POLITICS CORNER

[Tripps]

That's how it worked sixty years ago. Re-read Piketty.....

Where to start. . .?

Actually I don't have all afternoon to write, so I won't. We are where we are - with credit cards, the Internet thingy, and Love Island. It's never going back to sixty years ago.

I'm not sure that even I would prefer it. My car does 60 mpg and isn't rusty!

[Stanley]

David, 60 years ago a man on what was, even then, a low wage of 3/6 per hour, could buy a house with seven acres and his wife didn't have to go out to work. I didn't need a car, I was working all the hours God sent...... I had job security, sick and holiday pay and enjoyed going to work. How many people on minimum wage or zero hours can say that today?

[Stanley]

I see that Grant Shapps has responded to the prospect of rail strikes in true Tory fashion. Impose restrictions on workers, encourage agency black legs and beyond that warning rail workers they won't be able to get overtime payments for getting the network going again. No mention yet of sequestering funds to curtail strike pay but don't worry, they will be considering it.
Think of the backlog of wage claims building up in the public services.... Brilliant management!

[plaques]

I see that Grant Shapps has responded to the prospect of rail strikes in true Tory fashion. Impose restrictions on workers, encourage agency black legs and beyond that warning rail workers they won't be able to get overtime payments for getting the network going again. No mention yet of sequestering funds to curtail strike pay but don't worry, they will be considering it.
Think of the backlog of wage claims building up in the public services.... Brilliant management!

A kneejerk reply is has nobody told Grant Shapps that there aren't enough workers to fill the vacancies that are supposedly required at the moment? These agency workers will apparently come in on minimum training (oh dear) work as long as it takes to break the strike and get told to bugger off and find another job.
Going back a long time when the general railway workers were on strike one of my uncles continued working, a black leg, Afterwards nobody ever talked to him. Personally I never saw him, he was a total outcast to the family. I doubt if Grant Shapps will be warning these agency workers of these possible outcomes.

In a small way as a token protest I shall not be voting for Andrew Stephenson MP, minister of Transport.

[Tizer]

who pays for the upkeep and maintenance of the property

The owner of course - who else?

That reminds me of the news a few months ago that the MoD had got trapped into paying continuing maintenance on something they didn't own. They sold off MoD houses to one of those big contractors (Centrica perhaps?) but found they'd left themselves responsible for continuing future maintenance which was what they'd been trying to avoid. Makes you wonder if they let the contractor write the contract for them!

[Tripps]

From memory - I believe it was a company called Annington Homes. I'm sure everything about the deal was scrupulously correct.

************************************

PS - Just heard an interview with a Rwandan lady who is advising her Government on the refugee thing. I think she must have been trained at the Conservative school of weasel words, as much that she said was a master class in being evasive. I think she was called Doris.

Much of what she said came as news to the interviewer (Tom Swarbrick). That surprised me, as much of the detail has been available on this site for quite a while. He could have read it here, or actually read the Government agreement which is public.

He eventually teased out of her that the process had no possibility of an outcome of asylum in UK - just in Rwanda or a return to their country of origin, or any other country they chose - where they had a right to reside. This seemed to surprise him.

It also dawned on him that there was no limit at all on the number of 'vulnerable' refugees that would be sent to UK under the agreement. I think the only straight answer she gave was that none had yet been sent.

[Stanley]

It seems to me that Priti 'Orrible's version of how immigration and asylum will work if they get it approved is that all migrants who come in by illegal means will be automatically put on a plane to Rwanda. There will be thousands of course. The justification for the cost will be that it is cheaper than giving therm asylum (although I'll bet a pound nobody has done the sums..... The cost will only emerge later, much later if she has anything to do with it.)
As for Shapps and his agency solution..... That's the Tory Way! Farm the problem out to 'an agency' and thus divest the government of all responsibility.

[Tripps]

We should of course welcome without limit, anyone who expressed a wish to live here. In fact to prevent people exposing themselves to the dangerous Channel crossing, we should provide a safe means of them doing so. Offices to facilitate the matter should immediately be set up in Afghanistan, Pakistan. India, Somalia, South Sudan, Manila, Iraq, Iran. . . .etc etc. It's the right thing to do.

[Stanley]

Or, as has been the case in the past, institute a properly staffed system of examining the credentials of each family and humane decisions made on the basis of what is discovered. Abolish cruel concepts like 'hostile environment' and do what is fair and humane. What the Home office is doing at the moment is neither fair or humane.

[plaques]

We should of course welcome without limit, anyone who expressed a wish to live here. In fact to prevent people exposing themselves to the dangerous Channel crossing, we should provide a safe means of them doing so. Offices to facilitate the matter should immediately be set up in Afghanistan, Pakistan. India, Somalia, South Sudan, Manila, Iraq, Iran. . . .etc etc. It's the right thing to do.

