[Politics] Tory meltdown finally arrived [was: incoming]...

[WATFORD zero]

Truss has vowed to commission a new £200M Royal yacht. Mad cow.

Well she'll need to be bloody quick to get it done before she abolishes them

 

[The Clamp]

MASSIVE red flag.

“Rishi Sunak has said he would put the UK on a “crisis footing” from his first day as prime minister”.

“In a speech in Grantham on Saturday, the Lincolnshire home town of Margaret Thatcher, Sunak will try to move the debate on from tax cuts to the NHS by pledging to put the health service on a “war footing” with a vaccines-style taskforce set up to drive down the “emergency” of “massive backlogs”.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/jul/23/rishi-sunak-vows-uk-crisis-footing-becomes-pm

Lots of very dangerous things can happen when the government declares a crisis situation for a nation.

This could very possibly be the final solution for privatising the NHS.

Leaders can assume all sorts of powers in a crisis. I don’t like this one bit.

 

[Bold Seagull]

For the last 47 years we've used EU laws to cover such things as food, medicine, employment, safety and finance to save the cost of Britain doing exactly the same thing in British Law. If we are now going tear up that legislation that we copied and pasted on leaving the EU, you may be able to see the dangers.

And it's already started with the publishing of the Financial Services Bill

https://www.insurancetimes.co.uk/news/uk-government-publishes-financial-services-and-markets-bill/1441849.article

Because the Financial services markets has no history of disasters so definitely need less regulation, don't they ? I can see why some more cynical than my good self are claiming this was one of the main drivers behind Brexit

The weird thing is, those to the right blamed Labour for the 2008 financial crisis for not bringing in tighter financial regulations. This is what they fought the 2010 election on. Does anyone in their right mind seriously not see what is happening here? Does anyone really think the financial sector needs less regulation?

 

[The Clamp]

The weird thing is, those to the right blamed Labour for the 2008 financial crisis for not bringing in tighter financial regulations. This is what they fought the 2010 election on. Does anyone in their right mind seriously not see what is happening here? Does anyone really think the financial sector needs less regulation?

Quite.

It’s clear, whomsoever becomes PM, the Tory agenda is to turn the U.K. into a sanctuary for tax dodgers and to sell off our few remaining assets. The NHS will not survive this government. The poor will not survive this government.

And with Sunak ready to declare a “war footing”, all this deregulation and privatisation will take place behind closed doors with no consultation and no recourse.


God help us.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

most if not all regulations are in our law. or we're saying the EU did impose hundreds of laws. its bluff and bluster, talk up Brexit rhetoric without having to actually do anything.

Which is why the Tories have said they want to make a massive bonfire of them. British rules for British people. Already, noisy protests are banned and carry a ten year prison sentence.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Quite.

It’s clear, whomsoever becomes PM, the Tory agenda is to turn the U.K. into a sanctuary for tax dodgers and to sell off our few remaining assets. The NHS will not survive this government. The poor will not survive this government.

And with Sunak ready to declare a “war footing”, all this deregulation and privatisation will take place behind closed doors with no consultation and no recourse.


God help us.

I looked into the 'Freeports' yesterday which now have nothing to do with ports anymore because the buzzword is zones. Charter Cities which basically are up for sale.
Privately owned cities similar to ones being pushed in the USA.
This letter explains a bit more.

https://www.thenational.scot/politi...ed-charter-cities-pose-huge-threat-democracy/

Here is the Tax Payers Alliance (another secret society within the Tory Party) version of Charter Cities

https://www.taxpayersalliance.com/charter_cities_f1_qrrrebspo_1e_acnz6xzb7l0

 

[The Clamp]

I looked into the 'Freeports' yesterday which now have nothing to do with ports anymore because the buzzword is zones. Charter Cities which basically are up for sale.
Privately owned cities similar to ones being pushed in the USA.
This letter explains a bit more.

https://www.thenational.scot/politi...ed-charter-cities-pose-huge-threat-democracy/

Here is the Tax Payers Alliance (another secret society within the Tory Party) version of Charter Cities

https://www.taxpayersalliance.com/charter_cities_f1_qrrrebspo_1e_acnz6xzb7l0

Thank you, I shall have a read.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Thank you, I shall have a read.

