NPR

Biffer wrote: ↑Thu Oct 28, 2021 5:10 pm

shaggy wrote: ↑Thu Oct 28, 2021 5:54 am

I like neeps wrote: ↑Wed Oct 27, 2021 3:16 pm Quite funny from Jamie Powell at FT Alphaville (free and very good) on the metaphor of a household budget.


"Even as a simple metaphor, it’s also just plain wrong.

Households regularly borrow far in excess of their income. In the UK for instance, if you’re a good credit, you can get a mortgage at 4-4.5 times your salary. In household budget metaphor land, that would be a debt-to-GDP ratio of 400 to 450 per cent. While the current government likes to talk up the benefits of tightening its own belt, it is only too eager to encourage citizens to get on the housing ladder.

The current debt-to-GDP ratio in the UK? 106 per cent. Time to lever up."

Poor analogy. Mortgages get paid off not permanently added to in an ever increasing fashion.

Which proves the point that comparing household finances to government finances is dumb.

And simultaneously; it shows that taking the advice from the Government of day; on how far you should extend yourself on a mortgage; is equally dumb !

The UK has done a decade + of austerity; & now has a Government that's increased taxes to a level unseen in decades; & wage growth is the worst in centuries.

There's always an element in mortgages; where you take a punt on wage growth & inflation; & hope things fall your way.

Right now the UK is odds on for the worst case scenario of stagflation; & I'd be buggered, if I'd be saddling myself with too much debt in those circumstances.

#Marr - “Does allowing the Cambo oil & gas field off Shetland to go ahead now set a good example around the world?”

Alok Sharma - “I’m not going to go into that particular issue”

#Phillips - Rishi Sunak has made flying domestically easier.. has he apologised to you for undermining your credibility?

Alok Sharma - "We're an island... you can't get that easily from one part to the other.."

The Conservative member for Hartlepool Jill Mortimer has just said on live television that people have built more patios during lockdown and that is one of the reasons for sewage discharge !

Insane_Homer wrote: ↑Sun Oct 31, 2021 11:07 am

The Conservative member for Hartlepool Jill Mortimer has just said on live television that people have built more patios during lockdown and that is one of the reasons for sewage discharge !

Thick as mince.

SaintK wrote: ↑Sun Oct 31, 2021 11:58 am

Insane_Homer wrote: ↑Sun Oct 31, 2021 11:07 am

The Conservative member for Hartlepool Jill Mortimer has just said on live television that people have built more patios during lockdown and that is one of the reasons for sewage discharge !

Thick as mince.

Can't even remember the detail of the script they were given for responding to exactly this question

What Jill was probably trying to do; was blame the extra runoff water generated by paving over large areas of land; & thus increasing the water flow thru rivers; which causes flooding.

Blaming a few patios is like blaming an ice cube in a drink, for the sinking of the Titanic

You get the politicians you deserve

Housing shortage vs floodplains.

Of course, housing could be built with some measure of mitigation, plenty of green spaces and trees to try and soak up some of the excess.

And then people put in artificial grass and those plastic shrubs...

Pravda

I like neeps wrote: ↑Sun Oct 31, 2021 5:11 pm

Pravda

Meh, it’s about access. This has been going on for decades. It’s not just a Boris-thing.

Sandstorm wrote: ↑Sun Oct 31, 2021 5:19 pm

I like neeps wrote: ↑Sun Oct 31, 2021 5:11 pm

Pravda

Meh, it’s about access. This has been going on for decades. It’s not just a Boris-thing.

Uncle Rupe.

All going well in Glasgow.
Only a 4 hour queue to get in!!!

SaintK wrote: ↑Mon Nov 01, 2021 11:32 am All going well in Glasgow.
Only a 4 hour queue to get in!!!

Don't.

I was at a venue yesterday to organise meetings for a President. 30 minutes before companies were due to arrive a call came from the event organisers (UN/UKG) that contrary to previous arrangements no one without full accreditation was allowed in the venue. Cue security going mental, no one getting in, meetings cancelled. FFS.

