Category: Politics

PRISONS – AN UNBELIEVABLE COST BURDEN ON HONEST PEOPLE

In October 2023 the Tories produced their PRISON REFORM proposals. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/prison-reforms-will-cut-reoffending-and-put-worst-offenders-behind-bars-for-longer

Many obvious points and good points but not taking into account how taxpayers like myself feel about the cost. In reality it is another example of politicians inexperience and incapability of managing any kind of business activity that requires cost control and productive efficiency.

They made one major good point but if any action followed this I have not seen it – they said they would ‘step up action’ to deport illegal immigrant criminals. Don’t talk about it – do it! For new offenders it should be an instant action taken within four weeks of an arrest. Anything longer is feeding the mouth of greedy lawyers at tax payers expense

Before Starmer and his ‘top team’ go ahead to dish out super generous contracts to build more prisons where local people who probably voted Tory don’t want them they should spend a week or two thinking about what we actually need and what is the most cost effective way to achieve it. This is what I think. Its too practical for Starmer’s ego but maybe it makes sense to Reform

I see five levels of incarceration and believe prisons can cater for these far better than at present

Death Row – why give ‘for life’ sentences to those who have taken another life or lives in one of the horrific ways we are seeing more and more. Bring back capital punishment – it will be a deterrent and save a huge cost burden on the tax payer.

Long term – these will be sentences for serious offences, usually involving dead or seriously injured victims. For these criminals prison should be a very unpleasant place that they never want to come back to. Prison staff in this area should be capable to defend themselves and attack if necessary and should never be outnumbered.

Medium term physical – sentences for lower level violent crimes. Keep them away from the long term inmates but let them see the misery of being a long term inmate, either viewing or film. Their sentencing should include “if, when you are released, you are later found guilty of any physical crime you will be placed in a long term prison”

Medium term non physical – there is a chance that some criminals in this category can be repatriated to society. Warders need to be trained by the staff responsible for repatriation decisions so that they are not fooled into making over-optimistic decisions. These warders will be very different to the warders in the preceding categories

Short term – for those on early release and for offences like fly-tipping or non violent actions at demonstrations. At sentencing warn them that if they repeat they move into medium term

Many of these will be genuine possibilities for repatriation into society. They should be held in a much easier environment, hardly a prison. To ensure they understand the seriousness of their situation they should wear GPS tags.

Each day they should be doing something worthwhile and productive – work that they are paid fairly for, the fly-tippers to be taken two days a week to clean up towns and cities. From their pay they should see a small, very fair deduction for rent and food. They should know that good performance during this period will earn them a reference of real value that will help them get suitable work when they are released

In the right circumstances evening classes would be a major benefit – something to help those who have not had the benefit of a good education – simple maths and better English would be good for many. Anything to help those who need it gain some self esteem

Short term is the area to work on for the future. Also, perhaps, Medium term, non physical

In an ideal situation we would have a prison for each category of incarceration.

If that is not possible then cater for Death Row and Long Term in one prison. To be effective the others must be stand alone

DRUGS

Amazingly the only mention in the government paper about drugs is rehab. Stop the drugs getting into the prisons!

Make the penalties for being found out really hurt – stop visits (hurts both sides of the wall), solitary confinement and if a member of prison staff is found to be involved make the penalty so severe he really thinks before he gets involved

Dividing the prison population more accurately into the prison types I suggest will make it easier to control

EVERY BRITISH POLITICIAN SHOULD READ THIS

This is the story of what you can achieve even if at the moment you are not in power

It is tough to accept that we have to back around 100 years to be able to find a genuine great politician. During my life time there have been two who could have been great but were not

Margaret Thatcher, so determined, so scary, so badly advised she thought she was killing the unions but she killed communities and kick started the de-industrialisation that has left this country in the current poor economic and almost defenceless state

Tony Blair, so charismatic when he burst onto the political scene. As a Brit I think he took his eye off our ball wanting to be revered all over the world. His mistakes over Iraq were as bad as the Tories

So sad – these two had the personality, the force, the determination to do a huge amount for this country but didn’t because either they were given the wrong advice or they forced the wrong policies

What Churchill achieved in opposition and in power should be inspirational to REFORM and the CONSERVATIVES.

