Tag Archives: Conservatives

Fṛm Đ Obzrvr: Brexit is the villain in accidental death of the economy

‘The actors change but the roles remain the same’: Sunak has continued Johnson’s legacy on Brexit. Photograph: WPA/Getty Images
‘Ɖ actrz ćenj bt ɖ rǒlz rmen ɖ sem’: Sūnac hz cntinyd Jonsn’z leġsi on Brexit. Foṭgraf: WPA/Geti Iṃjz

Brexit z ɖ viḷn in axdntl deʈ v ɖ icoṇmi

(Transcription of an Observer article of 6 August 2023)

Lîc caṛctrz in Dario Fo’z fars, w cmplen abt, bt toḷret, ɖ most daṃjñ p’liticl scandl v ǎr tîm

William Keegan
Wiłm Cīgn

Súnde, 6 Ōġst 2023

At ɖ bginñ v ɖ frst Ʈaćr guvnmnt (1979-83), ɖ icoṇmist Jon Ceniʈ Galbrêʈ rout ɖt Britn wz ɖ prfict ples t conduct ɖ dybịs muniṭrist xperimnt rec̣mndd bî hiz felo icoṇmist Miltn Frīdmn. Ɖs wz bcz olɖo Galbrêʈ (rîtli) ʈt ɖ poḷsi wz crezi, Britiś “flém” wd si s ʈru, n ɖ tolṛnt neśn wd nt “tec t ɖ strīts”.

Ɖs meṃri cem t mînd rīsntli ẃn I wz at ɖ rvîvl v ɖt gret 1970z clasic Axdntl Deʈ v an Aṇcist. Dario Fo n Franca Rame’z fars hz bn updetd bî Tom Bazdn, n z a fîv-star trîumf. Ɖ meṃri wz ivoct bî ɖ sntṛl caṛctr, ɖ “meńac”, dclerñ: “Scandl z t ssayti ẃt cnfeśn z t ɖ sinr. It’s a cʈarsis [ɖt] fixz nʈñ: ɖ hostîl invîrnmnts, ɖ suij in ɖ sīz, ɖ piṛjz fr p’liticl donrz. N ẃt’s ɖ rzult? D w arest enwn? Cn w ćenj enʈñ? V cors nt … In glorịs dmocṛsiz sć az ǎrz, w gt t mon abt it instd.”

Ɖ most glẹrñ xampl v ɖs public tolṛns n monñ z v cors – wêt fr it – Brexit. Ɖ damij mǎnts, bt ɖr hz bn nʈñ in ɖ śep v a public inqîri or a royl cmiśn intu ẃt z indybitbli ɖ bigist n most daṃjñ p’liticl n ic̣nomic scandl v ǎr tîm.

Az ɖ “meńac” obzrvz: “Ɖ actrz ćenj, v cors, bt ɖ rǒlz rmen ɖ sem.” Ɖ miscrịnts hu cónd ɖ neśn – Boris Jonsn; Mîcl “Ppl hv hd inuf v xprts” Gov; Nîjl “Hǎ I luv ɖ lîmlît” F’rāź; Dańl “Brexit wl nt mīn līvñ ɖ sngl marcit, n ʈancs fr ɖ pirij” Hann; n a cast v ʈǎzndz – jst cari on śemlisli, ẃl ɖer rplesmnts, Riśi Sūnac n co, tec p ɖ banr, n Cir Starmr, wns a nobl rmenr, ofndz hiz naćṛl folowrz bî rūlñ ǎt rījônñ ɖ YY or īvn ɖ sngl marcit.

Ǒ, d’nt wuri, I am tld. Wns ɖe r in – f, az wîdli xpctd, ɖe win – Lebr wl mnd rleśnz wɖ ɖ YY. Bt, hañ on a minit: unls sm amezñ ivnt ocŕz, ɖr z unlîcli t b an ilex́n fr at līst anɖr yir, jrñ ẃć tîm Brexit wl rīc mor n mor damij, nt līst t ɖ cuntri’z fiscl pziśn.

Ẃć brñz s t ɖ topic ɖt hz bn doṃnetñ ɖ ic̣nomic nyz in ɖ past wīc: ɖ hî levl v inṭrestrets w r promist fr ɖ fōrsiybl fyćr on acǎnt v ɖ guvnmnt’s n ɖ Banc v Ñgḷnd’z dtrṃneśn t brñ ɖ ret v infleśn dǎn t 2% wɖn ẃt z noun az ɖ “fōrcastpirịd” – 18 munʈs t tū yirz – īvn at ɖ cost v rseśn.

Nǎ, ẃn ɖe r nt tayñ ɖmslvz p in sttisticl nóts, mî felo icoṇmists fṛm tîm t tîm rmînd s ɖt ẃt īc̣nomics śd riyli b abt z ɖ qoḷti v lîf. Mî frend Emos Witztum, in hiz mońmntl wrc Ɖ Btreyl v Libṛl Īc̣nomics, argyz forsḟli ɖt tù mć atnśn z peid t ic̣nomic groʈ, n nt inuf t a fer distṛbyśn v ic̣nomic rzorsz. “Distṛbyśn” hz v cors bn ɖ stuf v p’liticl dbet fr decedz, bt lîf z nt gwñ t gt eni īzịr f ǎtpt stagnets or fōlz, ẃć, bî deḟniśn, it dz jrñ a rseśn.

Ɖ teribl ʈñ z ɖt aftr imbarcñ on a nīdlis poḷsi v osteṛti fṛm 2010, n ɖen biyñ brǎbìtn intu a reḟrendm ɖe òt t rgret fr ɖ rest v ɖer livz, īvn ɖ non-mnaycl Toriz hv dn mć t dminiś ɖ qoḷti v lîf in ɖs cuntri.

Ẃ z infleśn so mć gretr a ʈret hir ɖn in ɖ YS or ɖ YY? Bcz v Brexit n its impact on ɖ cost v livñ. Indd, impndñ frɖr incrisz in ɖ cost v importñ fūd fṛm ɖ YY r olrdi frîṭnñ ɖ guvnmnt intu dleyñ ɖ nxt bǎt v byṛcratic reğleśnz rqîrd bî ɖ foli v Brexit.

Wn fînl, non-Brexit, xampl v nīdlis inṭfiṛns in ɖ qoḷti v lîf. In comn wɖ mni ppl v a srtn ej, I lîc bcñ trenticits fṛm a riyl prsn in a riyl ticit ofis. Indd, I am mć imprest bî ɖ cntińl flo v rsrć ẃć inḍcets ɖt sć sośl inṭćenjz r gd fr wn’z qoḷti v lîf.

Bt ɖr z anɖr pônt: in an ej ẃn corṗreśnz hv fūld “cnsymrz” intu ʈncñ ɖt ɖe śd d ɖ wrc on ɖ inṭnet, it z mć mor saṭsfayñ – n ifiśnt – t rlî on xprts t advîz wn wɖ travl arenjmnts. Yt w r tld ɖt ɖ guvnmnt hz instructd ɖ trencumṗniz t bgin clozñ ol ɖer ticit ofisz.

I īvn hŕd an ofiśl seyñ on ɖ Tde program ɖt ɖs wd b an impruvmnt in ifiśnsi n wd fri stāf t b on ɖ platform t hlp “custmrz” wɖ qiriz. Hǎ pasinjrz wd b ebl t gt on t ɖ platform wɖt a ticit fṛm ɖ clozd ticit ofis wz nt xplend.

Instroduction to Ñspel

"House by the Railroad," Edward Hopper, 1925

Fṛm Đ Gardịn: Robert Jenrick going to war with Mickey Mouse is no surprise – this government is anti-child to its core

‘Children have become unaffordable to a generation that is worse off than their parents.’ Photograph: Dominic Lipinski/PA
‘Ćildṛn hv bcm un’forḍbl t a jeṇreśn ɖt z wrs of ɖn ɖer peṛnts.’ Foṭgraf: Dominic Lipinski/PA

Roḅt Jnric gwñ t wor wɖ Mici Mǎs z no s’prîz – ɖs guvnmnt z antīćîld t its cor

(Transcription of an Guardian article of 11 July 2023)

Pentñ ovr a ḿṛl z jst ɖ lêtist cruwl twist in 13 yirz v Cnsrṿtiv hostiḷti t faṃliz

Polly Toynbee
Póli Tônbi

Tyzde, 11 Jlî 2023

Pent ovr Mici Mǎs
Brn Ẃr ɖ Wîld Ʈñz R
Pulṿrîz ɖ Lego
Set fîr t ɖ Crisṃs-tri star.

