My cousins son was in the 1st wave of the UK Erasmus programme,Sorbonne University. He speaks 6 languages and is a philosophy teacher. He would never come back to the UK.He is currently in Santander, Spain. He will be visiting his mother in the UK for Christmas. Best wishes to you Michael.
It gets me more depressed listening to your videos. Ive decided to move away. I can through my grandfather likely get an eu passport and so im moving away. I don’t see this country ever getting better. Not for decades and i don’t want to suffer through it
Thank you, Michael, for all your videos over the past year. With wit and honesty, you are always both informative and entertaining. Hope you have a great Christmas, and I'll look forward to hearing what you have to say in 2025.
is it any wonder that the world is decending into bedlam when people like these, who are in governements, making laws and deciding how we the citizens should live ?
We have exchanged European carers,for carers from Nigeria. I heard a youth on a bicycle no lights,dressed totally in black taking an order for drugs in Stockton-on Tees,near the shambles. Teesside Freeport has a jailed drug dealer as head of security at Teesside Freeport. Everything is fine on Teesside, especially for criminals.
With young people struggling to pay sky high UK rents and many unable to afford to leave home, where are these young continental Europeans supposed to live during their time in the UK?
Excellent analysis of the state of the UK. Thanks for highlighting the issues that it seems the press shy away from. I am very angry about the treatment "dished out" to the W.A.S.P.I women this week. It says it all about past & present governments. Merry Christmas to you Michael & all your listeners contributors. All the best for a Peaceful & Happy New Year 🎉
Hi Michael, First time seeing your video and appreciate your coverage about Tulip Siddiq. While we, from Bangladesh, are quite sure what the Sheikh family did, we merely requested for an investigation - which is not politically motivated as often the narrative during regime changes. In all honesty, she renting out her house in North London and moved into a GBP 2m house her aunt’s (Hasina) friend graciously provided to her in exchange for a VIP status is ‘red flag’ enough. If you are interested, I would urge you to look at the network of the deposed Sheikh family including Tarique Siddiqui, Tulip’s Mother Sheikh Rehana, and her brother, Bobby. Generally, they operate through shell companies.
Everywhere. The UK "in money terms" is the most corrupt country on earth, according to the mafia expert. Johnson let the mask slip with his PPE scam. Until then the peasants still believed the UK is holier than thou and corruption only happens somewhere else.
What, to get out of the shitbox country the tories left behind? It's certainly tempting....but wouldn'thave been necessary if we were still in the EU.@sararichardson737
On treasury minister's family outing in the Kremlin: As a non-Brit (who has nothing but the highest regard for Brits, having lived there a couple of decades), what really shocks me is that most Brits have no idea how very corrupt their public life is, or don't care.
@@akpanekpo6025 Very true. It’s detailed in Private Eye but I think a Fatalistic citizenry feels there’s nothing that can be done about it. It has very old roots traceable to early 19th century urban politics and patronage under what was known as ‘Economising’.
@@akpanekpo6025 what salacious nonsense. Don't tar everyone with the Alexander d'piffle Johnson brush and his bullingdon mates including 7 jobs Osborne who brought our country services and infrastructure to it's knees and is currently working his incompetent magic governance at the British Museum.
Excellent talk, Michael. How the UK has fallen so far down the tubes, is utterly mind-numbing. Totally corrupt from top government to utilities. Quite literally they can, and do, exactly as they please, with complete unaccoutability. As for Starmer - 'huge disappointment' doesn't even come close.
Remember how the Tories claimed privatisation of water, gas and electricity would get such inefficient utilities of the collective backs of the British taxpayer? And how they'd be able to raise finance via the selling of shares and be self-sufficient due to efficientcy savings? Clearly this raised cash and efficientcy savings didn't go on the business. More like on shareholder dividends and board salaries!!!!
Water was not privatised in Scotland. In 1994 Strathclyde Regional Council organised a postal referendum on the matter, with 33,956 voting in favour and 1,194,667 voting against.
Some of the meat could end up at Tescos. Remember the horse meat burgers years ago? The other thing is chlorinated chicken from the US and red meat with hormones. Its shocking. I find the Siddiq story shocking too. Thank you Michael for bringing it to the fore.
I'm not sure staying in EU would have been good with hine sight I think I'm pleased we have left now. I wasn't at the time. EU is imploding I see little unity amongst them, France and Germany's economies are in the toilet and nothing but resentment for Brussels amongst the Spanish Greeks Dutch and Italians. Brussels carries on as if there is no economic crisis or global financial meltdown. They all want their countries back, whether it's from over tourism or immigration. I wouldn't' be surprised if we are witnessing the end of the EU, and the beginning of a return to self determination and feel strangely safe in the knowledge that we fought and lost to stay in
I swear there is rotten meat in Felix cat food, all four of my cats have suddenly refused to eat it. When they do eat it they get sick. I wish I could afford to test the cat food and shame these manufacturers.
Happy Christmas Michael. Thanks for all the videos. What a mess we are in, but for the next week and a half I'm disengaging with the news and enjoying myself in a low-key way. I hope you can do the same.
Thank you, Michael, your points raised are very well made. We need to renew our Democracy here in the UK. This could be done by having a Written Constitution, so that we all clearly understand our Rights and Responsibilities, it would also help to bring transparency to Government. Perhaps it would also be a good idea to model our politics on the system they have in Switzerland, where they hold a Referendum when an important issue that affects the population arises, I believe they do this on local issues too. This makes the political system far more accountable, and could be called ‘Direct Democracy’.
