Mailwatch(ed) Forum

That’s quite a take. History will forget Jenrick long before his record’s revisited. It’s doubtful if even Mrs Jenrick will say anything nice about him.

Is it me or have the Conservative retirements slowed down? Anyway, one more, the relatively sane Oliver Heald (North East Herts). The way things are going the Tories will be rounding up activists from the Red Wall to send them to campaign in the Home Counties.

Tubby Isaacs wrote: ↑Sat Jan 27, 2024 6:58 pm Is it me or have the Conservative retirements slowed down? Anyway, one more, the relatively sane Oliver Heald (North East Herts). The way things are going the Tories will be rounding up activists from the Red Wall to send them to campaign in the Home Counties.

I think all the ones that were going have gone by now; getting in early to put the right feelers out. Directorships don't offer themselves.

I think there is a believe that they can share everything in public and yet polling is so out they will be re-elected.

Either she's very stupid, or this says something not very flattering about the party's base.

Just saying you have a trade deal is Brexit crack to the membership and they’re due for a fix.

If onlly this chap had been in the Cabinet with responsibility for local government. I seriously mean that, things would be much better. Only Eric Pickles was in the Cabinet, not David Higham. LOL.

No one in this government deserves to be paid. You can purchase a semi detached in Freeman’s constituency for under £180K

A Tory former minister has revealed that he quit the role last year because he could not afford rising mortgage repayments on a ministerial salary of nearly £120,000.
George Freeman resigned as science minister in November amid Rishi Sunak’s Cabinet reshuffle.
In a Substack blog post last week, he wrote: “Why did I stand down?
“Because my mortgage rises this month from £800pcm to £2,000, which I simply couldn’t afford to pay on a Ministerial salary. https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politic ... 35549.html

A quick Google search later

On a £120,000 salary, your take home pay will be £72,950 after tax and National Insurance. This equates to £6,079 per month and £1,403 per week.

The Party of Fiscal Responsibility and they have ministers who can't get by on a bag a week after their mortgage payment.

Wonder how much of that is buy to let on former caahncil properties.

He ought to have a word with the Chancellor. There's a pretty ridiculous marginal rate of tax for people on his income.

But the idea he can't afford to live on £72,000 is ridiculous.

Buried in his statement is something about a painful divorce, and the cost of caring for his parents. Some sympathy, but looking at his record in government (he described people trying to enforce the NMW as being driven by the politics of envy, for instance), that's mitigated by a feeling that he's reaping what he sowed.

Besides, he was the guy behind the Tory Glastonbury idea so ha ha ha and fuck him.

I’m confused, if you’re struggling to pay something, would your first action be to give up a substantial income stream?

He means that he's going to get more lucrative work, I presume. Though I'd have thought ACOBA might have something to say about that.

Labour a hair’s breadth away from polling at 50%. Sunak has got to be on the very thinnest of ice now.

https://www.threads.net/@uk.political.n ... BiNWFlZA==

Ed Davey ought to be heading out the door too on that evidence.

Tubby Isaacs wrote: ↑Tue Jan 30, 2024 2:09 pm Ed Davey ought to be heading out the door too on that evidence.

I suspect the fact ED is caught up in the PO scandal is behind the 8% LD drop. I have some limited sympathy for Ed Davey as getting in bed with the Tories was Nick Clegg’s ego’s decision ultimately, but the Tory coalition really is the gift that keeps on taking. (Though that sympathy runs out pretty fast based on his inaction in the very role that could have done something.)

Don't particularly blame him for the Post Office scandal. Any minister is going to rely on the Post Office in that situation. But as others have pointed out, he wouldn't allow that to anybody else. I think a new leader freshen things up nicely.

Not entirely fair for Davey to be stuck up but he has. He’s in danger of ballsing up the LDs’ one job, maximising tactical voting to defeat Tories where Labour can’t win.

This is some of the most pathetic grandstanding I've ever seen.

Labour MP in saying something a report didn't find evidence of- shock! This like some kid who makes up a new rule for playground cricket.