Climate Resistance launched their “stop polluting politics” campaign yesterday by waving an oil-pigment saturated banner from Westminster bridge, and polluting the air with flares. The irony.
The group, who may have as many as a dozen supporters, hope to ban oil and gas companies from meeting politicians, the aim is to make the energy companies that power industry and our lives political pariahs. Energy policy is critically important, it literally keeps the lights on.
The group has a host of other left-wing poses such as waving Palestinian flags. Nothing screams opposition to the malign influence of oil on politics like promoting an Iran-backed regime whose leadership live in luxury hotels in Qatar. The group tweets climate doom and on “the influence of dark money on politics”. Who are these slick new paragons of transparency in public life? We don’t know. Their website says neither who they are, nor who funds them.
Which may be wise given they have otherwise libellously and untruthfully stated that “Shell, BP, Equinor and others are donating to parties… to push their agenda”. A junk claim easily checked on the public electoral commission donations website. The net donations from all three to politicians or political parties is £0.
The row between the Tories and Labour over Sadiq Khan’s plans to implement a pay-per mile policy in London continues. Labour have today referred the Tories to the CPS for the below tweet, which they call a “lie“. Some good photoshopping work from the team Susan on display…
Labour are trying very hard to convince voters that Khan won’t implement the policy. The rebuttal to that claim comes from… Khan’s own book:
“We need to go further. And we intend to. We have plans to make public transport better and more appealing, plans for a further £3 million mass-tree-planting initiative, and plans to introduce a new, more comprehensive road-user charging system, to be implemented by the end of the decade at the latest.“
On top of his fervent support for the idea, Khan has committed TfL to “investigate proposals for the next generation of road user charging” in a legally binding transport strategy document. The Tories say of Labour’s CPS referral: “Londoners will see through this; Sadiq Khan’s record of dishonesty speaks for itself.” It would be hardly the first broken promise – Khan said he had no plans to expand ULEZ in 2021 and then did it anyway…
Hat-tip: James Heale
SpAds across government are preparing for their next jobs – some are planning on staying closer to politics than others. Local Tories have spotted Will Tanner, the PM’s Deputy Chief of Staff and founder of centrist Tory think tank Onward, on visits to Tory functions in Essex, including recent association social events in Basildon and Billericay – majority 20,412 and held by standing down MP John Baron. Guido also notices an incognito Tanner popped up in the back of a group of Tory canvassers in Epping three days ago. He won’t thank Richard Holden for posting that one…
Tanner is joining the rest of the Onward crew in visiting safe(ish) seats. Deputy Director Adam Hawksbee has dropped into association meetings in Tory safe seat Solihull and is seen as a top contender there. Nick Timothy has already bagged the selection for Matt Hancock’s West Suffolk. Seb Payne has had no luck yet. Guido hears the crew have a gentleman’s agreement not to apply against one another…
While its staff look for seats Onward is quietly preparing a large-scale initiative with a six-figure price tag to push the Tory Party leftwards following a bruising election defeat. To have its generals in Parliament would aid that project…
New figures released by the Scottish government detailing the costs of Humza Yousaf’s pointless self-aggrandising adventures in Dubai at COP28 show that he spent a whopping £106,576.09 on a 6 day trip, £47,986.25 of which was spent on “Marketing Campaign” – i.e, self-promotion. It seems the Scottish taxpayer isn’t just footing their civil servants siesta sessions, they get to subsidise the First Minister’s ego trips as well…
No expense was spared for Yousaf’s extensive entourage either, which comprised 15 bureaucrats and 3 SpAds. Each SpAd spent £2,376 on travel, almost 3 times the average amount each civil servant spent (£831.80). Guido finds it impressive that they each managed to drop £167 per day on meals…
Apart from squawking about net zero while actually taking the time to meet with oil and gas executives on his luxury trip, Yousaf also managed to break diplomatic rules five times as well. If only he could translate that ability into more effective governing…
On the first morning of the NatCon conference, which has kicked off at its third venue, the socialist mayor of Brussels has ordered the police to come in and cancel the event “to guarantee public safety” because the “far right is not welcome“. The police have arrived and given the conference attendees minutes to leave. Somewhat proving their point about free speech…
Farage is currently filibustering on stage and says “I understand the police are very keen to shut this down. Well, in that case they can do it while I’m still on stage“. If the police want to kick them out they’ll have to storm the room…
UPDATE: A spokesman for Farage tells Guido: “The Brussels police are outside trying to shut down a peaceful political event, as decreed by the local Mayor, whilst Nigel is still standing on the stage. The people that scream the word fascist at others have now become the fascists themselves.”
UPDATE II: As the police enter the building Suella Braverman begins her speech.
UPDATE III: Farage leaves the venue without an altercation with police. Their strategy is to block entrances for new attendees and let people leave, though not return.
Former ambassador to Uzbekistan and conspiracy theorist Craig Murray announced his candidacy for MP for the Workers’ Party in Blackburn this morning with the stated aim of “allowing a modern country to emerge from the trappings of Imperial decay“, while attacking that “40% of Labour’s shadow cabinet, at least, are financed by the zionist lobby” . Like his friends, he has a few eyebrow raising views…
Murray tweeted his full “support” for Hamas and Hezbollah a week after the 7th October bombings, and was then swiftly arrested under the Prevention of Terrorism Act. It wasn’t the first time he’s been arrested either, having been sentenced to eight months in prison for being found in contempt of court over blogs written during the trial of the former Scottish first minister Alex Salmond. Rehabilitation clearly didn’t work for him, though perhaps having Galloway as his new boss might…
