Friday 30th September 2016

[HindleA]

https://www.theguardian.com/business/20 ... are_btn_tw" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Jaguar Land Rover says some EU customers are boycotting UK cars

[tinyclanger2]

God.

[PorFavor]

God.

Where?

[tinyclanger2]

Thatcher's frocks at V&A. For example:

thatcher with pineapple.jpg (49.74 KiB) Viewed 7646 times

[tinyclanger2]

Woman dressed as quality street holds pineapple

[HindleA]

Martin Rowson on the state of the historical child abuse inquiry


https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfr ... ry-cartoon" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[HindleA]

http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/opi ... story.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


San Diego Tribune



This paper has not endorsed a Democrat for president in its 148-year history. But we endorse Clinton. She’s the safe choice for the U.S. and for the world, for Democrats and Republicans .

[HindleA]

Tory Party Conference Agenda


https://conservativepartyconference.com/agenda" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[tinyclanger2]

My mistake. What I described as "woman dressed as quality street" was actually:

woman dressed in "an Aquascutum evening suit of pink brocade with floor-length skirt and a sleeveless, iridescent silk opera cape with sweeping train."

[HindleA]

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfr ... are_btn_tw" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


The latest costly frivolity to be wound down? Domestic violence services
Frances Ryan

[tinyclanger2]

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/bre ... 39791.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Given we emerged from the primal soup as - physically - part of part of (deliberate) Europe (with Scotland being on the other side of the world), one does wonder why the hard Brexit Tories don't just move to the States. They'd be much happier.

[tinyclanger2]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/ ... -reykjavik" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
crazy

[tinyclanger2]

Hindle - is this you?

batpanda.jpg (17.16 KiB) Viewed 7590 times

[PorFavor]

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/bre ... 39791.html
Given we emerged from the primal soup as - physically - part of part of (deliberate) Europe (with Scotland being on the other side of the world), one does wonder why the hard Brexit Tories don't just move to the States. They'd be much happier.

It would certainly cheer me up enormously, too.

[tinyclanger2]

am regretting that I am unlikely ever to be a baby panda

[tinyclanger2]

I notice all the people with friends and social lives are showing off (as usual) by not posting.

[frightful_oik]

Labour attack Ukip Welsh Assembly Member Mark Reckless for 'doublejobbing' and moonlighting as a researcher for MP Douglas Carswell.

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/polit ... g-11958523" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I still wake up sometimes and think 'how the hell did Reckless & Neil Hamilton end up in the Senedd'.

What a year it's been. Ukip, EU referendum. Horrible.

Probably trying to prove that the sun governs our tides.

[HindleA]

Only as far as the upside downness and blackness around eyes.

[tinyclanger2]

Probably trying to prove that The Sun governs our tides.

Wouldn't surprise me

[AnatolyKasparov]

Eight local council byelections this week:

Cotswold DC - LibDem gain from Tory with 65% of the vote in a straight fight, a swing of 21% since last year (which was also just between blue and yellow) This is a new ward created in the 2015 boundary changes - but the Tories had usually won the predecessor divisions comfortably so this result is a bit of a surprise. The council's Tory administration has been controversial for a while, but could pro-EU Tory voters (quite numerous in these parts) also be a bit restless?

Blaenau Gwent - Independent hold, beating Labour in a straight fight by a massive 4 to 1 margin. In 2012 this ward split 2Indy/1Lab, but Labour managed to win all three seats in 2004 and 2 out of 3 in 2008 - the change may be partly explainable by the former Labour council leader (who represented this ward) breaking away in 2009 - he topped the poll last time and his passing caused this election. Still, the Labour share was more than halved since four years ago - and local controversies (which also led to Labour almost losing the Assembly seat here this May) has to be a significant part of such a lopsided result.

