Reacting to Liz Truss' 'Deep State' Comments & Why are Councils Going Bankrupt?

Is it fair that Shamima Begum has been declared stateless? Should Labour prioritise disability policy more? Has taxpayers money paid for Liz Truss' trip to the Conservative Political Action Conference in the US?
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[@jacquelinemahoney621]

Informal carers who have to give up work to support family members are pulled into poverty almost immediately and save the state millions!!

[@graemearnott5816]

We are taken for granted - paid of with a pittiful amount ess than a job seeker, despite the fct that we protect the NHS from further and greater expenditure and that we sacrifice a life of our own. Yes we do this because we love the one we care for - but we're treated lackies (and benefit drainers) in the eyes of society

[@Veganlinecom]

@@graemearnott5816 You'll know how easy it is for parliament and the chancellor to fix this. Attendance allowance allows for about one or two visits on the say-so of a doctor. All that needs to be done is to increase the amount and maybe elaborate the system if there's some reason for that

[@adifferentpointofview6929]

I can't think of a greater loss to British politics than Rory Stewart not being in Westminster. Pretty sure if he stood as an independent candidate in any by-election, he'd be a shoe-in. I say this as someone who has voted Labour for 40+ years.

[@JelMain]

It's not what you want, but what he wants. He's given up. I was pretty good chums with him, and so have I. We were trashed by Boris, for the sadistic pleasure of it - and there's no going back on that. No pretty pleases and packages.

[@purplemonkeydishwasher5269]

His book about his time in parliament is just so eye opening. And such a depressing read about how senior politicians go along to get along and stiffle people like Rory who have an ambition to get things working for the country

[@JelMain]

@@purplemonkeydishwasher5269 You should be on the receiving end - I wasn't even a politician, just very skilled indeed.

[@verityviolet]

LOL still arrogant though. @@JelMain

[@JelMain]

@@verityviolet If you've achieved something - and I have - then the facts speak for themselves. If you find that arrogant, the shrinks have a word for it, the Cassandra Syndrome. Goes with the territory, and makes you no better than these sobs. Fortunately, I operated in ignorance, and I do prefer that humbler me. You can't have both, so now, I simply no longer care.

[@norarafferty4702]

Whatever one’s political perspective, intelligent, decent people like these two should be at the centre of decisions.

[@Edward-cv2gw]

You've got a wonderful sense of humour calling campbell a decent person.

[@philipmulville8218]

@@Edward-cv2gw That's just wrong.

[@haleemahsaida9772]

Did you just call Campbell a decent person? My jaw hit the floor

[@redskyatnight123]

We need to stop saying diversity is our strength. Unity is our strength

[@Rog3rY]

Training for new MPs is a good idea, I had to take governor training when I joined school board, surely MP is at least as serious!

[@ThatGuy-fd5px]

It’s called Eton

[@pnholt]

I am currently in a homeless shelter in Manchester, I have been waiting 2 years, there is regularly 1000 people bidding on 2 flats per week here in Trafford.

[@norarafferty4702]

I'm so sorry.

[@truthmatters5209]

Blame the mass immigration enabled Blair and his cronies like the odious Alistair Campbell.

[@minui8758]

Outrageous situation. We all deserve so much better and we deserve to expect better for our fellow citizens

[@andybodle7560]

What's your thesis? 1) The immigrants stole all the houses 2) The Tories artificially restricted the housing supply to drive up rents and property prices because they are, and are backed by, landowners and landlords? Hope you find somewhere soon.

[@pnholt]

what for don't be ❤❤@@norarafferty4702

[@pnholt]

Churches don't get the praise they deserve, they kept me alive when I was on the streets.

[@toxendon]

Damn, hope you are doing better now ❤

[@intervention.07]

Love is the answer.

