Cameron's First Term: Part 2

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Message 1289483 - Posted: 29 Sep 2012, 20:41:50 UTC - in response to Message 1289481.  

We all have our opinions of Tony Blair, and no one more than me, I can assure you. But don't write him off just yet, he may even now surprise us all. I fervently hope not, but we will see.


Doubt it. Don't think those in Europe will let it happen. They still don't like him for being Clinton/Bush's poodle.
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Message 1289812 - Posted: 30 Sep 2012, 19:33:23 UTC

A quick history lesson for "our infallible, unflappable" politicians......

15 Things everyone should know

Knew 14...didn't know about the 1911 Parliament Act.
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Message 1289830 - Posted: 30 Sep 2012, 20:17:15 UTC
Last modified: 30 Sep 2012, 20:17:40 UTC

Treachery or treason?

Happy New Year Army - You're sacked!

This deficit really is hitting home, so can we now see the "Bloated" Civil Service" reduced in size?
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Message 1289852 - Posted: 30 Sep 2012, 20:51:36 UTC - in response to Message 1289843.  
Last modified: 30 Sep 2012, 21:05:15 UTC

Agree. However, you're not going to like the following.....

...Nothing whatsoever against the good ole "US of A", but I think it's time Britain stops allying our forces alongside those of the US, at least while the economic crisis is affecting everything & everyone.

Her military complex is what's got them in a bit of a financial pickle. We just cannot match them £ for $, so bring all our troops home and ONLY use them for direct threats against this island.

Stuff some pissant country 5000 miles away - it has no direct bearing to our national security.
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Message 1289874 - Posted: 30 Sep 2012, 23:08:41 UTC
Last modified: 30 Sep 2012, 23:14:11 UTC

Some chappy hosting a radio programme on LBC covering
the Labour parties annual get together reckons Labour will win
the next general election. Oh well, that'll be Britain ruined finally
then!!

If that event does occur then best you put all your money into inflation
protecting investments because inflation will take off with that lot in
charge again. When high inflation happens then of course Labour will blame the
Con/Lib alliance for it...you can write that in stone now!!
The Kite Fliers

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Message 1290206 - Posted: 1 Oct 2012, 21:11:19 UTC

Thank you Ed Balls, no more Del-boy or Nancy boy tags... :)

"Butch" Ca moron & the Flat Line Kid
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Message 1290339 - Posted: 2 Oct 2012, 7:58:04 UTC - in response to Message 1290206.  
Last modified: 2 Oct 2012, 8:00:43 UTC

Thank you Ed Balls, no more Del-boy or Nancy boy tags... :)

"Butch" Ca moron & the Flat Line Kid


This bit caught my eye:
"They were as shocked and dismayed as everyone else at the gross irresponsibility and greed of a few millionaire bankers at the top who caused such damage and gave their industry a bad name.

"Working people who want tougher regulation, who want banks to work for the long-term interests of our economy, and who do not deserve to be pilloried for their hard work and service.


And remind me Mr Balls, which party was in charge while the bankers did this?
Which party failed to regulate the bankers leading to the economic crash?
Which party gave the bankers several billion pounds payout, without forcing them to spend it on fixing the economy instead letting them pay themselves even larger bonuses?
Was it the Tories Mr Balls? I don't think it was.
Life on earth is the global equivalent of not storing things in the fridge.
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Message 1290471 - Posted: 2 Oct 2012, 23:42:11 UTC

From one extreme to another, except this time, I happen to agree with him....

"Jerry-can" Maude at it again
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Message 1290497 - Posted: 3 Oct 2012, 0:53:52 UTC

Hmmn, will this government go into the history books as the "Turnabout Government"?

West Coast Main Line contract ditched

A bid that went £1billion over & above what the contract was worth, so were "backhanders" involved? with the way this government is handling matters, that won't come to light.....

"Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin described the mistakes made by his department as "deeply regrettable and completely unacceptable"."

"And it said an announcement would be made about the suspension of staff while the investigation into the mistakes is carried out." Yep, some poor junior Civil Servants taking the rap - nothing new there then!
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Message 1290811 - Posted: 3 Oct 2012, 16:36:39 UTC - in response to Message 1290650.  

