Starmer's vision quest

[C R]

In 2024, asylum seekers and refugees made up around 16% of immigrants to the UK. If including the British National (Overseas) scheme in the category of humanitarian routes, up to 19% of immigration in that year would fall into that category.

Decisions and refusals

Not all asylum applications are successful. In 2024, 53% were refused at initial decision (not counting withdrawals). The annual refusal rate was highest in 2004 (88%) and lowest in recent times in 2022 (24%).
When an application is refused at initial decision, it may be appealed. By June 2024, around a third of applications lodged in 2023 had a known outcome and, of these, around a third had been refused.
https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/sn01403/

It knows, it actively doesn't care.

 

[Ian H]

It knows, it actively doesn't care.

Who or what's that?
A barrister friend who worked on immigration cases for several years said that the shambolic hearings meant that initial decisions were frequently unsafe, and often overturned on appeal. That was before the subsequent cut-backs.

 

[Bromptonaut]

Who or what's that?
A barrister friend who worked on immigration cases for several years said that the shambolic hearings meant that initial decisions were frequently unsafe, and often overturned on appeal. That was before the subsequent cut-backs.

I've also seen the system at first hand through the Tribunals that hear appeals.

The guy quoted in the Guardian, who has been suspended pending inquiries under the Civil Service code, isn't a reliable witness.

 

[Bromptonaut]

Who or what's that?

The troll.

 

[Xipe Totec]

It knows, it actively doesn't care.

I'm not sure that's true. I think he just doesn't accept numbers or facts that don't fit with his world-view, or that aren't puked out by some screeching fascist horror on Shitter.

Me, I always like to see the positive side, and once all of our human rights have been incinerated, it's going to be objectively hilarious watching particular peope being dragged, bound & struggling, headbagged and howling, into the backs of those unmarked black vans, as the consequences of their actions finally arrive on their own doorsteps.

I just hope I am afforded the opportunity to enjoy it before they come for me.

 

[Stevo 666]

Just like to say that I do find this right wing humour hilariously funny. Thanks for sharing @Stevo 666.

Good to hear it Bobz, I'll do my best to find more 🙂

 

[Stevo 666]

So what? If you had registered for a Postal Vote, on expiry, you are sent an invitation to renew it, you can even get a "signature waiver" if you are unable to sign.

I got the periodic letter from my local council today asking to confirm who is eligible to vote in our household and strangely enough, it had us all confirmed as having postal votes. This reminded me that someone was talking complete crap the other week, as we suspected...

 

[Stevo 666]

Here you go @bobzmyunkle , your wish is my command...

 

[Psamathe]

I don't understand the Angela Rayner Stamp Duty story. As I understand it either what she did was legal or it wasn't. If it wasn't legal HMRC will soon be on to her and issuing whatever is normal - I'm sure they've done this before and know the procedure. If what she did was legal then it's a wast of column inches and not a story.

And noting my personal view of Ms Rayner is neither positive nor negative. I think she is well intentioned but lacks the business experience to appreciate unintended consequences from legislation she is proposing. Workers rights do need improving to protect people from exploitation by companies who under our capitalist system are obliged to work solely for the benefit of the shareholders not the workers and these days short term profit seems the driving motivation.

But improving workers rights is complex and it does seem Ms Rayner does not have adequate business experience to appreciate the complex ways different changes will impact different companies as well as negatively impact some groups of workers.

Company I used to work for (and part own) we had a turnover around £20m-30m and MD for a time was asked to join local Chamber of Commerce. He stuck it out for maybe 1 yr before giving up as it was all just wealthy individuals looking to protect their wealth rather than actually grow their business. Too often politicians start "I talk daily to business owners ..." yet reality is they talk daily to an unbelievable small grouping who have vested interests to pursue.

 

[Stevo 666]

I don't understand the Angela Rayner Stamp Duty story. As I understand it either what she did was legal or it wasn't. If it wasn't legal HMRC will soon be on to her and issuing whatever is normal - I'm sure they've done this before and know the procedure. If what she did was legal then it's a wast of column inches and not a story.

And noting my personal view of Ms Rayner is neither positive nor negative. I think she is well intentioned but lacks the business experience to appreciate unintended consequences from legislation she is proposing. Workers rights do need improving to protect people from exploitation by companies who under our capitalist system are obliged to work solely for the benefit of the shareholders not the workers and these days short term profit seems the driving motivation.

But improving workers rights is complex and it does seem Ms Rayner does not have adequate business experience to appreciate the complex ways different changes will impact different companies as well as negatively impact some groups of workers.

Company I used to work for (and part own) we had a turnover around £20m-30m and MD for a time was asked to join local Chamber of Commerce. He stuck it out for maybe 1 yr before giving up as it was all just wealthy individuals looking to protect their wealth rather than actually grow their business. Too often politicians start "I talk daily to business owners ..." yet reality is they talk daily to an unbelievable small grouping who have vested interests to pursue.

It's not the legality that's the issue - it appears to be within the law. Its more the avoidance being practiced by someone who preaches that we should pay higher taxes - and has previously attacked Tory MPs for doing the same. Article here gives a bit more detail:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politic...ed-hypocrisy-after-leading-war-tax-avoidance/

Not a good look and somewhat hypocritical. It's classic case of a leftie politician engaging in 'do as I'm say, don't do as I do'.

 

[Psamathe]

It's not the legality that's the issue - it appears to be within the law. Its more the avoidance being practiced by someone who preaches that we should pay higher taxes - and has previously attacked Tory MPs for doing the same. Article here gives a bit more detail:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politic...ed-hypocrisy-after-leading-war-tax-avoidance/

Not a good look and somewhat hypocritical. It's classic case of a leftie politician engaging in 'do as I'm say, don't do as I do'.

With all of the massive issues facing the country (eg massive interest payments and rates on borrowing, unintended consequences to proposed legislation, business assuming and acting on possible negative budget income raising measures, etc., etc.) if "not a good look" is the way political classes can manage, tittle tattle whilst watching disaster unfold.

 

[Stevo 666]

With all of the massive issues facing the country (eg massive interest payments and rates on borrowing, unintended consequences to proposed legislation, business assuming and acting on possible negative budget income raising measures, etc., etc.) if "not a good look" is the way political classes can manage, tittle tattle whilst watching disaster unfold.

I realise there are bigger issues facing the country. However if it was a Tory MP doing the same thing it would be a big issue on here.

 

[Psamathe]

I realise there are bigger issues facing the country. However if it was a Tory MP doing the same thing it would be a big issue on here.

You mean "shock horror, Tory MP has broken no laws, camplied with all tax laws, etc.". I don't see the news in that and maybe the country is in such a mess as "done nothing wrong" seems more important than the economic and social collapse we seem to be watching. A slow motion car moving to cliff where nobody wonders about the brakes because which station the radio us tuned to is seen as more important.

 

[briantrumpet]

You mean "shock horror, Tory MP has broken no laws, camplied with all tax laws, etc.". I don't see the news in that and maybe the country is in such a mess as "done nothing wrong" seems more important than the economic and social collapse we seem to be watching. A slow motion car moving to cliff where nobody wonders about the brakes because which station the radio us tuned to is seen as more important.

If BR were still around, I'd be searching through Cake Stop to see who defended or downplayed Nadhim Zahawi's £5m tax 'mistake'.

 

[Psamathe]

If BR were still around, I'd be searching through Cake Stop to see who defended or downplayed Nadhim Zahawi's £5m tax 'mistake'.

I never was on bike radar.