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A very telling photo in today's Times of Boozo and Dorries. Haven't seen Carrie Out for a bit?
I think that the 91k is yet another dead cat, rushed out yesterday to the press ahead of the more traditional discussions with Permanent Secretaries that would precede such a move.
Taking attention away from the latest round of Downing street fines.
Worst possible time to make such cuts, in terms of UK economy; what a bright idea, scrap tens of thousands of living wage jobs, just at the moment that the general economy is tanking.
Worst possible time to make such cuts, in terms of UK economy; what a bright idea, scrap tens of thousands of living wage jobs, just at the moment that the general economy is tanking.
A surprising number of CS admin jobs are minimum wage, and as a lot of staff are part time, many rely on benefits.
It sounds good to the masses
Does it though? Surely right now the number of people this sounds good to is a very small pot of people to be trying to appeal to (and a pot that will vote Tory regardless.)
I don't think this lot have got a clue about the seriousness of the recession we're about to hit, and even less of a clue what to do about it
I was out with a mate on Friday who is pretty senior at one of the big online fashion retailers based in Manchester. He's really worried as he said that their sales haven't so much greatly reduced, they've pretty much stopped altogether. He said that over the last month their sales have dried up to virtually nothing.
People are - completely understandably - now seeing such an increase in essentials that they've stopped buying non-essentials altogether. So the economy is grinding to a halt
While you can argue about that being a good thing about consumerism, there are an awful lot of jobs dependent on this, which probably aren't going to be there for much longer.
I see not a single sign that there is a solitary person in government who has the remotest comprehension of whats coming, or will have any ideas about what to do. In fact I'm pretty certain they'll do absolutely nothing as 'The Market' must be left to sort it.
We are in for a very hard ride financially later this year and we've got a gang of economically illiterate half-wits at the helm
Does it though?
Yes, because when they throw their toys about having to wait more than five minutes for a hospital appointment they have been told by The Sun that it is bedwetting, pro-EU, elitist fifth columnists that have caused it with Health and Safety.
Not the arseholes at the top who are trying to kill it by defunding it so it fails, then selling bits off to their mates.
🤷♂️
He’s really worried as he said that their sales haven’t so much greatly reduced, they’ve pretty much stopped altogether.
On a much smaller scale, was talking to the guy who owns my local curry takeaway place… he was nearly in tears, and very angry about the government clearly not having a clue what is happening to businesses like his. His costs have gone insane, for everything, from lamb to cooking oil, from gas to rice. Huge rises. Which he has no way of absorbing, so his prices have to go up, just as customers need to find ways of spending less… not more.
I don’t think this lot have got a clue about the seriousness of the recession we’re about to hit, and even less of a clue what to do about it
I wouldn't be so sure. They'll be looking at it as an opportunity to deregulate the way to greater profits for their mates whilst screwing over the workforce.
Edit: After all, they did deliberately cause a lot of this via Brexit.
Genuinely don't understand the point of cutting the civil servants - all we hear about is delays at the DVLA, the Passport Office (which let's not forget are now printed abroad rather than the UK, but they're blue/black so hoorah!), certain Brexit protocols that to implement would be to shoot ourselves in the foot.
So the Governments answer is to cut Civil Servants?
Remember when the Tory answer to the NHS was to get rid of all the managers. This is the same playbook.
Just a shortcut to outsourcing.
They’ll be looking at it as an opportunity to deregulate the way to greater profits for their mates whilst screwing over the workforce.
They’re telling us as much, too our faces. They’ll use this self enforced unforced economic damage to remove regulations and cut back the state. They telling us this! It’s no secret. Unless you’re the kind of person that still thinks Johnson’s boosterism is anything other than promising to deliver the good times simply as a route to gaining and holding power. The sunlit uplands were never really part of the plan. The very notion is, along with “levelling up”, just about campaigning not governing. Austerity and removal of rights and protections are what it has always been about. Britannia unchained. Nothing has really changed in the last six years. The con is just playing out.
So the Governments answer is to cut Civil Servants?
It's just a dog whistle to their Mail reading voters. They will all have the idea that the civil service is grossly overstaffed with overpayed, labour-voting layabouts who go on strike every other week.
