Enfield boy
pfm Member
These two things might just be connected, can't imagine the Daily Hate or Torygraph being enamoured of Oborne listing BoJo's fibs.
A thread to catalogue the eloquence, dignity, diplomacy and wisdom of Boris Johnson
- Thread starter Tony L
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Tony L
Administrator
Exactly the sort of vacuous popularism I’d expect. The way one man’s gentle act of charity and integrity has been turned into a nationalist tabloid meme is bad enough, corrupt lying shit like Johnson cashing in on it is just repugnant.
Barrymagrec
pfm Member
Clap for Boris Johnson? No, I don`t think so.
zarniwoop
hoopy frood
If Johnson had followed the science in September and locked down until cases were at July levels, Sir Tom might well have avoided infection and still be alive. He's already taken "full responsibility" with a meaningless sound bite and now has the effrontery to puff himself up with this stunt.
The Far North
pfm Member
In all fairness, I should own up that the BBC did eventually report this, particularly after it was raised in the Commons.And on the offchance that this story doesn't make it onto the BBC & Tory presshttps://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/reckless-boris-johnson-visited-scots-23432287
It now appears that Boris found out about it early on, since he sacked his Union advser the day after the visit, even though his spokesman seems to have denied this! https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politics/boris-johnson-sacks-top-pro-23439031
The Far North
pfm Member
Today's insight sees his senior Minorities Adviser resign for the reasons below, but then apparently withdraw the resignation. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-55945281
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-55945281Enfield boy
pfm Member
It's bad that a Labour MP quits to avoid an internal party investigation into an alleged assault. It's worse that this person is then ennobled by Johnson and worse still that he's now working for Johnson to attack BLM. These men are a disgrace, a stain on our nation, the rule of law and the media.
There are plenty of other sources for this outrageous appointment if my choice is too fruity.
https://morningstaronline.co.uk/art...ernment-appointment-john-woodcock-investigate
There are plenty of other sources for this outrageous appointment if my choice is too fruity.
https://morningstaronline.co.uk/art...ernment-appointment-john-woodcock-investigate
TheDecameron
Unicorns fart glitter.
How did ****ers like him infiltrate the Labour Party? Bought off with coin from the Tory Party to turn on their own. Smells like McCarthyism Brexit Britain style. No wonder so many of us want out of this c**** shop.
Enfield boy
pfm Member
Noo Labour, I'm sure Starmer thinks he's fine as well.
droodzilla
pfm Member
Austin, Mann, Woodcock: those guys deserve their own thread.
All bribed by the Tories to attack the main opposition party before a general election.
If we had a functioning media system, this would be a huge national scandal.
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Enfield boy
pfm Member
That's what the last 4 years was about, draining the swamp of the only currently viable opposition. Sadly the papers, the BBC and social media proprietors prefer Status Quo.
Darmok
pfm Member
Johnson's chums.
https://twitter.com/allthecitizens/status/1357676031424028676
Despicable, the lot of em!
https://twitter.com/allthecitizens/status/1357676031424028676
Despicable, the lot of em!
TheDecameron
Unicorns fart glitter.
It’s no coincidence that Johnson’s government put 15 barristers and solicitors onto the court proceedings (in which they had a solitary witness) to oppose The Good Law Project’s case against them. This went way beyond emergency procurement constraints. Remember the civil servants were told to give priority of businesses in the so-called “VIP lane”, many with no experience whatsoever in supplying the required materials. The Health Secretary’s local pub landlord being a point in case.
Tony L
Administrator
Their arrogance and entitlement knows no bounds. Utilising the money we give in good faith via taxation for infrastructure and public services to defend their own corruption from public scrutiny really is no better than Mugabe, Assad, Kadryov or Putin. Fundamentally corrupt and authoritarian. This is not democracy, it is a right-wing coup. As ever we have no credible political opposition so it is all down to independent resistance groups like the Good Law Project to fight for what is right. I will make a donation to them later.
ff1d1l
pfm Member
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Dear Sir or Madam,
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As you know, the Freedom of Information Act 2000 sets standards for openness and transparency from government, and is a critical tool for ensuring that journalists and members of the public can scrutinise the workings of government.
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The report also points to increasing evidence of poor practices across government, such as the use of ‘administrative silence’ to stonewall requests.
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The new report also shows that the regulator charged with implementing Freedom of Information legislation – the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) – has seen its budget cut by 41% over the last decade while its FOI complaint caseload has increased by 46% in the same period.
