A Political Thread pt. 2

[Reiser99]

Rishi Sunak refers himself to Boris Johnson's ethics adviser

The chancellor refers himself to Boris Johnson's ethics adviser amid ongoing questions about his finances.

www.bbc.co.uk

Seems like in order to portray himself as the opposite to Johnson, Sunak is desperately trying to right the situation and fix his image in the public's eyes. He clearly hasn't learnt from Johnson, which is to ignore it as long as possible until it goes away. Also seems like it might continue to backfire on him as the public for once seem to have differentiated between what is legally correct and what is morally correct. Sunak's wife and potentially Sunak himself, with the green card issue, avoiding tax when tax has been put up for everyone at a time when the cost of living has exploded does not look good. Also apparently it's also been the time to completely renovate their country mansion with a pool and other stuff. Simple fact is he's looking completely out of touch with the public and when he says he understands what people are going through instead of just sounding like usual political BS it instead comes across as insulting.

 

[Reiser99]

Hauliers want priority for perishable goods at Dover

Drivers say deliveries of produce like meat are losing quality and value in long waits at the port.

www.bbc.co.uk

"Bad weather, Easter holidays and P&O Ferries routes being suspended have all led to congestion around the port."

I'm sure there was a fourth one...what was it?

 

[The Seeker]

 

[The Seeker]

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Rishi Sunak refers himself to Boris Johnson's ethics adviser

The chancellor refers himself to Boris Johnson's ethics adviser amid ongoing questions about his finances.

www.bbc.co.uk

Seems like in order to portray himself as the opposite to Johnson, Sunak is desperately trying to right the situation and fix his image in the public's eyes. He clearly hasn't learnt from Johnson, which is to ignore it as long as possible until it goes away. Also seems like it might continue to backfire on him as the public for once seem to have differentiated between what is legally correct and what is morally correct. Sunak's wife and potentially Sunak himself, with the green card issue, avoiding tax when tax has been put up for everyone at a time when the cost of living has exploded does not look good. Also apparently it's also been the time to completely renovate their country mansion with a pool and other stuff. Simple fact is he's looking completely out of touch with the public and when he says he understands what people are going through instead of just sounding like usual political BS it instead comes across as insulting.

The thing is his wife may say she will now pay tax on her overseas income, but she's not giving up her Non Dom status. For IHT it would mean not having to pay 40% on the value of those Infosys shares, as they are treated as excluded from her estate. That's potentially £280m in tax on the value of those shares if she were UK Domiciled for IHT or as long as she doesn't remain long term resident for 15/20 years.

With the Green Card situation neither Rishi or his wife have any intention of having the UK as their permanent home. How can you have a potential PM in those circumstances regardless.

 

[ncurd]

Hauliers want priority for perishable goods at Dover

Drivers say deliveries of produce like meat are losing quality and value in long waits at the port.

www.bbc.co.uk

"Bad weather, Easter holidays and P&O Ferries routes being suspended have all led to congestion around the port."

I'm sure there was a fourth one...what was it?

Yeah I saw and read that last night I don't think I've ever seen more disingenuous reporting from the BBC. They could at least say customs checks without the B word but to nit mention them at all...

 

[Not Mike Brown's Sock]

With the Green Card situation neither Rishi or his wife have any intention of having the UK as their permanent home. How can you have a potential PM in those circumstances regardless.

Fully agree, but worth pointing out he no longer has one

 

[ncurd]

Fully agree, but worth pointing out he no longer has one

I think the bigger issue on that front is why was he holding one until October last year? Like a few months chancellor is probably limit of what is acceptable.

I don't usually tie myself into nationalistic bullcrap but it feels fundamentally right that any MP should have solely British citizenship (with the minor exception given to those with dual-Irish if representing NI). Its no diffrent to the no external jobs unless providing a public service (like GPs) in my mind MPs need to have to have minimal ties personally to vested interests of other nations and income.

