"Conservative MPs have been urged by a party colleague to put partisan interest aside and back the mission to wrest powers and money from Westminster for a region-wide Yorkshire mayor.

A Yorkshire Post survey of the region’s MPs today shows that a majority of respondents backed a One Yorkshire devolution deal but were split on party lines, with Labour far more in favour.

Despite 18 out of 20 councils, including all Tory leaders, backing One Yorkshire, the party’s MPs tended to either oppose the idea entirely or remain unconvinced, with many preferring smaller city-based deals.

Robert Goodwill accused Tory colleagues of opposing the plans because they fear Yorkshire becoming a Labour “safe seat”.

"But on the eve of the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham, the Scarborough and Whitby MP said only a Yorkshire-wide deal would see the region having a “Premier League” mayor like Manchester’s Andy Burnham and West Midlands’ Andy Street.

He told The Yorkshire Post: “Too many seem to be focused on electoral arithmetic and political gain.

“I want to see Yorkshire reach the critical mass needed to sit at the top table with mayors from London, Manchester and Birmingham.

“We need to be in the Premier League and only the One Yorkshire solution, as backed by most councils, can really deliver that.

“In 1999, I was elected to the European Parliament for the whole One Yorkshire region in an election the Conservatives came first in.

“One Yorkshire creates a real democratic unit which is not a safe seat for any party.”

http://newsthump.com/2018/09/29/moths-says-facebook/

"Meanwhile, Greek former Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis backed calls for more devolution in the North, arguing that the Northern Powerhouse has gone from an idea that “excited people magnificently” to a “source of discontent”.

The councils that support One Yorkshire, along with Sheffield City Region Mayor Dan Jarvis, have found their efforts to secure a deal rebuffed by Ministers, who want the South Yorkshire deal to be properly implemented before even discussing a regional plan.

They are due to soon present an economic case for a deal to the Government, saying devolution could benefit Yorkshire residents by up to £5,500 a year.

Mr Varoufakis urged the Government to take devolution proposals seriously.

“London is never going to be able to express the aspirations, concerns, worries and hopes of people in Leeds, people in Hull or people in Doncaster,” he told The Yorkshire Post.

Northern Powerhouse Minister Jake Berry said he would look for the One Yorkshire economic case to show a plan that will drive a “step change in economic growth”..."

http://newsthump.com/2018/09/28/following-huge-success-of-her-brexit-pla...

"Labour MPs were far more in favour of One Yorkshire, with 22 backing the proposals compared to just two Conservatives.

Only nine MPs were completely opposed to a Yorkshire mayor, but six of these were Conservatives, putting them at odds with the council leaders from their party who are among the 18 backing the plans.

The rest were vague, undecided or did not prefer one model over another.

Of the Tories that replied, only Shipley's Philip Davies raised concerns about a Labour mayor, arguing someone “nominated by Unite the union” and elected as a Labour mayor would “end up with businesses fleeing the region, not flocking here”.

Morley and Outwood MP Andrea Jenkyns also expressed concerns about the potential calibre of candidate, arguing a One Yorkshire deal could only be done in stages to attract the right kind of leader.

“If someone who had been the CEO of a big company wanted the job that would be fantastic,” she said.

Brigg and Goole MP Andrew Percy described himself as “100 per cent against this damaging and silly proposal”, warning East and North Yorkshire would end up being dominated by cities.

Tory supporters included York Outer MP Julian Sturdy, who said he would back a North and East Yorkshire deal if it was “the first step towards a larger devolution agreement further down the line”.

http://newsthump.com/2018/09/29/conservative-party-conference-rated-18-f...

"Pudsey’s Stuart Andrew simply backed any kind of deal that can garner support, including One Yorkshire, saying he was “extremely anxious” about being left behind the likes of Manchester.

"For Labour, several MPs highlighted the cross-party unity of the region’s councils, and said a deal would allow Yorkshire to punch above its weight, develop regional business hubs, improve transport links in line with local needs, become a player on the world stage and better mitigate the effects of austerity.

Several of the party’s big hitters backed the plan, including Doncaster MP and former leader Ed Miliband who said it would allow Yorkshire to “punch above its weight”, and ex-Cabinet Minister and West Yorkshire MP Yvette Cooper who stressed the importance of getting decision-making back in the region and away from a Whitehall machine that “doesn’t seem to be listening at all”.

Another ex-Cabinet Minister, Leeds MP Hilary Benn, described the proposals as a “unique opportunity” to unite the community to “increase Yorkshire’s voice, take more decisions for ourselves and fulfil our potential”.

“Give us the tools and we will do the job,” he said."

http://newsthump.com/2018/09/28/new-boris-johnson-brexit-plan-is-to-poin...

But some MPs from Sheffield and Rotherham, where the councils oppose One Yorkshire, said they did not back a region-wide deal.

Wentworth and Dearne MP John Healey said One Yorkshire “falls far short” of what is needed for his seat, while Sheffield’s Paul Blomfield said he would prefer a “network of city regions working together across the North”."

https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/tory-mps-urged-by-a-party-colleague...

“The word ‘bespoke’ has been devalued over the years. I’m trying to preserve the art and craft of true tailoring.”

