[Bucksiron]

Actually, NI, I worked in the gardening department at Scunthorpe hospital after leaving university during the summer of 1979. I had a great time and the nurses were fantastic.

In fact I have nothing at all against the public sector, which is extremely important. What I object to is the amount of money wasted, which runs into billions, in all sorts of areas. From the NHS to central and local government, schools, you name it. The real problem is there’s no accountability, so the many good people who work in the public sector are let down by those who are incompetent or lazy; and please don’t tell me that isn’t the case. I have plenty of relatives and friends in the public sector and I hear what goes on, while you only have to look around any town or city to see the huge amounts of money that’s squandered.

As for “capitalism is the only way”, although far from perfect there’s no question that open markets are far more efficient, as the Chinese have demonstrated in recent decades after millions died of starvation under Mao. It was the same with Russia under Stalin while the modern Russia’s just too corrupt to work. Likewise with any country that’s ever tried to work under socialism and please don’t make daft claims about Scandinavia.

Deerey, I’d love you to share your wisdom on unions and, no, I’m not against them. But you’d have to be totally naive or a complete idiot to believe what’s happening at the moment is anything other than the unions weaponising their workers.

As for public sector pensions, the fact is that if these were treated the same way as in the private sector the nurses and everybody else would be able to have their pay increases. Somehow I doubt any of you will be supporting that; and remember exactly where all this money comes from. Also worth remembering that plenty in the public sector earn huge amounts of money, so why aren’t you complaining about them?

[Bucksiron]

Yet more totally pathetic responses and references to ‘disinformation’ reveal just how ignorant you lot really are. Even ‘The Guardian’ was reporting what was happening:

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/dec/11/uk-power-prices-hit-record-high-amid-cold-snap-and-lack-of-wind-power

So much for ‘disinformation’. The grim reality is that renewables will never be able to meet our energy needs no matter how much you lot might like to believe otherwise. I wish they could but they can’t and there’s no technology available now or even on the horizon that would provide the storage capacity needed to solve this problem.

But, hey, just ignore the facts.

[Bucksiron]

So here’s a question for you all. How much is the public sector pension debt? Where exactly do you all think that money is coming from?

https://www.pensions-expert.com/DB-Derisking/Public-sector-pension-liabilities-break-2tn-with-16-surge?ct=true

[Bucksiron]

I completely agree. The problem is that Labour have been as useless in opposition as the Tories have in government. We seem to have the most useless bunch of leaders ever and it seems to be the same across the UK. Scotland and Wales have massive problems, which cannot be laid entirely at the door of Westminster.

[Bucksiron]

Not worth a reply.

[Bucksiron]

What a totally pathetic set of responses, though why should anyone be remotely surprised. Here is an issue driving millions into poverty, which will cause many deaths — far, far more than will ever die from heat — and all you lot can do is politicise and trivialise it.

Of course, while net zero targets have been embraced by the Tory government — what an absurd position for it to take — this whole carbon reduction farrago is very much owned by the left. So, never mind the facts, just ignore the reality and go along with the so-called ‘experts’ who, of course, know what’s best for everyone.

Now, Fans/64, you’ll find these figures very easily if you actually take a little bit of trouble to look for them. One of the best sources is the National Grid’s own live site, which shows in detail the breakdown of electricity generation and supply for the UK. But remember that this is just the country’s supply of electricity, which given our continued reliance on fossil fuels for virtually everything else means the actual contribution of renewables will always be considerably less.

NI, I completely agree with you about energy companies making obscene profits, but it’s rarely quite as simple as people believe. Ultimately, pricing depends on supply and demand just as it always has and always will. Given the UK is now largely at the mercy of global supply — because of net zero targets, of course — our energy costs have soared. What you and many other people love to ignore is that energy companies are being told, on the one hand, that their products will no longer be wanted while, on the other, being blamed for prices created by the inevitable supply shortages resulting directly from such a strategy in the first place. On top of that we’re going to need fossil fuels for decades, but why should any company invest in the future when it’s so uncertain. This means prices will remain high for years.

Deerey, yet another daft comment about “deflecting from the government getting the rightful blame”. Just how ridiculous can you get given it’s this government that introduced the stupid net zero targets in the first place, though of course the Labour party is every bit as bad. But, never mind, eh. I’m sure you’re all nicely wrapped up in your own homes while millions face bills they can’t afford or freeze to death.

