In the last week the Public Accounrs committe have described the £37 billion budgeted for the Test & Trace programme set up and run by Dido Harding as 'eye watering' whilst new cases reported continue the be the second highest in the world day after day. The government's own Office for Budget Responsibility hasestimated that, whilst the cost of the pandemic to the economy will be a reduction in GDP of 2%, the cost of Brexit will be a 4% fall.
COP26 is about to start in Glasgow and under Boris Johnson's leadership the opening of a major new oilfield and a new coal mine is being considered and may well be sanctioned after COP26. We are seeking trade deals with countries on the other side of the world whilst doing everything possibly to make trade with our nearest neighbours as difficult as possible. Rish Sunak in his budget last week reduced the Airline Passenger Tax for internal UK flights, a move which can only be an incentive for more people to fly rather than take the train, another move to raise doubts about our commitment to solving global warming. In the meantime, Johnson told a group of children in Downing Street that recycling is a 'red herring'.
The treatment of sewage by mostly foreign-owned companies has become a major scandal which could have been avoided had the prime minister acted quickly. Images and descriptions of sewage in rivers and the sea has been seen all over the world thanks to social media doing even more damage to our reputation worldwide a few days before COP26.
Finally a fishing dispute with France which could have been resolved quickly and easily has resulted in angering both France and the EU, the very nations we Johnson will be asking for support at Glasgow this week.