This will not help Starmer, he already acts as if he knows it all – God help us

VAUXHALL LUTON CLOSING – WHAT A SURPRISE – WE NEED A TRUMP-MUSK STRATEGY

While the UK and Europe continue to hand over the car market to China in the ultra idiotic pursuit of net-zero via electric cars I expect Trump and Musk to make sure they retain and rebuild this industry in the USA. I hope they will rebuild their machine tool industry at the same time. In the West Midlands when I was young 120,000 people were employed in the UK owned automotive and machine tool industry, double what we have now in the whole of the UK and most of UK manufacturers are now owned by foreign companies. Goodbye Vauxhall as you go down the road that these companies went – Rover, Austin, Morris, Triumph, Alvis, Singer, MG, Sunbeam. How many of these have now disappeared?

PROJECTION – The UK MELT DOWN being managed by the current lot (the previous lot did nothing to control the situation) will, during the next four years, increase the PEOPLE OUT OF WORK with an annual COST £100BILLION+ By the time we get rid of this lot out of work benefits will have cost more than HS2, as much annually as the NHS.

WHERE IS THE MONEY COMING FROM? The pound is sinking so soon they will not be able to borrow any more

THEY DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT MANUFACTURING WORK IS – THAT IS WHY CHINA IS SO HAPPY.

WE GIVE THEM ORDER AFTER ORDER AND KILL OUR OWN MANUFACTURING. WE TRAIN THEIR PEOPLE AND PUT OUR OWN PEOPLE OUT OF WORK

GOVERNMENT IS SO EASY

LOOK AFTER YOUR PEOPLE. IF YOU HAVE SURPLUS LOOK AFTER OTHERS WHO DESERVE HELP.

The UK does not have a surplus – STARMER IS BANKRUPTING US WITH HIS EGOISTIC BENEFACTION.

TRUMP WILL NOT ALLOW THIS IN AMERICA. For him America comes first and so it should

THE UK LEADERS BELIEVE WE HAVE WORLD INFLUENCE, WORLD IMPORTANCE – HISTORY NOW BULLSHIT. We don’t have enough soldiers or weapons to scare the big boys in Asia and our self importance attitude must make them laugh. BEST UK POLICY – sack Lammy and stay friends with Trump. And give people worthwhile work

REBUILDING THE WORK ETHIC WE USED TO HAVE IN THE UK HELPS TO SOLVE SO MANY PROBLEMS

ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION – How to stop it

UNBELIEVABLE – so many people contribute to this and they all miss the big issue. Flowers are sorted out, animals are sorted out, may be improving trade paperwork frustrations.

In the header they highlight security and biosecurity but I can’t find it in this press release AND NO MENTION OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS

I believe there is a cost effective, practical and humane solution. It follows the namby pamby ineffective statements in the press release

Press release

New border controls to protect the UK against security and biosecurity threats and ensure smooth flow of goods

The Border Target Operating Model sets out new controls to better protect the UK against security and biosecurity threats and create a world-class border system for trade in goods.

From:

Cabinet Office and Baroness Neville-Rolfe DBE CMG

Published

29 August 2023

The Border Target Operating Model for trade in goods, published today, 29th August 2023, sets out when new controls will be introduced to better protect the UK against biosecurity threats and create a world-class border system.

Delivering on the 2025 Border Strategy to create the most effective border in the world, the model introduces a new global regime for security and biosecurity controls, including bringing in controls on imports from the EU for the first time and using Brexit freedoms to simplify import controls on goods from across the globe. Many businesses will already be familiar with similar requirements already in place for exporting to the EU.

These controls will keep the UK safe by defending against plant and animal diseases from abroad, protecting our vital agricultural industry and food supply chains, and assuring our trade partners of the quality of our exports. It will also protect against illegal imports, including firearms and drugs.

The Border Target Operating Model makes smarter use of data and technology to ensure a more efficient trading experience for businesses. By taking an intelligent, risk-based approach, it removes duplication and reduces the volume of data and paperwork required from businesses when importing goods. This will save businesses around £520m per year compared to the original import model that would have been introduced in 2022.

The model has been developed following extensive engagement with the border industry and businesses across the UK, and in collaboration with the Scottish and Welsh Devolved Administrations. Having listened to the views of industry, the Government has agreed to a delay of three months for the introduction of remaining sanitary and phytosanitary controls, as well as full customs controls for non-qualifying Northern Ireland goods, which will now be introduced from January 2024. To give stakeholders additional time to prepare for the new checks, further controls have a revised timetable. These include checks on medium risk animal products, plants, plant products and high risk food (and feed) of non-animal origin from the EU, implemented in April 2024, and safety and Security declarations for EU imports, implemented in October 2024.

