Genie Posted 5 hours ago Share Posted 5 hours ago 8 minutes ago, blandy said: For example, for a PM, whose spouse is kind of required to fulfil a semi official role at least some of the time - for example state visits, state occasions, conferences, ceremonial occasions and so on, they get no funding from the public purse for their clothes. A modification to the rules scrapping the “gifts” could also introduce an allowance for clothes for the PM’s husband/wife when worn at official events. If I need to go to Sweden with work I can claim £700 for extreme cold weather clothing. With all the things politicians can claim for I don’t think it would be an issue for their PM’s wife to claim for clothes worn on official visits/events. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davkaus Posted 5 hours ago Share Posted 5 hours ago I find myself in the rather unfortunate position of being in complete agreement with Diane Abbott. How much must Starmer regret not keeping her out while he had the chance 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bickster Posted 5 hours ago Moderator Share Posted 5 hours ago 6 minutes ago, Davkaus said: I find myself in the rather unfortunate position of being in complete agreement with Diane Abbott. How much must Starmer regret not keeping her out while he had the chance Thats 5 Trade Unions she's been bought by this year and one limited company 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chindie Posted 5 hours ago VT Supporter Share Posted 5 hours ago Of course everyone is incredibly shocked when it turns out Streeting really likes pumping NHS money into private healthcare providers, which has nothing to do with them pumping him with hundreds of thousands of pounds. No no, nosiree. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colhint Posted 5 hours ago Share Posted 5 hours ago My mate in Texas has the right idea. His view is an honest politician is the guy who once he is bought stays bought. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chindie Posted 5 hours ago VT Supporter Share Posted 5 hours ago The old gag about politicians being forced to wear jackets with sponsor logos on like sports teams has rarely been truer. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blandy Posted 4 hours ago Moderator Share Posted 4 hours ago 47 minutes ago, Genie said: If I need to go to Sweden with work I can claim £700 for extreme cold weather clothing. With all the things politicians can claim for I don’t think it would be an issue for their PM’s wife to claim for clothes worn on official visits/events. Yeah, I’ve got a wardrobe full of PPE and clothes for working in inhospitable climate. Under the current rules, it’s not permissible to claim for spouses clothes for an MP, or pm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colhint Posted 4 hours ago Share Posted 4 hours ago Yeah but is it Gucci PPE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blandy Posted 4 hours ago Moderator Share Posted 4 hours ago 39 minutes ago, Chindie said: Of course everyone is incredibly shocked when it turns out Streeting really likes pumping NHS money into private healthcare providers, which has nothing to do with them pumping him with hundreds of thousands of pounds. No no, nosiree. When there’s 30,000 nurses needed, not enough hospital beds, not enough doctors and 7 million people waiting for appointments or operations, I’d be furious if I was one of those folks needing treatment and the government didn’t use available private healthcare facilities to get me my new hip, or cancer treatment, or heart op, or whatever. I’d rather get fixed up, than wait around for ages, or even die because of the absolute state the NHS is in. The two things need to go hand in hand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisp65 Posted 4 hours ago Share Posted 4 hours ago Not accepting any hospitality and gifts can’t happen it would make the job un doable. An MP couldn’t be invited to their local non league football team, they couldn’t accept a cake at a fete, or an icecream at the opening of food festival promoting icecream from their town. But come on, nobody needs a millionaire dressing them and their family. I strongly suspect that if I earned the salary of a barrister and then an MP uninterrupted for 35 years I could even buy a few decent clothes for my partner. Small beer in comparison with the tory crime wave. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genie Posted 3 hours ago Share Posted 3 hours ago Just now, chrisp65 said: Not accepting any hospitality and gifts can’t happen it would make the job un doable. An MP couldn’t be invited to their local non league football team, they couldn’t accept a cake at a fete, or an icecream at the opening of food festival promoting icecream from their town. But come on, nobody needs a millionaire dressing them and their family. I strongly suspect that if I earned the salary of a barrister and then an MP uninterrupted for 35 years I could even buy a few decent clothes for my partner. Small beer in comparison with the tory crime wave. They could just have a smaller cap, say £100. They then could support local businesses and sports clubs, enjoy the offered cold buffet, an ice cream, a cup of tea, a ride on the big wheel, a trip inside the zoo etc. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chindie Posted 3 hours ago VT Supporter Share Posted 3 hours ago 42 minutes ago, blandy said: When there’s 30,000 nurses needed, not enough hospital beds, not enough doctors and 7 million people waiting for appointments or operations, I’d be furious if I was one of those folks needing treatment and the government didn’t use available private healthcare facilities to get me my new hip, or cancer treatment, or heart op, or whatever. I’d rather get fixed up, than wait around for ages, or even die because of the absolute state the NHS is in. The two things need to go hand in hand. A drowning man would sell his arm for a oxygen tank, that's not an argument that justifies any means to get that oxygen tank, and it's a pretty pathetic emotive argument. The thing is struggling. The answer isn't kick it on the way to the competitor. Streeting is someone nicely renumerated to sell the country on that being the only option. It isn't. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davkaus Posted 3 hours ago Share Posted 3 hours ago I think there is an argument that 'we're in the shit, let's do what we can to get help to the people who need it ASAP'. In principle, if you start putting the plans in place to build a more robust NHS in the medium to long term, while utilising the private sector to supplement the current crisis, it's win win. As long as you can trust them to build that long term sustainability and scale back the private sector interests. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisp65 Posted 3 hours ago Share Posted 3 hours ago 5 minutes ago, Davkaus said: I think there is an argument that 'we're in the shit, let's do what we can to get help to the people who need it ASAP'. In principle, if you start putting the plans in place to build a more robust NHS in the medium to long term, while utilising the private sector to supplement the current crisis, it's win win. As long as you can trust them to build that long term sustainability and scale back the private sector interests. If there is one thing we have a robust and impressive record for, it’s long term infrastructure projects. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chindie Posted 3 hours ago VT Supporter Share Posted 3 hours ago We definitely have a system that incentivises long term hard decisions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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