Westminstenders: The Mask is Slipping

[RedToothBrush]

This week has seen the department of the Chancellor who launched a 50p piece, the serious contemplation of a tin pot bridge, the rebirth of eugenics as a subject for cabinet, the announcement of the end of the BBC as we know it, the cabinet chanting after the PM in a way Orwell would be proud of, suppression of a report into trade deals which dares to mention the effect of distance and geography, worrying signs of an ever growing rift with Europe over negotiations for a deal, an appointment which starts to make our membership of the ECHR look very dodgy and there have been rather a lot of floods which so far seemed to have escaped the attention of those in London busy in their own swamp.

It's becoming apparent very quickly just how Trump like our new government are and how they want the UK to emulate the very worst aspects of America.

We are falling fast and its not looking like it will be pretty.

All we need is a major global issue to test our national resilience and the incompetence will truly be laid bare for us all to see... But not necessarily speak of. Such us the way it works.

Brexit Britain is not a nice looking prospect.

there, not their!

"Johnson could breach this but there would be serious consequences"

He may just be posturing, but he keeps denying the NI Protocol terms he signed up to

He might instead choose to stretch the GB-NI checks to the outer legal limit of minimality, so that the EU are concerned their SM is at risk

If there is No Deal, then the EU would have to go to court if the NI checks are insufficient,
as there wouldn't then be a deal for them to suspend in retaliation
They would probably choose to avoid ramping up tensions by imposing punitive sanctions before court.

Germany and many MEPs are concerned about how the UK is (not) fulfilling its obligations to EU citizens in the UK

• the WA specifies automatic right to remain, providing they fill in a "simple" form and pay a "small" fee

The Home Office appears to be acting maliciously in some cases, not merely being incompetent

In my experience the home office is always malicious...,,, honestly I am married to a British citizen and it cost a fortune to move here, for the kids and I. And they are just trying to catch you out, get you to make a mistake.
Honestly the appointments we had to attend were just awful.

Interesting that many of the high street businesses mentioned fall into the traditional money laundering business category - 'cash welcome'.

Small businesses may prefer cash - it's there instantly for use, no payments to CC companies -
or have some customers that prefer to pay cash

Some countries, e.g. Sweden are moving to a cashless society,
whereas in some others, e.g. Germany, there is a lower limit of 20 Eur or so for CC and a few small businesses are still cash only

I'd not say Germany is any worse for tax fraud than the UK

I've noticed in Germany that my German Postbank "contactless" card still requires my signature almost everywhere ! 😂

I normally pay cash, even if they accept cards, for most purchases under 100 EUR
I always have 2-300 Eur on me and 1000+ at home

Just habit

Home Office’s immigration boss quit ‘after run-ins with Priti Patel’

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/feb/22/home-office-immigration-head-quits-row-patel

Bullying allegations engulfing the home secretary, Priti Patel, have intensified as it emerged that
“major run-ins” had forced the resignation of one of her department’s most senior civil servants on immigration.

Union sources have revealed that “uncomfortable” demands by Patel had prompted Mark Thomson, the director general of UK Visas and Immigration and HM Passport Office,
to announce his departure just weeks after her appointment.

Cash fraud
Cash MLR risk
The biggest money launderers are estate agents
try buying a Candy proerty for £3.5m in cash
and arms dealers
oh look the commission on an Arab deal

Tory HQ will blame the little man, not the rich gits like their treasurer who is up to his eyeballs in dirty Russian money

Marina Hyde on Patel 😂

Manages to be very funny about someone pretty vile as well as Pretty Vacant

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/feb/21/priti-patel-hostile-environment

As for the Home Office, a complex department already regarded as malevolent, it is now in the hands of someone who recently gave an interview in which she repeatedly confused “counter-terrorism” with “terrorism”.

This whole “Priti Patel is home secretary” scenario has the flavour of one of those US news stories where some open-carry idiot’s toddler has leant forward in their car seat and pulled a gun out of the backseat pocket

How do we get this toxic woman out of the Home Office and preferably out of public life altogether?

Priti is the logical extension of the hostile environment
the fact that she seems to hate Anglo Saxons will take a while to sink in
but the poison in the bloodstream created by Theresa May will take many years to clear

UK left activists attended events with far right antisemites

Cheeks of the same smelly arse
No excuses possible for snuggling up to Holocaust Deniers

https://www.theguardian.com/news/2020/feb/22/uk-left-activists-at-far-right-events-antisemites-holocaust-deniers

Ex-Labour members secretly recorded at meetings with Holocaust deniers

Yep. Priti has obvious contempt for all Brits who aren't wealthy
Probably for all people everywhere who aren't

I just got back from Sweden. Had no idea it was mostly cashless, it was really difficult trying to buy things as I had cash and no cards that don't have foreign transaction fees. (Protip: Starling cards are fee free, my more organised sibling had one so I owe him money now). I try to use cash because I'm bad at budgeting and need to see the cash actually leaving my hand sometimes to get a grip.

Does Sweden have issues with people being disenfranchised from bank accounts? I know homeless people often struggle, with no fixed address.

When you have so many barbers on one street you have to wonder how they are all making money, or ask yourself if it's more likely that ill gotten gains in cash are making their way into the financial system by means of businesses accepting cash (including prepaid ccs). How are these businesses affording high street rents? Are there rich aunties putting up money for equipment, rent deposits, etc?

www.moneycrashers.com/money-laundering-examples-schemes-regulations/

There is no need to make this into a political issue - Russian money is only part of the picture. Individuals with no party or geopolitical connection are just as likely to be involved in the sort of criminal activity that generates high volumes of cash.

Sweden : get a Revolut card
apparently even the poor have them as you only need an email and a government ID number (they are used by the homeless in Austria)

I'm female so don't frequent barber shops but 1 in our town has now also got a tanning bar (nope, me either..) and opens in the evenings as a wine bar/pub (?)

I get that small businesses need to diversify but...hair cut, tanning treatment and drink in one go?

Local men should be swanning around looking like strictly contestants. I can assure you they are not 😁

So...what's really going on??? Eh?

i may have been binge watching marple on itv

We too seem to have lots of barber shops. and no the local men here do not look like Strictly contestants either.

aren't barber shops supposed to come in fours?

Now where have I put my coat?

😂

I wouldn't be able to tell you whether the local men sing either. I imagine not many do, because it's always difficult finding men for local choirs, especially tenors.

It's not really directly to do with Brexit but I do find it somewhat ironic and contradictory that the High Street is dying because of high rents that mean that companies either go bankrupt or decide it is no longer worth being on the High Street (or both )

But...but...

If there are millions of barber shops springing up lately all over the uk WHY aren't the menz all looking hawt???

Hmmm??

Suspicious!

Loads of hairdressers too
No reason to assume they are money-laundering any more than barbers
Or all the fast food joints

imo, people should always be able to use cash if they wish
The state has no right to discourage this and I would avoid any shop that refuses cash for smaller purchases
(unless online shop, obv)