Politics - New Zealand style

This is the way it should be done.

Trafigura Newsnight film that Carter Ruck has tried to ban

When Ian Dale asks you to do something, you do it, don't you? If you give a "Carter Ruck" you do!

The Thick of It? Who gives a f**k?

So, what has Labour really done to help business?

We are all used to hearing the Great Lord Protector of All-of-Us announcing schemes to save British business from the effects of US sub-prime bank lending-induced recession. And we are used to hearing how successful these have been in reducing the numbers of people that would have become unemployed if they had not been introduced.

But have they really been effective?

Lobbydog has been passed some interesting information by the Conservative Party which sheds some interesting light on what has really happened.

Capital for Enterprise Fund
A £75 million fund to invest in small businesses needing equity, announced on January 14th 2009. Only seven businesses have received money from the fund in its eleven months of operation.

BIS Working Capital Scheme
A scheme pledging £10 billion in guarantees to cover credit to businesses with a turnover of up to £500 million a year, announced January 14th 2009. The Government provides banks with guarantees covering 50% of the risk on existing and capital projects worth up to £20 billion. It was delayed for months, and then agreements were only signed with three banks (RBS, Natwest and Lloyds) for £2 billion, a fifth of the scheme’s original allocation. Rosie Winterton recently announced that the remaining funding for this has been reallocated.

UK Innovation Investment Fund
A £1 billion scheme to invest in innovative business, announced 6 months ago. No investments yet made. It has not appointed a fund manager.

BIS Trade Credit Insurance Scheme
The scheme allows suppliers which have seen trade credit reduced to buy taxpayer-guaranteed ‘top-ups’ worth up to £2 million, announced in April. Some £5 billion in insurance was pledged, but only 72 firms have benefited. Only £13 million – or 0.4% of the £5 billion allocated to the scheme – has been handed out.

BIS Automotive Assistance Programme
The programme involves two forms of help for car manufacturers. One involves guarantees to unlock loans of up to £1.3 billion. The other involves loans or loan guarantees to support up to £1 billion of lending. No loans have been made. A loan was offered to one car firm, but the company rejected because it thought it could get a better deal elsewhere.

So, how credible is it for Brown & Co to claim that they have done more than any previous government to help business ride out this recession? Remember that this a recession that they told us we were in a better position than other countries to survive because of their brilliant management of the economy.

Never trust a Labour Government with your money!

Brown's tax policy has been formed "on the playing fields of Eton" since 1997

The unmissable Prodicus's blog has made a brilliant point that Gordon Brown seems to have forgotten.

The current Permanent Secretary at the Treasury is Sir Nicholas Macpherson who is an old Etonian. In fact, he has been in this post since Brown appointed him when he became Chancellor of the Exchequer in 1997.

You'd think that Brown would keep his head down instead of making a complete twat of himself about "Tory toffs". But he won't....

The best a man can get?

I have a small confession to make. (Maybe it's a bit bigger than I care to admit.)

I test Gillette razors. There, I've said it. I've done this for the last 15 years quietly, surreptitiously and out of the public eye. Every two weeks I have been sent a new razor and have reported back faithfully to Gillette's Product Research Testing Department on various aspects of its performance while I shave my (admittedly) sparse beard.

As a faithful tester, I have today received my usual Christmas card from the Department and I am pleased to note that Roy is still there along with his highly efficient 15-strong team. I have the utmost respect for Roy and his people. They have never let me down - I have not had to buy a razor blade in all this time.

However, in the light of recently reported events, I have begun to wonder if I have been missing out on the perks that Roy and his team seem to be able to dish out to some people who are associated with the Gillette brand.

Do you think it could be because I'm useless at golf? Or that I prefer to play handball rather than football? Who knows - but a bit of wonga would be nice!

One in five Scots unable to read and write

According to this report in the Times, 20% of the adult Scots population do not have the basic literacy skills they need for their daily lives.

What it failed to mention is that at least one Scot does not have any skills in basic arithmetic.

These are truly sad people!

Is this all they can offer? Poor deluded souls. They need to be put out of their misery - very soon.

Oh joy! No more Labour!

This link from Tim Montgomerie at ConservativeHome is music to my ears.

Apparently Jackie Ashley (Andy Marr's missus) has written in today's Guardian the following:

"Some Labour people may think I'm sounding too gloomy, but those who have been privy to recent private polling are a lot more than gloomy. This suggests that Labour could return to the Commons with just 120 MPs or thereabouts, taking the party back to 1930s territory. As ministers look for jobs to keep themselves going after politics, a Miliband move to Europe looks sensible."

If it's true then all that will be left of the Labour Party after the General Election is some rather unpleasant road kill!

As Donal Blaney says: WTF?!

The warmist fanatics have recruited another two nutters! Thanks Donal!