POLITICS CORNER

[Stanley]

A very pertinent point David. Using the least intrusive regime to 'flag' your vessel has long been a scam. Time to make it public.
See THIS report on Sunak's statement in the House yesterday.
Joint US-UK strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen were intended as a "limited, single action", Rishi Sunak has said. Following reports of more attacks by the rebel group on ships in the Red Sea on Monday, the prime minister refused to speculate whether he would take further military action in response. But he said the UK "will not hesitate to protect our security, our people and our interests where required". Labour said it backed the "targeted action". However, leader Sir Keir Starmer told the Commons military action must be "underpinned by a clear strategy". He added that the strikes still carried risks and "we must avoid escalation across the Middle East".
Don't Sunak and Starmer realise that the present position is escalation?
The elephant in the room is of course that the joint US/UK 'action' has done nothing to make shipping any cheaper, they have all diverted round the Cape already.
See THIS for another area where we are having no progress at all.
Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris has said if a Stormont executive is not restored by Friday, he will have some decisions to make. There has been no devolved government since February 2022. On Monday, Mr Heaton-Harris held more talks with the parties. He said he would set out his next steps "in due course", which could involve laying out primary legislation at Westminster, but he did not give further details.
How much longer can this be allowed to go on? It is a ridiculous state of affairs. I know it can never happen but I would like to see the UK wash its hands of Northern Ireland and let it paddle its own canoe.

[Stanley]

We all knew that austerity was biting into local council finances but in an election year we are now beginning to see the full awful scale. Look at THIS
The debt mountain at UK councils has reached staggering levels, posing a risk to local services, the Public Accounts Committee has said. BBC analysis shows UK councils owe a combined £97.8bn to lenders, equivalent to around £1,400 per person. Committee chair Meg Hillier warned of an "extreme and long-lasting effect" if more councils go bust. Council leaders say years of government under-funding have forced them to invest in commercial ventures.
What this report shows is that no matter who wins the next general election they are on a hiding to nothing in terms of the public finances. Due of course to the complete failure of Tory policies since 2010.

[Stanley]

The headlines tell us that Sunak has won his battle over the Rwanda Plan. See THIS report on last night's vote.
Rishi Sunak has succeeded in getting his key Rwanda bill through the House of Commons after a Tory rebellion failed to materialise. The bill, which aims to stop legal challenges against ministers' plans to send asylum seekers to Rwanda, was approved by 320 votes to 276 votes. Dozens of Tories thought the bill was flawed and had threatened to rebel but in the end, only 11 voted against it. The bill now goes to the House of Lords where it will face stiff opposition. Mr Sunak argues that deporting some asylum seekers to Rwanda will be a deterrent to migrants seeking to get to the UK by crossing the Channel in small boats, but Labour has labelled the plan an expensive "gimmick". Over the past two days MPs on the right of the Conservative Party have tried to change the bill, arguing that, without amendments, the government's Rwanda plan could be blocked by the courts.
In another part of the Westminster forest we are informed that Rwanda has said it 'could pay money back if no asylum seekers are sent there.'
Hands up all those who still believe in fairy tales!

[Stanley]

Hard to believe it but look at what the lead political news is THIS
The government is expected to back making stealing cats and dogs a specific criminal offence in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. A bill being debated in the Commons on Friday would create an offence of "pet abduction". Under the legislation, anyone convicted of the offence could face a fine or a maximum of five years in prison. Ministers are understood to be "very sympathetic" to the plan. Currently, pets are considered in law to be property and stealing a pet is covered by the 1968 Theft Act. The law is similar in Scotland. The government promised to make the abduction of dogs a criminal offence in 2021, but no such legislation has yet been passed.
I am fully in favour of protecting pets but would hardly have thought that this was the most important political matter from yesterday.
Try THIS for something slightly more important.
Rishi Sunak has been rebuked by the UK's statistics watchdog over his claim to have cleared the backlog of asylum claims. The Home Office claimed earlier this month to have cleared a "legacy" backlog of 92,000 applications lodged before July 2022. The prime minister then posted on social media to say "the backlog of asylum decisions" had been cleared. But the watchdog said people may have felt "misled" by his language. Official figures show a decision had not been reached in 4,537 of the "legacy" cases highlighted by the Home Office. And they also showed that there are still 98,599 cases in the overall backlog where an initial decision has yet to be made.
In other words our Prime Minister has been rebuked by Parliament for lying to us.
I was under the impression that this was not allowed in Parliament and that there are sanctions against it. evidently this does not apply to Mr Sunak.....

