Another Ambitious And Unworkable Policy Crashes And Burns

The government is to scrap the 2035 ban on gas boilers in its new housebuilding standards.

It was a Tory policy, so Labour will expect to get kudos for doing so, despite the fact they are up to their necks in NetZero madness... 

The previous Conservative government had laid plans to phase out gas heating for homes by banning the sale of new gas boilers by 2035, so people replacing their gas boilers after that date would instead have to buy a heat pump or other environmentally friendly way of heating homes.

The former prime minister Rishi Sunak was criticised by scientists and policy experts when he announced his backtrack on a range of environmental measures. This included significantly weakening the plan to phase out the installation of gas boilers by 2035, instead aiming for only an 80% phase-out.

About the only sensible thing he did, but it was too little, too late.  

Now, the plan will be scrapped altogether and there will be no requirement to replace a gas boiler with an environmentally friendly alternative. Government sources confirmed the future homes standard (FHS), expected to be published soon, will not include a ban on gas boilers. They also confirmed there will not be a ban on the sale of gas boilers by 2035 and people will not have to remove them from their homes.

As if that could ever have been a viable option? 

The long-delayed regulations are expected to make solar panels on roofs optional rather than mandatory, as campaigners have called for. Current plans for the FHS are only to “encourage” builders to equip homes with some solar panels “where appropriate”. This is despite the energy secretary, Ed Miliband, having promised a “rooftop revolution” during the election campaign.

The election campaign's over, and the 'rooftop revolution' all Labour MPs are worried about now is if the voters get angry enough to storm Paliament and throw them off the roof into the Thames!  

I Guess All The Wonky Tables In The UK Are Now Level…

The heavily marketed tome, promoted in a prolonged media round by the former prime minister in recent weeks, only just managed to cling on to the No 1 spot in the official UK Top 50 this week, selling 133 more copies than Tim Spector’s The Food for Life, according to Nielsen Bookscan’s Total Consumer Market data.

Why Not Cut It From All?

Robert Jenrick has said he would cut off aid from countries that do not take back people who fail in their asylum claims, as part of a package of measures designed to bolster his anti-immigration reputation in the final stages of the Tory leadership race.

Why not promise to junk it all, Robert? It's not as if you'll ever have to make good on the promise, because even if you win, the modern Tory party is a busted flush.

The announcement comes days before Tory members gather in Birmingham for the party’s annual conference, at which Jenrick and his fellow leadership contenders will give speeches and answer questions in what is likely to be a key moment in the race.

But it's hardly going to be as newsworthy as the recent Labour conference, no matter what happens. 

Jenrick said in a statement: “Illegal migration is placing intolerable pressure on our communities and the taxpayer. While the number of people here illegally has ballooned over the last 20 years, deportations have plummeted.

“The government must stop other countries exploiting our generosity by imposing severe visa restrictions and restricting foreign aid to countries that do not take back their nationals here illegally.”

You had 14 years in the Big House, why didn't you do any of this then? If you had, you might not be the Opposition today. 

Now Suddenly They Are Concerned About Wasting Taxpayers' Money?

It's never usually been much of a concern...

English-speaking patients are being pushed to the back of the queue in waiting rooms at NHS hospitals in favour of patients who need an interpreter, The Mail on Sunday can reveal. Imperial College Healthcare, an NHS Trust with five hospitals across north-west London, prioritises patients who have been assigned an interpreter. The trust's aim is to avoid additional charges from the interpreting service.

One way to do that would be to stop it altogether. No speakee da English? No treatee here!  

It is unclear whether NHS trusts nationwide take this approach, but last night it sparked a row, with Tory leadership hopeful Robert Jenrick claiming the approach lets down British NHS patients. The former immigration minister told The Mail on Sunday: 'Brits are already waiting too long for treatment. The last thing they should be subjected to is the indignity of being pushed to the back of the queue.

'This is yet more evidence of the pressure mass migration places on our public services and the difficulties integrating such unprecedented numbers.

The mass migration that happened under the 14 years your party was in office, Robert? 

'Non-English speakers shouldn't be given a queue pass.'

They shouldn't be here sponging off the NHS in the first place!  

Television doctor Sarah Jarvis said: 'I do understand the rationale in terms of reducing costs to the NHS. I would much prefer vulnerable patients to be prioritised.

'This is not prioritising on the basis of clinical need, which is what doctors believe in.'

Not all doctors, Sarah. 

It Might Be The Only Reason We'd Watch...

...because nothing the Tories do could possibly top Labour, and I doubt Matt willl get much more material from them.

You Held Power For 14 Years...

...so why didn't you hold one?

Sir John Hayes, a former Tory security minister, said the PM needed to tackle the issue head on by setting out how he intends to stop small boat Channel crossings while also reducing net legal migration from the 685,000 it hit last year. He said: 'There's been too much immigration in this country for too long and a huge proportion of the population knows that. So there are underlying tensions, fears and problems. And now that the thuggery and crime seems to have abated, we need to have a measured national conversation about that and I'm amazed that that's not recognised by the Government.'

