High Court Ruling on Rwanda Scheme

 

The Rwanda judgment is now available to view online. https://t.co/angrVvoyL9

— Judicial Office (@JudiciaryUK) December 19, 2022

Fred Kite Doesn't Get Christmas

 

'Will you answer the question Mr Lynch, I won't let you get away with nonsense'@richardm56 grills the General Secretary of the RMT, Mick Lynch over striking over the Christmas period pic.twitter.com/htcqFREQM9

— Good Morning Britain (@GMB) December 13, 2022

COBR Means SFA!

 

Contrary to the impression that the politicians and media would like to give you, COBR (aka COBRA) meetings achieve very little.

Don't believe the hype!

Tories Intent on Destroying Their Membership Base

NEW ⬆️⬆️⬆️: The Conservative Party will hike membership fees by an inflation-busting 56% (!) following a slump in donations, per two people familiar

Annual fees going up from £25 to £39

Suggests party is struggling to raise funds ahead of next electionhttps://t.co/Dk4ZqexUw5

— Alex Wickham (@alexwickham) December 7, 2022

Mick Lynch is Fred Kite Reborn - In Manner and Speech Patterns

 

Labour's New Leader

 

Back to 2010, no wonder everyone looks so glum behind him!

Saj Won't Stand

 

After much reflection I have decided that I will not be standing again at the next General Election.

Serving as the Member of Parliament for Bromsgrove remains an incredible privilege, and I will continue to support the Government and the causes I believe in. pic.twitter.com/qskUo5jjOR

— Sajid Javid (@sajidjavid) December 2, 2022

Bye Bye Blackford

 

Ian Blackford has resigned (pushed out) as leader of the SNP in Westminster.

No one here can love or understand me
Oh, what hard luck stories they all hand me
Pack up all my cares and woe, here I go, winging low
Bye, bye, Blackford

Kate Bingham Nails It - No Lessons Learned Whatsoever!

 

Former vaccine procurement boss Kate Bingham gave an interview to Stefanie Bolzen of Die Welt. 

She said Britain “seems to have lost its leadership approach” on vaccine research, manufacturing and procurement. 

“In 2020 we were clearly world leading. But the U.K. went back to business as usual.”

This doesn't just apply to vaccines and diseases, but more or less everything that the state sticks its nose into. Nothing in this country actually works properly, and when the state tries to tinker it simply makes things worse.

That is not just a failing of the politicians, but the civil service and other state organisations that the state funds with our taxes!

Giving Up The Day Job - 12 - 11 Tory vs Labour

 

Full list of the 12 Conservative and 11 Labour MPs standing down at the next election.

🔵Average age of Tories leaving = 48.6

🔴Average age of Labour leaving = 70https://t.co/CKEVhsF7Vm

— James Heale (@JAHeale) November 27, 2022

Neanderthal Emerges From 50 Year Coma

 

A Neanderthal, who has been in a coma since 1972, has just come round.

Sadly, for him, his world no longer exists. Ironically, many middle class people are well pissed off with the government as well.

Supreme Court Nixes Sturgeon's Referendum

 

The Supreme Court has unanimously ruled that the Scottish Parliament cannot hold another independence referendum without Westminster’s approval.

Schroedinger's Fuel Duty Rise

 

Jeremy Hunt on the OBR suggestion fuel duty will rise:

'They were wrong to assume we are going to increase fuel duty because we have not made a decision on that, it's a decision for the spring budget'

— Olly Barratt (@ollybarratt) November 18, 2022

Face Into The Storm

 

Chancellor Hunt will give his Autumn Statement (Budget) in the next few minutes. In it he will tell us we are to "face into the storm", and outline spending cuts and tax rises that will amount to around £54BN.

There is a catch, many of these cuts/rises are set to come about over a five year period. The next election will be held within two years; as such, many of these cuts/tax rises may well never see the light of day!

SAGE Mark II - The OBR

 

During the pandemic the government allowed itself to become prisoner of SAGE, and based its response (lockdowns which wrecked the economy) on the dire forecasts of SAGE.

As we came to learn, forecasts (especially SAGE forecasts) were based on assumptions and variables that if tweaked, would produce totally different outcomes. Sadly the government lost its balls, and allowed policy to be dictated by SAGE and the hysterical media (egged on by SAGE).