As with Brexit, these peoples beliefs have not even the remotest foundation in reality, but they don't care. They'll vote for someone who tells them that as 'hardworking taxpayers' he'll be saving them money so he can reduce their taxes.
They're just doing what the Tories always do. They're systematically dismantling the state apparatus so they can privatise it and hand it to their mates to asset strip and profiteer from
Certainly feels like online shopping parcels are dropping at work, except shock horror, in the more affluent areas. At this rate we won't just have ghost town high streets, we'll have deserted online warehouses in the middle of nowhere.
As with Brexit, these peoples beliefs have not even the remotest foundation in reality, but they don’t care.
As a one-liner to explain all this, it is hard to think of one better.
We are all about to get the 'best' modern economics lesson of our time. That there is no such thing as thriving private sector without the public sector feeding the income from central government spending. Not the other way around.
Once and for all you will see how having 'saved' the economy by putting new money into the system in 20/21 - that now (when we are even more desperate for government money) - the classic Tory mantra of efficiency and cuts is about to accelerate the downward trajectory of the economy and livelihoods.
Take a breath at this moment and watch the Tories in action doing what they do best; that is cut, remove and trample on everything, whilst shoring up the old-fashioned Tory vote.
I fear they will utterly crash the economy and Labour will then have to be in power to mop up the mess.
Long term this might be a good thing - but that could be some years away.
Buckle up.
They couldn't be more wrong if they tried.
https://twitter.com/RichardJMurphy/status/1525004793156100097?s=20&t=DUU3zpo_ruo8YmRvkGR_NQ
https://twitter.com/RichardJMurphy/status/1525008405043236864?s=20&t=DUU3zpo_ruo8YmRvkGR_NQ
^^^^
Yeah, but he's just another hand-wringing, pro-EU, elitist wet blanket.
"Look, I can drink ten pints of Carling, headbutt a road sign and still have room for a kebab. I win". Says your average working class Brexie.
“Look, I can drink ten pints of Carling, headbutt a road sign and still have room for a kebab. I win”. Says your average working class Brexie.
Your sneering is most unbecoming and detracts from any message you're feebly trying to get across. Says this average working class Remainer.
Once and for all you will see how having ‘saved’ the economy by putting new money into the system in 20/21 – that now (when we are even more desperate for government money) – the classic Tory mantra of efficiency and cuts is about to accelerate the downward trajectory of the economy and livelihoods.
To quote a former Tory PM ......"Events, my dear boy, events". Six months ago Johnson's position as Tory leader and PM was unassailable. Then came the Owen Patterson monumental **** up and endless partygate scandal headlines.
Johnson now has to constantly look over his shoulder to keep his eye on the thatcherite wing of the party which previously, when his popularity was far greater, he could mostly afford to ignore.
This was the situation last autumn:
When I asked one Thatcherite Cabinet minister recently how he’d handle the windfall, he said: “I’d bank it, not spend it.” But under Johnson, Thatcherism has been dumped and replaced by the ruthless pragmatism that is the real reason the Conservative party is the most successful political party in history.
Johnson was elected in 2019 on a manifesto not just to get Brexit done but to end austerity too. For all his talk about responsible finances, Sunak is the nation’s most popular politician because he played Santa, not Scrooge, in the pandemic. And this Budget confirmed he is his master’s voice – because ultimately he has an eye on No.10 himself.
Never underestimate how quickly things can change in politics.
Your sneering is most unbecoming and detracts from any message you’re feebly trying to get across. Says this average working class Remainer.
Ah so, you're a class traitor, then?
It’s just a dog whistle to their Mail reading voters. They will all have the idea that the civil service is grossly overstaffed with overpayed, labour-voting layabouts who go on strike every other week.
IIRC there were 15000 fixed contract 'work coaches' brought in to Job Centres to help people out of jobs in the pandemic. Those contracts are probably up so they'll be let go to feed the DM readers desire for 'jobsworths' to be culled from inefficient government so an easy win for the Tories.
Great post Rone.
An interesting article by Max Hastings about Johnson in this mornings Guardian
Who should be prime minister? Anyone but Boris Johnson
From that Hastings article.
harsh economic times ahead
Not enough people know what is coming down the line. Yet.
Seems the queen has made a good recovery or just didn't want to front the shit show in the queen's speach.
