Thread 19 From Trussterfuck to Sunakered

[DuncinToffee]

And so it continues

Previous thread
www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/4661264-thread-18-big-dog-halloween-edition

On the one hand democracy is a keystone to civilisation. On the other hand lots of people who stand for election (and win them) seem to be ghastly and in it for dubious reasons. It's a conundrum but I think democracy wins out.

Be interesting to see what sort of people would run to be elected to be in the HoL. A different type to the HoC? Would you have to prove your ability to be other than electability? The better parts of the HoL are prepared to do the donkey work and bring diverse expertise to scrutinise the legislative process. The worst are given the job by PMs for arselickery etc and don't do anything except revel in being called lord or baroness.

Stating the obvious points here really

The thing is the Tories have not understood the importance of continuing the appearance of appointing decent experienced hard working people to the HoLs and instead keep appointing people who pay them the most, so it has reached a point where something has to be done.

Do we need a second house? The thought of not having one gives me anxiety but I do wonder why it's necessary. I'm currently living in Sweden and they seem to do alright at this democracy malarky and they only have one.

Listened to Starmer on BBC radio 4 this morning.

I was so impressed. He was calm, clear concise and I felt I could believe in what he was saying and he'd actually done his research and had a clear plan of direction.

Every time he speaks now I like him more and more.

Yes this still pisses me off today.

We spent everyday in the same classroom with our key kids. We ate our lunch in the same classroom whilst they had outside play at lunchtime. I don't think I saw my colleagues not in my bubble for months!

You could meet up with your colleagues as long as it was for an essential baby's birthday party.

news.sky.com/story/labour-tries-to-force-release-of-details-behind-200m-ppe-contracts-linked-to-tory-peer-michelle-mone-12762258

Speaking ahead of the vote, Ms Rayner said: "Tory MPs can either back Labour's binding vote to force ministers to come clean on the murky award of £203m in taxpayers' money to a shady company linked to a Tory peer, or they are choosing to be complicit in a cover-up."

BREAKING:

Tory MPs have been told that the government will not try to vote down Labour's humble address on PPE contracts linked to Michelle Mone

Means that the motion - which is trying to force the publication of texts and emails - will pass unopposed

twitter.com/Steven_Swinford/status/1600085339107909632?t=JzWrjWJd2EzBQzWBIG5eZA&s=19

- it’s breaking now that Baroness Mone has taken a leave of absence from the House of Lords

- but records show she hasn’t voted in the chamber since April 26

- this was three days before her home was raided by the National Crime Agency

twitter.com/PickardJE/status/1600099081329647618?t=JzWrjWJd2EzBQzWBIG5eZA&s=19

🍿

She's taking the leave of absence to clear her name. We all know how well that goes for conservatives, how long before the rest comes out?

^In his Covid diaries, published on Tuesday, Matt Hancock, the former health secretary, claimed he felt
pressured by “extraordinarily aggressive” attempts by Lady Mone to try to help a firm win a Covid lateral flow test contract.^

Mr Hancock wrote of his correspondence with her: “By the end of the message, she seemed to have worked herself into a complete frenzy and was throwing around wild accusations ... I read [her] message again, stunned. Was she threatening me? It certainly looked that way.”

It also emerged that the peer was urged by Lord Bethell to show “propriety” in her dealings with government staff.

Good luck with that name clearing!

Although to be fair, Hancock's Covid Diary is a work of fiction.

Very true. But why would he make that up?

Setting up his defence for the inquiry, 'a big girl made me do it'?

Why would he make that up? To distance himself, to make it seem like it had nothing to do with him?

Of course. Sometimes I’m so naive. But he refers to written evidence.

Well then he can back up his claims in the upcoming official Covid inquiry, under oath.

Wonder if he wrote anything about his pub's landlord covid contract.

I'm just watching some of the ppe debate. Members from across the house having a sensible, respectful debate, asking lots of good questions. Rayner gives way to a conservative who says "but labour". Apparently they introduced businesses through usual channels which required scrutiny, but this makes them worse than those going going through the conservative vip access with no scrutiny.

£106,000 of taxpayers money is being paid to China, every day, for PPE storage costs...

Jesus, it’d be cheaper just to give it to the Chinese.

Is that the useable PPE or the stuff that bought but wasn't fit for purpose?
I'm not sure the Chinese would want it.

Hancock was a busy boy wasn't he - Secretary of State for Health & Social Care during a pandemic, father etc, workplace affair and capped off his day writing a diary. Where did he get the energy.

Usuable unused PPE

Cracking. We are spending £30-40 million a year in storage in China for something we can't use.

EXCL: Tory peer Michelle Mone lobbied ministers in an attempt to secure government Covid contracts for a second company that was a secret entity of her husband’s family office - by the @guardian's incredible investigations team

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/dec/06/revealed-second-firm-pushed-by-michelle-mone-was-secret-entity-of-husbands-office

Jacqui Rock, the chief commercial officer for NHS test and trace, told colleagues in February 2021 that Mone was “incandescent with rage” at the treatment of PPE Medpro over lateral flow testing contracts, saying the firm had been “fobbed off”, and was planning to speak to Michael Gove and Matt Hancock about her concerns. From the Guardian article with the link above.

Sounds like Matt Hancock wasn't the only one with concerns about Mone.