Scrutable

Woodchopper wrote: ↑

Wed Nov 18, 2020 3:59 pm

plodder wrote: ↑

Wed Nov 18, 2020 3:46 pm

over £1bn (!) of PPE contracts have been issued to firms associated with an evangelical group, the Plymouth Brethren:

https://twitter.com/allthecitizens/stat ... 1709222913

And so what. Its only a story if people associated with the Plymouth Brethren have been given special favours.

I know someone who works for a Plymouth Brethren company, and they do, in fact, make PPE and other work related clothing lines (hi-vis etc). So they at least know what they're doing. I do get to hear a lot of weird stuff about them - but that's down to their particular beliefs, and not work related.

plodder wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 19, 2020 8:43 am

More incredible b.llsh.t:

https://www.politicshome.com/news/artic ... oronavirus

That is incredible levels of b.llsh.t. I've got students on placement at an actual pharma company that does proper CBD research - this bunch are just dicking about... (edited to remove the vaping bit - it appears they do creams too)...

FlammableFlower wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 19, 2020 9:15 am

plodder wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 19, 2020 8:43 am

More incredible b.llsh.t:

https://www.politicshome.com/news/artic ... oronavirus

That is incredible levels of b.llsh.t. I've got students on placement at an actual pharma company that does proper CBD research - this bunch are just dicking about... (edited to remove the vaping bit - it appears they do creams too)...

How do you actually get CBD for clinical research?

Rich Scopie wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 19, 2020 9:15 am

Woodchopper wrote: ↑

Wed Nov 18, 2020 3:59 pm

plodder wrote: ↑

Wed Nov 18, 2020 3:46 pm

over £1bn (!) of PPE contracts have been issued to firms associated with an evangelical group, the Plymouth Brethren:

https://twitter.com/allthecitizens/stat ... 1709222913

And so what. Its only a story if people associated with the Plymouth Brethren have been given special favours.

I know someone who works for a Plymouth Brethren company, and they do, in fact, make PPE and other work related clothing lines (hi-vis etc). So they at least know what they're doing. I do get to hear a lot of weird stuff about them - but that's down to their particular beliefs, and not work related.

If they were already making PPE before the pandemic then they just got lucky. I expect that every UK company in the sector will have received massive contracts.

The NAO have already criticised the gov for procuring via political contacts. The Good Law project are taking the gov to court in order to get the details. Many of the contracts have not been published even though they were issued months ago and there is a growing sense that the emergency procurement exercise was skewed heavily in favour of friends, relatives and contacts of ministers and donors.

From April:

British firms to export PPE after ‘lack of response’ from the Government, Meanwhile RAF flight lands in UK with PPE consignment from Turkey

In totally unrelated news.

Coronavirus PPE: all 400,000 gowns flown from Turkey for NHS fail UK standards

discovolante wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 19, 2020 9:36 am

FlammableFlower wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 19, 2020 9:15 am

plodder wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 19, 2020 8:43 am

More incredible b.llsh.t:

https://www.politicshome.com/news/artic ... oronavirus

That is incredible levels of b.llsh.t. I've got students on placement at an actual pharma company that does proper CBD research - this bunch are just dicking about... (edited to remove the vaping bit - it appears they do creams too)...

How do you actually get CBD for clinical research?

For starters you need a licence from the gov.

Yes, so you could approach British Sugar who grow cannabis commercially. Their MD is (was) Paul Kenward, married to Victoria Atkins MP.

Are all these “companies” just drop shipping PPE from AliExpress? That’s what it looks like the business model is.

TAFKAsoveda wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 20, 2020 8:34 am

Are all these “companies” just drop shipping PPE from AliExpress? That’s what it looks like the business model is.

It's probably Wish

TAFKAsoveda wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 20, 2020 8:34 am

Are all these “companies” just drop shipping PPE from AliExpress? That’s what it looks like the business model is.

Pretty much. It's why things like this happen:

https://www.theguardian.com/global-deve ... ave-labour

Not sure where to put this - didn't think it deserved its own thread - but here seems as appropriate as anywhere.

School bully backs up other school bully, bullying bully enquiry head out of a job.
You couldn't make this sh.t up.

We really are back to the early nineties levels of Tory sleaze, incompetence and nastiness, aren't we?

FlammableFlower wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 20, 2020 4:04 pm

We really are back to the early nineties levels of Tory sleaze, incompetence and nastiness, aren't we?

Understatement of the year. This is far worse than anything I can remember, but then, I only became politically aware during the Major years.

nezumi wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 20, 2020 4:53 pm

FlammableFlower wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 20, 2020 4:04 pm

We really are back to the early nineties levels of Tory sleaze, incompetence and nastiness, aren't we?

Understatement of the year. This is far worse than anything I can remember, but then, I only became politically aware during the Major years.

Yes, maybe my memories are tinged with some kind of nostalgia, or I've just forgotten a heck of a lot (really very likely), but whereas I do remember sleazy behaviour, my memory is also that when it was discovered, people mostly resigned or were kicked out (frequently with the PM "standing by" them right up to just before the point where they went, usually within the week).

bagpuss wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 20, 2020 5:16 pm

nezumi wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 20, 2020 4:53 pm

FlammableFlower wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 20, 2020 4:04 pm

We really are back to the early nineties levels of Tory sleaze, incompetence and nastiness, aren't we?

Understatement of the year. This is far worse than anything I can remember, but then, I only became politically aware during the Major years.

Yes, maybe my memories are tinged with some kind of nostalgia, or I've just forgotten a heck of a lot (really very likely), but whereas I do remember sleazy behaviour, my memory is also that when it was discovered, people mostly resigned or were kicked out (frequently with the PM "standing by" them right up to just before the point where they went, usually within the week).

That's what I recall too, I don't know what's more galling: The fact it's happening, the fact the perpetrators face no consequences, or the fact that there's so little outrage.

Rich Scopie wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 20, 2020 2:17 pm

Not sure where to put this - didn't think it deserved its own thread - but here seems as appropriate as anywhere.

School bully backs up other school bully, bullying bully enquiry head out of a job.
You couldn't make this sh.t up.

Classic political speak:

"Did you pressure Sir Alex to change his conclusions Prime Minister?"

"His conclusions are all his own"

Translation: "yes I did, but he wouldn't budge"

Trinucleus wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 21, 2020 10:01 am

Rich Scopie wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 20, 2020 2:17 pm

Not sure where to put this - didn't think it deserved its own thread - but here seems as appropriate as anywhere.

School bully backs up other school bully, bullying bully enquiry head out of a job.
You couldn't make this sh.t up.

Classic political speak:

"Did you pressure Sir Alex to change his conclusions Prime Minister?"

"His conclusions are all his own"

Translation: "yes I did, but he wouldn't budge"

To which the response is:
"Did you threaten to overrule him?"

And to save time Boris would just say no

Apparently Johnson wanted the Patel report to be "palatable". But it's pretty typical to stipulate that putative Priti Patel position papers be palatable.

As Home Secretary Priti Patel will be in charge of the security services.


I can't help thinking she has something really juicy on Johnson.

The Good Law Project have published their papers:

https://goodlawproject.org/update/the-ppe-fiasco/

plodder wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 22, 2020 6:06 pm

The Good Law Project have published their papers:

https://goodlawproject.org/update/the-ppe-fiasco/

Tx. Money donated.

The landlord of Matt Hancock’s local pub has won a large contract supplying testing equipment:

https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2020/ ... ssion=true