The Crusaders weren't pious. But they had something to do with Christianity, right? Right?
He's right. It's not all to do with Islam. But it is something to do with it.
And that something is this: why is Salafism becoming the form of Islam of choice for more and more Arabs? The answer to that is that Arabs need to destroy, or at least subdue, Western culture before they can feel self-respect. Only Salafism accepts the legitimacy of this world-view - other forms of Islam don't.
Is the world big enough for both points of view? Probably not.
I read all of Nick Timothy's Con Home columns. He's my kind of Tory. He's clearly influenced May's views - her Birmingham speech was his agenda in a nutshell.
After reading his columns, I'm wondering if Mrs May voted Leave in the polling booth. Good times ahead.
It wouldn't at all surprise me if both May and Hammond privately voted Leave. Hammond in particular has always been very Eurosceptic and had obviously been leant on heavily to support Dave's 'deal'. It would explain why they both kept a very low profile and didn't campaign for the Remain side - nothing worse than an unconvincing advocate.
It also meant, vey fortunately, that they are in an excellent position to clear up the mess. They have not destroyed themselves by publicly failing, nor given hostages to fortune by making extravagant promises they can't keep.
They are also in my judgment much abler administrators, more astute politicians and cleverer people than Cameron and Osborne.
That said, I am pretty worried by some of these cabinet appointments. It is hard to see how Leadsom, Truss, Fox and above all Johnson are going to end well. May has gambled big time. If it works, she's a genius. If however it doesn't...
Fox and Davis are huge gambles. It's not as if they are dealmaking titans with extraordinary pedigrees of success. They're in there on the tent pissing theory alone.
Davis is the biggest gamble IMO. Like him or not, Fox was still the defence secretary and did a fair job.
Davis has relevant experience. He was Europe minister, and had business experience before entering parliament.
"master's degree in Business (1971–73), and, later, Harvard University (Advanced Management Program 1984–85).
Davis worked for Tate & Lyle for 17 years, rising to become a senior executive, including restructuring its troubled Canadian subsidiary, Redpath Sugar.[4] He wrote about his business experience in the 1988 book How to Turn Round a Company."
We had a PM called Cameron who wanted Turkey to join the EU.
It's becoming increasingly clear that he and his chums ran govt to their own benefit, none of them are anywhere to be seen. Still, he's looking on from his £17m house, like his idol Blair he had a plan all along.
That, as you well know, is an extremely partial view.
Cameron was keen on the modernising, more secular, Westward-looking Turkey of 2011 joining. The one that was abolishing the death penalty and making other reforms in line with the Copenhagen principles. He wasn't at all keen on today's Turkey, where the government has pivoted and is now facing much more to Mecca; hence all his comment during the referendum.
Yeah but yeah but yeah but, Cameron wanted Turkey to join, he never said otherwise, it was one of the biggest factors in the referendum.
During the referendum, did he *want* - present tense - Turkey to join?
Leave lied consistently about Turkey during the campaign.
Not publicly, but yes. Clearly he did. If he had reversed the policy and said he would veto Turkish membership and insist on A 30-40 year transition period for migration to allow them in it would have neutralised the issue. Cameron is personally attached to Turkey's membership for some deranged reason.
When Turkey looked like it was becoming more "European" in practice Cameron was favourably inclined. In recent years the authoritarian actions of the government would have changed Cameron's mind but it would not have been politic to publicly say so now that Turkey is needed to salvage Merkel's migration fiasco. In international politics it is not always wise to appease local critics. The unrest in Turkey will seriously set back its EU objectives and shows that Leave's scaremongering was just that.
Leave's scaremongering was also justified, as yesterday proved.
(Snip)
No, it wasn't. If anything yesterday 'proved' the opposite.
Do you think anybody watching the news thinks:
Its about time Turkey joined the EU?
Yes. Protect human rights and freedom of expression, limit how amok Erdogan can run, no coup.
It's a real mixed bag for Priti. She wanted DfiD disbanded not so long ago - so it may be 'eat your greens' appointment by May. I think she'll take a knife to a lot of the nonsense spending that went on under previous regimes.
Greening was very rapidly house-trained there after an initial good start. I can't see Priti being deflected by anyone. She's very hawkish.
I think Priti is preparing the department for the axe in the next administration. A change from handouts, to generous trade deals.
Trade deals won't do much to encourage contraceptives, non-islamist education or support refugees. If we're not going to take in many of the latter we should certainly be helping to fund the camps.
Blaming "fewer bookings ahead the Referendum". Hmmm.... Funny how other travel firms managed to survive this remarkable phenomenon.
Nothing to do with a crap business model and poor management then?
The initial analysis I saw was that their business model was very dodgy, constantly relying on new business to pay for current holidays commitments. Operating like that you are at the mercy of anything going wrong eg terrorist attack in a location where you sell lots of trips to.
Faisal Islam @faisalislam 5m5 minutes ago As an aside, Coup attempt shows in 4K ultra HD technicolour detail, why Turkey was/isn't going to be in EU for decades, let alone 2020...
no sign yet of the tennis semifinals from itf Bursa being cancelled (due off at 11:00 our time).
when all the troubles were kicking off in cairo, the itf tennis events just carried on as usual at sharm el sheikh. I think they might have had a week off after the russian plane incident but soon back to normal. it must be a little bubble out there.
I read all of Nick Timothy's Con Home columns. He's my kind of Tory. He's clearly influenced May's views - her Birmingham speech was his agenda in a nutshell.
After reading his columns, I'm wondering if Mrs May voted Leave in the polling booth. Good times ahead.
It wouldn't at all surprise me if both May and Hammond privately voted Leave. Hammond in particular has always been very Eurosceptic and had obviously been leant on heavily to support Dave's 'deal'. It would explain why they both kept a very low profile and didn't campaign for the Remain side - nothing worse than an unconvincing advocate.
It also meant, vey fortunately, that they are in an excellent position to clear up the mess. They have not destroyed themselves by publicly failing, nor given hostages to fortune by making extravagant promises they can't keep.
They are also in my judgment much abler administrators, more astute politicians and cleverer people than Cameron and Osborne.
That said, I am pretty worried by some of these cabinet appointments. It is hard to see how Leadsom, Truss, Fox and above all Johnson are going to end well. May has gambled big time. If it works, she's a genius. If however it doesn't...
Johnson and Fox I think will be OK or good. No opinion on Truss. Leadsom buckled under media pressure, but she's not a dummy.
It's a real mixed bag for Priti. She wanted DfiD disbanded not so long ago - so it may be 'eat your greens' appointment by May. I think she'll take a knife to a lot of the nonsense spending that went on under previous regimes.
Greening was very rapidly house-trained there after an initial good start. I can't see Priti being deflected by anyone. She's very hawkish.
What are some examples of the nonsense spending at DFID, say over the last five years?
BF have him odds on, which he wasn't last time I looked. However, Dan Hodges has said it's game on or something like that now that the deadlines for being a member and a new £25 supporter fee have been set.
I can't see large numbers of previous summer romance £3ers stumping up £25 or indeed being capable or interested enough to do it in the two day window next week. A stunt by Len of UNITE for affiliated £2 voters has also been rule out of order. So I think it will be a lot tighter than last time.
Having said that, the moderates haven't even sorted out who the candidate is and there is a law suite going through the courts. So who knows.
It's a real mixed bag for Priti. She wanted DfiD disbanded not so long ago - so it may be 'eat your greens' appointment by May. I think she'll take a knife to a lot of the nonsense spending that went on under previous regimes.
Greening was very rapidly house-trained there after an initial good start. I can't see Priti being deflected by anyone. She's very hawkish.
DfID spending is still protected at 0.7% of GDP, the cuts would have to be recycled.
no sign yet of the tennis semifinals from itf Bursa being cancelled (due off at 11:00 our time).
when all the troubles were kicking off in cairo, the itf tennis events just carried on as usual at sharm el sheikh. I think they might have had a week off after the russian plane incident but soon back to normal. it must be a little bubble out there.
It's a real mixed bag for Priti. She wanted DfiD disbanded not so long ago - so it may be 'eat your greens' appointment by May. I think she'll take a knife to a lot of the nonsense spending that went on under previous regimes.
