POLITICS CORNER

[Tripps]

I've always assumed that to be the case. There are many such, and even one in Barlick


I liked Mosley Street - with perhaps my favourite building of all time - Central Library at one end in St Peter's Square, (Peterloo), and the childhood magic of Lewis's store and Piccadilly gardens at the other. Half way up you can pop in the Art Gallery, free of charge, and view world class paintings. This was one I liked The Hireling Shepherd

[Stanley]

I agree David. We often took the tram to Manchester and yes, Mosley Street was a favourite, another one was Tib Street. Mainly pet shops if my memory serves....

See THIS report of Hunt's aims in his budget on Wednesday.
Jeremy Hunt has hinted that he will introduce tax cuts when he delivers the Budget on Wednesday. The chancellor has been under growing pressure from Tory MPs to lower taxes, which are currently at a historic high. Speaking to the BBC, he said he wanted to "show a path" towards a lower-tax economy, though stressed that he would only do so in a "responsible" way. Labour said people would be worse off whatever he does "thanks to 14 years of Tory failure". Among the measures Mr Hunt is believed to be considering is a further cut to national insurance, already reduced from 12% to 10% in last year's Autumn Statement.
I am confused, one minute Hunt is saying there can be no tax cuts because there isn't enough slack to allow them and next minute he is talking about tax cuts for growth.
One factor that will be influencing him will be leaving the Treasury in such a position after the next election that whoever takes over government will be in an impossible situation. For instance, any taxes he cuts now as an election give-away will automatically have to be corrected by the new government in the shape of tax increases giving the Tories a chance to shout 'I told you so'. It would be a very strange Tory pre-election budget that didn't include tax give-aways.....
See THIS report on the imminent closure of the Household Support Fund.
The closure of a fund for people struggling with cost of living pressures will be "catastrophic", the Barnardo's charity has told the BBC. More than 160 councils have warned that thousands of vulnerable families are facing a cliff edge of support without the Household Support Fund. But the government says other benefits are rising to help cover living costs. The Asemotas are just one of the hundreds of thousands of families who have received help from the fund. Its closure is "going to be a really sad moment", says Israel Asemota. "It's just going to be another kick for our family." Over the past two and a half years £2.5bn has been given out through the Household Support Fund. The safety net funds food banks, warm spaces and provides direct cash for those in need. But the government says that as the Household Support Fund ends, benefits and the Local Housing Allowance are rising to help cover living costs.
A government spokesperson said: "The current fund is available up until March 2024 as part of wider cost of living support worth on average £3,700 per household, including raising benefits by 6.7% from April and increasing the Local Housing Allowance."
Funny how money is being saved by taking help away from the poorest families. It's a tragedy in the making.

[Stanley]

See THIS BBC report of what Sunak said in his address to the nation at Swindon.
The UK economy is getting "on the right track", claimed Rishi Sunak ahead of what could be his government's final Budget before the general election. The prime minister spoke as the chancellor prepared for Wednesday, when he is widely expected to announce tax cuts but has cautioned it will be a "prudent and responsible" Budget. Downing Street denied that Mr Sunak thinks Jeremy Hunt "lacks imagination". The UK fell into recession last year and has less room for Budget giveaways. During a site visit to a former Honda car factory in Swindon, Mr Sunak said that its transformation into a logistics hub by industrial property developer Panattoni was a "huge vote of confidence in the UK". "It shows that the work we're doing to get the economy on the right track is paying off," he said. "Now, I'm determined, as prime minister, to make sure that the UK is the best place in the world to invest and grow a business like this," he added, referring to an investment package announced by government to boost spending by firms working on cutting-edge technologies and manufacturing.
This man is deluded..... (That's the kindest way of putting the matter.) He was speaking in a closed down car factory that was being turned into a warehouse in a depressed economy which has is the only one in the G7 that has a lower level of economic activity than before the pandemic.
Have a look at THIS as well for another matter where Mr Sunak isn't doing too well.
The government has suffered five defeats in the House of Lords over its bill to revive its proposed Rwanda deportation scheme. The legislation would deem Rwanda a safe country to send asylum seekers to, in a bid to stop removals being derailed by appeals. But peers backed changes to make it easier for judges to challenge this. They also said the treaty underpinning deportations must be "fully implemented" before flights take off. The bill will continue its passage through the Lords on Wednesday, when opposition peers could inflict further defeats.
Remember, this is the policy that Sunak says the public 'are desperate for'. Really? If so the Lords are thwarting the public will. (That's what Sunak wants you to believe anyway.)

