POLITICS CORNER

[Tripps]

I'm trying to not get involved in this. It's all far too serious for me, and perhaps for a forum such as this.

However google 'Hamas Charter' - read it. and then think about proportionality.

[Stanley]

Yes David, you are quite right and I tell myself the same thing but then the horror of what is happening floods in again and overwhelms me. As I have said so often during my life, I am not interested in blame but in consequences, the consequences of HAMAS and Israel's actions in Gaza are the stuff of nightmares. Listening to Netanyahu talking about 'eliminating' HAMAS means that there is going to be more of the same and I want it to stop.
As for UK politics, anyone would think they had all gone home for Xmas. I saw THIS headline and when I read the text I realised how old I am and how hopelessly out of touch.
Eddie Izzard has failed in her bid to become a Labour candidate for a Brighton constituency at the next general election. The comedian and actor had hoped to contest Brighton Pavilion - the seat held by Green MP Caroline Lucas since 2010. She will stand down when the election takes place.
I hadn't realised Eddie Izzard wasn't a bloke..... Someone has turned the world upside down......

[Stanley]

Can someone please explain to me why Michelle Mone is being referred to as 'the Former Conservative Peer' when all the enquiries I have made inform me that she is a Conservative Peer.
Someone needs to catch up, is it me?

[Tripps]

Someone needs to catch up, is it me?

No - best stay where you are I'd suggest. Less stressful.

Eddie Izzard - or more politically correctly Suzy Izzard now "identifies" as female, so must be referred to as such. However -

What is Eddie Izzard's new name?
She wrote on Twitter on Thursday (1 June): “As people may now well know, I have added the name 'Suzy' to my names. So going forward I am preferring Suzy but I don't mind Eddie. “And I prefer she/her but I don't mind he/him. So no one can really get it wrong unless they call me Kenneth or Sabrina.2 Jun 2023

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Now Ms Mone -

The Independent says
Former Tory peer Baroness Mone has admitted she lied and lied again as she conceded she stands to benefit from £60million in profit over a PPE contract at the height of the Covid crisis.

Poor sub- editing, but that only makes sense if they mean former Tory rather than former peer. The fact that they say Baroness would indicate that they consider that she is still a peer - which she is.

PS Not only did she lie - her legal team threatened action for defamation against any journalist who suggested otherwise. That's quality lying.

I do hope that helps. . . .

[Stanley]

"her legal team threatened action for defamation against any journalist who suggested otherwise."
I think you're right David, best if I stay where I am. As far as actions like that are concerned I am in ignorance and better off there. That quotation is barking mad.....
Having said that, Mone is once more heading the political news this morning.
My attention was caught by THIS report that once again the DUP is blocking any moves to restart Stormont.
The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) has ruled out the prospect of a deal to restore devolution in Northern Ireland before Christmas, the BBC understands. It has been boycotting Stormont since early 2022 in protest against post-Brexit trade rules. Talks about a £2.5bn financial offer from the government, should Stormont return, resumed at Hillsborough earlier.
Ireland has been a problem all of my long life and what beats me is why we haven't walked away from it long since. Am I alone in believing that 'The Irish Problem' will only be solved when Ireland is united and independent? The way the DUP is acting must be moving Northern Ireland in that direction.
If you can bear it.... THIS report on another Conservative MP being under investigation includes a full list of all eight MPS currently being investigated..... and a Merry Xmas to you all......

[Stanley]

See THIS for the headline political news event this morning.
MP Peter Bone has lost his seat after being removed by constituents in a recall petition, meaning a by-election will be held next year. The move came after he was suspended as an MP over bullying and sexual misconduct claims, which he denies. Mr Bone turned Wellingborough in Northamptonshire into a safe Tory seat after becoming its MP in 2005. But the by-election will be seen as a tough test for Rishi Sunak, with the Tories trailing Labour in the polls.The recall petition was prompted by Mr Bone's suspension from the House of Commons for six weeks for breaching the code of conduct for MPs. he Conservative Party had withdrawn the whip from Mr Bone, meaning he had been sitting as an independent MP in Parliament.
I for one am glad to see this. I have always regarded Bone as a nasty piece of work.
See THIS report on the position in N. Ireland. It looks as though the ball is now firmly in the DUP's court. Whitehall would appear to have lost patience and has reached the limit of what money it is prepared to throw at the problem. I have to say that I lost patience with the DUP a long time ago but of course that doesn't count!
Meanwhile, in another part of the forest.... THIS would seem to be bad news for Trump but of course he will appeal......