Greening was very rapidly house-trained there after an initial good start. I can't see Priti being deflected by anyone. She's very hawkish.
What are some examples of the nonsense spending at DFID, say over the last five years?
It's a real mixed bag for Priti. She wanted DfiD disbanded not so long ago - so it may be 'eat your greens' appointment by May. I think she'll take a knife to a lot of the nonsense spending that went on under previous regimes.
Greening was very rapidly house-trained there after an initial good start. I can't see Priti being deflected by anyone. She's very hawkish.
What are some examples of the nonsense spending at DFID, say over the last five years?
It's a real mixed bag for Priti. She wanted DfiD disbanded not so long ago - so it may be 'eat your greens' appointment by May. I think she'll take a knife to a lot of the nonsense spending that went on under previous regimes.
Greening was very rapidly house-trained there after an initial good start. I can't see Priti being deflected by anyone. She's very hawkish.
What are some examples of the nonsense spending at DFID, say over the last five years?
Aid to India is definitely a waste of money.
What aid to India? Thought it was stopped years ago?
Though given how many Indians are still impoverished whether it was a waste is debatable.
It's a real mixed bag for Priti. She wanted DfiD disbanded not so long ago - so it may be 'eat your greens' appointment by May. I think she'll take a knife to a lot of the nonsense spending that went on under previous regimes.
Greening was very rapidly house-trained there after an initial good start. I can't see Priti being deflected by anyone. She's very hawkish.
What are some examples of the nonsense spending at DFID, say over the last five years?
Aid to India is definitely a waste of money.
AFAICR that was due to end at the end of last year?
When I suggested she had parked her tanks on Labour's lawn he replied, 'we have no lawn left, you mean our compost heap.' But he agreed. If there were a Labour party left they should be quaking at that Downing St speech.
Right, I must press on.
I can't be the only person who's struggling to reconcile a very centrist speech on the Downing St steps and the wholesale replacement of Cameroons with the Tory right in the government.
Well if May is more of a micro-manager it could be that all decisions and directions on policy will flow from her. Some of the new government may be right wingers, but loyal to May and willing to act her policies anyway even if they would personally prefer to go more right wing (thinking of Grayling for example).
It's a real mixed bag for Priti. She wanted DfiD disbanded not so long ago - so it may be 'eat your greens' appointment by May. I think she'll take a knife to a lot of the nonsense spending that went on under previous regimes.
Greening was very rapidly house-trained there after an initial good start. I can't see Priti being deflected by anyone. She's very hawkish.
What are some examples of the nonsense spending at DFID, say over the last five years?
Aid to India is definitely a waste of money.
What aid to India? Thought it was stopped years ago?
Though given how many Indians are still impoverished whether it was a waste is debatable.
It didn't stop. The aid lets the Indian government off the hook for solving their own poverty issues.
It's a real mixed bag for Priti. She wanted DfiD disbanded not so long ago - so it may be 'eat your greens' appointment by May. I think she'll take a knife to a lot of the nonsense spending that went on under previous regimes.
Greening was very rapidly house-trained there after an initial good start. I can't see Priti being deflected by anyone. She's very hawkish.
What are some examples of the nonsense spending at DFID, say over the last five years?
Aid to India is definitely a waste of money.
What aid to India? Thought it was stopped years ago?
Though given how many Indians are still impoverished whether it was a waste is debatable.
Assuming India's population is 1.2 billion, £279,000,000 per capita works out at 23p per Indian (2015 figure).
Blaming "fewer bookings ahead the Referendum". Hmmm.... Funny how other travel firms managed to survive this remarkable phenomenon.
Nothing to do with a crap business model and poor management then?
Yep, if you operate a business model based solely on squeezing very tight margins and high volume deal flow you are going to come unstuck at some stage. If it hadn't have been Brexit it would have been something else.
It's a real mixed bag for Priti. She wanted DfiD disbanded not so long ago - so it may be 'eat your greens' appointment by May. I think she'll take a knife to a lot of the nonsense spending that went on under previous regimes.
Greening was very rapidly house-trained there after an initial good start. I can't see Priti being deflected by anyone. She's very hawkish.
What are some examples of the nonsense spending at DFID, say over the last five years?
Aid to India is definitely a waste of money.
What aid to India? Thought it was stopped years ago?
Though given how many Indians are still impoverished whether it was a waste is debatable.
It didn't stop. The aid lets the Indian government off the hook for solving their own poverty issues.
Assuming India's population is 1.2 billion, £279,000,000 per capita works out at 23p per Indian (2015 figure).
It's a real mixed bag for Priti. She wanted DfiD disbanded not so long ago - so it may be 'eat your greens' appointment by May. I think she'll take a knife to a lot of the nonsense spending that went on under previous regimes.
Greening was very rapidly house-trained there after an initial good start. I can't see Priti being deflected by anyone. She's very hawkish.
What are some examples of the nonsense spending at DFID, say over the last five years?
Aid to India is definitely a waste of money.
What aid to India? Thought it was stopped years ago?
Though given how many Indians are still impoverished whether it was a waste is debatable.
It didn't stop. The aid lets the Indian government off the hook for solving their own poverty issues.
Does that matter if the aid program still saves lives?
When I suggested she had parked her tanks on Labour's lawn he replied, 'we have no lawn left, you mean our compost heap.' But he agreed. If there were a Labour party left they should be quaking at that Downing St speech.
Right, I must press on.
I can't be the only person who's struggling to reconcile a very centrist speech on the Downing St steps and the wholesale replacement of Cameroons with the Tory right in the government.
Well if May is more of a micro-manager it could be that all decisions and directions on policy will flow from her. Some of the new government may be right wingers, but loyal to May and willing to act her policies anyway even if they would personally prefer to go more right wing (thinking of Grayling for example).
IF TM tries to micro-manage the business of government she will fail and fail big time. It might be possible to micro-manage one department (though only at the expense of the performance of that department) but not the whole of government.
Kle4 I agree except that she couldn't have known Leave would win. I think she thought Remain would win and she should be loyal to Cameron as she has been all down the years.
I repeat, she's formidable. She might have all the attributes of Thatcher without the shortcomings.
If you put the refugee issue to one side, generally speaking Merkel is probably the better role model, and judging by May's speech, is probably the direction she intends to go in.
It's a real mixed bag for Priti. She wanted DfiD disbanded not so long ago - so it may be 'eat your greens' appointment by May. I think she'll take a knife to a lot of the nonsense spending that went on under previous regimes.
Greening was very rapidly house-trained there after an initial good start. I can't see Priti being deflected by anyone. She's very hawkish.
What are some examples of the nonsense spending at DFID, say over the last five years?
Aid to India is definitely a waste of money.
What aid to India? Thought it was stopped years ago?
Though given how many Indians are still impoverished whether it was a waste is debatable.
It didn't stop. The aid lets the Indian government off the hook for solving their own poverty issues.
Does that matter if the aid program still saves lives?
There are 6 billion people in the world. How many of them do you think the british taxpayer should be responsible for?
Morning all. Good to see @CasinoRoyale is back on here.
I've just finished catching up with Cameron's final PMQ. With the passing of the old regime I wonder which MP's will be bringing forward plans to stand down from frontline politics.
Anna Soubry and Sarah Wollaston I would have down as likely contenders.
It's a real mixed bag for Priti. She wanted DfiD disbanded not so long ago - so it may be 'eat your greens' appointment by May. I think she'll take a knife to a lot of the nonsense spending that went on under previous regimes.
Greening was very rapidly house-trained there after an initial good start. I can't see Priti being deflected by anyone. She's very hawkish.
What are some examples of the nonsense spending at DFID, say over the last five years?
Aid to India is definitely a waste of money.
What aid to India? Thought it was stopped years ago?
Though given how many Indians are still impoverished whether it was a waste is debatable.
It didn't stop. The aid lets the Indian government off the hook for solving their own poverty issues.
Does that matter if the aid program still saves lives?
There are 6 billion people in the world. How many of them do you think the british taxpayer should be responsible for?
Taking just one aspect of foreign aid: if we can help rid the world of diseases like polio, smallpox etc, we *all* win.
It's a real mixed bag for Priti. She wanted DfiD disbanded not so long ago - so it may be 'eat your greens' appointment by May. I think she'll take a knife to a lot of the nonsense spending that went on under previous regimes.