@ I don’t think that holding a Referendum just twice in nearly fifty years is anywhere near good enough for Democracy! The Brexit issue was a far too important issue to be confined to one, ‘Advisory Referendum’, the result would have been different if the whole Brexit process was a matter of a real consultation with the British electorate, over say, a five year period. A further ‘Final EU Withdrawal Referendum’, should have been held once the facts of Brexit became known, by the Government negotiating Brexit, before any Brexit agreement was signed. People would not have voted for that! Also, the Government of David Cameron, was highly irresponsible, the main Referendum was only ‘advisory’, and the Prime Minister resigned simply because the Tory Party were afraid of losing Parliamentary seats to UKIP. It was a case of the Tories putting their Party before Country!
Everyone talks about a written constitution as a total fix for the state of politics. It isn't. The culture and who has influence in our politics needs to change. We need to get rid of lobbyist media who push agendas like austerity & anti-immigrant rhetoric unrestrained and unchallenged. We need to change the types of people who are drawn to becoming MPs; maybe shut Eton and Harrow down so we don't have any more twerps coming into politics from rich families who think they're born to rule. If we just change the constitution into a written one without addressing any of the cultural / influence issues in our political environment, it won't have any/negligible effect.
The idea of retaining FPTP is to ensure that the electorate can never use its brain to end up with a parliament that would accurately represent its views.
They just did that in voting the most corrupt dishonest and incompetent UK govt of my lifetime. How else do you suggest they use their brains in the voting booth, given our undemocratic FPTP system?
@@Leszek.Rzepecki When the political class has failed to deliver on the promise to implement fair voting (e.g. Blair in the 2000's: Trudeau in 2015) you know for a fact it is never going to voluntarily abandon FPTP. Therefore, the people must impose the change, by whatever means and however painfully on the political class.
Michael, thanks for continuing to rail against the naked corruption and gobsmacking stupidity that so many of our fellow Brits seem strangely fine with, largely because the UK media fails to do its job, leaving it to you and far too few others. Must be exhausting, but it's much appreciated. MXHNY to you and yours.
Hang on, when it comes to stories like this, the public is utterly reliant on the media reporting it in order to have awareness. Where else are you going to learn this information from?
@@heidimueller1039 I bought an empty run down cortijo for 125k and spent perhaps 75k making it a lovely home, and I have just had to put in a new septic system 5k. Homes don´t advertise a price, but the estate agent in Lanjarón will give you pictures as well. I was lucky in also getting a huge garden full of fruit trees which goes down to the river, such things don´t seem to add value to properties here, that is mostly about the number of bedrooms. "My" bit of the mountain is known as Paraiso, (paradise) and fortunately the usual entry requirements seem to have been waived in my case ! Saludos.
Michael, if you own your house in London, have you thought about renting it out and moving over here to S.E Asia? Your quality of life would be beyond recognition and certainly extend your life! Malaysia / Thailand are gorgeous places with low-cost housing, damn good health care and a friendly, low-stress lifestyle. Why stay to watch the UK sink lower and lower, as the quality of life reaches below Albania levels?! I think anyone in your circumstances, should seriously consider getting out.
I agree with all that you say. Many have been saying the same for years. I am tired of it seeing the future slipping away for the UK. I am going to look for a job in the EU, I am currently a specialist under EU law, so should be able to move. But it makes me so sad to think that Brexit has catalysed the breaking of the UK, and we are only at the start of it. When we get to 3rd world levels of poverty and despair, were won't have the democracy or ability to remove root and branch the US disaster capitalists. They are here already but it isn't quite too late yet. That is why we voted for labour, the outside chance of rectification. But that looks like a dead end.
I read something about this yesterday. How in other countries it's normal to have experts inhabit the roles of senior government but how here we regularly have people who know nothing about the subject in ministerial roles. Just when they start to get to grips with what they are trying to do, they get moved to another department! The only place in our government that has some experts is the HoL. It's one argument for keeping them. They can try to hold the clueless ministers to account in their specialist fields.
Boris could write about bendy bananas. And he went to public school. And he got a degree in Classics, so he could impress us with a bit of Latin. But knowledge economics, health, running a large organisation, perhaps not.
A young French student recently asked if he could come and work in the UK, he was told no, he needed sponsorship just like people from Nigeria and India. Madness
Hi Michael Thank you for this most informative clip. You have the knack of telling it as it is which is great but will no doubt a not a few... The UK is seeing g an unprecedented fiasco in most areas of the economy . I can t see a y change coming up soon .... In the meantime....have a great Xmas enjoy french wines (I hope ). Looking for ward to your next clip. Xx😊
Hi Michael, it is as usual interesting to listen to your video and the sad state of Boris and his stunts. I will end her with writing Merry Christmas to you and your family🧙♂🧙♂.
Starmer is hardly a breath of fresh air. Light relief at most, but totally lacking in courage or transformative government. A holding operation before we turn to full fascism in desperation? Btw. CPTPP gives us well under 1%...as little as 0.08% in ten years, I understand.
If I've learned anything about politics excepting the Johnson era,when a P.M.'s official spokesman says they have "full confidence "in an MP,behind the scenes they are telling that MP that they will be resigning.
I want them too!/fanfaring the joys of livin and workin in europe! I want them to work on farms, in eastern europe with only access to local earnings, for say 36 months, with no leaving the job or country.. Romanian, latvia, albania, doin proper jobs grafting on the land in farmhand jobs, veg picking on local wages! 😅🎉 Lead by example.
Thank you, Michael. I have always enjoyed your videos and hearing from someone who has vast experience and understanding of how international business works. (or sadly how it used to work) Best wishes and a happy Holiday from Iowa.
