POLITICS CORNER

[Pluggy]

Controversial enough for yah ?

Yes, thanks for raising the issue and for giving us an insight into your changed beliefs, Pluggy. My thought has always been that in the early days of human evolution some clever male examples of the species found they could frighten people into giving them power by making up tales of gods, devils, hell, heaven etc. They came to be known as priests and set up their equivalent of a masonic lodge and sold something known as religion. There are still some who come to our door and want to recruit us!


We need to get our politics sorted out quickly because if Trump (or a Trump clone) gets elected in the next US election the world is going to become even more turbulent.

We don't know on the religion issue, mine was probably a kinder take on what I've learned from the scholarship on the subject. It could well have been some a*sehole or three (or 3 thousand) wanting to give himself / themslves power over others.

I believe there is some evidence that America is starting to see through Trumps religious cult. I could be wrong......

[Stanley]

I was going to say we had no political news this morning but I see THIS video clip of Sunak serving in a charity cafe and having a most ludicrous conversation with a homeless customer. If the idea was show his understanding of the lower orders it failed miserably.

[plaques]

The nurses and ambulance workers public enemy No1 colluding to hold the country to ransom over Christmas. Not a word about them all back to work on Christmas eve, day, boxing day, new years day when the rest of the country is on holiday. Same applies to the other villainous strikers. The negative propaganda continues, drip, drip drip, The health care system is broken, we know because we broke it,

[Stanley]

Agreed Ken and I don't see how the NHS can recover from neglect as fundamental as this. The giant 'Health Corporations' in the US and elsewhere must be rubbing their hands with glee. They are about to get the biggest Xmas present of them all.
There is no political news today, the politicians are all squirrelled away in the warm with their families enjoying a traditional Xmas. The same can't be said for their constituents, many of whom are cold hungry and fearful. Some of them even out on the street sleeping rough.
The gap between the haves and the have-nots is now a yawning chasm and the numbers on the have-not side are growing greater every day.
I have never seen a worse prospect than this for a new year. Sorry to be so pessimistic but this is the view from East Hill Street.

[Stanley]

See THIS for the lead story in UK politics this morning. The increase in thefts of catalytic converters from parked cars. I would have thought that there were other matters that required more urgent consideration. I may be wrong but it seems to me that Mr Sunak has gone AWOL over Xmas. It's as if the Tories have abdicated responsibility for inflation and the collapse of the NHS and have simply retired to the bosom of their families for Xmas leaving the whole dreadful stew to bubble away on its own. Criminal neglect.
I have a story bout catalytic converters. Les Burrell who was the tinsmith in residence at Rochdale Electric Welding had a good little earner where he repaired catalytic converters. This entailed taking the 'metallic wool' out of them and discarding it. I pointed out to him that this 'scrap' was actually very valuable metal as one of the catalysts used was Platinum. He never mentioned this to me afterwards but I noticed that after that he bagged the 'scrap' up and took it away. I have an idea he might have taken advice.....

[plaques]

In this age of high wage, high skill, employment where workers find that their old skills are no longer relevant or have hit the age ceiling of over 50 there is the golden opportunity to take up Zero hours contracts. September showed that 296,000 people with more than a quarter of over 50's now in this bracket. Although zero hours may provide some supplementary pay quite often it doesn't provide any guaranteed income and can be destructive to a normal life style. Perhaps not surprisingly zero hours has taken hold in the NHS + providers to the extent that 30,000 workers are in this group.

At least 30,000 NHS workers in the UK report employed on zero hours contracts, new GMB analysis of official figures has revealed.

When will people realise that this race to the bottom has got to stop otherwise it will be a toss up whether the high street will be nothing but charity shops or £Land stores.

[Tizer]

See THIS for the lead story in UK politics this morning. The increase in thefts of catalytic converters from parked cars. I would have thought that there were other matters that required more urgent consideration.

