Monthly Archives: October 2017

‘Growing witch hunt mentality’ complaint by Tory MP who looks increasingly like a hunted witch

Michael Fabricant.

Is “witch hunt” being used as a “safe phrase” by Conservatives when discussing the sexual harassment scandal currently engulfing the minority Tory government?

Michael Fabricant spoke out about the situation earlier, but does this sound convincing to you?

Many commenters think not:

https://twitter.com/IanPounder1/status/925285240213557248

Is Mr Fabricant listed on the sexual harassment spreadsheet that is currently causing such a stir in Westminster? This Writer really couldn’t say, but – as the document is now available on the social media – I don’t have to. Anybody with an interest can look it up for themselves.

But his outburst does clarify this:

Drawing attention to claims that a witch hunt is happening can make a person look like a hunted witch.


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Another U-turn as Tories go back on threat to re-impose direct rule on Northern Ireland

The power-sharing agreement at Stormont collapsed in January [Image: Getty].


This is yet another story of the Conservative minority government being caught between a rock and a hard place.

They are desperate for their deal with the DUP to remain viable but, for this to happen, the power-sharing agreement in Stormont must be restored.

It hasn’t.

So, rather than let the deal fall – putting their minority government in Westminster in danger – James Brokenshire has admitted that his party (and government) is weak and his bluff has been called, and he has extended the deadline.

Pathetic.

James Brokenshire, the Northern Ireland Secretary, has once again extended the deadline for the Democratic Unionist Party and Sinn Féin to reach a deal to restore power-sharing.

Mr Brokenshire had previously threatened to impose a partial form of direct rule for Northern Ireland by legislating for a budget for the region if the parties failed to come to agreement.

But on Monday evening the DUP and Sinn Féin left Stormont without agreeing a deal and the Northern Ireland Secretary said he was going to defer his decision on a budget.

Source: Northern Ireland power sharing deadline extended in the hope DUP and Sinn Fein can make a deal


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Bank of England believes Brexit could cost 75,000 finance jobs. Tories talk rot about it

[Image: AFP.]

Wasn’t it fun watching little Matty Hancock doing his best to dissemble on this subject on the BBC’s Daily Politics?

Those of us on Twitter seemed to think so:

Only every time we see him.

The Bank of England believes that up to 75,000 jobs could be lost in financial services following Britain’s departure from the European Union.

The BBC understands senior figures at the Bank are using the number as a “reasonable scenario”, particularly if there is no specific UK-EU financial services deal.

The number could change depending on the UK’s post-Brexit trading deal.

But the bank still expects substantial job losses.

Source: Bank of England believes Brexit could cost 75,000 finance jobs – BBC News


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People still don’t understand Tories are proud to have cut off access to justice for the poor


The point of the legal aid cuts was never really to save money, because it didn’t save all that much. It was to allow the rich to get away with corrupt practices without being stopped by the law – and to push benefit claimants to an early death.

Legal aid cuts have triggered a staggering 99.5 per cent collapse in the number of people receiving state help in benefits cases, the Government has admitted.

Just 440 claimants were given assistance in the last financial year – down from 83,000 in 2012–13, before almost £1bn was swiped from the legal aid budget.

Many of the claimants will have been denied help to pursue cases where they were refused Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).

The revelation, buried in a Ministry of Justice document, is certain to increase pressure on Theresa May to rethink the controversial cuts, introduced by David Cameron.

Ministers have announced a review, but did so without revealing their own analysis of the full extent of the impact of the legal aid restrictions.

Source: Legal aid cuts trigger 99.5% collapse in numbers receiving state help in benefits cases


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NHS trusts accused of backdoor privatisation over subsidiary firms | The Guardian

Under the plans, new staff employed by the subsidiary firms may not be employed on NHS terms and conditions, and may no longer be guaranteed NHS pensions [Image: Amer Ghazzal / Barcroft Images].

Health trusts have been accused of taking a first step towards privatisation by transferring the employment of support staff to new subsidiary companies.

At least three NHS foundation trusts in Yorkshire, the West Country and northern England have set up firms with the intention of taking thousands of workers off the NHS’s books.

It means that a staff member whose employment is transferred to the new companies will no longer be an NHS employee, even if they have been guaranteed their current working conditions.

