New World Order - Politics 2021

[Pootle]

She didn't get there by corrupt means, Morgs, that's never been an accusation. There are allegations about the actions of the government, including in the original Salmond trial, which is what the Fabiani Inquiry is about. The redacted parts don't name people but it is supposedly possible to identify the accusers through them (say the Crown Office). Others (including a judge) deny this and say they should be published. The redacted parts also include some of the main allegations made by Salmond which he can't then testify about. There is a fair bit of unease about the blurring of separation of powers because the Lord Advocate who is head of the Crown Office (equivalent of CPS) is also chief legal adviser to the government which is very difficult when it's the government under investigation. That's not down to the SNP government, it's how the parliament was set up but it requires looking at. There is a second inquiry going on, the Hamilton Inquiry, which is looking at whether Nicola Sturgeon broke the ministerial code.i think Salmond gives his testimony there this week and is able to use more of his 'evidence'.
I loathe Alex Salmond, always have done, but I've also never been a fan of Sturgeon or the SNP and don't think an intense dislike of him makes their actions or government any better and it's hugely reductive to say this is all around jealousy on his part. A lot of their actions require looking at as do his accusations as they are serious. They may not be true but if he claims to have evidence it should be looked at properly and the government have withheld a lot of information from the inquiry, even when ordered to hand it over and (Salmond claims) even when under a search warrant.
That is massively too long, sorry, but there's a much better and briefer article about it in the Observer today https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfr ... e-of-union

[Pootle]

Sturgeon’s pretty awful too. She’s utterly thrown women under the bus for the trans cause.

I also fully agree with this and think it goes back further. I also think the party were also perfectly happy to cover up and accept Salmond's treatment of women for years (that's not just Sturgeon though).

[Morganna]

Thanks Pootle. That's helpful. I'm still muddled about a lot of it, but that's partly because so much of the reporting refers to mysterious things that can't be named, and partly because I feel totally out of every loop just now.

[H1ppychick]

I've just done the Census 2021 and I did the thing where you put "European" as your national identity.

[Ella77]

Paper copy, or do they accept that on the electronic form?

I’ve ordered a paper copy so that I don’t have to fuck with the gender identity nonsense question.

[H1ppychick]

I did it on the electronic copy. I suspect I'm not alone because I clicked Other then started typing European, and I only put in about 3 letters before it autofilled the rest of the word.

Are you going to write an essay on the gender identity Q or ignore it? I can't remember if it was optional or mandatory in the online version. I know sexual orientation was definitely optional.

[Ella77]

I was going to put something about not having one, but I haven’t finalised my thoughts yet. Honestly, what utter, utter bollocks.

[Derek Nimmo]

Balls, I wish I'd read this before hastily doing my census onli e at lunchtime as I didn't notice European as an option so put British

The gender question was optional, and duly ignored. Sadly no place to put an absolute rant about the question being there in the first place.

[Ella77]

When did you guys get your codes, actually? I haven’t received one yet.

[H1ppychick]

I had the letter in the post this morning.

[Derek Nimmo]

Me too.

[Ella77]

Thanks. Should be soon, then.

I got away with not filling in the last one.

[Marth]

Should we not wait until the 21st and then go and hide in a cupboard somewhere.

[Ella77]

I am tempted.

I think they’re challenging the gender bollocks in court, so I’ll hold off a bit longer before filling it in.

[sally maclennane]

This is an utter embarrassment, I have no idea who normally pays for this kind of thing but they can't really think its OK to set up a GoFundMe page!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/uk-politics-56253365

[smalex]

I often think the media and lots of people like to get their knickers in a twist about the maintenance and reasonable expectation to periodically refurbish government buildings/official homes. Renovating the Houses of Parliament got a lot of bad press didn't it. But given a 4 bed flat got 30K of renovation 10yrs ago, plus more in the Blair era, trying to crowd fund a large additional refurb seems pretty unnecessary and very tone deaf.

[Bat Macdui]

I do think Johnson feels genuinely like being PM is a bum deal when it comes to salary and stuff. He's just totally 'am I really supposed to live like this?'

The Sex in the Census website advises various ways of protesting and should update on the judicial review, which happens on 9th March. The FAQ section explains the whole thing succinctly.

[sally maclennane]

I do think Johnson feels genuinely like being PM is a bum deal when it comes to salary and stuff. He's just totally 'am I really supposed to live like this?'

Totally! He's one of those posh folk who tries to tell everyone else that in a way, his life is actually just as hard as theirs

[Bat Macdui]

It was the declaration he couldn't live on £141k as a cabinet minister that I think of from time to time. I just shoved that in a PAYE calculator to make myself feel even more cross and even if you assume he's on a 6% pension that's £6,695 a month. I mean, it must be really hard to feed himself and the dog on that.

[Bat Macdui]

I'm pretty sure the taxpayers fund Larry the cat separately, from Cabinet Office funds.