I miss conversations on trains

 The news item that the pandemic has forced cuts in train services in England and Wales reminded me of one of the incidental pleasures of long train journeys. One could catch up on reading the book which had too long rested on the bedside table, enjoy the varied views through the window or even snooze, but the most rewarding activity was striking up a conversation with someone interesting who one otherwise would never have met. 

There was the cricket enthusiast who I met travelling to my first job in London. There was the Welsh athletics official who shared his enthusiasm with my new wife and myself travelling from London to Swansea. (I do hope he was not one of those later convicted of taking advantage of his position.) Many years later, post-marriage and travelling back from a contract in England, I got talking to a lady who coincidentally lived in the same road in Wallasey where in my school years I had boarded with my aunt, uncle and granddad. It was gratifying to learn that all those years later, "The Cottage Creamery" remained open on the corner with the main road. I wonder if it still does? 

The most intriguing chat I had was with a man who ferried cars. He would pick up a motor and deliver it personally to the dealer's or manufacturer's customer, then take the train back. It is sobering to recall now that he revealed towards the end of our journey that he was already in his eighties. Even if I could drive, I doubt that I could take that responsibility and keep up that schedule and I have not quite hit the magic four-score yet.

I had almost forgotten the American family I met on a crowded train either travelling to or from Birmingham, presumably while I was on a family visit. Of course, one meets only the civilised Americans in this country, the minority with passports. This makes it difficult to understand how there came to be a majority of electoral college votes in favour of Trump in 2016. More extensive TV news coverage of American politics has made the situation clearer. Anyway, this meeting was in the Carter years and my new acquaintances were a bit sniffy about the Georgia "mafia" who had accompanied the ex-peanut farmer to Washington. I took them to be liberal Republicans. I wonder what they made of Trump.

Journeys have diminished as the contracts dried up and I do not see as much of my family as I used to. Apart from the occasional trip to Cardiff to watch the cricket. the only other train journeys I have made have been to political events. Sadly, these too have been suspended until we reach the new normality. Let us hope that it is not too far away.

Tell Jacob Rees-Mogg to let parliament scrutinise Brexit

Thanks to the European Movement UK for forwarding this:

The most significant trade deal in recent history was rushed through parliament in less than a day. It has never been more important for the Brexit deal and its impact to be examined.

Yet the government is denying MPs any chance to scrutinise Boris Johnson’s deal. This is a threat to democratic accountability.

Brexit will affect the everyday lives of people and businesses across the UK. As a representative of the people, Parliament should have the right to scrutinise this deal.

Sign this petition and tell Jacob Rees-Mogg to reverse this decision and to keep the committee that will scrutinise Brexit.

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It seems to me that even if you voted last winter for a government intent on Brexit, you would want the process to be monitored and scrutinised by our representatives in Parliament. There was not a clean break on New Year's Day, in spite of the promises given by Johnson, Gove and others. There are still ambiguities to be removed, areas (like financial services) which are still open to negotiate and procedures which can be made more efficient. No doubt the committee would be on the whole critical, but it would be constructive too. Johnson himself has admitted to "teething problems". 

To suppress this particular committee is undemocratic. 

Spooks' crime licence attenuated, but not enough

The local party website recently reported that Lib Dem peers were intent on removing the worst aspects of the government Bill which would give our spooks licence to commit crime. Mark Pack now confirms that 

Liberal Democrat peers have helped to pass cross-party amendments to the Covert Human Intelligence Sources (Criminal Conduct) Bill, as the number of Government defeats on the controversial new law rose to four.

A cross-party amendment (Amendment 15), co-sponsored by Liberal Democrat peer Lord Paddick, places limits on the types of crimes that can be authorised under the Bill – ruling out murder, torture and sexual assault. It was passed by 299 votes to 284.

No mention is made of drug offences. One can see incentive for under-cover officers to get involved in handling illegal narcotics etc. when investigating drug gangs, but as a recent documentary shows, there are dangers in allying with drug barons for other reasons. The United States made this mistake twice, in Sicily in 1944 and during her campaigns in Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia, resulting in the drug pandemic which gripped the States thereafter. 

