Continuation General UK politics [2]

[Captain_Swoop]

Yvette Cooper told BBC Radio 4's Today programme:
"At the moment, what the Home Office is doing is trying to just tweak the existing system.
They're trying to carry on with a version of business as usual, with a version of asking people to apply for traditional work visas or traditional visitor visas or traditional family visas that are still narrowly drawn."

Dominic Raab told Today that Ms Cooper's comments "didn't make any sense at all. On the one hand Labour wanted us to move quickly, which the home secretary has done.
On the other hand they wanted us to set up something new from scratch. Those two things rub against each other, I'm afraid."

"in conflict zones around the world first and foremost, most people want to stay in their home country".

[Captain_Swoop]

UK will accept Ukrainian refugees "in considerable numbers."
How many?
When?
Give us a date.
For once in your life Boris, give us some facts.

[MarkCorrigan]

Can we swap Boris for Volodymyr Zelensky? Please?

[Captain_Swoop]

Patel will this afternoon confirm that adult parents, grandparents, children over 18 and siblings of Ukrainians settled in the UK will be allowed entry

Every single time they have to be leaned on to do the right thing and always they trot out the usual ‘we’re leading the world’ bollocks.
It’s exhausting.

A letter to the PM signed by 44 Tory moderates calls for a more generous scheme: "Ukrainian victims of war seeking refuge are welcome"

They want Ukrainians without relatives in the UK to be granted entry and for longer than the end of the year that a current visa will allow.

[Captain_Swoop]

John Redwood tweets

@johnredwood
Some in government tell me if we produce more of our own gas it will still be dear at world prices. They should look to see how US gas is only one sixth of the price of gas in the EU thanks to their domestic production, pipes and contracts.

Redwood forgets that we don’t own our gas, his party sold the rights to it.
The people that do own it export 80% of it, at great profit.

[Darat]

Originally Posted by MarkCorrigan

Can we swap Boris for Volodymyr Zelensky? a chocolate fireguard. Please?

FTFY

[Captain_Swoop]

In the House of Commons, Tory MP for Gainsborough, Sir Edward Leigh says Lincolnshire is too full for Ukrainians

He says in Lincolnshire "we've done our bit with migration from Eastern Europe"

“Everybody wants to be humanitarian and she’s under pressure to have a visa-free scheme like the rest of Europe, but may I actually congratulate her on her proportionate response.
I think we have to remember that, unlike the rest of Europe, we have uniquely liberal labour laws and we speak English, so we are the country of choice for mass immigration,.
and therefore I do urge her to, as well as listen to all the humanitarian voices, to listen to the voices of people in Lincolnshire, who feel we’ve done our bit in terms of migration from eastern Europe. We’re under extreme pressure in terms of housing and jobs.
I know this is difficult to say, but we have to be honest about this. And therefore may I be a correcting voice on this and congratulate her on her humanitarian but proportionate response and not throwing away the immigration rulebook.”

Video in link
https://twitter.com/PoliticsJOE_UK/s...97473216421893

[Captain_Swoop]

Priti Patel says she would offer a security briefing to the opposition but she is "very sceptical of how they treat and respect security advice."

A reminder that Patel was previously sacked from government after holding unauthorised meetings with a foreign government.

[Vixen]

Originally Posted by Captain_Swoop

<snip>

Dominic Raab told Today that Ms Cooper's comments "didn't make any sense at all. On the one hand Labour wanted us to move quickly, which the home secretary has done.
On the other hand they wanted us to set up something new from scratch. Those two things rub against each other, I'm afraid."

"in conflict zones around the world first and foremost, most people want to stay in their home country".

Does poor Dom ever have 'two things rub against each other' in his head, one wonders.