[Tripps]

George Galloway took his seat in Parliament yesterday. He had said in advance that David Davis and Jeremy Corbyn would be his supporters for the occasion. In the event both were washing their hair, and couldn't make it, so he had to make do with the father of the house, (who could hardly refuse) and a chap from the Alba party (no me neither).

He swore on the Bible, so he that must rule out him being a closet muslim then, and as far as I could see didn't have his fingers crossed behind his back. He seemed to write a lot more than his signature in the book, and we now know why he always wears a hat, as without it he has more than a passing resemblance to Captain Mainwaring.

[Stanley]

See THIS for an example of an untruthful BBC report....
Cabinet minister Michelle Donelan has paid an undisclosed sum and apologised to a professor after falsely suggesting she supported Hamas. The science secretary admitted she was wrong and has retracted her comments about Professor Kate Sang. The sum paid to Prof Sang was covered by taxpayers to prevent prolonged legal costs, the BBC has been told. Prof Sang said Ms Donelan attacked her to make a "cheap political point". In a letter published on social media post, Ms Donelan had called on UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) to cut ties with Professor Kate Sang for sharing what she claimed were extremist views. Ms Donelan - who has been Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology since July 2023 - also accused Dr Kamna Patel of University College London of sharing extremist content online.
The reason it is untruthful is of course the fact that Ms Donelan hasn't paid anything, the taxpayers paid as usual.
So there isn't a lot of pressure on MPs to be careful about accusations like this.....
We seem to have been fed one of the main points of the budget before the event. Hunt is going to propose a 2% cut in National Insurance.
I am old enough to remember a Chancellor having to resign for doing that. Things change don't they.....
(I thought we couldn't afford tax give-aways?)

[Whyperion]

George Galloway took his seat in Parliament yesterday. , so he had to make do with a chap from the Alba party

I assume the workers whatsits of England did a deal not to stand against Alba in Scotland as part of the 63 target seats ?

[Whyperion]

Household Support Fund
I doubt many in need actually benefited from this , with admin costs , a lack of some folk to seek help when they need it . Of course decent benefits and cheaper housing havent been put in place to help either.
the 2p NHI Cut for Lower Paid workers will be enough to pay the new prices of broadband and stamps along with the increases in Council Tax. For higher paid workers the £750 extra a year will buy you the revised tax duty on business class flights.

Chancellor announced more money to HMRC to ensure taxpayers pay the correct amount of ( supposedly underdeclared ) tax, thus increasing the tax take. Hasnt this been done every year yet there are still losses due to fraud, etc?

[Stanley]

See THIS report from the Institute for Fiscal Studies on Hunt's budget.
Tax cuts announced in Wednesday's Budget will not make up for the impact of tax increases and rising prices, a leading think tank has said. The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) said households would be worse off at the election, expected this year, than they were at the start of this parliament. The chancellor has announced a cut to National Insurance worth £10bn. Despite that, this will be a record tax-raising parliament, the IFS said.
I usually trust the IFS to be fair even though they are Right Wing and this seems to be the budget in a nutshell,
In another part of the forest, see THIS report on what Michelle Donelan cost us.
It cost taxpayers £15,000 to cover damages paid to an academic Science Secretary Michelle Donelan falsely accused of supporting Hamas, her department has said. The sum was paid "without admitting any liability", the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) added.
I agree with those who say that she should be personally liable for the consequences of her actions.

[PanBiker]

Why do multiple agencies and commentators insist on saying that there, "may be an election this year"? The Tory party have run out of time on this parliament and have no option. There is no "may be" about it. Roland Rat just gets the benefit of when to call it which in itself is a con in my book. They should be forced to take the cheapest option for the tax payer and hold it a the same time as all the other election's, i.e, May. They have no later than the end of this month to declare if that is the case. They will be judging the response to the budget and deciding how many of the electorate have been fooled. Personally I don't think they can keep the con up until the Autumn, too many holes in it.

