No surprise, is there: it’s ‘bad news’ only for our country when looking at this morning papers. No, not ‘news’ about new CV-19 cases or about people dropping like flies from Covid – no, it’s the ‘news’ presented by ‘Our MSM’ about another government failure: GCSE and BTEC exams. ‘Our MSM’ are baying for the scalp of Williamson but aren’t asking why this department’s failure happened.
Williamson, according to ‘Our MSM’, is the only culprit and must fall on his sword. Well, yes, he should’ve done so last week – not because of the outcry by a handful of pupils plastered all over the MSM, but because a clever politician would’ve used this as a statement: his department and the attached quangos have made governing impossible. An opportunity missed!
Tory MPs have joined in this scalp-hunt, documenting their blessed ignorance while being encouraged in their attitude by ‘Our MSM’. Read this quote carefully:
“Senior backbenchers said the reopening of the schools in the next two weeks is so critical to any economic recovery that any mishap would make his [Williamson’s] position unsustainable following a series of blunders culminating in the A-level grading fiasco. Government sources have indicated that Boris Johnson will not sack Mr Williamson, despite unverified reports that he offered his resignation over the u-turn over A-level grading after an outcry from Tory MPs, pupils, parents and teachers.” (paywalled link)
Did you notice that there are suddenly ‘unverified reports’ as opposed to the ubiquitous ‘senior’ or ordinary “sources”? How does one ‘verify’ gossip? More: why would one do so if such gossip, cloaked in anonymity, can be used to damage the cabinet? Here’s another little piece, demonstrating that civil serpents are deeply involved in the campaign of getting rid of Williamson – read this quote carefully as well:
“Gavin Williamson was warned directly that the A-level and GCSE grading system could lead to hundreds of thousands of students being given the wrong results but decided to push ahead, The Times can reveal. A senior source at the Department for Education disclosed that Sir Jon Coles, a former director-general there, wrote to Mr Williamson early last month to express concerns about the algorithm used by Ofqual.” (link, paywalled)
Was Sir Jon Coles the only one who ‘wrote a letter’? Did Willamson’s ‘Sir Humphrey’ actually show him that letter? Well, others have also written in with warnings. It pains me to have to quote the Guardian but at least they put the blame where it belongs – never mind that they do so because of their agenda to uphold grade inflation:
“Ofqual was warned at least a month ago of flaws in the exams algorithm that left thousands of students devastated, but the regulator pressed ahead amid longstanding ministerial pressure to prevent grade inflation, […] External advisers told the regulator that its formula for deciding England’s pupils’ A-level and GCSE results after the cancellation of exams was “volatile” and risked producing erratic outcomes, sources said. Despite the warnings, that formula was kept in place” (link)
Ofqual is the culprit according to the Guardian – how interesting! Meanwhile, the broadsheets have suddenly discovered their heart for pupils sitting vocational exams (BTEC), wailing that these students won’t get their results today because at the last hour
“the exam board Pearson told schools not to publish Btec results as they needed more time to recalculate the grades.” (link, paywalled)
Yes, that’s Williamson’s fault, not that of the exam board! After all, how could that exam board know about the A-Level results U-Turn! They needed to be told! Officially! By hand-written letter! And now see this:
“BTEC students’ grades were not included in the Government’s original U-turn announcement on grades on Monday, […] On Tuesday, exams regulator Ofqual said its moderation algorithm used in A-levels and GCSEs was not used in the majority of vocational and technical qualifications, including BTECs.” (paywalled link)
Doesn’t this beg the question why the BTEC exam board hadn’t done their work already, given that the Ofqual algorithm hadn’t been used for ‘the majority’ of BTEC results? Doesn’t this raise the further question: are the civil serpents and quangocrats working ‘by the book’ in order to discredit their ministers? Or are they simply ‘not fit for purpose’?
Yesterday Lockdown Sceptics published an article by a civil servant which indicates that this may indeed be the case. It is a devastating indictment and worth reading in full. Here are the concluding observations:
“While it is easy to blame Ministers, and they have been shown in a poor light, it is their officers (the SCS) that have singularly failed the public. It is this largely anonymous body of well paid public servants that develop the policy options, advise on outcomes and manage delivery.” (link)
For comic relief (not!) I have to mention an article in The Times, under the gasp-inducing headline “Exams panel included Tim Leunig, maverick who was close to Dominic Cummings” (link, paywalled). Oh-My-Gawd! How absolutely terrible is that! Let me just point out that ‘smear-by-association’ is a well-known ploy used by communist regimes throughout their bloody history.
