However, other government machinations continue unabated by various members of the Coalition. It seems that while there is life there is hope. Certain people round here have an abundance of hope and therefore they continue to plough their crooked furrows.
Today, Arturo once more pointed me in the direction of a story in the Daily Telegraph. Christopher Hope, Senior Political Correspondent, has come up with evidence of such machinations.
He wrote an article entitled: Planning figures are two decades old. As soon as I saw that I thought to myself 'Ah ha! Old 'Bagpuss' Pickles and 'Disgusting' Clark are up to no good again! They will say or do almost anything to get the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) into force, thus helping developers start work crunching up the countryside. Well, Pickles was not mentioned by name, much to my disappointment. Clark's name, however, did feature.
Christopher Hope writes:
Chancellor George Osborne has justified controversial changes to planning rules by saying that planning delays cost the UK £3 billion a year.
However, it has emerged that the £3 billion figure is based on an estimate by the Confederation of British Industry in 1992.
1992! Well, I thought, if that's how Georgy Osborne does his financial calculations - no wonder the country is in trouble! Just think about it for a minute. 1992 is 19 years ago - when the PM was one John Major, a Conservative leader having problems with Eurosceptic backbenchers! Now - 19 years later, we have a Conservative PM having problems with hordes of Eurosceptic backbenchers! That's it! Obviously, Georgy is so worried about his pal, 'Boy David' Cameron that he started living in the past.
That is to put a favourable hue on Georgy's machinations. Actually, what is relevant is the present cost of planning policy issues? A more cynical creature than myself might put forward the suggestion that the CBI estimate from 1992 was more advantageous to Georgy's argument than the present figures!
Christopher Hope continues:
The Treasury published claims that planning delays cost the economy £3 billion a year in March, citing a study by Reading University. Mr Osborne repeated it in a speech in September.
However, the Royal Town Planning Institute told MPs yesterday that it had found the Reading study referred to a 2006 report by a former civil servant, Kate Barker, who in turn based it on a Confederation of British Industry estimate from 1992.
Trudi Elliott, the institute’s chief executive, said: “We don’t think there is any evidence, that planning costs the economy £3 billion.”
Does this remind anyone of the 'Dodgy Dossier'?
Georgy has been supporting the NPPF. Arturo says that Georgy is desperate to get the credit for something positive. If the NPPF is implemented and following this the costs of planning are reduced below the 1992 figure - Hey presto! Georgy Osborne is a genius. 'Disgusting' Clark is a genius! Even 'Bagpuss' Pickles is a genius! You see it's all sleight of hand - or rather sleight of figures!
How these men of politics desire to be thought brilliant - even if they have to fiddle the figures to get the reputation!
What was 'Disgusting' Clark's response to the assertion that the figures presented by the government were wrong? Christopher Hope writes:
The planning minister Greg Clark, who was giving evidence to the MPs, said it was “not for me” to question estimates from academics.
So there you have it - humility in bucketsful! 'Disgusting' Clark knows his limitations!
Let's hope that Georgy Osborne knows his limitations too! What was that figure he quoted for the National Debt?????
'Bye'
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