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The brits are in for a rough ride

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I could be wrong about this, because I know little of British politics. But it's funny to hear Sunak is a fiscal conservative, because when I read about his most recent tenure in government, he would be what you'd call a "moderate Republican" in the U.S. Of course, no such thing still exists today except for someone like Joe Manchin. Sunak has raised taxes, and approved some modest direct relief against soaring energy prices. Things that not a single GOP Congressperson would ever vote for in the U.S. Mainly, it sounds like he wants to pay for any new government spending and as a policy starting point, that isn't wholly unreasonable.

It's really hard to work out what Sunak's politics are. He apparently was one of those who argued most strongly _against_ an early COVID lockdown (and thus is partly why the Johnson government locked down late and caused a lot of avoidable deaths). And on the one hand he introduced furlough, while on the other he brought in the stupid 'eat out to help out' subsidy for MPs favorite restaurants, that did nothing but cause further spread of COVID.

And on the one hand he was quite correct in pointing out Truss/Kwarteng's plans would lead to disaster, but on the other he himself had earlier pushed for even larger cuts in corporation tax.

Seems like there are two different Sunaks in there. Don't know which one we'll get as PM.
 
I immediately acknowledged that fact in my first sentence. 🙂
I kinda meant that even if you were really well versed in the politics on both sides of the Atlantic you still can't really compare US and UK political parties without getting the wrong end of the stick about lots of things!
 
It's really hard to work out what Sunak's politics are. He apparently was one of those who argued most strongly _against_ an early COVID lockdown (and thus is partly why the Johnson government locked down late and caused a lot of avoidable deaths). And on the one hand he introduced furlough, while on the other he brought in the stupid 'eat out to help out' subsidy for MPs favorite restaurants, that did nothing but cause further spread of COVID.

And on the one hand he was quite correct in pointing out Truss/Kwarteng's plans would lead to disaster, but on the other he himself had earlier pushed for even larger cuts in corporation tax.

Seems like there are two different Sunaks in there. Don't know which one we'll get as PM.
Small aside, I didn't realize how much like an android he is when making a speech! Total uncanny valley thing going on with his face and intonation!
 
Small aside, I didn't realize how much like an android he is when making a speech! Total uncanny valley thing going on with his face and intonation!

Echoes of Gordon Brown, perhaps? What is it about ex-chancellors?


The fact that nobody has much idea what Sunak's going to do now he's in office, is a good reason why there needs to be a General Election. They've foisted the guy on us, without him at any point giving much inkling as to what his 'manifesto' even is.

Did he give much a clue in the previous contest vs Truss? I can't say I paid any attention, on account of not having a vote.
 
Whole speech if anyone can face it.


It's like every politician has employed the same voice coach as Tony Blair, they all sound like him.
 
I mean given the last two he's kind of an improvement! Admittedly it's a really low bar but...

Last three, surely?

Easy to lose count these days.

(Even more so with Chancellors - the Conservatives have had four of them in the last year, while Labour have had five in the last 60 years)
 
Not a good sign that he's left Hunt in situ and also bought back Braverman (only a few weeks after she quit due to her own version of buttery males)

Hugely ironic that an Indian-descended PM, in choosing an Indian-descended Home Secretary may have endangered he chances of a trade deal with India

"Not only is Braverman likely to maintain a tough line on immigration, which could torpedo the chances of an India trade deal and rule out relaxing foreign worker rules to help boost economic growth, but the appointment threatens to undermine a key pledge made in Sunak’s first speech as prime minister."

 
gotta drop this one here -


will Sunak's policies be any different than Truss' or since they are from the same party will Britain see more of the same, but maybe a slightly different flavor of policy?
 
gotta drop this one here -


will Sunak's policies be any different than Truss' or since they are from the same party will Britain see more of the same, but maybe a slightly different flavor of policy?

That's the ridiculous thing about it - nobody knows what to expect from him, because _he didn't have to face an election_. Because he gave no interviews, undertook no public campaign, and produced no manifesto, everyone is reduced to searching through all his past statements and examining his biography, in order to work out what he's likely to do.

This is the fourth time in a row the Conservatives have picked a new PM without consulting the electorate. They've broken the parliamentary system. If not deliberately, then through their degree of internal dysfunction,
 
Oh, and the people he chose to get into government. That gov could all be in prison if the justice worked in Britain, but nooo, they blame East Europe for corruption, but what is happening there is Benny Hill.... Can't even get angry, only laugh
 
At this point it might be better to just get King Charles to take the wheel for a few months.

Bring back a little nostalgia lol.
 
Trying to imagine what Enoch Powell would have thought had he known his successor would be, not one, but two South Asian women politicians competing with each other for being 'tough' on migrants (Braverman seems to have out-done Priti Patel).

(And that's not even including the Nigerian-descended (and perfectly named) Kemi "BadEnoch"


Honestly can't decide if Enoch would have been horrified or pleased. Maybe anti-migrant folk should be more aware that today's migrants are likely to be tomorrow's xenophobic defenders of the borders?

I guess it happens with class mobility also - it's the amalgamated union of drawbridge pullers and ladder lifters.
 
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Trying to imagine what Enoch Powell would have thought had he known his successor would be, not one, but two South Asian women politicians competing with each other for being 'tough' on migrants (Braverman seems to have out-done Priti Patel).

(And that's not even including the Nigerian-descended (and perfectly named) Kemi "BadEnoch"

So ironic to see descendants of immigrants calling other immigrants an invasion. 🙁
 
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