So just five months in the government dumps its most attractive and exciting promise to make the U.K. the fastest growing G7 economy. They want to perpetuate this century’s experience of falling further and further behind the US, clinging to EU style slow growth, high taxes and bad regulation and cosying up for more of it.
Their excuse is they want a target that relates to how we feel and lead our lives. Boosting people’s spending power is fine, but of course it would have happened with the faster growth they offered us for the election. Difficult to achieve without faster growth.
It makes many other Labour policies unhelpful. Most people who can afford it want to buy a petrol or diesel car. Labour will ban them soon.
Most people think U.K. energy prices are too high, cutting our real incomes. Labour put them up and want to close down more of our cheaper power generators.
Most people think their cars are the best way to get to work and the shops. Labour try to make driving dearer and more difficult.
Most people think taxes are too high and there are too many taxes. Labour puts them up on an industrial scale.
Many find it difficult to contact and deal with government who want people to deal with computers under threat of punishment if they make a mistake.Labour serves the civil servants not the public.
December 6, 2024
The omission of immigration from his list presents an open goal to the opposition. Otherwise it belongs in the world of La La Land.
December 6, 2024
LaLa Land – love it! I was going to say they’re all dreamers..,,, in LaLa Land obviously!
December 6, 2024
An open goal? Hardly given the 1 million + PA that the Tories waved in. I see that some chap from Lithuania was deported seven times after being arrested for crimes each time but just kept coming back each time. We seem to have zero border controls for criminals. What was the cost to tax payers of just this criminal?
The BBC compare Starmer’s absurd “milestones” to Sunak’s pledges saying Sunak hit just one of five. He halved inflation from 10%. Alas he as Chancellor and the BoE under him were the ones who took inflation from 2% to 10% in the first place with vast QE, lockdowns, vast net harm Covid vaccines and his idiotic tax borrow and piss down the drain agenda.
December 6, 2024
Only Farage talking any sense on Question Time yesterday as usual with the BBC you get a maximum of one person tslking sense and often none as last week. Kevin Hollinrake admitted he does not know where Kemi and his party stand on Net Zero. Kemi the “engineer” and Coutinho and Oxford half maths graduate need to get off the damn fence and admit the Dame Theresa May Net Zero agenda is totally insanity. They are surely both bright enough to know this.
December 6, 2024
As happens quite often LL i agree with you,
so much money is thrown away by these screwballs , Nationalised Railways! Money spent filling their mates pockets Privatising the Railways ! Then more buying it back, I cannot believe far left Labour think this is OK
December 6, 2024
I’ll try again! Labour love immigration, they’ll do nothing to stop it. “Smash the gangs” when?
Import more people from a culture that doesn’t mesh with ours, why not? A million a year. It’s only the start.
December 6, 2024
Good morning.
So no change from what went before then. Who could not see that coming ?
The problem is, and I keep saying it, that for our so called democracy to work, we need an effective opposition. Currently we have an opposition that, when in government, did much of the same things that are further being proposed. The Continiuity Party lives on.
After 14 years, could the Tory party now claim that they are the party of low taxation, BREXIT, low regulation and MASS MIGRATION ? No ! So what is the point of them being the ‘Offical Opposition’ ? They cannot hold the government to account.
And Labour cannot keep blaming the Tory’s for everything. They were the Offical Opposition and did not oppose MASS IMMIGRATION,draconian lockdowns, hugh tax rises and so on. All they ever seem to do was encourage the government to do what they would have done if they were actually in government, plus giving Public Sector workers large pay rises eg the nurses.
The ‘System is broken’. We need to either fix it or, replace it ! Because until we recognise this fact we are just going to go around in an ever decreasing spiral.
December 6, 2024
For the first time in my life I actually think the Tory party is at serious risk of replacement.
The public tried Boris to get change. He failed. His internal replacements failed, I mean Sunak’s priorities on national service, smoking prohibition and compulsory maths from 16 for every child who hated maths, seriously those were his priorities.
December 6, 2024
In order to have change we need to identify and replace possibly many individuals who maintain the front, inaction and policies the electorate simply do not want!
Sir John ought to have significant knowledge of where this inner circle is, and how it strangles any attempt to reshape what the Party is and its way forward.
Over to you Sir John. While we watch the death throes.
Reply The new Conservative team under Kemi are saying sensible things about the need to control borders and to stop net zero deindustrialising us.This website is seeking to change government policy, not to run the Conservative Party.
December 6, 2024
Sir James Dyson described labour yesterday in the Telegraph as excoriatingly bad for UK business, the economy, and therefore the people. He is perfectly placed to know and therefor to make choices. He added that in effect who in their right mind would invest in the UK with this government in power. Fortunately for SJD he can keep the bulk of his operation well offshore, and no doubt keep his personal wealth and inheritance well away from labours thieving hands. The majority of the population cannot so must suffer this rabid incompetence.
