There is no evidence that devolving power to regional governments in the Uk foster more economic growth.Indeed there is evidence the opposite is true. SNO Scotland and Labour Wales have grown less than England. The NHS in Scotland and Wales both cost more per head but perform less well than NHS England.
There is no reason why an additional layer of government with more officials would make somewhere more prosperous. Regional governments want to impose more and different regulations than the national government. Both the Welsh and Scottish governments wanted longer and tougher lockdowns for covid to add to the damage lockdown policies did.
The regional governments become campaign platforms for their First Ministers and ruling parties who use their position to criticise and undermine national policies. They lobby for more money and get more spend per head than England. They then prove more public spending does not lead to faster growth or better economic performance.
Many Councils in England use their positions similarly. Politicians like Kahn use their platforms to try to undermine the national government. They pursue their own vendettas against van and car drivers, damaging local businesses and shopping centres. They claim be short of money yet they spend a fortune on wrecking the roads. Many buy up portfolios of commercial property and renewable power generation , risking  taxpayers money. Some lurch to bankruptcy as a result.
The Opposition parties who want more of all this will level down any more successful place they win, whilst failing to tackle poverty, lack of successful business and run down urban centres elsewhere.
March 29, 2024
Good morning
As good as an argument fir English independence as you will ever read. Once free of the shackles we can start to rebuild.
Mind you, let us remember that this so called Conservative Government fostered upon us Police Commissars and more Regional Mayor’s.
March 29, 2024
I canât help thinking regionalisation is more do with trying to answer the west Lothian question than improving local issues and more to do with English MPs putting themselves in the same position as Scot and welsh MPs and absolve themselves of being responsible for their constituents
March 29, 2024
14 years ago Cameron promised to answer the West Lothian question, but it was never properly answered, it became EVEL and then Gove dumped the gruel last year! Another broken promise to add to the list! EU wants Balkanisation of our country, so Tory party will obey.
Tory party gave away our fishing waters, gave away N.Ireland, border down Irish Sea, check goods from part of our country to another- Tory PMs said no British PM would do this!- and has caved each time negotiating for Gibraltar! What more do the Tory party have to do to be called traitors?
More layers of govt for regionalisation for mayors, police commissioners which has seen a decline in both public services, lower productivity I think JR calls it.
Scrap devolution to Scotland and Wales because it costs the English a fortune for a few greedy MPs or make England independent.
Where is Sturgeon by the way?
March 29, 2024
+ 1 Hope. It seems even the crumb that was EVEL was too good for us. Theyâre never going to ask us if we would like the same devolution for England that Scotland enjoys. They obviously know thereâs a problem for Cameron to say what he said but still they ignore us. All we are to them is a cash cow for the benefit of the rest of the UK and wider world, everywhere except England.
March 29, 2024
Caught the bus home at 7:30 after an enjoyable afternoon in one of Tim Martinâs establishments. Maybe I should have been in church. Anyway, my bus was in the distance as soon as I emerged. So I walked along the High Street.
Another bus arrived promptly. It was full – a few seats upstairs.
No mad scientists on board, as far as I know. Lifelogicâs nonsense about public transport not in evidence tonight.
March 29, 2024
Rather proving my point, the full bus is observed by many the empty one by none so the impression gained by passengers is totally wrong as they catch the fuller ones. The driver, going from depot to depot over a full day sees the true average occupation figures.
Look up sampling errors!
March 30, 2024
Look up ‘ experience on the ground’.
Also ‘teaching your grandmother to suck eggs’
From an overseas base in your case I believe?
March 29, 2024
And even more Mass you-know-what.
Erasing us really.
March 29, 2024
Yes , we know MPs refuse to say England even when they debate English only issues .England abolished to save the union
March 29, 2024
Yes. Agreed.
Sacrificial Lamb.
March 29, 2024
Just remembered âŠthis very blog used to be âfor Englandâ.
Changed to âFreedomââŠtoo far right probably.
Such a shame.
Such a crying shame that we have no country or homeland now.
And many have at least two.
Foreign flags on our centres of worship and pollsters celebrating the secularisation of EasterâŠ.thanks tories. Thanks!
Try doing all youâve done to us to the folk of two homelands!
March 29, 2024
Indeed so, this is widespread in administration, in the media and all aspects of society. Mr Redwood himself gave up gave up campaigning for England some years ago.
We are not only omitted of course but England is often campaigned against because the perversity in society now means that being in favour of England you are considered to be against the others and thus a racist and extreme ‘rightwing’ nationalist. Perhaps this is what Mr Redwood feared for himself. This accusation does not of course apply to the Scots and Welsh.
Reply I suspended my campaigns for England at the 2017 and 2019 elections because I needed to concentrate on trying to get Brexit through against a Remain establishment that was out to -prevent or dilute it.
March 29, 2024
++++++++
Plus many
Apologies to JRâŠI had no idea there was a campaign. I thought it was a blog sentiment. And a very good one too!
March 29, 2024
Reply to reply: Brexit, be it in name only is now over so why havenât you resumed your campaigns John? Who speaks for England? No-one, thatâs who.
March 30, 2024
JR, you mean your party.
March 29, 2024
Yes funny how a switch goes on like robots when theyâre talking about England. Starmer was at it yesterday when talking about levelling up (what he meant was levelling down). âFrom Hastings to Hartlepool, we will level up up and down the countryâ when it would have been far easier to just say up and down England. They all do it, their deliberate conflation is an insult to us English. Sadly for us, they couldnât care less but even more sadly, there are still many ignorant people who think the UK Government is talking about the whole UK, which is what theyâre relying on when they inflict their punitive measures on England only.
March 29, 2024
++++++
Plus many
March 29, 2024
Make no mistake Uni Party are Balkanising/regionalising our country at behest of EU to divide and conquer. What reason were we given for not delivering the Lothian Question or taking back the meagre gruel by Gove last year?
I think the Uni party has betrayed the country enough time to take back control or vote for change. Both Labour and Tory party have had their day.
The rogue parliament is back in force to prevent divergence and enforce lockstep so the UK is under EU control. Sunak is lying he was not given a bad card he should never have been PM and no one wanted the little backstabbing usurper.
March 29, 2024
We need far less government not even more.
We are still being lied to on the Covid origins (it was almost certainly manmade after gain of function lab experiments), on the huge net harm lockdowns, on the not safe nor effective net harm covid vaccines and on the âsettled scienceâ of net zero and climate alarmism. The BBC coverage especially is pure propaganda. The science and scientist has been bought.
An excellent podcast on The Brendan OâNeill Show with Matt Ridley they discuss censorship in science, the folly of lockdown and the misplaced hysteria over climate change.
See also the excellent The Death of Science book Angus Dalgleish et al. Interesting that even before the 7/7/21
Lord Martin Rees had decided and stated that is was better not to know about the origins of the Covid Virus (in a podcast with Paxman). Would he have said this about a plane crash? Why did he say this? Was anyone pushing him and perhaps other scientists and the BBC to say this?
March 29, 2024
LL
Didn’t Professor Angus Dalgleish manage to get some of the Covid virus under the microscope? He said it was definitely manmade or had certainly been interfered with, as what he saw you’d never see in nature.
March 29, 2024
Indeed Angus was one of the early people to be convinced of this and to be brave and honest enough to point this out. The (the death of science) book which he edits is excellent.
It seems King Charles will attend Easter church service. He is a man of faith we are assured. Indeed he is it seems – especially the Climate Alarmism, CO2 devil gas faiths and the quack medicine homeopathy faiths. I thought he wanted to be âprotector of all faithsâ however much they all contradict each other I assume. Best wishes to him and to Kate for a rapid recovery.
