Stop voting for fucking Tories

[shaggy]

As an anonymous Labour MP pointed out last week, their problem isn’t that they’re not delivering, it’s that people hate what they’re delivering

The MP should grow a pair ! If they want to be popular they should fuck off somewhere else; it was popular decisions that got you into this steaming pile of shite.

It's a funking miserable time to be in Government in the UK; there aren't any easy fixes, & there's no pot of gold to pay to fix everything that's broken. The best any UK Government, of any Party could do would be to stop the bleeding, & triage the bits that can be saved, & do whatever the hell they can to get some kind of growth back in the Economy.

In fifty years time the historians will be describing the people who championed Brexit in terms that will Quisling look like a hero.

To an extent, but Labour do have a problem in that they're doing things that piss off people on both ends of the political spectrum and some point they will need at least some of those votes again.

On the left I see these as terrible decisions that only cost good will and support:
- winter fuel allowance cut off point was wrong and announcing its impact before getting the pension credit take up for those eligible sorted out was dumb.
- 2 child benefit cap being maintained
- allowing regulators to approve yet more above inflationary bill increases for utilities
- dragging their heels on doing anything substantive about the water companies
- not repealing draconian anti-protest legislation introduced by the Tories
- environmental policy (I could write a small essay on this...), but a particular lowlight is the watering down of GB energy's purpose and remit. Also our complete lack of imagination when it comes to energy solutions. The world over, from Germany to Korea, solar panels are built high enough that you can grow orchards beneath them or use them as shade for cars in car parks and along bike routes. When we put panels somewhere in any quantity we stick them right on the bloody ground in fields so that the land cannot be multi-purpose.
- no council housing program. Any expert will tell you that their targets have only ever been met during periods of mass council house building. It's what the housing market needs.
- allowing one steelworks to go bust and saving another
- Israel stance
- continuing to rule out joining the single market
- flip-flopping on bankers bonus cap

I'm sure there's more, but that's just off the top of my head.

To their credit, the workers rights legislation is a step in the right direction and doing something about public sector pay after years of inaction or active antagonism from the Tories. That's traditional Labour stuff and they should be doing more of it.

There is absolutely some unpopular stuff they will need to do, but there's also a lot they've chosen to do that doesn't seem especially necessary and sticks in the craw of those who already pinched their noses to vote for an extremely centrist (right of centre...) version of the party. Chasing Reform votes instead of those abandoning them for Lib Dems and Greens will not win them elections.

Last time I checked there was brownfield sites within London alone for 300,000 homes. Nationally I think it was 1.2m homes.

They should be using all their power and influence to start building on these plots, rather than go after greenbelt land. Yes I know it is cheaper, but they said they were going to make difficult decisions, which they have not in this case. Plus, these new homes will not necessarily be where people need them ie close to existing infrastructure or jobs.

[Paddington Bear]

The MP should grow a pair ! If they want to be popular they should fuck off somewhere else; it was popular decisions that got you into this steaming pile of shite.

It's a funking miserable time to be in Government in the UK; there aren't any easy fixes, & there's no pot of gold to pay to fix everything that's broken. The best any UK Government, of any Party could do would be to stop the bleeding, & triage the bits that can be saved, & do whatever the hell they can to get some kind of growth back in the Economy.

In fifty years time the historians will be describing the people who championed Brexit in terms that will Quisling look like a hero.

To an extent, but Labour do have a problem in that they're doing things that piss off people on both ends of the political spectrum and some point they will need at least some of those votes again.

On the left I see these as terrible decisions that only cost good will and support:
- winter fuel allowance cut off point was wrong and announcing its impact before getting the pension credit take up for those eligible sorted out was dumb.
- 2 child benefit cap being maintained
- allowing regulators to approve yet more above inflationary bill increases for utilities
- dragging their heels on doing anything substantive about the water companies
- not repealing draconian anti-protest legislation introduced by the Tories
- environmental policy (I could write a small essay on this...), but a particular lowlight is the watering down of GB energy's purpose and remit. Also our complete lack of imagination when it comes to energy solutions. The world over, from Germany to Korea, solar panels are built high enough that you can grow orchards beneath them or use them as shade for cars in car parks and along bike routes. When we put panels somewhere in any quantity we stick them right on the bloody ground in fields so that the land cannot be multi-purpose.
- no council housing program. Any expert will tell you that their targets have only ever been met during periods of mass council house building. It's what the housing market needs.
- allowing one steelworks to go bust and saving another
- Israel stance
- continuing to rule out joining the single market
- flip-flopping on bankers bonus cap

I'm sure there's more, but that's just off the top of my head.

To their credit, the workers rights legislation is a step in the right direction and doing something about public sector pay after years of inaction or active antagonism from the Tories. That's traditional Labour stuff and they should be doing more of it.

There is absolutely some unpopular stuff they will need to do, but there's also a lot they've chosen to do that doesn't seem especially necessary and sticks in the craw of those who already pinched their noses to vote for an extremely centrist (right of centre...) version of the party. Chasing Reform votes instead of those abandoning them for Lib Dems and Greens will not win them elections.

Last time I checked there was brownfield sites within London alone for 300,000 homes. Nationally I think it was 1.2m homes.

They should be using all their power and influence to start building on these plots, rather than go after greenbelt land. Yes I know it is cheaper, but they said they were going to make difficult decisions, which they have not in this case. Plus, these new homes will not necessarily be where people need them ie close to existing infrastructure or jobs.

London can also massively densify - huge amounts of the city are 2/3 storey HMOs, may as well zone them to allow building up, as has happened in places like Wembley and Colindale quite successfully.

On a larger scale, I maintain that focussing on a couple of smallish areas and building intensively is politically more viable than Barratt boxes everywhere. I.e. pick 2/3 sites within the M25, link them up to existing infrastructure and build a very dense new town there. Harefield, Stapleford Abbots and Biggin Hill would be my starters for 10

[Rhubarb & Custard]

If we distill the 2008 crash down to one cause, it was deregulation, lack of red tape - traditionally a Conservative policy across the world. If New Labour had a glaring fault it was the continuation of that process.