Sīz ol ɖ tediz.
Beri evri scipñ rop
Pent ɖ wōlz darc brǎn
Aboliś ol hop.”

Ɖt’s a powm jst ritn bî ɖt wîz n b’luvid ćildṛn’z ćampịn, Mîcl Rozn, in rspons t ɖ iṃgreśnministr, Roḅt Jnric. It’s a “Stop ol ɖ clocs” fr ćildṛn, n a rtort t Jnric’s ordr t stāf at an asîḷmsīcr rspśnsntr fr ćildṛn t blac ǎt Mici Mǎs n Wini-ɖ-Pù ḿṛlz.

Stāf at ɖ Cnt intec ynit rzistd, bt Jnric wz rportidli aḍmnt, t mc clir, h sd, ɖt ɖs wz a “lw-inforsmnt invîrnmnt” n “nt a welcm-sntr”, dogidli miṃcñ hiz bos, Suela Braṿmn.

Hir wz pforṃtiv poḷtics fr imajind rîtwñ votrz, bt īvn ɖe me hv blenćt, lîc mni v hiz ǒn MPz. Ɖr wz litl denjr v ɖs ynit bcmñ a welcm-sntr, sins its last inspx́n-rport faund ɖ tôḷts “un’xptbli drti” wɖ a “tù liṃtd” renj v tôz fr yuñ ćildṛn n “litl rīdñ-mtirịl”.

A Tori ministr gwñ t wor wɖ Mici Mǎs z pićprfict p’liticl imijri fr ɖ endñ v ɖer ira. Me h b grītd fr evr bî ppl wẹrñ Mici Mǎs irz. Filip Pŭlmn twītd: “Cold, cruwl, ɖ act v a soul ɖt’s śrivld n mīn t its cor.” Stìvn Ciṇc, ɖ śado mîgreśnministr, sd: “Ol ɖe hv left z tuf tōc n cruwl n caḷs poḷsiz,” az ɖ stori flù arnd ɖ wrld t śem s ol yt agn.

So Jnric entrz ɖ frmmnt v inḟmi rzrvd fr poḷtiśnz hu oceźṇli līp ǎt v ɖ rancs v obskṛti intu ɖ hisṭri-bcs az ɖ prfict embḷm v ɖer p’liticl tîmz. Án Widdecombe wz wn, ẃn ś sprañ t noṭrayti az priznzministr fr śaclñ fīmel priznrz t ayn bedstedz wɖ hancufs n ćenz az ɖe gev brʈ: ɖ imij reẓnetd bcz it so prficli capćrd hr parti’z pyṇtiv poḷtics.

Jnric’s vîlnis rvrḅrets bcz h z nt sm mavric ćîldcrunćr, bt an embḷm v a guvnmnt ɖt hz, fr utrli bwilḍrñ rīznz, dlibṛtli foc̣st its osteṛti on faṃliz n ćildṛn. Ɖe hv bòrn ɖ brunt, nt bî axidnt, bt wɖ intnt. Naćṛli, mîgṛntćildṛn r ɖ top targit (unls ɖe dî in ɖ sī ẃn ministrz śed a wōtrfōl v croc̣dîltirz). Ɖ sinistr dis’piṛns v asîḷmćildṛn, probbli stoḷn, fṛm hotelz ẃr ɖe wr dumt wd norṃli si eni siṿlîzd guvnmnt set of a hy n crî t fînd ɖer fet. Bt sins Britiś-born ćildṛn rsiv similr neglijns, it’s no s’prîz ɖt dd’nt hapn: rîzñ numbrz v ćildṛn in cer r biyñ dumt far awe intu proḟtirñ homz in ćīp n dprîvd eriaz.

Let’s rîfl ʈru guvnmntprîoṛtiz v ɖz past 13 yirz, t śo ɖs z nt hîpŕḅle. Hvr hard ɖ tîmz, y mt xpct eni siṿlîzd ssayti t pt ćildṛn frst, yt tîm n agn ɖe cm last.

Wɖn a stricn NHS, mtrṇtisrṿsz hv sufrd ispeṣ́li badli; a ʈrd v hlʈvizitrz r gn; n īvn in mntl hlʈ, ćîld n aḍlesnt srṿsz hv ɖ longist wêts.

Ɖe mt cōl ɖs osteṛti’z axdntl c’latṛl damij, bt beṇfitspoḷsi dlibṛtli impovṛśz ćildṛn. Jorj Ozbōrn léd ɖ ćarj wɖ beṇfitcuts ɖt stript £37bn mostli fṛm faṃliz. Hiz tū-ćîld limit on beṇfits dprîvd peṛnts v £2,800 fr a ʈrd ćîld, n pśt 1.1 miłn mor ćildṛn intu poṿti, mcñ a totl v 4.2 miłn last yir. Hiz beṇfitcap cruśz ɖoz in hî-rent eriaz. Ɖ asid ton wz set bî Devid Camṛn in 2012, seyñ: “Qt simpli, w hv bn incuṛjñ wrcñ-ej ppl t hv ćildṛn n nt wrc.”

Lebr liftd 800,000 ćildṛn ǎt v reḷtiv poṿti, bt f ɖ Toriz r stl in pǎr bî 2027 ɖe wl wîp ǎt ɖ last v ɖt gen, sz ɖ Reẓluśn Fǎndeśn. Wn ttemic rzult wl last: Britiś ćildṛn hv śrunc in hît in rleśn t ɖoz in similr cuntriz.

Hir’z anɖr ifct: ɖ brʈ ret rouz in Lebr yirz, ẃn bebiz wr welcmd wɖ a ćîld trustfund at brʈ n wɖ 3,500 Śr Start sntrz, nǎ mostli gn or radicli rdyst. Bt sins 2012, brʈs hv pluṃtd bî an alarmñ n ic̣nomicli harmfl 12.2%. Ćildṛn hv bcm un’forḍbl t a jeṇreśn ɖt z wrs of ɖn ɖer peṛnts at bebipṛdysñ ej, nǎ spendñ a ʈrd v ɖer wejz on nrṣriz, wɖ lowr incmz, hayr rents n hevi dét.

Lc ẃt els ćildṛn hv lost sins 2010. Plesz t ple r dgredd bî £330m cuts t parcs’ upcīp, ofn līvñ rect plêgrǎndz. Mor ɖn 700 cḿṇti ftbōlpićz hv gn, alñ wɖ 200 scūl pleyñfīldz sold of n 400 swimñpūlz clozd. Nirli 800 lîbrriz hv gn, ɖoz hêvnz fr ćildṛn on wintrdez. In culćṛli dplitd scūlz, cuts in artstīćrz hz left a 40% fōl in stydnts tecñ eni JSSE arts.

Ol ɖs hd olrdi hapnd ẃn ɖ pandemic struc: ćildṛn peid ɖ Covid prîs, loct in n śut ǎt v scūl, nt t sev ɖmslvz bt ɖ lîvz v oldr ppl. Ẃr’z ɖ grattyd fr ol ɖe lost? Faṃliz hd £20 ript of ɖer yṇvrsl credit az sn az it wz ovr; tde’z Reẓluśn Fǎndeśn rport śoz ɖt ɖt hlpt t tip anɖr 100,000 ppl intu abṣlut poṿti. Mî tripl-loct jeṇreśn jst got a 10% pnśnrîz, ẃl ćildṛn’z oṿwrct n unḍstaft tīćrz r ofrd 4.3%. Ɖs z ɖ p’liticl bacgrǎnd t Jnricizm, ɖ antīćîld cor v hiz guvnmnt, ingrend dīp in ɖer nećr.