[Stanley]

Quite right Ian, they should be forced to go for a May election.
Have a look at THIS BBC report this morning.
The Conservatives and Labour have been accused of a "conspiracy of silence" over the scale of spending cuts or tax rises by an influential think tank. Tough decisions would need to be made following the next election, the Institute for Fiscal Studies said. Chancellor Jeremy Hunt told the BBC it would be "challenging" to live within current spending restrictions. Labour says it will have to make future savings to public spending to fund some of its policies if it wins power. The state of the economy is under intense focus in the run-up to a general election that must be called before next January. In Wednesday's Budget, the chancellor cut National Insurance by 2p and increased child benefit salary thresholds, while introducing a new vaping levy and abolishing non-dom tax status. Scrapping non-dom status had been a Labour Party policy and leader Sir Keir Starmer described the decision by the Conservatives to use it in their Budget as "humiliating". Meanwhile, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak refused to be drawn on the date of the general election.
The Tories have been lying about the state of the economy for 15 years. Remember Osborne's 'economic miracle' after the 2008 crash? It's no different now, they are telling us that we are on the verge of a stunning recovery.
The bald truth is that whoever is in control after the election is going to have to double down on austerity because hunt has squandered what headroom he has. See what the IFS have said about defence spending and then factor in this report. I can remember Norman Tebbit famously saying that prospects were so bad that it would be better if Labour won the election and served the next term. This could well apply to Labour now.
Watch out for optimistic voices telling us what economic benefits AI is going to give us and holding out hopes in that direction. What they won't mention is the number of people who will lose their jobs to AI. Everyone is going to suffer.
(Noticeable that a phrase that is missing these days is 'The Party that is good with money')

[Stanley]

See THIS report that Theresa May is to leave Parliament before the next election.
Former Prime Minister Theresa May has announced she will stand down as an MP at the next general election. Mrs May, who led the country from 2016 to 2019 in the wake of the vote for Brexit, has represented Maidenhead in Berkshire for 27 years. She said the "difficult decision" to leave the seat would enable her to spend more time on "causes close to my heart". She is one of 64 MPs elected as Conservatives set to quit Parliament.
I haven't forgotten that during her tenure at the Home Office she is said to have advocated the hostile environment approach to migrants thus exacerbating the Windrush Scandal but on the whole she has been one of our less egregious PMs. From her recent stances in debates I get the impression she is less than impressed by Sunak and that has probably warmed me towards her but she was still a Tory PM!

[Stanley]

There is no domestic political news this morning and I would prefer not to dwell on what seems to be happening in the States, it's too dreadful to contemplate. Is there any hope at all of some sort of a miracle before November?
I was listening to a report from the US in which the commentator was saying that possibly the biggest cohort of voters in the US was those who didn't want this contest between two old men. I can believe that!

[Tizer]

Yesterday's copy of The Times Magazine had an article about Liz Truss. Most of those who knew her think she's crackers. A couple of extracts follow. Most of the article is along the same lines...

[Tripps]

Did you read that the catering bill for her private jet trip to Australia was over £15,000. Posh snacks

Now George Galloway has remembered that he is the member for Rochdale first, and Gaza second. He seemed miffed that he did not 'catch the Speaker's eye' last week - although it was PMQ's and Budget day! I think it will be a while before he does so.

Now he is not claiming to have rescued Rochdale FC, but has cleverly associated himself with the rescue.
Nice to see that Fred Ratcliffe is remembered on the building there at the club. I did tell you he bought me a drink, probably in that very building, fifty years ago didn't I ?

Ratcliffe.png

[Stanley]

The only reason I can think of for her visit to Trumpland and her interaction with Bannon is for publicity. The same applies to Farage. But then you have to ask the question 'Who paid'.
I have the same query about the cost of Johnson's trip to Venezuela. The Sunday Times first reported that Mr Johnson travelled there by private jet while on holiday in the Caribbean but someone paid and it wouldn't be Johnson!
Later...... See THIS Telegraph report for the views of David Neal who was fired from his role as chief inspector of borders and immigration last month.
The Home Office is “dysfunctional” and in desperate need of reform, the sacked borders watchdog David Neal has said in his latest broadside against the government. Mr Neal was fired from his role as chief inspector of borders and immigration last month after claiming that Border Force had allowed “high-risk” aircraft to land in the UK without security checks, which the Home Office denied. He continues to be an outspoken critic of the department and says he “paid the price” for voicing his concerns and that his conscience remains “absolutely clear”.
He will be rubbished by the government of course but these accusations have that elusive 'ring of truth'.