Absolutely it was rogue compliance and those financial WMD. Actually worked as RM on several funds holding funky collatoralised auto financial loans, the valuations never made sense to me and was soon apparent why when the house of cards fell. Takes smarter people than I to package a bunch of stinky turds as an asset and sell for an inflated imaginary price. There were actually sub classes tranches of loans that had failed , again repackaged and resold to some other mug.

They managed to finagle a legal Ponzi scheme, and an awful lot of the bosses were very well rewarded for doing so.

[Yeeb]

If we distill the 2008 crash down to one cause, it was deregulation, lack of red tape - traditionally a Conservative policy across the world. If New Labour had a glaring fault it was the continuation of that process.

Absolutely it was rogue compliance and those financial WMD. Actually worked as RM on several funds holding funky collatoralised auto financial loans, the valuations never made sense to me and was soon apparent why when the house of cards fell. Takes smarter people than I to package a bunch of stinky turds as an asset and sell for an inflated imaginary price. There were actually sub classes tranches of loans that had failed , again repackaged and resold to some other mug.

They managed to finagle a legal Ponzi scheme, and an awful lot of the bosses were very well rewarded for doing so.

Pretty much

It does take real skill though to collect a bunch of stuff that is bad, and sell it as something new and good - and a real lack of skill to buy such utter shite.

One fund I can still recall it’s system code HKQX with a shudder , as it broke daily nearly every breach, limit, exposure etc TPS and WENUS report going , my job was to inform the clients who always responded ‘thanks, it’s fine’. These clients were large pension funds , Alt investments, hedge funds, fund of funds , sovereign funds etc all of which in theory have their own governance and monitoring teams.

*shrugs*

My experience up till that point had been in equities and fund of funds, so I freely admit to knowing then bugger all about debt products - seems I was far from alone on that.

[Yeeb]

Just expanding on that, those underlying products were split into tranches , each of which was graded so A grade lower risk you could have 10% exposure to, B only 5% etc.

What happened in effect was a whole bunch of little F grade shite where self employed electricians said they were on $300k pa so they could get a boat loan or whatever , which normally the clients wouldn’t invest in or be allowed to invest in according to their own remit and rules, was collected together and packaged as a brand new larger entity with a brand new shiny A grade awarded. This new A grade stuff was re priced and bought Willy nilly.

[sockwithaticket]

The MP should grow a pair ! If they want to be popular they should fuck off somewhere else; it was popular decisions that got you into this steaming pile of shite.

It's a funking miserable time to be in Government in the UK; there aren't any easy fixes, & there's no pot of gold to pay to fix everything that's broken. The best any UK Government, of any Party could do would be to stop the bleeding, & triage the bits that can be saved, & do whatever the hell they can to get some kind of growth back in the Economy.

In fifty years time the historians will be describing the people who championed Brexit in terms that will Quisling look like a hero.

To an extent, but Labour do have a problem in that they're doing things that piss off people on both ends of the political spectrum and some point they will need at least some of those votes again.

On the left I see these as terrible decisions that only cost good will and support:
- winter fuel allowance cut off point was wrong and announcing its impact before getting the pension credit take up for those eligible sorted out was dumb.
- 2 child benefit cap being maintained
- allowing regulators to approve yet more above inflationary bill increases for utilities
- dragging their heels on doing anything substantive about the water companies
- not repealing draconian anti-protest legislation introduced by the Tories
- environmental policy (I could write a small essay on this...), but a particular lowlight is the watering down of GB energy's purpose and remit. Also our complete lack of imagination when it comes to energy solutions. The world over, from Germany to Korea, solar panels are built high enough that you can grow orchards beneath them or use them as shade for cars in car parks and along bike routes. When we put panels somewhere in any quantity we stick them right on the bloody ground in fields so that the land cannot be multi-purpose.
- no council housing program. Any expert will tell you that their targets have only ever been met during periods of mass council house building. It's what the housing market needs.
- allowing one steelworks to go bust and saving another
- Israel stance
- continuing to rule out joining the single market
- flip-flopping on bankers bonus cap

I'm sure there's more, but that's just off the top of my head.

To their credit, the workers rights legislation is a step in the right direction and doing something about public sector pay after years of inaction or active antagonism from the Tories. That's traditional Labour stuff and they should be doing more of it.

There is absolutely some unpopular stuff they will need to do, but there's also a lot they've chosen to do that doesn't seem especially necessary and sticks in the craw of those who already pinched their noses to vote for an extremely centrist (right of centre...) version of the party. Chasing Reform votes instead of those abandoning them for Lib Dems and Greens will not win them elections.

Last time I checked there was brownfield sites within London alone for 300,000 homes. Nationally I think it was 1.2m homes.

They should be using all their power and influence to start building on these plots, rather than go after greenbelt land. Yes I know it is cheaper, but they said they were going to make difficult decisions, which they have not in this case. Plus, these new homes will not necessarily be where people need them ie close to existing infrastructure or jobs.

I completely agree. There has to be something that can be leveraged against developers to deal with their resistance to brownfield sites.

That plus lanbanking are such irritatingly regressive practices.

[Hal Jordan]

They're bitching about maybe having to put solar panels on roofs now.

[Sandstorm]

They're bitching about maybe having to put solar panels on roofs now.

Stupid to moan about it because the developer just passes that extra cost onto the buyer.

[C T]

They're bitching about maybe having to put solar panels on roofs now.

Stupid to moan about it because the developer just passes that extra cost onto the buyer.

Aye, that's what I expect too. And probably make a bit of extra profit in doing so as well.

[Rhubarb & Custard]

Absolutely it was rogue compliance and those financial WMD. Actually worked as RM on several funds holding funky collatoralised auto financial loans, the valuations never made sense to me and was soon apparent why when the house of cards fell. Takes smarter people than I to package a bunch of stinky turds as an asset and sell for an inflated imaginary price. There were actually sub classes tranches of loans that had failed , again repackaged and resold to some other mug.

They managed to finagle a legal Ponzi scheme, and an awful lot of the bosses were very well rewarded for doing so.

Pretty much

It does take real skill though to collect a bunch of stuff that is bad, and sell it as something new and good - and a real lack of skill to buy such utter shite.