On pollster horizons things are begining to look good. Reform are already ahead of labour and well placed to overtake the conservatives. Local elections in May 25 are the first target. In our uniquely corrupt GE system success for Reform cannot be confirmed for Reform until their poll lead is unassailable. Advocates of FPTP say it gives strength to national government, allowing them to govern unassailed for a full term. The downside is as of now, it allowes a minority of the electorate and very bad resultant government the same advantage. With a PR system we see in France and Germany what happens when poor undemocratic government , a la Barnier, gets it wrong.
We in the UK have to sit it out on the way to the IMF. Civil disobediance is about our only weapon.
December 6, 2024
I think humour helps AG and Quentin Letts always brightens things up.
This morning he described Starmer (at his ‘Reset’ event) as looking like a “Deranged Toilet Brush” – a mental image of which will help cheer me through my day…. 🙂
December 6, 2024
@agricola; “Dyson described labour yesterday in the Telegraph as excoriatingly bad for UK business, the economy, and therefore the people.”
Not sure Dyson is in any position to comment on what is good for the British people, given his *history* of off-shoring production and company HQ. There was a reason why the popular vote went to Trump in Nov, something about imposing tariffs on imports into the USA, but giving tax breaks to those wishing to manufacture their products on-shore in the USA.
“[SJD] added that in effect who in their right mind would invest in the UK with this government in power.”
Dyson limited off-shored production to Malaysia during the Blair govt in 2002, the HQ moved to Singapore in 2019, so any problem is not unique to this Labour govt.
J.C. Bamford Excavators Limited, perhaps a better barometer, with a similar head count, does not seem to have any such qualms about UK production, at least for now, but then they sell 99% of their products on excellence, not brand visibility and price…
December 6, 2024
Ask yourself why would Dyson take his business off-shore. Smell the coffee.
December 6, 2024
@MT; That is not a wise question to ask, given that some possibilities can reflect poorly on a company the size, and profitability, of Dyson Limited. Do a little research…
December 6, 2024
If you were CEO of Dyson Jerry…charged with creating good returns for investors and maintaining the company’s successful future…would you have made different decisions?
December 6, 2024
@Sam; A successful future for who, those taking end of year bonuses/dividends or those taking redundancy.
How come a company such as JCB Ltd can employ c. 11,000 here in the UK on a revenue of c. £4.1bn, despite all the aggro the EU causes the heavy engineering industry and their exports, yet Dyson Ltd can’t employ c. 14,000 people here in the UK on a revenue of £7.1bn selling simple vacuum cleaners, air-blowers and hair driers, funny old world!…
December 7, 2024
Dyson is in a very different market to JCB, Jerry.
I note you didn’t even begin to answer my question.
Dyson (and other similar companies) have to compete in a world market to survive.
JCB now has 22 factories around the world
It’s largest is in India nr New Delhi
December 6, 2024
Dyson as usual is spot on.
Not that I am a particular fan of his v. expensive vacuums or jet engine hand dryers that need earplugs to use them.
December 6, 2024
Reform was beaten by those who did not vote, not by those who voted for the established Parties.
The names on the ballot papers under Reform were unknown, even to Farage!
Stop blaming everything but the facts. You might be prepared to vote for a total unknown selected unilaterally by Farage who owns the Party, but the rest of us are not.
December 6, 2024
in the case of Wokingham, and I suspect so many others where the current MP called it a day, the new Conservative representative was unknown.
December 6, 2024
In the case of Wokingham and many other constituencies the ‘new’ Conservative candidate WAS known to have made the Candidate’s list. So unelectable and unelected.
December 6, 2024
@MT; “the new Conservative representative was unknown”
Not so sure, the ‘Unknowns’ did better than the Knowns, around these parts!
The previous Conservative MPs in two contiguous neighboring constituencies stood down in this part of the county, both constituencies were retained by the Conservatives; yet in two other neighboring constituencies where well known sitting MPa stood for reelection the Tories lost both seats, one to Labour, the other to the LibDems. Looking at the figures it is clear the one defeated by Labour would have retained the seat had Reform not stood, the other is less clear.
December 6, 2024
Please Llyn, get your facts right, Reform have been working hard to “reform “ and now we have a growing organisation with Local chairmen and committees forming local policy which is directed to local problems
No longer do the big three have ownership of Reform
December 6, 2024
If he lives in the UK can he keep his offshore businesses and investments out of the hands of this UK government?
December 6, 2024
Talk about rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic, this was a masterclass inward salad
I have never heard such a boring, uninspiring speech from any PM
He made Gordon Brown look almost human.
Yesterday Importing 21% of our energy when he states we need to be energy independent. I took my car for service yesterday and the nearby windfarm was stationary in the morning due to no wind. In the evening it was stopped due to gale force winds
This is not a way to run a 21st century economy
As for cosying up to the EU can’t he see it’s crumbling before his very eyes
Reform are polling ahead of liebour and the council elections should be very interesting.
The man’s a shyster.
December 6, 2024
Indeed.