[Tripps]

Closer to home -

I watched a lot of the Pendle Council meeting last night. There were three of us in the online audience, and no sign of any members of the public. As usual I didn't understand the detail of it all but sums of money in the low millions of pounds were mentioned. so it must have been important.

I'm still surprised that the deputy leader is playing a full part in proceedings, and wonder if his reported remarks had been made by - for instance - David Whipp, whether the outcome would have been the same.

Why does he wear short trousers in December - do his knees get cold ? Mine would.

[Stanley]

Thank you for monitoring Pendle Council for us David.... I wouldn't have the patience to do it. Short trousers in December. I have no idea and often wonder about it. No different than women in short skirts I suppose.... My reaction to them has always been that they must have the constitution of a cart horse!
See THIS dire warning about the next general election.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has already been used to disrupt elections around the world - and there are fears among senior politicians and the security services that the UK will be next. Former Justice Secretary Sir Robert Buckland is urging the government to do more to tackle what he sees as a "clear and present danger" to UK democracy. The Conservative MP, who now chairs the Northern Ireland select committee, is particularly concerned about the rise of deep fakes - realistic audio and video clips of politicians appearing to say things they did not say. The threat posed to democracy by AI-generated misinformation does not belong to some dystopian vision of the future, he argues. "The future is here. It's happening.
The phrase that springs to mind is that we are too clever for our own good. What a wonderful world we have created. Climate change, pandemics and a future marred by Artificial Intelligence. I'm glad I will be shuffling off this mortal coil shortly so it won't affect me too badly but I do wonder about the mess we have created for our descendants.....
Have a look at THIS and then explain to me how something as ludicrous as this could happen.....
Northern mayors have mocked the government for a post announcing £235m of transport funding under the "Network North" logo - for roads in London. The slogan was dreamed up by Whitehall as the branding for how some £36bn would be spent after the northern leg of HS2 was controversially axed. But Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham said the concept seemed to include "everywhere except the north".
They tell me the MPs have all gone home for Xmas now. Has there ever been a more chaotic time in British politics? and They have the gall to go on holiday until the 8th of January.

[Stanley]

There is no political news today as they have all gone on holiday but Sunak tries to give the impression he is working hard and in charge. See THIS for his latest blast of policy-making.
The government has rowed back on plans to hike the salary needed to bring family members to the UK to £38,700 next spring. The increase - from the current level of £18,600 - was announced earlier this month as part of a plan to lower legal migration. But the new threshold will initially be set at £29,000, with further increases at unspecified dates thereafter. Labour said the change showed "Tory government chaos". Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said ministers had failed to consult properly on the new threshold, adding: "it's no surprise they are now rowing back in a rush". Ministers had been facing pressure over the issue in recent weeks, amid warnings the new visa rules would keep families apart.
The real epicentre of political activity is of course in Wellingborough where the opposition parties are campaigning to take Bone's seat when a by-election is confirmed. (LINK)

[Stanley]