One fund I can still recall it’s system code HKQX with a shudder , as it broke daily nearly every breach, limit, exposure etc TPS and WENUS report going , my job was to inform the clients who always responded ‘thanks, it’s fine’. These clients were large pension funds , Alt investments, hedge funds, fund of funds , sovereign funds etc all of which in theory have their own governance and monitoring teams.

*shrugs*

My experience up till that point had been in equities and fund of funds, so I freely admit to knowing then bugger all about debt products - seems I was far from alone on that.

I do recall one Chuck Prince saying 'we're still dancing in the market' as the CEO at Citgroup after others were already really pulling back, or trying to. Prince was later forced out from his job after Citi lost untold sums and had to shed something like 100,000 jobs.

And sadly for Prince all he got was a $128 million dollar compensation packaged for some of the worst strategy ever seen anywhere not just in finance. One wonders how on earth he was expected to survive on such a miserly sum, and actually one wonders too what would he have been paid had he been a success, or even just borderline competent.

Telling too just how quick re-remics were being sold after the remics failed. And telling too the banks have changed the vehicles they're selling debt via, but they far from having changed selling debt as a model, if anything the've upped the scale. What could go wrong.

[Tichtheid]

They managed to finagle a legal Ponzi scheme, and an awful lot of the bosses were very well rewarded for doing so.

Pretty much

It does take real skill though to collect a bunch of stuff that is bad, and sell it as something new and good - and a real lack of skill to buy such utter shite.

One fund I can still recall it’s system code HKQX with a shudder , as it broke daily nearly every breach, limit, exposure etc TPS and WENUS report going , my job was to inform the clients who always responded ‘thanks, it’s fine’. These clients were large pension funds , Alt investments, hedge funds, fund of funds , sovereign funds etc all of which in theory have their own governance and monitoring teams.

*shrugs*

My experience up till that point had been in equities and fund of funds, so I freely admit to knowing then bugger all about debt products - seems I was far from alone on that.

I do recall one Chuck Prince saying 'we're still dancing in the market' as the CEO at Citgroup after others were already really pulling back, or trying to. Prince was later forced out from his job after Citi lost untold sums and had to shed something like 100,000 jobs.

And sadly for Prince all he got was a $128 million dollar compensation packaged for some of the worst strategy ever seen anywhere not just in finance. One wonders how on earth he was expected to survive on such a miserly sum, and actually one wonders too what would he have been paid had he been a success, or even just borderline competent.

Telling too just how quick re-remics were being sold after the remics failed. And telling too the banks have changed the vehicles they're selling debt via, but they far from having changed selling debt as a model, if anything the've upped the scale. What could go wrong.

IIRC, Iceland had an appropriate way of dealing with those involved in the events of that time

[Rhubarb & Custard]

IIRC, Iceland had an appropriate way of dealing with those involved in the events of that time

perhaps, but being smaller that was easier to manage. and for myself at least I don't want to blame those involved in the UK for not allowing the banks to fail when I don't know anyone could be sure what happens next

[tabascoboy]

Neighbouring Borough Council has just seen 8 Tory councillors resign from the party in the space of a couple of days, changing their standing to Independent meaning that the Tories lose the council to NOC. No reason yet given but perhaps it's simply the Tories becoming more and more of a Reform Light shitshow.

[dpedin]

Neighbouring Borough Council has just seen 8 Tory councillors resign from the party in the space of a couple of days, changing their standing to Independent meaning that the Tories lose the council to NOC. No reason yet given but perhaps it's simply the Tories becoming more and more of a Reform Light shitshow.

The Tories are really becoming irrelevant now and are in real danger of disappearing up their own arses. Trying to wrestle the far right end of the spectrum has seen them come a distant 2nd to the bampot racists in Reform, surrendering the middle ground has left it to Starmer to take control of the centre and even many of his centrist 'Tory' policies now seem to left wing for the Tories. Badenoch is hopeless and wont last till the next election and by then it might be too late. I had hoped the more moderate traditional one nation Tories might come to the fore but they seem leaderless and afraid of coming forward. Meanwhile the ongoing scandals and albatrosses of the Blonde Buggerface, Mad Liz and midget Sunak drags them down and wont disappear, like a floating turd. Something needs to happen for them soon otherwise it is bye bye.

[SaintK]

Neighbouring Borough Council has just seen 8 Tory councillors resign from the party in the space of a couple of days, changing their standing to Independent meaning that the Tories lose the council to NOC. No reason yet given but perhaps it's simply the Tories becoming more and more of a Reform Light shitshow.

The Tories are really becoming irrelevant now and are in real danger of disappearing up their own arses. Trying to wrestle the far right end of the spectrum has seen them come a distant 2nd to the bampot racists in Reform, surrendering the middle ground has left it to Starmer to take control of the centre and even many of his centrist 'Tory' policies now seem to left wing for the Tories. Badenoch is hopeless and wont last till the next election and by then it might be too late. I had hoped the more moderate traditional one nation Tories might come to the fore but they seem leaderless and afraid of coming forward. Meanwhile the ongoing scandals and albatrosses of the Blonde Buggerface, Mad Liz and midget Sunak drags them down and wont disappear, like a floating turd. Something needs to happen for them soon otherwise it is bye bye.

Sinking by the week

The Conservatives have fallen behind the Liberal Democrats in the polls for the first time in more than six years, a survey for The Times suggested.
YouGov found that the Tories had slumped into fourth place behind the Reform, Labour and the Lib Dems.

https://archive.ph/jW73W#selection-1505.0-1513.26

[Tichtheid]

Neighbouring Borough Council has just seen 8 Tory councillors resign from the party in the space of a couple of days, changing their standing to Independent meaning that the Tories lose the council to NOC. No reason yet given but perhaps it's simply the Tories becoming more and more of a Reform Light shitshow.

