Thread 21 Sunak, Return of the Numpties

[DuncinToffee]

And so we continue.

Previous thread

www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/4699406-thread-20-sunak-and-the-winter-of-discontent?page=1

I learnt on a previous thread on here that he is excellent at it, and that it takes him all day, one of the Prime Minister's key responsibilities, which no doubt Sunak is sadly lacking at.

New Tory Chairman Greg Hands got his mate - his constituency chair - a £25 million PPE contract.

"Emails obtained by Good Law Project reveal Greg Hands was approached on his personal email account by Mark Higton – the then chairman of the Hammersmith Conservatives – on 7 April 20200. Three days later, Mr Hands passed the offer onto officials, and Luxe Lifestyle were subsequently awarded a £25m contractt to supply gowns and masks during the same month.
Furthermore, multiple DHSC internal documentss_ repeatedly used the reference ‘Minister Hands / Luxe Lifestyles’ when referring to the name of the PPE supplier. Even more remarkably, Mark Higton was frequently described as the ‘Main Supplier Contact’."

goodlawproject.org/revealed-greg-hands-referred-close-political-contact-for-25m-vip-contract/

I believe the technical term for that sort of sequence of events is 'Corruption'.

And yet the faithful will brush it aside as excusable as it was an emergency ( never mind that the Conservative governments chose to run the health service without a proper contingency plan) or will think it's childish idealism to want a government that isn't corrupt. Or will shrug and claim that politicians are all as bad as each other.

Yes that is a perfect summary.
It is corruption and many will find excuses for corrupt Tory politicians.

But those defending Ministers sticking their hands in the taxpayers pot will also describe striking workers as greedy.

Greed is fine for Tory ministers and their friends - not acceptable for nurses or teachers.

An interesting development here. One of my relatives who I thought was going to vote tory in the next election missed the new Labour candidate when they knocked on the door. My relative went down the road to speak to them to find out how they stand on issues. That they are open to listening was a massive step forward. Coupled with another relative whose always voted conservative standing on the picket line, I definitely think there is change coming. I think it is worse for the tories than the polls are showing.

At least Boris knows what a woman is.

Also but Jeremy Corbyn.

Probably Yougov is a left wing economic establishment plot to bring down the government, but just in case they are not, here is their latest polling data.

yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/articles-reports/2023/02/03/voting-intention-con-24-lab-48-31-jan-1-feb-2023

Communists, the lot of them.

Steady on.

How long before Keir's beer and curry will make an appearance?

Labour accuse Tories of spending sprees on hotels, dining and gifts
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-64615936

I think this bit in the article is very valid

A Conservative Party spokesperson said Labour spent almost £1bn on the cards - known as government procurement cards (GPCs) - in 2009, when the party was last in government.
This spending was across the whole of the public sector, while Labour's analysis focused on 14 government departments, so the figures are not directly comparable.

Angela Rayner explained it on Sky this morning. Even the NHS spending was included when Labour was in power, so absolutely no comparison to the free loaders now

We all know the Tories will drain every drop of freebies they possibly can before they're voted out.

What's Govey up to?

Sunak was unaware of Gove attendance at Brexit discussion, No 10 says
www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/feb/13/david-frost-urges-uk-embrace-brexit-plot-unravel-deal

I can't help feeling it'll involve pentacles and goats blood 😵‍💫

I had thought that Labour's attack line that Sunak is weak was just another slogan. But am beginning to think that perhaps there is some truth in their being no smoke without fire.

Thank you to you all for keeping these threads updated. I do keep up with them but having nothing to add that doesn't involve lots of swear words
My CONstituency has been solid blue but I can see a change. We are a massively growing town and the demographics are changing. We have some good independent local councillors and a CA Labour mayor. The previous CON council lost overall majority last time round and they are in no way happy about it!
My MP has made the news the last couple of weeks over the way staff we're treated and the importance of avocado rotation! He is not a very good MP and not generally liked in the town so hoping to dispatch him next time ( although can't see his m getting selected) plus we may be in for boundary changes which could well see us yellow unless one of the local indies stands.

I suspect we've got a few more Tory MPs weighing up whether to stand at all at the next election.

One my neighbouring MPs has announced they will step down after 14 years - his letter makes no specific mention of Sunak (or any recent Conservative PM) apart from Major!

twitter.com/smcpartland/status/1625219605214945281?s=46&t=5mbHayqRZ_6InXLGLQ4HZg

"With pressure growing on Richard Sharp over his role in talks over Boris Johnson's loan facility, it is worth reminding people that there are two parts to this story

The other part of this is Sam Blyth (Johnson's guarantor) and his bid to become CEO of the British Council

1/8"

twitter.com/harryyorke1/status/1625411305237520384?s=46&t=5mbHayqRZ_6InXLGLQ4HZg

Blyth was put at the top of a four person list by Somebody before the CEO job was even advertised!

@Notonthestairs do your mates not put your top of the short list for jobs that you do not have suitable experience of qualifications for? Surely that is perfectly normal behaviour. May I recommend if you don't that you are not paying your mates enough.

Or get your wife to invest

www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/feb/13/akshata-murty-held-shares-in-collapsed-firm-that-had-near-300k-sunak-taxpayer-loan

I have just started reading those threads, wow

I met McPartland through work a couple of times @Notonthestairs. He struck me as being fairly decent so it’s telling that he’s stepping down now.

That's interesting. I do think it's telling that he hasn't included plaudits for any of the recent party leaders.

"Notonthestairs do your mates not put your top of the short list for jobs that you do not have suitable experience of qualifications for?"

the frustrating thing is any sensible person would reject such an offer - it takes a vast Teflon covered ego to expect to get a job you have zero expertise in.

Yes, but without those egos, Johnson, Truss and Sunak would not have been Prime Minister, because they have no discernable qualities that make them suitable for the role.