Current Affairs

[Onelife]

I think Gill has correctly identified the front runners. So ve careful what you wish for anti Monarchists.

Sounds Like another BBC hype to me

[Kendhni]

I don’t see that there would be much difference between presidential democracy and a parliamentary democracy other than doing away with most if not all of the pom and ceremony that attaches its self to the present parliamentary system.

Am I the only one that read that as all the PORN and ceremony ... now I think of it, in reference to parliament, that could be more accurate

Leaving my posts open to personal interpretation often lead to the seedy corridors of Westminster

Corridors of Westminster aka the tractor super highway

[Onelife]

Am I the only one that read that as all the PORN and ceremony ... now I think of it, in reference to parliament, that could be more accurate

Leaving my posts open to personal interpretation often lead to the seedy corridors of Westminster

Corridors of Westminster aka the tractor super highway

Is this the preferred mode of transport for Government leaks theses days?

[Manoverboard]

What sort of incentive would it offer a potential high earner to work their butt off in order to feather the nest of an uneducated lay-a-bout?

Please don't speak to me like that Mob

Actually I was thinking of somebody else at the time

[Manoverboard]

We would have used either Netflix or Amazon prime

That's what we watch all the time

I only watch the BBC

[Onelife]

What sort of incentive would it offer a potential high earner to work their butt off in order to feather the nest of an uneducated lay-a-bout?

Please don't speak to me like that Mob

Actually I was thinking of somebody else at the time

Best not talk about someone who’s not here to defend themselves, but I have to agree with you about Stephen

[Kendhni]

For the first time ever, I find myself having sympathy with unions and some of the strike actions currently taking place.

We have various tiers of government and ne'er-do-wells trying to champion inflation based pay rises for the unemployed, unemployable and economically inactive that are expected to be funded by a workforce struggling to pay its own bills, and yet expected to accept payrises significantly less than inflation. The same workforce that kept the country 'open' during the pandemic.

Doesn't seem fair!

[Onelife]

I can’t suggest a solution what with today’s economic climate other than voting Labour for a short-term fix…it might also be worth investing in a garden incinerator bin just in case the garbage bins start piling up.

[Gill W]

I can’t suggest a solution what with today’s economic climate other than voting Labour for a short-term fix…it might also be worth investing in a garden incinerator bin just in case the garbage bins start piling up.

Something has to change. We can't keep going on like this

https://news.sky.com/story/no-one-is-qu ... n-12717905

[Onelife]

Hi Gill, No one doubts these are bad times but having read through the link you provided I feel the writer is telling us where we are now, where we could end up, but not from where we have come…the economic downturn started a long time before Liz took hold of the reigns, she did this with a backdrop of our country having encountered an economic mountain, not the bumps in the road that the writer refers to.

I don’t know much about fiscal policy other than it sways on the speculative thoughts of what might happen and can change dramatically on the optimistic thoughts of what could happen…I personally think we have reached a point where short-sightedness could lead us back to the mountain so I’m prepared, good or bad to see what is on the other side of the Mountain with Liz Truss taking us there.

[Manoverboard]

Liz Truss will take us nowhere ... as per the 45% tax cuts she will be railroaded by the Remainers of old to toe the EU policy line.

[Onelife]

Liz Truss will take us nowhere ... as per the 45% tax cuts she will be railroaded by the Remainers of old to toe the EU policy line.

Always a follower never the leader…me!

[Mervyn and Trish]

The Boris Bashers were demanding change. Well they got it. And look where we are now. A classic case of be careful what you wish for.

[Gill W]

The Boris Bashers were demanding change. Well they got it. And look where we are now. A classic case of be careful what you wish for.

Nothing to do with Boris Bashers.

Boris Johnson was the architect of his own downfall when he lied once too often, and his ministers couldn’t take it any more and resigned en masse.

It’s quite shocking that the best that the Tories could come up with is Truss. When she first entered the leadership race, my reaction, recorded on this forum was ‘absolutely not’. When the final two were Truss and Sunak, my feeling was that Sunak would be best on the economy - I’m fairly sure I said this on the forum. Looks as if I wasn’t wrong.

Concerning times for us all

[Mervyn and Trish]

I agree that I would have preferred Rishi's approach to the economy, though let's not forget the critics have been attacking his management iof it as Chancellor for months. But I think it is naive to believe the Bashers have nothing to do with Boris's downfall. Without the constant attacks and resignation demands by the opposition, the media and others I don't believe for one minute his ministers would have turned on him.

[Onelife]

It was perfectly clear why Boris had to go…he lied and when he got found out he lied again, which took us to the point where the public couldn’t take it anymore. His ministers had no choice but to turn their backs on him, add to this the culture of “do you want to be in my gang” style of politics ultimately caught up with him and the knives went in.
……………….
I was listening to Newsnight last night which featured two top economists, one of which agreed that Liz truss policy of a high growth low tax was the right way forward, he did however say that the time scales in which they have gone about it could have been done better.

