As a rule, I tend to leave this Conservative government alone. Its consistent home goals satisfaction enough, in the knowledge that we’ll soon be rid of the talentless, self-serving, nepotistical scumbags.
And to be clear, I’m referring to the past and present members of Tory governments over the last decade, not the majority of conservative members of parliament (MP), who are perfectly capable of running the country, ethically and humanely whilst still managing to avoid economic meltdown.
Last week, Rishi Sunak, the UK’s Prime Minister and dead-man walking for re-election, announced that he will be rowing back on green pledges made by one of his previous colleagues. The odious rationale being that he is trying to save hard-pressed families from the unacceptable costs of green policies at this trying time.
His argument, which is a significant stretch in anybody’s books, implies that an out of touch Labour leadership can’t be trusted with the economy because of their greener, costlier policies, inflicting unnecessary hardship on those families (who have already suffered at the hands of previous conservative governments).
The evidence for ploughing this new Tory strategy furrow, is based on the recent Uxbridge by-election win. They clung to power with a narrow majority by fighting exclusively on the extension of the ultra-low emission zone (ULEZ), focusing on the reckless behaviour and uncalled for act of London’s left-wing, Labour Mayor, Sadiq Khan.
The news that made headlines last week was the shifting of the deadline for selling new petrol and diesel cars and the phasing out of gas boilers. Both the automotive and energy industries condemned the move, as did many conservative MPs.
The removal of the ban on new fossil fuel cars after 2030, is aimed at the lack of charging infrastructure in the UK. This is certainly true, but moving the date further away, simply creates other problems.
Kicking the can down the road provides more uncertainty for charging infrastructure investment, as companies try and second guess when British drivers will make the switch. It also doesn’t help the car industry whose mid-term manufacturing plans have already factored in the shift away from fossil fuel in the UK. It also exacerbates the UK’s fall behind the rest of Europe in the growth of electric vehicle sales.
Sunak’s u-turn may not affect the car industry quite as much as expected. Ford, Vauxhall (Stellantis), Volvo and Nissan are already committed to only selling fully electrical vehicles by 2030 across Europe, regardless of any government’s meddling to try and avert general election disaster.
The prolonged installation of gas boilers and inadequate insulation in two thirds of UK homes, with no subsidy available to support an upgrade, will continue to cost those hard-pressed individuals, which the conservative government suddenly cares so much about, more than it should.
The other newsworthy u-turn recently was sudden cold feet over HS2, the new high speed train linking London with the north of England. Currently, the train destined for London Euston could permanently stop at Old Oak Common, a siding in West London.
But the latest news is termination of the train at Birmingham, no longer linking to Manchester. The project is likely to be moth-balled, waiting for a different government to pick-up the thorny issue of levelling up with the north and whether it’s really worth the cost?
What didn’t make the news this week or any week, although it’s another u-turn, is in the treatment of Afghan migrants, which I read in an article recently published by _[openDemocracy]_.
The Home Office has pulled off another nasty, odious little _change of mind_, deciding to stop feeding the Afghan migrants still stuck in UK hotels, not yet housed in permanent accommodation.
Salim (name changed) is one of the 15,000 Afghans airlifted out of Afghanistan in August 2021 after the Taliban takeover of the country.
He worked as an interpreter for British Forces and later fought alongside them, narrowly avoiding death when his unit was attacked by a suicide bomber. Several people were killed as a result.
Since arriving in the UK, he has been living in hotels with his wife and three children, the youngest of whom is three years old. He is one of 95 Afghans in Bradford now facing statutory homelessness. It means the local council has a duty of care and legal obligation to help.
Bradford is not alone. 25 local councils have been left responsible for 500 Afghans including 300 children becoming homeless. 19 councils didn’t respond to the request for information, suggesting numbers affected is actually higher.
It is those who have been allowed to remain in hotels temporarily that have now had their meals withdrawn overnight. And as there are no fridges or cooking facilities in Salim’s hotel in Bradford, they are relying entirely on takeaways.
I’m not sure too many migrants can afford the luxury of takeaway food, certainly not in Salim’s case. His children have been going to school hungry and the adults have been skipping meals because of the cost.
Given the roll that these Afghans undertook, helping the UK forces in Afghanistan, it’s shameful that this government has not properly welcomed these brave individuals with a little more concern and sincerity, giving them a proper chance to start their lives again in the UK without all the uncertainty and false promises that remain unfulfilled.
Instead, we hear that Suella Braverman, currently Home Secretary with an eye on the top job, is busy sharing her puerile views on illegal migration and the existential challenge now faced by the US and Europe with the American Enterprise Institute, a centre-right think tank .
She’s obviously forgotten that _the land of the free_, where she was speaking, is a migrant success story.
The United Nation’s refugee agency also did not take kindly to her comments about reforming the refugee convention of 1951, reminding Braverman about the UK’s own failing with its record asylum backlog.
Do us all a favour Sue, stop misrepresenting the UK and come home. You are after all, one of the lucky ones.