Sorry, but no matter how you lot try to spin this the fact is that millions of people face poverty and far too many will die directly because of net zero targets, which will achieve precisely nothing; and, no, that isn’t gaslighting. It’s just the plain truth whatever you lot might wish to believe.

1 user thanked author for this post.

billpuntonsghost

[Bucksiron]

Deerey, I’m very aware it’s not what you said and I don’t need to read it again to know that, “my friend”. But only a fool would ignore the underlying sentiment behind such a comment. It’s always the same with left wing, self-righteous “I’m a better person than you are” bigots. So, let me tell you very clearly in seven simple words: you are not better, morally or otherwise.

Siderite: “She is 83 and of sound mind, so can handle criticism.”

Hussey might have been of sound mind, but her life will almost certainly have been shattered by this; and no doubt a number of people on here will be quite happy about that given her background.

As for Fulani being hounded by racists regardless, I completely agree, and that is appalling. The saddest thing is that here was the perfect opportunity for Fulani to take a stance against these racists in a way that would have left them completely isolated. Instead, she’s just provided them with a great deal of ammunition; and whether you or anyone else agrees that this should be the case, the fact remains that it is the case.

As Deerey says, some — in fact, many, including at least some black people — will say that Fulani brought this on herself. Indeed, here doth lieth the problem because that is exactly what people are saying; and, whether you or I agree with them or not, given what we now know about Fulani it’s very difficult to argue against such a point.

[Bucksiron]

Right on cue, out comes Deerey. Obviously, all Tories are crooks.

Yet, apparently, it’s perfectly OK to cheat the benefits system. Funnily enough, I know a lot of working people who would disagree very strongly with that.

[Bucksiron]

Exactly, Siderite, because it was linked with royalty while anyone linked with the royalty isn’t going to say anything in response. But of course that’s fine because there’s nothing wrong with pillorying an 83 year-old woman if she’s connected with the Royal Family (and no, I’m not suggesting you said or implied that yourself). In fact, according to the likes of Heath the fact she’s had such a life and is now so old just means she should know better.

And, Siderite, what part of my last comment about having an agenda do you fail to understand???? It had nothing whatever to do with having an agenda and still has nothing to do with having an agenda. As I said earlier, the problem is that given Fulani’s very obvious agenda, what she’s actually done is provide perfect ammunition — and a lot of it — for the far right to exploit.

But, hey, at least this provides the usual suspects with an excuse to reel out the same old hackneyed expressions about racist and sneering Tories. The desperately sad thing is that fighting racism appears to be well down the list of what really matters, not forgetting the reason this event was happening in the first place, which was to fight domestic abuse.

[Bucksiron]

To coin a popular phrase, Heath, where have I said that having an agenda is a problem? I haven’t and it isn’t, nor was I suggesting or implying otherwise. As for Hussey not knowing she was being racist, of course, how silly of me. Given all that experience to which you refer I’m sure she must have thought to herself “I’ll make use of all of this great experience that I have, go up to that black woman and racially abuse her in the middle of this high profile event at Buckingham palace. After all, what could possibly go wrong.”

Deerey, of course you think my comment was unbalanced, I wouldn’t expect you or any of your mates on here to think anything else. Fulani’s agenda fits your agenda just as it fits all those on the left, but I bet anything that if a white, 83 year-old working class woman had done and said exactly the same as Hussey we would never have heard anything about it.

This has absolutely nothing whatever to do with ‘moral superiority’, which is as ridiculous as your stereotypical view of PR is ignorant. Whether you’re prepared to admit it or not the simple truth is that Fulani is a left-wing activist who could have used what happened to make a valid point and educate. Instead, she chose to turn this into a highly politicised black versus white battle, which has very successfully polarised people’s views and provided perfect ammunition for those on the far right to push their racist agenda. Wow, what a victory.

IA, no prizes for guessing it’s the usual suspects who will have the more ‘balanced’ agendas, which is ironic to say the least; and, Fans, why would anyone be remotely surprised that the majority of Tories you come across are perfectly happy to excuse racism to suit their own purposes. Not that either of you are remotely biased, of course, so this must perfectly reflect the real world.

