I have picked upon England since I am not as aware of what is going on in the other countries of the Union with regard to the state of the nation.
I've been sitting in my home in France, with tempests outside, watching the Channel 4 News. It was so depressing.
90,000 families living in sub-standard temporary accommodation.
Racism
Water companies deliberately releasing sewage into rivers and sea, despite all the rules and regs and heavy fines.
Cuts to overseas aid - by one of the richest nations.
30,000 children in care moved last year away from their local area, schools, support networks etc, often without prior warning (not on Channel 4)
Cuts in the arts lessons in schools.
Football
We came to France, bought a plot of land and built a house. I guess we were lucky to do so. It was an adventure, something to stop us getting bogged down in our retirement. At the time we didn't intend to stay here but now I'm not so sure. The England that I loved has disappeared.
In the early fifties we moved to Dorset. Parents under 30 with 3 children. We got a council house, possibly because of my Father's job - I don't know. In those days we had one bath a week and didn't have individual towels. The loo was in the bathroom. in the early sixties we moved to a brand new house, with, joy o joy, a second separate loo. Today my house has 3 bedrooms and 3 bath/shower rooms. And at the same time there are tens of thousands of families living in sub standard housing. WHY?
The govt is picking on subjects like Voter ID. statues and BLM because they know that it will stir up a large proportion of the population. But they're not as important as other things that are happening, like the slow but sure privatisation of the NHS. How many of you have only been able to access your GP (if you have one, as we did in times gone by, who knew oneself) by video calls or Zoom or whatever?
The water companies are privately owned so they don't give a toss. Southern Water has been fined £90 million - so much but yet not enough to prevent them from continuing to release sewage into the sea. Channel had a map showing where there were releases along the south coast today. At least a dozen. it's lucky it's raining and there are heavy seas so people won't be swimming there any time soon.
The behaviour of football fans towards supporters of the opposition. Forcing their way into the stands reserved for the Danes and being abusive. Pulling a Danish mother's hair and calling her a whore and spitting at people.
I care about these things and yet I don't live in the UK at the moment. Why aren't you all caring about the wrongs? And, if you do, why aren't you doing something about it?
You can tell me that it's always been like this but I've been on this earth for 74 years and it's about times things changed.
?
Actually, I never know what these emojis mean
Very sad to read all of This. The UK has been way ahead in the covid19 vaccine roll-out. Fact. With France being way behind. Fact. Unfortunately, Football always has had it's issues. Fact. In lockdown I have had nothing but the best of care from our own surgery + local hospital with diabeties, which is now under control, anxiety + been supported plus my husband needed a pacemaker last March then a 2nd heart oblation in December. Re. The Paris riots - a few years ago - know of a friend of a friend's son who died. Her only child. You obviously live in the countryside I would imagine. My water board Board, Severn Trent have been marvellous + we have now saved hundreds having a water meter + they sent me some freebies only the other week. How's about that then !! But now France has the Beta covid variant + tourism will go down - as from today anyone coming back into the UK has to self-isolate once again. Our NHS is for Free. Know my sister in law over in the South of France has to pay. People here in the UK have considered others more than ever during the lockdowns. Plus we all have to live to our means on what we can afford, in which ever country we live.
The beta variant is as yet quite minor in mainland France - it is in Reunion that it is rife being almost 100% of the cases.
Don't worry- Johnson has now appointed a great Independent Sleaze guy to make sure all is above board!
Boris Johnson’s government is under fire after one of the prime minister’s university school friends – a former Bullingdon Club member – was handed a role on Whitehall’s sleaze watchdog.
Ewen Fergusson, a member of Oxford’s infamous dining club at the same time as the prime minister, has been named as one of two new members for the committee on standards in public life.
Sir Alistair Graham, former chair of the independent committee, claimed the appointment was “pathetic” – given the friendship between Mr Johnson and Mr Fergusson.
“It really is desperate if you have to be a university mate of Boris Johnson to qualify to sit on the committee that is supposed to examine sleaze,” Sir Alistair said.
Do you feel all warm and fuzzy about this appointment too? And safe, so safe.
Bit goady there.
why aren't you doing something about it? Kali2?
Refugees go through other countries to get here, we have problems but not as much as other countries, but I wouldn’t worry too much about us living here, I wouldn’t go anywhere else if you paid me. Those that find it not to their liking have obviously moved to France or Spain or where there are no problems at all, good luck to them all.
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I think everyone in Little Britain feels warm and fuzzy today.
It's the weather.
I don’t know about him making me feel safe, but he is rather cute. ?
Oh that's OK then, pheeeeew.
What's the plan then?
What are those who care going to do about it?
Because I care I will look up the other committe members.
If I don't like the look or sound of them I could post about it on GN.
Sounds like a plan.
Rightio then
Right, the first thing to do is find out more.
What you are saying, Kali2, is that Ewen Fergusson, age 55, has no standards and no ethics simply because, when he was a teenager at university, he belonged to a rather unruly dining club.
Is there other evidence that he has led an unethical life since then such to prevent him from taking up this unpaid post?
Perhaps we should know if so.
Lord Jonathan Evans of Weardale (Chair)
The Rt Hon Dame Margaret Beckett DBE MP
Dame Shirley Pearce
Dr Jane Martin CBE
[Vacancy] - now filled
Monisha Shah
The Rt Hon Lord Andrew Stunell OBE
The Rt Hon Jeremy Wright QC MP
It's too late tonight to start any research and I have a busy few days ahead, but this is a start.
Joystutty Our NHS is for Free. Know my sister in law over in the South of France has to pay.
I don’t understand this. I pay the doctor when I see them BUT it is reimbursed fully except for 2 euros, so if that is the price to see a doctor within a week face to face even through the pandemic so be it. Moreover, I never pay for any medicine within the French health guidelines. Other medicine I pay a percentage but the again is refunded onto my bank account. Maybe you SIL is not in the French system, she should make an appointment at the social security office near where she lives.
Right, done some sleuthing and also:
A Cabinet Office spokesman said: "Mr Fergusson applied through open and fair competition, following the Governance Code for Public Appointments.
"^His application was carefully considered on its merits by the Advisory Assessment Panel, which interviewed him and found that he was appointable."^
Kali2 if you wish to follow my leads, you could start by finding out who is on the Advisory Assessment Panel which said that Mr Fergusson was appointable.
As I said, I have a busy few days ahead but it's a start.
So to be clear, this is another member of the Bullingdon Club, you know, those fellas burning fifty quid notes up in front of homeless people
OK, huge sigh...
So - do you have proof that Ewen Fergusson himself did that, Ellee?
His membership would have been 35 years ago.
Prejudice in any form is an unpleasant trait.
That would fit the timeline, of course
That was that place in time
In 2017?
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