[Politics] Tory meltdown finally arrived [was: incoming]...

[Eric the meek]

Yet, I still see ignorant racists saying they can't get an appointment or have to wait hours for an ambulance because we have too many 'illegals'.
I always reply you are more likely to be treated by an immigrant than be in queue behind them. Our own trained medical staff are moving out as soon as they can for a decent life.

I remember reading an article (probably around Brexit time) that attempted to address the problem of 'why can't you get an appointment with your GP'. The answer was quite illuminating, not due to 'illegals' or a lack of doctors, and was due to something I hadn't expected at all.

It was down to the way that patients were able to book appointments. Surgeries reported that small subsets of patients were booking up multiple appointments in advance, in case they needed them. I don't know how comprehensive the survey was.

You would have thought that this would be easy to fix though. Operate a policy of no hypochondriacs, and tell those patients not to abuse the system. If they continue to do so, limit them to booking only one appointment in advance at any one time. Alternatively, remove the forward booking facility entirely. At my wife's surgery, they have done this. To get an appointment for that day, you have to ring up at 8am and take your chances.

 

[Eeyore]

I think we need a new version of Yes Minister

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Yet, I still see ignorant racists saying they can't get an appointment or have to wait hours for an ambulance because we have too many 'illegals'.
I always reply you are more likely to be treated by an immigrant than be in queue behind them. Our own trained medical staff are moving out as soon as they can for a decent life.

Imagine fashioning one's entire electoral strategy, and policy portfolio around thinking "what is most likely to attract the votes of ignorant racists?" I am sure we have had bad governments in the past, people keen to deny votes for women and working people for example, but this present lot really seem to me to be as low as it can get.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I remember reading an article (probably around Brexit time) that attempted to address the problem of 'why can't you get an appointment with your GP'. The answer was quite illuminating, not due to 'illegals' or a lack of doctors, and was due to something I hadn't expected at all.

It was down to the way that patients were able to book appointments. Surgeries reported that small subsets of patients were booking up multiple appointments in advance, in case they needed them. I don't know how comprehensive the survey was.

You would have thought that this would be easy to fix though. Operate a policy of no hypochondriacs, and tell those patients not to abuse the system. If they continue to do so, limit them to booking only one appointment in advance at any one time. Alternatively, remove the forward booking facility entirely. At my wife's surgery, they have done this. To get an appointment for that day, you have to ring up at 8am and take your chances.

I've heard this too and also my GP practice has screen with various bits of info coming up, including missed appointments, which often run into the hundreds each month.

 

[Eric the meek]

I've heard this too and also my GP practice has screen with various bits of info coming up, including missed appointments, which often run into the hundreds each month.

Hundreds of missed appointments (in one surgery) each month is unacceptable and if allocated to people who actually need them, would go some way to alleviating the
perceived and real problem of 'can't get an appointment with my GP' wrongly blamed on immigrants by Patel, Braverman and their ilk.

If the government are pleading poverty with the junior doctors, perhaps they could have spent £240 million on them, rather than wasting it on sending no migrants whatsoever to Rwanda. Or vow never to let Liz Truss (estimated cost to the country 30 billion) anywhere near any position of power ever again.

(Apologies for the digression. Back to the Tory meltdown/Michelle Mone's moans/Victoria Atkins, Health Secretary in training).

 

[Machiavelli]

The brass neck of the Tories 15 years ago claiming that 'Britain is broken'. I'm by no means Blair's biggest fan, but New Labour left behind robust public services and significant growth. The only achievement I can identify with this lot is that unemployment has remained pretty low within a no/low growth regime. And then you consider the downsides they've inflicted upon us: public services on its last legs, local government heading towards bankruptcy, Brexit, redistribution from poor to rich, no/low growth, and much more.
Those that have put an 'X' alongside one of their candidates need to have a long, hard look at themselves.

