Is it the case that Labour, with all that caution, hedging, don't know and mystery they show, have a far more developed programme for government than the Tories do.
What are their actual ideas?
Why would they tell you?
While the Govenment is self-imploding there's no need for Labour to say anything yet. Anouncing their policies too early will just be handing the Tories the dead cats they are so desperately hoping for.
My understanding is that, after studying the Prime Minister’s dreadful polling numbers in recent months, Sunak’s close advisers called the exiled Cummings in from the cold. According to a source who works inside No. 10, the advice from Cummings was bracing: shifting the public’s perceptions of Sunak would be incredibly difficult. He made clear that only very big, very noisy moves would have any chance of persuading people that Sunak is an agent of change. No. 10 needed to pick some big public fights; the more blowback from former prime ministers and big business figures the better. Or, as one insider characterised Cummings’s advice: “Do mental stuff that proves you’re not the Establishment.”
My understanding is that, after studying the Prime Minister’s dreadful polling numbers in recent months, Sunak’s close advisers called the exiled Cummings in from the cold. According to a source who works inside No. 10, the advice from Cummings was bracing: shifting the public’s perceptions of Sunak would be incredibly difficult. He made clear that only very big, very noisy moves would have any chance of persuading people that Sunak is an agent of change. No. 10 needed to pick some big public fights; the more blowback from former prime ministers and big business figures the better. Or, as one insider characterised Cummings’s advice: “Do mental stuff that proves you’re not the Establishment.”
My understanding is that, after studying the Prime Minister’s dreadful polling numbers in recent months, Sunak’s close advisers called the exiled Cummings in from the cold. According to a source who works inside No. 10, the advice from Cummings was bracing: shifting the public’s perceptions of Sunak would be incredibly difficult. He made clear that only very big, very noisy moves would have any chance of persuading people that Sunak is an agent of change. No. 10 needed to pick some big public fights; the more blowback from former prime ministers and big business figures the better. Or, as one insider characterised Cummings’s advice: “Do mental stuff that proves you’re not the Establishment.”
All students to study Maths and English to 18 in a new Advanced British Standard combining A levels and T levels, 5 subjects to be studied for A level.
Teachers of key subjects to get tax free £30k bonus
I guess maths to 18 will at least make it easier for future generations to notice when people like Sunak are double-counting their transport spending pledges.
Excellent announcement from Rishi on a whole range of new transport schemes in the North and Midlands, electrification of North Wales line and improved links between Scotland + NI funded by scrapping of final leg of HS2
You don't have to answer the question below out loud, just do it in your head.
All students to study Maths and English to 18 in a new Advanced British Standard combining A levels and T levels, 5 subjects to be studied for A level.
Teachers of key subjects to get tax free £30k bonus
I did 6 A levels. Admittedly 3 of those were Maths and one was a pub quiz.
“Britain needs new ideas. That’s why today, Conference, I can announce I am stepping down with immediate effect. And welcoming to the role of Prime Minister a natural born leader, a mother - and a friend. That person is Liz Truss.”
Raising smoking age year on year is a very good policy. Well done Rishi.
Sounds like something for a royal commission rather than a PM's intuition. I'm probably in favour but would like it discussed more thoroughly.
What is in the pro column for smoking, apart from I suppose the tax revenue?
Some people enjoy it?
People enjoy doing many different illegal things.
Smoking is not illegal, though. At least, not right now.
76,000 people died from smoking related diseases in 2021.
There were just under 10,000 deaths caused by alcohol in that same year. Where do you decide it is right to ban something and wrong to ban something else? What about eating meat? Or sugar? Should governments be banning these as well.
This should not even be on the radar for any Government.
Its the old joke.
If you don't drink, don't smoke, go vegetarian, don't eat sweet things and abstain from sex you don't actually live any longer. It just feels like it.
Is it the case that Labour, with all that caution, hedging, don't know and mystery they show, have a far more developed programme for government than the Tories do.
What are their actual ideas?
Why would they tell you?
While the Govenment is self-imploding there's no need for Labour to say anything yet. Anouncing their policies too early will just be handing the Tories the dead cats they are so desperately hoping for.
