POLITICS CORNER

[Tizer]

I suspect that if you have a Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc account then any web sites you visit that show their icons (and that's many of them) will pass on your details to the to those tech businesses.

[Stanley]

The 'plot' worked and Parliament won. The first decision of the intelligence committee was to publish the report immediately. Lewis has attacked Johnson for breaking the rules. Rifkind savages Johnson and 'his advisers' as well and Raab Immediately gets the government defence in early. Lovely.
Appeal court rules on the withdrawal of the ISIS wife's nationality. Says she should be let in to defend herself. Government will appeal. Lawyers rub hands with glee. Shades of Bleak House.

[Stanley]

I heard a discussion on R4 about the latest moves to beef up the NHS for winter and a possible second spike in the virus. One interesting facet is the extension of the contracts with the private hospitals which in effect make them part of the NHS in terms of providing services and beds. Evidently the big private health insurance companies haven't been performing well in financial terms and the extension of the contracts is a very useful and timely boost for them and of course their shareholders. The suspicion is that with the NHS being short of resources this is very near to nationalisation of the private hospitals with foreign investment being the funders. I'm not sure whether this is a good thing or not.
More and more criticism about Health England refusing to give local councils the up to date figures on infections as soon as they are available thus hampering local efforts to track and trace. Even more important in terms of local spikes of course. Why on earth should they be withholding what is, after all, public information?
Meanwhile, in another part of the forest... See THIS Guardian account of the spat between Trump and the Fox interviewer Wallace. Quite obvious I thing that Trump is not interested in anything but blatant electioneering and is himself generating false news in the shape of unfounded allegations about his Democratic rival Joe Biden. I think Trump is a worried man and the election could get a lot dirtier in the next three months.

[Tizer]

Be sure to listen to the latest episode from the excellent Americast programme: LINK
The BBC blurb: `It’s Joe Biden’s most important decision of the campaign: who will he pick as his potential vice president? We know it’s going to be a woman, we know he’ll announce soon, and we know some of the names in the frame. Emily, Jon and Anthony assess the people who could soon be a heartbeat away from the vice presidency, and talk to former Health Secretary and VP contender Kathleen Sebelius about the arduous vetting process.' [Sopel opens the episode with his shock at the Trump-Fauci fiasco.]

Regarding the NHS preparedness for winter...I think we should set up a civilian Medical Reserve Corps by analogy with the territorial armed forces reserves. People taking time off each week from their normal jobs to learn how to play a part in a future health crisis (and there'll be plenty of those, especially with our failure to hold back climate change and the deteriorating international relations). Then when another crisis comes we can call them in full time. The training would be good experience in general and employers should support it. Even now many big employers send there staff out to contribute to the local area, partly to give them more experience but mainly to improve their company image. In many cases people's `day jobs' would already give them useful experience and knowledge - for example, scientists would be able to help in lab work and testing.

[PanBiker]

Even now many big employers send there staff out to contribute to the local area, partly to give them more experience but mainly to improve their company image.

It worked well for Bosom Friends we had help from M&$ who sent half a dozen of their younger staff to help us paint the upstairs of the centre. We provided the paint and brushes they provided the labour. We had a good laugh throughout the day and they even came with an allowance for subsistence so they shouted lunch.

[Tizer]

You can't beat getting people together on a project. There needs to be more of it, especially in these divisive times. I must admit I feel pessimistic these days. I'm not in a depressed state and I'm happily getting on with life but I see so many things going wrong worldwide and little being done about it. I don't have much confidence in any of the current batch of politicians in the UK or in the business leaders. I'm concerned for young people and their outlook. Something needs to be done but I suspect it'll end up being events again. So many cans have been kicked down the road that we're heading towards a scrapyard full of them!

[Stanley]

Good posts and all pointing the same way, towards the efficacy of cooperation and effective action at local level. Pity our leaders can't see this but act as though real devolution to local level is unimportant. Best evidence of this is under-funding of local authorities and that's just one of the cans you alluded to Peter.

[Stanley]

I heard the Mayor of Bristol talking about the removal of the latest statue on the plinth vacated by Colston. I have seldom heard such clarity and common sense from a public figure. Impressive.

