Page 1 of 2

Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th June 2020

Posted: Sat 27 Jun, 2020 8:25 am
by refitman
Morning all.

Re: Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th June 2020

Posted: Sat 27 Jun, 2020 8:30 am
by frog222
@RussInCheshire #TheWeekInTory (Wed to Sun)

1. Let’s start with the milder corruption: it was revealed Matt Hancock tried to block 400 homes and a primary school near Newmarket racecourse, after receiving at least £65,000 in donations from horseracing bigwigs who opposed the scheme
2. And then Robert Jenrick, the Housing Minister, overruled his dept and planning officers to rush through planning permission that saved Richard Desmond a £45m fee. Desmond is a billionaire pornographer, former-Express owner, and (subsequent to this) a Tory donor
3. The Tory Manifesto says: “we will offer more homes to local families, enabling councils to use developers’ contributions via the planning process”

4. The lost £45m was the “developers’ contribution”. One of Britain’s most deprived areas lost it. A billionaire kept it.
5. And then, I’m sure coincidentally, Desmond donated £12,000 to the Tory Party the next week. A bargain – only 0.02% of the £45m he saved

6. So this week Jenrick denied he had done anything wrong

7. Unfortunately, he had already admitted his actions were “unlawful” on 29 May
8. And then the business minister said voters could “raise their concerns at Tory fundraisers”

9. So now have to donate to the Tory Party before we can complain about the Tory Party doing illegal things for their donors
10. In Coronavirus news: Boris Johnson announced more relaxations of the lockdown, saying he would “trust the British public to use their common sense”

11. 48 hours later a major incident was declared on the South Coast, as 500,000 people common-sensibly crowded the beaches
12. Boris Johnson said he “would not hesitate” to bring back lockdown if the rules on social distancing weren’t observed

13. 48 hours later, he hasn’t brought back lockdown

14. Then the govt announced councils would have the “power and resources” to enforce local lockdowns
15. But council leaders wrote to the govt to explain that they don’t actually have the legal powers to do this

16. And then 8 out of 10 councils in England have declared they are at risk of bankruptcy, having absorbed cuts of between 26% and 50%
17. Health leaders, including the presidents of Royal Colleges of Physicians, Nurses, GPs and Surgeons wrote to the govt asking for an urgent review of preparations for a second wave

18. The govt declined to do a review
19. And then the WHO warned of global shortage of oxygen and breathing equipment

20. So naturally, the govt opened pubs and cinemas

21. Then, after a month of not telling us the daily test numbers, the govt went a step further and cancelled the daily briefings altogether
22. UK Statistics Authority issued a 2nd official warning about the “trustworthiness” of the govt’s figures

23. Association of Medical Research said 74% of clinical trials had been put on hold in 2020 due to cuts

24. So we spent £900k painting a flag on Boris Johnson’s plane
25. And then it was revealed the govt spent £12m on the “world beating” contact app that didn’t work

26. If you paid the average £50,000 programmer salary, £12m buys 320 programmers

27. The German app code is open-source, and the free repository for it lists 34 programmers
28. The UK has repeatedly declined to use the free German App

29. Boris Johnson claimed in Parliament that “no country in the world has a working contact tracing app”

30. There are working contact tracing apps in: Angola, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh…
… Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Czech Rep, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Latvia, Malaysia, Morocco, N Macedonia, Netherlands, Norway, NZ, Poland …
… Qatar, Russia, S Africa, S Korea, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland and Vietnam. That’s 42 countries.

31. The gov declined to publish its report on food and medicine shortage risks from no-deal Brexit, which surely bodes well.
32. Boris Johnson said Brexit must be delivered, as we have a “democratic duty” to listen to the people

33. A report this week found 9m voters – most thought likely to oppose the Conservatives – will vanish from the electoral roll when new Westminster seats are drawn up
34. When the govt (breaking pre-election promises) merged the Dept for International Development into Foreign Office 2 weeks ago, they said there would be no cuts to overseas aid

35. This week the Treasury asked govt depts to find “a minimum of 30%” cuts, including overseas aid
36. The govt continued to decry the removal of statues connected with slavery, as this might “diminish public knowledge of British history”

37. Govt cuts led to the closure of 773 public libraries, and I suspect many of them contained books about British History
38. The Minister for Arts said the govt was “committed to supporting the Arts Sector in through crisis”

39. Emergency funding for the arts (converted into £)

– France £6.3bn
– Germany £900m
– Canada £295m
– Italy £221m
– NZ £90
– Spain £68m
– Ireland £18m
– UK £0
40. In 2019 the govt committed to net zero carbon emissions by 2050

41. A year on a report found at the current rate, the govt would hit its target by the year 3650, which is 1500 years from now, a mere 1470 years too late

42. This week it reached 38°C in the Arctic
43. The govt said it would “fairly and courageously to maintain law and order” in the light of the #BlackLivesMatter movement

44. And then the govt announced it wants to abolish trial by jury in order to address a 41,000-case backlog caused by its own cuts
45. It’s Friday. Not even very late Friday. There are 2 more days of this week to go.
Amongst those trying to hold this govt to account are @GoodLawProject, which uses donations to bring cases that lead to a fairer society and uncover political corruption.

