In todays news...

[Skub]

Apparently they are going to consider making the first MoT on new cars and bikes at the 4 year mark rather than the current 3 years. (Info on Confused.com). Stats show that few vehicles fail at 3 years and vanishingly small numbers of accidents arise from what would be flagged at MoT on vehicles under 4 years old. (A number of other countries already have their equivalent a 4 years). First they have to have a 'discussion period'.

It seems so obvious and sensible it probably won't happen.

That's how it is here. First MOT at 4 y/o and every 3 after that. Cars are great now. Our Toyota is 2015 and has had nothing apart from consumables. I think even exhausts now have a 10 year warranty.

[JamJar]

Apparently they are going to consider making the first MoT on new cars and bikes at the 4 year mark rather than the current 3 years. (Info on Confused.com). Stats show that few vehicles fail at 3 years and vanishingly small numbers of accidents arise from what would be flagged at MoT on vehicles under 4 years old. (A number of other countries already have their equivalent a 4 years). First they have to have a 'discussion period'.

It seems so obvious and sensible it probably won't happen.

That's how it is here. First MOT at 4 y/o and every 3 after that. Cars are great now. Our Toyota is 2015 and has had nothing apart from consumables. I think even exhausts now have a 10 year warranty.

My car is turning 13 this year and it has just passed it's MOT again and has never even had an advisory, admittedly it has only done 60 000 miles.

[demographic]

IMF predict that the UK economy will be the worst performer in the developed world, including sanction hit Russia. Story from the BBC but I could have chosen a few other outlets as well.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-64452995


"UK expected to be only major economy to shrink in 2023 - IMF
The UK economy will shrink and perform worse than other advanced economies, including Russia, as the cost of living continues to hit households, the International Monetary Fund has said.

The IMF said the economy will contract by 0.6% in 2023, rather than grow slightly as previously predicted.

However, the IMF also said that it thinks the UK is now "on the right track".

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt said the UK outperformed many forecasts last year.

But shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves said the figures showed the UK "lagging behind our peers".

The IMF, which works to stabilise economic growth, said it had downgraded its forecast for the UK because of its high energy prices, rising mortgage costs and increased taxes, as well as persistent worker shortages. It did not mention Brexit in its report as a factor for the UK not performing as well as others. Today marks three years since the UK left the EU.

The UK is expected be the only country to shrink next year across all the advanced and emerging economies. Even sanctions-hit Russia is now forecast to grow this year."

[Screwdriver]

The IMF is a de facto institution of the EU.

Their job is to try and ruin the £UK economically while propping up a failing €Euro. Zero sum game and all that...

[Yorick]

The IMF is a de facto institution of the EU.

Their job is to try and ruin the £UK economically while propping up a failing €Euro. Zero sum game and all that...

Them new drugs are working well.

[MyLittleStudPony]

The IMF is a de facto institution of the EU.

Their job is to try and ruin the £UK economically while propping up a failing €Euro. Zero sum game and all that...

Can we not Brexit them away then?

Keep it Brexity, sending the buggers back and defending the statues.

[mangocrazy]

The IMF is a de facto institution of the EU.

Their job is to try and ruin the £UK economically while propping up a failing €Euro. Zero sum game and all that...

They've got serious competition then. From what I can see we're doing a far better job of fucking ourselves up the arse than any Johnny Foreigner has ever managed. And a zero sum game can only exist if the two protagonists only trade with each other. This is clearly not the case.

[Count Steer]

IMF predict that the UK economy will be the worst performer in the developed world, including sanction hit Russia. Story from the BBC but I could have chosen a few other outlets as well.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-64452995

I was wondering who would be the first to try and shoot the messenger (IMF) because they don't like the message....

I didn't know that the Washington based, global organisation with 190 countries as members was actually part of the EU though.

[Yorick]

The IMF is a de facto institution of the EU.

Their job is to try and ruin the £UK economically while propping up a failing €Euro. Zero sum game and all that...

Them new drugs are working well.

Fuck off you ignorant prick.

