Astonishing levels of government corruption

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plodder
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Re: Astonishing levels of government corruption

Post by plodder » Tue Dec 01, 2020 7:55 pm

The gov doesn’t intend to publish details of the “priority lane” (ie friends and family) contracts as there may be “commercial issues”

https://mobile.twitter.com/allthecitize ... 3214059527

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Re: Astonishing levels of government corruption

Post by plodder » Fri Dec 11, 2020 11:02 pm

More details from the guy behind the good law project:

https://mobile.twitter.com/JolyonMaugha ... 8464155648

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bjn
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Re: Astonishing levels of government corruption

Post by bjn » Fri Dec 11, 2020 11:18 pm

It makes you want to go all Jacobin and start burning things. Not that I will, but damn someone needs to be in prison.

AMS
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Re: Astonishing levels of government corruption

Post by AMS » Fri Dec 11, 2020 11:22 pm

That's mafia-level corruption if true.

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Re: Astonishing levels of government corruption

Post by plodder » Fri Dec 11, 2020 11:32 pm

yes. the sort of corruption we’d expect to see in other countries, but not behind the special firewall of decency that magically protects the UK.

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Gfamily
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Re: Astonishing levels of government corruption

Post by Gfamily » Fri Dec 11, 2020 11:40 pm

plodder wrote:
Fri Dec 11, 2020 11:02 pm
More details from the guy behind the good law project:

https://mobile.twitter.com/JolyonMaugha ... 8464155648
Mmm, yes - already mentioned - but if it has more traction here..
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Re: Astonishing levels of government corruption

Post by Bird on a Fire » Sat Dec 12, 2020 1:28 am

plodder wrote:
Fri Dec 11, 2020 11:32 pm
yes. the sort of corruption we’d expect to see in other countries, but not behind the special firewall of decency that magically protects the UK.
I think it is fairly unusual amongst wealthy Northwest European democracies in recent decades, IMHO probably for systematic reasons which for whatever reason do not currently apply to the UK.

I mean amongst governments - plenty of financial sectors are this corrupt. Maybe the UK financial sector has greater influence over its government?
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Re: Astonishing levels of government corruption

Post by Woodchopper » Sat Dec 12, 2020 10:48 am

Bird on a Fire wrote:
Sat Dec 12, 2020 1:28 am
plodder wrote:
Fri Dec 11, 2020 11:32 pm
yes. the sort of corruption we’d expect to see in other countries, but not behind the special firewall of decency that magically protects the UK.
I think it is fairly unusual amongst wealthy Northwest European democracies in recent decades, IMHO probably for systematic reasons which for whatever reason do not currently apply to the UK.
Not that unusual amongst Noerhwest European governments
eg https://www.thelocal.de/20160502/police ... stleblower
https://www.handelsblatt.com/english/co ... 40310.html

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Re: Astonishing levels of government corruption

Post by JQH » Sat Dec 12, 2020 4:17 pm

AMS wrote:
Fri Dec 11, 2020 11:22 pm
That's mafia-level corruption if true.
If.

There doesn't appear to be any actual evidence.
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Re: Astonishing levels of government corruption

Post by plodder » Sat Dec 12, 2020 8:41 pm

that’s not what the judge thinks who has agreed that the good law project have sufficient grounds to take the government to court...

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Re: Astonishing levels of government corruption

Post by jimbob » Sat Dec 12, 2020 9:01 pm

Woodchopper wrote:
Sat Dec 12, 2020 10:48 am
Bird on a Fire wrote:
Sat Dec 12, 2020 1:28 am
plodder wrote:
Fri Dec 11, 2020 11:32 pm
yes. the sort of corruption we’d expect to see in other countries, but not behind the special firewall of decency that magically protects the UK.
I think it is fairly unusual amongst wealthy Northwest European democracies in recent decades, IMHO probably for systematic reasons which for whatever reason do not currently apply to the UK.
Not that unusual amongst Noerhwest European governments
eg https://www.thelocal.de/20160502/police ... stleblower
https://www.handelsblatt.com/english/co ... 40310.html
Don't forget the Belgian cabinet minister arrested for arranging a mafia hit on another minister in the 1990s
Have you considered stupidity as an explanation

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Re: Astonishing levels of government corruption

Post by AMS » Sat Dec 12, 2020 9:43 pm

I realised earlier today that this particular style of corruption is very reminiscent of how Putin and his cronies operate.

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Re: Astonishing levels of government corruption

Post by JQH » Sat Dec 12, 2020 10:51 pm

plodder wrote:
Sat Dec 12, 2020 8:41 pm
that’s not what the judge thinks who has agreed that the good law project have sufficient grounds to take the government to court...

Well it's good that there is evidence. My point was that the Twitter thread didn't present anything beyond "I got this from a reliable source". I look forward to the court hearings.
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Re: Astonishing levels of government corruption

Post by Gfamily » Sat Dec 12, 2020 11:04 pm

JQH wrote:
Sat Dec 12, 2020 10:51 pm
plodder wrote:
Sat Dec 12, 2020 8:41 pm
that’s not what the judge thinks who has agreed that the good law project have sufficient grounds to take the government to court...