THIS news is almost a day old and apart from mutterings from Hunt and the Treasury that 'it isn't as bad as it looks' we have heard nothing.
The UK is at risk of recession after revised figures showed the economy shrank between July and September. Gross domestic product, which measures the health of the economy, contracted by 0.1% after previous estimates suggested growth has been flat. Meanwhile, there was zero growth between April and June, after it was first calculated to have risen by 0.2%. recession is typically defined as when the economy shrinks for two three-month periods - or quarters - in a row. There have been concerns over the UK's weak economic growth for some time, but the country has managed to avoid a recession so far. Ashley Webb, UK economist at Capital Economics, said that the revised figures "may mean that the mildest of mild recessions started" in the third quarter between July and September. But he added regardless of whether there was a "small recession", the bigger picture was that economists expected economic growth to "remain subdued throughout 2024."
Not the best backdrop to an election campaign next year.....
THIS won't help either!
Regulated train fares in England will rise by up to 4.9% from March, the Department for Transport has said. The increase is capped below inflation and will be delayed from January when hikes usually come into force. In the past, fares have risen based on July's retail price index (RPI) measure of inflation, plus an additional 1%. But the Department for Transport has decided to limit fare price increases for a second year in a row below July's RPI rate which was 9%. The rise is announced after passengers have faced disruption to services due to strikes by rail workers over the past 18 months. About 45% of fares are regulated, meaning they are directly influenced by the government. These include most season tickets, travelcards, some off-peak returns, and anytime tickets around major cities. Last year, the government increased national rail fares by 5.9%, which was well below July 2022's RPI figure of 12.3%. But it was still the largest hike since 2012, according to regulator the Office of Rail and Road.
Mr Sunak isn't going to have a very good New Year I fear.....

[Tripps]

Look at what's happening in Rwanda. Rwanda refugees.

It's those 'rebels' at it again.

The scale of things makes Sunak's silly little expensive scheme look even more ridiculous than it is.
Mercifully the kids look to be in good health and safe.

[Stanley]

Morning David. A timely reminder of what Rwanda is really like.....
""We look different so we are hated and just killed. We were told that, as Tutsis, we would be targeted again and again until we leave," Angelique tells us with a painfully resigned look in her eye".
How do you recognise 'a painfully resigned look? I'd be happier with strictly factual reporting. But you are right, Sunak can spin his Rwanda Plan as much as he likes but it is a con-trick.
The handling of these matters is not helped by a Foreign Minister who describe towns (No, sorry. Their MP) as 'shitholes'. He is now in trouble for inappropriate jokes.
Home Secretary James Cleverly has been criticised for making a comment about spiking his wife's drink at a Downing Street reception. He reportedly said the ideal spouse is "someone who is always mildly sedated so she can never realise there are better men out there". According to the Sunday Mirror, Mr Cleverly also mentioned Rohypnol - a so-called "date rape" drug. He has apologised for making an "ironic joke" in a private conversation. Senior Labour party figures described the comments as "appalling", and said passing them off as a joke was the "most tired excuse in the book". According to reports first published by the Sunday Mirror newspaper, Mr Cleverly told some female guests there that "a little bit of Rohypnol in her drink every night" was "not really illegal if it's only a little bit". It also says he laughed that the secret to a long marriage was ensuring your spouse was "someone who is always mildly sedated so she can never realise there are better men out there".
He sounds like a thoroughly nice man doesn't he.....
Have a look at THIS for another Xmas message from our leaders.
Police forces and social media companies need to do more to help victims of romance scams, the government's new anti-fraud champion has told the BBC. Conservative MP Simon Fell, who took on the role last week, said romance fraud could be "really traumatic" for victims. "It's not just about people being involved in scams and having money extracted from them," he said. "It's also about some people defrauding others for sexual gratification, which is a far more pernicious crime and has a far deeper effect." Last year, the UK's National Fraud Intelligence Bureau received more than 8,000 reports of romance fraud - when someone is conned into sending money to a criminal who convinces them they are in a genuine relationship.
We are told that Mr Fell was in 'the fraud prevention sector' before he got his seat as an MP. Can't you imagine the spin doctors saying "Oh goody. That's a good distraction". I'm sure there are victims but there are more concrete evidences of wrong in society like thousands of rough sleepers and homeless families that equally deserve some attention.
Spend a few seconds imagining yourself outside this morning in the wind and rain..... Then realise we pay these people for their management of our country........

[PanBiker]

"someone who is always mildly sedated so she can never realise there are better men out there".

I don't think it would take her very long.

[Tripps]

I think Mr Cleverley will have to go. The fact that it is Christmas, and they are running out of new Home Secretaries may save him.

He joins me in getting into trouble over the issue 'drink spiking'.