[Bucksiron]

While what happened was racist, Fulani doesn’t comes out of it well at all. It’s a great pity because she could have used it to educate people and reduce racism, but instead she’s used it to push her own agenda and polarised people’s views in the process, which is the last thing that’s needed.

Just as people are asking whether Hussey would have pushed Fulani about where she came from had Fulani been white, it’s just as reasonable to ask whether Fulani would have raised the complaint had Hussey been a working class woman. It’s also perfectly reasonable to question how Fulani’s been able to give such a detailed account of what Hussey supposedly said, especially as I understand she claimed everything “was a blur”; and, of course, we only have Fulani’s version of events.

As I said before, context is everything. My understanding is that Hussey has asked to meet Fulani to apologise, which I hope is the case; and, if so, I also hope that Fulani has it in her to accept this was an 83 year-old woman who most likely had no idea that what she was doing and saying was racist. For all that Hussey was at fault for doing and saying what she did, so too was Fulani for blatantly using it to push an agenda, which smacks of political opportunism.

Finally, Siderite, if I’m referring to any of your comments I do my best to say so. Otherwise I’m just making a general point — you do take things very personally when they’re not aimed at you at all.

[Bucksiron]

It would help if you actually provided a reference, Fans!

[Bucksiron]

As for removing this or any other thread, that’s the last thing I want.

And, Siderite, I’ve never claimed to be perfect. The truth is that neither are you or anyone else on this board.

[Bucksiron]

Of course age isn’t an excuse for racism, Siderite, and I’m not for one moment saying it is. The point is that older people — and 83 most definitely falls into that bracket — come out with all sorts of stuff, which can very easily be misinterpreted, and anyone whose spent time with older people will be very aware of this.

Ngozi Fulani is obviously as British as anyone, just as black Brits are as British as anyone. But was Hussey questioning that? It seems doubtful given that Ngozi Fulani would surely have said so; and as far as I’m aware she hasn’t, but maybe I’ve missed it. There’s nothing remotely wrong with asking people about their background and family heritage and Deerey’s comment about my asking the black people I know is just plain daft. What does it matter how many people I’ve asked? The point is that not a single person I have ever asked has ever taken offence and why should they? I ask white people just as much as black people because it’s interesting to know — the people I’ve met have always appreciated that I’m interested in them and the idea it’s somehow racist is absurd.

As for “blaming black people for inviting racism on themselves being low”, that is just ridiculous. It doesn’t matter what colour someone is, black, white, orange or purple, there’s good and bad everywhere. The idea that Ngozi Fulani is perfect because she’s black is as nonsensical as claiming that someone is bad because they’re white.

Ultimately, context is everything. Yes, Hussey was wrong but a lot of people are questioning Ngozi Fulani’s motive for saying what she has and whether she is looking to exploit the situation; and just because she’s black doesn’t mean that’s impossible. The truth is that we just don’t know. My understanding is that Hussey has asked to meet Ngozi Fulani to apologise to her in person, which is exactly the right thing to do.

[Bucksiron]

Yep, it’s never done until the ink’s dry on the contract and all the money is in the bank account…

[Bucksiron]

I’m not going to defend Susan Hussey — if she really behaved the way Ngozi Fulani claims then it was wrong. But the way Ngozi Fulani has handled this will, if anything, fan the flames of racism and a lot of people will be asking whether her reaction has been disproportionate; and many people will believe it has.

It’s perfectly reasonable to ask “where are you from”; and given someone who displays their heritage as clearly and openly as Ngozi Fulani it’s pretty obvious her family heritage is going to be overseas. Again, there’s nothing remotely wrong with that. In fact all the black people I know are delighted to be asked about their family background and heritage and why on earth shouldn’t they be, whether they’re British or not?

OK, I would have approached the question very differently from the way Susan Hussey did, but this is an 82 year old woman for heaven’s sake; and the idea that Ngozi Fulani doesn’t want to appear “ageist” simply doesn’t hold water — many old people without a racist bone in their body would have behaved exactly as Hussey did.

The problem here is that far from diffusing the problem of racism, Ngozi Fulani is likely to make it worse. She’s already being accused of deliberately creating the problem that she’s claiming to be the victim of, which just provides more fuel for racists.

