U.K. Politics: Boris Johnson's ethics adviser Lord Geidt quits

[Artoo]

Our once united kingdom may not be united for many more years, I dread a world where England is a country on its own.

The Conservatives will never offer another referendum and I don’t know that the First Minister holding one would constitute as legally binding. The truth is they had a vote less than a decade ago and they cannot keep pushing for one until they get the answer they want - and polls continue to suggest they will lose if they hold another.

I don’t think Northern Ireland nor Wales will push for independence as I don’t think they’d manage financially (a big factor in Scotland’s loss). Wales hasn’t been independent for close to 800 years and I don’t see any advantages of it pushing for it. Northern Ireland I can only ever see leaving if Ireland ever decided it wanted to unify - and I think that’s more likely than Scotland going.

[jordi_89]

There’s lots of talk about the so-called “red wall” but I think that these results really underline two important things - the SNP mandate is stronger than ever (meaning a referendum is possible In the next 24 months) and the shock results in Northern Ireland probably lead many to think that reform is possible and maybe overdue there as well.

Our once united kingdom may not be united for many more years, I dread a world where England is a country on its own.

I'd actually love to see a united Ireland and an independent Scotland.

[Artoo]

I'd actually love to see a united Ireland and an independent Scotland.

Why? To what advantage?

[jordi_89]

Why? To what advantage?

Because it makes no sense to me that many nations have to be part of larger countries/states just because some people in power decided so centuries ago. If you're a nation, have your own culture, customs and even language (even if they don't anymore), you should be an independent country.

[jordi_89]

Anyway love to see the Johnsons lose almost 500 representatives. Wish it would have been a larger drop.

[Artoo]

Because it makes no sense to me that many nations have to be part of larger countries/states just because some people in power decided so centuries ago. If you're a nation, have your own culture, customs and even language (even if they don't anymore), you should be an independent country.

So you think the US should break up too? What about countries, like England, that have regional variances in terms of dialect, colloquialisms, customs and traditions? What about Italy - should it go back to it’s pre-unification days? Should Spain and France?

What you’re saying makes very little sense in terms of deciding whether a country should be independent or not. By your own logic, I could argue that Scotland and England, two countries sharing one small island should unify into one nation because I disagree with a land border established millennia ago.

It’s not important in 2022, but it’s worth remembering that Scotland was never taken against its will. We simply became a United Kingdom when we began sharing the same monarch.

Scotland had a referendum less than a decade ago and the Scottish people decided it did not want independence.

[jordi_89]

So you think the US should break up too?

Yes and it'll happen in a few centuries probably, as we're seeing there's completely different ways of thinking in some states compared to others.

What about countries, like England, that have regional variances in terms of dialect, colloquialisms, customs and traditions?

Yes.

What about Italy - should it go back to it’s pre-unification days?

Yes.

Should Spain and France?

Those specially.

[Artoo]

Segregation never works.

[jordi_89]

Segregation never works.

Is that what every state in the world is doing, then?

[Wayne]

An unnamed Conservative MP has been arrested on suspicion of rape and sexual assault.

The Metropolitan Police confirmed a man was in custody over allegations dating back to between 2002 and 2009.

The Conservative Party said he had been asked by the chief whip not to attend Parliament while an investigation is ongoing.

The man also faces allegations of an abuse of position of trust and misconduct in a public office.

A Met Police spokesman would not confirm the identity of the man or if he was an MP, but published a statement, saying: "In January 2020, the Met received a report relating to alleged sexual offences having been committed between 2002 and 2009.

"The offences are alleged to have occurred in London."

He added: "A man... was arrested on suspicion of indecent assault, sexual assault, rape, abuse of position of trust and misconduct in public office."

The Conservative Whips office, which is responsible for party discipline, confirmed they had asked the MP to stay away from Parliament amid the investigation.

The office's spokesperson said: "The Chief Whip has asked that the MP concerned does not attend the Parliamentary Estate while an investigation is ongoing. Until the conclusion of the investigation we will not be commenting further."

The Met said the investigation was ongoing and being led by officers from the Central Specialist Crime unit.

Conservative MP arrested on suspicion of rape - BBC News

[Wayne]

The annual rich list has been released and most of the press is focusing on two things: the Billionaires are richer than ever and Rishi Sunak is on the list, worth over £700m.

Who is on the Sunday Times Rich List 2022?

This year’s Sunday Times Rich List shows that the country has a record amount of billionaires, with 177 calling the UK home.

This includes a mix of financial investors, real estate entrepreneurs and those who have inherited wealth.

The richest people in the UK were named as Sri and Gopi Hinduja - the Indian-born British business brothers have amassed a wealth of more than £23bn, which has doubled in the past year.

Sir James Dyson rose two places to number two with his £23bn wealth. The Dyson Group saw record profits in 2021, with £1.5bn in profit on £6bn of sales.

Reaching the top 20 were also currently-sanctioned Russian oligarchs Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman. The pair are among the prominent Russian tycoons who had been financially sanctioned by the UK, the US and the EU after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

One of the most prominent Russian oligarchs in the UK, Roman Abramovich, has seen his ranking slip considerably from number eight to number 28.