Raising living standards in every part of the UK – aim to deliver highest sustained growth in the G7
• Rebuilding Britain – build 1.5m homes in England and fast track planning decisions on at least 150 major infrastructure projects
• Ending hospital backlogs – 92% of patients will wait no longer than 18 months
• Putting police back on the beat – with 13,000 additional officers and a named police officer for every neighbourhood
• Giving children the best start in life – getting 75% of five-year-olds in England ready to learn when they start school
• Securing home grown energy – putting the UK on track to at least 95% clean power by 2030.
Relaxing planning the only sensible “milestone” home “grown” “clean” power? This means rip off intermittent power which will lower living standards and freeze grannies. Nothing dirty about CO2 plant, tree and crop food.
December 6, 2024
He means energy not “power” and is referring only to electricity supplies not the circa 80% of energy that is for heating transport or industry or the vast number of jobs exported with their CO2 with them.
December 6, 2024
LL,
In order to reduce the NHS waiting lists you need trained professional staff, may be somebody should point that out to the HCPC (Health and Care Professions Council) to pull their fingers out. It currently takes what looks like at least 6 months to get on their register…
December 6, 2024
Perhaps the Managers in the NHS will now set people free, set real targets, employ people themselves instead of agency, start training on the wards again. pay overtime.
Perhaps with their new large wage increases they may be more willing to increase productivity for a short while until their next pay review.
December 6, 2024
That is all part of their waiting list political “management” no doubt.
December 6, 2024
So a knighthood for Sir Sadiq Kahn for services to knife crime, two tier policing and motorist muggings. In short the wanton destruction on London. A Mayor for one section of London set against another sections of London.
December 6, 2024
@LL; “A [elected leader] for one section of London set against another sections of London.”
Hasn’t it always!
I won’t trouble our hosts moderation finger with names but there has been a few other leaders in various parts of London, or city wide, whose style of leadership or policies were divisive, some even wore Blue Rosette’s and received Gongs…
December 6, 2024
well said Sir👍🏻
December 6, 2024
@Ian Wragg; Reform are polling ahead of liebour”
The only poll that matters is the one on election day, vote Reform, get Liebour.
What better way for the thinking Socialist to lock-out the two right wing parties, suggest they have switched their own allegiance to Reform, encourage the unthinking Tory to really switch their vote to Reform, thus splitting the vote…
December 6, 2024
Your deluded Jerry. Reform are the only way.
December 6, 2024
@Ian wragg; Reform, the only way to what, that is the question…
If I’m “deluded” what the hell does that make you, apart from the unthinking fool?! After all, you were saying the same back in June, yet it was my warning that came to pass; Vote Reform, get Labour.
December 6, 2024
Keep calm Jerry.
If enough people were to vote reform at the next election then…reform will win.
Or, I think they will more likely form a loose coalition with Conservatives and be able between them to create a majority.
December 6, 2024
@Sam; Just what was your point, the same is true of the CPGP (or what ever they call themselves these days), if enough people were to vote Communist at the next election then…the Commies will win.
The point both you and Ian refuse to accept is the one of probability, preferring to be dreamers instead, just like Wolfie Smith and his Tooting Popular Front, Power to the People! You probably need to Google that one. 🙂
December 6, 2024
I’m sorry you fail to catch my point Jerry.
It seemed obvious to me.
Again I see you sidestepping the questions I posed.
Have a look at current polls.
December 6, 2024
@Sam: I failed to catch your ‘point’ because there wasn’t any point of substance.
What you claim to be relevant (your ‘point’) regarding the future performance of Reform UK at the ballot box has been valid for every Party that have ever stood on the national platform, most being dreamers. Reform has as much chance of ‘winning’ as the current SDP do, as much chance as the old SDP did.
Why should anyone take notice of opinion polls, even more so four year out from the next likely general election, or are you referring to local elections, traditional protest votes, that seldom indicate national voter intentions. I’m sure the Reform supporting media try their best, but so do the Europhile media, should we also take notice of the polls published in the likes of the New European, showing a majority want the UK to rejoin the EU.
Also, what ‘question’ was that Sam? There doesn’t appear to have been one, first and second sentences were simple assertions, the third is a simple opinion.
December 6, 2024
Gosh what a wafflling essay of a response Jerry.
Seems to have touched a nerve.
December 7, 2024
Another waffling essay from you Jerry.
Lets just focus…
Reform are growing in the polls at a fast pace.
Unless the Conservatives improve their curreny performance there is going to be a big shock at the next election.
December 7, 2024
@Sam; You complained when I did not answer in full, now you complain that I have, is wasting our hosts time your hobby…
Indeed I do seem to have touched one of your raw nerves Sam!
Regarding selective and partisan polling, as I said, you will also see a majority for re-joining the EU too if you care to look at the ‘correct’ polls. Back on 20 June, there was a MRP poll published in the Daily Telegraph that showed the Conservatives neck-and-neck with the LibDems … for who would become the official opposition to the 400 seat majority to Labour. Go figure!
December 7, 2024
The poll giving Reform an improved position was neither “partisan” nor “selective”.
It is however an interesting poll when looking at trends.
Obviously as you keep saying, the real poll will be the next election, but that should not stop us being able to comment on polls until then.
