UK Politics

[reohn2]

EU non grata in Oxford

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-o ... 050230.amp

Al

Petty doesn't begin to describe Oxford City Council's ruling.
Mrs Bearder said:-

"I'm astonished that Oxford City Council feels that it is a priority to police the flying of flags over the countless other responsibilities like tackling homelessness and providing community services

The same question I asked myself.
Were it the Nazi swastika I could understand but the EU stars?

So people like a wind up........

[Jdsk]

The article describes the specific recent restrictions on freedom of expression. I don't know if the council have got the right bit of legislation.

And of course in Oxford we have the wonderful saga of the shark:



Jonathan

PS: I'm expecting some pretty nasty behaviour in the campaign but it isn't possible yet to tell if the Conservatives will try lurching off to the far right. Restrictions on freedom of expression are obviously suitable for that.

[Carlton green]

July 4th
Cynically chosen because a lot of Scotland has gone away? Our schools end in June and a lot get away before the price rises which coincide with English school holidays.

I very much doubt that the Scottish school holidays came into the equation and believe that the School hols elsewhere won’t have either. It’ll have been a case of (an election) better before the Summer recess than in the following session up to Christmas. Prospects for the Tories are currently as good as they’re going to be (a variation on poor) so bit the bullet, get the best of defeats possible and move on.

Sunak’s a clever chap, he’ll fight his corner on the (recently) improved economy, but I think that the country will remember the Tory leaders before him and the infighting rabble that the Tories have again become. Good luck to Starmer, the party have done well under him and have returned from being considered unelectable.

[Jdsk]

...
Sunak’s a clever chap...

I don't think that Sunak is clever in any way that's useful as a politician. He's fired off initiative after initiative that hasn't helped what voters think of him or his party.

And where I come from there's a well-known expression about everyday intelligence and its opposite:



Jonathan

[Carlton green]

22nd May, 2024, 6:00 am

Labour has approximately 100 general election candidates left to publicly announce, LabourList can reveal, despite the party twice accelerating its selection process.

The fact around one in six Constituency Labour Parties has no candidate, dozens more have only been recently announced and some CLPs have felt left in the dark have all sparked controversy.

Many members have voiced their frustration, given the lack of a focal point for campaigning and attacks by the Lib Dems in what Labour has called its “non-battleground” seats.

https://labourlist.org/2024/05/labour-p ... und-seats/

I’d have thought that that rather played into Sunak’s hands …. there are going to be rather a lot of people wondering who to vote for and maybe without a Labour candidate. If Sunak had delayed that advantage might have escaped him - pretty smart for a drip.

It’s not so much that the Tories win elections, it’s that Labour loose them ….

[Jdsk]

"Rishi Sunak has said deportation flights to Rwanda will not leave before the election, saying the scheme would be “up and running” if he was re-elected prime minister.":
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/ar ... ishi-sunak

Interesting choice of words. It's usually unnecessary to observe that in the UK we don't elect the head of government. But this time round there's a difference: if the Conservatives form the next government Sunak probably won't be Prime Minister for very long.

Jonathan

[mjr]

EU non grata in Oxford

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-o ... e-69050230

Petty doesn't begin to describe Oxford City Council's ruling.

Not just petty, but incorrect. As the report correctly states, we do not need permission to fly "The flag of the Commonwealth or the United Nations or any other international organisation of which the UK is a member" and although the circle of stars is widely flown by the EU since 1985, it's actually the flag of the Council of Europe since 1955, an international organisation which the UK is still a member of.

There is an amusing loophole in the flag law which I believe to be how various comedy flags are flown near me, but it's not needed for the flag of Europe.

I'm surprised some people seem to be rejoicing at local government overreach of enforcing imaginary laws, apparently only because it's a former MEP.

[Psamathe]

...
Sunak’s a clever chap...

I don't think that Sunak is clever in any way that's useful as a politician. He's fired off initiative after initiative that hasn't helped what voters think of him or his party.
...

Not that long ago Sunak made 5 pledges and included ""I fully expect you to hold my government and I to account on delivering those goals," he said.".

1. Inflation: so far the halving inflation has happened (not much tanks to Gov. but it has happened).

2. Growth - no sensible measure says this is achieved.

3. Reduce Debt: It's increased not decreased

4. Reduce NHS Waiting Lists: They've increased not decreased.

5. Stopping the boats: So far this year has had record number of crossings (ever)

So at best 1 out of 5. Good track record to present to the electorate?

Ian

[Mike Sales]

I've just heard that Richard Tice, leader of Reform UK., is standing in my constituency. Another candidate to not vote for. I wish I had one I wanted to put my cross against. I expect I will have to vote Labour, though it is hardly worth making the trek to the village hall for, in this Tory fen.
Would it not be marvellous if Tice splits the Tory vote and disgust with this Government lets the Labour man in! Let me dream for a few weeks.