He is down £12.1billion from last year, with the upcoming sale of Chelsea Football Club expecting to having another hit on the businessman’s finances.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak and his wife, Akshata Murty, have ranked for the first time on the list at number 222 with a combined wealth of £750m.

The pair were embroiled in a scandal earlier this year after it was revealed that Ms Murty had claimed non-domicile status which allowed her to bypass paying tax on foreign income.

Mr Sunak had also referred himself to the government’s ethics advisor after it was revealed that he had held a US green card after becoming an MP and last Chancellor.

Ms Murty, who is an Indian citizen, owns a £690million stake in her family’s IT business Infosys, while Mr Sunak made a bulk of his wealth while working in finance at Goldman Sachs and a hedge fund run by Sir Chris Hohn prior to taking on his parliamentary role.

Since becoming Chancellor, Mr Sunak has set up a blind trust to oversee his investments.

The top 20 wealthiest people in the UK are:

1. Sri and Gopi Hinduja and family - £23.472bn
2. Sir James Dyson and family - £23bn
3. David and Simon Reuben and family - £22.265bn
4. Sir Leonard Blavatnik - £20bn
5. Guillaume Pousaz - £19.259bn
6. Lakshmi Mittal and family - £17bn
7. Christoph Henkel and family - £15bn
8. Guy, George, Alannah and Galen Weston and family - £13.5bn
9. Kirsten and Jorn Rausing - £12bn
10. Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken and Michel de Carvalho - £11.421bn
11. Michael Platt - £10bn
12. Alisher Usmanov - £10bn
13. The Duke of Westminster and the Grosvenor family - £9.726bn
14. Barnaby and Merlin Swire and family - £9.6bn
15. Marit, Lisbet, Sigrid and Hans Rausing - £9.49bn
16. Anil Agarwal - £9.2bn
17. Denise, John and Peter Coates - £8.637bn
18. John Fredriksen and family - £8.311bn
19. Mikhail Fridman - £8.222bn
20. Moshe Kantor - £8bn

https://www.nationalworld.com/news/u...-sunak-3701771

[Artoo]

Virus’s press conference was a shambles. A PM who needs recommendations on how to lead from his own house cannot lead a country. He just can’t. Too much is at stake - we need someone who can do the job, not someone who wants to do the job.

[Thriller]

Sue Gray report is even more shocking than we thought - not only partying, but punch-ups, trashing offices and kicking off on cleaners and security staff. The whole lot of them are deplorable.

[Thombus]

I think too much time has gone by for the GP to really get irate about this, he lives for another day. Had we literally just come out of lockdown, then maybe the backlash would be more aggressive but right now the sentiment I'm seeing across social is "who cares?". Shame.

[SholasBoy]

People sitting on each others knees! I mean, they weren't even trying to socially distance at an illegal party! I can't imagine anybody voting Tory in again, even those that have done forever, in a similar way to how labour lost all it's steadfast supporters last time round.

[Thriller]

Amazingly, people out there are still defending them. Only 59% of the YouGov poll think he should resign!

[SholasBoy]

Also interesting that they decided to pull forward the announcement of how they are going to tackle the cost of living crisis to tomorrow, to coincide with the damning Sue Gray report.

[Artoo]

I can't imagine anybody voting Tory in again

I mean that’s the dream

Boris will survive this. No one wants the top job in times of war and there’s still the NI Brexit mess to sort out, not to mention the cost of living. The increase of energy bills by an additional £800 come October seems to have gotten lost in all this too.

I still think Boris’ time is numbered but I don’t envy whoever steps into his shoes. We’re in a mess.

[Artoo]

Where does Sunak keep finding all these magic money trees and can I please have a seed so I can grow my own?

Big day as the government attempt to deflect from #Partygate by announcing new policy based on what the opposition have been shouting about for weeks

[Thriller]

Wouldn’t it be easier to find a way at making the energy companies reduce their prices and reducing fuel tax than making all these random payments.

[Artoo]

Wouldn’t it be easier to find a way at making the energy companies reduce their prices and reducing fuel tax than making all these random payments.

I don’t think there’s a fair way to do it actually. Adding a discount against our unit rates would have a different financial impact for you compared to me, because we don’t use the same amount of energy.

But at the same time, £400 per household is also unfair when you look at single occupants getting the amount as a large family would.

[jordi_89]

Amazingly, people out there are still defending them. Only 59% of the YouGov poll think he should resign!

Which means they could still win a general election.

[Wayne]

Sir Graham Brady MP says: "The threshold of 15% of the parliamentary party seeking a vote of confidence in the leader of the Conservative Party has been exceeded.

"In accordance with the rules, a ballot will be held between 18:00 and 20:00 today MONDAY 6th JUNE - details to be confirmed.

"The votes will be counted immediately afterwards. An announcement will be made at a time to be advised. Arrangements for the anno will be released later today."

Boris to face vote of no confidence - he’ll need at least 180 of his own MPs to vote they have confidence in his leadership. If he wins, there can be no challenge to his leadership for another 12 months.

[Artoo]

I’d love to get excited but I think he’ll win.

[bm08]

I’d love to get excited but I think he’ll win.

He always seem to weasel his way out of these things.