[@minui8758]

Same here. My parish priest literally gave me a place for almost a month till I could sort myself out. Camden Town Our Lady of Hal is a hero parish. Can never ever ever express my gratitude enough

[@nicadi2005]

@pnholt "Churches don't get the praise they deserve" - That's alright, though... I'm sure that, in the greater scheme of things, this situation balances out almost perfectly with the praise some multi-millionaires and billionaires are getting WITHOUT deserving it!...

[@collydub1987]

Well they also don't look for praise because Jesus said you shouldn't talk about the good things that you do. Don't LOOK for praise.

[@MisterstereoOso]

As an ex Lib-dem ( where dreams go to die,allegedly) I must say I thoroughly enjoy listening to these two highly experienced & knowledgeable gents shooting the breeze, a terrific podcast 👍

[@Jay_Johnson]

Well the most left wing of the Tories and the most right wing of labour would do that.

[@seymourclearly]

The UK is making a big mistake by effectively becoming a 2 party state

[@cosmicmusicreynolds3266]

lib dems typically not addressing the reality. got to the food ba ks and job centres. thousands of sanctions last year lead those to the food food and worse, shop leafting.

[@cosmicmusicreynolds3266]

​@@Jay_Johnson there s no difference on cuts in the economy food banks ,zero hour contracts and rises in shop lifting.

[@collydub1987]

The fact that Truss is a former PM is an absolute embarrassment

[@italsounds001]

We volunteer doing home deliveries from our local foodbank, a lot of people we deliver to are just ill, they worked, they are now unable to work and are not getting the help or care they need in a timely manner, and that exasperates their issues, it might surprise some people how many people are in consistent need of foodbank support, it shouldn’t exist at all, but if it is needed it should be a temporary or emergency fix until proper support is sorted out, but it doesn’t work like that, it should be a shameful indictment that foodbanks have become normalised and an integral part of our support system, plastering over an ever increasing extreme poverty situation that many are facing, often because they got ill. It’s heartbreaking at times.

[@hughbasham4389]

The challenge in Britain is to understand why we have poverty. We have an NHS, we have a comprehensive education system, we have an extensive welfare system, we have a minimum wage and consistently among the lowest rates of unemployment in the developed world. Why poverty?

[@normanchristie4524]

The gig economy. Rees- Mogg whoells you that 'food banks are good for you. I haven't seem near one!

[@ihsanqazi]

Poverty because Britain's economy is too London centric & tilted towards financial service providers, the same finance industry that went bankrupt in 2008 and since then made UK less productive and poor , simple

[@debbiegamon1232]

Your question is a good one. Life is complex, and people will fall on hard times, but the system should work well if there is good economic productivity and the mechanisms of our systems are well and wisely implemented.

[@Jay_Johnson]

Inequality and the destruction of labour organisation.

[@sluglife9785]

I'm not actually convinced this is as much of a challenge as you imagine it to be. Though political and economic data scientists would be far better placed than a pleb like me to give you good answers. But I'm fairly confident that if you compared us to peer countries you'd find out, for example, that our welfare system is actually far less generous than it needs to be to stave off poverty (perhaps intentionally). The minimum wage is also 100% playing catch-up, though at least MPs have realised this and have raised it substantially in the past couple of years, with the upcoming 2024/25 raise being over a pound on this year. You can sort of compare all the other things you mentioned to the NHS, for clarity of understanding. We have the social protection infrastructure there, we've just let it stagnate to the point where it doesn't function as it should. Having said all that, at this point in time the obvious prime suspect has to be the cost of housing. Whether you want to rent or buy, you are paying a far higher percentage of your monthly / yearly income than people used to. Which I guess means we either have to build a ton of properties, with a properly large percentage being council housing for the poorest; introduce strict rent controls in higher rent areas; or create a lot more jobs in the left behind areas of this country which do still have relatively cheap property costs, so that people will be able to move there and actually make a life, rather than crowding in already high productivity areas. Perhaps ideally we try all three, instead of...nothing.