Your rich, privileged few in the Westminster club, predominantly Tories, have turned England into a grubby, little economic mire and 3rd world nation. In the spirit of England's water companies, Happy Sh!tmas.
Excellent video as usual Michael. I wish you and your family a very happy and blessed Christmas 🎄 and a New Year with a different leader of Labour. God willing.
What!!! An MP being corrupt??? An MP embezzling??? That cannot possibly be true!!! It is a good job that we ensure that our MPs do not waste our money and syphon as much of it as possible!!! Also i bet we also keep a close eye on their expenses!!! Now let me get back to renovating the junk room in Westminster and get my 10 million pay check!!!
I miss the "Hello, my name is Michael Lambert" at the start of your videos. It always felt reassuring before delving into the horror stories we knew were coming! Thank you for your videos.
Keep these policies going and we will not be able not only to reverse Brexit but also to stop the Far/soft Far Right i.e. Farage becoming the first Company Director to be Prime Minister whilst still not leading a bona fide political party.
@christown2827 Reform is transitioning into a "company limited by guarantee" - like the RSPCA, Save the Children and the College of Policing. Farage won't be a director of that as there will be no directors. He will have one vote like any of the 100,000 members. Reform is already a bona fide political party. It s registered as such with the Electoral Commission and subject to their tight financial rules and audited accounts.
@@DoggleBird Other than Farage saying it's going to happen, can you provide any verifiable evidence from an unbiased source that it is actually happening? Will you go silent on this, as you have done in not answering my simple question asked of you more than once?
@nigelsynnott7344 Just listen to Farage's speech at the Reform Party Conference in September where he publicly committed to doing this. It's not something that can be achieved overnight as it means winding up the present company, creating the new company limited by guarantee and transferring the assets - then de-registering the original company both with Companies House and the Electoral Commission and registering the new legal entity. I have never simply run away from your or anyone else's questions, but I have a life outside commenting on here.
I recall the ghastly Nicholas Ridley on TV in the eighties , pre-privatisation , repeating the same manipulative line "The polluter must pay , the polluter must pay" when challenged over dangers to the environment . Every intelligent person in the country knew that this meant paying a derisory fee , with no incentive to act like responsible adults . The message that privatisation inevitably came with some magical inbuilt community spirit was already in the culture . Bloody tory spivs
@@richardrogers4335 Yup, Ridley was a truly ghastly individual and epitomised the 'new' Tory party in the 80s. The icing on the cake was the provision of a spineless regulator that was made so in order not to impede profit at our expense. The latest incarnation of this is the post Brexit Environment Agency; I'm not absolutely sure what would elicit a call out - a pile of fissile nuclear material discovered on a layby on the A12, gently glowing in the dark.....? I really don't now if they would even consider this worthy of investigation.
So Starmer wants all those new agreements and what is he offering back? Their presence? I am in the Portugal near the sea and I could listen to the laughing in Brussels. Be serious.
The EU knows all to well, about bent and corrupt UK politicians. It was the EU new tax legislation that was the primary caused of brexit. The tax paragraf; about making off-shore bank accounts transparent, to the relative EU member state's inland revenue, this, didn't ring too true in the ears of many UK politicians. So the bent/fiddles only had one redress and that was leave the EU. Also the new tax regulative; stating that tax had tobe paid, on income earned in the country of the income's origin, was a very bitter blow. Prior to the new EU tax laws, incomes earned in the EU, could be move to tax havens. And of course many still have investments in the EU, but they are well and truly pissed off - because in spite of brexit - the EU's tax man, is now taking a chunk of their EU earnings. So the wealthy are not!! interset in re joining the EU.
Uk population will basically vote the media wants. At the moment i see right wing media pushing Farage i see the traditional media not really pushing back on Farage and being very critical on current government. Uk is going to vote more to the right next elections. I think the rich know that closer to US will see last Uk assets up for grabs and removal of working rights and other social security so they will be richer still.
Hi Michael! Well, the Freeports are diversification of the London Laundromat. I would be very interested, in case the UK would try to reapply for EU membership, how the debt to GDP ratio is supposed to go down below 60%. Anyway, I expect Brexitists coming by and telling everybody how great the UK situation is and how bad it is in Germany. I admit they seem every more shrill and desperate, a lot have left. When Russia gets more and more broke, the employment opportunities for such trolls should dry up ;-) Have a great weekend!
It doesn't need to go below 60% to apply for EU membership or to meet the Copenhagen criteria. You are wilfully ignorant at this point. You don't need to make up reasons why the Uk can't become a member. Stick to the facts of the case. Otherwise, no better than brexiteers.
The Copenhagen criteria found at eur-lex.europa.eu: "The applicant country must also satisfy EU eligibility criteria. These are commonly referred to as the Copenhagen criteria as they were defined by the European Council that took place in Copenhagen in June 1993. These criteria are the following: - stable institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for and protection of minorities; - a functioning market economy and the capacity to cope with competition and market forces in the EU; - the ability to take on and implement effectively the obligations of membership, including the aims of political, economic and monetary union." Nothing there about eligibility being contingent on below 60% GDP per capita. The only place where this is mentioned is in both ERMII and the excessive debt procedure for existing members.
"The applicant country must also satisfy EU eligibility criteria. These are commonly referred to as the Copenhagen criteria as they were defined by the European Council that took place in Copenhagen in June 1993. These criteria are the following: - stable institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for and protection of minorities; - a functioning market economy and the capacity to cope with competition and market forces in the EU; - the ability to take on and implement effectively the obligations of membership, including the aims of political, economic and monetary union." - The actual Copenhagen criteria found at EU website. Nowhere mentioned the requirement for below 60% GDP per capita. The only EU legislation where the 60% figure is mentioned is in the EDP (excessive deficit procedure) and ERMII for accension to the Eurozone.
