Off Topic The Politics Thread
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Thank god the Americans have been so virtuous throughout the years……
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Niall Crowley
@elondems
@hackneycouncil
just changed the parking spaces outside this social housing block to ‘electric vehicles only’, presumably so the residents will be able to park their 50k Teslas more easily. Very considerate Mr Mayor
@mayorofhackney
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Brexit is good news for Africa
Africans want trade deals rather than western lecturing
25 August 2021, 11:30pm
(Photo by RODGER BOSCH/AFP via Getty Images)
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Few who voted for Brexit were actually racists, much as those opposed to the project would like to have you believe. There were probably as many reasons as the 17.4 million people who voted to leave the EU.
For example, I am an African-born British citizen who enthusiastically campaigned for Brexit, hoping that an independent United Kingdom would offer mother Africa a better future. Brexit should create an opportunity for Africa, not only to escape the crippling EU Common Agricultual Policy but also to trade itself out of the dehumanising poverty through equitable trade deals.
Even the EU's supporters accept that the Common Agricultural Policy is a disaster for its southern neighbour. The programme sees unwanted European produce dumped on Africa — forcing down profits for the continent’s farmers — while blocking imports, again weakening the economic viability of African agriculture. No wonder Tanzania and several other African countries have repeatedly refused to sign a new Economic Partnership Agreement with the European Union.
It was heartening therefore to see the new Prime Minister Boris Johnson organise the first UK-Africa investment summit in London last year, just a few weeks after the election.
advised that:
“For many countries, particularly those [like the UK] that have framed their relations with Africa largely in humanitarian terms, [improved links] will require an uncomfortable shift in public and policy perceptions. Without this shift, many of Africa's traditional partners, especially in Europe and North America, will lose global influence and trade advantages to the emerging powers in Asia [read China].
Then there is the new book by Lord Peter Ricketts, Hard Choices. The former Foreign Office permanent secretary spent over 40 years at the heart of British foreign policy. He tells us:
“Outside the UK... Britain’s foreign policy will necessarily be heavily weighted towards securing trade deals. This mercantilism will mean a difficult balancing act between commercial interests and pursuing values-based foreign policy, standing up for democracy and human rights. Countries such as China and Saudi Arabia [and African nations] will not hesitate to use Britain’s need for exports contracts and investments to press for criticism of their wider policies to be muted.
In other words, Global Britain will not have her cake and eat it; hence the Prime Minister’s silence on values when he addressed the two UK-Africa summits.
Given a choice, most Africans who prefer a closer relationship with Britain would reluctantly opt for fair trade to democracy and human rights. After all, the latter is not achieved at an event, but through a long painful process. British trade is surely part of that process.
WRITTEN BYSam Akaki
Africans want trade deals rather than western lecturing
25 August 2021, 11:30pm
(Photo by RODGER BOSCH/AFP via Getty Images)
Text settings
CommentsShare
Few who voted for Brexit were actually racists, much as those opposed to the project would like to have you believe. There were probably as many reasons as the 17.4 million people who voted to leave the EU.
For example, I am an African-born British citizen who enthusiastically campaigned for Brexit, hoping that an independent United Kingdom would offer mother Africa a better future. Brexit should create an opportunity for Africa, not only to escape the crippling EU Common Agricultual Policy but also to trade itself out of the dehumanising poverty through equitable trade deals.
Even the EU's supporters accept that the Common Agricultural Policy is a disaster for its southern neighbour. The programme sees unwanted European produce dumped on Africa — forcing down profits for the continent’s farmers — while blocking imports, again weakening the economic viability of African agriculture. No wonder Tanzania and several other African countries have repeatedly refused to sign a new Economic Partnership Agreement with the European Union.
It was heartening therefore to see the new Prime Minister Boris Johnson organise the first UK-Africa investment summit in London last year, just a few weeks after the election.
advised that:
“For many countries, particularly those [like the UK] that have framed their relations with Africa largely in humanitarian terms, [improved links] will require an uncomfortable shift in public and policy perceptions. Without this shift, many of Africa's traditional partners, especially in Europe and North America, will lose global influence and trade advantages to the emerging powers in Asia [read China].
