Boris's Brain is missing

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Oldjohnw
Posts: 7764
Joined: 16 Oct 2018, 4:23am
Location: South Warwickshire

Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by Oldjohnw »

It really isn’t cricket.
John
Psamathe
Posts: 17618
Joined: 10 Jan 2014, 8:56pm

Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by Psamathe »

Oldjohnw wrote: 25 Aug 2021, 1:47pm It really isn’t cricket.
But lucrative. Just become one of Boris' few mates and you'll get a prestigious (and probably highly paid) position. And it has to be Boris - for Hancock you have to sleep with him and even then it's short term.

Ian
(Still trying to learn these apostrophe things)
Psamathe
Posts: 17618
Joined: 10 Jan 2014, 8:56pm

Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by Psamathe »

Another envoy appointed
http://www.newsbiscuit.com/2021/08/25/prince-andrew-appointed-trade-envoy-to-love-island/ wrote:Prince Andrew appointed trade envoy to Love Island
Liz Truss insisted that Andrew could bring a wealth of experience about private islands, inappropriate love and pizza related alibis. One aide commented: ‘They both seemed so excited, we didn’t have the heart to tell them that Love Island is not a real country’.

Prince Andrew is said to have been ready to leave in an instant, having had his bags packed for a hasty exit months ago. He did insist that his new role would be covered by diplomatic immunity, anonymity on Tinder and an untraceable Search History.

.....
Many have sarcastically commented that Truss was just pulling names out of a hat, while her aide explained: ‘It’s not that that strategic’.

Andrew will be solely responsible for the import and export of love to the UK, with his primary focus on emerging markets – ‘nothing too old’ he demanded. Unlike other Royals who have been accused of not working hard, Andrew promised to be very hands on.
I thought the "Many have sarcastically commented that Truss was just pulling names out of a hat, while her aide explained: ‘It’s not that that strategic’.
" particularly appropriate.

Ian
sjs
Posts: 1305
Joined: 24 Jan 2010, 10:08pm
Location: Hitchin

Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by sjs »

The version of Truss they do on Dead Ringers is perfect.
Jdsk
Posts: 24488
Joined: 5 Mar 2019, 5:42pm

Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by Jdsk »

Screenshot 2021-08-26 at 13.44.10.png
This, of course, wasn't a new hospital, it was the new cancer unit at the Cumberland Infirmary:
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfr ... ajid-javid

But perhaps it wasn't simple misspeaking:

"DHSC ‘playbook’ orders trusts to describe big building projects as ‘new hospitals’"
26 August 2021
"A communications “playbook” for the government’s NHS building programme tells trusts that major refurbishments and new wings/units which are part of the scheme “must always be referred to as a new hospital”. "
https://www.hsj.co.uk/acute-care/dhsc-p ... 90.article
(Paywalled)

Jonathan
Jdsk
Posts: 24488
Joined: 5 Mar 2019, 5:42pm

Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by Jdsk »

Jdsk wrote: 3 Aug 2021, 4:08pm
Oldjohnw wrote: 9 Jul 2021, 7:44am From the Good Law Project:
Dear John,

Boris Johnson, Matt Hancock and Lord Bethell have all been reportedly using private email accounts or WhatApp for Government business, discussing matters of national importance - from the spread of Covid-19 in care homes to the award of lucrative Government contracts.

But why would Ministers choose to use personal accounts rather than official channels?

An email exchange between senior officials about a legal case being brought by Good Law Project over a controversial contract is perhaps revealing. The senior official explains that because Matt Hancock conducted his duties as Health Minister using his private email, they think this means there would be a “substantial” threshold for civil servants to request access to his emails to check if they should be disclosed to the Court.

They seem to believe this is a loophole to avoid scrutiny. If politicians think they can evade oversight from the Courts or dodge Freedom of Information requests by using private email and WhatsApp, the question becomes: what have they got to hide?

Government does have a policy in place about the use of private email, but we don’t think it is fit for purpose - not least because it fails to set out when and why it would ever be acceptable for politicians to use their own accounts. And it seems unlikely the policy is being followed in any event, because there’s no evidence that steps are generally being taken to ensure that information held by Ministers on private emails or WhatsApp is recorded on Government systems.

We don’t just think this situation is wrong, we believe it’s unlawful. It flies in the face of Government’s legal obligations to preserve official records, and undermines its ability to comply with Freedom of Information requests and the duty of candour required by the Courts.

We are taking legal action. If we are successful, we could force Government to put in place proper policies to close this accountability gap for good. If you believe that Government business should be conducted transparently and would like to support this legal challenge, you can do so here.

Thank you,

Jo Maugham
Director of Good Law Project
Screenshot 2021-08-03 at 16.07.03.png

https://goodlawproject.org/update/lord- ... new-phone/
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1v6fMMw ... 8lns6/view
Application for disclosure refused:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/ ... omes-fails

Jonathan
reohn2
Posts: 45143
Joined: 26 Jun 2009, 8:21pm

Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by reohn2 »

Jonathan
They've got it all sewn up we're now truly in Alice in Wonderland world where the truth is whatever the Tory government and chief loonie Johnson happen to say it is on any particular day......
Madness prevails in a mad land of unicorns where the sun always shines and everyone is happy because the boss says it is!