[Stanley]

See THIS for the lead headline in this morning's BBC political news.
A former lawyer for Baroness Mone has apologised to the BBC for false statements he made about money her husband, Doug Barrowman, gave to the Conservative Party. Lawyer Jonathan Coad told BBC News in December 2020 that Mr Barrowman had no ownership role with a firm that has donated more than £150,000 to the Tories since 2017. But evidence has since emerged that suggests that was not the case. Mr Barrowman has declined to comment. Mr Coad has already apologised for misleading journalists about Baroness Mone's links to PPE Medpro, which is being sued by the government for supplying medical equipment worth £122m that has never been used. PPE Medpro is defending the claim. Last month, the former Tory peer admitted in a BBC interview that she had lied to journalists about her involvement with the firm but said that was "not a crime".
Just like yesterday, the lead headline is about lying.
Or you could try THIS newsout of Northern Ireland.
Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) officers did not hold a vote or make a decision on whether or not to return to power-sharing at Stormont when they met earlier. The DUP is the second largest party in the Northern Ireland Assembly but it has been blocking a functioning assembly and executive since February 2022. It is facing pressure to say if it will back a new deal to end the impasse. But for now the deadlock continues. Party leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson is a member of the party officer board, along with 11 others whose support is critical if the party's Stormont boycott is to end. The DUP said on Friday evening it understood there was "considerable interest" in the meeting, but it would "not give a running commentary on our position, save to say, we will continue to engage with the government".
The NI situation has surely reached the point where heads need to be knocked together. This is a pantomime not a political process and is governed solely by how much money the DUP can screw out of a bankrupt government. Time to cut the link and let them fend for themselves.

[Stanley]

You might well question why THIS BBC news report is seen by me to be political.
A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a woman was found dead at a house. Police went to Princes Road, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk at about 09:11 GMT, after receiving information that a woman's body was in the property. Officers found a dead woman aged in her 30s inside. A man, in his 40s, was arrested on suspicion of murder and has been taken into custody for questioning. Det Insp Alix Wright, of Norfolk Police, said: "We are in the very early stages of this investigation and are currently working to understand the sequence of events which has led to this woman's death. "We do, however, believe this to be an isolated incident and both parties were known to one another." A cordon has now been put in place around the house. The force also said that "following previous police contact prior to death" the matter would be referred to the Independent Office of Police Conduct.
If you read other accounts of this incident it appears that there was a delay in answering a 999 call from the premises.
The reason why I see this as political is that there are too many incidents like this where the suspicion is that police response has been slow or non-existent due to lack of resources. In turn this looks like a consequence of austerity. For that reason I suspect it's political.

[Stanley]