The Tories are really becoming irrelevant now and are in real danger of disappearing up their own arses. Trying to wrestle the far right end of the spectrum has seen them come a distant 2nd to the bampot racists in Reform, surrendering the middle ground has left it to Starmer to take control of the centre and even many of his centrist 'Tory' policies now seem to left wing for the Tories. Badenoch is hopeless and wont last till the next election and by then it might be too late. I had hoped the more moderate traditional one nation Tories might come to the fore but they seem leaderless and afraid of coming forward. Meanwhile the ongoing scandals and albatrosses of the Blonde Buggerface, Mad Liz and midget Sunak drags them down and wont disappear, like a floating turd. Something needs to happen for them soon otherwise it is bye bye.

Sinking by the week

The Conservatives have fallen behind the Liberal Democrats in the polls for the first time in more than six years, a survey for The Times suggested.
YouGov found that the Tories had slumped into fourth place behind the Reform, Labour and the Lib Dems.

https://archive.ph/jW73W#selection-1505.0-1513.26

The most recent polls for the Scottish Parliament election next year (May 2nd) have Reform in second equal place with Labour on 19%, Cons on 11, equal with LibDems. SNP are on 33 - it's heartening that 81% are not intending to vote Reform, but still...

[C T]

Neighbouring Borough Council has just seen 8 Tory councillors resign from the party in the space of a couple of days, changing their standing to Independent meaning that the Tories lose the council to NOC. No reason yet given but perhaps it's simply the Tories becoming more and more of a Reform Light shitshow.

The Tories are really becoming irrelevant now and are in real danger of disappearing up their own arses. Trying to wrestle the far right end of the spectrum has seen them come a distant 2nd to the bampot racists in Reform, surrendering the middle ground has left it to Starmer to take control of the centre and even many of his centrist 'Tory' policies now seem to left wing for the Tories. Badenoch is hopeless and wont last till the next election and by then it might be too late. I had hoped the more moderate traditional one nation Tories might come to the fore but they seem leaderless and afraid of coming forward. Meanwhile the ongoing scandals and albatrosses of the Blonde Buggerface, Mad Liz and midget Sunak drags them down and wont disappear, like a floating turd. Something needs to happen for them soon otherwise it is bye bye.

Sinking by the week

The Conservatives have fallen behind the Liberal Democrats in the polls for the first time in more than six years, a survey for The Times suggested.
YouGov found that the Tories had slumped into fourth place behind the Reform, Labour and the Lib Dems.

https://archive.ph/jW73W#selection-1505.0-1513.26

The Reform numbers are really quite concerning.

Whether you think their policies are disgusting or great, my main concern is competence.

The Tories, were utterly incompetent by the last few years (to be kind) of their reign. Starmer's Labour appear to have a degree of competence, no matter how small.

Reform will be utterly, completely incompetent.

OK Reform, you want to shoot the boats out of the water. Fine, I'm so beaten down by it all, fine. But you can't, can you? Can we just skip the bit where we waste a load of money trying to do something that we can't, to please the media, and move on to actual governing. Spoiler alert - They won't.

[Paddington Bear]

The Tories are really becoming irrelevant now and are in real danger of disappearing up their own arses. Trying to wrestle the far right end of the spectrum has seen them come a distant 2nd to the bampot racists in Reform, surrendering the middle ground has left it to Starmer to take control of the centre and even many of his centrist 'Tory' policies now seem to left wing for the Tories. Badenoch is hopeless and wont last till the next election and by then it might be too late. I had hoped the more moderate traditional one nation Tories might come to the fore but they seem leaderless and afraid of coming forward. Meanwhile the ongoing scandals and albatrosses of the Blonde Buggerface, Mad Liz and midget Sunak drags them down and wont disappear, like a floating turd. Something needs to happen for them soon otherwise it is bye bye.

Sinking by the week

The Conservatives have fallen behind the Liberal Democrats in the polls for the first time in more than six years, a survey for The Times suggested.
YouGov found that the Tories had slumped into fourth place behind the Reform, Labour and the Lib Dems.

https://archive.ph/jW73W#selection-1505.0-1513.26

The Reform numbers are really quite concerning.

Whether you think their policies are disgusting or great, my main concern is competence.

The Tories, were utterly incompetent by the last few years (to be kind) of their reign. Starmer's Labour appear to have a degree of competence, no matter how small.

Reform will be utterly, completely incompetent.

OK Reform, you want to shoot the boats out of the water. Fine, I'm so beaten down by it all, fine. But you can't, can you? Can we just skip the bit where we waste a load of money trying to do something that we can't, to please the media, and move on to actual governing. Spoiler alert - They won't.

Depends. JD Vance and others entering the inner circles of MAGA has shown that you can make progress in government from the hard right in a way Trump couldn’t do in his first term. Are there similar characters in Reform? PM Farage wouldn’t care either way, he’d give them the keys and get sloshed at Chequers

[fishfoodie]

Sinking by the week

https://archive.ph/jW73W#selection-1505.0-1513.26

The Reform numbers are really quite concerning.

Whether you think their policies are disgusting or great, my main concern is competence.

The Tories, were utterly incompetent by the last few years (to be kind) of their reign. Starmer's Labour appear to have a degree of competence, no matter how small.

Reform will be utterly, completely incompetent.

OK Reform, you want to shoot the boats out of the water. Fine, I'm so beaten down by it all, fine. But you can't, can you? Can we just skip the bit where we waste a load of money trying to do something that we can't, to please the media, and move on to actual governing. Spoiler alert - They won't.

Depends. JD Vance and others entering the inner circles of MAGA has shown that you can make progress in government from the hard right in a way Trump couldn’t do in his first term. Are there similar characters in Reform? PM Farage wouldn’t care either way, he’d give them the keys and get sloshed at Chequers

In the sense that if you give a pyromanic the keys to your refinery, they can make "progress" !

All they do is destroy, that can hardly be considered "progress".

[Paddington Bear]

The Reform numbers are really quite concerning.

Whether you think their policies are disgusting or great, my main concern is competence.

The Tories, were utterly incompetent by the last few years (to be kind) of their reign. Starmer's Labour appear to have a degree of competence, no matter how small.

Reform will be utterly, completely incompetent.

OK Reform, you want to shoot the boats out of the water. Fine, I'm so beaten down by it all, fine. But you can't, can you? Can we just skip the bit where we waste a load of money trying to do something that we can't, to please the media, and move on to actual governing. Spoiler alert - They won't.

