"It seems the government has a propensity for biting its own arse!" he said.
I was shocked - by his rather crude manner of speech and also by his ability to see the truth when others don't. I knew I was going to be told another gem of information - and I was right.
"I don't know who oversees the government's policies," Arturo commented, "But whoever it is doesn't make sure there are no pitfalls before going ahead with them."
"For instance?" I asked.
"For instance the new cuts to legal aid - just take a look at yesterday's Guardian - it'll make your whiskers curl!" So saying he dropped the paper in front of me. "Take a gander at the article by Randeep Ramesh, the Guardian's social affairs editor: Conservative MP piloting legal aid cuts may profit from the changes- then read his other article Tory party donations by insurance firms in marked increase since 2005." So saying he sauntered off towards the kitchen. I wondered whether he was trying to divert my attention from food! However, I could not resist reading what this Randeep Ramesh had discovered.
And was this another pitfall? Well - I'll let you judge for yourself. My posts about the government's policies on forests, benefits, housing, planning, localism, education, pensions and the NHS have shown that every time a minister opens his mouth - he shoves a bloomin' great foot in it - I'll try to let the facts speak for themselves, this time. I say try!!
Randeep Ramesh writes:
According to an investigation by the Guardian, financial firms with insurance interests have given the Tories £5.4m in the last decade, £4.9m of that since David Cameron became leader in December 2005.(http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/sep/16/conservative-party-donations-insurance-companies)
That's not a paltry sum! Not bad! Not bad, at all! Almost as good as the £3.3 million given to them by the property developers over the last three years!
Now, we know that the property developers are delighted with the new planning proposals - you could argue - I say could - that it was a very happy investment for them!
So what, I wondered had Randeep Ramesh and the Guardian unearthed, this time. I was amazed!
It seems that
controversial plans to cut legal aid and curb payouts ... could benefit the insurance industry to the tune of a billion pounds(http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/sep/16/conservative-mp-legal-aid-cuts)
Ah Ha! It's money again, isn't it? Wise old bloke the one who said 'The love of money is the root of all evil' - He wasn't kidding, was he?
There is a man with a very strange name that even Arturo cannot get his tongue round - one Jonathan Djanogly - I'll call him 'Ugly Ogly' - I can say that! Well - to get to the point - 'Ugly Ogly' Djanogly is the legal services minister in this government. He is in charge of the new legal aid 'reforms'!
We know the government is intent on savings. Give them a big hand for that! Savings is the flavour of the month - but where there are government savings, there are usually winners and there are losers! So! Who will benefit from the reforms?
This bill that 'Ugly Ogly' Djanogly, is taking through parliament will try to cut the budget for legal aid by £350m. It will also force claimants to pay their lawyers' success fees and also the insurance policies that cover court costs out of any damages they might be awarded.
Randeep Ramesh commented:
Experts say this will benefit the insurance industry by at least "hundreds of millions of pounds".
So there you have it! It's the insurance industry that will be the winner if this bill and its 'reforms' gets through parliament!
Oh Boy! There's another stink around here and this time I know it ain't my sardines - cos Arturo just ate them!
I've had enough of this 'pitfall' for one day! However, I guess it means there'll have to be another 'about turn' when 'Boy David' Cameron realises the folly of allowing this to happen.
Being the excellent PR man, he is reputed to be - he surely won't want another scandal to slip in alongside the others!! If he fails to take action on this and on the seeming payback for the property developers, his reputation will plummet - now that would spell real trouble!
'Bye'
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