Archive of Postings to December 2024 |
No Quick Fix |
|
|
|
Christmas did not provide a thriving magic money tree - it had already been stripped of its wealth and ability to regrow by years of mismanagement. Dark times ahead ... |
|
|
|
tags: overspend, overborrow, unstainable, dodgy economics, recession ahead |
|
|
Problems Solved? |
|
|
|
Given the poor financial position left by the last UK government it’s not a good idea to increase public service spending, tax a struggling private sector more or add billions to the debt mountain when already over-committed. However our latest financial wizard is expecting a solution that will fix everything shortly - a wonderful magic money tree with limitless fruit - all solid gold coins. One that Father Christmas will surely deliver as promised in just over three weeks time. [Is it still acceptable to write words like Father and Christmas?] |
|
|
|
tags: overspend, overborrow, unstainable, dodgy economics, recession ahead |
|
|
A Man With A Mission ... |
|
|
|
The vision is to complete the move of the UK from coal, gas and oil to a future using electricity from solar, wind, hydro and perhaps even nuclear sources - at any price. Why? So that the UK can claim to be the world leader in renewables. Will that make our lives better? No - but our leaders will get first choice of seats at the next climate conference. |
|
|
|
tags: futile, overhyped, false promises, wrecked economy, fools errand |
|
|
When You Think Things Cannot Get Worse ... |
|
Just one week on from unpredicted US presidential result and already the effects are being felt. From the UK standpoint the Trump victory in the USA has left our new Labour government not simply regretting their earlier insulting comments but, more worryingly, facing a potential economic disaster.
The reasons behind this stark projection is the four month old Labour government has adopted policies that are the direct opposite of the expected Trump agenda. Already the prospect of extra UK taxes are putting a brake on UK businesses - even though the UK Budget was only days ago. And a huge debt mountain is not a good starting point for throwing billions into green energy policies in the UK when so many are clamoring for their share of the government’s money tree. Everything from Post Office scandals, tower block cladding, infected blood, high speed rail, gas boiler replacement, electric vehicles and more - to international demands for weapons to Ukraine, slavery reparations and overseas green energy schemes running into trillions. In the US the next President is likely to simply say no. But our PM seems to be shaping up as someone who will put up a weak defense and then concede. Certainly the recent Chagos Islands concessions have set a pattern that is likely to be repeated in future negotiations. And the PM’s naive attempts to get closer to the EU without expecting them to demand more benefits and a big price ticket show our new leader to be heading down the wrong road. So the four years of hard Labour ahead have just became that much harder with the four years of opposing Republican policies at our biggest ally. What have we done? |
|
|
|
tags: politics, economics, right, left, opposites |
|
|
Plot Night |
|
|
|
A bit like the differing views of the same policies through the eyes of politicians in opposing parties. Not that the US elections would ever have such extremes. Who will win in tomorrow’s US presidential vote? ... It seems from here that Trump lost interest in the contest after Biden was removed and that assassin got much too close .. So Harris should win the day despite a lack of ability. Whatever happened to leaders that could inspire a nation? Update 6-Nov-2024 |
|
|
|
tags: conflicting views, politics, voting |
|
|
Two Pumpkins |
|
|
|
|
|
tags: scare, death, october, budget, more taxes, wasted spending |
|
|
Sell-Out #1 |
|
Just three months into the new administration and we are presented with a done deal to handover the first chunk of our lands. As I remember Diego Garcia provided a military base on the largest of the Chagos islands during the Second World War. In the late 1960s and early 1970s the base was extended, the islands separated from Mauritius (as part of the country’s independence from Britain) and the resident population expelled.
