Rishi Sunak and the Conservative Party.

[Busaholic]

It probably depends on the MP. The older MPs are retiring so will get a pension out of it so no need for a Loss of Office payment.

Some like Javid and Hancock will likely have lucrative post politics careers so don't need the Loss of Office Payment.

Need and want are two different words!

 

[Scotrail12]

A huge sigh of relief that Hancock is out. We've dodged a huge bullet there judging how he acted during COVID - can you imagine him in another cabinet position? Just hope that his "redemption" narrative is short lived and he doesn't become the next Portillo just because a few people felt sorry for him in the jungle.

 

[Bletchleyite]

A huge sigh of relief that Hancock is out. We've dodged a huge bullet there judging how he acted during COVID - can you imagine him in another cabinet position? Just hope that his "redemption" narrative is short lived and he doesn't become the next Portillo just because a few people felt sorry for him in the jungle.

I don't care if he makes a TV show, be that about railways or not, I'll just not watch it.

 

[450.emu]

I don't care if he makes a TV show, be that about railways or not, I'll just not watch it

Great Hospital Journeys could well on Channel 5, where Matt travels by rail to visit all the hospitals he failed during covid.

"Matt finds himself on a Class 710 to Edmonton Green, before taking a short ride on a 491 bus to visit North Middlesex Hospital to connect with the community."

 

[nw1]

"Matt finds himself on a Class 710 to Edmonton Green, before taking a short ride on a 491 bus to visit North Middlesex Hospital to connect with the community."

Not sure I even know what a Class 710 is. Edmonton would either be GN or WA, I guess. So, the replacement for 313s or 315s I'd imagine? When you're not au fait with some of the newer stock on the railway, and they're less familiar to you than stock withdrawn before you started primary school, you really are getting old

As for Hancock, I really don't care whether he becomes a media star or not. His hypocrisy in supporting harsh lockdowns but violating the restrictions himself was a definite red line, but is far from the worst thing that a Tory (singular) or the Tories (as a collective) has/have done to this country in the last 6.5 years.

 

[takno]

As for Hancock, I really don't care whether he becomes a media star or not. His hypocrisy in supporting harsh lockdowns but violating the restrictions himself was a definite red line, but is far from the worst thing that a Tory (singular) or the Tories (as a collective) has/have done to this country in the last 6.5 years.

I think that while the hypocrisy aspect is something more people can get angry about but it's arguably the lesser failing - what I'm really angry about politically is his efforts to swing the cabinet and public support behind lockdowns generally, his willingness to waste huge amounts of public money on things and people who were obviously not going to work, his constant doom and gloom throughout and his general failure to do anything effective at all. It was all really a case of cometh the hour cometh the drip.

In terms of whether he becomes a media star I'm more irritated by the idea of having somebody so naturally depressing on the screen more than is absolutely necessary

 

[brad465]

Kwarteng now saying he got carried away while Chancellor. The FT article (behind a paywall, unless you're one of the first 10 to click the below link) makes for a very interesting insight into what was going on behind the scenes:

Kwasi Kwarteng says he got carried away as chancellor

Kwasi Kwarteng says Liz Truss’s short-lived government was “too impatient” with its economic plans.

www.bbc.co.uk

Former chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng says he "got carried away" when he announced a huge package of ill-fated tax cuts alongside former PM Liz Truss.
Mr Kwarteng told the Financial Times his biggest regret was being "too impatient" with the mini-budget.
The plans sparked turmoil in the markets, eventually leading to Mr Kwarteng and Ms Truss's resignation.
"There was a brief moment and the people in charge, myself included, blew it," he said.
Reflecting on his time in office, the MP for Spelthorne said there had been "no tactical subtlety whatsoever".
"People got carried away, myself included," he said.
As chancellor, Mr Kwarteng set out a package to abolish the top rate of income tax for the highest earners, axe the cap on bankers' bonuses, and provide an expensive and long-running energy support package.
The plans would have required more than £70bn of increased borrowing, but most of the measures were torn up by his successor, Jeremy Hunt.

