Rishi Sunak and the Conservative Party.

[Captain Chaos]

New Transport Sec is Mark Harper according to BBC. I know nothing about him if I'm honest. Not that that seems unusual these days!

 

[nw1]

Mark Harper has been made Transport Secretary,

Who?

 

[takno]

Just published, a list of ministers, but no Transport Secretary

Ministerial Appointments: October - November 2022

The King has been pleased to approve the following appointments.

www.gov.uk

Mark Harper is the last item on the list. Guess it might have been updated since you posted it

 

[Snow1964]

Not true.

Mark Harper MP is the new Transport Secretary - it is right at the bottom of the list.

Just refreshed the Government list, wasn’t there 10 minutes ago, but now added

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 25 Oct 2022 ==

Who?

Mark Harper is MP for Forest of Dean
has been since 2005

Perhaps the Severn Tunnel Junction-Gloucester rail line should be added to speculation thread for upgrade (and yes it is already in the Western region decarbonisation strategy as one for electrification)

 

[nw1]

Just refreshed the Government list, wasn’t there 10 minutes ago, but now added

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 25 Oct 2022 ==



Mark Harper is MP for Forest of Dean
has been since 2005

Ah ok, but presumably an obscure back-bencher all that time.

A poisoned chalice, I suspect, as doubtless the Transport Secretary will be instructed to implement swingeing funding cuts and fare rises, and won't be very popular with the travelling public.

 

[Typhoon]

Mark Harper just announced

https://twitter.com/10DowningStreet/status/1584978439286980609

There are a lot worse, he's on the right wing of the party but at least has a brain.

I was half expecting the member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip. Sunak did say he wanted to include him in government and there are stacks of dressing up and touring the country opportunities.

Ah ok, but presumably an obscure back-bencher all that time.

Was a Chief Whip under Cameron.

 

[Busaholic]

New Transport Sec is Mark Harper according to BBC. I know nothing about him if I'm honest. Not that that seems unusual these days!

He should be popular with members of this forum as one of the most vocal of Tory MPs against Covid restrictions!!

 

[GS250]

I find it fascinating that the Tories have managed to have three female PMs and the first non white PM whereas Labour hasn't even had a female Opposition Leader aside from temporary ones like Margaret Beckett and Harriet Harman. It does make me wonder if Starmer were to stand down, if they'd go for someone who's the polar opposite of Sunak like Angela Rayner or Lisa Nandy.

Yes given that the left have generally been relentless regarding 'positive' discrimination and all that.

I think it's clear that a lot of Anglo Asians are doing very well in the UK and Europe for that matter. Socially, most are fairly conservative so it will be interesting to see how this influences society as they assume further roles of authority.

Rayner or Nandy would be an interesting choice as Labour leader. Both were quite condescending towards the pro Brexit vote during the lead up to the referendum. Nandy at least had the dignity to attempt to understand what went wrong where as Rayner just carried on with the vitriol. At least both represent something though where as Starmer.....well, I still don't know what he really is.

 

[Busaholic]

At least both represent something though where as Starmer.....well, I still don't know what he really is.

He and Sunak are both careerists, and both have switched careers once already. PMQs won't exactly be a bundle of laughs, but that may not be a bad thing.

 

[Thirteen]

Harper's a bit weird being part of the ERG in that he was a Eurosceptic who voted Remain.

Yes given that the left have generally been relentless regarding 'positive' discrimination and all that.

I think it's clear that a lot of Anglo Asians are doing very well in the UK and Europe for that matter. Socially, most are fairly conservative so it will be interesting to see how this influences society as they assume further roles of authority.

Rayner or Nandy would be an interesting choice as Labour leader. Both were quite condescending towards the pro Brexit vote during the lead up to the referendum. Nandy at least had the dignity to attempt to understand what went wrong where as Rayner just carried on with the vitriol. At least both represent something though where as Starmer.....well, I still don't know what he really is.

Rayner's strength is her working class background although she does have a habit of mouthing off which you need to tone down if you want to be a future leader. Nandy is more moderate as a personality.

 

[Busaholic]

Harper's a bit weird being part of the ERG in that he was a Eurosceptic who voted Remain.

Rayner's strength is her working class background although she does have a habit of mouthing off which you need to tone down if you want to be a future leader. Nandy is more moderate as a personality.

Are you sure Harper was part of that mob??