I spoke with a multinational this morning that has had every single one of their meetings and events cancelled because of last minute changes from the organisers and they are not alone. It is a fucking shambles.

Slick wrote: ↑Mon Nov 01, 2021 11:53 am

SaintK wrote: ↑Mon Nov 01, 2021 11:32 am All going well in Glasgow.
Only a 4 hour queue to get in!!!

Don't.

I was at a venue yesterday to organise meetings for a President. 30 minutes before companies were due to arrive a call came from the event organisers (UN/UKG) that contrary to previous arrangements no one without full accreditation was allowed in the venue. Cue security going mental, no one getting in, meetings cancelled. FFS.

I spoke with a multinational this morning that has had every single one of their meetings and events cancelled because of last minute changes from the organisers and they are not alone. It is a fucking shambles.

Bloody SNP - Can't organise a piss up in a Brewery - Shame on Sturgeon

Dogbert wrote: ↑Mon Nov 01, 2021 12:15 pm

Slick wrote: ↑Mon Nov 01, 2021 11:53 am

SaintK wrote: ↑Mon Nov 01, 2021 11:32 am All going well in Glasgow.
Only a 4 hour queue to get in!!!

Don't.

I was at a venue yesterday to organise meetings for a President. 30 minutes before companies were due to arrive a call came from the event organisers (UN/UKG) that contrary to previous arrangements no one without full accreditation was allowed in the venue. Cue security going mental, no one getting in, meetings cancelled. FFS.

I spoke with a multinational this morning that has had every single one of their meetings and events cancelled because of last minute changes from the organisers and they are not alone. It is a fucking shambles.

Bloody SNP - Can't organise a piss up in a Brewery - Shame on Sturgeon

Odd post

All trains being cancelled on the WCML was a bit on the nose

Slick wrote: ↑Mon Nov 01, 2021 11:53 am

SaintK wrote: ↑Mon Nov 01, 2021 11:32 am All going well in Glasgow.
Only a 4 hour queue to get in!!!

Don't.

I was at a venue yesterday to organise meetings for a President. 30 minutes before companies were due to arrive a call came from the event organisers (UN/UKG) that contrary to previous arrangements no one without full accreditation was allowed in the venue. Cue security going mental, no one getting in, meetings cancelled. FFS.

I spoke with a multinational this morning that has had every single one of their meetings and events cancelled because of last minute changes from the organisers and they are not alone. It is a fucking shambles.

Why aren't I surprised

Well played The Tory Party. Sex pest regains his party membership

PA reports:
The Conservatives confirmed on Monday morning that Mr Roberts was a Tory party member again after a 12-week suspension.
The MP for Delyn in North Wales will continue to sit as an independent as the Tories are still withholding the party whip in the House of Commons.
Labour party chair Anneliese Dodds described the scheduled end of Mr Roberts’ suspension as “scandalous”.
“Rob Roberts should have resigned as an MP the moment he was suspended. That he is now set to return to the Conservative Party shows they’ve let him off the hook,” she added.

I missed that one. What did he do?

ScarfaceClaw wrote: ↑Mon Nov 01, 2021 4:28 pm I missed that one. What did he do?

Kept propositioning and sexually harrassing his assistants both male and female
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2 ... roberts

SaintK wrote: ↑Mon Nov 01, 2021 5:17 pm

ScarfaceClaw wrote: ↑Mon Nov 01, 2021 4:28 pm I missed that one. What did he do?

Kept propositioning and sexually harrassing his assistants both male and female
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2 ... roberts

Christ almighty. And they let him back? Fk me.

Slick wrote: ↑Mon Nov 01, 2021 12:45 pm

Dogbert wrote: ↑Mon Nov 01, 2021 12:15 pm

Slick wrote: ↑Mon Nov 01, 2021 11:53 am

Don't.

I was at a venue yesterday to organise meetings for a President. 30 minutes before companies were due to arrive a call came from the event organisers (UN/UKG) that contrary to previous arrangements no one without full accreditation was allowed in the venue. Cue security going mental, no one getting in, meetings cancelled. FFS.