Instroduction to Ñspel

"House by the Railroad," Edward Hopper, 1925

Fṛm Đ Gardịn: George Osborne destroyed Britain’s safety net. The Covid inquiry should shame him into silence

Chancellor George Osborne at the City of London Corporation's bankers’ and merchants’ dinner at the Mansion House on 16 June 2010. Photograph: Bloomberg/Getty Images
Ćanslr Jorj Ozbōrn at ɖ Siti v Lundn Corṗreśn’z bancrz’ n mrćnts’ dinr at ɖ Manśnhǎs on 16 Jūn 2010. Foṭgraf: Blūmbrg/Geti Iṃjz

Jorj Ozbōrn dstroid Britn’z seftinet. Ɖ Covid inqîri śd śem him intu sîḷns

(Transcription of an Guardian article of 1 June 2023)

Hiz iniqiṭs osteṛtiprogram left ɖ popyleśn sic, vulnṛbl, n unpriperd fr a pandemic

Polly Toynbee
Póli Tônbi

Ʈrzde 1 Jūn 2023

Ɖ  belz told at 4pm tde, ɖ dedlîn ẃn evri śred v evidns wd b handd ovr bî lw t Heɖr Halit, ɖ rtîrd hîcort juj. Ɖ guvnmnt set p ɖ Covid inqîri, ordend its wîd rīmit, gev its ćer līgl pǎrz t cmand ẃtvr evidns ś dīmz nesṣri, bt ɖen bōlct at obeyñ it.

Public atnśn wl foc̣s on ɖ contents v ɖoz WotsAps n not-bcs. Ẃt wr ministrz n ofiślz seyñ t ć uɖr? Z Doṃnic Cumñz rît ɖt Boris Jonsn sd “let ɖ bodiz pîl hî?” Uɖr formz v caḷs siṇsizm me b xpozd f w dscuvr ɖt ministrz ń “īt ǎt t hlp ǎt” wz a plegspredr n pt ɖ icoṇmi bfr sefti. Mor wl b rvild abt fast-tráct meġcontracts fr croniz, n abt ɖoz hu wr hiroz amñ ɖ gd sayntists n doctrz. Ministrz’ ton wl set ɖ contxt fr ol ɖe dd, az b’rivd faṃliz woć hōc-aid evri step v ɖ we. Ɖs batl ovr admisbl evidns n blac-ñc rdax́nz z onli ɖ frst strugl amñ poḷtiśnz hopñ t prizrv ɖer repyteśnz. Bî ɖ fînl rec̣nñz, ẃtvr ɖ blem n prêz, ɖz actrz wl hv left ɖ p’liticl stej.

Ɖ inqîri z dvîdd intu ʈri modylz: bfr, jrñ n aftr ɖ pandemic. Vîtl lésnz wl b lrnt – practicl, tecnicl, sạntific n administṛtiv – abt lînz v cmand n spīd v rspons. Têlz v hymn streñʈs, stypidtiz, briłns n felñz wl b abzorbñ. Bt bî far ɖ dīpist p’liticl lésn rzǎndñ intu ɖ fyćr wl cm fṛm modyl wn, “Rziłns n priperidnis”. Ɖs wl “lc intu ɖ priperidnis fr ɖ pandemic” n ases “f ɖ pandemic wz proprli pland fr n ẃɖr ɖ YC wz adiqtli redi fr ɖt ivnćuaḷti”. W nǒ ɖ ansr olrdi.

Amñ ɖoz sumnd t gv evidns fr ɖs modyl, t b hŕd fṛm 13 Jūn, r tū men hu hd loñ left pǎr bî ɖ tîm Covid blù in. Yt Devid Camṛn n Jorj Ozbōrn me hv most t ansr fr. Bî 2020 ɖ cndiśn v ɖ cuntri hd bn larjli set bî Ozbōrn, ɖ pǎrhǎs bhnd ɖ fruntman. Camṛn hd bn ɖ cuvr, adpt at sīmñ rīzṇbl, no glīm v ɖ îdịlog in hiz î az h hugd husciz n sumnd a big ssayti v cḿṇti ax́n. Ɖ Brexitrz, hūm h cōld “frūtcecs”, wr ɖ xtrimists hu alaud ɖz tū t sīm lîc moḍrets, ɖer copiz v Hîec n Frīdmn hidn in ɖer bac pocits.

Ɖ devsteśn ɖe cōzd fṛm ɖer frst, Jūn 2010, bujit set ɖ pes fr a pirịd v osteṛti mor savij ɖn enʈñ atmtd bî Marġrit Ʈaćr, huz fes hd adornd ɖer wōlz az stydnts. Ɖe tîtnd ʈumscruz in bujit aftr bujit, stripñ ɖ public relm n spẹrñ nʈñ in ɖer psyt v an evr-smōlr stet. Ɖ six ćanslrz hu foloud Ozbōrn wr cut fṛm ɖ sem stet-śrincñ cloʈ, n psyd hiz osteṛti program wɖ īql zīl.

Ɖ naśnl unpriperidnis Ozbōrn left in hiz wec starts wɖ ɖ NHS itslf, ẃć ɖ Cnsrṿtivz inheṛtd at pīc pformns in 2010 aftr yirz v jenṛs fînans. Bî ɖ plegyir v 2020, its fundñ p’ hed hd bn ẃitld dǎn fr mor ɖn a deced, dspt a fast-rîzñ n eldrli popyleśn. Sali Woṛn, d’rectr v poḷsi at ɖ Cñ’z Fund hlʈ ʈnctanc, woćt it hapn fṛm wɖn guvnmnt: ś pônts t fywr bedz, trenñcuts, b’lūnñ stāfvec̣nsiz, śorṭjz v iqipmnt n téc s’port, n ɖ axñ v capitl fr rperz.

Bt bynd ɖs incrisñli ʈredbér NHS, Woṛn tld m ɖt Covid hd torn ʈru a vulnṛbl popyleśn in a dtirịretñ stet v hlʈ. “Tù mni ppl’z rziłns wz wìcnd. Impruvmnts in lîf xpctnsi stōld in ɖ 2010z n Covid md ɖ wìcist ilr.” Ɖs wz dy t “lac v rli dạgnosis”, bt olso “ɖ stet v hǎzñ, erqoḷti, ppl’z dayt. Yr incm, yr invîrnmnt, yr xpoźr t advtîzñ n lac v fizicl activti afctd rziłns.” Ɖ guvnmnt’s fełr t ćalinj fūdmańfacćrrz ovr sōlt n śŭgr hlpt incris ćîld’biṣti. NHS cḿṇtisrṿsz wr drend n fundz rīdirectd t cīp akt srṿsz gwñ, ś sd.

Covid atact a sic popyleśn n a wìcnd hlʈ n sośl cer srvis. Ozbōrn wz ruʈlis in hiz beṇfitcuts, ispeṣ́li ɖoz afctñ ćildṛn, plunjñ ɖm frɖr b’lo sośl-s’kṛti levlz in similr cuntriz. Hǎ wr ɖ lǒist peid s’pozd t ste hom on sicpe ɖt z stl ɖ lǒist in ɖ OICD? Lo pe, inṣkr jobz, rîzñ rents n sm v ɖ most oṿcrǎdd hǎzñ in wstn Yṛp ol cntribytd t ɖ mortaḷti tol. Sins ɖ pandemic, 25% mor ppl hv bn of wrc, rportñ loñ-trm ilnis.

Nn v ɖz unḍlayñ vulnṛbiḷtiz bgan in 2020 ẃn Covid struc. V ol ɖ lésnz lrnt at ɖ end v ɖs inqîri, ɖ most importnt wn fr votrz wl b ɖs: nvr agn cn w fōl fr ɖ smōl-stet, lo-tax proṃsz ɖt līv evrwn vulnṛbl, wɖt ɖ s’kṛti v gd guvnmnt or ɖ pṛtx́n v gd public srṿsz. Camṛn z olrdi śemd intu sîḷns bî hiz Grīnsil grīd. Az fr Ozbōrn, h dzrvz ɖ sort v public condmneśn in ɖ fînl rport ɖt śd si him stript v ol ɖ undizrvd rwordz śǎrd on him sins līvñ parḷmnt. Ledi Halit hz startd ǎt splendidli rzistnt t p’liticl śiceṇri: hr rport cd b a nvr-agn landmarc on ɖ nīd fr a rziłnt ssayti.