Depends. JD Vance and others entering the inner circles of MAGA has shown that you can make progress in government from the hard right in a way Trump couldn’t do in his first term. Are there similar characters in Reform? PM Farage wouldn’t care either way, he’d give them the keys and get sloshed at Chequers

In the sense that if you give a pyromanic the keys to your refinery, they can make "progress" !

All they do is destroy, that can hardly be considered "progress".

They are clearly governing in a meaningful way is my point - i.e. they are getting stuff done which Trump didn’t do first time out. You don’t have to consider them to be saints or sign up to their policies to accept that

[sockwithaticket]

Just found out that Toby Young is a lord.

Who the fuck did that?

[I like neeps]

Just found out that Toby Young is a lord.

Who the fuck did that?

Kemi Badenoch, of course.

[dpedin]

Depends. JD Vance and others entering the inner circles of MAGA has shown that you can make progress in government from the hard right in a way Trump couldn’t do in his first term. Are there similar characters in Reform? PM Farage wouldn’t care either way, he’d give them the keys and get sloshed at Chequers

In the sense that if you give a pyromanic the keys to your refinery, they can make "progress" !

All they do is destroy, that can hardly be considered "progress".

They are clearly governing in a meaningful way is my point - i.e. they are getting stuff done which Trump didn’t do first time out. You don’t have to consider them to be saints or sign up to their policies to accept that

The Nazis were brilliant at getting things done .....helped by the likes of IBM, Standard Oil, GM, etc. IBM were very helpful in designing and supporting the administration processes around the concentration camp management for example. They were so good it's why we know so much about the 6 million jews the bastards exterminated in the concentration camps.

[sockwithaticket]

Just found out that Toby Young is a lord.

Who the fuck did that?

Kemi Badenoch, of course.

Of course. I'm so desperate for her to fuck off, but then we'll probably just hear more from that unrelenting prick Jenrick.

[tabascoboy]

I'm sure this was just an honest mistake

‘Basic error’ leaves Suella Braverman’s local Conservative Association with more than a decade of unpaid tax

Accounts from the Electoral Commission and internal communications within the Conservative Party seen by PoliticsUK reveal that the Fareham and Waterlooville Conservative Association has failed to pay corporation tax on its rental income for at least the past 16 years.

The Association, known as the Fareham Conservative Association prior to the 2023 Parliamentary constituency boundary changes, is understood to earn income on renting a property to its Conservative Member of Parliament, Suella Braverman.

Braverman pays her local Conservative Party, which has also rented to previous MPs, for the office space using taxpayer funds claimed as Parliamentary expenses.

The claims for the rent, which follow the Independent Parliamentary Standard’s Authority’s rules, total over £49,000 since her election to Parliament in 2015.

Unincorporated Associations, such as local Conservative Associations, must pay corporation tax on profits, if they make any.

Despite this, party accounts submitted to the Electoral Commission going as far back as 2009 show that the Association has not paid any taxation on this income, despite making profits in a number of years.

In an email to Conservative Campaign Headquarters, seen by PoliticsUK, Association Chairman and chartered accountant Tom Davies acknowledged the error, stating that: “Our association has rented out an office to our MP for 20+ years and has always worked on the belief that it is not taxable income… we now know that assumption was incorrect.”

https://politicsuk.com/basic-error-leav ... npaid-tax/

[fishfoodie]

I'm sure this was just an honest mistake

‘Basic error’ leaves Suella Braverman’s local Conservative Association with more than a decade of unpaid tax

Accounts from the Electoral Commission and internal communications within the Conservative Party seen by PoliticsUK reveal that the Fareham and Waterlooville Conservative Association has failed to pay corporation tax on its rental income for at least the past 16 years.

The Association, known as the Fareham Conservative Association prior to the 2023 Parliamentary constituency boundary changes, is understood to earn income on renting a property to its Conservative Member of Parliament, Suella Braverman.

Braverman pays her local Conservative Party, which has also rented to previous MPs, for the office space using taxpayer funds claimed as Parliamentary expenses.

The claims for the rent, which follow the Independent Parliamentary Standard’s Authority’s rules, total over £49,000 since her election to Parliament in 2015.

Unincorporated Associations, such as local Conservative Associations, must pay corporation tax on profits, if they make any.

Despite this, party accounts submitted to the Electoral Commission going as far back as 2009 show that the Association has not paid any taxation on this income, despite making profits in a number of years.

In an email to Conservative Campaign Headquarters, seen by PoliticsUK, Association Chairman and chartered accountant Tom Davies acknowledged the error, stating that: “Our association has rented out an office to our MP for 20+ years and has always worked on the belief that it is not taxable income… we now know that assumption was incorrect.”

https://politicsuk.com/basic-error-leav ... npaid-tax/

What are the odds that this isn't the only constituency that now owes over a decades worth of back taxes & interest ??

[Niegs]

Which one of you is Raymond?

[Dinsdale Piranha]

I'm sure this was just an honest mistake

‘Basic error’ leaves Suella Braverman’s local Conservative Association with more than a decade of unpaid tax

Accounts from the Electoral Commission and internal communications within the Conservative Party seen by PoliticsUK reveal that the Fareham and Waterlooville Conservative Association has failed to pay corporation tax on its rental income for at least the past 16 years.

The Association, known as the Fareham Conservative Association prior to the 2023 Parliamentary constituency boundary changes, is understood to earn income on renting a property to its Conservative Member of Parliament, Suella Braverman.

Braverman pays her local Conservative Party, which has also rented to previous MPs, for the office space using taxpayer funds claimed as Parliamentary expenses.

The claims for the rent, which follow the Independent Parliamentary Standard’s Authority’s rules, total over £49,000 since her election to Parliament in 2015.

Unincorporated Associations, such as local Conservative Associations, must pay corporation tax on profits, if they make any.

Despite this, party accounts submitted to the Electoral Commission going as far back as 2009 show that the Association has not paid any taxation on this income, despite making profits in a number of years.

