I think there’s a place for the BBC but not a privileged position.
The state should have no part in arranging the finances of a media company. I’d be very happy for the state to contribute towards the costs of some productions which could be said to be of British cultural and social importance - documentaries, religious and arts programming for example - which might otherwise be unviable. But it doesn’t require a state broadcasting corporation to achieve these ends.
I’d like to see the entire empire broken up and sold off along the lines of the Thatcher privatisations of the 80’s.
There are lots of business models out there that BBC could follow - they already earn 1.5bn from commercial activity - e.g. as soon as you go into Ireland or France and log onto bbc news - adverts are there like the rest of them.
Absolutely. The various divisions will stand on their own financial feet in ways which were just unavailable in 1923. Some programmes may need government support. Mass entertainment and TV coverage of sport should not be matters of government interest.
Operation Red Meat already under way - Royal Navy despatched to presumably sink migrant boats in the channel at worst or somehow turn them back at best.
Operation Save Big Dog - not sure how that one will play out - maybe something to do with the red meat
Hard to see how the Royal Navy will change the situation much. I had not heard that there was a problem with migrant boats slipping in under the radar or out-running the border patrol boats.
Its the old political fallacy - “Here’s a problem, we must be seen to be doing something; here’s something, we must do it.”
Maybe Boris Johnson will survive. It would be a huge task to turn his mess around before the May elections when his MP’s will be forced to come to a judgement. He can claim to have been focussed purely on covid for most of his term so far. And that now covid is weakening he’s simply and honestly trying to stand by manifesto commitments. He might get away with it.
Put gunboats into the channel - bigger the better, give RN supremacy over border force and their little speed boats - make sure press are on the boats.
Defund BBC - make intentions very public.- keep to the way in the future rule.
Announce scrapping of plan B on covid.
Pick row with EU - trigger article 16 on NI protocol
Scrap 5% vat on home heating (but sneak it back elsewhere - maybe those smelly dirty non battery operated cars.
Get Lord Frost onside.
Public clearing out of NO.10 employees - someone has to fall on swords.
That should about get things back in line - for now.
Its a long time since I played it but there used to be a PC game called Commander in Chief: Geo-political Simulator. It was pretty poor.
You could govern any country in the world. In order to gain quickly in the popularity rating you could always cut tax somewhere and come down hard on potential terrorists. I never did very well at it.
So hard to see him getting out of this one. Especially with Dominic Cummings playing the role of grass little brother telling on him and how he knew it was a bad idea and went ahead anyway. He deserves to go in my opinion but the bigger question is who next? Starmer? A new Sunak led Tory party?
Either Sunak or Truss are most popular amongst party members. But then you can never tell who the MP’s might support.
Its still a long way before the next scheduled general election. Plenty of time for a new leader to make themselves a winner - if they make it to 2024.
Yeah the back benchers seem to often have ideas and opinions at complete odds with front benchers with regards to party direction and who they would support. I think either would be a better face than Boris - though hardly praise.
Conservative MP Christian Wakeford (Bury South) has defected to Labour.
This is good news for the Conservative cause, this guy couldn’t manage to sit right on a chair. In fact he was actually dismissed by Pendle Borough Council (which must be a rare occurrence) for failing to attend meetings as a Councillor, although he had still claimed expenses.
Bury South is recently a very marginal seat, usually returning a Labour MP with a large margin.
Its unthinkable that anyone with the convictions of their own beliefs could migrate to the opposite school of political thought. Who could trust them?
“Omnishambles is a neologism first used in the BBC political satire The Thick of It in 2009.”
I thought a year ago we might never get free from covid. Now it looks like we might never get free from omnishambles. This debilitating condition of the political organs seems to have emerged in London, UK, in 2019 but was not immediately isolated and recognised. Conspiracy theories persist that it was deliberately cultivated in secret labs in Westminster and Barnard Castle but the Prime Minister has stated he has seen no evidence for this. So that’s alright then.
All we can do now is hope our scientists come up with a vaccine and then perhaps even one day a cure. Until then we will have to live with omnishambles and its variants gold wallpapergate, Patersongate, Partygate, Whipgate etc.
Until then, its safest to wear a Union Jack face mask and keep a safe distance from politicians. Stay alert.
He’ll be forced to quit if his MP’s believe he will lose the next election. And the need to make a decision well before that date to allow a new leader to be appointed and make their own impact on the party’s policies and on public opinion.
I’m thinking they’re mostly keeping their powder dry until enough details emerge from Sue Gray and the Met.
We’re stuck with this incompetent wally in the meantime.
" People forced to choose between heating and eating and only pretend money to pay for it with !"
Yes we can point the finger of blame directly at Johnson and Sunak - who have spent all the money we have and most of that we shall ever have on this project.
If there was any hope left, the Princess Nut-Nut driven agenda of “net-zero” - will put paid to that !
If its next year or 2024, its hard to see from what he’s been pursuing lately how any of these policies would change that result, even if successful. But as I still think he does not want to actually do the job of being PM, its also hard to see why he would run. Perhaps he is already clearing his desk of policy papers and will soon announce his resignation “for family reasons”.
It has been a while since the Tories got rid of a Prime Minister through a leadership challenge I can see enough MPs getting together to do it if they think their seats are threatened by having Boris in charge at the next election. Boris could say that he will not stand for re-election which would enable him to hold out until that time but then he would have to go. It would also give the party time to find another leader before the next election without having to panic.
I can see enough MPs getting together to do it if they think their seats are threatened by having Boris in charge at the next election. Boris could say that he will not stand for re-election which would enable him to hold out until that time but then he would have to go. It would also give the party time to find another leader before the next election without having to panic.