I'm not sure how it can be described as ` the lead story in UK politics this morning' - a google search brought up only the BBC article. And I think the main point of that article is that the police are only solving 1% of those crimes.

[Stanley]

Perhaps I should have said 'BBC politics'....
Today's lead BBC story is THIS report on Mr Gove's latest thoughts on housing. The bottom line is that the Tories have missed every housing target they set over the last twelve years. Is there any reason to expect anything different under savage austerity?
Meanwhile, this got my attention in Private Eye.

[plaques]

The war in Ukraine has put Europe under pressure through the rise in Russian supplied energy. In spite of Brexit it still appears that the UK in part of Europe. Germany in particular is a high energy dependent industry and is worried that if the war continues for any length of time they will have to rely on imported Liquid Gas bought on the world markets. The UK will be in a similar position of being exposed to world markets since the North Sea gas is not our gas but belongs to private companies. Wasn't it Joseph who advised that during the fat cow years we should store up the surplus for the thin cow years. Sounds like socialism to be ignored in the modern world although George Osborne did impose austerity to mend the roof, but whose roof?

Battered by energy prices, long covid and Brexit (which is not mentioned in polite conversation)

The Office for National Statistics reported that between June and August 2022, around 2.5 million people cited long-term sickness as the main reason for economic inactivity, an increase of around half a million since 2019.

The number of “economically inactive” people — those neither working nor looking for a job — between the ages of 16 and 64 has risen by more than 630,000 since 2019. Unlike other major economies, recent U.K. data shows no sign that these lost workers are returning to the labour market, even as inflation and energy costs exert huge pressure on household finances.

Jonathan Portes, professor of economics and public policy at King’s College London, told CNBC the scale of the labour market depletion is likely a combination of long Covid; other pandemic-related health issues such as mental illness; and the current crisis in the NHS.


Don't worry Jeremy Hunt has a plan and the Telegraph thinks it will be over by summer.
What could go wrong?

[Stanley]

Sooner or later even the Tory Party is going to have to admit the truth of the OBR estimate of was it 4% drop in economy activity and 15% drop in trade. Surely that means that Brexit was a spectacular own goal?
How can this be in plain sight but totally ignored?

[Stanley]

There is no politics again today as the country is paralysed by Xmas/New Year. In many trades work has to go on as usual, why isn't politics regarded as equally important? It's ridiculous that in a time when there are so many crisis points and so many voters sick with worry that the politicians can all go home or on holiday as if nothing was happening.
We need a change to some serious full time management!
Later.... Numerous countries are announcing restrictions on travellers from China in view of the danger of new Covid variants being transmitted. Why is the UK not taking precautionary measures? Could it be because nobody is minding the shop?

[Tizer]

Numerous countries are announcing restrictions on travellers from China in view of the danger of new Covid variants being transmitted. Why is the UK not taking precautionary measures? Could it be because nobody is minding the shop?

Its deja vu. The UK government was far too late imposing restrictions in 2020 and now it's making the same mistake. It's estimated that around 250 million Chinese currently have covid infections.

[PanBiker]

WHO are trying to find out if it is a new variant in which case we could be stuffed yet again by dragging our feet. All restrictions on travel both in and out of China have been lifted and their government is only admitting 5,000 or so cases a day. Other experts looking at the bigger picture with the hospitals stuffed to bursting put that figure more than ten times higher. We could well be sleepwalking into another nightmare but not to worry our caring government will get a grip when they get back from their holidays, bloody disgrace.

[Tripps]

not to worry our caring government will get a grip when they get back from their holidays,

Watch Dr John Campbell's videos. If what he says is true the current Chinese outbreak is mild but very infectious and had an R number of about 18 - 20. He said there is no way the spread of the infection within the whole of China can be prevented - whatever the figures released by their Government say.

