To be starting to really worry about Liz Truss

[Anothernamechangeplease]

OK, so I'm not a Tory. I hate Boris, and despise the rest of them. I don't hold or much hope of any of them actually doing anything to address the problems that we're currently facing, because I don't think any of them actually give a toss about ordinary people. Of the two candidates that are left in the Tory leadership contest, I would pick Rishi, because I think he has a more realistic understanding of the economic challenges, but obviously, I'm not a party member so I have no say in the matter.

Nevertheless, I have been relatively sanguine and the prospect of Liz Truss as leader, a) because I figured that things couldn't get much worse than the shit show that we have had under Boris, and b) because I am pretty sure that she will be utterly unelectable when it comes to the next general election, so worst case scenario would be that we have another couple of years of crappy Tory government, exacerbated by the cost of living crisis, and then we can be pretty confident of getting shot of them. So, pretty shit all in all, but survivable.

But listening to everything that she is saying she wants to do, to the economic forecasts, and to the analysis from both within and beyond the Tory party, I'm starting to get really very worried. All this talk of huge tax cuts and massive reductions in public spending...I fear that she is going to make the looming economic crisis infinitely worse at a time when we can least afford to risk it. Nearly all economists seem to agree that her plans are going to make things worse, not better.

We are already at breaking point. Public services are on their knees. Businesses are struggling to stay afloat. People both in work and out of work are struggling. The most vulnerable are already having to choose between bare essentials such as eating and heating. Inflation continues to soar, energy prices are going off the scale, interest rates are going up... and she is about to make it worse! We just don't have the resilience in the system to cope with this.

I am actually very worried about what is going to happen. This could be very bad indeed, and a lot of people are going to suffer. If we end up with austerity on steroids in the midst of an unprecedented economic crisis, there will be massive civil unrest, surely?

My grandfather on my mother's side was gassed at the Somme and my dear departed mother remembers the 1930s depression when he as a skilled carpenter would spend weeks unable to work coughing his guts out and National Assistance came round and checked in every room before a meagre stipend was given. He refused to join the British Legion and never talked about the war or ever wanted to go to any reunions. My father, lovely father tried to sign up in 1939 but his eyesight wasn't good enough so it wasn't until 1940 that he got to serve. After the war, they gave Churchill the bum's rush as they wanted a country fit for heroes to live in and so Clement Atlee won a landslide with a socialist agenda to create the NHS, the welfare state, and council housing for all.

I was raised on stories from the depression, war and postwar recovery. I love my country, it's people, its regions and countries and have seen it prosper for the best of times. He died in 1996 and was so delighted to see Europe come together and prosper and rate Germany as a friend, not foe. He would be appalled to see how things have panned out and how second-rate politicians who have never done a decent day's work in their life but graft for personal gain and allow billionaire tax-doging media elites to set a warped agenda and Briton against Briton. So yes flag shagging is the term I used for these shysters with some cause.

Patriotism having become one of our topicks, Johnson suddenly uttered, in a strong determined tone, an apophthegm, at which many will start: ‘Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel.’ But let it be considered, that he did not mean a real and generous love of our country, but that pretended patriotism which so many, in all ages and countries, have made a cloak for self-interest.

Starmer is partial to a flag isn’t he?

In a keynote speech to local politicians in Birmingham, Starmer repeatedly emphasised that Labour is a “patriotic party” while standing in front of a large Union flag.

In a speech heavy with patriotic references and with the British Union flag displayed behind him, Mr Starmer laid out his new “contract with the British people”.

If it took draping himself in flags to prove that he – and the Labour party – were patriotic then so be it. Keir didn’t care if he was laying it on a bit thick. He would bathe in red, white and blue if necessary. Whatever it took. - Guardian

None of them will even admit that Brexit has been a disaster for UK.

I despair. Energy prices going up in the Autumn etc. Ukraine. Grain, food price rises....

Like a fucking muppet show.

I'm not a huge fan of Starmer but he is a decent honourable man of principle and if playing the Toris at their own game of flag waving why not and by Dr Johnson's definition above is a true patriot. It's called the Union Flag and defending and preserving the Union should be a priority for any British leader - Brexit has done the opposite and helped to blow our country apart.

Weird how he’s down graded from the insulting ‘flag shagger’ moniker you used below

Now on a flag pedestal and you’re in to it

Good for the goose good for the gander and all that

I hate all the flag shagging and think Starmer demeaned himself by pandering to it.

Brexit has done the opposite and helped to blow our country apart

This country is so divided - and the Conservatives seem keen on exploiting that division, finding scapegoats and on keeping us divided.

I would like to see Truss and Sunak asked how they would seek to heal the divisions of the last couple of years. And not just the divisions in the Conservative party

The context was very clear in my posts.

www.theoxfordblue.co.uk/2022/04/04/flag-shaggers-why-the-tories-use-of-the-union-jack-is-damaging-democracy/

It’s exactly the same thing - unless you call one ‘waving’ and one ‘shagging’ of course.