And why is this ‘newsworthy’? Because ‘Cummings’ – or because of something else? Here are some relevant quotes – I am going into this at length because this report is a prime example for using one fact, blown up out of proportion – the connection between Mr Leunig and Cummings – which then isn’t supported in the actual text. We read that:
“A senior Treasury civil servant close to Dominic Cummings was on an expert panel that advised how to standardise exam grades before the model was scrapped. Tim Leunig, who is an economic adviser to Rishi Sunak, the chancellor, was on the 11-person External Advisory Group on Exam Grading.” (link, paywalled)
Omigawd – Sunak is also contaminated by a Cummings connection? Keep that in mind – Sunak’s head will be next on the block come the autumn economic disaster, so I expect The Times to blame Cummings for that as well. Next we read:
“The group was established in April by the exams regulator Ofqual to give technical advice to its board on grading A-levels and GCSEs this summer. It advised on the standardisation model that saw nearly 40 per cent of pupils’ predicted results downgraded, […] Appointments to the group were made by Ofqual.” (link, paywalled)
It’s totally irrelevant that Williamson obviously had no hand in this appointment – it was Ofqual wot dunnit. See who else was in this group:
“Its members included education academics and statisticians, an executive head teacher, and representatives from Ofqual, Ucas and exam boards. Officials from the Department for Education were also permitted to attend the group’s meetings as observers. It is not known whether any did so.” (link, paywalled)
Since Ofqual hasn’t published the minutes of these group meetings, not its algorithm, nor indeed any other minutes we don’t even know if they took on board the advice of that particular group. The Times has however dug up a reason for his appointment:
“Dr Leunig, known in Whitehall as a maverick thinker, worked alongside the prime minister’s most senior adviser at the Department for Education during Michael Gove’s tenure as education secretary.” (link, paywalled)
This is a very carefully constructed sentence! It must have been very difficult to avoid the name ‘Cummings’, but The Times’ editor manages it nicely: we do know, do we not, who the PM’s ‘most senior adviser’ is – and we do know that yes, he worked with Gove during his tenure at the education department.
Never mind that Gove got replaced in 2014 and thus Cummings also left. The Times had to mention this because Gove needed to be got into this report, like Sunak, in order to demonstrate that all ills this government labours under have to come from Cummings. Will they next call for Cummings’ scalp, promising to let Johnson off the hook? Or will they keep on digging for any spurious connection in order to smear the whole cabinet, in the hope of heaving Starmer into No 10? Will the hapless Tory backbenchers fall for this? It wouldn’t surprise me one bit:
“The Telegraph revealed on Wednesday that the Prime Minister is resisting calls for an autumn reshuffle despite a mounting Tory backlash amid fears that coronavirus mishaps have left the Government being laughed at, with Mr Williamson having lost the confidence of parents and teachers.” (paywalled link)
There’ll be more “corona mishaps” because Hancock is setting up a ‘corona survey’, meaning that 150,000 people will be tested. This is a community survey, not including hospitals and care homes and its aim is to provide data to local authorities ‘to trigger restrictions to control an outbreak’ (link, paywalled).
There are now enough papers written about the validity of those tests. The latest was published by Lockdown Sceptics here – worth delving into. However, given the known hysteria about LOckdown and 2nd wave, we ought to worry about the powers handed to local authorities by this latest CV-19 infection survey, especially in view of the hair-raising experiences of the people in Victoria, AUS, where the Labour PM has gone power-mad, with the latest ‘legislation’ of giving ‘authorities’ the power to remove children “[…] to a hospital or quarantine facility, as the authorised officer thinks fit (and may, in doing so, use such force as is reasonably necessary).” (link)
Is this what ‘Our MSM’ hope to see happening in our country? Do they seriously believe that a Labour government under Corbyn would not have taken such extreme measures to ‘combat’ CV-19, that a Starmer government would not follow happily in the footsteps of that Aussie provincial PM?
I would like to ask if our esteemed MSM could find out if our equally esteemed Whitehall Mandarins might have drafts of similar coercive legislation in their drawers, ready to hand to another of Johnson’s hapless ministers or a no less hapless Starmer government?
We’re in a fine mess indeed – a mess created by inept ministers in thrall to their mandarins and by ‘Our MSM’ who are already trying to tarnish possible ‘Johnson replacements’ like Sunak and Gove with smears-by association.