Unfortunately the government is about to make the same mistake, this time financially; by slavishly following the forecasts of the OBR (set by by Brown). The OBR have forecast a whopping black hole of approximately £50BN. Yet the OBR has a track record of being wrong.

Given that the economy was wrecked by the SAGE dictated lockdowns, and has been further pummelled by Putin, it is hardly surprising that things are not as they could be. However, as with SAGE, if you tweak the assumptions and variables within the OBR forecasts the black hole can be made to almost disappear. 

To raise taxes when we are heading into recession is going to make matters worse. The government needs to grow a pair, and stand up to the OBR.

The #TomatoGate Witch Hunt

 

The media and those with an interest in adding another political scalp to their tally, have now moved on from Raab's tomato tossing to him being "curt" with staff.

How utterly risible!

Bonnet de Douche!

 

Today, I signed an agreement with my friend @GDarmanin in Paris to ramp up our co-ordination to tackle illegal immigration. Our new deal will see UK officers embedded in French operations for the first time & a 40% increase in French officers patrolling in northern France 1/2 pic.twitter.com/h5a9rRdW1u

— Suella Braverman MP (@SuellaBraverman) November 14, 2022

The PCS Strike

 

Unlike the winter of discontent, the PCS strike will not have anywhere near the same impact that the union hopes for.

Aside from the fact that the country is in a very different place to where it was in the 1970's, given that many PCS members are still (for reasons that escape me) working from home no one will notice if they are on strike or not. Additionally, picket lines in winter are not as attractive as sitting at home watching daytime television.

PCS Votes For Strike

100,000 civil servants may go on strike over pay etc.

Meanwhile the private sector will carry on.

Those Who Live By The Whip Die By The Whip!

 

Politicians Can Frack Off!

 

UK political elite, united in its opposition to fracking gas in UK, relishes imminent new deal with USA which involves massive import of fracking gas from America, at huge expense in terms of dollar cost, CO2 LNG transport footprint and balance of payments deficit.

— Andrew Neil (@afneil) November 8, 2022

Labour's Sunlit Uplands

 

Ed wants British taxpayers to give money to nuclear armed Pakistan, by way of an apology for climate change.

Don't be like Ed!

The Albanian PM's Strange Choice of Bedfellow

And look who advises the Albanian PM as @tnewtondunn pointed out last night … pic.twitter.com/LC2mY0noau

— Harry Cole (@MrHarryCole) November 3, 2022

The Albanian PM chose the blame Britain last night for the fact that members of the Albanian crime gangs want to leave Albania and set up shop in the UK.

Not unsurprisngly this perverse view has puzzled a few people.

The answer lies in his choice of advisor!

COP Out - Rishi Will Go To COP27

 

For reasons best known to himself (probably he doesn't want Boris to grandstand at the summit) Sunak has changed his mind on COP27, and will attend.

A complete and utter waste of time and money, made worse by the flip-flop!

Twat!

 

Apparently, Hancock is going to be on I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here.

It is likely he will lose the whip for this nonsense!

Braverman To Brave The Commons This Afternoon

 

Congratulations Rashid Sanook!

 

Congratulations Rashid Sanook, Prime Minister of Good Britland pic.twitter.com/YwFS1xgd6J

— Rupert Myers (@RupertMyers) October 25, 2022

The Coronation of Rishi?

 

With Boris pulling out of the contest, and Penny with less than 100 declared votes, it is probable that Rishi will secure the leadership of the Tory Party (and by definition become PM) by 14.00 today without the need for the membership to beocme involved.

We shall see!

Will He, Or Won't He?

 

Unsurpisingly, following the resignation of Liz Truss, Twitter has gone into a meltdown over the possibility of Boris Johnson returning as Prime Minister.

As at the time of writing, Boris has 57 declarations of support (he needs 100 to be allowed to stand).

The key question that has yet to be answered is, will he stand?

I have a sneaking feeling that he won't.

Question For Jeremy Hunt

 

Did Liz get your permission to guarantee the triple lock today?

Pensions Triple Lock "Confirmed"

 

Truss has confirmed that the pension triple lock will stay (caveat emptor!).

However, she does not commit to benefits rising in line with inflation.

Today's PMQ

 

Boom!

 

Controlled explosion heard on Whitehall after security threat and now fire engines by Treasury. Sketch writers have it too easy.

— Guido Fawkes (@GuidoFawkes) October 18, 2022

A Very British Coup - The Puppetmasters Reveal Themselves

 

Chancellor Hunt has just nixed Kwarteng's budget, whilst the FX and Gilt markets approve it may not be such a joyful occassion for mere humans.