"On Monday 24 June, we will host a public information event to mark the launch of our new Town Centre Strategy for Scarborough.

The event will take place at Scarborough Library on Vernon Road between 6.00pm and 7.30pm. A presentation about the new strategy and its associated action plan will be given. Information on how to get involved in the delivery of the strategy, including how to apply to be on the independent Town Centre Strategy Team, will also be provided.

The event is open to representatives of town centre businesses as well as other Scarborough businesses, the voluntary sector and the general public who are interested in supporting the new strategy and being involved in the shaping of Scarborough town centre in the coming years.

The strategy was signed off by our Cabinet in March following consultation with local businesses, stakeholders and residents in the winter of 2018.

Scarborough is facing similar challenges to other town centres of its size across the UK, including the withdrawal of national retail brands to consolidate in larger cities, as well as the ever growing trend of online shopping. The strategy sets out that key to future success is to examine how the town centre can be reinvented to create an inviting environment that includes shopping but has far less reliance on it.

The focus of the activity will be making the town a mixed use environment; encouraging a diverse offering through festivals and events, incentives, planning, licensing and regulation and building on the town’s cultural and heritage assets. It will also look to capitalise on the town’s growing university student population, introduce SMART town centre infrastructure, encourage a collaborative and supportive town centre community and maximise the Scarborough ‘brand’ through enhanced marketing and promotion."

https://www.scarborough.gov.uk/latest-news/launch-scarborough-town-centr...

https://democracy.scarborough.gov.uk/documents/s84255/18234%20Scarboroug...

https://www.local.gov.uk/sites/default/files/documents/5.33%20Town%20Cen...

Fascinating.

https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2019/jun/20/ten-cities-ask-eu-for-hel...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfmrHTdXgK4

"Scarborough has not been shortlisted"

"In the early hours of Sunday 31 May, senior officers aboard the oil tanker Willowy were called to the bridge to be told that their ship and four others in its vicinity were mysteriously sailing in circles, unable to steer, and on course to converge.

It must be easy to panic at sea. The immediate presumption was that strong currents were pushing the vessels around, but there were no such currents where the ships were sailing in the south Atlantic Ocean, west of the South African city of Cape Town.

Ships appearing to sail in circles have become an increasingly common and mysterious phenomenon near a number of ports on the coast of China, especially near oil terminals and government facilities - but nothing had been seen where the Willowy was."

"Other suggestions which have been put forward include making Whitby the ‘capital of quirk’ – utilising the town’s varied claims to fame...

As well as upskilling, conserving heritage and promoting tourism, the idea of the ‘capital of quirk,’ is about projecting Whitby’s unique character, festivals and history – such as the Goths, the Abbey, Captain Cook and the Dracula story connections."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pkjp8O-Mtpo

"Researchers monitoring these bizarre circles near the Chinese coast believe they are probably the result of systematic GPS manipulation designed to undermine a tracking system which all commercial ships are required to use under international law.

Known as AIS (automated identification system), the technology broadcasts unique identifiers from each vessel - along with the vessel's GPS location, course and speed - to other ships nearby."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuggl3cZD8A

""GPS interference can have serious consequences, with half of all casualties at sea linked to navigational mistakes," as Sue Wilkinson told Sky News, although such interference targeting other vessels rather than the AIS tracking system is highly uncommon.

There are suggestions that GPS jamming has been used by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps to dupe commercial vessels into entering Iranian waters, and Chinese electronic warfare capabilities have been proposed as a potential cause for some ships appearing thousands of miles away from where they really were."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3bGYljQ5Uw

https://www.yorkshirecoastradio.com/news/local-news/3116647/new-funding-...

Enjoy: -0

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p08dy6ym

"“The role of the gamekeeper too has changed so much. They are now modern moorland managers and their conservation and biodiversity knowledge and skills are hugely important in protecting wildlife.”"

https://news.sky.com/story/a-maritime-mystery-what-has-been-causing-ship...

Princess Bridge? ffs...

tis always the little things that wind you up.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSqCJ-UGYns

Keep Smiling.

"Mr Shuttleworth said that only a small number of the toys, which include a ‘Become a Star Wars Bounty Hunter’ sticker, were released before the line was pulled."

"“With all collecting markets it’s about regeneration and bringing back childhood and memories of that.”"

Awwe...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wp43OdtAAkM

Sleep Tight.

"“We hope that by giving people the opportunity to speak to someone who is ‘one of them’, the flow of information and feedback will improve, views will be more representative of the wider community and a greater sense of community pride will be achieved.”"

"The committee said there were "implications for public policy and the public purse"

""The plan is for the mission to take place in 2023, but we are working with several different lander companies, which could result in an earlier launch date," Lunar Outpost CEO Justin Cyrus told the BBC.

Keep Busy.

“There's not enough words in this world to say how much they've helped me and if people are suffering like me, get in contact with Community Bees you'll never regret it, you will not regret it at all.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGU_4-5RaxU

Broom, Sticks.

"“It is so lovely to see you each week, telling me how you're getting on and what you have achieved.”"

https://edemocracy.northyorks.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=1145&MId=6508

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6MOnehCOUw&ab_channel=JackGovier