Anything Political

[radfordred 6,284]

I’ve not downloaded it, but I’m told it makes it easier when visiting a pub, one of your party just scans the QR code poster/board displayed in all pubs rather than having to give your name, number & postcode or in my case fake name, number & postcode.

[Stuart.C 491]

I downloaded it the first day it was available.

Since then I've been out shopping twice and also been visited by the same 2 people twice.

I don't normally go into pubs or other social gathering places.

 

[Oztalgian 3,296]

Interesting that the NHS Covid 19 app will not work in Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland as they are using different apps.........SNAFU

I like the concept of QR codes for places you visit and the fact that the NHS app works after 5 minutes contact unlike ours which is 15 minutes.

You phone has to be on and blue tooth enabled for it to work and I can see there are already concerns about privacy but the government has assured everyone that there data is safe and secure Ha! Ha!

I always know where my mobile phone is, it is on the table next to my chair usually with a flat battery. I was beholden to first a pager and then a mobile phone for 30 odd years. I am happy enough without checking it for InstaTubeTwitFace every few minutes. Besides, everyone that I would want to talk to knows that if they want me to ring my wife.

[Brew 5,418]

3 hours ago, radfordred said:

in my case fake name, number & postcode.

 

It's a bit sad really when you get so desperate for a drink you make up a fake identity and lie just to get in a pub.

[Stavertongirl 1,719]

12 hours ago, DJ360 said:

But.. it only works if you have Blue Tooth switched on.. which is fair enough.. except I'm not having my BluTooth on all the time, because it opens my phone to hacking and in any case I'm not going anywhere.  

Is that all phones can be hacked when it’s on or only certain ones?

[DJ360 6,730]

I don't know enough about it Stav, but I know it used to be seen as a risk. and it still can be. I think a lot depends on how you use your phone.

For e.g., I would never do any online banking via my phone, and most of the time I have Bluetooth switched off. I believe you can set your phone so that it is only 'discoverable' by Bluetooth devices you have deliberately paired it with.

 

It's worth reading this link and there is much more online:  https://www.tomsguide.com/news/android-bluetooth-hack

 

 

[radfordred 6,284]

Soon be Christmas 

 

 

[loppylugs 8,429]

Looks a bit like 'itler.    whoever it is.

[DJ360 6,730]

So... despite everything... there are still enough people in the US who cannot see anything wrong with lying, misogynist, tax avoiding, incompetent, fantasist, egotist, narcissist, thumb sucking, petulant child Trump.. that there is even a slight possibility he might get to ruin the World for 4 more years...

Can I be forgiven for despairing?

 

Meanwhile.. 'Mini ME' Bozo Johnson..has given twice the funding support to Lancashire.. which is mostly Tory Governed... than he has to Greater Manchester.. which isn't. So much for 'all in this together'. 'levelling up'.etc. Only the forum rules prevent me from expressing my true feelings towards Johnson, Gove, Jenryk, and the rest of the criminals currently in power.

 

Yet oddly, Tory Boy Johnson found £12 Bn to give away to his friends who run Serco.. so that they could fail to come up with a decent Track and Trace system. but wouldn't be short for the price of a bag of chips. a pint and a couple of yachts on a Friday night...  truly sickening.

 

And we even have Thief Enabler Jenryk, Minister for Graft, Corruption and Self Enrichment, who facilitated the theft of at least £45million of Public Money by 'Porno Desmond'.. being trotted out and having the Brass Neck to lecture the people of the North on 'pulling together'.. etc.. when he should be in Gaol.

 

Will the people of the UK EVER WAKE UP?

[Beekay 5,149]

Don't sweeten your words Col. Tell it like it is !

[DJ360 6,730]

Hi BK!

 

Thing is.. strip way all of the hyperbolae which ensues from my anger and frustration, and what I say is still true.

 

Boris is still a lying incompetent crook, who waved away undeniable corruption by the Dishonourable Member for Newark (Jenrick), by simply declaring that 'The matter is now closed'.

 

Jenrick has been caught with his pants down on numerous other issues.  He abuses his power, lies and is as bent as they come. In any proper democracy he would be at least hounded out of office, and ideally, banged up for corruption. In my lifetime, I recall the days when ministers resigned for much less. but all semblance of honour and personal, ministerial or heaven forfend 'collective Cabinet' responsibility went out of the window decades ago to be replaced with graft and corruption on a scale so prevalent and deeply ingrained that they don't even bother seriously hiding it any more. We live in a kleptocracy.

 

Priti Patel is another incompetent, sacked by the last thing resembling a competent Tory PM, but 'rehabilitated' by Johnson.

 

Same goes for that spiv and fraudster Grant (What's my name this week?) Schapps... Minister for Creaming Off Transport Contracts.

