Excuses, Excuses, Excuses

[WelshMage]

At 61years of age I've seen governments come and go and I have no loyalty to any particular Party. But in my view, this is the worst government I have ever seen. You cannot tax and spend your way to economic prosperity; it's been tried many times and always fails. I work in government and we are now borrowing a silly amount of money each month just to service the debt we're already in. We're heading for an inevitable crash. I feel so sorry for youngsters today.

It's like us trading a strategy that is consistently losing and all we do is chase our losses. The number one rule is don't chase losses!!

[jamesedwards]

The whole country needs a big reset.

I'm hoping Reform actually get in and are able to force through significant long term changes on how budgets are spent. I'm sick to death of taxpayers money being spaffed away on woke projects.

There's a roundabout near where I live that has just been upgraded to a new-style 'dutch' roundabout that gives priority to pedestrians and cyclists over cars. It's sited between the motorway and industrial estate where these is virtually zero non-motor transport. It took 6 months to build causing road closures and gridlock on lorry diversion routes. £2.5m cost. A joke!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcM-igD ... sNewswatch

[sionascaig]

Not sure the Doctor at the Reform conference who is claiming the Royals cancer is caused by Covid vaccine's will help though

[jamesedwards]

Not sure the Doctor at the Reform conference who is claiming the Royals cancer is caused by Covid vaccine's will help though

No, this is the challenge. Farage might have the guts to initiate significant change, but how does he get the quality to execute it?

[firlandsfarm]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcM-igD ... sNewswatch

used to have to pass through Hemel Hampstead for business and had to negotiate the 'Magic Roundabout'. For those not familiar with it it's a two way roundabout ... yep, two way with a mini roundabout at each entry/exit point!

HemelHampsteadMagicRoundabout.jpg

So if you approached at junction 6 and wanted to exit at junction 5 you didn't turn left as usual and go all the way round, you turned right and exited at the next junction! It's very confusing the first time and my experience was that many couldn't reconcile how it worked.

I believe there is one in Swindon as well.

[sionascaig]

No, this is the challenge. Farage might have the guts to initiate significant change, but how does he get the quality to execute it?

We hear about the politicians & councillors that have switched from Tories to Reform but there must be a lot of support staff too. Maybe some sensible heads in that lot.

But its an interesting point you make about quality...

I think a lot of the problems are caused by a frankly useless civil service (although I'm generalising a bit).

Just look at Home office backlogs for immigration / asylum etc etc etc..

The Politian put in "charge" for the 6 months they last in post ends up getting all the blame for failure when a lot of the blame lies within that organisation & failure after failure to deliver a good service never mind adapt to change.

Maybe the Minister in charge should hold the civil service to account rather than defend what is at times appalling failure.

[ForFolksSake]

No, this is the challenge. Farage might have the guts to initiate significant change, but how does he get the quality to execute it?

We hear about the politicians & councillors that have switched from Tories to Reform but there must be a lot of support staff too. Maybe some sensible heads in that lot.

But its an interesting point you make about quality...

I think a lot of the problems are caused by a frankly useless civil service (although I'm generalising a bit).

Just look at Home office backlogs for immigration / asylum etc etc etc..

The Politian put in "charge" for the 6 months they last in post ends up getting all the blame for failure when a lot of the blame lies within that organisation & failure after failure to deliver a good service never mind adapt to change.

Maybe the Minister in charge should hold the civil service to account rather than defend what is at times appalling failure.

I think a lot of the problems are caused by a frankly useless civil service (although I'm generalising a bit).

Just look at Home office backlogs for immigration / asylum etc etc etc..

That explains it then

.... the constant stream of asylum seekers is keeping a load of people in jobs that the taxpayer is having to pay for - where's the incentive

YCMIU

[sionascaig]

That explains it then

.... the constant stream of asylum seekers is keeping a load of people in jobs that the taxpayer is having to pay for

YCMIU

The point is the backlog is not "new" and the fact it takes years to process cases points to operational failure at ridiculous cost.

There are even folk that want to return to own country been stuck in the system for years.

