Westminster Politics

711 said:
Labour's long-time policy, not just Corbyn's, has been to actually re-nationalise, and it has generally been one of their more popular policies.
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brown/miliband's policy was different, based on a quick google:

Supporters of the phased renationalisation policy were furious at reports that the leadership had decided on a less ambitious option, under which the state would be able to bid against private operators, rather than private operators being locked out of the process.
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However, over the weekend 50 local Labour parties, two regions and the rail unions were reported to be campaigning for a different policy. They want the state to take over all rail franchises when they expire.
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berbatrick said:
brown/miliband's policy was different, based on a quick google:
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My memory is that policy then was to take in franchises as they expired, but memory eh? I suppose one would have to trawl through the manifestos to be sure, but I'm fecked if I'm doing that :) To be fair to Corbyn he was unequivocal about renationalisation, whereas Blair, actually in power, could have done more but didn't.

However I wasn't trying to wind Corbynites up, my point was to object to the current proposal being described as renationalisation, as the press first described it, when in fact it will result in more of the railway being run by private operators than currently, post the collapse of Railtrack and some large operating companies.. Just like the franchisees they will be interested in short term profits only, and those profits will come from the fare payer and the tax payer, as now.
 
711 said:
My memory is that policy then was to take in franchises as they expired, but memory eh? I suppose one would have to trawl through the manifestos to be sure, but I'm fecked if I'm doing that :) To be fair to Corbyn he was unequivocal about renationalisation, whereas Blair, actually in power, could have done more but didn't.

However I wasn't trying to wind Corbynites up, my point was to object to the current proposal being described as renationalisation, as the press first described it, when in fact it will result in more of the railway being run by private operators than currently, post the collapse of Railtrack and some large operating companies.. Just like the franchisees they will be interested in short term profits only, and those profits will come from the fare payer and the tax payer, as now.
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Labour is to raise the prospect of further parts of the rail network being taken back into public ownership when it announces plans to subject franchises to a competitive bid between the state and private sector as they come up for renewal.

But Ed Miliband will anger rail unions and some Labour MPs in the announcement next week by ruling out proposals that all expired franchises under a Labour government be returned automatically to the public sector – which would amount to a form of staggered renationalisation.
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https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/jul/03/rail-network-franchises-labour-plan
 
It was common knowledge was it not? It was so obvious her immunity was the strategy. We even had some here defending it.
 
Adisa said:
It was common knowledge was it not? It was so obvious her immunity was the strategy. We even had some here defending it.
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Adisa said:
It was common knowledge was it not? It was so obvious her immunity was the strategy. We even had some here defending it.
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On here - im sure there were, but at the start of a pandemic where noone knows what’s happening, there would have been plenty of comments and views that people would change now.

In terms of the govt handling - I’m sure there will have been lots of mistakes, as there were and will be in almost every country.

not excusing it - and am sure that more detail will come out in time.

but when Cummings is the ‘whistle blower’ - it’s pretty difficult to believe a word he says.
 
sullydnl said:
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The problem is that in terms of popularity, bumbling Boris wins hands down. And both are known for being compulsive liars.
The only way Cummings is going to hurt the PM is with something that can really turn public opinion.
And much as I hope this is the case, I am certainly not holding my breath.
 
The allegations are so sensational that Joe Public would find them difficult to believe. We are governed by a bunch of raving lunatics.
 
And it's shite like this that means we'll never have a series like The Thick of It again. We're too far gone.

The worst thing of all? We're completely stuck with this rabble, and I'm not convinced there is enough on the other side to do much better.
 
sun_tzu said:
Well so far cummings has said hankock should have been sacked 15 to 20 times and that he is a liar... has said the PM suggested Covid was a scare story and he would get injected with the virus on live TV to prove it wasnt serious

PMQ's should be like shooting fish in a barrel today ...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-politics-57245479
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Kier Starmer will refrain from attacking the PM while we he is still doing his best to deal with these unprecedented circumstances
 
Cummings: "We are absolutely fecked, thousands of people are going to die"

Westminster voting intention:
CON: 55 (+15)
 
Buster15 said:
The problem is that in terms of popularity, bumbling Boris wins hands down. And both are known for being compulsive liars.
The only way Cummings is going to hurt the PM is with something that can really turn public opinion.
And much as I hope this is the case, I am certainly not holding my breath.
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Its all 'knock about' stuff...wait till the custard pies are brought out and the "he's behind you" chants start!
 
Something is seriously wrong if there are no serious discussions at the beeb about Kuenssberg. Cummings just admitted to using their journalist as a de facto press office.

Kuenssberg has stopped tweeting.
 
The state of the flags behind this lancashire MP :lol:

Also, why is there so much annoying background noise?
 
rpitchfo said:
This is crazy, properly crazy. Unprecedented stuff.
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Is it though? I mean it should be but he's only confirming what anyone with a functioning brain has known all along.

The governemnt is inept - check. Kuennsberg is a government mouthpiece - check. Hancock and Johnson are liars - check.
 
rotherham_red said:
Kuenssberg hasn't tweeted since Cummings dropped her in it :lol:
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I don't quite get how she was dropped in it? He said he was regularly speaking to Kuenssberg and, given her role, getting him to regularly speak to her is her doing her job well.

The issue is if she doesn't then handle or present that information appropriately. Which she may not have done, but revealing that Cummings was one of her sources doesn't in itself reflect badly on her.
 
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