Questioned why the Ukrainian's have been treated differently to other asylum refugees the answer was because the majority wanted to return home. Asked for evidence of this statement there appeared to be no factual evidence just that was the general opinion. The policy of immediate deportation to Rwanda is costing more than putting them up in the Ritz. All this expense is being carried by the ordinary tax payer just to placate some extreme right-wing xenophobia that can't or don't want to see that if these people arrived here with their savings intact they wouldn't be a burden on the economy and set to work immediately.

Meanwhile the economy continues to drop through the floor. Without a growth in GDP we either cut back on services or increase taxes. At the moment we are doing both. Welcome to the sweatshop world.

.

GDP monthly .jpg

[Stanley]

Spot on Ken. We are expected to be in recession this summer before the October fuel rise pressures arise. Exactly as we have been predicting for months....

[Stanley]

See THIS BBC report on the changes to the agreed treaty the government is making to try to find a way out of the mess in N Ireland that they manufactured. They say it's legal, the EU says it isn't. Now we spend gazillions on lawyers to find out who is right.... Meanwhile, UK PLC settles lower in the water.....
Later news at 05:30.... Patel Airways flight No. 1 leaves the UK tonight and is expected to have 8 passengers, not the original 130. Still, that's 8 migrants less! A triumph for the Home Office.....
(Could this be the highest cost per head of any flight in history?)

[plaques]

More on the Rwanda asylum seeker scheme. This has only been discussed in parliament no voting to make it law has taken place.

Priti Patel claimed in parliament that the various authorities were 'onboard'. However in the recent court case the UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, said they didn't agree with it.
The people being moved to Rwanda are on a permanent resettlement scheme not waiting for their asylum application to be processed.
The scheme covers 300 people per year.
Rwanda will be sending their own asylum refugees to the UK for permanent settlement in exchange for those who go to Rwanda. The net sum is therefore is Zero.
It is still hoped that those heading towards the UK will now think twice about what is going on, that is if they can read it while they are escaping their own countries.

The above statements are those gleaned for various comments and not part of the main stream mis-information propaganda.

[PanBiker]

It may only be five on the flight, three are waiting for appeal results. Appeals have to be made before the enforced emigration. I wonder if anyone has worked out the carbon gain to our climate per head? 300 a year, you can shove all them on a proper big jet but the big carriers that operate those models wont touch the illegal deportation with a bargepole and rightly so.

What is it with Boris and this government or does it need a Rasputin solution to get rid of him?

Regarding NI, what I don't get with his red and green lanes is that it's an open border between Northern Ireland and the Republic. Surely stuff that comes in via the green lane can easily end up in the Republic. It worked fine in the past with weapons ammunition and explosives.

[Tripps]

It may only be five on the flight,

Or even fewer?

P bear.jpg

[Stanley]

See THIS update this morning. All remaining migrants taken off the flight last night at Boscombe Down.
No word about what happened to the Boeing 767 hired at a cost of (?) and capable of seating 200 passengers. Knowing the severity of commercial contracts, I assume the Home Office will still have to pay....
Take it out of the Tory Front bench wages...... Why should the taxpayer pay?
Later.....The barrister who took the 'lead case' to the European court of human rights and won is on Today and has explained clearly what has happened. (The Tories who are frothing with rage about our immigration policy being governed by a 'foreign court' should listen to this.)
First... The European Court of Human Justice is nothing to do with the EU. We are full members of it and have judges on the panel.
Second, despite the way it was reported by the BBC and others, the decision of the British Courts earlier were not approval for the flights but a promise to have an early Judicial Review, in itself an expression of doubt as to the legality of the operation but deciding to have the judicial review to decide this.
As this was not a clear ban on the flight, the Home Office decided to go ahead anyway. As soon as this was known the lawyers fighting for the immigrants went to the ECHR and won a ban on the flight. The next move is for the Supreme Court to hold a Judicial Review and give a decision on the legality of the operation. Priti 'Orrible is ignoring this and pressing on with the next flight.

[plaques]

Our "I broke no rules" (IBNR) Boris is all set to do just that with the NI protocol. In his words these are just trivial adjustments that are intended to remove the odd obstacle in his oven ready deal. In fact they are so trivial he is prepared to collapse the economy in a trade war with the EU and simultaneously trash our standing with other world organisations. The main Idea is to have green and red lanes for goods entering NI. The green goods would continue to the southern Ireland and the red lane stop in Northern Ireland. This is similar to that proposed by the EU some 6 months ago but with the proviso that all goods met the EU standards. This was rejected as unacceptable which is difficult to understand since in the 2019 election Boris promised that all standards would be maintained and in some instances set higher than those in the EU. Since then the UK has entered a trade deal with Australia which would allow hormone treated cattle to enter the UK. The EU are obviously sceptical that IBNR will try again to muddy the waters.
To compound the problem the UK does not want the European Court of Justice. (CJEU), to take part in any disputes between the UK and the EU. Obviously this is going to be a red line for the EU since they understand the rules and can come to a quicker resolution. IBNR would sooner it be judged by a separate body that knows nothing about the rules and would take years to reach a decision.