So, has Sir Richard Branson now been exonerated for his refusal to accept the original decision?



No. The whole shebang has to be rebid for. Wonder what cockups will occur this time around......
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Message 1290829 - Posted: 3 Oct 2012, 17:26:16 UTC

West Coast Main Line

I'm reposting Chris's link here as his sombre thread is not the place to discuss this.

This is going to get nasty. 1st off, as I've already pointed out in this thread, Justine Greening is an accountant by trade & so far, she has discovered many discrepancies in her new department.

HOW do we know that she did not find some very serious discrepancies within the railways issues (there are another 15 railway franchises coming up for bids between now & the next general election), or for that matter, the Heathrow issue?

HOW do we know that Richard Branson himself did not find discrepancies so serious that he undertook legal proceedings on it? Don't forget, Branson is a highly successful businessman & would not waste time & money on an issue where it would be more than likely, he would lose. Secondly, WHY did the Department of Transport on the day before the judical review start, admit mistakes & stated that they would NOT be contesting that review?

As for Justine Greening approving FirstGroups Bid, HOW do we know that she wasn't forced into approving it by her superiors? However, when it came to the Heathrow issue, she remained adamant & would not budge from her position hence the move sideways in the cabinet reshuffle, which from the current situation, will also prove to be a major mistake by Cameron.

This, I feel is similar to the auditors of the EU, still not signed off after 14 years.

There is nothing more deadly than an honest accountant

"The transport secretary said there were "significant technical flaws" in the bidding process because of mistakes by Department for Transport staff. Three civil servants have been suspended.

The suspended staff face possible further disciplinary action pending an investigation


Only 3? What positions/Rank do they hold? Low down the totem pole? Sorry cannot accept that they would be in a position to hold sway on the issue at hand.

Middle management? Again, doubt it, as those below & above them would become aware of any discrepancy sooner or later.

So that leaves high ranking officials.... Oh dear.... Be nice if they say, "We'll be damned to take it all on our backs, let's take some others with us"


Which will come back to haunt all those on the fiddle within the House of Parliament
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Message 1290884 - Posted: 3 Oct 2012, 19:36:50 UTC
Last modified: 3 Oct 2012, 19:53:09 UTC

A clearer picture....

What derailed the Transport Department

West Coast fiasco adds to coalition woes

Q&A - West Coast Main Line franchise

"According to Virgin boss Sir Richard Branson, "this is the fourth time that we have lost a competitive tender as the runners-up... on each occasion the winner went bust or they ran into serious financial difficulties".

Yep & one of them was the GNER fiasco on the East Coast Main Line. Seems like the DoT haven't learnt from past mistakes.... Ah so what, they say, it's not costing us anything, we're still getting paid a wage, let the taxpayer cover the losses....our friends in high places will cover us.

Edit: All those BBC links show a worrying trend: blame Justine Greening. Fortunately, a better report clarifies that matter(well, at least for me anyway} & raises some interesting points.....

A costly mistake for the taxpayer & the Civil Service

"Ministers understandably feel that too often the official or officials responsible get away scot-free, whereas the politicians bear the brunt of public opprobrium, and the electoral consequences".

"Patrick McLoughlin was praised earlier by Sir Richard Branson for his forthright handling, and we are assured that it had not come to light when Justine Greening was moved. Much is being made of her background as an accountant, but would the details that were got so wrong have been put in front of her by officials in the first place? I doubt it somehow.

"Whitehall is packed with talented people who do great work. But mandarins will be right to worry that a mistake, albeit one of epic proportions, has given ministers the excuse they need to push through sweeping reforms that could dramatically change the way Government works".That would be nice
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Message 1291135 - Posted: 4 Oct 2012, 12:00:05 UTC

Hotting up already, this is going to be fun at the Conservatives Conference....wonder what Cameron's going to do.....

That's our reply to your Independence bid

This guy's having a laugh
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Message 1291152 - Posted: 4 Oct 2012, 12:44:49 UTC - in response to Message 1281494.  