[Vixen]

Originally Posted by Captain_Swoop

In the House of Commons, Tory MP for Gainsborough, Sir Edward Leigh says Lincolnshire is too full for Ukrainians

He says in Lincolnshire "we've done our bit with migration from Eastern Europe"

“Everybody wants to be humanitarian and she’s under pressure to have a visa-free scheme like the rest of Europe, but may I actually congratulate her on her proportionate response.
I think we have to remember that, unlike the rest of Europe, we have uniquely liberal labour laws and we speak English, so we are the country of choice for mass immigration,.
and therefore I do urge her to, as well as listen to all the humanitarian voices, to listen to the voices of people in Lincolnshire, who feel we’ve done our bit in terms of migration from eastern Europe. We’re under extreme pressure in terms of housing and jobs.
I know this is difficult to say, but we have to be honest about this. And therefore may I be a correcting voice on this and congratulate her on her humanitarian but proportionate response and not throwing away the immigration rulebook.”

Video in link
https://twitter.com/PoliticsJOE_UK/s...97473216421893

Ah. Poor put-upon Priti. No wonder she lost her rag and viciously told that leftie woman to 'Shut up, you cow'; goin' on about lettin' people in.

'There might be people posin' as Ukrainians when they are really Russian terrorists in disguise'.

We-eel. How else can she put it? No offence but...

[Hercules Rockefeller]

Looks like Brexit was the best thing that could happen (for the rest of us).

[Captain_Swoop]

Russia’s second largest bank, VTB, has been granted a 30-day exemption for clients to close transactions and move assets by UK Government.

Boris announced last Thursday that the state-owned VTB Bank, which is the second-largest Russian bank and its largest investment bank, was the subject of a “full and immediate” asset freeze in the UK

But the Treasury unit in charge of enforcing the UK’s sanctions quietly issued a 30-day licence granting permission for any individual or entity to “wind down any transactions” with VTB until 27 March.

[catsmate]

Originally Posted by MarkCorrigan

Can we swap Boris for Volodymyr Zelensky? Please?

Why do you hate Ukraine?

[Vixen]

How the UK government have become Russian Assets. Investigative journalist, Carole Cadwalladr believes that the Conservative Party was deliberately 'bought' by Putin in his plan going back years to make various western influences 'partners'. She is currently being sued by Arron Banks - behind the Vote Leave - for libel. Whilst he is clearly throwing money at wearing her down OTOH maybe she is slightly getting carried away with the idea that the UK government is part of the plan to invade Ukraine to get it onside or knowingly or unwittingly being Kremlin 'assets' (polite word for 'traitors to the UK') in exchange for vast sums of money (= aka bribery). Certainly, they have been compromised and embarrassed by the revelations, and this prevents them taking decisive action or from sounding sincere in their condemnation of Russia in the conflict.

Abramovich, Russian owner of Chelsea FC, also owned shares in some Russian steelworks, which apparently, according to news, he transferred over to himself some six days before Russia invaded. This makes Rees-Mogg's own transfer of £44m shares out of a Russian bank ahead of the war, also eyebrow raising.

This is an interesting article that appears in today/s Finnish newspapers, originally from the Financial Times.

Quote:

It is estimated that about 30 percent of the country is still owned by aristocrats. In fact, the figure may be closer to 50 per cent, as much of the land is not publicly known because it has not been bought or sold for a long time - these are probably also owned by aristocrats centuries ago. In practice, around 25,000 rich people own half of Britain. Ordinary middle-class people own a total of only five percent.

To understand the twists and turns of British politics, it is worth remembering how outrageously unequal a country Britain is. The companies own about 18 percent and it will be interesting to see how their interests intertwine with the Conservative Party. The three largest donors to the Conservative Party are in the land ownership, real estate and construction sectors. The next largest stake - about 17 per cent of Britain’s land area - is owned by wealthy bankers and foreign oligarchs, including the Russians, who have invested heavily in the property here.