I spoke with a multinational this morning that has had every single one of their meetings and events cancelled because of last minute changes from the organisers and they are not alone. It is a fucking shambles.

Bloody SNP - Can't organise a piss up in a Brewery - Shame on Sturgeon

Odd post

Irony or stupidity?

dpedin wrote: ↑Mon Nov 01, 2021 5:43 pm

Slick wrote: ↑Mon Nov 01, 2021 12:45 pm

Dogbert wrote: ↑Mon Nov 01, 2021 12:15 pm

Bloody SNP - Can't organise a piss up in a Brewery - Shame on Sturgeon

Odd post

Irony or stupidity?

Irony. I think.

"Asleep at the switch"? I wasn't asleep. I was drunk!

Paddington Bear wrote: ↑Mon Nov 01, 2021 12:56 pm All trains being cancelled on the WCML was a bit on the nose

You had to like the messaging going up at London Euston for the climate delegates trying to head to Glasgow advising them delays were not an option

Slick wrote: ↑Mon Nov 01, 2021 11:53 am

SaintK wrote: ↑Mon Nov 01, 2021 11:32 am All going well in Glasgow.
Only a 4 hour queue to get in!!!

Don't.

I was at a venue yesterday to organise meetings for a President. 30 minutes before companies were due to arrive a call came from the event organisers (UN/UKG) that contrary to previous arrangements no one without full accreditation was allowed in the venue. Cue security going mental, no one getting in, meetings cancelled. FFS.

I spoke with a multinational this morning that has had every single one of their meetings and events cancelled because of last minute changes from the organisers and they are not alone. It is a fucking shambles.

Obviously the organisers weren'y expecting any international delegates to be in a wheelchair!! #embarrassing

There was fury and frustration when it emerged that Karine Elharrar, Israel’s energy and water resources minister, who has muscular dystrophy, had been forced to wait for two hours outside after organisers refused to let her enter the compound in the vehicle in which she had arrived, she said.

Her office said she was eventually offered a shuttle transport to the summit area, but the shuttle was not wheelchair-accessible, forcing her to return to her hotel in Edinburgh.

SaintK wrote: ↑Mon Nov 01, 2021 11:32 am All going well in Glasgow.
Only a 4 hour queue to get in!!!

The only surprise here is that there are more than a handful of people who want to attend!!

https://thefishingdaily.com/uk-fishing- ... g-vessels/

So despite the claims that the UK has 'won the war' and Macron has 'stepped back/backed down' from the fishing dispute it appears that Jersey has quietly issued the licences the French claimed were being delayed. On the back of this Macron has therefore agreed to avoid the promised retaliation and Frost has to go to Paris, tail between his legs, to continue negotiations. Hardly the victory portrayed in the right wing press.

The jingoistic, xenophobic rhetoric has become embarrassing in the last couple of weeks with the racist language and deliberate mistranslation of the French PMs letter creating peak 'Little Englander' pant wetting amongst our 'glorious' MPs. The irony of accusing the French of not adhering to the spirit of the Withdrawal Agreement by a country who agreed to break International law in a limited and specific way or who now claim to have signed an International treaty whilst being 'pressure' and wanting to renegotiate it 12 months later has been completely lost. Unfortunately we are now exhibiting all the traits of a tin pot dictatorship and the rest of the world will either not want to touch us with a barge pole or else will use the opportunity of our now desperation to have a FTA, any FTA on offer, to get the best deal they can whilst we are on our knees. Australia managed to get their way in ripping out the Paris Agreement clauses they didn't like. Feck knows where this shitshow is going to go now!

Openside wrote: ↑Tue Nov 02, 2021 11:26 am

SaintK wrote: ↑Mon Nov 01, 2021 11:32 am All going well in Glasgow.
Only a 4 hour queue to get in!!!

The only surprise here is that there are more than a handful of people who want to attend!!

Why?

SaintK wrote: ↑Tue Nov 02, 2021 11:41 am

Openside wrote: ↑Tue Nov 02, 2021 11:26 am

SaintK wrote: ↑Mon Nov 01, 2021 11:32 am All going well in Glasgow.
Only a 4 hour queue to get in!!!