Hell how did he get security clearance? (It isn't completely exclusionary to those holding dual citizenship but its a big red flag).

 

[ncurd]

Party of Law and Order

Why are criminal barristers taking part in an “unnecessary and irresponsible strike”?

According to Justice Secretary Dominic Raab, today I, along with thousands of my fellow criminal barristers, am taking part in an “unnecessary and irresponsible strike” which will “cause delays for…

thesecretbarrister.com

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

The Sunak stuff isn't edifying, but my main concern about him by a distance is whether he has the ability and experience to help the British people, especially the poorest, through the current economic difficulties.

As for Johnson, unless he gets a penalty I suspect the local elections will be rough but nowhere near as catastrophic as they looked a couple of months ago. The Ukraine war has moved the narrative on and many commentators believe that Johnson has largely had, to use a horrible phrase, a 'good war'.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

View attachment 13770

I've always thought nothing is more tacky and a cheap attempt at appearing patriotic than excessive flag displays, especially in non-flag forms (eg clothing). Just proves money can't buy class.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Fully agree, but worth pointing out he no longer has one

But not the property he and his wife own in California, where they could theoretically retire to after he leaves UK politics.

 

[ncurd]

The Sunak stuff isn't edifying, but my main concern about him by a distance is whether he has the ability and experience to help the British people, especially the poorest, through the current economic difficulties.

As for Johnson, unless he gets a penalty I suspect the local elections will be rough but nowhere near as catastrophic as they looked a couple of months ago. The Ukraine war has moved the narrative on and many commentators believe that Johnson has largely had, to use a horrible phrase, a 'good war'.

I less worry about a persons background (although it helps), Brown obviously doesn't count. Darling is barely memorable but Osbourne while misguided always appeared to be trying but he was more aimed at low to mid income families and screwed those at the very bottom taking the idea those at the very bottom were there by choice. Hammond was from a fluent background but not extremely so he seamed to come accross as guy who got it but was hampered by Brexit ideology. Sunack however is showing he is completely out of his depth on this front (or simply doesn't care) using measures which barely make a dent to those at the bottom but cost the treasury loads.

I think on the war its hard for PM not in active conflict to have a bad one if you side against the aggressors. Like he hasn't done anything massively wrong but he hasn't exactly set the world on fire either. But thats the thing with Johnson he basically doesn't have to **** the bed and get praised. I agree though he needs to be fined to be gone and its massively not on the forefront of peoples minds and the cost of living is all being aimed at Sunack not the guy in charge.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Party of Law and Order

Why are criminal barristers taking part in an “unnecessary and irresponsible strike”?

According to Justice Secretary Dominic Raab, today I, along with thousands of my fellow criminal barristers, am taking part in an “unnecessary and irresponsible strike” which will “cause delays for…

thesecretbarrister.com

Literally everything this **** of a government have touched is falling apart. It's staggering that a government that has done so much damage politically, socially and economically is even mildly within reach of staying in power. Again the question needs to be asked, just how much do the Tories need to **** up before some of their voters will bite the bullet and refuse to vote for them?

 

[ncurd]

Literally everything this **** of a government have touched is falling apart. It's staggering that a government that has done so much damage politically, socially and economically is even mildly within reach of staying in power. Again the question needs to be asked, just how much do the Tories need to **** up before some of their voters will bite the bullet and refuse to vote for them?

Honestly this has been happening for the best part of Tory rule not just this specific government. Only Gove (very surprisingly) is thought of as well and sort of got what needed to be done.

The real answer is most of these things need the genuinely collapse through underfunding and a lot of them are not due to good will alone. Clearly that's hit breaking point for Barristers.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Honestly this has been happening for the best part of Tory rule not just this specific government. Only Gove (very surprisingly) is thought of as well and sort of got what needed to be done.

The real answer is most of these things need the genuinely collapse through underfunding and a lot of them are not due to good will alone. Clearly that's hit breaking point for Barristers.