Have a look at THIS item of political news this morning and ask yourself why these MPs have only become aware of this in and election year?
Dozens of MPs, including more than 40 Tories, have written to the PM demanding extra funding for councils in England to avoid big cuts to services. Several former cabinet ministers are among those who have signed the letter. The group say they are "exceptionally concerned" at the measures many local authorities are planning as they try to avoid going bust, including raising council tax and cutting services. The government said it had announced a £64bn funding package for councils. There has been growing concern across the local government sector about council funding, with particular pressure on the cost of providing care for vulnerable adults and children, as well as housing services.
One of the key strategies to cutting Treasury expenses and aiding austerity for the last 14 years has been devolving more and more responsibility on local councils and expecting those essential functions to be funded locally. These range from accommodation for anyone made homeless, whether they are asylum seekers or evicted, homeless families to the latest fear, lack of funding for sexual health clinics. Levels of STDs are said to be the highest in recorded history.
This the strategy that has brought the councils down to the state they are in. Some of them due to mistaken efforts to enter business using borrowed money to try to generate income to finance Council responsibilities.
Whatever, the policy of austerity has reached the end of the road, just look round you at the state of public services from NHS to Police and Justice. The time has come for a dose of reality. HS2 has already bitten the dust, too many high visibility projects that we can't afford have been allowed to happen. We need some reality and radical pruning!

[Stanley]

THIS item of political news caught my eye this morning.
Conservative Party attacks on the National Trust are desperate and damaging, Sir Keir Starmer has said. Addressing a summit of charities and not-for-profit groups, the Labour leader said the Conservatives had got "tangled up in culture wars of their own making". He said a Labour government would "reset" the relationship between government and civil society. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak hit back accusing Sir Keir of not having a plan. The prime minister said he hadn't seen the Labour leader's speech but added that "it does sound to me like a distraction from the fact that Keir Starmer, who has been leader of the opposition for four years, can't actually say what he would do differently to run this country".
In recent years the National Trust, a conservation charity, has been criticised by Conservative MPs. In 2020 a group of backbenchers objected to the National Trust linking the family home of Winston Churchill to slavery and colonialism. Last year, Lee Anderson, who was then a deputy chair of the Conservative Party, criticised the charity for listing policies it wanted the government to commit to. He told GB News "Brits expect the National Trust to protect our heritage, not lecture them on net zero." Another Conservative MP - Jacob Rees-Mogg - backed a group seeking to change the National Trust, saying in a social media post: "The National Trust should remain true to its founding principles and stay clear of identity politics, which has already alienated tens of thousands of members." Sir Keir also said Conservative rhetoric had "helped demonise" the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).
What bothers me is that if Sunak is to be believed we have over 6 months to go until the election but even at this early stage, the debate is getting bad-tempered. This is bad for constructive politics and if this is the path we are on, far better if the election is brought forwards and got out of the way. As it is Sunak is trying to time it to best suit him and his Party. Once again, Tory Party concerns trump the needs of the UK.
Now where have we come across that before?

[Stanley]

Have a look at THIS.
The UK will not hesitate to take further military action against Houthi targets in Yemen if the group continues Red Sea attacks, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has told MPs. Mr Sunak said the UK was not seeking confrontation with the Iran-backed group, but would continue to act in self-defence. It follows overnight strikes with the US in Yemen. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said he backed the "targeted action". Four RAF Typhoons and two Voyager tankers took part in a second wave of joint US-UK action against the Houthis on Monday night, following previous raids on 11 January. They targeted two military sites used to support attacks on shipping north of Yemen's capital, Sanaa. The prime minister said all intended targets were destroyed. Addressing the House of Commons on Tuesday, Mr Sunak said: "We are not seeking a confrontation. We urge the Houthis and those who enable them to stop these illegal and unacceptable attacks. "But, if necessary, the United Kingdom will not hesitate to respond again in self-defence."
I wonder whether Sunak thinks we are as bonkers as he is? I don't see taking action against targets in Yemen as being a good way of demonstrating that we do not seek confrontation.
In addition he seems to believe that bombing the Houthi targets can be a remedy for the problem that is the increase in maritime transport costs caused by re-routing round the Cape is causing in Western economic circles. I would have thought they just make it worse.
This probably demonstrates clearly that I do not understand what is happening and should keep my nose out of it.
I simply see a beleaguered little man trying to demonstrate that he is a statesman and carries some weight in the world. The old 'punching above our weight' argument.
It's pathetic.

