Not unsurprisingly, Brexit has dominated thoughts, words and deeds over past months, but other things need dealing with and one of them is keeping the lights on.
News that Japanese company Hitachi have scrapped their plan to build a new nuclear power plant at Wylfa Newydd in Anglesey as costs mounted, has once again called into question the ability of successive UK Governments (both Conservative and Labour) over past decades to get to grips with the country’s energy needs.
The plant had been due for completion by the middle of the 2020s and was to provide some 6 per cent of the UK’s electricity.
Hitachi are the second Japanese firm to have pulled out of developing new nuclear plants in the UK, after Toshiba abandoned a plan to build one at Moorside in Cumbria. Only one new plant is now under development – Hinkley Point in Somerset, and that is being done with Chinese money, meaning that the UK seems incapable of looking after itself with regard its own power supplies.
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Those who are tiring of over-priced homes in the UK might like to take a look at the Italian island of Sicily, where houses are for sale at .88p.
The town of Sambuca has suffered an exodus of residents in recent times and the local authority has acquired a number of houses which are for sale at rock-bottom prices. There is inevitably a catch; new owners must commit to spending at least £13,244 on refurbishing the homes and pay a security deposit of £4,415.
Still cheaper than the average British semi.
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The recent furore over drone sightings at Heathrow and Gatwick airports led to calls for the introduction of drone-spotting technology - yet it seems this technology has been available for some time. According to Professor Iain Gray, chairman of the Drones Industry Action Group, Gatwick’s drone problem last December was not an ‘unforeseen incident’. Professor Gray said that ‘many commentators have been talking for quite some time’ about the possibility of drone disruption.
Transport Secretary Chris Grayling claimed that there were no systems capable of protecting airports from a drone threat but Professor Gray contradicted this and said that systems have in fact, been available for at least two years.
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One of the more controversial elements to KJM Today columnist Kevan James book, ‘Comments of a Common Man’ is his attributing the problems of today to Parents and Grandparents. This stance has received support from the head of one of the UK’s top-rated schools however.
Denis Oliver, head of Holmes Chapel Comprehensive, in Cheshire, whose former pupils include Harry Styles of One Direction fame, has said that unruly parents are abusing and insulting teachers whenever they try to impose discipline.
Incidents have included ‘minor’ matters to ‘far more serious instances of school staff being verbally abused or insulted by parents’.
Mr. Oliver has not given specific examples but said that the school has high standards and added, ‘I make no apologies for these in terms of respect, uniform or behaviour’.
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