It clearly wasn't recognised by yours, was it? All we got from you was a ridiculous attempt to enrich an African nation at the British taxpayer's expense. 

It emerged this week that 4,000 small boat migrants have reached Britain since Labour came to power and scrapped the Rwanda deportation scheme. The figures appear to show that former PM Rishi Sunak was right when he claimed that migrants were 'queueing up' in Calais waiting for a Labour government to scrap the Tories' flagship immigration policy.

I very much doubt the sort of people coming across the channel in small boats are keen UK politics watchers. 

Last night Sir Keir chaired his third COBRA meeting of the week, where he reportedly told officials the country needs to remain on 'high alert'.

But not for small boat illegals, I guess... 

After Scotland Yard launched a series of dawn raids yesterday morning, chief Sir Mark Rowley said: 'What I want to make really clear is those we've arrested aren't protesters, patriots or decent citizens. They're thugs and criminals.'

And Labour Party councillors, don't forget!  

We Teeter On The Edge Once More...

...and I'm off to go do my bit, passport in hand! This is the first general election for which photo ID is required. 

We won;'t see this man in No 10, sadly, but I really hope his party wipes out the so-called 'Conservative Party' completely. Then it might just evolve into something I can vote for once again. 

If there's anything to vote in, that is, after five years of a Labour government.

 

Frankly, They Don't Deserve To...

...as Matt sums up for us all.

You're Right, He Hasn't...

Streeting continued: “He's a formidable campaigner, but what Farage has never been tested on is actually delivering the change he says he wants to bring about."

...but the Tories and Labour both have. And both have been found wanting. 

Lord Cameron has blasted Nigel Farage's 'dog whistle' rhetoric and claims the Reform leader is 'intent of destroying' the Tory party.

I see your problem, Dave ol' chum, that's your job, isn't it. 

A Hit! A Palpable Hit!

Matt unerringly has his finger on the pulse...

You've Had Years To Do This...

More GP surgeries and diagnostic centres would be built under a future Conservative government funded by slashing the number of NHS managers, the Tories have said.

In their first major health offer of the General Election, the Conservatives have said they will bring more care services into the community.

...so I'd be a fool to believe you now, wouldn't I? 

Rishi May Be Wet, But Kier's Fired Up And Wants To Win

Diane Abbott said she wants to remain as an MP for as long as possible, as she accused Labour of wanting to "exclude" her from Parliament. She told supporters at a rally on Wednesday she had been "banned from running" for Labour. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said no decision had been taken to bar her.

Clearly, no decision has been taken to support her, either! Kier is not falling into that trap!  

Writing on X earlier, Ms Abbott suggested there was a wider "cull of left wingers" happening within Labour, referring to the case of another prospective candidate, Faiza Shaheen.

On Wednesday, it was confirmed that Ms Shaheen had not been endorsed by Labour to be their for Chingford and Woodford Green in north east London, after she allegedly liked a post on X that downplayed antisemitism accusations. Ms Shaheen told BBC Newsnight she had received an email that claimed she would "frustrate Labour's purpose".

"I'm just in a state of shock to be honest," she said.

Kier's cleaning house, love. But don't worry, I'm sure you'll crawl back to a post with them after he's safe in No 10 and no longer has to try to convince everyone his party isn't full of antisemites and race-baiters.

We The Voters Will Decide Who Is A Fit Person To Be A Councillor...

...the MoS can now reveal that days before Mr Stevens was arrested, a Northamptonshire Police detective phoned Jonathan Ekins, a former local Tory mayor for Wellingborough, and allegedly told him Mr Stevens should be 'removed' as a councillor because of his views. In a statement to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, Mr Ekins said Detective Constable Amelia Thompson told him Mr Stevens was about to be arrested 'for a serious offence'. 'She said in their opinion the police felt that he was not a fit person to be a councillor,' he said. 'DC Thompson said Anthony Stevens should be removed from being a councillor.'

It's the sort of massive overreach that you'd expect from the police force of some benighted Third World basket case of a country.  Which I suppose we now are...

It is claimed that in a later call, DC Thompson told him police had learnt Mr Stevens had attended a meeting at the same time as a Labour councillor thought to have complained about his tweets. This, she said, was a breach of his bail conditions and she warned him officers would arrest Mr Stevens 'on the spot' if he turned up at another meeting attended by the Labour councillor.

And Elkins - surprisingly, for a modern Tory - decided he wasn't going to take this lying down: 

Mr Ekins said: 'My response was, rightly, to remind DC Thompson that she would be welcome to try but that, as chair of the committee, I have the right to … instruct security officials to remove the police for public disruption of a democratically constituted meeting.'

I expect the useless Home Sec is letting the IOPC run with this one, but he should be worried that anyone would think that this was within the police's purview. 

Andrea Williams, of the Christian Legal Centre, who is representing Mr Stevens, said: 'What happened undermined and trampled on our law, democracy and freedoms on every level.'

Indeed it did. This DC should be directing traffic on Gruinard for the rest of her career.  

