Thread 7 Starmer : Cats and Conferences

[DuncinToffee]

Previous thread

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/5145757-thread-6-starmer-were-going-to-need-a-bigger-skip?page=40&reply=138030825

It’s not sexist. I don’t think any of the three people we’ve discussed here should have been ennobled. Handing young people a handsome guaranteed income for life isn’t in the interests of them or the country, it’s very different to peerages for people with several decades of public service and experience.

I'd be suspicious of any nomination made by Johnson. Given his track record I don't think he should have been allowed to nominate anyone.

We have also, in previous threads, cricitised and queried the peerage given to Evgeny Lebedev, by Johnson.

So I would agree with @Notonthestairs - Johnson has done wonders to traduce the principles of the Honours Lists and in doing so, may have paved the way for better transparency and hopefully stop him ever being ennobled

I think the HoL needs younger people. Charlotte Owen is already putting forward her first bill to bring in a law banning deepfake images and making it a criminal offence to take sexually explicit images without a person's consent.

I do think that how people get appointed should be changed though.

She could perform miracles, we, the public, have the right to know why she is in the HoL.

Not just Lebedev. Stanley Johnson & Matthew Elliot's nominations have definitely been discussed.

And I don't disagree that the HoL wouldn't benefit from some younger voices - but it's relative. And I do expect expertise in their particular field.

This has been posted before

https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/politics/63063/if-youre-not-upset-by-charlotte-owen-you-should-be

She sits as a member of the legislature, making and revising laws for the rest of us until the end of her days and we pay £361 a day every time she steps foot inside the House of Lords, plus travel expenses and subsidised food

Well, given Boris illegal prorogation of parliament, they are the experts.

I think the utter lack of transparency is a huge issue. Appointees to the HoL should have a substantive track record of genuine service to the country. If Charlotte Owen meets those criteria, why can we not be told how? Until that information is supplied, I am going to assume some form of nepotism, because Boris Johnson is a proven liar with no respect for the UK and it's laws.

Of course there's also the possibility that she knows too much about where the skeletons are hidden.

Imagine being elevated to the peers under a system so opaque that when suggestions are made that your position may be due to some form of impropriety (with the added spice of a few possibilities to choose from) you are unable to disprove them, and have to carry the questions to your grave ?

It's all a bit game of thrones, really.

Sunak will not give a speech at the party conference and will only attend for a few hours

https://x.com/BestForBritain/status/1832064502101135576

Are they holding it on a beach ?

I didn't think he appointed her because of her parentage at first. I thought it was another case of him incentivising a young attractive blond haired woman to shag him. He has form for this.

So Ross didn't even register with me as Johnson doesn't have form for swinging that way.

So do I. And if we need younger voices in the HoL maybe they should be for a fixed term. Handing someone a lifelong guaranteed income at taxpayers’ expense when they’re 28 sticks in my craw, those attendance allowances could be paid for over 50 years.

Charlotte Owen has spoken fondly about her father

She spoke unbelievably warmly and fondly about Boris Johnson in her maiden speech in the HoL. It was a bit strange

Actually I think this is sensible. No back seat driver. And no association with whoever is chosen as leader.

My hunch is he will retire as an MP at the next general election.

Perhaps we could have younger people with some demonstrative expertise.

Firstly people have questioned his appointment. Secondly even if we disagree with jobs for mates, we can see why he ticked the box for Johnson - writing for a right wing machine, being a political director of the Tory party amongst other things. If you think his being male and Charlotte O being female is what makes the difference then you're really missing something.

And half of the claims to some internships are also questioned.

Very interesting Wikipedia entry. Thanks for linking.

Well I never....

Charlotte Owen has attended Lords regularly... in all, she has earned £64,000 in a year for her attendances. She claims a lot in travel expenses. She votes a lot (that is a good thing)

She has been made Vice President for a Co called Better Earth Ltd. There are 3 directors. One is Boris Johnson

www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/politics/67789/first-a-peerage-now-a-plum-jobwhy-does-boris-keep-promoting-charlotte-owen

😂😂😂

Was not expecting that 🧐

Keep it in the family ?

@LlynTegid I think he will leave Parliament as soon as they have a new leader. Certainly at Christmas.

I think so too. I can see a by election and a very plush N Yorkshire house on the market very soon.