If you have a spare £5, please consider helping them. Much appreciated.

Membership – Good Law Project

Re: Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th June 2020

Posted: Sat 27 Jun, 2020 8:52 am
by frog222
Move Fast And Break Things !
(YES, it’s Cummings .)
“” This highlights the chasm between government rhetoric and its ability to deliver. A week ago, Hancock promised the Commons that data-sharing rules would not be allowed to get in the way of saving lives. No 10 adviser Dominic Cummings, meanwhile, has routinely touted his own supposed brilliance with data, writing excitedly about cognitive technologies and superforecasting. But faced with the first real-world data challenge of his reign, he has failed.

Public health teams don’t need a superforecast or cutting edge AI. They just need to know where people with infections live and work and where they have been.

At the heart of the government’s data operation is the new Joint Biosecurity Centre. At the beginning of June, Hancock admitted that it did not yet exist, but it is already on its second leader. It will be responsible for getting information to councils, but there is confusion about how it will work with both local government and Public Health England.

One of the most baffling aspects of the government’s response to the pandemic is its obsession with setting up new structures from scratch rather than working with what they already have. It caused confusion and has wasted effort and, above all, precious time, in setting up testing centres, laboratories, supply chains and contact tracing, all divorced from existing local government and NHS operations and dependent on a maze of private sector contracts.

The Joint Biosecurity Centre looks set to continue this folly. It won’t be fully operational until at least the end of the summer, and it seems foolhardy to insert a new, untested body into the pandemic machinery at precisely the time when a potential increase in infections from the relaxation of restrictions and the return of schools will put the system under huge stress.

Meanwhile, councils are preparing their local outbreak management plans. Trading standards, environmental health, social care and many more people besides are collaborating with the public health teams to ensure their response to any flare-ups is quick and robust. But they need the data. “”
https://www.theguardian.com/society/202 ... ve-england" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Re: Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th June 2020

Posted: Sat 27 Jun, 2020 10:16 am
by gilsey
I saw @russincheshire's thread yesterday, we already know all these things but seeing it all in one place is still an eye-opener.

Not that it will open the eyes of anyone that matters, ie tory backbenchers.

Re: Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th June 2020

Posted: Sat 27 Jun, 2020 10:21 am
by gilsey
frog222 wrote:Move Fast And Break Things !
(YES, it’s Cummings .)

One of the most baffling aspects of the government’s response to the pandemic is its obsession with setting up new structures from scratch rather than working with what they already have. It caused confusion and has wasted effort and, above all, precious time, in setting up testing centres, laboratories, supply chains and contact tracing, all divorced from existing local government and NHS operations and dependent on a maze of private sector contracts.
https://www.theguardian.com/society/202 ... ve-england" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
It's not baffling at all though, we know why they're doing it, because ideology.

I fear they will learn nothing from the disastrous outcome of their real-life experiment.

Re: Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th June 2020

Posted: Sat 27 Jun, 2020 11:18 am
by frog222
gilsey wrote:
frog222 wrote:Move Fast And Break Things !
(YES, it’s Cummings .)
One of the most baffling aspects of the government’s response to the pandemic is its obsession with setting up new structures from scratch rather than working with what they already have. It caused confusion and has wasted effort and, above all, precious time, in setting up testing centres, laboratories, supply chains and contact tracing, all divorced from existing local government and NHS operations and dependent on a maze of private sector contracts.
https://www.theguardian.com/society/202 ... ve-england" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
It's not baffling at all though, we know why they're doing it, because ideology.

I fear they will learn nothing from the disastrous outcome of their real-life experiment.
Completely agreed on the "not baffling" . The challenge for the Opposition is to find different ways of getting that through to the voters and the remaining One Nation Tories. Some will distrust the word 'ideology', but if we suggest it's like a 'religion' or a 'flat earth cult' that may click better ...

Re: Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th June 2020

Posted: Sat 27 Jun, 2020 1:42 pm
by AnatolyKasparov
Graham Linehan banned from Twitter - long overdue tbph.

Re: Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th June 2020

Posted: Sat 27 Jun, 2020 2:08 pm
by RogerOThornhill
Almost like a pattern of dodgy behaviour is beginning to emerge here...