[@timfellows8334]

I have been a listener since episode one and find your podcasts informative, thought-provoking and stimulating. This is the first one I have watched but won’t be the last, your facial expressions tell so much more of the story.

[@marathorne6821]

As well as the arts, culture, international aid etc., all of which are very valuable, Britain could work towards regaining the leading role we used to have relating to combating climate change.

[@JelMain]

I put you back at the top four times, and politicians trashed each one. Until you get rid of this 17th century anachronism of mendacious representation, there is no point.

[@redskyatnight123]

Climate change wow .

[@jackpayne4658]

This might be an unlikely comparison, but Rory often reminds me of Dwight Eisenhower. A sane, pragmatic, centre-right statesman whose party has shifted so far from the centre that he now sounds more like a socialist.

[@jamesm5809]

Some of his views are clearly quite socialist. He often talks about how the state hasnt done enough on X,Y,Z but wont share how he would finance. He calls himself "fiscally prudent" so he's against even more borrowing. Therefore he's clearly for higher taxes but hasn't come out and said what taxes. He's a nice guy but i'm not actually hearing any solutions from him at all.

[@jackpayne4658]

So - Rory is a wannabe Dwight Eisenhower who doesn't have the luxury of leading the most wealthy, powerful, stable nation in modern history. You're right, though - the devil is in the detail.@@jamesm5809

[@jamesm5809]

@@jackpayne4658but I would also argue, the conservatives are more on the left then they were when Rory became an MP or when he was a minister. Tax and spend is so much higher now as well as migration. Compare all three vs the time when Rory considered the Conservatives “good”. The Conservatives have always had people like Braverman and Lee Anderson. I just don’t buy this idea that the party has moved to the right. Brexit seems to be the exception, but that’s what the public wanted at the last election.

[@jackpayne4658]

For me, the greatest shift is not towards 'left' or 'right', but towards populism - as exemplified by Brexit. The idea that the general public are perfectly capable of making a crude yes/no decision about a very complex issue - that is populism in action. That particular cat is out of the bag, and I get a sense that politicians will have to deal with it for the foreseeable future - often against their own better judgement.

[@col.hertford9855]

@@jackpayne4658the main issue is the left and right model is overly simplified. Better models have a left and right for economic policy, and a up down for authoritarian / libertarian tendencies. Given the way things are, it would be useful to add this additional measure.

[@_eddcarr_]

As a full-time artist Britain getting back behind our cultural output could be huge. So many brilliant young artists that aren't from wealthy backgrounds that have to struggle day to day or give up entirely could focus on their cultural output and result in another cultural era akin to the 90s. Hope Campbell is saying this to Starmer in person.

[@PaulGappyNorris]

Unfortunately your comments answering the question about food banks from that woman was very poor. The question included “how can she call this out”?

[@kevancook2699]

One of the most interesting and intelligent podcasts around at the moment. I love the dynamic between Rory and Alistair and the honest and open exchange of views. Thank you both.

[@markwalton3706]

Rory & Alistair: do we need a great national debate on what sort of state we want? What i mean by that is what sort of national institutions do we need to support the type of state we want. Police, Fire, Armed Forces, Dental care, health care, Education ... and many other aspects BUT more importantly if we decide we want a, b and c how do we resource that. Which will mean a debate on levels of taxation we need to meet these citizens desires?

[@welshgruff]

Good to see someone raising the real issue of how we pay for all the provisions we want to see. These 2 want more for people who are poor or disabled, funding for the arts etc but don't say where the money should come from.

[@paulheydarian1281]

Here's a Soft Power Idea for the UK to work on: British Museums should focus on improving central museums in countries such as Iraq, Iran, Syria, Libya, Yemen, Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, and Turkey? to help with better preservation of their antiquities. Partner with the French, the Italians, the Germans, the Austrians, the Spanish and other Europeans to help the earlier set of countries raise their Museums to Global- International Standards. There are so many similar projects the UK could pursue, because it has some of the best research centres, universities, and museums around the world. I'm sure this already happening at a limited scale, but it needs to increase by ten fold, because the need is so great.

