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devonbrit

Listed below are comments made by devonbrit between Wednesday, 25th June 2008 and Friday, 5th September 2008.

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Fuel help thinking 00:54am on 05 Sep 2008 The incompetence and mis-management by this government knows no bounds.Now i have no objection to extending energy efficiency measures or to eliminate the unfair energy tariffs suffered by the poorer elements of soceity.But why oh why has it taken all these years to get serious about these issues?
It does not require a genius to forsee that ,irrespective of the climate issues which we now rather belatedly realise, at some point our own oil and gas reserves would run down and we would be vulnerable to political/economic factors outwith our control.Whilst these factors will always impact upon all countries and we can never be completely immune we could with the adoption of a sustained energy efficiency strategy implemented in good time have limited the damage caused to both the consumer ,and in particular the lower income groups who are less able to cope with huge price rises, and industry.We would now not have a government making what is a knee jerk reaction rather than what should have been a fine tuning exercise.
Unfortunately action has come too late,the pain is more severe than it needed to be and the medicine consequently matches the severity of the pain.
China aims for spectacular opening 10:16pm on 08 Aug 2008 Does anyone really believe the IOC would award the games to a country not prepared to create a spectacular occasion.I don't think so.
The modern day games' size,the world wide coverage,the vast facilities created,the number of countries taking part,the commercial interests partly funding the games,the attendance of world leaders and the professionalism of the competitors effectively demands it and so it would be illogical to commence on a downbeat note.
These are the drivers behind the presentation and the host country is going to do its damnest to use the opportunity it has been given to show the world the apparent strength of the state and it's culture.For China's leaders ,and almost certainly for the Chinese people ,it is even more important from their viewpoint that they convey this message due to their isolationist history and their recent emergence as a major power in the world.
But as for Mihir Bose's comments about opening ceremonies being windows on the souls of the host nation well very poetic but i'm sorry i don't buy that.Take Muhammad Ali perhaps the most famous man in the world - an obvious choice to light the flame notwithstanding any symbolism.And as for Cathy Freeman well she was Australia's best hope for athletics gold.Finally on this point i didn't see in the opening ceremony any symbolism or contrition for injustices inflicted by China.
After Beijing the circus in four years time will move to London.No doubt it will be mandatory for us to at least equal the Chinese spectacular.That is the want of the modern games ,like it or not we are stuck with it.
Reedie's IOC failure leaves Britain out in cold, again 11:43am on 08 Aug 2008 Having nobody representing Great Britain on the Executive Board of the IOC is not in the best interests of British sport.Disregard the throw away "what does it matter comments" , the reality of Olympic sport is that it's governing body determines the structures under which we have to compete.If we are not at the table and our views are not represented we are unable to influence decisions.
The show will go on whether we like it or not, better to be in the ring parading ourselves than outside moaning about the consequences.
It's a similar situation with the European Union.Now i'm no supporter of the way this government has engineered the adoption of the latest treaty or of many of the impositions foisted upon European countries however the way we can make our voice heard and get our views actioned is by being involved in the decision making process not being mere onlookers.
It is likely we will make a bid for the football World Cup once more.Well FIFA is another organisation where we are not adequately represented and have not been for some time.It cannot hinder our efforts to secure the tournament by having our elected representative at the top table.
Lastly Mihir you are right to raise this issue.The organisation of sport cannot be disregarded and we cannot and should not step aside.
Thursday, 7 August, 2008 00:45am on 08 Aug 2008 I agree with you restassured. I would add that it is assuring in a minister that they are confident and assertive but very unappealing when that is substituted for obtuse arggression.Tonight Caroline Flint even outdid her previous interviews on Newsnight which more than hinted what was to follow.
As further trouble mounts in the housing market i dread to think what is to come in any interview with this minister.Does she not realise the electorate is simply turned off by her manner and irrespective of the intellect of the listener her words merely become hot air even when there is merit in them.
Kirsty,Jeremy or whoever interviews her next time prepare yourselves.I am sure you will.
It's okay, children 2:00pm on 07 Aug 2008 In a family business concern it is possible, and quite rightly so, to employ children, however they are paid, out of the revenue of the business,accounting for tax and NI has to be made and an employment contract exists.Whether they actually perform the task paid for can be another matter but financially transparency at least exists.
With MPs the position is different.Here you have a situation where there is no contract yet monies claimed for children's employment,and as now known alleged employment,are met by the state. Furthermore the recent disclosures of abuse by certain MPs in this regard clearly exposes the inadequacy or absense of verification procedures to ensure that claims are genuine.As an aside i presume tax and self employed NI contributions are properly made by the children receiving the allowances ?
MPs have a responsibility to the public they represent to adopt absolute honesty and transparency in all financial transactions associated with their duties. It is not rocket science to understand that if proper systems and controls existed which fostered probity in all their financial claims respect for MPs amongst the electorate would be enhanced and the usual brickbats hurled at them for being on the take would diminish.
Now whilst i believe most MPs are honest and work within the boundaries the boundaries seem both lax and incredulous to the general public - after all there is nothing dishonest in claiming allowances that are there to be claimed even though they seem both excessive and unecessary.In addition it only needs a few MPs acting in either a self interested way or in a dishonest manner to give an impression that all MPs are tarred with the same brush.
Now to the report of Harriet Harman's plans.Whilst a contract and job description would help how would this resolve the problem of knowing whether any work had been carried out by children without some audit of their activities?If the state is meeting the expense we the public need to know legitimate work has been undertaken.