[Stanley]

See THIS BBC report on the publication of the intelligence committee report at 10:30AM this morning. Well done Mr Lewis. Cummings and Johnson will be spitting tacks. Good.
Later, pay rises and congratulations for 900,000 public servants which is good. But why nothing for medical staff and carers in particular. I've just heard a government spokesman defending that position and the silencing of the Chief Nurse when she criticised Dominic Cummings for his eye sight test in County Durham. It was pathetic and transparent and embarrassing to listen to. These yes men certainly work hard for their pay (Above minimum wage).

[plaques]

At the moment until the report gets into the public domain its still all speculation. The Russians are still considered as the bad guys with the black hats who go round spying and killing people who cross them. We are of course the good guys with silver spurs and white hats who only seek information through recognised channels like Twitter and Facebook. James Bond would never do anything as dastardly has hurt anybody except in self defense.
The government will drag in all manor of "we believe" and "there is evidence to suggest" to muddy the picture. The answer is probably as it always is' Follow the money'

[Tizer]

It's going from bad to worse in the US. At this rate they'll have a civil war on their hands...
`Portland protests: Trump threatens to send officers to more US cities' LINK
`President Donald Trump has threatened to send more federal law enforcement officers to major US cities to control ongoing protests. Mr Trump on Monday criticised a number of cities run by "liberal Democrats", including Chicago and New York, saying their leaders were afraid to act. He said officers sent to Oregon had done a "fantastic job" restoring order amid days of protests in Portland. Democrats accuse Mr Trump of trying to rally his Conservative base....

`Mr Trump deployed the personnel to the US west coast city two weeks ago to quell civil unrest. Some officers have used unmarked cars and worn military-style camouflage on the streets, sparking condemnation from Democrats and activists. Local officials say the federal officers are making matters worse and have called for them to leave. State leaders have also demanded that Mr Trump remove the personnel from Portland, accusing him of escalating the situation as a political stunt in an election year....

`The officers are part of a new Department of Homeland Security (DHS) unit made up of people from the US Marshals Service and Customs and Border Protection. They have been deployed under an executive order protecting statues, signed by Mr Trump last month. That order allows federal officers to be deployed without the permission of individual US states. DHS is also planning to deploy some 150 agents to Chicago this week, the Chicago Tribune reported on Monday. The agents will reportedly assist other federal law enforcement officers and Chicago police in fighting crime....

`Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot had earlier said she was concerned about Mr Trump deploying federal officers to the city. She said she had spoken with Portland's mayor on Sunday "to get a sense of what's happened there". "We don't need federal agents without any insignia taking people off the streets and holding them, I think, unlawfully," Ms Lightfoot said...'.

[PanBiker]

`The officers are part of a new Department of Homeland Security (DHS) unit made up of people from the US Marshals Service and Customs and Border Protection. They have been deployed under an executive order protecting statues, signed by Mr Trump last month. That order allows federal officers to be deployed without the permission of individual US states.

That equates to a private army and surely could be considered an unlawful coup. That is how the situation would be judged in any other democracy. However, we are in Trumpland so I suppose even sedition against the state is OK. Not good on the poor and oppressed but unfortunately they will have to continue with their lot until some form of sanity returns.They need to stop voting for him.

[Stanley]

Now we know why Johnson did his best to bury the intelligence report. It is highly critical of the government accusing it of doing nothing in many areas. It is damning of policies on oligarchs, laundering money and seeking out evidence of Russian interference.
Private Eye is vindicated, this is exactly what they have been saying for years.....
You were correct Ken, follow the money.

[Tripps]

It seems there was no evidence for interference in our politics, but there wouldn't be - since they deliberately avoided finding any. It is said that Russia got involved with the Scottish referendum - but I can't find anywhere which side they favoured. Where's George Smilie when you need him ? What a cockeyed world exists at Westminster.

[Stanley]

That's putting it very mildly David. Have you read the latest PE?

[Tizer]

Tripps, I don't think it's a matter of favouring one side over another. Rather they are sowing disruption and discord by sending out information both for and against whatever the subject might be.

[Tripps]

That reminds me of Willie Whitelaw who accused people of going round the country stirring up apathy.

Now they are talking of starting a register of foreign agents. (spies). That would be handy. I thought spying was illegal - perhaps anyone who registers will be arrested. Was it Kipling who called it 'the great game'?

