The current strikes are due, in the main, to the failures of this Government.
Failure to control inflation-it's just not good enough to blame world events. Our inflation, and our growth, are worse than everywhere else.
Failure to engage with Unions. Stupid posturing, like the cretinous Education Secretary, Gillian Keegan. Who seems to believe strikes are nothing to do with her failure to engage, and just make stupid, inflammatory comments.
But it is not only the fault of this Government. As an example, the teachers behaviour is almost as bad.
I will support their right to strike. But strike-be honest about your intentions, and your aims.
What is happening at the moment is this. In the majority of schools, most individual teachers deliberately refused to say yesterday whether or not they were to strike today. This forced loads of parents to take days off work to look after children, not knowing whether it is necessary. And forced thousands of schools to shut, meaning the Teachers could claim their pay, as (legally) it wasn't their strike that caused them not to be able to work.
In 1 sense, very clever. In another, setting a truly terrible example to their pupils.
Just 1 of many examples of how ridiculous this Government's economic policies are.
Workers cannot have pay rises, supposedly because to give pay rises would be "inflationary". At the same time:-
1. Shell is allowed to take advantage of decreased supply to jack up prices for oil & gas. And make profits last year of $39,9 Billion. So-increasing the price of something we have to buy isn't inflationary? 2. Mortgage rates are about to go up-yet again. So-the price of money-you know, that thing we all need to actually buy stuff-is going up. And again, this is not inflationary.
This Government is totally out of touch with people who aren't multimillionaires.
One rule for the oil companies and the banks. The opposite rule for the rest of us.
Rishi Sunak wants to be "judged" in relation to reducing inflation. There are 2 years to go until the next election.
Inflation is currently about 10.5%. It is important to remember that inflation does not provide information about prices and the cost of living. It merely reflects the increase of prices compared to 1 year ago.
This means that the higher prices rise in the penultimate year, the easier it is to show inflation is falling in the next year. So it is actually in this Government's interest to do nothing this year.
Let's use some simple figures to show this. And let's compare and contrast supposed Government performance. Let us suppose interest is naturally running at 10%, and the Government could force Shell and their mates to stop jacking prices up, and that would reduce inflation to 5%. Finally, in A the Government does it in Jan 2023, and in B they do it in Jan 2024. And let's see the effect on a price of £100.
A. Where Govt tries to help now.
Jan 2023-£100 Jan 2024-£105 Jan 2025 (election)-£110.25
Inflation rate has stopped falling
B. Where Govt waits a year.
Jan 2023-£100 Jan 2024-£110 Jan 2025(election)-£115.50
Success! Inflation has halved-even though the actual increase in prices, both over the 2-year and 1-year period, is higher.
We are all ( not just the Tories ) power hungry people....
That's true.
But there is always a balancing act involved. Or, at least, almost always.
Of course any Government wants to be re-elected. But most Governments also recognise the need to actually help the electorate, and to have a legacy that shows them in a good light.
And this Government does not seem to appreciate that.
.Integrity Integrity is the practice of being honest and showing a consistent and uncompromising adherence to strong moral and ethical principles and values. In ethics, integrity is regarded as the honesty and truthfulness or accuracy of one's actions.
When Banking Watchdogs lose their Teeth. NatWest boss refuses to attend parliamentary hearing.
Just 1 of many examples of how ridiculous this Government's economic policies are.
Workers cannot have pay rises, supposedly because to give pay rises would be "inflationary". At the same time:-
1. Shell is allowed to take advantage of decreased supply to jack up prices for oil & gas. And make profits last year of $39,9 Billion. So-increasing the price of something we have to buy isn't inflationary? 2. Mortgage rates are about to go up-yet again. So-the price of money-you know, that thing we all need to actually buy stuff-is going up. And again, this is not inflationary.
This Government is totally out of touch with people who aren't multimillionaires.
One rule for the oil companies and the banks. The opposite rule for the rest of us.
Just a Tory Minister having an awful time after Nadhim Zahawi's sacking
1. I have spent the last 100 days "reflecting" (sobbing into my cornflakes) on what wrong 2. I was not blameless 3. Absolutely everything was everyone else's fault
1. I have spent the last 100 days "reflecting" (sobbing into my cornflakes) on what wrong 2. I was not blameless 3. Absolutely everything was everyone else's fault
Don't think I've ever known someone at high Government levels who had such lack of self-awareness.
I'm not going to mock her for her faults, that's way too easy, & we all have our faults, but it remains a great mystery how those who voted for her were so utterly gullible. She is simply WAY below the abilities required to hold public office, even as a Local Councillor, never mind a Minister of State/PM. (PM & Foreign Secretary are the top two Government gigs, & she's held them both).
Perhaps it's me that's stupid, but some things in life just make no sense to me - how we voted for Brexit, how the racist Trump got voted in, how Liz Truss came to be a contender, never mind getting the jobs. In the case of Truss this was of course a VERY small % of the electorate, but even so...