December 7, 2024
@Sam; All opinion polls are selective, the polling company are hardly going to ask the entire electoral registrar, and polls most certainly can be partisan. So who commissioned this poll, what was the sample size, in what parts of the country were people asked, what were the demographics of the people asked (age, gender, ‘class’, ethnicity etc)?
“but that should not stop us being able to comment on polls until then.”
Except that is exactly what you are objecting to, or should only partisan praise be allowed, a bit like those social media companies who only allow people to tick thumbs-up icons, say anything you like just so long as it’s always praise…
December 7, 2024
You said partisan AND selective.
That is basically accusing them of being falsely produced.
Plainly you do not know how hard polling companies work to get a good selective group.
If their results prove to be wrong then their business eventually fails.
The only person objecting and responding to posts on here mentioning the recent poll showing Reform doing well is you Jerry !
December 6, 2024
Surely “the thinking Socialist” is an oxymoron Jerry?
December 6, 2024
Indeed hard to see how one can be a socialist with very much a brain given human nature. It is a heart over brain belief system.
“Anyone who is not a socialist at age 20 has no heart. Any man who is still a socialist at age 40 has no head.” ? I lacked the former in political terms by about 10.
I abandoned any religious beliefs a bit younger than that.
December 6, 2024
Why join in on a private fight?
December 6, 2024
So you want to perpetuate the two party system despite both of then failing to give us the Britain we want!
It will not change until we kick those that continuously lie to us out of the house?
That is the direction we must go!
December 6, 2024
The government is floundering, after 14 years in opposition and 5 months in power. Previous governments have not served us well (indeed, sometimes harmed us) but this one is really out to get us.
Perhaps we’re lucky that it is so amateurish, since even the wolliest voters will see how hopeless and deceitful it is? Nevertheless they will retain some supporters. 18% of the workforce is in the public sector, 4% are unemployed, many are on other benefits and 22% are in unions…all more likely sources of support than the rest of us.
December 6, 2024
sometimes? No nearly always harmed us certainly from John ERM Major through to Starmer.
December 6, 2024
One subject you will never find in manifestos is that of the civil service. However I am begining to hear a growing realisation that they have become a major problem for any incoming government.
Post departure from the EU they have lost power over national governments, but as yet they are not prepared to accept their pre 1975 position. So whatever the nature of our next government they must have in place the reformation of the CS, even if it is reserved off manifesto. Basically it means a contract of employment involving acceptance of the Official Secrets Act, and hire and fire powers in the hands of ministers. A new government must end any illusions within the CS that they are the real government. They can never be more than advising scribes.
December 6, 2024
@agricola; “A new government must end any illusions within the [Civil Service] that they are the real government. They can never be more than advising scribes.”
I doubt the CS need to be told or reminded about that, but I suspect many a MP or aspiring Minister needs to be reminded they are not *always* the expert in the subject at hand or even Law, simply someone with a partisan agenda. Much of the anger towards the CS is from those who simply can’t get their own way, due to the rules put or kept in place by Parliament.
I also think you mean 1973, I’m quite sure the EU would be happy to accept their pre 1975 position, if only the UK would! 😮 Our EEC membership began in 1973, we just reconfirmed it in 1975, after Harold Wilson re-arranged the deckchairs, just as Cameron did again in 2016…
December 6, 2024
What a strange reply Jerry.
The Civil Service exists to carry out the requirements of the elected Government.
Is there any other answers you wish to invent?
December 6, 2024
@MiB; What a strange reply Martin, is there any of my comment you wish to reinvent?…
What do you not understand about the work of the Civil Service, carrying out their work to the rules and regulations imposed on them by, err, Parliament; perhaps that’s why their official collective title is “Civil SERVANTS”. Heck, @agricola even suggested the next government should change those rules and regulations, yet you still failed to grasp the fact!
Apologies to our host, I should know better than to bite on the bait.
December 7, 2024
I agree with agricola Jerry.
You might reflect and consider that many people have different views and opinions to you.
December 7, 2024
@MiB; Talk about the filthy pot calling the kettle dusty!
Perhaps *you* (and Sam, who appears to have a very similar writing style…) need to read and understand context better before allowing your knees to jerk. I was never disagreeing with @agricola with regards CS reforms, just pointing out that it is not in the gift of the CS to change how they work, Parliament must change the rules first.
But will Parliament change the rules, after all the CS is just to good at shielding Ministers from criticism…
December 7, 2024
Not a busy day then Jerry?
And avoiding any response on my actual post.
December 8, 2024
@MiB; Well go find something to do Martin, given I am replying to your onslaught. Duh.
As for your previous point, perhaps you should reflect on your own advice Martin, or do only those who agree with you have the right to express an opinion, can we only ever have a debate if we all agree. If so you need to look up the word “Debate” in the OED…!
December 6, 2024
We did NOT ‘reconfirm’ our membership of the Common Market in 1975. We were sold a pup (a trade agreement and no constraint of Sovereignty) and we had already illegally been admitted to the foul organisation.
December 7, 2024
@LA; Nonsense on slits, strapped to a NASA Satan V rocket!