Instroduction to Ñspel

"House by the Railroad," Edward Hopper, 1925

In Ñspel: Response to an article about the spectre of price controls

Rspons t an articl bî Rafel Behr: ‘Ɖ spectr v prîscntrolz z bac t spūc Sūnac – n Ʈać̣rît miʈs w’nt sev him’

(Transcription of a below-the-line comment, 31 May 2023)

Hak_a_dalan, Wnzde, 31 Me 2023

“Inṭlecćl stagneśn invîts deṃgrafic dclîn, ẃć miḷtets agnst freś ʈncñ.”

Fr Cnsrṿtizm, ɖ fyćr riyli z a simpl ćôs. Mor v ɖ sem trît, lezi invceśnz v Ʈać̣rizm … or a fl imbres v neṭvistic naśnl cnsrṿtizm. Ɖ eṇji on ɖ Rît, n ɖ sinistr fînans, z foc̣st on ɖ latr, ẃl ɖ inṭlecć̣li unteɖrd n moṛli małbl Sūnac sīmz mor ɖn hapi t ple bʈ sîdz. Ɖr z litl pônt in trayñ t ges Sūnac’s tru fīlñz hir, fr h z lîcli t b un’wer v ẃt ɖe r, himslf.

Ɖ wrld z at a crosrodz. It z obvịs t ol hu boɖr t lc. N yt ɖs hz’nt prisiṗtetd wɖn Cnsrṿtizm a ny imaɉnñ v hǎ t priper fr n ingej wɖ ɖ fyćr. Instd ɖ Toriz hv rgrest – mć az ɖ GOP hz in ɖ YS. Ɖr z a riyl lac v rigr …. in trmz v inṭlecćl ingejmnt n in trmz v ɖ forḿleśn v practicl poḷsi. Ɖr z abṣlutli nʈñ on ofr uɖr ɖn grīvns n rcalsitṛns. In ɖer ǒn wrdz, ɖ Toriz plan t fît ɖ nxt ilex́n on wéj culćrwor iśuz n ǎtdetd insults.

It z notwrɖi ɖt sudnli evrwn z tōcñ nǎ abt hǎ ɖ Tori parti cuḅd v îdīaz z bér. P untl qt rīsntli ɖr wz mć fīvrd dscuśn in ɖ mīdia abt ẃɖr Jonsn wz a Ʈać̣rît, or ẃɖr h wz a Wn Neśn, Mcmiḷn ptrṇlist ….. n w ol hd t wêt wɖ bêtd breʈ t fînd ǎt ẃć. Ẃn Jonsn pridictbli implodd az a rzult v ɖ inṭlecćl, moṛl vakm wɖn, ɖ gret līdrśp contest v 2022 btwn ɖ mîti viźnz v Trus n Sūnac wz fôstd upn s. N, wns agn, ɖ public wr féd ɖ lîn v a batl v îdīaz.

N hǎ ɖ Toriz luvd ɖ atnśn peid t ɖs batl fr ɖ “hart n soul” v ɖer parti …. wɖ ć sîd piriodicli twiṭrñ fotoz v ɖ cuvrz v ɖer feṿrit bcs. Nózic, Hîec n Pópr on wn sîd, met wɖ a salvo v Putnm n Pabst on ɖ uɖr. Lc evrwn, w’r nt jst a bunć v riax́nri blôhard oṗtynists, ɖr’z stl sć a ʈñ az Cnsrṿtiv inṭlecćlizm. W acć̣li RĪD!!! Fr enwn peyñ atnśn, v cors, it wz obvịs ɖt ɖz grotescs wr jst emti oṗtynists. Ɖt ɖ twiṭrñz v Stīv Becr n Dani Crūgr wr jst a smug, cmplesnt induljns.

N ɖs despṛt dzîr t b tecn sirịsli z a rcŕñ fīćr. W sw it agn at ɖ rīsnt confṛns on Naśnl Cnsrṿtizm, most noṭbli in ɖ faux-inṭlecćl oḟrñz v Jon Hêz n hiz laḟbl atmts at dfînñ a ny “dạlectic”. Olwz ɖ eḟt t trî t inṭlecć̣lîz fatẏs opińn n atmt t jusṭfî pub̦òr preɉdis.

Bt nǎ, fîṇli …. fîṇli …. ɖ Tori Parti r biyñ acordd ɖ rspct ɖe dzrv. Ɖe r a cecist parti hu srv onli naro inṭrests – n d so bhnd a hêz v tōdri naśṇlizm n cnfctd “culćrwor”. Ɖe sīc ɖ īziist poṣbl śort-trm ansr t mīt ɖer ǒn nīdz, ɖ consiqnsz n fīẓbiḷti v ẃć b dámd. Ɖs z’nt an aproć ɖt merits mć anaḷsis. It z mirli ɖ lîfloñ, reclis habits v ɖ îdl, ɖ slfiś, n ɖ ccūnd.

Instroduction to Ñspel

"House by the Railroad," Edward Hopper, 1925

Fṛm Đ Obzrvr: Even Farage says Brexit has failed. Why won’t Starmer?

Keir Starmer on visit to Scotland last week. Photograph: Euan Cherry/PA
Cir Starmr on vizit t Scotḷnd last wīc. Foṭgraf: Ywn Ćeri/PA

Īvn F’rāź sz Brexit hz feld. Ẃ w’nt Starmr?

(Transcription of an Observer article of 28 May 2023)

Az evri sectr cǎnts ɖ mǎntñ cost v ǎr caṭstrofic brec wɖ Yṛp, Lebr mst fînd its nrv

William Keegan
Wiłm Cīgn

Súnde 28 Me 2023

Ẃt d mî frendz ɖ ḿziśnz Stñ, Jon Eʈ̇rij n Tom MGinis (v ɖ Manfridz) hv in comn, apart fṛm ḿzic? Ɖe hv rīsntli tld m ɖe r witṇsñ frst-hand ɖ fṛstreśnz v Brexit: los v ɖ beṇfits v frīdm v muvmnt, n ɖ byṛcratic damij inflictd on wn v ɖs cuntri’z wîdli rec̣gnîzd streñʈs, nemli ɖ crietiv arts.

In ɖs ɖe r jônd bî most Britiś mańfacćrrz n membrz v ɖ hosṗtaḷti inḍstri. Ɖz r struġlñ t fînd rplesmnts fr ɖ YY wrcrz hu hv bn md t fīl unwelcm n hv bn ifctivli bánd, or votd wɖ ɖer fīt. Ol ɖer wd-bi imployrz ʈnc Brexit z hyjli daṃjñ t ɖer rspctiv bizṇsz, n wd lîc t rvrs it.

Morovr, ɖe canot unḍstand ẃ ɖ Lebr parti z biyñ so wet on ɖ iśu. Wn hírz ɖ vy ɖt Cir Starmr z pleyñ a cōśs n clevr gem. Bt wn olso hírz ɖ vy ɖt, fr ol ɖ eḟts v Starmr n śadoćanslr Rećl Rīvz t cnvins ɖ public ɖt Lebr hz a viźn, ɖs viźn z cmñ acrs az biyñ smẃt blŕd, n misṭli cnfyzñ.

At a tîm ẃn opińnpoulz śo ɖt clir mjoṛtiz v rspondnts ʈnc Brexit wz a mstec, n wn v ɖ prîm culprits, ɖ igrījs Nîjl F’rāź, admits ɖt “Brexit hz feld”, Lebr sīmz teṛfaid v sizñ ɖ oṗtyṇti v a p’liticl lîftîm, n simpli gwñ fr rījônñ.

Bfr w cntiny, it śd b notd ɖt, inevitbli, F’rāź blemz evrwn bt himslf fr ɖ dzastr v Brexit, n śoz no sînz, az yt, v flfilñ hiz promis t “liv abrōd” f Brexit pruvd t b ɖ dzastr it indybitbli z.

Ɖ ultiṃt îṛni, az ɖ formr YY cmiśnr fr comṗtiśn Mario Monti rmîndd s in ɖ Fînanśl Tîmz, z ɖt “ɖ beṇfits v sć a s’xesfl project [ɖ sngl marcit], huz peṛnts wr tū Britiś poḷtiśnz (prîm̦inistr Marġrit Ʈaćr n cmiśnr Arʈr Cǒfīld) wd ivnć̣li b gvn p bî ɖ YC az part v Brexit”.