It is very hard to understand why, given the costs involved to keep migrants in the system, more isn't spent processing them in a timely manner.

We should be creating "more" jobs to process them & get them out the system !

[jamesedwards]

Charlie Kirk assassinated.

Politics becoming increasingly polarised with nutcase behaviour fueled by more and more extreme social media. Not good for the human race.

[Naffman]

Charlie Kirk assassinated.

Politics becoming increasingly polarised with nutcase behaviour fueled by more and more extreme social media. Not good for the human race.

Scrolling through X and saw a video of him getting shot, absolutely horrific and disgraceful its allowed to be shown no matter how anyone feels about him.

[Kai]

One for Derek's Situation Room thread for sure

Don't watch the clip, I regret doing it late last night... it's unexpectedly gruesome, and very disturbing how professional the hit looked

The timing of the shot, the brutal irony behind it, and the celebratory tiktoks from young people afterwards are just mind boggling

But this is America : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYOjWnS ... YOjWnS4cMY

Hasan Piker often comes up on my Twitch feeds (his Left side counterpart), no chance he got any sleep yesterday

RIP

[ForFolksSake]

Our Political system is broken - it's like an episode of Coronation Street / Eastenders

Maybe call it "Westenders"!

'Westenders' - the 'bastard love -child' of Coronation Street and Eastenders

Conservative frontbencher Jesse Norman has described Sir Keir Starmer's premiership as being like an “unending episode of The Office”.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsLH70BrnnM

[Euler]

I think social media has made things much worse and polarising.

Also, things like meeting your mates down the pub at the weekend and thrashing our your differences over a pint no longer exists.

You get little factions deliberately engagement farming, seemingly by any means. Which, of course, people react to, which creates more noise.

One of the skills that trading taught me is to think about what people are thinking about. It's ok to disagree with people, but you must hear their views. No matter how odd, because at least it gives you the chance to address and understand their point of view.

People are complicated and come from different backgrounds and experiences and realising that rather than berating that is very cathartic.

[Euler]

In other news, I see the Green Party has lurched away from its core messaging. Not sure why they think that will work, the core message did resonate with people, but I don't think the new one will.

[ForFolksSake]

Maybe call it "Westenders"!

'Westenders' - the 'bastard love -child' of Coronation Street and Eastenders

Conservative frontbencher Jesse Norman has described Sir Keir Starmer's premiership as being like an “unending episode of The Office”.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsLH70BrnnM

Justin Madders, who was sacked as employment minister less than a week ago, described Lord Mandelson’s dismissal as the “best sacking of the week by some distance”.

Recent Sackings

Peter Mandelson UK Ambassador to the US; senior Labour politician
Dismissed over his long‐standing relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, after letters/emails surfaced showing deeper ties.

Angela Rayner Deputy Prime Minister, Deputy Leader of Labour
Resigned after being found to have breached the ministerial code — underpayment of tax (stamp duty) on a flat.

Justin Madders Minister for Employment Rights
He was sacked in a junior ministerial reshuffle.

Lucy Powell Leader of the House of Commons
Removed in a major government reshuffle following Angela Rayner’s resignation.

Ian Murray Secretary of State for Scotland
He was sacked in the same reshuffle.

Liz Kendall Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
She was replaced (sacked) and moved to a different secretary position.

Daniel Zeichner Minister for Farming
Sacked; he lost his ministerial role

Jim McMahon Local Government and English Devolution Minister
Sacked; lost his post.

Maria Eagle Minister for Defence Procurement and Industry
Left her ministerial role (sacked or repositioned out of government senior role).

Catherine McKinnell Minister for School Standards
Removed from her ministerial role

Andrew Gwynne MP Health Minister
Sacked and suspended following revelations of offensive / abusive WhatsApp messages in a group, including a message allegedly hoping that “a pensioner who didn’t vote Labour would die”.

Four Labour MPs (Brian Leishman, Neil Duncan‑Jordan, Rachael Maskell, Chris Hinchliff) Backbench MPs
Suspended (lost the party whip) after defying the government by voting against welfare reform proposals, i.e. “rebelling”.