Category: Uncategorized

Tomorrow I am writing a blog about the need for a better Prime Minister, and the need to make positive things happen.

I reference Klopp’s ‘gegenpress’ – the idea in football that was about being very positive, be proactive, be energetic, on the front foot.

I think it is a good simily for what the UK Government needs to do.

It seems that the Government – of left and right – have just got bogged down by circumstances. To be fair, from the 2008 global financial crisis, Brexit, Covid, the Ukraine impact on food costs, it has been much of a perfect storm.

Whether politicians are by nature second rate can be debated – see tomorrow’s blog – but they have all been reactive, off the pace (I hate slang like ‘behind the curve’ but it is an apt description). They have brought hardly any positive initiatives, and failed to grip the big issues.

So what actually needs doing? Basically it is about improving the economy.

It’s tempting to mention the welfare, pensions and demographic timebomb. This also highlights another problem – you really need to take a 20 year view to address this, rather than just fend it off before the next election. We simply need to decide what we can afford – say 10% of GDP, and make the discussion about how you split it up. It’s a hard truth, but if you go for a larger perentage, GDP will fall, and leave less in the pot to allocate…..

I think my best example is that of large projects. HS2, nuclear power stations, major road developments, and so on. Ship building, weapons, you name it Other countries do it quicker, we did similar things quicker in wartime.

If the life of your child depended on it, you would do it quicker.

So, the Prime Minister should decree that all such projects can only commence or continue if within a five year ‘start to completion’ time scale. The project manager can be given ten days to produce the critical path. The top auditors should be required – maybe ‘pro bono’ in the national interest – to send in (very) small teams to validate these timecales.

You can predict that the actual construction or engineering components are likely to be quite reasonable. The issues are probably procurement and contractual issues, rules and regulations, approvals, consultation.

The ‘gegenpress’ approach is that you cue up the start on site right away, get on with it, and leave the ‘bureaucrats’ to hang onto your coattails.

You could offer 10% bonuses to the contractor for an early finish, 10% penalty if late.

The major projects should have to report weekly to a ‘Prime Minister’s Unit – staffed maybe by military officers seconded for a period – they would be accountable to the Prime Minister, and any delays reported. There would be no tolerance or excuses for delays.

Third, there is no doubt that Brexit has had an adverse effect, with few benefits identifiable. We need to re-join Europe and expand our market for goods and services.

We need growth. In the private sector, goods and services (not in the ‘nanny state’). This needs investment, but also people with enthusiasm, inspired and innnovative people. Existing in a positive environment. I’ve argued for it elsewhere, but why not make all ‘growth’ tax free for five years. That would set the tone….

Finally, we need to make typical families better off. They have seen their net incomes at best stagnate. No wonder they are disenchanted with mainstream politics – it is doing nothing for them – and provoking what might be mainly ‘protest votes’ for extremists.

If I was Prime Minister, I would explain that we are determined to help them. Tell them that we will be cutting governent spend by 5% and putting it in their pocket. Many people would say this is wrong or too difficult, but, again, if your child’s life depended on it, it would suddenly be possible,,,,

Cut overseas aid, reduce the ‘green’ spend, cancel HS2. I love opera and ballet, but I would cancel all related government spend for the time being – it’s a luxury we can’t afford. Ditto arts spend, and any ‘woke’ initiatives. We appear to be funding PhD research in bizarre ‘social’ areas. Cut the hierarchy in the Military, ditto Police. I read that there are 5,000 people working in the Cabinet Office, you could start there. Then cut ‘Royal’ subsidies.

You could then talk to the people, the ‘workers’ at all levels, and explain the aims. You could add that when the economy starts growing, there will be a limited new fund for things like Overseas Aid and ‘culture’ about which they would be consulted.

I believe in the ‘free market’ and the incentive to compete, innovate, and offer excellent customer service.

In competitive markets, maybe with at least three significant businesses, my view is that bosses that succeed can reasonably be highly rewarded.

There is though in my mind a very strong contrast with less competitive markets. You can call these monopolies or quasi-monopolies.

The obvious example is the utility businesses. In effect no competition. There is no local competition, nor overseas competitors.

The government organisations are effectively in this same boat. This includes senior civil servants and goverment agencies. Likewise the NHS, and the BBC. Universities are another example.

None of these ‘Chief Eecutives’ face much if any competition.

However, in terms of pay, they try to argue about their ‘weighty responsibilities’ and how they need ‘special people’ in these roles.

It is however obscene to be paying some of these people in the order of half a million pounds per year, when really all they have to do is go through the motions. How often is it said that performance is not good enough and action taken?

Personally I would limit the pay in these roles to that of the Prime Minister. I feel confidant that should vacancies arise, you could find first rate candiates on this sort of pay.

Given that Finance Directors and H.R. Directors are often on 80% of Chief Executive pay, it would end the nonsnese of a BBC H.R, Director being paid three hundred thousand pounds a year…..

Traditionally, if you didn’t want to admit something, but denying it brought a risk of perjury – the solution was to claim you couldn’t remember….

At the moment a number of Trump’s senior staff are in an extremely difficult position – they are being asked to do things that are illegal.

When cross examined by Congress, they can’t admit the truth, but daren’t deny it.

For example Patel was asked if any FBI staff had been dismissed because of involvement in Jan 6 or impeachment investigations.

He made a bad mistake by saying ‘not for that reason alone’ which obviously implies it was part of the reason (and probably illegal).

He was then repeatedly asked if he had dismissed them partly for that reason.  He couldn’t be honest, and say yes, nor commit perjury. 