The only surprise here is that there are more than a handful of people who want to attend!!

Why?

because listening to people drone on about something that may or may not happen and then not doing anything about it seems pretty dull to me.

dpedin wrote: ↑Tue Nov 02, 2021 11:26 am https://thefishingdaily.com/uk-fishing- ... g-vessels/

So despite the claims that the UK has 'won the war' and Macron has 'stepped back/backed down' from the fishing dispute it appears that Jersey has quietly issued the licences the French claimed were being delayed. On the back of this Macron has therefore agreed to avoid the promised retaliation and Frost has to go to Paris, tail between his legs, to continue negotiations. Hardly the victory portrayed in the right wing press.

The jingoistic, xenophobic rhetoric has become embarrassing in the last couple of weeks with the racist language and deliberate mistranslation of the French PMs letter creating peak 'Little Englander' pant wetting amongst our 'glorious' MPs. The irony of accusing the French of not adhering to the spirit of the Withdrawal Agreement by a country who agreed to break International law in a limited and specific way or who now claim to have signed an International treaty whilst being 'pressure' and wanting to renegotiate it 12 months later has been completely lost. Unfortunately we are now exhibiting all the traits of a tin pot dictatorship and the rest of the world will either not want to touch us with a barge pole or else will use the opportunity of our now desperation to have a FTA, any FTA on offer, to get the best deal they can whilst we are on our knees. Australia managed to get their way in ripping out the Paris Agreement clauses they didn't like. Feck knows where this shitshow is going to go now!

Jersey has extended yet again temporary licences to fishing boats that have no proof of fishing their waters, likely because they turned off their transponders to fish illegally, under threat of having their power cut off and their port blockaded again.

The thought process that seems to result in every French/EU action being some rational, inevitable vulcan style event and every British one being emotional, unreasonable and insulting is silly and I'm staggered it still has such sway given the repeated actions of the French government this year.

Openside wrote: ↑Tue Nov 02, 2021 12:00 pm

SaintK wrote: ↑Tue Nov 02, 2021 11:41 am

Openside wrote: ↑Tue Nov 02, 2021 11:26 am

The only surprise here is that there are more than a handful of people who want to attend!!

Why?

because listening to people drone on about something that may or may not happen and then not doing anything about it seems pretty dull to me.

May or may not happen eh? Not in our lifetime perhaps, but I certainly worry for my young grandchildren if we don't start doing something about it now.

Tories love a pork barrel

Two councils in England represented by Tory ministers have received money under the government’s flagship “levelling-up” fund despite being among the least deprived fifth of local authorities nationwide.

The health secretary Sajid Javid’s constituency of Bromsgrove got £14.5m in the first announced tranche of cash under the scheme.

Central Bedfordshire, which received £26.7m in levelling-up funding for transport improvements and a community wellbeing hub, is partly represented by Nadine Dorries, the culture secretary.

Lewes council, which is represented by the Conservative MP Maria Caulfield, received the ninth-largest per capita award despite being among the least deprived 40% of local authorities. Lewes received funding for local seafood industries and will also benefit from an East Sussex bid for a new road bridge in Seaford.

Paddington Bear wrote: ↑Tue Nov 02, 2021 12:15 pm

dpedin wrote: ↑Tue Nov 02, 2021 11:26 am https://thefishingdaily.com/uk-fishing- ... g-vessels/

So despite the claims that the UK has 'won the war' and Macron has 'stepped back/backed down' from the fishing dispute it appears that Jersey has quietly issued the licences the French claimed were being delayed. On the back of this Macron has therefore agreed to avoid the promised retaliation and Frost has to go to Paris, tail between his legs, to continue negotiations. Hardly the victory portrayed in the right wing press.