 

The rest of them are just as bad..either incompetent, bent, or both..and the fact that they are so willing to serve in such a manifestly corrupt Govt says all I need to know about every last one of them.

[Beekay 5,149]

Don't  know what your code is for DJ.,but when I clicked on it I just got a tiny square with a red cross over it.

[DJ360 6,730]

18 minutes ago, Beekay said:

Don't  know what your code is for DJ.,but when I clicked on it I just got a tiny square with a red cross over it.

 

I keep trying to post a list of the eye watering amounts of OUR money spent by this shower of crooks on 'outsourced' contracts dished out to their mates.. which have done bugger all to solve the Covid crisis, but have made a lot of Tory donors and sycophants very rich indeed.. again...

[DJ360 6,730]

Try this:

 

https://pinkfishmedia.net/forum/threads/coronavirus-the-new-strain-xii.246977/page-18#post-4146133

[Beekay 5,149]

As you say Col., mouthwatering amounts indeed. Thank you.

[Brew 5,418]

2 hours ago, DJ360 said:

Try this:

 

https://pinkfishmedia.net/forum/threads/coronavirus-the-new-strain-xii.246977/page-18#post-4146133

 

Typical Pinkfish hysteria and carefully selected in order to present the worst case scenario.

 

There is no mention of:

 

Uniserve who were highly successful.

Draeger, a German multi-national, again successful.

Dnanudge, a British company who introduced the 90 minute test.

Hologic a USA medical company specialising in women’s health and supporting the testing program.

Brake Bros and BFS group - delivering food boxes.

None of these are mentioned because they worked but don't align with the Pinkfools anti-Tory dogma.

 

Randox - No one has said the Randox kits are unsafe, there was a 'safety concern'. Quite what that means has not been published. No one using the kits has reported adverse effects.

 

Ayanda - The masks were deemed unsuitable for hospital and medical personnel due to the way they fastened. Fine for general use but we must quietly ignore that fact.

 

Serco - nuff said

 

Sitel - American, took a while to get it right but it's working now - although not likely to be of much use if people give false names and addresses - should be ashamed of themselves.

 

NHSX - A combination of NHS branches trying to use digital information to provide best practice, they should stick with what they do best.

 

TAEG energy - There is something not right about this. They appear to be opportunist middle men although to be fair the contract was fulfilled.

 

Edenred - A French company servicing the Governments Covid Summer Food  Fund, free food for those who qualify during the six week holiday. Stuttered on start-up...

 

Not all a raving success but it can't be denied the demand was more than anyone could have foretold and mistakes were bound to happen. Not all the companies (Serco excepted) were mates with the Tories. The NHSX was either someone empire building or a genuine attempt to come up with a home brew solution but was out of their depth.

In unprecedented times such as now there will always be a degree of confusion and uncertainty. True some will jump on the bandwagon and fail but that can only be determined after that fact. There is a process that is supposed to demonstrate due diligence, how good it is I don't know but equally neither I nor anyone else can say it's not fit for purpose. It might be said it may need revisiting if a company like Taeg can get through.

Is Johnson and Co floundering? It certainly looks like it but no more than any other comparable country. He is certainly showing signs of stress, he looks more haggard every day.

 

 

 

 

 

[DJ360 6,730]

1. Jim, you really must try to stop typifying Pinkfish as either hysterical or far left.  It is neither.  It's certainly left oriented, because that ref

lects its membership..but

right wingers who can make an argument get respect.

 

2. The list I quoted was not selected by Pinkfish., or by me. It was posted by one member and I copied it in here, in order to illustrate the point that the Tories are in love with 'Outsourcing.. AKA 'privatisation' It is their first instinct in every public spending scenario and they have been proven innumerable times to have spent huge amounts of OUR money via outsourcing, often with disastrous results.

 

They are determined that public money will be channelled via private companies. 

Some describe it as an ideology. 

I don't think so.

I see it simply as opportunistic profiteering, AKA theft of public funds.

It is far too much of a coincidence when the ownership of the companies benefitting always seems to turn out to be closely associated with donors, relatives of Tory MPs /Ministers/Peers etc. Even if they deliver to specifications, they still end up paying their workers buttons while a few 'fat cats' make huge bonuses.

This stuff is straight out of Poldark.

  Meanwhile, the fact that the NHS, for example..or existing Medical Engineering Companies, etc.. might just have have more of a clue how to approach things than the likes of SERCO, who (miraculously) always get the contract first.. and then set about trying to figure out how to deliver.. and then fail...

 

Be honest Jim.. when it comes to procurement under the Tories, the public sector need not apply.  The Tories are operating something they would 'call out' under Labour. 'A Closed Shop'.

 

10 hours ago, Brew said:

Ayanda - The masks were deemed unsuitable for hospital and medical personnel due to the way they fastened. Fine for general use but we must quietly ignore that fact.