[Stanley]

Sunak seems to have been working behind the scenes to stop the rot in his Party. See THIS BBC report this morning....
Ex-minister Sir Simon Clarke has said he was acting on his own when he called for Rishi Sunak to be ousted. In an interview with the BBC, the Tory MP refused to say who he thought should be PM. But he warned his party was on course for "a shattering defeat" without a change of leader, adding: "No one likes that guy who's shouting 'iceberg'." A number of senior Tories have criticised Sir Simon over his calls for Mr Sunak to be removed as PM. Asked if he was surprised none of his colleagues had publicly backed his argument, Sir Simon said: "I always expected this would be the start of a conversation. "I've incurred some pretty hostile comments from a number of people... I can take that and I totally respect the strong views that something like this evokes. "No one likes the guy who's shouting 'iceberg' but I suspect that people will be even less happy if we hit the iceberg. And we are on course to do that."
In other posts the commentators are asking questions like 'Has Rishi Sunak seen off latest Tory wobbles?'
This is not the reporting we expect about a party with over 6 months governance still ahead of it. How long can it survive?

[Stanley]

See THIS for an indication of how well trade talks go these days now we have full sovereignty after Brexit.
The UK has stopped its trade talks with Canada, after nearly two years of negotiations on a post-Brexit agreement. Trade between the two countries currently takes place under the terms of a deal the UK rolled over from its time as an EU member. A time-limited agreement allowed the UK to continue to sell cars and cheese without high import taxes. But talks about extending these as part of a new deal have now broken down. It marks the first time the UK has formally suspended talks with a trade partner since formally leaving the EU trading regime in 2021. It will also mean the UK's trading terms with Canada will now be worse than when it was part of the EU's deal with the country.
Welcome to Jonson's brave new world....
I see in another part of the Westminster forest the unlikely duo ob Blair and Hague are arguing for the selling of NHS data to finance a tech boom. Why does that send a chill through my bones?
See THIS report suggesting that talk of tax cuts before the election might have to be scaled back.....
Promises of tax cuts during general election campaigns may have to be rolled back as the UK economy faces some of its worst problems since the 1950s, a leading think tank has said. "Tax cuts today add to the risk of tax rises or spending cuts tomorrow," the Institute for Fiscal Studies said. Politicians need to be honest about tough economic trade-offs, it added. But the Treasury said the economy was turning a corner, and that growth would mean more funding for public services. IFS director Paul Johnson said that if political parties looking to form the next government "are promising tax cuts, let's hear where the spending cuts will fall". "It might be easy to announce immediate tax cuts, without any hint of what it is the state currently does that it will stop doing, or what taxes will rise in future, but this trade-off cannot be wished away," the IFS's report said.
Note that phrase:- "Politicians need to be honest....." if only!

[Tripps]

I see in another part of the Westminster forest the unlikely duo of Blair and Hague are arguing for the selling of NHS data to finance a tech boom.

We're ahead of them here. .
A shop in the next village sells medical data solutions. I've never felt the need to go in, but no doubt you can buy a page or two there.

Med stats shop.jpg

To restore the spirit I rotated through 180 degrees and this is what I saw. It's been there a bit longer than the shop. I cleverly managed to include my shadow in the photo. Almost like a signature.

PS I must have inadvertently pressed something - as the phone began to repeatedly click, and when I got home I found I had taken ten pictures of the church. plus one of the double yellow lines.

Church.jpg

[Stanley]

What's a 'Medical Data Solution'? Like you, I would avoid them.
I have scanned the political news this morning and it would appear that the only political happening of note since yesterday is THIS.
The former UK head of Fujitsu during part of the Post Office scandal has resigned from his role at the Cabinet Office. Michael Keegan, who is married to Education Secretary Gillian Keegan, is understood to have resigned voluntarily from his part-time role. He has been approached for comment. Mr Keegan was Fujitsu's UK chief executive between May 2014 and June 2015. The tech company was behind the faulty Horizon bookkeeping software. The Cabinet Office declined to comment on his resignation as a Crown Representative, managing the relationship between BAE Systems and the government.
There must have been some interesting conversations in that household!

