POLITICS CORNER

[Stanley]

The commentators are having a fine old time dissecting the Amersham result but I haven't seen anyone cite what seems to me to be the obvious. The Tories are incompetent, corrupt and breaking election promises. Oh, and they tell lies too often. Surely someone is noticing?

[plaques]

Its been suggested by Ming Campbell, former MP. that there has been some tactical voting, not the Progressive Alliance type of agreement, but one where the voters at a local level have sussed out that by continuing rigidly to vote for their first choice which has no hope of winning actually boils down to a vote for the Conservatives. Taken along with Boris's levelling up which promises more funding to prop up the Northern Red Wall which in reality means the money has to been diverted from somewhere else. ie: the traditional 'Blue Wall' counties, and with the Australian trade deal of the duties being removed immediately and not over the promised 15 years it looks like the farmers have been thrown under the Brexit battle bus. The tactical voting theory only holds up so far since there was no 'formal' agreement with the major parties to do so but if the idea takes hold and promises of jam tomorrow are just a way of kicking the can down the road, something that Boris is very good at, then we may see all colours of walls falling.

[Stanley]

The Tory backbenchers are convinced that it is the changes to the planning process that is spooking the wealthy electorate. It hits them in the pocket by lowering the value of their houses if there are more to go round. Simples!

[Tizer]

What doesn't get mentioned much is that although the Tories had three times as many votes as Labour in the 2017 election in Amersham Labour lost many more votes this time than the Tories did.

[Stanley]

Peter, perhaps that's because nobody is very interested in what Labour did in Amersham.
I didn't think I would ever see the day but Labour are beginning to look totally irrelevant as a party. I heard Starmer speaking on the wireless and he sounded even more boring than Spreadsheet Phil used to be....
Later.... John Bercow has joined the Labour Party saying that the Conservatives are now a Populist Party, reactionary and sometimes xenophobic. (LINK)

[Whyperion]

Bercow Joined Labour because he belives he shares their values. Perhaps he can explain to the electorate, and Starmer and his deputy, what those Labour values are cos a lot of folk in commentary land are confusedly uncertain.

[Stanley]

That is true.
See THIS BBC account of the PM's latest optimistic statement about economic matters. The UK is to become 'a science super power'.
Oh good, however as Pallab Ghosh says "As ever though, with greater budgets, comes greater ministerial supervision - in the form of a new committee chaired by the prime minister. On the one hand it puts science at the heart of government, but on the other there's concern that there will be more political control on research budgets that could mean money being diverted toward pet projects - rather than spent on what is independently judged by experts to be best for science - as happens currently."

[Stanley]

Later, listening to Sir Andrew Dilnot on Today talking about social care. Ten years ago he chaired a commission that made sensible recommendations, none of which have been acted on.
(LINK)

[plaques]

See THIS BBC account of the PM's latest optimistic statement about economic matters. The UK is to become 'a science super power'.

This government plans to put its money where its mouth is as it talks about plans to reinforce the UK's position as a global science superpower.
It aims to increase research spending from nearly £15bn a year to £22bn by 2025.

The stated aim is to use the extra money to tackle societal challenges, such as the impact of climate change, level up across the country and boost prosperity around the world.

Fantastic, For £2Billion extra a year we will sort out the social problems, level up, sort out climate change and lead the world to prosperity.
And for my next trick.???

[Stanley]

How long before the flood of promises is recognised as a ploy and nothing more?
The handy smoke screen of Covid has protected them so far. What happens when that recedes?
Later.... I have been listening to Ken Clarke talking about the economy. One thing stuck in my mind, when asked about the money for the Royal Yacht he said it was a silly populist move and a complete waste of money. (The word is that the Queen is of the same opinion. )

[plaques]

The word is out on the by-election streets that if Buffoon Boris keeps his promise about levelling up then the Blue Wall will finish up paying for the Red Wall. People expect to benefit from the taxes they pay not to give it to some undeserving lay-a-bout up North.

The danger with the Royal yacht idea unlike Boris's pie in the sky bridges and tunnels is that it can actually be done. Just sign the cheque and its yours.

Inflation showed a slight rise over the past month from 1.5% to 2.1%. a mere bagatelle. that's if you call a near 50% increase in one month nothing. Some Think Tanks predicting 4% in the next months. Bank of England saying there will be a short term rise but it will drop back towards the end of the year. The BoE target is 2%. Well that's all right then.

[Stanley]

I think you're right about inflation Ken. Even the economists are puzzled by the fact it has stayed stable even though gazillions have been pumped into the economy. The US think it's going to happen....
Meanwhile I watch as the serial historical problems that have been kicked down the road repeatedly seem to be coming home to roost, bad results in education, social care, Metropolitan Police corruption and the revolving door that ACOBA can't fix.
Meanwhile, rejoice, the mighty arm of British sea-born air power has struck a heavy blow against ISIS! (LINK)

[plaques]

A quick word on inflation. Even if you can believe the BoE that inflation will rise and then drop back again later in the year the price increases are always with us. A commodity that goes from say £2 to £2,50 won't go back to £2. Future price rises will be added to the £2.50. He of silver tongue strikes again.