The pound fell to a record low against the dollar after the announcement, requiring intervention from the Bank of England and increasing mortgage rates for homeowners.
Two days later, Mr Kwarteng signalled more tax cuts were coming, causing more market uncertainty.
He was sacked from the position after just 38 days, becoming Britain's second shortest-serving chancellor, with Ms Truss's time as prime minister coming to a chaotic end shortly afterwards.
Mr Kwarteng, who is a long-time ally of Ms Truss, previously said he told her it was "mad" to sack him, saying he urged her to "slow down".
His comments come after Ms Truss's former chief speech writer, Asa Bennett, said she took a "Spinal Tap approach" to government and demanded the volume "was turned up to 11".
Spinal Tap are a spoof heavy metal group created by a team of comedians and musicians, who famously had amplifiers that were "one louder" than 10.
Mr Bennett said the former prime minister was determined to put "rocket boosters" under the economy when she arrived in Downing Street.

Subscribe to the Financial Times

A subscription to the Financial Times provides you with the insights and perspective you need to succeed, now.

on.ft.com

Liz Truss cut a solitary figure in the cabinet room of 10 Downing Street, as she beckoned her chancellor to sit down.

Continued...

 

[jfollows]

The quote (here or elsewhere such as https://news.sky.com/story/kwasi-kw...t-carried-away-with-economic-reforms-12764787)

He still believes the goal was correct but admitted: "Where we fell woefully short was to have a tactical plan."

is self-serving nonsense.
The goal was to increase productivity, increase the economy, give more to rich people and to allow them to disburse this extra wealth to poorer people.
Which is unachievable nonsense, as it turned out.
There was no "tactical plan" because there couldn't be a plan.
He's now trying to rewrite history in a way that tells a story in which he isn't an incompetent accomplice. Which he is. End of story.

 

[ainsworth74]

Kwarteng now saying he got carried away while Chancellor.

I mean we've all got carried away from time to time. But usually the result is perhaps a hangover or maybe a stomache ache if one over indulges. It isn't normally to have crashed the economy. In that situation I'm not sure "getting carried away" is really that much of a defence....

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

I mean we've all got carried away from time to time. But usually the result is perhaps a hangover or maybe a stomache ache if one over indulges. It isn't normally to have crashed the economy. In that situation I'm not sure "getting carried away" is really that much of a defence....

Treason seems more appropriate but you will hardly find any Tory who will acknowledge that they were in the Tory party then you have the opposition parties who are equally inept and calling out what happened.

 

[brad465]

This week is a bumper week for economic data, which will have an influence on Government approval, particularly if it's a string of negative news:

Monday - GDP data from September (includes State Funeral Bank Holiday and mini budget fallout)
Tuesday - Employment statistics
Wednesday - Inflation
Thursday - Bank of England interest rate decision
Friday - Retail sales statistics

"We chilled on Sunday."

 

[Typhoon]

Just when it seems like the Conservatives might be stabilising, someone inconsequential pops their head above the parapet. https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/worl...shi-sunak-over-party-s-direction/ar-AA159oot

Former Home Secretary Priti Patel is leading a new grassroots Conservative campaign which strives to “empower party members” and “restore democracy” following the coronation of Rishi Sunak as Prime Minister.

Priti Patel is leading a new grassroots Conservative campaign which strives to 'empower party members'.
The group, named the Conservative Democratic Organisation (CDO), is backed by billionaire Tory donor Lord Cruddas who has donated more than £3.5m to the Conservatives. He will become the president and treasurer of the campaign group.

Conservatives may need to remind themselves of why she is no longer in government - a track record of incompetence and disingenuity. And Lord Cruddas, knighted for his donations to the Conservatives something wholly honourable I am sure (even though the House of Lords Appointments Committee unanimously recommended his rejection (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-55414981).

And people wonder why Starmer wants to abolish appointments to the Lords? Nothing about 'restoring democracy' in his appointment, (I was pro the Lords until the current shower came in).

 

[Bletchleyite]

(I was pro the Lords until the current shower came in).

