Gillian Keegan: how’s the ‘hot mic’ thing gone down with you?

[Crinklycut]

For my part, I don’t think it was very ministerial, and I do wonder how No. 10 all talk to each other these days (do they just swear all the time?) BUT she is a bit right, isn’t she?

The DfE have finally acted to make the public aware that their children are not safe in school. That’s more than anyone else in the Conservative party has done since they cancelled ‘Building Schools for the Future’ in 2010 and during their 13 years of government.

So how’s it gone down with you?

I think it just showed she’s a despicable human being, like most of the rest of them

not bothered by the swearing just the sentiment. The poses the following day in sunglasses rub in how she is loving the limelight.

heard on Twitter that there was a high level
meeting in March this year where she said words to the effect of “we need to keep a lid on it for a couple more years then it’s somebody else’s problem”

Prison escapes were much higher under Lsbour.

The truth is, we cannot afford all we want and we don’t spend what we have wisely.

Interestingly this seems to show that numbers of escapes decreased year by year when labour were in power, after being really high during the tories' last year

This isn't any old prison break and they appear to be able to link it to staffing pressures and budget cuts.

news.sky.com/story/16321bn-of-taxpayer-money-lost-in-fraud-by-government-since-pandemic-began-says-spending-watchdog-12845271

21 billion lost in government based fraud. An article from 2021 - dread to think what it is now.
And there is no money?? I wonder why?
As a teacher about to go into a school that doesn't have RAAC but a whole host of other problems structural, overcrowding, lack of resources, lack of social care support, children coming in hungry and poorly clothed due to cost of living, I can honestly say this government is corrupt.
Was the last Labour perfect? no.
Will Starmer get everything right? Of course not.
But this government are systematically dismantling and ruining our country, whilst gaslighting the press and the public on a daily basis.

Not difficult to achieve as we now lock up prisoners, for 20 plus hours per day, with little rehab (Govt own guide line says 10 hours outside of the cell)

Its totally inhumane and again short term, these people will be released, its in our own interests to at least try and make them better people.

At one prison, HMP Exeter in Devon, inspectors found more than 70% of prisoners were spending only two and half hours out of their cell each day
Inspectors found that the prisons’ cells were in poor condition, with many having exposed electric wires and glass missing from their windows. At the time of the inspection in November (2022) 85% of the prisoners were sharing cells designed for one

Much like schools (and other public services) been run into the ground over recent years.

It is the will of the people.

The ‘will of the people’ during the pandemic did seem to be lock up prisoners for near whole days

Like many things it was barbaric. Some said as much at the time, not heard.

That report was down to this

‘There’s a sort of post-Covid torpor that we’re seeing in some jails, where people seem to be stuck in the idea that lockdowns are reasonably convenient, that keeping prisoners locked up avoids some of the difficulties they’ve had in the past,” Mr Taylor said at a media briefing on Wednesday.’

Very true @jgw1 a staunch tory i know is moaning he has to pay out '000s for an essential operation because the NHS wait time is 18months....

Funny really.

Most were pro lockdowns and measures to put prisoners in cells at the time weren’t they?

There was a huge appetite for Covid measures on mn

We ve been locking up prisoners for 20 plus hours per day for many years prior to Covid.

We have found that in local prisons 31% of prisoners report being locked in their cells for at least 22 hours a day, rising to 37% at young adult prisons (holding prisoners aged 18–21). We found large numbers of prisoners at some jails who were locked up for more than 22 hours a day, or throughout the working dayHer Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons 2017

Covid, like Ukraine and the EU before that, get blamed for things that are entirely of our own doing and free will.

No one seemed to mind at the time. In fact they were demanding it daily. And other isolations in general.

All those demands for shutting things down, do people look at the negative impact of that and think it wasn’t a good idea after all?

Perhaps not a bad thing to do in 2020/21 considering no vaccines but what was the excuse prior to 2020 and post 2022 ?

It’s bad at any time but there’s no doubt closing down society and isolating people, sometimes severely, will have a big impact and lag

That was wanted by most though, mn at the time shows how much

I get that but there is zero reason to continue restrictions in prisons, i understand in regard to NHS but giving prisoners more cell free time and rehab is down to cost and staffing.

Not just MN, nationwide polling in jan 2021 showed cross party voter support for LD, around 88% approval of the new restrictions.

Yes demand was high hence the ‘will of the people’ response in pp

People demanded it

I agree it should not have continued post restrictions, if it’s ‘easier’ and also due to staff shortages

I don’t mind any discussion on how damaging isolation is for people, I agree it is hugely detrimental. I hope we keep that in mind if it comes up again

We had no vaccines, a new disease no one knew anything about (and still don't comparatively speaking)

The UK wasn't alone, most European countries had harsher ones but have returned back to normal faster..... who else has 7.4m waiting on health lists?

In countries where there were few restrictions, we saw terrible death rates (Brazil and Russia) and even Sweden, overall, has higher rates compared to other Nordic countries.

Anyway a bit off track unless Covid is also to blame for lack of action on RAAC ? or makes Keegan swear more?

Also But Jeremy Corbyn.

True you must be pleased the pandemic has left no lasting impact as you thought

All good

The problem is that loads of people don’t give a hoot about the lives of prisoners. Giving them better conditions is never a vote winner. Not quite sure how we got from RAAC to escaping prisoners (it’s rare) but we have a crumbling prison estate!

For most people it has not, for the poorest and for those with health issues, of course.
Even the latest ONS revised figures, show the UK economy has been very resilient.

But had you had your way (though at the time you supported LDs) the NHS would have been ground into oblivion and 10s perhaps 100s of '000s of additional deaths would have happened.

though at the time you supported LDs

Interesting. Did you keep a diary on me?

If so you may want to check dates. You’ll see you’ve got it wrong.

I forgot how some posters are though with their over investment, thanks for the reminder.

Even the latest ONS revised figures, show the UK economy has been very resilient.

Well this is good isn’t it. Not much said about this

Makes a change from the usual

Of course its good, not surprising though, all around me, the economy has been doing very well, folk saved a lot of money during Covid.

Shame inflation is so high though, will mean fixing the RAAC issue will be very expensive... prob going to go higher, as fuel prices are soaring.

Because they are both the outcome of severe underinvestment in the public sector by this government.

Look at the cost of the repair work (and potential outcomes) and the cost of this manhunt (and potential outcomes) and decide if austerity made sound financial sense.