In an email to Conservative Campaign Headquarters, seen by PoliticsUK, Association Chairman and chartered accountant Tom Davies acknowledged the error, stating that: “Our association has rented out an office to our MP for 20+ years and has always worked on the belief that it is not taxable income… we now know that assumption was incorrect.”

https://politicsuk.com/basic-error-leav ... npaid-tax/

What are the odds that this isn't the only constituency that now owes over a decades worth of back taxes & interest ??

100%, because the full list was published several weeks ago.

https://taxpolicy.org.uk/2025/05/11/pol ... al-income/

[fishfoodie]

I'm sure this was just an honest mistake

What are the odds that this isn't the only constituency that now owes over a decades worth of back taxes & interest ??

100%, because the full list was published several weeks ago.

https://taxpolicy.org.uk/2025/05/11/pol ... al-income/

and as sure as eggs are eggs, the ferret faced scrote & his gang of merry men will trot out the old line; "they're all as bad as each other, but you don't see any Reform constituencies on that list !"

He won't mention, nor would anyone in the media point out how many times over the last few years he's been staying rent free in houses belonging to benefactors, or traveling on their planes, or using security thugs provided by them; & it's not like the cunt is short of a few bob; it's just he's a grifting cunt like his hero in the US, & he's much better at it that the bumblecunt, who just gets advances for books he never writes, & public appearances where he uses the same ad libed rambles he's been using for years.

[fishfoodie]

"Honest" Bob Jenrick, Eh ?

Robert Jenrick turns vigilante in bid to tackle London’s fare dodgers

Tory MP claims ‘law breaking is out of control’ in video in which he accosts travellers on the underground

...

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... re-dodgers

Any chance someone can ask him if he referred anyone to the "VIP Lane" during COVID, or just how he feels about it & the activities of Michelle Mone et al ?

Not that one condones fare dodgers, but the losses to the taxpayer that they cause don't amount to a hill of beans compared to any of a hundred cluster fucks in the last couple of years of Tory administration.

[Hugo]

"Honest" Bob Jenrick, Eh ?

Robert Jenrick turns vigilante in bid to tackle London’s fare dodgers

Tory MP claims ‘law breaking is out of control’ in video in which he accosts travellers on the underground

...

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... re-dodgers

Any chance someone can ask him if he referred anyone to the "VIP Lane" during COVID, or just how he feels about it & the activities of Michelle Mone et al ?

Not that one condones fare dodgers, but the losses to the taxpayer that they cause don't amount to a hill of beans compared to any of a hundred cluster fucks in the last couple of years of Tory administration.

Agreed, that's exactly the problem.

Scummy free riders (or petty thieves) definitely degrade trust in society, demoralise people who pay their way and lower the quality of life for everyone but if politicians are being crooked or pissing taxpayer money away it's small beer in the big scheme of things.

Its not that the petty criminal behaviour shouldn't be policed it's that leaders have to lead by example. Ultimately any society is going to be a reflection of its leaders, they are the ones who have executive and legislative power, have a platform and who can model the behaviour they want to see in the broader population.

[Paddington Bear]

"Honest" Bob Jenrick, Eh ?

Robert Jenrick turns vigilante in bid to tackle London’s fare dodgers

Tory MP claims ‘law breaking is out of control’ in video in which he accosts travellers on the underground

...

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... re-dodgers

Any chance someone can ask him if he referred anyone to the "VIP Lane" during COVID, or just how he feels about it & the activities of Michelle Mone et al ?

Not that one condones fare dodgers, but the losses to the taxpayer that they cause don't amount to a hill of beans compared to any of a hundred cluster fucks in the last couple of years of Tory administration.

There’s a good chance that aforementioned Tory corruption issues will mean no one takes him too seriously.

With this said, it is undeniable that petty crime has exploded since covid (again of course particularly under the Tories). My life is made worse and more miserable on a day to day basis by the constant fare dodging (it’s always existed but it used to be the preserve of teenagers, drunks and the dregs), vaping/loud music on public transport, phone/bag/bike theft in central London, shoplifting and blatant money laundering on the high street. We’re heading to an inflection point which has happened in other countries where it becomes irrational to *not* engage in fare dodging etc., which is a really dangerous place for a society to be.

It is also just miserable - I had to get a shop assistant to unlock a bottle of deodorant for me in Watford the other day, that’s not how a developed society should work, and importantly it never used to be like this. To the extent he says petty law breaking is out of control, he is clearly correct and the British left should learn fast from their American counterparts that no one (not least their own voters) finds this stuff cool, funny or a non-issue. It matters and could kill Labour even if they do sort out say the NHS.

It is also pretty straightforward to cut out - as he points out in his video TfL staff don’t want to know, the police couldn’t give less of a shit if you have something stolen, somehow the police can’t work out that the small town I live in can’t support four vape shops and three Turkish barbers etc.

There’s both a genuine issue here and a real political opportunity to exploit it, hard to criticise the Shadow Justice Sec for doing something that is basically the definition of his job. There is of course the open question of why they let this happen in office and his party’s involvement in large scale corruption and losses to the Treasury.

[Hugo]

"Honest" Bob Jenrick, Eh ?

Robert Jenrick turns vigilante in bid to tackle London’s fare dodgers

Tory MP claims ‘law breaking is out of control’ in video in which he accosts travellers on the underground

...

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... re-dodgers

Any chance someone can ask him if he referred anyone to the "VIP Lane" during COVID, or just how he feels about it & the activities of Michelle Mone et al ?

Not that one condones fare dodgers, but the losses to the taxpayer that they cause don't amount to a hill of beans compared to any of a hundred cluster fucks in the last couple of years of Tory administration.

There’s a good chance that aforementioned Tory corruption issues will mean no one takes him too seriously.

With this said, it is undeniable that petty crime has exploded since covid (again of course particularly under the Tories). My life is made worse and more miserable on a day to day basis by the constant fare dodging (it’s always existed but it used to be the preserve of teenagers, drunks and the dregs), vaping/loud music on public transport, phone/bag/bike theft in central London, shoplifting and blatant money laundering on the high street. We’re heading to an inflection point which has happened in other countries where it becomes irrational to *not* engage in fare dodging etc., which is a really dangerous place for a society to be.

