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The climate emergency and the UK election

Written By: - Date published: 4:25 am, December 7th, 2019 - 3 comments

The climate crisis is one of the greatest threats to life on our planet, and as Prime Minister Boris Johnson should have fronted this debate. By failing to do so, he has shown himself to be a weak and feeble leader. By not engaging on the critical issue of climate change, Boris Johnson has shown not only UK electors, but the world that he is a fool.

Scotland – does independence loom?

Written By: - Date published: 9:56 am, December 6th, 2019 - 14 comments

Originally posted on Nick Kelly’s blog Scotland matters in the 2019 UK general election. Yet much of the electorate have little understanding of the place, it’s politics or what could happen after the December 12 election. Scotland could well decide the outcome of the 2019 UK Election. It did in 2017. At the last election fierce […]

An Early Christmas.

Written By: - Date published: 12:33 pm, December 5th, 2019 - 23 comments

Christian tradition dictates Christmas falls on the 25th of December. This year though, if we simply view Christmas through a lens of ‘good things happening’, then Christmas is coming early.

Time to become a republic

Written By: - Date published: 8:09 am, December 5th, 2019 - 85 comments

There are indications that Elizabeth the UK Queen may stand down from her office in the next two years. That may be the perfect time for Aotearoa New Zealand to cast aside constitutional provisions based on heredity and become constitutionally independent of the old country.

Little’s Electoral Bill a curate’s egg – good in parts

Written By: - Date published: 1:51 pm, December 4th, 2019 - 11 comments

I’ve always liked Punch magazine’s famous cartoon “True humility” where the curate assures his bishop noticing his bad egg that parts of it are excellent. Most discussion on Little’s Bill has focused on the bad bits regarding foreign donations. The good bit requires all political ads online to be attributed.

Terror attack at London Bridge

Written By: - Date published: 2:35 am, December 4th, 2019 - 2 comments

With just over a week to go till the UK General Election, polls (which are questionable in reliability) show the race getting tighter. Expect lots of harsh word and dubious tactics. In all this, political operators shouldn’t forget that real people’s lives are impacted by events like terror attacks. Politicians from all sides need to think about their actions before trying to gain political points.

Government to ban foreign donations to political parties

Written By: - Date published: 12:19 pm, December 3rd, 2019 - 66 comments

The Government has announced that it will pass under urgency changes to the Electoral Law to ban overseas donations.

Why some MPs should not tweet

Written By: - Date published: 9:16 am, December 3rd, 2019 - 7 comments

National MP Joanne Hayes has provided a textbook example of the perils of Twitter.

Whither Warren?

Written By: - Date published: 7:40 am, December 2nd, 2019 - 20 comments

Is it too early to call negative odds on Elizabeth Warren’s candidacy?

Labour’s infrastructure spend announcement

Written By: - Date published: 12:06 pm, December 1st, 2019 - 35 comments

Is the Government commitment to the budget responsibility rules weakening? Because at the Labour Party Conference Grant Robertson has indicated that the Government will shortly announce a big capital spend on infrastructure.

Labour Conference

Written By: - Date published: 7:10 am, November 30th, 2019 - 97 comments

It’s a weird moment for the Labour Party at Conference this weekend.

Bridges calls for investigation into National’s handling of electoral donations

Written By: - Date published: 9:29 am, November 29th, 2019 - 24 comments

Simon Bridges’ demand of an investigation into the New Zealand First Foundation appears to have backfired after it emerges that the NZ First Foundation was modelled on the National Party Foundation.

Strike Force Raptor for the win

Written By: - Date published: 8:14 am, November 28th, 2019 - 40 comments

National has proposed significant changes to the Criminal Justice system to create a Police group without evidence that it works, and that if enacted would make our prisons less safe and plug holes in our law that do not exist.

National’s Youth lauranorda rhetoric

Written By: - Date published: 2:16 pm, November 27th, 2019 - 20 comments

National is proposing changes to the Youth Court system that show not only a disregard for working in the interests of young people but disturbingly show a complete lack of understanding about how the Youth Court works.

Economists support Labour forming the next UK government

Written By: - Date published: 7:10 am, November 27th, 2019 - 24 comments

One hundred and sixty three British economists have signed a letter to the Financial Times to say they believe that Labour should form the next government. The UK economy needs reform. For too long it has prioritised consumption over investment, short-term financial returns over long-term innovation, rising asset values over rising wages, and deficit reduction […]

Little announces changes to Prisoner voting rights

Written By: - Date published: 12:58 pm, November 26th, 2019 - 44 comments

Andrew Little has announced a review of prisoner voting rights to overturn National’s law change which the Courts have ruled to be in breach of fundamental rights and unjustified. Simon Bridges has announced that National will reverse any such law change. And he has topped this off by proposing that Tauranga City Council should prosecute and fine beggars and homeless people.