You may have noticed that we, the peasants, are of no account in this Covid Game of Thrones.
KBO!
recommended Unity News analysis :
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC44ygHhf5-2W-uR44BpPVdg
Well yes Viv, just what is going on. The FTPA is still in force isn’t it? Surely the Tory backbenchers are not so stupid as to bring down the Government. Doesn’t it require 2/3 majority for a vote of no confidence? Or is it something internal to the Tory Party. Is there some way Boris can be forced to resign as Party Leader? Can’t imagine him going willingly.
It is the media’s job to criticise the government I suppose. (Should be fair though.) But since the media are ‘controlled’ by some other ‘agenda’ or ‘body’ I wonder what they are really attempting to achieve. Perhaps it is just undermining confidence in what is left of our democratic system.
I’ve just had a second letter from Imperial College trying to get me to volunteer for a Covid test. Needless to say I treated it with the contempt it deserves. I am sick and tired of these b””y useless people trying to use me to further their evil agenda. They only want as many (dubious, fake) positives as they can get so that they can make our lives even more of a misery than they already are.
Mary, to be fair on Imperial College, I undertook a home Covid 19 test which they sent me, did the online medical survey, and the test came back as negative last week. I wasn’t surprised by the result to be honest as I have never had the symptoms, and furthermore don’t know anybody that has either.
OK. A stars to every skule kid. no need for teachers.. sack the lot. No need four skewls.. convert to 4 star hotels for druggies dossers and illegals.
How hard is it it run a country ? (into the mire)
Meanwhile the UK seven-day movie average of Covid deaths up to 18 Aug is NINE!!!
And we can surely surmise that several of those are not genuinely attributable to Covid.
But never mind the moving average, what about the moving goalposts:
Protect the NHS; oops, it was never swamped.
Daily death rate from Covid; oops that’s falling.
Daily death rate WITH Covid; oops still not enough.
Let’s switch to the R number, the transmission rate; damn, that’s falling too.
Ok, so move on to Cases, never mind that the majority are mildly unwell or asymptomatic, it’s a much bigger (scare) number.
And with increased testing, lo, many more cases; but those pesky deaths keep falling.
Let’s go back to deaths but boosted by anyone who ever tested positive for Covid, even if they recovered or fell down stairs.
Then there is double counting of deaths. External positives referred to hospital, retested, voila, two positives; Rumbled.
How about flare ups; we’ll call them spikes, that sounds alarming; not enough.
We need something that no one can measure; yes, non- existent second wave. Brilliant!
err . . . Yes. About right Phil O’Sophical. B.T.W. I do like your ‘pen name’.
The collective amnesia of the MSM no longer astounds me.
They are the ones largely responsible for whipping up the hysteria and panic, but will they accept any responsibility for what has happened as a result; our “Gubmint” over-reacting to the frenzied cries of the mob (Sorry, the electorate)? Of course not. If they give it any thought they might hail it as “democracy in action”.
In fact, Democracy has been shut down along with everything else. Have the draconian rules imposed on us, the people, ever been debated in the shut[-down parlimint?
With many of the civil servants working from home (to save “our NHS”) it is hardly surprising that departments do not communicate with one another (if they ever did), yet it is some hapless minister who must be blamed, not the ones who should be advising and supporting him.
In the corridors of Whitehall Common Sense has been defeated and replaced by Common Purpose.
… And the man in charge, Boris, The Clown Who Wants to be Loved? His only gainful (to him) occupation, other than politics, has been Jounalism… er….quite. He knows all too well that they are quite capable of devouring one of their own.
“…the man in charge, Boris, The Clown…”
If you ask me, the “man” (or rather humanoid demon) in charge is Bill Gates along with Soros, the UN and other evil parties, using the Whitehall and EU mandarins to implement their evil schemes. As Vernon Coleman drily observed, its worse than if a Colombian drugs ring or the mafia had taken control of the world. I hope one day individual politicians, and their useful idiots, get their come-uppance for throwing their own people to these wolves.
Let the clown deliver Brexit before being devoured
And by Brexit we don’t just mean brexit regarding trade (although it would be a step in the right direction). . We want English Common Law back, and freedom from EU Arrest Warrant, EU Public Prosecutor etc. And to retain control of our armed forces. And for UN Global Compact to be un- signed .
You are more likely to see Boris the Clown involved in a bit slapstick, wearing oversized shoes, crumpled suit, big red nose, pushing bowls of cream into the voters faces…………..
