Sunak - created by AI? Thread 36

[BIossomtoes]

I’ve taken the liberty again.

Old thread here..

I don't remember medicine being on the side of a bus. More brexit winning!

www.theguardian.com/science/2024/jan/25/eu-plan-medicine-stockpile-uk-record-shortages?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

Medicine shortages that should say.

The government would just gaslight us that it was because of something else, doctors striking or Gordon Brown or what Starmer's plans are. Whatever.

Sobering stories on here with people's recent medical experiences.

I am thoroughly enjoying question time tonight. The audience is fabulous, they've actually laughed out loud at the conservative- poor bloke is well in out of his depth.
They are making some brilliant points.

I see the trade deal talks between Canada and the UK have collapsed.
All about the hormone beef.
We had an agreement with Canada when we were in the EU - but no more

UK suspends trade talks with Canada after claims that ‘progress is not being made’ | International trade | The Guardian

Before Britain left the EU at the end of 2020, Canada rolled over existing trade arrangements to ensure free trade could continue.
One particular arrangement dealing with cheese access has now expired and a Canadian government official blamed Britain for the lack of an extension deal.
“Unfortunately, Britain did not act as fast as it should have in negotiations, and expects Canada to just give [it] these things,” an official told the Reuters news agency.
Both sides said they were ready to resume talks. According to official British data, total bilateral trade in goods and services was £25.9bn in the year ending 30 June 2023, when Canada was Britain’s 18th largest trading partner.
According to Canadian data, bilateral trade with Britain in 2022 accounted for just 2.7% of its total.

It's all about the news you don't hear.
Some people will have heard the news and it would be paraded by Ministers and the right wing press if we had a trade deal.
But they wouldn't have heard this.

Publication bias?
Survivor bias?
Filter bubbles.

Meanwhile, getting to France and staying in France gets harder. Or doesn't get easier

Holidaying Brits could face 14-HOUR waits at Dover border controls under new scheme to get into EU, MPs are told | Daily Mail Online

British expats in France delivered blow as 90-day visa rule plea is thrown out | World | News | Express.co.uk

Bloody Brexit. The gift that keeps on giving.

It was brilliant wasn't it? The absolute silence at the end of the Tories "rousing" speeches and the audience looking thoroughly unimpressed. I thought Gillingham was true blue as well. The Conservatives are definitely in big big trouble

I shared this on the brexit thread as well,

https://x.com/edwinhayward/status/1750673173069140381?s=20

t's been an utterly abominable 24 hours for Brexit news:

• The UK gave up on negotiations to extend our trade deal with Canada, leaving us worse off than when we were an EU member

https://bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-68098177…

• New incoming border checks will add £200 million a year to the cost of our food and drink.

https://eastangliabylines.co.uk/brexit-fallout-200m-price-hike-looms-for-fruit-and-veg-imports/…

• MPs were warned that the EU's upcoming ETIAS/EES border systems may lead to 14-hour queues to enter (the rest of) Europe from the autumn.

https://itv.com/news/2024-01-25/traffic-gridlock-and-14-hour-queues-await-tourists-entering-to-europe-mps-told…

• There were warnings of possible shortages of flowers for Valentines Day because of the new incoming border checks.

https://news.sky.com/story/roses-are-red-violets-are-blue-fears-of-shortages-on-valentines-day-over-brexit-checks-with-the-eu-13056060…

• A plan to extend visas for British expats in France from 90 to 180 days was blocked by France's Constitutional Council court (a decision which has no right of appeal).

https://lbc.co.uk/news/french-court-blocks-allow-british-expats-stay-france-90-days/…

• Rishi Sunak's pledge to ensure no future laws can create a border down the Irish Sea has gone down like a bucket of sick in TUV quarters. (And has sent the blood pressure of the usual suspect Brexiters sky-high.)

https://belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/brexit/jim-allister-rishi-sunaks-offer-to-dup-on-sea-border-makes-a-nonsense-of-brexit/a1159820922.html…

• The EU's plans to increase bulk medicine procurement across the bloc risk creating shortages in Britain because they have very significantly greater buying power than the UK does.

https://theguardian.com/science/2024/jan/25/eu-plan-medicine-stockpile-uk-record-shortages…

Phew! That's a truly catastrophic batch of headlines for just one day...