And Johnson is now busy starting a trade war with the EU, because thats exactly what the economy needs right now.
Funny that there was no mention of that in the Queens Speech, whether she was present or not.
And Johnson is now busy starting a trade war with the EU, because thats exactly what the economy needs right now.
And the poor are being told to work harder or get a better job.
Just like that.
TBF on Maclean she thinks its probably easy for everyone to get a non-exec directorship for a healthcare/ energy/ tech/ finance company or something that pays an extra £10k for a few hours work a month
Perhaps it would help if we could all claim a lot of our living costs as expenses on top of our salary? Like the 220,000 quid she claimed last year
https://twitter.com/Bennyjj81/status/1526085205320249344?s=20&t=06w_hvR7Wg2IsdGhUdqC6Q
Redditch was 62.3% Leave, just like Fabricant's Lichfield was 58.8%.
Anyone else spot a pattern between pro-Brexit percentages and the nastiness of the Tory MP?
'Our' representatives are supposedly an accurate reflection of the people they represent. It looks like they do.
🤷♂️
The expenses everyone keeps quoting is for running an office of staff, most MPs have 3-6 staff working for them to deal with enquiries from the public etc. So that £220k quoted by binners isn't really relevant to "expenses" which in most peoples definition would refer to lunches/travel etc. etc. etc.
(I'm not disagreeing with the points made about her statements being pretty stupid/unreasonable, but facts are facts.)
The expenses everyone keeps quoting is for running an office of staff, most MPs have 3-6 staff working for them to deal with enquiries from the public etc. So that £220k quoted by binners isn’t really relevant to “expenses” which in most peoples definition would refer to lunches/travel etc. etc. etc.
They still manage to milk that system, employing family, friends etc to "manage emails", often on wages far in excess of PA jobs in the real world.
BJ himself was complaining that a PM salary (£161,000) was not enough to live on in spite of it including free accommodation and expenses (although I dread to think what his childcare payments for his [s]5[/s], 6 or 7 children must amount to...) so how MPs can actually bring themselves to say this sort of shit about "work harder" is just beyond belief.
how MPs can actually bring themselves to say this sort of shit about “work harder” is just beyond belief
Not when you consider the nasty 'blame everyone but yourself' platform they were elected on.
Nobody should be surprised by all this. This is literally the point of Brexit. Make people work more for less in less secure/safe employment.
Anyone who voted for this shit needs to have a serious look at themselves.
Indeed. Speaking of the 'B' Word, its going to be interesting this afternoon to see what fantasy solution the fly-tipped sofa is going to propose in Belfast
The whole position on Northern Ireland was always ridiculous contradictory nonsense and its no less so now than it was in 2016
He's clearly in no position to start a trade war with the EU, so I presume that today will involve a lot of anti-EU noises, then lying to both sides to reassure them about things that are clearly never going to happen.
Mind you, his cause is clearly helped by the DUP being the most credulous half-wits on the planet who still inexplicably buy Johnsons bullshit despite every assurance he's given them in the past being exposed as utter twoddle
Johnson lends the DUP respectability. Yes, read that again. Unfortunately it is true. That is why they are 'credulous'.
And it is entirely fitting in this through the looking glass, ridiculous fantasy world that is post-2016 UK politics.
cant the MP's get rid of their "staff" and fill those roles with the up and coming Civil Service redundancies? Less expenses for the MP's and some people get to keep a job?
cant the MP’s get rid of their “staff” and fill those roles with the up and coming Civil Service redundancies? Less expenses for the MP’s and some people get to keep a job?
No, because then their husband/wife/cousin/mate would have to get a proper job.
cant the MP’s get rid of their “staff” and fill those roles with the up and coming Civil Service redundancies?
I thought that, as I think about our team of 10 and wonder which 2 will be going in the 20% redundancy cull. To be fair, 2 of us are on long term sick and I'm open to offers.
To be fair, 2 of us are on long term sick
Have they been tested for polonium and/or novichok?
Well he's done a good job in uniting consensus in NI both sides don't trust him.
Have they been tested for polonium and/or novichok?
Citalopram and Sertraline
Johnson lends the DUP respectability. Yes, read that again. Unfortunately it is true. That is why they are ‘credulous’.