If we checked arrivals from China - what would we do with those who tested positive? Remember in 2020, when they were put in coaches and taken to isolation hotels? The hotels will all be full of dinghy asylum seekers now I guess. Is it possible to check those who have been infected in China and yet arrived here from somewhere else. There are already reports of a plane in Italy having 50% infected passengers. ** Not sure if they were landed, but if so, they could then travel to UK. It was said that possibly the Wuhan virus came to Europe via textile workers to Northern Italy.

It's easy to blame the Government especially when you hate them. ( so do I ) The lesson from last time seems to be that you can't hide for ever from the virus - especially one as infectious as this one seems to be. Australia and New Zealand did so for a while, but it got them in the end.

Just my thoughts -

** PS I now find that the Chinese relaxation of travel restrictions does not start until January so this may not be true. The idea that infected people could arrive here from China via a third country still remains a probability.

[plaques]

Here are some facts and predictions from the Confederation of British Industry (CBI).
They start by saying what is obvious to those outside Downing St: that economic growth can only come from increasing productivity and maximising the workforce. Unfortunately Downing St; see it as increasing bank balances for those at the top and making those workers who are left to work harder for less pay. Increasing the number of visas for foreign only adds to the pile of bureaucracy for the company / worker rather than making it more flexible. The promises of the rate of inflation reducing to 4% are only aspirations which disappear in the mist of time . It should be remembered that the rate is the speed of increase not a reduction of prices. A 10% increase in wages today will only buy the same as the year before and another 4% rise will be required for the next year just to keep even again.

From the CBI report....

GDP growth forecast downgraded for 2023 - economy expected to contract by 0.4% next year
Productivity remains weak – 2% below pre-pandemic trend at end-2024
Business investment forecast to be 9% below pre-pandemic levels
Year-long fall in consumer spending as squeeze on households continues into 2023
Inflation expected to have peaked, but will remain significantly above Bank of England target next year

[Stanley]

And inflation peaking only means the rate of increase slowing just as Ken says. I'm only shopping for one and that mainly vegetables but my Co-op bill is over £20 a week and my butcher is £15 extra. I can only imagine what it must be like feeding hungry kids.
What we are facing in therms of wages is a consequence of holding back sensible increases for years. This is perfectly clear but ignored by the government. How do we make them sit down and negotiate? Go onto the streets?
See THIS BBC report of the Statement from the TUC.
"The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has accused the government of refusing to negotiate on public sector pay. Its new general secretary, Paul Nowak, suggested in a BBC interview that ministers were using pay review bodies "as a human shield" in negotiations. There has been widespread strike action in recent months as prices have soared.
But the government has said if public sector wages rose in line with the cost of living, it would lead to "worsening debt", leaving "everyone poorer". Speaking to the BBC's Today programme, Mr Nowak argued that independent pay review bodies were going into negotiations with their "hands tied" by the government. "The pay review body process itself is in danger of being brought into disrepute because the government is hiding behind the pay review bodies, refusing to negotiate on pay and refusing to reach a reasonable settlement with our public sector unions," he said."
This is a statement of the bleeding obvious but the government simply says they are 'being reasonable'. They are not, they are provoking the unions and hoping that they will break. In the process the nation suffers. It's the Hungry Thirties all over again and no end in sight.

[PanBiker]

It's the Hungry Thirties all over again and no end in sight.

Anyone who takes any notice knows how that ended and it wasn't very nice. A perfect recipe for extremism to rise in one form or another.

This useless government is hoping it can limp through to the next general election when it will no longer be their problem. Abhorrent that they are trying to do as much damage to the country and it's people as possible before we get there. They will probably have a committee to conjure up a suitable note to leave on their way out.

[Stanley]

"on their way out."
If only.....

[Stanley]

See THIS for a brief account of the New Years Honours list. A few surprises. Tom Scholar, the Treasury expert sacked by the Tories gets a knighthood. Our useless MP Andrew Stephenson gets a CBE. (So sycophancy and following the Party Line pays off.) Nadine Norris not mentioned, that will be a bitter pill, she was hoping her mate Boris would oblige.
Also see THIS if you really need to see a statement of the bleeding obvious by Sunak as a New Year message to the nation. No mention of where he is. Still on holidays?