The other thing that worries me is the selling off of Tory membership to anyone, not just UK voters. I'm sure a few in the USA will buy in as well as Russia.

 

[Acker79]

So one candidate who’s going to be furious when they find out which party has been in Government for the last 12 years, and one who wants to strip us of our food, medicine and other safety legislation.

Or to put it in a way that makes it clear why Truss is favourite:

One who wants to acknowledge the issue the tories have created/exacerbated and nominally at least try to address them, and one who wants to make europe the bogeyman and remove any lingering links no matter how useful they are.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

I was commenting on the analogy. The policies weren’t unpopular, even if the presentation/personnel might have been to many. An unpopular leader with unpopular policies doesn’t get over 12m votes. Regardless or winning or not, to jump from 9.3m to 12.8m votes matters and Starmer knows that. He has to steer through retaining the popularity of some of those policies with appearing more appealing to those that cannot dip their toes anywhere but the apparent safety of the centre ground.

Indeed.

Another way of looking at the Corbyn voter appeal is that Corbyn got so many votes because a sufficient number of people detested the tories of the time and voted labour despite Corbyn. I can't recall how I voted now (tactically or what) but I could very well have held my nose and voted labour. Thise were rabid times. And we shall never know what might have been.

All I know is that labour's chances have recovered now Corbyn is gone. Just as the tories' may improve once Liz Truss is gone.

As for Starmer retaining some of Corbyn's policies as a tactical electoral manouvre.....blimey, I can't name you one Corbyn policy now. Let me look them up.....

https://labour.org.uk/manifesto-2019/

"Labour will rewrite the rules of the economy,", yes indeed. And why stop there? Why not rewrite the laws of mathematics! OH, hubris. I shall move on...

"We will bring rail, mail, water and energy into public ownership". I like that. It sounded madly expensive in 2019 but Covid has shown that there is plenty of money to spaff if you have a will to spaff it.

"We will deliver full-fibre broadband free to everybody in every home in our country", I like that, same applies as above.

"We will bring in a Real Living Wage of at least £10 per hour for all workers – with equal rights at work from day one on the job. We will end insecurity
and exploitation by ending zero-hours contracts and strengthening trade union rights." Yes, I agree with all that.

When Corbyn became leader I recall, now, thinking, OK let's see how he leads. These policies are all decent and, after Covid, seem exciting; expensive, but achievable - and transformative.

The problem with all this was Corbyn himself. Pretending his phone wasn't working during an awkward interview. Dithering over the EU. Being very slow to respond to events. And allowing the antisemitism issue to snowball. Last seen on a picket line for the UCU (partly responsible for my UCU resignation).

By contrast Johnson had no policies, no principles and no abilities but he can claim he 'got Brexit done' and 'cured Covid', by signing orders, and then letting others get on with the work, and then by telling everyone how successful it all is. It isn't just about what you want to do, it is about selling it and not being distracted, and appearing to be a leader. Corbyn would have been entrenched in nonsense the second he got through the doors of number 10. Maybe not, but that's how it seemed to me.

Johnson's mistake was to believe his own bullshit and think that repeatedly lying would be overlooked by his own MPs, rather than let the clever people do the planning and just front it all up, like he did when mayor.

Corbyn's mistake was to miss opportunities to nip nonsense in the bud (like antisemitism), dithering, playing to a narrow gallery of teenagers and activists, surrounding himself with people lacking the skill set to communicate to the public, whether through ill health (Abbott and her brittle diabetes), poor judgement (Abbott and spare head three, by 'eck) and not realizing the importance of having a clause 4 moment (in fact I think he wanted to bring clause 4 back, didn't he?) to symbolize a moving on from the 1930s. Nationalization may be good, but make it sexy or people will run away screaming 'Scargill! Crowe! Aaaaargh!'.

Anyway, all water under the bridge now. Time to look forward with a clear eye and a measured strategy.

 

[nicko31]

The other thing that worries me is the selling off of Tory membership to anyone, not just UK voters. I'm sure a few in the USA will buy in as well as Russia.

It is incredible as long as you pay for Tory membership, it’s possible that anyone, anywhere can vote in their leadership election.