I canot rfren fṛm rmîndñ ppl v ǎr Brexitr prîm̦inistr Riśi Sūnac’s Frôdịn slip in pôntñ ǎt t ɖ ōcẉd sqod in ɖ Norɖn Îriś Deṃcratic Yńnist parti ɖt bî biyñ in ɖ YC n ɖ sngl marcit ɖe hd ɖ bst v bʈ wrldz.

It z a comn rfren ɖt “ʈñz r gwñ t pot” n “nʈñ sīmz t b wrcñ proprli” – an xaɉreśn, phps, bt an unḍstanḍbl wn. Bt wn ʈñ z abundntli clir: ppl cn no longr blem ɖ YY fr ɖer trublz. Yirz v osteṛti n nglect r caćñ p wɖ s.

Ẃć brñz s bac t Lebr. I cmnd ɖ vy v Trevr Grīʈm v Royl Lundn: “Ẃl ɖr wz’nt a ‘Brexit diṿdnd’ ɖr wd srtnli b a ‘rvrsñ Brexit’ diṿdnd. Eni parti cmñ in t ofis wɖ a creḍbl promis t jôn ɖ sngl marcit, or ultiṃtli ɖ YY, wd b ebl t bes ɖer tax n spendñ planz on a sgnificntli larjr icoṇmi wɖ OBR apruvl” – a refṛns t ɖ Ofis fr Bujit Rsponsbiḷti’z wîdli axptd calkleśn ɖt ɖ macroec̣nomic cost v Brexit rîzz t abt 4% or £100bn a yir.

Ɖ oltrṇtiv, sz Grīʈm, z ɖ “osteṛti marc tū” olrdi pnsld in fr ɖs guvnmnt’s planz fr public spendñ śd it win ɖ nxt ilex́n.

Nǎ, ɖ damij biyñ cōzd bî Brexit z mǎntñ viẓbli bî ɖ de. Mî tū objx́nz t ɖoz poḷtiśnz n coḷmnists hu se it wl b yirz bfr w cn rījôn r, frst, ɖ damij z gaṛntìd t intnṣfî ẃn ɖ nxt stej v ɖ barịrz t tred cmz intu fors at ɖ end v ɖs yir, n, secnd, ɖr r stl ultṛrîtwñ Brexitrz hu r trayñ t infors ɖ abandnmnt v ʈǎzndz v YY lwz, ẃć wd mc it ɖt mć mor dificlt t ngośiet rientri. So far īvn Brexitr Sūnac hz wordd ɖm of on most iśuz, bt ɖoz YRG fnatics r stl hard at it.

Aftr ɖ sirñ xpirịns wɖ ɖ 2016 reḟrendm, ppl wuri abt ɖ gosts ɖt mt ri’pir f ɖr z anɖr. Bt ẃ boɖr? Edẉd Hīʈ sīmz t b rmembrd prinsipli fr ɖ ʈri-de wīc v 1973-74 n biyñ bròt dǎn bî ɖ mainrz. Bt h olso gz dǎn in hisṭri fr x’sîzñ ɖ līdrśp t tec s intu ẃt wz ɖen ɖ Yṛpiyn Ic̣nomic Cḿṇti in 1973 – it wz Haṛld Wilsn hu hld a reḟrendm in 1975 t recnsîl ɖ disidnts in ɖ Lebr parti. Msz Ʈaćr dd nt fīl ɖ nīd t hold a reḟrendm in 1986 ẃn w jônd ɖ sngl marcit.

In mî vy, Starmr śd cm ǎt stroñli, n sn, fr rientri. H śd mc it an ilex́n iśu, ẃl haṃrñ hom ɖ mǎntñ costs v a Brexit ćampịnd bî a felñ n toṭli dscredtd Cnsrṿtiv-Brexit parti.

Instroduction to Ñspel

"House by the Railroad," Edward Hopper, 1925

In Ñspel: Brexit has made Britain the sick man of Europe again

Rishi Sunak at the G20 summit this month. Of the G20 economies, only Russia’s is expected to perform worse than the UK’s. Photograph: Reuters
Riśi Sūnac at ɖ G20 sumit ɖs munʈ. V ɖ G20 icoṇmiz, onli Ruśa’z z xpctd t pform wrs ɖn ɖ YC’z. Foṭgraf: Rôtrz

Brexit hz md Britn ɖ sic man v Yṛp agn

(Transcription of a Guardian article of 27 Nov. 2022)

Ɖ YY dd wundrz fr ɖ icoṇmi: ɖt wz ẃ w jônd. Ǎr dparćr fṛm it z nǎ ol tù obvịsli costñ s ɖt pṛspeṛti

William Keegan
Wiłm Cīgn

Wiłm Cīgn, Súnde 27 Nvmbr 2022

Ẃn rīsntli asct on ɖ Tde program t sáit ćaptr n vrs on ɖ subjict v Brexit “oṗtyṇtiz” Mîcl Gov, ɖ secṛtri v stet fr ol sīznz, wz hoplisli ǎt v hiz depʈ.

Hvr, Gov míst a tric. Ẃt h śd hv sd, bt az a sînd-up Brexitr obvịsli cd nt, wz ɖt ɖ onli “oṗtyṇti” arîzñ fṛm Brexit wz t conduct a sạntific xperimnt t demnstret ɖt ɖ hol îdīa wz a mstec. Morovr, it wz a confidnstric on ɖ Britiś public, ɖ mjoṛti v hūm nǎ riylîz ɖt ɖe hv bn hd.

Az biznis n inḍstri strugl wɖ ɖ consiqnsz v impozñ sañśnz on ǎr abiḷti t tred wɖ ǎr larjist marcit, n sitiznz – noun t icoṇmists az “cnsymrz” – strugl wɖ ɖ hayr importprîsz impozd bî ɖ dvalyeśn rzultñ fṛm Brexit, ɖ poulz r pṛnǎnsñ ppl’z vrdict on Brexit wɖ a vnjns.

A rīsnt YGuv poul tlz s ɖt 56% v ppl ʈnc w wr roñ t līv ɖ YY n onli 32% ɖt w wr rît. Īvn 19% v ɖoz hu ǒn p t hvñ votd līv nǎ ʈnc ɖe wr roñ. Ɖ onli ej grūp cntenñ a mjoṛti stl in fevr v Brexit z ɖ ovr-65z – I hv t se ɖe r nt amñ ɖ ovr-65z I mslf bump intu, bt ɖr it z. N 88% v ɖoz hu votd Lebr in 2019 ʈnc līv wz ɖ roñ dsiźn. (Cir Starmr n śadoćanslr Rećl Rīvz plīz not!)

It z obvịs ɖt ɖ mor intelijnt membrz v ɖ Sūnac/Hunt cabiṇt hv got ɖ mesij fṛm ɖ CBI n elsẃr ɖt w nīd, fr ɖ sec v ǎr icoṇmi n ɖ jenṛl welfér, t rījôn ɖ sngl marcit. Bt ɖs z ɖ luv ɖt der nt spīc its nem, īvn ɖo it apirz ɖt attydz twdz iṃgreśn – fri muvmnt! – hv ćenjd sins 2016, ẃn ɖ igrījs Boris Jonsn, himslf v Trciś ansstri, f’mntd anti-imigṛnt fīlñ wɖ nonsns abt an iminnt flud v Trciś imigṛnts.

Sūnac hz pict p ɖ mesij ɖt ɖ comḅneśn v Brexit n ɖ ceos in ɖ Cnsrṿtiv n Brexit parti hz léd foṛn obzrvrz t cnclud ɖt Britn z sncñ fast. Acordñ t ɖ Orġnîześn fr Ic̣nomic Cooṗreśn n Dveḷpmnt, v ɖ grūp v 20 līdñ icoṇmiz, onli Ruśa z pformñ wrs ɖn ɖ YC. Yes, w wr noun az ɖ “sic man v Yṛp” untl w jônd ɖ Yṛpiyn Yńn n – ges ẃt? – w hv left ɖ YY n hv rgend ɖt dybịs steṭs.

