British election: Here’s hoping democracy wins

UPDATE: Poll results will be announced after 10pm GMT in the UK. That’s 9AM Daylight savings time Sydney Australia.

Thoughts are with you Freemen of the United Kingdom for a very important election.

Boris is just brilliant in this Ad. He carries off the parody of the carol singers in “Love Actually” without looking smug or self conscious.


The Australian-ABC Groupthink Predictor points at a conservative win — since ABC NEWS has barely mentioned the UK election during the whole campaign, obviously it’s not looking good for the leading socialists. If Corbyn was in the lead we’d hear about it every night and see him with adoring crowds. If Corbyn was winning, it would be called a Climate Election, and a Brexit election.

But Groupthink can be wrong. To all skeptics and Brexiteers in the UK, please get out and vote. Don’t take anything for granted. Conservatives don’t just need a win, they need a workable government.

Will the nation that invented freedom manage to escape the clutches of the EU?

star comment
PS: Best of luck to the excellent Roger “Tallbloke” running in Oxford East. See his comment in #1.3

h/t David

9.8 out of 10 based on 79 ratings

196 comments to British election: Here’s hoping democracy wins

  • #
    Sceptical Sam

    Boris by 30 seats.

    Brexit for a free UK.

    Corbyn for the chop.

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    • #
      OriginalSteve

      Brexit Brexit Brexit Oi Oi Oi!!!

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    • #
      Dennis

      Sydney Radio 2GB announcer Alan Jones is in Great Britain researching the election campaign, he has been an astute observer of politics and was himself a candidate for election during the 1970s, and has many contacts past and present who were or are politicians and cabinet ministers.

      On Sky News Credlin last night Alan predicted a loss for the Labour Party and far leftist Corbyn, and for Brexit to finally proceed.

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      • #
        Graeme No.3

        The bit about the ABC ignoring the UK election because they think the Conservative will win worries me. When was the last time the ABC picked a winner?

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        • #
          Dennis

          When the ABC Act was legislated and ABC Charter signed on behalf of employees, signed in invisible ink, apparently.

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    • #
      Roger

      star comment
      I’ve just sent out my Eve of Election reminder to all my Brexit Party supporters in Oxford East.

      Tomorrow I head into Oxford around 7.30 am and will spend the day going around as many of the 50 odd polling stations I can – focusing on those stations in areas that had the highest Leave voting numbers.

      Labour support has been dropping away and at a Student Hustings at Oxford Brookes University on Monday evening I got as much or more applause for my closing remarks as did the Labour MP standing for re-election. I was astounded – received wisdom has it that students vote Labour or Liberal Democrat! I was kept talking afterwards by groups of student and was there for an hour after other candidates had left. They even seemed to like my carefully explained scepticism on climate change ! Astounding in a city that it an XR hotbed.

      This is the email I have just sent to all our Brexit party supporters in Oxford:

      “I know I don’t need to remind you to Vote tomorrow but I would like to ask you to remind any friends, family or colleagues to be sure to vote.

      Brexit is the future for our nation, the only way of regaining our sovereignty and democracy. It will allow our nation to once again determine it’s own future and own path in the world, working and trading freely with other nations around the world.

      This election is a watershed in our history, a choice between a bright future as a once-again free, sovereign nation or facing the bleak prospect of being a satellite state of the EU as it morphs into the undemocratic Empire it dreams of becoming.

      That is why I offered myself as a candidate to the Brexit Party and is why I canvassed for Leave in the referendum, as I am sure did many of you for those same reasons.

      I will be going around the various polling stations tomorrow and hopefully able to help some undecided voters to vote for us. The Count starts at 10.30 pm and is expected to be finished between 2 and 2.30 am when we will see the results.

      Thank you all for your support and help over the past weeks, I do appreciate it and let’s look forwards to a brighter future.

      with kind regards to you all, ”

      Do I expect to win – no it is unlikely because the votes that Labour are shedding will split between myself and the Tories – but it is a fight that had to be fought and conscience would not allow otherwise.

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      • #
        Graeme No.3

        Good Luck Roger. It would be wonderful if you won and would give a massive kick to the major parties.

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      • #
        Bill In Oz

        Good Luck indeed Roger !
        May the UL become a sovereign nation again
        Just as Australia is now !

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        • #
          Bill In Oz

          Bugger
          My typing is becoming erratic !
          May the UK – The United Kingdom !
          Land of my birth !
          Become a sovereign nation again

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      • #
        George1st:)

        Absolutely , i salute you
        The UK is the people of the UK , not to be ruled by others .
        The EU unelected bureaucrats have passed their use by date and should be tipped down the sink with the rest of the swamp .
        Democracy voted for Brexit and independence that comes with it .

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      • #
        Annie

        All best wishes Roger!
        There is no BP candidate standing in our constituancy unfortunately.

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      • #
        MudCrab

        Luck is for dice games – I wish you success.

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  • #
    robert rosicka

    Last I seen he was in front but just so it will be close according to the polls , personally I think Boris will romp it in .

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  • #
    MudCrab

    Brexit notwithstanding, Corbyn is… interesting on some of his views and attitudes towards the non politically correct minorities and is awfully friendly with a lot of groups that are willing to endorse violence.

    In any sane environment he would be called out and openly rejected for these views, but such is the utter hate of the Establishment for the views of the silent majority they are willing to do go ‘Anyone But Boris’.

    Corbyn is… different. Be cautious. Very cautious.

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    • #
      OriginalSteve

      He appears to be a red ragger…..up the workers and all that….

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      • #
        Dennis

        He has been described as coming from the same communist union GB mould as the ones that migrated to Australia with a hatred of the monarch and their home country before Federation of States and formation of the Commonwealth of Australia.

        The original republicans here.

        20

      • #
        Bill In Oz

        He long ago stopped fighting for the workers !
        He’s just another bloody far left ‘intellectual’
        With no brains at all !

        30

    • #
      Roger

      Knocking on doors in Oxford, a Labour stronghold, while I’m canvassing as the Brexit Party candidate around 40-50% of Labour voters can’t stand Corbyn.

      He’s a unreconstructed Marxist who puts any terrorist group ahead of the UK.

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  • #
    George4

    Even if Boris wins I am worried that some in his party will vote against Brexit when the time comes.

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  • #
    Steve

    If Corbyn does win the lights will go out in the UK in every sense.

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  • #
    tom0mason

    One of the best and wittiest political campaign ads ever aired in Britain.
    Will it swing the vote?
    When tomorrow ends we’ll all know, hopefully the British public stay faithful to their wish for BREXIT.

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  • #
    PeterS

    I suspect it will be impossible for Corbyn to win. If he does then it would mean the people of the UK have gone completely stupid. So the question that will be answered soon is how much of a victory will Boris achieve.

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    • #
      tom0mason

      I feel you are correct there PeterS,
      Many older voters see J Corbyn is like the anti-charismatic ditherer Michael Foot of yesteryear, younger voter may see he is nearly as technocratic as the bullying dullard Gordon Brown. All in all it’s not a good combination. Add to that the continuing rumble of the Labour Party’s antisemitism and Corbyn’s lack of response to it.
      IMHO No Labour is not likely to win the election.