How about anothe water company story? On our local news severn trent have been told to stop outflow into a local protected river. So they are going to spend £80milion , no not upgrading facilities but to build a pipeline to the Trent where they can dump the overflow . They dont need planning permission and can work through farmland at will. Dont we live in a wonderful country! Look forward to next years chaos
We are seeing the death of our most vital ecosystems in real time. There is a battle royal going on over Lake Windermere and a determined group of people fighting for its survival against an ecocidal water company. One of the jewels of our country, being degraded year on year until it is just sterile, like most of the UK.
Thank you for another excellent video. I should also take this opportunity to wish you and your family a very enjoyable Christmas, and, of course. all the best for 2025 - which I hope will be a better year for all of us than 2024 has proven to be. Your hard work to keep us informed on current events is very much appreciated!
My cousins son was in the 1st wave of the UK Erasmus programme,Sorbonne University. He speaks 6 languages and is a philosophy teacher. He would never come back to the UK.He is currently in Santander, Spain. He will be visiting his mother in the UK for Christmas. Best wishes to you Michael.
It really hurts watching our country deteriorate, great points Michael 👍, but hard to stomach.
Vote Reform to say bye bye to the NHS and YOUR human rights 🇬🇧
Vote Reform and prove you are an idiot and a fool😅😅😅😅
Michael Buon Natale e Felice Anno Nuovo 2025 a lei e a tutta la sua familglia.Lorenzo.😊
And pay health insurance. Too bad if you have pre-existing uninsurable conditions.
Grazie Lorenzo e tanti auguri a lei 😊
Thanks, but No thanks.🤣😂🤣😏
Thank you for the upload, we are now officially in times of Oligarchy, Parliamentary democracy is just about gone. God help us.
@@Andrew-dm8mk couldn't agree more
Keep it up Michael, and have regard for your own health..........
Thanks Brian 😊
It gets me more depressed listening to your videos.
Ive decided to move away. I can through my grandfather likely get an eu passport and so im moving away. I don’t see this country ever getting better. Not for decades and i don’t want to suffer through it
@@macflod understandable
UK has been shafting it's lower classes since the 80s, nothing new here. Merry Christmas!
You mean 1880s ??
The Plebians? Since the dawn of time.
Thank you, Michael, for all your videos over the past year. With wit and honesty, you are always both informative and entertaining. Hope you have a great Christmas, and I'll look forward to hearing what you have to say in 2025.
Hear Hear
Thank you Ant 😊
Why are this ppl resigning but not going to prison!! We go to prison for not paying freaking council tax where is the justice
The law only applies to the rank and file; Westminster only legislates to control the rank and file and not the elite.
That poem...'The Goose and the Common'.
is it any wonder that the world is decending into bedlam when people like these, who are in governements, making laws and deciding how we the citizens should live ?
Mr Lambert, I wish you a Merry Christmas to you and your family
Thanks Tommy, and to you too 😊
We have exchanged European carers,for carers from Nigeria.
I heard a youth on a bicycle no lights,dressed totally in black taking an order for drugs in Stockton-on Tees,near the shambles. Teesside Freeport has a jailed drug dealer as head of security at Teesside Freeport. Everything is fine on Teesside, especially for criminals.
Kinell !
With young people struggling to pay sky high UK rents and many unable to afford to leave home, where are these young continental Europeans supposed to live during their time in the UK?
Excellent analysis of the state of the UK. Thanks for highlighting the issues that it seems the press shy away from. I am very angry about the treatment "dished out" to the W.A.S.P.I women this week. It says it all about past & present governments.
Merry Christmas to you Michael & all your listeners contributors.
All the best for a Peaceful & Happy New Year 🎉
Thank you Susan and same to you 😊
And Starmer stands by and watches it ,unbelievable
@@lliambunter good day yup starmer is all for it stealing money
Hi Michael,
First time seeing your video and appreciate your coverage about Tulip Siddiq. While we, from Bangladesh, are quite sure what the Sheikh family did, we merely requested for an investigation - which is not politically motivated as often the narrative during regime changes. In all honesty, she renting out her house in North London and moved into a GBP 2m house her aunt’s (Hasina) friend graciously provided to her in exchange for a VIP status is ‘red flag’ enough. If you are interested, I would urge you to look at the network of the deposed Sheikh family including Tarique Siddiqui, Tulip’s Mother Sheikh Rehana, and her brother, Bobby. Generally, they operate through shell companies.
Thank you very much @SadhliRoomy 😊
Corruption is a way of life with most politicians from the subcontinent. So no surprise really.
Everywhere.
The UK "in money terms" is the most corrupt country on earth, according to the mafia expert.
Johnson let the mask slip with his PPE scam.
Until then the peasants still believed the UK is holier than thou and corruption only happens somewhere else.
Thanks Michael. Happy Christmas to you too and all good wishes for the coming year.
Thank you very much and the same to you @chiccabay9911 and thank you for your support this year 😊
Fantastic work Michael, the red Tories will hate you, a hero you most certainly are.
@melvinpenman1102 I'm definitely no hero Melvin but thank you very much 😊
Thanks Michael for all your hard work, best wishes for the New Year
Thanks - you too! 😊
Britain is a banana republic that doesn’t grow bananas. Bananas, bonkers, the world has gone totally Alice in Wonderland mad.