Now we have the situation where - without any discussion in Parliament - a handover deal has been agreed. This is what a member of the House of Lords has said .. On 9 September - just last month - I asked again, demanding clarity on their plans, and specifically what assessment they have made of the military and security impact of negotiations between the UK and Mauritius. Not only did they fail to give the assessment I sought, the Labour Minister also, once again, told me it was ‘too early to speculate’. This was on 24 September. Just 9 days later, on 3 October, Labour announced they would hand over sovereignty to Mauritius. The sell-out nature of the deal was highlighted by its timing - being announced during the MPs recess - and lacking any detail in the payments promised to Mauritius. Yes - Starmer and Lammy have negotiated so well that the tax payers will be paying for years to come as part of the ‘give away’ of our national sovreignty! Obviously Mauritius is happy with the news stating - the UK will collaborate with Mauritius to organise visits to the Chagos Archipelago, including Diego Garcia, in addition to working together for the protection of the ocean and maritime security. ... the UK also recognises the tragedy experienced by the Chagossians and has consequently agreed to set up a trust fund for their welfare. Kerching! How many more sell-offs will follow? With Argentina already reacting to the Government’s weak negotiating team led by Starmer and Lammy more surrender cannot be far away - especially if one of their friends is representing the claimants. It’s about time more Government actions were subject to national votes. |
|
tags: weak, dishonest, under cover, sell-out, gutless |
|
|
Four More Years.. |
|
.. of hard Labour. The UK has only been under threat from the new Labour government since July but it already feels much longer
It’s hard to take being told to make do with less money and higher fuel bills by a politician who claims over £3,000 in tax free handouts for her second home fuel costs. Next month’s Budget will no doubt contain another raft of Labour party spending plans - funded by more taxes. Considering that we already have crushing taxes adding more will kill off both oversea investors and encourage those than can to leave. During their years in opposition the Labour party often repeated the claim that the rich could be taxed much more. A threat that was largely ignored while they had no control. Now the vast Commons majority means that they can put the threats into action - and the exodus of the target audience will be swift and damaging. Not only that but the millionairs wont be around to fund Labour pet schemes. Only the pensioners have nowhere to go. They are the sitting targets that will have to make up the likely shortfall. Things can only get ... worse! |
|
tags: UK, politics, hard times |
|
|
Turbulent Times |
|
Just ten days have passed since the British polls closed and actual results replaced hopes and expectations.
Meanwhile the mood in Edinburgh amongst the Scottish Nationalists is gloomy not just because they lost so many seats at Westminster - but because more potential financial wrongdoings by their previous leaders are emerging. In the USA the assassination attempt on ex-president Trump has shocked the nation - and many Grandads around the world will have had flash backs to the Kennedy murder in Dallas on 22 Nov 1963. Suddenly the mental abilities of the current president have gone from the headlines - along with his chance of a second term. Away from politics there has been an over-supply of sporting milestones making the news - with just some mentioned here. Spain’s top tennis player Carlos Alcaraz took the Wimbledon Mens crown again in just three sets. Meanwhile at the Tour de France cycle race Tadej Pogacar looks almost certain to repeat the 1998 feats of Marco Pantani by winning the Tours of Italy and France in the same season - despite still being a week away from the finish (in NIce because of the Paris Olympics). In football England has made it through to tonight’s UEFA championship final against Spain. England starts with hopes of equalling the 1966 World Cup victory and filling a 58 year void. To have the chance of achieving it in Berlin is what dreams are made of ... Later .. dreams shattered |
|
tags: Assassination, election, sporting, victory |
|
|
V-Day |
|
It’s the UK-wide voting day today and this time few are placing bets on anyone but the Labour party winning.
For anyone who has nowhere to escape to the alternative of spend, spend, spend may be very appealing. Given a choice of selling the home and splurging the cash versus paying tax on assets bought with income that had already been taxed may mean many ex-workers will opt for route one. All this spending may provide a short term boost to the UK economy .. unless it is mainly spent on overseas trips and purchases .. A new Labour government seems certain but quite how much more retired workers will be penalised is anyone’s guess. Update 6-Jul-2024 |
|
tags: pension, tax, theft, emigration, immigration |
|
|
Voting Catch 22 |
|
It’s just a week to go until the UK general election and no clear choices stand out.