1. I have spent the last 100 days "reflecting" (sobbing into my cornflakes) on what wrong 2. I was not blameless 3. Absolutely everything was everyone else's fault
Don't think I've ever known someone at high Government levels who had such lack of self-awareness.
I'm not going to mock her for her faults, that's way too easy, & we all have our faults, but it remains a great mystery how those who voted for her were so utterly gullible. She is simply WAY below the abilities required to gold public office, even as a Local Councillor, never mind a Minister of State/PM. (PM & Foreign Secretary are the top two Government gigs, & she's held them both).
Perhaps it's me that's stupid, but some things in life just make no sense to me - how we voted for Brexit, how the racist Trump got voted in, how Liz Truss came to be a contender, never mind getting the jobs. In the case of Truss this was of course a VERY small % of the electorate, but even so...
Does she seriously believe she was brought down by "the Left Wing economic establishment"?
The economic establishment has always been, and probably always will be, Right Wing. And, frankly, that is probably as it should be. And to pretend otherwise is just ridiculous.
You are right, of course. We all have our faults. It's just that the more self-aware of us recognise what our faults are. And either choose careers where those shortcomings are less important, or work on our faults. As an example, I thought David Lammy was a poor public speaker when first elected. He has clearly worked very hard at it.
She was voted in as a Poundland John Major. Not for any qualities she had-just that she was not the other candidates. Major got in because he was not the Heseltine distrusted by the Left or some Thatcher loyalists. Or the Hurd distrusted by the Right.
Similarly, factions of the Tory Party turned against various other, more plausible, candidates simply due to them having policies they disagreed with. While ignoring the few policies Truss actually had.
You need a certain force of personality to get some things through, particularly the more risky ones. Take the differences between May and Johnson in getting us out of the EU. For all his faults, Johnson had the force of personality to carry the day. And Truss did not.
"You need a certain force of personality to get some things through, particularly the more risky ones. Take the differences between May and Johnson in getting us out of the EU. For all his faults, Johnson had the force of personality to carry the day. And Truss did not."
He was a far better liar too. Her ( Ms Truss) body language & facial expressions meant she was a chronically bad liar, whereas Boris was a "good" liar & folks fell for his rhetoric. ("40 new Hospitals", "oven-ready deal", "no NI border checks" etc).
Ms May generally speaking did not lie, she was an "honest" politician but lacked charisma. (IMO).
"You need a certain force of personality to get some things through, particularly the more risky ones. Take the differences between May and Johnson in getting us out of the EU. For all his faults, Johnson had the force of personality to carry the day. And Truss did not."
He was a far better liar too. Her ( Ms Truss) body language & facial expressions meant she was a chronically bad liar, whereas Boris was a "good" liar & folks fell for his rhetoric. ("40 new Hospitals", "oven-ready deal", "no NI border checks" etc).
Ms May generally speaking did not lie, she was an "honest" politician but lacked charisma. (IMO).
Not sure whether Boris was a good liar. He was brilliant at getting people to believe stuff initially. But he couldn't help himself-he always went too far and said things that could be proved to be false.
There was often a kernel of truth-and then, journalist-style, he overstated and sensationalised stuff. So-if he had said "I am supporting the NHS. I have set aside funds to replace, refurbish or upgrade 40 hospitals" it would have been far better. Not just for the NHS. For him. That was always his biggest fault, and why he should never have been PM. For all his strengths.
Teresa May knew she couldn't lie well. Her mistake was not putting people in the key positions who could. Whereas Truss, as you say, lacks self-awareness. I am sure that there are many people (not me) who yearn for another Margaret Thatcher. But not just a pale copy who tries to sound like her.
Comments
Failure to control inflation-it's just not good enough to blame world events. Our inflation, and our growth, are worse than everywhere else.
Failure to engage with Unions. Stupid posturing, like the cretinous Education Secretary, Gillian Keegan. Who seems to believe strikes are nothing to do with her failure to engage, and just make stupid, inflammatory comments.
But it is not only the fault of this Government. As an example, the teachers behaviour is almost as bad.
I will support their right to strike. But strike-be honest about your intentions, and your aims.
What is happening at the moment is this. In the majority of schools, most individual teachers deliberately refused to say yesterday whether or not they were to strike today. This forced loads of parents to take days off work to look after children, not knowing whether it is necessary. And forced thousands of schools to shut, meaning the Teachers could claim their pay, as (legally) it wasn't their strike that caused them not to be able to work.
In 1 sense, very clever. In another, setting a truly terrible example to their pupils.
Shame on them.
They only work half of the year anyway.
Just to be judgemental.
Workers cannot have pay rises, supposedly because to give pay rises would be "inflationary". At the same time:-
1. Shell is allowed to take advantage of decreased supply to jack up prices for oil & gas. And make profits last year of $39,9 Billion. So-increasing the price of something we have to buy isn't inflationary?