I mean even with what little we do know of Labour's plans, I think we may still know more of their platform than we do of the Tory one.
That said, the A level stuff is somewhat more meaty.
All students to study Maths and English to 18 in a new Advanced British Standard combining A levels and T levels, 5 subjects to be studied for A level.
Teachers of key subjects to get tax free £30k bonus
I did 6 A levels. Admittedly 3 of those were Maths and one was a pub quiz.
All students to study Maths and English to 18 in a new Advanced British Standard combining A levels and T levels, 5 subjects to be studied for A level.
Teachers of key subjects to get tax free £30k bonus
Conference applause for the education changes seemed muted and grudging.
How many MPs went through the care system as children?
From the top of my head, Esther McVey was fostered; different thing again, but Gove was adopted; not sure what age.
From the other side of the fence Edward Timpson grew up in a family that (commendably) fostered many children, so understands the system better than most might,
John Timpson is quite impressive for what he has done.
Raising smoking age year on year is a very good policy. Well done Rishi.
Sounds like something for a royal commission rather than a PM's intuition. I'm probably in favour but would like it discussed more thoroughly.
What is in the pro column for smoking, apart from I suppose the tax revenue?
Some people enjoy it?
People enjoy doing many different illegal things.
Smoking is not illegal, though. At least, not right now.
76,000 people died from smoking related diseases in 2021.
There were just under 10,000 deaths caused by alcohol in that same year. Where do you decide it is right to ban something and wrong to ban something else? What about eating meat? Or sugar? Should governments be banning these as well.
All students to study Maths and English to 18 in a new Advanced British Standard combining A levels and T levels, 5 subjects to be studied for A level.
Teachers of key subjects to get tax free £30k bonus
I did 6 A levels. Admittedly 3 of those were Maths and one was a pub quiz.
3 in Maths? Maths, Further Maths, and?
Maths with Mechanics? Maths'n'Stats? I did the former.
All students to study Maths and English to 18 in a new Advanced British Standard combining A levels and T levels, 5 subjects to be studied for A level.
Teachers of key subjects to get tax free £30k bonus
I did 6 A levels. Admittedly 3 of those were Maths and one was a pub quiz.
I'm not sure it helped in any case.
General studies ? I remember that one. Turn up for your A !
My understanding is that, after studying the Prime Minister’s dreadful polling numbers in recent months, Sunak’s close advisers called the exiled Cummings in from the cold. According to a source who works inside No. 10, the advice from Cummings was bracing: shifting the public’s perceptions of Sunak would be incredibly difficult. He made clear that only very big, very noisy moves would have any chance of persuading people that Sunak is an agent of change. No. 10 needed to pick some big public fights; the more blowback from former prime ministers and big business figures the better. Or, as one insider characterised Cummings’s advice: “Do mental stuff that proves you’re not the Establishment.”
Wow. You know, I never linked it to Cummings, but this era does have his sort of feel. The meat ban - not likely to happen but got people talking about banning meat. The 7 bins. He's pulling together the 2018 coalition too.
He's right that Sunak is shit at selling it though.
All students to study Maths and English to 18 in a new Advanced British Standard combining A levels and T levels, 5 subjects to be studied for A level.
Teachers of key subjects to get tax free £30k bonus
I did 6 A levels. Admittedly 3 of those were Maths and one was a pub quiz.
How many MPs went through the care system as children?
From the top of my head, Esther McVey was fostered; different thing again, but Gove was adopted; not sure what age.
From the other side of the fence Edward Timpson grew up in a family that (commendably) fostered many children, so understands the system better than most might,
John Timpson is quite impressive for what he has done.
The whole family is. Not just the fostering of 100+ kids by Mr and Mrs Timpson Snr have done over the years, but the way they hire / train up ex-cons to work in the family business, that has an excellent reputation for treating their staff well.
My understanding is that, after studying the Prime Minister’s dreadful polling numbers in recent months, Sunak’s close advisers called the exiled Cummings in from the cold. According to a source who works inside No. 10, the advice from Cummings was bracing: shifting the public’s perceptions of Sunak would be incredibly difficult. He made clear that only very big, very noisy moves would have any chance of persuading people that Sunak is an agent of change. No. 10 needed to pick some big public fights; the more blowback from former prime ministers and big business figures the better. Or, as one insider characterised Cummings’s advice: “Do mental stuff that proves you’re not the Establishment.”