[@rorykeegan1895]

"to help with better preservation of their antiquities" You do know the British Museum have "over cleaned" the Elgin Marbles to the point of absurdity, they removed all trace of the original paint from the stone. We have nothing to teach others when it comes to the preservation of artworks. Nothing, we are Philistines.

[@declanmagee58]

Glass of cheap plonk, silly railway sim game, and you two in my ears. It's a perfect hour.

[@mikedignum1868]

We live in a time when politicians we have are not up to governing the country.

[@mikenowacki9729]

💯

[@seymourclearly]

And the public, for whatever reason, seem to be unable to see politics clearly. I blame the media trying to control things instead of informing us.

[@richardshepherd5552]

Actually SNP consistently putting Scotlands peoples first. SO many advantages compared to england who are managed by fools ie westminster. (Sir Lindsey silenced snp) uk a total joke disintergrating more rapidly every day.

[@redskyatnight123]

​@@mikenowacki9729a serious lack of serious leadership. No back bone in any of them

[@jonathanellis1842]

The state has a recent history (2019) of doing all they can to make the life of people with learning difficulty harder. Those who work in social care and predominately in LD residential services, who had for years questioned the wrong that is sleepin pay. They moved ever stone and went to the highest court in land to say that staff had no right to be paid the Min Wage for on site on call. If you treat staff with disrespect and contempt, then what hope is it for those that are in their care!

[@michaelstamper5604]

Absolutely. Who is willingly going to take a job where you will be treated like dirt by "the powers that be" when you can earn more by sitting and pressing buttons on a keyboard all day? Which, in turn, leaves those needing help and care with nobody to provide said help and care. It's time for a government that cares more about people than money.

[@MishMash22]

‘If you ignore her, I’m pretty sure she will go away’ Liz Truss’s dad.

[@muniryusufi9240]

Where do people send their questions to?

[@nickpope26]

I think the concept of projecting ourselves as an arts and culture power is bang on. Remember the 2012 Olympics. So many of my friends overseas thought they were amazing. We are good at that stuff

[@kimmoffat6429]

Could you broadcast Rory's Yale lectures?

[@philipmulville8218]

Absolutely love tuning in to this podcast - always get something out of it. Thank you both.

[@michaels8638]

You don’t have to change the system just say a minimum of 12 month service before qualifying for prime minister privileges

[@Veganlinecom]

There was something on telly about Jobcentres no longer giving referral letters with things like the number of children because of some passing whim in their team meetings like data protection or something. Something that could be worked around. The result? No referral letters, or very general ones so that foodbanks have trouble rationing. No senior politician could be bothered to comment or promise action

[@Veganlinecom]

I mean referral letters from jobcentres (which also handle benefits) to food banks

[@ihsanqazi]

Lizz says she needs big bazooka... feel sad that our ex PM would stoop so low

[@danielcraig4974]

Yeah her husband's just isn't touching the sides of her pork market.

[@ihsanqazi]

Most likely... but she sounded absolutely pissed from all the free booze she'd had in good old America ​@@danielcraig4974

[@chrissmith8526]

Would you expect any different from her popularism is all that matters to most of the parties these days we are getting more and more like America , these two are a breath of fresh air

[@ihsanqazi]

Yes, unfortunately I cant see statesmen around anymore .. its just petty politicians that just care about populism 😢 Scary times ahead ​@@chrissmith8526

[@russmarkham2197]

she doesn't have to stoop to get low

[@graemearnott5816]