2. Mortgage rates are about to go up-yet again. So-the price of money-you know, that thing we all need to actually buy stuff-is going up. And again, this is not inflationary.
This Government is totally out of touch with people who aren't multimillionaires.
One rule for the oil companies and the banks. The opposite rule for the rest of us.
Rishi Sunak wants to be "judged" in relation to reducing inflation. There are 2 years to go until the next election.
Inflation is currently about 10.5%. It is important to remember that inflation does not provide information about prices and the cost of living. It merely reflects the increase of prices compared to 1 year ago.
This means that the higher prices rise in the penultimate year, the easier it is to show inflation is falling in the next year. So it is actually in this Government's interest to do nothing this year.
Let's use some simple figures to show this. And let's compare and contrast supposed Government performance. Let us suppose interest is naturally running at 10%, and the Government could force Shell and their mates to stop jacking prices up, and that would reduce inflation to 5%. Finally, in A the Government does it in Jan 2023, and in B they do it in Jan 2024. And let's see the effect on a price of £100.
A. Where Govt tries to help now.
Jan 2023-£100
Jan 2024-£105
Jan 2025 (election)-£110.25
Inflation rate has stopped falling
B. Where Govt waits a year.
Jan 2023-£100
Jan 2024-£110
Jan 2025(election)-£115.50
Success! Inflation has halved-even though the actual increase in prices, both over the 2-year and 1-year period, is higher.
Ever felt conned?
But there is always a balancing act involved. Or, at least, almost always.
Of course any Government wants to be re-elected. But most Governments also recognise the need to actually help the electorate, and to have a legacy that shows them in a good light.
And this Government does not seem to appreciate that.
Integrity is the practice of being honest and showing a consistent and uncompromising adherence to strong moral and ethical principles and values. In ethics, integrity is regarded as the honesty and truthfulness or accuracy of one's actions.
When Banking Watchdogs lose their Teeth.
NatWest boss refuses to attend parliamentary hearing.
https://uk.yahoo.com/news/tucker-carlson-called-boris-johnson-045137076.html
1. I have spent the last 100 days "reflecting" (sobbing into my cornflakes) on what wrong
2. I was not blameless
3. Absolutely everything was everyone else's fault
@Essexphil
Don't think I've ever known someone at high Government levels who had such lack of self-awareness.
I'm not going to mock her for her faults, that's way too easy, & we all have our faults, but it remains a great mystery how those who voted for her were so utterly gullible. She is simply WAY below the abilities required to hold public office, even as a Local Councillor, never mind a Minister of State/PM. (PM & Foreign Secretary are the top two Government gigs, & she's held them both).
Perhaps it's me that's stupid, but some things in life just make no sense to me - how we voted for Brexit, how the racist Trump got voted in, how Liz Truss came to be a contender, never mind getting the jobs. In the case of Truss this was of course a VERY small % of the electorate, but even so...
The economic establishment has always been, and probably always will be, Right Wing. And, frankly, that is probably as it should be. And to pretend otherwise is just ridiculous.
You are right, of course. We all have our faults. It's just that the more self-aware of us recognise what our faults are. And either choose careers where those shortcomings are less important, or work on our faults. As an example, I thought David Lammy was a poor public speaker when first elected. He has clearly worked very hard at it.
She was voted in as a Poundland John Major. Not for any qualities she had-just that she was not the other candidates. Major got in because he was not the Heseltine distrusted by the Left or some Thatcher loyalists. Or the Hurd distrusted by the Right.
Similarly, factions of the Tory Party turned against various other, more plausible, candidates simply due to them having policies they disagreed with. While ignoring the few policies Truss actually had.
You need a certain force of personality to get some things through, particularly the more risky ones. Take the differences between May and Johnson in getting us out of the EU. For all his faults, Johnson had the force of personality to carry the day. And Truss did not.
"You need a certain force of personality to get some things through, particularly the more risky ones. Take the differences between May and Johnson in getting us out of the EU. For all his faults, Johnson had the force of personality to carry the day. And Truss did not."
He was a far better liar too. Her ( Ms Truss) body language & facial expressions meant she was a chronically bad liar, whereas Boris was a "good" liar & folks fell for his rhetoric. ("40 new Hospitals", "oven-ready deal", "no NI border checks" etc).
Ms May generally speaking did not lie, she was an "honest" politician but lacked charisma. (IMO).
There was often a kernel of truth-and then, journalist-style, he overstated and sensationalised stuff. So-if he had said "I am supporting the NHS. I have set aside funds to replace, refurbish or upgrade 40 hospitals" it would have been far better. Not just for the NHS. For him. That was always his biggest fault, and why he should never have been PM. For all his strengths.
Teresa May knew she couldn't lie well. Her mistake was not putting people in the key positions who could. Whereas Truss, as you say, lacks self-awareness. I am sure that there are many people (not me) who yearn for another Margaret Thatcher. But not just a pale copy who tries to sound like her.