[Tubby Isaacs]

Actual quote from Kemi today.

the rule of law has a purpose, and that is to create a fair system which everybody has treated equally, and where everyone can receive justice.
If you keep creating more regulations and people aren’t getting justice, then something has gone wrong, and we should be able to look at that without assuming that this is a criticism of the entire system of the rule of law.
It means that we should be able to look at how we can reform public law. The law is not above criticism. We should be able to say ‘Actually, this isn’t working, what can we do to improve it’, rather than what is happening now where people say, ‘Oh, it’s the rule of law. We can’t touch it. Let’s not do anything.’

This isn't what "rule of law" means. Incredible that the LOTO thinks it does.

I'm not sure she's going to get those young professionals back, you know.

[Andy McDandy]

John Prescott a few years back:

Look I've got my old pledge card a bit battered and crumpled, we said we'd provide more churches teachers and we have. I can remember when people used to say the Japanese are better than us, the Germans are better than us, the French are better than us well it's great to be able to say we're better than them. I think Mr Kennedy, well we all congratulate on his baby and the Tories - are you remembering what I'm remembering, boom and bust, negative equity, remember Mr Howard, I mean are you thinking what I'm thinking I'm remembering, it's all a bit wonky isn't it?

He got ripped apart for that. Now, I don't know why, but it seems that putting a coherent sentence together seems to no longer be a thing.

[Oboogie]

Actual quote from Kemi today.

We should be able to say ‘Actually, this isn’t working, what can we do to improve it’, rather than what is happening now where people say, ‘Oh, it’s the rule of law. We can’t touch it. Let’s not do anything.’

She's been an MP for seven years! I wonder what she thinks all those bills she voted on were?

[Tubby Isaacs]

I can't remember a law passing that made improving the Post Office illegal. Maybe Blair passed it.

In the context of not paying postmasters, all I can think of is that there might have been some onerous checks imposed as anti-fraud thing. But she's not mentioned such a thing.

[satnav]

Badenoch keeps banging on about wanting a smaller state but past efforts to create a smaller state actually led to things like the Post Office counter scandal. Until the late 1960's we had a Post Master general who was responsible for all things to do with post offices and the royal mail. But after that post was abolished responsibility for the post office was passed on to the Business Department or other departments related to business.

The post office was in effect put at arms length from the government. In some ways this was a good idea because no ministers wants to be standing up every week answering questions about why a particular post office was opening later or closing earlier than other post offices but at the same time there was less accountability for any failings in the post office.

Badenoch needs to explain how you can have a smaller state whilst maintaining proper accountability.

[Watchman]

And Satnav’s last paragraph sum’s up the problem that all the “small stater’s” refuse to recognise

[Crabcakes]

Conservatives never actually want a small state. What they want is to not pay for anything, for other people to pay for everything for them (ideally to companies they own or have interests in), and to not be told to do while telling others exactly what to do.

That’s not small state. It’s targeted state.

[Abernathy]

I watched Bad Enoch performing at PMQs tday for the first time (I missed it last week), and I must conclude that she was remarkably unimpressive. It occurs to me that any advantages that she might have been expected to benefit from as a woman and as a black person are automatically negated - because she is the leader of the Conservative Party. Also, and this might sound horribly shallow, she is not a good-looking woman. In the modern media age in which political leaders do benefit from being photogenic or camera-friendly, this is another advantage that is denied to Ms. Badenoch.

[kreuzberger]

Great, innit? She is as thick as porridge and struggles to hold a train of thought any more deftly than a caller to a regional radio phone-in.

Long may that continue.

[Crabcakes]

I hear a really good look for opposition leaders is to have all your questions on a sheet of A4, then when you ask one, fold down the paper so the next question is at the top and after a few minutes you have something resembling a clumsy child’s attempt at a fan. Because nothing says competent like not even being able to remember whereabouts you are on a page.

[Killer Whale]

Also, and this might sound horribly shallow, she is not a good-looking woman.

Depressing that we're having to discuss this.

Nevertheless, I disagree.

[Abernathy]

Also, and this might sound horribly shallow, she is not a good-looking woman.

Depressing that we're having to discuss this.

Nevertheless, I disagree.

Well, that's the end of the discussion then, isn't it? I voice an opinion, you say you disagree. Let's hope that relieves your depression.

[Killer Whale]

What is there to discuss? It is entirely subjective.

[Abernathy]

QED.

[Youngian]

Abernathy wrote: ↑
Wed Nov 13, 2024 10:26 pm
Also, and this might sound horribly shallow, she is not a good-looking woman.

Might sound shallow to disagree but Kemi's the hottest woman to ever lead the Conservative Party.

[Malcolm Armsteen]

[Abernathy]

Might sound shallow to disagree but Kemi's the hottest woman to ever lead the Conservative Party.

Maybe true. Alan Clark and Francois Mitterand might have disagreed with you there.

[Yug]

She's off to a good start

Kemi Badenoch’s personal approval ratings at the start of her Tory leadership are worse than those recorded by Rishi Sunak and Boris Johnson at the start of their reigns, according to the latest Opinium poll for the Observer.

The new Tory leader’s net approval rating – the difference between those who approve or disapprove of the job she is doing – sits at -5%. The only former party leader of the past five years that she beats in terms of her starting popularity is Liz Truss, whose first approval rating was -9% after she won the leadership...

https://amp.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... d-johnsons

Why are these populists so unpopular? It's like they don't appeal to normal people, or something.

[Tubby Isaacs]

The actual Leader of the Opposition.

The prime minister’s foreign policy is a pick and mix of empty platitudes, unilateral commitments that he could have announced at home, and dangerous precedents – rushing to give away the Chagos islands and paying for the privilege, an ill-judged suspension of export licences to Israel, damaging our defence and security industry and failing to set out a roadmap for spending 2.5% GDP on defence in a world that is becoming yet more dangerous.
I hope the prime minister is up to the very real and serious challenges posed to our security and prosperity.

Aside from the 2.5% point, which her lot never did even when they hadn't called for a load of extra tax cuts, this is basically Spectator bollocks.

How have Defence and Security been damaged?

[Youngian]

Reads like the speech was written by a Tory Boy on work experience at the Spectator.
Badenoch's trying to invoke Thatcher and her Falklands defence with this Chagos Islands wiffle. While Farage is banging on about it as he's a 1950s League of Empire Loyalists tribute act.