Should we trust Sunak or the next PM to fix the Country's problems? (title revised 24/10/22)

[honeybee13]

The relationship between ministers and civil servants is, by definition, an unequal one – it takes courage to stand up to a minister or offer an opinion contrary to their own, writes former diplomat Alexandra Hall Hall

Dominic Raab’s Resignation: ‘A Man So Unwilling to Learn is Undeserving of Our Sympathy’ – Byline Times

BYLINETIMES.COM

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The relationship between ministers and civil servants is, by definition, an unequal one – it takes courage to stand up to a minister or offer an opinion...

 

[unclebulgaria67]

Interesting podcast and worth reading some of the YouTube comments.

 

UK has deteriorated during the last 10 years down to a lack of investment and perhaps visitors to UK notice this more?

 

 

[unclebulgaria67]

Why the United States keeps getting richer – with Britain lagging ever further behind

WWW.MSN.COM

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Why the United States keeps getting richer – with Britain lagging ever further behind

 

[honeybee13]

Good items, UB. The conclusions are depressing though.

 

Here's a short clip from Peter Stefanovic on the immigration bill.

 

 

[honeybee13]

On another topic, I've seen a lot about the national alert on mobiles yesterday but I still don't know what the purpose of the test was in the first place. I haven't seen anything explaining it, least of all from the government.

[honeybee13]

Bridgen is expelled from the Tory party after his remarks on covid vaccines.

 

Andrew Bridgen: MP expelled by Tories after Covid vaccine comments

WWW.BBC.COM

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Andrew Bridgen was expelled "following the recommendation of a disciplinary panel".

 

[honeybee13]

Mrs Sunak's investments seem to be causing a few raised eyebrows.

 

Carol Vorderman: 'And so it begins.... The rightful unravelling of Sunak's family's financial tax dodging & gov contracts. Also his wife's many assoctd companies many of which seem to go bust owing HMRC'

 

Starmer: Rishi Sunak has questions to answer over UK grant to firm wife has stake in

WWW.INDEPENDENT.CO.UK

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The Labour leader said there seemed to be an ’emerging pattern of behaviour’ when it came to Rishi Sunak’s family’s financial interests

 

[unclebulgaria67]

Brexit ‘idiocy’ blamed for shrinking London stock market

WWW.MSN.COM

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Brexit ‘idiocy’ blamed for shrinking London stock market

 

[unclebulgaria67]

Going bust: More UK businesses go to the wall as inflation wreaks havoc

WWW.MSN.COM

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Insolvency experts said companies are struggling to secure financing and pay off loans due to inflation and high interest rates

 

I speak to people regularly about employment and business related issues.  The trend over recent months is that businesses are starting to cut their costs by not offering as many hours to staff on zero hour contracts, making staff redundant and recruitment plans cancelled.

 

In my local area, during the last quarter of 2022, there were regularly about 5000 job vacancies within 10 miles radius. During the last few months, the job vacancies number has dropped to about 3000.

 

Government will need to consider how to offer significant financial help to businesses, while they struggle to deal with less demand from customers and an increase in their costs.  Or the risk will be that the UK economy slides into a recession. UK is not the only one in this position, as other G7 countries such as Germany are also struggling, but UK inflation rate is 10.1% compared to Germany at 7.4%.

[unclebulgaria67]

 

[honeybee13]

Excellent from James O'Brien, as usual. Fair point about Farage just being a heckler with no consturtive ideas.

 

Someone posted a video on Twitter yesterday, Farage saying if Brexit didn't work he would move abroad...  Piers Morgan commented "Well off you go then, I keep hearing Rwanda is rather nice at this time of year Nigel."

[unclebulgaria67]

If Labour wins the next election and forms the Government, they say they will try to make Brexit work. But you do wonder whether they will start asking questions about the practical realities, if it looks like the UK is continuing to struggle outside of the EU. And if there is then a majority of people and businesses wanting to have a closer relationship with the EU , I can see Labour looking to enable this, without formally rejoining EU.

[honeybee13]

I agree, UB. I think Labour can have a constructive relationship with the EU, although things have been a bit better under Sunak.

 

Changing the subect a little, the Commons Business and Trade committee are going to look at Teeside freeport after allegations of financial dodgy dealings and contracts being awarded with no tender process. Private Eye has been reporting on this for a long time and mainstream media picked it up recently. There was an article in the FT yesterday.

