Friday 2nd October 2015

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ohsocynical
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Re: Friday 2nd October 2015

Post by ohsocynical »

RobertSnozers wrote:
AnatolyKasparov wrote:
ohsocynical wrote:Charlotte Church ‏@charlottechurch 12 hrs12 hours ago

Can't say I had a ball on question time, that's not a Cardiff/Welsh audience that I would recognise. However thanks for your support twitter
Quite a few people have commented on the rather strange character of the audience last night.

It at least gives the lie to the popular right wing meme that QT/AQ participants are invariably wildly biased to the left.
I wonder if this is another manifestation of the phenomenon Robert Peston wrote about a little while ago - that the Beeb is so spooked by the campaign accusing it of leftwing bias that it massively overcompensates.

Mmm. They're grown up. Earn a lot of money and are supposed to be at the top of their game...You'd think they'd be able to work out something acceptable wouldn't you.
We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office. – Aesop
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citizenJA
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Re: Friday 2nd October 2015

Post by citizenJA »

GetYou wrote:
HindleA wrote:Morning

http://www.theguardian.com/housing-netw ... are_btn_tw" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Right to buy throws petrol on an already blazing housing crisis
Dawn Foster
Not sure if anyone posted this yesterday, but Joe Halewood is angrier than me regarding David Orr's "offer":

https://speye.wordpress.com/2015/10/01/ ... ver-offer/
The heat coming off my head right now could heat two full hot baths for Ohso and Mr. Ohso.
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Tizme1
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Re: Friday 2nd October 2015

Post by Tizme1 »

PorFavor wrote:@ohsocynical

Congratulations on being the first person here (I think) to mention the "C" word!
Greetings all,

PF your comment reminded me of a recent conversation with my boys [I should point out youngest son is 18 so not a 'child' as such].

We were talking about the repairs and all the work that needs doing in this house.

Me "Its all got to be finished before 'C' word time otherwise.............

Youngest Son "Cunt time"?

Me [angrily] "Language"!

Youngest son "oh sorry mum, I'm really really sorry, I just didn't get what you meant"

Eldest son "Mum means Christmas you idiot"

Me "Language"!
Although it is not true that all conservatives are stupid people, it is true that most stupid people are conservative.
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citizenJA
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Re: Friday 2nd October 2015

Post by citizenJA »

danesclose wrote:
PorFavor wrote:Good morfternoon.

SSI (Redcar steel) has put its UK arm into liquidation. Seems now that even the "mothballing" is at risk. Just hearing the news on the BBC.
Good afternoon.
As I mentioned a couple of days ago I'm an ex-employee of British Steel in the North East with many friends who work for SSI, so I have to declare a vested interest.
I'm beyond angry that a whole part of the country - a part that built some of the finest structures around the world (Sydney Harbour Bridge, Forth Road Bridge, 1st Severn Bridge, New World Trade Centre, etc. etc) is being hung out to dry, like Thatcher was advised to do with Merseyside. I'm also fearful for my mates, many who served their time at British Steel, and who are now in their 50's.

According to a Tory in the North East (I know, I know, but unbelievably there are a few of them) the £80 million consists of:

· Funding for affected workers to train at local further education colleges and tailored support for them via Jobcentre Plus;

· Finance to assist workers if they want to start up their own business and for local small businesses to grow and create jobs.

In other words, the square root of f**k all - £80 million to an outsourcing company that will tell the unemployed steel workers how to use social media to find work in an area where there is no work?

Looking at it in a slightly different way, the £80 million is just under twice what this Government gave as a grant (£45 million) to a company run by Roman Abramovich, one of the richest men in the world, to develop a steel plant in Canada.

Osborne has just sold us down the river to China over Hinckley Point. Presumably the steel for that will come from China too, seeing as we won't be able to make our own steel now, just like we have to import coal from Poland.

Apologies if this is incomprehensible. I'm just beyond livid at the moment
I'm livid too.
Appalling.
It makes me shake, the anger, frustration.
It is wrong, what's happening is wrong, it's every kind of wrong.
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citizenJA
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Re: Friday 2nd October 2015

Post by citizenJA »

@ Tizme1
Thank you, for that story.
It's funny and sweet.
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citizenJA
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Re: Friday 2nd October 2015

Post by citizenJA »

Was this the worst gridlock in Leeds in recent years?
Updated: 10:53 Friday 02 October 2015

"The official Leeds Travel Info twitter feed (@LeedsTravelInfo) reported that the A58(M) and A64(M) Inner Ring Road would be closed from 7pm until 6am this morning for roadworks, adding to the hold-ups. Motorists used the Yorkshire Evening Post website and Twitter feed to give their opinions about the delays with one driver reporting that she had managed to drive just one mile in one hour."