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    • #
      mothcatcher

      star comment
      Peter – Corbyn isn’t likely to win, but he doesn’t have to! Half the voters today weren’t out of short trousers when the Berlin Wall came down, and our education system doesn’t present the old certainties of the West v the Socialists in any sense like it was in reality. Corbyn, a true friend of Castro, and Hamas, and the IRA (indeed most of the free world’s enemies), isn’t being asked to address his core subject at all. His party won’t get a majority, but it could very easily be 10 percent behind in the vote and still wind up with 250+ seats. To that add Lib Dems – 25 seats. ScotNats, 45 seats, Welsh Nats, 4 seats, Greens, 1 seat, Independents 2 seats, and you have a coalition of anti-Brexit MPs which would hold their noses while they formed a Corbyn-led administration. They’d dump him, but only AFTER the referendum decision had been reversed, or at least neutralised. Chickens not to be counted just yet.

      [Spot on mothcatcher.– Jo]

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      • #
        PeterS

        Makes me wonder why anyone of sound mind would even vote for Corbyn. If the UK voters are awake it ought to be a landslide victory to Boris. and a near annihilation of the Labour party. I feel this election is a litmus test of the sanity of the UK people as a whole. More likely though it will be like our recent election where our Labor party lost but not smashed hard enough. Unfortunately too many voters are clueless and don’t care, and I suspect it’s growing in proportion, which means major problems ahead for both countries in future elections.

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        • #
          OriginalSteve

          What Iike labout the Brits, is when they are in a fightin’ mood its alwsys interesting….and I think in many respects this will also be an opportunity to stick it to PC and the Left and its endorsement of deliberate gender confusion….

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          • #
            PeterS

            We need a Churchill-like leader both here and the UK to cement public opinion against the progressive left much like he did against the Nazis. After all we are in effect in a war situation, not with the military involved but with propaganda and lies, which can be just as dangerous to our lives in the end.

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  • #
    TdeF

    They have two major problems. First past the post voting, so your vote does not count unless you vote for a winner. Then optional voting, where people stay home if they think their side is going to win or the weather is bad. Compulsory voting was introduced in Australia when the voter roll out in WA was only 16%. I guess people came to Australia to get away from bad government but 16% was not democracy and there is no point complaining if you do not vote.

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    • #
      mothcatcher

      Seems pretty weird idea of freedom, to me, that if you don’t feel strongly enough to get out and vote, you’ll still be compelled to do so on pain of a penalty!

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      • #
        AndyG55

        Freedom comes with responsibilities and hence consequences.

        And actually, all you have to do is get your name checked off at a polling both.

        And you can always just fold the voting paper up and put it in the return box, without voting at all.

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      • #
        John in Oz

        Getting your name marked off gives one the freedom to ‘vote early and vote often’.

        Multiple voting locations in each electorate with no proof of identity required to have your name marked off.

        What’s not to like?

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        • #

          so long as you don’t use your own name twice. That is actually noticed and acted upon

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          • #
            AndyG55

            Greenie deceit, from experience, hey GA.

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          • #

            Acted upon? No. In theory, but not in practice. They don’t ask for ID, which should be essential therefore they can’t prosecute — because anyone can roll up and pretend to be someone else and vote twice. Ridiculous, obvious, loophole that most suits… a party that appeals to low base, low conscience, means-to-an-ends type voters.

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            • #
              AndyG55

              “a party that appeals to low base, low conscience, means-to-an-ends type voters.”

              That would be the Greens, and the far left of Labor.

              The parties of deceit and lies.

              To quote (not exact words, but close enough)

              “Doesn’t matter what we say now, we will do what we want after the election”

              “There will be no carbon tax under my Labor Government”

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            • #
              George1st:)

              Indeed , ‘whatever it takes’
              Is the guiding light of so many .
              Perhaps its time for the more law abiding and less deceitful among us to do the same .
              It is not difficult to sway or trick any system ,let alone a govt managed one .
              The left wing of politics throughout the world have public servants and union members at their beck and call
              whereas private enterprise and individual workers do not have any real body of representation .
              Just blogs and newspaper articles expressing opinions .
              There needs to be an organisation similar to ‘GetUp’ for the more conservative and rational thinkers and doers .

              00

            • #
              Graeme No.3

              There is the practice in some backward countries of putting a stamp on the voter’s hand when he collects the vote card. ‘Indelible’ ink which washes/fades/wears off in a few days.
              Makes it difficult to vote twice, or even vote at all if you are still registered after you have died or moved somewhere else.

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            • #
              Andrew McRae

              Sorry to contradict you twice in one day, but I just have to.
              Gee Aye did not say you cannot “pretend to be someone else”. What Gee Aye actually said was:

              so long as you don’t use your own name twice

              I can comment on this as I know from experience. 😀
              Once I went to my nearest polling booth assuming I could use the same one as previous election.
              I get in there, give my name, they tick me off, then ask which electorate I’m voting in.
              When I tell them they become slightly puzzled and then tell me I’m in the wrong place because this doesn’t have a ballot box for that electorate… they’d changed them around. D’oh!
              Note at this point in the process they have not given me a ballot paper yet.
              They tell me I have to go to some other school to vote. Okay.
              I drive round there and find the place and vote.
              About 2 weeks later I get a politely but firmly worded letter from the Divisional Returns Officer, or maybe it was the Sheriff, I can’t remember, saying I appear to have voted twice.
              But a neatly handwritten explanation of the above bungle and a solemn statutory declaration that I in fact did not cast more than one ballot, and that’s that, no harm no fine.

              So Gee Aye is absolutely correct in this particular instance.

              20

              • #
                AndyG55

                So use someone else’s name, and let them get the rude stern letter from the DRO for voting twice.

                Seen it happen. !

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              • #
                Ian Hill

                Yes, the same happened to my wife. She got a “please explain” for voting twice. She hadn’t. The person at the table in the polling booth at the other end of the electorate in the hills had ruled through the wrong address of a woman with the same name, which was our address. It was sorted out when the other woman got a notice of a fine for not voting.

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    • #
      JS

      Australia doesn’t have compulsory voting – the only compulsory thing is getting your name ticked off, what you do with your ballot after that is entirely up to you.

      100

      • #
        Kevin85

        Good point.

        If conscription, immigration controls and taxation etc. are compulsory then electing lawmakers should be compulsory as well.

        This is the only way we can get a valid view of the population as a whole and they suffer the consequences of conscription, tax, and immigration etc.

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        • #
          Robert Swan

          Not sure about the rest of your comment, but this bit:

          we can get a valid view of the population as a whole

          seems at tall order to me. I suppose it depends on how you define “valid”. Say I loathe (or, less likely, love) all the candidates equally. Is it valid that my vote ends up with just one of them?

          Best I can come up with for choosing a truly *valid* representative is to just pick a random person from the electorate and they’re it. Odds are we’d end up with fewer crooks in parliament and, perhaps not wholly unrelated, fewer lawyers.

          00

    • #
      Bill In Oz

      TdeF, they also have their elections
      On a Thursday
      We have our elections always on a Saturday
      When most folk have some time off.
      But in the UK, it’s week day/
      Just to make it more inconvenient to vote.
      People have to vote after working all day
      That has been a long standing UK problem

      20

    • #
      Brian

      You have me confused there TdeF. First past the post actually means that your vote goes to the individual that you want to represent you. Preferential voting. particularly as to applies to the Australian Senate means that your vote can end up going to an individual and Party that you despise.

