POLITICS CORNER

[Whyperion]

I think I heard that it's going to be repainted with a Union Flag theme to be more "in keeping" with it's usage. I find this rather strange when the Union of the United Kingdom in itself is at risk over Brexit issues! It's still a lot of brass and they didn't ask me to tender, shame really, I'll do it for half price.

I thought it was £600,000. Maybe its a special coating to make sure the S*&£ slides off it easily

[PanBiker]

I'll still do it at half price.

[Tizer]

It look like the UK is going to be in the doldrums for a long time with no-one fit to run the country...
`New leader not enough to win again, Labour warned' LINK

[Whyperion]

It look like the UK is going to be in the doldrums for a long time with no-one fit to run the country...
`New leader not enough to win again, Labour warned' LINK

While it might be a majority report commissioned internally, that the BBC - and no doubt the Tory Party will jump on the headline conclusion rather that the more complex changes in society. As I have said before, Labour may well have to revert to being the pressure group for change, rather than the instigator of it. The chosing by Starmer to quote Tory Council leader concerns on funding at the PM is a good example of this. There may be four years until the next election, we may have left, or not (?) the EU by then , the tories may well have imploded, the tech jobs and intellectual property may have been snapped up by China, the making stuff evaporated from the UK economy, but so too the learning, skills and vacation destination for those in the world to spend money, Labour grew up righting explotation. The difficulty might come out of managing desperation.

[Whyperion]

Coronavirus: UK's Covid-19 alert level reduced from four to three
this seems to be political desperation to help appease tory backbenchers on allowing further economic re-opening. Though it must be noted that Four is concern and ensure remedial action is taken , Five is panic and batten down, Three is "in general circulation" , which hardly seems satisfying.

[plaques]

Back in the 'Get Brexit Done' and pre-covid days There was a general feeling that the 'working class' had disappeared and everybody was aspiring to be at least middle class where they could safely vote Tory leaving behind the necessity for any socialism largely because we entered the 'I'm all right Jack' attitude and the future is rosy and what could go wrong period of woolly thinking. Events have shown what could go wrong. As Whyperion points out very little of what used to make Britain great is now owned or under our control. Both America and China will make sure that their interests come first where control and profit are the first considerations. The fallout from the Covid virus is now making it clear that things are not going to return to normal where jobs for everyone will continue to increase and living standards will continue to rise. The writing is on the wall that everyone below the top 10% the future is downhill with foodbanks becoming a permanent fixture. It may take 3 or 4 years until the next election for this to sink in to return a more socialist government but by then it could be too late for the vast majority of the newly expanded working class.

[Whyperion]

At present, total Govt Debt is now twice the size of estimated Annual GDP. The buy in on economic thinking has been this is a bad thing. Now, it might not be, depending if the ponzi/multi-level marketing con of capitalism will stay up long enough, the UK Could borrow a further GDPs worth to invest in a mix of health, education and housing (with bits of transport, defence and so on thrown in if you like). With Smart taxation pulling in funds from folk doing undesirable things, and a bit of general taxation, over time this debt pile can be reduced fairly- that time might well be 60 to 70 years and there is a bit of a hope value that events wont give everything another jolt.

[Stanley]

Spot on P. My mind goes back to the havoc under Thatcher and the mistakes made then. Remember 'Thatcher's Children'? The pit villages and estates that are still poverty sinks? I really do fear for the damage being done now and in the future. The last ten years have been bad but the next ten could be even worse.

[Whyperion]

BBC is noting the impact on younger people that had good jobs in hospitality, media and so on that have evaporated and less likely to return quickly. Those kids have noted the UC benefit system and the lower rates for lower ages (presumably because mummy and daddy should look after you, and the incentive to 'work' rather than 'be a benefit sponger') This might explain the despiration for the Govt to get 1m distancing and as much old normal as possible, if the dont the peasants indeed will start revolting. but if they do try for normal before virus allows then the NHS or Nursing homes get blown apart again. I hope Cummins really is a genius because I dont think there are many of them around to work out any logical way forward.

[Stanley]

An awful lot of cans that were kicked down the road to deal with Covid and Brexit start to become problems as we near the end of June. They will either have to be kicked down the road again or addressed. It will be interesting to see which is the preferred course. Some, like jobs and the economy are now too big to kick again?
Later, THIS report about Trumps latest pearl of wisdom. How does one fathom the workings of a mind that can come up with this. In essence, the way to reduce virus death figures is to cut back on testing! That'll do the trick for the statistics but what about the infections and deaths? The man is certifiable.

[plaques]

Actually Trump has a valid point but doesn't express it very well. Its what we used to call harvesting ie: introduce a new test into the system and it will automatically show an increase in numbers detected. Conversely remove the check and the numbers will drop. The tests whether you implement them or remove them do not alter the cause of the problem.
He is quoted as saying..“Here’s the bad part. When you do testing to that extent, you’re gonna find more cases,” Trump claimed. which is true but it doesn't affect the outcome and people will die but now you don't know what they died of. Head in the sand thinking.

Johnson is about to rebrand his image as the man that will 'kick start' the economy. Fine sounding words but kick starts and starting handles went out with the ark. We are now in the age of technology which unfortunately we have been busy selling of for the past 10 years or more. The UK has become one giant service industry built on cheap labour with the more lucrative bits, insurance etc ready to be moved at the click of a mouse. Also in the background is the fact that a lot of the intellectual property on the work done by British universities is owned by the investors (foreign countries) who are sponsoring the work. Invented here but made elsewhere along with the profits. More aspirations to make the gullible feel better as we slide down the tube.

[Tizer]

The White House is now doing its usual firefighting that has to follow any Trump outing. They're claiming he was joking about cutting back on testing. His Tulsa event had a relatively poor turn-out and Trump is accusing the media of having frightened people away. I notice from the photos that few of those attending wore masks. Perhaps his support will decline as the virus takes the opportunity to spread among his followers?