Any collapse will just be blamed on others or external events and, chances are, a large segment will believe that. Alternatively, the few that do believe the Tories are to blame will then spout that it would be even worse under Labour. You will then have the segment that will admit it is their fault but is necessary to achieve *insert arbitrary thing the Tories are definitely not achieving here*. The remaining who actually just say they are doing a bad job and have been for years, to the extent they should not be allowed to continue ******* things up, will likely be very small. I'll be pleasantly surprised if that isn't the case but won't hold my breath.

 

[ncurd]

Any collapse will just be blamed on others or external events and, chances are, a large segment will believe that. Alternatively, the few that do believe the Tories are to blame will then spout that it would be even worse under Labour. You will then have the segment that will admit it is their fault but is necessary to achieve *insert arbitrary thing the Tories are definitely not achieving here*. The remaining who actually just say they are doing a bad job and have been for years, to the extent they should not be allowed to continue ******* things up, will likely be very small. I'll be pleasantly surprised if that isn't the case but won't hold my breath.

Polls are suggesting a shift I think its been consistently modelled that Lab would gain ~100 seats from them. There's always going to a core underbelly even Major got 30.7% of the vote the real question is can that 13% (ish) of voters be persuaded to vote overwise. And the Tories have been languishing in the low to mid 30's for a few months now. They haven't seena lead in any poll since early December. There was some bounceback from the 10 point lead Lab had at one point it appears to be stabilised at 4-6% which is a extremely good place considering the Tories had a 20 point lead when Starmer took over (note this was slightly soft for the Tories we were at the start of the pandemic when people just saw a government trying its best and mistakes were the first time they were made).

Point being there will always be a third of population you can't convince and its probably just over a tenth that actually matter. Reality is compared to where we were at the end of 2019 it genuinely feels like there is a chance in 2014 because they've ****** it so badly. without actual measures in place to deal with the cost of living its just going to further push them away. The question is how much people can cope with these guys in charge for another 2 years.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Ukraine War: Russia warns Sweden and Finland against Nato membership

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the move won't bring stability to Europe.

www.bbc.co.uk

NATO: Exists to contain Soviet and then Russian aggression
Russia: Dislikes NATO
Russia: Invades neighbouring countries, doing exactly what NATO is there to prevent
Sweden and Finland: Look at joining NATO
Russia:



Staggering how after Russia has gone around bullying their neighbours they are surprised that their neighbours are looking at joining alliances against them... It seems Russia hasn't worked out that being more aggressive only increases the likelihood of NATO expansion, not decreases it. NATO likely wouldn't exist (or would have a very different purpose) if Russia had continued down the path to liberal democracy rather than flying back to a despotic oligarchy...

 

[General Melchett]

Ukraine War: Russia warns Sweden and Finland against Nato membership

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the move won't bring stability to Europe.

www.bbc.co.uk

NATO: Exists to contain Soviet and then Russian aggression
Russia: Dislikes NATO
Russia: Invades neighbouring countries, doing exactly what NATO is there to prevent
Sweden and Finland: Look at joining NATO
Russia:

View attachment 13773

Staggering how after Russia has gone around bullying their neighbours they are surprised that their neighbours are looking at joining alliances against them... It seems Russia hasn't worked out that being more aggressive only increases the likelihood of NATO expansion, not decreases it. NATO likely wouldn't exist (or would have a very different purpose) if Russia had continued down the path to liberal democracy rather than flying back to a despotic oligarchy...

Public support for membership is growing in both countries and support is even higher if the other one is also joining which means they are both likely to join at the same time. If the West want to show that Putin's invasion of Ukraine was a major blunder then Sweden's and Finland's membership will help demonstrate that.

 

[ncurd]

Wakefield by-election almost certainly happening. Can't see the Tories holding it without a miracle it shouldn't matter for a new candidate but the previous MP from your party was a podophile will see a huge drop in your vote share.