Thread by @SNPPeterhead

1) Our chum @RishiSunak has made the 5 pledges in this photo. And at first glance it appears a reasonable plan... but if you look a little deeper...

2) Halving inflation - well according to the OBR and other financial think tanks that's going to happen anyway (even when @trussliz was PM) and without Gov't Intervention so thanks for nothing Rishi!

3) Grow the economy - The CBI and OBR both forecast the economy returning to growth next year without Gov't Intervention

(because let's face it when you've crashed it already it can only grow): only the Bank of England doesn't agree

4) Debt Falling - 'No tricks,' Sunak said about his five promises: but I’m afraid this is a trick. He plans to increase debt, From £2.1 trillion now to £2.8 trillion in 2026/27.

5) But he aims to (eventually) increase debt at a slower rate than GDP rises. So the debt/GDP ratio would fall, even if debt itself keep rising.

This is disappointing. You can’t say 'no tricks' if one of your five pledges is a trick.

6) Cutting NHS Waiting lists - Yes, they’ll fall a wee bit, next year. Waiting lists are predicted to rise until next year then fall very slowly.

But the peak forecast has come down for a grim reason: fewer people presented themselves to the doctors than expected... 😬

7) So all of these things were going to happen anyway, it's like us promising the sun will come up tomorrow.

But it does bring us neatly to the 5th Promise, and the reason for this thread.

Stop the Small Boats.

8) This is the only one where there is going to be some work to do...

Brexit was supposed to do it... and well it didn't.

@UKBorder and @RoyalNavy couldn't stop it.

Even the Pandemic didn't stop it.

9) So Rishi's plan is for the UK to withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights or #ECHR so that we can make our our Human Rights Laws...

But what is the ECHR and what does it do?...

Well to explain here's @SirPatStew (really with a watch)

10) So as you can see the ECHR is pretty important, and provides all of us with important rights and freedoms.

Withdrawal may mean the UK can easily deport migrants, but we don't see how it will stop the small boats.

11) Because The Pandemic, Brexit, Border Force and the Navy didn't stop the Small Boats.

The UK withdrawing from the ECHR is just another development for the smuggling gangs to ignore.

So why would Rishi even suggest it?...

12) well if you look back to the video a couple of tweets ago, could it possibly be that the big list of benefits (rights to fair trials, freedom from degrading treatment etc) that the ECHR gave us is the thing that the @Conservatives really want to stop?

13) As we know the only way to stop the small boats is to open safe and legal routes for refugees...

So, could Rishi be using this as a smokescreen to strip away our rights and freedoms whilst his support jingoistically plays along?

Or have we become too cynical? 🤨

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