash, he seemed surprised though I have no doubt he still went ahead with his original voting intentions.

[Shit Good Nose]

We REALLY need to ramp up our game if we're to match China's 200-odd currently in construction/planning stages.

[Buelligan]

Is it OK if China does it more?  Obviously not.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

We REALLY need to ramp up our game if we're to match China's 200-odd currently in construction/planning stages.

However China is making a unilateral and fundamental transition towards green energy and carbon neutrality, which is making some of the major unrepentant polluters like the US and Australia look out on a limb.

[Poirots BigGarlickyCorpse]

"people can't see it when they're driving" amazing.

Fantastic isn't it? We deserve what people say about us.

[Sebastian Cobb]

Fantastic isn't it? We deserve what people say about us.

I'm not exactly an expert on Irish politics, but have been internet acquaintances with an Irish guy who calls himself Executive Steve (he's also big into drum and bass) and seems to be semi known as an online political commentator so get the odd bit. I think my favourite thing he put me on to is how the Irish finance minister didn't own a bank account and had irregularities that he put down to 'probably horse winnings'.

[Reg Tits]

The MP we had when I was growing up was this non-entity called Jack Cunningham - I remember my dad loathed him as he felt he had no real interest in the area beyond backhanders from BNFL (whether that bit was true or not, I can't say). His replacement, Jamie Reed, was local but was one of those who sacked it off because "Corbyn" - he also admitted he did fuck all to convince his constituents about the benefits of the UK being in the EU, hence an easy win for Brexit.

I remember getting in an argument with someone on a trip back home about "what's the EU done for this town?" and when I pointed out the lovely new harbour area that was part funded by EU cash, he seemed surprised though I have no doubt he still went ahead with his original voting intentions.

As a Londoner who now lives in North Cumbria I have to have say that a lot of people hate the local Labour party reps as arrogant shits. Which I feel is fair comment. Here in Allerdale we voted out the Labour party at the last locals for independent candidates.

As for EU money paying for Whitehaven harbour,  errr that money original came from UK taxes.

There is full employment in Cumbria thanks to Sellafield and the tourist industry although most people aren't on great money. It's fine for us old fogies but for the young there isn't much on (Maryport Blues Festival gave up).

Workington and Whitehaven could do with being knocked down and then start again because the mines etc that they were built for have long gone, but that won't happen.

The mine to be built is right by Kells which is a mining village but the middle class cunts of XR couldn't give a shit about that which is one of the many reasons people tell the middle class left to fuck off and die at elections.

Oh CB the bus station at Whitehaven is still empty but they are going to do something with it soon, honest. They should knock it down and turn it into cheap flats

[Buelligan]

Speaking as a working class XR cunt who lives and pays taxes in Europe, they should start running buses out of the bus station.  Pay some drivers and help some local poorer people, who can't afford to drive round the countryside or get to work or the shops.  Then, they should take away all your cars and recycle them into buses.  What are you doing in Cumbria, btw?

[TheBrownBottle]

However China is making a unilateral and fundamental transition towards green energy and carbon neutrality, which is making some of the major unrepentant polluters like the US and Australia look out on a limb.

You might need to give the Chinese govt a heads-up on the fact that 50% of its coal imports come from Australia.  The 'unrepentant polluter' couldn't flog its wares without a willing buyer.  China loves coal so much it imports more than it currently burns through.

You might even want to ask Yancoal, which is ultimately owned by the People's Republic, what the point was of paying over $3bn for a new coal mine in the Hunter Valley here in NSW not so long ago.

I know Xi Jinping has said China wants to be carbon neutral by 2060, but then the UK says it wants to be by 2050.  I'm even less inclined to believe the shit that comes out of a murdering dictator's mouth than I am the shithouses currently holding UK office.