UK British News Megathread - aka CWCissey's news thread

https://news.sky.com/story/row-over-new-greggs-vegan-sausage-rolls-heats-up-11597679 (https://archive.ph/5Ba6o)

A heated row has broken out over a move by Britain's largest bakery chain to launch a vegan sausage roll.

The pastry, which is filled with a meat substitute and encased in 96 pastry layers, is available in 950 Greggs stores across the country.

It was promised after 20,000 people signed a petition calling for the snack to be launched to accommodate plant-based diet eaters.


But the vegan sausage roll's launch has been greeted by a mixed reaction: Some consumers welcomed it, while others voiced their objections.

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spread happiness@p4leandp1nk
https://twitter.com/p4leandp1nk/status/1080767496569974785

#VEGANsausageroll thanks Greggs

7
10:07 AM - Jan 3, 2019
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Cook and food poverty campaigner Jack Monroe declared she was "frantically googling to see what time my nearest opens tomorrow morning because I will be outside".

While TV writer Brydie Lee-Kennedy called herself "very pro the Greggs vegan sausage roll because anything that wrenches veganism back from the 'clean eating' wellness folk is a good thing".

One Twitter user wrote that finding vegan sausage rolls missing from a store in Corby had "ruined my morning".

Another said: "My son is allergic to dairy products which means I can't really go to Greggs when he's with me. Now I can. Thank you vegans."

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pg often@pgofton
https://twitter.com/pgofton/status/1080772793774624768

The hype got me like #Greggs #Veganuary

42
10:28 AM - Jan 3, 2019
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TV presenter Piers Morgan led the charge of those outraged by the new roll.

"Nobody was waiting for a vegan bloody sausage, you PC-ravaged clowns," he wrote on Twitter.

Mr Morgan later complained at receiving "howling abuse from vegans", adding: "I get it, you're all hangry. I would be too if I only ate plants and gruel."

Another Twitter user said: "I really struggle to believe that 20,000 vegans are that desperate to eat in a Greggs."

"You don't paint a mustach (sic) on the Mona Lisa and you don't mess with the perfect sausage roll," one quipped.

Journalist Nooruddean Choudry suggested Greggs introduce a halal steak bake to "crank the fume levels right up to 11".

The bakery chain told concerned customers that "change is good" and that there would "always be a classic sausage roll".

It comes on the same day McDonald's launched its first vegetarian "Happy Meal", designed for children.

The new dish comes with a "veggie wrap", instead of the usual chicken or beef option.

It should be noted that Piers Morgan and Greggs share the same PR firm, so I'm thinking this is some serious faux outrage and South Park KKK gambiting here.

 

[TrinityReformed]

Nationalising energy, rails is a good idea, they should nationalise water as well.
I'm not a commie, but at the moment, the tax payer pays for fixing the lines, the ticket-payer pays through the nose while services are decreased and the shareholders run off laughing. Same with energy and especially water.
If someone is going to make money, it may as well be the government. The trains were better when they were nationalised as it stops unchecked corporate greed.

As for Sharia laws coming in, there are already 30+ sharia courts in the country that the government tells us that they pinky-promise to definitely abide by UK law when sentencing...except for all of those young girls who "returned to pakistan" nudge nudge, wink wink (they were murdered and that's a cover up).

Isn't the nhs completely fucked, among other government run things? They even gave the bobbies a shit assessment score. Why do you think handing over those things to government won't make it worse?

 

[Whoopsie Daisy]

So you think your government is totally incompetent managing immigration but they know best when it comes to energy, transportation, and water? When they have to shut down all 3 for climate change reasons, do you think they will do so equally, or would the immigrants get preferential access?

The UK is unique in how the social system works. Natioanlised rail and energy are better than private owned because like I said, the private companies fuck it up and the tax payer fixes it. The Private company makes a load of money to the point where there's a saying in these parts; Nationalise the cost, privatise the profit.