[Stanley]

There is no political news this morning. Our governing party is too occupied in examining its navel and deciding it doesn't like what it sees. Will someone please declare an election.
Looking at the global scene I can't remember ever having seen such a mess. The IDF being accused of genocide. UNRA having its funding stopped because it is suspected of supporting HAMAS and a US presidential candidate who is accused of rape and other crimes. Then you look at home events and see nothing to calm your nerves.
Later.... There is some political news!
See THIS BBC report about the chairman of the Post Office.
The Post Office chairman has stepped down amid ongoing tensions after the Horizon IT scandal that saw hundreds of sub-postmasters wrongly convicted. Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch said she and Henry Staunton parted ways with mutual consent, as the Post Office was under heightened scrutiny and she "felt there was a need for new leadership". But the Post Office said in a statement that he had been asked to leave. An interim chair is expected to be appointed shortly.
This is a developing story, already there are discrepancies in the stories we are being fed. Keep an eye on it.

[Tripps]

There is no political news this morning.

Once again that depends on what you mean by political news, and where you seek it.

I learned last night that a gentleman called Azhar Ali will be the Labour candidate in the forthcoming (indecent haste?) by-election in Rochdale, caused by the death of Sir Tony Lloyd. He will be well known to residents, and politics watchers in Pendle. A chap called Paul Waugh born and brought up in a council house in Spotland, and seen in some quarters as the choice of Keir Starmer was an 'also ran'. I know nothing about the Labour Party in Rochdale but I'm not in the least surprised. It fits what is becoming a national pattern.

I'd suggest that's "political news".



I also learn (to be confirmed) that the formidable George Galloway has said he will be standing - that will liven things up a bit. Remember when he schooled the US Congress. George Galloway

*********

"Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch said she and Henry Staunton parted ways with mutual consent,"


That now turns out to be untrue. Ordinary people might describe the statement as a lie, but for politicians it is only that when they are found out. He was fired. Amazingly - his salary was only £155,000 - that's less than the Prime Minister.

[Stanley]

You are quite right David, my statement was too sweeping but that's how I see politics at the moment. I want to see important political truths to be recognised and acted on and at the moment that means we need a general election!
THIS caught my eye this morning, some clarification about the departure of Mr Staunton....
The Post Office chairman was sacked because it "just wasn't working", the business secretary says. Kemi Badenoch told the BBC that Henry Staunton's departure was about more than just the Horizon scandal, in the wake of public outcry over the wrongful convictions of sub-postmasters. Ms Badenoch said she removed him after concerns about Post Office governance and "the entire business model". Labour called on the government to give more specific reasons for its decision. Mr Staunton left the role - which he had been appointed to in December 2022 - on Saturday. The BBC has approached him for comment. The Post Office said Mr Staunton had been asked to go by Ms Badenoch.
So yes you are quite right David. Ms Badenoch's original response was a direct lie. Labour do right to demand an explanation, question is will they get it. One thing she said was quite right. The Post Office management model wasn't working and hasn't been for a long time. Eventually the government, as owner and controller of the business is going to have to answer the question why didn't they clamp down on the obvious failings sooner?

[PanBiker]

I learned last night that a gentleman called Azhar Ali will be the Labour candidate in the forthcoming (indecent haste?) by-election in Rochdale, caused by the death of Sir Tony Lloyd.

Azhar is a friend of mine, he was elected to Pendle Council at the same time my wife Sally was back in the 90's He is currently the leader of the Labour Group on Lancashire County Council and has stood against Stephenson in Pendle in the past.