It's just depressing, to appease the DUP they'll throw a spanner in the works of Stormont, the DUP have always been a teddies out the pram party ever since being no longer required in 2019 elections in the UK, and now being the second party in NI they'll be even grumpier, as they're showing. Even their 'leader' has disappeared back to Parliament to keep a job, whilst Stormont remains empty.
I did see Johnson is mentioning Covid, war in Europe and anything else to try and make out that this isn't down to badly planned and thought out Brexit approaches, the sad thing is that he really is getting away with it, and all the negative stuff has helped him continue in power!
Lol at Northern Ireland claiming Johnson didn’t provide straight answers to any questions. Seriously, haven’t they watched Johnson in action over the last er, 20 years?
Seriously, haven’t they watched Johnson in action over the last er, 20 years?
Yes, but they chose to believe the lies. Just like many of the people who voted Leave. The rest were simply too thick to 'get it' and should never have been allowed near a polling booth.
But this will all unravel over the next 10-15 years. It is inevitable. The economic damage can't be hidden forever and the political contradictions inherent in NI/RoI will just keep coming back.
The only real question is still - how much permanent and interim damage are 'we' willing to inflict on ourselves before we grow up?
That's been the question since 24th June 2016 and it will remain so in perpetuity.
🤷♂️
But this will all unravel over the next 10-15 years. It is inevitable. The economic damage can’t be hidden forever and the political contradictions inherent in NI/RoI will just keep coming back.
Simon Jenkins article in this mornings Guardian making this very point. At some point this ludicrous farce has to end and some reality and pragmatism will have to enter proceedings and replace the ridiculous posturing
Boris Johnson created this Brexit mess in Northern Ireland – and he should own it
At some point this ludicrous farce has to end and some reality will have to enter proceedings
Given that there's been very little reality present in any of it for the last 6 years, I'm not sure why they'd start now.
This will forever be the fault of the EU, Russia/Ukraine, Covid, and probably half a dozen other dead cats that they can dredge up from somewhere.
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/may/16/andrew-bailey-bank-of-england-economy-sketch
Worth it just for...
****ocracy
Never a truer word spoken in 'jest'.
Given that there’s been very little reality present in any of it for the last 6 years, I’m not sure why they’d start now
I think the scales have fallen from a lot of peoples eyes in NI as they are the ones having to deal with business end of the shambles that is Johnson’s Brexit. NI never voted for Brexit in the first place, but I think even the most hardline unionist now realises they’ve been sold a pup and all Johnson’s promises were lies
Not sure if this has been posted yet, but it's looking oddly prescient
https://www.irishcentral.com/culture/entertainment/star-trek-predicte-reunification-ireland-2024
Worth it just for…****ocracy
There was a recent Jonathan Pie video where he described Eton as "a sort of Hogwarts for ****ers".
🤣
Edit: imagine the word "bankers" with a different first letter...
An interesting clip showing Johnson, this morning, try to explain his Schrodinger's Brexit Deal. Yes, its his oven-ready deal, and he did sign up to it, so therefore its absolutely brilliant, while simultaneously being terrible due to the EU, or something...
https://twitter.com/BBCPolitics/status/1526487422141341696?s=20&t=vbmJNBmSfHND1CbqDo4tJQ
This will forever be the fault of the EU, Russia/Ukraine, Covid, and probably half a dozen other dead cats that they can dredge up from somewhere
It will be our fault as "we" demanded it and our brave government delivered the best they could.
https://www.channel4.com/news/boris-johnson-optimistic-northern-ireland-protocol-can-be-fixed
Watch Bozo gloss over the question at about 3 mins 20 secs.
That moron still doesn't actually understand what it is he signed, does he?
And he now seems baffled that the EU hasn't read the small print, that only exists in his head, to say that the rules don't actually apply to him and he's never actually held accountable for anything.
It'll be interesting what the other brainbox, Liz Truss, comes up with as a proposed solution later
And he now seems baffled that the EU hasn’t read the small print, that only exists in his head
No he is pretending to be baffled to try and stoke up anger at the ENEMY.
Because it would be rather more embarrassing to admit he signed it without caring about the details just so he could claim he got brexit done.
Of course he understands what he signed. It was simply a piece of paper that kicked the can down the road. it didn't matter what was on it, simply that it wasn't in front of him any longer and he could claim it was done.