Greening was very rapidly house-trained there after an initial good start. I can't see Priti being deflected by anyone. She's very hawkish.
What are some examples of the nonsense spending at DFID, say over the last five years?
Aid to India is definitely a waste of money.
What aid to India? Thought it was stopped years ago?
Though given how many Indians are still impoverished whether it was a waste is debatable.
It didn't stop. The aid lets the Indian government off the hook for solving their own poverty issues.
No it does not, we are not giving that much. It makes sense to provide aid in the form of specific British expertise and experience to work in conjunction with India's own efforts (not in place of it).
It's a real mixed bag for Priti. She wanted DfiD disbanded not so long ago - so it may be 'eat your greens' appointment by May. I think she'll take a knife to a lot of the nonsense spending that went on under previous regimes.
Greening was very rapidly house-trained there after an initial good start. I can't see Priti being deflected by anyone. She's very hawkish.
What are some examples of the nonsense spending at DFID, say over the last five years?
Aid to India is definitely a waste of money.
What aid to India? Thought it was stopped years ago?
Though given how many Indians are still impoverished whether it was a waste is debatable.
Who knows how they squander all that money. They give it out like confetti to other people to decide where to spend it etc. It is a joke department.
By the way, did anyone catch Lynne Featherstone's praise of Theresa May over the same sex marriage bill? I think it surprised a number of us to discover the bill may have fallen had TM not backed it to the hilt against massive opposition in the Home Office.
I have spoken to Lynne about this personally. Despite their huge political differences Featherstone readily acknowledges the backing she got from May that was critical to getting a potentially sceptical Tory party on side.
Yes, I remember May on question time around the time of the bill passing, she explained how she had changed her viewpoint from being against to being for it, and she seemed to be a genuine conversion to the cause.
Didn't Cameron recently say that his government was the first centre-right government in the world to legalise gay marriage? If that's correct, quite an achievement for Cameron and May (and the Lib Dems of course, but as an explicitly progressive party it's less newsworthy).
It's a real mixed bag for Priti. She wanted DfiD disbanded not so long ago - so it may be 'eat your greens' appointment by May. I think she'll take a knife to a lot of the nonsense spending that went on under previous regimes.
Greening was very rapidly house-trained there after an initial good start. I can't see Priti being deflected by anyone. She's very hawkish.
What are some examples of the nonsense spending at DFID, say over the last five years?
Aid to India is definitely a waste of money.
What aid to India? Thought it was stopped years ago?
Though given how many Indians are still impoverished whether it was a waste is debatable.
It didn't stop. The aid lets the Indian government off the hook for solving their own poverty issues.
Does that matter if the aid program still saves lives?
Yes it does because if a department exists purely to give money away it is inevitable that some of that money (and we are probably talking hundreds of millions per annum) will be wasted. That wasted money could be better spent saving lives here at home.
Please also remember that the £12bn p.a. budget of the DfID is borrowed money, that is to say it is money that is being taken from your child's future. Our children, and probably grandchildren, will be poorer because of this wasteful department that was set up so that a few politicians could feel pleased with themselves.
It's a real mixed bag for Priti. She wanted DfiD disbanded not so long ago - so it may be 'eat your greens' appointment by May. I think she'll take a knife to a lot of the nonsense spending that went on under previous regimes.
Greening was very rapidly house-trained there after an initial good start. I can't see Priti being deflected by anyone. She's very hawkish.
What are some examples of the nonsense spending at DFID, say over the last five years?
Aid to India is definitely a waste of money.
What aid to India? Thought it was stopped years ago?
Though given how many Indians are still impoverished whether it was a waste is debatable.
It didn't stop. The aid lets the Indian government off the hook for solving their own poverty issues.
Does that matter if the aid program still saves lives?
There are 6 billion people in the world. How many of them do you think the british taxpayer should be responsible for?
Taking just one aspect of foreign aid: if we can help rid the world of diseases like polio, smallpox etc, we *all* win.
Foreign aid does not have to be funded by taxation. British people can, and do, donate money to charitable organisations.
It's a real mixed bag for Priti. She wanted DfiD disbanded not so long ago - so it may be 'eat your greens' appointment by May. I think she'll take a knife to a lot of the nonsense spending that went on under previous regimes.
Greening was very rapidly house-trained there after an initial good start. I can't see Priti being deflected by anyone. She's very hawkish.
What are some examples of the nonsense spending at DFID, say over the last five years?
Aid to India is definitely a waste of money.
What aid to India? Thought it was stopped years ago?
Though given how many Indians are still impoverished whether it was a waste is debatable.
It didn't stop. The aid lets the Indian government off the hook for solving their own poverty issues.
Does that matter if the aid program still saves lives?
Yes, it still lets the Indian government off the hook while maintaining a bullion dollar space programme and multi-billion dollar nuclear weapons programme.
It's a real mixed bag for Priti. She wanted DfiD disbanded not so long ago - so it may be 'eat your greens' appointment by May. I think she'll take a knife to a lot of the nonsense spending that went on under previous regimes.
Greening was very rapidly house-trained there after an initial good start. I can't see Priti being deflected by anyone. She's very hawkish.
What are some examples of the nonsense spending at DFID, say over the last five years?
Aid to India is definitely a waste of money.
What aid to India? Thought it was stopped years ago?
Though given how many Indians are still impoverished whether it was a waste is debatable.
It didn't stop. The aid lets the Indian government off the hook for solving their own poverty issues.
Does that matter if the aid program still saves lives?
There are 6 billion people in the world. How many of them do you think the british taxpayer should be responsible for?
Taking just one aspect of foreign aid: if we can help rid the world of diseases like polio, smallpox etc, we *all* win.
You have to wade through a lot of turgid number-vomit before you get to the pretty pictures on page 40. However, this tells you how much we spent, where we spent it and (not in all cases) what on.
Bottom line: the majority of our aid goes south of the equator, with Africa and Southern Asia being the UK's schwerpunkt.
The suggestions that we rebalance spending towards Dfid's conflict pool seem sensible to me.
It's a real mixed bag for Priti. She wanted DfiD disbanded not so long ago - so it may be 'eat your greens' appointment by May. I think she'll take a knife to a lot of the nonsense spending that went on under previous regimes.
Greening was very rapidly house-trained there after an initial good start. I can't see Priti being deflected by anyone. She's very hawkish.
What are some examples of the nonsense spending at DFID, say over the last five years?
Aid to India is definitely a waste of money.
What aid to India? Thought it was stopped years ago?
Though given how many Indians are still impoverished whether it was a waste is debatable.
It didn't stop. The aid lets the Indian government off the hook for solving their own poverty issues.
Does that matter if the aid program still saves lives?
Yes it does because if a department exists purely to give money away it is inevitable that some of that money (and we are probably talking hundreds of millions per annum) will be wasted. That wasted money could be better spent saving lives here at home.
Please also remember that the £12bn p.a. budget of the DfID is borrowed money, that is to say it is money that is being taken from your child's future. Our children, and probably grandchildren, will be poorer because of this wasteful department that was set up so that a few politicians could feel pleased with themselves.
There's more to it than that, isn't there? We're not a small island loosely connected with the rest of the world any more; we're a small island that is highly connected.
Our children, and probably grandchildren, might be poorer if we *don't* try to help people abroad, especially when it comes to diseases and the like.
I'm not blithely disregarding waste; that needs to stop. But the idea that foreign aid does no good is ridiculous IMO.
It's a real mixed bag for Priti. She wanted DfiD disbanded not so long ago - so it may be 'eat your greens' appointment by May. I think she'll take a knife to a lot of the nonsense spending that went on under previous regimes.
Greening was very rapidly house-trained there after an initial good start. I can't see Priti being deflected by anyone. She's very hawkish.
What are some examples of the nonsense spending at DFID, say over the last five years?
Aid to India is definitely a waste of money.
What aid to India? Thought it was stopped years ago?
Though given how many Indians are still impoverished whether it was a waste is debatable.
It didn't stop. The aid lets the Indian government off the hook for solving their own poverty issues.
No it does not, we are not giving that much. It makes sense to provide aid in the form of specific British expertise and experience to work in conjunction with India's own efforts (not in place of it).