Brierfield's Azhar Ali announced as Labour candidate for Rochdale

[Tripps]

I've corrected my post to read Sir Tony Lloyd rather than Terry Lloyd. Sorry.

[PanBiker]

I thought it didn't seem quite right.

[Stanley]

THIS caught my eye this morning....
Rishi Sunak's flagship Rwanda bill has faced strong criticism during its first debate in the House of Lords. Peers including the Archbishop of Canterbury attacked the principles of the bill, while the Liberal Democrats tried to kill it entirely. That move failed with the House of Lords voting to allow the bill to move to the next stage by 206 votes to 84. However, peers have indicated they will try to strip out key powers as the bill progresses. The government's plan aims to halt legal challenges against sending asylum seekers to Rwanda.
It seems as though Sunak's appeal to the Lords to give him an easy ride has fallen on deaf ears.
If you read on, the Bill has some very principled reasoning against it by very respectable peers.
Have a look at THIS report thaqt Mr Sunak has had yet another disappointment.
Rishi Sunak is disappointed train operators have not used a new law aimed at enforcing minimum service levels during strikes this week, No 10 said. Last year, the government changed the rules in order to allow train companies to require enough people to work during strikes to run 40% of normal services. However, this power will not be used during the upcoming industrial action by trade union Aslef. No 10 said it was up to the operators "to effectively manage their services".
Perhaps Mr Sunak should ask himself why the operating companies aren't using the powers the new legislation gives them. It would appear that they have realised that to do so would be counter-productive. You can't get an improvement by forcing workers to do what you want by law, they will simply go off sick.....
HERE'S a government measure that I thoroughly approve of.
Disposable vapes are set to be banned as part of plans to tackle the rising number of young people taking up vaping, the government says. Measures will also be introduced to prevent vapes being marketed at children and to target under-age sales. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak suggested adult smokers trying to quit would still have access to alternatives like vapes under the proposals. The ban is expected to be introduced across the UK, the government said. It is already illegal to sell any vape to anyone under 18, but disposable vapes - often sold in smaller, more colourful packaging than refillable ones - are a "key driver behind the alarming rise in youth vaping", according to the government.
I may have got the wrong impression but I have thought that the reason why these products weren't banned in the first place is because the government was afraid of being seen as anti-business. The health of our children is more important than a few spivs making a quick buck out of selling cheap Chinese disposable vapes.

[Stanley]

We have genuine high class political news this morning, have a look at THIS. It looks as though the DUP has agreed at last to participate in power sharing at Stormont and the Northern Ireland political stalemate is therefore broken.
Four years ago to the day, the UK left the European Union. At 23:00 GMT on 31 January 2020 (midnight Brussels time, as January became February there), the EU shrank, the UK was out. Here we are four years later, as the latest solution to one of the knottiest of consequences of Brexit, or at least the flavour of Brexit chosen, is revealed. The government will publish what is known as a Command Paper later, setting out the detail of the changes to Northern Ireland's post-Brexit arrangements that have tempted the Democratic Unionists, or at least most of them, to go back into power-sharing devolved government. Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris will return from Belfast to lead a debate in the Commons. Within government there is optimism power sharing might finally be about to return, save for any last minute hitches. One of the golden rules of UK politics is don't predict the future in Northern Ireland. But, this time, it looks on.
We all hope so but don't hold your breath. We have had too many false dawns in the past and I for one don't understand how it can be claimed that the Command Paper changes enough of the Windsor Agreement to make this possible when the EU said that it was set in stone. Have the EU been consulted and agreed? Hopefully we will get some clarification later. Personally I don't believe that this is some sort of new dawn in relations. Johnson's enormous cock- up is alive and well and I doubt if this has healed everything up.

[Tripps]

I think the impending Rochdale by-election is the most important British political event for a long time, and would repay close scrutiny. It has existential implications for those who have an open mind, and care to look.