 

 

[honeybee13]

The BTC also looked into electric vehicle production in the UK and Vauxhall gave evidence to that inquiry.

 

Vauxhall-maker says UK needs to change its Brexit deal

WWW.BBC.COM

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Vauxhall-maker Stellantis is calling on the government to renegotiate some Brexit rules or risk losing UK operations.

 

[honeybee13]

Sarko has lost his appeal against a suspended sentence but is now appealing to France's higher court. People online are suggesting some UK politicians could be suitable for similar cases.

 

Nicolas Sarkozy must wear electronic tag, appeals court rules | Nicolas Sarkozy | The Guardian

WWW.THEGUARDIAN.COM

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French court upholds sentence against ex-president in corruption case, saying he must serve one-year’s detention at home

 

[honeybee13]

Interesting. Three years ago a Tory MP was told off for being at the NatCon conference. This week, Tory MPs and current and former cabinet ministers spoke at it.

 

Tory MP told by party attendance at far-right event 'unacceptable' | Conservatives | The Guardian

WWW.THEGUARDIAN.COM

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Backbencher Daniel Kawczynski apologises after appearing at conference in Italy

 

[unclebulgaria67]

Tories preparing for opposition period, where they can work out which political direction they are heading. Some want to turn right and go back to traditional old fashioned Conservative values and some want to stay closer to centre Liberal modern based politics.

 

Sounds like the start of the break up of the Tory party. Just unusual to do this about a year before a General election.

[honeybee13]

Isn't it? A large number of Tory MPs seem to have accepted that the party will lose the GE and they will have to find jobs in the real world.

 

I think the NatCon conference could be an accelerator to the split, looking at what people like Lee Anderson and Frost said.

[honeybee13]

This is an interesting take on Braverman's current issue. She got a speeding ticket, tried to make private arrangements for an awareness course rather than attending with ordinary members of the public and it's the fault of 'the blob'?

 

Not forgetting that she asked IPSA if she could put speeding tickets on expenses. I'm not clear if that was the same ticket.

 

From Boris to Braverman suspicion is growing about a Whitehall plot to take out Brexiteers | Politics | News | Express.co.uk

WWW.EXPRESS.CO.UK

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ANALYSIS: The leak about Suella Braverman and her speeding ticket fuels fears of a Whitehall plot to "take out" Brexiteers. A former official tells...

 

[honeybee13]

Peter Oborne on how Sunak has similarities to Johnson.

 

We know Boris Johnson is a liar but Rishi Sunak promised truth and integrity. Where is it? | Peter Oborne | The Guardian

WWW.THEGUARDIAN.COM

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The former prime minister set a shameful example, and his colleagues are following it, says journalist and author Peter Oborne

 

[honeybee13]

This could be an interesting view on how to control inflation, given the old methods aren't necessarily working. Control profit-led inflation.

The Guardian view on food price caps: better at taming inflation than rate hikes | Editorial | The Guardian

WWW.THEGUARDIAN.COM

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Editorial: When the economy doesn’t work in the way that theory suggests, it’s time to junk the theory

 

[unclebulgaria67]

I still see people wheeling out pretty full shopping carts out of local Supermarkets.

And there is still quite a lot of food wastage, which given the increased cost  of the food, must mean that UK consumers are throwing out a huge value of food, that could have  helped feed many people who currently rely on food banks.

Reduce the amount of packaged items and go back to market style provision of loose foods for people to weigh up what they need. 

World human population is expected to increase from the current 8 billion to 10 billion by 2050.  So another 2 billion people competing for the resources available. So more pressure on farmers to produce more.

Price controls may work for some produce, if it guarantees producers a minimum amount.

[unclebulgaria67]

Noticed this locally, that houses have stopped selling and prices are being reduced.

BBC News - House prices fall at fastest pace in nearly 14 years, says Nationwide
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-65774620

Might be a negative issue for Government. 

[honeybee13]

I know two people in the south east who are having trouble selling houses.

For them it started after the Truss/Kwarteng interest rate debacle and hasn't improved.

[unclebulgaria67]

I speak to quite a few people every week about different employment sectors. From what I am being told, we are in for a bumpy ride for a period, due to costs being faced by businesses.

But it is  similar story in other countries. One of my nephews is a business owner in Australia and he is facing tough battle to increase income, to cover the increased costs of running the business