Wow. You know, I never linked it to Cummings, but this era does have his sort of feel. The meat ban - not likely to happen but got people talking about banning meat. The 7 bins. He's pulling together the 2018 coalition too.
He's right that Sunak is shit at selling it though.
It also doesn't ring true when you're taxing people far more harshly.
People rightly think, so where is all my bloody money going?
All students to study Maths and English to 18 in a new Advanced British Standard combining A levels and T levels, 5 subjects to be studied for A level.
Teachers of key subjects to get tax free £30k bonus
I did 6 A levels. Admittedly 3 of those were Maths and one was a pub quiz.
3 in Maths? Maths, Further Maths, and?
Maths and Further Maths, doesn't that make three maths A-Levels?
Raising smoking age year on year is a very good policy. Well done Rishi.
Sounds like something for a royal commission rather than a PM's intuition. I'm probably in favour but would like it discussed more thoroughly.
What is in the pro column for smoking, apart from I suppose the tax revenue?
Some people enjoy it?
People enjoy doing many different illegal things.
Smoking is not illegal, though. At least, not right now.
76,000 people died from smoking related diseases in 2021.
There were just under 10,000 deaths caused by alcohol in that same year. Where do you decide it is right to ban something and wrong to ban something else? What about eating meat? Or sugar? Should governments be banning these as well.
This should not even be on the radar for any Government.
Its the old joke.
If you don't drink, don't smoke, go vegetarian, don't eat sweet things and abstain from sex you don't actually live any longer. It just feels like it.
You might ask what the government thinks people should actually die of.
All students to study Maths and English to 18 in a new Advanced British Standard combining A levels and T levels, 5 subjects to be studied for A level.
Teachers of key subjects to get tax free £30k bonus
I did 6 A levels. Admittedly 3 of those were Maths and one was a pub quiz.
3 in Maths? Maths, Further Maths, and?
In my day (old codger), Pure Maths, Applied Maths, Higher Maths
Raising smoking age year on year is a very good policy. Well done Rishi.
Sounds like something for a royal commission rather than a PM's intuition. I'm probably in favour but would like it discussed more thoroughly.
What is in the pro column for smoking, apart from I suppose the tax revenue?
Some people enjoy it?
People enjoy doing many different illegal things.
Smoking is not illegal, though. At least, not right now.
76,000 people died from smoking related diseases in 2021.
There were just under 10,000 deaths caused by alcohol in that same year. Where do you decide it is right to ban something and wrong to ban something else? What about eating meat? Or sugar? Should governments be banning these as well.
This should not even be on the radar for any Government.
Its the old joke.
If you don't drink, don't smoke, go vegetarian, don't eat sweet things and abstain from sex you don't actually live any longer. It just feels like it.
You might ask what the government thinks people should actually die of.
Johnson was happy for people to die of COVID-19.
Sunak is happy for people to die of air pollution or road traffic accidents.
“Britain needs new ideas. That’s why today, Conference, I can announce I am stepping down with immediate effect. And welcoming to the role of Prime Minister a natural born leader, a mother - and a friend. That person is Liz Truss.”
All students to study Maths and English to 18 in a new Advanced British Standard combining A levels and T levels, 5 subjects to be studied for A level.
Teachers of key subjects to get tax free £30k bonus
I did 6 A levels. Admittedly 3 of those were Maths and one was a pub quiz.
3 in Maths? Maths, Further Maths, and?
It was a cheat.
Pure Maths in one year, then Maths and Further Maths. Pure Maths was roughly half the Maths syllabus and half the Further Maths syllabus so there wasn't much more to learn.
I'd have preferred to do statistics but that wasn't offered.
I've always been mildly receptive to Rishi and sympathetic to the hand he's been dealt but i have to say that was turgid stuff and the only real takeaway from it is we're now nailed on to have at least a decade if not a perpetuity of Starmer and his associates in charge.
