Big Blue Dog

Big Blue Dog

82p

744 comments posted · 3 followers · following 0

3 years ago @ http://www.conservativ... - Michael Taylor: The et... · 0 replies · +1 points

Interesting.

What can be taken from this is that nearly 200 years ago when 90% of Britons had not been given the vote, people of minority ethnic or dual heritage were elected to Parliament.

Also it could be argued that 33 years ago Labour came to the conclusion that it may be electorally advantageous to select minority ethnic candidates for constituencies where there was a minority ethnic population large enough to swing the result.

3 years ago @ http://www.conservativ... - Henry Hill: As rumours... · 2 replies · +1 points

Now at 15 polls showing a majority in favour of leaving the Union. This would have triggered a border poll if it were Northern Ireland. You wonder how long this can go on for.

For historical information fellow Homies may or may not be interested in the origin of the term “West Lothian question” it is believed the phrase was first used by a now out of favour politician in this debate on the Scotland Bill 1977.
http://www.ukpol.co.uk/enoch-powell-1977-contribu...

3 years ago @ http://www.conservativ... - Steve Brine: Ministers... · 2 replies · +1 points

I have taken the time to read the Executive Summary of the HIV Commissions report after reading this article.

I find the lack of detail, the obvious attempt to draw the wider population in to this disease, the advocacy for intrusion into everyone’s medical status and the underlying theme that Prep does not undermine safe sex messaging disturbing.

The summary cites PHE data on infections in 2019 as follows:

Gay and Bisexual Men 1,163
Hetero. Contact - Women 558
Hetero. Contact - Men 515
Black Africans 466

Now let’s be clear there is one spect of one activity that carries the highest risk of infection according to the US CDC
https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/risk/estimates/riskbehavi...

You give no detail on the figure for “Black Africans” as to how many contracted the virus in the U.K. and how may travelled to the U.K. with the virus.

There I no exploration of whether the figure for Hetero. contact Men (the fact the word heterosexual is not used in full is telling) includes contact with bi sexual men who may not have been completely honest about their orientation. The figures also make no attempt to quantify infection through contact with sex workers.

There is no recognition of the targeting cost of PrEP, some £20,000 for a years course of the drug. There is lion no concept of the reality that once prescribed the drug undermines safe sex messaging and simply allows the recipient to engage in unsafe sex, yet the Commission calls for money to be spent on promoting safe sex. Education in schools, online advertising and public information films actually cost very little. Please explain why 4 people should be denied cateract operation or 2 people be denied new hips to prescribe one course of PrEP.

The statistical reality is that HIV massively affects one section of society, is easily preventable by barrier protection or - crazy though it sounds - abstinence. The Government should not be pushing ever person to “know their HIV status” is a gross invasion of privacy.

3 years ago @ http://www.conservativ... - Truss tops our Cabinet... · 5 replies · +1 points

The recent spate of stories about Mr Sunaks wife being richer than the Queen suggest that someone could be getting a little nervous about his meteoric ascendancy. Coupled with the “What’s the point of Boris.after Brexit” commentary that’s emerging Number 10 might be looking over their shoulder.

After his ill judged comments about vaccine approval, Williamson is rightly at the bottom of the pile. Perhaps the Prime Minister might make him Foreign Secretary in the reshuffle....

3 years ago @ http://www.conservativ... - Henry Hill: Another we... · 15 replies · +1 points

Given that today has produced another poll showing 55% support in Scotland for independence, it’s a wonder the SNP isn’t waving the Good Friday Agreement all over the place.

The Institute for Government says the following:

The Northern Ireland Act 1998 states that “if at any time it appears likely to him (Secretary of State) that a majority of those voting would express a wish that Northern Ireland should cease to be part of the United Kingdom and form part of a united Ireland”, the Secretary of State shall make an Order in Council enabling a border poll.

“It is not clear exactly what would satisfy this requirement. The Constitution Unit suggests that a consistent majority in opinion poll”.

With the number of polls showing a majority for Scottish independence now almost in double figures how many does it take to show “consistent?

3 years ago @ http://www.conservativ... - Biden's top team takes... · 0 replies · +1 points

A mirror to modern America”

I didn’t realise there was such a high proportion of 70 year olds in the US.

As to Anthony Blinken....

How can a man who has been so consistently and catastrophically wrong on foreign policy (regardless of whether its “exporting democracy”) for 20 years, with all their attendant misery and suffering return to high office. That takes some serious chutzpah.

Iraq, Yemen, Libya, Syria. Which poor country is next on the list?

3 years ago @ http://www.conservativ... - Robert Halfon: The pol... · 3 replies · +1 points

I have been a Conservative voter all my voting life. I have been a party member for about 6 years and have given more than the minimum membership every renewal.

Our local branch has effectively been wound up and merged with a neighbouring branch due to lack of interest even thought there are about 40 members within its catchment.

I did volunteer name one year for a losing district council seat that just needed a candidate to make the numbers up but wasn’t needed and have had little to do with the party.

Much more of the nonsense that’s being reported such as radio presenters being employed as (not so) Special Advisors and frankly I can’t see myself bothering to renew next summer.

I would also like to say that the total and utter lack of communication from our MP James Cartlidge during the entire duration of the pandemic has been appalling. Not even a “round robin” email.

If he who, let’s be crass, benefits so substantially from being member of the Conservative party can’t be bothered I fail to see why I should.

3 years ago @ http://www.conservativ... - Johnson's 50:50 target... · 0 replies · +1 points

A laudable aim.

I look forward to a similar announcement on having a 50:50 male female split in education but shan’t hold my breath.

3 years ago @ http://www.conservativ... - Dan Rosenfield is John... · 0 replies · +1 points

The FT seems happy about his appointment.
https://www.ft.com/content/1c074fae-f435-4d6d-9eb...

3 years ago @ http://www.conservativ... - Dan Rosenfield is John... · 2 replies · +1 points

So the last visible piece of the good ship Johnson slips silently, inevitably below the surface of Lake Remain.

To say that senior Cilvil Servants have no visible political views is true that doesn’t mean they don’t have them. That Robbins chap was a Civil Servant and look what he got up to.

So now we have an operative who, it would be hard to believe hasn’t been influenced by working for a George Osborne, controlling the office of the most electorally successful Conservative a Prime Minister for decades. What could go wrong?

Johnson public face is now controlled by the Rishi Sunak Fan-club, his administrative affairs by Remain via Yakut and Bank of America and his policy decisions by G Thurnberg only if approved by ‘er indoors.

The only thing Johnson can be said to have done well is squander so much potential in the 11 months since the election.