I know you both have your own eperiences of disability in different ways. I was interested to hear how Rory worries for his sister - as I live my retired ligfe worrying about my son. And worrying is not only draining, it is obseseive. Not just for me but for many. My worry is not only about my son's condition improving or being controlled, but about my place in his life and what happens when I am not here. Why Government and politicians do not talk abour disability more I can not explain - although I suspect that it comes down to the current reprehesible but common feeling that everyone on beefits is a waster. Subsequently, calling this out is not something any politician wants to do - except the brave or honourable (of which there are few). When there is a catastrophe - they will all lament the lackof hindsight and action. Meanwhile - there are many of us waiting for that action no, including targetted NHS funding for specifzic health services and support particularly in mental health

[@georgek7831]

British weather makes people grumpy😅

[@TM-yr3pc]

RS cash idea is interesting but open to abuse. It should be a benefit card enabled to buy only fresh non upf food and household essentials. Healthy Fresh food should subsidized for public health reasons in any event…and UPF taxed to pay for it.

[@skylineuk1485]

Now that you mentioned him Jordan Peterson might be a very interesting guest on the show.

[@jonathonjubb6626]

Sometimes wonder if both these two are in the right political parties...

[@davidmiller1354]

Never voted Conservative but would vote for Rory.

[@ianfraser6161]

Rory Stewart is hoping for a Labour government, he sees Tories as hopeless now.

[@GinaShiel]

Unfortunately it will be worse...especially with Tony Blair behind the scenes.....

[@harrydebastardeharris987]

Library’s can’t be closed in towns like Poole because it has no Second Hand Book Shops,none.

[@Hipstove]

Teaching in any university will make any people grumpier. 😂

[@oldschool3670]

Society is totally fucked

[@oldschool3670]

Congratulations Rory

[@hawkesworth1712]

It's a bad idea giving cash instead of food. A government-run food bank can provide a weekly nutritional diet for people in need. Giving money to people in lieu of food means that the government will be supporting drug habits and alcoholism and food still won't get to hungry kids. You only have to look at the trade in food stamps in the US, which is where a lot of junkies can partly fund their addiction.

[@adadinthelifeofacyclist]

Is Alistair's twin Harold Bishop from Neighbours? 😃

[@cheekygalloway69]

I thought of an awesome question for you Al, it was in my dream! But I forgot it! I’ll see if I can remember. Have a good one guys

[@-Pol-]

The channel I really need in my life right now is "The Rest FROM Politics"!

[@jamesphillips523]

How about a reading list for Grand Strategy?

[@judithdavidson2356]

Love your podcasts. Intelligent and entertaining. Great book Rory.

[@docastrov9013]

Tedious.

[@chandi58]

If Shamima was a white convert would she be treated in the same way as Shamima?

[@user-kf5mn5vn3t]

I'd like to throw in something I have often thought of. Thatcher said if you want you can buy your council house and like my mum & dad my mates mums & dad's did. But later I thought fine but what about those who can't afford to buy a house or don't want to? And now council's don't have the money from council tenants each month that they did ..... Council's are Bankrupt...... ?

[@AConversationOn]

I'd like to see Rory (& Alastair) address what Rory called the "Psychological Drama" of the questions they're asked on the street. A difficult conversation to navigative, but if you said, "here's what people ask me, here's my answer, here's my thought process" then I'd hope that make both your lives much easier. I cannot imagine it's pleasant to go around and have people repeat the same (earnest) platitudes that rather go against what your present hopes and thoughts are. Better just to explain to people once on a podcast. Personally, if I were to happen upon either milling around central london, i'd much prefer to express a gratitude that would be well-taken rather than one more that pushes Rory of the edge.

[@davelivingplastic]

First time listening to this. Very thought provoking, thanks.

[@kevinbolton9315]

Who knows what is best for the population of these isles? In a democracy, are different voices not allowed? To dismiss those on the right or the left leaves is where, in a bag of mashings?

[@nicentoasty]

I watched that some time ago. My bipolar disorder and personality disorders have became worse as i get older. I am fortunate to have family in the BBC ready to produce my films. But if i lose my present home, i dont think ill last very long, im not going homeless

[@johndavies8160]

The Household Support Fund is not being renewed. Talk about that. Engage with the detail.