Meanwhile...
`US China cold war 'bigger global threat than virus'' LINK
`The deepening cold war between the US and China will be a bigger worry for the world than coronavirus, according to influential economist Jeffrey Sachs. The world is headed for a period of "massive disruption without any leadership" in the aftermath of the pandemic, he told the BBC. The divide between the two superpowers will exacerbate this, he warned. The Columbia University professor blamed the US administration for the hostilities between the two countries. "The US is a force for division, not for cooperation," he told me in an interview with BBC's Asia Business Report. "It's a force for trying to create a new cold war with China. If this takes hold - if that kind of approach is used, then we won't go back to normal, indeed we will spiral into greater controversy and greater danger in fact"..'.

But the article ends: `Mr Sachs admitted that China's rise is of concern to its neighbours in Asia - especially if it doesn't do more to assuage fears that it is trying to grow in a peaceful and cooperative way. "Do I believe that China could do more to ease fears which are very real? I do," he told me. "The big choice frankly is in China's hands. If China is cooperative, if it engages in diplomacy, regional cooperation and multilateralism, in other words - soft power - because it is a very powerful country…. then I think that Asia has an incredibly bright future"..'.

[Whyperion]

.“Here’s the bad part. When you do testing to that extent, you’re gonna find more cases,” Trump claimed.
If it does not exist, you wont find it ( Trumps bigger point is Russia/China have more but dont look and dont report)

More aspirations to make the gullible feel better as we slide down the tube.

more like bash the non-working classes for not being able to find work (aceptible to their needs and talents)

[Stanley]

The rise and rise of China and India is to be admired and celebrated, they're only following our example. Problem is the US thinks they should be supreme. After all it is 'Great Again'.
I have noted the spin that Johnson is now fully recovered and is going to take the initiative. He has had a new Jacket made with more room at the back so Dom can get his hand in to operate the controls.
I heard someone arguing that the word great should be dropped from GB. Not really, it was put there to distinguish us from Lesser Britain, now called Brittany and part of France..... If there is to be a change, follow Norman Davies and call us 'The Isles'.
I see that a warning has been issued that the world of theatre is in danger of collapse due to loss of business even if audiences are allowed with distancing. The spokesman said there would be no pantomime season this year. I beg to differ, we have been in the middle of a pantomime ever since Dave had his brilliant idea for reuniting the country and his Party with a referendum. Covid19 hasn't helped.....

[PanBiker]

I'm waiting for Boris to drop his trousers like in a proper farce. Oh hang on, no chance of that I'm not a young woman, automatic in that respect.

[Tizer]

I heard someone arguing that the word great should be dropped from GB. Not really, it was put there to distinguish us from Lesser Britain, now called Brittany and part of France..... If there is to be a change, follow Norman Davies and call us 'The Isles'.

That assumes we remain one nation. More likely we'll soon become three separate nations and Northern Ireland will unite with the South. And then those nations will become provinces of China.

[chinatyke]

That assumes we remain one nation. More likely we'll soon become three separate nations and Northern Ireland will unite with the South. And then those nations will become provinces of China.

Wishful thinking? You'd be in clover if that happened!

Then you could forget politics altogether!

[Stanley]

Not really Tiz. 'the Isles' applies whether we are united or not. That was the point of Norman using it in his wonderful book with that title. If you've never read it give yourself a treat. Full of surprising facts and it starts with a peculiar map, he laid out the map of the Isles with east at the top to emphasise that we are a peninsula of Europe.
I ignored politics completely yesterday, did I miss anything?

[plaques]

A suggestion that the UK could strike up a trade deal with China. Forget it, America would never allow us to do such a traitorous thing. We would be black listed and be labeled a rogue state worthy of invasion to stamp out any thoughts of being contaminated with anti-capitalist virus.

[Tizer]

I wonder what their definition of `imminently' is?...
`Russia report committee to be set up 'imminently'' LINK
`Parliament's powerful Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) looks set to be re-established imminently, sources have told the BBC. The committee - which is due to publish a delayed report on alleged Russian interference in UK politics - hasn't met since before the election. Number 10 needs to approve members, and opposition parties have accused the government of delay to escape scrutiny. But a source said they were hopeful the committee would be announced soon..'.

[Stanley]

I think we all know why the ISC is being continuously kicked down the road. Add the Dilnot report and so on ad infinitum. Bit like Jarndice and Jarndice.....

[Stanley]

I inadvertently found myself listening to the news and hearing some government minister tying himself in knots rather than admit that the world beating track and trace app is a failure. Then I heard Johnson saying that Dido had done a 'magnificent job'. Really?
I will be astounded if there isn't a second wave and U-Turns have to be done.....
Much more whistling in the wind about the miraculous bounce back that is coming. Right! I'll believe that when I see it.
(Yes I am a pessimistic cynic. Or perhaps a realist! I can't remember ever seeing anything like this style of governance.)
Later... See THIS BBC account of Mr Jenrick's dealings with Richard Desmond over the planning appeal. Mr Johnson says the matter is closed. Really? Looks like an open and shut case of favouritism resulting in a £12,000 donation to the Tories. A closed matter?

[Tizer]

Are you listening to More or Less? It'll make you even more of a cynic!

[Whyperion]

https://cdn.images.express.co.uk/img/co ... -06-25.jpg
never fear now free of Covid press meetings Boris knows how to get britain going

[Stanley]

Yes Tiz I am. I am fed up with MPs stonewalling and not answering awkward questions. More or Less and PE do nothing to improve my temper! Many senior politicians see it as a continuous con trick pure and simple. It's a game to them, it's life and death to us.