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.

And unfortunately many of our 'professionals', if I dare say it, have themselves had their ethical frameworks smashed to bits. There are many still clinging on but they seem to be doing so in spite of the modern systems.

It started with Blair centralising
I think you'll find it started with Thatcher taking on local councils

True. It's always a bit dodgy tracing 'origins' of trends. When does anything start and end, where do you draw the line and say things have definitely changed now.

Main point is I think we have an entire country to rebuild out of fairy dust and clouds, with nothing, in an increasingly unfriendly world, with our own "leaders" against us.

I think having to see the GLC posting the true unemployment figures opposite the House of Commons for 4 years as a giant "fuck you" to the Tories may have coloured Thatchers view of local government.

The Poll Tax was a clumsy attempt to teach people to vote Tory.

Main point is I think we have an entire country to rebuild out of fairy dust and clouds, with nothing, in an increasingly unfriendly world, with our own "leaders" against us.

A careful study of violent revolution shows they start when least expected, from the least expected.

At some point in the near future the plates will start wobbling.

Incidentally, how come the Tory conference is remote, but kids have to go back into school ? It's no surprised that Tory parents are willing to use their kids in pursuing their own ends. (I'd suggest it's one of the hallmarks of being a Tory). But I'm mildly surprised it's not created more debate.

Meanwhile there has also been an interesting development on the other side of the pond today. www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-53358330 "US Supreme court rules half of Oklahoma is Native American land".
In my world, that is fairly effectively creating or re-creating a new nation state, if one that is still a vassal.

@Pepperwort

Meanwhile there has also been an interesting development on the other side of the pond today. www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-53358330 "US Supreme court rules half of Oklahoma is Native American land". In my world, that is fairly effectively creating or re-creating a new nation state, if one that is still a vassal.

If you acquaint yourself with the Fort Laramie treaty, you'll see it don't mean squat ...

I wonder what that means for the other 85% (article quotes 15% of 1.8mil pop are indigenous) of population in that area who are not indigenous.

I suspect the Oklahoma ruling has a lot more to do with Casino / gambling licences than anything else

@ListeningQuietly

I suspect the Oklahoma ruling has a lot more to do with Casino / gambling licences than anything else

Actually it's about who is allowed to prosecute people for crimes committed on land Congress has given back to the native population.

There should perhaps be some trigger warning, as it involves what sounds like a very unpleasant case ?

Was that red who hates remote consultations with doctors ?
BJ wants to make them permanent

Boris Johnson plans radical shake-up of NHS in bid to regain more direct control

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/jul/10/boris-johnson-plans-radical-shake-up-of-nhs-in-bid-to-regain-more-direct-control

health secretary said to be frustrated by his lack of authority over NHS England boss Simon Stevens
.......
The coronavirus crisis and an 80-seat majority have made Johnson determined to act.

There is ministerial frustration at the role some health agencies have played during the pandemic, notably Public Health England (PHE),
and a desire to make permanent some recent changes in NHS working, such as different NHS bodies working closely together,
and the huge increase in patients seeing their GP or hospital specialist by video or telephone.

If you acquaint yourself with the Fort Laramie treaty, you'll see it don't mean squat ... Think I'm going to chalk it up to "I don't fully understand US legal systems" (multiple) and leave it at that . It is a particularly unpleasant example case, yes.

FT: YouGov on mask-wearing:

• Much more common in London
Also among the elderly, Lab/Remain voters, Scots and women

• Less common in N. England, Con/Leave voters and men

Can I just ask. Have we zoomed back to the 70s? While perusing the half empty supermarket aisles this evening and the lack of choice, not only has the biscuit aisle regressed a few decades, but I found Ringos in the crisp aisle. I have bought some to see if they still fit on my fingers.

BCF I imagine one of the Tories has a mate who can pretend he's going to create a brand new software for video calling securely. Should be good for a few billion.