The Government has also worked with industry to test new technologies in a border setting, including distributed ledgers for sharing data, smart seals and GPS trackers. Pilot testing found these technologies could simplify processes across the supply chain, transforming the UK border through reduced costs and administrative burdens, making importing and exporting easier and cheaper for businesses.

In addition to the Border Target Operating Model, the Single Trade Window is another flagship border development which makes smarter use of data and technology. It will simplify and streamline import and export trade processes and provide a single gateway through which businesses can supply trade data to the government. Under this system, information will only need to be submitted by traders once and in one place, removing complexity and duplication from the system.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe DBE CMG, Minister of State at the Cabinet Office, said:

“Our Border Target Operating Model will ensure more efficient trading for businesses, protect against biosecurity threats and further crack down on illegal imports such as firearms and drugs.

“By making maximum use of data and new technologies, our innovative yet risk-based approach is key to delivering a world-class border system. Once fully implemented, these important post-Brexit measures will, I believe, bring considerable benefits to the UK economy and to UK trade, and the Government stands ready to support businesses through this transition.”

Lord Benyon, Minister for Biosecurity at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, said:

“Protecting UK biosecurity through effective border controls on the goods that we import is so important. These border controls safeguard the food that we eat and protect animal and plant health across the UK.

“The Border Target Operating Model sets out our innovative system of border controls, which will continue to uphold UK biosecurity and support trade with other countries.”

Christine Middlemiss, Chief Veterinary Officer, said:

“The Border Target Operating Model will deliver a new trade regime that provides a risk-based, proportionate and technologically advanced approach to border controls, built upon the foundations of safeguarding UK biosecurity. The threat from imported animal and plant diseases, such as African Swine Fever & Xylella fastidiosa, continues to grow. Our new regime of border controls will protect the UK and our trading partners from the economic, health and environmental harms caused by the outbreak of these diseases, whilst balancing the needs of vitally important trade.”

William Bain, Head of Trade Policy at the British Chambers of Commerce, said:

“Businesses will be pleased with this clarity as they prepare for the challenging shift to a digital trade system. The focus must now be on delivering the Single Trade Window to the timescales set out. The new approach to digitalising borders for goods movements could bring real benefits to the SMEs we represent, to trade, and to the economy.

“The critical thing is preparedness. Businesses are making investment and supply chain decisions for the long term and need to be confident that the physical and digital infrastructure around the GB border is going to be in place on time.”

Nigel Jenney, CEO of the Fresh Produce Consortium, said:

“FPC welcomes the publication of the final Border Target Operating Model. It’s clear, Government has acted upon our concerns and will now implement a unique border approach for the benefit of consumers and industry. This focussed risk-based approach will reinforce UK biosecurity and promote self-regulation to minimise supply chain disruption.

“Let’s be clear, challenges remain. However, this is a bold step forward to achieve our ambition to become a world-leading destination of choice promoting imports and exports of fantastic fresh produce, and flowers and plants.”

Marco Forgione, Director General of The Institute of Export & International Trade said:

“The Institute of Export & International Trade (IOE&IT) welcomes the innovative approach set out in the Border Target Operating Model. The shift to risk based, digital insights and targeting will ensure the smooth flow of goods and maintain strong security and biosecurity controls.

“The Border Target Operating Model should not be looked at in isolation. There are several other key initiatives taking place as part of the Border 2025 strategy aimed at making the UK border one of the most effective and efficient. This approach has the potential to convert our borders into engines which support economic growth. In addition we encourage Government to move as fast as possible to implement the findings of the customs initiatives announced at the Spring Budget.

“What’s really important is that UK businesses and those trading into UK markets prepare for these changes. The Border Target Operating Model helps to redress some of the commercial disadvantages that UK businesses have been facing.

“The Institute’s focus is on supporting businesses trading with the UK from the EU and the Rest of the World to understand the requirements of Border Target Operating Model and provide practical assistance in complying with the new system. The UK can reap the benefits of this world-class new digital border if businesses of all sizes are equipped and armed with the right knowledge. Now is the time to prioritise educating businesses on trading sustainably, safely and securely.”