So he went for the oblique, depersonalised, response.  Phrases like ‘the FBI follows all proper procedures’, and so on. And then going off on a diversionery rant, about Biden’s FBI or whatever.

If something wasn’t the case he could just have said so.

So by so desperately trying to avoid answering the question directly, he was actually in effect admitting it…….

Tracks and weighs 38 tons

Ths vehicle is an utter debacle – with bad noise and vibration, it puts soldiers in hospital.

This is despite two layer ear protection.  It is excessively noisy even outside the vehicle. This cannot be part of the ‘military compact’.

How has this come about – possible explanations include:

Ego of a senior person

Preference for ‘in house’ engine

Corruption

DEI, H&S, bureaucratic restrictions. Maybe it had to be designed by a 50% female engineer team etc.

Procurement, legal and contract issues – maybe had to use an ‘European’ engine

Incredibly eight years late,  and a billion spent……..

We now have the issues of ‘sunk costs’  and further delays.

However, somebody needs to ‘bite the bullet’ and make the right decision.  Rolls Royce used to make engines that were so quiet in cars that you could hear the clock tick.  You could balance a ‘threepenny’ bit on the engine, and the vibration would not topple it.

There may be other issues, I read today that it has metal tracks, and rubber might be better…..

it must be possible to create a good product – what have other manufactures done?  Incidentally heads have to roll for this – proper disciplinary action and punishment.

And someone now needs to invoke ‘the dunkirk spirit’  – like building Spitfires – or making vaccines – personally I’d camp out at the factory, get the best engineers in, 24/7, have a prototype running in within three months, prove the principles, then churn them out with a real sense of urgency.  It may be just replacing the engines, not building the rest from scratch.   If I could come out of retirement and do this –  why can’t these supposed professionals?

King Charles has at long last taken action against Andrew. Andrew has become a ‘Commoner’ – just like you and me.

This should mean living like a Commoner, ending the life of privilege and entitlement.

So, when he moves to Sandringham, he needs to be allocated some accomodation – it’s not for him to choose – possibly four bedrooms. Small enough for him to manage.

His major pubic funding needs to end. He should be told that the King will kindly match the State Pension until he is of pensionable age, and he also has his naval pension. Around £30,000 per annnum. Possibly he should pay rent.

As such he will not be able to afford much by way of ‘staff’. The days of people running around after him, being insulted and condescended to, need to be over.

And who would work for him from chice anyway? This means that he can partially fill his days by making his bed, doing his own cooking, washing up and cleaning. Likewise laundry and the kinds of other task that are done by ‘Commoners’.

Likewise no security staff – so no help for him from them…..

He’ll obviously whine that he is used to more, a rather superior lifestyle, but he has blown that. It’s time for him to live an ‘ordinary’ life like the rest of us. And be seen to do so.

While he is about it, the King needs to a ddress the issue of Harry (and Meghan). Harry likewise is no longer a ‘Royal’ – he has chosen to walk away from that. He ha said he wants the life of a Commoner, not a Royal.

But, as they say, he is trying to have his cake and eat it. He recently met with British soldiers in Canada. He behaves as if he is still ‘Royalty’, somebody special. When in fact he has chosen to be ‘ordinary’. They appear to be wanting to do a quasi ‘Royal’ tour to Australia. I assume they still want to be treated with deference, as if he is still somebody special.

The King should deal with this, and remove their remaining titles. Make it clear he cannot call himslef a Prince, or a Duke. Meghan will have to stop be ‘annouced’ as ‘Her Duchess’, and signing as ‘Duchess’.

They have chosen the ‘Commoner life – they don’t want to do the Royal ‘hard yards’ (compare this with Princess Anne) – so they need to stop trying to exploit the historic Royal connection.

We say growth is a priority.  With the low forecasts, any growth would be a bonus. So why not really incentivise it?

Make growth tax free!

Would it not send a very clear message that the Government is committed to growth as a priority if it made it (more or less) tax free.  I’m surprised the ‘nudge unit’ haven’t suggested this.

We could announce that any growth now is (more or less) tax free. For five years.

For existing businesses, this would involve reporting on any growth areas – new markets, new products….. And it would be ‘net growth’, the increase on existing turnover.

For new businesses this would be everything…..

And this would be about new profits arising from growth…

Possibly you could charge tax on the first slice – equivalent to an inflation element (putting prices up is not ‘growth’).  This would give the government some benefit from growth.  Beyond that you could possibly charge a simple 10% tax, not much but more than what is presently anticipated. Likewise drop VAT to 10% on growth revenue. Possibly reinforce tax breaks on new capital investment.

This could create a really positive sentiment – ‘can do’ thinking – affirmng that the UK is open to business. It would make the UK attractive to foreign businesses and investors.

And what is there to lose….?

I am launching this blog – it’s a complicated process and I’m feeling my way technically.  Please bear with me!

I hope to offer interesting ideas on current issues, political, social, economic and so on.  With an emphasis on doing good, trying to make the world a better place.

I hope to make a success of this.  At university I met Arianna Stassinopulous – I was the proverbial ‘poor boy’ – she wore a different ‘haute couture’ designer dress for every debate when she was President of the Union – daughter of a Greek ship owner – and she went on to found Huffington Post… so I know what is possible…..

I will dedicate all of this to my wife.  We come from the UK and Brazil respectively, and are hoping to settle in Spain.  I feel as if we ought to be able to live wherever we want, but technically we are ‘immigrants’ and only conditionally welcome.  But hopefully happy days together in lovely Andalucia.

Blogs to follow!

Teasers to follow

reclining seats on planes

Air rifle procurement