 

But if they were sold/purchased for Medical Personnel..which was the 'big issue' at the time.. Why must we ignore the failing?

 

10 hours ago, Brew said:

Edenred - A French company servicing the Governments Covid Summer Food  Fund, free food for those who qualify during the six week holiday. Stuttered on start-up...

 

Why do we need a French company to dish out food?

 

It's the same old story whichever way you cut it. The Tories would sooner give a contract.. and OUR money, to Al Capone.. than to an existing organisation in the Public Sector.

I saw this throughout my Career Adviser days. The bloody Tories pulled all of our funding.. with no justification whatever other than the opinion of that cretin Gove.. and gave the work to a computer company and a few spivs. 

Result.. A service which is utterly bloody hopeless in real terms.. but 'fulfills the contract', because the 'contract' is designed not to serve the public, but to enable profit taking. I'm still astounded that you cannot see this.

10 hours ago, Brew said:

In unprecedented times such as now there will always be a degree of confusion and uncertainty. True some will jump on the bandwagon and fail but that can only be determined after that fact. There is a process that is supposed to demonstrate due diligence, how good it is I don't know but equally neither I nor anyone else can say it's not fit for purpose. It might be said it may need revisiting if a company like Taeg can get through.

 

I for one can say it's not fit for purpose... because it very obviously is not.  Serco and Crapita still exist.  What more proof do you need?

 

10 hours ago, Brew said:

Is Johnson and Co floundering? It certainly looks like it but no more than any other comparable country. He is certainly showing signs of stress, he looks more haggard every day.

 

 

Serves him right.  He's always been bloody hopeless and none of his previous employers would touch him with a bargepole now.  He is very clearly out of his depth.  This is not what he signed up for and there is a curious poetic justice in the fact that the Charlatan who lied and cheated, and broke the law, in his bid to force his minority view over Parliament,.. the Liar who wanted to be 'World King'.. now finds himself with a proper job to do for the first time in his miserable crooked life. . and is floundering.  He wanted to be Churchill Mk2, yet Churchill for all his faults.. would have  had Johnson for breakfast...

 

There is talk that he'll resign. After all this is hard work.. not something he's used to..

 

Maybe.. but my money is more on a coup.  There is discontent in Tory ranks..

 

Sadly, whatever happens they'll still have a huge majority, thanks to the voters in the areas they are currently shafting.. so the next worry becomes.. who do we get next?

[Brew 5,418]

Jim, you really must try to stop typifying Pinkfish as either hysterical or far left. 

 

Col you really must open your eyes to the fact that the forum topic you so admire is about as far left as it’s possible to go.  You, I seem to remember denied Corbyn was far left, you were wrong then, you’re wrong now.  The members posts I have read come across as lefty malcontents bolstering each other’s ego in little more than a mutual admiration society.

True there are some intelligent posts, though references to the “starving North” or “pushing Northerners into serfdom” is going a bit far. “The rules on pubs are destined to help W’spoons and hurt the little guy” - almost as bad as the Facebook news service…

Typical of the PF political polemic and hyperbole though

Right wingers may get respect though I’ve seen no instances and I suspect any riposte would be more robust than allowed on NS.

 

The list is obviously a copy paste, who collated it is not the point. The point is the fact it was gathered and gleefully reposted as an example of the big bad Tories grinding our faces into the dust and once more stealing all our money. There is no balance.

I see no evidence of any similar posts of government successes, no praise or even comments that could be construed as helpful. No, there is only negativity in spades, world class moaners and groaners who wouldn’t thank a Tory if their life depended on it.

The list, as I pointed out, only has one who meets your critical criteria Serco, the rest are there because they are good at what they do. Not perfect I agree but there is no one else who can better them.

Several times you have complained the public sector lose out. The NHSX is public sector and failed miserably, the fact they don’t have the skill set yet still spent almost 12 million trying and failing seems hardly worth mentioning.

Of course the standard lefty answer to that is they could do it if they had more money, always the gripe we are underfunding.

 

They are determined that public money will be channelled via private companies. 

 

Sorry but your conspiracy theory simply won’t fly.

The greater part of the goods and services needed cannot, and never could, be met by the public sector regardless of government flavour.

 

“AKA the theft of public funds”

 

If you have evidence of criminal activity then you have a duty as a citizen to report it. It’s not criminal. I know it, you know it and to my mind it’s just a tired old cliché, simple hype and socialist embroidery.

 

But if they were sold/purchased for Medical Personnel..which was the 'big issue' at the time.. Why must we ignore the failing?

 

The fact is they didn’t! A point the knockers cheerfully ignore is that the masks met the government’s specification! They are not faulty and never were but the NHS will not use masks with ear loops, they insist on ties. A simple fact someone in the civil service got wrong when writing the specs…

 

Why do we need a French company to dish out food?

