This week – What happened behind your backs

TruePublica has been warning that the entire ideology of Brexit was nothing to do with immigration and sovereignty and much to do with the pivot towards the free-market model (America) and away from a more regulated one under the umbrella of the EU. It’s a right-wing, centre-left-wing thing. The whole principle of this pivot really means no-deal with the biggest trading bloc in the world. One clue is that having used immigration as a propaganda vehicle, people from the EU moving to Britain has declined rapidly over the last three years. So, for Brexiteers this is definitely a big tick in the box.

However, the government understands the threat that such low immigration now poses to the economy. So, Boris Johnson’s government just invited three million Chinese people to get on a plane and come to Britain from Hong Kong. On arrival – they’ll get a sparkly new passport.

In the meantime, Andrew Baily the governor of the Bank of England has finally got the message and told – “Britain’s biggest lenders to intensify preparations for a no-trade-deal.” This will be music to thousands on businesses currently on government and BoE life support as they attempt survival in the post-Covid world come August/September when the free taxpayer cash comes to an end. Sky News proudly stated that this was new information that they had ‘learned.’

 

In solidarity

There are two images of the protests and riots that has engulfed 140 cities across America that will never go away. They will form part of the iconography of the continuing fall of America’s influence on the world as it retreats from democracy, justice and the rule of law. This image though says it all. The Lincoln Memorial has become a symbolically sacred venue, especially for the Civil Rights Movement in America. 250,000 people heard Martin Luther King Jr., deliver his historic “I Have a Dream” speech on its steps – and so it seems fitting that a dictator in waiting would use this monument as a statement of intent. Journalist Peter Jukes rightly says this image shows the Memorial – “desecrated with faceless unknown militias who seem to be accountable to no one but a tyrannical president and a wayward DOJ.”

Robert Reich is an American economist, professor, author, and political commentator. He served in the administrations of Presidents Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, and Bill Clinton. Reich has stated, never in his life would he have thought to say this – but he has just said – “Trump is a fascist, and he is promoting fascism in America.”

Meanwhile, in Britain, Boris Johnson, nor anyone from the cabinet has openly decried the actions of Donald Trump who seemingly does nothing but incite more violence. Eleanor on Twitter posted – “I emailed my local MP asking him to condemn Trump’s actions, support BLM/black people in our community and urge the UK government to take action. This was his response to my email … #BlackLivesMatter”

In true Trumpian style, the Right Honourable Sir Desmond Swayne MP responded – “arsonist and looters have it coming.” This is a clear statement that Conservatism in Britain has died. The Tories are not Tory. They are fundamentalists who also view democracy, justice and the rule of law as outdated institutions to be discarded at will.

Democracy denial

There’s an epic irony to Jacob Rees-Mogg isn’t there. Often referred to as the minister representing the 18th-century, it appears he’s totally lost the plot when it comes to democracy in Britain. Westminster Hall is the oldest building on the parliamentary estate. It is almost 1,000 years old and is enshrined in the Magna Carta.

In and around the Hall, grew up the major institutions of the British state; that of Parliament, the law courts and various government offices and the institutions that support the democratic freedoms we are supposed to enjoy in Britain.

The building is described on parliament.co.uk as being – “closely involved in the life of the nation since the 11th century, a journey through the Hall’s past is a journey through 900 fascinating years of our history.”

For instance, on Jan 20, 1649, Charles I was brought to trial here.

However, on June 1, 2020, Jacob Rees-Mogg introduced a system that resulted in one-third of all elected MPs and therefore 15 million people being deprived of the ability to vote in a denial of democracy never seen in Britain before. Those that managed to enter the Hall, snaked through in a socially-distanced congo that many MP’s complained about. Even when The Commons was the target of the Blitz in WW2 – MP’s were taken to a suitable alternative venue to carry on their important work. However, from here – just 50 MP’s will sit, propose, debate and push through Bill’s that will affect us all. Everything from Brexit, justice, and deregulation to surveillance and the free press. This is not democracy and Westminster Hall was used denying it.

 

Support with a sting

A key part of the economic response by the government to the Covid-19 crisis was to supply support to businesses, business owners and their employees. The Self-Employment Income Support Scheme is an important part of that response by providing 80 per cent of a claimant’s average income.

But there’s a nasty sting in the tail. The grant rolls three months’ worth of income into one single payment of up to £7,500, meaning recipients get all the money in one go. And that sounds great but this means many self-employed, who are now on Universal credit as a result of the lockdown will be caught out in three months time.

Under Universal Credit, the more money a claimant earns, the less they receive in benefits. Above a certain level of monthly income – which varies according to individual circumstances – Universal Credit claimants receive no benefit payment at all. As mentioned, the Self Employment Income Support Scheme grant rolls three months’ income into one month’s payment, which will then take many people above the monthly income level beyond which they no longer receive benefits.

From there, claimants will then have to reapply for Universal Credit as the ‘surplus income’ rule applies.

The Social Security Advisory Council advised government who rejected changing the rules, with the SSAC saying that this will cause – “a far larger number of claimants than originally envisaged.”

 

You couldn’t make this up

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) examined the prime minister’s dealings with businesswoman Jennifer Arcuri, and whether her company benefited financially from their relationship. In other words, did Boris Johnson give her a stack of public money for ahem… ‘favours.’ If so, this would be considered misconduct in public office and Johnson would, like anyone else committing such crimes, be thrown out of office. The IOPC decided there was no case to answer after eight months because there was not enough evidence. Also, the IOPC thought it was ‘inappropriate’ to ask Johnson if he had in fact been having an affair with Arcuri – which most of the rest of the world seems to think was the case. They said in their report – “Mr Johnson has not publicly accepted there was a sexual relationship with Ms Arcuri, nor has he expressly denied that there was one.” But then again – they didn’t actually ask.

As it turns out, said evidence that the IOPC was casually looking for was ‘deleted.’

The report concluded that “evidence and information that the IOPC believes would have been relevant to the review has either never existed or has been deleted. The material stored in digital devices, email accounts and computer drives belonging to the mayor and his appointees was deleted when he left office in 2016,” it added.

So that’s a nice convenient ending, isn’t it?

Then Boris Johnson’s (alleged) ex-mistress suddenly pops up and advises the British people – “against using the new NHS coronavirus tracking app” by saying – “I don’t think people should give away their freedoms.”

However, we’re not sure which freedoms she talking about though – was that privacy or prison?

One question we would like to ask Mr Johnson – where’s the Russia Report?

 

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