But do please keep out of climate and other politics you silly man. You should keep out of politics anyway, but especially as you are on completely the wrong unscientific side of the climate, and net zero lunacy.
March 29, 2024
‘ It seems King Charles will attend Easter church service. He is a man of faith we are assured.’
He is a man of tradition. Church of England was never particularly devout. It was split High Church and Low. Some departed with the Oxford Movement – Newman et al.
Of the Protestants, non-conformists seemed more fervent back in the day.
Catholicism is not what it was either, after the disaster of the second Vatican council.
Good Friday -the most important day in the Christian calendar.
Dominus vobiscum.
March 29, 2024
Agree – there’s now so much government that they’re happy and at ease telling us ‘not’ to eat a whole easter egg or drink german beer while at the euro’s
March 29, 2024
Dalgleish is/was an excellent cancer specialist at St Georgeâs. He should be listened to every time of the day and every day of the week compared to lying Tory cabinet ministers.
March 29, 2024
@hope +1
March 29, 2024
Professor Angus Dalgleish has also raised the alarm about the increase in cancers, particularly colon, skin and blood cancers in the young. When applying the Bradford-Hill criteria this shows the correlation between high mRNA vaccination rates in countries across the world with increased deaths.
What does our Government do? It advertises COVID-19 vaccines for pregnant women, pushes the booster, and stops producing the data to prove any link with increased deaths. Why not investigate people’s concerns like they are doing in Australia?
Keep up the good work Lifelogic with pushing this information out. One day someone other than Andrew Bridgen will listen but I expect all the perpetrators will be long gone to their lucrative cushy corporate jobs.
March 29, 2024
Indeed Rishi still assures us the vaccines are unequivocally safe so has he just not looked or is he blatantly lying? Which is worse? Sunak also obviously fully approved of kicking Andrew Bridgen out of the party, this for the crime of telling the truth. And now Lee Anderson.
March 29, 2024
Climate – The Movie should be compulsory viewing for everyone. It shows net zero for the scam that it is. I suggest you watch it, Sir John.
March 29, 2024
Ever more government, more taxes, more regulation, more market rigging (in energy, education, employment, transport, healthcareâŠ) will lead to even less growth as we have seen.
March 29, 2024
Yes LL, I agree, so much so that ai think we use the same song sheet
March 29, 2024
Devolution a Bliar construct to ensure liebour dominance which has gone badly wrong. It has exposed the sheer incompetence of liebour and the SNP.
Scotland is a basket case which was presided over by wee krankie and the anti business, anti farming and anti motorist idiot in the Welsh Senedd.
We the English taxpayers paying for this failed experiment.
Now we have two chances in Westminster flooding the country with potential enemies costing us an rm and a leg.
Be gone I pray before we sink under your incompetence.
March 29, 2024
Those that fight for devolution; want to be in charge of devolution âŠthatâs not democracy, thatâs elites and political power/lobby groups getting jobs, money and influence
March 29, 2024
We read and are told 95% of Security service time taken with islamists! Treacherous May lost over 250,000 to her rotten system and recently another 17,300 missing before we know who they are!
Treacherous May and co ought to know better after the Manchester bomber free to come and go to France!
March 29, 2024
Well now! I think it is time for a total change. Neither of the ruling parties can de trusted so we must vote for right wing parties like Reform UK.
March 29, 2024
If and when might reform ever gain any real power 10 years 20 years? Never? Even the. can they be trusted to deliver?
March 29, 2024
Reform will get my vote.
March 29, 2024
Wise up, Mark. They told you it was the EU’s fault. Then they told you it was the judges fault, the civil servants fault, European human rights fault, now they’re telling you it’s the Scots fault and the Welsh’s fault, and the Mayor of London’s fault. No. It is the fault of the Conservative government that’s been running this country for 14 years
March 29, 2024
Wrong as usual, Lemming!
Getting us out of the EU was what the 14 years will be remembered most favourably for.
Future historians will see this as a major achievement, currently clouded by the war in Ukraine and the aftermath of the pandemic.
Our economic prospects are already looking better than those of comparable EU states, despite the best efforts of Remainers to sabotage progress. I only hope that in office , Starmer puts all thoughts of rejoining the customs union on the backburner. If the civil servants allow ministers to make the best of our prospects with the Asian-Pacific partnership and other opportunities we could put clear blue water between the EU and ourselves.
Also we should not underestimate the prospects of a reinvigorated trans-atlantic relationship if Donald Trump wins in November, even with Starmer in Downing Street!
Whoever is PM should make the bold move of appointing Nigel Farage as ambassador. We would then have the ear of the President like no other nation. That could really set our economy motoring and help Ukraine immensely.
March 29, 2024
Starmer must never get his hands on the keys of no 10, Mr Flipflop is totally untrustworthy! I would even like Mr âdo nothing âJohnson before him.
March 29, 2024
Agreed, no Starmer, no Sunak time for change.
March 29, 2024
it
It will be remembered as the era of inviting the world’s economic migrants to come feast on us, and the era of sleeping while China quietly crept over us while all asleep.
March 29, 2024
Agreed and we desperately need Reform!!!
March 29, 2024
Running this country??!!
Running this country DOWN.
March 29, 2024
â Many buy up portfolios of commercial property and renewable power generation , risking taxpayers money. Some lurch to bankruptcy as a result.â
Even English local councils do this now. Croydon is one bankrupt example. Councils elsewhere had unsuccessful ventures into power supply.
There seem to be no penalties for individuals responsible. Ratepayers carry the can.
March 29, 2024
Yes we all know this. Why does the British Parliament ensure that the devolved assemblies are still wanted by their electorates? More that 50% turnout in elections (which need to be carefully scrutinised and controlled) would be an indication of this.
When elections to any government or body (the EU for instance) achieves less than 50% turnout, the electorate are refusing to hand over their sovereignty for the duration.
That body must be dissolved or the British must be removed from it. That goes for international Agencies too – the British government must lose the power to sign agreements with the World Health Authority for instance, without achieving support from the electorate (the Sovereigns).
The Royal Prerogative must go!
March 29, 2024
Those who don’t turn up to vote need to attend and spoil their papers. That is the only way to get the message over. More than 30% spoiled papers would make politicians change their tune, that optic couldn’t be avoided
Reply Instead of spoiling your ballot why not put up for election if you could do better
March 29, 2024
Independent candidates sometimes prosper in local elections.
However, most people do not want the bother of standing for election.
March 29, 2024
Then they will not want to bother with doing the work of a representative,
March 29, 2024
Reply to reply, because some people have higher standards?
You would be a good cabinet minister, but as you have shown you have wasted decades for nothing in return!! The expense scandal demonstrated parliament should have been closed down for institutional corruption over 300 MPs over paid or fiddled expenses. It is inconceivable the rest did not know what was going on.
What of the current speaker Hoyle? He should be gone. He gave two versions why he fiddled accepted procedure, both versions cannot be true. What standard does that set?
Let us not forget the rogue parliament where Tory and Labour MPs conspired to overturn democracy and conspired with EU to do the same. Benn Act ?? MPs voted to undermine the nations position.
Reply Most MPs were asked to repay sums that were entirely legal, correctly reported and accepted by the expenses scheme officials for payment. A few MPs were rightly prosecuted for fiddling invoices or misrepresenting payments.
March 29, 2024
Reply to reply. So pay back what they deliberately frauded from the taxpayer and that makes it alright then. And what about married couples like Balls and Cooper claiming TWICE for the same set of expenses. Got off totally Scot free. Or Brown who gave his flat in London to his wife so he could claim his mansion in Scotland as his second home. Or MPS allowed to claim ÂŁ400 a month, no receipts required, towards their food bills. Those of us in the real word would have at best received instant dismissal and at worst prosecuted. Snouts and trough spring to mind.
