POLITICS CORNER

[Stanley]

I still don't understand why we have weapons we can't use until Armageddon is under way.
Would someone please explain where I can find sovereignty or democracy today?
I heard a Remainer yesterday saying it was time we stopped banging on about the failure of Brexit and just get on with it. Sorry, I don't agree. Call it as it is. We get more evidence each day that it is a disaster and the carefully worked out transition was a waste of time. Ireland is just one example. We will get the full picture on trade later in the year but it is looking bad.

[Tizer]

A good summary there, Plaques, even if it is a tad cynical!

I guess Trump has finally realised that his voters might become extinct if they don't get vaccinated against covid...
`Trump tells Republican supporters to get vaccinated' LINK
I noticed this in the article: He [Trump] and his wife, Melania, were vaccinated at the White House in secret in January.

Here in the UK...
`Green Brexit didn't happen, says environmental coalition' LINK
The group says protections for climate, farming, fisheries and water quality are similar to 2016; but for chemicals, nature, air quality and waste are weaker. The coalition, which includes The Wildlife Trusts, RSPB and ClientEarth, says:
*New institutions – including the post-Brexit watchdog the Office for Environmental Protection – will be weaker than those they are replacing
*Crucial environmental principles are being watered down.
*There’s been a lack of coordination with the EU on mutually beneficial issues, from carbon pricing to wildlife protection
*The UK has left the EU’s gold standard chemical regulation system – and created a domestic version with fewer staff, less funding and restricted access to existing data.

[Stanley]

Yes. And I suspect all of those examples are valid.
I was only thinking yesterday that the stock excuse when a public service didn't work properly was "Sorry, it's a computer error". Now it's. "Due to the ongoing Coronavirus situation.....". They don't need to mention Brexit, it's subsumed in the general deterioration in service.
It's now generally accepted that trade with the EU has dropped 38% and the rest of the world 8%, virus or Brexit?

[plaques]

Meanwhile Northern Ireland enjoys a corporation tax rate in line with the Irish Republic. 12.5 %. IF, N Ireland were to leave the union and join with the south then both countries my fall in line with the EU corporation rates. (20 % to 32 % ) where would Rees-Mogg go then?

[Tizer]

And poor Donald Trump isn't as wealthy as he thought he was....
`Donald Trump's wealth takes tumble during presidency' LINK
`Donald Trump's net worth dropped by about $700m to $2.3bn (£1.65bn) during his time as president, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. The Covid-19 pandemic hit his fortunes hard, with Mr Trump's office buildings, branded hotels and resorts losing revenue and falling in value. His fleet of planes and golf courses have also seen drops in their value. Mr Trump is currently under a criminal investigation into his financial affairs and his family business..'.

[Stanley]

Couldn't happen to a nicer bloke....
Trump reminds me of Maxwell. Nothing obvious but deep down you know this man is fatally flawed.
Here are two extracts from this week's Private Eye. The funding one is no surprise but the Clapham vigil was.

[Tizer]

Once again, the government shoots itself in the foot.
`Backlash grows against cut to electric car grants' LINK
`The government is to cut grants aimed at encouraging people to buy electric vehicles in a move that has been criticised by the motor industry. The Department for Transport will reduce the grant from £3,000 to £2,500 and restrict it to cars under £35,000. But Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said it is "the wrong move at the wrong time"..'.

Having set up the grants the government should have retained them but really there shouldn't have been grants in the first place. The car manufacturers should have been developing electric cars a decade ago and making them so attractive that car owners would all have been striving to replace their present car with an electric one. I now drive a hybrid and when it's in electric mode it's wonderful - I wouldn't do back to conventional, the electric is so smooth, quiet and clean. The manufacturers should also have been put under pressure to keep their prices closer to those of conventional cars. They've seen electric as a chance to make big profits because they know people are being pressured to `go electric'.

[Stanley]

What strikes me Peter is that there seems to be a constant war between the law makers trying to promote worthy objectives and the Treasury who see their job as being to act as a brake on all expenditure.
They are more successful in regulating ongoing expenditure. Where they fail miserably is in controlling something like Cross rail or HS2 or a proposal to tunnel to N. Ireland.......

[Tizer]

This is not directly related to previous posts but is simply a general observation and an expression of my current feelings. In a nutshell, the world is going to the dogs and I'm pessimistic about the future like never before. I do my best to avoid depression by indulging in my hobbies and keeping up with family and friends. And of course Mrs Tiz keeps me grounded and cheerful. But it's the younger people who are going to suffer. I don't need to go into detail, you all know what we're facing but I don't have confidence in any of our `political class' and `captains of industry' and democracy is giving way to populism, nationalism and extremism, worldwide. We're ramping up nuclear weapons, cyberwarfare and creating increasing international tensions. International relationships were already souring but the virus pandemic has made the situation worse - the pandemic is small fry compared to the dangers of climate change and the prospect of global disasters and mass migration of whole populations. Something has to change now if we want to avoid an apocalyptic future but I can't see any signs of such change. If we don't change soon then the only sign of there having been an `intelligent' human race on Earth will be a thin layer of plastic, odd metals and unnatural radioactive isotopes sandwiched between the usual geological strata in future millennia. Perhaps it's time for me to knock together some sandwich boards with `The end is nigh' and promenade up and down the main street!