      10

  • #
    MrGrimNasty

    It’s actually very close, and the margin continues to get shorter. The weather is looking abysmal for voting day, which may deter older voters. It is worrying that there has been an enormous young voter registration – in cases illegally without consent by unis and left wing councils – even cases of underage voters. There is nothing to stop (mostly leftwing) students voting twice at home and uni residence although it is illegal. Postal votes have become a big worry, encouraging fraud and block voting ‘seizure’ with intimidation in certain ethnic (left voting) communities. And people are being encouraged to vote tactically by idiotic guides. The way it looks at the moment any outcome is possible. Very worrying indeed. But curiously at the same time irrelevant. With the Conservatives committed to green economic suicide as much as the others, we’re doomed regardless.

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  • #
    Rob

    “To all skeptics and Brexiteers in the UK, please get out and vote”

    But Jo, what makes you think Boris is a skeptic?

    https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2019/09/30/vote-conservative-get-more-green-crap/

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    • #
      el gordo

      Farage might win six seats and form a coalition with Boris.

      70

      • #
        RickWill

        Farage will not support Brexit under the terms Boris has agreed. That should mean it becomes a Brexit without agreed terms.

        70

      • #
        mothcatcher

        Sorry – he has no chance in any seat. But he might take enough votes from Boris to wreck Cos. chances of a majority government. I’ve voted for his party from day 1 in 1997, but he should have dropped this one..

        30

        • #
          el gordo

          If he has no chance of winning even one seat then I wouldn’t be voting, simply because climate change is the most important issue of our time and nobody cares.

          30

        • #
          el gordo

          Nigel said …

          ‘I’m hoping for very, very heavy rain in Doncaster tomorrow, or snow, whatever we can muster.

          ‘I know that people who are going to vote for us will turn out, because they absolutely believe in our message, they believe in their hearts as well as in their heads.’

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  • #
    Peter C

    Best of luck Britain,

    We need Brexit.

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  • #

    BREXIT, fer serfs it’s as significant as Magna Carta…

    British serfs, throw off yer chains!

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    • #
      Lionell Griffith

      There seem to be far too many who will accept the chains for a free lunch. The thought that they will have to be responsible for themselves is unthinkable. For them, thinking is someone else’s responsibility – don’t you know?

      Thank you for thinking.

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    • #
      MrGrimNasty

      Whilst everyone’s watching the Brexit squirrel, the UN global socialist governance wolf is sneaking it the backdoor.

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      • #
        Latus Dextro

        MrGN, you’re spot on. The ONLY way the scourge of globalism with its sibilant promise of de-population, de-industrialisation, destitution, disease, despair and death may be removed is by ridding the World of the UN and its tentacles, Trojan horses, and totalitarians, UNEP, UNFCCC, IPCC, ECOSOC, UNESCO, though I fear much as the League of Nations, this will require a global calamity.

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      • #
        PeterS

        Let’s call a spade a spade. The West is under attack on several fronts, both from within and outside. It will be a miracle if the West survives in its current form. If the attacks were treated as a real war situation a lot of people would be arrested and charged with treason and/or terrorism. We have gone too soft.

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        • #
          Latus Dextro

          PeterS,
          if the Gremlin Greta unsustainable rot continues the World may segue seamlessly into a global civil war on a number of unpleasant fronts. Still, on the up side, it would likely rid the World of the Watermelons and their crowning edifice, the UN.

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          • #
            PeterS

            I can see the risk of a civil war in the US and perhaps even here in the not too distant future. The population is being polarised more and more. The left are increasingly violent while the rest prefer to stay calm, at least for now. There are limits and eventually the two major sides will clash violently. It could be as soon as 5-10 from now so better to start taking the necessary precautions.

            00

      • #
        Zane

        LOL. Top comment.

        11

    • #
      George1st:)

      True but most of the serfs who will be voting probably have not the foggiest idea of the Magna Carta or even Brexit .
      They will vote for what they think will help them today .
      Tomorrow will sort itself out , history ? whats that

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  • #
    Zigmaster

    It’s a pity Jeremy Corbyns brothers not running. He’s a very articulate and convincing climate sceptic. It’s worth googling Piers Corbyn and listen to some of his interviews.
    On global warming Boris is all in as much as any of the other parties but I suspect he is persuadable on this issue especially if things start going wrong with their grid over there which I think is highly likely. I also think that he has the potential to be influenced by Trump.

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  • #
    pat

    11 Dec: BBC: Climate change: Major emitters accused of blocking progress at UN talks
    By Matt McGrath
    Delegates from developing countries have reacted angrily to what they see as attempts to block progress at the COP25 meeting in Madrid.
    One negotiator told the BBC that the talks had failed to find agreement on a range of issues because of the blocking actions of some large emitters.
    Carlos Fuller from Belize said that Brazil, Saudi Arabia, India and China were “part of the problem”.
    Other observers said there was a serious risk of failure at the talks.

    ???Despite a huge climate demonstration on the streets of the Spanish capital last Friday…

    “There’s an effort right now to block the words ‘climate urgency’ in text from Brazil and Saudi Arabia, saying we haven’t used these words before in the UN, so we can’t use them now,” said Jennifer Morgan, executive director of Greenpeace International.
    “This gap between what’s happening on the outside and what’s happening in the science, and this ‘UN speak’ that won’t react and drive something is very frustrating.”

    Negotiators have told the BBC that the obstinacy of some countries was limiting agreement on non-contentious questions.
    “I am very disturbed and angry,” said Carlos Fuller, the chief negotiator for the small island developing states group of countries…
    “At 2.30 this morning we couldn’t agree to continue working on a transparency framework, that tells the world what each country is doing, we couldn’t agree to keep working on it. That is ridiculous”

    One issue that has caused a good deal of anger are the attempts by Brazil, China, India and Saudi Arabia to have the actions that were due to be completed before 2020 by richer nations, re-examined as part of the overall deal here in Madrid…

    The mood among many campaigners is low as there seems to be little hope of progress on the two major outstanding issues that need to resolved here. These are the question of carbon markets and the issue of loss and damage…
    Some believe that if efforts by Brazil and others to carry forward billions of credits created under older, discredited schemes are successful, they could “bankrupt” the entire Paris pact…

    There were some positive signs in the conference with US presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg telling the meeting that his first action if he gets elected would be to re-join the Paris agreement.
    While there are still several days to go, there is hope that the presence of political figures such as Mr Bloomberg and new announcements by the European Union and others will help foster an ambitious agreement…
    “I hope that they support a coalition of countries that beat back the darker forces here in Madrid that want to hold the world back,” said Jennifer Morgan from Greenpeace.
    “If not, it will be a moral failure,” she said.
    https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-50736617

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    • #
      WXcycles

      Other observers said there was a serious risk of failure at the talks. … “I am very disturbed and angry,” said Carlos Fuller, the chief negotiator for the small island developing states group of countries… “

      Looks like the extortion attempts by fully dependent Pacific Island ‘states’ isn’t finding enough suckers to be fleeced.

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      Brian

      Nil desperandum Pat, all is not lost. China and India are on track to well and truly exceed their Paris commitments. Unfortunately those commitments are to respectively double and triple their emissions by 2030. At that time they will, in combination, be producing 65% of 2005 global levels.