You may be aware that the ex-chancellors Nigel Lawson and Norman Lamont both chose to live in France after retirement.
I don't suppose they are bothered about funding the NHS.
Wouldn’t you if you could? Be honest.
What, to get out of the shitbox country the tories left behind? It's certainly tempting....but wouldn'thave been necessary if we were still in the EU.@sararichardson737
Well, the weather and food are so agreeable dear boy, where do you expect us to live..?
On treasury minister's family outing in the Kremlin: As a non-Brit (who has nothing but the highest regard for Brits, having lived there a couple of decades), what really shocks me is that most Brits have no idea how very corrupt their public life is, or don't care.
Ignorance by the ignorant.
@@akpanekpo6025 Very true. It’s detailed in Private Eye but I think a Fatalistic citizenry feels there’s nothing that can be done about it. It has very old roots traceable to early 19th century urban politics and patronage under what was known as ‘Economising’.
@@akpanekpo6025 what salacious nonsense. Don't tar everyone with the Alexander d'piffle Johnson brush and his bullingdon mates including 7 jobs Osborne who brought our country services and infrastructure to it's knees and is currently working his incompetent magic governance at the British Museum.
Excellent talk, Michael. How the UK has fallen so far down the tubes, is utterly mind-numbing. Totally corrupt from top government to utilities. Quite literally they can, and do, exactly as they please, with complete unaccoutability. As for Starmer - 'huge disappointment' doesn't even come close.
When are people gonna realise the system is rotten to the core?
Monopolies do what the hell they like & always charge monopoly prices. This is why nationalisation was such a good idea.
Remember how the Tories claimed privatisation of water, gas and electricity would get such inefficient utilities of the collective backs of the British taxpayer? And how they'd be able to raise finance via the selling of shares and be self-sufficient due to efficientcy savings? Clearly this raised cash and efficientcy savings didn't go on the business. More like on shareholder dividends and board salaries!!!!
Water was not privatised in Scotland. In 1994 Strathclyde Regional Council organised a postal referendum on the matter, with 33,956 voting in favour and 1,194,667 voting against.
Some of the meat could end up at Tescos. Remember the horse meat burgers years ago? The other thing is chlorinated chicken from the US and red meat with hormones. Its shocking. I find the Siddiq story shocking too. Thank you Michael for bringing it to the fore.
Horse meat burgers? Before Brexit? I thought everything was perfect before we left?
Unclear to me why you do not understand why we do not want such a corrupt country back in the EU.
Thank you Michael, the Stupidity of Brexit still alive and well when is sanity going the return.
I'm not sure staying in EU would have been good with hine sight I think I'm pleased we have left now. I wasn't at the time. EU is imploding I see little unity amongst them, France and Germany's economies are in the toilet and nothing but resentment for Brussels amongst the Spanish Greeks Dutch and Italians.
Brussels carries on as if there is no economic crisis or global financial meltdown. They all want their countries back, whether it's from over tourism or immigration. I wouldn't' be surprised if we are witnessing the end of the EU, and the beginning of a return to self determination and feel strangely safe in the knowledge that we fought and lost to stay in
Thank you Michael. Wishing you and yours a very happy Christmas time also.
@MrsGardiner And to you too Mrs Gardiner and thank you for your support 😊
Merry Christmas, Mr Lambert.
Seconded!
Thanks Daniel - you too!😊
Why investigate poor Sadique when £40 billion wasn't worth investigating Michelle Mone for? Corruption is de rigueur
I swear there is rotten meat in Felix cat food, all four of my cats have suddenly refused to eat it. When they do eat it they get sick. I wish I could afford to test the cat food and shame these manufacturers.
Would be a good idea. Are you changing brands?
Happy Christmas Michael. Thanks for all the videos. What a mess we are in, but for the next week and a half I'm disengaging with the news and enjoying myself in a low-key way. I hope you can do the same.
Thank you Sue - fingers crossed!! 😊
Thank you, Michael, your points raised are very well made. We need to renew our Democracy here in the UK. This could be done by having a Written Constitution, so that we all clearly understand our Rights and Responsibilities, it would also help to bring transparency to Government. Perhaps it would also be a good idea to model our politics on the system they have in Switzerland, where they hold a Referendum when an important issue that affects the population arises, I believe they do this on local issues too. This makes the political system far more accountable, and could be called ‘Direct Democracy’.
The last referendum in the UK didn't go too well here, however ! 😂😂
@ I don’t think that holding a Referendum just twice in nearly fifty years is anywhere near good enough for Democracy! The Brexit issue was a far too important issue to be confined to one, ‘Advisory Referendum’, the result would have been different if the whole Brexit process was a matter of a real consultation with the British electorate, over say, a five year period. A further ‘Final EU Withdrawal Referendum’, should have been held once the facts of Brexit became known, by the Government negotiating Brexit, before any Brexit agreement was signed. People would not have voted for that! Also, the Government of David Cameron, was highly irresponsible, the main Referendum was only ‘advisory’, and the Prime Minister resigned simply because the Tory Party were afraid of losing Parliamentary seats to UKIP. It was a case of the Tories putting their Party before Country!
As a Scot not too impressed by a written constitution because can virtually guarantee it would be written to lock us into the UK.
Everyone talks about a written constitution as a total fix for the state of politics. It isn't. The culture and who has influence in our politics needs to change.
We need to get rid of lobbyist media who push agendas like austerity & anti-immigrant rhetoric unrestrained and unchallenged. We need to change the types of people who are drawn to becoming MPs; maybe shut Eton and Harrow down so we don't have any more twerps coming into politics from rich families who think they're born to rule.