[Stanley]

I share your feelings Peter. I see very few optimistic signs. Perhaps that's what we should be looking for but as Arthur Mee discovered, there is no market for a good news newspaper. (LINK)
Later. See THIS report about Sodexo charging the government for car parking and snacks for its staff working on government contracts. Could this be correct?

[Big Kev]

Are the EU struggling without the UK? A lot of things look to be coming apart at the seams from what I can see, certainly the current situation around the export of the AZ vaccine is a sore point. The UK got their order in early and, reading between the lines, it looks like the EU are trying to force the company to renege on the contract by blocking the exports from EU based factories. Is this a backlash to what is perceived as 'the UK's vaccine programme is better than yours'?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-56479814

[Stanley]

Whatever the truth is Kev it's going to end in tears. The EU members passed the responsibility to Brussels and they failed miserably having never run a health project. They have been found out and instead of looking for greater cooperation are lashing out at the current bogeyman which happens to be us. We are doing the same thing over the Brexit complications, they are all the fault of the EU and not our failure to anticipate and make preparations.
Have a look at THIS company. They have virtually cornered the government
veterinary services and according to Private Eye are the single biggest reason for the hold ups in the system.

[Tizer]

Are the EU struggling without the UK? A lot of things look to be coming apart at the seams from what I can see, certainly the current situation around the export of the AZ vaccine is a sore point.

We used to have a lot of respect from EU member countries and the UK provided a balance between France and Germany. I've always said that we should have been using our influence to nudge the EU towards greater solidarity and improved and streamlined structures and systems. We would have played a major role in the EU in dealing with covid-19 and the manufacture and distribution of vaccines. Instead we took our bat and ball and went home in a huff, all due to a few far right Tories, Farage and the Daily Mail.
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I predict the `platform' will be an `orange box'!
`Donald Trump plans social media comeback, says adviser' LINK
`Former US President Donald Trump will soon return to social media "with his own platform", his adviser has said. "I do think that we're going to see President Trump returning to social media in probably about two or three months," Jason Miller told Fox News. He said the platform "will be the hottest ticket in social media" and would "completely redefine the game"..'.

[Tripps]

I just got a hand delivered, but addressed to me in person, letter and flyer from the Libdems mayoral candidate in the May election. So far so normal. However it contained a facsimile copy of an Electoral Commission application to vote by post. For some reason, maybe irrational, this annoys me quite as lot. I wonder if everyone has had one, or am I singled out to be patronised, because of my age.

We have a Lib Dem County Councillor, who lives in the village and with whom I've spoken. She's a hard worker, and I'm happy to vote for Susan van der Ven at that level. However because of the above I won't vote for Mr Aidan Van de Weyer, and I've asked them what information they hold on me - under a freedom of information request.

Two Dutch names - I've just noticed. She's American - no idea about him.

[PanBiker]

I can probably give you a reasonable answer there David. By law, political parties are allowed to hold electoral data, including personal identifiers about individuals. This can include any voluntary surrendered stuff such as canvassed voting intention given over a number of years.. Most parties use some form of database software to hold the electoral register against which this information is accumulated and under the data protection act should be securely stored and only accessed by legitimate party workers for canvassing purposes and in order to identify which way individuals may vote. Demographic modelling may also be applied to the data in order to further identify where there may be support or to appeal to first time voters or those who have newly appeared on the electoral register, or indeed to target any particular group by age, gender etc.

An elector is perfectly at liberty to ask what information is held about them from any of the parties. There may be an administration fee to produce the data or it may be given freely.

As far as the offer of a postal vote goes, current guidance issued to all parties under the current pandemic rules is to offer postal votes to all. Polling Places will all be open as usual, (some regular venues have been changed if they are not suitable under the current rules for enclosed spaces). A postal vote will reduce the number of folk actually going to the ballot box so will reduce the risk of spreading the virus. The current age of an elector may be used as an indicator of a more likely elector to need or take up a postal vote.

I have used postal votes before as you can easily forget to vote yourself if you are busy running a campaign HQ or otherwise engaged on the day.

[Tripps]

Thanks for that Ian - it's helpful. I did say my annoyance wasn't totally rational -more visceral.