Many Thanks Vivian. – You seem to have put the spade in, and turned the earth over, and at just the right depth too ! – What a shame that our MSM doesn’t seem to have your ability. – As you turn the earth over, we can all see the creepy-crawlies blinking in the unaccustomed daylight ! – I used to consider that Senior Civil Servants had the abilities required to keep elected Ministers thoughts and hopes in order, but I guess I was wrong. – They have an assassins bent these days, which goes against the idea of democracy in this Nation !
Don’t misunderstand me, I voted for this Tory Government, and yet so far they seem to have made a pig’s breakfast of the job ! – Jobs half done ! – No leadership skills for us to cheer ! – Far too much time taken in listening to the French, as though they were senior to us ! – Immigration out of control, courtesy of France, and without the whit to shut-up the legal racket of our laws being used effectively against this Nation ! – No preparation for our defence of our fishing waters in the New Year ! ….. Governing the UK is a big job right now, and they wanted it, so could we start to see it in operation ?
Why, I don’t know, but I’m getting begging letters from Tories for money to fight the local elections. – I have told them enough times that I am a ‘Floating Voter’, and I am considering in the current circumstances, to vote for the opposition ! – THEY MUST GET A GRIP ON GOVERNMENT ! – As far as GCEs and other exams, why not see education as a 24/7 requirement, due to CV19. – Awarding marks by algorithm is at the least sloppy, and students deserve a better service. – How about using Saturdays and Sundays, with some ‘out of hours’ exams ? – If it is necessary to talk to the teaching Unions, then talk to them. – It’s called Governance ! – Try it, and I might be able to look upon a real Government !
Mike…….I think post Brexit, there will be a clamour within the Conservative Party to replace Boris Johnson PDQ. Whispers suggest that he will lead the party to electoral defeat at the next general election He is failing to measure up to the job, preferring instead to hide away and allowing ninkom poop’s like Hancock to take the lead. I joined the Conservative Party in February after we left the political part of the European Union. To say I am sorely disappointed with Johnson’s performance thus far, would be an understatement. I continued with my registered support of the Brexit Party just in case, and that is where my vote will go to in future as I have lost patience with the fake Conservatives already. Come on Nigel, pull your finger out and get The Brexit Party ready to fight the local elections next year, as this will be the government’s next major test.
Think I’m coming round to the same position as you Colin. Just don’t know who to vote for in local elections. And when is the 5 yrs up for a GE? – long time isn’t it. Whatever then?
Thanks Colin and Pauline. – I used to think that Boris might continue if he played his final ace correctly, that being a full Brexit, but it is clear to me that he is still trying to learn the rules of the game. – He is a very lightweight player !
Nailed it again viv! There was a time when i devoured news articles but the sheer effort of disentangling opinion, guesswork and spin I now find just so tiresome (and dont think i’m the only one.) Quite a lot of the media is now the liberal political class talking to each other. Your last sentence pretty well sums up what a lot of us feel about our government. KBO!
Thank you, Matt! I agree – and I feel as if I’m a sort-of reincarnation of the Kremlinologists of the olden, Soviet days who used to wade through acres of Pravda and Izvestia to find kernels of news about what really went on in that country.
A must every day is comments in The Mail. The only decent informative part of the paper providing varied opinion, fact and analysis. What papers used to do. If you can find them in a swamp of ads, soft porn, and celeb stories about people you’ve never heard of.
If that is the Daily Mail you are referring to, I wouldn’t waste my time energy or money on that trash sheet. As for the Daily Express, about the only believable story in it these days is the Adventures of Rupert Bear. There are no decent papers left which give a balanced view, and even the Daily Telegraph isn’t what it used to be. I now get my news from Independence Daily. Would Viv be prepared to tell us what the daily readership might be? and do any politicians our side of the argument read it, like Nigel Farage for instance? I would be interested to know……
He means the comments not the articles; the comments are more clued up generally. And in the sister paper Mail on Sunday Peter Hitchens is very good although I get the impression he is not allowed by his editor to tell the whole truth .
Me too Colin but asking those questions may not be fair to Viv.
I recommend I.D. to anyone I think might be interested but usually find they have their own ‘favourite’ websites/news sources.
I also sometimes try to point my M.P. towards sites like Briefings for Britain, and John Redwood’s Diary.
A few sensible voices left amongst the mass of rubbish. Many of ‘the peasants’ are pretty well fed up with it all but we do lack a leader.