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  • #
    pat

    lol:

    9 Dec: Springer Climatic Change: Approval of political leaders can slant evaluation of political issues: evidence from public concern for climate change in the USA
    by Wanyun Shao, Department of Geography, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa
    & Feng Hao, Department of Social Sciences, University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee, Sarasota
    Using a nationally representative survey dataset combined with climate extremes data including extreme heat, extreme precipitation, and mild drought or worse, we use Structural Equation Modeling to examine how politics and climate extremes altogether shape American public concern for climate change.

    In addition to confirming politicization of climate change, we find that approval of President Trump not only promotes skeptical climate change perceptions but also serves as an intervening amplifier of these perceptions for Republicans and conservatives. Thus, one’s concern for climate change is partially explained by their political identification and partially explained by their levels of approval of Trump. With the 2020 presidential election underway, it remains to be seen how attitudes towards presidential candidates can affect climate change perceptions and support for climate policies…

    The study ends by calling for more studies to further investigate the drivers of formation of opinions towards climate change.

    Acknowledgements
    The authors thank the American National Election Studies (ANES) for making available its 2016 Time Series Study. The authors also thank the Center for Disease and Control for making available its data on extreme precipitation, heat, and drought.
    https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10584-019-02594-4

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    Deano

    Good luck to all the UK Conservative supporters. The fact that our ABC has studiously ignored the UK election over the past week or so tells me even they know Corbyn is done. But from what I understand, even if Corbyn’s Labour campaign ends in disaster, he will very hard to shift.

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      GD

      The fact that our ABC has studiously ignored the UK election over the past week or so tells me even they know Corbyn is done.

      Funny about that.

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  • #
    Jonesy

    That is one very clever political ad. It doesnt denigrate any one party or individual…only parliament. The message is clear and Boris is right…ENOUGH..ENOUGH..LET’S GET THIS DONE!

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  • #
    StephenP

    Sung to the tune of ‘Oh Mr Porter’.
    Burnham was another candidate for the leadership of the Labour Party.

    Oh Jeremy Corbin what shall I do?
    I thought I’d vote for Burnham but we ended up with you
    Now we’ve got Momentum, Mcdonnell and his (Marxist) clan,
    Oh Jeremy Corbin what a silly one I am!

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  • #

    A lot of us in the UK are very nervous.
    The people behind Corbyn are even worse yet most of our populace has little knowledge of the past disasters caused by leftist policies due to the biased ideology that has been promoted within our education system for several decades.
    It would be very sad for the nation that first set up a workable modern democracy were also to be the first to abandon it.
    Fingers crossed that such fears are unfounded.

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      Latus Dextro

      Sadly the same may be said for all eduktn ‘systems’ throughout the Anglosphere. For example, the saturated level of gloablism / climatism / neo-Marxism indoctrination and propaganda in New Zealand is designed to expunge traditional Judeo-Christian identity, history, independent thought and critical thinking.

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    • #
      PeterS

      It’s a sign of the times in the West with the possible exception of the US although their litmus test is less than a year away. However, the US is just as polarised as other Western nations for similar reasons. Given the culture and history there I expect many of the states will attempt to leave the Union, an act that’s actually banned by the Supreme court and the Constitution. Interesting times ahead there. For the rest of us in the West we will simply spiral down into chaos as a whole as more and more voters continue to lean over to the left and the hatred of traditional Western values grows due to several reasons, not the least of which is the education system.

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      • #
        el gordo

        ‘For the rest of us in the West we will simply spiral down into chaos …’

        Not in Australia, we have a centre right government and the PM is determined to end the culture wars. He first has to purge the ABC of Trots and then our world will find equilibrium.

        Once again I draw your attention to the Sky News team, who have a strong desire to knee cap aunty, and this is going free to air in the regions.

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          PeterS

          I hope you are on the money but the way I see it the LNP is a mixed bag of left and right and that means double, double toil and trouble. A purge of the left would be nice but that is unlikely to happen any time soon.

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            el gordo

            Yeah but Morrison is in charge and after the successful centre right coup against Turnbull, its a fair bet that the party dresses on the right. Before that tumultuous event the Treasurer showed his true colours, this from aunty.

            ‘Treasurer Scott Morrison demonstrated just that when he laughed off suggestions the Government would privatise the ABC, but then called on the broadcaster to “demonstrate to the Australian people that they are acting impartially and unbiased”.

            And when he got the big chair he chose Ita Buttrose to be head honcho, a captain’s pick against all bureaucratic advice.

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    Salome

    The ABC this morning is saying the polls have been narrowing. But then, it would, wouldn’t it? Fingers crossed. The ABC was also trumpeting Time’s Person of the Year—Grrrrrrrrreta! Well, she gets to share that honour with Time’s Man of the Year in 1938, doesn’t she?

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    • #
      Dennis

      In Australia May 2019 the Union Labor Opposition Leader had organised a removalist firm to take his possessions to The Lodge in Canberra based on the polls. He even wrote to the Coalition Prime Minister requesting his cooperation for a smooth and quick handover.

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  • #

    Democracy is the opposite of dictatorship (monarchy, republic, empire).
    There is only ONE COUNTRY in the WORLD in Democracy! Switzerland.
    Democracy is By the People For the People.
    In Switzerland it is the people who lead. Who proposes his own laws and votes his own laws!
    In dictatorships it is the tutors (Deputies / Senators) who invent their laws and vote their laws WITHOUT THE OPINION OF THE PEOPLE!

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  • #
    Ross

    The latest YouGov poll says it is very close and there is talk of a hung Parliament. If you cannot thrash your opposition when it is lead by someone like Corbyn, then there is something seriously wrong with your approach because it suggests with a more moderate leader, Labour would win.

    I think the Conservatives and the Brexit Party backers might rue the day they did not take up Farage’s offer.

    The UK leavers will have to hope that many of those polled fall into the “shy Tory” category.

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    • #
      PeterS

      I firmly believe the West as a whole is on a decline for several other reasons so it’s not surprising to see polls so close. Then again we all know how wrong the polls can be. Either way it doesn’t negate what I believe about the Western decline we currently are witnessing. Two major factors are driving it; exploding national debts and a growing apathy of the people. There are other reasons as well. They all lead to a perfect storm one day both economically and socially if things do not turn around soon.

      20

      • #
        Ross

        I have to agree with you Peter. When you look at the Brexit issue it seems to me the Remainers must be driven by self interest –any sensible person who read a little about the EU and it’s governance and then thought about what is best for their country would never vote to remain in the EU. Therefore we can only conclude they have not taken the time to look into it, if it is not self interest driving their decision –apathy as you put it.

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      • #
        Dennis

        Little did most people realise that after formation of the United Nations it was hijacked by the socialist globalist new world order people, the treaties with member nations programs were developed and implemented and clever marketing spin doctors wrapped them in titles like National Parks preserved for future generations, Sustainability, etc.

        The decline really got underway here during the Whitlam Labor Years 1970s including the system of education including abandoning the basics subjects and socialism promoted to students in schools and universities. Later saving the planet from climate change caused by greenhouse gases was announced as modified ever since and now emissions focused on “carbon pollution” emissions reduction, socialism masquerading as environmentalism (PM Abbott 2015).

        40

        • #
          PeterS

          Also note so called socialist agenda to destroy our nation has just been escalated by the NSW LNP. It proves my belief that both major parties are on a unity ticket when it comes to CAGW and emission reductions. Environment Minister Matt Kean has announced no one can deny climate change is to blame for the smoke haze from the bushfires. We have now lost the battle. We need a new party to continue the fight and win the war.