Stansted is a possibility.


Another issue that's hotting up....

Risk of "inertia" over Heathrow


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Message 1291186 - Posted: 4 Oct 2012, 14:17:16 UTC - in response to Message 1291160.  

Another good post & agree 100%.

However, I feel there is a hell of a lot more to this than the government is letting on....

Government Departments do not understand IT and do not understand realistic Procurement processes, and until they do, or people who do are brought in to replace them, these farces will continue. As for Justine Greening, this all happened on her watch, she has to be held partly responsible for that. Not hard to see why she was moved coupled with the Resistance to Heathrow RW4.


That may be a correct assumption, but riddle me this: -

VERY shortly after she was moved & discovered a tremendous amount of waste (fiddles?}, Cameron himself butted in & stated publicily that NO reduction in foreign aid will be made.

What's going on here?

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Message 1291204 - Posted: 4 Oct 2012, 15:16:02 UTC - in response to Message 1291200.  

A good question. and one that I don't have an immediate answer to. Of the top of my head I would guess that :-

    1. She was miffed at being moved, and wanted to immediately prove Cameron wrong, by promptly asserting her authority and ability by highlighting financial waste.

    2. Unfortunately that sent shockwaves around the world that the government's foreign aid programme would be cut.

    3. Hence Camerons intervention.


Greening has undoubted abilities, but if she wants to maintain her position or rise higher, then she needs to learn some maturity.



At any other point in time, that may be be the case. However, in the current economic climate with 20 million unemployed throughout Europe, reigning in one's excesses will be a lot more acceptable than Maturity in a politician.
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Message 1291222 - Posted: 4 Oct 2012, 15:48:01 UTC

21st Century Mona Lisa


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Message 1291264 - Posted: 4 Oct 2012, 16:36:14 UTC

You think incompetence is bad in the UK government and civil service, just think
how bad it is in Brussels too....and you know that David.
If you wont the electorate on your side for when the next General Election comes
then It's best you weal the big stick around here and in Brussels too...NOW!!.


The Kite Fliers

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belong to a formal team so "fly their own kites" - as the saying goes.
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Message 1291285 - Posted: 4 Oct 2012, 17:10:04 UTC - in response to Message 1291274.  

"Cheapen the memory"? There's not many of them left, so a memorial does them justice.

It's ok looking back in hindsight & say the bombing campaign was a disaster, I have my own views on that, but this is not the place to discuss them.

Those boys didn't shirk their duty, unlike many in todays governments, so this is a sad reflection on those governments: -

"How on earth has it come to this? How can a Government that gladly found a last-minute £41  million top-up for those Olympic opening ceremonies begrudge 2 per cent of that sum for another opening ceremony of even greater significance?

And in a week when civil servants have blown another £40  million on a completely botched tendering process for the West Coast Main Line, can we expect anyone in government to shoulder any personal liability?"

"Is he worried about losing his home? ‘I don’t worry. I did all my worrying in the war,’ says the former tail-gunner, who clocked up a near-miraculous 60 sorties unscathed. ‘I suppose they might try to repossess my house, but they’ll have a job. I’m still a bit lively you know.’"

Still has that same spirit that made him complete 2 tours of operations in the lonliest & deadliest postion in a bomber - This is what all of us should remember
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Message 1291289 - Posted: 4 Oct 2012, 17:21:20 UTC - in response to Message 1291256.  

Final Betrayal


Most probably still a political sore point our mass bombing of civilian areas in Germany.
Although Germany was the first to bomb civilians in the UK we did not
learn that this bombing was an error carried out by a German recognisances aircraft
until after the war. An error, a very foolish error on the part of the pilot
as he should have waited until he flew back over the sea before he jettisoned
his load. I wonder if this Bomber Command memorial, because of it's sensitivity
potential, should have included the lost bomber pilots from Germany too.
Had the latter been the case then Government funding could have been used to
build this memorial and I'm sure all would have been happy.


The Kite Fliers

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Kite fliers: An imaginary club of solo members, those who don't yet
belong to a formal team so "fly their own kites" - as the saying goes.
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