 

[brad465]

I find it fascinating that the Tories have managed to have three female PMs and the first non white PM whereas Labour hasn't even had a female Opposition Leader aside from temporary ones like Margaret Beckett and Harriet Harman. It does make me wonder if Starmer were to stand down, if they'd go for someone who's the polar opposite of Sunak like Angela Rayner or Lisa Nandy.

When you have so many leaders who ultimately fail, diversity is quite easy to meet, as has been the case with 3 different PMs at some point this year and 5 in the last 6 years. I'm not alone in saying that while different backgrounds being able to achieve anything is welcome, ultimately whoever does a specific job should be the best person for it based on their ability. I've seen Labour supporters and politicians praising the fact a PM of Asian origin now exists, including Anas Sarwar.

Ignoring the silly insulting nickname, it possibly makes sense if you see it in a context of, wanting to ensure the cabinet contains a range of views across the entire party, rather than simply being the band of followers that Boris and Truss tended to prefer.

Whatever you might think of Suella's political views, she does seem to come across as the kind of person who will bluntly tell Sunak/other colleagues if she thinks he's screwing something up, and you do arguably need people like that in the Government.

Except for the fact that Braverman was reported to have broken the Ministerial Code as the reason she initially resigned as Home Secretary, so if she's good at telling other colleagues they're screwing up, she's not good at noticing that in herself.

On the insulting nicknames, I think politicians of all colours have long been subjected to that and expect to be as a price for being prolific, it's not ideal but in a free society tolerated, unless it's genuine hate speech. Insulting voters/ordinary people on the other hand for certain political views is a much more costly/intolerable matter, but altogether the whole abusive culture has a lot to do with deliberate divide and rule stoking by various players high up in politics and the media, past and present.

Yes given that the left have generally been relentless regarding 'positive' discrimination and all that.

I think it's clear that a lot of Anglo Asians are doing very well in the UK and Europe for that matter. Socially, most are fairly conservative so it will be interesting to see how this influences society as they assume further roles of authority.

Rayner or Nandy would be an interesting choice as Labour leader. Both were quite condescending towards the pro Brexit vote during the lead up to the referendum. Nandy at least had the dignity to attempt to understand what went wrong where as Rayner just carried on with the vitriol. At least both represent something though where as Starmer.....well, I still don't know what he really is.

There's not really much point knowing what Starmer is/stands for until an election is imminent. He has made some pitches, but a full manifesto now would be stupid in case in 2 years time things have changed enough that most of it is obsolete. If election campaigns didn't work they'd never happen, so I would suggest you wait until at least the final 12 months before an election is expected (or as shortly after a snap election is announced).

 

[Thirteen]

Are you sure Harper was part of that mob??

Think I may have mixed up my research groups.

 

[david1212]

.....
The most comforting thing about Braverman's appointment is that Home Secretary is usually the pinnacle of a politician's career and most (particularly Conservative ones) are judged to have failed.

Theresa May went on to become PM. Where the pinnacle of her career was is debatable.

It was the ' Snoopers Charter ' that really brought her to my attention.

 

[dosxuk]

I was half expecting the member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip. Sunak did say he wanted to include him in government and there are stacks of dressing up and touring the country opportunities.

Still an opening for Minister for Brexit Opportunities from what I can tell!

 

[SuspectUsual]

It was a pretty minor breach. Assuming it was genuinely accidental, it appears to be the sort of thing that could easily be the result of a moment's thoughtlessness/mis-clicking

She had a document on her government device that was not yet agreed policy. She forwarded it to her personal gmail account, then went to that account and forwarded it to a backbench MP and who she thought was his wife, but was in fact the wife of a different MP

The last bit is accidental, but the main bit was anything but

 

[Busaholic]

She had a document on her government device that was not yet agreed policy. She forwarded it to her personal gmail account, then went to that account and forwarded it to a backbench MP and who she thought was his wife, but was in fact the wife of a different MP

The last bit is accidental, but the main bit was anything but

And the different MP reported it to the Chief Whip, who rightly informed Liz Truss. Braverman's departure in an unwarranted hissy fit led to the already wobbling pack of cards start to fall with the ensuing debacle in the lobby and the final removal of Truss. All in all, result! Just a shame that Braverman's then lightning switch to the Sunak camp has resulted in her regaining a job she's clearly unfit to do, as his 'thank you' present.

 

[MikeWM]

He should be popular with members of this forum as one of the most vocal of Tory MPs against Covid restrictions!!

Well, yes, that's the only reason I've heard of him, but as positive attributes go that's about as good as it gets in my book.

Doesn't necessarily mean he knows anything about transport, though

 

[stevetay3]

All UK prime ministers are unelected!