 

Edenred did not ‘dish’ out food. They managed the Covid Summer  Food Fund.

The food was ‘dished out’ as you put it by Brake Bros and BFS group, quite successfully.

 

It's the same old story whichever way you cut it. The Tories would sooner give a contract.. and OUR money, to Al Capone.. than to an existing organisation in the Public Sector.

 

Seriously Col?

 

Serves him right. 

 

Again, seriously?

 

[radfordred 6,284]

13 minutes ago, Brew said:

Col you really must open your eyes

 

[DJ360 6,730]

8 hours ago, Brew said:

Col you really must open your eyes to the fact that the forum topic you so admire is about as far left as it’s possible to go.  

 

No.  It just isn't.  Pinkfish is primarily an Audio/Music/Record sales website owned by an acquaintance.. who lives in Rochdale.  I know him well... have visited his home and frequently disagree with him on many topics.  I doubt he'd mind me telling you he was formerly a Lib Dem voter.  He is thoroughly disenchanted with Labour.. He's a proponent of PR.  And. like me.. he has no time for the current Tories.

 

The PFM membership is huge.  Way...way larger than NS.  It is international and extremely diverse.

 

Politics is discussed in the 'Off Topic' section of PFM.. along with pretty much anything from Cookery Tips, to Cars, to 'Which Toaster'.. etc.  Although there are young people, Off Topic in particular is mostly visited by 50-70 year old beardy blokes who like their music and their hi-fi.  Hardly a hotbed or foment of extreme bomb throwing lefties.  Sorry.. but just like the rest of us, you see what you choose to see.

 

9 hours ago, Brew said:

You, I seem to remember denied Corbyn was far left, you were wrong then, you’re wrong now. 

 

I think  I said the  manifesto  and policies  proposed by Corbyn were not far left, and certainly no further left than any Labour policy since WW2. I was right about that.. and I still am.

Labour is a social democrat party.  It co-exists with Capitalism and operates within the UK Democratic and Electoral system  That is not 'Far Left'  It is rooted in Trade Unionism, which arose in response to Capitalism. Labour moved further to right under Blair than at any previous time.. but still IMHO had principles and policies designed to promote more equality of opportunity and to mitigate the worst excesses of capitalism. That is not 'Far Left'.

If you want 'Far Left'.. there are any number of groups and parties out there.

 

I can find much in Labour to criticise.. but they are still infinitely preferable to any current, or forseeable Tory party.

In fact.. the cuddly old Tory Party is dead.  It is currently experiencing its very own 'Militant' phase. If it does not rid itself of far right, proto fascists, entryists like Cummings.. and undeniable crooks like Jenrick..masquerading as usual.. as 'patriots'..and if the UK electorate does not wake up to the threat.. we will be in deep s***.

 

9 hours ago, Brew said:

The list is obviously a copy paste, who collated it is not the point. The point is the fact it was gathered and gleefully reposted as an example of the big bad Tories grinding our faces into the dust and once more stealing all our money. There is no balance.

 

Admittedly there is no balance in the list.  But that is a different animal to there being no balance on the site.  The list is what it is. It draws attention to the lack of 'due diligence' and to many other mistakes by the current administration.

 

9 hours ago, Brew said:

Several times you have complained the public sector lose out. The NHSX is public sector and failed miserably, the fact they don’t have the skill set yet still spent almost 12 million trying and failing seems hardly worth mentioning.

 

You are misquoting me.  I said that the Tories push money into the Private Sector .  That you cannot deny.

NHSX, as far as I can determine.. is an offshoot of NHS England, which in turn is essentially a Quango. It exists at arms length from Govt and for one reason. So long as NHS England exists, the Tories can claim that they have not privatised the NHS. Yet NHS England is a 'commissioning body' which essentialy dishes out contracts to PRIVATE organisations, to deliver health services. Privatisation by stealth.

 

The Public Sector lose out.. under the Tories, because the Tories simply cannot abide the idea that a Public Sector organisation is competent and effective. They just can't keep their grubby hands off. So.. way back in the early 90s I saw all Careers Services forced into Privatisation.  Those with the 'nous'..like mine, turned themselves into Co's. But some were effectively handed over to grubby companies on the edge of the education sector. I just can't recall the name of the Co. which got Stockport Careers.. but they didn't last long, because they thought it was all an easy money making wheeze. They were wrong. We've seen similar with the whole 'Academy' stunt in education. The Tories have farmed out many other areas of public service and in so doing.. ruined them... or condemned service users to a limited and profit driven service.  This now extends right up to HE.

 

10 hours ago, Brew said:

Sorry but your conspiracy theory simply won’t fly.

The greater part of the goods and services needed cannot, and never could, be met by the public sector regardless of government flavour.