Membrśp v ɖ YY dd gret ʈñz fr ɖs cuntri. Bʈ Lebr n Cnsrṿtiv guvnmnts fòt ɖer cornr n, on ɖ hol, got ẃt ɖe wontd. Marġrit Ʈaćr n hr rît-hand ngośietr Lord Cǒfīld pleid a blîndr in ɖ setñ p v ɖ sngl marcit, n Jon Mejr aćivd wundrz at Maastricht wɖ ɖ YC’z opt-ǎt fṛm ɖ sngl cuṛnsi. Az fr rîtwñ cnsrnz abt “evr closr” yńn, ɖe wr dyli aswejd. In esns, ẃt ɖoz ol tù influenśl līvrz aćivd wz a hol̦i uņesṣri Brexit ɖt śot ɖ icoṇmi in ɖ ft.

Ɖ Ofis fr Bujit Rsponsbiḷti calklets ɖ kḿḷtiv damij v Brexit wl b inuf t noc 4% evri yir of ǎr ptnśl GDP. Az Mîcl Sōndrz, a formr membr v ɖ Banc v Ñgḷnd’z munitri-poḷsi cmiti, hz sd: “Ɖ nīd fr taxrîzz [n] spendñcuts wd’nt b ɖr f Brexit hd’nt rdyst ɖ icoṇmi’z ptnśl ǎtpt so mć.” N ɖ Fînanśl Tîmz rīsntli rportd ɖt mni v ɖ asetmanijrz hūm Sūnac n Hunt wr trayñ t paṣfî aftr ɖ Trus-Qarteñ fiasco wr cnsrnd abt ɖ denjrz v oṿdwñ osteṛti!

It wz a formr Treẓ́ri prṃnnt secṛtri, Lord Crowm, hu obzrvd t ɖ historịn Lord Heṇsi n m wns: “Ẃt matrz z nt baḷnsñ ɖ bujit bt baḷnsñ ɖ icoṇmi.” Yt, wɖ ɖ rīsnt bujit n ɖ ćanslr’z “śoc n horr” tōc, w sīm t b bac t ɖ ira v sedomuniṭrizm. W r srtnli a loñ we fṛm baḷnsñ ɖ icoṇmi.

Ɖ icoṇmist Jim Bōl yst t se h wz sspiśs v ɖ OBE – nt ɖ Ordr v ɖ Britiś Empîr, bt ɖ ppl hu gv y Wn Big Xpḷneśn.

Fr ɖs guvnmnt, ɖ WBX fr ǎr ic̣nomic trublz wz frst Covid, ɖen Ycren. I am nt seyñ Brexit z ɖ cōz v ol ǎr probḷmz bt – mî gdnis! – it hz magṇfaid ɖm. Wɖ dy rspct t ɖ meṃri v ɖ lêt Pṛf. Bōl, I śd lîc t noṃnet Brexit az ɖ Wn Big Xpḷneśn fr ẃ ɖs icoṇmi z fẹrñ so mć wrs ɖn ɖ rest v ɖ G20.

Instroduction to Ñspel

"House by the Railroad," Edward Hopper, 1925

In Ñspel: The Guardian view on the Conservatives: countdown to oblivion

Rishi Sunak, centre, is struggling to master the uncontrollable Tory ship at Westminster. Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/AP
Riśi Sūnac, sntr, z struġlñ t mastr ɖ uncntroḷbl Tori śip at Wsminstr. Foṭgraf: Stefan Rousseau/AP

Ɖ Gardịn vy on ɖ Cnsrṿtivz: cǎntdǎn t oblivịn

(Transcription of a Guardian editorial of 25 Nov. 2022)

Ɖr z an end-v-an-ira fīl abt Tori fêṭlizm twdz Riśi Sūnac n hiz guvnmnt

Frîde 25 Nvmbr 2022

“So bginz ɖ cǎntdǎn t oblivịn,” ɖ Lebr MP n dayrist Cris Mulin rout on Ny Yir’z De 2010, az h contmpletd ɖ cmñ jenṛl ilex́n, ẃć Lebr dyli lost. Tde, bî contrast, Britn z stl tū yirz awe fṛm its nxt ilex́n. Sć z ɖ fêṭlizm amñ ɖ cuṛnt crop v Cnsrṿtiv MPz, hvr, ɖt ɖr z olrdi an end-v-ira mūd n fīl in ɖ rūlñ parti.

Tec ɖ ces v Clǒi Smiʈ, hu holdz Norij Norʈ bî a mjoṛti v 4,738. Mz Smiʈ z onli 40, n wz in ɖ cabiṇt untl last munʈ. Hr dsiźn t step dǎn fṛm poḷtics ɖs wīc z a muv ɖt uɖrz wl olso folo. Hr colīg Wíl Rág (34, Hezl Grov, mjoṛti 4,423) z olrdi dwñ so. Mát Hancoc me b nxt ǎt v hir. Lobiyñfrmz rport an incris in dscrit job inqîriz fṛm insd Wsminstr, ẃl Cnsrṿtiv hedqortrz hz asct its MPz t claṛfî ɖer planz. Ɖs lêtist cǎntdǎn t oblivịn hz startd rli.

Ɖr r objctiv rīznz fr Tori peṣmizm. Partiget n ɖ tax-cutñ dbācl hv left lastñ damij. Ɖ cost-v-livñ crîsis z dīpr ɖn evr. Hǎshold incmz r set t dclîn fr tū yirz. Ɖ śer v ɖ ilectṛt hu ʈnc ɖ Cnsrṿtivz r maṇjñ ɖ icoṇmi badli z cuṛntli 81%. Riśi Sūnac hz betr retñz ɖn Boris Jonsn or Liz Trus bt ɖe r stl neġtiv. Ɖ Tori parti’z ǒn standñz r mć wrs. Lebr’z pouļīd z stl abt 20 pônts.

Mr Sūnac z olso struġlñ t mastr ɖ uncntroḷbl Tori śip at Wsminstr. Dybịs cabiṇt’pôntmnts – Doṃnic Raab z ɖ lêtist in ɖ spotlît rīsntli vcetd bî Gavin Wiłmsn – hv damijd hiz repyteśn. Hiz in’biḷti t cntrol ɖ parti eni betr ɖn hiz prīdisesrz z spotlit bî ɖ dsiźnz v bʈ Mr Jonsn n Mz Trus ɖs wīc t jôn a bac-bnć rvolt agnst ɖ ban on ny onśor windfarmz. Mr Sūnac hz olrdi hd t pspon a vot t fors locl caunslz t mīt hǎsbildñ targits t ẃć mor ɖn 50 v hiz MPz objctd. Mr Sūnac me hv a nominl mjoṛti v 69, bt h canot dlivr on poḷsi. Ɖs wz prisîsli ẃt dd fr Mz Trus ovr fracñ.

Ɖ nxt xampl cd b iṃgreśn. Record net mîgreśnfigrz ɖs wīc śo bʈ ɖt guvnmntpoḷsiz r nt wrcñ n ɖt ministrz d nt nǒ ẃt t d abt it. Sins iṃgreśncntrol z crūśl t sm cor Tori votrz, ministrz rspond bî mcñ wîld, undilivṛbl proṃsz. Dīporteśn t Rwanda wz (n z) wn. Ɖ lêtist emz t stop foṛn stydnts fṛm atndñ ol bt a hanfl v ilīt yṇvrṣtiz. Ɖs wd bancrupt mni coḷjz, n rvrs ɖ 2019 xpanśn v foṛn stydnts t fil ɖ c’laps in stydntnumbrz n yṇvrṣti incm cōzd bî Brexit.

Ɖ yir’z bigist ćalinj t Mr Sūnac n Tori mrāl z ptnṣ́li stl arnd ɖ cornr. Ɖ Royl Colij v Nrsñ’z strîcs in Dsmbr pit ɖ most admîrd wrcfors in Britn agnst an unpopylr guvnmnt. Ɖr cn b onli wn winr. Public opińn, olrdi noṭbli simṗʈetic t uɖr strîcñ grūps ɖs wintr, wl hardn. Fr ɖ Tori parti t start a batl wɖ ɖ nrsz wd sjst nt jst cnfyźn bt a deʈwiś.