[@KCD1403]

Would you consider interviewing Gary Stevenson, particularly now since his new book is out?

[@chandi58]

I loved that interview when Rory was grumpy with the prickly American. Grumpiness is important.

[@richarddavis1599]

I feel exactly the same way. Agree with all your points. This movie blew me away in IMAX. The story telling was immense and the sound design was a masterpiece. I can not remember the last film I saw when all the acting was stellar. I really struggle to point out any flaws in Dune Pt2. The only question I found myself asking was , how the sandworms move through there environment?

[@stiffybrian]

Overwork is driven by self importance.

[@nickrails]

When it comes to local authority cuts, a cash strapped or bankrupt council has no option but to cut everything apart from statutory obligations (ie adult's and children's safeguarding/social care, refuse collection, and highways). Appearing not to know that (or certainly not mentioning it) is very dissapointing. I expect a higher level of knowledge from this podcast. Councils dont 'choose' to do this, they literally have no legal choice.

[@M40tired]

James Rubin might have been responding to the once US diplomats statement that America doesn’t speak anyone else’s language…..the end of the British Empire might have left it’s diplomats cynical or is it just experiences of the loss of efficacy in global hotspots? Depressive reality hurts.

[@ashnur]

Kinda funny that some people think the reason lie is because they never heard about the 6th Nolan principle.

[@kevinbyrne5297]

I liked and felt heartened by the discussion near the beginning about people with disabilities etc; I will look out for thevotto baxter documentary. On another note Alastair the name " Aine" is pronounced Annya

[@tonychorley4936]

You espouse giving people cash rather than food, but many deprived children live in homes where the adults are addicted to drugs and/or alcohol. If you give those adults money, they are unlikely to use it for food. In several of the families I volunteer to support, the mothers exchange milk vouchers for cigarettes at the corner shop. Children under 5 feed themselves and often younger siblings on cereal and water or whatever they can find in the cupboard.

[@musiqtee]

Seriously, these “issues” aren’t separate, not UK, EU or caused by ‘foreign’ people. This is happening across the OECD, also in Scandinavia. In our relentless faith in “growth”, we simply stopped asking where “growth” actually happened through the last four decades. The almighty GDP (also per capita) doesn’t reveal differences in nominal and real values, doesn’t count energy or resources as expenditure or loss, doesn’t mention ownership or limitations thereof… Do we really believe that 1001 “issues” have 9 billion individual causes? Do we not see that ecology, economic models and legislation are ‘top down’, and not rational or pure logic as posited since Adam Smith? We have the same challenges here, just as we have the same huge corporate entities across our imagined borders. How come we blame increasingly agency-less separate governments, and not those who transnationally influence them…? Just asking…🙄

[@thesunreport]

One of the big problems in social housing provision I think is that when new builds are going up for the free market, that there has to be a proportion of social housing attached to that, which for various reasons the housebuilders struggle with it seems. One way around this would be to not have the social housing actually attached to the free market housing and perhaps to have a system whereby a local council could earmark local land for social housing developments and then if a house builder wants to build free market housing, then they could simply pay for the social housing to be built on the social housing plot. This would mean that a building company could specialise in social housing and build reasonable quality housing on allocated land, and the free market builders could get on with their own builds without the restrictions of having to build the social housing as well. I think this would perhaps increase the quality and availability of social housing, and would make better use of the land/sites available.

[@zetectic7968]

The Westminster parliament is in dire need of reforms. A talking shop to pass bad laws, useless PMQ's where no questions are answered, so much deadwood. What happened to reducing the number of MPs to 600? We have a top heavy, overly bureaucratic system that ignores the pressing issues.

[@davegold]

The House of Lords is one of the largest legislative bodies in the world, increasingly stuffed with political appointees. I would vote for that to be reduced to just 250 members. I have no ojections to the number of MPs being reduced down to 500 but remember that MPs are meant to bring local issues to national Parliament so the larger the constituency the less representative each individual MP becomes.