 

Your second sentence does not validate your first.  I did not say that the Public Sector can meet all contracts or requirements.  My issue is threefold.

1. The Tories automatically assume that the Private Sector is 'better'

2. The Tories always seek a private sector solution, over any existing public sector provision.. however effective.

3. Far too often.. a little research will reveal that the Tories have given a contract to a 'company' which has close links through relationships, donorships etc.  This may not technically be 'criminal', or even 'illegal', but it is patently 'iffy'.

You might want to read this:  https://www.scotsman.com/health/ayanda-capital-everything-about-company-supplied-50-million-faulty-face-masks-uk-and-who-advisor-andrew-mills-2935155

 

10 hours ago, Brew said:

If you have evidence of criminal activity then you have a duty as a citizen to report it. It’s not criminal. I know it, you know it and to my mind it’s just a tired old cliché, simple hype and socialist embroidery.

 

  Of course I know that it is not TECHNICALlY criminal. but equally. you know that much of this stuff is built around nepotism, sycophancy etc. Far too often a Govt minister, MP or whatever turns out to be in a position to influence the distribution of our money to some company run by a Tory Donor or whatever.  But the simple response...as with with Avanda above.  'It wasn't me Guv'.. always seems to get them off the hook.  Come on Jim.. you are not that naive...

 

10 hours ago, Brew said:

Edenred did not ‘dish’ out food. They managed the Covid Summer  Food Fund.

 

I repeat. Why does a major financial player such as he UK need a French company to manage a fund financing British Companies, delivering food to British people.. in Britain?  I haven't quite chased this down yet.. but there is something wrong about an idiot like Gavin Williamson giving a contract to Edenred.

 

10 hours ago, Brew said:

Seriously Col?

 

 

Yes.  Seriously.  As I've already stated, it doesn't have to be technically ilegal to be morally criminal.  And as the Tories/Cummings and others quietly consolidate their position under a Covid smokescreen.. things get more dangerous.  We've had this discussion.  You see Johnson's 'reforms' as 'evolution'. I see them as anti-democratic.

 

10 hours ago, Brew said:

Again, seriously?

 

Yes.  This is not some well loved and proven leader suddenly presented with a crisis.  This is Johnson. Everyone knows he is an opportunist, a bully and a liar.

Let's add incompetent, lazy and incoherent.  He sold himself as the one to get things done.  OK. he promised that in another context.. but his 'wannabe' Churchill.. and 'World King' stuff is coming back to haunt him. He just isn't up to the job.  That simple.

 

HE wanted the job.  HE was a failure and a joke as London Mayor. ( Garden Bridge and Water Cannon anyone?) HE was the one with the 'Oven Ready' Brexit deal. HE lied to the Queen.  HE broke the Law in proroguing Parliament. HE stood up and announced the first lockdown..eventually.. and said we'd be rid of it in 'A couple of weeks'. HE promised a 'World Beating' Test and Trace system' In fact HE promised so many versions of that.. that I don't know what level of perfection to expect next..

 

He's useless... and as I also said previously.. the only worry is that his replacement might be rather better at enacting the far right plot behind Brexit/Cummings/ Attacks on the Civil Service. etc.

[Brew 5,418]

I know not all PF is a hotbed of socialism and I did actually say “the Forum topic”, in order to clarify I do not judge all the membership to be the same, it is to those residents of the 'off topic'  I give the sobriquet ‘Far Left’. As for what I choose to see that’s down to you and whatever you choose to share through the links you post. Everything so far has been little more than a virtual orgy of Tory bashing.

 

Labour is a social democrat party.  It co-exists with Capitalism and operates within the UK Democratic and Electoral system  That is not 'Far Left'  

 

You are wandering off topic Col. The subject was the posts of the political topic on PF.

 

 

I can find much in Labour to criticise.. but they are still infinitely preferable to any current, or forseeable Tory party

 

A lot, in fact the majority of voters disagree. You think there is a militant (a deliberate choice of word given its history with the Labour party?), movement within the ranks of the Tories. That may or may not be true but what is certain, they are far more adept at closing ranks and surviving than Labour. But I’m again pulled away from the topic.

 

The list is what it is. It draws attention to the lack of 'due diligence' and to many other mistakes by the current administration.

 

Actually it’s typical of the comments, sniping from the shadows

I repeat mistakes were made and will be again, there is no such thing as perfection, nor will there ever be.

 Had this been a Labour government making the same mistakes I’m in no doubt the cry would be ‘It would be worse under the Tories’.

 

You are misquoting me

 

Not at all you have steadfastly maintained the public sector is as capable as the private sector – it’s not. There aren’t the facilities or the expertise to the same degree as the private sector with the added advantage the tax payer doesn’t have to keep paying out  when a contract ends.