Ted Heath had a democratic mandate, as all govts do, I suppose you also think there is no such country as the ROI, after all your logic suggests it was not in the ‘constitutional’ gift of the 1921 govt to provide for self-rule to the Southern & Northern counties? If you are correct Lynn, we still have an Empire too!
Not sure what our constitution says about such matters of Sovereignty, given the UK doesn’t actually have a written Constitution, but I’m sure no Monarch would act illegally when giving Royal Assent…
December 6, 2024
But they are not “Illusions” AG. Parliament has decided that the ‘buck’ should rest elsewhere and in doing so has effectively neutered itself. Westminster is no longer the supreme authority in this benighted country of ours.
Strangely, this seems to be finally dawning on Starmer and his Motely Crew too.
December 6, 2024
Sadly each of your points could have contained the word Conservative rather than Labour and they would have been equally valid had the Sunak government somehow continued in office. Even more sad is the betrayal by Labour of its former principles. Not so long ago it would have been fighting for the retention of jobs in the energy sector and car industries. Starmer’s speech yesterday was boring, uninspiring and patronising of its audience.
Hopefully there will be an alternative government in waiting. It might be needed sooner rather than later. Hopefully you Mr Redwood are involved in any discussions about how to shape an alternative narrative and political realignment.
December 6, 2024
I was about to make exactly the same point.
December 6, 2024
+ 1
December 6, 2024
MPC,
Yes, I have to agree with you…
That is why the Conservatives needed to lose that last election and rebuild with proper conservative values.
Of course it was expected that Labour would be bad, but not THIS bad… 🙁
December 6, 2024
+1
December 6, 2024
Very true
December 6, 2024
All the points which you have levied at the Labour Government also applied to the previous Conservative one. Sunak held a General Election and The Blob won – just as it won in every election since Mrs Thatcher was ousted. The only difference is that The Blob has been massively expanded and, through the expansion of the Quangocracy it is now “above democracy and unaccountable.” Every aspect of governance has now been taken over by Globalist-Socialists who are doing everything they possibly can to destroy the UK.
The other day Keir-Ching! gave a speech and said that the Treacherous Tories’ so-called “immigration failure” was on a completely different scale to other governmental failures. He said that the Tory Government had used Brexit to “run a global Open Borders experiment. It had happened by design, not accident. Immigration policies were reformed deliberately to liberalise immigration and to turn Britain into a one-nation experiment in Open Borders. It has been a failure. They pretended it wasn’t happening.”
That’s quite possibly the only truthful thing he’s told us. But it is noticeable that no-one from the previous Government, or the current Official Opposition, has denied it.
Nothing in this country is going to improve until it is governed in the NATIONAL interest. And that won’t happen via any government of the Establishment’s Red, Blue or Yellow parties and The Blob is dismantled.
December 6, 2024
Very well said. The Whitehall Civil Service, aka the Blob, does seem to present the greatest impediment to good governance, and appears to have most governmental power and works only in its own interests. Who will, or can, harness that pony? We need a DOGE hero here!
December 6, 2024
I think one way to take on the blob is to bring into government more people from the private sector to impose a private sector structure and mode of operation on the Civil Service. It will be interesting to see how much headway Musk makes with this approach in USA. In the meantime I would note that by far the most effective individual backbench MP in parliament is the private-sector businessman Rupert Lowe who has been shocked by the way government operates (I recommend his Twitter account).
December 6, 2024
Yes, Rupert Lowe is very impressive. His interview with Winston Marshall on YouTube is well worth watching.
December 6, 2024
Lowe is correct. The state sector heeds to be half the current size. Much of it spends billions to do net harm anyway. As with Net Zero, lockdowns, the ERM, HS2, the net harm Covid Vaccines, road blocking, open door immigration…
December 6, 2024
I agree with that, Donna!
It’s so sad to see the dismantling of our great nation. As Together said in an email, there are now many groups and organisations challenging lots of the rubbish we hear – but it always falls on hard of hearing ears!
December 6, 2024
The only reboot Labour needs is the foot of my boot out of power before even more damage is done
December 6, 2024
+1, mick!
December 6, 2024
Cheap energy apart, one of the critical items and increasingly so is the semiconductor or chip. With the future of post labour UK manufacturing in mind, it is strategically bad that these currently are almost exclusively manufactured in Taiwan, itself very vulnerable.
We have five or six manufacturers of chips in the UK. Probably technically advanced, but small in production terms. As about every gizmo with a memory or moving part has one, the potential for our own needs alone are enormous. So why not set up, as part of one of the six, a mass production unit. I imagine such to be capital intensive rather than labour intensive. One of the Channel Islands or Isle of Man might welcome such a venture. It would be an unacceptable risk in the current UK political climate. I see it as a strategic necessity so why is it not being done.
December 6, 2024
Newport FAB now owned by a Dutch company with Chinese connections [apparently]
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-68449303
And slightly of topic. May be the Government should put money into Lithium-Ion battery recycling as very shortly there is going to be a whole pile of used ones hanging around. Seems like 95% of the raw material can be recovered, may be better do that than sticking them in a land fill…or wasting money on carbon capture.
