Category: Politics

Exxon is suing the EU over a windfall tax. Shell announces record profits and all the rest will also do so. Meanwhile across the world inflation is hitting the poorest members of society. Surely the answer is to set a price cap for these industries across the developed world. How about a profit margin of e.g. 4% gross. With exemptions for fossil free energy production. Prices could be fixed like bank rates at bi-monthly meetings based on average prices. This would have the added advantage of giving haulage companies a degree of certainty. The companies will squeal but are they not very similar to the utility companies which have similar provisions? Prices at the pumps vary little between supermarkets.

Capitalism does not like price fixing, however rampant extortion on this scale means it is essential. The CAP of the EU enabled farmers to have fixed returns on investments and led to the thriving production across Europe. I acknowledge some negative impacts in LEDC’s.

How are some people so stupid? A phone in idiot complained that teachers only worked 180 days/year and should not complain. Why does he not become a teacher if it is such a doddle? These people seem to have an innate belief in communism that has got lost in the gaps in their brains. Different jobs have different requirements and therefore wages. Public sector workers have seen their relative wages diminish, relative to other workers, whilst inflation has had a major role in undermining training costs and time. If a train driver earns £70000 because that is what their role is valued at, they should not have to face a pay cut.

Also with inflation wages go up and so do taxes like income tax and national insurance. So the government must be mismanaging the economy if their income is rising commensurately? We know that their mismanagement of Brexit has lowered our exports massively.

Then the government announces it is spending more on education than ever before! That is inflation for you. Where does this extra money go? Academies are supposed to be more efficient – has anyone ever seen any figures to show this? Although some head teachers are paid in excess of £150000. Efficient county support services have been shut down and management outsourced. Secretarial and office staff at a secondary school often needs its own multi-storey block, whist in class support is being cut. One example – at Churchill there were 2.5 office staff in 1986. Today about 20. Wage slips are outsourced, but then checked as basic errors seem to be common. And now academies are merging to achieve economies of scale – will they call them local authorities? Which themselves do not cut wages of executives when they outsource responsibilities!

Teachers should not be running the finances of schools just as doctors should not be running the surgeries finances. My view on teaching would be to increase pay with experience. this would include pastoral experience. But have a cut off of about £70000. Management of the site and finances would be separated. Why should a good teacher/doctor be denied the opportunity to continue following their excellence? Often to pursue a management role they are untrained for and crap at!

Latest mantra from the Brexit Brigade is that it will take 10 years before wee see the benefits, whilst some realignments (PAIN) still has to take place. With our economy performing worse than any other in the developed world this is disastrous. Also in 10 years how will anyone know whether any perceived benefit is Brexit related or due to the plethora of other factors that will occur.

I accept we cannot go back, EU would be mad to have us! But we can build a positive relationship economically and socially and environmentally if not politically.

NEWSPAPERS

I asked in the shop when was it that the last person under 50 bought a newspaper? After much thought there was a builder who came in during October who bought a Sun and another the Star. Sales of newspapers have halved. I suspect the Sun and Star will be first to go, perhaps along with the Express. None have a strong online presence, and the Sun is reportedly losing £1million a week and is a vanity/political tool for Murdoch. the Telegraph’s readership is dying off. The Guardian has a strong world wide internet presence and maybe will survive through its centre left isolation? The Times also has the respect and journalism to survive.

However the 4th Estate needs a range of journalists (not copy writers, commentators and pundits) to ensure fair government. There are web sites like 38 degrees and others which are campaigning, but whether they have the resources to mount truly investigative research is debatable. Apparently even the Sun played its part in exposing Zahawi. The Daily Mail has been known to take a campaign trail.

The BBC seems to be frightened of its own shadow for fear of losing the licence fee. Its independence seems to have been eroded. Balance does not mean Farage having a weekly spot on question time. Zahawi only made the news when the furore was basically all over. No mention of Sunak and Modena that I am aware of. Politicians sent out to defend the indefensible are not quizzed in depth. Maybe the apparent survival of Channel 4 and continuing quality reporting from Channel 5 will compensate to some extent, but many people rely on The BBC, not just via TV, but also radio and online for perceived impartial news. Is it too late to restore this trust. Hopefully GBNews will die a natural death. Its viewing numbers are low, and the time spent watching even lower! Advertisers are taking a risk backing it? I guess it will always have backing whilst the left wing have nothing and even the centre (BBC?) are being run by Tory Donors.

Just like this government. Penrose calls for changes – but they have been in power for 13 years and nothing has changed. MP’s still have 2nd jobs, expenses are still being abused, over subsided meals/drinks, no requirement for all MP’s to disclose their tax documents.

Perhaps a clear job description is needed. One which puts people before profit. Forget the pledge to the monarch – how about a pledge (legally enforceable) to the public.

Why has he chosen to state the threat from Putin now? And he cannot even remember the exact words – surely these things are recorded? he is also reportedly looking for a safe seat to stand for Parliament – I guess Uxbridge has had enough.

Why is Zahawi still a Conservative MP? He has been found guilty by the internal “tory” investigation of serious breaches of the ministerial code, and of making “untrue’ statements to the press – by “untrue” he has been accused of lying. However he did not apologise – he blamed the press for exposing him. He has a point about the language used “the noose tightens” – but did he denounce Braverman for her use of language?

Meanwhile “new hero” Carol Vorderman is on the trail of Sunak for possible investments and conflict of interests via possible investments in Modena via Theleme Investment Fund.

Government continues to prevaricate on the use of SLAPPS. Zahawi’s solicitors seem to have implied use to try and silence dan Needle who leaked the original story. basically SLAPPS enable the rich and powerful to silence journalists, academics and campaigners. Is this the new government tactic – do absolutely nothing about anything – the only sure way they have of not fucking everything up!

seems to have given up! They seem to be just waiting for the next scandal to arise/be found out about. Just go – General Election now!

has not ended yet, and we have Raab and Zahawi fighting for political lives, Johnson brazening out another financial mess, the recent appointment Chair of the BBC under investigtion. Thames Water is pumping sewage into rivers without pause. A major investment in battery manufacture goes tits up.

Brexit bonfire of red tape. Government announce 280 point plan to subsidise environmental improvements in farming. Seems like a lot of red tape to me. And a lack of joined up thinking. Surely geographically cohesive areas need all farms to participate. Could a farmer get a grant for e.g. skylarks in one field whilst spraying the rest with pesticides? Same for neighbouring farmers?

At the Met the Commissioner has said that the public should expect 2 or 3 police officers to go on trial PER WEEK!

Braverman is suspiciously quiet at the moment – something to hide?