Andrew Marr says he wants his own voice heard - not sure exactly what he means.
Was wondering - probably I’m wrong - would it be an age thing, would there be a backstage decision made that the BBC need to get a younger audience away from their phones reading the news?
Cabinet Office minister Stephen Barclay to review how to prevent migrants crossing the English Channel to the UK
What a joke. Nothing’s going to happen
you might not like my suggestion…
if people are invading your country, but you would not be allowed to live in their country…
i would meet them head on and i would not be gentle.
Upcoming BBC documentary on the Royal Family. Or maybe not…
The Mail Online reports that the royal Family are furious they have not had the chance to view this documentary in advance.
I think broadcasters generally do supply copies of their related programmes to the Royal household in advance but I think this is very weak journalistic practice. Broadcasters of news and items on current affairs and politics should not look for anyone’s editorial approval before a programme is aired. Naturally if they tell an untruth or defame someone without justification they will have to take the consequences, which can be severe, for example using UK libel laws. But advance approval - not a good thing.
Interesting the BBC news website says nothing about this story - they simply note it as an item in the current Mail, with no comments. I guess there will be some senior level discussions with the Palace today or more likely tomorrow and the BBC wishes to have these unconstrained. I hope they show the programme, which will give us the licence-paying public the chance to review their journalistic standards too.
So another Monday, another week, but the same old question - Where is Priti Patel?
A good example of someone whose ambitions far outstrip her abilities. Now that Johnson has humiliatingly appointed junior minister Stephen Barclay to review her anti-illegal immigration options is she being lined up a the sack in a re-shuffle?
Will it make any difference?
Ah Bless ! 
- Ain’t it sweet ?
It’s not a practicable suggestion though - unless you can add some subtlety - simply shows a complete “Blue-Pilled” lack of understanding !
Who would want to "live in their country ? - Hell THEY don’t even want to !
No you wouldn’t - you would be prevented by the entire resources of the State !
That is precisely what the “Woke” we have been manipulated into allowing into positions of power are afraid of !
Plus
“They” would “Not be gentle” back !
And since there is now no place in woke society for “White men”, There is absolutely NO incentive for you to protect those who seek to destroy any chance you and your boy children have of succeeding iin life - your very raison d’etre !
As I’ve said before - you are watching the very demise of “Western Civilisation” - There is NO Way Out ! 
Popcorn anyone ?
Yes of course it will ! 
I’m sure he’ll appreciate a nice little pay rise in time for Xmas ! 
And I guess his idea is to add a little “White male competence” to all the boxes he has already ticked in that particular position - since he already has “Diversity”, “Woman” and “Eye Candy” sitting there reinforcing his woke image - I don’t suppose the addition of a little “Cometence” will attract too much media criticism ! 
- Although personally I’d have preferred Cummings - or Farage !
Another person missing in action is Channel Clandestine Threat Commander Dan O’Mahoney. Appointed September last year, disappeared without trace.
I tell a lie - he has posted some re-tweets from other people.
Oh Right ! ??
Personally - I’d have thought send a few “Dad’s Army types” over there with pen-knives to stab their boats air bags and cut the fuel lines - would be better than paying the Frogs to have tehir “Police” standing watching them get launched.
There is a growing perception that British politics is corrupt. But its helpful to keep an eye on what real corruption really looks like.
Taxation in Britain
There are monotonously regular calls from the left for heavier taxation of the wealthy. Often these feature the creation of a new “Wealth Tax” which would have a sufficiently high threshold to capture returns only from wealthy people but which would somehow not deter people from avoiding taxable wealth accumulation within our borders but also provide a significant income to the public purse in order to finance the social care system and/or the NHS.
It is argued that it is inequitable that the rich/poor gap in the country is so large amid claims that it is getting wider. So this is also seen as a way to reduce wealth inequality - though without making the poor any richer, which is an strange argument in itself. Its hard to make out why a poor person would feel that something is financially good for them if it doesn’t stop them being just as poor as before.
But anyway, maybe there is something to be said in favour of a new tax. So let’s see the current range of British taxes and consider what a pearl each one of them is -
With a track record like this, who would suggest the best solution to a problem is a new tax and that the British government are just the best people to run it?
