Take your point about the ridiculous name calling, but surely there was nothing in the vote that disallowed dissenting argument. To me that what democracy is all about. After all the referendum was borne out of opposition of the status quo.
Curiosity got the better of me, so I looked it up on Strava and Streetmap. Looks like a spiteful little beast. Ideal training for your Belgian sorties? Staffs version of the Koppenberg!
In 1950, Britain's investment in industry and infrastructure was only 9 per cent of GDP, in West Germany it was 19. Not sure there's a political point to be made here, either. Tories would have done the same.
A far as I am aware the German's received around half the amount of Marshall Aid between 1948-51 that the UK received. Indeed we were the biggest recipient of any country. They chose to invest in industrial reconstruction whilst successive governments including Atlee's squandered that money on trying to maintain the pre-war imperial status-quo.
Agree with the consensus that this despite being the closest race for years was one of the most boring. ASO tried to gerrymander a Bardet victory but failed. Course design was so blatantly geared that way. The only stages that stood out for me were Planche de Belle Filles and Peyregudes. Too many long ones for sprinters and no Tom Demoulin. Will be interesting next year, Froome will be 33. Indurain was 31 when he won his fifth Tour, Hinault and Anquetil were 30 and Mercx 29. The only older rider to win a post war yellow jersey was Cadel Evans in a race where Wiggins was pretty much nailed on until he crashed out.This race was effectively decided in Dusseldorf and bookended in Marseille.