Opziśnparti s’portrz naćṛli riact cōśsli t ɖz sînz v Cnsrṿtiv dfitizm. Ɖe fir it c’nt last. Ɖe rcōl hǎ similr hops hv bn daśt in ɖ past. Ɖe wuri ɖt Lebr hz nt yt dn inuf t sìl ɖ dīl wɖ ɖ ilectṛt. Ɖz wuriz r unḍstanḍbl. Bt ɖe me olso unḍesṭmet ɖ śift in ɖ naśnl mūd n its scel. Ɖ riyl qsćn fesñ ɖ Tori parti ɖs wintr z nt so mć ẃɖr ɖe cn rcuvr bt ẃɖr, in ɖer cuṛnt stet, ɖe cn nǎ hold on untl 2024 at ol.

Instroduction to Ñspel

"House by the Railroad," Edward Hopper, 1925

In Ñspel: The Guardian view on the pandemic’s educational impact: make good learning losses

‘Research, including from Ofsted, has shown that very young children were among the worst affected by the pandemic.’ Photograph: Fredrick Kippe/Alamy
‘Rsrć, includñ fṛm Ofsted, hz śoun ɖt vri yuñ ćildṛn wr amñ ɖ wrst afctd bî ɖ pandemic.’ Foṭgraf: Fredrick Kippe/Aḷmi

Ɖ Gardịn vy on ɖ pandemic’s edyceśnl impact: mc gd lrnñlosz

(Transcription of a Guardian editorial of 24 Nov. 2022)

Incrisñ numbrz v prîṃri-ej pyplz r misñ targits. Nrṣriz az wel az scūlz nīd rzorsz t cać p

Ʈrzde 24 Nvmbr 2022

Ćildṛn in Ñgḷnd śd hv lrnt t rīd bî ej sevn. Gvn an ej-aproprịt bc, ɖe r xpctd t b ebl t foc̣s on unḍstandñ – hu ɖ stori z abt, ẃt z haṗnñ – rɖr ɖn xpnd eḟt on sǎndñ ǎt indivijl wrdz. Litṛsi, ńmṛsi n sośl n fizicl scilz r ɖ blocs on ẃć ol lrnñ z bilt. So it z cnsrnñ ɖt ɖ lêtist rsrć on ɖ pandemic’s ifcts śoz ɖt ɖ numbr v vri lo atenrz in rīdñ, in ɖ ʈrd yir v scūlñ, hz mor ɖn tripld.

In a sampl v 6,000 pyplz fṛm 81 scūlz, ɖ pṛporśn hu fél b’lo xpctd levlz rouz fṛm 2.6% t 9.1% btwn 2017 n ɖs yir. Ɖr wz olso a marct dclîn in maʈs, wɖ vri lo atenrz incrisñ fṛm 2.6% t 5.5% v ɖ totl. Ẃl ɖr wr sm sînz v a rcuṿri in ɖ 12 munʈs t sprñ 2022 – a pirịd ẃn scūlz rmend opn, wɖ caćup scīmz in ples – ɖ hed v ɖ Edyceśn-Indǎmnt Fǎndeśn, Pṛf. Beci Fransis, sz ɖt iniqoḷti xasbetd bî ɖ pandemic z nǎ ɖ “bigist ćalinj” fesñ scūlz oṿol.

In retṛspect, Boris Jonsn’z rfyzl t fund ɖ postpandemic pacij rec̣mndd bî ɖ xprt hîrd fr ɖ prṗs in 2021, Sr Cevn Colinz, lcs īvn mor śortsîtd n mīn-mîndd ɖn it dd at ɖ tîm. Mr Jonsn ofrd les ɖn 10% v ɖ £15bn ɖt Sr Cevn sd wz nīdd. Hǎ mć betr fr ɖ guvnmnt t hv invstd in ɖ fyćr ɖen, bî ptñ in ples a comprihnsiv rcuṿripacij.

Instd, scūlz wr left hî n drî, lacñ ɖ rzorsz t mc p fr lost lrnñ n t s’port ɖ ćildṛn most trubld bî ɖ dsrupśn. Īvn ɖ naśnl tyṭrñprogram wz boćt frst tîm rnd, wɖ ɖ contract gvn t a prîṿt cumṗni ɖt cd nt dlivr. Uɖr rsrć, includñ fṛm Ofsted, hz śoun ɖt vri yuñ ćildṛn wr amñ ɖ wrst afctd bî ɖ pandemic, wɖ incrist sośl n imośnl dificltiz n dlez. Unṣprîzñli, evidns pônts t ɖ most sirịs consiqnsz biyñ sufrd bî ɖoz hu olrdi hd līst – n hu spent locdǎnz in oṿcrǎdd hǎzñ, wɖ adults hu wr les ebl t s’port ɖm.

Agnst ɖs bacdrop, ɖ incris in scūlfundñ promist ɖs munʈ bî ɖ ćanslr, Jeṛmi Hunt, ofrd sm rlif. An adiśnl £2.3bn a yir fr tū yirz z xpctd t brñ fundñ bac t rufli ẃr it wz in 2010 – n mīnz tīćrz’ pe rîzz wl no longr hv t b fundd via cuts. Bt ɖ dsiźn t plug ɖ gap in scūlz’ bujits ẃl ignorñ nrṣriz n frɖr edyceśn coḷjz z unfgiṿbl. Yirz v reṭric fṛm s’xesiv ministrz abt scilz, n ny voceśnl rùts az oltrṇtivz t yṇvrṣti, hv bn xpozd az hot er.

Edyceśnl dvîdz r starc. Īvn bfr ɖ pandemic, eḟts at clozñ ɖ gap btwn ćildṛn fṛm wlʈi n pur hǎsholdz hd stōld. Ɖ rli-yirz sectr wl nīd invstmnt f ɖs z t ćenj. So wl pṛviźn fr pyplz wɖ speśl nīdz. Ɖ pyplprīmịm śd olso incris, t gv scūlz wɖ ɖ most dprîvd intecs adiśnl rzorsz. Mor mst b dn t rcrūt, rten n moṭvet tīćrz. Ɖ damij ròt bî Covid-19 z obvịs. Bt ɖ Cnsrṿtivz d nt hv a gd stori t tel sevn-yir-olds, or enwn els, abt ẃt hz hapnd t scūlz in Ñgḷnd ʈrt ɖer yirz in ofis.

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"House by the Railroad," Edward Hopper, 1925

Fṛm Đ Ny Yorc Tîmz │ Boris Johnson is a terrible leader. It doesn’t matter.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson of Britain and President Biden in Cornwall, England, on Thursday. Despite all the havoc Mr. Johnson’s Conservatives have caused, the party is in a stronger position than ever.Credit...Pool photo by Toby Melville
Prîm̦inistr Boris Jonsn v Britn n Prezidnt Bîdn in Cornẉl, Ñgḷnd, on Ʈrzde. Dspt ol ɖ haṿc Mr Jonsn’z Cnsrṿtivz hv cōzd, ɖ parti z in a strongr pziśn ɖn evr. Credit: Pūlfoto bî Tobi Mlvil

Boris Jonsn z a teṛbl līdr. It dz’nt matr.

(Transcription of a New York Times article of June 11, 2021)

LUNDN — Boris Jonsn, Britn’z frīẃīlñ, clǎniś prîm̦inistr, z abt t ple host.

Saḿl R̋l, Jūn 11, 2021

On Jūn 11, ɖ de aftr a prîṿt mītñ wɖ Prezidnt Bîdn, Mr Jonsn z scejld t welcm uɖr Grūp v 7 līdrz t Cornẉl, on ɖ sǎʈ-wstn cǒst v Ñgḷnd, t dscus clîṃtćenj, ɖ globl pandemic rcuṿri n ɖ rtrit v libṛl dmocṛsi arnd ɖ wrld.

Yt Mr Jonsn me hv uɖr ʈñz on hiz mînd. Ovr ɖ past fy munʈs, a siriz v scandlz n aḷgeśnz hz pt ɖ prîm̦inistr undr unyźl preśr. Ɖr hv bn akześnz v c’rupśn, rports v bitr rîvlriz on hiz closist tīm n, t top it of, xplosiv tstiṃni fṛm hiz formr ćīf advîzr, Doṃnic Cumñz, ɖt leid rsponsbiḷti fr ɖ hanḍlñ v ɖ pandemic in Britn — ẃr ovr 125,000 ppl hv daid v Covid-19 — sqerli at Mr Jonsn’z dor. Stori bî stori, scandl bî scandl, Mr Jonsn hz bn xpozd az a slapdaś, vīnl, incompitnt līdr.