For years, gentlemens' agreements and precedent have worked quite nicely for the UK, because whether you liked the current colour of politics or not they all generally behaved themselves in terms of sticking to how things are traditionally done.

This lot has proven why we now really urgently need to formalise our constitution in lots of ways, not just the Lords etc.

 

[317 forever]

Boris will probably hang onto that seat, and with 200 tory MPs likely voted out he would probably win the next leadership contest at a canter

Indeed, I think his announcement of his plans to stay on could be in the hope of becoming Tory leader again in late 2024.

 

[Merle Haggard]

And people wonder why Starmer wants to abolish appointments to the Lords?

Well, I do - it seems hypocrisy. Because of bad experiences in my childhood and youth I have a deep resentment of 'the Establishment', i.e. people who, baselessly, think that they are superior and accordingly boss us plebs about. I would have thought that the Labour Party would be pro-egalitarianism/meritocracy; but Starmer accepted a knighthood and the new Chester Labour MP is a 'Member of the British Empire'.

 

[Thirteen]

Indeed, I think his announcement of his plans to stay on could be in the hope of becoming Tory leader again in late 2024.

Are we really expecting the election that late, I reckon it'll be May or June 2024.

I can't imagine the party will want Boris as LOTO, I suspect it'll someone more moderate like Penny Mordaunt.

 

[Yew]

I would have thought that the Labour Party would be pro-egalitarianism/meritocracy; but Starmer accepted a knighthood and the new Chester Labour MP is a 'Member of the British Empire'.

Typically knighthoods are awarded for meritocratic service though, overall Knighthoods and OBE's are a cheap way of recognising service to the nation. If we were talking about hereditary peerships or landed gentry, I could understand your point.

 

[brad465]

Just when it seems like the Conservatives might be stabilising, someone inconsequential pops their head above the parapet. https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/worl...ishi-sunak-over-party-s-direction/ar-AA159oot


Conservatives may need to remind themselves of why she is no longer in government - a track record of incompetence and disingenuity. And Lord Cruddas, knighted for his donations to the Conservatives something wholly honourable I am sure (even though the House of Lords Appointments Committee unanimously recommended his rejection (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-55414981).

And people wonder why Starmer wants to abolish appointments to the Lords? Nothing about 'restoring democracy' in his appointment, (I was pro the Lords until the current shower came in).

There have also been rumours circulating that Truss' resignation honours list is coming out soon. There seems to have been speculation she wants to appoint 90 people, but I can't find any record of this number, and I suspect not even the Government would want that many to pass.

 

[Typhoon]

For years, gentlemens' agreements and precedent have worked quite nicely for the UK, because whether you liked the current colour of politics or not they all generally behaved themselves in terms of sticking to how things are traditionally done.

This lot has proven why we now really urgently need to formalise our constitution in lots of ways, not just the Lords etc.

It has taken one arrogant, self-centred narcissist to overturn what Cameron, Thatcher, Wilson, and others maintained. It is a shame that no previous Prime Minister felt the need to pass a law that the decisions of the Lords Appointment Committee would be final, Then Johnson would have had to overturn that law. It would have been interesting to see if any Conservatives did not pass into the 'Aye' lobby. I bet there would be some. Some of them, I'm sure, would have the courage to stand up for their beliefs and stand up to Johnson. The rumours of his resignation honours are extremely concerning.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

This week is a bumper week for economic data, which will have an influence on Government approval, particularly if it's a string of negative news:

Monday - GDP data from September (includes State Funeral Bank Holiday and mini budget fallout)

Its October preliminary data.

None of the data will be favourable but that suits Hunt narrative to pushback against unions asking for excessive payrises as it will just make things worse

 

[317 forever]

Are we really expecting the election that late, I reckon it'll be May or June 2024.

I can't imagine the party will want Boris as LOTO, I suspect it'll someone more moderate like Penny Mordaunt.

Someone away from Boris and his closest suppoters, such as Penny Mordaunt, would be a more sensible choice.

Given how poor some later election results were or the Tories under Boris, the membership would be wise to seek someone new. Not that the members are always wise ....

