Thread 22. Sunak: Taxes, Truth and Tories

[pointythings]

The previous thread filled up fast, so here's another one with a reasonably topical title!

More via Peston

https://twitter.com/Peston/status/1649094537380524038?t=kB1QaE4MmYoYmKuF5BLFSA&s=19

Dominic Raab has read Tolley's report into his alleged bullying and - as I understand it - he believes it does not show he breached the Ministerial Code, and therefore he will not be offering his resignation. Which means the PM has to decide whether to sack him

And a tax avoider, Zahawi

Is it normal for someone accussed of serious workplace malpractice to decide whether they have misbehaved for themselves?

Ministers should be professional in their working
relationships with the Civil Service and treat all those with
whom they come into contact with consideration and
respect. (5.1 Ministerial Code).

Do Non Disclosure Agreements and pay offs indicate "consideration and respect" ?
Wonder how much money we've had to spend on him over the years.

How much time does it take them to come out and say that a ministerial code breach doesn’t require a resignation or firing. It’s not like they’ve spent the last 13year religiously firing everyone who broke it. They’ve already set the precedent. A lot.

They can't say it out loud! Then what happens when they are in opposition and they want to suggest the new PM is too weak to take on his Ministers!

Far better to fudge it a bit.

Ah, jgw1 allow me to refer you to the ex-Director of the CBI and his interview yesterday. Quite a lot of 'not me guv. Well, a bit, maybe'.

It seemed to me in the interview that there is something fishy with his dismissal, but since I think he hasn't been there 2 years, they can just get rid without a reason anyway.

Yes. He was super slithery though. Reminded me of, well, you know.

I don’t think that’s bothered them much so far.

I read it and thought he'd been inappropriately friendly/slimy with younger female staff. Not in a way that's a crime but in a way that's inappropriate for work
It annoys me that the criminal bar now appears to be applied in non-criminal settings, e.g. work. Perves charter imo

Raab must have got some serious dirt on Sunak. I can't otherwise see why Sunak would hesitate about booting him - after all, he won't be re-elected given his tiny majority and the strength of feeling against him within his constituency.

It’s beyond me why Sunak’s dithering. Complaints from 24 people and a number of senior civil servants threatening to walk if he stays in post sound like pretty solid grounds for a sacking to me.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/apr/20/how-could-so-many-civil-servants-get-rishi-sunak-dear-friend-dominic-raab-so-wrong?CMP=share_btn_tw

According to the reliable source that is Twitter, it seems that Raab has read the report and his position is that there isn't anything in there that suggests he broke the Ministerial Code so he's not resigning.

For weeks/months now Raab has been on TV saying if the report says I'm a bully then of course I'll resign. So Sunak probably thought it would be quite simple. But now that his back is against the wall, Dom ain't resigning. So I suppose Sunak has to weigh up if the report says that you're just a run of the mill arsehole, but that you didn't break the Ministerial Code, and the person the report is about is your friend who is fighting it (and maybe a bit intimidating) - do you sack them?

Do we know if the Tolley report will be published at some point?

Has the Russia report been published?

Tbh Sunaks reluctance to make a decisive move swiftly makes him look incapable. It’s not like the whole scenario just dropped in his lap yesterday, he’s had plenty of time to consider various outcomes and actions.

it’s not really a reassuring quality in a PM.

Well they are putting forward the amendments to the Illegal Migration Bill in the Commons today. I expect he's trying to keep the whole of the party onside despite knowing that the bill will end up carved up in the Lords.
Raab does have sections of support (its not like he has been throwing sliced tomatos and shouting at his fellow MPs) so I guess Sunak is tiptoeing around his own party.

Theresa May and IDS have put forward an amendment to exempt all victims of modern slavery being removed - it will be interesting to see who supports that. I think we know who won't.

That's a good point.

Surely having plans in place is a necessary skill set for someone apparently running the country.

His predecessor but one was only responsible for the pot plants and party entertainment, has the role changed since then?

Utterly impotent Sunak. Weak, spineless.

“integrity, professionalism and accountability”

All a load of hot air isn’t it.

I try not to swear on MN but for fucks sakes the state of this -

"We will track you down. We will find you. And we will bring you to justice" - Minister for Disabled People @VotePursglove

At DWP we have a very particular set of skills that we use in conjuction with the police to tackle fraud

Find out more"

twitter.com/dwpgovuk/status/1648998758766575619?s=46&t=Uw4lJNwxFZFnX0Xs3doHYg

Yet in 2019 the percentage of cases of alleged disability benefit fraud that were investigated and found to be non fraudulent was...89%.
So approximately 9 out of 10 cases non fraudulent.

They are targeting the most vulnerable whilst raking it in from their second/third/fourth jobs and avoiding tax.
Reprehensible.

Dom's mates have been busy briefing the press

https://twitter.com/AdamBienkov/status/1649295930049347585?s=20

Dominic Raab's allies tell the Times they have never seen him do anything "deliberately sinister".

It's ridiculous. If I was a cartoonist, I would have Sunak cowering in a corner with Raab standing over him "shouting I'm not a bully, I made you, i can break you".

Are we really sure Sunak isn't one of his targets, the whole thing smacks of the schoolyard. Talk about dithering.