Sir Keir Starmer Prime Minister

[ChevronB19]

119 said:

Apols.

Skim reading.

No probs!

[Mercdriver]

Maybe next quango to is the House of Lords, but that would deprive his cronies of the money pit

[Ridgemont]

skeeterm5 said:

Ridgemont said:

BT. You are wrong on Telecoms.

Ta.

BT - When privatised almost no debt. Debt 31/3/24 almost £20bn.

The 2024 financial debt increased cf 2023 because of share buy back and dividends, ie taking money out for the benefit of the shareholders.

However the service levels are completely incomparable.

This was my childhood.
With a lead time of several months for a new installation.

Any colour you like as long as it’s brown. Or in its last desperate days when it tried to persuade government it was flexible, you could have it in black and white as well.

Nonsense.

[skeeterm5]

Ridgemont said:

However the service levels are completely incomparable.

This was my childhood.
With a lead time of several months for a new installation.

Any colour you like as long as it’s brown. Or in its last desperate days when it tried to persuade government it was flexible, you could have it in black and white as well.

Nonsense.

True, the technology is light years from back then.

Having said that I do love those old phones, the very loud brinngggg brinngggg was the sound of my childhood.

[Skeptisk]

I was having dinner with my daughter and mentioned I had read about the proposed changes and the elimination of one level of bureaucracy. I said that it is exactly the sort of change that right wingers want - as they are always complaining of too much red tape and bureaucracy. I also predicted that they wouldn’t be giving any credit to KS as people’s politics is too tribal. I predicted that people like Turbo would find negatives to moan about, rather than praise KS for a bold move. Unfortunately my cynicism was proved correct.

[Ridgemont]

skeeterm5 said:

True, the technology is light years from back then.

Having said that I do love those old phones, the very loud brinngggg brinngggg was the sound of my childhood.

Oh I agree - lots of fond memories. But that wasn’t a technology issue: they switched to multiple interesting models pretty much over night once privatised (and retailer offered it once the monopoly was broken) but that constraint was purely down to a ludicrous government monopoly that calcified pretty much any choice.

We will see if lessons are learned.

[Ridgemont]

Skeptisk said:

I was having dinner with my daughter and mentioned I had read about the proposed changes and the elimination of one level of bureaucracy. I said that it is exactly the sort of change that right wingers want - as they are always complaining of too much red tape and bureaucracy. I also predicted that they wouldn’t be giving any credit to KS as people’s politics is too tribal. I predicted that people like Turbo would find negatives to moan about, rather than praise KS for a bold move. Unfortunately my cynicism was proved correct.

Erm.

Much as that is interesting, I feel we are missing a punchline. Like not what you think and maybe someone else’s thoughts?

[swisstoni]

Nice to see that people are indoctrinating their kids.

[Ridgemont]

swisstoni said:

Nice to see that people are indoctrinating their kids.

It’s a bit Pooterish…

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Pooter

[Randy Winkman]

swisstoni said:

Nice to see that people are indoctrinating their kids.

"Kids"? Do we know that? And elimination of bureaucracy? A good thing, perhaps?

[BikeBikeBIke]

Skeptisk said:

I was having dinner with my daughter and mentioned I had read about the proposed changes and the elimination of one level of bureaucracy. I said that it is exactly the sort of change that right wingers want - as they are always complaining of too much red tape and bureaucracy. I also predicted that they wouldn’t be giving any credit to KS as people’s politics is too tribal. I predicted that people like Turbo would find negatives to moan about, rather than praise KS for a bold move. Unfortunately my cynicism was proved correct.

Apparently there have been Tory Shadow ministers tweeting it was the right thing to do. Michael Gove has said it was the right thing to do.

I'd say the 'Right' are totally welcoming it.

[Ridgemont]

BikeBikeBIke said:

Skeptisk said:

I was having dinner with my daughter and mentioned I had read about the proposed changes and the elimination of one level of bureaucracy. I said that it is exactly the sort of change that right wingers want - as they are always complaining of too much red tape and bureaucracy. I also predicted that they wouldn’t be giving any credit to KS as people’s politics is too tribal. I predicted that people like Turbo would find negatives to moan about, rather than praise KS for a bold move. Unfortunately my cynicism was proved correct.

Apparently there have been Tory Shadow ministers tweeting it was the right thing to do. Michael Gove has said it was the right thing to do.

I'd say the 'Right' are totally welcoming it.