December 6, 2024
Rather vital for defence too.
December 6, 2024
What is interesting are the noises coming out of Starmer’s team that even the few good fairly non-controversial policies they are trying to implement (such as planning reform and house building) are being obstructed and hampered and delayed by the Civil Service. The blob strikes again. One of them even briefed a journalist “Dominic Cummings was right”. And in his usual wrong-headed way Starmer is addressing this by appointing the Civil Servant who ran the Department of Health during the pandemic as head of the entire Civil Service. So pretty rapidly all those on the left who like and support policies like Net Zero will become unhappy that the government is failing to implement even the achievable bits of them.
December 6, 2024
Why do you want to pay for more houses for Asylum seekers?
December 6, 2024
“Labour serves the civil servants not the public.”
That is exactly what Labour are about. Labour is the sponsored Party of the Public Sector. That cohort embraces all of the institutions funded by the tax payers and is why the institutions are wedded to left wing doctrine.
The unions saw their future in the Private sector was disappearing and took the conscious decision to target the Public Sector and make it a closed shop. Labour now openly refer to their public services, insisting more money must be spent on what they claim will be better delivery. The tax payers are treated with contempt by the left. We in the Private sector are the only source of wealth creation the only source of taxation needed to fund the ever growing Pubic Sector who under union control are insisting on shorter and shorter working time with even higher pay rates.
There needs to be a complete political reset, before we as a nation collapse under the incompetence and stated policy priorities of the left. Priorities that will leave us cold and in the dark if their Net Zero madness continues to advance its destruction of civilised society. We must remember sadly it was a Tory PM Theresa May who placed Net Zero onto the statute book, what does that tell us?
December 6, 2024
Cut the tax you have to pay to the bone without breaking the law. Invest, upgrade, replace, spend the money but do NOT give it to the Goverment.
December 6, 2024
Barter & use tax breaks. The only way to stop government pissing our money down the drain seems to be to stop them getting it. Voting does nothing with the uni-party and FPTP voting which keeps them in power.
December 6, 2024
Labour was not questioned during the general election campaign about its policies. The whole attraction was that Labour was not the conservatives. Sir Two Tier and his merry band of gratuity grabbers deliberately said little in that election campaign so as not to derail the unpopularity of the Conservatives
Labour’s only tool is more money so of course it needs to change direction and realign expectations after five months. There is going to be less money than envisaged and the immigration that Labour will not address is a massive cost tot he exchequer benefiting only business not the economy as a whole or society.
If Labour addressed productivity we might have a small measure of optimism. As it is these are just words.
December 6, 2024
Off topic, importing ‘green’ hydrogen from South Africa seems a strange way to secure energy independence:
https://euobserver.com/green-economy/ar73daa780
“In its bid to secure energy independence, Europe is seeking to dramatically increase its imports of ‘clean’ hydrogen. South Africa has been chosen as one of the most suitable countries to produce and supply this green hydrogen.”
December 6, 2024
South Africa are soooo good at producing energy! They have had daily shut-downs for a decade. Let’s depend on them for our energy 🤯
December 6, 2024
Also off topic, today at 09.30 MPs will debate a Bill designed to overturn the iniquitous Windsor Framework:
https://whatson.parliament.uk/event/cal49135
Of course it will not pass but It will be interesting to see how MPs vote if Jim Allister presses it to a division.
Reply Yes a good Bill that incorporates the scheme to resolve the NI border issues I and other argued for in the last Parliament when opposing the Windsor Framework
December 6, 2024
Guido Fawkes helpfully tells us Starmer’s effort was “… the 19th time he’s relaunched himself since becoming Labour leader in 2020” so we can be sure a twentieth attempt will not be long in coming.
More drift and damage can be expected so the question becomes will the task of a replacement government to make repairs prove too daunting a challenge? We are being led towards third world status so it likely will be.
December 6, 2024
They don’t get it, they are not supposed to be idealogical Dictators, they are supposed to manage the State, and create the ‘framework’ so that the rest of us can reach potential and contribute.
A one size fits all Socialist dictatorship achieves nothing it just delay progress – just ask the Tories why they failed.
People do change, they change when it is their choice and the alternatives offer more convenience, sustainability, for less. Coercion, cancelling, banning contribute nothing to nothing – and doesn’t cause change.
Money and wealth causes change, the money has to be in the system to react to changes required. Remove the money you just get decline. All Tax especially the ideological type is the removal of the economy. Hunt/Sunak proved that as they maliciously raised costs to industry and business and we got inflation and decline. Now Starmer and Reeves are mirroring them with some added ideological zeal, and surprise, surprise the outcome is the same.
December 6, 2024
But that was never a realistic possibility – it was more double-speak. Labour know very well with their policies that we will never boom again.
What in heaven’s name does that mean! If they can’t explain themselves clearly it is no wonder few people can understand their motives.
Those of us that have worked out their motivation can foresee not just deindustrialisation and a lack of freedom in living our lives. THAT is just the start.