I'm sure "Doesn't do details" is on the top of his CV.
Unsurprisingly the cabinet leaving him to it.
He may not look good eating a bacon sandwich but my god can he rip Johnson apart when he gets going!
Unsurprisingly the cabinet leaving him to it.
None of them want to be anywhere near any of it, they know it's a toxic issue so are hiding away as much as they can.
It’s an old video, when Parliament were social distancing. I remember Miliband’s excellent little speech.
No he is pretending to be baffled to try and stoke up anger at the ENEMY.
Because it would be rather more embarrassing to admit he signed it without caring about the details just so he could claim he got brexit done.
Every single word of that is spot on.
None of them want to be anywhere near any of it, they know it’s a toxic issue so are hiding away as much as they can.
That applies to Brexit as a whole.
Happy to take credit or get elected by being seen to get a fantasy 'done'.
Nowhere to be seen when it comes to implementing the reality.
I have a former boss like that. Suffice to say anyone at the coal fave or who had half an idea about how the company worked thought he was an abject tosser. The "don't bother me with details just tell me you're going to hit profit" higher-ups thought he was great. Guess what happened when any of them saw a realistic forecast...
They aren't hiding. The cabinet are fine backing Johnson on this. That footage is from when they weren't allowed to pack out the front bench, they'd have been on video link.
Indeed. The gang of half-wits presently masquerading as the cabinet all share one single qualification for being there... their enthusiasm for Brexit. Thats it.
So expect them all to wholeheartedly back whatever Instagram Liz is about to announce. Shes about to stand up in parliament now. I expect she'll announce reneging on the deal signed by the oversexed honey monster, break international law and instigate a full on trade war with the EU.
Just when you think these idiots catastrophic mismanagement of everything can't get much worse, they somehow always come up trumps...
My experience of DUP voters is they'll find another excuse not to share power, the sea border is just a distraction.
As read several times in the last few days, "When you’re accustomed to privilege, equality feels like oppression"
Oh, I like that! ^^^
Having just listened to Liz waffle on for a bit, there aren’t any proposals, as such, it’s just more posturing to keep the Brexity idiots entertained
Simple question.
If Boris’s mob think their last attempt at fixing the problem Brexit created was so bad, why should we believe they are the people to fix the botched fix from last time?
Or in other words, “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” - Albert Einstein
It’s just more cakist nonsense!
There has to be a border somewhere, so it has to be either between the north and south or in the Irish Sea.
Those are the only two available options. They were the only two available options in 2016 and again in 2019 and they’re the only two available options now.
But apparently the EU are just going to suddenly decide that they don’t need an external border anyway, just to make Borises life a bit easier for him
They could always put the border round the island of Ireland. That would probably suit Boris better.
Those are the only two available options.
I think Nicola was willing to offer Gretna
So Boris, the man who made a journalistic and political career out of complaining about beastly EU bureaucrats sticking to their rules, is now surprised because they want to stick to the terms of the agreement they, and he, signed...
Because, let's face it, just as in all his contracts, including his marriages, he's never felt restricted by the t&cs.
From the BBC:
But Boris Johnson defends his government, saying: "We don't want to nix it, we want to fix it"
If there was any substantive policy there they wouldn’t need to pick catchy little slogans, they’d just get on with the policy. But no, “nix” has it.
It’s almost as if writing stupid soundbites to sell newspapers to idiots was the very limit of his capabilities
And hair ruffling
I haven't had time to listen to what Thick Liz had to say.
I'm guessing it was just more tub-thumping bollocks along the lines of "we didn't want to be members of the club any more and we don't pay a membership fee, but we still want to use the facilities and, in fact, get the club to change its ways to suit us"?
Which will be quietly rowed back from when they think no one is looking. But, of course, the DUP will always be looking.
'Bout right?
That pretty much covers it, yes
“We don’t want to nix it, we want to fix it”
Boris the Builder.
Can we swap him for Neil Morrisey?
Its only Tuesday
https://www.politicshome.com/news/article/conservartive-mp-arrested-rape-allegations
Tomorrow's headlines.
Starmer gropes woman's private bits then waves his manhood at her..."Mrs Starmer 56 "blah blah...