 

[Pavilionaire]

Another quarter goes by with bugger all growth. That's 6 quarters in a row. That miserable run started with the return to normality after Covid when, arguably, the effects of Brexit - without being obscured by Covid - began to play out.

At what point do our politicians actually put their heads above the parapet, acknowledge it isn't working, acknowledge our economy is 4% worse off per year and address what they are going to do about it? Where's the Big Plan Rishi, where are these benefits we were promised? Do people really value perceived "sovereignty" and "taking back control" over the education of their children or treatment for cancer?

It will be hard to ignore the subject for much longer given import checks on N Ireland / EU goods will finally commence on 31st January 2024. That will only add to the costs of red tape and the overall price of imported goods.

I also wonder to what extent the sluggish performance of the German and French economies is as a result of their big UK market not having a pot to piss in.

 

[Sid and the Sharknados]

I think we need a new version of Yes Minister

It says something that Jim Hacker now seems like a model of competent governance.

 

[beorhthelm]

I also wonder to what extent the sluggish performance of the German and French economies is as a result of their big UK market not having a pot to piss in.

was so close.

 

[TomandJerry]

Many UK cheese makers could face 245% duty from 1 January, making exporting unaffordable

A bespoke UK-Canada trade deal was going to open up the Canadian market to cheddar, stilton and wensleydale in a way that had never possible under a trading agreement struck between the EU and Canada.


But after a meeting in recent days between Britain’s cheese makers and the UK government’s negotiating team there is a whiff to Johnson’s boasts that would put a stinking bishop to shame.

Not only are the British negotiators getting nowhere fast on the terms of a comprehensive trade deal with Canada, but the UK’s attempts to at least extend a rollover of the EU terms of trade on cheese exports have been squarely rejected by their Canadian counterparts.

 

[nicko31]

The brass neck of the Tories 15 years ago claiming that 'Britain is broken'. I'm by no means Blair's biggest fan, but New Labour left behind robust public services and significant growth. The only achievement I can identify with this lot is that unemployment has remained pretty low within a no/low growth regime. And then you consider the downsides they've inflicted upon us: public services on its last legs, local government heading towards bankruptcy, Brexit, redistribution from poor to rich, no/low growth, and much more.
Those that have put an 'X' alongside one of their candidates need to have a long, hard look at themselves.

I voted Tory in 2010 I really didn’t realise in the noughties how good we had it.

I got conned by the Labour crashed the economy card by overspending, it was utter nonsense.

 

[Lever]

...and the prize for the worst politician of 2023 goes to......

 

[Machiavelli]

I voted Tory in 2010 I really didn’t realise in the noughties how good we had it.

I got conned by the Labour crashed the economy card by overspending, it was utter nonsense.

Well done for 'fessing up. I forgive you, because you won't be falling for it again.

 

[A1X]

Roll up, roll up, last chance to buy yourself an honour…

 

[A1X]

 

[Bodian]

"His spokesman brushed aside his comments as “an ironic joke” "

 

[jcdenton08]

Non story. Just a twat making an unfunny private joke with his wife and friends.

 

[jcdenton08]

I’ll add I love a good attack at the Tories but this is just another crap diversion from all the harm they’ve done to our country.

If anything, this kind of story is good for the Conservatives. Wouldn’t be surprised if they are leaking this stuff themselves.

 

[nicko31]

Roll up, roll up, last chance to buy yourself an honour…

Non doms bricking it

 

[Hugo Rune]

Roll up, roll up, last chance to buy yourself an honour…

The right wing smear campaign on Starmer (and as a result, defence lawyers) is going to cost a lot of money.

In essence, the Mail and others must convince the uneducated majority that Starmer and by proxy, defence lawyers, are inherently evil and corrupt and have no issue with the crimes of the defendants they are representing. It’s part of the whole ‘lefty lawyer’ campaign and is high risk indeed.

Meanwhile, a lot of that money could also be used to fund the super injunction protecting the identity of Boris Johnson’s half sister who was given a seat in the lords by him.