Which public sector can build a motorway, HS2, Crossrail, the channel tunnel or a new power station? Agreed all can be accused of riding the gravy train but the alternatives were?

 

NHSX is more than an offshoot, it’s a conglomeration of public funded fat cats screwing the system for all it’s worth and seems answerable  to Hancock.  https://www.nhsx.nhs.uk/   it’s also a glowing example of public sector incompetence. The NHS is possibly one of the worst managed, inefficient public sector organisations in the world.

 

So.. way back in the early 90s I saw all Careers Services forced into Privatisation.

 

The privatisation of your employers still rankles and has left you angry that much is clear. Though you may have been really good at your job I and others of a similar age do not have good memories of competent and dedicated careers advisors. I have the distinct impression many were just marking time until retirement.

 

They were wrong. We've seen similar with the whole 'Academy' stunt in education. The Tories have farmed out many other areas of public service and in so doing.. ruined them..

 

The Academies were actually a Labour initiative (Blunket if I remember right), so if they are a failure you can’t lay the blame on the Tory doorstep! All government does is provide the money. The success or failure is down to those public sector employees who reckon they can do a better job than Whitehall. 

 

The Tories automatically assume that the Private Sector is 'better'

2. The Tories always seek a private sector solution, over any existing public sector provision.. however effective.

3. Far too often.. a little research will reveal that the Tories have given a contract to a 'company' which has close links through relationships, donorships etc.  This may not technically be 'criminal', or even 'illegal', but it is patently 'iffy'.

 

Could it possibly be that in many (most), cases the private sector is better? I said before big business doesn’t give a damn about the party and will play nicely with whoever is in power in order to win contracts – it’s what business does. China, Russia, America, Europe makes no difference to them and if they didn’t perpetually chase and make profits we would be in very poor shape. Of course they will cosy up to whoever is in power, they're not going to bite the hand that feeds them...

 

Why does a major financial player such as he UK need a French company to manage a fund financing British Companies, 

 

Long answer made short, I don’t know but I suspect it came down to price and the French were cheapest. Why did the French even bother? Again I don’t know though building post Brexit bridges springs to mind.

 

You see Johnson's 'reforms' as 'evolution'. I see them as anti-democratic.

 

 I see the blessed one with a poison chalice. It will take a lot of bull and bluster for him to survive and win another election – but I wouldn’t discount him yet.

 

He's useless... and as I also said previously.. the only worry is that his replacement might be rather better at enacting the far right plot behind Brexit/Cummings/ Attacks on the Civil Service. etc

 

Maybe, maybe not but I do not wish him ill and I don’t believe 'it serves him right' at all.

 

 

 

 

 

[DJ360 6,730]

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/oct/21/government-covid-contracts-britain-nhs-corporate-executives-test-and-trace?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

[Stavertongirl 1,719]

The above was very interesting, some of the figures are quite eye watering especially those who are paid in one day three quarters of what I get in a year. Where can I sign on as a consultant?

[Brew 5,418]

  

3 hours ago, Stavertongirl said:

The above was very interesting, some of the figures are quite eye watering especially those who are paid in one day three quarters of what I get in a year. Where can I sign on as a consultant?

--------------------------

Except it's wrong. The strap line:

 

' Bypassing the NHS and handing crucial services to corporate executives has led to the catastrophic failure of test and trace'

 

Is a scurrilous, overblown smear. a few posts ago Col posted  a Pinkfish link that told of the NHSX spending millions of pounds trying to create a test n trace app - it failed miserably.

The NHSX is as far from the private sector as is possible, it's a quango and can call on all the medical expertise needed but still failed,

'money that could have saved lives has been diverted into corporate profits; inexperienced consultants and executives have been appointed over the heads of qualified public servants; instead of responsive local systems, the government has created a centralised monster.'

 

Almost right except not all the money for the T'n'T went into corporate profits and the 'qualified public servants' turned out to be no such thing. He's very qucik to name names when hurling insults but quite coy about naming the geniuses who could have saved us and the world but were not given the job. Then again he doesn't need to, he's preaching to the converted.

 

Serco and Sitel, independently, also tried to create a tracing system. Serco failed, as usual and the NHSX attempt was abandoned in June. Whilst it's easy to throw scorn at the companies involved, if three big companies fail, to me that's an indication of the difficulty and magnitude of the problem, one of which is the data protection law.

 

The app available now is based on the Apple/'Google notification system. There is much criticism of track and trace systems around the world, Australia and Canada to name two have also struggled. On a personal note I'm not that convinced of its benefit even if it works as intended. It might also be worth mentionong that so far Singapore has the highest take-up, approx 20% of the population have the app. The UK government advisors say to be effective we need at least a 60% take-up, as of last month we have a just about 10%.

