‘Do you want the good news or the bad news first?’ What’s the best way to deliver bad news? After something good in the hope the person you’re telling won’t notice quite how bad things are, or just before you tell them something good in the hope that will soften the blow?
Well, if you’re the British government then you wait until Parliament’s last day before Christmas, when everyone who hasn’t already clocked off for Christmas is excited about the holidays and/or a bit hungover and try to ‘bury’ all the ‘bad news’ by releasing it when you think nobody’s paying attention.
It probably also helped that Jose Mourinho got sacked, but we doubt they managed to conveniently arrange that one. Some people refer to this as ‘Taking Out The Trash Day’ after the name given to the same practice in US political sitcom, The West Wing.
Yesterday was a good day for ‘bad news’, there were 36 written statements from ministers and, according to the gov.uk website, departments put out 424 publications.
Here are the five ‘bad news’ stores from yesterday we’d particularly like to draw your attention to:
1.The Bedroom Tax Is Hurting People
A Department for Work and Pensions-commissioned report found that 78% of people affected by the ‘bedroom tax’ regularly run out of money by the end of the week or the month.
Yes, that’s Ian Duncan Smith’s own department admitting that the tax leaves those affected hungry and forced into debt.
**2. Long-Delayed Muslim Brotherhood Report **
A long-delayed review of the political group’s operations in the UK, which was requested by the Saudi government in 2014, was slipped out by the Prime Minister yesterday, with no debate just before everyone left for Christmas.
He released a strongly worded statement, stopping short of banning the group but calling them possible extremists which grew out of the Arab Spring in Egypt and insists they’re a legitimate political movement.
Cameron also said the government would keep a close eye on the views promoted by Brotherhood associates in Britain, as well as their activities. We will also continue to refuse visas to members and associates of the Brotherhood who were on record as having made extremist comments.
3. How Much Spin Doctors Cost
Spin doctors and advisers, those shady behind-the-scenes figures who make things happen and help people look good.
In opposition, David Cameron pledged to cut the cost of politics. But yesterday it was revealed that this year he’s spent £713, 182 on travel and more than £10 million on political aides.
All of this after public workers like nurses and teachers were hit with a pay freeze until 2020earlier this year.
4. A Bad Day For Badgers
The controversial and heavily criticised badger culls met their targets in Somerset, Gloucestershire and Dorset, according to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
Nearly 1,500 badgers were killed as part of the programme, meaning that 3,916 of them have been killed since 2013.
**5. Bad News For The Environment **
The Department for Energy and Climate Change revealed that the government is cutting funding for small households to mount solar panels by 64%.
The cuts are to a scheme whereby people could reclaim some of the money they spent installing solar panels on their homes.
Labour’s shadow energy secretary Lisa Nandy said that these ‘short-sighted cuts to the solar industry will cost jobs, hold back a growing industry and undermine progress on climate change.’
It’s also worth noting that earlier this week the government quietly legalised fracking under national parks without holding a debate, earlier this week.
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.