At the moment people who are trying to make ends meet during our financial crisis aren't too concerned about what is going on in NI. They soon will be if Boris gets his way.

[PanBiker]

All remaining migrants taken off the flight last night at Boscombe Down.
No word about what happened to the Boeing 767 hired at a cost of (?) and capable of seating 200 passengers. Knowing the severity of commercial contracts, I assume the Home Office will still have to pay....
Take it out of the Tory Front bench wages...... Why should the taxpayer pay?

First glaring thing here is that the commercial airliner flight was due to take off from a military airfield. Apparently to stop the aircraft from being attacked! Prisoners, (because we cant really call them anything else from the way they are being treated) were transported in a convoy of six police vans! As to costs, apart from all the security police who have been landed with the job, the news last night said that the charter flight was booked at a cost of £500,000! Boris said it was worth it even if there was only one passenger.

Meanwhile it did not deter the 270 other asylum seekers that arrived yesterday aided by our military who have been tasked with safety in the English Channel.

Accommodation in Rwanda is what was originally provided for genocide survivors when they were fully engaged in killing one another in lumps.

This bloody lot have to go.

[Tripps]

Meanwhile it did not deter the 270 other asylum seekers that arrived yesterday aided by our military who have been tasked with safety in the English Channel.

Sky News are reporting the figure for yesterday as 444, and the cuurent warm stable weather will ensure a similar number each day for the next few days. Do not believe anything the Home Secretary says. Judge by her actions, and her desired outcome becomes obvious. Apply to all politicians for that matter.

Little heard of 'partygate' now, is there?

[Stanley]

I see Partygate has leapt back into the news.... See THIS BBC account of the resignation of The PM's ethics adviser, Lord Geidt, has quit a day after saying there was a "legitimate question" about whether Boris Johnson broke ministerial rules over Partygate.
Lord Geidt did not give a reason for leaving the role he took in April, but said it was the "right thing" to do. His predecessor, Sir Alex Allan, quit in 2020 after Mr Johnson overruled him over a report into alleged bullying by Home Secretary Priti Patel.
How much more evidence does the Tory administration need? This not only damages Johnson but all those who have defended him.
On another matter, the NI Protocol, did you hear what Germany' s new ambassador had to say about the way we are being thought of in Europe? Basically, untrustworthy. The EU spokesman was even more direct, he says that what Johnson is proposing is illegal, end of story.
The news on the economic front is getting bleak.... This is all going to matter. Ian is quite right.

[plaques]

D’Artagnan, (Boris) and three Musketeers. (Sunak, Truss & Patel) are having a tough time. Their swashbuckling approach to Brexit and their disregard for long established rules were entertaining until reality set in. Sunak hit the buffers with his tax rises. Even if he gives us a one penny cut near the general election it won't compensate for the other rises he has imposed, A smoke and mirrors man. The economy now set to collapse with the EU threatening court action if the UK don't get their finger out and enter into meaningful talks about the NI protocol. There goes Liz Truss into the dustbin of history. Prity Patel's inhumane deportation of asylum seekers has perhaps uncovered the secret agenda for getting rid of the human rights legislation. Keep shouting foreign courts, foreign courts, foreign courts and people will think that we have given up our sovereignty? for nothing. It all smacks of 'if you can't win the argument change the rules' something that Boris and Trump have in common.

Turning the clock back to 1625 is looking like what our D’Artagnan wants to do.

[Tizer]

More on Lord Geidt...
`Lord Geidt quits over ministerial code 'affront'' LINK

[Stanley]

I'm getting fed up of asking why Parliament can't lance this boil on the body politic. Ken is right, PM, Foreign Office, home Office and Treasury are all in trouble caused mainly by incompetence and ignoring widely held rules. That's a full house.
Idiots like Shapps and his inane 'support' of Johnson only make things worse.
Later.... It appears that Johnson has found a solution to his problems with personal ethics advisors.... Do without them until he has moved the goalposts of their remit to the point where they are no threat to him.....
How can this be possible in a 'democracy'?

[plaques]

Trust Tories like you trust GPs after Shipman, Wakefield candidate says

Basically true. the vast majority of UK people wouldn't even dream of killing people but looking at a wider context. The policies that Johnson and his Cabinet are following has resulted in thousands of extra deaths in care homes. Bringing the economy to its knees where people can't afford food or heating. People unable to access the NHS because of underfunding creating massive waiting lists. Mental health issues on the rise where people just can't cope. As Stanley points out 'no light at the end of the tunnel' with policies set so that if you do see light build an extra length of tunnel.
If the Conservative candidate Nadeem Ahmed really believes that Johnson, I broke no rules, lets do away with human rights, Sunak tax them till the pips squeak, Liz Truss. lets have a trade war with the EU. Prity Patel's inhumane deportations then he should be standing for a different party.

And levelling up on what the previous MP was voted in on has disappeared into the abyss of broken promises.

[Stanley]

I heard the report of that comment and it shocked even the experienced reporters who heard it.....