I was subscribed to an online paper called 'The Mill' in Manchester. (on Sue's recommendation). They published an article on the subject, and I expressed some scepticism. It didn't go down well with the author who deleted my post without explanation, or opportunity to defend it. I resigned in protest - losing quite some money in the process.

Well I never - Google finds the article with a search for 'spiked drinks scepticism'. Spiked drinks . It seems longer than I remember it. My comment of course is missing.

I think I described the article as part urban myth and part fiction, and was told by Mollie Simpson the author that since the experience was so traumatic, I should therefore respect and believe every word that the lady said. I replied that was not my idea of journalism, and resigned on principle.

I based my scepticism on an article I read a long time ago which said that after analysis, in almost all cases no trace of any drug was found in the body of people who had alleged their drink had been spiked - except alcohol.

[Stanley]

I read the piece David and if I had commented on it I would undoubtedly have got into trouble. My opinions about the sense of mixing young people, strong drink and scanty clothing in an atmosphere like the typical 'night club' are totally contrary to mainstream opinion, so I keep stum!
As for Cleverly, I think you're right but think of the dilemma that puts Sunak in. He is desperate for stability in government and then he is faced with a fool like this who can't control his tongue. One could almost sympathise...... (But so far I am managing to avoid that!)
There is no UK political news this morning beyond Cleverly wrigglimng on the hook.
See THIS report from central Gaza of yet another example of the way Israel is conducting its war on HAMAS.
Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry says an Israeli air strike killed at least 70 people in the Al-Maghazi refugee camp in the centre of the strip. A spokesman said the death toll was likely to rise given the large number of families living in the area. The Israeli military told the BBC it was looking into reports of the strike. Israeli and Arab media say Egypt, which borders the Gaza Strip, has put forward a new proposal for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Dozens of injured people were rushed from Maghazi to nearby Al-Aqsa Hospital with footage showing some children's faces covered in blood and body bags piled outside. The health ministry says three houses were hit in the attack late on Sunday. According to ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra, a densely populated residential block was destroyed.
I'm not going to comment on this as it will only get me into trouble. You know what my opinion is about the way the IDF is running this campaign. All I will say is that you can't kill an idea with bombs and Israel is building up reservoirs of hate that it will have to deal with for centuries.

[Stanley]

There is no politics of course, everyone is hiding. However have a look at THIS for something that will have political consequences....
UK house prices are expected to fall in 2024, according to analysts and lenders, while the cost of renting a home will continue to rise. The government's official forecaster said property prices were most likely to drop by nearly 5%, although lenders expect less of a fall. Rents on newly-let properties could go up by a further 5-6%, property experts say, following a year of sharp rises. That would limit the benefit of falling prices for potential first-time buyers. Many tenants say they have been stretched by soaring costs, limiting the ability to save for a deposit among those wanting to buy a home.
And a Happy New Year to All!

[Tizer]

We know someone who has broken off her relationship with her husband and they need to sell their house to go their individual ways (children are grown up long gone to their own homes). They've been trying to sell through last year but first there were disagreements between them over the price, then by the time that was settled the market had stagnated. They reduced the price but it made no difference. They're are going to try again after the New Year holidays are over. They're hardly speaking to each other except for things to do with divorce and selling the house. It's going to be a long drawn out and unpleasant business.

[Tripps]

There is no politics of course, everyone is hiding

Depends how hard, and where you look.

This could be politics from Simon Webb - but not widely publicised. Turkye bombs the Kurds I can see him being barred from Youtube (again)as he is constantly going against the grain.

This is worth a look. The elephant in the room.
Use your intelligence and make of it what you will, but don't ignore it. Sermon

[Stanley]

THIS is what is at the head of BBC politics this morning.
The government has confirmed it is not planning to change the rules on selling in imperial measures after Brexit. Ministers looked at changing laws inherited from the EU that mean traders can use Britain's traditional weighing system only alongside the metric one. But they have now decided not to, after nearly 99% of respondents to an official consultation said they were happy with kilos and litres. However, post-Brexit changes are on the way for wine sold in shops. Legislation to be tabled in the new year will allow still and sparkling wine to be sold in "pint-sized" 568ml bottles for the first time. It will also allow still wine to be sold in 200ml containers, potentially paving the way for an expansion in the canned wine market.
This is hardly a matter of earth-shaking importance but I suppose it will help fill the news void over the holiday! I hate the Metric System but wouldn't think about muddying the waters by changing our systems of measurement again.
It seems to me that this is simple attention seeking, a floundering government trying to persuade the electorate that they are alert, proactive and working hard for us...... Yes I know, that's what I think as well!
Looking at other news from abroad I saw THIS and was appalled by the treatment some women still receive. We have problems here but nowhere near the scale of those described in this article about India.