I'm happy that they put their case and ask for my vote - either by leaflet or in person, but trying to get me to change how I cast my vote is a step too far. Having calmed down - I'll probably tell them to forget about it tomorrow. I really shouldn't be surprised that they hold and manipulate data.

I went off the LIbs after Councillor Hipkin was accused of being 'heterosexist' by them.

[Stanley]

I followed the link for Mr Hipkin David and the comments that led to... What a bunch of pretentious, self absorbed people. They'll be having a march against families next, greedy beggars, breeding and taking up all the world's resources.
See THIS for news that Nicola Sturgeon seems to have escaped being sacked. I'm glad, not on a partisan level but because I believe she is at heart intelligent, caring and expresses herself clearly and coherently. This is rare in politicians these days and I think may be evidence of Scotland's superior standards in education.

[plaques]

Rioting or Social disturbances, Where do you start on this subject? Boris Johnson as London Mayor thought he had the answer in water cannons, upmarket pressure washers. Eventually they had to sell them off cheap because he wasn't in the job long enough. Now as PM he could probable get a few real tanks at a knockdown price.
Thomas Piketty & Joseph Stiglitz have been predicting that extreme inequality could result in the distinct possibility that the lower orders may take things into their own hands ie: insurrection /riots. Like most of these things there is usually a background of unrest / dissatisfaction that gradually builds up until some single event triggers off a national trend. At the moment we seem to have more than enough catalyst conditions, Brexit, Covid lockdown, job losses, austerity, gig economy, add your own grievance to the list. Nothing to lose but the chains.. working men of all countries, unite!

[Big Kev]

Destroying public property and breaking bones to protest at having peaceful protest restricted. Water cannons, with a permanent dye in the water so the rioters can be identified later, sounds like a plan to me. We''re in the middle of a pandemic and the sooner the idiots realise that mass gatherings are hindering getting to the end of tight restrictions the better.

[plaques]

I can't condone violence but past events have shown that peaceful protests get nowhere. Thousands , some say a million people marched against the Iraq war. Result a big fat ZERO. Peaceful protests can safely be ignored so that we can on with the real issue of killing people. That's where we are and nobody knows where it will end.

[Big Kev]

But 'violent' protests cost the taxpayer money to fix things after the event, the same taxpayers who are protesting. Highly unlikely to have any impact either other than the financial one...

Going back to the current violence and protests, I stand by my original comment. We're in the middle of a pandemic and they shouldn't be gathering in large numbers

[Stanley]

Kev, that's a valid point but unfortunately Ken is on the right track I think. Piketty and Stiglitz were quite clear and those forces have been at work since long before the pandemic. It's a deep seated current in society which is gathering speed. Thatcher said that protest wasn't the 'British Way', she was wrong of course. Almost every step forward by the lower orders from feudalism to votes for women has been gained by protest. Interesting that in almost every case the violence component has been triggered by the establishment trying to stop peaceful protest. When that happens, the protesters react and that's when things go wrong.
I have been warning about the breakdown of society for years and I'm not changing my mind. Subsequent governments, including Labour, have neglected the most needy in society including children. Eventually these shortfalls lead to the erosion of society and that's what we are seeing.
See THIS BBC report of Johnson demonstrating how not to ease negotiations with the EU over vaccines. Claim that our success is down to capitalism and greed. That could explain why we have the problems I outlined above, not the most benign mind set!

[Marilyn]

I was in a shopping centre today....and the background music came up with that fabulous song “ We are the World, We are the children” ( remember it?). I suddenly felt terribly wretched about Covid. Honestly, I can’t see a way around politics, and those willing to climb on the shoulders of others to survive. Just a bad day. Hey! Tomorrow will be a new one....
If you don’t know the lyrics to the song, I urge you to look it up and play it. How relevant is it....

[plaques]

Honestly, I can’t see a way around politics, and those willing to climb on the shoulders of others to survive.

an old quote by Issac Newton.
If I have seen further than others, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants.
...............
Stanley's point, Capitalism must invest to survive and hopefully the end product will provide profit for its investors and jobs for its workers. What is often forgotten is that the ordinary tax payer, the worker, pays for much of the education and infrastructure, roads, rail etc: for capitalism to work in. As a consequence the profits that a company makes are not down solely due to its own efforts but relies in part on the money the worker that has indirectly invested. With the world of financial systems trying to compete in a race to the bottom in terms of corporation taxes and reduced wages its not surprising that workers feel aggrieved when they see all the money going to the top 10%. Until loop holes are closed and more is handed back to improve the social fabric of ordinary people then we are in for turbulent times.

[Marilyn]

I wasn’t aware of THAT quote, Plaques, or it hadn’t sprung to mind. I felt we are all shoulder deep in a (pandemic) swamp at present ...( yet there are those prepared to drown others to survive). Terrible times for humanity....