The jingoistic, xenophobic rhetoric has become embarrassing in the last couple of weeks with the racist language and deliberate mistranslation of the French PMs letter creating peak 'Little Englander' pant wetting amongst our 'glorious' MPs. The irony of accusing the French of not adhering to the spirit of the Withdrawal Agreement by a country who agreed to break International law in a limited and specific way or who now claim to have signed an International treaty whilst being 'pressure' and wanting to renegotiate it 12 months later has been completely lost. Unfortunately we are now exhibiting all the traits of a tin pot dictatorship and the rest of the world will either not want to touch us with a barge pole or else will use the opportunity of our now desperation to have a FTA, any FTA on offer, to get the best deal they can whilst we are on our knees. Australia managed to get their way in ripping out the Paris Agreement clauses they didn't like. Feck knows where this shitshow is going to go now!

Jersey has extended yet again temporary licences to fishing boats that have no proof of fishing their waters, likely because they turned off their transponders to fish illegally, under threat of having their power cut off and their port blockaded again.

The thought process that seems to result in every French/EU action being some rational, inevitable vulcan style event and every British one being emotional, unreasonable and insulting is silly and I'm staggered it still has such sway given the repeated actions of the French government this year.

Did you read my post? I can't find anything in what I posted that said every French/EU action was rational or indeed that they were in the right. My post was firmly aimed at the misinformation about Macron backing down being circulated by the Tories and their press buddies instead of admitting that Boris/Frost did. I was also criticising the jingoistic and dare I say racist behaviours of our Gov and their MPs when dealing with the French and the EU and are behaving like twats and making us the laughing stock of the rest of the world. Its amazing that the UK can take back control but get really pissed off when 'Johnny Foreigner' plays the game and also decides to take back control at the same time!

The reality is we hold none of the cards and all this bluster and deceit about the French fishing licences etc is purely propeganda to fool the UK population into thinking our Gov has any control or sway in negotiations. After Brexit we are stuck in the middle of two large players - the EU and the US - and will have to dance to whatever tune they decide to play.

Finally I find it fairly ironic that instead of reading my post properly you merely jumped to your own conclusions, accuse me of saying things I didn't say and then amplified the rhetoric about the 'Froggies' - sort of proves my point really!

SaintK wrote: ↑Tue Nov 02, 2021 12:37 pm

Openside wrote: ↑Tue Nov 02, 2021 12:00 pm

SaintK wrote: ↑Tue Nov 02, 2021 11:41 am
Why?

because listening to people drone on about something that may or may not happen and then not doing anything about it seems pretty dull to me.

May or may not happen eh? Not in our lifetime perhaps, but I certainly worry for my young grandchildren if we don't start doing something about it now.

This is what I genuinely don't understand.

I don't have kids and I'm 67, so it's no skin off my nose if global warming makes life on earth uninhabitable in thirty or forty years, but I would have thought that anyone who had children would want them to survive to adulthood.

Seriously. Maybe global warning is a hoax, as ex President Trump was claiming on twitter today.

But, even so, would you bet the lives of your offspring on it?

Of course not. Not unless you are a complete cunt.

Rinkals wrote: ↑Tue Nov 02, 2021 9:21 pm

SaintK wrote: ↑Tue Nov 02, 2021 12:37 pm

Openside wrote: ↑Tue Nov 02, 2021 12:00 pm

because listening to people drone on about something that may or may not happen and then not doing anything about it seems pretty dull to me.

May or may not happen eh? Not in our lifetime perhaps, but I certainly worry for my young grandchildren if we don't start doing something about it now.

This is what I genuinely don't understand.

I don't have kids and I'm 67, so it's no skin off my nose if global warming makes life on earth uninhabitable in thirty or forty years, but I would have thought that anyone who had children would want them to survive to adulthood.

Seriously. Maybe global warning is a hoax, as ex President Trump was claiming on twitter today.

But, even so, would you bet the lives of your offspring on it?

Of course not. Not unless you are a complete cunt.

A lot of people would rather be 100% sure that their kids are provided for in 25 years (good education, maybe a start on a mortgage) rather than 50% sure their plot of land will be under water.

Being able to “go without” now to “save your children” in 30 years time is a luxury of the top 5% of the planet only.