          NSW to commit to new emission reduction targets for 2030

          30

          • #
            Dennis

            Only the Liberals In Name Only, Black Hand Faction now in the minority Peter.

            I of course agree with you that a “unity ticket” was being secured when the former PM and leader of BHF was worming his way into the NSW Liberal Party and elsewhere with a stated objective of wrecking the centre right of the Coalition and merging his like minded people with the Union Labor Party, both using the GetUp activist organisation for propaganda purposes.

            But the battle to overcome the UN Treaties based rot that has set in will be huge and mostly carried out behind the scenes observed by voters and political opponents. The selection by our PM of Jim Molan to fill the Senate vacancy is an indicator, he was unable to win a seat at the May 2019 Federal Election because he was put in a position on the ballot paper from where he could not succeed by the NSW LINO BHF. There are many MPs like him on our side.

            30

            • #
              PeterS

              I understand but the LNP is still split on the subject of CAGW and emissions reductions. That in itself means the LNP will have a very hard time to stay in power. Then again even if we had a new party that will hold polices we would like it will very likely not be popular for several simple reasons. Lack of awareness by most voters of the real truth about CAGW and what other countries like China, India and Japan are doing with their energy polices. The way I see it we need to suffer a crash and burn, or near one, such as much higher prices and frequent blackouts might do the trick, to wake people up out of their apathetic slumber.

              20

          • #
            Dennis

            Extract from the link you posted Peter;

            “Mr Kean foreshadowed his plans after he broke ranks with his Liberal Party colleagues on Tuesday and said “no one can deny” climate change is to blame for the smoke haze from the bushfires.”

            A LINO?

            50

            • #
              WXcycles

              No, just another garden-variety opportunistic incompetent delusional grandstanding lying political idiot, who’s completely out of touch with reality.

              60

              • #
                el gordo

                I agree and add that he probably won’t be a Minister at the next state election, the Sky News team have been ridiculing him without mercy.

                40

              • #
                PeterS

                There’s no shortage of them in both major parties.

                30

              • #
                David-of-Cooyal-in-Oz

                G!day WX,
                I tried hard to disagree with you, but find all I could do is add “and science.” at the end of what you’ve said, at least while staying polite.
                Cheers
                Dave B

                40

              • #
                WXcycles

                I tried hard to disagree with you, but find all I could do is add “and science.” at the end of what you’ve said, at least while staying polite.

                Yeah, I read it a couple of times before I posted it, thought, yup, that’s hitting the nail on the head.

                10

          • #
            bobl

            NSW Labor s obscene, the revelations in ICAC show that the AEC MUST DEREGISTER NSW Labor.

            40

    • #
      Bill In Oz

      The YouGov polls are now
      Politicised
      The way that they make up
      Their ‘sample’Who they will vote for of voters to ask
      Is biased towards the ‘often online’ demographic
      And thus does not accurately reflect voting opinion.
      We were reminded of this here in Australia
      Just last May.
      When YouGov said Shortstop would win

      10

  • #
    robert rosicka

    Hope not too early for OT .

    Drought proof your land with solar panels !?! , yes according to the ABC it’s possible for farmers to drought proof their land by leasing some of it to solar farms .

    https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-12-12/farmers-encouraged-to-lease-land-for-renewable-energy-farms/11787688

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    • #
      PeterS

      China on the other hand is building hundreds more coal fired power stations and dozens more nuclear ones. I wonder when will one or both of our major parties will stop telling lies to us about the benefits of reducing our emissions and using more renewables.

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      • #
        Dennis

        There is underway right now a parliamentary committee reviewing the Howard Government inquiry into nuclear power stations, according to a government MP on Sky News recently modular mini nuclear power units are the main focus now.

        However, PM Morrison and his Ministers have announced that all generating technologies will be considered including coal fired power stations, and later added in answer to a journalist’s question that the Federal Government does not have the constitutional law powers to proceed with development planning, that requires cooperation by the State Governments. Same with construction of new dams and other infrastructure projects. It took a Federal Government ten years to gain State cooperation and agreement on the original Snowy Mountains Scheme, for example.

        The Federal Government has now established a time limit before wind and solar energy businesses no longer receive subsidies, and legislation planning to force competition between electricity generator companies.

        I am not comfortable about where we have been led, and the politics and profiteering involved, but the web is intricate and spun on red and green tape bureaucracy created from UN treaties and agreements.

        PM Abbott had a programme to get the nation back on a centre right more conservative course and was replaced, as Christopher Monckton warned about earlier. PM Morrison would have noted that and would be moving cautiously. There are still “LINO” troublemakers around. However, the Abbott period reduction of government department number and defunding non-government organisations, cutting the tape, etc., has commenced again with a recent Federal announcement of the hit list so far and with more to come later.
        The NSW Premier announced recently that NSW Education is returning to “back to basics” first announced by PM Abbott as a policy to replace Labor’s Gonski education grants to the state governments.

        Beware of fake news and ABC/MSM failing to report real news, maintaining the “relentless negativity” against the Coalition and real Liberals and Nationals of the centre right.

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      • #
        Zane

        China overbuilds everything because the Chicom cadres who run each province are judged on reaching GDP targets, thus one province will have a steel mill operating at 50% capacity and across a river in the next province will be another huge steel mill also only operating at 50%. Rinse and repeat for all industrial sectors. Since capital is allocated by state owned banks according to the decrees of Chicom bureaucrats, the inefficiency continues until 68 million empty apartments have been built and sold to speculators as ” investments “. Property never goes down, right? One day it will all end in a spectacular financial collapse… keep some popcorn handy.

        20

        • #
          PeterS

          Japan too? They are building over 40 of them. We are building none and aiming to close down existing ones because both major parties are now committed to reducing emissions significantly.

          10

    • #
      Dennis

      So solar panels would be reprocessed into food to replace meat?

      sarc.

      30

  • #
    Ross

    OT. Tony Heller has done another one of his deep dives into the archives –another one related to Australia

    https://realclimatescience.com/2019/12/bom-hiding-the-heat-in-australia/

    30

  • #
    Maptram

    Malcolm Turnbull says renewables plus storage are cheaper than coal and nuclear for new power generation. Is he correct?

    Mr Turnbull refers to “new coal”. Leading experts consulted by Fact Check pointed out that new coal-fired power plants would most likely be required to accept a “risk premium” when obtaining finance, reflecting uncertainty over international and domestic climate and energy policy, future clean-up costs, and higher construction risks.

    I wonder whether the renewables projects take into account the weather risk. Pick several potential sites, look for weather data. If there has been no weather data collected, collect weather data for a couple of years and base the site selection on the data. That is a big risk, weather varies over decades not a couple of years. If data has been collected it probably shows averages. I recall the Tasmanian wind farm from last year. The turbines work any time the wind speed is above 18 kilometres per hour. The wind speed averages 30 kilometres an hour year-round on the west coast of Tasmania. In places nearby that the BOM provides data for the average wind speed is 18 kph. For an average of 18 kph, there will frequently be times when the wind speed is less than 18kph, so no power is generated. In other words another risk.

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    • #
      Jonesy

      Not long before the polls open…I do hope the Brits see this vote as important for them as it is to the rest of the conservative democratic capitalist world. We all need the UK out of the EU socialist.

