Brexit, for once some facts.

[oyster]

Remind me, did they put Shipman in charge of the GMC? Or Sutcliffe in charge of Women's health?

Boris Johnson must stay in place to deal with the “hugely damaging” No 10 parties scandal and the cost of living crisis because they are his responsibility to fix, according to the former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith.

Give Boris Johnson time to fix his crises, says Iain Duncan Smith

Former Tory leader says parties scandal and cost of living problems are PM’s responsibility to sort out

www.theguardian.com

 

[flecc]

I watched Lamy on BBC1 this morning talking about energy price and cost of living.
Labour still needs a new economic doctrine. Otherwise, they will keep wearing the old hat of tax and spend.

Indeed, we have to start earning our way in the world and not rely on the madness of a service economy. That's ok for a little country like Switzerland with around 8 million people, but for us with eight times the population and pretensions to a top place in the world, not remotely adequate.

Having now cast off from the EU and having neither helmsman nor rudder to steer the ship of state, we are best placed to become a third world tourism destination, theme park Britain.

But not even that if Covid refuses to go away.
.

 

[Mrs Honeyman]

Quasi Coat-hangar was on TV earlier telling me that I’m more interested in energy bills than parties. Do these people see and hear different things to me?

The parties are a symptom of an appalling leader, a cancer in government. The cancer needs to be removed before we can move onto dealing with the other things, so the parties are important.

 

[flecc]

Quasi Coat-hangar was on TV earlier telling me that I’m more interested in energy bills than parties. Do these people see and hear different things to me?

Well yes they do, and he could well be right.

Come April, long after the parties subject has become boring, when the new energy bills roll in with a 54% increase it will certainly be that which the public will be focusing on, their immediate self interest.

If Johnson survives the parties will have become a subject for use at general election time. Living costs will be the big subject until then.
.

 

[jonathan.agnew]

Quasi Coat-hangar was on TV earlier telling me that I’m more interested in energy bills than parties. Do these people see and hear different things to me?

The parties are a symptom of an appalling leader, a cancer in government. The cancer needs to be removed before we can move onto dealing with the other things, so the parties are important.

Liam fox said the public don't want the conservative party to focus so much on itself. That it's about silly factionalism we wish they would stop. That we don't care about persistent pathological lying, deceit at the heart of government. I took it as code for the donors would like us to mind our own business.

 

[guerney]

This isn't the fault of people who voted Tory?

 

[jonathan.agnew]

This isn't the fault of people who voted Tory?

Indeed. But look on the bright side, they could have, like bolsinaro's or erdogan's or putin's followers rationalised their glorious leaders flaws. Thank God for small mercies.

 

[oldgroaner]

We are incapable hands

What a great party that must have been

 

[oyster]

Why were the children, or was it rodents, in control until now?

Johnson allies insist ‘grownups’ in charge of new team at No 10

Allies of Boris Johnson have insisted that “grownups” are now in charge of his operation as he heads into critical week for his beleaguered premiership that could see him face a confidence vote and the threat of further damaging revelations.

 

[flecc]

Indeed. But look on the bright side, they could have, like bolsinaro's or erdogan's or putin's followers rationalised their glorious leaders flaws. Thank God for small mercies.

How can you post this when the British voted in Boris Johnson as PM with one of the largest majorities ever in an unfixed election? The degree of their rationalising behind that was truly extraordinary.

At least the Brazilians, Turks and Russians had the excuse of their various kinds of electoral fiddling to blame for the leaders they ended up with.
.

 

[jonathan.agnew]

How can you post this when the British voted in Boris Johnson as PM with one of the largest majorities ever in an unfixed election? The degree of their rationalising behind that was truly extraordinary.

At least the Brazilians, Turks and Russians had the excuse of their various kinds of electoral fiddling to blame for the leaders they ended up with.
.

I sort of agree: but the degree of fixing and lying (not least by our present glorious leader) before the brexit vote (and subsequent election) positively dwarves anything he's done over partygate

 

[Woosh]

How can you post this when the British voted in Boris Johnson as PM with one of the largest majorities ever in an unfixed election? The degree of their rationalising behind that was truly extraordinary.

