Current Affairs 2024

[towny44]

There's nothing wrong with the system, just the idiots we are conned into electing.

The problem seems to be that we could not afford to pay the top quality administrators enough to make them want to take on any job in govt. You do occasionally get a Tory high flying businessman, who has made his millions, willing to take up the challenge, but I cannot remember any Labour millionaire in a top govt post

[Mervyn and Trish]

Surely as a lawyer Bliar had a bob or two and I doubt Sir Hindsight is skint, though he doesn't seem to be able to afford to buy his own clothes!

[towny44]

He only graduated in 1975, and became an MP in 1983, not a long time to accumulate any wealth, and certainly not enough to become a senior barrister.

[Mervyn and Trish]

I'm not sure I'm hugely impressed by the final runners in the Tory leadership contest. Not that it's going to make much difference for some time.

[Portsmouth]

I still think it should be the conservative members who should have the final choice for leader, not the MPs.
Also I see that Cleverly is no longer in the race to be leader.....in my opinion joke he made about giving a date rape drug to his wife is not the kind of comments you would want from a prospective leader and I also question his effectiveness when he was a minister.

[Onelife]

I still think it should be the conservative members who should have the final choice for leader, not the MPs.
Also I see that Cleverly is no longer in the race to be leader.....in my opinion joke he made about giving a date rape drug to his wife is not the kind of comments you would want from a prospective leader and I also question his effectiveness when he was a minister.

Hi Portsmouth, As I understand things, it will be the membership who have the final say.

I’m rooting for Badenoch, not that I’m confident she will turn the fortunes of the Conservative party around, but because she probably has the best chance of breaking the mould of what has gone before.

[Stephen]

Bring back Boris

[Portsmouth]

I still think it should be the conservative members who should have the final choice for leader, not the MPs.

Hi Portsmouth, As I understand things, it will be the membership who have the final say.

Hi Onelife, yes you are correct I got all mixed up
What I was trying to say is the MPs get it narrowed down but I think that the membership should be involved from the start although it might take a bit longer to get the result. Sometimes the choice the membership might have gone for is eliminated by the MPs

[Mervyn and Trish]

Never forget the membership gave us Liz Truss.

[Onelife]

I still think it should be the conservative members who should have the final choice for leader, not the MPs.

Hi Portsmouth, As I understand things, it will be the membership who have the final say.

Hi Onelife, yes you are correct I got all mixed up
What I was trying to say is the MPs get it narrowed down but I think that the membership should be involved from the start although it might take a bit longer to get the result. Sometimes the choice the membership might have gone for is eliminated by the MPs

Yes’ that’s what’s known as the ‘old boys’ voting system, and the reason we keep getting weak leaders.

[towny44]

I'm not sure I trust the Tory party membership to choose a new leader anymore than I trust the MPs. I think the old system of the party hierarchy choosing the new leader provided a far more stable progression. How you can swing from Boris to Liz shows the stupidity of both the membership and to a lesser extent the MPs.

[david63]

Perhaps they should adopt a SCD system where the MPs give each candidate points and then the public have an hour to vote for who they want!

[Onelife]

I'm not sure I trust the Tory party membership to choose a new leader anymore than I trust the MPs. I think the old system of the party hierarchy choosing the new leader provided a far more stable progression. How you can swing from Boris to Liz shows the stupidity of both the membership and to a lesser extent the MPs.

The problem with stable progression is that the hierarchy get set in their ways and we always end up with compromise. What we need is a leader who isn’t influenced by the hierarchy and who is prepared to cut ties with the old school of thinking.

[towny44]

I'm not sure I trust the Tory party membership to choose a new leader anymore than I trust the MPs. I think the old system of the party hierarchy choosing the new leader provided a far more stable progression. How you can swing from Boris to Liz shows the stupidity of both the membership and to a lesser extent the MPs.

The problem with stable progression is that the hierarchy get set in their ways and we always end up with compromise. What we need is a leader who isn’t influenced by the hierarchy and who is prepared to cut ties with the old school of thinking.

That's never going to be possible with the Tory party, the two main wings of the party are never going to accept radical change, that's just a pipe dream. That is why a compromise leader will be needed to reset the Tory party on a path back to power.
PS neither of the 2 remaining candidates will be capable of bringing any unification to the Party.

[Mervyn and Trish]

Perhaps they should adopt a SCD system where the MPs give each candidate points and then the public have an hour to vote for who they want!

That's the best idea yet.

[Onelife]

I'm not sure I trust the Tory party membership to choose a new leader anymore than I trust the MPs. I think the old system of the party hierarchy choosing the new leader provided a far more stable progression. How you can swing from Boris to Liz shows the stupidity of both the membership and to a lesser extent the MPs.

The problem with stable progression is that the hierarchy get set in their ways and we always end up with compromise. What we need is a leader who isn’t influenced by the hierarchy and who is prepared to cut ties with the old school of thinking.

