Boris's Brain is missing

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Sweep
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Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by Sweep »

Can some kind soul tell me why it's going to be September before this bunch can deliver a new PM?
(who has effectively already been gone for ages just doing the odd photo-op)
Hardly looks efficient/dynamic.
How can they expect us to think they are going to quickly rise to the challenges facing the country?
Sweep
Stradageek
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Joined: 17 Jan 2011, 1:07pm

Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by Stradageek »

Sadly it has become increasingly clear that whoever wins we will get a Tory, Capitalist regime that will ensure we retain a FPTP voting system/minority government and who will widen even further the crippling inequalities in this country whilst continuing to demand economic growth that is both unnecessary and unsustainable on this planet :(
Jdsk
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Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by Jdsk »

Sweep wrote: 25 Jul 2022, 8:59pm Can some kind soul tell me why it's going to be September before this bunch can deliver a new PM?
(who has effectively already been gone for ages just doing the odd photo-op)
Hardly looks efficient/dynamic.
How can they expect us to think they are going to quickly rise to the challenges facing the country?
Probably so that the party voting stage doesn't disrupt the party members' summer holidays.

Yes, it looks ridiculous for the process of finding the next Prime Minister.

And the candidates' platforms and the differences between them are utterly depressing when set against against the country's needs. What we're seeing is almost entirely triangulation for this specific electorate. Perhaps this is inevitable. But if so it shows why this isn't a good way of finding a Head of Government.

Jonathan
DaveReading
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Joined: 24 Feb 2019, 5:37pm

Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by DaveReading »

Jdsk wrote: 26 Jul 2022, 8:34amYes, it looks ridiculous for the process of finding the next Prime Minister.
It would be interesting, if a tad academic, to speculate who would be elected PM if the final round was also up to party MPs only,

That said, I can't get too bothered about the way it's being done - the current government was elected by a sizeable majority (without my help) and has demonstrated its ability to survive a no confidence vote, so as far as I'm concerned the Tories are entitled to sort out their leadership in whatever way they see fit.

I can't see the path this country seems likely to take between now and the next election differing much regardless of who heads the government, as much of what happens will be due to circumstances beyond its control.
Jdsk
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Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by Jdsk »

DaveReading wrote: 26 Jul 2022, 12:47pmThat said, I can't get too bothered about the way it's being done - the current government was elected by a sizeable majority (without my help) and has demonstrated its ability to survive a no confidence vote, so as far as I'm concerned the Tories are entitled to sort out their leadership in whatever way they see fit.
Yes. I understand why it happens this way and I'm not suggesting that it's unconstitutional. Only that it's a very bad way of choosing a Head of Government for a country.

Jonathan
Psamathe
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Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by Psamathe »

DaveReading wrote: 26 Jul 2022, 12:47pm
Jdsk wrote: 26 Jul 2022, 8:34amYes, it looks ridiculous for the process of finding the next Prime Minister.
It would be interesting, if a tad academic, to speculate who would be elected PM if the final round was also up to party MPs only,

That said, I can't get too bothered about the way it's being done - the current government was elected by a sizeable majority (without my help) and has demonstrated its ability to survive a no confidence vote, so as far as I'm concerned the Tories are entitled to sort out their leadership in whatever way they see fit.

I can't see the path this country seems likely to take between now and the next election differing much regardless of who heads the government, as much of what happens will be due to circumstances beyond its control.
I agree as to there being no issues about how the Conservative Party choses its leader. For me the issue is how the PM is chosen and that those same mainly male, pale & grey small group are making their choice for the entire country.

Although only 2 years to go and in reality we're all stuck with whoever the 180,000 elite few select, it is increasingly looking like some policies could put the country in a significantly worse position and happen very quickly. Although I'm no economist, Ms Truss could very quickly need to be borrowing a lot of money and we would all be liable for interest on and repayment of her debt. My impression is that both candidates (maybe Ms Truss more so) are making policy on the basis of what will most appeal to the 180,000 male, pale & grey rather than what is best for the country. And we don't get a say in it but will endure and pay for major policy direction that was never put to the UK electorate.

Ian
Jdsk
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Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by Jdsk »

Psamathe wrote: 26 Jul 2022, 1:00pmI agree as to there being no issues about how the Conservative Party choses its leader. For me the issue is how the PM is chosen and that those same mainly male, pale & grey small group are making their choice for the entire country.

Although only 2 years to go and in reality we're all stuck with whoever the 180,000 elite few select, it is increasingly looking like some policies could put the country in a significantly worse position and happen very quickly. Although I'm no economist, Ms Truss could very quickly need to be borrowing a lot of money and we would all be liable for interest on and repayment of her debt. My impression is that both candidates (maybe Ms Truss more so) are making policy on the basis of what will most appeal to the 180,000 male, pale & grey rather than what is best for the country. And we don't get a say in it but will endure and pay for major policy direction that was never put to the UK electorate.
Yes.

The current process pushes the candidates to appeal to that small group rather than the country. And to attack each other when they're likely to need to work together as Ministers afterwards. And to divert effort that should be spent on government into campaigning.