New staff employed by the subsidiary companies may not be employed on NHS terms and conditions, and may no longer be guaranteed NHS pensions.

The plans have angered Labour and the unions, who say they open the door to driving down wages, pensions and conditions of thousands of NHS staff, which will inevitably drive service standards down.

Source: NHS trusts accused of backdoor privatisation over subsidiary firms | Society | The Guardian


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Repost – Pestminster: Fallon’s confession means nothing – he isn’t even on the Tory sex spreadsheet

UPDATE 15:44 OCTOBER 31: Owen Jones has just clarified that it is the Sun story about Michael Fallon that is not on the sex spreadsheet. That document is now available publicly, if you know where to look, so you can find out for yourself whether Mr Fallon is included for other reasons.

Michael Fallon: If he’s looking worried, think how the other Tory MPs on the ‘Pestminster’ sex spreadsheet feel – not to mention the prime minister who had weekly briefings on their activities and did nothing to stop them.

It seems This Writer was mistaken in speculating that Michael Fallon was a particular person mentioned on the spreadsheet of 36 Tory MPs and their sexual indiscretions – Owen Jones, Aaron Bastani and Ash Sarkar (among others) have seen the unredacted list and he isn’t on it.

Some of us live a long way from the Westminster bubble and aren’t afforded these privileges.

This information has led to speculation on the reason for Mr Fallon’s confession – on a very narrow spectrum, as it seems obvious:

Mr Fallon’s confession was a distraction from the far more serious crimes committed by other people who are named on the spreadsheet.

“Deeply disturbing.”

“Gross misconduct in public office.”

“Pervasive abuse of power at the highest level of govt.”

“Deluge of terrible acts.”

“Ranges from unprofessional to criminal.”

“Culture of callousness, unaccountability and the blurring of political and personal power – with devastating effects.”

“The culture of grooming, exploitation, hypocrisy and intimidation – backed up by political and economic capital – is the real story here.”

“If Prime Minister was in receipt of even a tiny fraction of information in that document, she has to resign.”

“May can’t maintain basic decency.”

We know Theresa May received all the information in that document.

Therefore, it seems clear, she must resign.

But there is nobody in the Conservative Party to replace her.

With nobody named – they must all come under suspicion.

One more pleasant footnote is the fact that The Sun has blundered badly by publishing Michael Fallon’s confession.

People everywhere have dismissed it as collusion with the minority Conservative government to distract attention away from the real monsters:

And remember:

At least now we can suggest a reason for Mrs May’s silence after Michael Gove made his appalling rape joke (if it can be called that) on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.


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Pestminster: Fallon’s confession means nothing – he isn’t even on the Tory sex spreadsheet

UPDATE 15:44 OCTOBER 31: Owen Jones has just clarified that it is the Sun story about Michael Fallon that is not on the sex spreadsheet. That document is now available publicly, if you know where to look, so you can find out for yourself whether Mr Fallon is included for other reasons.

Michael Fallon: If he’s looking worried, think how the other Tory MPs on the ‘Pestminster’ sex spreadsheet feel – not to mention the prime minister who had weekly briefings on their activities and did nothing to stop them.

It seems This Writer was mistaken in speculating that Michael Fallon was a particular person mentioned on the spreadsheet of 36 Tory MPs and their sexual indiscretions – Owen Jones, Aaron Bastani and Ash Sarkar (among others) have seen the unredacted list and he isn’t on it.

Some of us live a long way from the Westminster bubble and aren’t afforded these privileges.

This information has led to speculation on the reason for Mr Fallon’s confession – on a very narrow spectrum, as it seems obvious:

Mr Fallon’s confession was a distraction from the far more serious crimes committed by other people who are named on the spreadsheet.

“Deeply disturbing.”

“Gross misconduct in public office.”

“Pervasive abuse of power at the highest level of govt.”

“Deluge of terrible acts.”

“Ranges from unprofessional to criminal.”

“Culture of callousness, unaccountability and the blurring of political and personal power – with devastating effects.”

“The culture of grooming, exploitation, hypocrisy and intimidation – backed up by political and economic capital – is the real story here.”

“If Prime Minister was in receipt of even a tiny fraction of information in that document, she has to resign.”

“May can’t maintain basic decency.”

We know Theresa May received all the information in that document.

Therefore, it seems clear, she must resign.