 

Benoit (the writer) makes quite snide comments about Dido Harding, (she is in charge of the app develpoment) and her experience with Covid through the Jockey Club, it is in poor taste to say the least. Why do socialists hate CEOs so much?

 

'Then we watched aghast as the Cheltenham Festival went ahead'.

 

 No we didn't, many didn't even give it a second thought.

The festival was 10 - 13 March. The WHO did not declare Covid had reached pandemic status until the 11th. On the 10th March the confiirmed infections in the UK was only  373! , it was not until three days after the event the government advised, not insisted, against large gatherings - but we never let the facts get in the way of a good headline do we.

Allowing the race meeting to go ahead may have been a mistake although no one can know for sure - even with the benefit of hindsight.

 

He criticises her appointment and at the same time vilifies her for her 'ignorance'. To expect any executive to fully understand all the technology and every aspect of the business is not only naive it's unnecessary. She was CEO of TalkTalk and fell on her sword after they had a substatial data breach. Some will say she desered to be fired, some say she did the honourable thing. Either way it made her an easy target and her opponents a lot of ammunition.

 

Having vented his spleen and hatred for all things Tory he blissfully ignores the other big number expenditures. 14 Billion A MONTH for furlough, 15 Billion grants to small firms, 10 Billion to the self-employed. The Office for Budget Responsibility estimates these packages will surpass the 100bn mark by the end of the year.

 

The rest is just the usual left wing innuendo and socialist rhetoric. I'm not so blind to deny there is an amount of the 'old boys' network going on here and some abuse of their position, but please don't tell me oppostion never did it. They are just as guilty of agreement by nod and wink as anyone else

[DJ360 6,730]

I was pretty much expecting this response from you Jim, and I'll respond to your response.. but first, in true, Two Ronnies style.. I'll begin by answering the question before last.   Started to do so last night, but accidentally deleted my response and gave up.

 

On 10/23/2020 at 4:43 AM, Brew said:

You are wandering off topic Col. The subject was the posts of the political topic on PF.

 

It was you who brought up Corbyn and whether or not he is/was 'Far Left.'

On 10/23/2020 at 4:43 AM, Brew said:

A lot, in fact the majority of voters disagree. You think there is a militant (a deliberate choice of word given its history with the Labour party?), movement within the ranks of the Tories. That may or may not be true but what is certain, they are far more adept at closing ranks and surviving than Labour. But I’m again pulled away from the topic.

 

There is undoubtedly a far right element in the Tory Party at present which is influencing policy. They have got what they wanted, aided by Cameron's cowardice and ineptitude. The fact that they have either successfully hoodwinked, or gained the agreement of, an electoral majority, does not make them right.

On 10/23/2020 at 4:43 AM, Brew said:

Not at all you have steadfastly maintained the public sector is as capable as the private sector – it’s not.

 

That's not what I have said.  Clearly major infrastructure, defence etc., are and have long been largely private sector. I'm not arguing about that.  But, and this is what you seem unwilling to recognise, the Tories, since Thatcher, have increasingly sought to replace existing and successful areas of Public Sector expertise, with inferior provision contracted out to the Private Sector.

On 10/23/2020 at 4:43 AM, Brew said:

with the added advantage the tax payer doesn’t have to keep paying out  when a contract ends.

 

That is frankly hilarious. Nope.. everytime a contract with the likes of Serco ends.. it ends.  No money is clawed back to account for the failure and another contract is promptly handed out. Rinse and repeat.

On 10/23/2020 at 4:43 AM, Brew said:

Which public sector can build a motorway, HS2, Crossrail, the channel tunnel or a new power station? Agreed all can be accused of riding the gravy train but the alternatives were?

 

Frankly, I doubt it would be difficult to create a public sector organisation to build motorways. It's purely a political decision. They are hardly high tech or new tech. But of course things have moved on and we now have 'Smart Motorways'.  Not a resounding success in the eyes of many... including the casualties.  Guess who was involved... again...
 

Quote

 

 From Wikipaedia: Balfour Beatty, Carillion and joint ventures BAM Nuttall/Morgan Sindall Group and Costain Group/Serco.^[13] In January 2012, Carillion won the contract for M6 junctions 5 - 8 near Birmingham for £126 million.^[13]

In early 2018, the contracts previously awarded to Carillion were taken on by Kier, following the collapse of Carillion.^[14]

 

 

On 10/23/2020 at 4:43 AM, Brew said:

The privatisation of your employers still rankles and has left you angry that much is clear. Though you may have been really good at your job I and others of a similar age do not have good memories of competent and dedicated careers advisors. I have the distinct impression many were just marking time until retirement.

