UK leader Sunak shakes up gov't to focus on business, energy

Sunak installed Lee Anderson, an ex-coal miner turned combative legislator from the right wing of the Conservative Party who once said people use food banks because “they cannot cook properly” or make a budget.

Classic technique of oligarchic rentier capital getting a class traitor as a puppet/populist spokesperson.

Rishi is acting true to form Conservative.

If you want a good trade deal (for your country) with the UK, emulate the brilliant one Australia and NZ bagged for themselves. Terrible for the UK, but excellent for the Aussies and Kiwis. The Tories rushed it as they wanted a headline, regardless of the details, so get in now. These things last years, so you can bank some serious revenue with a good deal.

quote: Sunak has vowed to restore order and integrity to government.

It was never there in the first place. He might want to lower expectations a bit and just try for world peace. If you want to find out what they are all up to, read 'Private Eye'. Required reading for prospective lobbyists and palm-greasers.

On the plus side, for Sunak, Liz Truss is trying to rehabilitate herself (yes, seriously). This is reminding everyone that he is the least worst option in the Tory party, and that things could be, as they once were, much, much worse.

I wonder if Boris will be on the comeback trail soon.

quote: boost the country’s sluggish economy.

No chance. The strikes have worsened it and will rumble on until they become Labour's unfixable problem next year.

quote: make the UK a science and technology superpower.

Hilarious. But if I'd been eating a sweet, reading that line could have choked me.

quote: securing our long-term energy supply.

Almost every time someone applies for planning permission for a solar farm, giant battery site, on-shore wind turbines or even a new reservoir (so the taps don't run dry after two weeks of warm weather), the application is opposed or denied. Not in their backyard.

quote: 15 million pounds per department in direct costs.

With inflation, overspends and 'miscellaneous fees' it will be a lot higher than that. Every time public money is spent, it is an opportunity for someone to increase their bank balance. The 'new ministry' idea shows that the Tories still have some creativity left in them before they all exit politics, stage right, after the next election. Labour will recycle that one when they get in.

The USA has all kinds of ways to turn down solar (one neighbor complains while 99 want it), wind (it's too noisy in the middle of nowhere) etc. While we need fossil fuels long term to support renewable production fossil use can be greatly reduced to extend the life of fossil fuels, clean the earth, strategic reasons, decentralized power production etc. Get it together world.

Squishy Rishi ......... Just saying.