North Norfolk DC - LibDem hold, with a modest swing in their favour as they increased their share to over half. This is a ward which they won from the Tories last year (of course, the parliamentary seat was also one of the few bright spots for them) after the Tories had won it easily in both 2003 and 2011 (and more narrowly beat off the LibDems in 2007) The second placed Tories also increased their share slightly, as the other parties were all squeezed this time round - UKIP more than halved to 4%, but still getting more than Labour and the Greens (both also halved) combined.

Derby - Tories hold one of their strongholds here, though dipping from over 60 per cent this May into the mid 50s. This has always been reliably Tory since it easily returned three councillors in the 2002 all-out elections, with Labour usually taking a distant second place. One of the few exceptions to this was a previous 2009 by-election when the LibDems moved into second - and they achieved that this time round too, with a 17 point increase in their vote being enough to push Labour (who fell a similar amount to the Tories) into third. Greens took just 3% in only their second ever contest here, but that was enough to beat UKIP into last - the latter losing over three quarters of their share earlier this year.

Wellingborough DC - one of the better Tory results this week saw them hold this normally safe ward (only in 2003 was it even vaguely close) with over 60 per cent, an increase of over 18 per cent since last year. Labour stayed second, but fell by a significant amount - not dissimilar to the 7 per cent which the LibDems obtained in their first showing here this century. The big increase in the Tory vote seems mainly to have come at the expense of UKIP - whilst they finished third now (as they did in their inaugural appearance here on GE day) they dropped by well over half of their impressive 28 per cent last year.

West Lindsey DC - Tory hold, taking advantage of the absence of the localist Lincolnshire Independents (they took one of the three seats here last year - the first election since boundary changes - and the Lincs CC seat in this area was also a close Tory/Lincs Ind fight in 2013) to boost their share by double figures to just over half. The void they left was partly filled by UKIP however - they polled a respectable 22% after sitting last year out, but still trailed Labour who managed a small increase on GE day, a decent performance in this mainly rural area.

Dacorum DC - LibDem gain from Tory, giving them the other seat in this ward which had been shared with the Tories last year. In 2007 - the first post boundary change election - and 2011 it had been a 1Tory/1Lab split, but the first of two previous byelections in 2010 (when the Tories narrowly held their seat) saw the LibDems come a strong third, and after falling away the following year they surprised everybody in the next 2013 vacancy by storming to victory and taking the previously Labour seat. 2015 actually saw a remarkably close four way contest - just 90 votes separating the top placed Tory from last placed UKIP - but things were rather different this time as the LibDems gained nearly half the vote (more than double last year) both Tories and Labour dropping by about 6 per cent and UKIP positively crashing, down 15 points to just 11%. Greens stood for the first time here, but could not even manage 2%.

Blackpool - Labour hold with close to half the vote, an increase of about 10 per cent since last year. This ward returned two Labour councillors in 2003 and 2011 (when Labour beat the Tories by over 3 to 2 in a straight fight) but the Tories triumphed in 2007. Any hopes of a repeat this time, though, were dashed as their own vote dropped slightly - partly because UKIP in third held up notably well by recent standards, holding on to almost all the 22% they got here in their first outing here on GE day. LibDems last with just 3%, a further drop on last year - they are not (yet) recovering everywhere.

Nine contests next week.

[HindleA]

Thanks as ever AK.

[JonnyT1234]

I notice all the people with friends and social lives are showing off (as usual) by not posting.

If only... Working, but first half of two months from hell, over. I'm not only melted but also knackered.

Still in shorts too but wimped out and wore trainers, not sandals.

[HindleA]

Compromise call them trandals.

[tinyclanger2]

trandle.png (149.74 KiB) Viewed 7497 times

[Tizme1]

I notice all the people with friends and social lives are showing off (as usual) by not posting.