Robert Jenrick admits Israeli billionaire in donor row is family friend

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... ily-friend" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
A spokesperson for Jenrick said on Friday that Ofer was a “family friend” and that the minister had notified officials, who advised him to step back from the decision on Sirius.

But the spokesperson did not say when Jenrick recused himself and the Guardian understands he retained oversight of Sirius’s request for support for at least six months after the meeting.
:roll:

Re: Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th June 2020

Posted: Sat 27 Jun, 2020 2:22 pm
by refitman
AnatolyKasparov wrote:Graham Linehan banned from Twitter - long overdue tbph.
They've even locked him out of Mumsnet.

Re: Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th June 2020

Posted: Sat 27 Jun, 2020 2:35 pm
by AnatolyKasparov
RogerOThornhill wrote:Almost like a pattern of dodgy behaviour is beginning to emerge here...

Robert Jenrick admits Israeli billionaire in donor row is family friend

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... ily-friend" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
A spokesperson for Jenrick said on Friday that Ofer was a “family friend” and that the minister had notified officials, who advised him to step back from the decision on Sirius.

But the spokesperson did not say when Jenrick recused himself and the Guardian understands he retained oversight of Sirius’s request for support for at least six months after the meeting.
:roll:
How long is "the matter is closed" going to be tenable, I wonder?

Re: Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th June 2020

Posted: Sat 27 Jun, 2020 2:41 pm
by Willow904
refitman wrote:
AnatolyKasparov wrote:Graham Linehan banned from Twitter - long overdue tbph.
They've even locked him out of Mumsnet.
His thread on mumsnet about being banned from twitter is still on there and he has posted replies to posters within the last hour, so I don't think it's true he's been locked out of mumsnet. It would be very sad indeed if a forum set up predominantly for women to talk to each other about things that concern them were to start censoring conversations about women's rights issues. He posts in the feminism 'chat' section where he has been welcomed by the vast majority of regular posters as far as I can tell.

Re: Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th June 2020

Posted: Sat 27 Jun, 2020 3:15 pm
by refitman
Willow904 wrote:
refitman wrote:
AnatolyKasparov wrote:Graham Linehan banned from Twitter - long overdue tbph.
They've even locked him out of Mumsnet.
His thread on mumsnet about being banned from twitter is still on there and he has posted replies to posters within the last hour, so I don't think it's true he's been locked out of mumsnet. It would be very sad indeed if a forum set up predominantly for women to talk to each other about things that concern them were to start censoring conversations about women's rights issues. He posts in the feminism 'chat' section where he has been welcomed by the vast majority of regular posters as far as I can tell.
I was pretty sure I saw a tweet about his thread being locked, but I can't find it now. I may have been incorrect about that. But he's certainly not a feminist ally. There's supporting women's rights, and then there is compiling lists of conversion therapists to 'treat' transgender children (and using legal intimidation to get that information taken down) " onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Or accusing people of 'grooming' students to 'become' trans " onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

And he's only a feminist, as long as the women agree with his anti-trans bigotry. He turned on Anita Sarkeesian in a flash, as soon as she expressed support for trans people " onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Re: Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th June 2020

Posted: Sat 27 Jun, 2020 3:44 pm
by AnatolyKasparov
Thing is, there are feminists who are not totally sure about trans rights for understandable reasons - and then anti-trans bigots who use the cloak of "radical feminism".

Some have of course moved from the first group to the second over time - not least Linehan himself.

Re: Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th June 2020

Posted: Sat 27 Jun, 2020 5:11 pm
by Willow904
I respectfully disagree. Graham Linehan has simply been amplifying women's voices, by highlighting their concerns about trans ideology and I haven't seen anything other than a lot of women struggling to be heard. I've read fascinating articles and opinions from feminists and lesbians that I wouldn't otherwise have come across if he hadn't linked them. And he's not a bigot, he has support from transwomen and transsexuals. He introduced me to the wonderful Miranda Yardley, a transexual who was taken to court unsuccessfully by a woman from Mermaids for supposed "transphobia" which was thrown out of court. Because believing a person born one sex can't change to the other isn't transphobic, it's just objective fact and in no way equates with wishing trans people harm or wanting to stop them getting jobs or enjoying their life.
I'm a woman because I was born biologically female. Not because I wear dresses, high heels or make-up, because I don't wear any of those things. And not because I think or feel like a woman. I have no idea what other women think or feel, so how could a man? My feelings & thoughts are the feelings & thoughts of a woman purely because I'm female, not because there's some specific way that only women think or feel. When women make these points & try to hold on to rights that are based on sex rather than gender it's not because they wish transgender people ill, it's rather the opposite. It's because they believe women should and can be masculine and men should and can be feminine and there's nothing wrong in that. A boy liking "girl's" toys is just a boy. Encouraging children to physically change their body with experimental hormones & eventual surgery just to match some 1950's stereotype of what it means to be a "man" or "woman", that to me is real bigotry and potentially extremely harmful to the well-being of young people. Real progressive thinking would allow women to define themselves, not have them told what it is to be a woman by someone who was born as, & continues to be, biologically male, however "womanly" they may think they feel.
I have nothing against transgender people but transwomen are not women and we really shouldn't have to lie about biology to ensure transwomen are protected against discrimination.