It is also just miserable - I had to get a shop assistant to unlock a bottle of deodorant for me in Watford the other day, that’s not how a developed society should work, and importantly it never used to be like this. To the extent he says petty law breaking is out of control, he is clearly correct and the British left should learn fast from their American counterparts that no one (not least their own voters) finds this stuff cool, funny or a non-issue. It matters and could kill Labour even if they do sort out say the NHS.

It is also pretty straightforward to cut out - as he points out in his video TfL staff don’t want to know, the police couldn’t give less of a shit if you have something stolen, somehow the police can’t work out that the small town I live in can’t support four vape shops and three Turkish barbers etc.

There’s both a genuine issue here and a real political opportunity to exploit it, hard to criticise the Shadow Justice Sec for doing something that is basically the definition of his job. There is of course the open question of why they let this happen in office and his party’s involvement in large scale corruption and losses to the Treasury.

Good post.

The annoying factor for me is that a lot of this stuff would be and would have already been dealt with by a competent political/leadership class.

Human behaviour is relatively predictable and half the reason why people chance their arm is because they calculate there is a decent chance of getting away with it and/or the punishment is so minimal that the risks outweigh the rewards.

Stiffer penalties, more enforcement. If resources are scarce do some sort of flash enforcement where on a given day an entire station is overstaffed and every single punter without a ticket is given a fine that is payable on the spot. Forget a 21 day grace period, pay the fine or get a summons to court.

It might sound like I'm saying something relatively tricky can be easily solved and I get that it can't - but the state has to demonstrate the resolve to want to tackle these things. Conceding defeat on stuff like this creates a climate where other anti social behaviour occurs because people think they can get away with it and all it does it escalate further.

[I like neeps]

Won't work Hugo, our prisons are full - there is literally nowhere to put the petty criminals.

So it doesnt matter then who is in power. Robert Jenrick, Nigel Farage whoever wont be able to punish people because they cant do a quick mass build of prisons or courtrooms. Would be nice if Jenrick found some as he could then do a few years for all the corruption he was involved in when in government. Social fabric is freeing from the top and the bottom.

It is depressing, the amount of times you see people just blatantly shoplifting from Greggs, Pret etc.

The supermarkets have brought it on themselves though with the moronic "cost saving" self scanning etc. Wonder what the rates of theft are at Lidl which doesn't allow it and you have to leave via the tills vs the rest.

[SaintK]

"Honest" Bob Jenrick, Eh ?

Robert Jenrick turns vigilante in bid to tackle London’s fare dodgers

Tory MP claims ‘law breaking is out of control’ in video in which he accosts travellers on the underground

...

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... re-dodgers

Any chance someone can ask him if he referred anyone to the "VIP Lane" during COVID, or just how he feels about it & the activities of Michelle Mone et al ?

Not that one condones fare dodgers, but the losses to the taxpayer that they cause don't amount to a hill of beans compared to any of a hundred cluster fucks in the last couple of years of Tory administration.

There’s a good chance that aforementioned Tory corruption issues will mean no one takes him too seriously.

With this said, it is undeniable that petty crime has exploded since covid (again of course particularly under the Tories). My life is made worse and more miserable on a day to day basis by the constant fare dodging (it’s always existed but it used to be the preserve of teenagers, drunks and the dregs), vaping/loud music on public transport, phone/bag/bike theft in central London, shoplifting and blatant money laundering on the high street. We’re heading to an inflection point which has happened in other countries where it becomes irrational to *not* engage in fare dodging etc., which is a really dangerous place for a society to be.

It is also just miserable - I had to get a shop assistant to unlock a bottle of deodorant for me in Watford the other day, that’s not how a developed society should work, and importantly it never used to be like this. To the extent he says petty law breaking is out of control, he is clearly correct and the British left should learn fast from their American counterparts that no one (not least their own voters) finds this stuff cool, funny or a non-issue. It matters and could kill Labour even if they do sort out say the NHS.

It is also pretty straightforward to cut out - as he points out in his video TfL staff don’t want to know, the police couldn’t give less of a shit if you have something stolen, somehow the police can’t work out that the small town I live in can’t support four vape shops and three Turkish barbers etc.

There’s both a genuine issue here and a real political opportunity to exploit it, hard to criticise the Shadow Justice Sec for doing something that is basically the definition of his job. There is of course the open question of why they let this happen in office and his party’s involvement in large scale corruption and losses to the Treasury.

Jenrick had his media spad filming it to use on social media to enhance his chances of replacing Badenoch. Been doing a l;ot of that the past couple of months.
Pure naked ambition and nothing else.

[Paddington Bear]

"Honest" Bob Jenrick, Eh ?



https://www.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... re-dodgers

Any chance someone can ask him if he referred anyone to the "VIP Lane" during COVID, or just how he feels about it & the activities of Michelle Mone et al ?

Not that one condones fare dodgers, but the losses to the taxpayer that they cause don't amount to a hill of beans compared to any of a hundred cluster fucks in the last couple of years of Tory administration.

There’s a good chance that aforementioned Tory corruption issues will mean no one takes him too seriously.

With this said, it is undeniable that petty crime has exploded since covid (again of course particularly under the Tories). My life is made worse and more miserable on a day to day basis by the constant fare dodging (it’s always existed but it used to be the preserve of teenagers, drunks and the dregs), vaping/loud music on public transport, phone/bag/bike theft in central London, shoplifting and blatant money laundering on the high street. We’re heading to an inflection point which has happened in other countries where it becomes irrational to *not* engage in fare dodging etc., which is a really dangerous place for a society to be.

It is also just miserable - I had to get a shop assistant to unlock a bottle of deodorant for me in Watford the other day, that’s not how a developed society should work, and importantly it never used to be like this. To the extent he says petty law breaking is out of control, he is clearly correct and the British left should learn fast from their American counterparts that no one (not least their own voters) finds this stuff cool, funny or a non-issue. It matters and could kill Labour even if they do sort out say the NHS.

It is also pretty straightforward to cut out - as he points out in his video TfL staff don’t want to know, the police couldn’t give less of a shit if you have something stolen, somehow the police can’t work out that the small town I live in can’t support four vape shops and three Turkish barbers etc.