For example, the water companies put their prices up a few years ago to promise to fix the leaking water pipes. They didn't, they pocketed the cash and now it will cost £8 billion to fix. The solution? Water prices have to go up. At least if those companies were nationalised, the tax payer would only be screwed once as profits go back into the government.

The UK, like many other western nations, isn't incompetent at managing migration, they're actually really fucking good at it. They just want them to come in and not stop.

Isn't the nhs completely fucked, among other government run things? They even gave the bobbies a shit assessment score. Why do you think handing over those things to government won't make it worse?

You're making the mistake of thinking both of those are fucked because they don't work. That's incorrect. The tories have hated the NHS since day dot because they can't profit from it. Now we have a uniparty in place who are paid backhanders from multi-national corporations, the NHS will be dismantled. The tax payer money pumped in is purposely mishandled because the American Big Pharma companies will make 100's of billions in profits if they can buy the NHS.
The government is being paid to fuck the NHS, it's in their best interest for it to fail.

As for the rozzers, no-one wants to be a cop. The government want private security, not a national police force. They're stripping it to be completely useless.

Unlike trains, water and energy, where the government makes more money for these to work as efficiently as possible as they maximise profit for themselves.

 

[AnOminous]

Hungary may be reliant on EU gibs. A couple of years ago Hungary lifted a veto on an aid package for Ukraine on the condition that the EU would unfreeze funding for Hungary that had been withheld over "rule-of-law" concerns. In other words, the EU can just turn off the money tap.

It's not like there isn't a precedent for countries leaving the EU when these unelected faggots got uppity. I think the EU can less afford to lose another country than anyone stands to lose from leaving the EU.

Considering the other choice is having their country overrun by criminal parasitical aliens, I don't see how it makes sense.

 

[TrinityReformed]

Unlike trains, water and energy, where the government makes more money for these to work as efficiently as possible as they maximise profit for themselves.

I have to disagree with most of what you said. Especially the part I quoted from you, that's insanely optimistic and unrealistic.

 

[Whoopsie Daisy]

I have to disagree with most of what you said. Especially the part I quoted from you, that's insanely optimistic and unrealistic.

U B yank?

The government makes 0 money from the water companies, outside a few quid in fiddled tax, yet has to pay out money to fix the shit the water companies should be paying for. If the government nationalises it, they pay for repairs and profit from bills.
Same with the trains. Companies are taking the piss hiking prices while expecting tax payers to foot the bill for repairs or new lines; HS2. If the government take over the trains, they pocket the train fairs. They could even slash the cost of a train ticket and still end with more money as it's effectively 100% tax.

 

[TrinityReformed]

U B yank?

The government makes 0 money from the water companies, outside a few quid in fiddled tax, yet has to pay out money to fix the shit the water companies should be paying for. If the government nationalises it, they pay for repairs and profit from bills.
Same with the trains. Companies are taking the piss hiking prices while expecting tax payers to foot the bill for repairs or new lines; HS2. If the government take over the trains, they pocket the train fairs. They could even slash the cost of a train ticket and still end with more money as it's effectively 100% tax.

Yes, I am. I'm basing my assessment on what happened over here, with water and trains. You give it to the government, and the fuckers will just outsource it to the cheapest bidder. Cost overruns and delays always happen. I can't see how the same won't happen to you guys across the pond. I honestly believe it's going to degrade and get worse over time then what it is now.

 

[Whoopsie Daisy]

Yes, I am. I'm basing my assessment on what happened over here, with water and trains. You give it to the government, and the fuckers will just outsource it to the cheapest bidder. Cost overruns and delays always happen. I can't see how the same won't happen to you guys across the pond. I honestly believe it's going to degrade and get worse over time then what it is now.

We had nationalised trains and energy in the 70's/80's. When it was flogged off to private corporations they went to shit, the service went down and the cost went up.
We have a very strong, deeply ingrained social system in the UK that would horrify the yanks and lead them to calling us socialists and commies. For example, the idea that you DON'T get paid holidays is fucking mental to us, but to most yanks holiday pay is seen as robbing a wage from your fellow man.