Please explain

 

[Scotrail12]

Kemi Badenoch as equalities minister? This has to be trolling surely? Someone like her doesn't care at all about equality.

 

[nw1]

I do see reaction to Cruella's appointment is pretty universally negative. I'd agree with those suggesting it's his first serious error.

 

[WizCastro197]

Yes given that the left have generally been relentless regarding 'positive' discrimination and all that.

I think it's clear that a lot of Anglo Asians are doing very well in the UK and Europe for that matter. Socially, most are fairly conservative so it will be interesting to see how this influences society as they assume further roles of authority.

Rayner or Nandy would be an interesting choice as Labour leader. Both were quite condescending towards the pro Brexit vote during the lead up to the referendum. Nandy at least had the dignity to attempt to understand what went wrong where as Rayner just carried on with the vitriol. At least both represent something though where as Starmer.....well, I still don't know what he really is.

Where Is your evidence for all the Bolded part? Just your personal observation? Do you know any Anglo Asians?

Who says they aren’t in authority yet?

 

[Agent_Squash]

Please explain

You elect an MP, not a PM. Only the media hyping up the system as a presidential style battle makes people think otherwise.

 

[AlterEgo]

Please explain

It’s not an electable office but one appointed by the monarch. Constitutionally this is the leader of the largest party, or else whoever can command the support of the Commons to deliver an governmental agenda. You can only vote for your MP.

 

[MikeWM]

If you can ignore Hunt still as Chancellor (ugh) and the return of Raab, I think Sunak has actually done a fairly good job with his appointments today, given what was available to him.

Obviously Braverman's return hasn't gone down very well here, but personally I'd far rather have her than Priti Patel as home secretary.

 

[DynamicSpirit]

So it's not OK to call her Cruella on an internet forum but it is OK for her to rant on about tofu-eating Guardian readers in parliament?

No. To my mind, neither are OK. It's not OK to call someone 'Cruella' on a public internet forum - that's direct abuse. Think how you'd feel if someone referred to you by an equivalent name in public. Just because the person is a politician or you disagree with their views does NOT make personal abuse OK - any politician is still a human being. And the fact that other people do it also does not make it OK.

And likewise, her 'Tofu eating wokerati' comment was also not OK. It was insulting, wrong, and not at all the kind of language you'd expect of an MP or a cabinet minister.

But two wrongs don't make a right. By seriously referring to her using an abusive name, you've basically lowered yourself to the same level as her comment.

 

[AM9]

It’s not an electable office but one appointed by the monarch. Constitutionally this is the leader of the largest party, or else whoever can command the support of the Commons to deliver an governmental agenda. You can only vote for your MP.

... and as it has been a constant item in the news, the manifesto of any MP is normally that of their political party. Therefore all this talk of first Truss, and then Sunak gaining power using Boris's manifesto is irrelevant gibberish. The current government manifesto is that presented by the Conservative party in the 2019 General Election. There is also the fact that events over time are valid reasons to change policies and there is no compunction to persist in executing a manifesto published at the commencement of the term.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 25 Oct 2022 ==

If you can ignore Hunt still as Chancellor (ugh) and the return of Raab, I think Sunak has actually done a fairly good job with his appointments today, given what was available to him.

Obviously Braverman's return hasn't gone down very well here, but personally I'd far rather have her than Priti Patel as home secretary.

I think they are both unpleasant politicians, Patel having more than once been cited as bullying.

 

[RichJF]

More to the point I'm worried...
The new work & pensions secretary consistently voted against benefits support & local public services.
Coffey consistently voted to dump untreated sewage & is the new environment secretary.
We all know about Braverman & she's the home secretary.
Hunt is Austerity on acid & is the chancellor.
This cabinet screams decimation of public spending & a clampdown on public rights

 

[GS250]

Where Is your evidence for all the Bolded part? Just your personal observation? Do you know any Anglo Asians?

Who says they aren’t in authority yet?

Living in Middlesex....yes....I know plenty. All are doing well for themselves courtesy studying hard and maintaining strong family connections. Good luck them. Effort = outcome.

 

[stevetay3]

It’s not an electable office but one appointed by the monarch. Constitutionally this is the leader of the largest party, or else whoever can command the support of the Commons to deliver an governmental agenda. You can only vote for your MP.

So why bother with general elections then, just let the King decide, He can’t do any worse than the last two chosen by the Tory party for him to appoint. Constitutionally he is not allowed to say no to who the party puts forward he is supposed to uphold the vote of the people in a general election not the current circus we are getting.