Absolute rubbish. We are subsidising India's space programme and weapons programme. We should not let the Indian government off the hook for having priorities that don't benefit the population. It is not our responsibility to look after the world's poor in nations who have the means to support their own.
Please god can we never ever ever see that word repeated on pb
Why not? I invented it for the purpose of putting it in that sentence. I found it useful. I can invent words if I want to. If you disagree, you are a booliak, and you should be groaked until you confess.
I'm all for inventing words. 'Upculture' is gobsmackingly hideous. It's the worst example of computer-speak.
No - "Upskilling the workforce" (for mass redundancies) is the worst term that I have come across...
I heard an abomination at work last week where it was announced that a document would be "socialised". Ugh.
You're behind the times!
I've been having "socialisation meetings" to get people comfortable with an idea for more than a decade...
It's a real mixed bag for Priti. She wanted DfiD disbanded not so long ago - so it may be 'eat your greens' appointment by May. I think she'll take a knife to a lot of the nonsense spending that went on under previous regimes.
Greening was very rapidly house-trained there after an initial good start. I can't see Priti being deflected by anyone. She's very hawkish.
What are some examples of the nonsense spending at DFID, say over the last five years?
Aid to India is definitely a waste of money.
What aid to India? Thought it was stopped years ago?
Though given how many Indians are still impoverished whether it was a waste is debatable.
It didn't stop. The aid lets the Indian government off the hook for solving their own poverty issues.
Does that matter if the aid program still saves lives?
There are 6 billion people in the world. How many of them do you think the british taxpayer should be responsible for?
Taking just one aspect of foreign aid: if we can help rid the world of diseases like polio, smallpox etc, we *all* win.
Foreign aid does not have to be funded by taxation. British people can, and do, donate money to charitable organisations.
The NHS does not have to be funded by taxation. British people can, and do, donate money to charitable organisations.
Pensions do not have to be funded by taxation. British people can, and do, donate money to charitable organisations.
Benefits do not have to be funded by taxation. British people can, and do, donate money to charitable organisations.
It's a real mixed bag for Priti. She wanted DfiD disbanded not so long ago - so it may be 'eat your greens' appointment by May. I think she'll take a knife to a lot of the nonsense spending that went on under previous regimes.
Greening was very rapidly house-trained there after an initial good start. I can't see Priti being deflected by anyone. She's very hawkish.
What are some examples of the nonsense spending at DFID, say over the last five years?
Aid to India is definitely a waste of money.
What aid to India? Thought it was stopped years ago?
Though given how many Indians are still impoverished whether it was a waste is debatable.
It didn't stop. The aid lets the Indian government off the hook for solving their own poverty issues.
Does that matter if the aid program still saves lives?
Yes it does because if a department exists purely to give money away it is inevitable that some of that money (and we are probably talking hundreds of millions per annum) will be wasted. That wasted money could be better spent saving lives here at home.
Please also remember that the £12bn p.a. budget of the DfID is borrowed money, that is to say it is money that is being taken from your child's future. Our children, and probably grandchildren, will be poorer because of this wasteful department that was set up so that a few politicians could feel pleased with themselves.
Please god can we never ever ever see that word repeated on pb
Why not? I invented it for the purpose of putting it in that sentence. I found it useful. I can invent words if I want to. If you disagree, you are a booliak, and you should be groaked until you confess.
I'm all for inventing words. 'Upculture' is gobsmackingly hideous. It's the worst example of computer-speak.
No - "Upskilling the workforce" (for mass redundancies) is the worst term that I have come across...
I heard an abomination at work last week where it was announced that a document would be "socialised". Ugh.
You're behind the times!
I've been having "socialisation meetings" to get people comfortable with an idea for more than a decade...
Absolutely. In my world that's been business-speak since Y2k, replacing 'running it up the flagpole'.
It's a real mixed bag for Priti. She wanted DfiD disbanded not so long ago - so it may be 'eat your greens' appointment by May. I think she'll take a knife to a lot of the nonsense spending that went on under previous regimes.
Greening was very rapidly house-trained there after an initial good start. I can't see Priti being deflected by anyone. She's very hawkish.
What are some examples of the nonsense spending at DFID, say over the last five years?
Aid to India is definitely a waste of money.
What aid to India? Thought it was stopped years ago?
Though given how many Indians are still impoverished whether it was a waste is debatable.
It didn't stop. The aid lets the Indian government off the hook for solving their own poverty issues.
No it does not, we are not giving that much. It makes sense to provide aid in the form of specific British expertise and experience to work in conjunction with India's own efforts (not in place of it).
Absolute rubbish. We are subsidising India's space programme and weapons programme. We should not let the Indian government off the hook for having priorities that don't benefit the population. It is not our responsibility to look after the world's poor in nations who have the means to support their own.
Assuming India's population is 1.2 billion, £279,000,000 per capita works out at 23p per Indian (2015 figure).
It's a real mixed bag for Priti. She wanted DfiD disbanded not so long ago - so it may be 'eat your greens' appointment by May. I think she'll take a knife to a lot of the nonsense spending that went on under previous regimes.
Greening was very rapidly house-trained there after an initial good start. I can't see Priti being deflected by anyone. She's very hawkish.
What are some examples of the nonsense spending at DFID, say over the last five years?
Aid to India is definitely a waste of money.
What aid to India? Thought it was stopped years ago?
Though given how many Indians are still impoverished whether it was a waste is debatable.
It didn't stop. The aid lets the Indian government off the hook for solving their own poverty issues.
No it does not, we are not giving that much. It makes sense to provide aid in the form of specific British expertise and experience to work in conjunction with India's own efforts (not in place of it).
Absolute rubbish. We are subsidising India's space programme and weapons programme. We should not let the Indian government off the hook for having priorities that don't benefit the population. It is not our responsibility to look after the world's poor in nations who have the means to support their own.
Assuming India's population is 1.2 billion, £279,000,000 per capita works out at 23p per Indian (2015 figure).
23p per Indian.
Doesn't matter. Let the Indian government spent it.
It's a real mixed bag for Priti. She wanted DfiD disbanded not so long ago - so it may be 'eat your greens' appointment by May. I think she'll take a knife to a lot of the nonsense spending that went on under previous regimes.
Greening was very rapidly house-trained there after an initial good start. I can't see Priti being deflected by anyone. She's very hawkish.
What are some examples of the nonsense spending at DFID, say over the last five years?
Aid to India is definitely a waste of money.
What aid to India? Thought it was stopped years ago?
Though given how many Indians are still impoverished whether it was a waste is debatable.
It didn't stop. The aid lets the Indian government off the hook for solving their own poverty issues.
No it does not, we are not giving that much. It makes sense to provide aid in the form of specific British expertise and experience to work in conjunction with India's own efforts (not in place of it).
Absolute rubbish. We are subsidising India's space programme and weapons programme. We should not let the Indian government off the hook for having priorities that don't benefit the population. It is not our responsibility to look after the world's poor in nations who have the means to support their own.
Assuming India's population is 1.2 billion, £279,000,000 per capita works out at 23p per Indian (2015 figure).
23p per Indian.
Max would like it to be 2.3p. The question that should be asked is where the £279m is actually spent. I would say the vast majority is spent in the UK.
It's a real mixed bag for Priti. She wanted DfiD disbanded not so long ago - so it may be 'eat your greens' appointment by May. I think she'll take a knife to a lot of the nonsense spending that went on under previous regimes.
Greening was very rapidly house-trained there after an initial good start. I can't see Priti being deflected by anyone. She's very hawkish.
What are some examples of the nonsense spending at DFID, say over the last five years?
Aid to India is definitely a waste of money.
What aid to India? Thought it was stopped years ago?
Though given how many Indians are still impoverished whether it was a waste is debatable.
It didn't stop. The aid lets the Indian government off the hook for solving their own poverty issues.
Does that matter if the aid program still saves lives?
Yes it does because if a department exists purely to give money away it is inevitable that some of that money (and we are probably talking hundreds of millions per annum) will be wasted. That wasted money could be better spent saving lives here at home.
Please also remember that the £12bn p.a. budget of the DfID is borrowed money, that is to say it is money that is being taken from your child's future. Our children, and probably grandchildren, will be poorer because of this wasteful department that was set up so that a few politicians could feel pleased with themselves.