Today in the world's flagship democracy.

dpedin wrote: ↑Tue Nov 02, 2021 7:06 pm

Paddington Bear wrote: ↑Tue Nov 02, 2021 12:15 pm

dpedin wrote: ↑Tue Nov 02, 2021 11:26 am https://thefishingdaily.com/uk-fishing- ... g-vessels/

So despite the claims that the UK has 'won the war' and Macron has 'stepped back/backed down' from the fishing dispute it appears that Jersey has quietly issued the licences the French claimed were being delayed. On the back of this Macron has therefore agreed to avoid the promised retaliation and Frost has to go to Paris, tail between his legs, to continue negotiations. Hardly the victory portrayed in the right wing press.

The jingoistic, xenophobic rhetoric has become embarrassing in the last couple of weeks with the racist language and deliberate mistranslation of the French PMs letter creating peak 'Little Englander' pant wetting amongst our 'glorious' MPs. The irony of accusing the French of not adhering to the spirit of the Withdrawal Agreement by a country who agreed to break International law in a limited and specific way or who now claim to have signed an International treaty whilst being 'pressure' and wanting to renegotiate it 12 months later has been completely lost. Unfortunately we are now exhibiting all the traits of a tin pot dictatorship and the rest of the world will either not want to touch us with a barge pole or else will use the opportunity of our now desperation to have a FTA, any FTA on offer, to get the best deal they can whilst we are on our knees. Australia managed to get their way in ripping out the Paris Agreement clauses they didn't like. Feck knows where this shitshow is going to go now!

Jersey has extended yet again temporary licences to fishing boats that have no proof of fishing their waters, likely because they turned off their transponders to fish illegally, under threat of having their power cut off and their port blockaded again.

The thought process that seems to result in every French/EU action being some rational, inevitable vulcan style event and every British one being emotional, unreasonable and insulting is silly and I'm staggered it still has such sway given the repeated actions of the French government this year.

Did you read my post? I can't find anything in what I posted that said every French/EU action was rational or indeed that they were in the right. My post was firmly aimed at the misinformation about Macron backing down being circulated by the Tories and their press buddies instead of admitting that Boris/Frost did. I was also criticising the jingoistic and dare I say racist behaviours of our Gov and their MPs when dealing with the French and the EU and are behaving like twats and making us the laughing stock of the rest of the world. Its amazing that the UK can take back control but get really pissed off when 'Johnny Foreigner' plays the game and also decides to take back control at the same time!

The reality is we hold none of the cards and all this bluster and deceit about the French fishing licences etc is purely propeganda to fool the UK population into thinking our Gov has any control or sway in negotiations. After Brexit we are stuck in the middle of two large players - the EU and the US - and will have to dance to whatever tune they decide to play.

Finally I find it fairly ironic that instead of reading my post properly you merely jumped to your own conclusions, accuse me of saying things I didn't say and then amplified the rhetoric about the 'Froggies' - sort of proves my point really!

If you can take factual issue with the "rhetoric" in my post I'd be interested to see how given I've described the French government's position wrt Jersey in particular, 'Froggies' is putting words into my mouth as you can see.

Paddington Bear wrote: ↑Tue Nov 02, 2021 12:15 pm

dpedin wrote: ↑Tue Nov 02, 2021 11:26 am https://thefishingdaily.com/uk-fishing- ... g-vessels/

So despite the claims that the UK has 'won the war' and Macron has 'stepped back/backed down' from the fishing dispute it appears that Jersey has quietly issued the licences the French claimed were being delayed. On the back of this Macron has therefore agreed to avoid the promised retaliation and Frost has to go to Paris, tail between his legs, to continue negotiations. Hardly the victory portrayed in the right wing press.