If we just change the constitution into a written one without addressing any of the cultural / influence issues in our political environment, it won't have any/negligible effect.
Thank you for your reporting over 2024, best of the seasons wishes to you and yours ♥
Thank you Clara - that is very much appreciated 😊
When will the UK voting public START TO USE it's brain in the voting booth?
The idea of retaining FPTP is to ensure that the electorate can never use its brain to end up with a parliament that would accurately represent its views.
It'll never happen. Best thing would be PR, but neither Labour nor Tories - though there's no difference these days thanks to Starmer - support PR.
They just did that in voting the most corrupt dishonest and incompetent UK govt of my lifetime. How else do you suggest they use their brains in the voting booth, given our undemocratic FPTP system?
@@Leszek.Rzepecki When the political class has failed to deliver on the promise to implement fair voting (e.g. Blair in the 2000's: Trudeau in 2015) you know for a fact it is never going to voluntarily abandon FPTP. Therefore, the people must impose the change, by whatever means and however painfully on the political class.
@@vgstb doesn't matter when you can get a massive majority on 33.8% of the vote?
Michael, thanks for continuing to rail against the naked corruption and gobsmacking stupidity that so many of our fellow Brits seem strangely fine with, largely because the UK media fails to do its job, leaving it to you and far too few others. Must be exhausting, but it's much appreciated. MXHNY to you and yours.
Hang on, when it comes to stories like this, the public is utterly reliant on the media reporting it in order to have awareness. Where else are you going to learn this information from?
@batbrewer3756 - Thanks 😊
Michael, all I can say is that I live in las Alpujarra, Spain's "Lake District" -- life is good here, and there's a house for sale next door.
❤ las Alpujarras
If only, Kerry 😊
Can you give us an approximate price? Just curious.
@@heidimueller1039
I bought an empty run down cortijo for 125k and spent perhaps 75k making it a lovely home, and I have just had to put in a new septic system 5k. Homes don´t advertise a price, but the estate agent in Lanjarón will give you pictures as well.
I was lucky in also getting a huge garden full of fruit trees which goes down to the river, such things don´t seem to add value to properties here, that is mostly about the number of bedrooms.
"My" bit of the mountain is known as Paraiso, (paradise) and fortunately the usual entry requirements seem to have been waived in my case ! Saludos.
Michael thanks for telling it as it really is.
Thanks Michael happy Christmas let's hope for better times to come!
Thanks Sharon and best wishes to you 😊
Michael, if you own your house in London, have you thought about renting it out and moving over here to S.E Asia? Your quality of life would be beyond recognition and certainly extend your life! Malaysia / Thailand are gorgeous places with low-cost housing, damn good health care and a friendly, low-stress lifestyle. Why stay to watch the UK sink lower and lower, as the quality of life reaches below Albania levels?! I think anyone in your circumstances, should seriously consider getting out.
Thanks @swanvictor887 - I have certainly thought about it! 😊
Happy Christmas to you and good health in the year ahead. Please continue to make and post your weekly videos.
Another Indian politician in Westminster.
Thank you @leo1961berlin and best wises to you too 😊
In Canada most water systems are municipal or provincial. There are a very few privately owned or controlled ones. Thank god!
Same in the US. The English are the only ones stupid enough to fall for the privatisation lie.
thanks once more for your great content, michael - and i hope you and yours have a happy and healthy holiday season! love from canada 😊
Thank you @CthulhuInc and the same to you and thank you for your support whilch is much appreciated 😊
A very merry Christmas to you, Michael and lots of gratitude for your insightful and thoughtful vlogs …🎉
🎉
@angela8858 - Thank you Angela and the same to you 😊
Thanks Michael, a good talk.
I agree with all that you say. Many have been saying the same for years. I am tired of it seeing the future slipping away for the UK. I am going to look for a job in the EU, I am currently a specialist under EU law, so should be able to move. But it makes me so sad to think that Brexit has catalysed the breaking of the UK, and we are only at the start of it. When we get to 3rd world levels of poverty and despair, were won't have the democracy or ability to remove root and branch the US disaster capitalists. They are here already but it isn't quite too late yet. That is why we voted for labour, the outside chance of rectification. But that looks like a dead end.
Thank God Scotland's water isn't privatised. We have the best water in the world in my opinion.
Have a great Christmas Michael. I’m looking forward to your content in 2025… I think there will be no shortage of subjects.
Thank you @ciarancrossin1607
Who put her in that job,the mind boggles? Like giving a fox the key to the hen house.
Merry Christmas Michael! Thank you for your videos.
@luciafidalgo296 Thank you Lucia and best wishes to you too 😊
You're right about the impossibility of rejoining sadly. Brits who want their EU citizenship back need to move back into the EU.
Thanks Michael.
Unbelievable. So glad you are speaking out, Mr Lambert. Carry on, sir! 🎉
She's got to go if Kier wants to maintain any semblance of being clean...
wouldn't it be wonderful if ministers were required to havequalifications in their subject before they are let loose? - I guess pigs may fly first.
I read something about this yesterday. How in other countries it's normal to have experts inhabit the roles of senior government but how here we regularly have people who know nothing about the subject in ministerial roles. Just when they start to get to grips with what they are trying to do, they get moved to another department!
The only place in our government that has some experts is the HoL. It's one argument for keeping them. They can try to hold the clueless ministers to account in their specialist fields.
Boris could write about bendy bananas. And he went to public school. And he got a degree in Classics, so he could impress us with a bit of Latin. But knowledge economics, health, running a large organisation, perhaps not.