[Stanley]

See THIS for what I suspect is another distraction item.
Kerbside collections for small electrical goods such as toasters and hairdryers could be rolled out across the UK from 2026 under government proposals to boost recycling. Ministers are also considering drop-off points in retailers where households can recycle unwanted items for free. And shops and online sellers would be made to pick up unwanted or broken larger electrical items such as fridges when delivering replacements. A 10-week consultation is taking place. Home collections would not require any extra bins, the government said, adding the cost of the pick-ups would be financed by the producers of electrical items and not fall on taxpayers.
Could they possibly be trying to assure us that they are working for us and all is well?

[Stanley]

It's a nil report this morning and that in itself is, I think, significant. Have you noticed that very little has been said about the downgrading of economic results for the last three months and only hints about a low retail spend up to Xmas. All we get is Mr Hunt being relentlessly optimistic in defence of his boss. I have a feeling that when we eventually get accurate figures it is not going to be a pretty picture.....

[Tripps]

It's a nil report this morning and that in itself is, I think, significant

Look harder . . .

On LBC this morning was a discussion about the next leader of the Tory party. The idea that Sunak is finished has become routine over the last couple of weeks. The names mentioned as his possible successors amazed me. Penny Mordaunt, Suella Braverman, Priti Patel, James Cleverly (!!) and the easy favourite Kemi Badenoch.

Good grief. . . .

[Stanley]

You're right David but somehow that doesn't cut the mustard as high politics with me, more gossip.
I'm not sure if THIS qualifies euther....
Britain's shortest-serving prime minister Liz Truss has unveiled her resignation honours list, sparking an angry backlash from some critics. Ms Truss, who spent 49 days in office, nominated Conservative donor Jon Moynihan and ex-Vote Leave chief Matthew Elliott for seats in the Lords. Ruth Porter, a former senior Truss aide, is also made a peer. Outgoing PMs routinely recommend people for honours - but Rishi Sunak had faced calls to block Ms Truss's list. Her nominations - which largely consist of political supporters and former aides - have been announced at the same time as the New Year Honours list, but Downing Street sources denied this was an attempt to limit coverage of Ms Truss's list....Deputy Lib Dem leader Daisy Cooper said: "Truss handing out gongs after blowing a hole in the public finances and leaving families reeling from spiralling mortgage costs calls this whole honours system into disrepute."
I think you all know what my general opinion of the honours system is. This particular manifestation of it seems to me to be ludicrous.....Not only that but I assume she gets the full pension rights, severance package and security detail as well. I think we need a probationary period for qualification for these and an end to the whole of the honours system as Ms Cooper suggests. We should do as they do in France and have just one honour, it has been suggested that it should be The Order of Merit.

[Stanley]

If you want an example of stating the bleeding obvious, have a look at this!
Get ready - general election talk will dominate 2024
That's the size of political comment this morning.

[Tripps]

I learned this morning that neither Tony Blair nor Gordon Brown did a resignation honours list, and they also refused a peerage. That has raised them both a little in my estimation.

This is an interesting list of people who have declined an honour

I especially like
LS Lowry - artist (in 1972 and 1976; had previously declined appointment as OBE in 1955 and CBE in 1961 and a knighthood in 1968; holds the record for the most honours declined).[4]
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PS Looks like another "Remains of the Day". I wonder if Lord Darlington was in attendance?

According to the Sunday Times, Cummings and Sunak held talks in North Yorkshire, where the prime minister’s constituency is located, in July. The discussions were so secret that some members of Sunak’s inner circle knew nothing about them, the paper said.