Cant vote for Labour because I’m old enough to have seen their policies fail before. Going forward there is the expectation that they will bend to outside pressure on issues such as Gibraltar, Falklands, Northern Ireland, illegal immigration, etc. And it does not help floating plans for 16 year olds to vote. Who is demanding that - just Labour-voting school teachers?. Needs a referendum to make that sort of change. Cant vote LibDem because their policies are even more ridiculous than the two above. And they have openly rejected the Brexit vote result. Not very democratic! Cant vote Reform because it’s claimed that they cannot win so their votes would simply weaken the Conservatives. However there is just a slim chance that they could win in at least some seats ... After this point we are left with some minor parties, nationalists and independents from which the Greens may gain a seat or two to join a reduced SNP presence in Westminster. So we left with a puzzle where there are lots of negative issues but not much from any party that that can be described as positive, affordable and desirable. Not voting means no influence. Voting for a minor party means no influence. But no major parties are good enough to vote for. Catch 22. |
|
tags: choices, voting, |
|
|
Mid-Summer Murmurs |
|
The sun is out, the sky is blue, there’s not a cloud to spoil the view ... but more of that later.
In the continuing slug-fest between Russia and Ukraine the costs in lives, homes and foreign aid are still spiralling upward. Each side putting more and more resources into an increasingly ugly conflict. The chances of a nuclear escalation into more European nations seem to grow each month. And politics may soon play a part as 2024 sees so many potential leadership changes in both Europe and the USA. In Russia the Mad Tsar has already ‘won’ yet another term in office - despite years of repeated rumours of a fatal illness. While in the USA there is still the prospect of an even more geriatric leader taking back the levers of power. When Trump won from Biden in 2017 he was already a 71 years old pensioner. When Biden beat Trump in 2021 he was clearly passed his best before date. Yet November 2024 is expected to see one of them voted back into office until 2029(?) - by which time Geriatric Joe will be 87. Murmurs of a sudden switch of the democratic candidate abound. Back here in the UK the prospect of a Labour party victory next month seems the nearest thing to certain since Putin’s re-election. In fact senior Labour politicians are probably placing their office redecoration orders now to avoid the summer holidays. As the polls seem to be trending further and further away from the Conservatives it’s becoming a question of how big a majority the Labour Party will have. And the switch to Labour is not limited to concerns about things in Westminster. In Scotland the SNP have stuck firmly to the sinking ‘Independence’ ship despite its association with failed leaders, selling out to Brussels and fund raising bordering on scams. A strategy that is likely to give Labour even more seats in Westminster. When the expected Labour landslide gets its new team organised the true scale of the changes that the politicians have in store for us will be, we hope, revealed. They are unlikely to be on the scale of the 1940s nationalisations but we may discover that the nation’s finances are almost as bad (or worse!) than they were then. But it’s raining, raining in my heart ... |
|
tags: democracy in action, world war, politics |
|
|
80 Years On |
|
No pictures of my father in Normandy - just this from when he returned home when the job was done ...
|
|
tags: WW2, war, Normandy |
|
|
Dark Clouds |
|
As Grandad reported back in June 2022 senior NATO figures were warning that the war in Ukraine could drag on for years - while the UK military were pointing out that they may have smart, modern weapons but not in sufficient quantity to last more than a few weeks in a full scale war. And while the missiles, tanks and heavy weaponry might be good the available UK-EU troops would be vastly out numbered.