A young French student recently asked if he could come and work in the UK, he was told no, he needed sponsorship just like people from Nigeria and India. Madness
Hi Michael
Thank you for this most informative clip.
You have the knack of telling it as it is which is great but will no doubt a not a few...
The UK is seeing g an unprecedented fiasco in most areas of the economy .
I can t see a y change coming up soon ....
In the meantime....have a great Xmas enjoy french wines (I hope ).
Looking for ward to your next clip.
Xx😊
@isabellesmith525 - Thank you very much Isabelle and best wishes to you too (and yes, planning to open a nice Chateauneuf du Pape) 😁
@MichaelLambert1 bravo 👏
Hello Michael. Thankyou for all you share on this channel. I have been following for a long time now. Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Thank you Jane @janek4495 - best wishes to you too 😊
Just another day in paradise
Thanks Mrs Thatcher, Mr Farage and the Tory party.
Boris's Britain is indeed "world class," as he says. Third world class, that is.
Hi Michael, it is as usual interesting to listen to your video and the sad state of Boris and his stunts. I will end her with writing Merry Christmas to you and your family🧙♂🧙♂.
Many thanks and same to you 😊
She ….Well done Michael.A lot of effort went into this
Thanks Simon 😊
Starmer is hardly a breath of fresh air. Light relief at most, but totally lacking in courage or transformative government. A holding operation before we turn to full fascism in desperation? Btw. CPTPP gives us well under 1%...as little as 0.08% in ten years, I understand.
If I've learned anything about politics excepting the Johnson era,when a P.M.'s official spokesman says they have "full confidence "in an MP,behind the scenes they are telling that MP that they will be resigning.
Young people will find out that the EU is a good place and want to join.... Can't be allowed they've had their future decided for them...
I'm older and agree.
Yep. It's a bit untenable as she holds the person in the highest regards... Her bedrock so to speak. Sadly nothing is surprising these days.
Why would the son of the tool maker want young people to be exposed to the reality of living abroad?
I want them too!/fanfaring the joys of livin and workin in europe! I want them to work on farms, in eastern europe with only access to local earnings, for say 36 months, with no leaving the job or country.. Romanian, latvia, albania, doin proper jobs grafting on the land in farmhand jobs, veg picking on local wages!
😅🎉
Lead by example.
The Pirates of the United Kingdom! In Cinemas soon!
😂
Always interesting…a shame how the uk has fallen, i loved working there in the 90s..was a great place to be..
Thank you, Michael. I have always enjoyed your videos and hearing from someone who has vast experience and understanding of how international business works. (or sadly how it used to work) Best wishes and a happy Holiday from Iowa.
@ChrisIowa Thanks Chris and my best wishes to you and yours 😊
Yes, Michael is an excellent man!
@@keithsunderland8839 Thank you very much Keith 😊
Merry Christmas, Michael! 🙂👍🎄🎁🎅
And here's to a less dire 2025!
Thank you very much @oneoflokis and to you too 😊
@MichaelLambert1 🙂👍
All the best to you for Christmas and next year.
Thanks Alisdair - you too! 😊
Merry Christmas Michael, UK is really in serious crap! We suffer again thanks to our useless politicians from all sides.
Happy Christmas Michael
Nice shirt Michael. Merry Christmas!
😁 Thank you @sdsreiker
Your rich, privileged few in the Westminster club, predominantly Tories, have turned England into a grubby, little economic mire and 3rd world nation.
In the spirit of England's water companies, Happy Sh!tmas.
Merry Christmas Michael
Excellent video as usual Michael. I wish you and your family a very happy and blessed Christmas 🎄 and a New Year with a different leader of Labour. God willing.
Thank you @pavloarmand4070 and the same to you too 😊
What!!! An MP being corrupt??? An MP embezzling??? That cannot possibly be true!!! It is a good job that we ensure that our MPs do not waste our money and syphon as much of it as possible!!! Also i bet we also keep a close eye on their expenses!!! Now let me get back to renovating the junk room in Westminster and get my 10 million pay check!!!
I miss the "Hello, my name is Michael Lambert" at the start of your videos. It always felt reassuring before delving into the horror stories we knew were coming! Thank you for your videos.
@mikem9403 - Thanks Mike - (I was told the first few seconds are vital and that I shouldn't use them with my name) 😁
@@MichaelLambert1 Can't win either way!
Hello Michael
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year🌟
Thanks and very best wishes to you too 😊
Keep these policies going and we will not be able not only to reverse Brexit but also to stop the Far/soft Far Right i.e. Farage becoming the first Company Director to be Prime Minister whilst still not leading a bona fide political party.
@christown2827 Reform is transitioning into a "company limited by guarantee" - like the RSPCA, Save the Children and the College of Policing. Farage won't be a director of that as there will be no directors. He will have one vote like any of the 100,000 members. Reform is already a bona fide political party. It s registered as such with the Electoral Commission and subject to their tight financial rules and audited accounts.
@@DoggleBird Other than Farage saying it's going to happen, can you provide any verifiable evidence from an unbiased source that it is actually happening?
Will you go silent on this, as you have done in not answering my simple question asked of you more than once?
@nigelsynnott7344 Just listen to Farage's speech at the Reform Party Conference in September where he publicly committed to doing this. It's not something that can be achieved overnight as it means winding up the present company, creating the new company limited by guarantee and transferring the assets - then de-registering the original company both with Companies House and the Electoral Commission and registering the new legal entity.
I have never simply run away from your or anyone else's questions, but I have a life outside commenting on here.
Shrewd move Kier,it takes one to catch one.
Never mind, water company millionaires.