Re: Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th June 2020

Posted: Sat 27 Jun, 2020 5:38 pm
by MsChin
"I have nothing against transgender people but transwomen are not women and we really shouldn't have to lie about biology to ensure transwomen are protected against discrimination."

Trans women and trans men already have full protection under equality law against discrimination. There is no hierarchy of rights in which 'sex' trumps 'gender reassignment'.

As you make the distinction that 'sex' is biologically determined, I wonder what your position is with regard to those born as intersex?

Re: Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th June 2020

Posted: Sat 27 Jun, 2020 5:46 pm
by refitman
Willow904 wrote:I respectfully disagree. Graham Linehan has simply been amplifying women's voices, by highlighting their concerns about trans ideology and I haven't seen anything other than a lot of women struggling to be heard. I've read fascinating articles and opinions from feminists and lesbians that I wouldn't otherwise have come across if he hadn't linked them. And he's not a bigot, he has support from transwomen and transsexuals. He introduced me to the wonderful Miranda Yardley, a transexual who was taken to court unsuccessfully by a woman from Mermaids for supposed "transphobia" which was thrown out of court. Because believing a person born one sex can't change to the other isn't transphobic, it's just objective fact and in no way equates with wishing trans people harm or wanting to stop them getting jobs or enjoying their life.
I'm a woman because I was born biologically female. Not because I wear dresses, high heels or make-up, because I don't wear any of those things. And not because I think or feel like a woman. I have no idea what other women think or feel, so how could a man? My feelings & thoughts are the feelings & thoughts of a woman purely because I'm female, not because there's some specific way that only women think or feel. When women make these points & try to hold on to rights that are based on sex rather than gender it's not because they wish transgender people ill, it's rather the opposite. It's because they believe women should and can be masculine and men should and can be feminine and there's nothing wrong in that. A boy liking "girl's" toys is just a boy. Encouraging children to physically change their body with experimental hormones & eventual surgery just to match some 1950's stereotype of what it means to be a "man" or "woman", that to me is real bigotry and potentially extremely harmful to the well-being of young people. Real progressive thinking would allow women to define themselves, not have them told what it is to be a woman by someone who was born as, & continues to be, biologically male, however "womanly" they may think they feel.
I have nothing against transgender people but transwomen are not women and we really shouldn't have to lie about biology to ensure transwomen are protected against discrimination.
That's all well and good. But you haven't accused trans people of being paedophiles. Linehan has.

Gender is a spectrum (not sex). Describing a woman, without referring to anatomy, is actually very hard and most descriptors that can be found will also apply to some men.

The 'bathroom panic'. that Linehan and his compatriots have been using, is virtually a mirror image of the gay panic used in the 80s to try and curb gay rights. It has also had the distressing side effect of 'butch' straight and gay women being harassed and ejected from public toilets. If you look at the case of Grace Lavery, Linehan was well on his way to getting someone physically attacked and hurt.

Re: Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th June 2020

Posted: Sat 27 Jun, 2020 5:49 pm
by Willow904
If anyone's interested in the kind of women Graham Linehan is trying to support, here's an example. If he is sometimes overly aggressive or antagonistic it's only because of how hard it is to get across women's viewpoints in a world that seems genetically programmed to ignore them.

https://glinner.co.uk/the-disappeared-3/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
The Disappeared: Skylar Gwynn
The following quote is the kind of thing that is making me angry:
I peak transed (stopped believing) last year, upon my return from NYC World Pride. When I attended the two day Human Rights Conference I went to the ‘Herstory’ session. This is supposed to be Lesbian history. Instead the panel was three gay men and one trans-identified male. Not one Lesbian on the Herstory panel! I was in shock.
I feel the same when I see women's officer roles being taken by transwomen. I see biological women losing what small amount of representation they had. Surely it's possible to make a place for transgender people without taking away the small gains women have made over so many decades?

Graham Linehan hasn't lost the plot, anymore than JK Rowling or Martina Navratilova have. And I hope people will eventually come to see that these lovely people are still the lovely people they have always been and that they just have very legitimate concerns about the way trans ideology is relatively rapidly being introduced into our schools and workplaces and institutions without proper scrutiny or debate.