Just look at what labour are doing, not what they talk about, then extrapolate that a few years into the future when netzero will really be biting!
December 6, 2024
If “growing the economy” means increasing living standards/GDP per capita then those who promote growth and Net Zero are either lying or completely deluded. The very purpose of Net Zero is de-growth, de-industrialisation and decreased consumption through the rationing of food, energy and travel.
December 6, 2024
Well you can also reduce the headcount.
December 6, 2024
The list of “Labour’s unhelpful policies” would be no different whichever section of the Uniparty were to be in government. The main opposition party still supports both Net Zero and mass immigration (legal and illegal).
December 6, 2024
PS : When Parliament is in such agreement on Net Zero and immigration you know they have lost the ability to even think about these matters.
December 6, 2024
Labours Plan for Change = Rewriting their manifesto after the election
December 6, 2024
Well they have to do that because we don’t have PR – if we did they could all have rewritten their manifestos after the election – maybe adding Sharia Law in order to get the numbers required for a majority.
December 6, 2024
I still haven’t forgotten Labour’s call for even more useless restrictions on the population during the Covid Event. No party covered itself in glory at this time, admittedly, but the readiness to sweep away our freedoms without any scientific justification should have sounded alarms. It’s the same animal, just with a different coat.
Off topic if I might be forgiven, but the media’s portrayal of RFK Jr in the forthcoming Trump administration as unsuitable for the Health portfolio is really to protect the interests of Big Pharma and Big Food who have ruined the health of many people in the West for profit. Mr Kennedy must be allowed to expose the corruption that is affecting all of us.
December 6, 2024
+1
December 6, 2024
In computing ‘Rebooting’ without having corrected the software only produces the same ‘crash’ results.
December 6, 2024
In politics ‘rebooting’ without having changed the personnel only produces the same ‘crash’ result.
December 6, 2024
NESO’s electricity decarbonisation plan, for an annual demand of 287 TWhrs (average power = 33 GW), is to run on 125 GW of renewables plus 35 GW of unabated gas generation, 12.5 GW of interconnectors and up to 8.7 GW of DSR (rolling blackouts) for when the renewables fail. NESO calculate a cost of “£40bn plus per year” (no upper limit given) to 2030 with a “system cost” of £133/MWhr. This cost estimate, very likely to be an “HS2” estimate, is even more expensive than Hinkley Point C at £125/MWhr, a price which itself is more than double the price of exactly the same nuclear EDF EPR technology currently supplying electricity in Finland at £53/MWhr.
December 6, 2024
The Tories published ABSOLUTE ZERO and other official documents to take us to netzero. Labour have continued down this path with even more vigour.
HMG have told us exactly what they plan to do, and yet we are largely ignoring the small print.
In order to raise awareness we need to start talking about what our lives will be like when for example we won’t be able to buy fresh meat or dairy products. The Climate Change Committee has now told the Government the UK must reduce meat and dairy consumption by 50% But worse is to come.
ABSOLUTE ZERO tells us that:
The UK Climate Change Act commits us to zero emissions in 30 years time and yet we are mostly blind to what this will mean to our lives which will be disrupted and turned upside down — WHEN are we going to have a proper well informed discussion on all of this?
Reply I have been raising this for years . It does need more people to say No to battery cars, heat pumps, changed diets etc . They can do so whilst pointing out most of these changes governments want to push through will increase world CO 2!
December 6, 2024
Yes, I know – but my main point here is that the detail of what netzero actually means is vague to most people – we really do need to highlight the plan, page by page.
December 6, 2024
BH :
We need to have a referendum so that the true facts can emerge and the country can make a decision on whether or not to pursue unilateral Net Zero.
The fact that CAGW/Net Zero is not allowed to be discussed is surely proof that the climate alarmists know they have a very weak case. This is why the BBC not only refuse to allow any alternative opinions to be broadcast on their many channels/programmes in clear breach of freedom of speech, but are also not prepared to send their disinformation specialist, Social Media Investigation Correspondent, Marianna Spring (Oxford, French & Russian) to interview scientists who not believe that we have a climate crisis, such as Happer, Wigngaarden, Koonin, Moore and John Clauser, 2022 Physics Nobel Prize winner.
December 6, 2024
@O Richard – You are not wrong.
A referendum would be lost to the CC zealots if we were not all better informed though, which is why I want to see the bible of netzero; ABSOLUTE ZERO, opened up to everyone so they can see the illogic of it all, but more importantly to inform what the plans are.
We are looking at something close to an extinction event.
December 6, 2024
BH :
Any interested observer just needs to go to Table 12 in Chapter 12 of the UN’s IPCC Working Group 1 (“The Science”) AR6 report to see that the IPCC can find no signal for climate change (precipitation, droughts and storms etc.) other than some mild warming (1.4 degrees C per hundred years according to UAH satellite data) and thus realise that the UN, WEF, Parliament, Civil Service and the BBC are not telling us the truth.
December 6, 2024
It’s a perpetuation following 14 years of consocialism, with a lurch further left.
