British Politics Guide

[Linguoboy]

Well that is because the people running things in the US right now are obsessed with deporting as many people as possible. They are even trying to reverse naturalizations on the flimsiest of excuses (e.g. I remember reading about how one person was going to be denaturalized because they spelled their name one way in one document and another way in another document, despite the fact that no distinction was made between the two in Nastaliq...).

By "the people running things in the US right now" do you mean "the US political class in general"? Obama didn't get the nickname "Deporter-in-Chief" for nothing. He never deported fewer than 360,000 in a single year of his presidency, the majority of them non-criminals.

[Frislander]

Well the reshuffle's happened, seems were stuck with Cummingites (because Dominic the Dunelmian is clearly asserting himself as the power behind the throne), though it seems Sajid Javid has decided it was better to show himself out the door than be kicked out, resulting in the new chancellor being my local MP until three weeks ago, Rishi Sunak. Of course people are questioning his capacity for the job, but honestly all I can really say about him is that he's almost certainly gonna do nothing but tow the Cummingite line, as it was clear to all of us who were there in 2015 that he only came to Richmond (N Yorks) because it was probably the safest seat they could get him (it of course being William Hague's old haunt).

In other news (or at least, when the news corps bother to cover it) Emily Thornberry has finally been removed from the Labour leadership contest, leaving it a three-horse-race between Keir Starmer, Rebecca Long-Bailey and Lisa Nandy.

[chris_notts]

The irony is that the Saj seems to have been pushed out because Boris and Dominic want to spend like crazy. It seems like the Tories are planning to keep winning by shifting economically towards more left-wing policies, or at least Keynesian policies, to respond to the austerity they implemented while retaining social conservatism and adding xenophobic nationalism. You might almost call it national socialism....

As for the Labour contest, none particularly appeals to me to be honest. Nandy: god no. Long Bailey seems to be lacking even Corbyn levels of likeability. And Starmer comes across as broadly competent but is also a walking stereotype for the "metropolitan elite" that people love to hate nowadays. Still... almost anyone would be a better PM than Boris.

[sangi39]

Well the reshuffle's happened, seems were stuck with Cummingites (because Dominic the Dunelmian is clearly asserting himself as the power behind the throne), though it seems Sajid Javid has decided it was better to show himself out the door than be kicked out, resulting in the new chancellor being my local MP until three weeks ago, Rishi Sunak. Of course people are questioning his capacity for the job, but honestly all I can really say about him is that he's almost certainly gonna do nothing but tow the Cummingite line, as it was clear to all of us who were there in 2015 that he only came to Richmond (N Yorks) because it was probably the safest seat they could get him (it of course being William Hague's old haunt).

I saw this featured fairly heavily in local news (as well as national, of course), and he seems to continue to divide open up here.

On the one hand, he's received no less than 50% of the vote since he stood to be our MP in 2015 (and no less than 60% since the 2016 Referendum), and he's a strong Conservative Party loyalist. For example, he's attended around 90% of votes in the Commons since 2015, and, as far as I can tell, he's never voted against the will of the Tory leadership (I suspect this is one of the reasons for his apparently speedy rise within the Party over the last decade). In a constituency that votes consistently for the Conservative Party in both general and local elections, there's a lot of "finally we'll be represented properly in the South" (there's a fair amount of "he's not a proper Yorkshireman", since he was born in Hampshire, as opposed to Hague, who was born in Rotherham, but the hope seems to be that since he's our representative, he'll be the voice of the North in government).

On the other hand, he's seen by many as ignoring his constituents on certain local issues in favour of the universally representing the Conservative Party will, regardless of local impact. For example, a major issue for the last few years has been the gradual decrease of services at Friarage Hospital, including a decrease in the number of surgeries being performed, and a reduction in accident and emergency hours, both being transferred to James Cook Hospital, alongside staff shortages (there have been increasing concerns from staff at both hospitals that it's becoming increasingly difficult to cope, as the number of people in the area goes up, but NHS services either stagnate or decrease). A related issue has been the lack of increase in NHS services (for both mental and physical health) in line with the growing number of people in local towns and villages. There's been a reduction in public transport services as well, as far as I can remember, and other services (waste removal for one). Affordable homing, as always, especially for younger people, been an issue.

IIRC, Sunak has publicly called for a return of 24/7 A&E services to the Friarage (which was lost while he was MP), and for an increase in affordable homes, and services to provide stability for their future occupants. However, his voting record seems to suggest that he doesn't, in the Commons, agree with increased funding for the NHS, parity of mental and physical health within the service, or for increase of funding to local councils. This has meant that a number of people in the constituency consider him to be a "lip-service" representative, more focused on looking like he's fighting the good fight while actively undermining any efforts to win. This has led to a worry that he'll take that attitude to Number 11.

As Chancellor, it seems reasonable that he'd write a budget that supports the current ideology and targets of the government, but the fear is that he'll blindly forget his constituents and his commitments to them, which some think he's already doing locally anyway.

[Linguoboy]

Greek Demands Elgin Marbles for EU Trade Deal

Oh my great goodness, I cannot tell you how much we are enjoying feasting on this schadenfreude right now.

[chris_notts]

Regardless of who's right on that issue, I wonder if the British government has this easily within its gift. I don't know their exact status in British law, but if they're currently considered property of the museum I imagine an attempt to seize them would be tied up in the courts for years. At best I imagine the government might have to compensate the museum, which would require a value to be assigned to them. Any ideas on what their exact monetary value is?

[Linguoboy]

Regardless of who's right on that issue, I wonder if the British government has this easily within its gift. I don't know their exact status in British law, but if they're currently considered property of the museum I imagine an attempt to seize them would be tied up in the courts for years. At best I imagine the government might have to compensate the museum, which would require a value to be assigned to them. Any ideas on what their exact monetary value is?