[@m00plank90]

Sen, and disabilities aren’t directly profitable, and rarely vote. . So don’t expect anyone to give a s**t anytime soon. I was palmed off to a private hospital, by my GP. The nhs was jammed, and I had a profitable spine operation that left me disabled (failed back surgery syndrome). When I went back to the nhs pain clinic in Nottingham, I was told “ there were so many things that should have been tried before surgery”. So now I can’t do the wonderful job I did before, that I adored, and I’m a drain on the system. False economy.

[@EdgyShooter]

Fascinating, did not realise this podcast existed and I'm already hooked

[@moabdelkafi797]

love Rory's descriptionof Jordan Peterson, "shock-jock Canadian professor".. haha

[@out-side-in]

Love u2!

[@troublesometruck8303]

Hedge fund guy sounds incredibly based.

[@judithdavidson2356]

You are both well worth listening to. Thank you

[@lesleyegg]

I don't think Rory was spikey with Rubin. I think his questions were a bit carelessly worded, that's all. I think Rubin was very touchy! I think he was quite the prima donna! Rory seems fine to me.

[@patricktracey7424]

councils are cutting everything they are overstaffed overpaid and totally incompetent all they are interested is their staffing levels and the staff payment budget and pension scheme with backhanders to councilors to keep them quiet.

[@user-oy9jm1vv8o]

Starmer neeeds to get Rory Stewart involved in some way if/when he gets into power.

[@godoug]

If Paul Marshall is worth 600 million pounds and donates 200 thousand, are my maths wrong in thinking this is the same as someone with 6 thousand pounds donating 2 pounds? It seems like a very small donation, not a big one when you put it in perspective. I'm thinking you could make similar contributions to many different bodies to gain influence with almost no tangible cost to yourself.

[@stiffybrian]

Vote on behalf of other people with greater needs than you have.

[@nancinyols8015]

Liz and the Giant Lettuce.... if only there was a Dahl book to adapt!!!

[@hecter3008]

Food nanks? Who trashed this country. Eho cut benegits and gave us the bedroom tax? Any ideas?

[@sichere]

There's no need for food Banks in the UK. The issue is the cost of Food, Fuel and everything else that consecutive Governments use to tax the poor in the UK that's the issue and the lack of low interest finance available to them.

[@PaulGappyNorris]

Wow! 😐 is that missing the words ‘should be’?

[@DavidBrown-ts2us]

3:00 from what I've seen of people in Scotland who are given cash, a lot of them spend the money on drink, drugs and cigarettes, and the children go hungry. This was a debate a few years ago in Parliament because Labour were saying no child should go to bed hungry, and the Tories were arguing that these families are being supported through existing payments.

[@nicentoasty]

I stay I Tobermory, Isle of Mull, people are sleeping in tents, the church and the town hall has a food bank, I may lose my home of 16 years and am looking at staying in a tent. I have a BAHons and degree in Fine Art

[@EricDMMiller]

This is no age for art. The time of art is dead.

[@Heather-zk5eu]

@@EricDMMillerit’s not friggin ‘art’ that’s the issue. Open your eyes.

[@Heather-zk5eu]

I hope things get better for you. I’m fed up hearing politicians et al speaking like they’ve only just heard about the struggle most people are having. Let me know how it’s going and if I can help.

[@PaulBeaumont940]

Maybe someone should give Shamina Begum £10M to donate to the Tory party

[@deirdremccormack87]

Rory I love you. Your humanity is beautiful and should be the norm. Keir Starmer has very little humanity.

[@Steve-gc5nt]

Starmer has very little of anything.

[@16252]

interesting, thanks

[@MisterstereoOso]

Surely “ Boris” the musical is the obvious one 😂

[@JelMain]

Springtime for Hitler?

[@jimb9063]

The wizard of Boz, but Help! or Wicked would be appropriate.

