Mail wants Young's Head? - Reshuffling and A bygone time

Mrs May has a job on her hands (on top of all the rest)- if she asked me for my suggestion on her reshuffle I'd recommend she effectively anoints her successor and that should be Chancellor Phil 'Spreadsheet' Hammond, it could (for once) be a sign of 'Country before Party'.

Mail message is clear

An irritation and diversion for May is the mess around appointment of Toby Young to (yet another body) the new University's UK  Regulator


I'm not someone who generally wishes things as they were but can't help thinking that it's not so long ago that someone like the ex Journalist (yet another one) Toby Young would have recognised that it would be a wiser thing for him to step aside from the role on the board .


If Young  was up for a job on '8 out of 10 cats or some similar TV show his CV would be a good fit - in a role where he's regulating education it's not quite so good (and there's a feeling going around that  his presence on it weakens this regulator considerably).

What 'Middle England@ thinks?

Interesting too to see current Education Minister, Justine Greening ( that rare animal a State educated Woman Minister) who is responsible for the body  has her job under threat  - her removal from the Education portfolio could mean that Toby Young goes with less of a fuss too?




Coverage of the appointment of Toby Young does emphasise the clique that remains too powerful and unaccountable, with no clear accountability.

Although having said that he does seem remarkably short of friends (as of course his Book & Film suggests).

Two Peas in a Pod?

I'm surprised at how The Mail on Sunday/Mail/Mail online  is covering this story (and many others about the Government) - seems to me there's an Agenda that is distinctly anti- Boris (and to  a lesser extent anti-Gove), I'm no fan of either but a little suspicious about the paper's motivation.



Bring on the reshuffle.

BBC RADIO

Nice programme -Good Luck Professor Spiegelhalter - sets out to debunk the idea of luck (??) for me does the opposite but did make me think, liked his personal page -seems an interesting man with plenty of honours too.

Art Riot at the Saatchi Gallery

The Lovely Gallery

As it was sometime since I'd been to the Saatchi Gallery in (Chelsea) and as the current exhibition is drawing to an end (Art Riot-ends on 7th January) I decided to make a trip over there.

First thing to say is that apart from it making me think again ab out 'What is Art?' it focused my thoughts on how Russia post the end of the Soviet Union continues to be problematic and somewhat authoritarian under it's present rulers and system of government -is it Putin or the desire for Mother Russia that has been co-opted by today's Politicians there?

Having seen a number of exhibitions commemorating the Russian Revolution I am forced to address the question of the identity of Russia as being, in terms of a state/country not revelling in a 'Free' society in many ways.

Despite many issues in the UK (and the USA) the west does appear more able to accommodate dissent  and debate.

Russian Art

Emblematic of the resistance to Putin and his fellow travellers are Pussy Riot and looking at their work it is clear that they have suffered persecution and inhumane treatment during their imprisonment.


Another artist featured Oleg Kulik has made 'Performance' type statements which are shown - and there is much here that reminds us of the Ancient Greek philosopher  Diogenes and his Dog like behaviour .

Pussy Riot - a loose group committed to Freedom 

There is much in the exhibition about protest including a reenactment of an interrogation.


Also troubling are pictures that show an artist (Petr Pavlensky) with testicles nailed to the ground surrounded by barbed wire.

New Year- New Tech

Talking to Ian (Happy 50th) over Christmas I realised that I need to get on-board with the latest in home tech (where you can use voice control and/or interact with voice only).

Google Home Mini- Joining the 21st Century 

I've ordered the Google Mini and been checking out what it'll do, fear I might need a newer phone to set it up but I think in tech terms a phone over 5 years old is prehistoric.

Politics

Seems odd that Toby Young  (Journalist for Spectator who few have a positive word for) has been given a job he's not suitable for, perhaps an indication that the NHS being unable to manage the (surprise?) arrival of winter does not disqualify Jeremy Hunt MP (having to apologise for NHS failing to meet the needs of the population, presumable he and his colleagues are to blame?)  as a possible for the job of Deputy PM.

Similarly as David Davis  MP and Dr Liam Fox MP continue to struggle with their portfolios the even further out of his depth Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson MP is rumoured to be in line for a role in the Brexit negotiations - seems (still) that Mrs May MP PM continues to put petty party matters above those of the UK.
 

The Positives & Thanks

Well done to Nationwide for getting a replacement Debit Card to me in super quick time - very impressed.

Managed to pass on a  book that I got a  more up to date version of this Christmas (501 Must See Films) to Oxfam Books.

Bought a Tin of Soup while at Tescos for Food Bank at (Ealing).

Thanks for People who helped me when I stumbled (Physically) at Cambridge Circus - amazed at these kind folk.

[Weight check 11st 2 lbs]

Happy New Year (& try to make things better)

2018 Wow where did that spring from.

I reckon it'll be interesting to put down some points so I can see in a year's time how right I am and how I've managed to stick to what I say...

So hear goes.........

Politics

Left

Westminster -Change is the order of the day?

Imagine how Labour would be doing with a less divisive figure heading it up- the threat of purges and Momentum infiltration is unlikely to go away - the discussion by Jon Lansman  meeting head on the issue of Antisemitism by is to be welcomed though.


Right

Theresa May is said to be preparing for a reshuffle that could see both David Davis MP and Boris Johnson MP demoted - the idea of Boris being involved in Brexit negotiations is surely not serious, detail is even less his thing than it is of David Davis - inevitably there's some positioning going on for the job of replacing 'Lame-Duck' PM May and the duplicitous Michael Gove MP (as ever) is one to watch.

There are (at least) two schools of thought around   May remaining as PM - she's not running  away(as Cameron did) but she clearly lacks belief in the wisdom of Brexit and she seems unable to communicate (as a human being)  with the electorate a key requirement I think in the Art of Leadership.

Centre

So SDP to re-emerge perhaps - bye-elections and Council elections will give us  an idea on how well Vince Cable is connecting and offering a Pro Europe alternative to the two majors

 Issues

I reckon the issues we'll be judging our politicians on (apart from Brexit) are

Inflation - I'm seeing Pound stores unable to hold the line, as result of  weaker pound (and need for business growth) they're no longer these -I think this sends a powerful message out on the 'High Street'.

£land is a fabled place in 2018?

Utilities

Well Energy companies (as you'd expect)  keep maximising their profits - government has spoken about policing this - we'll see.

I also remain unimpressed by how the Water Companies are doing their job.

Housing

Affordable! (too many new builds are not).

Personally

Some Tories say Food Banks are a sign we care - perhaps they are but could be something else - anyway I'm going to try to remember to put something in for the Food Banks  each time  I visit a supermarket.

Technology

3D printer, Clas Ohlson - £399

Amazing that 3D printers are now in High Street at sub £400 ( I remember many years ago when a Colour telly cost this -what would that be in present day prices!)

 With a few cool Apps and teachers getting on board this could be amazing development

And on Positive Note!

And on a surprising action from a return visit to Carluccio's  - a chain restaurant that was founded by the late Antonio (A friend of Eduardo Paolozzi  and a big figure who we lost in 2017) - The return trip to the one inside Kingston Bentall's - either it was going to be better or worse than our previous visit - food just as good and waiter gave me a Coffee on the house - small gesture but very much appreciated.