http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/n ... -1-7492087" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I've no idea if the accident and resulting traffic congestion reported above is causing the spiked pollution levels in Leeds or not.
I thought something might have been on fire because it's so high and odd.
Leeds Centre AQI: Leeds Centre Real-time Air Quality Index (AQI)
155
Unhealthy
Updated on Friday 12:00
http://aqicn.org/city/united-kingdom/leeds-centre/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Tizme1
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Re: Friday 2nd October 2015

Post by Tizme1 »

citizenJA wrote:@ Tizme1
Thank you, for that story.
It's funny and sweet.
Thanks JA. I have a plaque on one of my cupboard doors. It's one of those pictures of a stereotypical 50's [American] mum and children. And she is saying to them "Now remember, as far as anyone knows, we are a normal family". I swear it sums us up!

Anyway, I read your comments about Zac Goldsmith and I wondered if you know a lot about him? I don't but he seems to come across as one of those slightly more palatable Tories [though I still wouldn't vote for him even if I could]. As I say though, I don't know a great deal about him so I may be very much mistaken.
Although it is not true that all conservatives are stupid people, it is true that most stupid people are conservative.
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citizenJA
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Re: Friday 2nd October 2015

Post by citizenJA »

Commuters in Leeds faced a foggy start to the day today, with dense patches of mist and fog enveloping much of the city.
09:30 Friday 02 October 2015

http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/n ... -1-7492825" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
PorFavor
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Re: Friday 2nd October 2015

Post by PorFavor »

George Osborne speaking of "many" (or was it "many, many"?) millions being put into the Redcar fund. Anyway, he seemed quite at pains not to mention a specific sum.
ohsocynical
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Re: Friday 2nd October 2015

Post by ohsocynical »

citizenJA wrote:
GetYou wrote:
HindleA wrote:Morning

http://www.theguardian.com/housing-netw ... are_btn_tw" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Right to buy throws petrol on an already blazing housing crisis
Dawn Foster
Not sure if anyone posted this yesterday, but Joe Halewood is angrier than me regarding David Orr's "offer":

https://speye.wordpress.com/2015/10/01/ ... ver-offer/
The heat coming off my head right now could heat two full hot baths for Ohso and Mr. Ohso.
Oooh, yes please. I've been baking and used some Lemon curd on the chelsea buns. I'm all sticky!
We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office. – Aesop
StephenDolan
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Re: Friday 2nd October 2015

Post by StephenDolan »

PorFavor wrote:George Osborne speaking of "many" (or was it "many, many"?) millions being put into the Redcar fund. Anyway, he seemed quite at pains not to mention a specific sum.
Well the BBC are running with the £80m figure, giving the impression that's a redundancy total.

A bit like Cameron and his upto 20000 refugees over 5 years reported as the UK taking 20000.
ohsocynical
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Re: Friday 2nd October 2015

Post by ohsocynical »

ChrisCross
‏@ChrisCr711

YOU COULDN´T MAKE IT UP

#Tory Minister for Business @sajidjavid THINKS the REDCAR Steelworks IS IN THE NORTH WEST !!

http://politicalscrapbook.net/2015/10/t ... t-england/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …
We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office. – Aesop
ohsocynical
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Re: Friday 2nd October 2015

Post by ohsocynical »

Richard Moss ‏@BBCRichardMoss 55 mins55 minutes ago

Latest statement from @CommunityUnion on steel here now: http://bit.ly/1YU5qeq" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office. – Aesop
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citizenJA
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Re: Friday 2nd October 2015

Post by citizenJA »

Tizme1 wrote:
citizenJA wrote:@ Tizme1
Thank you, for that story.
It's funny and sweet.
Thanks JA. I have a plaque on one of my cupboard doors. It's one of those pictures of a stereotypical 50's [American] mum and children. And she is saying to them "Now remember, as far as anyone knows, we are a normal family". I swear it sums us up!

Anyway, I read your comments about Zac Goldsmith and I wondered if you know a lot about him? I don't but he seems to come across as one of those slightly more palatable Tories [though I still wouldn't vote for him even if I could]. As I say though, I don't know a great deal about him so I may be very much mistaken.
My poor opinion of Zac Goldsmith is based upon his Tory party membership and his voting record.
He was elected Tory MP for Richmond Park in 2010.
The last five years are history.
No one made him join the Tory party - no one makes him stay.
I hold every Tory MP accountable (as I do every other MP) for choices made with their eyes wide open.
Tory policy and what Tories make happen in government are consistently bad - bad for the nation and too many people.
Zac Goldsmith is one of three hundred and more Tory MPs currently governing the UK.
Current Tory governance is inadequate, harmful and cruel.

http://www.publicwhip.org.uk/mp.php?mpn ... #divisions

I know about his investments in renewable energy and that his family owned The Ecologist for years. He sold it in 2012. I like renewable energy investment and I know nothing wrong with the Ecologist.
After 42 years of lawsuits from GM companies, campaigns against nuclear power, and breastfeeding tips, the Goldsmith family has sold the Ecologist magazine for £1. The magazine, which has been solely online since 2009, will now return to print and incorporated into the 45 year old Resurgence magazine. Editor Satish Kumar described the new title, Resurgence & The Ecologist, as "a marriage made in heaven".