Doing 5 rather than 3 subjects....those that claim the in-depth knowledge is currently not being taught aren't going to be happy if its spread out even more thinly in order to learn 5 subjects as standards (rather than just the really bright kids doing all the extras).
My understanding is that, after studying the Prime Minister’s dreadful polling numbers in recent months, Sunak’s close advisers called the exiled Cummings in from the cold. According to a source who works inside No. 10, the advice from Cummings was bracing: shifting the public’s perceptions of Sunak would be incredibly difficult. He made clear that only very big, very noisy moves would have any chance of persuading people that Sunak is an agent of change. No. 10 needed to pick some big public fights; the more blowback from former prime ministers and big business figures the better. Or, as one insider characterised Cummings’s advice: “Do mental stuff that proves you’re not the Establishment.”
Wow. You know, I never linked it to Cummings, but this era does have his sort of feel. The meat ban - not likely to happen but got people talking about banning meat. The 7 bins. He's pulling together the 2018 coalition too.
He's right that Sunak is shit at selling it though.
Someone posted the link overnight.
Cummings's hand makes sense of the last 2 months in a way I think we've struggled to do.
@OGH, I love you to bits, but if you aren't the editor of the article you shouldn't be credited as the author in the heading. Ever since the site was refreshed from the old green "winning here" version, non-PB authors (other than Cyclefree) have been credited wrongly in the heading.
The author is listed at the bottom, as it always is when it is a guest contribution.
It's the accreditation at the top I was referring to. For example the following links exist
I was relieved. There's only a year until the election. I'd rather he continues doing bugger all for 12 months allowing for a fresh start under a new government, than he decides to break a load of shit because Cummings tells him it's his only chance.
If they just stick to policy managerialism while pumping out nothing more than irritating rhetoric on the culture war front then that's OK by me.
My understanding is that, after studying the Prime Minister’s dreadful polling numbers in recent months, Sunak’s close advisers called the exiled Cummings in from the cold. According to a source who works inside No. 10, the advice from Cummings was bracing: shifting the public’s perceptions of Sunak would be incredibly difficult. He made clear that only very big, very noisy moves would have any chance of persuading people that Sunak is an agent of change. No. 10 needed to pick some big public fights; the more blowback from former prime ministers and big business figures the better. Or, as one insider characterised Cummings’s advice: “Do mental stuff that proves you’re not the Establishment.”
Wow. You know, I never linked it to Cummings, but this era does have his sort of feel. The meat ban - not likely to happen but got people talking about banning meat. The 7 bins. He's pulling together the 2018 coalition too.
He's right that Sunak is shit at selling it though.
Someone posted the link overnight.
Cummings's hand makes sense of the last 2 months in a way I think we've struggled to do.
Indeed, the last few weeks have felt very Cummings.
The HS2 trade off was insulting really. Shipley Relief Road, did he really say that as something we gain instead?
The other stuff was i suspect already in the pipeline and the only hope i suppose is some of it happens sooner without HS2 2a and 2b to be funded. But i am sceptical.
Still, what will Labour do now re HS2. One imagines nothing but blame Tory mismanagement but it not happening.
The Irish Government is strongly resisting a European Commission bid to seek a slice of Ireland's corporate sector profits as a way to replenish the European Union budget, RTÉ News has learned.
My understanding is that, after studying the Prime Minister’s dreadful polling numbers in recent months, Sunak’s close advisers called the exiled Cummings in from the cold. According to a source who works inside No. 10, the advice from Cummings was bracing: shifting the public’s perceptions of Sunak would be incredibly difficult. He made clear that only very big, very noisy moves would have any chance of persuading people that Sunak is an agent of change. No. 10 needed to pick some big public fights; the more blowback from former prime ministers and big business figures the better. Or, as one insider characterised Cummings’s advice: “Do mental stuff that proves you’re not the Establishment.”
Wow. You know, I never linked it to Cummings, but this era does have his sort of feel. The meat ban - not likely to happen but got people talking about banning meat. The 7 bins. He's pulling together the 2018 coalition too.
He's right that Sunak is shit at selling it though.
Someone posted the link overnight.