Reply claiming an incurred expense under the rules was not fraud
March 29, 2024
(2 named MPs married, cannot check this allegation ed)claimed the same mortgage twice and if thatâs not fraud it should have been. MPs renting out their flats in London for a fortune and then claiming taxpayer money to rent another one. ( MP ed) putting his flat in his wifeâs name so he could get the mortgage paid on his mansion…… All within the rules so they abused them.
Reply Married MPs were not I think allowed to claim the same mortgage twice. Yes some MPs do let out a flat they own and claim rent on one they use for Parliament. This is currently allowed under the rules. I use the flat I have paid for myself and do not charge rent.
March 29, 2024
Hope you have made the case that if all JR achieved in Westminster was to stave off the May calamity and get Brexit – yes we have it, it will be completed because there is no option (as Starmer is discovering) – it is the equivalent at least of being a pilot in the Battle of Britain.
These few saved Britain, against all the odds and their weapon was courage and tenacity and BRAINS!
March 29, 2024
Was the duck house âentirely legalâ? Was it honourable? Was it decent? Was it fair to us who foot the bill? Was it a piss take?
Reply An Mp asked if he could charge that and was told No so no money was paid
March 30, 2024
JR,
Rules created by MPs and policed by MPs what could go wrong with such power! Your party did not change the rules as Cameron promised before his Star Chamber, transparency the best disinfectant. It has become secret, no proper right to recall as promised, no proper independent scrutiny or body overseeing standards.
Look at the sham last week pointed out by Guido Fawkes regarding the fix for Laing, Jenkins, Cates etc. Jenkins presided over Johnson with his sanctimonious tone of righteousness when he knew he went to. his wifeâs drink party at Westminster! What an absolute shyster. Any decency he should have resigned at the time.
Any standards committee should be comprised of independent people not MPs, associates of MPs etc etc. kangaroo court in personification. Westminster is rotten to its core.
March 29, 2024
No point as only a small number of leading politicos have any say or influence as you ably demonstrate most days. We are not living in any kind of democracy as the nut zero non mandate shows, or mass immigration, refusal to deport illegal aliens etc etc. Reform.
March 29, 2024
Also you are counted has having voted – so you increase the turnout.
Gives authority to the winner. Whereas less that t0% means a majority DO NOT WANT YO BE REPRESENTED AT ALL.
March 29, 2024
As I have pointed out George Gallowayâs Party or Aspire from Tower Hamlets are far more likely to win first past the post than Reform. This is because the issues they focus on, such as Gaza, benefit a high density populations in those areas.
The consequence of this is that local councils will become run by parties with newly arrived cultures. When you think about the levers of power local councils hold many. Such as transport, housing, food standards. This will lead to the Balkanisation of the UK.
March 29, 2024
Your judgement is correct, but on achieving power who will invest in these embryonic Gazas. At best they become festering sores and charity black holes.
March 29, 2024
@Javelin. I see Galloway’s Party is to crowd fund in order to put up candidates to challenge (in particular) Labour at the next election. He could reduce their majority significantly, as people are so fed up with the mainstream Parties.
March 29, 2024
It struck me as funny that Galloway might come to the rescue of the Tories by reducing the Labour vote !
March 29, 2024
Or just maybe give Reform an opportunity.
March 29, 2024
No. They will implement PR and that is the end of opportunity.
March 29, 2024
I posted an article pointing out that the GDP per head had flatlined since 2020 but has increased in the USA.
Non farm payroll figures in the USA have shown that the headline figure of job growth is not what it seems. In fact job figures for those living in the USA in 2020 have remained flat and any turn over of jobs has gone from permanent to part time jobs. The Biden admin has spun this as âmoreâ jobs rather than people taking two bad part time jobs. The other statistic of note is that no new jobs were created for those living in the USA in 2020. All new full time jobs have gone to illegals immigrants who have arrived since 2020.
Add ontop of that the USA is getting $1 trillion into debt every 100 days.
So it turns out the USA has not done well either.
March 29, 2024
Debt in the USA is nearing $35 trillion and stands at 123% of the GDP. This equates to $102,873 per citizen or $266,950 per taxpayer ( see https://www.usdebtclock.org/ ). In a recent poll over 30% of US citizens want to leave the country and the number renouncing their citizenship is at an all-time high.
Soon the whole thing will implode which is why the US government needs to orchestrate a war or a major catastrophe.
The UK does the same thing to manipulate the jobless figures. It hides them by encouraging part-time working and the number of people now claiming sickness benefits has gone through the roof.
March 29, 2024
Indeed. Its reported that a large proportion of that debt has to be renewed this year. I wonder how that will effect gilt prices??? Can’t kick the can forever.
March 29, 2024
Much of Europe spent a long time uniting into large nations.
The EU ( I believe) has always wanted to reverse that.
No strong nations. No patriotism etc.
Another âdivide and conquerâ strategy to deliver it more and more power.
Like Scotland, once devolved, countries or regions push for total independence.
Wales, Ireland also in the process of being de-nationalised.
And as for EnglandâŠwell we have been stripped bare and thrown away.
March 29, 2024
It has been an experiment in local democracy that has not worked. A devisive opportunity for a local ragbag of political snake oil salesmen to inflict their parish mentality on the whole, at great expense. An exercise in damage limitation is required.
There has been no great rush by UK or Overseas investors to these toytown empires. Their only virtue is that they have acted as a bell weather warning on the disaster of socialism, but who realises this in the coming rush to rid ourselves of the current conservatism gone bad.
March 29, 2024
Exactly! But how can we ever rid ourselves of Socialism give. the current Con-Socialists and first past the post voting. Seems to be virtually impossible.
March 29, 2024
I wonder if the Mayor of London is very popular with taxi drivers?
Or are they exempt?
March 29, 2024
the number of lost votes is immaterial compared to the car/van drivers getting clobbered finanacially or put out of business.
March 29, 2024
Yes agreed but I was wondering about his (maybe) core votersâŠmind you he has changed the rules regarding language for themâŠso you are prob right.
But heâll no doubt manage to get in again?
March 29, 2024
Sir John,
I was surprised to learn that there will be a vote in the Scottish Parliament to allow assisted dying.
This, if passed, would allow people in Scotland to kill their terminally ill, something which would still be a serious offence south of the border.
I am surprised that such a matter is a devolved issue, if indeed it is.
March 29, 2024
I suspect that, like the transgender issue which Krankie tried to introduce north of the border, Sunak could stop it if he wanted to since it would obviously have an impact on the rest of the UK.
But Starmer has already said he will allow time for an Assisted Dying Bill when he becomes PM.
March 29, 2024
Maybe the UK government should just issue a statement that anyone assisting a suicide in Scotland would not be exempt from prosecution if he stepped out of Scotland.
March 29, 2024
Under the new Hate Speech law coming into Scotland on 1st April (how ironic) the Scottish police can come into England and arrest anyone they like and take them back to Scotland to be prosecuted.
When it comes to hate why donât they start with that hate-baiting first minister of theirs who clearly hates all white people given the tone of his speeches? Why do the Scottish people put up with this?
March 29, 2024
If this is correc and I suspect it is, we need an extradition treaty with Scotland so that no English resident can be taken to Scotland to be tried for any offence that is not regarded as a crime in England.
Surely this must be an issue for the Supreme Court to rule on ?