Zac Goldsmith, the Ecologist's owner and former editor, said: "The Ecologist has spearheaded social, scientific and political ecology while Resurgence has spearheaded cultural and artistic ecology. Now the time has come to bring these two aspects of the environmental movement together by merging Resurgence and the Ecologist."

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/ ... ogist-sale" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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RogerOThornhill
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Re: Friday 2nd October 2015

Post by RogerOThornhill »

Ah Friday afternoon...time for the DfE to spring into action.

From earlier in the month...

What has happened to the teacher workload groups?

http://schoolsweek.co.uk/dont-be-so-def ... -workload/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
The government’s response and analysis to the survey was published in February 2015.

“The education secretary … announced the creation of three new working groups, including teachers, from September to help schools combat the profession’s long hours.”

Apparently, “members of the groups will be announced in [this month]”. Well, the last time I checked my diary, we are into September 2015 and we are still none the wiser!

Once the working groups form, it will likely be towards the new year before we see any recommendations published, and even further into the academic year before anything can be implemented or embedded.

I therefore predict another ‘wasted year of rhetoric’.
And lo...

https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... s-workload

We have set up review groups to make recommendations about reducing workload in these 3 areas:

Marking Policy Review Group - to look at marking practices in schools that are raising standards successfully while reducing marking workload

Planning and Resources Review Group - to consider the effect of lesson planning and use of resources in schools

Data Management Review Group - to develop principles for good data management in schools, including how to monitor pupil progress

These groups will make recommendations in late spring 2016.
The DfE set new standards in being utterly useless. What on earth have they been doing since February?

I could tell them the answer to the third one now - have someone dedicated in the school office to do it - they're likely to be better at data management than individual teachers and by having a central co-ordinator, you'll get consistency of approach.
If I'm not here, then I'll be in the library. Or the other library.
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rebeccariots2
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Re: Friday 2nd October 2015

Post by rebeccariots2 »

Afternoon all.

Just heard Radio 4's feedback programme which included a number of people complaining / addressing the coverage of Corbyn's first 14 days as leader and the Labour conference. General gist - people are fed up and disappointed with the focus on what are regarded as totally trivial matters such as whether he sings the national anthem ... and annoyed at the samey Westminster fixated questioning which seems to expect the new leader to have cast iron policies done and dusted just like that. As one listener said - most people wouldn't regard that as sensible for any new appointment. The presenter was posing the question whether Corbyn's election and subsequent way of working actually represented something definitely changing in people's attitude to politics.

Norman Smith came on and actually said that he believed it probably does - certainly within Labour - a bit too soon to say that about the country as a whole yet but it's clear that - the public are fed up with the Westminster focus and same old people and messages being trotted out ad nauseam (he didn't say ad nauseam though). He acknowledged that once he got out of London and went up to Scotland to report on the referendum he realised that the dynamic on the ground was utterly different from that being talked about in Westminster and surrounds. He says the BBC and media generally need to get out of London far more and talk to a wider range of people.

Hmmm - are they just beginning to get it?
Working on the wild side.
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rebeccariots2
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Re: Friday 2nd October 2015

Post by rebeccariots2 »

Another interesting thing heard on Radio 4 earlier today. The emergence of student housing co-ops to enable them to run their own households and not pay extortionate rents / fees etc. They reported on a new scheme in Sheffield where the Phone Co-op are buying properties and leasing them to these student co-ops.

Brilliant if people are finding new ways to get away from the buy to let rip off system - and really good that mutuals like Phone Coop are playing their part.
Working on the wild side.
gilsey
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Re: Friday 2nd October 2015

Post by gilsey »

RogerOThornhill wrote:
PorFavor wrote:Good morfternoon.