Amongst others Hunt has:

-time limted the energy bailout to 6 months, 

-abandoned the reduction in income tax, 

-reintroduced the hated IR35 reforms, 

-scrapped the freeze on alcohol duties and 

-promised wide ranging spending cuts.

This of course is what the media and the markets, IMF etc have been pushing for.

Clearly Truss's days, and indeed the Tory Party's days, in office are limited (days/weeks/months....who knows?).

As such Labour and their suppoorters, not unreasonably, are champing at the bit to take power. However, they should bear this in mind, as and when they take office they will face exactly the same problems that Truss faces eg:

- global inflation

- gobal rising interest rates

- the war in Ukraine

- energy and food shortages

- hysterical media that looks to destroy whoever is in power etc.

As such, constrained by the markets and bullied by the media, the room for maneuver will be very limited. 

Like it or not UK interest rates are on an upward trajectory, and there will be spending cuts (whovere is in power). Labour will need to explain this to its supporters (who have yet to understand who really runs the country).

A Very British Coup

 

Make no mistake, Jeremy Hunt (and his backers) is/are now de facto Prime Minsiter in all but name only.

Liz Truss is now but a figurehead mouthing words scripted to her by Hunt.

How long this state of affairs lasts is not yet clear. However, I suspect it won't last very long.

URGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP @Jeremy_Hunt has been appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer @HMTreasury. pic.twitter.com/bldKWr3crG

— UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) October 14, 2022

Kwarteng Sacked Mid-Air

 

It appears that Kawsi has been sacked, quite possibly whilst he was midway between Washington and London.

Well then!

Mini Budget U Turn Alert!

 

Bailey Throws The Government To The Wolves

 

Bailey said last night:

“the Bank will not stand in the way of the market pushing up the effective cost of government borrowing as a response to uncertainty over its economic policy.” 

OOH!

Rishi To Switch To Labour?

 

Tarry Thinks The Vote Was Rigged

 

pic.twitter.com/ZxALd26tcO

— Sam Tarry MP (@SamTarry) October 11, 2022

Starmer Goes on Election Alert

 

BREAKING: Keir Starmer unveils major restructuring of Labour Party machine including new HQ to help get party on war-footing ahead of next general election and capitalise on Tory woes.

He told staff this morning: “This is not time for complacency or caution”.

— Pippa Crerar (@PippaCrerar) October 11, 2022

He may well be right, given that the Tory Party are doing the job of HMO so well!

The Hate is Strong in This One

 

Truss's Speech Better Than Expected

A much more confident speech than many were expecting. She has drawn clear political lines on EU, immigration, tax and defence and defined her opponents. Whatever we think of content, you can see clearly here why Liz Truss won over Conservative party members.

— Rory Stewart (@RoryStewartUK) October 5, 2022

The Nearly Chancellor

 

Having consigned his plan to cut the top rate of tax from 45% to 40% to the bin, Kwasi's career as Chancellor will most likely emulate the lifespan (in political terms) of the Mayfly.

Interesting rumour, probably being put about by his allies, is that he opposed the cut initially.

That rather makes things worse for him.

We get it, and we have listened. pic.twitter.com/lOfwHTUo76

— Kwasi Kwarteng (@KwasiKwarteng) October 3, 2022

BBC Reporting BOLLOCKS Again!

 

'My mortgage offer went to 10.4% after mini-budget' https://t.co/imurVk2fTA

— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) September 30, 2022

Rates for people with a reasonable credit rating, using a normal bank/building society, are not at that level. 

Operation Rolling Thunder - Coming Soon To An Economy Near You

 

Labour MP Claims Kwasi Is "Superficially Black"

 

EXCLUSIVE: Labour MP Claims Kwasi is “Superficially” Black https://t.co/fnxWyefxSE pic.twitter.com/ZYZjGUdPHc

— Guido Fawkes (@GuidoFawkes) September 27, 2022

Batshit Crazy!

 

Yeah if only the Tories got their fifth leader in six years, that will do it chaps. Are these people really suggesting they tell the public ‘we got it wrong with the last four but give us one more go’? Nuts. https://t.co/Eu6E9kZF1l

— Harry Cole (@MrHarryCole) September 26, 2022

The Tories Are Back!