We have bad trouble with illegal drugs already. If the UK electorate is not yet ready to accept decriminalisation, then nothing should be done to make trafficking easier.

Put pharmacies in the front line against the virus

 The English NHS is mismanaging the roll-out of the two vaccines available to combat SARS/CoV2. It is not listening to the GP practices which are able to inoculate their patients expeditiously while targeting for delivery vaccination hubs and even some large clinics which are not as ready. However, the Westminster government is dipping its toe in the water of distribution by high street pharmacy. So far, only six large pharmacies are involved.

Unless there is some clause in the devolution settlement which prevents such an initiative, I believe the Welsh government should go further. They should heed the pleas of the Natonal Pharmacy Association:

At present, pharmacies have to be able to deliver 1,000 vaccines a week, have enough fridge space to store all the doses, and be able to open seven days a week.

Andrew Lane, of the National Pharmacy Association, said now that the Oxford vaccine had been approved, community pharmacies could store and administer it in the same way as they deliver the flu jab.

The Oxford vaccine only needs to be stored at fridge temperature, as opposed to the freezer temperatures of -70C required by Pfizer.

"We're here, we're trained, we will deliver," said Mr Lane

Pharmacies are probably as in touch with local communities as GPs. They are more likely to be within walking distance for people in Wales, thus reducing the dependence on public transport. Permitting all those pharmacies which already administer the 'flu jab to vaccinate against the new virus will take pressure off GPs who were already stretched even before the pandemic.

They do not make any profit from work they do for the NHS, so in some cases the Welsh government may have to extend the support it already gives to small businesses, but surely that is a small price to pay for a more effective vaccination programme.

Help for small businesses in the emergency

 Liberal Democrats in Westminster continue to fight for support for the small businesses which have fallen through the cracks in government support during the pandemic. However, the latest initiative, to help with posting costs, may prove marginal given the current performance of Royal Mail.

Lucy Hale, composer

 Lucy Hale, a young British composer liberated from a disability by IT and with a promising future, has died. I am indebted to Elaine Fine's Musical Assumptions blog for passing on the sad news - indeed, for introducing me to Lucy Hale at all. I cannot recall her bring featured on Radio 3 at all, but the string of commissions listed here attest to her standing in the musical world. 

There is more here, including a link to ten of her haunting compositions.

EU and protectionism

 Continuing yesterday's theme of what the UK can do outside the restrictions of the European customs union, there is at least one useful thing which we can do for poorer countries. While the EU is better than most at allowing in basic foodstuffs, there are barriers to finished products. An example is chocolate. The Netherlands agency for promoting imports to the EU has identified semi-finished products such as cocoa butter, which are allowed, as a growth area. We could go further in helping cocoa-growing countries in accepting packaged chocolate bars etc. on which there is a greater profit margin.

We have at least rolled over 60 of the 70 EU trade agreements which were in force at the time of Brexit, many of which help the third world. From a European Parliament fact sheet of November 2019:

The EBA [Everything but arms] initiative grants duty-free and quota-free access for an unlimited period for all products, except arms and ammunition, imported from 48 LDCs [Least Developed Countries]. Of these, 34 are African countries, eight are Asian countries, five are Pacific countries and one is in the Caribbean (Haiti).

It would help if Brexiteers refrained from distorting the facts. Daniel Kawcynski MP for instance has been caught out in a lie about EU tariffs on non-EU producers.

Andrew RT Davies misspeaks

 I would not go as far as Labour in calling for the former Tory leader in the Senedd to be suspended. However, his likening peaceable and constitutional Remain supporters to the violent insurrectionists on Capitol Hill this week needs an official rebuttal and quickly. There is a danger that "Remainer" is going to go the same way as "Liberal" in the States as a pejorative with bad overtones. 

And what is it with Brexiteers? There was the case only last week of John Redwood's warming over some economic arguments against the EU using carefully selected statistics. They won, and should get over it. Are they trying to distract attention from the already broken promises of Gove, Johnson and Cummings by raking up old arguments and new lies about the Remain campaign?

I am prepared to look for the (admittedly scant) positives of leaving the Union and move forward. Why do the Brexiteers not move on too?