This thread exists to discuss British politics.
Political issues related to Northern Ireland and the Crown Dependencies (the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man) are also considered on-topic here if there's no more appropriate OTC thread for them.
If you're new to OTC, it's worth reading the Introduction to On-Topic Conversations
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As with other OTC threads, off-topic posts may be thumped or edited by the moderators.
- There is a dedicated thread to discuss LGBTQ+ rights in the United Kingdom. That doesn't mean it's always off-topic here, but unless something's directly linked to political events, that's probably a better thread for it.
- There's also a separate thread to talk about your favourite British Prime Ministers.
Recent political stuff:
- The vote to see if Britain should adopt Alternative Voting has failed.
- Lib Dems lose lots of councils and councillors, whilst Labour make the majority of the gains in England.
- The Scottish National Party do really well in the elections.
A link to the BBC politics page containing relevant information.
Edited by Mrph1 on Nov 3rd 2023 at 11:15:30 AM
The Lord Bates has said he will offer his resignation as Minister of State for International Development. [1]
Tief girl with eartude
Pronounced YAK-you-luss
Rat trying (and failing) to flee sinking ship, more like.
What's precedent ever done for us?
It's the same culture of demonisation and moral panics. The same talk about corruption and loss of "morals".
And despite our best efforts nothing has actually changed over the last thirty years.
"Yup. That tasted purple."
The Lord Sutherland of Houndwood, former President of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, died four days ago, aged 76.
Curb rising NHS negligence payouts, health leaders urge
They say costs are spiralling, "unsustainable" and diverting vast amounts from frontline care.
The NHS Confederation, the British Medical Association and medical lawyers are among the signatories.
The Ministry of Justice has asked the advisory body the Civil Justice Council to look at ways to limit payments.
The annual cost of claims is said to have almost doubled since 2010.
According to the letter, the NHS in England spent £1.7bn on clinical negligence claims last year.
Now I may being a little naive here but wouldn't the best way of reducing the cost of negligence claims be to stop being negligent?
Knowledge is Power, Guard it Well
A procrastination in of itself
The problem as it were is that that also costs money, the best way to avoid negligence is to ensure that health practitioners are properly trained and properly rested enough to carry out their duties. Which means having staff that are both trained and not overworked.
That’s just not going to happen under a Tory government.
"And the Bunny nails it!" ~ Gabrael "If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we." ~ Cyran
Pronounced YAK-you-luss
Yeah, basically, the Tories have broken the NHS so hard that adequate care is no longer a viable option. It’s one of the natural steps on the road to privatisation - dismantle a government institution until it can no longer avoid making horrific mistakes, then use the bad press from those to argue for private solutions.
What's precedent ever done for us?
NHS workers, activists and union reps gathered at Gower Street to call on Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt to give money for more staff and hospital beds to ease the problems faced by the service.
Slogans such as "No ifs, no buts, no NHS cuts" were chanted as protestors held aloft banners slamming Mr Hunt's salary as well as an elaborate sculpture of a vulture tearing into the NHS.
Jeremy Corbyn spoke out in support of the demonstration that organisers claim drew 250,000, saying: "It can’t have escaped anyone’s notice that our NHS is crisis.
"It is a crisis created by the Tories and austerity.
"In the face of all the evidence - patients being treated in hospital corridors, people dying in the back of ambulances, hospitals in dire need of repair- they are refusing to give our NHS the money it needs and needs now.
"The NHS will only survive if we fight for it."
Union leaders have said NHS services are alredy "on their knees" ahead of plans which could see hospital services across almost two-thirds of the country slashed back.
Speakers at the demonstration include actor Ralf Little and Nicky Romero, whose daughter Becky died after what the coroner said was "neglect" because of a lack of NHS resources.
edited 3rd Feb '18 6:55:27 PM by Wyldchyld
If my post doesn't mention a giant flying sperm whale with oversized teeth and lionfish fins for flippers, it just isn't worth reading.
So...May just promised no customs union....now I am curious how she wants to square that with the Ireland border problem (Spoiler alert: It's impossible).
She has to say that every so often to shut the back bench up. Usually when they start rumbling about how she's being too soft and needs to be replaced with someone more openly pro-Hard Brexit.
edited 5th Feb '18 5:40:02 AM by Deadbeatloser22
"Yup. That tasted purple."
Wait, wouldn't the DUP be a little upset over the Customs Union and the potential economic backlash it would have on Northern Ireland?
Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
Assuming they're not going to use it as an excuse to witch hunt Catholics.
Still not embarrassing enough to stan billionaires or tech companies.
Figure of Hourai
Meanwhile Trump is attacking the NHS, of all the things to get his attention.
Avatar Source
Oh, bother.
![[up]](https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/smiles/arrow_up.png "[up]"){kind=icon}
Gotta discredit all socialized medicine to make the next attempt to kill the ACA more likely to work.
Either that, or he's still sore about people in the UK hating him.
Disgusted, but not surprised
Visiting from the Hoag Galaxy
Last time I checked, Americans don't tend to use the British system as an example. They usually use the Canadian system, which is mostly doing just fine.
Not Three Laws compliant.
Oh, bother.
It's because it's doing fine that Trump doesn't use it. Better to target a system that is actually struggling a bit these days — thanks to Tory mismanagement in a bid to privatize it.
@Rational Insanity: Near as I can tell, the DUP has been subverted by illegal dark-money donations - they couldn't give less of a shit what their constituents elected them for.
I despise hypocrisy, unless of course it is my own.
A procrastination in of itself
May can promise no customs Union because of the fallback deal, remember in the event of the fallback kicking in the U.K. won’t be in the customs union, it will be independent of it, it will also however agree to abide by all rules of the union so as to maintain an open border in Northern Ireland.
Now from a practical perspective this means that the UK will have no say in the rules that it follows but still have to follow them as long as it continues to not want a hard border.
"And the Bunny nails it!" ~ Gabrael "If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we." ~ Cyran
Oh, bother.
So much for taking back control.
Disgusted, but not surprised
I don't think May's cabinet has much control. Over anything much.
Instead, they seem to have a lot of strings attached to their limbs. -_-'
A procrastination in of itself
So in local news from Kent (well Medway), it’s about to be the 100 year anniversary of women getting the vote, to celebrate Labour have suggested that Rochester Castle’s lights be used (we can turn the castle pretty colours at times, it looks kinda cool), the Tories that control the council however have been throwing every excuse possible out to not do it. This is the same Tory council that used Sure Start childcare funds for a firework display for the Battle of Medway celebration then called the Labour opposition anti-the troops when they refused to attend the celebration.
edited 6th Feb '18 2:41:34 AM by Silasw
"And the Bunny nails it!" ~ Gabrael "If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we." ~ Cyran
Just a harmless giant from a foreign land.
Oh, bother.
So are they misogynistic, just want to spite Labour, or both?
Disgusted, but not surprised
Bloody page topper!
edited 30th Jan '18 1:59:47 PM by AngelusNox
Inter arma enim silent leges