Which may raise the awkward question re why the hell they didn’t do it previously .



And this is why their support disappeared.

[Roderick Spode]

Ridgemont said:

Which may raise the awkward question re why the hell they didn’t do it previously .

It sure does - and also the small matter of Labour seemingly postulating it without a whimper from the chattering classes or Civil Service. I could only imagine the uproar from the media if the Tories had floated this one.

[scenario8]

I’ve been saying since at least my time (formally) studying politics, which is a not inconsiderable time now, that only the Labour Party could ever make significant reforms to the NHS, the education sector and/or the civil service. The Conservative Party might (secretly) want to but would find anything other than relatively minor changes impossible for a whole bunch of reasons.

Cool story bro’.

[Otispunkmeyer]

Ridgemont said:

BikeBikeBIke said:

Skeptisk said:

I was having dinner with my daughter and mentioned I had read about the proposed changes and the elimination of one level of bureaucracy. I said that it is exactly the sort of change that right wingers want - as they are always complaining of too much red tape and bureaucracy. I also predicted that they wouldn’t be giving any credit to KS as people’s politics is too tribal. I predicted that people like Turbo would find negatives to moan about, rather than praise KS for a bold move. Unfortunately my cynicism was proved correct.

Apparently there have been Tory Shadow ministers tweeting it was the right thing to do. Michael Gove has said it was the right thing to do.

I'd say the 'Right' are totally welcoming it.

Which may raise the awkward question re why the hell they didn’t do it previously .



And this is why their support disappeared.

It does but ca you imagine the gnashing of teeth over the tories trying to cut something with "NHS" in its name? I really think only Labour could get away with doing this.

[pavarotti1980]

Otispunkmeyer said:

It does but ca you imagine the gnashing of teeth over the tories trying to cut something with "NHS" in its name? I really think only Labour could get away with doing this.

To be fair they did start the process of rolling back the Lansley reforms from 2012 but ended up.dping no more than just talking about. They had already started removing commissioning responsibilities from.NHSE and handing them to the ICBs. This is just a bit more substantial

[Randy Winkman]

scenario8 said:

I’ve been saying since at least my time (formally) studying politics, which is a not inconsiderable time now, that only the Labour Party could ever make significant reforms to the NHS, the education sector and/or the civil service. The Conservative Party might (secretly) want to but would find anything other than relatively minor changes impossible for a whole bunch of reasons.

Cool story bro’.

I've been a civil servant for nearly 41 years and remain to be convinced. I dont see how it matters whether it's Labour, Conservative, Lib Dem or anyone else? How does that matter?

[768]

Randy Winkman said:

I've been a civil servant for nearly 41 years and remain to be convinced. I dont see how it matters whether it's Labour, Conservative, Lib Dem or anyone else? How does that matter?

The wailing.

[swisstoni]

Randy Winkman said:

scenario8 said:

I’ve been saying since at least my time (formally) studying politics, which is a not inconsiderable time now, that only the Labour Party could ever make significant reforms to the NHS, the education sector and/or the civil service. The Conservative Party might (secretly) want to but would find anything other than relatively minor changes impossible for a whole bunch of reasons.

Cool story bro’.

I've been a civil servant for nearly 41 years and remain to be convinced. I dont see how it matters whether it's Labour, Conservative, Lib Dem or anyone else? How does that matter?

If a Tory PM had announced this it would have been parlayed up into a typical attack on the NHS and no doubt the unions would already be talking about industrial action, etc, etc.

[popeyewhite]

swisstoni said:

Randy Winkman said:

scenario8 said:

I’ve been saying since at least my time (formally) studying politics, which is a not inconsiderable time now, that only the Labour Party could ever make significant reforms to the NHS, the education sector and/or the civil service. The Conservative Party might (secretly) want to but would find anything other than relatively minor changes impossible for a whole bunch of reasons.

Cool story bro’.

I've been a civil servant for nearly 41 years and remain to be convinced. I dont see how it matters whether it's Labour, Conservative, Lib Dem or anyone else? How does that matter?

If a Tory PM had announced this it would have been parlayed up into a typical attack on the NHS and no doubt the unions would already be talking about industrial action, etc, etc.

Of course it would. The volte face and sheer cheek of Labour to suggest this now they are in power after years of Tory attacks in opposition where stuff like this was their main ammunition shows what a bunch of integrity voids they are. Completely shameless.