Bt it dz’nt sīm t matr. Ɖ Cnsrṿtivz, dspt ɖ cntrovsi, r stl cumftbli ahd in ɖ poulz — n īvn manijd t dfit ɖ opziśn Lebr Parti in a rīsnt bîilex́n, clemñ ɖ norʈīstn cnstitẏnsi v Hartḷpul fr ɖ frst tîm. N Mr Jonsn, fr ol ɖ ǎtrej n acriṃni, cn grīt hiz felo globl līdrz in a spirit v trîumf. Wɖ hlʈi apruvlretñz n at ɖ hlm v a parti bostñ an 80-sīt mjoṛti, hiz pǎr z aśurd.

Gvn Mr Jonsn’z inaptitude fr ofis, bresñli iluṃnetd bî Mr Cumñz’z tstiṃni, ɖt’s qt rmarcbl. Spīcñ t Parḷmnt fr ovr sevn aurz on Me 26, Mr Cumñz, hu mastrmîndd Mr Jonsn’z ilex́n win in Dsmbr 2019 — bt hu wz ǎstd fṛm hiz rǒl az ćīf advîzr a yir lêtr — tòr intu ɖ guvnmnt’s caṭstrofic mshanḍlñ v ɖ pandemic, iviṣretd ɖ prîm̦inistr’z caṛctr n dclerd him “unfit fr ɖ job.”

Mr Jonsn’z iniśl fełr t tec ɖ vîṛs sirịsli z wel dokmntd, bt sm v ɖ dītelz wr stl astoṇśñ. Acordñ t Mr Cumñz, Mr Jonsn iniṣ́li clemd ɖt ɖ c’roṇvîṛs “z onli cilñ 80-yir-oldz” n wontd t b injctd wɖ ɖ c’roṇvîṛs lîv on teḷviźn t śo ɖt ɖr wz nʈñ t wuri abt. (Az it hapnd, Mr Jonsn cntractd ɖ vîṛs in lêt Marć n spent a wīc in a hospitl.)

Ɖ reṿleśnz cem agnst a bacdrop v rports xpozñ ɖ Cnsrṿtivz’ doji dīlñz jrñ ɖ pandemic: Covid-19 contracts wrʈ biłnz v pǎndz gwñ t frendz v Cnsrṿtiv lwmecrz wɖ no xpirịns in ɖ hlʈsectr, biznistîcūnz wɖ d’rect lînz t ɖ prîm̦inistr t pś ɖer inṭrests n a laviś reṇveśn v ɖ prîm̦inistr’z rezidns at Dǎnñ Strīt ɖt involvd a sīcrit dneśn bî a Tori bacr. Tōc v slīz n Britn’z “ćumocṛsi” hz prmietd īvn ɖ tipicli loyl pejz v ɖ rît-wñ pres.

Bt Mr Jonsn (huz repyteśn fr nt jst svîvñ c’rir-endñ cntrovsiz bt ʈrîvñ on ɖm hz ŕnd him nicnemz lîc “Teflon Jonsn,” “Hūdīni” n, les flatrñli, “ɖ grīst piglit”) hz cǒstd ʈru ɖ trbyḷns. Ingulft in scandl, un’seḷbli popylr — ɖs hz olwz bn ɖ esns v brand Boris. In hiz tstiṃni, Mr Cumñz rcōld cmplenñ t Mr Jonsn ɖt ɖ hanḍlñ v ɖ pandemic wz “ceos.” “Ceos z’nt ɖt bad,” ɖ prîm̦inistr rplaid, acordñ t Mr Cumñz. “Ceos mīnz ɖt evrwn hz t lc t m t si hu’z in ćarj.”

Ɖ ceos me sūt Mr Jonsn, bt fr Britn it hz bn devstetñ. Ɖ ultiṃt prūf v ɖ prîm̦inistr’z felñz jrñ ɖ pandemic lîz nt wɖ Mr Cumñz bt in ɖ concrīt numbrz: Mr Jonsn hz léd Britn t wn v ɖ hîist Covid deʈrets in ɖ wrld, oṿsīn wn ɖ wrst ic̣nomic dǎntrnz in ɖ Grūp v 7 n impozd ɖ ʈrd-strictist locdǎn gloḅli. Ɖ s’xes v ɖ neśn’z vax̣neśnprogram — Britn hz dlivrd mor dosz ɖn eni uɖr cuntri in Yṛp — hz let Mr Jonsn rīfrem ɖs traɉdi az a trîumf. Bt fr tnz v ʈǎzndz v grīvñ faṃliz, it cmz az litl conṣleśn.

Yt fr ol ɖ sṗsific pkliaṛtiz v Mr Jonsn’z prsona — a diziyñ blend v dspśn, bṛvādo n slf-depriceśn — ɖ jarñ diṣnns ɖt dfînz hiz guvnmnt, at wns ilectṛli s’xesfl n soṣ́li dstructiv, z nt ptiklr t ɖ cuṛnt prîm̦inistr. In mni wez, it z ɖ stori v ɖ modn Cnsrṿtiv Parti. Ɖ parti’z fǎndñ promis, leid dǎn in Roḅt Pīl’z Tamwrʈ Maṇfsto in 1834, wz t stop Britn fṛm bcmñ a “ppćl vortx v ajteśn.” Sins ɖ Cnsrṿtivz rgend pǎr in 2010, Britn hz bcm jst ɖt, wɖ tū reḟrenḍmz, ʈri prîm̦inistrz n for jenṛl ilex́nz.

Ɖ Cnsrṿtivz hv fluriśt in ɖz cndiśnz, winñ ć jenṛl ilex́n sins 2010 wɖ a larjr śer v ɖ vot ɖn ɖ last. Bt ɖ spôlz v vicṭri hv nt bn wîdli śerd. Wejz hv nt rizn agnst infleśn fr ɖ longist pirịd sins ɖ Npolionic ira, a ʈrd v ćildṛn nǎ gro p in poṿti, n stetwelfér z nǎ wn v ɖ stinjiist in ɖ dveḷpt wrld.

In Cornẉl, ẃr Mr Jonsn wl host ɖ Grūp v 7 līdrz in a btīc sìsîd hotel, Britn’z sośl n ic̣nomic miẓri z plen fr ol t si. In 2008, Cornẉl wz wn v ʈri eriaz in ɖ Ynîtd Cñdm t sufr amñ ɖ wrst levlz v depṛveśn in Yṛp; nǎ it z wn v sevn. N ɖ numbr v nebrhdz in Cornẉl ɖt ranc amñ ɖ most dprîvd in Ñgḷnd hz mor ɖn dubld sins 2010. Acrs ɖ cuntri, Tori rūl hz cǒinsîdd wɖ a cōrṣnñ v livñcndiśnz.

Stl, ɖ Cnsrṿtivz swagr on, unṗtrbd, mbi īvn eṇjîzd, bî ɖ ceos n depṛveśn arnd ɖm. Ɖ vot t līv ɖ Yṛpiyn Yńn in 2016 — léd, oṗtynisticli, bî Mr Jonsn — rīcnfigrd ɖ ilectṛl map n rījuṿnetd ɖ Cnsrṿtiv Parti. Brexit’s “Yir Ziro” ifct, az wn Cnsrṿtiv ministr pt it, alaud ɖ parti t riinvnt itslf az an anti-istabliśmnt fors, ẃl rtenñ its wlʈi bacrz, n t tap intu ɖ drīmz n añzaytiz v Ñgliś naśṇlizm mor pswesivli.

Dspt ol ɖ haṿc ɖ Cnsrṿtivz hv cōzd, ɖ parti z in a strongr pziśn ɖn evr. N Mr Jonsn — ɖ man hu sīmz onli evr t fel upwd, blunḍrñ fṛm wn s’xes t ɖ nxt — z at its bìtñ hart. Hiz felolīdrz, fy v hūm pzes cmpaṛbl s’kṛti, me wel lc on envịsli.

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Mr R̋l z a jrṇlist hu raits ofn abt Britn’z poḷtics n culćr.

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MOR ARTICLZ Fṛm Đ Gardịn

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