The clearest example of where this is failing on policies isn't what they might be about to do it's what they're not discussing: healthcare, social care, the cost of living for the poorest etc.

Jonathan
Psamathe
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Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by Psamathe »

Something to make the General Election in 2 years even harder for the Conservatives
https://www.newstatesman.com/chart-of-the-day/2022/07/london-winner-levelling-up wrote:London is still the big winner in the time of “levelling up”
Public spending has increased by 8 per cent in London over the last three years but by only 1 per cent in the North West.
...
Screenshot 2022-07-26 at 15.53.10.png
...
And many commentators have generally agreed that there is a significant time lag to "levelling-up" in that developments need to be identified, researched, budgeted, tendered, etc. which takes time yet voters will be asking themselves what has actually changed (not what is being planned). Whilst Labour highlight reports like this one.

Although the South East row is a surprise.

Ian
Jdsk
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Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by Jdsk »

Does it say why the figure omits several regions of England?

Thanks

Jonathan
Stradageek
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Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by Stradageek »

DaveReading wrote: 26 Jul 2022, 12:47pm - the current government was elected by a sizeable majority (without my help) and has demonstrated its ability to survive a no confidence vote, so as far as I'm concerned the Tories are entitled to sort out their leadership in whatever way they see fit.
They got 42.4% of the votes cast on a 67.3% turnout, i.e. a vast parliamentary majority based on the expressed wishes of only 28.5% of the electorate - not what I'd call democracy :roll:
Jdsk
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Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by Jdsk »

Jdsk wrote: 7 Jul 2022, 10:20pm
roubaixtuesday wrote: 7 Jul 2022, 3:18pm Image
Could Lebedev offer an alternative location? They wouldn't have to cater for officials.
Johnson's explanation of the trip to Italy:
https://committees.parliament.uk/public ... 6/default/

... these explanations have a habit of unravelling...

Jonathan
Psamathe
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Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by Psamathe »

Jdsk wrote: 26 Jul 2022, 4:06pm
Psamathe wrote: 26 Jul 2022, 3:59pm Something to make the General Election in 2 years even harder for the Conservatives
https://www.newstatesman.com/chart-of-the-day/2022/07/london-winner-levelling-up wrote:London is still the big winner in the time of “levelling up”
Public spending has increased by 8 per cent in London over the last three years but by only 1 per cent in the North West.
...
Screenshot 2022-07-26 at 15.53.10.png
...
And many commentators have generally agreed that there is a significant time lag to "levelling-up" in that developments need to be identified, researched, budgeted, tendered, etc. which takes time yet voters will be asking themselves what has actually changed (not what is being planned). Whilst Labour highlight reports like this one.

Although the South East row is a surprise.

Ian
Does it say why the figure omits several regions of England?

Thanks

Jonathan
(I've "doctored" the quote embedding to indicate the context)
I assume as it's from IPPR North it's looking at how the spending is adjusting to provide increased expenditure for the regions needing levelling-up rather than research into expenditure across the UK. I've not turned out the original data.

For me the relevant comparisons are the %age increase for northern regions against the whole UK and the help such statistics will give Labour next General Election. People who switched their votes to Conservative will ask themselves what levelling-up benefits they got from the Conservative sound-bites.

Ian
Jdsk
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Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by Jdsk »

Psamathe wrote: 26 Jul 2022, 4:40pm...
I assume as it's from IPPR North it's looking at how the spending is adjusting to provide increased expenditure for the regions needing levelling-up rather than research into expenditure across the UK. I've not turned out the original data.
Thanks

It would only have to be slightly taller to show all of the regions. I think that would be better practice.

The data seem to come from:
https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/governme ... ending2021
via
https://www.ippr.org/news-and-media/pre ... -to-change

Jonathan
Jdsk
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Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by Jdsk »

Jdsk wrote: 26 Jul 2022, 4:24pm
Jdsk wrote: 7 Jul 2022, 10:20pm
roubaixtuesday wrote: 7 Jul 2022, 3:18pm Image
Could Lebedev offer an alternative location? They wouldn't have to cater for officials.
Johnson's explanation of the trip to Italy:
https://committees.parliament.uk/public ... 6/default/

... these explanations have a habit of unravelling...
Starting with:

"“As far as I am aware, no Government business was discussed” – A close reading of Boris Johnson’s letter about the Lebedev meeting":
https://davidallengreen.com/2022/07/as- ... v-meeting/

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

Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by reohn2 »

Stradageek wrote: 26 Jul 2022, 4:16pm
DaveReading wrote: 26 Jul 2022, 12:47pm - the current government was elected by a sizeable majority (without my help) and has demonstrated its ability to survive a no confidence vote, so as far as I'm concerned the Tories are entitled to sort out their leadership in whatever way they see fit.
They got 42.4% of the votes cast on a 67.3% turnout, i.e. a vast parliamentary majority based on the expressed wishes of only 28.5% of the electorate - not what I'd call democracy :roll:
Nor me!
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