The jingoistic, xenophobic rhetoric has become embarrassing in the last couple of weeks with the racist language and deliberate mistranslation of the French PMs letter creating peak 'Little Englander' pant wetting amongst our 'glorious' MPs. The irony of accusing the French of not adhering to the spirit of the Withdrawal Agreement by a country who agreed to break International law in a limited and specific way or who now claim to have signed an International treaty whilst being 'pressure' and wanting to renegotiate it 12 months later has been completely lost. Unfortunately we are now exhibiting all the traits of a tin pot dictatorship and the rest of the world will either not want to touch us with a barge pole or else will use the opportunity of our now desperation to have a FTA, any FTA on offer, to get the best deal they can whilst we are on our knees. Australia managed to get their way in ripping out the Paris Agreement clauses they didn't like. Feck knows where this shitshow is going to go now!

Jersey has extended yet again temporary licences to fishing boats that have no proof of fishing their waters, likely because they turned off their transponders to fish illegally, under threat of having their power cut off and their port blockaded again.

The thought process that seems to result in every French/EU action being some rational, inevitable vulcan style event and every British one being emotional, unreasonable and insulting is silly and I'm staggered it still has such sway given the repeated actions of the French government this year.

According to French boats the CFP didn't oblige them to have transponders.


Good article on the dispute
https://www.rte.ie/news/analysis-and-co ... -fish-war/

I like neeps wrote: ↑Wed Nov 03, 2021 8:01 am

Today in the world's flagship democracy.

There's more on it here https://www.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... ng-inquiry

The Tories are lining up a whipped vote to get Paterson off the hook.

As the fabulously-named Thangam Debbonaire says, it's a return to the worst days of 90s Tory sleeze.

Tichtheid wrote: ↑Wed Nov 03, 2021 9:52 am

I like neeps wrote: ↑Wed Nov 03, 2021 8:01 am

Today in the world's flagship democracy.

There's more on it here https://www.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... ng-inquiry

The Tories are lining up a whipped vote to get Paterson off the hook.

As the fabulously-named Thangam Debbonaire says, it's a return to the worst days of 90s Tory sleeze.

A competent labour opposition based on the values of fairness and transparency would nail them on changing the rules of an independent watchdog because they found an MP guilty of getting 3x their MPs salary to break lobbying rules to award Randox multi million pound contracts. But Keir Starmer is absolutely useless. And so they won't.

At least JRM, Leader of the HoC is trying to defuse the situation ... with some casual jingoism!

I like neeps wrote: ↑Wed Nov 03, 2021 10:08 am

Tichtheid wrote: ↑Wed Nov 03, 2021 9:52 am

I like neeps wrote: ↑Wed Nov 03, 2021 8:01 am

Today in the world's flagship democracy.

There's more on it here https://www.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... ng-inquiry

The Tories are lining up a whipped vote to get Paterson off the hook.

As the fabulously-named Thangam Debbonaire says, it's a return to the worst days of 90s Tory sleeze.

A competent labour opposition based on the values of fairness and transparency would nail them on changing the rules of an independent watchdog because they found an MP guilty of getting 3x their MPs salary to break lobbying rules to award Randox multi million pound contracts. But Keir Starmer is absolutely useless. And so they won't.

Let's not deflect from the main issue and blame the Labour Party for what is on the face of it blatant, crooked sleeze of the worst order! Their options are limited and whilst I agree we need more foot stamping and outcry from Starmer the reality is with an 80 seat majority means the Gov can whip its MPs to drive this through - I believe the whips are out in force to make sure this happens. There will be a few Tories who can't stand the stench of the illegality but most will just hold their noses and vote as told. This will likely lead to the resignation of the Standards Watchdog and give them an opportunity to put their own man in there and stuff it with their own thus disarming the already dodgy standards process. This is not to be ignored and is yet another step towards the Gov becoming a Tinpot dictatorship.

Labour are voting against but let's see how the BBC and other broadcasters cover this story, I suspect they have been warned off. As per the 'votes for shit in your rivers' it might take a fairly concerted and coordinated public response on social media and general outrage to turn this around. However I suspect many Tory MPs will be voting more in self interest and to prevent a precedent being set than anything else .... there are a number worried about the 'VIP lane" used to procure PPE during the epidemic and are shitting themselves about the Good Law Project and others ongoing investigations. They will vote for self preservation rather than the rule of law.