Forum Topic

This GOAT is really excelling itself!

In today's developments, responding to appeals to scrap the imposition of the health surcharge on non-UK staff in the NHS and their families on the grounds that they are being charged twice - through their income tax and national insurance payments, and the surcharge, - the government produced this: “It is in the public interest for migrants to be financially independent and not burden UK taxpayers. Those who benefit from the state should be contributing to it.” They already are, of course, not just financially but, in too many cases, with their lives.Secondly, the ineffable Liz Truss, launching the first round of negotiations with  the US for a post-Brexit deal, made the spurious claim that "The US is our largest trading partner..."  That is, of course, completely wrong: our largest trading partner is of course the EU, with the total of imports and exports being £615 million; the US figure is less than a third of that at £183 million (figures for 2017 from the ONS). She can only make this bogus claim by counting each country of the EU separately.Third, a trade minister (no, I hadn't heard of him either) has had to resign after it emerged that he'd used his position as an MP to intimidate a member of the public.And that doesn't even begin to approach the ongoing and shameful fiasco over coronavirus testing.GOAT = Government Of All the Talentless

Richard Carter ● 2227d9 Comments

I agree Matt -  Brexit was the big one.They were warned but were worried that Labour might split apparently.I've never heard a reasonable argument against a Norway type deal from any remainer.

Ed Robinson ● 2226d

BrexitSurely that's why all those northern areas were willing to hold their nose and vote Tory?

Matt Palmer ● 2227d

I never thought Johnson was fit to occupy one of the great offices of state as his tenure at the FCO bears witness. And an article by Nick Boles in the Evening Standard last autumn made it heartbreakingly clear what a flawed character he is.So I wonder why voters did not opt for the Labour party led by Jeremy Corbyn. Please, could someone on this Forum explain this. After all, Labour's manifesto contained several interesting pledges.

Elizabeth Balsom ● 2227d

Ha ha, David. And please note the correction "Richard's" :-(

Michael Ixer ● 2227d

"I hope those the voted for this shower of GOATs (to borrow Richards term) are pleased with the result?"We goat what we deserve.

David Ainsworth ● 2227d

Agreed Matt. Its a bit like we hit our 100,000 tests by mailing ⅓ of them but don't know how and seven they'll be returned and, as we sasw  yesterday with the significant drop in tests reported, this sort of scattergun approach is unsustainable. I accept things are difficult but I hate having my intelligence insulted by being misleasd and lied to. It's difficult but honesty is usually a good approach with running projects; the motto at a couple of companies I worked for was "no nasty surprises", meat the difficulties head on as they're occurring . I hope those the voted for this shower of GOATs (to borrow Richards term) are pleased with the result?

Michael Ixer ● 2227d

yes i does now cover those coming out of retirement. However is wasnt presented as 'we will extend the death in service benefit to those coming out of retirement' . it was presented as a new thing for all NHS workers

Matt Palmer ● 2227d

Matt, I thought that. However, i think it covers some - for example, those coming out of retirement - who might not be covered for some reason? At least, that was the implication from a Q&A exchange I heard. 

Michael Ixer ● 2227d

I did also notice that the government very graciously announced last week that the families of dead NHS workers will receive a 60k payment.For some reason it wasn't mentioned that this is what they are entitled to anyway as part of the standard death in service benefit.

Matt Palmer ● 2227d