Re: Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th June 2020

Posted: Sat 27 Jun, 2020 5:51 pm
by refitman
I just want to be clear that this isn't an attack on Willow904. I can see a very distinct difference between what she's saying and what people like Linehan have actually done.

While I am cis-male, I am acquainted with several trans and non-binary people, so I can have quite strong feelings on this subject.

Re: Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th June 2020

Posted: Sat 27 Jun, 2020 5:59 pm
by MsChin
refitman wrote:I just want to be clear that this isn't an attack on Willow904. I can see a very distinct difference between what she's saying and what people like Linehan have actually done.

While I am cis-male, I am acquainted with several trans and non-binary people, so I can have quite strong feelings on this subject.
Same here. Except I'm cis-female.

And apologies if my earlier post came across a bit terse, Willow. As ever, I was interrupted by my OH in mid-flow.

Re: Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th June 2020

Posted: Sat 27 Jun, 2020 6:00 pm
by Willow904
MsChin wrote:"I have nothing against transgender people but transwomen are not women and we really shouldn't have to lie about biology to ensure transwomen are protected against discrimination."

Trans women and trans men already have full protection under equality law against discrimination. There is no hierarchy of rights in which 'sex' trumps 'gender reassignment'.

As you make the distinction that 'sex' is biologically determined, I wonder what your position is with regard to those born as intersex?
I think someone born intersex is born that way, both male and female. I don't think that has any bearing on what I said about someone being born male not being able to change into female (and vice versa), which is what the transgender debate is about. An intersex person doesn't change from one sex to another, they are always the sex they eventually live as.

And I agree, transgender men and women should be able to be protected from discrimination, without anyone having to lie about biological facts and pretending a transwoman is female.

Re: Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th June 2020

Posted: Sat 27 Jun, 2020 6:11 pm
by Willow904
Oh and I'm very glad this isn't an attack on me! :)

It's definitely been an attack on JK Rowling, though, hasn't it?

I feel she has spoken for a lot of women's reasonable concerns in a very articulate and sensitive way and I've been pretty shocked at the tsunami of hate that has been blown her way. It's not in any way in proportion to what she has said. I haven't seen Graham Linehan say anything extreme, either, but I may have missed a lot of what he's said, but Rowling? I haven't seen anything she's said that warrants the reaction.

Re: Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th June 2020

Posted: Sat 27 Jun, 2020 6:26 pm
by refitman
Willow904 wrote:Oh and I'm very glad this isn't an attack on me! :)

It's definitely been an attack on JK Rowling, though, hasn't it?

I feel she has spoken for a lot of women's reasonable concerns in a very articulate and sensitive way and I've been pretty shocked at the tsunami of hate that has been blown her way. It's not in any way in proportion to what she has said. I haven't seen Graham Linehan say anything extreme, either, but I may have missed a lot of what he's said, but Rowling? I haven't seen anything she's said that warrants the reaction.
Willow, this is a good dissection of the essay she wrote, after it all blew up the other week - https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1270 ... 62689.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; (original thread here: " onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ). There's a lot, but it's worth a read.

Re: Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th June 2020

Posted: Sat 27 Jun, 2020 6:34 pm
by gilsey
Willow904 wrote: A boy liking "girl's" toys is just a boy. Encouraging children to physically change their body with experimental hormones & eventual surgery just to match some 1950's stereotype of what it means to be a "man" or "woman", that to me is real bigotry and potentially extremely harmful to the well-being of young people.
I generally stay out of this debate because I don't have a developed view about it, nor any personal experience with friends or family.

Just to say I agree wholeheartedly with this bit. People are people and children should be allowed to develop completely free of gender stereotypes.
Unfortunately not likely in my lifetime.

Re: Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th June 2020

Posted: Sat 27 Jun, 2020 7:25 pm
by refitman
I would also encourage anyone to read this piece, about the work that a US version of Mermaids does https://www.theguardian.com/society/202 ... ly-project" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; .

Re: Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th June 2020

Posted: Sat 27 Jun, 2020 9:36 pm
by RogerOThornhill
Sorry, what?
The Times
@thetimes
Cummings will announce an overhaul of the Cabinet Office and No 10 next Monday.

The adviser has said his intention was to create a “smaller, more focused and more elite centre”, but his critics will suspect an effort to scapegoat the civil service

Re: Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th June 2020

Posted: Sat 27 Jun, 2020 10:27 pm
by RogerOThornhill
Oh.
Sir Mark Sedwill, the UK’s most senior civil servant, looks set to ­announce his departure as early as this week under Boris Johnson’s plans for a Whitehall revolution.

The ousting of Sir Mark will be the most obvious signal that a long-planned shake-up of the Civil Service by Dominic Cummings, Mr Johnson’s chief aide, is gathering pace.

