UK General Discussion: Rishecession

[Blair]

At risk of sounding nostalgic one of of those characters you rarely see these days.

[Blair]

In other news the whole schools collapsing story is pretty much a tailor made story to hurt the Government; happening right at the start of term, there's no clear idea of what schools are impacted and the weakest part of the Governments education record is on school builds- same with the NHS.

Another fine legacy from Gideon! Much like with the health the 'masterstroke' he played by protecting the day-to-day spending but cutting everything else to the bone means eventually you're just pouring more and more money into a bucket with holes in it.

[Blair]

And for the 10th time this year Braverman is doing something about 'woke policing'.

The problem with the Conservatives is that playing politics on easy mode means that they think that giving a story to the Telegraph about 'woke coppers' counts as a political strategy- they think that this is all they have to do; is this really the top issue people have with policing?

I have long thought that both the Mail & Telegraph are actually making it harder for the Conservatives to have a viable communications plan or political strategy- Labour knew and have long known that getting a write up in the Mirror & Guardian does not count as a viable strategy!

[CumbrianLefty]

At risk of sounding nostalgic one of of those characters you rarely see these days.

Too fugging right!

[MABA 2020]

Another fine legacy from Gideon! Much like with the health the 'masterstroke' he played by protecting the day-to-day spending but cutting everything else to the bone means eventually you're just pouring more and more money into a bucket with holes in it.

As time goes on I feel more confident saying that Cameron is the second worst of the five terrible Tory pms we've had since 2010

[CumbrianLefty]

A piece from the BBC a decade ago has just been unearthed - "spending cuts, has anyone noticed?"

Well, they have now.

[AustralianSwingVoter]

In other news the whole schools collapsing story is pretty much a tailor made story to hurt the Government; happening right at the start of term, there's no clear idea of what schools are impacted and the weakest part of the Governments education record is on school builds- same with the NHS.

Yet another wonder midcentury invention turns out to be a hideous mistake. The very idea of Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete as roofing sounds so absurdly stupid, god knows how they thought it was a good idea.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

People believed in Modernity then. Enough people, anyway.

[Blair]

People believed in Modernity then. Enough people, anyway.

Strangely there seems to be a lot of the schools in Essex and the North East for some reason.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

People believed in Modernity then. Enough people, anyway.

Strangely there seems to be a lot of the schools in Essex and the North East for some reason.

Because government (cowardly poltroons etc) have refused to release the list, we only know from what has been reported independently. So on the one hand it may just be that, for whatever reason, heads in those areas have been unusually keen to contact the media (esp. the BBC) to confirm that they're on it, but it could also relate to particular patterns of contractors.

[Torrain]

Jim McMahon is out at DEFRA - shadow cabinet reshuffle underway.

Angela Rayner moved to Levelling Up, and formally given title of Shadow Deputy PM - very Prescott-esque.

Nandy demoted to Shadow Cabinet Minister for International Development (with right to attend cabinet). Ministerial role within FCDO, rather than at Secretary of State level. Pretty bruising demotion - she'll end up deputising for the very ministerial role she held in 2020-21.

Shabana Mahmood promoted to Shadow Justice Secretary - replacing Steve Reed. She was previously campaign co-ordinator for the party.

Steve Reed moved to Jim McMahon's old role at DEFRA.

Pat McFadden moved from Chief Sec to the Treasury (No.2 at the Treasury, for those playing the home game), to Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, as well as Mahmood's old role as campaign coordinator. Into full time attack dog role.

Rosena Allin-Khan has left the shadow cabinet, after Starmer tried to move her from the mental health brief at the Dept of Health.

Liz Kendall in at DWP. Between her and McFadden, starting to look like a good day for the Blairites.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Hilary Benn is back: will be Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary. An interesting decision for a number of reasons.

[CumbrianLefty]

He's too old FFS, is there really no rising talent that could be found to do that job?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

He's too old FFS, is there really no rising talent that could be found to do that job?

It strikes me as similar to Blair bringing in a few Wilson/Callaghan era figures as ministers for a couple of years after 1997.

[Torrain]

Thangam Debbonaire and Lucy Powell swap jobs (with the former now at DCMS, and the latter as Leader of the House). Debbonaire can be a fun Commons performer, while Powell has faltered a little in media interviews - not sure if the reasoning runs any deeper than that.

Darren Jones has (as per previous speculation) made it onto the frontbench, as shadow Chief Sec to the Treasury.

Nick Thomas-Symonds demoted to Minister without Portfolio. Briefing was that he was going to the Welsh Office, so not sure what the deal there is.

[Torrain]

Reshuffle appears to be complete, full list here:

Hats off to whichever intern felt brave enough to create a numbered of list of cabinet importance, and share it with the press.

[EastAnglianLefty]

People believed in Modernity then. Enough people, anyway.

Strangely there seems to be a lot of the schools in Essex and the North East for some reason.

Because government (cowardly poltroons etc) have refused to release the list, we only know from what has been reported independently. So on the one hand it may just be that, for whatever reason, heads in those areas have been unusually keen to contact the media (esp. the BBC) to confirm that they're on it, but it could also relate to particular patterns of contractors.

One of the schools that was already closed down by RAAC issues before the summer (Mistley Norman Church of England) is in Essex. Not sure if there are analogues in the north east. If one were looking for gaps, it might also be worth looking at patterns of MATs. If one school in a MAT is found to have RAAC, that would tend to suggest that they've also felt the need to check the others in the chain.

[Torrain]

https://twitter.com/BBCBreaking/status/1698701101283889226
All of 10 minutes before the Urgent Question on the data breach was scheduled to start in the Commons.

Really is just one of those days today.

[CumbrianLefty]

In any case, it appears the "Labour source" who incessantly tells the Times "Starmer won't be a real leader until he has sacked Miliband and Rayner" has been disappointed yet again. Such a shame

(indeed, the latter has had a promotion if anything)

[All Along The Watchtower]

https://twitter.com/redfieldwilton/status/1698732713287528748?s=46

IMO this will be a really close election guys what do you think

[Blair]

The Mail had a damning headline on the school building fiasco.

It’s quite funny that the go to line by the Tory outriders is ‘well labour are just as much to blame because of Wales’ which is always a sign they’re struggling.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

https://twitter.com/redfieldwilton/status/1698732713287528748?s=46
IMO this will be a really close election guys what do you think

Always a sign your party is presently in a good position when the PM is behind the Leader of Opposition in the poll question of who is better at working with foreign leaders...
EDIT: That barely 20% of people say Sunak tells the truth is probably among the worst signs for the Tories here.

[Torrain]

Peak messaging from the government today:


Which, almost immediately, was followed by this from Labour:

[Secretary of State Liberal Hack]

Has to be Internal Sabotage

[EastAnglianLefty]

Birmingham is broke: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-66715441