Sunak is the latest Tory PM, following on from Cameron, May, Johnson and Truss. They all seemed like hapless cartoon characters to me - a bunch of Magoos. In contrast, Sunak comes across as dignified, intelligent and well-rehearsed. Perhaps a wolf in sheep's clothing, he was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth and he is a very plausible figure. However, please don't worry because there is no way that I would ever vote Conservative no matter who the leader was. There's more chance of me winning an Olympic medal in rhythmic gymnastics.
As expected, Sunak confirmed that the ludicrously expensive HS2 railway project is to be hugely curtailed and he claims that the money saved will be spent on more cost-effective infrastructure improvement projects. He reeled out a long wishlist. Whoever did the initial costing for HS2 must have been living in cloud cuckoo land. They got it so terribly wrong, I could have done better using Phoebe's abacus.
Sunak also talked about big changes in the education system and severely restricting cigarette smoking plus a few other projects that might appeal to the general public as we move towards the next general election. The conference hall in Manchester was filled with bloated Tories, smugly applauding when instructed to do so and very aware that they were on camera. After thirteen years of Tory rule it is laughable that Sunak wants the electorate to believe that he represents the prospect of change.
Currently, all opinion polls are pointing towards a sweeping Labour Party victory so the likely truth is that none of Sunak's half-promises and recently hatched dreams will be realised when The Conservative Party is in power. He could have promised anything without the responsibility of having to see it through.
"Long Term Decisions For A Brighter Future" sounds like it might have been a rejected album by The Moody Blues. There's "Silverfish" Sunak at the top singing the lead track as he desperately attempts to close the gap on Labour.
The things some people watch rather than cleaning up the silverfish in the toilet.
ReplyDelete"Know thy enemy!" - Sir Lancelot
DeleteHe may well be right to curtail HS2 but surely he and his government won't ensure it will be impossible to expand at a later date. What won't be built now needs to be allowed for into the future.
ReplyDeleteI am one of those who could never understand the point nor the benefit of HS2 at such an outrageous cost.
DeleteNo doubt this guy will try to divide people so that he gets enough votes to stay in power.
ReplyDeleteThat's his aim. His ego before the people.
DeleteOver here the "Tories" are at each other's throats, as you no doubt have read. If they can just keep this up the elections in 2024 might look promising.
ReplyDeleteYour right wingers bicker and fight while the biggest toad of them all seems to be on a yellow brick road.
DeleteThere's a song that I don't remember the title of nor the singer but one line is "it's all been a pack of lies". Seems appropriate for a politician's speech.
ReplyDeleteIt would help if politicians could write their own speeches.
DeleteHS2 was always wrong. Anyone would think there was no rail link between Birmingham and Manchester. The new trains will be able to use the old track, but maybe without cutting a few minutes off the trip. Rishi is absolutely right, spend those £billions on better things that will benefit everyone, not just a few executives.
ReplyDeletep.s. After all Rishi's criticism from The Left, it'll be interesting to see if his decision is rejected should they win the next election. I predict not!
DeleteI agree that HS2 was always a bad idea and as anticipated the figures never stacked up. As a lifelong Labour supporter I sincerely hope that Labour do not resurrect the original plans for HS2. It should have been cancelled on the morning after the economically tragic Brexit referendum.
DeleteSir Keir has now said that he won't resurrect it. Good for him!
DeleteWhy can't they hold a referendum or better still find cheaper tenders to construct the high speed railway up North?
ReplyDeleteWhat we always needed was better connectivity in The North. This should have come first.
Delete'A bright new future' to look ahead to? What we need is integrated transport system down here in the North. Andy Burnham has started the process in Manchester but until we actually realise this the government just makes a mess. Three of my family wanted to get from Manchester to Shipley the other day. Went by National Express but it took four hours. They juggle between, coach, bus and train for London. Andy Burnham for Prime Minister!
ReplyDeleteAndy Burnham has real charisma. He could make an excellent national leader but does he want that? He will have to return to The Commons if he wants it.
DeleteNever trust an opinion poll, they have been wrong so many times. Brexit is a prime example.
ReplyDeleteA timely cautionary remark Carol.
DeleteAt this point if any of our Republican politicians offered a single idea that wasn't completely horrible, I'd applaud for an hour.
ReplyDeleteAin't gonna happen.
Your Florida guys seem especially obnoxious. Matt Gaetz looks like the son of Frankenstein's monster.
DeleteAs I see it, Sunak has a major credibility problem - his party has been in government for 13 years, he himself was no-ones first choice as PM, and most of his MPs are fighting like cats in a sack. As for HS2, Johnson blew it in 2019/20 by not killing the whole project when he took over, and his predecessors for not having axed it as soon as it became obvious that there was no credible business case and that the costings were hopelessly optimistic. We need more projects like the Tyneside Metro (although that took twice as long to implement as a larger network in the Far East that the original Metro manager left to implement, having got fed up with trying to build anything in this country). And we need a drastic curtailment of the whole quango sector - if the government provides the money it should take responsibility for it, including carrying the can for the inevitable cock-ups.
ReplyDeleteI heard him on radio 4
ReplyDeleteHe said a lot of nothing