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Superb. Put it on your Bluesky account too, if you haven’t done so already – I don’t see it there.
I will do that when I get time. I am on a coffee break on the journey north right now.
A ‘politics for people’ Richard? If only. <p>
The BBC Today programme for the second time in a week platformed the walking megaphone that is ‘Lord’ Stuart Rose sometime chairman of M&S, Asda, Ocado etc etc<p>
His opening sentence contained as many untruths as it would be possible to cram into one breath – the government is ‘broke, running out of money, borrowed to the hilt, the only way out is to slash welfare etc etc’. His non-interrogator struck dumb. <p>
The implication is that he is some kind of economic sage because he has run Asda. It seems fully embedded in BBC culture never to be explicit as to precisely what are the credentials of those they imply are authoritative or ‘independent’.<p>
Even the Bank of England wouldn’t subscribe to some of his falsehoods, never mind whole swathes of authoritative political economists. We will never get a politics for people if this is the polluted ‘knowledge’ that people are breathing in.
I have never understood why anyone assume that because somebody can run a shop they know anything, whatsoever, about macro economics. Stuart Rose most definitely does not.
Conversely, I don’t really understand how any “Captain of Industry” has time to pontificate on talk shows whilst not having the time to study enough to broaden their knowledge to include macroeconomics (which is relevant to the way they run their business), or indeed any other aspect of the human condition.
It’s always worthwhile writing to the BBC to complain. Of course, they try to fob us off, but the more explicit we can be, the more thought they have to give to constructing a reply. And if we have enough time and energy to keep the exchange going and not be diverted (their favourite trick), even better. And the more of us that do it, better still.
We can all start now. Drive less. Slow down. Don’t waste food. Don’t fly. Live simply.
Agreed
No sign of the sort of measures to cut oil demand that were used in the early 70’s then?
Reducing speed limits as an obvious starter
Restrictions on the sale of large/heavy cars
Ditto energy heavy consumer goods eg hot tubs, swimming pools etc
All of this is needed
If Stuart Rose runs or ran shops why does he want less money in peoples pockets?
Given the ‘target demographic’ of Asda in particular welfare cuts would hit its sales oh and what about the subsidy retailers get through Universal Credit to pay for their staff??
(Commentators post school qualifications, Boatmans Licence, MAIB Basic Sea Survival)
Because Rose is a Neo-liberal and like all of their ilk, where money comes from is not their concern – this is why we have repeated credit bubbles under Neo-liberalism.
Good thread. I’ve been hoping to book a short break in (perhaps) Yorkshire. Now I wonder if cost or availability of fuel for the car might prevent the trip. If so, it’ll hit the pubs, restaurants, B&B owners, antiques dealers &c currently on my To Do list. And it will certainly hit many businesses here in Norfolk. Paltry by comparison with people’s problems in Gaza, but not what I’d imagined happening in England!
US-Iran war explained by a Chinese AI generated animation (if you remember watching Monkey and The Water Margin…). The closing line may prove prophetic. “The art of war is not figuring out how to fight, but how to stop”.
The line feels inspired by another ”The greatest victory is that which requires no battle” from The Art of War, Sun Tzu. An altogether superior work to The Art of the Deal.
Will this war mark the point that the American empire is eclipsed by China. Will the US Midterms produce a succession crisis that may precipitate collapse from within.
https://youtu.be/As0rplNJTZI?si=EjlPxrv3xfIqPEh6
There is a point I have made a number of times online. I am old enough to remember seeing the Queen switching on the supply from a North Sea oil filed some time in the mid 70s. The commentator told us this help give Britain energy independence for decades. The 10 or 11 year old I was at the time was thinking what do we do when it runs out. There was never any long term thinking, no planning for investment in renewables, nuclear or energy efficiency to mitigate future problems. If a portion of the national windfall from the North Sea had been spent in these areas we would be in a much better situation and have some resilience against these external shocks. We should have learnt that lesson from the 1970s. I have worked in engineering for 40 years, much of it in and around the energy industry, I have witnesses little in the way of long term thinking. Commercial companies are only interested in short term profits and politicians in their public profile and the next election. Neither are capable of long term thinking. When you add that to the flawed economic dogma of the last 45 years, which you excellently critique, we only face problem after problem. The only solution is to have bodies responsible for managing our energy needs that can take a long term view, independent of daily government interference and corporate greed. I don’t see these being setup any time soon.
It occurred to me when I was 13 whata all rsources were fnite. I have been green(small g) ever since. So, much to agree with.
There has to be a point when the public stop swallowing this rubbish. Did the recent by election at Gorton and Denton show this? People want hope and are tired of seeing the rich getting richer whilst being told there is no money for essentials. The Iran war is awful and I have a friend who is an Iranian refugee who is rightly terrified for her family and friends, but I think the public appetite for more austerity whilst defence spending goes through the roof for a war we don’t want to be a part of is not there. The May elections are going to be disastrous for the two previously major parties after which we could start seeing more major defections from Labour of those more left wing MPs who can’t vote for such things. Neither Starmer or the Labour party are in a strong position. Energy rationing will have to come however unpopular it is. I’m old enough to remember the three day week and regular evening power cuts. I’d just love to see how today’s teenagers and young adults would cope without any internet for several hours! And maybe this will force more use of renewables? It’s a truly horrible situation Trump has allowed to drag us all into,but maybe it can precipitate more positive change?
The hope is we realise we must live differently.
You’ve put what I meant much more succinctly!
Yes the ideas of permaculture and Rob Hopkins Transition Towns becoming mainstream. I think Zack is starting to translate it into a message that people can understand and see the benefits of. And I’m pleased to see Caroline getting more media exposure.
I live in a small town that’s really a village of about 2000 people. We’re up in the hills parallel with the M5 and pretty self sufficient community wise. Eight years ago we were cut off by the snow for several days and there was a wonderful atmosphere. One mum opened the church hall for an impromptu cafe for all the mums to bring their children etc. We know and look out for our neighbours. But I heard from friends in Reading where I used to live of community developing in the most unlikely ways during Covid, so it can happen anywhere. Sadly I’m not sure it lasted in these urban areas.
We need a politics of care and a focus on people not profits.
It seems fairly obvious to me that the oil companies that are raking in the dough right now could be required to sell at cost. Yet I haven’t heard that anywhere.
People in hot places could paint their roofs white. That’s supposed to significantly reduce the cost of cooling. I haven’t heard that, either.
Muumuus are pretty cheap and also reduce the cost of cooling . . . though I can’t see the guys wearing one . . .
I’ve written a second letter to my daily newspaper challenging them to ditch the economic orthodoxy and talk about how the real economy works, and what we might ask politicians for, to replace the austerity and growing inequality we are saddled with. Their USP is that they are non-partisan, so a perfect challenge for The i Newspaper.
Thanks