A MISTAKE WATCHING QUESTION TIME

I do not often watch BBC's Question time. It is difficult to hear people proffering opinions which I find difficult to entertain as worth considering. That is my prejudice. I find it upsetting and stressful to hear some individuals promoting or supporting causes and points of view which are, in my view, anti-democratic, illiberal, reactionary and bigoted. It is also deeply distressing to see shamelessness and arrogance paraded on our television screens, without the slightest reproofs, despite the obvious negative reaction exhibited by some spectators faces and shakings of heads. 

Suella Braverman

Last night’s brief visit to the program had Ms Suella Braverman, Conservative MP for Fareham, and current Attorney General for England and Wales, Advocate General for Northern Ireland, for the last two years, appointed by Boris Johnson, defending and promoting Ms Priti Patel’s handling of the Ukrainian Refugee situation. There appeared to be a lot of disbelief amongst the audience and shaking of heads in negation of her words. Ms Braverman made a lot of ridiculous statements, in my, and some members of the audience’s view. It was nearing the end of the program and Ms Braverman threw out some comment about another panellist Mr Wes Streeting, Labour MP for Ilford North and currently Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, appointed by Sir Keir Starmer, stating that he exhibited the height of hypocrisy having previously supported Jeremy Corbyn. 

Wes Streeting

What having previously supported Jeremy Corbyn had to do with anything I do not know, but this accusation, coming from a person who supports one of the most incompetent Home Secretaries there has ever been in this country (currently her handling of Ukrainian refugees) and a Prime Minister who has consistently lied to Parliament, struck me as the height of arrogance, mendacity and, yes, hypocrisy.

 

If we are looking at past behaviour, Ms Patel was found by the Governments own adviser on Ministerial Standards, Sir Alex Allan to have breached the ministerial code for bullying which was “intimidating or insulting behaviour that makes an individual feel uncomfortable, frightened, less respected or put down”. Not only was she responsible for senior civil servant Sir Philip Rudman’s resignation (leading to a subsequent pay-out of £340,000 plus legal costs to settle his claim for unfair dismissal) but, previously, another civil servant, when she was at the Department of Works and Pensions, also sought to take her before a tribunal, and a further £25,000 pay-out was made to settle the case, and protect Ms Patel from examination.  The taxpayer has funded probably some £500,000 in legal fees and settlements on her behalf. Her failure to resign or be dismissed by Mr Johnson, caused Sir Alex Allan to resign.  As to the Prime Minister he has yet to have his comeuppance over the ‘party gate’ scandal, if he ever will.

 

That a law officer, an Attorney General, can support lies and breaches of parliamentary rules is yet another example of the depths to which this government will go to maintain power. Mr Putin may be more of an outright dictator, but the electoral system that allows for this, in reality, minority government to rule the country, gives them equal authority. We can hardly call what we have a democracy, given the current situation. 

Members of the audience and people round the country were rallying to offer support to Ukrainian refugees, and the Government puts up roadblocks under the guise of Security of the Nation, to circumvent the will of the people. What crap, and we have to listen to it. This is a prejudiced and incompetent government, employing people whose own families benefited from a previously more enlightened administration, to be allowed to enter the United Kingdom as immigrants. I refer to Suella Braverman, Priti Patel, Rishi Sunak, Sajid Javid and other Conservative Party Members who seem to have forgotten, and moved far away from, their heritage of diversity, charity and humanity. When it comes to the height of hypocrisy, the current cabinet of the government of the United Kingdom is at the zenith. 

 

No amount of alleged priministerial skills being exhibited in the current crisis should save Boris Johnson's skin. There is no skill in mimickry, in doing what every other country in the western world is doing, particuarly being led by France, Germany, Poland, the Scandinavian coutries and the United States. As far as I am aware, none of the leaders of those countries has quite the relationship the conservative party has with Russian money. Going along with sanctions, looking tough, whilst trying to do a seperate emergency deal with Saudi Arabia is a risky business, and as far as one can tell, he has not succeeded in that quarter. So for some obscure reason, the party still feels the need to support him. It is a mistake they will live to regret. Again, I may be wrong, probably am, but not about regreting Boris and Co.