Category: Politics

The Speaker of the HoL has spoken about the need to have experts rather than political appointees and aides. A quick way to do this would be to put a time limit of 5 years on all members, with exceptions to those who had made speeches and contributed to committees (although even these could be put forward for re-election. I am sure something like this would work. I am not sure about Labour’s plan to have elected members. heredutary members should be timed out along with the clergy – unless they have relevant skills to bring. Political appointments should be limited to 20, in proportion to the HoC and having a 60% majority vote by MP’s. Honours for sports people should not give automatic entry to the Lords. Resignation honours lists should not give entry to HoL.

Average house price £1244025. Madness. Where will the actual workers live? In winter it is dead as many are second homes. A totally broken housing market exists in this country – but how can it be solved? Sandbanks – previously the most expensive place to buy in the UK, was built for the rich, Salcombe used to be a proper town with pubs and shops open all the year round and most people working locally. 80% of sales are for 2nd home owners or buy to let.

Actually there does seem to be an answer. Increase top levels of tax – upto 90% for £10million. Hopefully many of these people will then bugger off. House prices at the top end in London and elsewhere will plumet. I guess there would be bit of a recession in London due to investors withdrswung money from the financiql sector. It should not affect much else as the general population will have the same amount of money to spend. But if the rich can no longer afford second homes and their yachts and private jets so be it.

An economy based on betting (foreign exchange and the stock market is unsustainable). These sectors have a place – but it has become too central. Moving to a home based economy does not mean a return to “The Good Life” type scenario!

First some stats – 60% of Americans approve of his indictment; he has a 16 point lead over DeSantis for the Republican nomination for president.

He says he is innocent before even knowing what the charges are – but then he was hardly going to be accused of being a nice human being! No doubt tye rednecked numbskulls will turn up with their tattoos, big bikes and pick-ups.

Basically the further polarisation of the USA continues. The same tactic is being used here by the ERG and the Mail, Express and Telegraph – fortunately none of them are relevant these days. Johnson was deposed before he could inflict further damage and his star is waning. Raab is doomed and Braverman is increasingly looking out of place. Sunak’s reading of opinion polls seems to suggest that he thinks he needs to keep the ERG group on board, especially in the Red Wall Seats, and maybe in the UKIP areas. He alsoseems to realise that culture wars are his only realistic chance.

The Times today has a go at Starmer with an opinion poll which shows that people do not know what he stands for. Whilst he keeps his powder dry, which may be a good tactic for now, he will need to come out and state firm policies. Whilst he is unlikely to face the toxic bombardment that Corbyn (and Foot and Kinnock before him) faced, they are gearing up to undermie labour at every oportunity. The BBC is under intense scrutiny from left and right continually – it has a right wing bias in its management structure and its journalists seem unwilling to pursue government ministers with appropriate zeal. I say appropriate because the party in power should be held to account for the actions – I am sure the same reporters will attack Labour with zeal if they get into power. However Sky News and Channel 5 are doing OK!

Back to Trump – if it all hits off between police and Trump supporters (and I am sure some left wing antagonists will be happy to join in, it is highly unlikely that he will go on air and plead for calm!

PS> Tories did their biggest ever dump of public information notices on the day Parliament closed for Easter – they really are corrupt to the core.

In the world of the Premiership Football League failure results in the sack very quickly – more than half of the teams have sacked their manager this season. In Government gross incompetence and corruption and bullying is rewarded. Variable working conditions to allow for second, third, fourth jobs, generous expenses and no responsibility fo efficiency or even honesty.

Their belief in the stupidity of the British Public gets more fantastic every day. Coach loads of adolescent children being held at the port of Dover (A total fucking nightmare for the teachers in charge – let alone the children!). But Braverman lies and says it is nothing to do with Brexit but bad weather? Does she read the Daily Star? I think even that paper might have too much humour for her (the lettuce and Truss?). Customs officials needing to check every passport since Brexit – of course it has every thing to do with Brexit. So stop lying to us.

The Guardian has apologised fornte role played by its founders in creating the money to start the paper (via sugar cane plantations). Now the UN has called for the British Government and the Royal muckers to investigate the role of slavery in the past.

I know there will be shouts of derision from the right wing. I am not sure an apology is worth tuppence, but knowledge of the past is surely sensible. Knowing half the truth means that the full perspective of events in the past is possibly a lie, or at least incomplete.

i have not looked into my family history and doubt there is much of real interest – if however I was rich with inherited wealth that was accrued through the pain and suffering of others it would make me very uncomfortable. In many ways the wealth of the UK is based to a large extent on the suffering of others across the world. Our capacity to inflict sufferering stretches from the satanic mills and mines of this country to every continent in the world.

Loke I said it makes me feel uncomfortable. That is why morally we should do more to help former colonies and those still. sufferong from our past misdemeanours. King Charles yesterday laid a wreath to commemorate those civilians killed in bombing raids by the RAF in WWII, some of the raids were already been seen as pointless, but a wreath does help acknowledge the wrongs of the past.

I have heard many say, as indeed I think I have done so myself, that slavery was the norm for the time. It was only the norm for the small ruling class. It has always been seen and cruel by large nubers of people (if they had time to escape their own enslavement in factories). Other countries were also notably sadistic when it came to the colonies – Belgium, Spain, Portugal, Netherlands, France. That is no excuse either. Slavery has and does exist across the world – the Arab World was renowned for it – and Qatar paying security agents 30p/hour maybe a midern example of it – but again no excuse for not recognising our not inconsiderable role in slavery.

The buffoons who rule this country believe it is acceptable to accept £10000 a day, Sunak making millions, or $500000 for an after dinner speech by a liar, whilst refusing NHS staff a pay rise in line with inflation. That is the mentality of the ruling class in this country. Why does the Telegraph and Mail so hate the acknowledgment of slavery and the benefits we have gained? It does not fit their culture war – there must be a counter to their sordid attempt to undermine British Culture.

Angela Raynor does Raab!

How embarrassing for Raab! He should resign asap!

It looks like there will be a deluge of appointments to the over. stuffed upper chamber. Labour will be unlikely to rock. the boat of they win the next election – but they should, and fast. Immediate action should be to limit admittance to 3 or 5 years. That would thin out the numbers and create a great discussion. Obviously hereditary peers would be gone. There maybe a case for some judges to be appointed for longer to ensure the legality issues are properly dealt with – but this could be worked out with caveats to ensure neutrality. There would also need to be some 4 nations issues addressed.

But for sure we do not heed 700+ lords of whom many are wasters.

The United Kingdom desrves a House of Lords (better names?) that can continue to advance the leagality and fairness of future legislation without partisan voting. I have been impressed by debates I have heard in the HoL – intelligent nuanced comments that did not rely on the need to appease bigoted voters. It should not be abolished!