Starmer’s just ditched firm control of migration with targets, which is the root cause of congestion in all manner of our infrastructure and services. Utterly appalling after 1 million inward during the last goverment, two cheeks etc.
Both main parties are to be condemned.
December 6, 2024
Both main parties are to be destroyed!
December 6, 2024
Viewed Question time last night for the first time in a long time.
Farage on Form, but many in the audience still not convinced about immigration or Net Zero.
Many still thinking the illegals are actually real refugees, and that we can save the World from “Climate Change”.
Jackie Smith Labour absolutely clueless on Net Zero, It’s costs, feasibility, and time scale.
Likewise her thoughts on immigration.
The Conservative bloke just kept on apologising for getting it all wrong in the last Parliament, even said they deserved to lose !
Not sure if he said or thought that at the time, or if he has had a dramatic conversion of late.
The past Dodgy Dossier Labour Spin Doctor in Chief, keeps on spinning, so why change the habit of a lifetime when he still seems to have some influence with Labour.
Other than Farage, all short of facts and sensible ideas.
December 6, 2024
I tuned in to watch it as well.
Nigel made it very clear that net zero is the fault of both parties but in fact every other party at Westminster is fully signed up to it !
Offering at least a five-ten year moratorium on it has to be a vote winner, allowing time for the technology to have a chance of catching up.
December 6, 2024
What can you say? Starmer and Reeves are like a pair of thieves robbing the people of the UK. Do they really hate pensioners so much they are happy to see them freeze to death? Do they really hate private businesses so much they want to cripple them with NI rises and minimum wage increases? Do they really hate Farmers so much they want to cripple them as well?
Secure energy and food should come second only to internal and external security. How is it we get governments that are against the people rather than for them? We need a referendum on Net Zero and a recall system for MPs so they can’t just ignore their voters. Party manifestos should be legal documents so we can sue the government if they don’t do what they say!
December 6, 2024
Home Office late reporting – 4th December
289 criminals arrived in the UK (day before) yesterday from the safe country of France …despite the storm weather in small boats across the channel ….all the freebies are worth the risk
December 6, 2024
Sir John, It was Sunak and Johnson who accelerated towards the brick wall of the ‘Net Zero’ which will beggar all of us – except those on benefits who have virtually free energy, or the state-employed who will be cosseted with wage increases – by explicitly refusing to frack, or use any of our native fossil fuel energy, whose carbon content is picayune compared with the massive global dirt-makers to the east of us. Their pollution (a more serious consideration than ‘carbon’) could be solved by filter technology and the ancillary use of small hybrid nuclear power generators.
But just like Johnson and Sunak, Starmer is in thrall to supra-nationalist revanchist anglophobes who dictate our downfall.
‘Those whom the gods wish to destroy…’etc What would be the point in voting Conservative?
Reply When we had a Conservative government I criticised policies and proposed better options. Now we have a Labour government I do the same to Labour. This is not a Conservative site.
December 7, 2024
Many thanks for your reply.
December 6, 2024
Not so much a reboot as putting the boot into Britain with his size 9s.
Fools rush in where angels fear to tread…
Mr Bean rather than James Bond parallels come to mind.
December 6, 2024
The longer this government goes on, the more I’m coming round to thinking that it might not even see out a first term. Certainly, Labour MPs are going to see the writing on the wall and will be desperate to ditch Starmer long before 2029, but I suspect the current parliamentary party will want someone far to the left : probably, Heaven forbid, Rayner!
But looking no further than the New Year, the real cost of Net Zero is going to become increasingly obvious and Nigel Farage will constantly be reminding us that it’s a policy that’s been enthusiastically supported by both Labour and the Conservatives.
Voters will repidly conclude that they would both make us much colder and poorer and that it’s completely unaffordable.
As a result, nobody is going to believe anything Badenoch says, and look at how fast Labour’s support is already slipping away.
Reform are establishing clear blue water between themseĺves and almost every other party in Westminster.
As a result, both Labour and the Conservatives are likely to get a real shock when they look at the pattern of votes that will be cast in the local election.
Nigel already knows that the only winner is going to be Reform.
December 6, 2024
Just got my car tax reminder, £400 extra luxury tax on top of the DVLA rate because the car was over the £40,000 new car price list by a few thousand, when sold originally.
Thank you to the Conservatives for bringing it in.
Thank you to Labour for continuing with it.
I wonder what they will spend it on ?
Clearly not the roads.
May pay a couple of illegals hotel bill for a day or so I suppose.
December 6, 2024
I don’t agree with progressive (or usage) vehicle tax ….car tax should be the same no matter the car age, cost or type …..the same flat tax for everyone
December 7, 2024
Particularly as cars and other expensive assets can only be bought out of savings, even by the wealthy. So you’re being taxed for having too much income left over after you’ve been income taxed, and by saving it: an extra tax for 12) saving and 2) ‘buying stuff’ – as if that were harmful to the economy.
December 6, 2024
Global warming is not happening.
Net Zero is a scam.
Greedy agencies drool over the prospect of more subsidies as fools in government offer them.
The atmosphere of the earth is completely stable.
We live in a safe place. Why not start believing it.