I believe that there are now strong grounds for a review of the UK government’s treatment of and policies for dealing with Freedom of Information requests, and would urge the minister to address these concerns. I urge you to take the following steps as a matter of priority:
1. Open an inquiry into the operation of the Clearing House, which comprehensively investigates whether its operation is GDPR-compliant, whether journalists and other users of the Act are being monitored and/or blacklisted, and whether this is illegal and/or undermines the applicant-blind principle of the Act.
2. Consider the merits of introducing an ‘administrative silence’ rule whereby a failure to respond to a request within the requisite time period is deemed to be a refusal and can be appealed in full to the ICO.
3. Recognise the national interest of an independent and fully funded regulator of information rights by considering the ICO’s critical lack of funding, and making the regulator accountable to and funded by parliament.
Despite recommendations from the ICO, the government has also declined to expand the FOI Act to cover public contracts to private firms – and has failed to deliver on its own pledges to increase the proactive publication of contracting data.
Given the recent National Audit Office report’s criticism about the lack of transparency in government COVID contracting, it is high time that this recommendation was followed through – and that further measures as outlined above are taken to protect and strengthen the public’s right to access information.
Yours,
more than 40,000 of you have backed our call to save Freedom of Information (FOI)!
Thanks to you, the pressure is working. In a rare show of unity today, rival British newspapers editors have all signed our open letter to MPs demanding ‘urgent’ steps to protect FOI, as a key pillar of press freedom.
This is huge: it means ministers have to start listening.
The letter is addressed to MPs on the influential Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee. It demands a swift investigation into government handling of FOI requests, plus new measures to speed up FOI responses and enforcement.
Will you add your name, and email our letter to MPs too?
The more noise we make, the faster they have to act. Already, Labour has proposed a robust new FOI law – and MPs from all parties are backing our call.
All you need to do is copy the text of the open letter below into a new email, add your name to the bottom, and send it to the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee using this email address: [email protected]
Together, we can keep the momentum going and force MPs to act.
Thanks you so much,
The open letter
Dear Sir or Madam,
I am writing to you to raise serious concerns about the difficulties that journalists, researchers and members of the public currently experience when trying to use FOI legislation, across government.
As you know, the Freedom of Information Act 2000 sets standards for openness and transparency from government, and is a critical tool for ensuring that journalists and members of the public can scrutinise the workings of government.
I have, however, become increasingly concerned about the way in which the legislation is being interpreted and implemented. As the new openDemocracy report ‘Art of Darkness’ makes clear, FOI response rates are at the lowest level since the introduction of the Act 20 years ago.
The report also points to increasing evidence of poor practices across government, such as the use of ‘administrative silence’ to stonewall requests.
In addition, it was recently reported that the Cabinet Office is operating a ‘Clearing House’ unit in which FOI responses are centrally coordinated, undermining the applicant-blind principle of the Act. This raises serious questions about whether information requests by journalists and researchers are being treated and managed differently.
The new report also shows that the regulator charged with implementing Freedom of Information legislation – the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) – has seen its budget cut by 41% over the last decade while its FOI complaint caseload has increased by 46% in the same period.
I believe that there are now strong grounds for a review of the UK government’s treatment of and policies for dealing with Freedom of Information requests, and would urge the minister to address these concerns. I urge you to take the following steps as a matter of priority:
1. Open an inquiry into the operation of the Clearing House, which comprehensively investigates whether its operation is GDPR-compliant, whether journalists and other users of the Act are being monitored and/or blacklisted, and whether this is illegal and/or undermines the applicant-blind principle of the Act.
2. Consider the merits of introducing an ‘administrative silence’ rule whereby a failure to respond to a request within the requisite time period is deemed to be a refusal and can be appealed in full to the ICO.
3. Recognise the national interest of an independent and fully funded regulator of information rights by considering the ICO’s critical lack of funding, and making the regulator accountable to and funded by parliament.
Despite recommendations from the ICO, the government has also declined to expand the FOI Act to cover public contracts to private firms – and has failed to deliver on its own pledges to increase the proactive publication of contracting data.
Given the recent National Audit Office report’s criticism about the lack of transparency in government COVID contracting, it is high time that this recommendation was followed through – and that further measures as outlined above are taken to protect and strengthen the public’s right to access information.
Yours,
Enfield boy
pfm Member
Done, I fear that the only way to save ourselves from this kleptocracy is by means that involve England (for the Scots and N.Irish will surely leave, Wales look keen to go too) descending into a Zimbabwe style nightmare which may well be beyond my lifetime. So far as long as people are able to get by it seems that are content to vote in favour of their abusers. We know that the Lib-Dems and Blair/Starmer types will not get us out of this mess, an Attlee type may well have done, that seems beyond hope now.
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