@DuncinToffee thanks (but I hate it )

Where’s Rishi and his flying monkeys addressing this in parliament?

My Dd is considering going into a Paramedic career. I worry for her as she is Autistic & it's a HARD job for anyone. The stress of the call outs & the stress of the driving to even get to them ... And she is Autistic. We have been watching a really good series on BBC about Paramedics in Scotland (where we are). It features a fantastic PM with ASD which has been most helpful for Dd. The only thing that has put her off so far (& I'm stressing the degree, the further training, the driving, the stress, the poor pay etc etc) is 'how it would feel to sit lined up outside A&E in my rig for hours with a patient who needs in hospital NOW' & I'm failing my patient & failing to get free & out to all the others who need me'.

Out of the mouth of a (16 y/o ASD) child who sees what the Govt dont want to.

@medianewbie its an admirable ambition for your dd but like you I would be concerned. They just don’t have the tools and resources to do the job that many of them signed up for. Same can be said for HCP’s at every level in the NHS tbh.

It sounds like she’s pretty level headed, I suppose you have to tread a tightrope of supporting her and making sure she’s clear about the circumstances she wants to be a part of.

@Cornettoninja Yes. As I'm NT to her ND we often notice very different things.
It's interesting that, of all the things that is her 'take away' from watching around 12 episodes so far (more use than school careers tbh...) it's the upset she would feel about resources being wasted like this that stands out for her. The TV show presents it all as inevitable 'since covid' but of course it is the 15 yrs deliberate running down of the NHS by the Govt so we have either no provision or private (like 'NHS' dentistry provision) which has been even worse than the decades long unwillingness of every Govt to really look at the NHS & see how it could be remodelled to be more efficient whilst providing same or even better service.

I think I'd prefer her to go out with the local mountain rescue as a volunteer & do something else for a living but, at the same time, I'd be awfully glad there was someone like her if I needed to call 999.

Moral injury. It’s a huge thing in the NHS right now and she’s quite right to be worried about it.

Really is I’m so very sorry countrygirl 💐

https://fullfact.org/health/bim-afolami-nhs-government-spending

Treasury minister Bim Afolami told Question Time that the NHS in England is about 42% of “everything the government spends”.

This isn’t true. The real percentage is more like 14-15%. Mr Afolami may have confused budgeted spending with spending as a whole.

@RafaistheKingofClay - ah! I had not heard of that term before - thank you.
I worked for a brief time (after a 15 Yr break as a Carer) as an entry level 'psychological wellbeing practitioner' for a company that the NHS contracted out to. I took an NHS training based postgraduate course. It was truly awful. Patients were 'diagnosed' via a single 20min phone chat then put onto a very long waiting list (we were instructed to be unclear to the point of untruth about). I hated it & I didn't last very long as I was direct about what we could & couldn't offer (the stats for 'recovery' from 'Generalised Anxiety Disorder' & Depression were the same as for 'watchful waiting' !!! At least Dd would be achieving things for her Patients but, yes, 'moral injury' / leaving your profession re this is a real thing.

So much money wasted

https://news.sky.com/story/nearly-16310bn-written-off-value-of-ppe-bought-during-covid-pandemic-13056349

The government has written off £9.9bn of the £13.6bn it spent on personal protective equipment (PPE) in the pandemic due to the gear being unusable or having lost its value

Looking forward to the News Quiz now.

I wonder how they will handle the news this week. Given the "complaints"

It should be on BBC sounds by the time I get home. Might have to keep refreshing the app if it isn’t.

Maybe he’s a bit hard of hearing and thought 14 was 40. Easily done.

@medianewbie your dd sounds fabulous.

I had never listened to the News Quiz before Merriman moaned about it

You’ve been missing out @DuncinToffee

3 mins in. It’s not disappointing so far. 😂