March 29, 2024
CW, âThis would allow people in Scotland to kill their terminally illâ: Ever tried to read about what assisted dying would be? No, I guess not. So much better displaying how crass you are, isnât it?
March 29, 2024
How on earth would you define it then?
âEnabling them to live a better deathâ?
March 29, 2024
I think doctors over the years have quietly overdosed many people terminally ill. I think it an act of kindness by an objective professional.
I would change the laws of murder and manslaughter so that capital punishment could be used to dispatch those where there is absolute no doubt they murdered.
Much more morale than killing people for regime change like Tory and Labour Party have.
March 29, 2024
You are quite correct. My terminally ill wife, after 50 years and 20 days of marriage died peacefully at home, as she had wished, in a hospital bed provided by the NHS with me and our son at her side.
Our doctor, whom we had known for many years, gently explained to me that the drip she was on would quietly and peacefully shut her bodily systems down. She died around 11 p.m. I was unable to cope with it at the time but my son called the doctor and he came out straight away and certified her death.
That was September 2013 – would one still be able to get so much medical support, sympathy and understanding from a GP these days? Perhaps not, who knows?
March 29, 2024
Pretty sure you are right re mercy killing.
BUT that was when Drs had humanity and knew their patients and their familiesâŠthe Liverpool Pathway ( still carried out secretly I believe) is very different.
As for the death sentence âŠnever let us give that power again to a regime that has proved itself so untrustworthy.
Hanged for âwrongthinkâ.
March 30, 2024
I think my motherâs life ended this way. I considered it an act of kindness to bring her pain to an end.
March 29, 2024
Hefner.
A bit rude.
I am well aware what assisted dying actually is. I accept that my choice of words was a bit clumsy but, that still did not justify your abuse.
For your information, my wife is living, if you can call it living, with multiple system Atrophy or MSA. This is the kind of condition that some advocate, would be able to benefit from assisted dying legislation.
At the end of the day, my comment was accurate albeit a bit clumsy. Have a good day
March 29, 2024
You have my full adulation & respect Cliff, please enjoy your easter holidays
March 29, 2024
No helpful information to inform and educate from hefner.
Just personal negative comments towards others as usual.
March 29, 2024
CW is correct.
The view may not be fashionable in this country nowadays.
I remember when abortion was a crime. Now it is described as a womanâs right to choose. Those are weasel words in my opinion.
March 29, 2024
This sort of idiotic comment prevents people suffering from a horrible, terminal condition from escaping the worst of it and leave this life on their terms with a bit of dignity. Instead, those who have had enough of pain and suffering, facing a future of complete helplessness, fear and panic, have to pay ÂŁ10k and head off to Dignitas.
I have a wife who lives with chronic pain from a neurological problem every minute of every day of her life. When SHE decides she has had enough, you going to interfere? People like you make my blood boil.
March 30, 2024
MW.
“People like me.”
I hadn’t realised we’d met.
I am sorry that my post has made your blood boil. I wonder if you had pinged your reply off before reading my reply to Hefner above.
Whether or not one supports the concept of assisted dying or not, is not my point. My point was that, should this legislation come in, then something which the Westminster national government deems to be a serious crime would not be north of the border.
I didn’t really want to get into a debate about the so called right to die but, here is my own personal view… I feel, in general terms people should be able to decide for the self whether to take their own life or not.
My wife, who as I stated above, has MSA which is a rare, neurological degenerative disorder, is very prolife and would not, under Any circumstances, consider taking her own life. Please note she is also in constant pain and regularly gets lung infections due to swallowing difficulties.
I can see both sides of the debate, so I have splinters in my bum from sitting on the fence. I worry that pressure may be applied to some people not to be a burden and to do the right thing etc. I also worry about whether someone is sufficiently mentally competent to make their own decision.
As a retired nurse, I have seen people take their last breaths. Some die very peacefully, others believe they see something which scares the hell out of them. We don’t really know what happens at the point of death.
Something that still haunts me was when I had the vet put my sick, old dog to sleep. I feel very guilty about ending her life. If I feel like that about a dog, doing something like that to a person would send me insane.
How we could put a right to die into legislation with the right safeguards I don’t know.
March 31, 2024
CW, Thanks for your explanations, and apologies for my curt comment. My wife died from Cadasil two years ago, having been almost four years in a retirement care home, but transferred without the familyâs prior knowledge to the local hospice where she died within a few days. At no time, were we helped related to a possible âpeaceful deathâ.
Once one has entered a retirement care home system, it would seem there is no possibility to go Dignitas, a way my wife had requested it multiple times during her times of consciousness.
March 31, 2024
Hefner,
That is an awful story and you have my deepest sympathy.
I have my wife still at home. We have a hospital bed in our lounge in our tiny two bed semi. We have a gantry and hoist above the bed so we can transfer her to her adjustable chair. We have two carers who come in four times a day to wash her, change her and to keep her clean.
Sadly, I know what her prognosis is and what will happen to her as more and more of her brain becomes “sponge like.”
The GP has been next to useless and or her branches of the state’s machine seem only interested in pushing the”RESPECT” form which basically states what should be done in different situations. My wife was deemed incapable to make her own decisions and so the medical team have decided themselves with very little imput from me.
I dread the day they force me to let her go to a nursing home but I have learned you’ll never win in the end against the state’s machine.
Take care.
March 29, 2024
It was good to see Sir John being interviewed on the BBC’s flagship “Newsnight” programme last night. The subject was the financial problems of Thames Water, now that their foreign shareholders have refused to re-finance the company unless the customers are subjected to a 40% increase in bills, that dividends are re-started and the company’s fines for the illegal dumping of sewage are substantially reduced.
I was struck how careful the interviewer Victoria Derbyshire was to present both sides of the argument impartially. Sir John defended Thames Water’s investment record and privatisation generally. Another interviewee pointed out that Thames Water was loaded with ÂŁ14bn of debt by the Australian bank Macquarie after being sold in 1989 with no debts at all – much of which was paid out in dividends. Also that right across the world, water/sewage infrastructure remain nationalised.
I think UK re-nationalisation of the whole water/sewage dumping industry is now inevitable. If the British taxpayer has to take on the huge debts accrued by the private equity companies involved (close to ÂŁ65bn) since privatisation, clearly the shareholders should not be compensated. They have got their investment back already in the dividends.
Reply I do not see why you prefer nationalisation when the Post Office shows how that works. ÂŁ1400 m of losses for tacpayers and prison for honest employees
March 29, 2024
Reply-reply
The so called safe guards put in place to protect customers and provide a decent service are not working though John are they.
Fully aware that the water infrastructure was in terminal decline when sold off ( gIven away), and needed a vast amount of money to improve it, but it does not seem to be working for anyone at the moment does it. Shareholders have had no dividends for years, customers bills have risen, sewerage is still being dumped in rivers and seas, and whilst some effort has been made to cure leakage, we seem to still have the same scale of a problem.
No new reservoirs have been built, hosepipe bans are a regular occurrence in the summer, and now we understand some housebuilding projects are being compromised due to lack of a water supply.
Should the real basics of life and health be put in the hands of corporate business, some of which are abroad ?
Reply Regulator and business need to negotiate over pace and cost of new pipes and who pays. The industry regularly discharged sewage when nationalised and failed to monitor it as we now do
March 29, 2024
Reply to reply: OFWAT seems to be as spectacularly useless as all the other Quangos supposedly overseeing the privatised industries. Why haven’t there been any sackings ….. and why was Gove rolled-out to criticise Thames Water, instead of its CEO?