Then there is the new book by Lord Peter Ricketts, Hard Choices. The former Foreign Office permanent secretary spent over 40 years at the heart of British foreign policy. He tells us:
“Outside the UK... Britain’s foreign policy will necessarily be heavily weighted towards securing trade deals. This mercantilism will mean a difficult balancing act between commercial interests and pursuing values-based foreign policy, standing up for democracy and human rights. Countries such as China and Saudi Arabia [and African nations] will not hesitate to use Britain’s need for exports contracts and investments to press for criticism of their wider policies to be muted.
In other words, Global Britain will not have her cake and eat it; hence the Prime Minister’s silence on values when he addressed the two UK-Africa summits.
Given a choice, most Africans who prefer a closer relationship with Britain would reluctantly opt for fair trade to democracy and human rights. After all, the latter is not achieved at an event, but through a long painful process. British trade is surely part of that process.
WRITTEN BYSam Akaki
soon no one will own a house
more money in high rents than interest
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Politics For All
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@thesundaytimes
more money in high rents than interest
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| BREAKING: Banks are now buying up and renting out properties as a more attractive source of income than offering mortgages – driving up prices and forcing first-time buyers out of the market Via@thesundaytimes
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Richard Tice
@TiceRichard
ASYLUM SEEKERS crisis costing taxpayers £1.4 bn last year, up 42% as
@pritipatel
& Home Office fails again & again to resolve this. Voters anger growing. Vast majority of this will in fact be economic migrants who should be returned.
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Large batches of new builds are going straight to bank ownership and never offered for sale on the open market. Could mark a major change in the UK property market and ownership
have the yanks hidden gps in all the equipment it left behind
just in case the missiles need something to aim at later
just in case the missiles need something to aim at later
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dont do your bit too soon though
might as well get the existing truckers some decent wages first
Robert Kimbell
@Rob_Kimbell
Do your bit to get the nation trucking again by applying to be an HGV test examiner. Tens of thousands of would-be truckers are waiting to take the necessary HGV driving test — but a shortage of examiners means waits of up to three months.
Help get Britain trucking again by applying to become an HGV test examiner
DO your bit to get the nation trucking again by applying to be an HGV test examiner. Tens of thousands of would-be truckers are waiting to take the necessary HGV driving test — but a shortage of ex…
thesun.co.uk
1
might as well get the existing truckers some decent wages first
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Robert Kimbell
@Rob_Kimbell
Do your bit to get the nation trucking again by applying to be an HGV test examiner. Tens of thousands of would-be truckers are waiting to take the necessary HGV driving test — but a shortage of examiners means waits of up to three months.
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Help get Britain trucking again by applying to become an HGV test examiner
DO your bit to get the nation trucking again by applying to be an HGV test examiner. Tens of thousands of would-be truckers are waiting to take the necessary HGV driving test — but a shortage of ex…
thesun.co.uk
1
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Good.
Nationalise the banks and we have a great big pile of homes for people who need them.
Ever since Thatcher sold off the council houses, the UK economy has been sustained by personal debt backed by house price inflation. No government since, Tory or Labour, has had the balls to do anything about the shortage of affordable housing.
Even worse, they allow developers to use appalling practices like “poor doors” to get around any pretence of giving a quota of affordable housing to any new build development.
Another way to **** over and marginalise the working class
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That'd be after nationalising the rail, energy and water companies would it? Southern England will be underwater through climate change by then.
Until then, wealthy shareholders will be forcing youngsters to rent and not buy.
**** examiners, they need personnel in DVLA at the moment. Was talking to a HGV driver pal yesterday who has had to renew his license, and is still off the road 10 weeks later due to backlogs at Swansea...and no idea when his license will be returned, thus losing him months of income
sounds unfair
why cant he drive until the backlog is sorted
surely a letter from dvla and a copy of his license should suffice