Several sources told The Sunday Telegraph that an announcement would be made about Sir Mark’s future as early as Monday.
Taking Back Control seems to mean "Unelected SpAd does anything he wants".

Re: Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th June 2020

Posted: Sat 27 Jun, 2020 10:30 pm
by frog222
gilsey wrote:
Willow904 wrote: A boy liking "girl's" toys is just a boy. Encouraging children to physically change their body with experimental hormones & eventual surgery just to match some 1950's stereotype of what it means to be a "man" or "woman", that to me is real bigotry and potentially extremely harmful to the well-being of young people.
I generally stay out of this debate because I don't have a developed view about it, nor any personal experience with friends or family.
Just to say I agree wholeheartedly with this bit. People are people and children should be allowed to develop completely free of gender stereotypes.
Unfortunately not likely in my lifetime.
And I'm relieved to see that the TSUNAMI of HATRED against JKR didn't spill over here !

Re: Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th June 2020

Posted: Sat 27 Jun, 2020 10:36 pm
by frog222
RogerOThornhill wrote:Oh.
Sir Mark Sedwill, the UK’s most senior civil servant, looks set to ­announce his departure as early as this week under Boris Johnson’s plans for a Whitehall revolution.
The ousting of Sir Mark will be the most obvious signal that a long-planned shake-up of the Civil Service by Dominic Cummings, Mr Johnson’s chief aide, is gathering pace.
Several sources told The Sunday Telegraph that an announcement would be made about Sir Mark’s future as early as Monday.
Taking Back Control seems to mean "Unelected SpAd does anything he wants".
No"seems" about it , I was NOT kidding !

[b]Move Fast And Break Things !
(YES, it’s Cummings .)
[/b]

Re: Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th June 2020

Posted: Sat 27 Jun, 2020 11:03 pm
by gilsey
frog222 wrote:
gilsey wrote:
Willow904 wrote: A boy liking "girl's" toys is just a boy. Encouraging children to physically change their body with experimental hormones & eventual surgery just to match some 1950's stereotype of what it means to be a "man" or "woman", that to me is real bigotry and potentially extremely harmful to the well-being of young people.
I generally stay out of this debate because I don't have a developed view about it, nor any personal experience with friends or family.
Just to say I agree wholeheartedly with this bit. People are people and children should be allowed to develop completely free of gender stereotypes.
Unfortunately not likely in my lifetime.
And I'm relieved to see that the TSUNAMI of HATRED against JKR didn't spill over here !
I'm not a fan of JKR as it happens, but mild dislike would be a more appropriate description of my feelings than hatred.

Re: Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th June 2020

Posted: Sat 27 Jun, 2020 11:13 pm
by RogerOThornhill
Well.
Election Maps UK
@ElectionMapsUK
Which, if any, of the following people do you think would be the best prime minister?

Keir Starmer: 37% (+3)
Boris Johnson: 35% (=)

Via
@OpiniumResearch
25-26 Jun.
Changes w/ 18-19 Jun.
8:04 PM · Jun 27, 2020·Twitter for Android
and
NET Approval Ratings for Party Leaders:

Keir Starmer (LAB): +27% (+5)
Nicola Sturgeon (SNP): +17% (+2)
Ed Davey (LDM): -6% (-2)
Boris Johnson (CON): -6% (-1)

Via
@OpiniumResearch
, 25-26 Jun.
Changes w/ 18-19 Jun.

Re: Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th June 2020

Posted: Sat 27 Jun, 2020 11:37 pm
by gilsey
Starmer would make a better PM than Johnson but we'll vote Conservative rather than Labour, seems to be the message of the polls at present.

Following on from people voting tory in 2019 because they wanted a change, more evidence that the Great British public hasn't a clue.

Re: Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th June 2020

Posted: Sat 27 Jun, 2020 11:57 pm
by frog222
"gilsey"]
frog222 wrote:
gilsey wrote:
Willow904 wrote: A boy liking "girl's" toys is just a boy. Encouraging children to physically change their body with experimental hormones & eventual surgery just to match some 1950's stereotype of what it means to be a "man" or "woman", that to me is real bigotry and potentially extremely harmful to the well-being of young people.
I generally stay out of this debate because I don't have a developed view about it, nor any personal experience with friends or family.
Just to say I agree wholeheartedly with this bit. People are people and children should be allowed to develop completely free of gender stereotypes.
Unfortunately not likely in my lifetime.
And I'm relieved to see that the TSUNAMI of HATRED against JKR didn't spill over here !
I'm not a fan of JKR as it happens, but mild dislike would be a more appropriate description of my feelings than hatred.

Gilsey , hatred and internet pilings-on in the culture wars is the 'modern' way to do things .

Putin, Johnson and Trump rejoice .