SSI (Redcar steel) has put its UK arm into liquidation. Seems now that even the "mothballing" is at risk. Just hearing the news on the BBC.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-34425017" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Yes, I'd say mothballing as an option just went out of the window unless they sell the assets to another company who is prepared to do something with it.
BBCNews24 accompanied its report with some aerial shots of a steelworks which wasn't Redcar. Is it really so hard? :wall:

I'd be interested to know if the £80m includes their statutory redundancy and back pay.
One world, like it or not - John Martyn
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rebeccariots2
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Re: Friday 2nd October 2015

Post by rebeccariots2 »

They (BBC) still might lose Peston though.
Dugald Baird ‏@dugaldbaird 15m15 minutes ago
.@Peston announcement on @BBCPM is at 5.45pm apparently
They've been trying to get him to stay and not jump ship to ITV apparently ... lots of enticements involved no doubt.
Working on the wild side.
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rebeccariots2
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Re: Friday 2nd October 2015

Post by rebeccariots2 »

joncraigSKY ‏@joncraig 17m17 minutes ago
Zac Goldsmith's mayoral campaign website called http://BACKZAC2016.COM" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; . I'm told Tory jokers already calling it "Back Zac & Crack". Nice!
Working on the wild side.
gilsey
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Re: Friday 2nd October 2015

Post by gilsey »

rebeccariots2 wrote:Afternoon all.

Just heard Radio 4's feedback programme which included a number of people complaining / addressing the coverage of Corbyn's first 14 days as leader and the Labour conference. General gist - people are fed up and disappointed with the focus on what are regarded as totally trivial matters such as whether he sings the national anthem ... and annoyed at the samey Westminster fixated questioning which seems to expect the new leader to have cast iron policies done and dusted just like that. As one listener said - most people wouldn't regard that as sensible for any new appointment. The presenter was posing the question whether Corbyn's election and subsequent way of working actually represented something definitely changing in people's attitude to politics.

Norman Smith came on and actually said that he believed it probably does - certainly within Labour - a bit too soon to say that about the country as a whole yet but it's clear that - the public are fed up with the Westminster focus and same old people and messages being trotted out ad nauseam (he didn't say ad nauseam though). He acknowledged that once he got out of London and went up to Scotland to report on the referendum he realised that the dynamic on the ground was utterly different from that being talked about in Westminster and surrounds. He says the BBC and media generally need to get out of London far more and talk to a wider range of people.

Hmmm - are they just beginning to get it?

In one of the bits of QT I caught last night, Charles Moore said Corbyn has a very narrow view of things, is very limited by that. Charlotte, bless her, looked suitably gobsmacked and said on the contrary, Corbyn was far more in touch with the general population than those in the Westminster bubble. I'm paraphrasing but that was the gist of it.
One world, like it or not - John Martyn
gilsey
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Re: Friday 2nd October 2015

Post by gilsey »

I have to share this with you, from btl on this article about that smarmy git Wharton.
http://politicalscrapbook.net/2015/09/m ... nsibility/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
As someone who has worked within European funding regimes, written and managed ERDF, SRIP and ESF bids and Programmes – I call bullshit on your comments on State Aid. The North-East was an Objective 2 area and as such had exemptions where there was potential catastrophic economic failure in strategic industries. Such as Steel. There is no additionality here. This is too big to fail and NO other European country would walk away from this and leave it to the market. Make no mistake your argument about its place in the global steel market is apples and oranges. Chinese steel that has flooded the market and destroyed our industry is beyond poor and is regularly failing after ten years – as opposed to Teesside steel which built the world and still stands as a witness. So after damaging our economy you reward the Chinese by giving them rail contracts and Hinkley Point? Where exactly did the market work here? The short sightedness of this is breath-taking but hardly surprising from someone who knows the cost of everything and the value of nothing. If it was a bank you’d be pumping telephone numbers of cash into it irrespective of its trading position. As a Teesside MP you shouldn’t be just laying over and playing dead. And your comments about ‘men standing on a beach’ just serve to highlight what a shit you are. From your privileged position you have no idea of the personal impact this will have – not that your three nippled cousin fucking sociopath party, led by a necro-beastialite and cokehead towel folder give a toss about Teesside anyway. This will not only affect the 1700 hard working families immediately affected, but also the 1300 hard working sub contractors and the unknown amount of hard working anciliary support, hard working local businesses and the hard working people you claim to represent that will suffer. You might have been educated in the best school in Teesside but you clearly don’t belong here and the people in Ingleby Barwick and Yarm who put you in a position of power will live to regret it as they begin to lose their homes. Northern Power House my arse. ‪#‎westminsterscum‬
One world, like it or not - John Martyn
AnatolyKasparov
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Re: Friday 2nd October 2015

Post by AnatolyKasparov »

gilsey wrote:
RogerOThornhill wrote:
PorFavor wrote:Good morfternoon.