[Jdsk]

Now that parliament has been dissolved, what do people think is likely to happen to the proposed new law on dangerous cycling? Will the bill it's been added to as an amendment, make it through in the tidying up process, or will it (hopefully in my opinion) fall by the wayside.

Wash-up lists now appearing.

I expect that this Bill will be lost.

Jonathan

[Psamathe]

Re: Political parties getting copies of the full electoral register as well as the "marked" register (ie the one saying who actually voted).

Data aggregation can provide organisations with a lot of detailed knowledge about individuals. If parties are taking the full electoral role (rather than just the open register). Plus the marked register (who voted in previous elections), plus their own data collection. Then what other data are they collecting/buying from other sources (unknown to those the information is about).

Whilst I'm a bit busy these days I will try and put in some subject access requests to see what is being aggregated. That said, probably not so much about me as I don't do the high profile social media and wont buy or create accounts where their T&Cs don't provide adequate privacy undertakings.

Ian

Subject Access Requests are "progressing" and very interesting (at least the process).

Massive differences between Parties in their verification as to my identity. e.g. Labour very strict requiring scan of Drivers License or passport (or photo ID) before even starting to look; whereas the Conservatives got an e-mail from me with my name and "I confirm receipt of your request for information held about you be Conservative Campaign Headquarters. No further information is needed.".

"The Common People" who have never had a candidate standing in my constituency also take the electoral register (one wonders why) but it turned out whilst they'd got data, when they looked it wasn't the data they thought it was so have had to request the registers from the Council again!

Local Greens & National Lib Dems both required a Utility bill (scanned). Some others who took the registers are being very slow at responding - so I'll give a little more time before going to the ICO (and I don't accept an "unexpected General election" as any excuse for not fulfilling legal obligations).

Ian

[Jdsk]

EU non grata in Oxford
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-o ... e-69050230

Petty doesn't begin to describe Oxford City Council's ruling.

Not just petty, but incorrect. As the report correctly states, we do not need permission to fly "The flag of the Commonwealth or the United Nations or any other international organisation of which the UK is a member" and although the circle of stars is widely flown by the EU since 1985, it's actually the flag of the Council of Europe since 1955, an international organisation which the UK is still a member of.

I've checked. You're right. I've told her.

Jonathan

[Psamathe]

Looks like Sunak is already setting the pattern for the General election campaign, lies and fraud

Questioners at Sunak warehouse speech turn out to be Tory councillors
First campaign day marked by concerns about ‘plants’ in audience and PM putting Euros foot in mouth in Wales

Rishi Sunak has taken questions from two men dressed in hi-vis clothing at a warehouse in Derbyshire who turned out to be Conservative councillors....
He took unchallenging questions from two men who were later found to be Conservative politicians, one of them from a different county.
...

Ian

[Jdsk]

Looks like Sunak is already setting the pattern for the General election campaign, lies and fraud

Questioners at Sunak warehouse speech turn out to be Tory councillors
First campaign day marked by concerns about ‘plants’ in audience and PM putting Euros foot in mouth in Wales

Rishi Sunak has taken questions from two men dressed in hi-vis clothing at a warehouse in Derbyshire who turned out to be Conservative councillors....
He took unchallenging questions from two men who were later found to be Conservative politicians, one of them from a different county.
...

Oh dear.

On incompetence rather than trickery... did you see the cock-up in a brewery?
https://twitter.com/TomLarkinSky/status ... 6015490381

Jonathan

[Psamathe]

Looks like Sunak is already setting the pattern for the General election campaign, lies and fraud

Questioners at Sunak warehouse speech turn out to be Tory councillors
First campaign day marked by concerns about ‘plants’ in audience and PM putting Euros foot in mouth in Wales

Rishi Sunak has taken questions from two men dressed in hi-vis clothing at a warehouse in Derbyshire who turned out to be Conservative councillors....
He took unchallenging questions from two men who were later found to be Conservative politicians, one of them from a different county.
...

Oh dear.

On incompetence rather than trickery... did you see the cock-up in a brewery?
https://twitter.com/TomLarkinSky/status ... 6015490381

Jonathan

Re Twitter & football: Sunak really isn't veyr good at campaigning. But he's got a lot of campaigning to do for the next 6 weeks (then he can move back to California full time).

Whilst I have a massive podcast backlog, I do try and keep up-to-date with Rory Stewart & Alastair Campbell "The Rest is Politics" - as that has a lot more meaning around events of the day (not so relevant 6 months later). They really couldn't understand why Sunak has done this - they can't see how it could be seen as anything other than stupid. One idea they had was Sunak is just tired of it all and wants it over so he can go live in California full time and to wave goodbye to something he's found he isn't very good at and doesn't enjoy.

Ian