Current Affairs 2023

[Stephen]

The alleged word is that the accident was caused because the police were chasing them, but the police deny this.

So what if the police were chasing them. If they weren’t guilty of anything then they should have stopped in the first place. Instead, I can only guess what happened is they went tear ar*ing up the road with no chance of out running the police, lost control and the rest is history.

Why it still turned into the equivalent of Northern Ireland I don’t know.

[towny44]

You do need to be squeaky clean in government, anything else, the news hounds and Mr Hindsights party are out to score. No matter how small the transgressions may be, when it comes one after the other, it looks bad on the party. The conservatives have had many months of explaining these transgressions much to their embarrassment. Did it all start with someone driving up north to see if his eyesight was safe to drive.

What is the difference between a govt minister in charge of a dept, and a private sector senior manager, and their relationship to the staff under them? Senior managers are paid to devote their time and energy to running the busines/govt dept, so it seems eminently sensible to ask junior staff to deal with personal issues like speeding tickets, so they are not distracted from their main tasks.
It seems to me that the ministerial code of conduct is the major problem, in that it really is not fit for purpose in the modern world.

[Ray B]

Yes, I can agree with that. There does seem that there should be a center in the house where a parliamentary member can go for advice and guidance on anything that concerns them, where they will not be seen as seeking favors, if that is at all possible.

[Jan Rosser]

I’ve just been watching the report from BBC Wales on the riots in Ely Cardiff. Unbelievable the damage and of course very sad that two young men have died. The situation is volatile - denials of a police chase - videos allegedly showing a chase - lots of questions to answer.

[Ray B]

The Big question what needs an answer is why were the police after them. If they had done nothing wrong, why did they not stop. By trying to outrun the law they paid the highest penalty, it could have all ended differently. Clear up why an inspector denies they were chasing them.
I do not have a problem with the police chasing anyone if they refuse to stop.

[barney]

I believe that the police are saying that they were not chasing them, but following them.
What a tragedy for their families.
Two young lives lost for literally nothing.
I suppose the facts will come out soon.
By the way, there is no excuse for the vandalism at all.
Why would people smash up their own area ?

[Ray B]

From the menu
Suella Braverman's handling of a speeding offence was the starter course.
The main course consists of Bojo getting annoyed over WhatsApp messages and
Labour's red head Angela Rayner calling for the government to release them.
It could turnout to be an entertaining time.

[screwy]

Tina Turner has died, 83.

RIP.

[Mervyn and Trish]

Very sad. Amazing woman and performer.

[oldbluefox]

A pop icon. RIP

[Mervyn and Trish]

So it has become clear that the police van following the two teenagers on their bike had turned off and was a couple of streets away when they crashed. Meanwhile those blaming the police ignore that their heroes were riding two-up on a bike designed for one with no helmets. But of course the accident was not their fault.

[Ray B]

The time on the BBC video clip shows the police van appears approximately 15seconds later.
Hardly following/chasing them.

[Mervyn and Trish]

And that is before the police turned left as the cycle went straight ahead a couple of minutes before the crash.

[Ray B]

Good news this lunch time for Norfolk. At last the government has added the Queen Elizabeth hospital at King's Lynn onto the rebuild program. After years of campaigning, the hospital being held up by 4500 accrow props can now move forward, but it will be believed when the first shovel full of muck is dug to start building. Complete by 2030???

[screwy]

So just stop oil protesters decide to throw paint powder over plants at Chelsea, Stop oil protesters polar charcoal into the Trevi fountain in Rome.! Two different ways oh dealing with it by the Police.! No surprise which one I liked best.!!

[Ray B]

Poor old Phillip Schofield, his career in tatters just because of an affair with a younger male in his dressing room.
Social media and the press have gone big on this, the same way it did with the alleged que jumping at Her Majesty's laying in state. The start of an uncontrolled nose dive.
So he tried to keep it secret, no problem with that. Why should the world know your private life no matter how famous you are.
So he got together with this young man, it's legal.
I fail to see what he done wrong, someone may enlighten me on this.

[Manoverboard]

It may be legal but was it responsible to sow his oats in an ITV dressing room. There must surely be restrictions placed by one's employer regarding ' acts of a sexual nature ' on their premises during paid working hours.

[oldbluefox]

Poor old Phillip Schofield, his career in tatters just because of an affair with a younger male in his dressing room.
Social media and the press have gone big on this, the same way it did with the alleged que jumping at Her Majesty's laying in state. The start of an uncontrolled nose dive.
So he tried to keep it secret, no problem with that. Why should the world know your private life no matter how famous you are.
So he got together with this young man, it's legal.
I fail to see what he done wrong, someone may enlighten me on this.

I couldn't agree more. Sometimes the media latch onto something and go over the top.
Personally I'm not one wit interested whether he is straight, gay, unfaithful or unpopular. It's all media tittle tattle to me.
There are much more pressing items of news nationally or internationally. I don't subscribe to the idea we need to know anybody else's private life no matter who they are.
Actually, at his age he will have made plenty of money and could retire tomorrow and slip gracefully into retirement with whopever he chooses to live with.

[Mervyn and Trish]

I'm not interested in his sexuality either but he's been a fool. His worst crime in my book is deceiving everyone including his wife and family. He finally lost any sympathy he had from me today when he played the homophobia and victim cards.

[Stephen]

I’m still not a100% sure what all the fuss is about.
Was it because he got found out but consistently lied about it, or was there more to it?

[barney]

I’m very happy sitting in a pool of ambivalence.
Couldn’t give a toss either way.
Honestly.

[towny44]

It may be legal but was it responsible to sow his oats in an ITV dressing room. There must surely be restrictions placed by one's employer regarding ' acts of a sexual nature ' on their premises during paid working hours.

I doubt its listed as not allowed in any contract terms, and whilst it might not be the done thing, I am with Ray on this, its nobody's business but their's.

[david63]

Let's move on from the "non story" to the Covid inquiry.

First off I am starting to pick up on that there are certain factions who are "after blood/heads to roll" before the inquiry even starts. Now personally I cannot see the need before the inquiry starts as to why they require the minute details of all conversations, yes that may become necessary further down the road when more detail is needed to clarify certain decisions.

What really bothers me with all of this information is that if/when it gets into the public domain the irrelevant parts will become a distraction. I can see the headlines now "Boris discussed the weather with Sunak during the pandemic" (or some such) and that's before all the "wacky" ideas are exposed.

[towny44]

It is interesting that Boris is happy to disclose all unredacted messages, but some in the govt seem to be more worried. Presumably Boris's reputation cant get any worse, but those still in office have more to lose.
I can understand the enquiry wanting to see everything, since distractions may well have had an influence on decisions, but I would hope that anything of a confidential nature will be redacted in any published enquiry report.

[paultheagle]

The government should give the enquiry all that it's asked for. Simple as.