SSI (Redcar steel) has put its UK arm into liquidation. Seems now that even the "mothballing" is at risk. Just hearing the news on the BBC.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-34425017" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Yes, I'd say mothballing as an option just went out of the window unless they sell the assets to another company who is prepared to do something with it.
BBCNews24 accompanied its report with some aerial shots of a steelworks which wasn't Redcar. Is it really so hard? :wall:

I'd be interested to know if the £80m includes their statutory redundancy and back pay.
Its not just the bias and obsession with trivia, a lot of the BBC's coverage is just so slapdash and careless these days - not least I suspect because they have done away with so many proper journalists and replaced them with clueless interns and media studies graduates :twisted:
"IS TONTY BLAIR BEHIND THIS???!!!!111???!!!"
PorFavor
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Re: Friday 2nd October 2015

Post by PorFavor »

gilsey wrote:I have to share this with you, from btl on this article about that smarmy git Wharton.
http://politicalscrapbook.net/2015/09/m ... nsibility/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
As someone who has worked within European funding regimes, written and managed ERDF, SRIP and ESF bids and Programmes – I call bullshit on your comments on State Aid. The North-East was an Objective 2 area and as such had exemptions where there was potential catastrophic economic failure in strategic industries. Such as Steel. There is no additionality here. This is too big to fail and NO other European country would walk away from this and leave it to the market. Make no mistake your argument about its place in the global steel market is apples and oranges. Chinese steel that has flooded the market and destroyed our industry is beyond poor and is regularly failing after ten years – as opposed to Teesside steel which built the world and still stands as a witness. So after damaging our economy you reward the Chinese by giving them rail contracts and Hinkley Point? Where exactly did the market work here? The short sightedness of this is breath-taking but hardly surprising from someone who knows the cost of everything and the value of nothing. If it was a bank you’d be pumping telephone numbers of cash into it irrespective of its trading position. As a Teesside MP you shouldn’t be just laying over and playing dead. And your comments about ‘men standing on a beach’ just serve to highlight what a shit you are. From your privileged position you have no idea of the personal impact this will have – not that your three nippled cousin fucking sociopath party, led by a necro-beastialite and cokehead towel folder give a toss about Teesside anyway. This will not only affect the 1700 hard working families immediately affected, but also the 1300 hard working sub contractors and the unknown amount of hard working anciliary support, hard working local businesses and the hard working people you claim to represent that will suffer. You might have been educated in the best school in Teesside but you clearly don’t belong here and the people in Ingleby Barwick and Yarm who put you in a position of power will live to regret it as they begin to lose their homes. Northern Power House my arse. ‪#‎westminsterscum‬
Yes - it bothers me that the Chinese have such a poor safety record and yet George Osborne is so full of admiration for them and is content to hand over such large, and not exactly risk free, enterprises into their hands.
ohsocynical
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Re: Friday 2nd October 2015

Post by ohsocynical »

GRIMSBURY & CASTLE BY-ELECTION IN BANBURY – LABOUR VICTORIES IN BOTH DISTRICT AND TOWN COUNCIL SEATS

http://banburylabour.org/grimsbury-cast ... cil-seats/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office. – Aesop
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Re: Friday 2nd October 2015

Post by yahyah »

The problem seems to be with the BBC politics team.

I listen to The World Tonight and they have some good presenters [except Carolyn Quinn] and international reportage. Bridget Kendall and some of the older heads are excellent.

So why do we get the sneering likes of Kussenberg and the Scottish bloke Watson [Iain ?] to report on serious political issues. They treat it like it is all a game.
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Re: Friday 2nd October 2015

Post by ohsocynical »

lab.jpg
lab.jpg (32.32 KiB) Viewed 7587 times
We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office. – Aesop
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Re: Friday 2nd October 2015

Post by yahyah »

Good news but I believe it wasn't so good in several Scottish by-elections.

Maybe Anatoly's done a round up on Cif ?
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Re: Friday 2nd October 2015

Post by ohsocynical »

Gary Barker ‏@Barkercartoons 54 mins54 minutes ago

Surge in membership set to hand Labour a £4m financial lifeline -

http://FT.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; http://on.ft.com/1WhOZWU" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; via @FT
We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office. – Aesop
AnatolyKasparov
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Re: Friday 2nd October 2015

Post by AnatolyKasparov »

yahyah wrote:Good news but I believe it wasn't so good in several Scottish by-elections.

Maybe Anatoly's done a round up on Cif ?
I haven't done any reviews on CiF since before the GE - they're on here now, haven't you noticed? :)

And its coming up later ;)

(the results in Scotland were less good, but featured an SNP-Lab swing for the first time in almost a year)
"IS TONTY BLAIR BEHIND THIS???!!!!111???!!!"
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Re: Friday 2nd October 2015

Post by yahyah »

Thanks Anatoly. I'm not very observant am I ?
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Re: Friday 2nd October 2015

Post by yahyah »

Something to smile about:

''In what seems to have become a rite of passage for a Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn has been mobbed by a hen party on a Glasgow-to-London train.