Exactly Hurst, how many lives is it costing at home. A vanity project.
It's a real mixed bag for Priti. She wanted DfiD disbanded not so long ago - so it may be 'eat your greens' appointment by May. I think she'll take a knife to a lot of the nonsense spending that went on under previous regimes.
Greening was very rapidly house-trained there after an initial good start. I can't see Priti being deflected by anyone. She's very hawkish.
What are some examples of the nonsense spending at DFID, say over the last five years?
Aid to India is definitely a waste of money.
What aid to India? Thought it was stopped years ago?
Though given how many Indians are still impoverished whether it was a waste is debatable.
It didn't stop. The aid lets the Indian government off the hook for solving their own poverty issues.
No it does not, we are not giving that much. It makes sense to provide aid in the form of specific British expertise and experience to work in conjunction with India's own efforts (not in place of it).
Absolute rubbish. We are subsidising India's space programme and weapons programme. We should not let the Indian government off the hook for having priorities that don't benefit the population. It is not our responsibility to look after the world's poor in nations who have the means to support their own.
Assuming India's population is 1.2 billion, £279,000,000 per capita works out at 23p per Indian (2015 figure).
23p per Indian.
Doesn't matter. Let the Indian government spent it.
Perhaps if they bought a few less missiles , rockets , guns etc they could spend their own wonga on their people rather than taking handouts and hosing their own cash away.
It's a real mixed bag for Priti. She wanted DfiD disbanded not so long ago - so it may be 'eat your greens' appointment by May. I think she'll take a knife to a lot of the nonsense spending that went on under previous regimes.
Greening was very rapidly house-trained there after an initial good start. I can't see Priti being deflected by anyone. She's very hawkish.
What are some examples of the nonsense spending at DFID, say over the last five years?
Aid to India is definitely a waste of money.
What aid to India? Thought it was stopped years ago?
Though given how many Indians are still impoverished whether it was a waste is debatable.
It didn't stop. The aid lets the Indian government off the hook for solving their own poverty issues.
No it does not, we are not giving that much. It makes sense to provide aid in the form of specific British expertise and experience to work in conjunction with India's own efforts (not in place of it).
Absolute rubbish. We are subsidising India's space programme and weapons programme. We should not let the Indian government off the hook for having priorities that don't benefit the population. It is not our responsibility to look after the world's poor in nations who have the means to support their own.
Assuming India's population is 1.2 billion, £279,000,000 per capita works out at 23p per Indian (2015 figure).
23p per Indian.
Doesn't matter. Let the Indian government spent it.
I should say that flexible manufacturing (i.e. bespoke clothing pretty much on-demand) was being forecast in one of my A-level physics set books in 1977.
We were all going to have to adjust to a leisure-based society. After spending most of my life working monstrously long hours, it now appears that the prediction might finally be about to come true.
Morning all. Good to see @CasinoRoyale is back on here.
I've just finished catching up with Cameron's final PMQ. With the passing of the old regime I wonder which MP's will be bringing forward plans to stand down from frontline politics.
Anna Soubry and Sarah Wollaston I would have down as likely contenders.
Morning all. Good to see @CasinoRoyale is back on here.
I've just finished catching up with Cameron's final PMQ. With the passing of the old regime I wonder which MP's will be bringing forward plans to stand down from frontline politics.
Anna Soubry and Sarah Wollaston I would have down as likely contenders.
Soubray has been sacked from the government according to Guido.
Wollaston is Chair of a select committee and continues as far as we know.
It's a real mixed bag for Priti. She wanted DfiD disbanded not so long ago - so it may be 'eat your greens' appointment by May. I think she'll take a knife to a lot of the nonsense spending that went on under previous regimes.
Greening was very rapidly house-trained there after an initial good start. I can't see Priti being deflected by anyone. She's very hawkish.
What are some examples of the nonsense spending at DFID, say over the last five years?
Aid to India is definitely a waste of money.
What aid to India? Thought it was stopped years ago?
Though given how many Indians are still impoverished whether it was a waste is debatable.
It didn't stop. The aid lets the Indian government off the hook for solving their own poverty issues.
No it does not, we are not giving that much. It makes sense to provide aid in the form of specific British expertise and experience to work in conjunction with India's own efforts (not in place of it).
Absolute rubbish. We are subsidising India's space programme and weapons programme. We should not let the Indian government off the hook for having priorities that don't benefit the population. It is not our responsibility to look after the world's poor in nations who have the means to support their own.
Assuming India's population is 1.2 billion, £279,000,000 per capita works out at 23p per Indian (2015 figure).
23p per Indian.
Doesn't matter. Let the Indian government spent it.
Perhaps if they bought a few less missiles , rockets , guns etc they could spend their own wonga on their people rather than taking handouts and hosing their own cash away.
But it's peanuts anyway, way less than India's research budget. Here's that graph again:
Scott Adams has a good blog post on how Dallas has helped Trump, by transforming the contest into one between "cop-killers" & "racists", and in such a contest, the "racists" will win.
Morning all. Good to see @CasinoRoyale is back on here.
I've just finished catching up with Cameron's final PMQ. With the passing of the old regime I wonder which MP's will be bringing forward plans to stand down from frontline politics.
Anna Soubry and Sarah Wollaston I would have down as likely contenders.
Soubray has been sacked from the government according to Guido.
Wollaston is Chair of a select committee and continues as far as we know.
Based on her tweets, Soubry is returning to her constituency to continue the fight for Remain. For the emperor! Banzai!
It's a real mixed bag for Priti. She wanted DfiD disbanded not so long ago - so it may be 'eat your greens' appointment by May. I think she'll take a knife to a lot of the nonsense spending that went on under previous regimes.
Greening was very rapidly house-trained there after an initial good start. I can't see Priti being deflected by anyone. She's very hawkish.
What are some examples of the nonsense spending at DFID, say over the last five years?
Aid to India is definitely a waste of money.
What aid to India? Thought it was stopped years ago?
Though given how many Indians are still impoverished whether it was a waste is debatable.
It didn't stop. The aid lets the Indian government off the hook for solving their own poverty issues.
No it does not, we are not giving that much. It makes sense to provide aid in the form of specific British expertise and experience to work in conjunction with India's own efforts (not in place of it).
Absolute rubbish. We are subsidising India's space programme and weapons programme. We should not let the Indian government off the hook for having priorities that don't benefit the population. It is not our responsibility to look after the world's poor in nations who have the means to support their own.
Assuming India's population is 1.2 billion, £279,000,000 per capita works out at 23p per Indian (2015 figure).
23p per Indian.
Doesn't matter. Let the Indian government spent it.
It's a real mixed bag for Priti. She wanted DfiD disbanded not so long ago - so it may be 'eat your greens' appointment by May. I think she'll take a knife to a lot of the nonsense spending that went on under previous regimes.
Greening was very rapidly house-trained there after an initial good start. I can't see Priti being deflected by anyone. She's very hawkish.
What are some examples of the nonsense spending at DFID, say over the last five years?
Aid to India is definitely a waste of money.
What aid to India? Thought it was stopped years ago?
Though given how many Indians are still impoverished whether it was a waste is debatable.
It didn't stop. The aid lets the Indian government off the hook for solving their own poverty issues.
No it does not, we are not giving that much. It makes sense to provide aid in the form of specific British expertise and experience to work in conjunction with India's own efforts (not in place of it).
Absolute rubbish. We are subsidising India's space programme and weapons programme. We should not let the Indian government off the hook for having priorities that don't benefit the population. It is not our responsibility to look after the world's poor in nations who have the means to support their own.
Assuming India's population is 1.2 billion, £279,000,000 per capita works out at 23p per Indian (2015 figure).
23p per Indian.
Doesn't matter. Let the Indian government spent it.
How many Indians could survive on 23p a year?
I have family in India. Please don't try and lecture me about this. They don't need the aid subsidy. As surbiton has said, a fair amount if the money is probably spent here or on UK agencies with UK employees with little to no benefit for Indians. It is just bullshit spending that would be better spent on ensuring the refugee camps in Jordan and Turkey are fit for purpose. I'm not against aid spending and I don't mind the target, it needs redirecting to areas of real need.
