silver2 wrote:We have a predominantly right wing media in the UK and sadly many people believe what they read in the gutter press without further research or challenge.

So, for your information, no union member is obliged to contribute to a union's political fund should they not wish to do so. They can opt in or opt out. The shareholders of political donating companies have no such right.

Zoo Zoo Boom wrote:All political donations of public companies have to be declared and shareholders can object and stop them. Shareholders can sell their shares if they don't like what is going on - simple really. Just the same as the unions you pay in but you have no sway on how it is spent.

Zoo Zoo Boom wrote:Let's have some context here of £37bn 80% of the costs relate to taking and processing of the actual tests - one day this week they did 1.5m tests a number unimaginable 12 months ago when testing capacity was 2,000/day.

So that leaves 7bn in development costs - is that such a huge number to develop the systems to manage volumes on such a huge scale - I don't know - how much has it cost to develop similar systems in say Germany. Maybe it is but its not the 37bn everyone is quoting.

Perhaps it is because the money has had to be spent on these rush projects that there isn't the money to increase wages all over the public sector. In reality what % of the NHS has actually increased its workload - I would suggest the vast majority have seen a significant decrease in their activity

silver2 wrote:Its not the same. You can remain a member of the union and not pay into the political fund, but as a shareholder you have to go with the majority or leave.

silver2 wrote:This government has consistently shown its incompetence, its ability to lie and its ability to direct tax payers money towards its donors and friends. Consequently, its hardly surprising that people are questioning why test and trace has cost so much and where the money's gone. No doubt there will be a public enquiry once all the dust has settled - and once Johnson ( the ex PM) is touring America on a lucrative book and lecture tour.

Scarlet Pimpernell wrote:The privatised world beating test and trace was funded to ensure no more lockdowns would be necessary after the first, how well is that going.

Zoo Zoo Boom wrote:That's democracy surely both have the same options - if you don't agree you can act either sell the shares or leave the union - its the same. Once you pay in to Unite you have no say in how Big Len spends it.

silver2 wrote:This government has consistently shown its incompetence, its ability to lie and its ability to direct tax payers money towards its donors and friends. Consequently, its hardly surprising that people are questioning why test and trace has cost so much and where the money's gone. No doubt there will be a public enquiry once all the dust has settled - and once Johnson ( the ex PM) is touring America on a lucrative book and lecture tour.

Steph Curry wrote:And yet people still vote for them. Why? Because the alternative is an utter shambles