The scenario of a large but poorly trained and commanded Russian army versus a West lacking the manpower and reserves for an extended fight creates some worrying outcomes. The most dangerous consequence being that NATO - rather than Russia - has to resort to nuclear weapons to stop the Russian advance before NATO’s stocks of conventional weapons run out. Back in 2022 it was already clear that Europe would need a rapid increase in its arms production and stocks to have any chance of facing an extended conflict. But as far as we know there has been no major rearmament programmes by any of our NATO allies - and the British armed forces are struggling to meet their peace time commitments. Even big ticket prestige items like aircraft carriers seem to be lacking the personel required to operate them in a serious conflict. It is not even clear that the weapons already sent to Ukraine have been replaced - meaning that we are less-well defended than we were before February 2022 If Ukraine runs out of arms and ammunition supplied by NATO, as is now a possibility, then Russia will over-run them and press on westwards quickly before its European neighbours can boost their defenses. The dark clouds of 1930’s Europe have returned along with another all-powerful, deranged psychopath in power. |
|
tags: WW3, war, nuclear |
|
|
Canute Returns? |
|
In 2015 the UN Climate Change Conference (COP21) in Paris set long-term goals for all nations to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions enough to hold the global temperature increase to well below +2°C and pursue efforts to limit it to +1.5°C. Since then there has been greatly increased awareness and many positive actions to cut carbon emissions. But it seems increasingly clear that the Earth’s climate is actually warming faster. Fast enough for 2024 to quite likely see the average world temperature exceed the +1.5°C target. And the aim of staying well below +2°C looking increasingly hard to achieve. Global climate is being studied by many of the world’s finest brains - but there is no precedent for this scenario to use as a guide ... The Paris agreement could turn out to be just a feeble human attempt to stop the greater forces of nature. |
|
tags: Climate, escalation, vain, unprecedented, delusion |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The combination of a weak Prime Minister, inexperienced ministers and expensive socialist policies was likely to meet a sticky end even before the Trump victory. But President Trump will only help us out if its in the best interests of the USA.
In recent years Mauritius has been lobbying to take control - with the backing of China. However Britain has opposed this due to its strategic location and doubts about how it could be used long-term if handedover.
- especially if you are, or soon will be, a pensioner. A demographic group singled out for a range financial haircuts to help our new bosses to pay for overseas aid, migrant handouts, excessive public service salary increases and, of course, their own generous incomes.
Now a cold reality has swept through Westminster as the Commons is flooded with hundreds of new MPs - the vast majority of them Labour Party members. With many being appointed to new posts, moving to new offices and facing the prospect of having to deliver promises rather than simply oppose the other party’s plans.
Sadly that outcome is likely to mean bad news for anyone who has retired with some savings and a home. Those that can will be heading out of the country before the tax axe falls. In the past this has been the solution for the richest few. But this time the asset-striping demands will be aimed at catching many more .. including most average income workers.
Cant vote Conservative after their recent shambolic performances.
At the football Euros there is a feeling that the England strategy of pointless ball passing .. left midfield to right midfield to right defense to left defense to goalkeeper to right defense to left defense to left midfield etc etc ... may well reduce the number of goals conceded but does little to entertain the crowd or threaten the opposition. Slowing down after scoring a first goal may be a plan that has worked before but it’s not exactly the approach of, say, Germany in their 5-1 win over Scotland. Murmurs of changes at the top have started ..
Today we have a Russian army that still lacks modern weapons but has gained two years of experience in the harsh reality of fighting a full scale war. And despite the huge losses and need to conscript criminals and retired soldiers their numbers are still enormous. In contrast NATO members have the best weapons but the available UK-EU troops may be fragmented, out-numbered and lacking combat experience.
Canute was king of three countries - England, Denmark and Norway. He lived from 994 to 1035 AD and is best known for the story that he attempted to rule the waves by commanding the tide to halt its advance. This is interpreted as a delusional attempt to avert the inevitable. However the Danish king was more likely to have been showing his courtiers that even Canute the Great could not control nature.
FOOTNOTES |
|
1. We don’t claim copyright on any of this stuff. We won’t hassle you if you reuse it. If you don’t like it here then just move on. We don’t use cookies because we never track your actions. Some of this stuff may link to other sites. What they do is their responsibility. We used to have have links that promised to pay us for any traffic generated but the amounts were peanuts. So these are now being cleared out. |
|
2. We haven’t been mis-sold any financial services. We don’t want to make any legal claims against anyone. We don’t want to help you move your offshore funds. We don’t have parcels that could not be delivered. We do have the best deals on utilities. Our web page rankings are not a problem ... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