What you said made zero sense.

[Mr Moofo]

Them new drugs are working well.

Fuck off you ignorant prick.

What you said made zero sense.

@Yorick @Screwdriver
I would leave it , chaps.
If you want to have a pissing contest, do it elsewhere

[Hoonercat]

IMF predict that the UK economy will be the worst performer in the developed world, including sanction hit Russia. Story from the BBC but I could have chosen a few other outlets as well.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-64452995

I was wondering who would be the first to try and shoot the messenger (IMF) because they don't like the message....

I didn't know that the Washington based, global organisation with 190 countries as members was actually part of the EU though.

Plus the small matter that their forecast for the EU is terrible compared to the rest of the world...

[Screwdriver]

a zero sum game can only exist if the two protagonists only trade with each other. This is clearly not the case.

No, a financial institution like the IMF is virtually the very definition of a zero sum game. They are playing with currencies so that if one currency is favoured, all of the other currencies must therefore have their value decreased. It is an artificial ceiling since the entire concept of money is a human construct but the entire world economy must add up to 100%. One side wins, the other must lose.

I didn't know that the Washington based, global organisation with 190 countries as members was actually part of the EU though.

No one is suggesting it is except you. Look up "de facto". If anyone thinks the EU would not do everything in its power to make the UK economy fail then they really ought to wake up. The same is true for an imperialist aggressor like the USA of course but they would not specifically attack the UK in particular.

[Mussels]

I'd be surprised if the EU was that organised.

[demographic]

I didn't know that the Washington based, global organisation with 190 countries as members was actually part of the EU though.

Thats globalisation for yer.
Its been twelve years, can we still blame Labour for it or is that argument past it's best by now?

[mangocrazy]

a zero sum game can only exist if the two protagonists only trade with each other. This is clearly not the case.

No, a financial institution like the IMF is virtually the very definition of a zero sum game. They are playing with currencies so that if one currency is favoured, all of the other currencies must therefore have their value decreased. It is an artificial ceiling since the entire concept of money is a human construct but the entire world economy must add up to 100%. One side wins, the other must lose.

a) that's not the way currency trading works and b) you've suddenly gone from EU vs. UK to the entire world economy.

Currency trading works in currency pairs and that IS a zero sum game. If we look at the GBP/EUR currency pairs, if the value of EUR rises relative to GBP, then GBP falls relative to EUR. Both currencies can still rise or fall at the same time relative to other currencies, though. You are overstating the influence and control the IMF has on currency trading to a quite ludicrous degree. The clue to the IMF's remit and function is in the name - International Monetary Fund, not WWCC - World Wide Currency Control.

[Count Steer]

'De facto' : Actual, if not officially recognised.

So, you believe it actually is but is not officially recognised as an EU institution.

[Mr. Dazzle]

'De facto' : Actual, if not officially recognised.

So, you believe it actually is but is not officially recognised as an EU institution.

As opposed to De Jure, which is disappointingly nothing to do with soup.

[cheb]

I didn't know that the Washington based, global organisation with 190 countries as members was actually part of the EU though.

Thats globalisation for yer.
Its been twelve years, can we still blame Labour for it or is that argument past it's best by now?

Saint Margaret still gets blamed for stuff. Personally I've not forgiven the Liberals for the window tax. They make have rebranded from Whigs but a leopard doesn't change its spots.

[demographic]

Saint Margaret still gets blamed for stuff. Personally I've not forgiven the Liberals for the window tax. They make have rebranded from Whigs but a leopard doesn't change its spots.

To be fair, she also gets credit for stuff sometimes.
Ahh, the good old days.

[demographic]

The IMF is a de facto institution of the EU.

Their job is to try and ruin the £UK economically while propping up a failing €Euro. Zero sum game and all that...

Just to establish a baseline (and bear in mind we might well come back to this comment in a few months to see how things progress) how do you think the UK economy is doing right now and where do you think it will go this year.
In comparison to the rest of the G7 maybe? And as its been mentioned, compared to Russia?