March 29, 2024
Just shows what lousy politicians we have had over decades. Something as basic and essential as clean water and sewage disposal was neglected for donkeys years, yet they are quite prepared to prattle on about climate change and net zero type things when whatever we do cannot make the slightest difference. The argument should not be about privatisation/nationalisation but management and the the poor way the privatisations were implemented just to get it done for ideological reasons. There is no reason why competent managers cannot manage properly under either regime and it has been proven with this case alone that the profit motive does not mean better services and cheaper prices, but loading up companies with huge debt in order to fill the bank accounts of the already rich.
March 29, 2024
If we nationalised the water companies, we would have to compensate shareholders reasonably, which would cost a fortune. Otherwise, investors would flee the UK en masse, causing an economic crisis.
The sewage system (built mainly by the public sector) was designed to dump storm overflows into rivers. Only the modern focus on the environment necessitates fixing this now. If the companies were nationalised, taxpayers would have to fund this as well, which would mean less money for investing in new hospitals and railways.
The answer is to sort out OFWAT, including some of the ways John suggests for other quangos. If Thames Water cannot fund the required investment, they should let it go bust. It makes an operating profit, so somebody would snap it up.
The reason new reservoirs have not been built is the planning system. Nationalisation would not fix that.
March 29, 2024
Thames Water doesn’t need to be nationalised, it needs to be mutualised. Make it the property of the customer and the employees who work for it.
The UK government having sold their birthright should buy back the asset of the water systems and give it to the people who had the right to it.
March 29, 2024
Reply to reply.
Who is talking about the Post Office, it’s about Thames Water. A monopoly public enterprise was sold to make a private monopoly, that did what private companies do, ie make money for shareholders. This is sometimes not in the best interests of the other stakeholders, namely the customer. Why; no or inadequate competition. Sir J., when there’s a clear error of judgement, as with Thames Water, you’ve got to accept that the error was made and it needs to be rectified, somehow. Let’s not keep on with, or make the same mistakes again, because of ego or doctrine.
Reply I have been the advocate of water competition!
March 29, 2024
Reply to reply: Didn’t do much for the electricity industry did it? It worked for a while until it was decided that competition was not such good idea for the big money men who wanted to smash it up and get back to a few big firms all charging the same price. Even now, when some deals are being offered they don’t save much and demand that in order to get a deal you must submit to a ‘smart’ meter and handing your bank account over to them to finance in their business in advance. We don’t go to the supermarkets and give them our bank details and allow them to decide how much they want before we enter the shop. I won’t do it even if I did save ÂŁ75 per year and have all the hassle of arguing about over charging and getting my money back, Been there, done that. No thanks.
March 29, 2024
reply to reply… how does that work? I’d like to buy my water & sewerage services from Portsmouth Water.
Under the current legislation, household customers are not able to change their water supplier or sewerage service provider. The water or sewerage company that supplies your property will depend on where you live.
The only alternative as I see it is to break up offenders like Thames Water into smaller suppliers forcing comparisons between the separate offshoots.
March 29, 2024
Reply to reply:
Our host is perfectly happy to sell everything we have to foreign interests. Called investment. The idea that this is good and beneficial is an ideological danger to us all. Nothing is off limits except something that is close to them. Who will settle Thames debts? Foreign ownership has taken the surplus cash at Thames and run up massive
debt, thanks Mr Redwood. How many other countries follow your ideology?
Reply I do not need you to grossly misrepresent my views. When I helped Margaret Thatcher privatise we used golden shares to prevent foreign takeovers. I also promote policies to cut the balance of trade deficit, as the deficit forces asset sales to foreigners to pay for the imports.
March 30, 2024
Reply to reply:
That is history. You and your party in government is making things worse now. Howcum most of our industry and assets are foreign owned. Howcum they are allowed to take surplus cash and dividends away? As I have mentioned many many times no matter what you claim to believe you will be loyal to the Conservative party no matter how much harm you believe it is doing and England and the English people.
March 29, 2024
As a user of the so-called services, I looked aghast at the endless annual dividends being paid to each successive owner, while the leaks etc continued unrelentedly. If the business was really on its knees how could the owners cream off the ‘profits’ that way? sounds criminal!
March 29, 2024
@Sir John – reply
Undoubtedly, the privatisation of some sectors of the economy was successful. BP, BAE, Rolls Royce, BT, Cable and Wireless did well. British Gas succeeded. The water companies, British Steel, British Shipbuilders, British Rail did not. One observes that foreign companies now dominate the infrastructure sector, paying huge dividends and profits to their owners – massive outflows of capital that distort the financial markets and impoverish us all
Regretably, the proceeds of the privatisation of assets owned by the taxpayer were used by government for general expenditure, instead of being ring-fenced into a British Sovereign Wealth Fund to be topped up by N Sea hydrocarbon revenues
The end result of selling off our assets, including iconic British companies such as Cadbury, BMC, Morrisons, Sky, RSA, G4S, Majestic Wine, John Laing, Meggitt, Ultra Electronics etc has been a disaster for the London Stock Exchange, with the FTSE 100 a shadow of its former self. Not to mention the loss of well paid British jobs as these companies were asset stripped and broken up, with the factories closed and production moved overseas
March 29, 2024
Don’t often agree with you, but well said.
March 29, 2024
Ditto.
March 29, 2024
I’ve noticed this in recent years. Every time I buy into a UK company that is doing well, it is bought out by a private equity firm.
March 29, 2024
Iâd prefer anything rather than the utter uselessness of your government. DO SOMETHING about this continual dumping of sewage into our rivers and seas. Itâs what you are paid very well for – not for sitting there yahbooing during PMQs and running for the bars as soon as the cameras stop rolling.
Reply I do not drink alcohol at Westminster. I work there. The government has put in a Regulator, forced companies to report discharges, fined them for excess and told the Regulator and companies to put in more pipes. Thames is near completion of a ÂŁ4.5 bn super sewer for London.
March 30, 2024
I did not intend to imply that you drank while working. What sort of a workplace (wokeplace?) has bars? But plenty do and the behaviour of many at PMQs is a national embarrassment.
Reply Westminster hosts many members of the public and events so there is a case for selling alcohol on the premises. I choose to never drink alcohol at Westminster as I do not find alcohol goes well with 12 hour working days.
March 29, 2024
SG,
You are right – about the water companies.
As for the Post Office, that is a case of lack of proper oversight by ministers and government. They were either asleep on the job, or abdicated responsibility.
The fact that the Post Office has always been a state owned enterprise is irrelevant.
Reply You are so wrong. Nationalised industries have always been worse for employees, customers and taxpayers. The nationalised coal industry got rid of 900,000 jobs whilst claiming huge subsidies!
March 29, 2024
Regional governments and mayors of London were bad ideas to start with. Before all that needless added conflict and waste began, constituency MPs and Local Authorities cooperated and represented their areas properly,.
Vast projects, such as those affecting the whole of London, or spanning an entire nation were adequately managed by national government which âhasâ the entire countryâs interest at heart. However, the current PM and many from his bunch of bozos in the Cabinet are an exception, overdue to be extinguished.
March 29, 2024
These governments love fixing things that aren’t broke
March 29, 2024
The devolved administrations and khan in London serve the useful purpose of reminding us quite how dreadful and useless leftist government always is. People should take note. From waste to bad services, high crime – especially violent crime – to wokery designed to undermine the U.K. and its traditions, leftist government is always and everywhere a disaster.
People really need to vote Conservative however hopeless they think this government is.
March 29, 2024
So you think that regardless of how dreadful and leftist the appalling Not-a-Conservative-Party has been, people who don’t support hopeless, leftist policies should still vote for it?
Glutton for punishment, aren’t you.