What a pity Ngozi Fulani didn’t use this as an opportunity to point out that what Susan Hussey was wrong, but without vilifying an 82 year-old woman, regardless of Hussey’s privilege. Instead, to many she’s just coming across as someone with an agenda who was looking to cause trouble.

1 user thanked author for this post.

Just Iron

[Bucksiron]

Great news, let’s just hope it all goes through OK!!!!

[Bucksiron]

Having once supported Swann and feeling totally and utterly let down by what’s subsequently happened to the club under his ownership I’ve given up believing Swann has the best interests of the club at heart. Obviously we don’t know the facts but it’s reasonable to assume his business interests will be struggling.

I just hope he does the decent thing and puts the club above his personal interests, but having been let down so badly in the past I’m afraid I’m not holding my breath.

7 users thanked author for this post.

Lord Kitchener, bartonscorpion, Ferrite, lesgeo, StainlessIron, Noster, North Lincolnshire Irons

[Bucksiron]

I’m sure he will, Gurny, but the problem for Labour is that the party’s split just as much as the Tories when it comes to Brexit and the centre versus the left. It’s just been kept under wraps, but sooner or later it will all come out into the open. Starmer knows he has to support Brexit and avoid the party lurching back to the left to win the election. He also knows that many in the traditional Labour heartland voted for Brexit.

He’s also facing huge problems with the unions. While everyone sympathises with workers, me included, the strikes have been designed to create maximum disruption at a time when people are struggling on all fronts. On top of that many people took a huge financial hit during the pandemic while many of those going on strike received full pay. A chap who does work for us used to be a paramedic and he’s furious with the NHS nurses and ambulance drivers for going on strike, especially given he’s now looking after his wife who has terminal cancer.

The question is how Starmer balances all of this. At the moment it’s easy because the Tories are in such poor shape, but as the election gets nearer he’s going to have to make his policies clear and many of them simply won’t please everyone.

[Bucksiron]

This is exactly the sort of stuff that I’ve been talking about, NI. LSE can make all the claims they like but in truth they don’t have a clue; and I’d love to have an opportunity to challenge what will undoubtedly be their computer modelling in coming up with this number.

Apart from anything else, every other major economy is suffering from inflation in the same way as the UK, so presumably that’s down to Brexit as well????? On top of that there’s absolutely no mention of energy costs, which are the main driver of inflation. This is blatant spin and I’m surprised you could be taken in by it, unless of course you’re ion a fishing expedition.

What people need to remember is that even the best academic establishments now have to market themselves, including the likes of LSE; and they know exactly the sort of ‘results’ that generate greatest interest, including anything that ‘demonstrates’ Brexit failing.

Absolute tosh, especially given it’s from Heseltine.

[Bucksiron]

What Swann’s “achieved” takes some doing, with or without a pandemic. Quite how anyone can take a club riding high in L1 to the where we are now is beyond me. The incompetence is unbelievable. I just hope he’s better at running the rest of his businesses a little better, though the omens aren’t good for the hospitality sector let alone what Swann is doing with his hotel in Blackpool. I’d love to be a fly on the wall at family meal times…

3 users thanked author for this post.

StainlessIron, f row crew, Ferrite

[Bucksiron]

I blame Brexit.

[Bucksiron]

Come off it, Siderite, how could anyone not realise that I was just being sarcastic about blaming what’s happening in China on Brexit. I mean, seriously, that’s a stretch, even for your sensitive soul.

So, 64, Boris called and told you, in person, what the effects of Brexit would be?! Did it never occur to you that the EU — and the French Government, in particular — would do everything in its power to get its own back on the UK people for making such a decision? The French have done everything they possibly can to make life as difficult as possible for the UK, which hasn’t surprised me in the slightest. I love France and I love the French people but the French Government has a long history of being very anti-British when it comes to Europe.

As for the Brexit campaign, did you really believe everything you were told?! Both sides were as bad as each other and anyone claiming otherwise is biased, naive or just doesn’t understand how politicians work.

[Bucksiron]

No problem at all, Siderite, I don’t take it personally but thank you for the apology, which is appreciated. At least you have the guts to do this and full respect you for that.

