Death spiral of the Tory Party

The Tories’ problems go deeper than just one man
Boris Johnson is a symptom of Conservative political malaise, not its cause

www.economist.com/leaders/2022/02/19/the-tories-problems-go-deeper-than-just-one-man

I thought I would wake this thread up again as I imagine much information will start coming through tonight about what Johnson isn't going to do.

Thanks Maizie

I'm sitting typing this with the sun shining and the birds singing - things that normally make be feel happy. Having just read the blog I'm now feeling very sad.

Sometimes when I read these threads I think that a few GNers have changed their minds about Brexit and/or the govt but then someone or other pops up to disprove me.

varian

Thanks Maizie - interesting blog. but I wonder whether it ever gets read by those who really need to read it?

They would just dismiss it a fake news or project fear, you can’t cure ———.

That is a very interesting read,thank you for the link. There are a good few people on GN who should read it but won't. I have come to a conclusion over the past few days; my loathing for Johnson and his crew of corrupt cruel liars has been superseded by my loathing of the public who excuse him,vote for him and even worse, just cannot understand what it means for all of us as they happily tick the box to make everyone's life worse.

First thing I turn to on a Friday morning, varian.

Being an academic he is very good at linking to his sources. Which makes the blog quite invaluable as he backs up his conclusions with evidence. In fact, in this latest one he does sort of apologise for bits being more speculative than usual.

Thanks Maizie - interesting blog. but I wonder whether it ever gets read by those who really need to read it?

Whitewavemark2

Grim

Chris Grey's excellent blog

Should be required reading as week after week, among other things, he points out the futility and damage of Brexit

Post-Brexit Britain is going rotten

chrisgreybrexitblog.blogspot.com/2022/

Simon Woolley, Baron Woolley of Woodford, speaking on the Today programme this morning, told how he was the founder and director of Operation Black Vote, then went on to become Head of the No 10 Race Disparity Unit, under Theresa May, but left the job in 2020 as it was made clear to him that Boris Johnson wanted people who were "demonstrably his"

As you point out Whitewave those appointed by Johnson, whether as ministers or to quangos, are "demonstrably his" and so the rot extends to such an extent that we need a change of government before we can even make a start on restoring decency to our public life.

Grim

In Carole Cadwalladr 's Ted talk she illustrates the situation in South Wales where people would stand in front of a great EU funded community centre and say "what has the EU ever done for us?"

www.ted.com/talks/carole_cadwalladr_facebook_s_role_in_brexit_and_the_threat_to_democracy?language=en

Cornwall used to get a huge amount yearly from the EU that went towards all sorts of infrastructure products etc.

Gone. Nothing from this government.

They were promised levelling up but brexit has meant funding has been slashed compared with the EU funding that has been lost

www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/20066896.north-east-funding-slashed-millions-brexit-catastrophic/

MaggsMcG

I don't think its the Party just this Government. Both parties have had times when no one liked them or their leaders. Its time for a change even without Brexit or Covid-19. I don't think it will be much different, it's always the very poor or the very rich that benefit whilst the rest of us have to pay.

I'm sorry if this has already been said but I am catching up and am still several pages behind.

I don't agree with you MaggsMcG. Any party can move to its extreme both in politics and character. The problem is that the two large parties are coalitions, often voted for by people who are quick to decry coalitions. The only answer is PR and the people deciding what chosen group we should allow to govern us.

Waders are needed as this government is up to the knees in s**t. The Secret Barrister is a frightening read and makes a mockery of all those wild statements on here yesterday about the Tory party being the party to protect women, makes the streets safer etc., remember the one? Where those of us who were not planning on voting Tory were accused of being complacent about crime? Anyway, where I live there is a purpose built, state of the art, brand new ( built about 10 years ago) court house, all singing, all dancing. Closed down within about 2 years of it opening, apart from family court hearings. How can this be justified?

Blimey. It’s a bit symbolic isn’t it. Why the apple. Einstein? Eve? Wellington boots. Or are they fishing waders??

More about the photo here:

www.wsc.ac.uk/about-the-college/news/4819-college-lecturer-photographs-liz-truss-for-209-women-initiative

Whitewavemark2

Anyon have a clue what this latest photo is all about.??

They get dafter by the day.

If OakDryad is correct, it’s not a latest photo, but in fact four years old and part of a collection of photos commemorating 209 female MPs.

I think the photo is from the 2018 exhibition 209 Women which marked ​100 years since some women, only some women, achieved the right to vote. It was also to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the year the first woman was elected to the Commons. There were 209 new portraits of female MPs shot exclusively by female photographers.

I googled "Liz Truss photos".

My advice is, do not do that...

Anyon have a clue what this latest photo is all about.??

They get dafter by the day.

This government promised to control immigration, be tougher on crime and spend big on infrastructure

Be 'tougher on crime'

Well, if you're counting on this government to do this, LauraNorder, you may be satisfied by any draconian laws they might pass and think that's job done.

Unfortunately for you and others like you, it doesn't stop there, cases have to come to court for trial and judgement and because of years of tory cutbacks to the courts there are massive delays in cases coming to trial. Which may mean that the alleged criminals could be 'at large' for years before their case is actually heard. What is more, cases could be delayed not only because tory court closures have meant there are fewer of them, but there is also a growing shortage of legal personnel to conduct trials.

The Secret Barrister explains some of it:

Decades of political lies about legal aid – how much it costs and why we need it – have succeeded in convincing the public that legal aid is something that only affects undeserving criminals, and is therefore something that noble politicians should cut back, if not remove entirely.

But while the government would like the public to believe that it doesn’t matter – that this is a grubby dispute over money between posh fat cat lawyers and honest ministers doing their best – it does matter. The reality is that our justice system only hangs together because we have a cadre of independent, self-employed criminal barristers to prosecute and defend (that’s right – most of us do both) serious criminal allegations, no matter how unpleasant or harrowing the alleged facts. If you are wrongly accused of a crime, you will need us. If you are the victim of a crime, you will want that properly prosecuted. Currently that is not happening. Justice is being denied to thousands of people every single year.

Part of this is because the government, having slashed every part of criminal justice to the bone – police cut by 21,000, the Crown Prosecution Service budget hacked by a third, hundreds of courts across the country closed down and sold off – has run up a record backlog of 60,000 cases in the Crown Courts, meaning victims of serious offences are waiting on average two years – and in cases such as rape, sometimes up to five years, for criminal allegations to get to trial. During this time, victims and witnesses are forced to put their lives on hold, while those accused – many of whom will be not guilty – have proceedings hanging over them for close to half a decade. The government likes, falsely, to blame the backlog on COVID, but while it is true that the pandemic exacerbated delays, the backlog was soaring long before February 2020.

The whole blog is worth reading:

thesecretbarrister.com/2022/04/11/why-are-criminal-barristers-taking-part-in-an-unnecessary-and-irresponsible-strike/

The rule of law in the UK seems to be disintegrating fast, rotting right from the top as we well know...

If only calli.

Lucca

Agree. A childish comment. “Left wing luvvies”. Pathetic.

I think you’d find a lot are centrists in fact.

I agree.

I did wonder which was the best way to achieve a safer Britain and suggested that what we need is a coalition of moral and decent MPs.
But it's not going to happen.

I think you’re correct Lucca. NB I didn’t say I think you’re right, might be misconstrued.
I do think most of Us want similar things, to live in peace, to walk our streets safely, to do away with poverty, to help others where we can.
We probably don’t always express ourselves in a neutral way as we all have different political leanings and different ideas as to how good things can be achieved.
Calling each other fascists, luvvies or extremists doesn’t help the argument either way. None of us are those things.