I'm not saying this government won't completely fuck it up, but historically, nationalising our resources has worked in out favour. Socialism backed by a strong capitalist system is a good way to run a nation IMO.

 

[Drunken Fox]

We had nationalised trains and energy in the 70's/80's. When it was flogged off to private corporations they went to shit, the service went down and the cost went up.
We have a very strong, deeply ingrained social system in the UK that would horrify the yanks and lead them to calling us socialists and commies. For example, the idea that you DON'T get paid holidays is fucking mental to us, but to most yanks holiday pay is seen as robbing a wage from your fellow man.

I'm not saying this government won't completely fuck it up, but historically, nationalising our resources has worked in out favour. Socialism backed by a strong capitalist system is a good way to run a nation IMO.

What the fuck are you talking about? We get tons of paid holidays here in the US. Seriously, I get about 3 weeks of paid holidays from company closures around Christmas and New Years to various bank holidays throughout the year. Plus, 3-5 weeks of PTO (time depending on how long you’ve been with the company).

 

[FedPostalService]

Labour own the unions. Hence why they got a rail one to strike in Manchester during the Tory conference and the medical one to do one during the election. The latter is especially galling because people will unquestionably die as a result and there was no way to agree anything for the strike because it was in the middle of an election.

Trade union powers are Labour powers and will remain so indefinitely.

Trade unions stopped representing the workers 40 years ago and anyone who is in one now is work shy neighbour cattle and deserved to be culturally enriched and replaced.

 

[Whoopsie Daisy]

What the fuck are you talking about? We get tons of paid holidays here in the US. Seriously, I get about 3 weeks of paid holidays from company closures around Christmas and New Years to various bank holidays throughout the year. Plus, 3-5 weeks of PTO (time depending on how long you’ve been with the company).

You're the first yank i've talked to on the internet who has had paid holiday. All the others have bitched and moaned that paid holiday is robbing the company and is PTO is a socialist plot by communist jew-reptilians.

I may have even had that argument on this website a few years back.

 

[SirCliveSinclairdabbing]

We had nationalised trains and energy in the 70's/80's. When it was flogged off to private corporations they went to shit, the service went down and the cost went up.
We have a very strong, deeply ingrained social system in the UK that would horrify the yanks and lead them to calling us socialists and commies. For example, the idea that you DON'T get paid holidays is fucking mental to us, but to most yanks holiday pay is seen as robbing a wage from your fellow man.

I'm not saying this government won't completely fuck it up, but historically, nationalising our resources has worked in out favour. Socialism backed by a strong capitalist system is a good way to run a nation IMO.

Look up cultural references to using trains from the 70s and 80s like in comedies. It was shit then too. The only difference was the staff didn't have to care because they were in the union. Now the bosses don't have to care because it's private and the workers have to make an effort.
There was actually a lot of private investment into new rolling stock during the time the Tories were in power.

 

[6MillionCoofs]

So, no idea why, my brain decided to run the cost of housing the illegals in hotels for a year.

And now I am deppressed.

We could actually spend that 3 billion fixing shit. But no.

 

[Cassius Crayfish]

Look up cultural references to using trains from the 70s and 80s like in comedies. It was shit then too. The only difference was the staff didn't have to care because they were in the union. Now the bosses don't have to care because it's private and the workers have to make an effort.
There was actually a lot of private investment into new rolling stock during the time the Tories were in power.

It is worse now than it was then. The government is spending just as much money as it was then, because they subsidise the unprofitable private companies who keep cutting services. There has been literally no benefit to BR being privatised. Everything that they have done with rail since the Beeching cuts has made it worse.

 

[teriyakiburns]

Yes, I am. I'm basing my assessment on what happened over here, with water and trains.

I won't get into the autism about trains, but water is definitely something that should be handled by the state. Prior to the creation of the local boards of health, water and sanitation was handled by a hodge-podge of competing private concerns who generally only cared about making money and gave little attention to removing sewage, with a lot of water coming from ancient, polluted wells. The water boards brought clean water and effective sewage removal to the entire country, and created what was the safest, cleanest water supply system in the world at the time. It still manages to be among the safest and generally most reliable even now, despite endless cock-ups by the privatised water boards, because of the foundation created back then.

