In the news

Our current or penultimate Home Secretaries would have had them machine gunned from the rudder, compassion is only an option for decent human beings.

Can’t wait to see antidisestablishmentarianism back in the news

I imagine John Lennon would have something to say about that.

Why can’t we give these people houses, get them jobs and let them contribute to society rather than effectively imprison them. There’s a ready made workforce right there.

Can we send some our homegrown scumbags, lay abouts and maybe Andrew to Rwanda

Jamaica considers joining Barbados,
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-63799222

I’ve given this a further 5 mins thought, you’d probably like to know the outcome:

We’ve basically not moved on from slavery. Some people from the richest nations still exploit people from poorer nations by paying them the absolute minimum they can possibly get away with. All that’s changed is what we think that minimum amount is - in colonial times it was nothing, today it’s marginally more than that.

So if we think it’s right to reclaim Mr Drax’s fortune because it was made from paying the acceptable minimum at the time should we look to do the same for the more recent and current major exploiters.

Why are we still paying so much for sneakers when they’re made by little slave kids?

First time when people might agree with a Russian foreign ministry spokesperson. That said, the pope dismissing other religions as "less than" is not exactly surprising.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/nov/29/interview-pope-francis-fury-russia

As far as the House of Lords is concerned, I think Bishops contribute substantially more to the life of the country than the half-wits and crooks that the last few leaders have introduced...
If you're using the census as a basis for change then perhaps we could have a bit more representation of of other minority faiths in there.

I’d agree entirely. I guess there will always be a friction that a realised minimum is still unfair to those entrapped by it too.

I think something we find hard to deal with is the notion that an injustice might not have a just outcome as well.

The cynic in me thinks this action is a populist idea by governments who are failing their people. But I have no grasp of politics in Jamaica or Barbados.

I guess some people think that would only attract more refugees and so it's hard to sell?

The housing isn't there (see Ukraine refugees unable to move out of host homes) but that can be mostly solved with small container houses, then people can rent privately lateron.

Of course it's a whole negotiation thing...see all the practical issues in countries like the Netherlands and fair is fair, some posh areas and private landowners need to take some refugees too then. Often it's lower income areas that get such housing when then upsets people as it's not fair.

But I agree just let's people work. It's no good for anyone to sit locked up in a hotel, bored and with a shitty hone office / crap private security firms on your back.

As long as there is proper monitoring and protection against labour abuse.

The whole issue around clothing manufacturing in the UK in some cities showed it's too easy to exploit people with no regular immigration status, and some sectors like temp farming jobs are also high risk. Not just in the UK...

Tl:Dr yes but fix other things whole you are at it. No high hopes there I fear...

My guess (and I haven't seen the interview itself) is that the implication is that the Russians are using/forcing their minority ethnic groups (either forced conscripts or joined to escape desperate poverty) to do the most dirty/brutal work and then calling racism when this is pointed out.

Obvious disclaimer: Pope not a good guy either.

It's pretty clear that the Russian army does use minority groups as the fodder for their forces, but according to the article, there's no evidence out there that they're any more brutal or unpleasant than ethnic Russians.

Is 96 the pre-determined lifespan of the lizard people?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-63805991

Yeah, let's get some scientologists in there too.

It's not a particularly well-written article, but certainly Kadyrov's Chechen forces have a rep.

Ha, he's a cunt isn't he.
I could never work out why there were lefties who somehow gave him a pass.

EDIT: It's true the Kadyrovites have a terrible reputation, but why make that into an argument about religion?

If you have vaguely heard about the "bad investments" that have caused Thurrock Council to forecast a £450m deficit on a £150m budget, you need to read this, holy shit.

https://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2022-07-15/his-companies-made-a-deal-for-138m-of-taxpayers-money.-where-has-it-gone

Probably insignificant, but the mayor is conservative as is the leader of the council (and they have the majority within the council)

Probably coincidence but it just keeps happening to those conservatives. Such bad luck. 🤪

Natural party of government, only ones who can be trusted to run the economy, etc :|

Shades of the Bournemouth/Poole beach hut sell-off that was thankfully nixed before a lot of cash magically disappeared. Coincidentally, another conservative council…

Coincidentally, another conservative council…

I once looked at an investment on brown field developments for assisted living in the Liverpool region. The developer had all the relevant Labour Councilers in his pocket.

I wouldn't ascribe too much to the party in local politics. £10 says these people are connected to the area and have allied themselves to the party running things because they're the party running things.

A bit like all the contracts Islington Labour Councilers bunged to their mates back in the 80s and 90s. You wouldn't have trousered much if you'd tried to be a Tory Councillor in Islington.

As a side musing I wonder whether there is less local corruption in swing constituencies(?)

Same amount, different forms? Homes for Votes springs to mind.

Seems there are some very guilty and stupid people both of which should have a nice holiday in prison.