I'm here fwiw @tc2. I'm trying to wade my way through a consultation document and come up with coherent responses. I've already been through it a few times over the last couple of weeks but now I'm trying to drill down into more detail. Do feel free everyone to take a look and comment though I realise you won't know the area. Any feedback would be most welcome. One of the many things that has struck me is the lack of detail regarding public transport. In over 40 pages, the word 'buses' doesn't seem to be used. Buses in Watford are exceedingly expensive. Granted it's a County not a local Council issue but how can the Council come up with a plan that doesn't include information of broadly agreed public transport plans with County?

https://watford.jdi-consult.net/documen ... or_jdi.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The local paper did a report on our initial response last week - http://m.watfordobserver.co.uk/news/147 ... lution___/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

And then followed it up with what seemed to be quite a positive editorial [from the local Green Party perspective]. http://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/news/1 ... e_through/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Problems also include, lack of cycle lanes and cycle storage provision, air quality, infrastructure problems etc. Anything you can add most welcome.

Greetings all btw.

[JonnyT1234]

Anna Soubry brands Liam Fox's free trade speech 'delusional' - the guardian
https://apple.news/AEKbJcvGdQHON76jG38QmEg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Tory logic:

May = a voice of sanity

Johnson, Fox, Davis = delusional.

Erm, it's the 'sane' one who appointed them.

[Tizme1]

Anna Soubry brands Liam Fox's free trade speech 'delusional' - the guardian
https://apple.news/AEKbJcvGdQHON76jG38QmEg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Tory logic:

May = a voice of sanity

Johnson, Fox, Davis = delusional.

Erm, it's the 'sane' one who appointed them.

Post truth, post evidence, post logic, post sanity, and post geography too of course. Oh welcome, Brave New World.

[tinyclanger2]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/201 ... er-brexit/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;?
It’s official: economy doing fine after Brexit

Maybe someone could tell this guy it's not actually happened yet.

[tinyclanger2]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/201 ... de-arrang/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;?
Meanwhile city warns of potential loss of 70,000 jobs. I expect they'll just move to Europe (the people as well as the jobs) so they'll be OK. Might not be pretty here though. How many billions will it be d'you reckon?

[RogerOThornhill]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/201 ... er-brexit/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;?
It’s official: economy doing fine after Brexit

Maybe someone could tell this guy it's not actually happened yet.

Heath is an utter numpty whose position on everything you can tell without having to bother reading his articles.

[HindleA]

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2016/ ... um=twitter" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Tory housing policy overhaul could include rent-to-buy


http://www.renewalgroup.org.uk/publications/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[HindleA]

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/201 ... r-unhinged" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Clinton campaign accuses Trump of 'unhinged' attack on Alicia Machado
The Republican’s Twitter tirade against former Miss Universe has been labeled a ‘Machado meltdown’ after Clinton brought her story to national attention

[HindleA]

Australia-sounds familiar


https://www.theguardian.com/australia-n ... MP=soc_568" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Ill or injured jobseekers lose welfare if they can't take up training programs
Benefits may be suspended or cancelled if long-term health problems are not serious enough for them to be eligible for disability support pension


Despite providing medical certificates, Bond has had applications to be exempt from training turned down several times by Centrelink.

“They don’t even tell you that they’ve rejected your certificate,” he said. “You only find out when you get a letter saying, ‘Sorry, your payment isn’t going through.’

“You’re legally not allowed to go to work if you have a valid medical certificate. Yet in Centrelink it’s god knows who rejecting medical certificates.

[HindleA]

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2016/ ... or-the-bbc" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


James Purnell’s appointment as ​​director of ​​radio spells trouble for the BBC

[HindleA]

Apparently,Green stating end of reassessment for those with "severest health conditions" according to George Eaton.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/201 ... CMP=twt_gu" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


DWP scraps retesting for chronically ill sickness benefits claimants

Department for Work and Pensions says those with severe, lifelong conditions will no longer face six-monthly reassessments


The criteria will be drawn up with health professionals but illnesses such as severe Huntington’s, autism or a congenital heart condition, are among those that are likely to qualify for continuous payments without reassessment.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-37526324" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Employment Support Allowance: Benefits re-test for chronically ill to be axed


Ridiculous headline(s)