That's never going to be possible with the Tory party, the two main wings of the party are never going to accept radical change, that's just a pipe dream. That is why a compromise leader will be needed to reset the Tory party on a path back to power.
PS neither of the 2 remaining candidates will be capable of bringing any unification to the Party.

In this instance, real change only comes about if you believe in the person tasked to make that change…from what I’ve read many MP’s believe Badenoch has the right mind set and intellect to achieve this. If she becomes the next conservative leader, I think she will surround herself with those of the same qualities and ditch many of the heavy weights who cause disharmony within the party.

[CaroleF]

Remember when the Membership voted for Liz Truss the choice was between her and Sunak because the MPs ensured that Penny Mordant didn't reach the final two because they knew she had a great chance of winning. It looked as if some MPs were trying to ensure Kemi Badenoch didn't reach the final two but something went wrong and James Cleverly got knocked out.

[Onelife]

Remember when the Membership voted for Liz Truss the choice was between her and Sunak because the MPs ensured that Penny Mordant didn't reach the final two because they knew she had a great chance of winning. It looked as if some MPs were trying to ensure Kemi Badenoch didn't reach the final two but something went wrong and James Cleverly got knocked out.

Hi Carole, I think the hole was dug before either of them took to the platform, one thought she could work against the markets the other knew the markets worked for themselves.
The Members were left with no choice other than to put their trust in the one they thought had the best chance of pulling us out of the hole. she rushed in, the other didn’t have enough time...so we are led to believe.

I do agree with you in that the tribal camps within the party scuppered the chances of a would-be leader who carried a lot of public support.

[Mervyn and Trish]

I'm not sure it makes much difference. History says it's unlikely either will be Prime Minister ever.

Though the start Sir Hindsight has made in the job could yet prove history wrong!

[towny44]

The problem with stable progression is that the hierarchy get set in their ways and we always end up with compromise. What we need is a leader who isn’t influenced by the hierarchy and who is prepared to cut ties with the old school of thinking.

That's never going to be possible with the Tory party, the two main wings of the party are never going to accept radical change, that's just a pipe dream. That is why a compromise leader will be needed to reset the Tory party on a path back to power.
PS neither of the 2 remaining candidates will be capable of bringing any unification to the Party.

In this instance, real change only comes about if you believe in the person tasked to make that change…from what I’ve read many MP’s believe Badenoch has the right mind set and intellect to achieve this. If she becomes the next conservative leader, I think she will surround herself with those of the same qualities and ditch many of the heavy weights who cause disharmony within the party.

She doesn't have a large pool to choose from, and since the Tories are in opposition for the next 5 years, then we are hardly likely to know whether she would make a good PM, never mind knowing if any changes she makes would work when in office.

[Onelife]

I lost confidence in our political system years ago, but seeing that we are stuck with it, I would much rather an opposition party with a leader who can articulate a better way forward than someone who just regurgitates well-rehearsed headline grabbers.

A week in politics is a long time, and two years or less without a resolution to the illegal immigration will bring about no confidence calls from every direction.

[Portsmouth]

I would much rather an opposition party with a leader who can articulate a better way forward than someone who just regurgitates well-rehearsed headline grabbers

Yes I agree with your way of thinking on this Onelife. So much better for someone articulate and can speak with passion and commonsense without constantly looking at notes, reading from notes or reading the prompts given on a tv screen.

[Mervyn and Trish]

According to a story this morning:

"Keir Starmer's ousted former top aide Sue Gray has delayed starting her new job this week, amid claims she is demanding a better severance package and salary.

Ms Gray, the former senior civil servant, was forced out of her role as chief of staff at the weekend and into a new role as the Prime Minister's 'envoy for nations and regions'.

No10 will not say if she will attend the first meeting of the PM's Council of the Nations and Regions in Scotland tomorrow in her new role. But it is understood that she will miss it as she takes a break between jobs.

Ms Gray is reportedly demanding a better severance package from her former £170,000 role, and a better salary in her new job, according to the Guido Fawkes website.

Downing Street sources admitted there were 'things to work through' in deciding on the final details of Ms Gray's new role. "

Sounds to me like she should just be sacked! Who does she think she is? Dominic Cummings? Or maybe they can't because she knows where the bodies are buried.

[Mervyn and Trish]

More allegations emerging about Mohamed Fayed. Whom the CPS failed to prosecute when first accused, when KS was in charge. But he wasn't involved in the decision.

Like the CPS failed to prosecute Jimmy Savile when first accused when KS was in charge. But he wasn't involved in the decision.

So two incredibly high profile figures accused of multiple sexual offences but no-one thought to consult the boss.

And yet he takes personal credit for every success of the CPS on his watch.

Funny old world isn't it.

[oldbluefox]

Comforting to know our PM had his hand on the tiller in these high profile cases. I wonder how many more will come to light.