Hello journalists! Voter in a democracy here. Sunak’s government is not the one that made the manifesto commitments in 2019. So, what key pieces of legislation do the Tories intend to get through before the next general election? And why?
🐦⬛A blackbird is singing over the hiss of the traffic. In the dark. In the rain.
Poverty and the political right
If the right wanted a low-tax small state through democratic means, it would tackle poverty.
The poor derive more direct benefit from public services than the rich. This is why the right, who want a low-tax, small-government state, deny structural poverty and claim the poor are lazy, feckless spendthrifts - basically that they choose to be poor. Public services are, then, the problem: a reason the poor stay poor.
A more rational, less dishonest approach from the right might be to tackle poverty by understanding that poverty isn’t a personality defect but a shortage of money. The right could draw ideological inspiration from religious traditions to inform sensitive policies.
Instead, and inexplicably, the right has instituted a programme of mass impoverishment. It seems most of us are too rich and need a curative dose of poverty. Apart from the very rich, who are, uniquely, improved by being showered in money.
Now the right is forced to set out an entirely dishonest programme for low taxes and a small state - the beneficiaries of which policy will be a tiny minority of super-wealthy individuals.
There are only two ways to get a democracy to vote for this: lies, or fascism.
It’s kind of pathetic watching successive senior Tories do their “Chemical Ali” turn over Brexit border chaos.
Suella Braverman denies Brexit to blame for Dover queues of 14 hours
Struggling to get my palm rest out of the packaging because my wrists are so bad.
I am just beginning the planning now for the 10 year anniversary of this sign not coming down.
Local drivers need parking practice.
Sovereignty didn’t matter either
The great tragedy of Brexit is that it was just a tactical move by the Tories to win an election and an opportunistic gambit by individual politicians to gain power. Beyond this, there are no goals, no principles, no big ideas. Just cynical optics for the base.
UK joins Asia-Pacific CPTPP trade bloc that includes Japan and Australia
The abandoned Nike outlet is a mirror to the Overground tracks.
Keir Starmer in drag.
Capturing Hot Air
Tories: The State can’t pick winners. The Mah-Ket will decide our fate.
Also Tories: Shackled to the dinosaur EU we can’t take advantage of the New Economy. We have to Leave!
EU: Okay. Bye!
Tories: Incandescent lightbulbs!
Also Tories: Behold the powerful suction of our vacuum cleaner motors! (Made in Malaysia).
US: Here’s the Inflation Reduction Act, a massive green economy stimulus that’s attracting $billions of private investment, creating jobs and competitive advantage.
EU: Wait! What? We need a committee.
Tories: Here’s our status-quo preserving boondoggle, losers.
Government gambles on carbon capture and storage tech despite scientists’ doubts
A slice of delicious home-made apple pie with a bit of custard.
I wonder how many terminal prompts the servers at Telehouse support. Here’s a view of Telehouse North Two at the Tower Hamlets side of Leamouth in East London.
The bridge on the left supports Aspen Way. On the right, the DLR.
Let’s see ChatGPT 4 drive a car.
The customer service fail at Franco Manca Canary Wharf this evening isn’t evenly spread. One young couple were kept waiting to order, had their starters delivered late, had their pizzas forgotten about, then got the wrong pizzas. I’m sure a piano is going to land on their heads.
Honestly the pizza points are not worth the pain of using Franco Manca’s utterly useless app.
Culinary instruments on display at John Lewis, Canary Wharf.
Scored a kilo of Panch Puran (Bengali five spice). This is an essential cooking ingredient for me - really elevates brassicaceae.
Imagine the derision if a member of the working class declared the invention of the shovel the dawn of artificial general intelligence.