Cummings's hand makes sense of the last 2 months in a way I think we've struggled to do.
Everyone thought it was Isaac Levido, but it's Dom. Funny. But I feel like Sunak is too shit for even Cummings to save him. I think he's doing his own riffs. This smoking ban and the A levels, that's Sunak poking through.
@OGH, I love you to bits, but if you aren't the editor of the article you shouldn't be credited as the author in the heading. Ever since the site was refreshed from the old green "winning here" version, non-PB authors (other than Cyclefree) have been credited wrongly in the heading.
The author is listed at the bottom, as it always is when it is a guest contribution.
It's the accreditation at the top I was referring to. For example the following links exist
The Irish Government is strongly resisting a European Commission bid to seek a slice of Ireland's corporate sector profits as a way to replenish the European Union budget, RTÉ News has learned.
Scrap HS2, scrap A-levels, borrow New Zealand's smoking law, build the Shipley Bypass.
There have been... more compelling policy programmes than this?
It would helped me if I’d done more Statistics. I can’t think of anything else ‘mathematical’ that would have been that useful. There’s enough in modern Physics, anyway. Glad I didn’t have to do that.
The HS2 trade off was insulting really. Shipley Relief Road, did he really say that as something we gain instead?
The other stuff was i suspect already in the pipeline and the only hope i suppose is some of it happens sooner without HS2 2a and 2b to be funded. But i am sceptical.
Still, what will Labour do now re HS2. One imagines nothing but blame Tory mismanagement but it not happening.
All students to study Maths and English to 18 in a new Advanced British Standard combining A levels and T levels, 5 subjects to be studied for A level.
Teachers of key subjects to get tax free £30k bonus
This is going back to matriculation which was abolished in 1951. Once students have reached the standard they can reach in any subject it is pointless to force them to study it further. They should be able to choose what they want to study, presumably in things they do well and enjoy.
What is the point in teaching a brilliant mathematician War and Peace if s/he hates it and isn't any good at it?
What is the point of teaching a budding journalist or novelist about imaginary numbers which they will never come into contact with in real life and just can't grasp or understand.
The Irish Government is strongly resisting a European Commission bid to seek a slice of Ireland's corporate sector profits as a way to replenish the European Union budget, RTÉ News has learned.
Ireland now learning what it is like to be a richer nation in the EU that is not France or Germany.
How much of what has been announced today will actually come to pass.
I predict very little. NZ smoking policy perhaps. Things like scraping A-Levels take years of planning, teaching unions definitely not going to be onboard with it, so no chance Starmer would do it.
Some cabinet faces look to me like they're thinking....better start bringing forward my leadership campaign.
No, none of them have any interest in taking over now, they will leave Sunak and Hunt to take the party to defeat then hope to take over in opposition when a Labour government would have to deal with the economy.
Though Sunak's speech was a bit dull in terms of competent managerialism and broader infrastructure investment and more wide ranging skills for school leavers it was OK.
And an extension of whole life terms to sadistic and sexual murderers and cutting down on smoking
Ukraine launches a new train route from Lviv to Warsaw. The new route continues a previous trend of opening more train routes from Ukraine to EU countries, especially Poland. However, different railroad width slows down the process. https://twitter.com/EuromaidanPress/status/1709540581641241033
Doing 5 rather than 3 subjects....those that claim the in-depth knowledge is currently not being taught aren't going to be happy if its spread out even more thinly in order to learn 5 subjects as standards (rather than just the really bright kids doing all the extras).
Some cabinet faces look to me like they're thinking....better start bringing forward my leadership campaign.
No, none of them have any interest in taking over now, they will leave Sunak and Hunt to take the party to defeat then hope to take over in opposition when a Labour government would have to deal with the economy.
Though Sunak's speech was a bit dull in terms of competent managerialism and broader infrastructure investment and more wide ranging skills for school leavers it was OK.
And an extension of whole life terms to sadistic and sexual murderers and cutting down on smoking
£2 bus fare being kept: instinctually that seems a good idea, but I wonder how it has affected ridership...
That's a huge con / negative in lots of places...as its £2 max per journey / for a single, all that has happened is returns / day tickets have gone up significantly. And of course most people need a return, as they need to get back from where they were going.
