CAR TAX

Electric cars do not attract vehicle tax or petrol/diesel tax. The cost of not receiving this income is a total of £35billion. MP’s are jumping impose a road tax on mileage. Maybe they are correct – but now is the time for a discussion on alternatives.

DOWNING STREET

The papers claimed that Johnson had sacked senior advisors rather than that they resigned. They may well have resigned before the Met fingered them. Johnson may have suggested that they resign (presumably with mega benefits) rather than be sacked – presumably with a non-disclosure agreement? Now 5 have gone.

A TASTE OF THE CARIBBEAN

A Caribbean take on oat cookies. Soak dried pineapple and coconut flakes in a miniature of Admiral’s Old Spiced Rum, normal 20-20-20-20-20 recipe, but I also added cinnamon and flaked coconut and used cane sugar. 180C for 14 minutes. Cane sugar gave it a treacly feel and with the cinnamon a Caribbean Christmas feel.

COVID

Statistics – I had not been aware of Daily Mail report when I posted. Notwithstanding this – I believe we have been treated with some contempt by the government. The ‘within 28 days statistic seems rather crass”. Is it impossible to publish figures which say that Covid substantially contributed to the death. With numbers lower this should be achievable, and be better than abandoning the statistics completely. Perhaps age and number of vaccinations could also be added. Even comparison with ‘flu figures from past 5 years.

ENERGY BILL RISE

The squeezed middle. This government has not got a clue. I understand the governments idea of help is to get their mates in the City to hand out underwritten loans to those in need. So the young person who has just bought a house with an astronomical mortgage is likely to get nothing – that’s fair? Not. It is also proposed that there will be a council tax support which will mean a near million £ in London will qualify for the more support than a 3 bed council house in Middlesbrough.

ONE DICK TOO MANY

Damning criticism of the Met Police and revelations that one officer complained about was promoted. She is only being kept on in the hope she will get Johnson off the hook despite obvious guilt.

ASHAMED

Even more ashamed than the most ashamed person in ashamed land! A PM who presided over a culture of drinking in Downing Street, who makes accusations in Parliament that he, nor his laces, can repeat outside the immunity of Parliament, aPM too busy saving his own skin to make a phone call that could potentially affect peace/war in Ukraine, a PM who presided over the payment of £billions for PPE that was not fit for purpose -£billions. And a Parliament where a MP is expelled for calling a liar – a liar.

GROTESQUE

Just about every aspect of this government. Party gate, energy prices, rising taxes, water pollution, climate change, trade with neighbours, Northern Ireland, Metropolitan Police, fishing policies, agricultural support, honesty, prudence, economic control, tax hikes, billionaire profits, and even Sunderland AFC are doing badly!