[@JelMain]

@@jimb9063 Farquaad. As is his coterie.

[@CharlesDickson-nv2ol]

Council officials are very bad at making sensible investments and also getting good value for money.

[@jezlawrence720]

But if they spend money on financial consultants, or paying their staff private sector rates then they're wasting money and civil servants suddenly become "town hall mandarins" in the press. Good investment specialists are not going to work in local authorities for 30-40k a year when they can bring in twice that plus a car and stock options without even trying particularly hard in the private sector.

[@mickboon9831]

They don't have the experience, and the temptation is for risky "low risk" investments such as commercial property rather than a broad basket of sensible low risk investments.

[@dharmacharinipasadanandi7110]

Please address how the UK can build enough homes for people

[@JelMain]

On Begum, yes. Exile has a very long heritage. There are many more who should follow.

[@juliusklugi7430]

You being one of them.

[@helenmarie4735]

Universal basic income guys. Just about every penny of it would go back into the economy. We wouldn’t have an underclass.

[@Toon89obamartins]

I couldn’t agree more and no one needs a formal qualification. In my opinion there should be a test.

[@isotropisch82]

I can't believe someone with as much capacity for coherent thought as Rory was ever in the Tory party, it is almost beyond me, but I assume that is because of my age (41), somewhere in the back of my mind I can remember when they were as abjectly awful.

[@charlottelanvin7095]

Parliament sitting less is better, I agree! I spent a few years in Texas, now individually the world's 8th largest economy. The Texas Legislature sits regularly every odd year, in January, for 140 days at most to get legislative stuff done. Of course the Governor can call exceptional sessions but these are limited and the legislature may not call itself into session. In my view, infrequent lawmaking makes for better lawmaking. PS I'm not saying I agree with what the TX legislature produces in policy terms, but I do agree with the constitutional approach

[@Theguys1]

My parents brought us to Canada - they were fiercely British. I have always been proud of my British values - fairness, honesty, modesty. The culture was progressive. Immigrants part of the fabric. My parents are now dead. The Britain they loved is gone. I am watching my Britain’s implode. The inequality is mind boggling. The North is a third world country - London is the fiefdom of the rich and privileged. Royalty is the Brit’s soap opera, despite the wealth and Disneyland activities. Whaaaat? I am no longer proud or even hopeful.

[@EricDMMiller]

Don't worry. Canada is turning into an immigrant infested hell hole too.

[@musicman5075]

Rebuilding our position on the world stage... 1) Demonstrate that a developed country with a long history is able to re-structure its constitution and institutions to deliver real representative democracy without a violent revolution, 2) Demonstrate that the UK does have a respect for international law and human rights, will deliver on treaty agreements it signs up to rather than reneging on them. 3) Re-establish responsibility truth telling and integrity in public office. In summary lead by example. That'll do for starters in the "ambitious" category.

[@sluglife9785]

I genuinely believe that food banks are fully expected at this point to be a fixed element of the UK's infrastructure. It's part of the Tory 'big society' regime. When you believe in a low tax society, charity has to take on a massive role. For someone who has that belief system, this country's food bank system is not the horrifying failing that so many of us consider it to be, it's a really big success story.

[@GinaShiel]

More like the globalists agenda....'.You will own nothing and be happy...Klaus Schwab WEF Founder.....' and that's exactly where they're taking us to....

[@cynicalpenguin]

​@@GinaShielKlaus Schwab never said that.

[@annettebrewster-kl1gq]

Have to agree with Alistair regarding the role of art and culture in creating a much better society.

[@user-bt8cz9nv4x]

Are you friggin’ joking! Talking about grumpy! Next we’ll be talking about the rest of the magnificent 7!

[@jakerowsell8752]

Does anyone who lives in a "safe seat" get any representation? I'd love for an MP I voted for to even be in parliament

[@norarafferty4702]

No skin in the game….except that everything is now international. Speaking as a Canadian.