Nice to see the UK getting into action killing people. Dominic Raab, MP can now relax on the Foreign Office diplomatic front and concentrate on getting fantastic deals for Brexit.

[Stanley]

I had a look at THIS and to my untrained eye it looks as though inflation is at the moment on a steep upward trend. However, if the brains tell me it is all right and under control I suppose that's all right. Funny how the prices in shops seems to be going up. Perhaps we need a separate index for food price inflation......
THIS BBC Reality check on the rape debate in yesterday's PMQs is worth reading. It exposes some of the most common ploys used by the Tories to obfuscate the effects of austerity on public services.

[plaques]

Food price inflation has always been a major item to the low paid. A greater percentage of their income being spent on food rather than new cars, yachts and holidays in Mustique. Add approximately 2% to the declared inflation figure. The big fear for the government is not price increases, those who can afford will pay more, those who can't will have to do with less, is empty shelves. This will shout out that something is drastically wrong which can't be blamed on someone else. Meanwhile lets keep the dead cat argument going about sausages to NI, which we all know can all be put down to the EU's stupidity of believing that our government would stick to their part of the agreement which we (the UK) drew up.

[Stanley]

Have you noticed that the occasional gaps on the supermarket shelves are being put down to a shortage of wagon drivers?
The really deprived are in many cases ignored. There is only one benefit my sick daughter can apply for and the process is far too long. She is barred from any means tested benefit (which all the other sick pay benefits are.) and has to be 'assessed' for this one. Two months into her inability to work she has not received a halfpenny.
What happened to the social contract or is that a dirty word these days....

[plaques]

Have you noticed that the occasional gaps on the supermarket shelves are being put down to a shortage of wagon drivers?

Not an easy one to answer. Here are some answers, some possible, some improbable.
Testing of HGV drivers has been on the back burner for 18 months so to has training drivers, = shortage of home grown drivers.
The advancement in autonomous is moving along at a pace. Why train to do a job that may soon be redundant due to IT
UK based warehouses have the goods but can't get the drivers not at the wages they are offering.
Lots of wagons on our roads were from the EU. The hostile environment of Priti (horrible) Patel towards foreign drives results in them saying 'stuff it'.
The flow of goods into the EU is still suffering 'teething troubles' from Brexit. Our goods require loads of paperwork and tariffs that were totally unforeseen by Boris and Frosty. If we don't send wagons out we can't bring anything back. Who would have thought that?

But the advantages are.........................?

[Big Kev]

Have you noticed that the occasional gaps on the supermarket shelves are being put down to a shortage of wagon drivers?

I'm not surprised there's a shortage of wagon drivers. Out of interest I looked at the Eddie Stobart driver vacancy list, £11 an hour for a class 1 driver is a disgrace for the responsibility involved. I was earning more than that doing the same thing 20 years ago.

[Whyperion]

Fantastic, For £2Billion extra a year we will sort out the social problems, level up, sort out climate change and lead the world to prosperity.

one of those might just lead to the opposite of the other. Quickest way to get prosporus (depending how you measure it) , is to do (charge for) something illegal, immoral , or to make someone else fat.

[Whyperion]

Inflation, avoiding brexit effects, some has been from the changes in oil price and USA demand, (petrol has gone from 125ish in 2019 down to 102 in 202 to 134 present day). International shipping is still stuffed from covid, but we dont need everthing from overseas anyway. Fresh imports expensive due to lact of passenger aircraft providing cheap hold space for some airfreighted products, so some costs should fall back in time.

The QE pumping money has gone into savings, and property, increases in house prices 5 to 6 percent per annum from 2019 are not only large percentages but large absolute amounts, all unneccessary in the UK as all a higher house price means is more money to attempt to buy one, and more to go to govt when demanded for social care !

[Stanley]

I listened to the cries of shock and horror as Matt's extra marital affairs were admitted to. Calls for Johnson to fire him. Are they joking? How could he do that without bringing an avalanche of grief down on his head? Besides, he doesn't do 'firing', that's how Patel stayed in post when condemned by the watchdog for bullying.
Besides, there are no ethics or principles being applied in government now. The message is that they are aLL MASSAGING THEIR CONTACTS IN READINESS FOR A MOVE OUT (bugger caps lock) into industry when they leave the shelter of Westminster.

[plaques]

A personal view is he should NOT resign but having said that his career is shot and he will be a laughing stock if he tries to promote himself as a paragon of virtue advising people what to do. Perhaps he has too much of the ordinary man in him to be a politician in today's world.

[Stanley]

That's a very charitable view Ken. I'm afraid I didn't trust him, he is too handy at outsourcing NHS work instead of funding them to do it.

[chinatyke]

China is preparing for the 100th Anniversary of the founding of the CPC (communist party of China) on the first of July. Participants are rehearsing for a big show on the People's Square which we can see from our apartment. I haven't got my invite yet!

I never thought I'd say this, Chinese Communism has a lot of good points.

[Stanley]

So have most systems China, problem is the bits that go with it. This includes ours....
(Mussolini made the trains run on time.... )