Re: Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th June 2020

Posted: Sun 28 Jun, 2020 10:13 am
by citizenJA
Good morning, everyone.

Re: Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th June 2020

Posted: Sun 28 Jun, 2020 10:30 am
by gilsey
Ministers were warned by senior policing figures on the eve of chaotic scenes at beaches last week that lifting the lockdown is “madness” and risks prompting fresh disorder.

During a meeting last Wednesday with police and crime commissioners, the Home Office minister Kit Malthouse was told that the decision to reopen pubs on 4 July could lead to increased violence and that coastal resorts could be overrun.

According to the West Midlands police and crime commissioner, Labour’s David Jamieson, Malthouse “brushed the concerns away”.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/ ... in-england" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Re: Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th June 2020

Posted: Sun 28 Jun, 2020 10:44 am
by gilsey
I've just been catching up with Chris Grey's Brexit Blog, the latest is well worth a read if a bit long, includes some advice for Starmer.

This brilliant line from the week before caught my eye.
Eventually the plan, wouldn’t you just know, is for the ‘best border in the world’, mere competence being anathema to the government and, indeed, something it has successfully avoided thus far.
https://chrisgreybrexitblog.blogspot.com/2020/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Re: Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th June 2020

Posted: Sun 28 Jun, 2020 10:55 am
by RogerOThornhill
" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Chris Cook
@xtophercook
Michael Gove as champion of evidence-based policy is a bit “I found god in prison just before the trial, your honour”
:D

The second pic that Pickard tweeted has Cummings fingerprints all over it.

Re: Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th June 2020

Posted: Sun 28 Jun, 2020 11:17 am
by AnatolyKasparov
gilsey wrote:Starmer would make a better PM than Johnson but we'll vote Conservative rather than Labour, seems to be the message of the polls at present.

Following on from people voting tory in 2019 because they wanted a change, more evidence that the Great British public hasn't a clue.
Bottom line is - Starmer needs to get more of these people praising him to actually vote Labour!

Re: Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th June 2020

Posted: Sun 28 Jun, 2020 11:23 am
by citizenJA
AnatolyKasparov wrote:
gilsey wrote:Starmer would make a better PM than Johnson but we'll vote Conservative rather than Labour, seems to be the message of the polls at present.

Following on from people voting tory in 2019 because they wanted a change, more evidence that the Great British public hasn't a clue.
Bottom line is - Starmer needs to get more of these people praising him to actually vote Labour!
Yep.

Re: Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th June 2020

Posted: Sun 28 Jun, 2020 12:33 pm
by RogerOThornhill
Here's the Gove speech on public service if anyone is interested - and ahead of any announcement about the civil service - then it probably merits a read.

https://reaction.life/michael-gove-spee ... c-service/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

There are some "Er, hang on..." bits I've already spotted.

Re: Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th June 2020

Posted: Sun 28 Jun, 2020 12:36 pm
by RogerOThornhill
And a commentary from someone who knew him well at the DfE...

" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Re: Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th June 2020

Posted: Sun 28 Jun, 2020 12:45 pm
by RogerOThornhill
Gove seems to be arguing for something like the old Prime Minister's Delivery Unit which evaluated the performance and success of public policy.

And Cameron abolished it when he took office in 2010...

Re: Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th June 2020

Posted: Sun 28 Jun, 2020 1:04 pm
by AnatolyKasparov
Ed Miliband on today's news bulletins I see - real blast from the past. Though I'm not complaining ;)

Re: Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th June 2020

Posted: Sun 28 Jun, 2020 1:14 pm
by RogerOThornhill
But far too often, innovation in Government is treated as though it were a mischief rather than a model. The default mechanism of the NAO, PAC, other select committees and various commentators is that any departure from the status quo must be assumed to be more downside than upside. Had they been able to interrogate George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton in 1783 they would have concluded that American independence was an expensive, untried and unjustifiable innovation. In Treasury terms it would have been novel and contentious and therefore stopped.
Hmm...that's them gone then.

Say hello to giving out assessment of public policy to the private sector - more cash for what used to be the big accounting firms.

Re: Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th June 2020

Posted: Sun 28 Jun, 2020 1:37 pm
by frog222
RogerOThornhill wrote:
But far too often, innovation in Government is treated as though it were a mischief rather than a model. The default mechanism of the NAO, PAC, other select committees and various commentators is that any departure from the status quo must be assumed to be more downside than upside. Had they been able to interrogate George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton in 1783 they would have concluded that American independence was an expensive, untried and unjustifiable innovation. In Treasury terms it would have been novel and contentious and therefore stopped.
Hmm...that's them gone then.
Say hello to giving out assessment of public policy to the private sector - more cash for what used to be the big accounting firms.
Following on from the Boris water-cannon, Boris Airport and the Boris Garden Bridge, we are going to have nobody independent examining value for money on the (privatised) Boris Hospitals . Like the 'Nightingale Hospitals' there won't be any nurses and docs in them, and the existing NHS personnel will still have no pay-rises, and very little CV19 testing !

