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Saturday 20 January 2024

Chilling



How the world’s elite fell in love with Labour

Rachel Reeves finally made it to the top table this week. The shadow chancellor may only be a finance minister-in-waiting but Reeves was selected to sit with senior world leaders at a dinner hosted by the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Billed as a gathering to discuss “Building Tomorrow’s Europe”, Reeves sat alongside Canadian finance minister Chrystia Freeland and Belgian prime minister Alexander de Croo as they dined on marinated frisée salad and Swiss Gotthard pike perch.

Former UK deputy prime minister Nick Clegg and EU trade minister Valdis Dombrovskis were relegated to nearby tables with the mere global elite.


“Building Tomorrow’s Europe” indeed. Is it the same as "Build Back Better"? Probably - it's one of those meaningless but curiously grim political phrases. Meaningless phrases are inherently grim in a political context. Chilling. 

"Building Tomorrow's Mendacity" would be closer, although we seem to be most of the way there already.  

9 comments:

James Higham said...

It really all must stop now, the entire bollox.

DiscoveredJoys said...

My suspicion is that being able to parrot some political mission statement with a straight face is like a special handshake - meant to indicate you are an insider of a particular club.

In businesses having a 'mission statement' has a purpose... a tick in the box to say you have one, even it is rarely acted upon.

A K Haart said...

James - I agree, it's no good.

DJ - and being an insider reinforces the insider view of things, the rules of the club.

Scrobs. said...

It's odd that they all just go for the developed countries, and ignore places where poverty abounds.

I don't trust any of them to do anything positive except line their own pockets.

Scrobs. said...

I read that as 'Bleeding tomorrow's taxpayer', but as it's Sunday, I won't say it out loud!

microdave said...

Maybe the wheels are beginning to fall off?

https://thenationalpulse.com/analysis-post/wef-round-up-censorship-ai-fear-of-trump-dominate-davos/

Javier Milei's speech decrying Socialism received (I thought) rather pained applause, so they must know the clock is ticking.

And the longer delegates spend "enjoying horizontal pleasures" the less time they can devote to buggering our lives up:

"Politics is not the sole focus of WEF summit attendees. High-end prostitution services report they are fully booked, not just in Davos but across eastern Switzerland"

Even Jamie Dimon, CEO of J.P. Morgan, is warning that Socialist ideals aren't working:

https://joannenova.com.au/2024/01/pivot-point-ceo-of-jp-morgan-says-trump-was-kinda-right-and-his-supporters-deserve-respect/

A K Haart said...

Scrobs - I don't trust any of them either and I agree 'Bleeding tomorrow's taxpayer' is what it's about.

Dave - interesting and yes, it does look as if the wheels are beginning to fall off. Clues keep popping up, influential people dropping hints and the spectre of reality looms larger and larger. Interesting times.

Peter MacFarlane said...

Building tomorrow's Europe?

I can guess what Ms. Reeves' contribution was: "Don't worry, everyone, this time we won't be so daft as to put it to a referendum!".

A K Haart said...

Peter - good point, children won't ever know what a referendum is.