Current Affairs 2025

[oldbluefox]

What has Starmer got.............one in one out!!!

By my maths that is status quo if that is what happens - but did I not read that for one that went out one family of three came in?

Just three in, one out. That's better than I thought Ms Abbott must have had a hand in the maths.

[Stephen]

That’d be five in one out!

[Mervyn and Trish]

Surely not. She can't count to five.

[oldbluefox]

Personally I wouldn't have any problem with carrying an ID card or having it on my phone. In fact I would go the whole hog and put blood group, DNA and anything else which may be of use if involved in a serious accident or it serves to prove who you are. Think of all the time the police waste in trying to establish identity.
My main concern would centre around security and fraud. There have been too many cases of laptops containing sensitive information being left on tubes, trains, buses or the wrong button being pressed and information being spread to all and sundry.

[barney]

Every single day there are thousands of phone thefts.
Anyone he keeps confidential information on their phone is asking for trouble.
Software to open locked phones is readily available to criminals.
They do it every day.
I will definitely be part of the resistance for digital ID.
Weirdly, those who opposed ID for voting are the very same people who are now promoting ID ?
Figure that one out?

[oldbluefox]

It's a good point barney. In my time in Germany I became quite accustomed to carrying an ID card wherever we went. It gave me access to military installations and also when stopped and checked by the Polizei who made a habit of standing at the side of the road waving their lollipop to pull you over.
It's a no to digital then but I still agree with the principle.

[Mervyn and Trish]

I must admit as a user of apps on my phone for various things, including banking, shopping, etc I'm not overly concerned. I think that Genie is out of the bottle already and I think the benefits to me of others being required to have digital ID outweigh the risks of me having it.

[david63]

One thing that baffles me (yes I know a lot of thing baffle me these days) is that the "new" digital ID is to prove that you can work in the UK - but don't we already have that, it's called a National Insurance Number?

[Mervyn and Trish]

Shared and forgable apparently, no photo attached, plus some employers of cheap dodgy labour don't check. If the new ID happens it needs to be an offence for employers not to check.

[Onelife]

I’m not opposed to ID cards but who is going to police it? We would be better off spending the money in increasing our police force by about 40,000 we could then start tackling crime at every level.

[david63]

plus some employers of cheap dodgy labour don't check.

And what makes anyone think that those same employers will check the ID?

it needs to be an offence for employers not to check

It could be an offence but who is going to check that they are doing the checking?

[Stephen]

It’s a bit like the signs on foot paths that say ‘up to a £1000 fine for not picking up after your dog’.

It’s never going to happen.

[david63]

So Rachel from Accounts latest plan to draw attention away from the economy is to force young people who have been on benefits for 18 months to take a job that is offered to them or lose their benefits - don't disagree with the principle but nobody seems to know where these jobs are going to come from, especially as she increased NI and minimum wage which resulted in companies shedding staff. And how many employers want somebody supposedly working for them who does not want to be there and only causes disruption?

Next she is proposing that all junior schools have a library - another good idea but does she not realise that junior school kids have a Kindle or other similar device these days!

Anyway she is going to run the economy "differently that the Tories" - not wrong on that point as I thought she already was!

[screwy]

Every adult in the country will have to have the digital ID.! Reason ? To work in the UK.!

Well I’m retired and don’t intend looking for work so why do I need it.?

I’m not against having to carry ID, I carried one most of my working life but this is just a crazy thought out idea.

[towny44]

If it ensures that all the drug dealers and other low life's can be recognised and located, when they go about their nefarious dealings then I am all in favour of them.

[david63]

If it ensures that all the drug dealers and other low life's can be recognised and located, when they go about their nefarious dealings then I am all in favour of them.

And do you seriously believe that will happen?

[towny44]

If it ensures that all the drug dealers and other low life's can be recognised and located, when they go about their nefarious dealings then I am all in favour of them.

And do you seriously believe that will happen?

One lives in hope, or one dies in disappointment.

[Onelife]

Doing nothing is a sure-fire way of getting more of the same.

[Mervyn and Trish]

Here I am agreeing with you again! Don't worry, it's only a phase. Once the meds kick in it'll pass.

[towny44]

Doing nothing is a sure-fire way of getting more of the same.

It seems that Sir Hindsight is worried that doing nothing about Reforms lead in the polls, will lead to the exact opposite.

[Mervyn and Trish]

Reform only exists at all because the established parties dismissed people's concerns about issues such as uncontrolled immigration and increasing EU bureaucracy instead of dealing with them many years back. Every PM from John Major onwards shares the blame for where we've arrived today. I think Farage is very dangerous but his route to power feels sadly inevitable. Sir Hindsight certainly doesn't have a clue how to deal with him, the Tories seem to have gone Awol. I'm not sure about the Lib Dems but at least they seem to be trying.

[poole boy]

very trying indeed with an amateure comedian as leader god help us

[screwy]

It seems that Hamas are going to reject the peace plan and so more bloodshed will occur. This can only be blamed on Hamas, they were given the chance to stop the slaughter.

[david63]

It seems that Hamas are going to reject the peace plan and so more bloodshed will occur. This can only be blamed on Hamas, they were given the chance to stop the slaughter.

But don't forget that the minute Netanyahu was out of the White House he reneged on several of the points in the Trump list - the most significant being that he said that there would never be a Palestinian State which is the cornerstone of any deal.

[Mervyn and Trish]

The attack in Manchester today is dreadful, and I would not defend it in any way. Of course Netanyahu is quick to attribute blame to others. But sadly I believe it is a reaction, albeit an appalling one, to Israel's actions in Gaza. You cannot conduct a war and not expect supporters of those you are slaughtering daily
to fight back. Those killed in Manchester were innocents. As are most of those dying daily in Gaza.