Re: Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th June 2020

Posted: Sun 28 Jun, 2020 1:46 pm
by frog222
“This is now urgent. The government must be clear with the Israeli coalition government that concrete action will follow, including a ban on goods entering Britain from the illegal settlements in the West Bank. This is a major step, but such a blatant breach of international law must have consequences. It will take a level of courage that so far ministers have not been willing to show.”

Nandy’s proposal, backed by Keir Starmer, is a significant toughening of Labour’s policy on Israel. In the 2019 manifesto, the party merely called for a diplomatic solution.

The Trump administration’s support for Netanyahu’s plan might discourage UK action for fear of jeopardising a UK-US trade deal, she added. But Britain had a “unique moral responsibility and must step up. Should we fail to do so, the world will pay the price for a long time to come.”"
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/ ... nnexations" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Re: Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th June 2020

Posted: Sun 28 Jun, 2020 2:19 pm
by citizenJA
AnatolyKasparov wrote:Ed Miliband on today's news bulletins I see - real blast from the past. Though I'm not complaining ;)
Saw that & wished I'd greater literary powers
wishing for Ed Milliband's magnificent chaos
capitalising magnificent & chaos isn't enough
doesn't convey my earnest sincerity or any literary powers

He was Marr warning government ending 's workers' furlong programme was too soon without a plan

Re: Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th June 2020

Posted: Sun 28 Jun, 2020 2:40 pm
by citizenJA
RogerOThornhill wrote:
But far too often, innovation in Government is treated as though it were a mischief rather than a model. The default mechanism of the NAO, PAC, other select committees and various commentators is that any departure from the status quo must be assumed to be more downside than upside. Had they been able to interrogate George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton in 1783 they would have concluded that American independence was an expensive, untried and unjustifiable innovation. In Treasury terms it would have been novel and contentious and therefore stopped.
Hmm...that's them gone then.

Say hello to giving out assessment of public policy to the private sector - more cash for what used to be the big accounting firms.
"Every morning I wake up saddened by the fact we haven't done more to make the most of every talent in our land, reproaching myself that we did not do more especially in children’s social care, primary schooling and secondary schooling to provide opportunities and keep young people safe. I worry that we have not succeeded properly yet in succeeding in reforming the youth justice system, the police, the CPS and the courts."

M. Gove's Precious Thoughts pdf

Re: Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th June 2020

Posted: Sun 28 Jun, 2020 2:43 pm
by RogerOThornhill
Anther informed take...

" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Re: Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th June 2020

Posted: Sun 28 Jun, 2020 2:56 pm
by citizenJA
frog222 wrote:---
Following on from the Boris water-cannon, Boris Airport and the Boris Garden Bridge, we are going to have nobody independent examining value for money on the (privatised) Boris Hospitals . Like the 'Nightingale Hospitals' there won't be any nurses and docs in them, and the existing NHS personnel will still have no pay-rises, and very little CV19 testing !
(cJA edit)

Philip Pullman safely used the second-hand water cannon
I hadn't read this interview with him dated 29 September 2019
Philip Pullman: ‘Boris Johnson doesn’t mind who he hurts. He doesn’t mind if he destroys the truth or not’
https://www.theguardian.com/global/2019 ... d-a-writer" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Re: Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th June 2020

Posted: Sun 28 Jun, 2020 3:33 pm
by frog222
citizenJA wrote:
frog222 wrote:---
Following on from the Boris water-cannon, Boris Airport and the Boris Garden Bridge, we are going to have nobody independent examining value for money on the (privatised) Boris Hospitals . Like the 'Nightingale Hospitals' there won't be any nurses and docs in them, and the existing NHS personnel will still have no pay-rises, and very little CV19 testing !
(cJA edit)
Philip Pullman safely used the second-hand water cannon
I hadn't read this interview with him dated 29 September 2019
Philip Pullman: ‘Boris Johnson doesn’t mind who he hurts. He doesn’t mind if he destroys the truth or not’
https://www.theguardian.com/global/2019 ... d-a-writer" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Halfway through the book, Lyra explains what “bullshitting” really is, and, shortly afterwards, a character from the Magisterium is heard elsewhere telling someone that,
“We should delicately and subtly undermine the idea that truth and facts are possible in the first place. Once the people have become doubtful about the truth of anything, all kinds of things will be open to us.”
I wonder if people such as Gove, Johnson and Trump, with their “fake news”, “had enough of experts” and Brexiteering narratives were on his mind when he wrote it.