March 29, 2024
No but 4/10 is better than 2/10. Labour – which is the only alternative – would obviously be worse in all respects, much worse in some. And nothing would be better. So unless you are a woke leftist it is irrational not to vote Conservative.
I also think one of the reasons itâs so disappointing at the moment is the blob is in control – the blob of course having been massively empowered by the Liz Truss fiasco.
March 29, 2024
Oh dear Richard, why vote for Tory party who copies and builds on Labour Marxist policies! Why not vote for the real thing?
Cameron hired many former Labour ministers in preference to his own! Cameron claimed to be the heir to a Blaire. There was not a fag paper difference between Darling and Osborneâs economic policy, just trajectory of implementation.
Tory party after 14 years have worse economic and taxation record than Labour. Tory party implementing âRed Edâsâ Marxist energy policy! Based on fact and record Tory party worse than Labour. Former Tory ministers Clarke and Soubry and others state their support for Labour!
March 29, 2024
Iâd vote for Mickey Mouse before Iâd vote Conservative. Surely every usual Tory voter should stay at home. This would delegitimise any government. We need something different tan the road to self destruction we are currently on.
March 30, 2024
We haven’t had 4/10. For the last 14 years, we’ve had BluLabour.
At best, I give them 2/10, but that’s only because – kicking and screaming – they were finally forced by Nigel and the Brexit Party to implement a form of Brexit. But they didn’t even do that well, since their priority was to remain as closely aligned to the EU as possible without actually sitting at the table.
March 29, 2024
â People really need to vote Conservative however hopeless they think this government isâ
Give the candidates in blue immunity whatever they get up to?
No thanks. There is a price to pay for mismanagement.
March 29, 2024
So, Richard 1st, are you also going on a crusade in 2024, leaving the ruling of England to others.?
March 29, 2024
R1, A bit masochist.
March 29, 2024
On the contrary – Labour would be worse.
March 29, 2024
No the same chaotic mess playing to EU tune. Get real.
March 29, 2024
Richard,
The Conservatives (??) have won the popular vote in England in every election this century but because we alone are not allowed self Governance, our choice of Government has to receive a UK majority even though most of what any UK Government does nowadays only affects England. Just think the union first, England last party could have been in power since 2005 if they believed in constitutional (and financial equality) for England which they clearly donât.
March 29, 2024
‘The Regions’ instead of England. I’ve read from various sources over the years, the idea of carving England into regions was, and likely still is, an EU idea.
England is certainly a dirty word to most in politics.
It has virtually been erased as a distinct nation, with distinct culture and not one politician, academic, or media mouthpiece see the irony when talking of Russia doing similar in parts of Ukraine it has captured, as an example.
It has even, it seems, been decided to change the flag to show it no longer has any symbolic meaning but can be a jumble of whatever anyone wants it to be. As for other flags flying from civic buildings, that is an outrage.
Sir John is talking of the monetary value and economic performance of regions, well I think of something far deeper.
On the monetary side, it will be a case of pitting regions against each other vying for funding, and of course as some regions collapse due to misspending, someone else will have to be blamed and foot the bill no doubt.
The fact that England was never given her own Parliament, and everyone and anyone can make decisions for its people makes a mockery of this so- called democracy.
Campaign for an English Parliament organisation deserves every English man and woman’s support.
March 29, 2024
Not sure what Reformâs policy on this is Ben Habib commented recently that England was not self governaning and Nigel Farage when UKIP leader proposed an English Parliament. I find it completely insulting when politicians of all colours, Hunt did it recently, refer to the nations and the regions. We all know who they mean by the regions and itâs not Scotland or Wales. Google countries in Europe, England isnât mentioned, only the usual Scotland, Wales and United Kingdom. And Johnâs lot have stood by and done nothing. And today we discover that Sunak is totally unconcerned about the 1.2 million he is allowing into England every single year, committing goodness knows what crimes and diluting our country to the point where it is becoming unrecognisable. This is why we need an English Parliament with politicians standing up for Englandâs interests, unlike now.
March 29, 2024
The EU’s policy was to break European nations into regions – a policy of divide and rule.
The UK was to be divided into 9 regions: Scotland, Wales and Greater London were regions and to have their own regional government. And England, forbidden to have its own Parliament, was to be divided into regions. In the only Referendum held on the proposal to divide England into regions, Northumberland, the people rejected the proposal with a very large majority.
But, as usual, the Establishment has ignored the wishes of the English people and devolution via regional Mayors are being imposed. The latest example is in Northumberland, which specifically rejected regionalisation.
All we are getting is yet another tier of government with thousands more taxpayer-funded Jobsworths.
It’s no wonder the country is effectively bankrupt.
March 29, 2024
+many. It shows the uni party are one. EU one nation types.
March 29, 2024
The last thing we need or want is more government !
More expense, more confusion, more delay, ever more confused policies, more places for people to hide from responsibility and accountability.
We have too much government now, with them trying their best to control our lives with financial penalties, what car you can buy, how you should heat your house, etc etc etc.
March 29, 2024
Devolved powers are another area where there has been no policy difference between Labour and Conservative. The Mayor of London was a creation of Tony Blair and then all the other regional city Mayors were set up by Cameron/Osborne/Heseltine – Blairites all. To remove them now would be an admission of failure and so neither party will do it.
At this point it would be absolutely impossible to ever take back devolved powers from Scotland and Wales and there is no chance of the Conservatives even wanting to do so, so while it remains an interesting debating point in practice it is irrelevant in the real world.
March 29, 2024
Sir JR, there was a time when you spoke of a better deal for England. You seem to have drifted away from that.
If devolution isn’t working, scrap it. If it is. It’s time for English devolution (actually it’s way overdue) An English parliament with powers equal to that of the Scottish and Welsh parliaments.
March 29, 2024
please help me here? Where is England, perhaps some explanation is needed! From time to time I see England mentioned, but then on so many other times the name/place is obviously avoided. Is it a bastard child we avoid naming?
March 29, 2024
The war criminal Putin, during a visit to the Russian 344th Center for Combat Employment and Retraining of Army Aviation Pilots on March 27, reiterated several boilerplate narratives aimed at distracting Western policymakers with irrelevant and tired Russian threats. Likely seeking to delay and influence the forthcoming important decisions regarding additional Western military aid to Ukraine and countering the now obvious Russian threat against NATO.
Putin claimed that Russia has âno aggressive intentionsâ towards NATO states and that Russia âwould not be doing anything in Ukraineâ if it were not for “the NATO-led coup dâĂ©tat in Ukraine and subsequent hostilities in Donbasâ
Putin repeatedly stated that no invasion of Ukraine was intended, before, on 22nd Feb 2022 he did just that. From this we can conclude that Putin does indeed intend to attack NATO, specifically Poland and the Baltic States, if he manages to subjugate Ukraine
The reduction in British military capabilities since the malign 2010 SDSR must now end; 3% of GDP on defence is actually now the minimum. We must assume that if Mr Trump succeeds in the November election, he will be as good as his word and pull America out of NATO. We must prepare to defend ouselves
Reply Trump very unlikely to pull out of NATO. He didn’t in his first term when his threats to low payers got them to contribute more
March 30, 2024
The ‘boilerplate narrative’ is yours, SG, with your usual warmongering platitudes. The government got it right when it decided on no increase in military spending in the Budget. The correct assessment was that no attack on NATO countries, and therefore involving Britain, is likely in the foreseeable future. Russia has its hands full in Ukraine, in case you hadn’t noticed, and is paying a high cost for the war. It will no doubt be glad to get a peace deal signed once Kiev and its Western sponsors submit to the inevitable and admit the failure of Project Ukraine. That way, Moscow will get the buffer zone between it and NATO which it has always said it wants. Why would it decide to lose that by attacking NATO countries?