As a nation we've hit rock bottom!
-----------------------------------------------------------
"All we are not stares back at what we are"
W H Auden
Jdsk
Posts: 24488
Joined: 5 Mar 2019, 5:42pm

Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by Jdsk »

Jdsk wrote: 26 Aug 2021, 1:48pm Screenshot 2021-08-26 at 13.44.10.png

This, of course, wasn't a new hospital, it was the new cancer unit at the Cumberland Infirmary:
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfr ... ajid-javid

But perhaps it wasn't simple misspeaking:

"DHSC ‘playbook’ orders trusts to describe big building projects as ‘new hospitals’"
26 August 2021
"A communications “playbook” for the government’s NHS building programme tells trusts that major refurbishments and new wings/units which are part of the scheme “must always be referred to as a new hospital”. "
https://www.hsj.co.uk/acute-care/dhsc-p ... 90.article
(Paywalled)
The unpaywalled details:
https://mobile.twitter.com/Davewwest/st ... 4104368128

Jonathan
Oldjohnw
Posts: 7764
Joined: 16 Oct 2018, 4:23am
Location: South Warwickshire

Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by Oldjohnw »

Jdsk wrote: 26 Aug 2021, 2:11pm
Jdsk wrote: 3 Aug 2021, 4:08pm
Oldjohnw wrote: 9 Jul 2021, 7:44am From the Good Law Project:

Screenshot 2021-08-03 at 16.07.03.png

https://goodlawproject.org/update/lord- ... new-phone/
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1v6fMMw ... 8lns6/view
Application for disclosure refused:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/ ... omes-fails

Jonathan
All of which begs the question: what are they hiding?
John
francovendee
Posts: 3145
Joined: 5 May 2009, 6:32am

Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by francovendee »

If I read the posts on here I find I agree with most of the posters.
It's a different impression when I speak to friends and family. Whilst they're not overly enthusiastic about the present government the feeling I get from them it's not going too badly.
slowster
Moderator
Posts: 4612
Joined: 7 Jul 2017, 10:37am

Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by slowster »

Jdsk wrote: 26 Aug 2021, 11:02pm
Jdsk wrote: 26 Aug 2021, 1:48pm Screenshot 2021-08-26 at 13.44.10.png

This, of course, wasn't a new hospital, it was the new cancer unit at the Cumberland Infirmary:
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfr ... ajid-javid

But perhaps it wasn't simple misspeaking:

"DHSC ‘playbook’ orders trusts to describe big building projects as ‘new hospitals’"
26 August 2021
"A communications “playbook” for the government’s NHS building programme tells trusts that major refurbishments and new wings/units which are part of the scheme “must always be referred to as a new hospital”. "
https://www.hsj.co.uk/acute-care/dhsc-p ... 90.article
(Paywalled)
The unpaywalled details:
https://mobile.twitter.com/Davewwest/st ... 4104368128

Jonathan
Not much different from the early years of the Labour government elected in 1997, and its deliberate practice of misleading the public by repeatedly using the term "new money" when making an announcement, to describe funding which had in fact already been announced and was not "new".

Thus when the budget for the NHS overall was increased, that was "new money". When an announcement was made about a new hospital, it was described as being funded with £XM of "new money". When an announcement was made about equipment purchases, or increased NHS staffing, they too were all funded with £XM of "new money".

Eventually someone totted up all the amounts that had been announced as "new money", and realised that the numbers did not add up. When ministers were challenged by the press about this, it became clear they had been describing the same funding as "new money" at each stage of its trickle down allocation through the NHS. Ditto for defence, transport and other ministries.
Jdsk
Posts: 24488
Joined: 5 Mar 2019, 5:42pm

Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by Jdsk »

francovendee wrote: 27 Aug 2021, 9:15am If I read the posts on here I find I agree with most of the posters.
It's a different impression when I speak to friends and family. Whilst they're not overly enthusiastic about the present government the feeling I get from them it's not going too badly.
Yes, forums shouldn't be expected to be representative.

Wider samples are available! What would you like... handling of Leaving, handling of the outbreak, personal ratings, voting intention... ?

Jonathan
francovendee
Posts: 3145
Joined: 5 May 2009, 6:32am

Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by francovendee »

Jdsk wrote: 27 Aug 2021, 9:52am
francovendee wrote: 27 Aug 2021, 9:15am If I read the posts on here I find I agree with most of the posters.
It's a different impression when I speak to friends and family. Whilst they're not overly enthusiastic about the present government the feeling I get from them it's not going too badly.
Yes, forums shouldn't be expected to be representative.

Wider samples are available! What would you like... handling of Leaving, handling of the outbreak, personal ratings, voting intention... ?

Jonathan
I'm talking about the level of satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the overall performance of the government. Broken into parts then I'm sure there will be differences on how the population views their performance but overall I don't get the feeling that the public feels they are doing a bad job. Amazing!
Jdsk
Posts: 24488
Joined: 5 Mar 2019, 5:42pm

Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by Jdsk »

"Do you approve or disapprove of the Government's record to date?"

Screenshot 2021-08-27 at 10.10.46.png
https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/tr ... t-approval

Jonathan
Bonefishblues
Posts: 10978
Joined: 7 Jul 2014, 9:45pm
Location: Near Bicester Oxon

Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by Bonefishblues »

What was the tipping point in May-June do we think?
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