      20

    • #
      bobl

      No they don’t they don’t even take reliability into account … Well OK in the back rooms they do, Solar effectively 5% of nameplate and wind effectively 1% of nameplate on a reliability adjusted basis.

      But Turnbulls bull doesn’t stack up anyway, because he doesn’t understand capacity factor, and reliability he compares on a watt for watts basis, Compares unreliable with reliable, ignores capacity factors and mid term intermittency (Dull, windless weeks/months).

      Turnbull, you are an idiot, please leave energy to engineers.

      Turnbull, you have a problem with scale, in order to use the batteries you have to supply the energy to consumers as well as charge the batteries, this increases the infrastructure requirements. With one day of storage you need an overbuild of 10-25x to make nameplate output on coal equivalent reliability. Mr Turnbull, 1MW of output requires up to 25 MW of panels. This means that the CO2 emitted in building the solar systems far exceeds the output and no CO2 is ever saved. Supplying Victoria with solar energy for power and transport (EVs) requires an area 6 times the size of Victoria to be tiled with Solar panels.

      Sorry Mr Turnbull but only an idiot would propose to save CO2 by using a form of energy that actually INCREASES CO2 emissions. Right now YOU are that idiot.

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    • #
      Serp

      Malcolm Turnbull speaks solely from self interest and always has; his expressed views are never those of an honest broker and should always be disregarded. Were he to walk up to me and announce “Today is Thursday” I’d check that my wallet hasn’t gone missing and that I was keeping upwind of him.

      30

  • #
    pat

    theirABC has a new Big Idea?

    AUDIO: 54m6s: 10 Dec: ABC Big Ideas: Leadership in uncertain times
    Where have all the leaders gone?
    The Chancellor of Oxford University says the current crop of political leaders need to argue the case for international agreements and democracy.
    ***Otherwise populist leaders and nationalism will rule the day and we’ll lose the battle on climate change.
    Political Leadership recorded 6 November 2019 (Malcolm) Fraser Oration University of Melbourne.
    Speaker
    Right Honourable Christopher Patten – Chancellor Oxford University
    https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/bigideas/leadership-in-uncertain-times/11770642

    paraphrasing from around 21mins in:

    anti-Brexit, anti-Trump
    bemoans collapse of global, rules-based order, policed and orchestrated by trusted global institutions.
    increasing, credible predictions of a spreading recession.

    US 2020 presidential election may help to resolve matters, if an elected leader emerges from the dog-fight, who is able to persuade electors, once again, that America’s greatness lies in working with, rather than against, like-minded countries. democratic countries need to lead the process of re-establishing a global order… more anti-Brexit, anti-populism.

    ???the schoolchildren who pioneered the Extinction Rebellion blah blah…
    we cannot take refuge in the hope that climate change is not yet happening; that new technologies will one day prevent or avert it, without much need for change by the rest of us; or that it’s all a mad conspiracy by back-to-nature anti-capitalists.
    defense of climate scientists/IPCC.

    if what he was told while on his Lord Howe Island holiday 2 years ago is true, half the GBR is already dead.

    some voters will thoroughly dislike solutions, such as phasing out dirty energy, taxing carbon. taking new approaches to the management of land; changing the global diet; investing in CCS & green energy.
    (WHAT’S NOT TO LIKE?)

    quotes David Wallace-Wells (The Uninhabitable Earth). Al Gore gets applauded at some point.

    10

  • #
    WXcycles

    I’m not going to pretend to understand the details of the UK system, I just hope the BREXIT Party ends up controlling the balance of power in the legislative process, I don’t trust Boris to get it done properly.

    60

    • #
      WXcycles

      On 22 November 2019, the Brexit Party set out its policy proposals for the 2019 UK general election. Some of its key polices for the election include:

      No extension to the Brexit transition period
      No privatisation of the NHS
      Reducing immigration
      Cutting VAT on domestic fuel
      Banning the UK exporting its waste
      Providing free broadband in deprived regions
      Scrapping the television licence fee
      Abolishing inheritance tax
      Scrapping High Speed 2 (HS2)
      Abolishing interest on student loans
      Changing planning to help house building
      Reforming the Supreme Court
      Reform the voting system to make it more representative
      Abolish the House of Lords
      Make MPs who switch parties subject to recall petitions
      Reform the postal voting system to combat fraud
      Introduce Citizens’ Initiatives to allow people to call referendums, subject to a 5 million threshold of registered voter signatures and time limitations on repeat votes

      What’s not to like?

      50

      • #
        WXcycles

        OK, I can’t even imagine why that comment went to moderation.

        30

        • #
          el gordo

          No offending words, the auto mod needs readjusting, seriously.

          Ideally a coalition would be the best outcome, to keep the bas…ds honest.

          50

          • #
            PeterS

            Agree el gordo. That’s what we need here too. An alliance between the LNP and say ON to form government. It’s not ideal but it might be better than what what we have now.

            40

          • #

            No offending words, the auto mod needs readjusting, seriously.

            That or we could change the defamation laws in Australia so I can remove the word “fraud” from the filter.

            Or we could raise a million dollars so I can afford staff and lawyers and trained moderators?

            20

  • #
    Peter Fitzroy

    A country which is a union of smaller states wants to leave a union of nation states because…

    This will be bound to end well.

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    • #
      AndyG55

      [SNIP. This thread is not about “PF” or Peter Fitzroy. Though he may feel “success” at it being pointlessly derailed. – jo]

      70

      • #
        Peter Fitzroy

        [SNIP.]

        16

        • #
        • #
        • #
          el gordo

          ‘who is PF? ‘

          That is you sir, but back to your main point.

          ‘ … wants to leave a union of nation states because…’

          Because its the nature of things, coming together and breaking away is related to enlightened self interest.

          40

          • #
            Peter Fitzroy

            [Noted]

            03

            • #
            • #
              AndyG55

              It is noted that , yet again, you slink away from answering question, like in the last thread.

              In what way has the global climate changed in the last 40 years that can be scientifically proven to be caused by human release of CO2?

              [snip]

              50

              • #
              • #
                el gordo

                From that first link.

                ‘ …. transient climatic anomaly patterns from CO2 increase highly speculative for some time to come. But the advent of a reasonably clear global temperature signal this decade is a real possibility.’

                Wishful thinking in search of grant money, they have nothing.

                Do you accept that the models got it massively wrong?

                60

              • #
                Peter Fitzroy

                Sounds like standard science speak for “we see a (warming) trend, and predict that further data will support this.” Did you expect something like “the world is on fire (multiple exclamation marks, bold, all caps)”?

                15

              • #
                AndyG55

                1 as elG says…Not Evidence

                2. models models … not evidence

                3. spurious correlations and models.. lots of might and maybe words….not evidence

                4. You didn’t even read the abstract did you, PF. So funny
                Based totally on non-evidence supposition. It warmed, and the rain changed a bit, (maybe).. and a GCM sort of matched , a little bit. Absolutely no evidence it was caused by CO2… not evidence

                5. nice list of natural weather variability.. No empirical evidence.

                Poor PF, remains clueless of what empirical science is.

                Still batting a big fat ZERO

                40

              • #
                Peter Fitzroy

                Evidence enough for the world, but not for you. By the way bold and caps is not usually considered a rebuttal – please come back with the proof at the standard required to discredit these papers.

                05

              • #
                AndyG55

                Poor PF,

                Sorry you lack the education of comprehend the meaning of empirical scientific evidence.

