Politics

What’s weird is that raising interest rates takes surplus money out of the economy and helps to slow price rises. But this burst of inflation is because the government pumped billions into the economy during lockdown and the global supply issues while we wait for everyone to get back up to speed post lockdown and Brexit. So raising interest rates is only going to make the cost of living crisis worse and not slow inflation.

IMO.

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Tackling inflation which is widely agreed to be caused by supply side pressure with monetary policy to decrease demand seems odd. Although maybe if all you have is a hammer (interest rates) everything looks like a nail (demand pull inflation)

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Yes, it’s a complex equation and well beyond me with lots of factors. Obviously it was (generally) difficult to foresee the Ukraine situation until just before Christmas and the other supply issues that have been hampered by all kinds of reasons, and probably longer yet with the lockdowns in China, I’m sure it is causing problems domestically there.

Even that flipping ship getting stuck added a bit, and we probably didn’t help our own cause with Brexit, the current events have made it difficult to see if\what effect Brexit had on various things, positive or negative.

Looks like Starmer’s beergate issue is escalating ‘significant new evidence’ leading to Police investigation.

Having said that he could really skewer Johnson by resigning, so Tory HQ need to be careful what they wish for……

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Yeah, fair bit of pressure put on the Durham police I reckon.

Interesting to see what the evidence is.

He should have just gone to the opticians there, worked well for Cummings…

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My guess is that there’s nothing to see here, but Durham Police will then be smeared with wokey and lefty bias comments.

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3 councillors in my ward voted in from a group called Chislehurst Matters and have done loads for community over the years before going “political” for yhis election, ie crossing near a school, CCTV in highstreet. Double votes of the Tories who always get in for everything here. Hopefully their budget holds out and they werent just dreaming out loud. Faith in political process somewhat restored but reserving judgement on the councillors themselves

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Tories down everywhere

Renewed questions on the Union.

Couple of thoughts…

  1. Surely the time is now for Boris. What else does he have to do to be removed?
  2. I know they’ve gained some seats, but I find Labours inability to mount a credible opposition. Ridiculous. We’ve been through so much over the last few years, and they’ve been a damp squib at best.
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I appreciate a serving government is rarely popular but this lot must be some of the worst I can remember. Bordering on corrupt, pretty odious self serving bunch. I’d like to think that some of the back bench tories are slightly better.

But yes, labour really aren’t a much better alternative.

Apparently there is scope for a vote on Irish reunification in the good Friday agreement but the opinion polls in NI point to it being somewhat wasted atm despite the gains for SF this week. Probably a matter of time though.

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So it’s a long day of electioneering, party leader and deputy drop in, few speeches then at 10pm on a Friday £200 of takeaway curry and a few crates of ale arrive, and we’re supposed to buy that it was a ‘brief break from work’ and they all got back to work after this ‘necessary food’.

It’s the credibility stretching lies that are the worst, same as trying to convince us the Downing Street garden photo was ‘working’ or Cummings eyesight test.

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Bracing for another leadership battle!

Burnham?

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Burnham would have to resign the mayoralty, and get dropped into a safe seat to become an MP before he can even be nominated.

Not sure how quick that can be pulled off.

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Forgetting he’s not currently an MP

Burnham has done naff all for Manchester.
It’s covered in litter, dirty and developers are allowed to run rampant. There’s little to no city centre green space.
He couldn’t run a piss up in one of Manchester’s many excellent breweries.

He just spent loads on a “clean air zone” without proper consultation and has now had to do a u-turn. Putting it under review, spending a tonne more covering up old signs with temporary stickers.

There’s still Commonwealth Games “Welcome to Manchester” signs in places.
Levelling up? My arse :roll_eyes:

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Boris was pretty good for London, as was Red Ken. Im guessing being Mayor isnt a great way to prove your worth :rofl: Id probably get behind Burnham, hes ok for a northerner.

Kier has to go, he has now made them even more unelectable than Boris. Fucking liars the lot of them.

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I happened to watch Politics Live at lunch…

…as my mate Dion’s show had moved to BBC2 due to some boring speech by a wingnut. Then I didn’t change the channel back to BBC1 for Bargain Hunt….

…anyways. The folks they had on there were all garbage. Arguing like Year 7 kids over a ball.

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Do you have to be an MP to be PM?

Haven’t we had a few members of the Lords as PM’s over the years?

Not actually sure tbh, I hadn’t realised it!