[Stanley]

Listening to PMQs yesterday, Johnson waffles when confronted with facts by Starmer and Starmer uses the occasion to make his main point, that Labour is under new management. Corbyn makes a big mistake in objecting against the court case over prosecution of Labour Party activists who blew the whistle on malpractice under Corbyn, he should keep stum, quite obvious they were justified. Starmer is quietly asserting authority and taking control. Just what is needed.
I heard an interesting discussion on whether the new strategy from No. 10 is to move away from Coronavirus dominating the news because eventually the government is going to be found culpable.
Trump has definitely got the wind up about the November elections...

[Stanley]

Later, I heard Brandon Lewis, Northern Ireland Secretary following the party line and refusing to answer any questions on the possible break-up of the union in Scotland and Northern Ireland. We should not be exposed to interviews like this. Totally insincere and addressed none of the obvious questions.

[Tizer]

The latest Americast is available, great as ever. When Trump was asked to comment on Ghislaine Maxwell he said he `wished her well' - people are wondering what he meant. The last three times he said that about people being prosecuted he pardoned them. Does he intend to get Maxwell off the hook too? And if so, why. Americast
BBC blurb: `President Trump restarted his coronavirus briefings and almost stuck to the script, apart from a rather surprising comment about Ghislaine Maxwell. And why federal agents are on the streets of Portland, and could soon be in Chicago. Also, why does the health of Ruth Bader Ginsburg matter to the election?'

[Stanley]

Trump will be talking to Roger Stone. The theory is that they are looking at how to elect the unelectable and are following Nixon word for word, he played on fear by wrapping himself in the flag and citing law and order. And won.

[Tizer]

On the Daily Mail's front page this morning `UK fury as Russia fires star wars missile'. They've only done such things before at low level but nothing as big as this.

I read that Japan is boosting its defences dramatically and shifting away from its post-WW2 game of calling its forces `defence forces'. All due to China of course. Japan now has 147 F-32 Lightning stealth fighters, more than any other nation except the US. It's building an aircraft carrier and more of other warship types. Of course, there are also all the US forces stationed in Japan. We're in for exciting times!

[Stanley]

All noted Peter and you are right, we are back to the worst days of the Cold War.
Meanwhile, any student of domestic policies must have got the message that, as I have predicted all year, No Deal Brexit is now not just the favoured option but is the only game in town. This is what was really behind the Johnson Scottish Excursion (curiously under reported don't you think?) and I think we can expect a similar trip to Ireland.
Another curiosity is the ambivalent attitude of this government to possible US trade talks. Despite lip service to the US in other matters, we are being told that our food standards will be protected and farmers not exposed to unfair competition from meat and produce produced to a lower standard than ours. This dichotomy cannot stand and I suspect that the obvious solution is to ditch some standards at the last minute (no doubt bolstered by 'Scientific Evidence). Time will tell but these are desperate times for the Tory Party even though they try to convince us this is not the case.
So, my prediction is that the fishermen of Scotland will be shielded but the farmers of England will not. What will that do to the Shire vote? I don't think that matters any more, they are not strong enough to outweigh the value of the Red Wall Vote. It will all come down to numbers.

[Stanley]

A sign of the times in the US. Trump has signed an executive order aimed at lowering the price of prescription drugs in the US, if necessary by importing drugs from places like Canada where they are cheaper. The ironic fact is that many of these cheaper drugs were manufactured in the US in the first place. Note, China is the world's biggest manufacturer of generic drugs. I doubt if that will be advertised in the US!

[Stanley]

Helen Whately was appointed Minister of State (Minister for Care) at the Department of Health and Social Care on 13 February 2020. I didn't know that, I had to look her up.
She was a good choice in No 10s terms if her performance on Today is anything to go by. She repeatedly stonewalled on answering questions and repeatedly parroted her brief which she has evidently learned by heart. In particular she wouldn't answer the question about whether the successful 'sugar tax' on soft drinks is to be extended to other foods. I think we can deduce that it isn't and this raises the question Why?
This type of stonewall interview is a complete waste of time, simply a means by which the government message can be driven home on national radio. Serious questions not tolerated.