 

[WizCastro197]

Someone away from Boris and his closest suppoters, such as Penny Mordaunt, would be a more sensible choice.

Given how poor some later election results were or the Tories under Boris, the membership would be wise to seek someone new. Not that the members are always wise ....

She is perhaps one of the more centrist tories as well and her supporters in July were perhaps also like her: Less Right-Wing.

 

[brad465]

Its October preliminary data.

None of the data will be favourable but that suits Hunt narrative to pushback against unions asking for excessive payrises as it will just make things worse

Thanks for the correction, for some reason I thought we were still in November for a moment, and was thinking of the 1.5-2 month lag in the ONS providing GDP data.

There will probably be an abundance of distraction tactics used; blaming striking workers will be one, but there maybe other stories as well that either toss blame and/or are dead cats. The longer the strikes go on though across all sectors, the more the Government though will be receiving blame, whether it's because they didn't settle a deal and/or they didn't clamp down on action. Recent opinion polling by YouGov of striking nurses/emergency workers for example had 52-38% in favour of supporting them, with a notable uplift on their previous one.

 

[The Ham]

Thanks for the correction, for some reason I thought we were still in November for a moment, and was thinking of the 1.5-2 month lag in the ONS providing GDP data.

There will probably be an abundance of distraction tactics used; blaming striking workers will be one, but there maybe other stories as well that either toss blame and/or are dead cats. The longer the strikes go on though across all sectors, the more the Government though will be receiving blame, whether it's because they didn't settle a deal and/or they didn't clamp down on action. Recent opinion polling by YouGov of striking nurses/emergency workers for example had 52-38% in favour of supporting them, with a notable uplift on their previous one.

In post as the government keeps saying we should be giving out inflation being pay rises (i.e. 11% or more) yet all the unions are asking for about 8%, so still short of matching inflation.

With many seeing similar rates for their own pay rises, it's not perceived that the unions are being unreasonable.

Whilst the algorithm will have likely imparted who will have seen it; a recent TicTok I saw which was listing the strike days for this month asked if people supported the strikes. The comments were almost all in favour of the strikes.

 

[WizCastro197]

In post as the government keeps saying we should be giving out inflation being pay rises (i.e. 11% or more) yet all the unions are asking for about 8%, so still short of matching inflation.

With many seeing similar rates for their own pay rises, it's not perceived that the unions are being unreasonable.

Whilst the algorithm will have likely imparted who will have seen it; a recent TicTok I saw which was listing the strike days for this month asked if people supported the strikes. The comments were almost all in favour of the strikes.

Although, TikTok seems to capture a majority younger audience who may be more supportive of strikes but this YouGov article seems to say otherwise

New YouGov tracker data finds that public opinion of trade unions is largely split. One in three (35%) think trade unions play a positive role in Britain today, compared to 34% who think they play a negative role. Significantly, the number who think trade unions play a negative role has risen noticeably, up nine points since June. By contrast, the number who think trade unions play a positive role is within the margin of error from the previous survey.

I have no idea what has happened with this like. Apologies in advance.


https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politic...-unions-seen-more-negatively-following-2022s-

 

[yorksrob]

When will they go !!!!

 

[birchesgreen]

We are in a zombie state at the moment, Sunak doesn't seem able to pass wind in the Commons without a backbench rebellion.

 

[Magdalia]

This week is a bumper week for economic data, which will have an influence on Government approval, particularly if it's a string of negative news:


Tuesday - Employment statistics

should be giving out inflation being pay rises (i.e. 11% or more) yet all the unions are asking for about 8%, so still short of matching inflation.

Official statistics published today for pay rises are private sector 6.9% and public sector 2.7%.

 

[Gloster]

According to Wikipedia’s list Sunak is now equal to Truss by length of tenure as PM. So he can call an election tomorrow and not have that hanging over him. (If only!)

 

[najaB]

According to Wikipedia’s list Sunak is now equal to Truss by length of tenure as PM. So he can call an election tomorrow and not have that hanging over him. (If only!)

And that's without a monarch dying as well!