 

You're damned right I'm still angry, but I'm not sure you understand exactly why.  I'm not going to rehearse the whole 'Careers Adviser's are crap' meme, except to say that time and again on examination it turns out that the person being vilified was not actually a careers adviser.. but a Teacher..or some other. I'm not arrogant enugh to claim that all advisers were brilliant, but .one bad apple'..as they say.  Also, individual career guidance is not one interview.. but a process, which many young people are hardly aware is actually happening, and finally, our work , as I've explained before, covered  many other activities designed to support and advocate for young people.

Furthermore.. 'privatisation'..per se whilst not likely to be my choice.. need not have been damaging to young people.  In fact, it is arguable that the first wave of such wasn't.  We were basically only required to account for our activities in a slightly different way, but we continued to offer high quality Information Advice and Guidance to all young people in our area.   And.. importantly, our work was internationally recognised as representing one of the World's most developed systems of IA&G.

Next up, Blunkett.  Yes..Labour. Yes, an ignorant, arrogant, self opinionated and exceptionally narrowly focused man, with a chip on his shoulder the size of Texas.  It was he who created 'Connexions', which made operating as a Careers Adviser near impossible... but that is another story.

Finally.. it was Gove, who decided, on the basis of his monumental ignorance, that Career Guidance could be done by schools, and that not only did they need no funding to do it, but that 'Careers Education' wasn't a necessary part of the curriculum.

Back to the topic though.  The Tories decided , aganst all national and international evidence, that the whole Careers thing could be  done On Line.  Hence, the minister responsible launched the new National Careers Service at 08:30 one morning at a press call at which he was clearly utterly disillusioned and which he left without taking questions.  I don't recall quite who that was but I'm thinking either Willets, or Grayling.  Eitherway.. it was a 'stitch up', designed primarily to secure a cut price service.

I should add that throughout this process, increasing reliance was placed on recruiting low grade, poorly/ unqualified staff.. many of whom were barely literate.

I've laboured the point here because it is illustrative of the way in which the Tories have either 'flogged off' former Public Sector work to their mates, or simply done away with them by de-funding.

 

On 10/23/2020 at 4:43 AM, Brew said:

The Academies were actually a Labour initiative (Blunket if I remember right), so if they are a failure you can’t lay the blame on the Tory doorstep! All government does is provide the money. The success or failure is down to those public sector employees who reckon they can do a better job than Whitehall. 

 

Yes, they were a Labour initiative, though it was I think Adonis who pushed the idea through. Arguably another of the aberrations under Blair. The fundamental problem with Academies, is that they fail to address the underlying economic and social deprivation which is the actual cause or poor school performance in many areas.  But whatever.  The Tories embraced Academies with open arms and ran with them. They played into both the Tory obsession with privatisation, and their determination to undermine Local Govt power.

 

On 10/23/2020 at 4:43 AM, Brew said:

Could it possibly be that in many (most), cases the private sector is better?

 

It's theoretically possible... of course.  Which begs a couple of questions...

1. If the private sector is so intrinsically and universally wonderful, why do the Govt. continually return to handing out contracts to grubby organisations like Serco and all the others?  Could it possibly be that other Private Sector organisations can't see an honest profit in the deal?  Or is it just that they don't get the opportunity to tender?

2. Why, if the Private Sector is so good..do Companies who have it laid on a plate for them (Carillion, G4S, Serco, Crapita) fail so spectacularly and so frequently?

 

When the Careers Service was in the throes of being scrapped, it was widely reported that in answer to the question 'So who will do this work now? 'A Minister' replied. "We have loads of suppliers.".  Interesting comment that, because there is no way those 'loads of suppliers' had any staff.. which brings us back to 'Get the contract.. then figure out how to deliver on it..'.which usually means 'Employ the existing staff..on lower pay, to deliver on an achieveable.. but ultimately pointless and hollowed out contract'

Putting it another way.. the established Private Sector, with which I have no major issue, ensures its success by research, training, etc..in order to be competitive.  By contrast, the Serco/Crapita/G4S, etc etc., of this world were expressly created to take advantage of a situation created initially by Thatcher, in which public money was made available to anyone who was bent enough to accept it.

 

On 10/23/2020 at 4:43 AM, Brew said:

 I see the blessed one with a poison chalice. It will take a lot of bull and bluster for him to survive and win another election – but I wouldn’t discount him yet.

 

Blessed my A***.

Poisoned Chalice?  Yep.. but entirely his choice to accept it.  He's still letting his 'Delusions of Churchillianism' convince him that he has something to offer.

He doesn't.

On 10/23/2020 at 4:43 AM, Brew said:

Maybe, maybe not but I do not wish him ill and I don’t believe 'it serves him right' at all.

 

In the physical sense, I too do not wish him ill.. which is more than can be said for him.. as he was literally recorded on the phone discussing getting someone beaten up.

And of course it serves him right.  I've already explained this.  He lied and cheated his way into the Premiership.  He is not obliged to stay.