If you really want to help out / incentivise bus travel, you need to be capping the returns / day tickets as well.
Surely it's effectively capping returns at £4, i.e. two singles. I'm afraid I don't use bus travel enough to know if this is cheaper than most return journeys before the policy was implemented or not.
Comments
While the Govenment is self-imploding there's no need for Labour to say anything yet. Anouncing their policies too early will just be handing the Tories the dead cats they are so desperately hoping for.
At last we’ve found the core principle of Tory governance.
Boo hiss.
edit: just as he mentions it, but in a slightly odd way...
Teachers of key subjects to get tax free £30k bonus
Make it stop.
"Do you believe him?"
I'm not sure it helped in any case.
If he is still leader next year, I can't bring myself to vote Tory.
They're still not going to vote for you, Rish.
This should not even be on the radar for any Government.
Its the old joke.
If you don't drink, don't smoke, go vegetarian, don't eat sweet things and abstain from sex you don't actually live any longer. It just feels like it.
https://x.com/politicsjoe_uk/status/1709529507659473192?s=61&t=LYVEHh2mqFy1oUJAdCfe-Q
That said, the A level stuff is somewhat more meaty.
He's right that Sunak is shit at selling it though.
There have been... more compelling policy programmes than this?
People rightly think, so where is all my bloody money going?
No rabbit at all.
Diabolical. He's toast.
Sunak is happy for people to die of air pollution or road traffic accidents.
Pure Maths in one year, then Maths and Further Maths. Pure Maths was roughly half the Maths syllabus and half the Further Maths syllabus so there wasn't much more to learn.
I'd have preferred to do statistics but that wasn't offered.
The Tories are offering nowt that is for sure.
Daft bugger can't even read an autocue properly - I'm pretty certain he missed a couple of letters there.
Cummings's hand makes sense of the last 2 months in a way I think we've struggled to do.
That point has developed into the fact that Kieran Pedley's article should have been filed under https://www2.politicalbetting.com/index.php/archives/author/editor/ instead of https://www2.politicalbetting.com/index.php/archives/author/mike-smithson/ . Your statement about the bottom of the post is irrelevant to this.
If they just stick to policy managerialism while pumping out nothing more than irritating rhetoric on the culture war front then that's OK by me.
https://twitter.com/youngvulgarian/status/1709534538274152771
The other stuff was i suspect already in the pipeline and the only hope i suppose is some of it happens sooner without HS2 2a and 2b to be funded. But i am sceptical.
Still, what will Labour do now re HS2. One imagines nothing but blame Tory mismanagement but it not happening.
"Andrew Lloyd-webber writing another hit musical"
The Irish Government is strongly resisting a European Commission bid to seek a slice of Ireland's corporate sector profits as a way to replenish the European Union budget, RTÉ News has learned.
I remember when they were the big Sunak thing.
What is the point in teaching a brilliant mathematician War and Peace if s/he hates it and isn't any good at it?
What is the point of teaching a budding journalist or novelist about imaginary numbers which they will never come into contact with in real life and just can't grasp or understand.
I predict very little. NZ smoking policy perhaps. Things like scraping A-Levels take years of planning, teaching unions definitely not going to be onboard with it, so no chance Starmer would do it.
Though Sunak's speech was a bit dull in terms of competent managerialism and broader infrastructure investment and more wide ranging skills for school leavers it was OK.
And an extension of whole life terms to sadistic and sexual murderers and cutting down on smoking
Ukraine launches a new train route from Lviv to Warsaw. The new route continues a previous trend of opening more train routes from Ukraine to EU countries, especially Poland. However, different railroad width slows down the process.
https://twitter.com/EuromaidanPress/status/1709540581641241033
Busy commuters on their way to compulsory maths class stop for a sneaky cigarette break on the Shipley relief road.
They are quickly rounded up for repatriation by a squad of Braverman paramilitaries.
How much of this has a hope in hell of actually happening?
(Remember, poppickers, T Levels still aren't bedded in.)
I'm afraid I don't use bus travel enough to know if this is cheaper than most return journeys before the policy was implemented or not.