I thought they were the property of British government and that the British Museum was essentially holding them on its behalf, but apparently they turned down UNESCO moderation on the basis that UNESCO only negotiates between UN member governments, not with directly with museums. Seems like Greece has decided to force the issue.

Mainly what I love about this is just what a huge fuck-you it is to BoJo, the classist, colonialist Classicist.

[Moose-tache]

Regardless of who's right on that issue, I wonder if the British government has this easily within its gift. I don't know their exact status in British law, but if they're currently considered property of the museum I imagine an attempt to seize them would be tied up in the courts for years. At best I imagine the government might have to compensate the museum, which would require a value to be assigned to them. Any ideas on what their exact monetary value is?

I thought they were the property of British government and that the British Museum was essentially holding them on its behalf, but apparently they turned down UNESCO moderation on the basis that UNESCO only negotiates between UN member governments, not with directly with museums. Seems like Greece has decided to force the issue.

Mainly what I love about this is just what a huge fuck-you it is to BoJo, the classist, colonialist Classicist.

Maybe there's a Kipling poem about buggering Greeks he can mutter under his breath next time he's there?

I think the Elgin Marbles should be returned to Greece for safe-keeping. They aren't safe in a region full of such political turmoil and instability

[Richard W]

I think the Elgin Marbles should be returned to Greece for safe-keeping. They aren't safe in a region full of such political turmoil and instability

The Greeks did a lousy job of looking after the ones that were left behind.

Ah well, time to welcome North Cyprus to the Commonwealth. Boris, of course, is a Turk.

[Linguoboy]

I think the Elgin Marbles should be returned to Greece for safe-keeping. They aren't safe in a region full of such political turmoil and instability

The Greeks did a lousy job of looking after the ones that were left behind.

And the British bolloxed the job of "restoring" the ones they took. Sometimes I think it's a miracle anything worthwhile from Antiquity survived the 19th and 20th centuries.

[MacAnDàil]

Meanwhile, Ethiopia wants African artefacts back that were taken by the British army, and the British museum only wants to loan them: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/h ... YlL97DZ-Dc

And new immigration rules have been unveiled, defining nurses for example as 'low-skilled': https://www.indy100.com/article/priti-p ... ce-9346806

[Richard W]

And new immigration rules have been unveiled, defining nurses for example as 'low-skilled': https://www.indy100.com/article/priti-p ... ce-9346806

It seems that a lot of people in medical jobs start out lacking the basic negotiating skill of walking away from bad pay. They're effectively paying to help people.

[Moose-tache]

So for those who missed it, yet another Brexit wrinkle that "no one thought of:" Since farm workers will almost certainly fail Priti's points threshold, seasonal farm labour will be in short supply, which will increase dependency on EU imports!

Is there a fatal exposure limit for irony? I need to know urgently.

[Richard W]

So for those who missed it, yet another Brexit wrinkle that "no one thought of:" Since farm workers will almost certainly fail Priti's points threshold, seasonal farm labour will be in short supply, which will increase dependency on EU imports!

There's special provision for seasonal farm labour. Indeed, we've already been experimenting with seasonal Ukrainian, Moldovan and Russian labour - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-48820573 .

[Moose-tache]

So for those who missed it, yet another Brexit wrinkle that "no one thought of:" Since farm workers will almost certainly fail Priti's points threshold, seasonal farm labour will be in short supply, which will increase dependency on EU imports!

There's special provision for seasonal farm labour. Indeed, we've already been experimenting with seasonal Ukrainian, Moldovan and Russian labour - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-48820573 .

Oh, good. I guess the things I was reading were misinformed. I'm glad the split from the EU will avoid actually curtailing the number of European immigrants in Britain. ;p

[Richard W]

I'm glad the split from the EU will avoid actually curtailing the number of European immigrants in Britain. ;p

It might. There's provision for 10,000 seasonal farm workers, but as I understand it they'll have to leave each year, so they won't actually be immigrants.

[Moose-tache]

I'm glad the split from the EU will avoid actually curtailing the number of European immigrants in Britain. ;p

It might. There's provision for 10,000 seasonal farm workers, but as I understand it they'll have to leave each year, so they won't actually be immigrants.

Even better! the only people Brexiteers love more than immigrants is migrants!

[chris_notts]

I'm glad the split from the EU will avoid actually curtailing the number of European immigrants in Britain. ;p

It might. There's provision for 10,000 seasonal farm workers, but as I understand it they'll have to leave each year, so they won't actually be immigrants.

Even better! the only people Brexiteers love more than immigrants is migrants!

And honestly, won't the paperwork put these seasonal migrants off anyway? If they come from the EU, they've got the choice of just going to Germany, or filling in forms and waiting to come to the UK. And if they come from places which are even further away and even poorer, then I suspect quite a few might "vanish" before the six months are up. They'll also almost certainly bd illegally exploited by farmers, since that already happens.

[Owain]

With the world on fire, the Labour leadership election finally finished yesterday, according to highly unreliable rumours.
Today the Scottish deputy leadership election result was announced, with Jackie "Bomber" Ballie defeating Matt Kerr 58-42 in what is seen as a victory for the right over the left. The UK results will be announced at 10:45 tomorrow.

[chris_notts]

With the world on fire, the Labour leadership election finally finished yesterday, according to highly unreliable rumours.
Today the Scottish deputy leadership election result was announced, with Jackie "Bomber" Ballie defeating Matt Kerr 58-42 in what is seen as a victory for the right over the left. The UK results will be announced at 10:45 tomorrow.

Seems like Kier Starmer won. I have to admit I can't summon much enthusiasm. Let's see where Labour goes from here.