But there is nobody in the Conservative Party to replace her.

With nobody named – they must all come under suspicion.

One more pleasant footnote is the fact that The Sun has blundered badly by publishing Michael Fallon’s confession.

People everywhere have dismissed it as collusion with the minority Conservative government to distract attention away from the real monsters:

And remember:

At least now we can suggest a reason for Mrs May’s silence after Michael Gove made his appalling rape joke (if it can be called that) on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.


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Tory MPs ‘resisted’ attempt by David Cameron to safeguard staff against sexual harassment | The Independent

David Cameron: He went on to face accusations that he once had sexual relations with a dead pig’s head.

David Cameron was reportedly blocked by Conservative MPs in his attempt to get them to voluntarily sign up to a code of conduct which could have given parliamentary staff extra protection from sexual harassment.

The former Prime Minister had attempted to get all parties and Commons Speaker John Bercow to back a move to give researchers and staff a right to seek arbitration, but met resistance from senior backbenchers.

Mr Cameron then in 2014 attempted to get Tory MPs to sign up to the code of conduct voluntarily but faced resistance from the influential 1922 committee of backbenchers, according to the London Evening Standard.

Source: Tory MPs ‘resisted’ attempt by David Cameron to make them sign code of conduct safeguarding staff against sexual harassment


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Theresa May faces threat of snap election if she is defeated by Parliament on Brexit deal | London Evening Standard

Theresa May (left); Brexit Secretary David Davis (right).

Theresa May was threatened with a snap general election today if she is defeated by Parliament on her Brexit deal.

Tory right wingers raised the “nuclear threat” of a forced election in what was seen as an attempt to see off calls to empower the Commons to amend the deal or call for fresh negotiations.

Iain Duncan Smith, the former Conservative leader and leading Brexit-backer, said it would be on “a confidence issue” and defeat would make the Government “head towards” a general election.

John Whittingdale, the former Culture Secretary, claimed the vote itself would be “a vote of confidence in government” that would trigger an election if defeated.

But MPs backing a softer pro-business Brexit said Mrs May must keep Parliament involved.

Nicky Morgan, the chair of the Treasury Select Committee, said: “Ministers have promised Parliament a meaningful vote. They need to keep Parliament informed and involved to avoid problems at the end.”

Source: Theresa May faces threat of snap election if she is defeated by Parliament on Brexit deal | London Evening Standard


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What the blazes is going on with the Tory-DUP £1 billion deal?

All smiles, back in the summer – but how long will the pleasantness last? Theresa May (left) with Arlene Foster, the leader of the DUP [Image: Carl Court/Getty Images].

On the one hand, this:

A crowdfunded bid at the high court in London to challenge the government’s controversial parliamentary deal with the Democratic Unionist party has failed.

Two judges rejected an application made on Thursday by Ciaran McClean, an unsuccessful Westminster candidate for the Green party in Northern Ireland in the general election, to bring a judicial review of the legality of the £1bn deal.

The claim alleged the deal breached the landmark 1998 Good Friday agreement and the Bribery Act.

McClean, who raised tens of thousands of pounds for the legal action via crowdfunding, accused the government of “buying DUP votes” to hold on to power.

He was in court to hear Lord Justice Sales, sitting with Mr Justice Lewis, rule against him. Sales said neither of the two grounds relied on by McClean in his application was “properly arguable in a court of law”. He said: “Permission to apply for judicial review should be refused.”

On the other, this:

London will hold back the £1bn promised by Theresa May to the Democratic Unionist party as it moves to impose a budget on Northern Ireland, with hopes fading for a deal to restore the region’s government.

After months of fruitless talks at Stormont, near Belfast, a deepening schism over the Irish language has dimmed the prospect of a breakthrough in talks between the DUP and Sinn Féin.

“It’s going down the tubes as far as I can see,” said one official observer of the negotiation. “There isn’t really a deal on the table.”

The “confidence and supply” deal agreed between the DUP and Mrs May’s Conservatives remains intact in Westminster. However, the £1bn of funding will only be released only if a power-sharing executive is restored or London imposes full-blown direct rule.

If a legal matter cannot be examined in a court of law, then where can it take place?

And if no deal can be hammered out to restore devolved government in Northern Ireland, how will the DUP feel about losing the £1 billion for which they sold their souls to the Tories?


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