Corruption in Government

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  • Truth is in the eye of the beholder, Jenny. But your truth does not bear scrutiny. Your ‘truth’ is supported only from your little known extreme left-wing sites.

    You have clearly stated that you don’t want a conversation with people who disagree with you. Why is that? You are not prepared to listen to another point of view?

    That would clearly explain your rants and your failure to respond to points made by others.

    It is quite alarming. ?(

  • I've been digesting the court case that has now completed in the High Court. The judgment says that Michael Gove broke the law by handing a contract to his associates. This is a vindication of what we have been saying for months: there is institutionalised cronyism and corruption at the heart of Government.

    Many decent, law abiding Britons have quite rightly got in touch with Good Law Project to ask: what are the consequences? What happens now?

    There will be real world impact. We know from people who work in Government that Good Law Project’s legal cases have caused those in power to think twice before they break the rules again. It shouldn’t take a tiny not-for-profit, crowd funded by tens of thousands of people group of honest men and women to act as a watchdog against Government corruption and law-breaking. But those in power have learned that the Good Law Project is watching and is not afraid to act.


    In terms of criminality, that was not alleged in this case. But we know that in the case of PPE procurement, Government’s own Counter Fraud Function has assessed a high risk of fraud. Good Law Project has uncovered a case that we believe the Serious Fraud Office should investigate and are going to make a referral to them. As always, I will keep you updated. With pleasure. Don't thank me, I'm happy to do it.

    For the Ministers involved, breaking the law should be a resigning matter or a sackable offence. But we know that Michael Gove or Matt Hancock won’t go and the two High Court rulings won’t force them to. That’s a huge problem for all of us who believe in standards in public life and the rule of law.

    So whilst the law is an important check on Government’s abuse of power, it can’t be the only one. In order to truly turn the tide on this culture of impunity, we need to be more ambitious. We need to reach more of the public with our work, we need to be all over the internet, we need to be speaking with our friends and families about what is happening at the heart of Government. Ultimately, it’s about building a base that draws attention to the disgraceful, not to say criminal activities of these people.

    It’s no easy task. But Good Law Project has already shown what thousands of people can do when we’re all pulling together in the right direction. It's up to those of us not sucked into approving of this web of dishonesty, lies and abuse of power, by empty promises and extremist ideology.

  • I am sure that the majority of the public out there is rather glad that this government broke the rules, avoiding a long procurement process including a tendering procedure which would have taken weeks, at a time when we were in danger of actually running out of PPE.

    Desperate times call for desperate measures and this government rose to the challenge, much to the annoyance to some of you shouting from the sidelines.

    The real focus here on learning from this is that all legislation should contain provision for emergency measures as appropriate.

  • These days I take a holiday from Forum Box for two or three weeks just to avoid feeling I'm in a Groundhog Day forum. Probably that perception cuts both ways, especially if I keep posting excessively lengthy comments that get a flatline or zero response, with just one or two food-for-thought replies which I much appreciate - and need. Instead I click on a thread of interest and find it swamped with the same-old “dotty jenny” thoughts or diatribes in which practically everything is interpreted through an extreme distorted left-wing prism (or kaleidoscope).

    In this thread, what I find most disappointing, even intellectually and morally repugnant, is the government’s unwillingness to have given an honest defence of their actions. Instead, the government chooses whatever response is likely to gain the most credibility or bored/resigned acceptance by the media and its sheep audience (aka the electorate). For Chrissake’s government (left or right) even commission discussion groups to see which explanation or message generates the most voter appetite appeal. The really bad joke here is that this is part of the modus operandi of Democracy!

    The High Court has condemned the side-lining of the procurement process and it is a bullshit judgement. I partly blame the government for lacking the confidence and integrity to provide an honest and realistic defence. The procurement process wasn’t side-lined because of a pandemic emergency. That’s a mitigating but ultimately phoney explanation. I say this because it must be assumed the government knew what they wanted from this market research and wrote it down (aka a brief). Because if there wasn’t an adequate brief written by those in government initiating this project, they should belong in an asylum, not in a ministers’ cabinet or as senior advisers.

    As for those in government initiating this project knowing who they would like to see conducting this project, that’s hardly corruption or cronyism, it’s being a discerning client, in knowing from previous experience with more than one research company that those particular researchers would do a good job on this particular project. As for whether that good job would be at a fair price, anyone engaged in appointing the company ought to have a good enough idea of what the price ought to be, give or take a few percent. The essential point in this procurement situation - which is by no means uncommon – is that government is not purchasing telegraph poles or slabs of concrete or steel girders based on a quantifiable specification. Instead, the very nature and success or failure of this project will depend overridingly on qualitative, creative, intellectual factors as well as experienced expertise. What on earth can a government procurement officer bring to that? As for whether the cost was amenable to some haggling, this is North Europe, not the Middle East. If the price seems fair for what needs to be provided, don’t haggle, because in the end, if you trust the company, then you get what you pay for.