 

[Whoopsie Daisy]

Look up cultural references to using trains from the 70s and 80s like in comedies. It was shit then too. The only difference was the staff didn't have to care because they were in the union. Now the bosses don't have to care because it's private and the workers have to make an effort.
There was actually a lot of private investment into new rolling stock during the time the Tories were in power.

@Cassius Crayfish above is right.

I would rather my money be funnelled into government than private companies, if all things are equal in regards to service.

 

[Overdrive]

@Cassius Crayfish above is right.

I would rather my money be funnelled into government than private companies, if all things are equal in regards to service.

I don't know how old you are, and if you're old enough to have actually used BR before privatisation, but it was just as shit if not worse than we have now towards the end.

Bit of a sperg here but the problem with how they privatised rail here comes down to it basically still being government owned. The tracks, stations, rolling stock, all that is held by the govt via various means. The companies that run the service are basically just slapping their logo on the side of the trains, collecting the fares (with a large chunk going to the govt), paying the staff and setting a schedule (again that the govt has to agree to). I can only wonder what we'd have if it was truly a private system.

 

[Whoopsie Daisy]

I can only wonder what we'd have if it was truly a private system.

Probably terrible. There is no utopia with private owned services, they all suck because line must go up.
If the trains were just as shit when they were nationalised, at least the money went to the government. At the moment we have the worst of both worlds.

FWIW, I don't take trains in the UK. It's a miserable niggerbox experience. On the flipside I take trains as often as possible in Europe, as most of them are a chill way to experience the countryside and scenery in comfort.

 

[Overdrive]

Probably terrible. There is no utopia with private owned services, they all suck because line must go up.

Japan immediately comes to mind as a good example, their private rail is excellent.

 

[teriyakiburns]

FWIW, I don't take trains in the UK. It's a miserable niggerbox experience.

This has always been the case. The problem with the railways here is twofold. First, they're running on legacy infrastructure, with the loading gauge set by the size of tunnels built almost 200 years ago, which is why the tilting trains are so god-damn narrow inside (they have to fit inside the width of the lineside when tilted). Second, and more importantly, whether privatised or in the old BR days, they're governed by the same mindless bureaucracy that has turned the rest of the country to shit. BR was horrendous in the 80s, not because it was being defunded (it was actually receiving more money year on year, just less than the unions wanted), but because it was a bureaucratic nightmare that spent all of its budget on anything other providing the actual service it was established to provide. Only British bureaucratic thinking could conceive of the Pacer. It's unlikely that nationalisation would fix these issues.

The only thing BR had going for it that the private mess doesn't is a permanent construction and maintenance organisation, all of which was pretty much disbanded when infrastructure was hived off to RailTrack. The lack of that dedicated infrastructure management, the lack of all that learned institutional knowledge of rail construction, is why the cost of HS2 went up so much; it's all paying for sub-contractors, who only operate in their little specialities and can't cooperate on the bigger picture.

 

[3deadniggers]

Japan immediately comes to mind as a good example, their private rail is excellent.

You mean the rail system with security so bad the women need their own compartment to avoid being groped? Seems an odd choice for 'excellent'.

Part of the problem with the rail is that the locals don't care any more. Like everything else no one takes ownership for anything. Your town is dirty because no one lives there any more, they don't have lives there. They're economic units mixed in with all the other economic units and no one feels ownership. The local council will build a new railway station and piss all their money away on their mate's companies to fix what isn't broken because it lets them funnel money to each other. No one owns the area any more so none of these people are held accountable and you're more likely to see the entire hospital redecorated with fag flags than fixing the railway or fixing the pot holes. No ownership means nothing but vanity project with bottomless checks until bankruptcy is declared and you realize the SNP were the only ones caught when the entire political industry is doing the same thing.