Interesting article in Washington Post on how Britain is retreating from being a power on the world stage. You do get the impression we are becoming ever more isolationist (politically, not talking about trade etc). As they point out this may even help explain why May chose Boris - it's just not that important what the US thinks of our Foreign Sec, it's trumped by domestic concerns. Our participation in the Syria ISIS strikes may well be our last hurrah on the international stage. Whether this will be a good thing or not remains to be seen.
Thinking about an EU without Britain, it seems likely that the centre of gravity will shift further towards Russia, and further away from the US. A more equidistant EU between the two.
Plato talked about "nonsense spending", HurstLlama refers to "this wasteful department that was set up so that a few politicians could feel pleased with themselves".
All I'm seeking are concrete examples of such project failures. I don't doubt a number exist: it would be unique in government departments if there weren't. But in the (relative) absence of conspicuous blunders, is it not an unreasonable assumption that DFID must doing some good work in helping to alleviate global poverty?
What are some examples of the nonsense spending at DFID, say over the last five years?
Aid to India is definitely a waste of money.
What aid to India? Thought it was stopped years ago?
Though given how many Indians are still impoverished whether it was a waste is debatable.
It didn't stop. The aid lets the Indian government off the hook for solving their own poverty issues.
No it does not, we are not giving that much. It makes sense to provide aid in the form of specific British expertise and experience to work in conjunction with India's own efforts (not in place of it).
Absolute rubbish. We are subsidising India's space programme and weapons programme. We should not let the Indian government off the hook for having priorities that don't benefit the population. It is not our responsibility to look after the world's poor in nations who have the means to support their own.
Assuming India's population is 1.2 billion, £279,000,000 per capita works out at 23p per Indian (2015 figure).
23p per Indian.
Doesn't matter. Let the Indian government spent it.
How many Indians could survive on 23p a year?
How much does India spend on its space programme?
Our aid to India in 2015 - £279 million - BUT, from my reading, it could well be the last time we actually give aid to India.
Anyhoo, their space program had a budget of 1.2 billion DOLLARs for 2015-16. Um, I'm not sure how much that is in £ Pounds now
As of 24 June 2016, ISRO has launched 131 satellites using indigenously developed launch vehicles out of which 74 are foreign. Also, 29 Indian satellites have been launched by foreign launch vehicles.[7] As of October 2015, ISRO has agreed to launch 23 foreign satellites of nine different nations including Algeria, Canada, Germany, Indonesia, Japan, Singapore and the US.[8] On June 18, 2016 India successfully set a record with launch of 20 satellites in a single payload, one being a satellite from Google.[9]
It's a real mixed bag for Priti. She wanted DfiD disbanded not so long ago - so it may be 'eat your greens' appointment by May. I think she'll take a knife to a lot of the nonsense spending that went on under previous regimes.
Greening was very rapidly house-trained there after an initial good start. I can't see Priti being deflected by anyone. She's very hawkish.
It's time that overseas aid was provided in kind by government funded exports from the UK instead of giving cash to corrupt governments in underdeveloped countries.
Plato talked about "nonsense spending", HurstLlama refers to "this wasteful department that was set up so that a few politicians could feel pleased with themselves".
All I'm seeking are concrete examples of such project failures. I don't doubt a number exist: it would be unique in government departments if there weren't. But in the (relative) absence of conspicuous blunders, is it not an unreasonable assumption that DFID must doing some good work in helping to alleviate global poverty?
That's what Dfid thinks it achieved. I've no particular axe to grind one way or another. If we're cutting spending, look at the big targets, not the small.
If you do even a cursory scan of our ODA efforts, they're widely distributed, broad in intent - and the spend is by no means confined to DfiD. Even the Welsh Assembly has ODA programs, modest though they are.
Could we be more efficient and better targeted? Of course. Should we be spending what can be considered borrowed money? Political call.
It's a real mixed bag for Priti. She wanted DfiD disbanded not so long ago - so it may be 'eat your greens' appointment by May. I think she'll take a knife to a lot of the nonsense spending that went on under previous regimes.
Greening was very rapidly house-trained there after an initial good start. I can't see Priti being deflected by anyone. She's very hawkish.
What are some examples of the nonsense spending at DFID, say over the last five years?
Aid to India is definitely a waste of money.
What aid to India? Thought it was stopped years ago?
Though given how many Indians are still impoverished whether it was a waste is debatable.
It didn't stop. The aid lets the Indian government off the hook for solving their own poverty issues.
No it does not, we are not giving that much. It makes sense to provide aid in the form of specific British expertise and experience to work in conjunction with India's own efforts (not in place of it).
Absolute rubbish. We are subsidising India's space programme and weapons programme. We should not let the Indian government off the hook for having priorities that don't benefit the population. It is not our responsibility to look after the world's poor in nations who have the means to support their own.
Assuming India's population is 1.2 billion, £279,000,000 per capita works out at 23p per Indian (2015 figure).
23p per Indian.
Doesn't matter. Let the Indian government spent it.
How many Indians could survive on 23p a year?
I have family in India. Please don't try and lecture me about this.
Morning all. Good to see @CasinoRoyale is back on here.
I've just finished catching up with Cameron's final PMQ. With the passing of the old regime I wonder which MP's will be bringing forward plans to stand down from frontline politics.
Anna Soubry and Sarah Wollaston I would have down as likely contenders.
Soubray has been sacked from the government according to Guido.
Wollaston is Chair of a select committee and continues as far as we know.
I was thinking more of standing down from Parliament.
It's a real mixed bag for Priti. She wanted DfiD disbanded not so long ago - so it may be 'eat your greens' appointment by May. I think she'll take a knife to a lot of the nonsense spending that went on under previous regimes.
Greening was very rapidly house-trained there after an initial good start. I can't see Priti being deflected by anyone. She's very hawkish.
It's time that overseas aid was provided in kind by government funded exports from the UK instead of giving cash to corrupt governments in underdeveloped countries.
So bang goes our £8.5 billion (NET!) to the EU, then?
It's a real mixed bag for Priti. She wanted DfiD disbanded not so long ago - so it may be 'eat your greens' appointment by May. I think she'll take a knife to a lot of the nonsense spending that went on under previous regimes.
Greening was very rapidly house-trained there after an initial good start. I can't see Priti being deflected by anyone. She's very hawkish.
What are some examples of the nonsense spending at DFID, say over the last five years?
Aid to India is definitely a waste of money.
What aid to India? Thought it was stopped years ago?
Though given how many Indians are still impoverished whether it was a waste is debatable.
It didn't stop. The aid lets the Indian government off the hook for solving their own poverty issues.
Does that matter if the aid program still saves lives?
There are 6 billion people in the world. How many of them do you think the british taxpayer should be responsible for?
Taking just one aspect of foreign aid: if we can help rid the world of diseases like polio, smallpox etc, we *all* win.
Foreign aid does not have to be funded by taxation. British people can, and do, donate money to charitable organisations.
The NHS does not have to be funded by taxation. British people can, and do, donate money to charitable organisations.
Pensions do not have to be funded by taxation. British people can, and do, donate money to charitable organisations.
Benefits do not have to be funded by taxation. British people can, and do, donate money to charitable organisations.
Etc, etc.
British companies, and individuals are bankrupted by tax bills every year. So spending by the British government has to be 1. for the benefit of the british people, 2. necessary.
It's a real mixed bag for Priti. She wanted DfiD disbanded not so long ago - so it may be 'eat your greens' appointment by May. I think she'll take a knife to a lot of the nonsense spending that went on under previous regimes.
Greening was very rapidly house-trained there after an initial good start. I can't see Priti being deflected by anyone. She's very hawkish.
What are some examples of the nonsense spending at DFID, say over the last five years?
Aid to India is definitely a waste of money.
What aid to India? Thought it was stopped years ago?
Though given how many Indians are still impoverished whether it was a waste is debatable.
It didn't stop. The aid lets the Indian government off the hook for solving their own poverty issues.
No it does not, we are not giving that much. It makes sense to provide aid in the form of specific British expertise and experience to work in conjunction with India's own efforts (not in place of it).