March 29, 2024
The current government has allowed all this to happen and, worse still, has made some of the same type of damaging interventions John is complaining of.
March 29, 2024
Totally agree! Devolution doesn’t just not serve anyone accept the Regional Politicians, it is a drain on Regional Economy’s, and through the Treasury, drain on the whole economy!
The only answer is, is to scrap it, and give back the influence, to the regional Peoples, over Westminster!
A lot of People have been impoverished because of Devolution!
So, does this mean it will, or can, happen?
PS: How do you realistically introduce Competition into a Monopoly? Which by definition, and by it’s very Nature, are a Monopoly! This was known, and warned about, back just before Privatisation! Supporters were hoping we would Build Competition into the National Structure! What I would call a Strategically guided structure! But, how would you get Investors to enter into such a Non-market? You will need a Regulator, with Power, and to act in the “British Interest”, to do the directing? Sounds like a Industrial Strategy, for Cheap Energy, Primary Steel making, Oil&Gas production, etc,… Can you speak to Kemi, remind her of the “British Interest”! Not everything can be ideal!
The British Conservative Party could;
Support the Self Employed, regaining the Importance of Self Determination, and away from State Dependency!
Scrapping Devolution, and putting it to the People!
Support British Primary Steel making at Port Talbot, the British Interest and Vote winner!
A British Industrial strategy; Acting in the British Interest; Cheap Energy! Supporting Fundamental Industry’s!
Moving away from Net Zero, subsidised Renewables!
Having a counter plan, to Nationalisation! Not just theory, but a way to build a competitive structures! Rail, Water,…
Ensure the People of the Regions get access to Recovery Loans, Equity Loans, and start-up support, not Regional Politicians receiving “Levelling Up” money!
The List grows long! Time for a change!
March 29, 2024
The Blair/Brown devolution “settlement” was grossly unfair to England, but, of course, Labour realised that with 85% of the population, an English devolved Government would be more powerful than the UK one which would only be left with defence and foreign affairs to manage.
Not a good prospect for a General election when a Conservative English administratiin would be overwhelmingly likely, as Labour traditionally relied on over-represented Welsh and Scottish voters on the rare occasions they won ! Pat McFadded said recently thst in the last 100 years, Labour had only won from the opposition benches four times.
This is still unfinished business. The danger is that Labour will balkanise England while they have the chance, thus rendering an English devolved government harder to justify.
March 29, 2024
Sir John, Why are you a lone voice in so many areas? Why do we not have a majority of Conservative MPs agitating for change? Is this a legacy of David Cameron’s influence on the selection of Candidates by Central Office? That most are more liberal lefties than conservative?
Why is the party in the country well to the right of the Government? I have resigned from my CPF group because we don’t feel listened to. Isn’t that the key to the problem, that the Government is not listening to its natural supporters? To be blunt, are you the only true conservative MP left?
March 29, 2024
Once again we see that your views appear to be at odds with that of the current Tory government who are very pro devolution, pro regional/city mayors, pro police commissioners, pro regional quangos and pro EU federalisation âŠdivide, conquer than control
March 29, 2024
+many
March 29, 2024
As an illustration of your much more general point here is just one specific example relating to the planning permission rules for a new heat pump install in the UK.
To qualify as a Permitted Development, alongside other planning criteria the, heat pump must satisfy the following criteria:
Size of external heat pump: in England, the outdoor unit and housing isnât larger than 0.6m3.âŻIn Wales, the compressor unit and housing canât exceed 1m3,âŻin Scotland, it canât be taller than 3 metres, andâŻin Northern Ireland, the external unit must be no taller than 2 metres.
Is this absurd, or what ? Little wonder that the Government cannot sell Heat Pumps at any price.
March 29, 2024
Indeed plus you will often need a large hot water tank (not needed with many gas boiler installations) which might take up much of on internal room. Devaluing your flat or house. Then we have the fan noise plus as they use electricity (usually made from gas) so they cost more to run not less and save little or no CO2 anyway. They also cost far more and to be efficient need larger rads. Then you need vast grid and generating capacity improvements as most of the electricity they use will be on the free freezing winter days. Great plan though other than those teething issues!
March 29, 2024
LL :
I would also add : Easy to steal and not insurable as outside the house, higher maintenance costs than a gas boiler as far more complex and I wonder how the infirm and elderly are expected to go outside to brush off the snow when it snows.
March 29, 2024
+1
March 29, 2024
Sir John
There are very sound reasons to dissipate responsibility down to those that can actually fulfill the duties and the work required to match local needs. As it is we have central government playing at being everyoneâs local council and doing it badly. This appears to be a hangover from being controlled by the unelected unaccountable EU, that left the UK Government and its Legislators with nothing other than interfere and create one size fits all policies from the center and fulfill them badly.
I appreciate that you are refereeing to the weird Regional set-ups and for that matter the over important mayors, they have just become modern thiefdoms that are out of touch in the same way central government is. My feeling is that as things are best handled at local (Council, Country Council) community level, they know and how to do things that benefit their communities and leave well alone those things that donât. The point being the Blair/Brown screwing the Country method then picked up with zeal by the Conservative Government has nothing to do with good government or getting real things done. 90% of what Central Governments screws around with, pretends they can manage, gets to hands on with, can be done more effectively at less cost by County Councils and Local Councils â they know the needs and the priorities. Does anyone believe that Edinburgh knows what Glasgow or the Shetlands needs, or that Cardiff knowing what should happen in Rhyl. The have a London centric Metro Left powerhouse in Westminster trying to tell Barnsley or Truro whatâs best for them â give us a break get real. Itâs all appeasement of personal ego and the doctrine of stroking ones self-esteem, what it is not is good government
Reply Yes I prefer Counties/Boroughs to regional government. Under Lib Dem control Wokingham Borough does the opposite of what many of us want,wasting large sums on bad projects and cutting services we need.
March 29, 2024
@Reply, – strange lot in Wokingham they appear to have money to burn, there was a time that Wokingham was one of the most cost effective Councils in the Country always the lowest charging, yet at the same time having effective and complete local services. All down the pan now.
Deceitful campaigning seems to be their only objective.
March 30, 2024
yes spending is very liberal from Wokingham.
March 29, 2024
So what would it take to dissolve the London Mayor’s empire, the Scottish and Welsh governments?
IMVHO that action is well overdue because they add nothing of quality or value for money – far from it. Kahn has turned London into a new version of the killing fields.
See how Kahn is ripping off Londoners by increased staff and massive salaries and bonuses! You can imagine how many of these are white males.
TPA City Hall Rich List 2024: 1,146 city hall bosses received over ÂŁ100,000 last year pic jobs for boys
No wonder rip-off Kahn so badly needed ULEZ to balance the books — Time he was booted out of office!
Time parliament did something about these quangos which cost us dear — got rid of them and started to run the UK as one entity.
March 29, 2024
I donât agree with (more) devolution and more layers of government as this only leads to more state employment and hence more expense and wasted money as foolish schemes are dreamt up to justify their existence.
To improve both democracy and decision making :
No governing bodies above parish council should have no opposition members as I believe exists for the councils of two London boroughs. I believe this leads to poor decisions and inaction to stop serious maladministration and electoral ways should be found for some opposition to always exist.
Referendums are now needed at local and national levels. Mayor Khan should not have been allowed to extend the ULEZ scheme without a referendum and the Government should not have been allowed without a referendum to put Net Zero by 2050 into law with just 88 minutes of debate in Parliament, no costings and no vote.