    As for whether the qualitative research project was worth doing, I’m none too sure. Certainly tackling the pandemic effectively required government being able to understand and influence human attitudes and behaviour. However, what I see in government much of the time is either (a) a yawning chasm between well-informed versus politically expedient decisions and (b) an intellectual laziness or deficiency to get to mental grips with information at government’s disposal (all too often due to over-analysis leading to decision-paralysis).

  • At least you're posting in a font and size that most people can read for a change, so that's start.

    Leaving aside the pandemic and understandably politically expedient decisions, I think Dominic Cummings would probably agree with you.

    There's needs to be a decent level of expertise at the heart of government and when there isn't, which is most of the time, then we get into all these issues over cronyism and corruption.

  • At least you're posting in a font and size that most people can read for a change, so that's start.

    Leaving aside the pandemic and understandably politically expedient decisions, I think Dominic Cummings would probably agree with you.

    There's needs to be a decent level of expertise at the heart of government and when there isn't, which is most of the time, then we get into all these issues over cronyism and corruption.

    1 Thanks - I'll remember to choose the right font and size

    2 It's no compliment that the guy you think agrees with entered number 10 imagining he could achieve respect and progress dressed as a cross between a Harry Enfield teenager and Sid Vicious.

    3 The government has all the expertise it needs that money can buy (our money!). But it's no use when it comes to government explaining/justifying itself to the electorate, at which point the ministers hog the stage with soundbites, platitudes, self-congratulation* and faltering, irrelevant or incomprehensible explanations, while the experts are gagged and put behind a curtain; or in those farcical daily coronavirus tv sessions, the whole thing was so obviously "staged", where the experts on either side of the minister had been gagged with money, fame, the honours list and conditioned, trained or rehearsed on what was ok and not ok to say. When something is that contrived and Goebbellelish, all that's left is for voters and the media is to perceive or suspect corruption, cronyism, vested interests, careerism and incompetence ........ aka politics.

    * The ABC of politics: Always Be Selling

    Edited once, last by casablanca (June 11, 2021 at 2:23 PM).

  • The government has all the expertise it needs that money can buy (our money!). But it's no use when it comes to government explaining/justifying itself to the electorate, at which point the ministers hog the stage with soundbites, platitudes, self-congratulation* and faltering, irrelevant or incomprehensible explanations, while the experts are gagged and put behind a curtain; or in those farcical daily coronavirus tv sessions, the whole thing was so obviously "staged", where the experts on either side of the minister had been gagged with money, fame, the honours list and conditioned, trained or rehearsed on what was ok and not ok to say. When something is that contrived and Goebbellelish, all that's left is for voters and the media is to perceive or suspect corruption, cronyism, vested interests, careerism and incompetence ........ aka politics.

    If only that were true. We would then not have to put up with those ‘experts’ telling us that we can’t keep to freedom day on 21 June because of what ‘might happen’ despite the vaccination programme having been completed for all the vulnerable age groups.

    There’s one of these ‘experts currently spouting his mouth off about wearing masks forever. Where do these people get dug up from? Time for them to shut up.

  • Government admits at least 4 Ministers used private emails for Government business

    Following the revelations that disgraced former Health Secretary Matt Hancock and Health Minister Lord Bethell used private email accounts for Government business, our lawyers wrote to Government lawyers asking them to confirm they had searched the private email accounts of Ministers for material relevant to our PPE procurement challenges.

    We received an extraordinary response from Government.

    In it Government admits for the first time that as well as Hancock and Bethell – Trade Minister Greg Hands and the PPE Tsar, Lord Deighton – the Tory Peer directly appointed by Boris Johnson and responsible for coordinating the multi-billion pound procurement process – were using private email accounts.

    But still, it refuses to search those accounts.

    Read More

    https://goodlawproject.org/update/breakin…private-emails/

    Covering their tracks

    https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2021-07-08/debates/E5EA1B18-47B6-47AD-BE07-F60462142697/TopicalQuestions?#contribution-D965[%E2%80%A6]B48D-1373A055E3C9

    Former Tory councillor got £120m ‘VIP lane’ government contract for face shields now lying unused

  • There may be a bit of jiggery pokery going on in Westminster. BUT it pales into insignificancy when compared to the absolute corruption and underhand dealings in the Scottish Government. .. Now thats proper corruption for you.

