The Starmer Years - Can The New Broom Sweep Clean?

[egg]

1 minute ago, Weston Super Saint said:

Although squeezing 67 per boat and all the boats making it across the channel is a phenomenal effort.  The ROI for those organising the crossings must be very impressive.

I hadn't appreciated it was so many in each boat, and yep, it's a lucrative business. A few cheap lifejackets, a little dinghy, load the boat, then bob about a bit until the British ferry service pick you up. 

Christ knows what the answer is, but one is needed. 

[Turkish]

2 minutes ago, egg said:

I hadn't appreciated it was so many in each boat, and yep, it's a lucrative business. A few cheap lifejackets, a little dinghy, load the boat, then bob about a bit until the British ferry service pick you up. 

Christ knows what the answer is, but one is needed. 

raise taxes on life jackets and dinghys? 

[Weston Super Saint]

Just now, Turkish said:

raise taxes on life jackets and dinghys? 

Would need the French to do that as that is where they are coming from.  Just the mention of raising taxes in France would lead to a general strike, so that's not the answer.

[egg]

Just now, Weston Super Saint said:

Would need the French to do that as that is where they are coming from.  Just the mention of raising taxes in France would lead to a general strike, so that's not the answer.

Yep, and doubtless in true french striking style, they'd be burning the lifejackets and dinghys in protest. 

[Gloucester Saint]

7 minutes ago, Weston Super Saint said:

Although squeezing 67 per boat and all the boats making it across the channel is a phenomenal effort.  The ROI for those organising the crossings must be very impressive.

This is what successive past and future governments are up against. Easy political slogans such as Stop the Boats, Smash the Gangs and Let the Navy Intercept them from Tories, Labour and Reform are pointless in the face of it.

The current Home Sec probably has the right approach by removing the incentives to come in the first place. But there will still be numbers trying. The French for their own sake as much as ours need to get back to slashing the boats in shallow waters. Soggy would beat one off about the English far right harassment of migrants in N France but that’s a growing problem too as the smugglers are well tooled up to respond in violent kind.

[egg]

Just now, Gloucester Saint said:

This is what successive past and future governments are up against. Easy political slogans such as Stop the Boats, Smash the Gangs and Let the Navy Intercept them from Tories, Labour and Reform are pointless in the face of it.

The current Home Sec probably has the right approach by removing the incentives to come in the first place. But there will still be numbers trying. The French for their own sake as much as ours need to get back to slashing the boats in shallow waters. Soggy would beat one off about the English far right harassment of migrants in N France but that’s a growing problem too as the smugglers are well tooled up to respond in violent kind.

Indeed. I don't pretend to have a solution, and I suspect that's in part due to their not being an easy one. Ask any flag bearer/ Farage fan what they think can be done (I have, to several) and all you hear is shoot the boats, shoot them, send them back (nobody says where or how), or the default cop out of "I dont give a fuck, I just don't want all them rapist's here". Brilliant. 

In reality, I think removing incentive is the only feasible way. 

[Weston Super Saint]

Maybe EDL day trips can be organised to replace the long forgotten booze cruises?

The far right supporters can get a cheap ferry across to Calais where they can have a day rucking with the migrants in the camp, you know, show them what sort of welcome they will get in Dover, the migrants fight back, carnage ensues and the French will have to clean it up with the millions of pounds we give them!

Win win and keeps the morons off the streets of London?

[egg]

10 minutes ago, Weston Super Saint said:

Maybe EDL day trips can be organised to replace the long forgotten booze cruises?

The far right supporters can get a cheap ferry across to Calais where they can have a day rucking with the migrants in the camp, you know, show them what sort of welcome they will get in Dover, the migrants fight back, carnage ensues and the French will have to clean it up with the millions of pounds we give them!

Win win and keeps the morons off the streets of London?

Would be a lucrative way of funding Reform. Chuck in a free flag with every booking and the masses would be all over it. 

[Farmer Saint]

As I've said before, many times, there is no solution. We just need to be more efficient at processing and removing them.

[AlexLaw76]

2 minutes ago, Farmer Saint said:

As I've said before, many times, there is no solution. We just need to be more efficient at processing and removing them.

There is always a solution. 

[egg]

Just now, AlexLaw76 said:

There is always a solution. 