March 29, 2024
John,
I no longer care what happens in Scotland, why should I when we are no longer a United Kingdom? I couldnât care less if they became independent, (which they wonât of course as long as UK Governments continue to indulge them with English taxpayersâ money). Iâm not interested in their barmy authoritarian left wing policies either although I suspect Starmer will impose the same on England. What I do care about is despite making more and more of their own laws (with even more powers intended under Starmer) is the fact they are still allowed to send an over bloated army of MPs to the UK Parliament to meddle and vote on matters which are increasingly becoming England only. What I care about is the balkanisation of my country with its competing regions imposed on us with no question of recognition as a nation whilst promoting at every opportunity Scotland and Wales as nations. What I care about is your Government shovelling more and more English taxes per head to the devolved nations than England itself so they can afford the freebies denied to us English on grounds of cost.
We are told Labour cannot win the election without Scotland and yet the main role of those Scots MPsâ will be to help Starmer govern England. With the exception of 1997, the Tories have won the popular vote in England in every single election since, yet because England alone needs a UK majority to decide itâs Government, we have to accept the Government foist on us by the devolved nations despite most of what any UK Government does nowadays only affects England, it being the only nation in the UK and western world denied self Government and your party have been complicit in this destruction of England at every step. Shame on you all.
Reply I opposed devolution at the time and wrote of its dangers in “The Death of Britain? ” . Scottish and Welsh devolution was settled by referenda. No party is proposing a re run of those votes.
March 29, 2024
â Scottish and Welsh devolution was settled by referenda.â
If only we English were afforded the same luxury. What a pity we donât live in a democracy.
March 30, 2024
Well said JoolsB. England …. the country and people who are hated, despised … and feared … by its own governing class. The Secret People, GK Chesterton wrote about.
March 29, 2024
The system of devolvement has achieved nothing ; we now have a considerable problem in establishing our national identity and the cost to the tax payer has increased as a result . Scotland , Northern Ireland and Wales have each introduced features that diminish a united country and any effort now to introduce a national condition is fraught with all kinds of difficulty . We have slowly but surely now lost much of our status and place in world affairs .
March 29, 2024
Now we know the price of a knighthood
Reply There is no price for a knighthood. I did not donate to a party to get one.
March 29, 2024
but others most certainly did!
March 29, 2024
Do you actually believe that giving out knighthoods will lead to electoral victory?
March 29, 2024
SirJ I exclude you from anything I write âŠyouâre above suspicion, a man of integrity, and any reference I make towards the Tory party, government or MPs doesnât include you nor a small number of like-minded MPs/colleagues
March 29, 2024
Please avoid ‘level down’ and ‘level up’.âIt is meaningless lingo to the masses, including me.â’Levelling up’ is now strongly associated with PM Johnson’s ebullient rhetoric and that it has not obviously been delivered.âWorsen or improve seem adequate, with a comparison if required.
March 29, 2024
Agree
March 29, 2024
Whose idea was devolution and mayors? It was the government of the day. Yet again an ill-conceived idea that has cost the British taxpayer dear. You can add the signing away of our sovereignty to international bodies, treaties and quangos to this list. The sad thing is that even against the people’s wishes all British governments continue to do this. Where are you up to with giving control over our health to the WHO?
March 29, 2024
Can you tell us John who pays for the devolved administrations and the millions/billions in salaries and pensions etc. Does it come out of their very generous block grants or are they paid for by the UK Government as well as? I would like to know if English taxes in any way are paying towards them in addition to their block grants. Itâs bad enough we are already being mugged to pay for all the other goodies they enjoy at our expense courtesy of your Government and which are denied to us on grounds of cost?
Reply The grants from the UK to devolved govt come from Uk wide tax revenue where England, especially London, pays a high share
March 29, 2024
…and is that ‘share’ calculated per head wherever, and from every vehicle equally, and from provision of services equally? No need to answer as it clearly isn’t equal not by a long chalk!
We know full well that N.Ireland and the SNP government twisted arms to secure additional payments by means of political bribery.
March 29, 2024
Reply to reply. With respect John, that isnât what I asked. Yes I know the block grants come out of UK taxes but could you tell us if the cost of running the devolved Governments come out of the block grants or are we, the English taxpayer, paying for those on top of the block grants?
Reply All of the devolved government costs come out of UK taxation minus the top up Scottish taxes they impose
March 29, 2024
So we English are being made to pay for the devolved Governments on top of their generous block grants yet your Governmentâs response (and I believe yours) is to say an English Parliament would cost too much. When will this blatant discrimination against the English end?
March 29, 2024
returning topic..
Former sub-postmasters and politicians have called for the Post Office to face a police investigation after BBC News revealed the company knew of flaws in its Horizon IT system. A document shows bosses and lawyers knew of issues in 2017, but kept arguing sub-postmasters were to blame. MP Kevan Jones said “the police need to start looking at this” specific point raised in the BBC investigation.
The Post Office earlier said it would be “inappropriate to comment”.
A Metropolitan Police investigation into the Post Office scandal has been under way since January 2020, but these latest revelations have prompted the calls for police to focus specifically on the BBC report’s findings as well.
When is the Government going to INSIST the Police examine alleged criminal conduct by many individuals, in possibly the worst case of conspiracy from public employees?
Reply Ministers have made clear these matters should be sorted out, but Ministers in the UK do not tell the police who to investigate or how to investigate for obvious reasons.
March 30, 2024
reply to reply ….if the Police deem they do not have sufficient evidence to pursue criminal action now apparent in the biggest miscarriage of justice for decades, then the senior figures must be sacked. What function do they serve?
Reply There are Police Commissioners elected to ensure good standards of policing. Ask the candidates or run for election as a Commissioner.
March 29, 2024
Meanwhile, our country is invaded day after day and the Houses of Parliament just look the other way.
One landlord, speaking on GB News, said he had been approached by a company employed by the government. He was offered a lucrative contract to house illegal immigrants in his beautiful rental property for seven years.
SEVEN YEARS.
March 30, 2024
‘A company employed by the government’ is finding accommodation for migrants? Now I start to understand why nothing much is being done about migration. Too many well-connected people profiting from it and feathering their nest. I wonder if this same company was also employed by the government to supply PPE a few years ago.
March 29, 2024
Thanks, Sir John. It’s obvious you are as frustrated by the failings of ‘bright ideas’ of certain politicians and governments which – in the end – proved not so bright after all. You give us the proof this is the case. I return time and time again to basics. ‘Skin in the game’ (I’m sick of saying it. Yet, it’s my fate) sorts it out. When ye aint got this and you’ve got loud-mouthing, non-business representation for your part of the Kingdom going on..you’ve got negative results everywhere. Whatever they are concerned with…. I am – like many others – tired of amateurism and hopeless people running things (not their fault they are hopeless, for sure…The System allowed them to get in Oo, urr….Please let us have your ideas how a more able force of ‘politicians’ (urgh!) everywhere can come up and do a better job. We are all ears…Smile. (We rely on brighter sparks like you. Honest. I’m being serious)…
March 31, 2024
Devolution is a failed experiment of even greater proportions than the failed experiment of socialism.
The sad thing is that the electorate in Wales, it seems, are very much aware of this. For bizarre reasons they shun their elections to show disdain for their very existence.
If someone could reach them, with an anti-devolution agenda (perhaps a new party) and say to them “You only need to vote us in once – and all this ends. We will ask the UK government to remove devolution and return to Westminster government”. If necessary we will hold a referendum with the aim of finishing devolution before the end of our first and (hopefully) only term.
The Conservatives could even do that, but these days they are too spineless and afraid of some woke backlash to ever put forward any policy that is remotely controversial.