[david63]

I was listening to Newsnight last night which featured two top economists, one of which agreed that Liz truss policy of a high growth low tax was the right way forward, he did however say that the time scales in which they have gone about it could have been done better.

That is basically what everyone is saying.

the culture of “do you want to be in my gang” style of politics

Nothing changed there then other than the "gang"

[Onelife]

I was listening to Newsnight last night which featured two top economists, one of which agreed that Liz truss policy of a high growth low tax was the right way forward, he did however say that the time scales in which they have gone about it could have been done better.

That is basically what everyone is saying.

the culture of “do you want to be in my gang” style of politics

Nothing changed there then other than the "gang"

The problem is David no one is saying at what point we should have changed direction…. other than Liz Truss.

I would always opt for a gang with an honest leader

[Mervyn and Trish]

We could argue all day about whether the Bashers influenced in any way at all Boris's departure. But that wasn't my point.

My point was they were demanding change. And they got it. They surely cannot deny they got what they wished for. And that led to where we are now.

In exactly the same way as those who opposed Brexit thought getting rid of Theresa would help their cause but instead led to Boris becoming PM.

Two clear examples of be careful what you wish for. A lesson for those now attacking Truss. The most likely result of that will be Sir Hindsight as PM. If that's what they want just come out and say it. If it isn't don't be surprised when it happens.

[david63]

they were demanding change

But it was a small number of Tory MPs whipped up by the media that was demanding a change of leadership.

And they got it. They surely cannot deny they got what they wished for.

Change they got - but not convinced that it was the change that they wanted.

A lesson for those now attacking Truss. The most likely result of that will be Sir Hindsight as PM

I agree - but Truss has, to a large extent, brought it on herself. When you don't have the overwhelming support of the Tory MPs and only just have the support of the Tory membership then it is prudent to tread carefully rather than jumping in with both feet.

[Manoverboard]

Back to the 45% taxation issue ...

My take is that it was presented, along with the Bankers' bonuses fiasco, to encourage the Traders / Dealers to return from France and Germany to the UK. This would benefit the City and our tax take but the ye old Remoaners didn't want either because of EU capping which would have made them uncompetitive. She should have stuck with it unless of course she is still an EU lover in disguise.

[david63]

There is/was nothing wrong with the 45% tax and banker's bonuses other the timing of it. You don't announce that those with the most will get more when those with the least will get less and those in the middle will just have to fend for themselves.

[Manoverboard]

There is/was nothing wrong with the 45% tax and banker's bonuses other the timing of it. You don't announce that those with the most will get more when those with the least will get less and those in the middle will just have to fend for themselves.

You do if you want it to fail.

My point is that she and her backers have loyalties that lie with the EU rather than GB PLC.

[Kendhni]

Nothing to do with Boris Bashers.

Oh dear, sounds like some people are still clutching desperately to the blame game of delusion. So far we have had James cleverly blame the media, Crispen Odey blaming remainers (despite he himself doing exactly what he was blaming them for doing), Lord Hannan blaming Starmer, and best one yet, Kwarteng blaming the Queens death. They can't even get their own story straight making them all look like a bunch of bumbling buffoons desperately looking for excuses.

Boris Johnson was the architect of his own downfall when he lied once too often, and his ministers couldn’t take it any more and resigned en masse.

Indeed, the problem was the butt kissers he surrounded himself with (Putin does the same) ... not one willing to hold him to account ... until it became obvious, even to the most pathetic apologists, that the reality was that the emperor had no clothes ... and then they started fleeing like rats from a sinking ship. You even saw on social media as people started waking up from their Johnson delusion, just how desperately they were trying to distance themselves from him.

It’s quite shocking that the best that the Tories could come up with is Truss. When she first entered the leadership race, my reaction, recorded on this forum was ‘absolutely not’. When the final two were Truss and Sunak, my feeling was that Sunak would be best on the economy - I’m fairly sure I said this on the forum. Looks as if I wasn’t wrong.

I thought Sunak would have been a better choice ... Truss was always an underachiever who, like Johnson, pushed their way to the front of the queue when there was any credit to be handed out. However Sunak would have had to make significant change in direction as well (which he had his own plans for), because the last few years of toryism have been a disaster for the economy .. even allowing for COVID and other global issues.

To be fair though I don't think the problem is necessarily what she is doing (it is too early to tell), it is the amateurish and underhanded way in which it has been handled. Claims of 'listening' are a joke, the response was obvious ... praising a government for listening is like thanking a bully for stopping hitting you.

[Kendhni]

I was listening to Newsnight last night which featured two top economists, one of which agreed that Liz truss policy of a high growth low tax was the right way forward, he did however say that the time scales in which they have gone about it could have been done better.

I am still trying to understand the logic of it, but in a way it does make sense, however, if there are not major improvements in living standards within the next year then I think she will have made the tories unelectable and her policies will get reversed very quickly. it is however still a refreshing change to now have a government that has policies and a strategy.