I do the King's College COVID tracker app. It often asks me if I wear a mask out and about but the answer is no as I am not going anywhere other than the outdoors or the school run, neither of which involve close social contact. I still feel bad saying no though.

My NAO connections are already rolling up their sleeves on some of these contracts

Cue NAO being abolished.

Oxfordshire County Council is currently Tory controlled. The Leader of the Council is now proposing that the elections are delayed for another year. The LibDems and Greens say that this is because he is frit, with the Tories having lost control of the Vale of White Horse and South Oxfordshire Districts last year. South Oxfordshire includes Henley, so very much a pig with a blue rosette country.

I also do not like remote NHS appointments. I've had 4 phone appointments with gp over last 2 weeks for severe sciatica. They cannot possibly tell how incapacitated I am over the phone. More prescriptions which have no effect, will be a and e next if no improvement

I'm quite unhappy with nhs provision since lockdown.
Asked Dr for a letter for mum as she is no longer safe in her 2 storey home.
Couldn't speak to her so had to send an e mail.
She didn't speak to or see mum.
I got the letter. All of 2 sentences. Was charged £30 and its not detailed enough so now we have to get SS involved.
I really hate to criticise the nhs but our surgery and drs have been woeful.
I'm sure most aren't though.

Bcf it's not that I don't like them. It's more that I can not access health care if that's the way things go.

My anxiety is so bad I can't speak at the doctors at the best of times and phone calls are complete none starters. I need DH there to advocate for me and help me through an appointment.

It's been an ongoing problem after poor treatment in the past and it's taken a lot to even see a doctor my levels of trust were so bad.

I am better than I was but it's an ongoing issue which I have on record.

I find it hard enough to navigate the system and the gp has made it difficult enough in the past.

It just fucks me completely and will damage what trust I have built up.

Boris, Rees-Mogg etc, will continue to see a Dr because they will pay to go privately.

Peregrina
The Leader of the Council is now proposing that the elections are delayed for another year.
Not sure how that would work - dates are set by the electoral commission .... the legislation is in place

Cue NAO being abolished.
Not gonna happen. I could get all audit geek but international law protects that one

Our GP practice has been doing telephone appointments for a while but you can specify who you want to speak to (so we always ask for the doctor we've been seeing now for over 25 years he must just have qualified who is now the senior partner) and it's more of a triage process as he'll then book you in for a "in person" appointment if necessary - within a few days unless it's urgent

But I recognise that we are fortunate in having such a good practice

No choice at my practise.
Its Duty dr or no one.
Reception and office staff cut to the bone too.
Looooong waits on the phone.

@OhYouBadBadKitten

Can I just ask. Have we zoomed back to the 70s? While perusing the half empty supermarket aisles this evening and the lack of choice, not only has the biscuit aisle regressed a few decades, but I found Ringos in the crisp aisle. I have bought some to see if they still fit on my fingers.

I have no idea, but on a related note, does macaroni not exist anymore? Or maybe it never did and I’ve been imagining it all these years

Gov starts its' prep for new customs requirements by buying a field 20 miles from Dover.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/jul/10/vast-brexit-customs-clearance-centre-to-be-built-in-kent?CMP=ShareiOSAppp_Other

There is nothing in that document that was not in these threads a couple of years ago. Anybody who is surprised by it should not be in a decision making position

This is such a Wonderful Opportunity for the Brexiters to scream about how the EU is bullying us. They really did think that they would be able to cherry pick the bits they wanted but not pay their dues.

Some things may not upset Brexiters - coming back from Austria earlier this year, there were people quite happily going through the non-EU gates. Because we had left by then.

I was surprised, when visiting France on Brittany Ferries a couple of years ago, just how many people had dogs with them. Fido or Rover will just have to go into the kennels, like they used to in the old days. More business for the kennels - every cloud has a silver lining.

This is what they voted for. They gave Johnson his mandate back in December - which was to 'Get a great deal' as I recall.