November Stuff Poll; Nats Knackered

Written By: - Date published: 9:16 am, November 25th, 2019 - 95 comments

Stuff have released their latest YouGov political poll. It’s a shocker for the Tories and their current leader Simon Bridges.

 

Never Trump

Written By: - Date published: 8:06 am, November 23rd, 2019 - 46 comments

There is tremendous momentum within the Democratic Party right now with recent gains in Kentucky and Louisiana and Virginia. But in the battle to get rid of Trump they can still blow it.

Are the UK media biased?

Written By: - Date published: 9:48 am, November 22nd, 2019 - 16 comments

Nick Kelly on allegations of bias in the UK media.

Hypocrites

Written By: - Date published: 7:37 am, November 22nd, 2019 - 57 comments

National’s attacks on NZ First’s Foundation are hypocritical in the extreme given that it also has a Foundation and has used this foundation to hide the identity of donors who have collectively potentially contributed huge amounts of money to the party.

Hypocrite

Written By: - Date published: 12:23 pm, November 20th, 2019 - 74 comments

Simon Bridges has accused NZ First of engaging in the most significant breach of electoral law in New Zealand’s history. But has not ruled out working with NZ First in the future. And has forgotten about National’s neat partition of a $100,000 donation to hide it from the authorities.

Why is Jacinda Ardern so popular? (part 2)

Written By: - Date published: 12:07 pm, November 20th, 2019 - 71 comments

Let’s take a moment to enjoy.

‘Donations’ or bribes

Written By: - Date published: 9:58 pm, November 19th, 2019 - 95 comments

It has been ironic at our media frenzy on political ‘donations’. I suspect that our legal structure has been setup for bribing politicians with ‘donations’. Let us just make all politicians and donors guilty until proven innocent of false reporting of ‘donations’. It’d be more interesting than the current farce. Start with Simon Bridges – currently still under investigation by the SFO.

Not a good look

Written By: - Date published: 11:10 am, November 19th, 2019 - 98 comments

There has been recent media exposure on New Zealand First’s treatment of donations and the use of a trust to receive donations and avoid contribution disclosure requirements by making payments loans rather than gifts.

Austerity – who should pay for the financial crisis?

Written By: - Date published: 10:57 am, November 17th, 2019 - 30 comments

Nick Kelly on UK austerity and who should have paid for the financial crisis. 

Green MP Gareth Hughes speaking bold truth ahead of his retirement at next election

Written By: - Date published: 9:54 am, November 17th, 2019 - 105 comments

“I’ve grown up knowing nothing but the revolution of the early 1980s. This is this operating system which was uploaded in New Zealand and people have tried to install better policies or better programs, but if they don’t work with the system, they are crashing”

Just another typical week in US politics

Written By: - Date published: 9:50 am, November 17th, 2019 - 38 comments

The last week in US politics has seen the Trump Impeachment Hearing go public, Trump confidant Roger Stone convicted of lying to Congress, Alex Jones ask for the Presidential pardon to be used to free him, and details revealed of multiple meetings between Trump and Igor Fruman and Lev Parnas who are charged with campaign rule violations. Trump says he does not know them. Just another week in the Trump Presidency …

End of Life Bill passes

Written By: - Date published: 8:53 am, November 14th, 2019 - 98 comments

David Seymour’s End of Life Bill passed through Parliament last night by 69 votes to 51.  We are now facing a referendum at the next election.

Compassionless Conservatives?

Written By: - Date published: 5:32 am, November 14th, 2019 - 6 comments

Nick Kelly summaries the lack of compassion shown by Boris Johnson and Jacob Rees-Mogg during this weeks UK election campaign. 

Maybe Nancy was right

Written By: - Date published: 8:43 am, November 10th, 2019 - 81 comments

There is a very good chance that the upcoming impeachment trial of
President Donald Trump will turn into one massive campaign launch –
one which significantly increases his chances of winning a second
term.

Zero Carbon acts – this is how change happens

Written By: - Date published: 10:31 am, November 8th, 2019 - 51 comments

The Zero Carbon Act is not perfect, but it’s a critical step in the social and political change that is needed to prevent catastrophe.