                Models and models correlations are not evidence.

                Get over it. !

                A big fat ZERO.

                40

              • #
                AndyG55

                Come on PF,

                Show me the exact part in each of those papers where they give a measured and provable link between warming and atmospheric CO2.

                Not just if and maybe,#.

                Not just assumptions based on the AGW meme.

                You have failed in this ever time you have been asked.

                Its almost as if all you have done is copy a set of links from somewhere, without actually reading them. 😉

                They are your links, show us precisely where this empirical evidence is.

                Waiting for yet another abject failure, or some petty attempt at a strawman distraction, from you PF.

                50

              • #
                AndyG55

                Did you even read any of those links, PF

                Let’s look at the third link.

                The first word’s in the abstract are…

                As a guide to the possible effects of a CO2-induced warming on the cryosphere,

                then down the bottom

                Model

                ling studies suggest

                …blah blah

                And you think its evidence? wow!

                So funny !! So dumb !

                40

              • #
                AndyG55

                Third link.

                The observed variations of precipitation coincide with the results of general circulation modeling of doubled CO2 equilibrium climate change by sign but contradict by scale.

                GCMs are totally useless for rainfall, all over the place.

                They got lucky and “coincided” in direction (3 choices, up down or level… wow) so what.

                And you have the abject ignorance and the intellectual misfortune to put that forward as evidence for CO2 warming.. really !!!

                10

              • #
                Peter Fitzroy

                Evidence enough for the world, but not for you. By the way bold and caps is not usually considered a rebuttal – please come back with the proof at the standard required to discredit these papers.

                Were is yours?

                02

              • #
                AndyG55

                No PF, only evidence for the terminally deluded

                There is no empirical evidence for CO2 warming in any of your links.

                … and only model coincidence as an explanation for natural extreme weather event,

                I told you that you would refuse or be totally incapable of showing us exactly where that evidence was.

                You prove me correct , yet again.

                You know its not there, so try the petty distractions.

                They are your links, show us precisely where this empirical evidence is.

                [snip]

                00

              • #
                AndyG55

                Poor PF,

                The thought of actually reading and trying to comprehend your own links, really is a strange idea to you isn’t it.

                It is patently obvious that you have not read them, and certainly could never see their basis as being built on baseless supposition and models

                Otherwise you wouldn’t have posted them.

                Big hint, little child :

                Read your links before you post them.

                At least try !!!

                00

              • #

                Peter, enough timewasting.? I’d have more patience for the use of proper full names if you had more time for proper full answers. Anyone can sling out multiple links to papers they’ve never read and then declare gloriously on behalf of the global population that it was evidence enough “for the world. ”

                Until you provide such I will accept “PF”.

                AndyG, chill, please with the insults. You may be correct, but the thread is not therapy.
                The SNIPS above are to stop others wasting time on irrelevant repeat filler.

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            • #
              el gordo

              The second link.

              ‘ … estimation of the greenhouse gas effect on temperature we suggest that the feedback of global temperature on atmospheric CO2 will promote warming by an extra 15–78% on a century‐scale.’

              This is patently absurd.

              Show me a contemporary positive feedback which is observable at this moment? I have a lot of negative feedbacks in my kit if you want to see them?

              50

        • #
          el gordo

          ‘Residents of the region of Bougainville have overwhelmingly voted in favour of gaining independence from Papua New Guinea.

          ‘The split from PNG comes after a historic referendum asked locals whether they wanted greater autonomy from PNG or full independence.’

          9 News

          40

        • #
          el gordo

          ‘This will be bound to end well.’

          I note your sarcastic wit, many a true word said in jest, the empire is getting back together and we are splitting with the American Alliance.

          30

          • #
            Peter Fitzroy

            I’m just pointing out that the Scotts, and the Irish, in particular must have a sense of bemusement in the claim that this is being done for democratic reasons. They, and the Welsh have elected parliaments but their wishes are routinely snubbed by the English. As to the Empire, I note that the Indians, who were the heavily exploited golden goose of the old empire do not seem to be all that keen.

            08

            • #
              AndyG55

              Oh look, victims, victims.

              Strawman argument from PF, yet again.

              A pathetic attempt at distraction.

              80

            • #
              el gordo

              A marriage made in heaven.

              ‘According to the results of the 2014 BBC World Service poll, 73% of Indian people view the United Kingdom’s influence as positive and 23% view as negative. Similarly, 75% of Britons view India as positive and 22% as negative.’ wiki

              50

              • #
              • #
                el gordo

                Looking at those numbers it appears NATO is dead and political instability in the UK has put a dent in their armour, but
                ‘attitudes in China buck this trend, with favourable opinion of the UK among the Chinese rising markedly, from 39 to 73 per cent.’

                If you squint your eyes its possible to glimpse the future, China, Australia, Canada and UK in a bountiful trading compact without the US Alliance.

                We would have no need of US fighter jets or French submarines, a terrific financial windfall.

                21

              • #
                Roy Hogue

                Gordo,

                If that turns out to be the case then good for you. I’m far from the only one in America who is tired of being the world’s charity ward, tired of being the world’s policeman and tired of being ripped off by China.

                But beware of China because no matter what they say they are not your friend. If you can make a mutually beneficial arrangement work, go for it. But China is not trustworthy.

                30

              • #
                el gordo

                The heathens are trustworthy fair traders and will always come in with the lowest quote. What the US has done in promoting this trade war is good news for the US and even better for Australia.

                00

    • #
      Roy Hogue

      This will be bound to end well.

      For once, Peter, you are correct. The Brits will enjoy being their own master again.

      30

    • #
      AndyG55

      A country run by un-elected overseas bureaucratic dictators

      That’s bound to end well !!

      20

  • #
    Zane

    The UK is deeper down the green path than anywhere else save maybe Germany. They have a huge non-profit and charity sector of do-gooders there, not forgetting the royals who are also climate changers. Boris won’t do anything against these vested interests. The only way I can see some of the madness ceasing is if a big recession stops the wind and solar subsidies which prop the entire structure up.

    Coal is a no no, but hey, Vladimir Putin has plenty of gas to sell… Sarc on.

    100

    • #
      Dennis

      The Royal Family Rolls Royce Fleet of limousines during the 1980s was converted to run on LPG to save the planet.

      50

  • #
    Travis T. Jones

    Fail …

    December 11, 2019: There will be no relief for drought-ravaged regions over the summer, with Bureau of Meteorology officials telling a meeting of state and federal ministers there would be no significant rain until at least April.

    https://www.macrobusiness.com.au/2019/12/no-end-for-drought-as-sydney-disappears-into-smoke/

    December 11, 2019: Brisbane weather relief as storm brings six months’ worth of rain in one night

    https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-12-12/brisbane-storms-damage-six-months-rain/11791512

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    • #
      Dennis

      NSW Mid Coast Council website on water restrictions, now all outside usage is banned unless a current permit is held.

      Residents are also informed that good rainfall is predicted from February 2020.

      We have learnt that BoM is a climate change propaganda unit first and foremost including producing drought effected area maps that government used to distribute drought relief grants to councils with. A few councils reported that their council area is not drought effected.

      60

      • #
        WXcycles

        And BOM were claiming end-of-days last week because rain would not come until at least early-2020 which was being reported as apparently unusual, something of note. The monsoonal wet-season usually doesn’t get rolling until mid-January, and this year the monsoon started in the last few days of January with an epic flood in early to mid February. i.e. situation normal.