As for this being a ‘media stunt’, what a load of codswallop. The only person taking advantage of this is you, Gurny, with your ridiculous comments about the media and your daft remarks about them not supporting human rights, disregarding immigrants and believing in ‘massive inequality’.

By all means criticise the media — they’re very far from perfect — but what you’re insinuating is very clear and it’s absurd. My God, if you lived in Qatar and many countries other than the UK you wouldn’t be able to come out with this stuff. The only hypocrisy and double standards on show here are from you.

[Bucksiron]

Heavens, Siderite, are you serious? As with everything there’ll be winners and losers from Brexit, but all that remainers are doing is blaming everything that’s wrong at the moment on Brexit, that’s the point I was making.

What the UK Government’s failed miserably to do, among many other things — and, no, I’m not remotely happy about the Tories at the moment — is make the most of Brexit. But blaming our economic woes on Brexit is just nonsense. There are numerous things that have had a far greater impact, from extended lockdowns that should never have happened to a net-zero policy that’s driving energy costs through the roof and Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, paid for mainly by members of the EU.

As for the benefits of Brexit, remainers just fall back on project fear. It’s exactly what’s happening on this board. I pointed out a major benefit, which is that the UK can do what it likes in terms of supporting its people and businesses with regard to energy costs. I pointed out that Germany was under a lot of pressure because of its decision to support its people and businesses on energy, which many EU states believe to be unfair under competition rules.

Entirely as expected the response on here was to deny this is an issue, which is rubbish. It’s a huge issue now and very likely to become an even bigger one as the energy crisis gets worse. In reality the EU can’t stop its biggest economy because Germany wields so much power, so of course the rules will be bent as necessary. But had the UK still been a member the political pressure from the rest of Europe would have been enormous and very likely have led to the UK not being able to do what it wanted. Of course, this hasn’t been an issue so remainers simply ignore it.

This is what leaving the EU was really about, which is being able to take decisions without interference from Brussels (or Strasbourg, depending on what day of the week it happens to be). Of course it’s going to take time to see benefits from this and claiming otherwise is, frankly, just stupid.

[Bucksiron]

Desperate?! You couldn’t be more wrong, Sidey. It just makes me laugh how anything and everything is now being blamed on Brexit. Whatever anyone thinks about the UK government — now or at any time — we can at least get rid of them.

Meanwhile the EU’s unelected, highly paid bureaucrats still trundle between Brussels and Strasbourg at a cost of tens of millions of euros a year while we’re still having to pay billions towards EU staff pensions.

Remainers would have more of a case if the EU was thriving, but it’s in a horrendous mess. Financially and politically, everywhere you look the EU is in deep trouble.

[Bucksiron]

Some of us aren’t surprised in the slightest by the ridiculous claims being made by remainers. Just blame everything on Brexit and CO2 emissions.

I mean, what else could possibly explain the difficulties the world’s now facing. Frankly, I blame Brexit and CO2 for the problems in China.

[Bucksiron]

What a typical piece of leftist nonsense. Are we now to assume that anyone who dresses as a knight in chain mail is somehow offensive because of the crusades?

Maybe they should have gone dressed as workers on the stadia, in which case they could have worn a couple of coffins. I haven’t watched a single game of this World Cup because it’s a tournament built on the bodies of 6,000 workers. That doesn’t appear to have bothered the Qatari authorities too much.

[Bucksiron]

I agree, Siderite, and the key is to recognise the bias they have.

[Bucksiron]

Same old, same old. ‘The Guardian’ is to the left what ‘The Daily Mail’ is to right. It’s just blatant left-wing propaganda, which is absolutely fine so long as you see it for what it is.

I’m not going to defend the Tories and I have no time for Rishi or Hunt. Meanwhile, you lot support the bunch who wanted to put Corbyn into power while Heath attempts to dismiss my point with crass comments about “electricians changing a light bulb”. Well, in that case Heath an enormous number of light bulbs must have been changed to account for the eye watering sums given out by the taxpayer and for which everyone is now having to suffer.

The irony is that plenty of Labour supporters made a great deal of money out of the pandemic — and not just jobbing electricians. But as I said above, don’t let the facts get in the way of your self-righteous, “we support Labour and are therefore better than you” rhetoric.

[Author]

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