Coronavirus

[Oracle]

No problem in paying if everyone in our country pays an equal percentage of their annual income.

All in this together.

I’m sure you would, you are a decent bloke stagger.
Try telling our MPs. They just accepted a pay rise.

Their pensions are such that average MP will take out more than they ever pay in tax, by a very big margin. Worst tax dodgers there are. ( other than MEPs who are worse)

In my own way I am shovelling money into poor of local community. Desperate times call for desperate measures.

I asked my MP several times what they are contributing personally, answer Nada. Nothing. Zilch. Is Happy to play Father Christmas but only with other people’s money. Needless to say is a corbynista.

[PeteS]

I used to go to virgin records on new street in Birmingham, his first business , he was serving customers way back then, and would chat to any of us. Pleasant enough, The word I would use to describe him is “driven”

The dirty tricks played by BA and lord king on virgin were a disgrace.

I was coming back from there when the tavern in the town pub blew, just round the corner, courtesy IRA. The first of three I was close to. It’s why my hatred of communist creep apologists like Corbyn and McDonnell runs deep.

The original virgin store was at the far end of Corporation St. and later moved to Bull Street. The first mega store was then on the corner of the two before the last incarnation was opened in High Street. I don't think there ever has been one on new St and certainly not around the corner from the tavern in the town in 1974.
Amazing how the memory plays tricks on you as you age, often distorting history to support your own views.

[Oracle]

True. It was possibly corporation street. Don’t remember exactly where.
I recollect going up stairs, row of seats across the window,
Turntables fed headphones for each one. Counter across the back.
these places are no more than a few hundred metres from each other,and the rotunda, site of the bomb, so I can’t see what point you are trying to make: indeed close too is Birmingham odeon, scene of many epic concerts. No idea what road that is on either. Saw gong and steve hillage play there, some of Branson’s early protégés. They were weird.

Did you know that area then?
Used to go into a place called oasis, as well , an upstairs gloomy indoor market, same group of people drifted Between the two. It wasn’t far from the station, which was new street. No idea if it is still there. Full of the smell of joysticks covering over weed. Days of afghan coats and loons. But then, I’m old enough to remember the dying days of the old snow hill station and the Hare Krishna lot handing out flowers. That is a long time ago. Over 50 years.

And I wasn’t supporting any views other than having been served by Branson, and mooching round central brum as a teenager.
It was “hip” to go there, even if you couldn’t afford the records.
I did indeed go there many times.

The original virgin store was at the far end of Corporation St. and later moved to Bull Street. The first mega store was then on the corner of the two before the last incarnation was opened in High Street. I don't think there ever has been one on new St and certainly not around the corner from the tavern in the town in 1974.
Amazing how the memory plays tricks on you as you age, often distorting history to support your own views.

[Witton Park]

With the “ lefty” remark, I was pointing out that lefties say they would collapse virgin, for no better reason than dislike of Branson. The eight thousand employees and billions in salaries and taxes are of no consequence to any of them. They have no idea where the money comes from that pays the NHS.

But even for righties , there is the valid question of the greater good served by keeping employers and airlines going. Most lose money so loans and deferral are not the answer. Emergency legislation limiting refunds to 25 percent could help.

Do people understand how airlines work? 20- 25 percent is fuel. And because customers hate fuel surcharges, they buy fuel futures many months ahead, since they can’t take delivery they have to buy their way out of the contracts at close to zero price in a crashing oil market. The money has gone.
Hundreds of millions for many airlines. So forward ticket vouchers are not an answer. They need grants and debt relief not loans.

I tend to defer to the expert advise of Mr Branson.

In 2009 when British Airways faced some issues having posted a £400m loss, he urged the Government not to offer them a bailout, saying the airline was not worth much anymore and that Virgin and others were standing by to take over their routes, slots and recruit their staff.

[Graham Breeze]

But then, I’m old enough to remember the dying days of the old snow hill station...

Old?

Well that was closed in 1972...but you could have been just a troublesome teenager.

[Oracle]

Old?

Well that was closed in 1972...but you could have been just a troublesome teenager.

No surprise, I was a teenager then, who wasted time in central brum.

[Oracle]

And there was I thinking you were a thinking man , not a consumer of any lefty tosh you come upon. Ah well.

Now study actual history, the two situations could not be more different.

BA waged a continuous campaign of dirty tricks used against virgin to undermine their failing airline, eg stealing hacked information from their customer database to switch sell customers, even claiming some virgin flights were cancelled. Branson had every right to be angry.
He was also libelled personally years before by lord king. Memories die hard.


Also funding BA would have distorted competition, and Branson was right to contest it.
Branson has had to fight too much of this, eg Competing in the US is inherently unfair because of trying to compete with chapter 11 airlines who don’t pay their bills,

Now is completely different.
Virgin has a problem because governments shut it down.
Government created the problem. Government must solve it.

I tend to defer to the expert advise of Mr Branson.

In 2009 when British Airways faced some issues having posted a £400m loss, he urged the Government not to offer them a bailout, saying the airline was not worth much anymore and that Virgin and others were standing by to take over their routes, slots and recruit their staff.

[Stagger]

Remember Freddie Laker

[Graham Breeze]

Virgin has a problem because governments shut it down.

Oh. So not because it is a loss making airline with few assets?

And I do like Willie Walsh!

~~~~

International Airlines Group, the owner of Virgin Atlantic’s bitter rival British Airways, is expected by industry analysts to be highly unlikely to seek any government support.


Willie Walsh, IAG’s chief executive, said last month it was not for taxpayers to support airlines when the shareholders of those airlines were not prepared to do so.

(Edited)

[Stagger]

SMART targets are used regularly.

How smart was the governments target of the number of test that would be carried out buy the end of April??


The UK government has pledged to do 100,000 coronavirus tests a day by the end of April, but was managing about 20,000 with a week to go.