How nice the male gets to wave instead.

Doesn’t anyone else think that the Tories want the country to be divided?
Thatcher did a good job in the 80s, families split up and never spoke to each other again, once they crossed the picket line.
Privatisation was about breaking unions power. Hence why we have about 20 train companies.

Divide and Rule - Britain's Empire was built on that basis. The oldest ruling trick in the book. Just imagine if the 99% told the 1% that own 50% of the world;'s wealth to fuck off and open your wallets to the people. Keeping the middle classes on board is going to be the hardest trick in a rapidly declining economy as they have the power and intellect to join the dots.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divide_and_rule

I think there is a rabid group of broadcasters and the establishment blob of certain sectors of the civil service, treasury and other spheres determined to take the country down in a haze of pessimism and negativity yes. They are a vengeful, hateful crowd that hate this country and everything it stands for - cultural wars if you like. I don’t even think it is about the left or right anymore.

Do you want to expand on that statement?

Do you have any particular examples ?

@vera99 👏beautifully written and well said. My grandfather was the same. My mum too and although she died too early sometimes I'm grateful she had little awareness in her last years.

Crikey Festoon you need to have a close look at the 'hate gremlins' yourself with your doublespeak and 2-minute hate rant. Rabid you say, rabid pot, kettle, black oh and it's that damned Treasury that is responsible for our economic woes of course nothing to do with the government of that nice Mr Johnson.

Love this country, love it's diversity, love the Union - hate Brexit, hate this lying, cheating duplicitous, divisive government.

Enjoy Jordan and get off the internet, if I was on holiday somewhere nice I wouldn't be posting here. That's for sure.

I’m worried that Liz Truss plans to cut taxes. At a time when public services are already on their knees that would be immoral.

vera it’s NOT your job to police the internet and tell pp to post or not! I don’t know who the hell you think you are - but you are coming across very badly and a bit of a weird stalker.

I don’t think I need to expand on that statement at all cake - anyone with half a brain and of average intelligence will know precisely what I am talking about without a toddlers guide to the culture war taking place in this country (and others to be balanced)

Calm down dear it was a throwaway remark and a kindly suggestion rather than an instruction. 😉

So no examples....

I can think of plenty of examples of division being stoken up. I wonder if my examples are anything like yours.

Mine come from the Daily Mail - whose main aim seems to be to stoke up division, twisting stories, false and misleading statistics that aim to wind people up and a complete lack of context in many stories.

@Wilkolampshade 🙏

So-called "culture wars" are a sign of a government devoid of any ideas, successes to trumpet and the last refuges of the fag end of a dying 12-year Tory rule. When push comes to shove people care more about paying their bills, keeping their homes heated and food on the table. But no flag waving and statues and plastic patriotism are all they have left in their bankrupt store room - let them eat woke.

” Populist governments act “as if [they] were the expression of the one right and true majority”, and consider any opposition “morally illegitimate because it is not made of the ‘right’ people”. Such an intolerance of dissent has been one of the Johnson government’s few consistent qualities. It’s this seemingly insatiable need to identify and defeat enemies that many non-Tories – and some Tories – find most frightening about Cummings.
Yet launching constant culture wars is a sign of Tory weakness as well as strength. Even over Brexit, the party’s attacks on a “liberal elite” have been an admission that it can no longer rely on economic arguments. And since the Johnson government has begun to struggle, it’s striking that its talk of a “war on woke” has increased.

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/oct/09/tories-culture-war-right-fearless-boris-johnson-war-on-woke

Listening to morning radio re politics Truss’s use of the term handout for more payments or support will go down better with party membership.

It changes the focus on Sunak’s pledge to give billions more support.

John Cruddas MP talking about Brown rather than Starmer making a statement, quite diplomatic still but a sense of frustration re lack of vision. In light of pp comment on purposely holding back thought that interesting,

Whoever voted Tory on this site should hang your heads in shame because your vote will have created destitution, starvation and despair. I did vote Tory and I did so because Corbyn and because that Lib Dem woman was also unelectable. No head hanging in shame here at all. If Keir Starmer gets a grip of his party I might vote for him next time. My main concern is Nicola Sturgeon and her rabble here in Scotland.

The fact that Gordon Brown is prepared to help from the sidelines is encouraging. He is a man of great integrity and has not the sort to enrich himself post office but do true humanitarian work. Starmer when he comes to power should enoble him and put him in the cabinet.He could even reach out cross benches to see if any of the great and the good could help. A national coalition of the willing so to speak.

Brown and Blair coming back often (esp the latter) is good for them personally, not sure about Starmer though.

Especially if his own MPs aren’t really behind the approach. But I think it’s great you’re so positive about Starmer and he should stay as he is, not enough to be taken out from leadership but a few unhappy MPs in the background.

Out of all the Labour possibilities I’d pick Starmer anyway.