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

PS:- Later that same day -
Simon Webb has noticed features of this election. Rochdale by-election

This is the clip to which he refers. Afzal Khan MP for Manchester Gorton translates

[Stanley]

"My non-working days are Monday - Sunday "
Only just noticed that David.... I like it.
See THIS BBC report at the head of today's news.
The financial crisis facing England's councils is "out of control" with even well-run local authorities at risk of going bust, MPs have warned. A cross-party committee said the government must plug a £4bn funding gap to avoid a "severe impact" on services. They also called for council tax to be reformed, describing the current system as "outdated" and "regressive". The government said it recognised the challenges facing councils and had announced an extra £600m in support. In a new report, the Commons Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Committee said councils were being hit by "systemic underfunding", as well as increased costs and demands for services. The Local Government Association estimates councils in England are facing a funding gap of £4bn over the next two years. Labour MP Clive Betts, who chairs the committee, said: "If the government fails to plug this gap, well-run councils could face the very real prospect of effectively going bust."
This is of course not really 'news' as we have been aware of the consequences of Tory Austerity policies for 14 years now. What this committee is signalling is that we have reached the denouement and from now on the effects of these policies designed to reduce government outgoings are going to be in your face as front line services are cut and councils effectively declare bankruptcy.
What you will be aware of is that we are in an election year. This is why government has put in a measly £600million when the shortfall is going to be £4billion. It isn't going to work and Mr Hunt might have to produce some economic miracles other than tax cuts for the wealthy.
The Tories aren't stupid, they know what damage these policies are doing but they evidently think that the consequences are acceptable if outflows of cash to the provinces can be avoided.

[Tripps]

Labour MP Clive Betts, who chairs the committee

I checked him out, and find that -
"Betts lives in a farmhouse on the Derbyshire border with his partner James Thomas, who is also employed as his parliamentary assistant.[20] "

I also learn about Complaints against Clive Betts

I learned yesterday that the MP for Finchley Mike Freer is quitting at the election
Freer is gay, which he revealed to fellow MPs during a speech in the debates over the Marriage
He lives with his husband, Angelo Crolla,[31] in Finchley, north London.[7] He entered into a civil partnership in January 2007. On the eighth anniversary of their civil partnership, in January 2015, they converted it into a marriage.[32]

I was unaware of the personal lives of either. Is it important? I don't know. It all seems to be in the public domain, so anyone who thinks it important can be fully aware of it.

I find this link interesting LGBT politicians


There will of course be others who keep matters more private, but make of it all what you will. . . .or ignore it if you prefer.

[Stanley]

I find all this gender morphing very confusing. If, as seems likely, there were just as many gay people when I was a lad they must have kept quiet about it because I wasn't aware of anything until. fairly recently. We had historical examples like Oscar Wilde but beyond that, nothing. I suppose I am old fashioned but that suited me and I had no interest what others did in their spare time.
With regards to Mr Betts, I'm not interested in what pronoun he prefers but I do think it's a bit cosy that his partner James Thomas is employed as his parliamentary assistant. However I shall not allow that to spoil my life.....
This morning I noted THIS latest political news from Northern Ireland.
The Northern Ireland Assembly is to sit on Saturday after the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) ended its boycott of the power-sharing institutions. The DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson wrote to the Speaker following the passage of legislation in the House of Commons on Thursday. The legislation will mean no routine checks on British goods being sold to consumers in Northern Ireland. Saturday marks two years to the day since the DUP collapsed the executive. The party's boycott was in protest over trade arrangements after Brexit.
I see that this is described as 'a new dawn' for N. Ireland. I've seen too many of those to have any confidence in that statement. I also think that there is much more to this than meets the eye. I thought the EU had said that the Windsor agreement was set in stone yet it appears to have been 'modified'. I also see the DUP as a declining force and Sinn Féin as being in the ascendant and openly talking about reunification. I think all these matters are connected and we are not being told the half of it. So, par for the course and all we can do is acquiesce and keep stum.