        Looking at the 10-day forecast run there are large widespread thunderstorm outbreaks all through the period, especially from next Sunday.

        00

  • #
    Robdel

    I do hope your analysis is correct, Jo. However bear in mind what happened in NZ, when all leftists bonded and leapt ahead of the Conservative party. The losers won government!

    20

  • #
    OriginalSteve

    Problem-Reaction-Solution

    How to end run around capitalism, using climate “disasters” :

    (1) Create a Problem.

    Lack of hazard reduction burning over 10-20+ years allows fuel to build up.
    The extreme greens knew this.
    All that was required were some conveniently timed bushfires and enough resulting smoke to choke a herd of elephants….

    (2) Sound shocked and horrified ( a full Oscar nomination in the offing …..) and declare, by gum, that *something* must be done…….amid much political theatrics….

    (3) Provide pre-prepared solution that ( once again! ) pushes Australia deep into the UN-compatible eco econominc suicide for “emissions reduction”.

    So here we see what appear to be socialists masquerading as Liberals, happy to throw australia to the UN climate change “wolf”…..

    30

    • #
      OriginalSteve

      Link

      https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/nsw-to-commit-to-new-emission-reduction-targets-for-2030-20191211-p53izc.html

      This is perfect orwellian Double Speak:

      “”We’ve got to stop making climate change a matter of religion and we’ve got to start making it a matter of science and the science says that we need to reduce the impact of global warming by 2 degrees and to do that we need to achieve zero emissions by 2050,” Mr Kean said.”

      40

      • #
        Dennis

        The most important step would be to fight fire with fire, the UN is using their climate change hoax as a diversion from the real political agendas.

        People debate and argue climate change global warming subjects and all but ignore the new world order, redistribution of developed nation’s wealth with profiteering participants, and aim to wreck the free market capitalism system that enabled the developed world to achieve higher standards of economic prosperity and related benefits for people.

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  • #
    Dennis

    06:43 PM ET 02/10/2015
    Economic Systems: The alarmists keep telling us their concern about global warming is all about man’s stewardship of the environment. But we know that’s not true. A United Nations official has now confirmed this.

    At a news conference last week in Brussels, Christiana Figueres, executive secretary of U.N.’s Framework Convention on Climate Change, admitted that the goal of environmental activists is not to save the world from ecological calamity but to destroy capitalism.

    “This is the first time in the history of mankind that we are setting ourselves the task of intentionally, within a defined period of time, to change the economic development model that has been reigning for at least 150 years, since the Industrial Revolution,” she said.

    Referring to a new international treaty environmentalists hope will be adopted at the Paris climate change conference later this year, she added: “This is probably the most difficult task we have ever given ourselves, which is to intentionally transform the economic development model for the first time in human history.”

    The only economic model in the last 150 years that has ever worked at all is capitalism. The evidence is prima facie: From a feudal order that lasted a thousand years, produced zero growth and kept workdays long and lifespans short, the countries that have embraced free-market capitalism have enjoyed a system in which output has increased 70-fold, work days have been halved and lifespans doubled.

    Figueres is perhaps the perfect person for the job of transforming “the economic development model” because she’s really never seen it work. “If you look at Ms. Figueres’ Wikipedia page,” notes Cato economist Dan Mitchell: Making the world look at their right hand while they choke developed economies with their left.

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      Zane

      You nailed the problem by mentioning the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Until all these bodies, committees, organisations, boards, panels, groups, think-tanks, conclaves, cabals, commissions and task forces are defunded or shut down, the green alarmist scam will continue. For them, it’s all about money, status, control, and power.

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    robert rosicka

    Absolutely OT , a childcare centre here in Victoriastan has replaced Santa with a sustainability Pirate ! , instead of a toy they get a piece of organically grown kale for Christmas!

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      Serp

      It’s hard to believe that anybody would expect children to eat kale. I won’t abide it on my plate again after it was presented a few weeks ago –that greengrocers have the effrontery to purvey it underlines what a con so much of today’s society has become… indeed, in a world in which the CAGW lie has credence then rubbish like kale will inevitably proliferate. Buy the big lie and prepare to swallow the rest of ’em apparently.

      Whilst there’s no arguing about taste —de gustihus non est disputandum I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that our principal troll keeps the odd acre under cultivation with this pseudo salad leaf which could go some way to accounting for the mental infirmity he so confidently flaunts with every utterance.

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    Andrew McRae

    Posted less than 15 minutes ago:
    https://londonlovesbusiness.com/final-election-poll-predicts-conservative-victory/

    at 10:46 am December 12, 2019 Business, Business News
    Ipsos MORI’s final 2019 election poll for the Evening Standard indicates that Boris Johnson and the Conservatives are on course to win the 2019 General Election. Our headline estimate of voting intention is Conservative 44%, Labour 33%, Liberal Democrats 12%, Greens 3%, Brexit Party 2%, Others 6%.

    Right up until mid-morning on the day of the election, the pollsters are absolutely resolute that it will be a clear win for the Tories.

    Which means we have absolutely no idea what will happen. 😀

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      Thanks Andrew. Election EXIT results out at 9AM DST Australia, 6AM in Perth.

      Long long queues being reported:

      As soon as voting closes at 10pm, the results of exit polls carried out by Ipsos Mori for BBC News, ITV News and Sky News will be announced.

      The exit poll is derived from voters at 144 stations being asked to fill in a mock ballot paper as they leave, disclosing how they have voted.

      In the last general election, in 2017, the exit poll correctly predicted a hung parliament, while in 2015 it was more accurate than the opinion polls during the campaign but did not predict the Conservative majority that emerged.

      https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/dec/12/polls-open-in-most-important-general-election-in-a-generation

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    Phew, exit poll gives a huge majority for Johnson so now very unlikely we will get another hung Parliament.
    Us Brits still have a spine after all if the actual result is anything like that poll.
    Looking forward to getting back on the global scene and forging new relationships with our Commonwealth relatives (of whatever race or religion).

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    Annie

    Exit poll predicting a good Tory win.
    Sunderland is usually first to declare but still counting. Must have been a huge turnout.

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    Annie

    Made an email address mistake posting on ‘phone.
    Exit poll predicting large Tory majority.
    Sunderland is usually the first to declare and by now, but still counting; must have been a larger turnout!

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    mem

    Just in exit poll results suggest conservatives up 51, Labour down 71 and SNP up 20. If correct Corbyn’s head on chopping block. SNP is blowing on about another vote on independence but it all wind.

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    Anton

    Yippee, we in Britain are in for a Tory majority and Brexit. And although Boris Johnson is blathering about green policies and his girlfriend is a committed Greenie (check out who she works for nowadays) he announced 220 million pounds of funding for the UK’s small-scale fusion torus reactor project within a month of coming to power. (Without doubt he knew about it because the laboratory is in the parliamentary constituency he represented 2001-8.)

    Even before the enormous world-scale collaboration torus at Cadarache began to be built in the south of France was obsolete. Advances in materials technology mean that we can now fabricate wires round the torus that stay superconducting at much higher currents, meaning larger magnetic fields in the torus, meaning that a smaller torus can now attain the fusion criterion. Watch out for this machine and the several commercial ventures worldwide along similar lines. In principle it beats coal, beats fission, and most certainly beats green energy.

    Well played, Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson!

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