It is now exciting to see if Britain can really impose sanctions on them. Everything that is clearly in the eyes of the people - such as the Chelsea football club owned by Roman Abramovich - is already to blame. But in addition to Abramovich, there are many oligarchs that keep a lower profile. They own land and businesses here, and roam the political elite. A few cases have risen to prominence, such as the wife of Lubov Chernukh, Putin’s former finance minister Vladimir Chernukhin, who paid £ 45,000 for a tennis match with Johnson in 2020 and has donated more than £ 1.6m to the Conservative Party over the years. But I would guess that most appointments and remittances are handled much more discreetly. Ordinary people don't notice them much. In a bit of the same style as wondering why there is such a severe housing shortage in this country, but not to mention how one percent owns 50 percent of the land.

In the coming weeks, one will surely wonder why Britain is slowly acting against the oligarchs. Or why make a big number out of a few - while others go on with their lives without disturbing anything. Political theatre is well known in Britain, but now it is not worth watching the stage just to follow the strings. The author is a journalist for the Financial Times in London.

google translated back into English

[Captain_Swoop]

Michael Fabricant tweets

@Mike_Fabricant
While other countries hesitated, the #UK has been sending a steady stream of arms including tank-busting missiles to #Ukraine for weeks. And we are sending more.

[jimbob]

Can't he send his wig?

[Darat]

Originally Posted by Captain_Swoop

Michael Fabricant tweets

@Mike_Fabricant
While other countries hesitated, the #UK has been sending a steady stream of arms including tank-busting missiles to #Ukraine for weeks. And we are sending more.

Hmmm... one does have to wonder if it is the Ukraines we are providing arms to or the Russians in Ukraine...

[MarkCorrigan]

Originally Posted by jimbob

Can't he send his wig?

I think that might be classed as a terror tactic.

[Filippo Lippi]

Definitely a war crime

[Captain_Swoop]

The government has not seized any oligarch assets and is now allowing sanctioned Russian banks 30 days to put their affairs in order.
What the **** is going on?

[The Don]

Originally Posted by jimbob

Can't he send his wig?

Since we left the EU, the pet passport scheme isn't operating any more....

[The Don]

Originally Posted by Captain_Swoop

The government has not seized any oligarch assets and is now allowing sanctioned Russian banks 30 days to put their affairs in order.
What the **** is going on?

Allowing Tory donors to repatriate their assets.

[jimbob]

Originally Posted by Captain_Swoop

The government has not seized any oligarch assets and is now allowing sanctioned Russian banks 30 days to put their affairs in order.
What the **** is going on?

Originally Posted by The Don

Allowing Tory donors to repatriate their assets.

That was my first thought too.

THE WHOLE POINT ABOUT FREEZING ASSETS IS PREVENTING THEM BEING MOVED OUT OF REACH

[The Don]

Originally Posted by jimbob

That was my first thought too.

THE WHOLE POINT ABOUT FREEZING ASSETS IS PREVENTING THEM BEING MOVED OUT OF REACH

Only if your priority is actually implementing sanctions as opposed to just generating positive headlines.

[jimbob]

Originally Posted by The Don

Only if your priority is actually implementing sanctions as opposed to just generating positive headlines.

But of course.

[Captain_Swoop]

Tory MP Mark Harper suggests we can’t let in Ukrainian refugees freely as they’ll be infiltrated with Russian agents.

BBC Politics video in link.

https://twitter.com/mikegalsworthy/s...93052714680326

[P.J. Denyer]

Originally Posted by jimbob

Can't he send his wig?

I think that would violate biological warfare statutes.

[Checks Notes]

My mistake, nothing biological about that abomination.

Or it's wig.

[P.J. Denyer]

Got to love the idea that Russians would send in spies disguised as penniless asylum seekers rather than, of the top of my head, multimillionaires who can get fast track visas, preferential access to ministers & play tennis with the PM...The

"No comrade, forget Downing Street, Putin wants to know what secrets are held in a cut price Norfolk bed & breakfast".