[Tizer]

I have the same query about the cost of Johnson's trip to Venezuela. The Sunday Times first reported that Mr Johnson travelled there by private jet while on holiday in the Caribbean but someone paid and it wouldn't be Johnson!

And Johnson didn't warn our Foreign Secretary of his visit to Venezuela until he was well away on the flight out there.

[Stanley]

see THIS BBC report.
A major Tory donor has apologised after reportedly saying MP Diane Abbott made him "want to hate all black women" and that she "should be shot". The Guardian reports that Frank Hester made the remarks about the then-shadow home secretary during a 2019 meeting. Mr Hester, who runs a health tech firm and gave the Tories £10m last year, admitted making "rude" comments about her. But he said his remarks "had nothing to do with her gender nor colour of skin".
I hold no brief for Ms Abbott but this is a terrible way to talk about her. I thought this was illegal and regarded as a hate crime. If so why isn't he prosecuted?
See THIS for the latest evidence of the mess that politics is in.
Ex-Conservative Party deputy chairman Lee Anderson has defected to Reform UK. Mr Anderson was suspended as a Conservative MP after refusing to apologise for claims Islamists had "control" of London Mayor Sadiq Khan. The defection ends weeks of speculation about the Ashfield MP and TV presenter's future. Mr Anderson said he had been given the chance to "speak out in Parliament on behalf of millions of people up and down the country" who support Reform.
It seems to me that this, and other political machinations lately, is not so much about gaining political power but tearing lumps out of the carcass that is the modern Conservative and Unionist Party. The sooner Sunak calls the election the least damage will be done to the Tory Party. But it would appear that he is determined to cling on to office if not power for as long as possible......
I may have said this before, I have never seen such a mess!
Later.... Breaking news that the premier of Haiti has agreed to resign and allow a transfer of power to a transitional authority. No further information yet.

[Stanley]

News from the US that after 'Super Tuesday' Both Trump and Biden have enough votes to be Presidential candidates for the Republicans and Democrats respectively.
Such lack of imagination......

[PanBiker]

There should be an upper limit of 50 years old to be president or Prime Minister and the like. At that age they have more to lose.

[Tripps]

There should be an upper limit of 50 years old to be president or Prime Minister

Here's a list of what actually happened. I'd never really thought much about that aspect. It's interesting.

"Interestingly, the Prime Ministers of the 20th Century were generally much older than the 21st – averaging in their late 50s and early 60s."

PM - Age on taking office

[Stanley]

I have been listening to the ill tempered debate about Hester and the Tories are mainly defending themselves and Sunak by raking up counter allegations about the Labour Party instead of addressing what actually happened.
Too sickening, I have switched World at One off. I am disgusted with the whole boiling of them.

[Stanley]

I overcame my revulsion and managed to read THIS BBC report on PMQs yesterday.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has resisted opposition calls to return money to a Conservative donor who reportedly said MP Diane Abbott "should be shot". The PM said Frank Hester's alleged comments were "wrong" and "racist". But he repeatedly told MPs Mr Hester had apologised and his "remorse should be accepted". Mr Hester has donated more than £10m to the Tories and in November gifted Mr Sunak the use of a helicopter for a political visit, valued at £15,000. At Prime Minister's Questions, Labour MP Marsha de Cordova asked Mr Sunak directly if he would return the helicopter donation.
Of course the donation won't be returned and what is just as much to the point, Sunak will not guarantee that Hester will never be offered a peerage, a question he was asked yesterday. Watch the Dissolution Honours in 2025!
Have a look at THIS and explain to me why Diane Abbott wasn't allowed to have a say in the debate.
Diane Abbott has accused the Commons Speaker of failing democracy by not allowing her to speak during a debate focused on remarks about her. Alleged comments by a Tory donor that Ms Abbott made him "want to hate all black women" dominated Wednesday's half-hour Prime Minister's Questions. The MP repeatedly tried to ask the prime minister a question but was not selected. A spokesperson for the Speaker said he "ran out of time" to call Ms Abbott.
In its own way, the failure to call her and allow her to have a say was as racist and misogynistic as Hester's comments and those responsible should be ashamed.