Ends

Notes to editors:

The Border Target Operating Model incorporates feedback from the Draft Border Target Operating Model which was published in April 2023
The Border Target Operating Model confirms implementation of controls through three major milestones:
- 31 January 2024 – The introduction of health certification on imports of medium risk animal products, plants, plant products and high risk food (and feed) of non-animal origin from the EU
- 30 April 2024 – The introduction of documentary and risk-based identity and physical checks on medium risk animal products, plants, plant products and high risk food (and feed) of non-animal origin from the EU. At this point Imports of Sanitary and Phytosanitary goods from the rest of the world will begin to benefit from the new risk based model
- 31 October 2024 – Safety and Security declarations for EU imports will come into force from 31 October 2024. Alongside this, we will introduce a reduced dataset for imports
Importers and their supply should already be preparing for the first milestone which we confirmed would go ahead in April. They should now begin to prepare for the following milestones. HMG will continue to work with them, ports, and the wider border industry to prepare for these
The final Border Target Operating Model also confirms that new checks and controls will be introduced for Irish goods moving from Ireland directly to Great Britain. In accordance with the Windsor Framework, Northern Ireland businesses will retain unfettered access to their most important market in Great Britain, whether moving qualifying NI goods directly from Northern Ireland or indirectly through Irish ports. A full timeline for introduction of these controls is set out within the Border Target Operating Model.
In developing the Border Target Operating Model the Government has been mindful of the small potential impact on food inflation and has taken into account its firm commitment to bring the rate down. The estimated impact of the Border Target Operating Model on food inflation is expected to be minor, standing at less than 0.2% across three years.

Published 29 August 2023

SINK THE BOATS! Not really but the problem of the migrant channel crossings has to be solved

A PROPOSED SOLUTION that hopefully will not be needed for too long. It is designed to remove the incentive to try to enter the UK illegally

o How many? Make a decision on the number of immigrants we can accommodate in the UK – how many contributing immigrants and how many asylum seekers

o Publicize the qualities and experience that a potential contributing immigrant should have to make a beneficial contribution to the UK and put numbers to each sector that we can allow in

o Set up in Calais an Interview Centre for Asylum seekers and contributing immigrants. Develop an interviewing strategy that will deal with the numbers in a responsibly short time. If all the small boat people came for interview it would be average somewhere between 100 and 140 per day. A team of 50 – 60 interviewers with an efficient process should be able to cope.

o To save time publicize a standard list of preliminary questions that will be asked at the interview

o Add a 15 man armed security team. Buy a building to house sixty 15sq.m ground floor interview rooms = 900sq. m. Add 300sqm reception and facilities. It should have 3 additional floors to create sixty 400sq.m studio flats plus lounge, entertainment, gym and dining rooms. Add facilities, ground floor, for the security team. Work rotas – 5 full days each week plus short days Saturday and Sunday and back to UK every fourth week

Budget

o 5000sq.m facility – rent, utilities £500,000. Employee hospitality 60 x £100 x 52 = £312,000

o Salaries 75 x £80,000 = £6,000,000 Budget + 20 returns to UK every week (1 per month each officer) = 20 x £200 x 52 = £208,000

o Total annual budget £7,000,020 – how does this compare to today’s nonsensical costs

Efficiency

o It should not take 1 hour to see if someone is worthy of further interview/investigation

o Those worthy of further investigation should be transferred to an interviewer who can judge their potential contribution e.g. if one says he is an electrician he should be interviewed by an electrics expert

o Interviewers for asylum seekers need to be kept constantly aware of which countries/regions may be regarded as currently dangerous. Experts with detail knowledge of those regions need to be part of the interview

Publicize it – everyone entering the Interview Centre will go on the UK facial recognition system.

It needs to be publicized that anyone caught on an illegal boat will be subjected to facial recognition and will never be allowed into the UK, even to visit.

We need to have a serious patrol boat service that will turn the boats round or take the passenger on board and return them.