[The Don]

Originally Posted by P.J. Denyer

Got to love the idea that Russians would send in spies disguised as penniless asylum seekers rather than, of the top of my head, multimillionaires who can get fast track visas, preferential access to ministers & play tennis with the PM...The

"No comrade, forget Downing Street, Putin wants to know what secrets are held in a cut price Norfolk bed & breakfast".

I was going to ask the stupid question of why the UK press isn't making more of Russian access to the highest levels in the Tory Party and the UK dragging its heels over the implementation of sanctions - but then I looked at who owns most of the UK press.

Russian oligarchs have been given plenty of time to get their money out of the UK (or hide it) in an orderly fashion. I think the US and EU should name and shame the UK and penalise the UK for failing to implement sanctions.

[Darat]

Originally Posted by The Don

I was going to ask the stupid question of why the UK press isn't making more of Russian access to the highest levels in the Tory Party and the UK dragging its heels over the implementation of sanctions - but then I looked at who owns most of the UK press.

Russian oligarchs have been given plenty of time to get their money out of the UK (or hide it) in an orderly fashion. I think the US and EU should name and shame the UK and penalise the UK for failing to implement sanctions.

I wonder if we are the only country doing this - I doubt it.

[P.J. Denyer]

Originally Posted by Darat

I wonder if we are the only country doing this - I doubt it.

Don't knock Britain. We're World Leading™ in allowing dirty kleptocrat money to influence our politics.

[Captain_Swoop]

Stephen Glover in the Daily Mail writes:

"This crisis has shown how independent Britain wields far MORE influence now we've left the EU."

I hadn't appreciated that a million refugees and Ukrainian cities in smoke and rubble had the upside of demonstrating the wonderfulness of Brexit.

Just think, if we hadn't left the EU we wouldn't have been able to defer sanctions on Russian banks for 30 days and stop refugees coming in.

[Captain_Swoop]

duplicate

[MarkCorrigan]

Originally Posted by Captain_Swoop

Stephen Glover in the Daily Mail writes:

"This crisis has shown how independent Britain wields far MORE influence now we've left the EU."

I hadn't appreciated that a million refugees and Ukrainian cities in smoke and rubble had the upside of demonstrating the wonderfulness of Brexit.

Just think, if we hadn't left the EU we wouldn't have been able to defer sanctions on Russian banks for 30 days and stop refugees coming in.

I wonder what colour the sky is on his planet?

[The Don]

Originally Posted by MarkCorrigan

I wonder what colour the sky is on his planet?

Red, white and blue

Of course rubbish like this goes largely unchallenged because to do so would be to "politicise a crisis". It's a very toxic form of propaganda because it reinforces what people want to believe and moves us father away from the truth.

In truth the UK waited to see what the US and EU planned, announced doing bare minimum to not appear to be out of step and since then has dragged its feet to avoid actually having to do anything.

It's an odd form of "leadership".

[Captain_Swoop]

Something about paying pipers and tunes....

[Captain_Swoop]

Johnson says he sanctioned 100 Russians last week but the BBC’s RealityCheck can only identify 15.

[The Don]

Originally Posted by Captain_Swoop

Johnson says he sanctioned 100 Russians last week but the BBC’s RealityCheck can only identify 15.

Boris Johnson lying ?

Say it isn't so

edited to add.....

I also wonder if these are actual sanctions applied, or announcement that sanctions may be applied in 30 days or so.

[Mojo]

Originally Posted by Captain_Swoop

Johnson says he sanctioned 100 Russians last week but the BBC’s RealityCheck can only identify 15.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/60591547

Quote:

When asked about this, the prime minister's spokesman said there were 100 individuals and entities.

…

But UK officials told BBC News that the figure also includes the major subsidiaries of the companies. They said, for example, the sanctioned company Rostec has about 60 subsidiaries, all of which could count towards the number sanctioned.

Boris’s claim, of course, was that they’d sanctioned “275 individuals already, a further 100 last week”. Maybe he was counting the individual employees.

[zooterkin]

Originally Posted by The Don

Red, white and blue

White, blue and red, surely?