We'll pay your fines for you.
Just bill us for it.
NOBODY will PROTEST.
I recall the ghastly Nicholas Ridley on TV in the eighties , pre-privatisation , repeating the same manipulative line "The polluter must pay , the polluter must pay" when challenged over dangers to the environment . Every intelligent person in the country knew that this meant paying a derisory fee , with no incentive to act like responsible adults . The message that privatisation inevitably came with some magical inbuilt community spirit was already in the culture . Bloody tory spivs
@@richardrogers4335 Yup, Ridley was a truly ghastly individual and epitomised the 'new' Tory party in the 80s. The icing on the cake was the provision of a spineless regulator that was made so in order not to impede profit at our expense. The latest incarnation of this is the post Brexit Environment Agency; I'm not absolutely sure what would elicit a call out - a pile of fissile nuclear material discovered on a layby on the A12, gently glowing in the dark.....? I really don't now if they would even consider this worthy of investigation.
Good-morning micheal 👋and a very happy christmas,,,
and to you too 😊
So Starmer wants all those new agreements and what is he offering back? Their presence? I am in the Portugal near the sea and I could listen to the laughing in Brussels. Be serious.
The EU knows all to well, about bent and corrupt UK politicians. It was the EU new tax legislation that was the primary caused of brexit. The tax paragraf; about making off-shore bank accounts transparent, to the relative EU member state's inland revenue, this, didn't ring too true in the ears of many UK politicians. So the bent/fiddles only had one redress and that was leave the EU. Also the new tax regulative; stating that tax had tobe paid, on income earned in the country of the income's origin, was a very bitter blow. Prior to the new EU tax laws, incomes earned in the EU, could be move to tax havens. And of course many still have investments in the EU, but they are well and truly pissed off - because in spite of brexit - the EU's tax man, is now taking a chunk of their EU earnings. So the wealthy are not!! interset in re joining the EU.
Uk population will basically vote the media wants. At the moment i see right wing media pushing Farage i see the traditional media not really pushing back on Farage and being very critical on current government.
Uk is going to vote more to the right next elections. I think the rich know that closer to US will see last Uk assets up for grabs and removal of working rights and other social security so they will be richer still.
It was all about dodgy banking.
well said as always Michael......have a nice christmas
Thanks Jack, and you 😊
Hi Michael!
Well, the Freeports are diversification of the London Laundromat.
I would be very interested, in case the UK would try to reapply for EU membership,
how the debt to GDP ratio is supposed to go down below 60%.
Anyway, I expect Brexitists coming by and telling everybody how great the UK situation is and how bad it is in Germany.
I admit they seem every more shrill and desperate, a lot have left.
When Russia gets more and more broke, the employment opportunities for such trolls should dry up ;-)
Have a great weekend!
It doesn't need to go below 60% to apply for EU membership or to meet the Copenhagen criteria. You are wilfully ignorant at this point. You don't need to make up reasons why the Uk can't become a member.
Stick to the facts of the case. Otherwise, no better than brexiteers.
The Copenhagen criteria found at eur-lex.europa.eu:
"The applicant country must also satisfy EU eligibility criteria. These are commonly referred to as the Copenhagen criteria as they were defined by the European Council that took place in Copenhagen in June 1993. These criteria are the following:
- stable institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for and protection of minorities;
- a functioning market economy and the capacity to cope with competition and market forces in the EU;
- the ability to take on and implement effectively the obligations of membership, including the aims of political, economic and monetary union."
Nothing there about eligibility being contingent on below 60% GDP per capita. The only place where this is mentioned is in both ERMII and the excessive debt procedure for existing members.
"The applicant country must also satisfy EU eligibility criteria. These are commonly referred to as the Copenhagen criteria as they were defined by the European Council that took place in Copenhagen in June 1993. These criteria are the following:
- stable institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for and protection of minorities;
- a functioning market economy and the capacity to cope with competition and market forces in the EU;
- the ability to take on and implement effectively the obligations of membership, including the aims of political, economic and monetary union."
- The actual Copenhagen criteria found at EU website. Nowhere mentioned the requirement for below 60% GDP per capita.
The only EU legislation where the 60% figure is mentioned is in the EDP (excessive deficit procedure) and ERMII for accension to the Eurozone.
How about anothe water company story?
On our local news severn trent have been told to stop outflow into a local protected river. So they are going to spend £80milion , no not upgrading facilities but to build a pipeline to the Trent where they can dump the overflow . They dont need planning permission and can work through farmland at will.
Dont we live in a wonderful country!
Look forward to next years chaos
😢
We are seeing the death of our most vital ecosystems in real time. There is a battle royal going on over Lake Windermere and a determined group of people fighting for its survival against an ecocidal water company. One of the jewels of our country, being degraded year on year until it is just sterile, like most of the UK.
@@stephenthomas3085 Starmer is the new Marie Antoinette! "Let them drink shit"
Europeans would possibly claim a council flat? Have you seen the average council flat? I wouldn't let my pet live in there.
Happy Christmas when it comes, Michael. Enjoy the fully privatised Post Office in 2025.
Thanks David and same to you 😊
Nice one Michael. Seasons greetings 🎄💚
And on top of the water rate rises - we have to pay for OfWat
Thanks for this ❤
Thank you for another excellent video. I should also take this opportunity to wish you and your family a very enjoyable Christmas, and, of course. all the best for 2025 - which I hope will be a better year for all of us than 2024 has proven to be. Your hard work to keep us informed on current events is very much appreciated!
@bengeorgeschannel6568 - Thank you very much Ben and all the very best to you and yours 😊