Well it's good that there is evidence. My point was that the Twitter thread didn't present anything beyond "I got this from a reliable source". I look forward to the court hearings.
It's a tricky question...
At what point does something transition from 'claim' to 'evidence'

And yes; you're right to challenge the 'unsubstantiated' claims; but it may be ideological to know whether to disregard them.
My avatar was a scientific result that was later found to be 'mistaken' - I rarely claim to be 100% correct
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Re: Astonishing levels of government corruption

Post by discovolante » Sat Dec 12, 2020 11:22 pm

Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't the judicial reviews about the gov failing to comply with rules regarding tendering processes and so on rather than specifically cancelling contracts and offering them to other companies (and bribery)?
To defy the laws of tradition is a crusade only of the brave.

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Re: Astonishing levels of government corruption

Post by AMS » Sun Dec 13, 2020 12:02 am

discovolante wrote:
Sat Dec 12, 2020 11:22 pm
Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't the judicial reviews about the gov failing to comply with rules regarding tendering processes and so on rather than specifically cancelling contracts and offering them to other companies (and bribery)?
Maybe yes, but imagine cancelling existing contracts and offering them to others for bribes would count as a breach of the tendering rules.

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discovolante
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Re: Astonishing levels of government corruption

Post by discovolante » Sun Dec 13, 2020 12:14 am

AMS wrote:
Sun Dec 13, 2020 12:02 am
discovolante wrote:
Sat Dec 12, 2020 11:22 pm
Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't the judicial reviews about the gov failing to comply with rules regarding tendering processes and so on rather than specifically cancelling contracts and offering them to other companies (and bribery)?
Maybe yes, but imagine cancelling existing contracts and offering them to others for bribes would count as a breach of the tendering rules.
It would I'm sure, but plodder seems to be suggesting that the info in the twitter thread forms part of the existing proceedings and has been considered by the court, which as far as I can see doesn't seem to be the case.
To defy the laws of tradition is a crusade only of the brave.

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Re: Astonishing levels of government corruption

Post by plodder » Sun Dec 13, 2020 4:34 am

Disco is correct however the GLP is saying they've got multiple cases in the pipeline. They're also saying they can prove the latest stories and of course there are significant reputational risks if they're bullshitting. JQH is correct to say it's a case of Watch This Space.

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Re: Astonishing levels of government corruption

Post by Little waster » Mon Dec 14, 2020 11:25 am

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?
Just catching up this thread.

By growing a huge greenhouse full of cannabis plants in a top-secret location ... just off the M20. Say hi to Dave from me.
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Re: Astonishing levels of government corruption

Post by malbui » Mon Dec 14, 2020 12:31 pm

Little waster wrote:
Mon Dec 14, 2020 11:25 am
By growing a huge greenhouse full of cannabis plants in a top-secret location ... just off the M20. Say hi to Dave from me.
To be fair people living along the M20 corridor are going to need as much chemical assistance as they can find when their front gardens start turning into outdoor toilets in a few weeks.
And when it starts to slide
Let it go
Leave it behind

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Re: Astonishing levels of government corruption

Post by Bird on a Fire » Mon Dec 14, 2020 7:31 pm

malbui wrote:
Mon Dec 14, 2020 12:31 pm
Little waster wrote:
Mon Dec 14, 2020 11:25 am
By growing a huge greenhouse full of cannabis plants in a top-secret location ... just off the M20. Say hi to Dave from me.
To be fair people living along the M20 corridor are going to need as much chemical assistance as they can find when their front gardens start turning into outdoor toilets in a few weeks.
In the sleepy Hampshire village I spent some years as a child, little old ladies would pop into the road after horses had past, and shovel their droppings into a wheelbarrow to use on the veg patch / rose garden.

I like to imagine that the little old ladies of Kent will be similarly enterprising about their new source of fertilizer from lorry-driver middens.
We have the right to a clean, healthy, sustainable environment.

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Re: Astonishing levels of government corruption

Post by Woodchopper » Tue Dec 15, 2020 8:19 am

Bird on a Fire wrote:
Mon Dec 14, 2020 7:31 pm
malbui wrote:
Mon Dec 14, 2020 12:31 pm
Little waster wrote:
Mon Dec 14, 2020 11:25 am
By growing a huge greenhouse full of cannabis plants in a top-secret location ... just off the M20. Say hi to Dave from me.
To be fair people living along the M20 corridor are going to need as much chemical assistance as they can find when their front gardens start turning into outdoor toilets in a few weeks.
In the sleepy Hampshire village I spent some years as a child, little old ladies would pop into the road after horses had past, and shovel their droppings into a wheelbarrow to use on the veg patch / rose garden.

I like to imagine that the little old ladies of Kent will be similarly enterprising about their new source of fertilizer from lorry-driver middens.
Better the rose garden than the lettuce patch.

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Woodchopper
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Re: Astonishing levels of government corruption

Post by Woodchopper » Thu Dec 17, 2020 9:38 am

The New York Times has picked up the story: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/202 ... racts.html

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Re: Astonishing levels of government corruption

Post by plodder » Sun Dec 20, 2020 10:57 am

Related: https://www.ft.com/content/41d5fe0a-7b4 ... pe=blocked

To bypass the paywall google (in private mode) A giant bonfire of taxpayers’ money’: fraud and the UK pandemic loan scheme

"The government just wanted the money out there". I kind of get it. Scheme's still open!

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Re: Astonishing levels of government corruption

Post by plodder » Mon Dec 21, 2020 8:19 am


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