    The Voice of Reason

  • Neither England or Scotland should have the levels of corruption going on that we would expect from South American and other countries. Corruption in government is at the highest level and leads the way for the rest of society. If we want to fight crime then it needs to start at the top.

  • Yep..... that was really his Lordship's excuse. "I accidentally destroyed my mobile phone and all trace of it shortly before I was due to appear in court and would probably have had my phone entered in evidence."

    Lord Bethell Destroyed His Mobile Phone "Accidentally"

    I'm looking forward to a sensible discussion on this subject whereby I will probably be told that "accidents happen" and "nobody is interested in investigating corruption in government". I'll probably also be told it's time to "move on" and "get over it".

    I'll probably then be told to stop being "woke" followed by "All government contracts are scrupulously fair and there is no evidence of corruption in our wonderful government whatsoever".

    Of course there isn't. It's been systematically destroyed.

    Help.jpg


    Snip from link above:

    "It added: “Lord Bethell has overseen the awarding of billions of pounds of public contracts. Information revealing how these contracts came to be awarded may now be lost – or even destroyed.”

    DHSC refused to comment."

    The records of government contracts awarded to cronies "accidentally" destroyed.

    How convenient.

  • Up here in Scotland, missing government money and Sturgeon's secret society is causing great concern. It's the very opposite of open government. Everything the SNP touches turns toxic.

    The Voice of Reason

  • Greensill: David Cameron 'made $10m' before company’s collapse
    A letter indicates the former PM received millions from shares in the controversial collapsed firm.
    www.bbc.co.uk

    Although there is no suggestion of corruption here, Cameron did lobby loads of government ministers last year on behalf of Greenshill - in the middle of the pandemic, so perhaps there should be curbs on what former ministers, especially prime minsters do once leave they government.

  • I'm well behind on the politics front OB. I've got numerous stories to post from the last several months if I can find the articles, so not sure what they've been planning to do or not do on this front.

    I don't begrudge Cameron the money, but what does stink was his constant lobbying of government ministers during lockdown and now we know why. If someone is going to pay you millions of quid, they want something in return for that.

  • Ian Botham has been sent to Australia to act as Britain's envoy over the Australia deal brokered by Liz Truss.

    Apart from the obvious joke, doing the rounds, that while the Tories tell young black footballers to stay out of politics, they seem to consider it perfectly acceptable for old white cricketers to do so. Double standards or what...? But that's not the issue in this case.

    Botham is not a diplomat of any sort and it seems the only reason he's being sent is because he once (before I was even born), played well in a cricket series between the two countries. Whaaaaaaat...? So let me get this right. Apart from having to resign the England captaincy because he knew he was going to be sacked anyway, and was later banned for two years from international cricket for narcotics abuse, he had a good game or two once. So, that's his qualification to negotiate on Britain's behalf over a trade deal that will affect billions of pounds, thousands of jobs and gives away all Britain's rights to determine the standard of food that ends up on British supermarket shelves (if somebody will drive it there)........

    Okaaaaaaayyyyyyyyy...

    Apparently, the Australians like him. They think he's a Bonza bloke. He likes a beer or three and his boy, Liam used to play a decent game of rugby. Apparently, that's all you need to be a trade delegate

    But again, that's not really the issue in this case. I just happen to think that sending Botham to be a diplomat with the Australians over the trade deal is like sending Bernard Manning to strike a deal with the Taliban to get Pen Farthing and his people out of Afghanistan.

    So, what possibly could be the REAL agenda here..??? A clueless Patsy, perhaps, who the Australians can run dizzy rings around, you know, just to make sure it all goes the way somebody with a vested interest would like it to go.....??

    So........... who could possibly benefit from that....?

    Well, it would certainly suit the Australians because the trade deal with Australia allows THEM to sue in British courts and obtain compensation if the deal is not as profitable as they want. Don't forget, it's billionaires in London who own Australian Feedlots and they - surprise, surprise - donate to the (wait for it..) the Conservative Party....!!

    And who might make a nice big profit if that happens....??

    Australian-beef.jpg
    Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Guy Hands.

    Consolidated Pastoral is Australia's biggest privately owned beef producer - majority owned by a London based private equity firm run by William Hague's friend ................ Guy Hands.

    That's who stands to make the profit.

    Britain...... sending a Patsy in to do a job he's nowhere near qualified or competent to do, so that mates of top Tories can make huge profits.

    Corruption.

    Edited once, last by Jennyanydots (August 24, 2021 at 2:41 AM).

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