The Labour leader was reportedly a “big hit” after he gave an impromptu speech to the women in a carriage of the west coast mainline service on Friday morning.''
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... ers-speech" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Re: Friday 2nd October 2015

Post by AnatolyKasparov »

yahyah wrote:Thanks Anatoly. I'm not very observant am I ?
Pretty sure you have "thanked" me for doing them before now :P
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danesclose
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Re: Friday 2nd October 2015

Post by danesclose »

ohsocynical wrote:ChrisCross
‏@ChrisCr711

YOU COULDN´T MAKE IT UP

#Tory Minister for Business @sajidjavid THINKS the REDCAR Steelworks IS IN THE NORTH WEST !!

http://politicalscrapbook.net/2015/10/t ... t-england/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …
That sums the bastards up. I'm also upset that the good citizens of Stockton South (a seat I used to live in) were stupid enough to re-elect this fucking idiot Wharton.
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rebeccariots2
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Re: Friday 2nd October 2015

Post by rebeccariots2 »

yahyah wrote:Something to smile about:

''In what seems to have become a rite of passage for a Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn has been mobbed by a hen party on a Glasgow-to-London train.

The Labour leader was reportedly a “big hit” after he gave an impromptu speech to the women in a carriage of the west coast mainline service on Friday morning.''
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... ers-speech" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Can you imagine Cameron meeting such a hen party? Nah - they make sure he doesn't actually mix with any group that's not pre-picked ... and I believe the Tories think they should be sitting in first class only even if they haven't purchased a ticket for first class.

(I am enjoying thinking what women who have been partaking of vodka and vimto might say to Cameron though .... luscious little scene.)
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rebeccariots2
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Re: Friday 2nd October 2015

Post by rebeccariots2 »

ohsocynical wrote:Gary Barker ‏@Barkercartoons 54 mins54 minutes ago

Surge in membership set to hand Labour a £4m financial lifeline -

http://FT.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; http://on.ft.com/1WhOZWU" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; via @FT
But Corbyn is going to destroy the party Ohso - didn't you get the script?

Rather wonderful if he is going to play a large part in getting the debts paid off and putting some money in the kitty.
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Re: Friday 2nd October 2015

Post by yahyah »

This is unbelievable.

The family of a wounded hero of the Oregon shooting have had to raise money to pay for his medical bills !

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world ... 77546.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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RogerOThornhill
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Re: Friday 2nd October 2015

Post by RogerOThornhill »

This...

Image

and stopping only to marvel at the idea that anyone still believes that Brendan O'Neill is a leftie...this at the end.

Image

:lol!:

Excellent = skewers the "people can't take offence on behalf of others" argument nicely!

Using their logic only the Queen could take offence at Corbyn not singing the national Anthem - everyone else...nothing to do with you. But no...
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Re: Friday 2nd October 2015

Post by refitman »

rebeccariots2 wrote:
yahyah wrote:Something to smile about:

''In what seems to have become a rite of passage for a Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn has been mobbed by a hen party on a Glasgow-to-London train.

The Labour leader was reportedly a “big hit” after he gave an impromptu speech to the women in a carriage of the west coast mainline service on Friday morning.''
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... ers-speech" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Can you imagine Cameron meeting such a hen party? Nah - they make sure he doesn't actually mix with any group that's not pre-picked ... and I believe the Tories think they should be sitting in first class only even if they haven't purchased a ticket for first class.

(I am enjoying thinking what women who have been partaking of vodka and vimto might say to Cameron though .... luscious little scene.)
I imagine they'd kick Cameron in his [Christmas] balls.
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Re: Friday 2nd October 2015

Post by HindleA »

Let's play "Spot the lies"


An interview with IDS:-

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... ncan-smith" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Re: Friday 2nd October 2015

Post by LadyCentauria »

danesclose wrote:
PorFavor wrote:Good morfternoon.

SSI (Redcar steel) has put its UK arm into liquidation. Seems now that even the "mothballing" is at risk. Just hearing the news on the BBC.
Good afternoon.
As I mentioned a couple of days ago I'm an ex-employee of British Steel in the North East with many friends who work for SSI, so I have to declare a vested interest.
I'm beyond angry that a whole part of the country - a part that built some of the finest structures around the world (Sydney Harbour Bridge, Forth Road Bridge, 1st Severn Bridge, New World Trade Centre, etc. etc) is being hung out to dry, like Thatcher was advised to do with Merseyside. I'm also fearful for my mates, many who served their time at British Steel, and who are now in their 50's.

According to a Tory in the North East (I know, I know, but unbelievably there are a few of them) the £80 million consists of:

· Funding for affected workers to train at local further education colleges and tailored support for them via Jobcentre Plus;

· Finance to assist workers if they want to start up their own business and for local small businesses to grow and create jobs.

In other words, the square root of f**k all - £80 million to an outsourcing company that will tell the unemployed steel workers how to use social media to find work in an area where there is no work?

Looking at it in a slightly different way, the £80 million is just under twice what this Government gave as a grant (£45 million) to a company run by Roman Abramovich, one of the richest men in the world, to develop a steel plant in Canada.