[Stanley]

See THIS BBC report of more funding from Hester for the Tories.
Rishi Sunak is under fresh pressure over his ties to Frank Hester - the party donor embroiled in a race row - amid reports his party received £5m more than previously declared. The Conservative Party has not denied reports, first published by Tortoise Media, that it received as-yet-undeclared funds from Mr Hester. Party donations made after December are due to be published in June. Labour and the Lib Dems have demanded the Tories hand back the money. Electoral Commission records show Mr Hester has donated more than £10m to the Conservative Party in the past year - including gifting Mr Sunak a £16,000 helicopter journey. But on Thursday, news website Tortoise Media reported that the Conservatives were "sitting on" an extra £5m cash donation from Mr Hester that had yet to be declared - taking the total to over £15m.
Could that possibly be a smirk on Sunak's face in the article? Will £15million buy Hester a peerage in the Dissolution Honours?
I seem to remember David Cameron saying in 2010 that the next big scandal in politics would be Party Funding and Lobbying and it needed to be addressed. He needs to be reminded of that now he is back in government at Home Secretary.....
Have a look at THIS latest development in the row over Diane Abbott.
Labour's deputy leader Angela Rayner has said she would "like to see" Diane Abbott back as a Labour MP. The party suspended Ms Abbott 11 months ago for saying Irish, Jewish and Traveller people do not face racism "all their lives". Ms Rayner said she was frustrated over the length of the investigation but the party had to follow its procedures.
I agree with Angela Rayner. Diane Abbott made a mistake and apologised and is still waiting 11 months later for the results of 'an investigation. Over in the Tories, Hester made far more egregious comments , said he was sorry for being rude and was immediately exonerated by Sunak. Starmer should take hold of the process instead of acting like a lawyer and saying that the investigation has to take its course. There is such a thing as natural justice and it is not being served here!

[Stanley]

I had to go searching for THIS, it wasn't front page news.
Armed forces minister James Heappey has announced he will not be standing as a candidate at the next general election. First elected as MP for Wells in 2015, Mr Heappey said the decision to not stand was "painful". In a letter, he said it was time "to step away from politics, prioritise my family, and pursue a different career". He has become the 62nd Conservative MP to confirm they will not stand in the next general election. The prime minister's official spokesman said Mr Heappey would be "greatly missed in Parliament". Mr Heappey became the armed forces minister in 2020 and previously served as parliamentary private secretary to the prime minister under Boris Johnson.
I have never heard of Mr Heappey until I heard his name mentioned fleetingly in the news last night but it doesn't surprise me to hear of someone walking away form a position that must carry as many question marks as anything to do with our armed forces today. The one thing that everyone seems to be agreed on is that all of them are underfunded, under-staffed and unfit for purpose. It has got so bad that senior members of the General Staff are going public and making their concerns plain.
Later.... Rumours abound in the news that Sunak will have a leadership challenge this weekend and the favourite to replace him is Penny Mordaunt. We appear to live in interesting times.
Another rumour is that George Galloway has set his sights on becoming Mayor of Manchester. Andy Burnham's comment was that it is now clear what he was doing in Rochdale......

[Stanley]

See THIS BBC report of what Ed Davey is expected to say today at the LibDems conference in York today.
Sir Ed Davey will urge Liberal Democrats to "make this a once-in-a-generation election" in his speech at the party's spring conference. He will argue his is the only party to offer "transformational change" at the general election, calling on members to "bring the blue wall tumbling down". The party leader will focus on the NHS in his speech in York on Sunday setting out reforms so people can see a GP, dentist or pharmacist.
He's quite right of course, we need a transformation, the political system we have at the moment isn't fit for purpose. Instead of focussing the resources of the state on the needs of the people it squanders them on eye-catching projects like HS2 and the two white elephant aircraft carriers and we all know where they have finished up! (No wonder Mr Heappey is voting with his feet!)