There’s both a genuine issue here and a real political opportunity to exploit it, hard to criticise the Shadow Justice Sec for doing something that is basically the definition of his job. There is of course the open question of why they let this happen in office and his party’s involvement in large scale corruption and losses to the Treasury.

Jenrick had his media spad filming it to use on social media to enhance his chances of replacing Badenoch. Been doing a l;ot of that the past couple of months.
Pure naked ambition and nothing else.

Being an opposition politician is all about being opportunistic and trying to grab a headline. As it happens he is absolutely right on this point, and raising its salience makes it more likely the government might crack down on it which would make all of our lives better. We don’t have to live with the petty crime we deal with now every day - we didn’t five years ago

[sockwithaticket]

It is also pretty straightforward to cut out - as he points out in his video TfL staff don’t want to know, the police couldn’t give less of a shit if you have something stolen, somehow the police can’t work out that the small town I live in can’t support four vape shops and three Turkish barbers etc.

I have sympathy with staff here. Say they do confront a suspected fare dodger, even if that person just ignores them and tries to carry one, what's a staff member actually to do? They can't detain the dodger. Worst case, the dodger turns violent just at the verbal confrontation.

If I were staff I wouldn't be banking on police response times to help me out in either scenario.

More widely on shoplifting, since you mentioned the lunacy of having to lock up deoderant, you'll find very few 'have a go heroes' on minimum wage and that's without corporate policy being not to engage because they fear lawsuits either from injured employees or injured shoplifters more than lifted inventory and the cost of additional security measures.

The police being a mix of unwilling and unable to do much about petty crime is a big problem for sure. You hear about people with air tagged property that's been stolen or a phone with it's locater on, so the victim can provide precise whereabouts for the police of their item and likely the thief (thieves), yet still there's zero interest from the plod.

[Slick]

It's definitely noticeable where I live, daily fridges etc being dumped on the pavement, gangs on bikes, bikes being stolen just to ride to the other end of the high street then dumped etc etc.

The shoplifting is unbelievable though. I was in the local mini Sainsburys earlier this week and three shop assistants were standing around watching a guy load a bag and discussing what he was taking, then watched him walk out and got straight back to the shelves. I'm not suggesting they should have intervened particularly, they don't get paid for that, but just amazing how normalised it is. At the other supermarket they seem to have someone just constantly zeroing the tills as another person pretends to scan stuff and walks out - although, as above, I've got little sympathy for them if they insist on these self scan tills.

[Paddington Bear]

It is also pretty straightforward to cut out - as he points out in his video TfL staff don’t want to know, the police couldn’t give less of a shit if you have something stolen, somehow the police can’t work out that the small town I live in can’t support four vape shops and three Turkish barbers etc.

I have sympathy with staff here. Say they do confront a suspected fare dodger, even if that person just ignores them and tries to carry one, what's a staff member actually to do? They can't detain the dodger. Worst case, the dodger turns violent just at the verbal confrontation.

If I were staff I wouldn't be banking on police response times to help me out in either scenario.

More widely on shoplifting, since you mentioned the lunacy of having to lock up deoderant, you'll find very few 'have a go heroes' on minimum wage and that's without corporate policy being not to engage because they fear lawsuits either from injured employees or injured shoplifters more than lifted inventory and the cost of additional security measures.

The police being a mix of unwilling and unable to do much about petty crime is a big problem for sure. You hear about people with air tagged property that's been stolen or a phone with it's locater on, so the victim can provide precise whereabouts for the police of their item and likely the thief (thieves), yet still there's zero interest from the plod.

The primary responsibility is absolutely on the police, and everything else is downstream of them actually doing their jobs, for a change. This stuff doesn’t seem to bother them at all and they don’t seem to realise it presages greater criminality to come

[fishfoodie]

There’s a good chance that aforementioned Tory corruption issues will mean no one takes him too seriously.

With this said, it is undeniable that petty crime has exploded since covid (again of course particularly under the Tories). My life is made worse and more miserable on a day to day basis by the constant fare dodging (it’s always existed but it used to be the preserve of teenagers, drunks and the dregs), vaping/loud music on public transport, phone/bag/bike theft in central London, shoplifting and blatant money laundering on the high street. We’re heading to an inflection point which has happened in other countries where it becomes irrational to *not* engage in fare dodging etc., which is a really dangerous place for a society to be.

It is also just miserable - I had to get a shop assistant to unlock a bottle of deodorant for me in Watford the other day, that’s not how a developed society should work, and importantly it never used to be like this. To the extent he says petty law breaking is out of control, he is clearly correct and the British left should learn fast from their American counterparts that no one (not least their own voters) finds this stuff cool, funny or a non-issue. It matters and could kill Labour even if they do sort out say the NHS.

It is also pretty straightforward to cut out - as he points out in his video TfL staff don’t want to know, the police couldn’t give less of a shit if you have something stolen, somehow the police can’t work out that the small town I live in can’t support four vape shops and three Turkish barbers etc.

There’s both a genuine issue here and a real political opportunity to exploit it, hard to criticise the Shadow Justice Sec for doing something that is basically the definition of his job. There is of course the open question of why they let this happen in office and his party’s involvement in large scale corruption and losses to the Treasury.

Jenrick had his media spad filming it to use on social media to enhance his chances of replacing Badenoch. Been doing a l;ot of that the past couple of months.
Pure naked ambition and nothing else.

Being an opposition politician is all about being opportunistic and trying to grab a headline. As it happens he is absolutely right on this point, and raising its salience makes it more likely the government might crack down on it which would make all of our lives better. We don’t have to live with the petty crime we deal with now every day - we didn’t five years ago

But you can't do it if you were part of a Party that during their time in Office: Reduced Police numbers, added no prison spaces, presided over the dumpster fire that is the Courts & Probation system, & cut the funding to hundreds of programs which were trying to divert youngsters away from criminal activities while they could still be saved.

You might not have to be Caesars wife, but equally you can't be the whore of Babylon & expect people to listen to you pontificate about a state of affairs you created without retching at the hypocrisy.