I can understand MPs wishing to use the availability of their children's talents and time to carry out work on their behalf and i have no doubt most would not abuse the opportunity however i am also in no doubt that amongst 650 members there would be some lining their children's pockets whatever the structures introduced.
Darling "considering Windfall Tax" 8:53pm on 02 Aug 2008 What seems to be forgotten is that the "windfall" profits likely to be extracted by the government in taxes are in great part payments made by consumers to the energy companies.It could be portrayed by sceptics to therefore be in the government's interests that energy prices surge and companies' profits rise so an even stealthier stealth tax can be levied.However that would probably even be beyond this manipulative government to engineer.
So therefore if tax is to be levied then i think it should be accompanied with new/or higher subsidies for house occupiers to encourage them to install more efficient insulation or heating systems in their homes that will decrease their bills in the future.
Then the windfall tax would be construed as a genuine green tax for which the government could claim credit and furthermore would benefit consumers in a direct but also contructive way.
However i suspect the government having created fiscal deficits by it's profligate spending habits will merely use the proceeds to offset borrowings.
How to make social glue 6:23pm on 17 Jul 2008 # 3 "Britain is a mostly empty place".
When comparing it's human population this is just not the case relative to most other countries.If applied to Scotland well maybe this comment has some validity and if the Union dissolved then the comment certainly would'nt apply to England.
It reminds me of a comment on Question Time by George Gallagher when in response to a question on population expansion in the UK he said that he didn't consider the UK was overpopulated and inferred we could absorb further growth as when looking out of an aeroplane you could see there were large areas of open land.An inane answer devoid of any rational thought.
According to demographic trends the UK's population density is projected to be the highest in the EU and close to or higher than Japans' in future decades - England on it's own will be much higher still.
Population increases ,which will inevitably and even now are being fuelled by immigration, will increase pollution, add to traffic congestion,mean further reliance on energy and food imports whilst reducing agricultural land and cause the destruction of large tracts of the countryside together with it's fauna and flora.
Furthermore due to the higher birth rate associated with immigrants there is the possibility that problems of social cohesion are exacerbated.
Unfortunately this government have sleep walked into a situation whereby their policies/actions/lack of action and failure to anticipate situations have led to consequences that need never have arisen. At some point sooner rather than later we will have to wake up to the fact that the resources of this planet , let alone the UK are finite and that the imbalances resulting from exploding populations are unsustainable in the long run.It would be a start if the UK government understood this and adopted policies compatible with this principle.
So who was right? 8:35pm on 11 Jul 2008 I believe ,in common with the majority of opinion ,that David Davis acted out of principle in resigning his seat and attempting to raise the issue of civil liberties to a new level.Why else would he take the decision he did ?Some other possibilities -
1)The Labour view trumpeted by Gordon Brown and his cabinet - it was a scam which turned into a farce.This is not really an arguement. (In fact the absense of substance in this position seems to suggest they accept the DD version !)
2)His position on civil liberties is firmer than the rest of the Tory party and he is seeking to sway their policies should/when they are in government believing that he can exercise greater influence as a relatively independant back bencher. Note the change in public opinion on the issue of 42 days only brought about by a debate re-ignited by him.Also as the ID card project proceeds the wider aspects of his campaign continue to bolster his views.Then lost records and their security will undoubtedly rumble on.He can now give full weight to his position free of any restraints due to his being in the shadow cabinet.
3)He believes he is outwith the inner circle of the shadow cabinet and his chances of personal advancement are limited - so why not pursue his cause celebre as there is nothing to lose given that should David Cameron become prime minister ,the latter's position will be impregnable for several years.
4)In the eyes of the electorate he will be seen to establish himself as a man of high principle - opinion probably now supports this.Would it not strenghten his position in the Tory party and increase his ability to influence policy on all fronts ?
5)Ambition - he sees his route to the leadership can only eventually be achieved by distancing himself from David Cameron,if not from his policies.
Well maybe some of these aspects will kick in from time to time and could give credence to Nick Robinson's opinion that David Davis will be a de-stabilising factor for David Cameron.
My view is that DC should engage closely with DD over the next two years to ensure he is within the 'tent'.Given the Tory tendancy to select an inverse proportion of front bench spokesmen from a narrow social base it can only be an advantage for them that DDs standing with the electorate is turned into a positive and not dissipated into party in-fighting.Whilst clearly re-appointment to the shadow cabinet is off the agenda close consideration should be given to his being offered a cabinet post in a Tory administration.
Votes mean Prizes 7:23pm on 11 Jul 2008 More nonsense from a government stuffed with mediocre ministers now reduced to gimmicks in order to maintain their profile when what we need are policies relevant to the British nation's needs and which are in tune with the sentiments of the electorates.
Instead we get ludicrous selling techniques applied as a substitute to what is a genuine concern regarding voter turnout when the solution ,admittedly difficult given the public's opinion of politics in the UK,is to re-establish probity in the democratic process and cease the abuses of power perpetrated by the insidious and duplicious methods of the current administration.
The Heinz ad 7:20pm on 25 Jun 2008 The calculation Heinz must have made is that the controversy aroused will attract more sales for their products than they might lose due to customers taking offence.
In addition they will not fall foul of advertising standards so if successful perhaps we will see further advertising with themes designed to stir up emotions.
As to Douglas' comments well Victoria i think you got the balance just about right and didn't allow the discussion to progress to the Moslem religion which wasn't the issue.

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