That reminds me of the 1979 election MT against Callaghan when MT won 44 majority followed by the 1983 MT against Michael Foot when she won by a thumping 144 majority.
Labour in 1979 tried to scare voters claiming that the tories will let firms going to the wall. Clearly, most voters would rather paying less personal tax even if their employers hit the buffers.
In 1983, Labour wanted to leave the EC and denuclearisation. Not many were interested.
In 1987, MT beat Kinnock with a reduced majority to 102. Labour's tactics was to make Kinnock into a popstar.
Later, MT was forced to resign on the poll tax.
It's clear that Labour will have to address the low tax issue that this country is addicted to.

 

[jonathan.agnew]

That reminds me of the 1979 election MT against Callaghan when MT won 44 majority followed by the 1983 MT against Michael Foot when she won by a thumping 144 majority.
Labour in 1979 tried to scare voters claiming that the tories will let firms going to the wall. Clearly, most voters would rather paying less personal tax even if their employers hit the buffers.
In 1983, Labour wanted to leave the EC and denuclearisation.
In 1987, MT beat Kinnock with a reduced majority to 102. Labour's tactics was to make Kinnock into a popstar.
Later, MT was forced to resign on the poll tax.
It's clear that Labour will have to address the low tax issue that this country is addicted to.

We have to choose between becoming sweden or (an impoverished unsuccesful) texas. I'd prefer sweden

 

[flecc]

It's clear that Labour will have to address the low tax issue that this country is addicted to.

It's even more fundamental than low tax, it's an obsession with low cost everything.

Starting with Ted Heath's abandonment of RPM (resale price maintenance) in 1964 and the discount culture that followed, the British have become a nation knowing the price of everything but the value of nothing.

Everywhere in manufacturing, retailing and governance, quality is sacrificed for the lowest possible cost because that is what the public demand. So we end up with supermarkets stocking appallingly poor quality foods. Widespread availability of substandard manufactured items dishonestly sold. A cut price and hopelessly inadequate NHS dominated by the rulings of NICE (National Institute for Clinical Excellence, never can a body have been so dishonestly named). A care system that falls even more short than the NHS. A welfare state that ensures the welfare of those in genuine need is rarely met without suffering being involved. A country where even essential services like the Coastguard, marine rescue, health services and even litter picking are done by armies of volunteers due to the shortfall or absence of any official provision.
.

 

[flecc]

We have to choose between becoming sweden or (an impoverished unsuccesful) texas. I'd prefer sweden

100% agree, but it's not government to blame, it's the public. See my above post.
.

 

[oyster]

Damned feint praise:

Boris Johnson is “not a complete clown”, his new communications director has said as he revealed the prime minister initiated a defiant rendition of Gloria Gaynor’s I Will Survive when the pair met last week.

 

[Woosh]

Everywhere in manufacturing, retailing and governance, quality is sacrificed for the lowest possible cost because that is what the public demand. So we end up with supermarkets stocking appallingly poor quality foods. Widespread availability of substandard manufactured items dishonestly sold. A cut price and hopelessly inadequate NHS dominated by the rulings of NICE (National Institute for Clinical Excellence, never can a body have been so dishonestly named). A care system that falls even more short than the NHS. A welfare state that ensures the welfare of those in genuine need is rarely met without suffering being involved.

so what do you think Labour should do to win votes?

Zlatan has already mentioned the problem with general education and attainment among Labour MPs compared to the conservatives.

 

[oyster]

so what do you think Labour should do to win votes?

Zlatan has already mentioned the problem with general education and attainment among Labour MPs compared to the conservatives.

Offer Classics courses to all existing and prospective Labour MPs?

 

[flecc]

so what do you think Labour should do to win votes?

That's the nightmare. Jeremy Corbyn knew what was necessary for the country to head towards the Swedish model but was too scared to say as much, knowing that was the last thing the people wanted, high levels of taxation. They want the benefits but none of the costs.

There is no simple solution since the cut price path is a one way street, a bit like falling into a very deep hole. Dead easy to do but very difficult to climb out of. Moving to low costs is very easy and welcomed by the voter. Reversing that is nigh on impossible.

If we were in strong economic situation we could borrow to provide all the benefits in advance of introducing promised higher costs, so the public could see the benefits of the different system.

But starting with just the higher costs accompanied by promises won't work, given the public's mistrust of politics now.
.

 

[oyster]

I went to pick up a prescription for a local anaesthetic skin cream/ointment to help with ongoing shingles pain. The pharmacy couldn't initially find it but then laughed - but I didn't know why.

When I eventually picked it up - it is Vagisil. I might be the only male having had that prescribed.

Seems it is the cheapest lidocaine product.