 

There is an audible gasp in the House of Commons as Kwasi Kwarteng abolishes the 45p tax rate.
One Tory back bencher texts me: “Rejoice we are Conservative again.”

— Christopher Hope📝 (@christopherhope) September 23, 2022

However, as some have noted this is more Reaganomics that Thatcherite!

When is a Budget Not a Budget?

 

When it is a tax reducing fiscal event!

On The Buses

 

The Foreign Office is having a wee bit of bother convincing certain heads of state, dignitaries and their egos that they should travel to the Queen's funeral at Westminster Abbey on Monday by special buses.

Apart from security concerns, it seems that some of them are uncomfortable with having to share the buses with other leaders/dignitaries.

On the assumption the security concerns can be assuaged, they are foolish to miss the opportunity to network with other leaders.

Queen Under Medical Supervision

A statement from Buckingham Palace:https://t.co/2x2oD289nL

— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) September 8, 2022

Brand Moves on From Cake

 

This is a diverse new cabinet, but not in terms of LGBT representation.

Four of the most senior cabinet members voted against extending same-sex marriage to Northern Ireland in 2019.

Therese Coffey, Suella Braverman, Jacob Rees-Mogg, Simon Clarke.

— Paul Brand (@PaulBrandITV) September 7, 2022

That's All Folks?

Looney Tunes Thats All Folks GIFfrom Looney Tunes GIFs

 

Boris Johnson:

'This is it, folks...'

— Olly Barratt (@ollybarratt) September 6, 2022

Liz Truss is The New Prime Minister

 

 

Liz Truss takes 81,326 votes to Rishi Sunak’s 60,399, on a Tory turnout on 82.6%

Saddle Up!

 

Bonnet de Douche!

 

🔴🗣 Liz Truss, successeure annoncée de B. Johnson au Royaume-Uni refuse de dire si E. Macron est un ami ou un ennemi ➡️ "Ce n’est jamais bon de ne trop perdre ces repères. Le Royaume-Uni est une nation amie, quel que soit ses dirigeants, parfois malgré ses dirigeants.” pic.twitter.com/XanTkgvx7S

— franceinfo (@franceinfo) August 26, 2022

Cummings Turns on Sunak

 

The Sunak interview is dangerous rubbish, reads like a man whose epicly bad campaign has melted his brain & he’s about to quit politics. Also pins blame *unfairly* on 🛒 & others. Will blog laterhttps://t.co/PG0YLZq5cZ

— Dominic Cummings (@Dominic2306) August 25, 2022

 

This truly is the end of days, not only has Cummings turned on Sunak (who he was supporting) he has defended Boris!

We'll Keep a Welcome in The Hillsides!

 

Plaid Cymru Councillor Threatens to Shoot English Visitors https://t.co/xcQRX3mh6W pic.twitter.com/0OcijJke6y

— Guido Fawkes (@GuidoFawkes) August 23, 2022

When is a Tax Not a Tax?

 When it is a levy!

EXCLUSIVE: Whitehall officials planning subsidy scheme for energy intensive industries

One proposal is to add a levy to household energy bills (!)

Another sees subsidies funded by taxation

Next PM will decide which plan to choose, per sources familiarhttps://t.co/woRmqPxIWP

— Alex Wickham (@alexwickham) August 23, 2022

Will Ye No Come Back Again?

 

The Price of Energy

 

Not unsurprisingly politicians and media pundits et al are becoming very vexed about the forthcoming rise in energy bills.

The usual blame games are being played out, along with various solutions (some of which are more credible than others).

Whatever "solutions" the government eventually gets round to implementing it will be but a temporary fix (as the cause of the rise is supply and demand).

Britain and Europe have got their energy priorities in a complete mess over the last few years. Relying on Russia and going green has failed. Until the capacity is built into the network to supply green energy, and wean Europe off Russian gas, we will still be subject to price fluctuations of the oil and gas markets.

In the meantime Britain and Europe are screwed.

Shock, Horror, Probe!

 

Missing Person Alert

 

If you know the whereabouts of this man please contact the Labour party.

Gordon Brown is Now The Leader of Her Majesty's Opposition

Judging by the amount of media coverage he is getting, it would seem that Gordon Brown is now leader of the Opposition.

Spot The Difference

 

An Attention Seeker Best Ignored

 

Sunak Entering Free Owls Territory

 

With the promise of tax cuts galore Sunak is now entering the free owls territory of his campaign.