Perhaps this is the big one for the govt - very difficult to avoid if you are a hard worker on paye (pay as you earn)
Close relative is a part-time firefighter plus his day job. That day job included a company car. The fire fighting includes night call outs, weekend training, and holiday call outs.
As soon as his combined wage reached the threshold of 50k tax went up to 40% AND the family lost child allowance ( a rule brought in by the last labour govt and never changed).
No option but give up the car and do less hours.
Another one is VAT - under the NI protocol when I sell to a retail EU customer (from RoI) like any other sale I charge 20% vat which goes to the Treasury.
But no protocol and the sale is then an export - no VAT to the treasury, instead the customer who then would be an importer pays his home country their VAT.
Nat insurance - for the self employed there are 3 such taxes - one on profits made, one called the self employed NI and a third called employer’s NI on any employees.
Business rates - just a tax rip off - doesn’t even get the bins emptied - same size premises in RoI is one fifth the tax rate as NI - purpose of low rate is to encourage small business.
There is some media coverage this morning of an MP who has been instructed that she may not carry her baby with her when in the chamber of the House of Commons.
Feminists will probably argue that naturally she should be able to do this because the ban would be sexist and depreciative of women’s key role as mothers.
I don’t agree with their argument but I don’t see why such a rule should exist. This is not a matter of women’s rights, it is a matter of MP’s responsibilities. The responsibilities of an MP in the chamber involve participation in debate, and voting on Parliamentary motions. The presence of their child does not automatically prevent them doing these things.
It can be argued that MP’s are often seen on their mobile devices or in private conversation or reading unknown papers during a debate. Some have been seen apparently asleep. We simply don’t know whether MP’s are actively following a debate, even when they don’t have a baby in their arms.
The MP’s decision is hers and does not undermine her role as an MP. Whether her electorate agree is a matter between her and them.
In just the same way as is the additional paid work undertaken by an MP - if they can do their job to the satisfaction of their constituents, that is the end of the matter.
What is Joe Biden’s job?
Firstly, keeping Kamala Harris from being US President. He’s still alive and walking so he is winning on this one. However, he looks like a senile lame duck who cannot make a decision and say sensible things, so this cannot go on.
This undermines his secondary role which is running the country. Look at the debacle which was the withdrawal from Afghanistan for example.
His third role is to keep Trump out. His performance so far is underpinning Trump running in 2024. And at this distance its inconceivable that Biden would run or that Harris would win. Which means Trump again.
How did we get to the bottom of this barrel?
Guardian readers’ favourite sayings -
BT just delivered a new edition of the Yellow Pages.
What’s the bloody use of that?
I have previously always supported the RNLI when possible.
But in recent times they have started sending money abroad to help in, for example, teaching women to swim in Bangladesh and Tanzania. Admittedly, its just 2% of their funds, but even that is too much. If I worry about drownings in Bangladesh and Tanzania I want to send them money direct, not through a body set up to safeguard our own coasts. Imagine an accountant charged with misuse of funds said in his defence, “Well, it was only 2%”.
Unacceptable.
On top of which they prolong the migrant crisis in the Channel with their aid to illegal immigrants and people traffickers. The Channel is now the main area of operations for this once honourable organisation.
I wish the courageous crews and volunteers would leave and start an alternative organisation, as we certainly need it.
I sometimes watch “Daily Politics” on the BBC. Its not great.
Given that Plaid Cymru’s declared Number 1 objective is independence from the UK, why the f*** does their MP on the programme today get to comment on the UK’s immigration policy?
Plaid have decided they don’t want to be in the UK and if they ever succeed I’m pretty confident they would not stand for a UK MP commenting on Welsh national policies.
The opinions of Plaid and the SNP on UK matters are irrelevant.
Joe Biden’s greatest…
I have searched in vain on Amazon for a book containing renowned colossal orator Joe Biden’s greatest speeches.
Two books show him on the cover and describe the greatest achievements of US presidents. But what his presidential achievement might be cannot be discerned from the blurb and there are no customer reviews for either. Any suggestions anyone? (apart from becoming president)