Will We See The Return Of The Vesta Meal?

Or will modern ramen noodles take over? 

Families will today be urged to stockpile three days' worth of food and water to help build national 'resilience'.

Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden will advise people to make contingency plans for dealing with potential emergencies such as prolonged power cuts, cyber attacks and floods.

Blimey, that's a bit of a mixed bag! Luckily, I don't live in a flood area... 

Last year, Mr Dowden said people should stock up on 'analogue capabilities', such as candles, torches and wind-up radios, to boost their 'personal resilience'.

Thanks, 'Green' energy!  

Today he will go further by encouraging people to stock up with enough food and water to survive for three days without leaving their homes.

The next pandemic panic is going to be pretty short, then?  

Whitehall sources insisted that the plan was not designed to create a nation of US-style survivalists. One said Mr Dowden's intervention was not meant to be 'alarmist' and was simply 'common sense' advice.

Common sense...it really ain't so common anymore.  

Sensing Weakness...

,,,it's something dangerous predators are good at, because no matter how powerful, an easy kill is always less risky:

Sir Keir Starmer has been urged not to give in to a 'dangerous' set of demands from a Muslim pressure group. The Labour leader was hit with the extraordinary list of 18 orders by The Muslim Vote after he promised to win back the trust of voters alienated by his stance on the Middle East conflict. He was told he must apologise for his failure to back a ceasefire last autumn and for 'greenlighting a genocide' when he appeared to say Israel had the right to cut off water and power in Gaza.On foreign policy, he was told he must recognise the state of Palestine, impose sanctions on Israeli politicians and cut military ties with the country.Domestically, the group said he must ensure Muslim pupils can pray at school, ditch a new Government definition of extremism and guarantee 'Sharia-compliant' pensions are available in every workplace.

Longrider gives the perfect response to demands of this sort... 

Labour has not yet responded to the group publicly and last night declined to say if it would do so.

Cowards to a man. 

Former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith said: 'This is shaping up to become a very big issue. 'It is a threat to our democracy and this amounts to nothing more or less than political blackmail.

'The threat is that they won't vote for Labour.

'If you give in to blackmail it never stops and others will see you are weak.'

Like the leader of your own party, Iain? 

Putting The Boot In With Style...

Two absolute corkers from Matt for today. 

I genuinely couldn't choose between them! 

The Signs Of A (Failing) Dictatorship

...can see seen in the illiberal and unnecessary laws they try to pass in their dying days.

MPs will debate plans for some of the world's toughest anti-tobacco laws on Tuesday. Rishi Sunak wants to make Generation Alpha, born since 2009, the UK's first smoke-free generation in a major public health intervention.

Anyone turning 15 from this year would be banned from buying cigarettes under the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which also makes vapes less appealing to children.

At least that has the small virtue of proven harm. But adulthood should confer the ability to take risks with one's health should one wish.

The creation of sexually explicit "deepfake" images is to be made a criminal offence in England and Wales under a new law, the government says. Under the legislation, anyone making explicit images of an adult without their consent will face a criminal record and unlimited fine. It will apply regardless of whether the creator of an image intended to share it, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said.

That this is how a so-called 'Conservative' government should choose to spend it's last days in office is embarassing for our country. 

Once Again, I'm Relegated To Third Class Citizen...

Assaulting a shop worker will be made a separate criminal offence in England and Wales as part of a government response to a wave of retail crime.

So, assault me and it's dealt with under normal assault rules, but assault the lady stacking the shelves in Asda and ... it's somehow different and more of a crime? Why? 

Rishi Sunak said shops must be free from the threat of crime or abuse. The government previously said it did not think a law change was required or would be "most effective" in response to a petition on the subject.

And now it's changed it's mind. Obvioulsy they think it's a vote winner.  

There has been a long-running campaign - backed by several business leaders - to see violence against shop workers made a standalone offence. Helen Dickinson, chair of the British Retail Consortium, welcomed the announcement, saying "the voices of the three million people working in retail are finally being heard".

Three million votes on offer, eh? 

The new offence will carry a maximum sentence of six months in prison.

If activist judges don't fall for the defence's sob story, you mean? 

Typical 'Grauniad'...

...they've spelled 'defeat' wrong.

About The Only Thing Rishi's Got Right!

The head of the nation's biggest police force hit back at Rishi Sunak yesterday over 'inaccurate' claims that officers are failing to enforce the law in pro-Palestinian protests.

Metropolitan Police commissioner Sir Mark Rowley warned that his staff's 'confidence and willingness to act' is being knocked by criticism that they are 'woke and fascist' in their response to the marches, which have cost taxpayers £30 million.

What was knocking their willingness to act before the PM decided to point out their failures, then, Sir Mark? 

Mr Sunak said: 'I have met with senior police officers and made clear it is the public's expectation that they will not merely manage these protests, but police them. And I say this to the police, we will back you when you take action.'

I can't help but feel you'll be waiting a long time for that, Rishi. And let's face it, you haven't got a long time, have you..?