Just been on BBC these parasites have awarded themselves £112M over the last 10 years in bonus payments while 9 out of 10 company's failed their targets. If the Government is serious about stopping this corruption Name them then prosecute for the money back..Then Name the corrupt Government that authorised this privatisation.
Bosses of Thames Water, Anglian Water, Southern Water, United Utilities, Wessex Water and Yorkshire Water, have all now been banned from earning bonuses due to sewage concerns. I'd say I wonder why it's taken so long, but the answer is obvious.
If its the same article I've read then yes they are looking to claw back bonus wrongly paid out by enforcement if necessary. Moving forward the 9 companies can no longer pay bonuses without hitting targets, the government have also stated they are monitoring said companies looking to navigate around the issue by increasing basic salaries not inline with standard pay rises. I'm sure these slimeballs will find someway around it
The problem goes way beyond those at the top. Many. Higher level management ruled with not a thought of the consequences of their actions. Those that spoke out. were either silenced or got rid of. It was or is a problem through all levels from bottom to top. Ladder climbing their chief aim. My concerns allus fell on deaf ears. "They'll not do owt about it" well they fekkin won't if you go along with it. And keep schtum. Infuriated me to fekk. I had several run ins at all levels. There are some very good people that were pushed sideways. As one colleague said. "I wouldn't trust em to run me a bath"
Water companies are just the flavour of the month in terms of the Government "stopping corruption". The Government won't stop corruption because it's corrupt in and of itself. The entire system is corrupt. Designed to benefit a select group and class of people to the detriment of everyone else. Can anyone point to a single area of governed society that isn't set up to enrich those at the top? Democracy and all it entails is a total illusion. We're fed little tid bits from time to time to make us think that those in power "care" about us and want the best for us. They make decisions that make our lives better and more prosperous etc. Its all a complete and utter sham. The sooner we all stop playing the game, the sooner it can come to an end.
What's your alternative then mate? Reform UK 2025 PLC and a totalitarian regime where ordinary people have no rights and even more wealth and power goes up to the top?
Why is Reform living in peoples' heads rent free on here? You keep saying that they're all bigots and racists, so they'll likely not get voted in. Are you insinuating that I will/have voted reform? Because I can tell you that I carry no water for them. Nor do I carry any for any political party in this, or any other Country for the that matter. I've said time and time again on this board that I don't support any political party. I hold views on a range of topics that would be considered left leaning, some would be considered right leaning. I don't pigeon hole myself to any political ideology whatsoever. When people jump on a team like that it forces you to defend things you probably wouldn't have done, just to stay in that team. If it were up to me, I'd like to see a complete devolution of decision making and "power" right down to the regional level. Call it County Government for want of a better term. Our needs and wants in Yorkshire aren't understood or classed as important by people who hobnob around central London. They just don't care, or get it. In just the same way as I don't really understand or care about the way in which people live their lives in major cities. That's what I'd like to see. No animosity between each County of course. Just people from the area, who get the area, who have to live with the changes they make.
Ok, I see where you're coming from and I apologise for my assumption. Just a few points which might be problems for your suggestion. Policing; will these regions be so autonomous that (say) Lancashire makes something illegal which Yorkshire is ok with and an otherwise law abiding Yorkshireman gets banged up in Lancashire? Will these regions have extradition treaties? Military forces; will these regions have their own armies, air forces and navies? If not how will a national force be administered if you've effectively removed the national government? Finance; since there will be no national government and presumably no HMRC, how will public services be funded? If a lad from Sheffield commutes to work in Worksop, presumably, Nottinghamshire will get his income tax but he'll be using Yorkshire's public services. Roads; who owns the M1? Who defines the rules about vehicle ownership and use? Speed limits etc. Just look at the problems we see when English people drive in Wales with the 20mph limits, I could have been copped for speeding no end of times when I've visited my son in Neath. Sadly I think this is a recipe for chaos mate. We simply couldn't function without a central government which decides laws and funds public services etc.
You're right. There's needs to be an over-arching "government" of sorts, for all the things you've mentioned. But there's a lot of things in our lives that are governed by people who simply don't have a clue about our "way of life". Whichever way you cut it, corruption and greed runs rampant in Government. And a drastic scaling back of their ability to throw us into servitude through increased taxation (which is what it is) needs to happen. Are people happier than they were 20 years ago? I'd argue not. We've suffered real world wage cuts for years upon years with the price of living outstripping the increase in wages. I think there is scope to have a much more devolved approach to how we run this Country though. I'm not suggesting going back to castles and moats before anyone decides to get witty. There's obvious cons to this, but look at the US. They have state law, where each state can decide how it wishes to operate, then overarching that is Federal Law. Their system is being and has been corrupted too. Moreso by their willingness to accept lobbying. I say start there, ban lobbying in any form whatsoever. Then ban donations above £100 from individuals and a total ban on business donations to political parties. No concert tickets, no football tickets, no designer clothes, no designer glasses etc. no expenses at all, no second home allowance. No, no, no. Pigs at the trough, the lot of them.
There shouldn't be any profits from supplying water. It should be renationalised asap. No idea how that would be achieved practically or legally. I would suggest placing a tax of say 75% on every share and use that to improve the water quality and supply. That would probably result in companies collapsing, making it cheap for the government to take over. It's morally wrong to make money from an essential Requirement. Similar with gas electric aswell.
Mass non-compliance. It'll never happen, I know it. And no, I'm not calling for revolution, I don't agree with violence.
Corruption also runs rampant in local government, just look at the Tees freeport... I agree with you 100% on lobbying and political donations. There is no place in our governance for people like Elon Musk. Devolution has been increasing in this country for some time now and the introduction of more Mayoralties this year is another step in the right direction, you only have to look at the achievements of the likes of Andy Burnham in Manchester to see what can be done. I think basically you and I actually agree on most things, it's just that your original post was a huge overstatement and didn't reflect your actual position. Have you thought about joining the Green Party?
I align with a lot of what the Green Party has to say. For three reasons (mainly), I wouldn't join it. Firstly, for my job, I'm not allowed to be "political" or express a viewpoint politically in any way, shape or form. Well, I might be allowed, but it's far from advisable and would be detrimental to working relationships. Secondly, there's just not enough of those guys to make any real difference. It would take an absolutely massive surge in voters to see a Green Party worth having (respectfully). And thirdly, and this is just my opinion, but I think that it's irrelevant who gets in power. The structure behind the politics (which I see more like Punch & Judy to keep us occupied and fighting eachother) cannot be removed/changed/voted out. Some might call it the "Deep State", but that's deemed conspiratorial. Essentially, the sectors of our society that really wield power is what I'm talking about.
One Yorkshire would be a right step for devolution, no need for 3, 4, or 5 regional Mayors. One in charge of 5 or so million citizens, a Yorkshire wide travel deal with reciprical agreements for neighbouring administrations; that would make a real difference for the region.
This aptly sums up the inadequacy of the First Past The Post electoral system. In just about any other democratic country in the world a party which got the number of votes as the Greens did last year would be a force to be reckoned with in the government and very likely to be a partner in a coalition.