Absolute rubbish. We are subsidising India's space programme and weapons programme. We should not let the Indian government off the hook for having priorities that don't benefit the population. It is not our responsibility to look after the world's poor in nations who have the means to support their own.
Assuming India's population is 1.2 billion, £279,000,000 per capita works out at 23p per Indian (2015 figure).
23p per Indian.
Doesn't matter. Let the Indian government spent it.
Perhaps if they bought a few less missiles , rockets , guns etc they could spend their own wonga on their people rather than taking handouts and hosing their own cash away.
But it's peanuts anyway, way less than India's research budget. Here's that graph again:
I am looking at teh whole £12B DFID budget, which I consider a vanity project. We see or hear little of it and for sure much will be wasted and go into the pockets of people with lots of money already. There must be much better ways to help poor at home and abroad.
Plato talked about "nonsense spending", HurstLlama refers to "this wasteful department that was set up so that a few politicians could feel pleased with themselves".
All I'm seeking are concrete examples of such project failures. I don't doubt a number exist: it would be unique in government departments if there weren't. But in the (relative) absence of conspicuous blunders, is it not an unreasonable assumption that DFID must doing some good work in helping to alleviate global poverty?
That's what Dfid thinks it achieved. I've no particular axe to grind one way or another. If we're cutting spending, look at the big targets, not the small.
If you do even a cursory scan of our ODA efforts, they're widely distributed, broad in intent - and the spend is by no means confined to DfiD. Even the Welsh Assembly has ODA programs, modest though they are.
Could we be more efficient and better targeted? Of course. Should we be spending what can be considered borrowed money? Political call.
Bet they spend more on themselves and swanning about the world.
It's a real mixed bag for Priti. She wanted DfiD disbanded not so long ago - so it may be 'eat your greens' appointment by May. I think she'll take a knife to a lot of the nonsense spending that went on under previous regimes.
Greening was very rapidly house-trained there after an initial good start. I can't see Priti being deflected by anyone. She's very hawkish.
It's time that overseas aid was provided in kind by government funded exports from the UK instead of giving cash to corrupt governments in underdeveloped countries.
I would have thought now was a completely excellent time for Cameron to establish the David Cameron Foundation for the alleviation of whatever he thinks needs alleviating, and put a great deal of his own money into it, if he feels that strongly about it. Unless that would conflict with the widely recognised goal of foreign aid, to transfer money from poor people in rich countries to rich people in poor countries.
Our aid to India in 2015 - £279 million - BUT, from my reading, it could well be the last time we actually give aid to India.
Anyhoo, their space program had a budget of 1.2 billion DOLLARs for 2015-16. Um, I'm not sure how much that is in £ Pounds now
As of 24 June 2016, ISRO has launched 131 satellites using indigenously developed launch vehicles out of which 74 are foreign. Also, 29 Indian satellites have been launched by foreign launch vehicles.[7] As of October 2015, ISRO has agreed to launch 23 foreign satellites of nine different nations including Algeria, Canada, Germany, Indonesia, Japan, Singapore and the US.[8] On June 18, 2016 India successfully set a record with launch of 20 satellites in a single payload, one being a satellite from Google.[9]
I am looking at teh whole £12B DFID budget, which I consider a vanity project. We see or hear little of it and for sure much will be wasted and go into the pockets of people with lots of money already. There must be much better ways to help poor at home and abroad.
There's a fair amount of padding in the DfID budget, isn't there? I read colonial pensions are included in there for example.
Yes, it was the Ottomans. However, they were a long way from achieving that in the time of John (Manuel's father). [I forget if they were Ottomans then, might still have been Seljuks].
A combination of atrocious luck and, I would suggest, a strategic error [albeit an understandable one] by Manuel looking west after King Roger of Sicily died, made things rather worse for the Empire than they could've been.
Edited extra bit: Dr. Prasannan, indeed. I wonder if the death toll from executions will exceed that.
Different kettle of fish to terrorism, of course. Coups in Turkey are rather rarer.
Our aid to India in 2015 - £279 million - BUT, from my reading, it could well be the last time we actually give aid to India.
Anyhoo, their space program had a budget of 1.2 billion DOLLARs for 2015-16. Um, I'm not sure how much that is in £ Pounds now
As of 24 June 2016, ISRO has launched 131 satellites using indigenously developed launch vehicles out of which 74 are foreign. Also, 29 Indian satellites have been launched by foreign launch vehicles.[7] As of October 2015, ISRO has agreed to launch 23 foreign satellites of nine different nations including Algeria, Canada, Germany, Indonesia, Japan, Singapore and the US.[8] On June 18, 2016 India successfully set a record with launch of 20 satellites in a single payload, one being a satellite from Google.[9]
I actually happened to know the answer, so as you can see they could quite easily redirect funds for these projects themselves.
I actually wouldn't have so much of a problem if it were an actual bi-lateral project to allow India to increase development and support its people. It isn't.
BUT, from my reading, 2015 could well be the last time we actually give aid to India.
Interesting article in Washington Post on how Britain is retreating from being a power on the world stage. You do get the impression we are becoming ever more isolationist (politically, not talking about trade etc). As they point out this may even help explain why May chose Boris - it's just not that important what the US thinks of our Foreign Sec, it's trumped by domestic concerns. Our participation in the Syria ISIS strikes may well be our last hurrah on the international stage. Whether this will be a good thing or not remains to be seen.
Thinking about an EU without Britain, it seems likely that the centre of gravity will shift further towards Russia, and further away from the US. A more equidistant EU between the two.
The centre of gravity will move even more to Berlin. The EU will continue to try to integrate and the Germans will have to pay for it as a price of wanting to control the United States of Europe. Our failure to act in Syria in the early phase is indicative of our reluctance to get involved - a blow to Cameron and to our prestige when the HoC voted "No". However I can't see Germany taking a leading role in overseas adventures - they lack the forces and the will to do so. They will concentrate on building more links in order to sell more goods and for example will appease Russia to do so.
Plato talked about "nonsense spending", HurstLlama refers to "this wasteful department that was set up so that a few politicians could feel pleased with themselves".
All I'm seeking are concrete examples of such project failures. I don't doubt a number exist: it would be unique in government departments if there weren't. But in the (relative) absence of conspicuous blunders, is it not an unreasonable assumption that DFID must doing some good work in helping to alleviate global poverty?
That's what Dfid thinks it achieved. I've no particular axe to grind one way or another. If we're cutting spending, look at the big targets, not the small.
If you do even a cursory scan of our ODA efforts, they're widely distributed, broad in intent - and the spend is by no means confined to DfiD. Even the Welsh Assembly has ODA programs, modest though they are.
Could we be more efficient and better targeted? Of course. Should we be spending what can be considered borrowed money? Political call.
Bet they spend more on themselves and swanning about the world.
Malcolm your criticisms are just ignorant.
You could look at any government department, or the EU, or any international body, your local council, and point to money that could be better spent. Probably some of your own money could be better spent, who knows?
The fact remains that a lot of the DFID programmes produce impressive returns at relatively low cost. I have seen some of these first hand - for example the support given to reforming primary education in Rwanda. And its as much about exporting our expertise, know-how and support (which obviously costs money) as in just handing over cash.
And, at big picture level, the long-run solution to a lot of the domestic challenges we face lies in supporting the rest of the world in its development. Of course its slow, of course its painful and painstaking, but nevertheless its the only way. The fact that we can now see an end to the relentless growth of the world's population - which not too many years ago people thought would be inexorable - is just one example where development interventions have made a real and significant difference.
Plato talked about "nonsense spending", HurstLlama refers to "this wasteful department that was set up so that a few politicians could feel pleased with themselves".
All I'm seeking are concrete examples of such project failures. I don't doubt a number exist: it would be unique in government departments if there weren't. But in the (relative) absence of conspicuous blunders, is it not an unreasonable assumption that DFID must doing some good work in helping to alleviate global poverty?
That's what Dfid thinks it achieved. I've no particular axe to grind one way or another. If we're cutting spending, look at the big targets, not the small.
If you do even a cursory scan of our ODA efforts, they're widely distributed, broad in intent - and the spend is by no means confined to DfiD. Even the Welsh Assembly has ODA programs, modest though they are.
Could we be more efficient and better targeted? Of course. Should we be spending what can be considered borrowed money? Political call.