Osborne has just sold us down the river to China over Hinckley Point. Presumably the steel for that will come from China too, seeing as we won't be able to make our own steel now, just like we have to import coal from Poland.

Apologies if this is incomprehensible. I'm just beyond livid at the moment
I'm with you. This Government is despicable and their actions incomprehensible. They are asset-strippers of the first order, encouraging the actions of asset-strippers of the second. I'm still not over this:
An engineering firm's expansion plans, which would have created 180 jobs, have been halted after the government cancelled an £80m loan.
The previous government pledged the cash to Forgemasters, so the Sheffield company could build parts for nuclear power stations.
Forgemasters said the plans would have created skilled jobs and the news was a "huge disappointment".
The coalition government has been reviewing Labour's spending decisions.
The Forgemasters loan is the largest sum awarded to a single organisation to be cancelled by the new government.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10341119
Image
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Re: Friday 2nd October 2015

Post by citizenJA »

HindleA wrote:Let's play "Spot the lies"


An interview with IDS:-

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... ncan-smith" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Iain Duncan Smith: 'EU has been hit by 'out-of-control bulldozer'

There's one.
It's the title.

Reminds me of a film...
"General Jack D. Ripper: Mandrake, do you realize that in addition to fluoridating water, why, there are studies underway to fluoridate salt, flour, fruit juices, soup, sugar, milk... ice cream. Ice cream, Mandrake, children's ice cream.
Group Capt. Lionel Mandrake: [very nervous] Lord, Jack.
General Jack D. Ripper: You know when fluoridation first began?
Group Capt. Lionel Mandrake: I... no, no. I don't, Jack.
General Jack D. Ripper: Nineteen hundred and forty-six. 1946, Mandrake. How does that coincide with your post-war Commie conspiracy, huh? It's incredibly obvious, isn't it? A foreign substance is introduced into our precious bodily fluids without the knowledge of the individual. Certainly without any choice. That's the way your hard-core Commie works."

- From, Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
1964
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rebeccariots2
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Re: Friday 2nd October 2015

Post by rebeccariots2 »

HindleA wrote:Let's play "Spot the lies"


An interview with IDS:-

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... ncan-smith" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Comments are something else ... rarely have I seen BTL so united in their disgust for the 'man'.
Galaxina 18m ago

There is not "Fuck off" in the world to ever adequately reply to this odious scumbag.

His abject failure as a human would not be such an issue if millions were not affected by his dangerous ineptitude.

In many ways, worse than Thatcher.
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Re: Friday 2nd October 2015

Post by RogerOThornhill »

LadyCentauria wrote: I'm with you. This Government is despicable and their actions incomprehensible. They are asset-strippers of the first order, encouraging the actions of asset-strippers of the second. I'm still not over this:
An engineering firm's expansion plans, which would have created 180 jobs, have been halted after the government cancelled an £80m loan.
The previous government pledged the cash to Forgemasters, so the Sheffield company could build parts for nuclear power stations.
Forgemasters said the plans would have created skilled jobs and the news was a "huge disappointment".
The coalition government has been reviewing Labour's spending decisions.
The Forgemasters loan is the largest sum awarded to a single organisation to be cancelled by the new government.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10341119
That one was a Cable special. I'm convinced they only cancelled it because it was arranged by Mandelson and they thought it can't be OK.

Have a feeling that they backtracked a bit some time after that. Too little too late.
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Re: Friday 2nd October 2015

Post by HindleA »

Redefine a non binary system as binary,make binary to stop it being binary.
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Re: Friday 2nd October 2015

Post by HindleA »

3=2.They are on to basic number redefinitions,now.
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rebeccariots2
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Re: Friday 2nd October 2015

Post by rebeccariots2 »

Boris Best Paid Col.jpg
Boris Best Paid Col.jpg (22.91 KiB) Viewed 5679 times
Paul Waugh ‏@paulwaugh 5m5 minutes ago
'Best paid col[umn] ever'
Newnsight's @xtophercook proves Boris did £93m cops deal with Osbo
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-34429233" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …
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Re: Friday 2nd October 2015

Post by RogerOThornhill »

Decent article about Lucy Powell.