The immigrants already here can have their claims processed in a similar way

OUR HOPES FOR THE FUTURE

The Illegal Immigrants Bill (UK) will hopefully be applied soon – it should have been applied after BREXIT. That would have encouraged Europe to act sensibly

Now we see Europe splitting up over this subject, each country looking after itself and, quite bluntly, that is what it should have been years ago

Creating a European free trade area was a good idea. Trying to convert all these countries with different histories, different languages, different natural resources, varying religions into one entity was crazy. It has one hugely long border to protect – impossible

Most of Europe is CHRISTIAN in one form or another. There are differences, some have even led to war, but ISLAM is so different to Christian religions that every country in Europe should be very carefully controlling its influence. We are foolish in the UK right down to junior school level

BREXIT handled sensibly should have seen the UK as an Island able to have control over its borders. America has four borders, two ocean coasts and two land borders, Canada and Mexico. Mexico is their main border control problem. The UK is an island and is unique amongst the larger countries in the continent of Europe . The UK should not have serious border control problems – that it does is down to rubbish management by UK governments

Even Australia and New Zealand, countries that for years have been increasing their skilled workforces by controlled immigration have had to apply stiffer controls as they have entered housing supply crises. What on earth goes on in the minds of the idiots in UK governments past and present? Are they so cosy in their pads paid for by all of us that they really cannot see how their imbecilic policies are growing the housing crisis dangerously and civil war may be round the corner

This Sky News photo illustrate the overload danger on a very calm day. I can see only three flotation rings, no life jackets. Some genuine people are desperate enough to take these risks. Our policy must encourage them to apply to come to the UK though an official route – but that route has to fair and clear but above all it has to be able to carry out the processes fast and efficiently

DEFENCE – our defence is in the hands of politicians, GOD HELP US – please.

Conservatives and now Labour continue to show their total lack of understanding of defence spend.

They talk about spending 2.5% of GDP – what absolute stupidity. And it is so simple!

You decide what you need to win whatever fight you are in and/or to defend us against aggressors Then you make or buy that equipment as cost effectively as you can

Winston Churchill set the standard motivating huge manufacturing concerns like Vickers and Rolls-Royce and the shipyards, coal mines and steel works to raise productivity and for men and women in all factories to work all the hours available. The output of these manufacturing companies was out performing Hitlers Germany and helped Churchill to bring America into the war

After the war the UK concentrated manufacturing on rebuilding the economy but by the Seventies Mrs Thatcher could see we needed to strengthen our defence capability. People of like mind, I was one, voted for her. Unfortunately a couple of years after she was elected she decided we were spending too much on defence and issued a moratorium on defence spending! This was a major contribution to the de-industrialisation policy that has seen the destruction of the UK’s coal, steel, power generation, automotive, rail, aeroplane and machine tool industries, industries that we were world leaders in

The result is we are reliant on nuclear weaponry, mostly American, and spend most of our budgets on warships or submarines to carry them. We make small missiles but these factories are owned by the French

Russia now produces huge glide bombs in vast numbers. Ukraine is facing a massive threat from these

Vickers produced the Chieftain tank and then the Challenger tank in the 1980’s. Read about the Challenger in Wikipedia. In 2005 it was recognised that major technical upgrades, real modernisation was necessary and it would become Challenger 3, supposed to be better than any other tanks in the field. Challenger 3 may be under test in 2026 and available generally in 2030. Unbelievable – 25 years.

Our politicians posture spitting out big words but I believe three leaders of countries we should be very wary of laugh at us. In a conventional war they would overwhelm us. They out number us in people and weapons and we still continue to reduce our fighting force numbers. We may already be in the position where the only way we can a fight is nuclear

80 years ago we won a war because of our leader and our manufacturing capability. Today we have no leader and very little manufacturing capability and capacity

We cannot afford to fall out with NATO, especially America

Keep your fingers crossed that America keeps control of their designs and manufacturing capability of high level semi conductors (chips). 24 years ago the UK gave away a world leading designer and producer of chips based in Cambridge. It went to the Americans but cooperation has spread to other nations, hopefully not to backfire on us

I think less than 10% of the nonsensical billions spent on nonsensical HS2 would have enabled us to reinstate and develop our own defence industry

29^th July 2024

There will be a lot more to say about defence policy – one of the biggest c*ck ups by governments for decades

I believe very strongly that the UK should be able to defend itself and its allies. In the early 80’s one of my companies was making major gun turret components for the Chieftain tank (left photo). The Chieftain’s replacement, the Challenger 1 was not a great upgrade and Vickers started producing Challenger 2 (right photo) in the mid 90’s and I am very proud that Vickers bought one of my machines to produce the sprocket carriers holding the sprockets to the axles – hidden behind the sprocket wheels in the bottom photo but you can see the bolts holing them on