Westministenders: Can you tell your Rs from Elbows?

[RedToothBrush]

This week Mark Sedwill has resigned (or was he pushed?) and David Frost (chief brexit lead) was appointed National Security Adviser in a move that enraged Theresa May. The former prime minister felt that his appointment was unprofessional and that was a political appointment not an independent one and that he lacked experience. Of course in terms of national security we still haven't had that report on Russia and I don't believe The Intelligence and Security Committee has yet been named (not sat since Johnson was appointed as PM).

We have passed the deadline for extending transition and we have now apparently said that negotiations on the end of transition will finish at the end of September.

The bill ending Free movement of people has been signed, amongst much fanfare by the Conservatives saying they have delivered on the Referendum promise. However we might have up to 3million Hong Kongers who we are willing to allow into the country which might not go down too well with those who were unhappy with 'unrestricted EU immigration'.

We also have the demonstration of utter incompetence, outsourcing and lack of coordination and communication from central government and local government in the covid-19 crisis. A national scandal that isn't being properly reported by the press and leave you with the very large question of who is this government serving? If its contract with Deloittes over testing didn't require them to report positive tests to Public Health England, what was the point in the testing? How can this be consistent with 'The Government’s new approach to biosecurity will bring together the UK’s world-leading epidemiological expertise and fuse it with the best analytical capability from across Government in an integrated approach.' and will provide real time analysis and assessment of infection outbreaks at a community level, to enable rapid intervention before outbreaks grow.?

The growing feeling that Brexit is being exploited by this government for personal interests and those of big business at the expense of the general public is one which was feared and grows harder to argue against by the day.

I suspect you may be right

I think there may be some middle ground re:Camerons EU sentiments, if we take it that he was very much in favour of a "UK EU". You know - the one where the EU27 follow the rules the UK sets.

Anyway, it's all moot. But for his craven cowardice and dishonourable conduct before during and after the referendum, I hope that Camerons name is the first to be forgotten from the list of PMs. If we assume that Boris won't be the last.

Looks like the shitty weather today might be doing us a favour then. Nobody would be sitting outside anywhere here!

I did my shopping early and am now staying in the garden

Just spoken to DS who is pretty down as they have delayed casino openings.

But he - and mates - won't be going to a pub anytime soon. I fear once the novelty wears off, he may not be alone.

Most people are sitting under parasols/canopies. The rain hasn't put them off.

My brother has a redundancy consultation on Tuesday.

I plan to go to the pub week after next.
I really miss eating out
but will give the systems time to bed down before I do.

yoikes
Oh no. I suspect there will be a LOT of that over the coming month.

@yoikes

Most people are sitting under parasols/canopies. The rain hasn't put them off.

As I said, when the novelty wears off.

It's a rare rain in England that doesn't come with a wind that renders umbrellas useless, if not lethal.

Also I wonder how smokers and non-smokers are going to co-exist when it comes to fighting for space under cover ?

(I reckon that C-19 will be another "nudge" that is going to make smoking a distant memory in 2050 ...)

Possibly DG but you'd still have the vapers with their clouds of delicious smelling lies :)

You know - the one where the EU27 follow the rules the UK sets.

I recall that a two track EU was mooted with an inner group, and an outer group more loosely aligned. This would probably have suited most people in the UK, but he rejected it because he 'wanted to be at the top table'.

Well Cameron, Johnson et al. - you are not going to be at any top table with the USA or China.

One rule for us, another for them
news.sky.com/story/nigel-farage-appears-to-break-quarantine-rules-with-pub-photo-after-us-trip-12020998

What I noticed in my nearest small town today was the hordes of teenagers on the streets and in the shops. Realised that though I’ve seen parents with young children out shopping, I’ve hardly seen a teenager in the last three months. More recently there have been small, discreet groups down by the river (probably smoking drugs so not drawing attention to themselves), but today there were big groups out and about yelling at each other, playfighting and generally being mildly annoying. There were more people on the streets in general, but this was the biggest change.

LQ are you surprised??

Well I popped in to Alnwick (Northumberland) for a couple of hours.
Very quiet indeed.
The centre has some nice independent shops, plus Joules, WHSmith, cafes, icecream parlours, about 8 quite smart charity shops, jewellers, posh hardware store, 'gentlemens outfitters' etc. It is quite 1950's in a good way. But very little was open.
A few people sat outside having a coffee (it was raining to be fair)
But, 'SuperSaturday' it was not.
There was a queue outside the barbers though

Cummings 'blistering honesty' is to preempt accusations of bullying.

Cue large-scale bullying of the civil service of the likes that's never been seen as Cummings carries out his revenge overhaul of the civil service. But no one will be allowed to lodge any complaints or go to employment tribunal for constructive dismissal because it's just DC being honest.

Bet Goves loves him because DC says out loud all the thoughts in Gove's head that he's too conflict avoidant to say himself.

Cummings 'blistering honesty' is to preempt accusations of bullying.
Might have more to do with trying to defuse this little cookie
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8377289/Dominic-Cummings-evidence-employment-tribunal-showdown-sacked-adviser-Sonia-Khan.html
(most recent link I could find)

It's just a superiority complex; as pp said there was zero honesty in his "eye test" to Barnard Castle tale or in his appendage to his wife's published story. Zero honesty in the Leave campaign www.thelondoneconomic.com/news/vote-leave-director-admits-won-lied-public/08/02/.

In fact out of all of the people in our govt, perhaps withstanding Bozo, I suspect he is one of the worst offenders for repeatedly and consistently lying, particularly if it gets him what he wants and that is saying something

The only thing in his petty Blog that won't come true even whilst he holds the reigns is his apparent desire for "accountability" because frankly he's too soft to admit any blame. There are far too many like him in politics as it is.

For clarity the only reason his ridiculous (probably continually amended in hindsight) blog will resemble Nostradamus is largely because he can now "make" those crackpot rantings happen, not because anyone else agrees they are worthwhile.

Lucky you OldLace - I love Alnwick! Is Barter Books open yet? It's a must visit for us when we're in the area.

Oooh. Love Alnwick and barter books :)

UK pondering whether to join the EU corona vaccine scheme

Shh! Don't tell the ERG, Express, Mail or Torygraph. It looks like we might not be able to be a world beater on our own and that co-operation with our neighbours might be a good thing. Especially as the US has bought up all the supplies of remdesivir - no nonsense about our Special Relationship there.

Police smash car window of man on way home from C4 interview about police racism

Another illustration of why BLM is needed in the Uk too
Assaulted for driving a nice car while black

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/jul/04/police-smash-car-window-ryan-colaco-tv-interview-racism

Officers hauled him from his car and forced him to the ground, hitting his head against the ground before he was thrown face-first against a wall,
Colaço said, causing him severe headaches.

He was handcuffed, drug-tested, taken to the station and strip-searched before spending hours in a cell before being released about 12 hours later,
with nothing having been found

He had to walk a mile at about 5am to retrieve his car, which had been impounded.
During the walk, he was approached by officers in a vehicle who pulled over to ask why he was out and about.
Colaço then had to wait till 9.30am to be given his car.

“When the officer drove my car out, I saw there was still glass everywhere,”
he said. “I had my head in my hands.
They said they won’t clean the glass or pay for the window and my car was trashed too.

The fact this all happened as I was coming back from an interview about getting stopped: you couldn’t make it up.”

BCF I saw this one on FB and true to form the 'oh, but you don't have the whole story, he must have done something' brigade were out in force.