In contrast 3m EU Nationals many who had lived in the UK and paid taxes here for decades were deprived of a vote in the 2016 referendum.

 

[beorhthelm]

I looked into the 'Freeports' yesterday which now have nothing to do with ports anymore because the buzzword is zones. Charter Cities which basically are up for sale.
Privately owned cities similar to ones being pushed in the USA.
This letter explains a bit more.

https://www.thenational.scot/politi...ed-charter-cities-pose-huge-threat-democracy/

had a chuckle at the obvious contradictions in that article. anti-democractic? dont live in a charter city then. so its been talked about in the US, but none actually exist. the irony libertarians want deregulation while would introduce tight control? well no, they wouldnt, the whole premise is light regulation. it would be an interesting experiment to have a corporate run mini state, see just how good provision of service would work, lessons to learn. definatly not a threat to democracy though as it would exist in isolation and you dont have to live there.

 

[The Clamp]

had a chuckle at the obvious contradictions in that article anti-democractic? dont live in a charter city then. so its been talked about in the US, but none actually exist. the irony libertarians want deregulation would introduce tight control? well no, they wouldnt, the whole premise is light regulation. it would be an interesting experiment to have a corporate run mini state, see just how good provision of service would work, lessons to learn. definatly not a threat to democracy though as it would exist in isolation and you dont have to live there.

Nothing, especially a city, exists in isolation.

If they are making their own climate protection rules for profit that fall below acceptable standards, it affects everyone.

If the electorate vote in a political party we expect that party to have jurisdiction over the entire country. Not to have exceptions.

If that city decides it doesn’t want BAME people living there. Or Homosexuals. That is an affront to democracy and human rights. It’s about who and what they exclude as well as who or what they include.

It is a terrible idea with far reaching implications.

 

[TomandJerry]

Absolute carnage at Dover, what will Rishi or Truss do about it?

https://twitter.com/phdumont/status...-latest-updates-dover-queues-uk-france-border



Sent from my Pixel 6 using Tapatalk

 

[KZNSeagull]

How many passport booths are at Dover? The Port Authority head said yesterday that the number has been increased by 50% but to what? And there is not a lot that anyone in the UK can do if the French Border Police do not turn up in the numbers required as happened yesterday morning.

 

[Bakero]

Absolute carnage at Dover, what will Rishi or Truss do about it?

https://twitter.com/phdumont/status...-latest-updates-dover-queues-uk-france-border



Sent from my Pixel 6 using Tapatalk

Blame the French?

 

[Thunder Bolt]

How many passport booths are at Dover? The Port Authority head said yesterday that the number has been increased by 50% but to what? And there is not a lot that anyone in the UK can do if the French Border Police do not turn up in the numbers required as happened yesterday morning.

Six.
The government turned down an offer to double them.

https://www.thelondoneconomic.com/p...-passport-booths-at-dover-in-2020-330342/amp/

 

[KZNSeagull]

Six.
The government turned down an offer to double them.

https://www.thelondoneconomic.com/p...-passport-booths-at-dover-in-2020-330342/amp/

Where did you get 6 from if you don't mind me asking? That proposal was in 2020. They were increased by 50% last year, hence why I asked the question. Someone else on Twitter says that there are already 10.

Edit: Port of Dover requested 14 French staff yesterday and only 6 turned up. There must be more than 6 booths if they need 14 staff I would have thought.

Edit Again: Telegraph says that there are 12 French passport booths at Dover.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Where did you get 6 from if you don't mind me asking? That proposal was in 2020. They were increased by 50% last year, hence why I asked the question. Someone else on Twitter says that there are already 10.

Edit: Port of Dover requested 14 French staff yesterday and only 6 turned up. There must be more than 6 booths if they need 14 staff I would have thought.

Edit Again: Telegraph says that there are 12 French passport booths at Dover.

I counted the lanes yesterday, not including the freight.
I have seen a photo since with more lanes, so that’s wrong.

 

[KZNSeagull]

I counted the lanes yesterday, not including the freight.

Telegraph says that only 6 were open yesterday as not enough staff for the others. So I guess there must be 6 freight and 6 passenger?