“The reputation of Parliament is possibly as low as it’s ever been and that reputation is very largely undeserved because the vast majority of members of the House of Commons are strongly committed to doing their job in accordance with high ethical standards. A big priority for me is supporting members who want to commit to those standards, being very clear in sanctioning those members who fall away from those standards and not allowing them to tarnish the reputations of the vast majority who are committed to standards.” (Daniel Greenberg)
On Newsnight 17th January, the new commissioner for standards said ‘standards’ a lot. Appointed October, it was the first I’d heard of Daniel Greenberg. Geza Tarjani videoed himself shouting ‘murderer!’ at The Cock on the tube at Westminster and was arrested for common assault. The register of member’s interests showed the tight-fisted Cock gave only £10m of his £320k I’m A Celeb earnings to charity. As the tight-fisted government announced help with household energy bills from April would only be for those on means-tested benefits, Rishi set out 5 promises: i halve inflation; ii. grow the economy (omitting details on how); iii. ensure the national debt fell; iv. reduce NHS waiting lists within 2 years; v. new laws to stop small boat crossings. He promised we could hold him to account on what were also our priorities (as claimed in a subsequent party political broadcast).
The last time I looked: i ministers claimed inflation was due to global forces like the war; ii. the economy shrank so the only way was up; iii. people cared about their own debt rather than the national debt; iv. shorter NHS waiting lists would still be longer than pre-covid times and IFS predicted they’d flatline during 2023; v. all efforts to stop dinghy crossings had failed so far – how would more tinkering help?
On the third anniversary of the EU deal, Keir said labour would turn ‘take back control’ from ‘a slogan to a solution’ by devolving more power from Westminster. Meanwhile, The C**t told Bloomberg’s Brexit would shake Britons out of their comfortable torpor, turn them into risktakers and put the UK at the forefront of the digital revolution. His plan for economic growth ‘necessitated, energized and made possible’ by alleged regulatory freedoms, focused on ‘four Es’: enterprise, education, employment and everywhere. He was clearly living in Neverwhere!
Insinuating companies had gone too soft to reap the benefits of Brexit, he was criticised by business groups for lack of detail. Chief IOD economist Kitty Ussher suggested a fifth ‘E’ for ‘empty’. Halving inflation more important than cutting taxes, he made no mention of public sector pay, which Paul Novak referred to as the ‘elephant in the room’: “Public servants will be deeply worried about the chancellor’s warnings of further restraint. We know that is usually code for cuts.”
Shrinking by 0.6%, the UK was the only G7 economy not to return to pre-pandemic levels. The IMF blamed dependency on expensive energy sources and lack of investment, but seeing the autumn statement as stabilising, thought prospects might improve during 2023. Despite Brexit leading to more red tape thus less trade and variety of goods and the few deals actually struck with non-European countries predicted to have only marginal impact, in the long-term, they didn’t reference it at all. Small producers hardest hit, farmers feared they wouldn’t survive.
A labour shortage of 330,000 and, no solution to the Northern Ireland protocol, Lord Frosty Gammon wasn’t surprised The Supreme Court ruled it lawful. Disappointingly not doing funny voices (like Justine Greening the previous week), on Newscast 9th February, Lord Frosty still maintained Brexit was great and referred to ‘born again Brexiteers’ within the tory party. As most constituencies regretted voting leave, apart from three in Lincolnshire, it was more evidence they resided in Neverwhere. Even gammons like Rod Stewart realised we’d been shafted (We Are Failing as the Daily Mirror’s front cover declared), citizens of Brexit-Upon-Avon whinged they were lied to. Tough shit, suckers!
A startled Michael Glove-Puppet on Laura Kuenssberg Sunday 5th February, spouted the usual tory rubbish, insisting the government honoured their commitments. The UK not yet honouring the Brexit deal, Michel Barnier begged to differ.
Also in tory Neverland, more sleaze emerged. Rich donor Richard Sharp denied brokering a loan for Bumbling Boris from Sam Blyth (a second cousin of Boris’ dad), around the time he became Chair of the BBC. Denying a conflict of interest, Sharp refused to resign. Commissioner for public appointments William Shawcross, later withdrew from reviewing the appointment process, as he met Sharp in a pub. Facing the DCMS select committee 7th Feb, Sharp insisted his role was more like a ‘sort of introduction agency’. The SNP’s John Nicholson found it ‘a bit banana republic’.
Answering news report, Nads Zahawi confirmed he settled a £4.8 million tax bill including a 30% penalty while he was chancellor. Dating back to its founding, his dad paid for YouGov, getting shares in return. Rabid Raab defended him for paying all his tax up-to-date but Caroline Nokes thought he should ‘step aside’ as party chair and nasty Jerk Berry referred to him as ‘a distraction’. Reeves railed: “…if the prime minister wants to stick by his commitment for integrity, honesty and professionalism, he should do the right thing and sack (him).” Quizzed on tax avoidance at PMQs Wednesday 25th January, Rishi insisted he was ‘very clear’, wasn’t PM when Nads paid HMRC, followed the appointments process for the minister without portfolio, and when new information came to light, instructed his new ethics adviser Laurie Magnus to investigate. New info since last week? Asked an incredulous Keir. Accused by Rishi of wanting it both ways (urging appointment of the adviser then objecting to them doing their job), Keir retorted, failure to sack Nads showed how hopelessly weak the PM was: “Is the job just too big for him?” Brutal!
Lord Evans subsequently criticised Nads for trying to close down the debate with legal threats, and not living up to The Nolan Principles, the standards which the public ‘rightly expected’ to be upheld. Quite! As a caller to Jeremy Vine observed, how dare they dodge taxes on their millions and then tell hard-working nurses they can’t budget? Nads’ case already unravelling, HMRC boss Jim Harra confirmed to the Public Accounts Committee that penalties weren’t imposed for ‘innocent errors’. Getting Magnus’ report on the 29th, Rishi sacked Nads for a ‘clear, serious breach of the ministerial code’. Offering no apology, Nads blamed the ‘conduct of the fourth estate’ i.e., newspapers. Another instance of Neverwhere!
The Corvus Diaries 