Will Lucy Powell be a great shadow education secretary?

http://schoolsweek.co.uk/will-lucy-powe ... secretary/
At this stage it’s rare for a new shadow education minister to have deep knowledge of the brief. Frankly, there are education ministers who have been in post some time who I don’t think could answer well. Powell’s knowledge is impressive, though. Avoiding platitudes she gives specific example about her own children, but also her constituency. At one point she talks about Finnish schools, correctly, (a rarity in political circles) and, on teacher recruitment, she talks about teachers as being “very mobile and very desirable employees” who will leave the sector if badly treated.
Looks like this was a great appointment. I know McInerney is a Labour supporter but she doesn't mince her words if she thinks someone is wrong.
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Re: Friday 2nd October 2015

Post by AnatolyKasparov »

Eight local council byelections yesterday, all but one in Scotland:

Aberdeen - two contests here, the first saw an SNP hold in a division where they advanced strongly since 2012 (when there was a 2Lab/1Nat split, despite the SNP narrowly taking most first preferences) to take over half the vote and win on the first ballot, beating Labour nearly 2 to 1 even though their decline was relatively modest by recent standards north of the border. Tories advanced modestly to 10%, leadfrogging both the Greens (little changed) and the LibDems - who saw their share halved again despite winning a seat here back in 2007. The other vacancy saw an SNP gain - after transfers - from the Tories (though the outgoing incumbent had gone Independent after factional infighting) despite the fact the Tories actually advanced strongly on three years ago (their vote had collapsed then after they topped the poll in 2007, based on a large personal vote for their lead candidate who died not much later - the SNP won the subsequent by-election) and overtook Labour who fell by a double figure margin. LibDems and Greens tied last time for 4th-5th, but the former advanced slightly to claim the bragging rights for the minor places this time. Swings of around 7% and 11% from Labour to SNP in these two contests - far from trivial but may be interesting to compare that with swings of over 19% and 22% in two Aberdeen by-elections (for different seats) a few months ago; is the SNP tide starting to ebb slightly?

Moray - Independent hold after transfers, with a small swing to the Indies from second placed SNP since 2012 (but there was a modest swing to the Nats since a by-election the following year) Both then and in 2007 this division has split 2Ind/1SNP/1Con - the latter remained third this time despite improving their share significantly on the previous two polls (though multiple Independent candidates standing both times may be a factor there) Greens in last place, little changed on their previous few outings here.

Fife - SNP hold with close to 60% of the vote and a 13% swing from Labour since 2012 (and a more modest swing since a by-election here in March this year) though the scale of this is maybe slightly exaggerated by the last results here being notably poor for the Nats (they easily topped the poll here in 2007 before almost being caught by Labour then) Tories again slightly advancing on the last few contests (they generally seem to be on a bit of a Scottish upturn lately) and Greens trying their luck here this time but managing a rather modest 3%.

Stirling - SNP hold as they moved into top spot with a 9% swing from Labour since 2012 in a division that split 2Lab/1Nat then (they may have been aided by the absence of any LibDem, even though they managed to win a seat here back in 2007, as Labour's fall was relatively modest) though they again needed transfers on this occasion. Tories again moving forward modestly to nearly 12%, ahead of the Greens who also managed a small increase.

East Ayrshire - SNP hold, after falling just a handful of votes short of 50% in a division where they took 2 of the 4 seats in both 2012 and 2007 with Labour and Tory getting one each - transfers from the last placed Greens, who got just over 2%, were already sufficient to get them over the line. Tories again advanced and actually beat Labour for second by a few votes on this occasion, though the Labour to SNP swing was less than 6% which is one of the lowest recorded since the GE. But not as low as........

West Lothian - SNP hold, though their share barely moved in a division where they comfortably topped the poll in both 2012 and 2007 and they again needed transfers. The big surprise came lower down, where Labour managed to come second with a modest increase in their share thus achieving the first swing against the SNP (albeit only just) anywhere since last November. In contrast to most of their recent showings, the Tories were well down on their last couple of elections and a double figure drop relegated them to third. Greens stood here for the first time and scored over 5%, beating both an Independent and the LibDems who got less than 3% (they polled well in these parts once)

Cherwell DC - the one English contest this week saw a Labour gain from the Tories in a ward that (unusually) returned a Tory in 2012 but Labour in the following two elections, meaning that the red team now has a full set of councillors here for the first time since the first elections on these boundaries in 2002 (Labour did not win here again after that until 2011) There was a modest swing since GE day - both the main parties were up on then as more minor candidates were squeezed, most notably UKIP who dropped to just 8% (they weren't far off beating the Tories into 3rd at their 2014 high point) LibDems also slightly down on May, but that was enough to see them overtake the Greens who saw their share almost halve.

Eight contests again next week - two of them on Wednesday for a change.
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Re: Friday 2nd October 2015

Post by RogerOThornhill »

Not sure what the thinking is behind this - the theory is that by the time that Ofsted go in, they'll have some external results doesn't really wash since if a primary which start at reception, it's after 3 years; and for secondary it's only after 5!

Note that middle comment though. Wonder what they'll do for "free schools are better than council run (sic) schools" now if ofsted aren't effectively going to inspect any this year?

Image

Note - presumably (unless they've been done already, that includes Ms Birbalsingh's school...which will please her immensely since she's called for Ofsted's abolition.
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