Francis 🇾🇪 🏳️‍🌈 🏳️‍⚧️ @francis@greenplenty.social

Both Labour & the Tories are focussing on the Financial Conduct Authority & its regulatory remit/practice as being a key impediment to economic growth in the UK.

This requires one to believe a less regulated financial services sector would deliver investment & revive areas of economic activity across the country.

But, this reflects the City of London's propaganda that they are key to the UK economic well-being... very little about the history of financialisation suggests that's true!

#banking

The business sector has woken up to the fact that the Tories various policies to wreck the university sector is actually bad for business;

a group of international firms have written to Rise Sunak warning that further curtailing student visas & the resulting (deepening) funding crisis for universities will reduce inwards investment.

The problem is the economic madness of wrecking higher education has been clear for ages; the Tories just don't care about the economics

#universities #investment

A record number of food parcels were given out by the Trussell Trust in the year to March.

At last we are winning at something!

This is EXACTLY the kind of boost our government needs

(Some sarcasm here)

Xx

Journalist: "So what do you think long-distance air travel is going to look like in 2050?"

Climate Scientist *laughs derisively*: "By 2050, most long-distance holiday destinations will be uninhabitable, so I expect the majority of long-distance air traffic to be non-existent by 2050."

Phew. Hadn't heard it THAT bleakly during a live interview yet.

Today in rich people refusing to pay their bills news:

SpaceX hit with scores of liens by Texas construction firms • The Register

https://www.theregister.com/2024/05/14/spacex_liens_texas/

The Oslo Accords were undermined from the beginning through their vagueness, by the assassination of Rabin, the rise of right-wing hardliners like Netanyahu, the dramatic and continued expansion of West Bank settlements, Israel's refusal to withdraw militarily, Israel isolating Gaza and the West Bank politically and economically, the corruption and complicity of Abbas and the Palestinian Authority, the Second Intifada, ongoing Hamas terror attacks, and Israeli favoritism by the US and Europe.

Reverse Hunger games.

Every year, we reap 10 of the 100 wealthiest people to fight to the death. The odds of being chosen are proportional to their net wealth; they can surrender wealth to lower their odds.

The chosen have one week to prepare. If you can afford a giant killer robot, now's the time.

The losers' fortunes are donated to the poorest countries. The winner gets launched into space. If they did very well, they're inside the rocket instead of strapped to it.

Across the political Right, the narrative is that disability benefits (primarily Personal Independence Payments; PIPs) are too easy to get & are often paid to the 'undeserving'... however, in reality nearly half of applicants are rejected, rising to over two thirds for endometriosis (a gendered dimension I'll leave you to ponder), but with high rates of rejections over-turned on appeal (often with the same evidence).

More Tory lies, callousness & inhumanity

#disability

https://www.theguardian.com/society/article/2024/may/12/claims-conditions-personal-independence-payments-disability-benefits-cancer-arthritis-amputees

So, in the "best democracy" in the world, you will be arrested if you criticise #Israel and the oil companies.
This is the infamous "democracy" of the #UnitedStates.

Tonight, #Eurovision2024 will celebrate #ESC #DoubleStandards, partying on the graves of 9,500 #mothers and 14,500 #children of #Gaza, in tune with music from #Israel.

#EBU 2022: "The decision reflects concern that, in light of the unprecedented crisis in Ukraine, the inclusion of a Russian entry in this year’s Contest would bring the competition into disrepute."

No unprecedented crisis in #Gaza, just a minor Hurricane, and deadly October-to-May Rain, of bombs.

Happy #Cheering4Genocide, Malmö

Reminder that Trump is floating cuts to Social Security and Medicare — supposedly to address the debt — yet supports extending his tax cuts for the rich, adding $4.6 trillion to the deficit.

This isn't about the debt.

It’s about doing the bidding of his wealthy donors.