[plaques]

if you really need to see a statement of the bleeding obvious by Sunak as a New Year message to the nation.

The message is that 2023 is not going to change and will get worse than this year. From this we can assume that there will be no general election in 2023. The rate of inflation may slow but the total cost will continue to rise. Wages will continue to fall behind the cost of living so people will become relatively poorer. Energy prices may be showing a temporary dip but if China recovers and the Ukraine war continues there will be no change in prices as far as the UK is concerned. Brexit will continue to make UK's trading position worse and if Rees-Mogg's The Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) will see 4000+ removed without any parliamentary discussing and taking the UK back to the dark ages.
Not bad going for an invisible do nothing government.

[Stanley]

You're right Ken, it's a masterclass in inactivity having beneficial results.
I'm sure you're right in identifying Sunak's key task is damage limitation in the aftermath of the year's pantomime.
Problem is he could be doing a good job, the British public have such short memories.
In one of the 'end of year' anthologies on the BBC I heard a rerun of the disastrous Truss news round of the local radio stations. Even now it's unbelievable!
If I have it right Parliament does not sit again until Monday the 8th of January. Such a leisurely schedule. One would think that this must be a particularly tranquil time in politics.... Or are they just out of touch with the real world?

[Stanley]

There is still no politics. The Tories have evidently decided that the least said the better. We appear to be drifting rudderless on a hostile ocean. Not the Johnsonian vision of the ship of state steaming into a bright post Brexit future.

[plaques]

There's no politics in the news because what was to happen isn't happening. The proposed 'big bang' childcare has now been put on the the back burner. Over the years the cost of childcare has been rising to a point where earnings don't cover the childcare costs. The plan was to increase the free childcare support so that parents could return to work to help the economy. Sunak has decided that this is too expensive so the burden remains with the parents.

.

Child Care.jpg

[Stanley]

Very true Ken. I was talking about the cost of child care with grand daughter Jess only yesterday and it is astronomical. She has a very good job but is in effect working mainly to pay nursery fees.....
See THIS BBC report on the state of the NHS and the rising tide of demands for the Tories to stop their 'inactivity policy' and start to talk to the staff about wages. Also it isn't good enough to promise money in the future, action is needed this day to quote one of the Tory Party's heroes.....
See THIS also for a straw in the wind that suggests movement is going to be needed on another front where the Tories are doing nothing, Ireland. Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar has said mistakes were made on all sides in the way Brexit was negotiated. This is a very clear signal that action is needed on the matter. Unfortunately it's another area where the government have been sat on their hands doing nothing, hoping the problems will go away?

[plaques]

In a past post I mentioned that Health and Safety could be changed under the proposed EU Law changes. A quick read of the bill going through parliament looks like I could be mistaken. In mitigation its a 78 page document full of subsections and interlaced clauses, Ref..eg...

What EU-derived domestic legislation does EDSL not cover?
The sunset clause does not apply to anything contained in primary legislation.
The Bill defines as primary legislation anything contained in:
• a UK Act of Parliament;
• an Act or Measure of a devolved legislature; or
• Northern Ireland legislation.56
Hence, for example, the Equality Act 2010 and the Health and Safety at Work
Act 1974, would not expire under clause 1, even though they are EU-derived
domestic legislation under section 2 of EUWA. They would instead form part of
“assimilated law” from 2024 onwards (see clause 6).


The biggest weakness in this bill appears to be that the review of the laws will be handled by selected committees and not parliament also there are a number of sunset clauses that if the law isn't reviewed then the old law will disappear completely.

Generally beyond my paygrade but I'm a fighter not a quitter This statement didn't do Liz Truss any good.