Bet they spend more on themselves and swanning about the world.
We all have bats in our belfry about some aspect of government spending Malcom. Mine is debt servicing costs and pensioner benefits (for rich pensioners, don't want to grind the faces of the poor).
As part of our global branding, Dfid is probably worthwhile, if just to stop this 'isolationist' wank that the media keeps spouting. Who knew a customs union would be so vital in determining our place in the world? Possibly its because people conflate some European programs (e.g. Horizon, Erasmus) with the EU. Whatever.
Comments
https://twitter.com/faisalislam/status/754238910721617921
Is the world big enough for both points of view? Probably not.
"master's degree in Business (1971–73), and, later, Harvard University (Advanced Management Program 1984–85).
Davis worked for Tate & Lyle for 17 years, rising to become a senior executive, including restructuring its troubled Canadian subsidiary, Redpath Sugar.[4] He wrote about his business experience in the 1988 book How to Turn Round a Company."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Davis_(British_politician)
http://www.daviddavismp.com/rt-hon-david-davis-mp-biography/
OK - Definitely not joining EU now
As an aside, Coup attempt shows in 4K ultra HD technicolour detail, why Turkey was/isn't going to be in EU for decades, let alone 2020...
Hear, hear.
when all the troubles were kicking off in cairo, the itf tennis events just carried on as usual at sharm el sheikh. I think they might have had a week off after the russian plane incident but soon back to normal. it must be a little bubble out there.
I can't see large numbers of previous summer romance £3ers stumping up £25 or indeed being capable or interested enough to do it in the two day window next week. A stunt by Len of UNITE for affiliated £2 voters has also been rule out of order. So I think it will be a lot tighter than last time.
Having said that, the moderates haven't even sorted out who the candidate is and there is a law suite going through the courts. So who knows.
Otherwise nothing......
Hope you had a lovely time. Welcome back.
Tennis... must... have... tennis...
Though given how many Indians are still impoverished whether it was a waste is debatable.
Good to see @CasinoRoyale is back on here.
I've just finished catching up with Cameron's final PMQ.
With the passing of the old regime I wonder which MP's will be bringing forward plans to stand down from frontline politics.
Anna Soubry and Sarah Wollaston I would have down as likely contenders.
Didn't Cameron recently say that his government was the first centre-right government in the world to legalise gay marriage? If that's correct, quite an achievement for Cameron and May (and the Lib Dems of course, but as an explicitly progressive party it's less newsworthy).
Please also remember that the £12bn p.a. budget of the DfID is borrowed money, that is to say it is money that is being taken from your child's future. Our children, and probably grandchildren, will be poorer because of this wasteful department that was set up so that a few politicians could feel pleased with themselves.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-36717990
As so often, the real danger came from her own family. Tragic.
If it goes to court, how many supporters will be cheering her brother on at his trial?
You have to wade through a lot of turgid number-vomit before you get to the pretty pictures on page 40. However, this tells you how much we spent, where we spent it and (not in all cases) what on.
Bottom line: the majority of our aid goes south of the equator, with Africa and Southern Asia being the UK's schwerpunkt.
The suggestions that we rebalance spending towards Dfid's conflict pool seem sensible to me.
Our children, and probably grandchildren, might be poorer if we *don't* try to help people abroad, especially when it comes to diseases and the like.
I'm not blithely disregarding waste; that needs to stop. But the idea that foreign aid does no good is ridiculous IMO.
I've been having "socialisation meetings" to get people comfortable with an idea for more than a decade...
Pensions do not have to be funded by taxation. British people can, and do, donate money to charitable organisations.
Benefits do not have to be funded by taxation. British people can, and do, donate money to charitable organisations.
Etc, etc.
23p per Indian.
https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2016/jul/16/robot-factories-threaten-jobs-millions-garment-workers-south-east-asia-women
I should say that flexible manufacturing (i.e. bespoke clothing pretty much on-demand) was being forecast in one of my A-level physics set books in 1977.
We were all going to have to adjust to a leisure-based society. After spending most of my life working monstrously long hours, it now appears that the prediction might finally be about to come true.
Wollaston is Chair of a select committee and continues as far as we know.
https://twitter.com/Sunil_P2/status/744654232469504001
Interesting article in Washington Post on how Britain is retreating from being a power on the world stage. You do get the impression we are becoming ever more isolationist (politically, not talking about trade etc). As they point out this may even help explain why May chose Boris - it's just not that important what the US thinks of our Foreign Sec, it's trumped by domestic concerns. Our participation in the Syria ISIS strikes may well be our last hurrah on the international stage. Whether this will be a good thing or not remains to be seen.
Thinking about an EU without Britain, it seems likely that the centre of gravity will shift further towards Russia, and further away from the US. A more equidistant EU between the two.
All I'm seeking are concrete examples of such project failures. I don't doubt a number exist: it would be unique in government departments if there weren't. But in the (relative) absence of conspicuous blunders, is it not an unreasonable assumption that DFID must doing some good work in helping to alleviate global poverty?
Anyhoo, their space program had a budget of 1.2 billion DOLLARs for 2015-16. Um, I'm not sure how much that is in £ Pounds now
As of 24 June 2016, ISRO has launched 131 satellites using indigenously developed launch vehicles out of which 74 are foreign. Also, 29 Indian satellites have been launched by foreign launch vehicles.[7] As of October 2015, ISRO has agreed to launch 23 foreign satellites of nine different nations including Algeria, Canada, Germany, Indonesia, Japan, Singapore and the US.[8] On June 18, 2016 India successfully set a record with launch of 20 satellites in a single payload, one being a satellite from Google.[9]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Space_Research_Organisation
It's time that overseas aid was provided in kind by government funded exports from the UK instead of giving cash to corrupt governments in underdeveloped countries.
That's what Dfid thinks it achieved. I've no particular axe to grind one way or another. If we're cutting spending, look at the big targets, not the small.
If you do even a cursory scan of our ODA efforts, they're widely distributed, broad in intent - and the spend is by no means confined to DfiD. Even the Welsh Assembly has ODA programs, modest though they are.
Could we be more efficient and better targeted? Of course. Should we be spending what can be considered borrowed money? Political call.
http://thaddeusthesixth.blogspot.co.uk/2016/07/manuel-comnenus-man-who-lost-byzantium.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-36813924
Ping me if you want me to email you it.
192 I think.
I actually wouldn't have so much of a problem if it were an actual bi-lateral project to allow India to increase development and support its people.
It isn't.
Yes, it was the Ottomans. However, they were a long way from achieving that in the time of John (Manuel's father). [I forget if they were Ottomans then, might still have been Seljuks].
A combination of atrocious luck and, I would suggest, a strategic error [albeit an understandable one] by Manuel looking west after King Roger of Sicily died, made things rather worse for the Empire than they could've been.
Edited extra bit: Dr. Prasannan, indeed. I wonder if the death toll from executions will exceed that.
Different kettle of fish to terrorism, of course. Coups in Turkey are rather rarer.
Our failure to act in Syria in the early phase is indicative of our reluctance to get involved - a blow to Cameron and to our prestige when the HoC voted "No". However I can't see Germany taking a leading role in overseas adventures - they lack the forces and the will to do so. They will concentrate on building more links in order to sell more goods and for example will appease Russia to do so.
You could look at any government department, or the EU, or any international body, your local council, and point to money that could be better spent. Probably some of your own money could be better spent, who knows?
The fact remains that a lot of the DFID programmes produce impressive returns at relatively low cost. I have seen some of these first hand - for example the support given to reforming primary education in Rwanda. And its as much about exporting our expertise, know-how and support (which obviously costs money) as in just handing over cash.
And, at big picture level, the long-run solution to a lot of the domestic challenges we face lies in supporting the rest of the world in its development. Of course its slow, of course its painful and painstaking, but nevertheless its the only way. The fact that we can now see an end to the relentless growth of the world's population - which not too many years ago people thought would be inexorable - is just one example where development interventions have made a real and significant difference.
As part of our global branding, Dfid is probably worthwhile, if just to stop this 'isolationist' wank that the media keeps spouting. Who knew a customs union would be so vital in determining our place in the world? Possibly its because people conflate some European programs (e.g. Horizon, Erasmus) with the EU. Whatever.