Nobody has explained it yet...can't do much about having a stretch of water between us and France. 

For me, the solution is in part in removing incentive, and then a very streamlined process for processing people who arrive. I'm talking an on paper decision within a short period, say 21 days, then a short time scale to lodge an appeal and with very tightly defined legal parameters, then a load of Tribunal judges thrown at deciding appeals within a very short timescale, then limiting appeals from there.

That still takes time, and money, but the simple reality is that people are here and will arrive here. It's about what we then do.  

[Farmer Saint]

51 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

There is always a solution. 

Well, yes, but it's global equality.

[Gloucester Saint]

3 hours ago, Weston Super Saint said:

Maybe EDL day trips can be organised to replace the long forgotten booze cruises?

The far right supporters can get a cheap ferry across to Calais where they can have a day rucking with the migrants in the camp, you know, show them what sort of welcome they will get in Dover, the migrants fight back, carnage ensues and the French will have to clean it up with the millions of pounds we give them!

Win win and keeps the morons off the streets of London?

Fund it all by televising on Sky. Great TV to be streamed in various Carling-serving pubs with lots of ‘come on England’ chants and merchandise. For a bit of balance with Gary Neville, add Richard Littlejohn on co-commentary. 

Edited 13 hours ago by Gloucester Saint

[Weston Super Saint]

3 hours ago, AlexLaw76 said:

There is always a solution. 

The "final" solution?

[badgerx16]

1 hour ago, Weston Super Saint said:

The "final" solution?

Godwin's Law strikes again.

[AlexLaw76]

So much for fixing the striking doctors issue

Oh well

[egg]

2 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

So much for fixing the striking doctors issue

Oh well

How would you fix it? Cave in to the greedy sods? They had their reset last year and can't reset again. 

[Farmer Saint]

They need to wind their neck's in and get on with their fucking jobs.

[Farmer Saint]

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2025/dec/15/uk-mortgage-shake-up-people-on-variable-incomes-could-have-more-payment-flexibility

Great idea - will help to get the market moving.

Edited 8 hours ago by Farmer Saint

[JohnnyShearer2.0]

2 minutes ago, Farmer Saint said:

They need to wind their neck's in and get on with their fucking jobs.

Don't say that on a doctors reddit sub. You'll get you're head chewed off!

 

[egg]

Just now, JohnnyShearer2.0 said:

Don't say that on a doctors reddit sub. You'll get you're head chewed off!

 

They need to hear it. They think they have public support. They had it last year, but not this time. 

[hypochondriac]

On 08/07/2025 at 12:54, hypochondriac said:

Just so long as we accept that the original tactic of immediately folding and giving them what they ask for wasn't worthy of much praise given that it didn't actually solve the problem and simply postponed it for a year whilst making them realise that Labour will basically give them what they want if they make enough noise. 

Presumably you will want to avoid strikes and industrial action again this year so do we give in to the latest demands? What about the year after that? 

Cough cough.

[egg]

1 minute ago, hypochondriac said:

Cough cough.

I can only conclude that the last deal left the door open for another discussion about a reset. Shocking business if that's the case. Big raise = slate wiped clean, then cost of living raises. 

[hypochondriac]

19 minutes ago, egg said:

I can only conclude that the last deal left the door open for another discussion about a reset. Shocking business if that's the case. Big raise = slate wiped clean, then cost of living raises. 

Agreed and a good post from yourself. Major strategic error to agree a deal without any idea that they wouldn't then be back cap in hand the following year. Just pointing out that this was highlighted by some on here at the time and was dismissed. 

[egg]

2 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

Agreed and a good post from yourself. Major strategic error to agree a deal without any idea that they wouldn't then be back cap in hand the following year. Just pointing out that this was highlighted by some on here at the time and was dismissed. 

I vaguely recall the discussion. I think there were reasonable assumptions that a big deal wouldn't have been left as the kind of interim deal that the union seems to view it as.  Staggering that the door has been left open. 

[Farmer Saint]

I think I remember saying something along the lines of it's good news as long as they put safeguards in place to stop it happening every year. I'm surprised it's allowed to happen.

Edited 7 hours ago by Farmer Saint

[Holmes_and_Watson]

2 hours ago, hypochondriac said:

Cough cough.

Not the best time to get a cough, with the upcoming strike. 🙂